Ourusualbeach

Linking dining is only needed for early or late dining to ensure that you are seated together. When you are making reservstions on board all you will need is the other person's stateroom number.

Groups have always required a minimum of 8 cabins.

Groups always have a cabin deposit and not a per person deposit. This is great for families of more than 2 as they only have to pay a $500 deposit (using a 7 day sailing as an example) but it sucks for solos as they pay $500 as opposed to $250 or for those that book a next cruise with a $200 deposit and transfer it to a travel agent to get the lower group rate...they must bring their deposit up to the group deposit level. Group rates are refundable...a big plus Group rates are pretty much always cheaper than Royals NRD rates...another big plus. On the downside, groups rates are only for double occupancy cabins. Triples and quads can be moved into the group to pick up the group amenity but they are booked at prevailing rates. either refundable or non refundable. Another downside is that only certain categories are available for the discounted group rates. Usually limited to 4V, 2V. 4N, 2N, 2I, 2J, 4D, 2D and occasionally 2B and 4B or the virtual balconies 2U and 4U. Suites do not benefit from group rates. There are 2 types of groups. Deposited and non deposited. In order to get the group amenity you must book a deposited group. This is a $50 per stateroom that the group leader must pay within 30 days of the group creation. If all 8 or 16 or whatever number of cabins you hold for the group are booked and deposited before the 30 days this $50 per stateroom does not need to be paid. If you wish to continue holding staterooms (for those friends and family members that have commitment issues) you must pay the $50 per stateroom to hold that space. The $50 per stateroom is refundable and once the group is filled it can either be refunded or applied to one or more bookings within the group. With a non deposited group you can hold the space but you will not receive the group amenity,.

You receive what is known as a Tour Conductor Credit. You get 1 TC for every 8 cabins booked. A tour conductor is equal to the average cruise fare (Not including taxes or NCCF's) for all the cabins in the group. In order to get that "free" cabin you need to have 16 rooms in the group. I said "free" but its not free. As I mentioned the TC does not include taxes or NCCF's. NCCF's are the non commissionable cruise fare that is included in the cruise fare for all sailings. Most people do not even see this on their invoices but TA's do. It is between $25 and $40 per person per night depending on the ship. On a newer ship you would be looking at $250 to $280 for a 7 night cruise. Just as an example take a balcony cabin for 2 people at $2500 taxes in, out the door would not get you a TC of $1250. take your $2500 subtract the taxes (say $125pp) leaves you with $2250. Subtract the NCCF of $250 per person leaves you with $1750 net cruise fare. your TC would be $875 Now if you found a great deal on insides for say $1200 taxes in take off taxes $250 and NCCF of $500 leaves you with $450 or a TC credit of $225 Definitely not a comped cabin.

If your TA has you booked in a group then That would most likely not be combinable with the Amex offer

We are on a Christmas cruise for my daughter's first cruise at 21. That's her Christmas present...hope she remembers it.

They may actually have to get through to the cruise planner people and not general reservations. Not sure why they have this issue with some sailings. I booked it just fine online for my daughter.

Call.

Nope. It's a glitch. I was able to purchase the beverage package for my daughter who is currently 20 for an upcoming cruise where she is 21.

No, the one adult solo will get 12 points thst they will share with the other adult.

Yes thst will work. As long ad you dont book a room that has "Studio" in its description Pretty sure yhst if you do yhd nothing between what extra you will spend to do this you wont save that much on the free drinks and other perks.

Yes. Complete both your on line check ins and you also have to do the safety drill a second time.

The FCC can be used for the deposit however this can only ge done by calling Royal to book.

Thanks for the heads up

Some ships will program them for you if you bring old ones.

Even though it says non refundable it is easy enough to take it out at the casino.

While it may be the same room type it is not the same category. An inside stateroom for 2 guests eill be either a 2V or a 4V category. An inside for 3 or 4 guests will be a category 1V or 3V. Each category is priced separately.because of the lower numbers of cabins that hold 3 and 4 guests the price for guest 1 and 2 is usually higher. I just did a booking last night where it was cheaper to get two cabins for 2 even though one cabin will be solo than it was to get a cabin for 3

Glad that it worked out and I think the original rep did not understand what you were asking and that there was a bit of mis communication. I think that the original rep was thinking that you wanted to move your booking at your current price (like a lift and shift, which is no longer offered) and they were telling you at full price meaning prevailing rates with whatever the current promotion was. Either way it worked out in the end.

Exactly.

If you change ship and sail date there will be a $100 per person penalty and you have to pay whatever the current rates are for the cruise that you want to switch to. When did you book this sailing? If you booked prior to March 31, 2022 and your sailing is before Sept 30, 2022 the you are covered under cruise with confidence and you can cancel your sailing and get your entire deposit (no penalty) back as an FCC that would be valid for 12 months from the date of the sailing that you cancelled. You would still have to pay the current rates of the sailing you are trying to book.

Yes. You will receive an e mail sbout a week before your sailing from the suite concierge and you can ask them to make your dining and show reservations. Space is held back for this booking on board so nothing is ever truly sold out in advance.

On the app go to select a different sailing. Scroll down to the bottom to link a missing reservation. From there you can add the other reservation to the app.

IMO there is relation to what they are charging for the drink package or individual drinks to what they are giving away as perks. The actual cost of those drinks hasn't changed and is still a fraction of what they charge

No. For what you were describing you had to book when CWC was in effect (before March 30,2023) for a sailing that departed before Dec 31, 2022) Fcc will just be reinstated with original expiry dates. Good news thst FCCs can now be transferred to others.

Every family member who is linked with you will show your points until they are unlinked which at that time they should only show their actual points sailed however they will retain the last status they held with you.