Re-booking onboard

[ElleninNY]

For the last two summers, we have sailed Radisson, on the PG in 2003 and the Mariner in 2004. Each time, we have received a nice discount for having booked another cruise on board. The question I have for frequent Radisson cruisers is this: If you have ever skipped a year or two, do they offer other discounts that compensate for the loss of the discount you get for booking onboard? I am not talking about the discount everyone gets for being a returning Radisson guest. I am talking about something I may not be aware of since I've never skipped a year once I started. I feel terribly pressured to commit to a cruise while on board but I hate to give up the discount if I'm going to wind up there anyway!

[jhp]

Ellen, I am fortunate that I have never "skipped" a year. And those rules for on-board booking seem to be in a constant flux of change, but I keep going with them because there is always a cruise I have planned in the future, and have saved a lot of money with this incentive. I believe that if you are on-board, and don't know what you want to book in the future because nothing looks of interest, you can book something way in the future, and then you can change that booking to something even later, and still save your deposit. As for what you might have lost in the past by depositing and not booking, not sure about that. Perhaps a call to Radisson's customer service number that they give on the website might help. But as things change from time to time, you can never be sure that the answer you are getting is to your best benefit. Best idea in my mind is to book with a TA who specializes in RSSC, and he or she should have the rules down pat.

[Iamboatman]

Radisson has significantly changed its policy on onboard booking. You must now put down a full 10% and it must be on a specific cruise (no more open bookings).

 

Keep in mind that the Mariner Society discount (5%) no longer apply to all cruises, so be sure to ask if it applies to the cruise you are interested in. Also, Radisson has said that it is revamping its Mariner's program in other ways. No release of that information has been made yet.

 

As for getting an additional discount after taking a year or so off, Radisson doesn't offer anything like that (nor does any cruise line that I am aware of). If you work through a TA, that is where your discount is going to come from...if you have a good TA.

[ElleninNY]

Many thanks to all who responded! I will check my facts carefully while on board (Voyager June 25th). I promise to report back when I return.

[dougburns]

You can keep rolling the onboard booking discount. Example: Lynn and I booked a Mariner cruise for Nov 2005 while aboard Diamond last Nov. After 10 cruises in 2 years Lynn wants to take a break. Therefore, we're changing our booking to the same cruise in Nov 2006 and our previous onboard booking discount rolls with it.

[ElleninNY]

Ten cruises in 2 years? How many wit Radisson? I imagine they roll out a red carpet for you and you can do anything you want!

 

My problem is that with fewer ships there are fewer choices of dates and itineraries. We love Radisson but wish we had more options with them.

[dougburns]

All of our cruises have been on RSSC. We wouldn't cruise any other line. 3 Voyager; 3 Mariner; 2 Diamond; 1 Navigator; and 1 PG. And, no, they don't treat us any differently than they do anyone else.

[dwelsh]

There will be no nursing home in my future.........

 

When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a RCCS Cruise Ship.

The average cost for a nursing home is $300 per day. I have checked on reservations at RCCS and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $250 per day? That leaves $50 a day for:

 

1. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service (which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).

 

2. RCCS has a swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.

 

3. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

 

4. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient.

 

5. I will get to meet new people every 7or 14 days.

 

6. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.

 

7. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for them.

 

8. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare. If you fall and break a hip on the RCCS ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

 

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go?

RCCS will have a ship ready to go. So don't look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.

 

P.S. And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side at no charge.