Are Cruise credits awarded on a 'free cruise'

[kazda]

HI

Hubby won a cruise for 2 on the Oasis (playing poker on our last Oasis cruise)

I have contacted RCC andhave booked our cabin and paid the taxes and fees.

Does anybody know if we will be awarded the Crown and Anchor cruise credits for the cruise we won and paid taxes etc for. ?

 

Also, when we made the booking the RCC agent asked if we wanted 'My Time Dining' or the normal dining.

We chose My Time Dining, however we were not advised we had to pre-pay the gratuaties in order to select this dining method. (which was the case on our last RCC cruise when we selected 'Mytime Dining')

 

When I log into 'My Cruises' on the RCC website, it shows under 'Preferences and Requests' the bed configuration we have chosen plus it states 'My Time Dining' - no waiting lists (see below)

 

Preferences & Requests

 

Room Arrangement: Together/Both Together

Dinner Seating: My Time Dining , No Waiting Lists

Cruise Celebrations: None

Linked Reservations: None

 

 

 

Have RCC changed it that you don't need to pre-pay gratuties in order to select 'MyTime Dining' ?

 

I know I could email RCC about this, however the last 3 times I spoke/emailed them about our reservation on each occassion they made mistakes with our booking that I had to continually follow up with them.

EG requesting via email cabin 11658 and they came back stating that our request for cabin 10658 has been confirmed as requested.

 

I dont know if this is also a mistake they we were allocated 'MyTime Dining' without prepaying the gratuties.

 

Any advise on whether we will get the cruise credits allocated to us for our cruise that we won (& have paid taxes on) and the dining issue would be appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

[ticktoneer]

No they aren't awarded on a free cruise

[Clarea]

Normally, no credits are awarded for free cruises. However, if you pay to upgrade to a better stateroom, then you will get the credits. A friend of mine won the blackjack tournament on a ship, and got a "free" cruise on Navigator. All he had to pay was the taxes, which interestingly were much more than what the website showed as taxes. Anyhow, he opted to pay the difference and upgrade to a Junior Suite. He ended up getting the normal double credits for a JS.

[kazda]

We did upgrade our cabin from the stateroom won being an 'Oceanview room' to a Oceanview room with Balcony' and paid the difference.

 

So should we get the 7 cruise credits awarded to us ?

[Clarea]

We did upgrade our cabin from the stateroom won being an 'Oceanview room' to a Oceanview room with Balcony' and paid the difference.

 

So should we get the 7 cruise credits awarded to us ?

Correct.

[Retired LEO]

We did upgrade our cabin from the stateroom won being an 'Oceanview room' to a Oceanview room with Balcony' and paid the difference.

 

So should we get the 7 cruise credits awarded to us ?

 

Yes

[Eng23]

And yes, you still have to pre pay gratuities for My Time Dining.

[kazda]

And yes, you still have to pre pay gratuities for My Time Dining.

 

 

So I'm wondering why my booking shows us allocated for 'My Time Dining', when I have only paid the fees/taxes associated with the stateroom and have not prepaid gratutiies. Probably another mistake by RCC agent.

[Eng23]

So I'm wondering why my booking shows us allocated for 'My Time Dining', when I have only paid the fees/taxes associated with the stateroom and have not prepaid gratutiies. Probably another mistake by RCC agent.

I would agree that it is probably a mistake on Royal Caribbean's side.

[Clarea]

So I'm wondering why my booking shows us allocated for 'My Time Dining', when I have only paid the fees/taxes associated with the stateroom and have not prepaid gratutiies. Probably another mistake by RCC agent.

Have you paid in full for the cruise? You don't actually pay for the gratuities until final payment.

[rubrrick]

A free cruise is just that.........a free cruise. No credits.

 

Upgrade and pay the difference...........points are added!;)

 

Rick

[RCLcruiser2012]

Okay, I am curious... what exactly are the total taxes, etc you have to pay after you won your cruise???? Just curious what your free cruise turned into?? Congrats!! That's awesome! :)

[kazda]

Okay, I am curious... what exactly are the total taxes, etc you have to pay after you won your cruise???? Just curious what your free cruise turned into?? Congrats!! That's awesome! :)

 

We had to pay $197.00 USD per person for taxes, and $300 for room upgrade we requested to an ocean view balcony. ($300 was not per person for upgrade.)

[kazda]

Have you paid in full for the cruise? You don't actually pay for the gratuities until final payment.

 

Yes we have paid in full the taxes associated with our won cruise, plus the additional cost for our room upgrade.

[nancronin]

Yes we have paid in full the taxes associated with our won cruise, plus the additional cost for our room upgrade.

 

I would call RC and see what the balance is on your cruise - it probably will be the prepaid tips. Good for you winning a cruise - ENJOY!!:D

[kazda]

I would call RC and see what the balance is on your cruise - it probably will be the prepaid tips. Good for you winning a cruise - ENJOY!!:D

 

Yes I will call them and see what they say.

 

It's exciting winning the cruise, but its the cost of airfares back to US from Australia that is the downside of winning.

[kwbrad]

Just wanted to share my experience - I won a cruise for 2 playing bingo on the Rhapsody in 2007. Took the free cruise in 2008 on Mariner, upgraded us to a balcony. I did not get any cruise credits for that cruise. I spoke to 3 different people (one in crown and anchor, two other regular customer service) and no one was able to get me the cruise credits because it was a "free cruise" - did not matter that I paid to upgrade.

I hope you do get credit for it, I hear all the time on here if you upgrade you will, but I was not able to.

[kermit 38]

Do you have to request that, or do they automatically award the points? We won a cruise playing bingo,it was for 2 people in interior room. We upgraded to a balcony,and paid for our son to go.His part alone was 849.00. We paid 1,372.93. We were not given credit,not even our son. After reading these threads, I was wondering if I could fight this and get credit?

[cruisnseas]

Yes they are. Someone is paying for that cruise (in this case, the casino) so you will get points. As for the MTD, I believe part of what your husband won includes pre-paid grats. All other casino cruises have included them or required them to be paid upon booking.

[Trekker954]

Yes I will call them and see what they say.

 

It's exciting winning the cruise, but its the cost of airfares back to US from Australia that is the downside of winning.

 

Could you have asked to switch from Oasis to a sailing out of Sydney instead?

[Clarea]

Do you have to request that, or do they automatically award the points? We won a cruise playing bingo,it was for 2 people in interior room. We upgraded to a balcony,and paid for our son to go.His part alone was 849.00. We paid 1,372.93. We were not given credit,not even our son. After reading these threads, I was wondering if I could fight this and get credit?

It would not hurt to call Crown & Anchor and ask. It could as simple as your "free" cruise was booked and they didn't enter your C&A numbers.

[springaussie]

So if you only get an interior room for Free Cruise Bingo is it worth the odds campared to the prize value?

Considering you have to pay tax and tips.

Glen

[nolimits]

Casino prize is usualy not a free cruise Club Royale is paying for it.The way the hotel dept and casino dept are set up .This is why free drinks are scarce also casino gets charged same as me or you by the hotel part of ship.

[John&LaLa]

we received 7 cruise points on a free cruise from our credit card points

[Lorey2007]

OK I won a free bingo cruse last year and will be taking it on 1-27-13. It was for a 7 day ocean view cabin which we upgraded to a junior suite. I had to pay it in full on the day that I booked the cruise, upgrade, taxes and gratuties. I had to book it through the promotions department and she said I would not get any cruise credits..after we return I'm going to make a few calls just for the heck of it.