Group booking and CAP points

[Markysgirl]

I have a group booking on Freedom of the Seas for my wedding. So far we have 10 staterooms booked. I understand how the tour conductor credits work (I think) but not sure about CAP points, would I qualify for these, and if so how do you determine how many you will get. Would be great if we could put a bottle of wine in each stateroom for our guests. Has anyone had any experience with this?

 

 

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[Clarea]

I have a group booking on Freedom of the Seas for my wedding. So far we have 10 staterooms booked. I understand how the tour conductor credits work (I think) but not sure about CAP points, would I qualify for these, and if so how do you determine how many you will get. Would be great if we could put a bottle of wine in each stateroom for our guests. Has anyone had any experience with this?

You will have to ask your travel agent how many GAP points come with your sailing. I've had a group booking on a sailing that had no GAP points.

 

Here is a GAP brochure from a couple of years ago:

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/General_Info/Flyers/10021360_GAP_Amenity_2011.pdf

Edited June 29, 2014 by clarea

[jst4fun715]

What is the date of your sailing?

[Markysgirl]

Sailing date April 12, 2015

 

 

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[jst4fun715]

It looks like your sailing has 4 GAP points. I believe that is per cabin, but check with your travel agent. :)

[Markysgirl]

That's great, thank you for that and I will speak to my travel agent to confirm :) :)

 

 

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[MCC retired]

OP:

It is unusual that your TA has not mentioned the GAP Points to you yet, and what options you wish to spend them on (OBC, wine , etc.)

Let TA know that you are aware of 4 points on your sailing as one option to use those points on, is TA Bonus Comm. :eek:

[cruiseguy1016]

It looks like your sailing has 4 GAP points. I believe that is per cabin, but check with your travel agent. :)

 

Is there a way the average Joe (me :)) can see how many GAP points are available for various cruises?

[Clarea]

Is there a way the average Joe (me :)) can see how many GAP points are available for various cruises?

You need access to the travel agent website.

Edited June 29, 2014 by clarea

[cruiseguy1016]

You need access to the travel agent website.

 

That's what I thought but I figured I'd ask.

[megr1125]

GAP points only apply to group bookings, not individual and only agents (and of course the cruise line) has access...

 

Your points will equate to amenities and the group leader can decide which amenity/amenities they'd like to pick for the group.......if you pick, say, a bottle of wine and plate of chocolate covered strawberries, then each cabin in your group will get that...

 

Your agent will explain it to you...if they do not, then ask...

[cruiseguy1016]

I have a group booked through my TA. She told me how may GAP points we had when I booked but I don't remember what she told me. We are adding more people/cabins to the group so I think the number of GAP points will increase also. I was trying to keep up so I can let the group members know where we stand.

[megr1125]

I have a group booked through my TA. She told me how may GAP points we had when I booked but I don't remember what she told me. We are adding more people/cabins to the group so I think the number of GAP points will increase also. I was trying to keep up so I can let the group members know where we stand.

 

Actually the points are based on the sailing, not the number of cabins you have....

[harlekuin]

I have a group booked through my TA. She told me how may GAP points we had when I booked but I don't remember what she told me. We are adding more people/cabins to the group so I think the number of GAP points will increase also. I was trying to keep up so I can let the group members know where we stand.

 

Have never seen points increase after booking. The reason the points exist is to draw more cruisers to select cruises. Some cruises have 0 points, others can have 8.

 

Adding more people/rooms, only increases your possible tour conductor rates (1 for every 8 cabins, using the cabin type that has the most rooms to calculate the rate after fees/taxes are removed).

[cruiseguy1016]

Actually the points are based on the sailing, not the number of cabins you have....

 

That's what I thought. She told me our "extras" would increase as the number of cabins increased. I assumed it was GAP points. Now I'm guessing it's because her commission is increasing so she can afford to give us more. Either way, there's a lot of talk on these boards about booking on your own and not using a TA. If you can find a good TA, he/she can do a lot for you. I found a good one and I'm going to stick with her.

[megr1125]

That's what I thought. She told me our "extras" would increase as the number of cabins increased. I assumed it was GAP points. Now I'm guessing it's because her commission is increasing so she can afford to give us more. Either way, there's a lot of talk on these boards about booking on your own and not using a TA. If you can find a good TA, he/she can do a lot for you. I found a good one and I'm going to stick with her.

 

Yes., she may add something too, and if you get enough cabins to get a tour conductor credit then you can deal with that as well....

 

Good TAs will work with you, help you and provide service. The huge on line agencies can give you lots of stuff, but not as much service...

 

If you get more berths booked you could possibly wind up with 2 tour conductor credits (or free berths - cruise fare only) and she can tell you your options for that as well...

[crusinthrough]

 

If you get more berths booked you could possibly wind up with 2 tour conductor credits (or free berths - cruise fare only) and she can tell you your options for that as well...

 

 

I have a group booked as well. My TA has been less than stellar and after reading this thread I'm even less pleased with the service. I was never told how many GAP points the sailing had just told the OBC was $75. I guess someone figured people preferred OBC to other amenities.

 

My real concern is what I was told about the free berth. We have over 8 cabins and 16 people booked. I asked the TA how does the berth credit work and I was told RC does not give this credit until after the sailing. I told the TA I was under the impression that the credit could be used towards payment of a cabin or additional OBC for the group. If this is the case, if doesn't make sense for RC to give the credit after the sailing as there would be no need for OBC. The response was that's how RC works they want to make sure everyone sails.

 

Is this correct? Or is the berth credit given around final payment? It feels as if the TA is trying to keep credit as extra commission.

 

What is the difference between your conductor credit and berth credit or are they the same thing?

[cruiseguy1016]

I have a group booked as well. My TA has been less than stellar and after reading this thread I'm even less pleased with the service. I was never told how many GAP points the sailing had just told the OBC was $75. I guess someone figured people preferred OBC to other amenities.

 

My real concern is what I was told about the free berth. We have over 8 cabins and 16 people booked. I asked the TA how does the berth credit work and I was told RC does not give this credit until after the sailing. I told the TA I was under the impression that the credit could be used towards payment of a cabin or additional OBC for the group. If this is the case, if doesn't make sense for RC to give the credit after the sailing as there would be no need for OBC. The response was that's how RC works they want to make sure everyone sails.

 

Is this correct? Or is the berth credit given around final payment? It feels as if the TA is trying to keep credit as extra commission.

 

What is the difference between your conductor credit and berth credit or are they the same thing?

 

We have always received our free berth before the cruise. We use it to discount the cruise fare for each of the cabins.

[crusinthrough]

We have always received our free berth before the cruise. We use it to discount the cruise fare for each of the cabins.

 

 

That is what I thought. Thank you

 

 

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[peter1975]

That is what I thought. Thank you

 

 

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This isn't entirely correct either. Don't jump to too many conclusions about your TA. I know from personal experience that the tour conductor credit can be very confusing. Royal Caribbean's TA website even states the following: "Payment of the tour conductor credits will be mailed within two to four weeks after the departure date". So, I think that some TA's might make up the tour conductor difference out of their own pocket so their client pays less up front and then just keep the credit when they get it in two to four weeks; other TA's may offer the credit after sailing, like your TA told you, for instance. I don't profess to know the correct answer, but I do know it can be confusing and there may be the possibility of offering the tour conductor credit in several different ways.

[critterchick]

I have a group booked as well. My TA has been less than stellar and after reading this thread I'm even less pleased with the service. I was never told how many GAP points the sailing had just told the OBC was $75. I guess someone figured people preferred OBC to other amenities.

 

My real concern is what I was told about the free berth. We have over 8 cabins and 16 people booked. I asked the TA how does the berth credit work and I was told RC does not give this credit until after the sailing. I told the TA I was under the impression that the credit could be used towards payment of a cabin or additional OBC for the group. If this is the case, if doesn't make sense for RC to give the credit after the sailing as there would be no need for OBC. The response was that's how RC works they want to make sure everyone sails.

 

Is this correct? Or is the berth credit given around final payment? It feels as if the TA is trying to keep credit as extra commission.

 

What is the difference between your conductor credit and berth credit or are they the same thing?

 

In my experience, most people would rather choose how to spend their OBC than be forced into a particular amenity - every person in the group gets the same amenity, and a bottle of wine isn't going to be of much use to somebody who doesn't drink (as an example).

 

I confess that I don't understand why, if you are using a TA (disclaimer: I am one) it matters how many GAP are offered by RCI on a cruise - if I were on the other end of the line, I would just want to know what my perks are going to be. If a TA is offering $100 OBC, then it may be an 8 point cruise, or it may be a 4 point cruise and the TA is adding $50 out of its commission, a consortium or something else that isn't on the GAP list. Either way, you get $100 to spend.:)

 

Now, if you are booking a group with just your family and friends, then IMO the TA should offer you a variety of amenities tailored to your group. But I imagine that, more often than not, groups are larger than any individual bunch of people, so the TAs offer the most commonly desired amenity, which IME is spending money.

 

Some TAs do keep the extra berth payment for themselves. But I wouldn't conclude that your TA is doing so just because s/he told you payment doesn't come until after the cruise. If s/he was trying to keep it, then s/he wouldn't have told you even that much.

Edited July 1, 2014 by critterchick

[Cruzingal#9]

I have offered to plan a cruise for my 40th high school reunion (which is still a couple years away), but being the planner that I am, I am already starting to try and get some ideas on how to go about it. This has been a very informative thread for me. I'm so glad I "stumbled" upon it:) Thank you to everyone who posts comments on the different threads. You never know who you're going to help!!!

[springaussie]

We are also having trouble understanding what our GAP should be.

Our Travel Agent claims it effects the pricing of the cruise by getting the Tour Conductors Credit or GAP points on Serenade of the Seas 9 May 2015.

We are confused.

Some of the group are on 4 B2Bs starting 11 April 2015.

I am curious to what or if GAP points are on 9 May 2015 please?

[peter1975]

We are also having trouble understanding what our GAP should be.

Our Travel Agent claims it effects the pricing of the cruise by getting the Tour Conductors Credit or GAP points on Serenade of the Seas 9 May 2015.

We are confused.

Some of the group are on 4 B2Bs starting 11 April 2015.

I am curious to what or if GAP points are on 9 May 2015 please?

 

7 NIGHT NORWEGIAN FJORDS CRUISE: 0 GAP points

 

There would still be a tour conductor credit available to someone if 8 staterooms were booked.

[springaussie]

7 NIGHT NORWEGIAN FJORDS CRUISE: 0 GAP points

 

 

 

There would still be a tour conductor credit available to someone if 8 staterooms were booked.

 

 

Thanks

 

 

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