Next cruise certificate worth it?

[puppet531]

Going on my first cruise ever in December. Assuming I will love it as much as you seasoned cruisers, I plan on doing another one for my 50th birthday. I'm very confused on how these next certificates work. I will always stay in a grand suite or higher, so it will not lower the deposit. Is there any advantage then? I'm understanding I pay $100 for the certificate and will get $100 OBC? Why not just save the $100? Sorry if I mixed something up, not always great at reading between the lines. :)

[PCWalton1]

Going on my first cruise ever in December. Assuming I will love it as much as you seasoned cruisers, I plan on doing another one for my 50th birthday. I'm very confused on how these next certificates work. I will always stay in a grand suite or higher, so it will not lower the deposit. Is there any advantage then? I'm understanding I pay $100 for the certificate and will get $100 OBC? Why not just save the $100? Sorry if I mixed something up, not always great at reading between the lines. :)

 

The $100 you pay goes towards the cost of the cruise so they are giving you $100.

[puppet531]

Awesome, that is a great deal. Thank you for your quick response. Finally understand it now. :)

[BecciBoo]

The $100 saves you from having to cough up $250 for a deposit when you book. And the OBC ain't bad either! We always try to pick one up while onboard.

[cruisenfever]

Going on my first cruise ever in December. Assuming I will love it as much as you seasoned cruisers, I plan on doing another one for my 50th birthday. I'm very confused on how these next certificates work. I will always stay in a grand suite or higher, so it will not lower the deposit. Is there any advantage then? I'm understanding I pay $100 for the certificate and will get $100 OBC? Why not just save the $100? Sorry if I mixed something up, not always great at reading between the lines. :)

NC are good forever and never expire. It there is a particular itinerary that you are interested in that has yet to be released, it's good to have a Next Cruise handy at home so that you can book and receive the same benefits as if you were booking that cruise while on board.

 

When you "create" your NC booking you will pay $100pp initially. When you "convert" your NC into a specific cruise and assign a cabin category, you will pay nothing additional until final payment unless you book a GS cabin or higher, then you will be required to pay a full deposit that will be doubled.

 

OBC is determined by length of cruise.

 

$25 for sailings of 3-5 nights

$100 for sailings of 6-9 nights

$150 for sailings of 10-14 nights

$200 for sailings of 15+ nights

[KLB57]

Do the certificates expire? Do you use one per person or per cabin? Are they only good on new reservations? I'm trying to plan how much extra $$ to bring with me next month. Thanks!

[orville99]

Do the certificates expire? Do you use one per person or per cabin? Are they only good on new reservations? I'm trying to plan how much extra $$ to bring with me next month. Thanks!

 

 

NCC'snever expire, and under the new rules you can get up to three (used to be two). You only have to put one name on the certificate, so it only costs you $100 for each one.

The OBC varies based on the length of the cruise you ultimately book, so it can be less than $100 on short cruises, and more than $100 on long cruises.

 

The biggest benefit for us is that we don't have to be onboard when RCL releases new itineraries in order to get the cabin we want.

 

I plan on using two on Tuesday when the short Caribbean itineraries are released, so I can get the cabins we want on our NYE2014 and spring break 2015 cruises.

[cruisenfever]

Do the certificates expire? Do you use one per person or per cabin? Are they only good on new reservations? I'm trying to plan how much extra $$ to bring with me next month. Thanks!

You can create up to 3 NC bookings per person per cruise. You can put them just in one person's name (that person must be on the cruise).

 

When creating a NC you are assigned an "inactive" booking number. That booking number is activated when you assign a specific itinerary to it. Once you assign an itinerary on it, you will add the second person, pay an additional $100 with no additional money due until final payment. The only time a higher deposit is required is, when you select a Grand Suite or higher cabin category, then you will need to pay a full deposit which will be doubled.

[Nabalab]

Interesting. When wife & I sailed on Liberty a few weeks ago, we sat down with the C&A rep before buying two Next Cruise certificates. It was our first time buying them, so we had questions. He never gave us the option that we could use just one name, so when he put both - we didn't think anything of it.

 

Kinda not surprised, because when we confirmed about getting double points on that sailing (we paid to upgrade to a JS the week before), he said no - only NEW bookings of JS or better get them. Sure enough - checked online a week later, double points!

[cruisenfever]

Interesting. When wife & I sailed on Liberty a few weeks ago, we sat down with the C&A rep before buying two Next Cruise certificates. It was our first time buying them, so we had questions. He never gave us the option that we could use just one name, so when he put both - we didn't think anything of it.

 

Kinda not surprised, because when we confirmed about getting double points on that sailing (we paid to upgrade to a JS the week before), he said no - only NEW bookings of JS or better get them. Sure enough - checked online a week later, double points!

:eek: Oh my, sounds like somebody needs to re-read the manual!!

[Daghis]

I always just book next cruise for 1 person, there is no advantage for booking more. OBC is per stateroom, not person. If I invite friends, they would get OBC too.

If you mean via the Friends & Family certificates that had come with NextCruise bookings, my impression is that they have been discontinued. This was announced during our cruise in March. Instead, an "Open Booking" (as it may now be called) can be transferred once to someone else who would then receive its benefits.

[orville99]

If you mean via the Friends & Family certificates that had come with NextCruise bookings, my impression is that they have been discontinued. This was announced during our cruise in March. Instead, an "Open Booking" (as it may now be called) can be transferred once to someone else who would then receive its benefits.

 

Sounds right. My reading of the new terms was that the reason they went from two to three was to soften the elimination of the F&F benefit. We're going to pick up three new ones on FOS in May, and will save the remaining old F&F ones for when we want to invite friends to join us.

[cruisenfever]

If you mean via the Friends & Family certificates that had come with NextCruise bookings, my impression is that they have been discontinued. This was announced during our cruise in March. Instead, an "Open Booking" (as it may now be called) can be transferred once to someone else who would then receive its benefits.

You are correct, F&F Certificates have been discontinued. Now, you can create a NC for your F&F and there is no time frame to book, nor do they have to book the same cruise as you have, like there was with the certificates.

[orville99]

You are correct, F&F Certificates have been discontinued. Now, you can create a NC for your F&F and there is no time frame to book, nor do they have to book the same cruise as you have, like there was with the certificates.

 

 

Just make sure you get your $100 back from your friend - since you now have to pay it up front:D

[kruzerci]

Yes! Especially if you cruise often, those Obc rack up in the long run.

[JMG]

What we like about the NCC is that you can get the form from your e-docs. Complete the form, (make sure to delete one person from the reservation if 2 are listed in your docs) drop it in the LA mail slot and enjoy your cruise without having to bother with getting an appointment and then go to that appt. Easy!!!

[Nabalab]

:eek: Oh my, sounds like somebody needs to re-read the manual!!

 

I KNOW! When we told him that we should be getting the double points, he played the "I've been doing this for 10+ years" card. Anyways, I guess it was fine that both names were on them. It's just $200 ($100 per NCC) that we don't have to pay later.

 

From now on, we are definitely going to buy at least one on each cruise. Wife and I are "loyal to Royal". Just happened to buy two this time because we knew we were booking Oasis and Quantum.

[BecciBoo]

To avoid that extra deposit, we put the cert. in my name and when we are ready to make a payment, we add DH. That way the deposit for him doesn't create a dent in our budget. It's just another payment on the cruise.:D

[ehfl]

It's not nearly as good as it used to be. My understanding is that you no longer get the 2 friends/family coupons to use.

 

So before: $100 deposit for $300 OBC....Now: $100 deposit for $100 OBC. We always used it to help friends travel.

[chellecruise12]

What we like about the NCC is that you can get the form from your e-docs. Complete the form, (make sure to delete one person from the reservation if 2 are listed in your docs) drop it in the LA mail slot and enjoy your cruise without having to bother with getting an appointment and then go to that appt. Easy!!!

 

Thanks for mentioning this.. I will have to do this in 2 wks on our trip.. Dumb question, but I assume I just print off 2 copies of the form if I want to buy 2? I don't see anywhere to mark more than 1 on the form..

Can I just write on the form that I want to buy 2?

[GiGi]

My sister and I are sailing on Radiance next month. I know that my husband and I want to take the kids on the Quantum at some point in it's inaugural year. Is it worth it for me to get one of these next cruise certificates or can you get a better deal by shopping around with TA's? If I have one of these certificates do I book directly with RCCL? Thank you.

[cruisenfever]

Thanks for mentioning this.. I will have to do this in 2 wks on our trip.. Dumb question, but I assume I just print off 2 copies of the form if I want to buy 2? I don't see anywhere to mark more than 1 on the form..

Can I just write on the form that I want to buy 2?

You can just write at the top of the form how many you want.

[chellecruise12]

You can just write at the top of the form how many you want.

 

Thank you very much!!

[heart347]

My sister and I are sailing on Radiance next month. I know that my husband and I want to take the kids on the Quantum at some point in it's inaugural year. Is it worth it for me to get one of these next cruise certificates or can you get a better deal by shopping around with TA's? If I have one of these certificates do I book directly with RCCL? Thank you.

 

Gigi, you can use the certificate with your travel agent!

[sky0000547]

Sorry a little confused from the answers in the earlier posts and just need some clarification. If only me and DW are travelling in a future cruise, do I need to purchase 1 NCC or 2 NCCs?