Booking next cruise while on board

[tdk]

We are going on a cruise at the end of may and plan on going on a family cruise with our son in August. What are the benifits to booking while on board a cruise ship? The only thing that concerns me about waiting is that it would be summer and I know sometimes they run out of rooms for 3 people in the room.

[greydog]

While the OBC $ is nice and better choice of cabins, your advance booking, even if 'open ended' non specified sailing, means you aren't eligible for future sale price drops when it says 'new bookings only'. At least that has been my experience. So you can gain $100 OBC and miss out on $200-300-? later price discounts if bookings are slow and they start discounts. I find I come out ahead passing on the onboard booking but we're pretty flexible as to cabin arrangements. Good Luck

[cruisenfever]

When booking on board there are 2 types of bookings:

 

1. Booking a Future Cruise where you are picking a specific itinerary/sailing date. You get the reduced deposit of $100pp, which is refundable if you cancel prior to final payment.

 

2. Creating a NextCruise booking is where you are "not" picking a specific sailing date. With this type of booking you also get a reduced deposit of $100pp but it is non-refundable (though this is debatable). A booking number is assigned that only becomes active once you convert to a specific itinerary/sailing date. There is no further money due at the time of conversion until final payment. A NextCruise does not expire. You also can get two Certificates for Family and Friends with a NextCruise booking.

 

Both types of bookings will get you an OBC and either a balcony discount or the ability to use a C&A Savings Certificate if one becomes available for your cruise.

 

The only time you do not get a reduced deposit is when you book a GS cabin or higher, then the deposit is double what it normally would be.

 

With the above bookings you can combine OBC from Visa Points and OBC received from a TA or as a gift from family/friends with any two benefits from RCI.

[SpeedGeek]

cruisenfever nailed it.

 

Personally, I like the on board booking. If I have an idea of the cruise I want to go on, signing up far enough in advance gives you pretty good pricing to begin with, and the availability of preferred staterooms along with dinner seating and an OBC to top it off? Yes please.

 

Also, having an idea of what your cruise normally goes for each year can help with deciding which would be a better option for you. If you're cruising just a few months before another cruise and the prices look high, you're better off either holding off for last minute deals, or purchasing another way for the price drops. If the price is close enough to the norm for that time of the year, I'd say go for the on board booking.

[soozaay]

We did on board booking on our cruise in September for our cruise next month...it was great. You are able to book up to 3 staterooms w/ the discounted deposit and OBC for each. We knew we would be using 2 of the rooms (for us & my in laws), and took the chance of booking the 3rd stateroom just in case another family member wanted to join us...since it was all refundable, it was worth it. And we were able to transfer the reservations to our TA...so that was a nice deal too.

[tdk]

Thanks to all for your detailed responses... It's a great help. So I am clear.... If I book a specific cruise with a specific date am I eligable for future price drops. I guess I wouldn't have a whole lot time anyway since we go on our cruise at the end of may and the next cruise would be mid August but the balcony discount sounds nice.

[ryano]

If I book a specific cruise with a specific date am I eligable for future price drops.

 

Yes, up until your final payment date :)

[PattyG12]

If I purchase a FCC - no specific date for the next cruise - and then later apply it to a cruise - which date is used for the actual booking? I'm wondering about booking it more than or less than the 6 months for OBC/diamond discount.

[DonnaK]

We always book a cruise while onboard. Reduced deposit is nice, especially for a family, because you don't have to put so much money out up front. And the OBC comes in handy later. You can cancel the cruise, or change it to a future cruise.

If there is a price decrease, you can get an adjustment.

 

The other poster mentioned that you can't get the adjustment if the sale says "for new bookings only", however you can't the the adjustment if you booked early via the traditional way either. Only you can determine if it is worth the risk of waiting to see if the cruise you have in mind has a "new bookings" sale closer to the cruise date. In my experience, for summer cruises, the price usually goes up, not down, so the risk of booking early is minimal.

[ryano]

If I purchase a FCC - no specific date for the next cruise - and then later apply it to a cruise - which date is used for the actual booking? I'm wondering about booking it more than or less than the 6 months for OBC/diamond discount.

 

The day I bought the NextCruise certificate on board is the day it says my current cruise was booked on. I guess they go on the date that the booking # was generated instead of the date you actually turn it into a specific cruise.

[DonnaK]

oops

[SpeedGeek]

If I purchase a FCC - no specific date for the next cruise - and then later apply it to a cruise - which date is used for the actual booking? I'm wondering about booking it more than or less than the 6 months for OBC/diamond discount.

 

We got a NC certificate last March, and just applied it to a cruise this October, and our My Cruises reservation quotes the March date as the reservation date; however, the Friends and Family certificates have to be mailed in within 30 days of the booking and I'd say we technically don't have a booking until it's attached to a particular sailing... so I'd think the booking date would be when it's attached to the sailing, but you'll probably want to double check.

[SpeedGeek]

The day I bought the NextCruise certificate on board is the day it says my current cruise was booked on. I guess they go on the date that the booking # was generated instead of the date you actually turn it into a specific cruise.

 

Well hopefully this F&F certificate works then... I don't see how you could fill out the details otherwise...

[cruisenfever]

If I purchase a FCC - no specific date for the next cruise - and then later apply it to a cruise - which date is used for the actual booking? I'm wondering about booking it more than or less than the 6 months for OBC/diamond discount.

With a NC booking (no specific itinerary assigned) it is the date it is "created" on board.

 

A FC (specific itinerary assigned at the time of booking) is the date it is purchased on board.

[PattyG12]

Thanks for the answers. I knew I could find the correct answer here!

[tdk]

We always book a cruise while onboard. Reduced deposit is nice, especially for a family, because you don't have to put so much money out up front. And the OBC comes in handy later. You can cancel the cruise, or change it to a future cruise.

If there is a price decrease, you can get an adjustment.

 

The other poster mentioned that you can't get the adjustment if the sale says "for new bookings only", however you can't the the adjustment if you booked early via the traditional way either. Only you can determine if it is worth the risk of waiting to see if the cruise you have in mind has a "new bookings" sale closer to the cruise date. In my experience, for summer cruises, the price usually goes up, not down, so the risk of booking early is minimal.

 

Awesome.... Thank you and to all for your help

[trolleydolly]

Out of interest. If you book on board and you are from the uk will they refund the deposit?? I know some things are different for us. Thanks

[Elizanessie]

Out of interest. If you book on board and you are from the uk will they refund the deposit?? I know some things are different for us. Thanks

 

Deposits are non refundable ..just like booking from home.

[PH8]

With a NC booking (no specific itinerary assigned) it is the date it is "created" on board.

 

A FC (specific itinerary assigned at the time of booking) is the date it is purchased on board.

Now,I know this is the way we have come to know and accept.........However,l just got off the phone with C&A DP desk..They said about 6 months ago,the marketing dept(I think thats what he said) said no,from now on,it is when the NC is converted into a booking.Fortunatley,I am dealing with a booking made 6 months and 4 days out.:p

[xxoocruiser]

Next Cruise certificates also present an issue with purchasing cruise insurance if you have any pre-existing conditions. If you have apre-exisiting medical conditions , insurance has to be purchased on average 10-14 days from the date of booking to have it waived.

 

On my last cruise ( just a week ago ) I checked into how the booking date is applied to Next Cruise Certificates and the booking date is the date that the certificate is actually purchased . Given that no specific cruise has been booked one unable to finalize purchasing travel insurance within the required time to have pre-existing conditions waived.The Loyalty Ambassor told me that even if the date were to change when the actual cruise is selected and the NCC is applied, the insurance company can and usually does a complete look back before paying out. It seems that whomever you speak to at RCCL ,there's alway conflicting information. So it's not worth it to me to purchase a next cruiser certificate and being properly insured is most important.