Next Cruise Certificate Question (?)

[nomoreknothead]

I purchased a NEXT CRUISE certificate while on our last cruise and I have never actually use one to book a cruise before. I found a great deal on a JS for Nov. 2014 and I've put a courtesy hold for the cabin I would like to book. My question is do I just call RCCL to book and have my next cruise certificate in hand? Can I use it like this or is there a special way to book?

[Clarea]

I purchased a NEXT CRUISE certificate while on our last cruise and I have never actually use one to book a cruise before. I found a great deal on a JS for Nov. 2014 and I've put a courtesy hold for the cabin I would like to book. My question is do I just call RCCL to book and have my next cruise certificate in hand? Can I use it like this or is there a special way to book?

You must call Royal (or your travel agent if the Next Cruise is assigned to them) to assign a specific cruise to the Next Cruise booking.

[petel]

I purchased a NEXT CRUISE certificate while on our last cruise and I have never actually use one to book a cruise before. I found a great deal on a JS for Nov. 2014 and I've put a courtesy hold for the cabin I would like to book. My question is do I just call RCCL to book and have my next cruise certificate in hand? Can I use it like this or is there a special way to book?

I haven't bought a next cruise certificate in the last few years. Do they still put a reservation number on them? :confused:

[fred30]

You must call Royal (or your travel agent if the Next Cruise is assigned to them) to assign a specific cruise to the Next Cruise booking.

 

Is this correct?

 

I purchased an Open Booking after my last Cruise(I tried on board but we never received the Cert). The agent on the phone and my Confirmation letter instructs me to book through Loyalty and then the cruise will be transferred to my TA from the original cruise.

[nomoreknothead]

You must call Royal (or your travel agent if the Next Cruise is assigned to them) to assign a specific cruise to the Next Cruise booking.

Thank you, I will be calling RCCL! I book myself , NO TA

 

I haven't bought a next cruise certificate in the last few years. Do they still put a reservation number on them? :confused:

 

I will go home at lunch and dig out my certificate and let you know if there is a reservation number.

Edited November 15, 2013 by nomoreknothead

[Clarea]

I haven't bought a next cruise certificate in the last few years. Do they still put a reservation number on them? :confused:

Yes, a Next Cruise is a booking (with a booking number), it just does not initially have a cruise assigned.

[petel]

Yes, a Next Cruise is a booking (with a booking number), it just does not initially have a cruise assigned.

 

Thanks Bob. That took all the mystery out of it for me.....Just give 'em the number, no need for a hold. ;)

[cruisenfever]

Is this correct?

 

I purchased an Open Booking after my last Cruise(I tried on board but we never received the Cert). The agent on the phone and my Confirmation letter instructs me to book through Loyalty and then the cruise will be transferred to my TA from the original cruise.

When creating a NC on board you are assigned a booking number that is just that, a number.

 

If you do not have the booking number, you can call C&A and they can look it up for you. Once you have the number and want to convert to a specific cruise, you can either do it direct with RCI or turn that number of to your TA.

 

If you created this NC on a cruise that was booked through a TA, make sure that the TA has not already received the NC booking number. Sometimes, when creating a NC on board, that booking is automatically assigned to the TA on file.

Edited November 15, 2013 by cruisenfever

[orville99]

We usually do a courtesy hold so we can get the cabin we want, and then call C&A and have them convert it to the ncc number.

[Ken at the beach]

We usually do a courtesy hold so we can get the cabin we want, and then call C&A and have them convert it to the ncc number.

 

Exactly what I have one in the past.

[cottagemama]

I bought 3 of these certificates on our last cruise is Sept. they all have reservation numbers. I just called RC and converted one to an actual cruise. This cruise retained the same reservation #

Muriel

[Ashland]

I bought 3 of these certificates on our last cruise is Sept. they all have reservation numbers. I just called RC and converted one to an actual cruise. This cruise retained the same reservation #

Muriel

Yes...and make sure it always does retain that same #...When making changes never use the word "cancel" and you will always keep your OBC associated with the NCC.

[nomoreknothead]

Ok ... Here is what I did & the results!!!

 

I called RCCL vacation planner with both booking numbers ( courtsey hold & next cruise). She swapped them and now I have the cabin I want, the balcony discount from C & A, on board credit from next cruise , and a fantastic cruise at a great price! Easy as pie!!!

 

 

[emeraldcity]

That's how it worked for me too. The funny thing is that when I pull up the reservation, it started my countdown on the day I booked the NCC, so it looks like I've been waiting two years to take that cruise.

[Clarea]

Ok ... Here is what I did & the results!!!

 

I called RCCL vacation planner with both booking numbers ( courtsey hold & next cruise). She swapped them and now I have the cabin I want, the balcony discount from C & A, on board credit from next cruise , and a fantastic cruise at a great price! Easy as pie!!!

 

 

Thanks for reporting back, glad it worked out. However, I'm not 100% sure that putting a hold on a stateroom would keep the price the same. In other words, if the price goes up between the time the hold was created and the time you call to use the NC, I wonder if they would give the lower price, since the NC is technically a different booking. I'm curious if anyone has had a situation like this.

Edited November 16, 2013 by clarea

[orville99]

Thanks for reporting back, glad it worked out. However, I'm not 100% sure that putting a hold on a stateroom would keep the price the same. In other words, if the price goes up between the time the hold was created and the time you call to use the NC, I wonder if they would give the lower price, since the NC is technically a different booking. I'm curious if anyone has had a situation like this.

 

We've done about a dozen cruises this way, and have never seen a change in price. Not saying it couldn't happen, just that we've never experienced it happening to us.

[Clarea]

We've done about a dozen cruises this way, and have never seen a change in price. Not saying it couldn't happen, just that we've never experienced it happening to us.

Thanks, it makes sense that there's only a small chance of a price change in the 24 hour hold period.

[bilyclub]

I did the hold and the price did go up. The CSR on the phone had to get a supervisor to authorize the lower price for the NC.

[Clarea]

I did the hold and the price did go up. The CSR on the phone had to get a supervisor to authorize the lower price for the NC.

Thanks, good to know it's possible to keep the price of the held booking.

[bumbletigger]

I have never purchased a NCC before, but am thinking of it on our next cruise. How long are they good? Does it expire from date of purchase using the booking date or the cruise date?

 

 

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[Clarea]

I have never purchased a NCC before, but am thinking of it on our next cruise. How long are they good? Does it expire from date of purchase using the booking date or the cruise date?

There is no expiration date on a Next Cruise certificate.

[fred30]

When creating a NC on board you are assigned a booking number that is just that, a number.

 

If you do not have the booking number, you can call C&A and they can look it up for you. Once you have the number and want to convert to a specific cruise, you can either do it direct with RCI or turn that number of to your TA.

 

If you created this NC on a cruise that was booked through a TA, make sure that the TA has not already received the NC booking number. Sometimes, when creating a NC on board, that booking is automatically assigned to the TA on file.

 

We actually have an "Open Booking Confirmation" letter, it does not say NCC anywhere. I am assuming they are one and the same.

There is a reservation number with "(Group ID not Applicable)" after the number. Our NCC should be linked to our TA but I was told I could book through RCCL which would be convenient. That would make it easier if I put a cabin on hold. We made our NCC after the cruise with the Loyalty department as the form we submitted on the ship was never processed.

[Clarea]

We actually have an "Open Booking Confirmation" letter, it does not say NCC anywhere. I am assuming they are one and the same.

There is a reservation number with "(Group ID not Applicable)" after the number. Our NCC should be linked to our TA but I was told I could book through RCCL which would be convenient. That would make it easier if I put a cabin on hold. We made our NCC after the cruise with the Loyalty department as the form we submitted on the ship was never processed.

The NC has been called Next Cruise, Decide Later, and Open Booking in recent years. I would be surprised if you could call Royal and assign a cruise to an Open Booking that was assigned to a travel agent, but perhaps the rules have changed.

[cruisenfever]

We actually have an "Open Booking Confirmation" letter, it does not say NCC anywhere. I am assuming they are one and the same.

There is a reservation number with "(Group ID not Applicable)" after the number. Our NCC should be linked to our TA but I was told I could book through RCCL which would be convenient. That would make it easier if I put a cabin on hold. We made our NCC after the cruise with the Loyalty department as the form we submitted on the ship was never processed.

Open Booking, NextCruise, Decide Later, they are all the same.:D Your confirmation should look like a Confirmation Invoice from RCI with no figures on it. The booking number at the top is what you would use when converting that booking to a specific cruise.

 

If your NC/Open Booking is linked through the TA that was on file for the cruise where you created your NC/Open Booking, then you would have to go through them when converting.

[fred30]

Thanks Clarea and Cruisenfever,

 

I just called RCCL and the NCC is not attached to my TA. Fortunately it's only been 59 days since it was issued so I just faxed the transfer form to RCCL.

 

Don't want to miss out on my OBC and free insurance.