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Legal matters

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Original poster

Royal Caribbean changing cruise price after paying

469 replies

Mum1976Mum · 04/05/2023 09:26

So, we have just about scraped the money together for a holiday in July. Lots of holidays out of our price range but managed to book a 7 day cruise around Norway for 2.7k - 2 adults, 2 kids. Booked it yesterday morning, paid in full, all good. I booked the hotel, parking, pet sitter etc. yesterday afternoon all non refundable. Got an email at 9pm last night to say price was wrong on website, price would not be honoured and offering me $100 in onboard credit (which we don’t need).

So this morning they still haven’t got in touch to tell me how much more I will have to pay if I don’t cancel. I phone up, it’s £1500 extra!!! I’ve now been on hold to speak to a supervisor for an hour but they say they won’t be able to do anything.

What on earth do we do? If we cancel we are £500 out of pocket. Any advice welcome. I’m so sad.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
Chchchchchangesss · 04/05/2023 09:27

Why are you £500 out of pocket?

FlibbedyFlobbedyFloo · 04/05/2023 09:28

I can't see how this can be legal, to be honest. You have a contract with them which they have to honour.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will contribute soon

lalalalalalaleeee · 04/05/2023 09:28

Chchchchchangesss · 04/05/2023 09:27

Why are you £500 out of pocket?

Because as stated in post they have booked hotel, parking and pet sitter all non refundable

snitzelvoncrumb · 04/05/2023 09:28

I would look into if they can legally do that before paying it.

thebellagio · 04/05/2023 09:29

Could you claim on travel insurance for those things?

Hobert · 04/05/2023 09:29

I would put it to them that they need to cover the expenses that are unrecoverable.

Original poster
Mum1976Mum · 04/05/2023 09:30

They have now said that they have no one to speak to me about this complaint and hung up on me!

OP posts:
careerthink · 04/05/2023 09:32

Oh wow that's terrible, what does it say on your booking?

WhatsitWiggle · 04/05/2023 09:32

I work in travel. It is legal IF the price the holiday was booked at is obviously too cheap. So if the price was £2500 and should have been £3000, then there's an argument to say it's not a big enough price difference and could legitimately have been a special offer.

Given the OP has stated that most holidays were out of her price range, I think the company are on fair grounds to say it would have been obvious this was a bargain.

careerthink · 04/05/2023 09:33

Is the hotel and car park refundable? I find they usually are, not sure about pet sitter.

Doggymummar · 04/05/2023 09:36

I would think it was obviously incorrectly priced but if you aren't used to cruising then you might not know I guess and fluid pricing mKES IT Difficult to establish.

WaltzingWaters · 04/05/2023 09:36

I don’t know the legalities of it, hopefully someone will come along with more knowledge, but I’d have thought they’d have to honour the contract that’s been made. It was their mistake on the website, so their responsibility to suck up the cost difference.

sorry I’m not much help but definitely look into it all before agreeing to anything.

YDBear · 04/05/2023 09:37

I guess if OP paid for any of the other devices that make up the £500 with a credit card, she should be able to cancel the payment. Isn’t there a 30-day “cooling off” period on CC payments? Shitty—and kind of outrageous—situation for the cruise line to put you in: I’d be looking to share this experience as widely as possible—Twitter, Facebook, the consumer pages of the newspapers, ABTA, Trading Standards… It’s a blatant old fashioned bait and switch.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 04/05/2023 09:38

WhatsitWiggle · 04/05/2023 09:32

I work in travel. It is legal IF the price the holiday was booked at is obviously too cheap. So if the price was £2500 and should have been £3000, then there's an argument to say it's not a big enough price difference and could legitimately have been a special offer.

Given the OP has stated that most holidays were out of her price range, I think the company are on fair grounds to say it would have been obvious this was a bargain.

Really? £2700 for 4 people/7 days clearly isn't the most expensive cruise ever, but it also isn't so cheap that it's obviously too good to be true.

I don't know what your legal position is, OP, but this seems incredibly unfair. Can you try tweeting the company? I have heard that many organisations respond to this even when they aren't interested in discussing complaints.

It reflects very badly on the Royal Caribbean imo, and would make me think twice about ever booking with them.

WhatsitWiggle · 04/05/2023 09:39

"We reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. We will do so as soon as we become aware of the error. Please note changes and errors occasionally occur."

This is in their terms and conditions. Sorry OP. Best bet would be to try to claim on your insurance.

Metheven · 04/05/2023 09:40

I would take to Twitter and tag them in. Firms don't like bad publicity.

Original poster
Mum1976Mum · 04/05/2023 09:40

I honestly didn’t think £2.7k wasn’t a normal price for a 7 day cruise somewhere wholly before the main school holidays. I’ve tried tweeting, Facebook, phoning… no one will speak to me. I have to email in but they have on my given me 24 hours to either pay the extra or it will be cancelled.

OP posts:
BouleBaker · 04/05/2023 09:41

I tuink legally they can do this, especially this quickly after booking, but they just shouldn't. I agree that twitter and social media would be good places to try and establish contact and complain.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 04/05/2023 09:41

Doggymummar · 04/05/2023 09:36

I would think it was obviously incorrectly priced but if you aren't used to cruising then you might not know I guess and fluid pricing mKES IT Difficult to establish.

I've done a 7 day Norway cruise before. Can't remember how much we paid but the price doesn't seem wildly unrealistic to me. A good deal, maybe, but not cheap enough to make me question its validity.

Original poster
Mum1976Mum · 04/05/2023 09:41

Plus the website is still showing the ‘incorrect price’! Over 48 hours after they ‘became aware of it’

OP posts:
Fantina · 04/05/2023 09:41

Just because they put something in their terms and conditions, it doesn’t make it legal .

WhatsitWiggle · 04/05/2023 09:42

All those saying they don't know the legal position, I do, and unfortunately OP has agreed to the terms and conditions that indicate the company reserves the right to correct pricing errors. Yes it's crap but RC do not have to give her the holiday at the incorrect price.

Mochinated · 04/05/2023 09:43

Can you screenshot the website and send it to them? Also tweet it at them!

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 04/05/2023 09:44

OP, I know your other costs are nonrefundable but might you be covered by a cooling off period if you booked remotely within the last 14 days?

EmmaEmerald · 04/05/2023 09:45

OP ask MN to transfer this to Legal Matters.