Attention RCCL Shareholders

[Youngercruisers]

Hi,

 

We were just enquiring about a RCCL cruise(14day transatlantic) and we are shareholders therefore we are entitled to shipboard credit of $250us per cabin.

 

Now, if our travel agent gives us prepaid grats or shipboard credit deals of say $150 we would only receive the larger of the two and not both onboard credits, this is according to RCCL on the phone. Then I checked out their investor relations info on their web and sure enough it state that it is not combinable with other SBC offers.

 

The questions I have is has anyone here encountered this issue? Did you receive both or only your sbc for being a shareholder. It became effective as of Dec 2008. I also have Carnival shares and they will honor both SBC if agents give some and give you sbc for being shareholder and it appears RCCL wont do this.

 

This upsets me because most times our agent offers SBC of $200 and we were thinking great that would be a total of $450 sbc.

 

Thanks

Peter

[mechcc]

First off - welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Yes, unfortunatly this is true. It would really bother me a great deal had I bought the stock just for the OBC and it was at a really high price when I bought it.

 

If you bought it at the lower prices of a year or so ago - well, the OBC is soooooo secondary to the increase in the value of the stock. For me, I couldn't care less about the OBC now as I have seen the stock rise and rise and rise.:D:D:D:D:D:D

[Coralc]

The shareholder's onboard credit is not combinable with the balcony discount or onboard credit that you receive from booking a future cruise onboard (or NextCruise OBC).

 

It is combinable with onboard credit that you receive from a travel agent , or from the use of Royal Caribbean Visa card certificates. You can only choose one discount or credit provided by the cruise line. Travel Agent credit or pre-paid gratuities don't count. :)

[HamburgAvonLady]

:)We sailed on ther Mariner of the Seas in Jan.'09 and received shareholder credits AND OBC's from our travel agent. If you have the RCCL Visa card -- you can also

convert your points into OBC's.

 

If you are receiving some "perks" from RCCL directly, such as a cabin upgrade or reduced deposit -- then you can

not receive the shareholder benefit. :( You have to choose.

Hi,

 

We were just enquiring about a RCCL cruise(14day transatlantic) and we are shareholders therefore we are entitled to shipboard credit of $250us per cabin.

 

Now, if our travel agent gives us prepaid grats or shipboard credit deals of say $150 we would only receive the larger of the two and not both onboard credits, this is according to RCCL on the phone. Then I checked out their investor relations info on their web and sure enough it state that it is not combinable with other SBC offers.

 

The questions I have is has anyone here encountered this issue? Did you receive both or only your sbc for being a shareholder. It became effective as of Dec 2008. I also have Carnival shares and they will honor both SBC if agents give some and give you sbc for being shareholder and it appears RCCL wont do this.

 

This upsets me because most times our agent offers SBC of $200 and we were thinking great that would be a total of $450 sbc.

 

Thanks

Peter

[Florida Cruisin' Couple]

We were also on the Mariner for the cruise last January 4th. We were one of the honey moon couples - married the day before.

 

We each own shares and have had a horrible time getting credit for them. We took the South American Cruise (January) and decided to buy stock after the cruise. Then a couple months later we went to the Bahamas on another RCL and never did get our credits. We spent more time in line to talk to customer service than we did enjoying activities - or at least it seems that way.

 

Then in the fall we took a RCL cruise from Rome to Egypt, Suez Canal, India, Dubai, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore and we never did get our onboard credits. They did finally upgrade our cabin and that helped a little.

 

We are leaving on the Adventure of the Seas on May 2nd from Puerto Rico to Barcelona and went through a travel agency. The discount was more than what we would have gained from booking direct and getting our credits.

 

We are very frustrated with the way the credit program is handled.

[Coralc]

:)

If you are receiving some "perks" from RCCL directly, such as a cabin upgrade or reduced deposit -- then you can

not receive the shareholder benefit. :( You have to choose.

 

I don't think a cabin upgrade comes into play at all. Did you perhaps mean "balcony discount"? :D

[tiyana4]

Unfortunately, RCI's shareholder credit is very limited and not combinable with much else. Unlike CCL, there is no double and triple dipping allowed(i.e., stockholder credit, OBC from CCL/TA, cruise points, etc.). On the bright side, RCI's stock has made a remarkable recovery. This means much more to me than OBC; particularly since I am not loyal to Royal. :D

[retired arizona]

Cruising May 3rd, recieved OBC from Stock, & from RCL credit card, also recieved OBC for a price drop after final payment. Called yesterday to make sure all were showing on my records. No problem.

[aloha of the seas]

I think the real question here is just what the TA is giving the OP. The OP might just be getting a RCI OBC for early booking or some other reason. Can still opt for higher OBC even though you can't have both. But if TA was offering an OBC from agency, I believe that is still separate and allowed. Could be person that Op spoke to at RCI misunderstood the question. In any case you have a minimum of $250 to spend on your transatlantic cruise, so enjoy yourself. Good Sailing, Murf

[madforcruising]

Hi,

 

We were just enquiring about a RCCL cruise(14day transatlantic) and we are shareholders therefore we are entitled to shipboard credit of $250us per cabin.

 

Now, if our travel agent gives us prepaid grats or shipboard credit deals of say $150 we would only receive the larger of the two and not both onboard credits, this is according to RCCL on the phone. Then I checked out their investor relations info on their web and sure enough it state that it is not combinable with other SBC offers.

 

The questions I have is has anyone here encountered this issue? Did you receive both or only your sbc for being a shareholder. It became effective as of Dec 2008. I also have Carnival shares and they will honor both SBC if agents give some and give you sbc for being shareholder and it appears RCCL wont do this.

 

This upsets me because most times our agent offers SBC of $200 and we were thinking great that would be a total of $450 sbc.

 

Thanks

Peter

 

 

Yep as others have said, that´s how it works no doubloe dipping from RCI anymore. Sounds to me like some of the stuff your TA laims to come from them seems to be from RCI, as otherwise the stockholder benefit folks would have no idea what you have on your reservation. They can see the codes attached to the reservation.

[debshomespun]

We sailed on Navigator B2B Jan of this year and also on Liberty in Feb. We received our stock OBC, and also OBC from our TA. It is combinable IF the OBC is directly from the TA, and not a promotion RC is having. RC does make a lot of mistakes, so try to get it in writing fromyour TA as to what your OBC should be before you get on the ship.

[Jem 12]

Hi We too are stuggling the rules re on board credit for shares! We had booked a cruise for last weekend and got our onboard credit very quickly and easily, however that trip was cancelled by Celebrity due to the Volcano etc. we were fortunate that we had booked an all in package and will get all our money refunded soon.

 

We then found a cruise from Southampton (RCI) which did not involve flying as at this stage we still did not know when Heathrow would be open, this was on a website ( it was supposed to be a cancelled cabin)and we paid the full price we did not get any on board credit or a reduction for being Diamond, I have now applied for on board credit only to be told no, I have queried this a few days ago and am awaiting a response, what do more experienced shareholders think? we have only recently bought shares so this is our first experience of onboard credit.

many thanks for any input.

 

Jean

[patseacruiser]

If you used your shareholder credit then you will not get any platinum, diamond or diamond plus discounts but if your travel agent is giving you obc from their commission then you will get that also.

[cruisinfanatic]

We were also on the Mariner for the cruise last January 4th. We were one of the honey moon couples - married the day before.

 

We each own shares and have had a horrible time getting credit for them. We took the South American Cruise (January) and decided to buy stock after the cruise. Then a couple months later we went to the Bahamas on another RCL and never did get our credits. We spent more time in line to talk to customer service than we did enjoying activities - or at least it seems that way.

 

Then in the fall we took a RCL cruise from Rome to Egypt' date=' Suez Canal, India, Dubai, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore and we never did get our onboard credits. They did finally upgrade our cabin and that helped a little.

 

We are leaving on the Adventure of the Seas on May 2nd from Puerto Rico to Barcelona and went through a travel agency. The discount was more than what we would have gained from booking direct and getting our credits.

 

We are very frustrated with the way the credit program is handled.[/quote']

You never said if you actually applied for the stock credit and followed up to be it was applied before the cruise. It doesn't happen automatically.

[silentbob007]

I booked through a large agency offering pre-paid gratuities once and could not combine stock holder along with it ... I think it was a combined RCCL/TA special, which is why I couldn't double-up on the OBC. Otherwise, when money has simply been given as OBC from a TA, I've been able to do both.

[dramaqueen4lyfe]

You never said if you actually applied for the stock credit and followed up to be it was applied before the cruise. It doesn't happen automatically.

 

That was my thought exactly. You have to send a copy of you stock to Shareholders Benefits, they in turn send you back an email confirming the OBC has been applied. We did not receive ours on one cruise, we took the email confirmation to GS and it was applied within a day or so.

[Youngercruisers]

Hi,

 

Thank you so much, yes I bought very low so I am very happy with the stocks performance, as of March 2009 I believe I have 164% return which as you know is impressive, I just wish I bought more of it. haha

 

It seems though then, If it is a RCCL promotions it is not combinable however, if it is a travel agent promotion then I would likely receive both.

 

I understand now and thank you also for letting me know what to expect from their shareholders division as far as the actual process.

 

Peter

[setsail]

Hi,

 

Thank you so much, yes I bought very low so I am very happy with the stocks performance, as of March 2009 I believe I have 164% return which as you know is impressive, I just wish I bought more of it. haha

 

It seems though then, If it is a RCCL promotions it is not combinable however, if it is a travel agent promotion then I would likely receive both.

 

I understand now and thank you also for letting me know what to expect from their shareholders division as far as the actual process.

 

Peter

 

So you sold the stock to get your return???

[Mydnite]

It depends on who it is paying the grats and offering the onboard creidt that the TA is offering you.

 

If the TA themselves are paying it, then it is combinable. The restriction is on the offers from RCL themselves offer,

 

So, it the extras are an offer being passed on from RCL then it is not combinable, but if the TA is paying it, then it has nothing to do with the RCL shareholder OBC.

[MoYerclan]

We each own shares and have had a horrible time getting credit for them. We took the South American Cruise (January) and decided to buy stock after the cruise. Then a couple months later we went to the Bahamas on another RCL and never did get our credits. We spent more time in line to talk to customer service than we did enjoying activities - or at least it seems that way.

 

 

We are very frustrated with the way the credit program is handled.

 

Did you send your request in to the stockholder benefit department *before* the cruise, and take along a copy of the email response with you? Shouldn't have been any problem then. It almost sounds (to me) as if you thought this was all somehow automatic but it is not.

We've never had a problem getting the shareholder benefit.

[jayandbee]

You are only entitled to one benefit, onboard credit/shareholder benefit/RCI savings certificate, and you would choose to take the greater value; the only exception being if you book on the ship for a future cruise you will if Diamond Plu get the balcony discount plus the onboard credit. Apparently if we write to the president he may re-instate the combinable as it used to be. Those were the days!