How does it work?

[mworkman]

The question of the day?  Upgrades...if one books a cabin, lets say for general purposes for this exercise.  Ocean View Balcony at the rate of $950 pp and the rate increases to a higher rate of $1400 and the current price of a Jr Suites rate is $1600pp.  Does the current price of the OVB get factored into the upgrade or the original purchase price?  With that said the logical though process would be an $400 price increase to Jr. Suite or do you see an adjusted price of $1300? 

How does it work?

[WAAAYTOOO]

There really is no logic.  It's whatever whimsical algorithm they happen to be using at that moment.  There have been times when I was sure that an upgrade was going to cost me a fortune only to find out that it was minimal and times when I thought the upgrade should have been minimal and it cost me a fortune....

However, GENERALLY speaking, the upgrade is based on what you originally paid and what the current price for the upgraded level.  The current price of the level you are currently in has no bearing (at least from what I have been able to glean).

The only advice that I have for you is....let your TA handle it.  I have never come out better doing it on my own than I would have by letting Michelle do it for me.  Granted, I am always dealing with a casino rate which throws a whole new variable into an already confused equation, but somehow, when Michelle gets involved, my BOGO50% always seems to work out to MORE than an overall 25% discount - sometimes significantly more.  I don't know how she does it and I never ask...I just thank her and take the [always better than I could have done myself] deal with pleasure.

[tiny260]

1 minute ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

However, GENERALLY speaking, the upgrade is based on what you originally paid and what the current price for the upgraded level. 

Agree with @WAAAYTOOO , my experience and reading the blog post anyway.

[Matt]

If I'm following your example, if you paid $950 and you see a higher cabin for $1600, it is irrelevant what your room is going for now.  To upgrade, you'd need to pony up an additional $650.

[mworkman]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

If I'm following your example, if you paid $950 and you see a higher cabin for $1600, it is irrelevant what your room is going for now.  To upgrade, you'd need to pony up an additional $650.

Okay, with that statement..if the price drops lower than you paid....you would receive refund of the difference. Shouldn't you receive the same benifiets if it increases and pay the difference of the next level up? Bottom line is there playing the market, so should the consumer also reap the same benefits? hmmm things to ponder on.    

 

[Atlantix2000]

Keeping with your example, if they drop the price of your cabin from $950 to $750, they are under no obligation to tell you or  automatically refund the difference.  But if you notice such a change, you can call and rebook your cabin for the lower rate.  However, this is processed as a cancellation and new booking which means you would lose any perks (on board credit, etc) from the original booking but gain whatever is being currently offered.  You may or may not also be subject to cancellation fees (someone else can chime in on the details).

Depending on all the details, that lower price may save you something or actually end up costing you.  Of course, it never hurts to call and check!

[L454S]

All these answers are relevant up until final payment. I have called many times for price reductions and gotten them without problems. Just call your T/A or Royal Carib. directly if you booked with them. After that there are different procedures.

[mworkman]

I'm good...this is one of the thing I was pondering should I ever run acrossed this situation in the future.  It helps to be armed with knowledge before hand.  I'm sure it will be something I do see the more I cruise.

Now that you mentioned final payment...i assume the consumer has less of a bargain chip to work with, as the consumer would be more at the mercy of firmer fixed prices.  Can you pass on any knowledge of how to bargain after final payment to the rest of us? 

[L454S]

After final payment, RCI will not be refunding any money for changes or upgrades. We have upgraded to a higher class cabin and paid the difference(they WILL take more money). 

If you have an inside cabin and the ocean view cabins come down in price to or below the price you paid, you can get the upgrade to the better cabin. BUT, if it is a lower price than what you paid, there is NO refund.

The last time we did this was a couple weeks ago. Had an E(small/7654) class balcony cabin on the Serenade. A week before sailing, an AFT D Class(large/7174) balcony cabin came available for less than we had paid. We called and were upgraded at no charge. BUT, no refund for the overage.

[mworkman]

Thanks..that alway great info to know. I have heard of the difference being give in the form of OBC on some instances, so i assume this might be after final payment or is this your experience of just a plain NO GO from RCI?

[L454S]

Have never gotten any funds back after final payment. Only the upgrade, either for more money or because the higher class had come down lower than my booking.

[twangster]

Final payment is like locking in an interest rate on a mortgage.  Once locked, its locked.  After you have made your final payment expect nothing.  You can try and in the past sometimes you may have gotten an OBC but with the $55M loss due to this past hurricane season they are not in a position to be as generous with "goodwill" activities.

This includes paying off the cruise prior to the deadline for final payment.  My TA advises me to hold back a $100 if paying for a cruise in full prior to final payment deadline.  

I tried to upgrade to a different category a month ago for my current cruise (~30 days out) and they wouldn't let me upgrade my inside cabin to anything, not even a suite.  

YMMV.

[Matt]

16 hours ago, mworkman said:

Okay, with that statement..if the price drops lower than you paid....you would receive refund of the difference. Shouldn't you receive the same benifiets if it increases and pay the difference of the next level up? Bottom line is there playing the market, so should the consumer also reap the same benefits? hmmm things to ponder on.    

 

I wish that were the case, but no.  If you buy a pair of jeans for $20 and the price goes up to $25, if you go to return it, you only get $20 back.  I think this is universal among consumer purchases goods and services.

[JLMoran]

45 minutes ago, twangster said:

My TA advises me to hold back a $100 if paying for a cruise in full prior to final payment deadline.  

Interesting note on this point, which I found out about the hard way...

I've been paying $400 a month towards my fare, with the idea being I'll be paid off this month right at final payment date. Well, I went to make my November payment for my two-room cruise, and found out that each room basically has only the port fees and taxes left on it, plus maybe $50 in actual cruise fare. Which posed a problem...

My TA explained that the cruise lines don't allow making partial payments on those taxes and fees; it's all-or-nothing. So I could either make no payment for November and have to pay off both rooms this month, or pay off one room for November and then the other room in December. I didn't want to blow out my budget in December with the holidays (and ensuing bills) coming up, so I paid off my room last month and will pay the kids' one right before final payment date.

Not going to be a common situation for most of the folks here, who only book single cabins, but figured I ought to mention it.