TankPedro Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 Do not book a cruise through Royal Caribbean - DO NOT I booked a cruise for my family and I a few months ago for December 2024. I just found through work that I have a discount program on travel including Royal Caribbean cruises. I looked up the exact cruise we are going on in December and it is $500+ USD cheaper through the third party. I would assume that Royal Caribbean has given permission to this group to offer these cruises at this discounted price. I contacted RC and told them about this deal. I sent screen shots of the exact same cruise, exact same room and the price difference. They replied to my email and said that I was right, that there was a price adjustment but I have to call to make the changes. No big deal. So I called and the person I talked to said that there was a savings available, almost $900 CAD (I'm in Canada) which is AMAZING. I was put on hold to give her time to make these changes. A few minuets later she came back and said that there is a "glitch" in the system and that the price is actually $92 dollars cheaper. I had told my partner about the huge savings, now I look like an idiot. So I asked if they can just match the price, clearly this deal is available, we want to go on this cruise but we know that we can get it for $700 cheaper. RC said that can't be done. I asked if I can get my deposit back so I can re use it for my booking through the third party. They won't help me out. If I cancel the reservation made through RC they will keep my deposit even though I'm going to rebook the exact same cruise, the exact same room just at a much better price. I will still save money by not booking through RC but it just makes no sense to me at least. My advice to anyone is look for ANY and ALL deals, try and avoid dealing with RC AT ALL COSTS because they are not looking out for the customer. For a first time cruiser with a family of 5, 3 children under 8 we have already started planning our next cruise. The money we could have potentially saved if RC would just honor the same deal they are offering to other customers would cover the next cruises deposit. Leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth. I was super excited for this trip but now I know that I'm paying $700 more than others and the cruise line doesn't seem to care one bit, they just want my deposit. Please use RC as a last resource. Don't get fooled by the 65% off, kids sail free jazz. You can find those deals anywhere. TessFromFlorida and Ryan79 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 My advice is get a travel agent who can work through these details. michaelp1446, TessFromFlorida, OCSC Mike and 6 others 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXcruzer Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 You are barking up the wrong tree Pedro Caveat Emptor TessFromFlorida, FoxboroCruiser, Baked Alaska and 2 others 3 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianB Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 Sorry this happened to you. But I’m sure your warning will be drowned out by the stampede of those rushing to make reservations as bookings have skyrocketed. The best advice is from @SpeedNoodles…use a good Travel Agent (operative word ‘Good’!)…someone who can be easily reached and is responsive whenever you need to make a change, or even just ask a question. Alternatively, I have found success by just calling back and getting a different agent. Sometimes, the agent you get when you first call may be uninformed, confused or just mistaken. Especially when they put you on hold to check with a colleague or another department. It’s like playing a game of Telephone with someone whose primary language is not English. Misinterpretation changes everything. You can also speak with Resolutions and they will most likely give you the right information. Good luck! michaelp1446, OCSC Mike, Baked Alaska and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 30 minutes ago, BrianB said: The best advice is from @SpeedNoodles…use a good Travel Agent (operative word ‘Good’!)…someone who can be easily reached and is responsive whenever you need to make a change, or even just ask a question. Alternatively, I have found success by just calling back and getting a different agent. Sometimes, the agent you get when you first call may be uninformed, confused or just mistaken. Especially when they put you on hold to check with a colleague or another department. It’s like playing a game of Telephone with someone whose primary language is not English. Misinterpretation changes everything. Both are excellent pieces of advice. michaelp1446, SpeedNoodles, RCIfan1912 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 It doesn't sound like RC did anything wrong. You found a group rate elsewhere after booking direct. tjcruisers, RCIfan1912, OCSC Mike and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loki007 Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 Most people on this blog are fairly experienced cruisers who know that Royal (and all cruise lines) are always running "sales". The earlier you book the better price you get is the general rule. Good travel agents like the one you will find mentioned thoughout this blog will sometimes be able to offer Group discounts and perks. If I ever think there is a possibility my plans will change I book refundable deposits. Sorry you found a better deal after you booked with Royal but thats really not their fault and you will still have a great time on your cruise. Baked Alaska, PhillyLady, OCSC Mike and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 Welcome to the message boards. 15 hours ago, TankPedro said: I looked up the exact cruise we are going on in December and it is $500+ USD cheaper through the third party. We're not privy to the details here, but keep in mind when comparing prices in the future to include all the taxes and fees. A lot of times there are advertised rates cheaper, until you factor those in. Also, you need to ensure you're comparing the exact same room category. Not just "balcony", I mean the room code. There can be major price differences between a category 1D and 3D balcony cabin. 15 hours ago, TankPedro said: I would assume that Royal Caribbean has given permission to this group to offer these cruises at this discounted price. It's not quite that. More often an agency creates a group space, and that locks in the price of the room at the time. Later, the conventional price goes up, while the group space remains at the original price. So depending on when you book, the price can fluctuate. RestingBird, RCIfan1912, ChessE4 and 6 others 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjcruisers Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 As mentioned might not be an apples to apples comparison on the room. The 3rd party TA group is probably going on group discount. Also for the room a balcony in one location doesn't equal a balcony in another. A room front of the ship will be cheaper than midship. A balcony on deck 5 might be cheaper than one of deck 8. When did you book your cruise? While I've never done this, my understanding is you can transfer your reservation to a travel agent within first 30 days or something. That might be a way to get your deposit transferred over and then repriced via this 3rd party company Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 3 minutes ago, tjcruisers said: When did you book your cruise? OP said "a few months ago" so too late to transfer. Plus those corporate discounts tend to be big box stuff and not a TA you'd want to rely on for any help. Baked Alaska, RCIfan1912 and Hoppy2cruise 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorCruiser Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 Vote for Pedro Larry Muster, OCSC Mike, dougalsgirl and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 27 minutes ago, GatorCruiser said: Vote for Pedro I suddenly have a craving for tater tots. dougalsgirl, GatorCruiser, tjcruisers and 3 others 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMeJoe Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 34 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said: I suddenly have a craving for tater tots. Chops Gruyere Tots - ??? RestingBird and RCIfan1912 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 8 minutes ago, JustMeJoe said: Chops Gruyere Tots - ??? No, these tots... dougalsgirl, Ampurp85, Southern Dan and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorCruiser Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 Anyone seen uncle Rico ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoppy2cruise Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 Keep in mind that if you did have a TA, that person probably couldn’t match your company’s special rate either. The person who said it could be done was not correct which was the “glitch” that didn’t allow it to work. In the future, do a mock booking for the exact cabin, date, ship, etc you want to get a price but do not actually book. Instead, call to compare to the special rate offered through your employer. You’ll likely find the two are not equal at all (as has been pointed out by TJCruisers - the deals are not “apples to apples.”) Once you have those details, actually decide whether to go through with an actual booking with Royal or through the work offer. Chances are the deal you booked really was the best after all. For now, believe that is the case and enjoy your cruise. Sharla and PhillyLady 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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