Royal Caribbean changing cruise price after paying

[Mum1976Mum]

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.

I don’t go on cruises but I assume they are all inclusive. If they are then less than 100 a day pp is unrealistically low

If no one has already suggested, have a look at your household policy and see if you have legal cover. If so, ask for their advice

The fact that they keep changing their mind on how much extra it's supposed to be is a red flag, it seems they haven't a clue & are making things up as they go along!

Good point!

Haven't read all pages, but if not said, they had a serious glitch in their website that meant they had offered much lower prices than normal. That's why they have that clause in their contract. That pricing was never on offer.

I don't think you'll go very far. Thousands of people were affected across the world.

Well it is headed in the right direction. Can you stretch to the extra £300 if that is where they stick?

@potatohead1 It really is not. Cruises are very cheap at the moment and the Norway route is a route that particularly attracts discounts. They make money on alcohol sold on board and excursions.

What a shambles especially the fact that they clearly haven’t stopped selling at the cheaper price.

legally they can do I think but it’s bloody crap PR. I’d want to cancel entirely tbh. Because I’m a mug I’d probably pay up if the extra was “only” £300. I’m not a cruise expert but the price doesn’t look ridiculously cheap for a slightly off peak trip to me. I’ve hear about mistakes where companies leave a whole digit off but this is clearly not one of these. I’d be tweeting martin Lewis and Simon Calder too.

If it is all inclusive why are they offering her money for onboard credit? That doesn't make sense to me.

Did you book one room with 4 sharing @Mum1976Mum?

This is what is currently showing for one room with 4 sharing, same cruise. Price doesn’t change whether guests 3 and 4 are adults or aged 0-12. Same price as per PP, £2,738.

No they aren't. All inclusive includes alcohol and all non alcoholic drinks, some cruise lines charge for these.

That's actually slight more expensive than P&O. They are do this cruise the week after yours for a balcony, 2 adults and 2 kids for 2.4k so your price seems okay. Cheeky gits.

Cruises aren't always expensive. I've just booked a spain/Morocco 14 day single person with a balcony and highest drinks package for £1,799. Bloody bargin.

Just need to know where to look.

No RC are not all inclusive. £2700 would be a base rate. This price doesn't doesn't include alcohol, branded soft drinks or gratuities. Speciality restaurants, excursions and some facilities are extra too.

Yep! That’s exactly what I booked as well - 2 kids under 12, interior cabin.

I could stretch to £300 extra. My worry is that they seem to be random prices plucked from the air so who knows what they will come back with. It still might be £1500 extra. And I’m supposed to pay it by the end of today - I still don’t know what it is!

Keep fighting, we have paid similar, albeit with one child for summer hols with p&o (generally cheaper than RC) for balcony, it wasn’t obviously cheap.

we have had had similar where they couldn’t confirm what deposit (and Covid future cruise credit) we had. Got there eventually. Keep screen shotting. Look for forums in FB for that cruise (and cruise critic). Cruise companies have notoriously shit customer service re complaints

I obviously need to book where you’re booking! Royal Caribbean are shit!

Two of them are children though. Lots of places let children come for free or for nominal charge if they are sharing with adults.

I don’t think it’s all that cheap tbh. Surely you can get a week or so in a lodge/ caravan/ hotel for much less. Difference is food/ sightseeing. Challenging for 1 but there economies of scale for four when you are willing to share a room.

Update on the chat after my hour wait…….. the price will be changed to a higher one by Saturday at the latest but holiday will be cancelled tomorrow if I don’t pay. I’m speechless quite honestly.

The TImes on Saturday has a really good journalist who deals with this sort of problem - think the column is called "DOn't put up with this" and they usually manage to get a rethink out of the travel companies - be worth contacting them.

I would think this is significant legally (caveat, I'm not a legal bod)
They have NOT corrected the price as soon as they became aware of the error.
So, they are still advertising a fake deal to others. Knowingly.

OP, I hope you get it sorted. Thank you for alerting me to this Co's practices.

Have they even acknowledged that they are still advertising exactly what you booked at the exact price you paid?

Feel really sorry for you , ridiculous way of doing business , my advise for what it’s worth would be cancel the holiday ( who knows what’s going to transpire before you go) and then get on to the papers as a lot of people have suggested to try and shame them into reimbursing your hotel parking a pet sitting fees. 🤞

what have you paid them already? Will you at least get that back?
it’s so shady.

i guess with the pet sitter you could still use if you pick another holiday. But re the parking and hotel (presumably the night before the cruise) it sounds difficult. Travel insurance should cover if you have that already but the excess will be high.

if you haven’t got insurance then lesson learnt- buy it as soon as you book and certainly before you book any extras

I would cancel.

They sound absolutely shocking.