Shareholder Benefits?

[Pocketjem]

Curious as to whether or not there are any fringe benefits for Celebrity/RCCL shareholders (other than dividends)?

 

Wondering whether it's worth investing or not.

 

Thanks

 

Jem

[CruisingChick]

Seeing as the Shareholder Benefit of On Board Credit is not combinable with any other offer and the price of the stock seems to be high, it does not make much sense to invest just for that reason.

 

Here's the link to the website:

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-shareholderbenefit

[Project_gal]

Jem

 

In theory, you can get up to US$250 OBC per cruise but this is increasingly not combinable with other offers. Other offers are so frequent now that that there is very little chance of being able to take advantage of the shareholder benefit.

 

We did buy the shares in 2008 and they have been very beneficial for us BUT we purchased them when the share price was much lower than now and the exchange rate was much higher. If we sold the shares today [at today's price AND exchange rate] we would have made almost £2,000 and, in addition, we have received almost £1,000 in OBC including OBC for a cruise we have not yet taken.

 

I am certainly considering selling the shares once we have taken that cruise and the price and exchange rate are both favourable again because it does not look like we will get much more benefits.

 

I think that it may be easier now but, when we purchased the shares, it was extremely difficult to do so in the UK. Because of the way we had to purchase them we do NOT get dividends and the costs of keeping a share account are high. If you have a large share portfolio, it may be more viable for you but, otherwise, I think it would be a gamble at the current share price and exchange rate.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Project_gal

[terrierjohn]

Seeing as the Shareholder Benefit of On Board Credit is not combinable with any other offer and the price of the stock seems to be high, it does not make much sense to invest just for that reason.

 

Here's the link to the website:

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-shareholderbenefit

Really make you wonder why RCCL make this offer when it's very rarely of any benefit.

Maybe they don't want their "scabby" passengers to become shareholders.

[CruisingChick]

The benefit at one time was wonderful as you could combine it with other offers, but that stopped back in 2009.

 

Could it be that to many people were just buying 100 shares of stock to get the benefit and they wanted that to stop? Not sure what the exact reason was for not making it combinable with any other offer.

[Orator]

Really make you wonder why RCCL make this offer when it's very rarely of any benefit.

Maybe they don't want their "scabby" passengers to become shareholders.

 

IMHO:Investments should be made only after careful analysis and should be designed to meet financial objectives. A few years ago RCL stock was really depressed and many who bought at that time have done quite well. The 52 week high for RCL is $57.33. The price as I am typing is $56.07. You judge if it's too high or there is still upside potential.

Why do they offer a benefit that is "very rarely of any benefit"? Because there are rare times when it IS a benefit. By the way, at one time it was combinable and I used it very frequently. It's there, it costs me nothing to be there. Very few companies have this type of additional benefit. Buy it if it works for you. Sell it if you have it and it no longer works for you. Hold it if you have it and think it will continue to meet your investment goals. Do nothing if you don't have it and don't think that it will work for you.

[Wayneair]

I am planning to use the benefit on the my transatlantic (TA) cruise. The TAs often do not offer any promotions so I refer back to the shareholder benefit. The currentl benefit for the TA cruise is a $75 OBC for a balcony room. I will scrape the $75 and take the $250. As with others, I jumped on to the stock when it was trading at $9 back in the late 2008/2009 year. I wished I jumped in when it was at $5. Of course I am smiling now and not regretting my purchase.

[Andy]

The benefit at one time was wonderful as you could combine it with other offers, but that stopped back in 2009.

 

Could it be that to many people were just buying 100 shares of stock to get the benefit and they wanted that to stop? Not sure what the exact reason was for not making it combinable with any other offer.

 

Hi CruisingChick,

 

I agree that Shareholder used to be a wonderful benefit, when you could combine with other offers. These days ? As it's virtually non-combinable with anything, and Celebrity usually offers a promo, there's very little sense in keeping the stock solely for the shareholder benefit. As for investment reasons ? I will pass on that debate, as Orator summed it up nicely !

 

 

As for why it's not combinable ? It's all about $$$. IMO, it's a poor decision epecially as many of their competitors allow combining. The funny thing is, there's many ways Celebrity could allow combining, without giving away the house. I hope RCCL/Celebrity eventually reconsiders their decision.

[BBsails]

On our late April, 2014 TA we used the shareholder credit in combo with a military discount and OBC from a travel agent. Very nice reduction to the bottom line.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

Maybe they should rethink the entire thing. If they are interested in rewarding those with a real stake in the company they could up the threshold to 500 or 1000 shares and change the benefit from OBC to access to the "new" suites lounge. This would cost them very little and would still reward those who made a significant investment.

 

Just a thought.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[CruisingChick]

Greetings

 

Maybe they should rethink the entire thing. If they are interested in rewarding those with a real stake in the company they could up the threshold to 500 or 1000 shares and change the benefit from OBC to access to the "new" suites lounge. This would cost them very little and would still reward those who made a significant investment.

 

Just a thought.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

 

I'm sorry but I can't agree with this. I want the OBC so I can decide what I want to do on my vacation, not have Celebrity decide. Plus I really have no desire to have access to the new suites lounge.

[Andy]

Greetings

 

Maybe they should rethink the entire thing. If they are interested in rewarding those with a real stake in the company they could up the threshold to 500 or 1000 shares and change the benefit from OBC to access to the "new" suites lounge. This would cost them very little and would still reward those who made a significant investment.

 

Just a thought.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

 

Personally, I'd rather have the OBC, but I agree that if Celebrity and RCCL were to consider allowing combining again, they should up the minimum to 500 shares. I think 1000 shares is too steep, as a baseline.

 

Here's a 3 option shareholder plan, that I feel is very fair :

 

100 shares - 499 shares, no combining allowed.

500-999 shares, combinable with 1 other offer.

1000+ shares, combinable with all offers - even if you currently have more than 1 offer.

 

As I mentioned earlier, the shareholder OBC doesnt have to be something that costs Celebrity absolute hard dollars. Soft dollars seems like a reasonable plan. Plenty of ways to spend the OBC onboard.

 

As for the Suite idea ? On paper, it sounds interesting, but the execution would likely be difficult. I also believe that Zenith members would have an uproar if Celebrity made this happen, as it would dilute one of the nicest Zenith benefits.

 

Just my .02 cents.

[tunaman2011]

Hi Tom,

 

Personally, I'd rather have the OBC, but I agree that if Celebrity and RCCL were to consider allowing combining again, they should up the minimum to 500 shares. I think 1000 shares is too steep, as a baseline.

 

Here's a 3 option shareholder plan, that I feel is very fair :

 

100 shares - 499 shares, no combining allowed.

500-999 shares, combinable with 1 other offer.

1000+ shares, combinable with all offers - even if you currently have more than 1 offer.

 

As I mentioned earlier, the shareholder OBC doesnt have to be something that costs Celebrity absolute hard dollars. Soft dollars seems like a reasonable plan. Plenty of ways to spend the OBC onboard.

 

As for the Suite idea ? On paper, it sounds interesting, but the execution would likely be difficult. I also believe that Zenith members would have an uproar if Celebrity made this happen, as it would dilute one of the nicest Zenith benefits.

 

Just my .02 cents.

 

 

Greetings

 

I don't mind your plan at all, in fact I would be happy if Celebrity were to implement it. Just hoping someone is thinking about ways to make the shareholder's benefit of some use again. I haven't been able to get any benefits (except the shares have done well) since I bought the stock.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[Orator]

Hi Tom,

 

Personally, I'd rather have the OBC, but I agree that if Celebrity and RCCL were to consider allowing combining again, they should up the minimum to 500 shares. I think 1000 shares is too steep, as a baseline.

 

Here's a 3 option shareholder plan, that I feel is very fair :

 

100 shares - 499 shares, no combining allowed.

500-999 shares, combinable with 1 other offer.

1000+ shares, combinable with all offers - even if you currently have more than 1 offer.

 

As I mentioned earlier, the shareholder OBC doesnt have to be something that costs Celebrity absolute hard dollars. Soft dollars seems like a reasonable plan. Plenty of ways to spend the OBC onboard.

 

As for the Suite idea ? On paper, it sounds interesting, but the execution would likely be difficult. I also believe that Zenith members would have an uproar if Celebrity made this happen, as it would dilute one of the nicest Zenith benefits.

 

Just my .02 cents.

 

There have been several attempts to tax benefits as income for Federal tax purposes. Interesting to see what would happen if that ever passed. If stockholders at a certain threshold of ownership could get in Michael's Club the cost basis for the drinks would be interesting. No objection here to more people in Michael's Club. However, the stock ownership amount would need to be high enough not to overfill the place.

[Andy]

There have been several attempts to tax benefits as income for Federal tax purposes. Interesting to see what would happen if that ever passed. If stockholders at a certain threshold of ownership could get in Michael's Club the cost basis for the drinks would be interesting. No objection here to more people in Michael's Club. However, the stock ownership amount would need to be high enough not to overfill the place.

 

Oy. The taxation idea makes my head spin :)

[Pocketjem]

Thanks for the information. I realised the current share price wasn't particularly tempting, but I just wondered if there was a different slant on it. Sometimes shareholder offers can be pretty cool, other times they're pretty useless. I think i'll wait ;).

 

Many thanks for taking the time to type your replies though :)

 

Setting off tomorrow for our Silhouette cruise out of Venice :D

 

Regards

 

Jem

[cruisestitch]

If you cruise on transatlantics or transpacifics, or if you usually take inside staterooms, the shareholder can be the only benefit for which you qualify, and thus it's a good deal for some. Or if you happen to book during a time when there is no 1-2-3 or PYP or other promotion on offer, it might kick in then, as well.

[Nancyquilts]

Or, if you cruise Princess, you can get stock, future cruise credits, and military OBC combined.;)

[teecee60]

I bought my 100 shares of RCCL FAR too late, at the RIDICULOUSLY high price of $33... it's now over $55. :cool:

 

Last November I booked the 15 night Reflection transatlantic from Rome for $449pp. And Got the $250 OBC from the shareholder benefit. :D

 

I just booked the same 15 night Reflection transatlantic for this October for $649pp, and once again got the $250 OBC from shareholder benefit, in addition to a $100 OBC from the online site. :)

 

What other company lets you cruise for $30/day to $44/day, and what other investment pays you 5%-10% PER CRUISE in TAX FREE dividends? ;)

Edited June 21, 2014 by teecee60

[zippy12]

Jem

 

 

 

In theory, you can get up to US$250 OBC per cruise but this is increasingly not combinable with other offers. Other offers are so frequent now that that there is very little chance of being able to take advantage of the shareholder benefit.

 

 

 

We did buy the shares in 2008 and they have been very beneficial for us BUT we purchased them when the share price was much lower than now and the exchange rate was much higher. If we sold the shares today [at today's price AND exchange rate] we would have made almost £2,000 and, in addition, we have received almost £1,000 in OBC including OBC for a cruise we have not yet taken.

 

 

 

I am certainly considering selling the shares once we have taken that cruise and the price and exchange rate are both favourable again because it does not look like we will get much more benefits.

 

 

 

I think that it may be easier now but, when we purchased the shares, it was extremely difficult to do so in the UK. Because of the way we had to purchase them we do NOT get dividends and the costs of keeping a share account are high. If you have a large share portfolio, it may be more viable for you but, otherwise, I think it would be a gamble at the current share price and exchange rate.

 

 

Hi we are from the uk and we get dividends and no charge for holding the account with halifax. Hope this helps

 

 

 

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[kevinyork]

 

 

 

I think that it may be easier now but, when we purchased the shares, it was extremely difficult to do so in the UK. Because of the way we had to purchase them we do NOT get dividends and the costs of keeping a share account are high. If you have a large share portfolio, it may be more viable for you but, otherwise, I think it would be a gamble at the current share price and exchange rate.

 

 

It is easier now. We used SIPPDEAL, all done online, no fees to hold the stock and we still get the dividends. Bought 100 last July and bought more this Jan since they had gone up so much we saw them as a good investment. Hoping with Royals new ships coming online that they may be boosted a little more.

 

 

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[Pocketjem]

Hi we are from the uk and we get dividends and no charge for holding the account with halifax. Hope this helps

 

Yes it does help, thank you :).

[Project_gal]

Hi we are from the uk and we get dividends and no charge for holding the account with halifax. Hope this helps

 

 

 

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At the time we purchased our shares, Halifax would not do it. Initially they said they would and we opened an account only to then be refused! I would consider moving but, as I said, we are likely to sell them within the year.

[uncle-b]

We bought the stock at $23 a share & it is now $56. We do a TA every year & always get the stock credit. We book thru an online agency & get OBC from them. It is usually combinable with senior or military rate. We have received over $2000 in credit. I probably would 't buy now at the high price.

[thinfool]

 

What other company lets you cruise for $30/day to $44/day, and what other investment pays you 5%-10% PER CRUISE in TAX FREE dividends? ;)

 

All of the cruise lines under the CarnivalCorp. umbrella, though prices per day vary with itinerary and dates.

 

And, not to be too picky, but they are benefits, not dividends. Dividends are taxable.