Need info quickly Getting best cabin discount

[OccRNcruiser]

Has anyone split couples to obtain best discounts? How did you do it? My husband and I, both seniors, are sailing with our son and his wife. It has been suggested we book one senior in each cabin is order to receive the senior discount in both cabins. How do you split bill, use beverage cards, etc? We're booking very soon so I need answers quickly!

[paul929207]

I am not sure how the senior discounts work so I can't comment on that. As to the bills, paying for the cruise, you probably want to settle up between you and the kids. On the ship, you should go to the Passenger Services Desk and get the cabin assignment change to rellect the actual arrangements. Once that is done each person buys their own beverage card if they want

[Keith1010]

I would contact a Travel Agent who can help you with all of this.

 

Keith

[Scrapnana]

Cruise lines do not always offer a senior discount on all cruises. Check to see if you will actually get a discount. If you do split couples all you need to do when you check in is let them know you will each be paying with a different credit card. You each should be able to get a key card for the other room if you let them know you are traveling together and want to be able to access the other room.

[Donray]

Has anyone split couples to obtain best discounts? How did you do it? My husband and I, both seniors, are sailing with our son and his wife. It has been suggested we book one senior in each cabin is order to receive the senior discount in both cabins. How do you split bill, use beverage cards, etc? We're booking very soon so I need answers quickly!

 

Hardly any senior discounts. I never saw one advertised.

[Hlitner]

Confucious (and Hank) say beware of Senior Discounts. In many cases the discount, if any, will have you paying more money then just shopping around among a few decent TAs for the best deal.

 

Hank

[ShawninFL]

It really isn't a big deal at all. On paper, you book the cruise cabin with you and your DIL in one cabin, and your husband and son in the other. At check in everyone present their own individual credit card for onboard purchases. Then each married couple pick a cabin and go about your cruise. You can let your cabin steward know if you wish, but it's not necessary.

[OccRNcruiser]

The cruise we have chosen actually has a significant senior discount. I did talk with a TA who suggested splitting the couples. ShawninFL, you clarified the answer well!

[Dayenu]

Has anyone split couples to obtain best discounts? How did you do it? My husband and I, both seniors, are sailing with our son and his wife. It has been suggested we book one senior in each cabin is order to receive the senior discount in both cabins. How do you split bill, use beverage cards, etc? We're booking very soon so I need answers quickly!

 

Honestly, I find it strange that you can't decide financial matter with children.

 

You will get a detailed bill at the end of the cruise, something like you'd get from a hotel, and this is when you can pay whoever owes whom.

 

You can also use each one a different credit card.

[OccRNcruiser]

"Honestly, I find it strange that you can't decide financial matter with children."

 

 

Dayenyu,

I just didn't want to sort out the bills and I was wondering if splitting would have any down sides.....A matter of convenience only.

[leaveitallbehind]

Hardly any senior discounts. I never saw one advertised.

 

With RCI they are not advertised as they are not a "sale". But a 55+ related price reduction, while not offered on every ship or every cruise, may very well apply. There is a drop down menu when doing a mock booking that offers several check boxes for possible rate reductions (age / military / residency / etc.) that may or may not apply on a given booking.

 

The way to check to see if any one (or more) of these may apply would be to do a mock booking first without checking any, and then again by checking all that would apply. If there is a single or combined rate improvement, it will show with the second booking and you can see the difference. A T/A or RCI directly can also do this for you.

 

We have received both 55+ and / or residency discounts frequently with RCI

 

To the OP, since you both would qualify for the 55+ with RCI, by splitting you into two staterooms any resulting rate reduction would apply to all in the room as only one needs to qualify.

[leaveitallbehind]

Confucious (and Hank) say beware of Senior Discounts. In many cases the discount, if any, will have you paying more money then just shopping around among a few decent TAs for the best deal.

 

Hank

 

Keep in mind that with RCI (and most cruise lines) the stateroom prices booking directly with them or going through a TA are the same. Any "discount" or other perk offered comes directly from the TA's commission.

 

Group rates offered by a TA (sometimes with restrictions and cancellation penalties) usually are from blocks of rooms secured by them and then sold individually. This can yield a small discount based on the total number of rooms secured as typically a one person "credit" is issued to the TA for every so many rooms they block, which they can spread out incrementally over those rooms. But your stateroom choices will be from those room blocks.

[attilamom1217]

we were in a similar situation with friends. they had a past passenger discount available and we had not cruised on that line yet. We booked as guests in their two rooms. We each checked ourselves in - they using their credit cards, DH and I using ours.

 

When we boarded, we went to guest services and had them switch the rooms so that each couple was together and we all got new cards. We just stated that there was a mistake with the sail cards. Guest services has no idea about who paid what nor do they care.

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise.