> Cruise Rants > General Grumbles > Royal Caribbean - Right Royal Rip Off???

As a new cruiser (just one extremely enjoyable MSC Greek Islands Cruise Sept 09 under my belt) I thought I'd try a different cruise line this time. I booked a Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona with Royal Caribbean departing 30th May 2010 and as I booked early was given a £200 early booking discount. Unfortunately, some unforseen family commitments now make it impossible to travel on that date so I am attempting to reschedule to a date in September 10. I accept that an admin fee for the amendment should be payable but what I am absolutely furious about is that Royal Caribbean are refusing to honour the early booking fee they had previously given (despite the fact that I am now, relatively speaking, an even earlier booker, by 4 months) They are refusing to budge, and seem totally uninterested in my opinions or arguments (or those of Cruise.co.uk on my behalf), quoting only that it "is our policy". Nobody seems able to get beyond this statement and answer my question asking "what is the rationale behind this policy?" It appears that they are happy to "bribe" potential new clients with discount offers, but have no interest in you at all once they've "got you". I am still debating what to do - I do not want to lose my £600 deposit, but now have serious concerns about travelling with this cruise line if even at first point of contact they have no regard for their future passengers and no idea of what customer service means!

Anyone else come across this? Any way around it? I'd be grateful to hear from any of you seasoned cruisers or anyone from Royal Caribbean itself if they can be bothered ( which I doubt!)

Hi Carolyn

From what you say, it seems extremely mean of Royal Caribbean, as well as being poor business sense to gain a couple of hundred pounds but lose a future customer. Good luck with your quest.

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Dave

Suggest you take legal counsel on the matter. Seriously.
.

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The early booking discount was for the cruise in May when there is a lull in bookings you are now looking at September if they can fill the ship at that time of year they don't need to give a discount.
As for your deposit see if you can claim on your travel insurance

Sadly this is the way Royal Caribbean so called Customer Services operate. The only thing they are good at is quoting Terms and Conditions. No amount of reasoning with them will work. I am a Diamond Member and no matter what the situation; RULES ARE RULES as far as they are concerned. Whatever happened to customer satisfaction when sometimes a small goodwill gesture would go along way - I dont know.
Its like trying to get blood out of a stone, despite trying various tactics all you ever get is a standard pre formatted response.
The only good thing about Royal Caribbean is their price promise - Book, see the same grade offered at a lower price and they will give you a price match.

I know I'm not really comparing like-with-like, but when we decided we preferred the sound of another Fred Olsen cruise to the one we'd already booked (and paid for in full) their response was: "No problem. We'll change your booking immediately. There's no charge involved." That's customer service!

(Can I have my free cruise now Fred?)

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Dave

Their are several reasons why RCCL will not agree with your new Dep date.Firstly,(and it sounds like you were travelling on Adventure in may) Cruises in this period were advertised at a promotion price.Should you change the time scale to September that period will not be recognised as a Promotion.Secondly,your May booking will now have to be sold to another party.Thirdly,on booking a Cruise you agree to abide by the rules as stated in the Cruise Contract.They are at liberty to treat the May Dep as a Cancellation if they wish,and to take another booking for September as a new one.

Their are things here that you dont understand and is pointless for me listing them all.RCCL are an excellent Company and easy to get along with,yiu have 2 options available.You can send an E Mail to Customer Services in Miami fully explaining your plight in a proper manner but not to use words that are demanding.Failing a result you could ask for a sizeable On Board Credit for the September sailing.

Even though I am aware of RCCL terms and Conditions regarding bookings (and their are many) it is not proper or in anyones interests to take sides in your case.It seems to me that the Booking agent should be dealing with this on your behalf and the word Compromise springs to mind.I do hope you are able to sort out your problems to remember that RCCL are a straight and fair Company,as i can testify since 1975.

Thanks for your reply but the May date was half term and the September date is not shool holidays so if anything, on a family orientated cruise I would expect the opposite to apply! In any case, the £200 was being offered on ALL sailings booked before a certain date so I really can't see their issue!! Anyway I'll keep trying and post updates as and when they occur!

It sounds like you either work for Royal Caribbean or have never had anything go wrong with a booking!

Send a message to Gordon Rhys. This seems a mirror image of his recent battle with P&O. In fact from reading these pages over the years it would appear that all the lines operate a similar policy.