Military Credit

[Nymue]

I have a question about what Royal Caribbean considers "retired" for the Military Credit. We sail Princess most often but also enjoy RC. We will be booking a RC cruise for next fall; my husband was in the Army for 8 years, with Princess you get a $100 Military Credit, does Royal Caribbean work the same way?

Either way we are really looking forward to this upcoming cruise on Royal Caribbean. :)

 

Thank You, Anne

[BND]

I have a question about what Royal Caribbean considers "retired" for the Military Credit. We sail Princess most often but also enjoy RC. We will be booking a RC cruise for next fall; my husband was in the Army for 8 years, with Princess you get a $100 Military Credit, does Royal Caribbean work the same way?

Either way we are really looking forward to this upcoming cruise on Royal Caribbean. :)

 

Thank You, Anne

 

Well, "retired" military means you actually retired. Serving 8 years means he is a veteran, but it doesn't mean retired. We've only gotten the discount one time on RCI. It's not offered very often and even when it is, it isn't always in effect for the few cruises that it pops up on.

 

If you look at the site, veterans are also eligible if they serve 2 years.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=321&faqSubjectName=Special+Cruise+Pricing&faqId=237

Edited September 20, 2014 by BND

[gerif]

No. It is treated the same as resident discounts, senior discounts and the like. Special pricing on select cruises/cabin categories. You have to keep looking.

[PCWalton1]

Well, "retired" military means you actually retired. Serving 8 years means he is a veteran, but it doesn't mean retired. We've only gotten the discount one time on RCI. It's not offered very often and even when it is, it isn't always in effect for the few cruises that it pops up on.

 

If you look at the site, veterans are also eligible if they serve 2 years.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=321&faqSubjectName=Special+Cruise+Pricing&faqId=237

 

But thankfully Royal groups veterans in with retired military so serving 8 years also gives the discount when available. :)

 

Veterans with an Honorable Discharge serving a minimum of 2 years, or 6-months in an active war zone, in any of the United States service divisions listed above. Proper identification in the form of a DD214 or DD256, plus a current photo must be presented at time of check-in.

[leaveitallbehind]

On the RCI website under "Plan a Cruise" / "Search For a Cruise" / "Advanced Search", the second group of options down the left side of the page will provide a check box for "US Military and Canadian Forces". Checking this will provide a link to all RCI cruises offering the Military Discount. (Along with other discount options).

 

The following link will take you to that page if you are interested.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/search/buildAdvancedSearch.do

Edited September 20, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[karen s]

As often as I have sailed with RCI, I have never been offered any sort of military discount...and I'm active duty going on 26 yrs of service...guess I travel on much too popular sailings to be able to get one :rolleyes:

 

Nonetheless, I am happy with the prices I've paid without a discount or else I wouldn't sail with RCI. If I ever did get a bonus, then it would be just that, a bonus. :) Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised one day.

 

Have a fantastic cruise!!

 

Karen

Edited September 20, 2014 by karen s

[leaveitallbehind]

BTW I just did a check on the link I provided in my prior post and there are currently 104 RCI cruises offering a Military Discount.

[BND]

But thankfully Royal groups veterans in with retired military so serving 8 years also gives the discount when available. :)

 

Veterans with an Honorable Discharge serving a minimum of 2 years, or 6-months in an active war zone, in any of the United States service divisions listed above. Proper identification in the form of a DD214 or DD256, plus a current photo must be presented at time of check-in.

 

Isn't that what I said? I also posted the link that explains who is eligible. But, as most will tell you, it's a rare thing to actually get. DH retired after 30 years (active and reserve). We've had military discounts on both Carnival and Princess.

 

I also answered the OP's question.:rolleyes:

[BND]

BTW I just did a check on the link I provided in my prior post and there are currently 104 RCI cruises offering a Military Discount.

 

I bet most are out of FL. The ones out of the NE almost never offer it. And now, with all the changes it doesn't usually pay to try to get it on an already booked cruise.

[Nymue]

Thank you all Very much, you have all been very helpful and kind,

 

Anne

[Raxter54]

When I searched for a cruise on the RCCL website, I put in for the 55+ and retired military discounts. It came up with one match, the cruise I booked for Serenade of the Seas on Feb 28 2015. After seeing this thread I went back to find out if the discounts had been applied, and can't find out any way to confirm this. i went ahead and sent an e-mail to RCCL to see if they had been applied, just waiting for a reply.

[Coochuck]

Being a Vietnam Vet, I've gotten the Military Rate Several times. I usualy utilize online travel agents, and Military disounts are often published.

[leaveitallbehind]

When I searched for a cruise on the RCCL website, I put in for the 55+ and retired military discounts. It came up with one match, the cruise I booked for Serenade of the Seas on Feb 28 2015. After seeing this thread I went back to find out if the discounts had been applied, and can't find out any way to confirm this. i went ahead and sent an e-mail to RCCL to see if they had been applied, just waiting for a reply.

 

If you are a C & A member, when you log in with your account password and do a mock booking the pricing automatically confirms any balcony discounts associated with your tier level, or other applicable special pricing that may be in effect on that cruise. And checking off the applicable discount options that you would qualify for will also calculate those into the pricing as well. The resulting stateroom total will reflect that.

 

One way to check for any applicable discount to be applied would be to redo the mock booking without them checked off and see if there is a difference in the total price. Keep in mind the check box discounts will not necessarily apply to all bookings and the only way to see in advance those that do is to use the link I provided in my post # 5 and check each one to see what cruises will have each or all apply.

Edited September 20, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[lrm1964]

We just sailed on the Explorer last month on the 9 night Bermuda/Caribbean and I got the military discount out of Bayonne.

[Trekker954]

Discounts like military, police, firefighter, senior and resident typically will show up closer to the sail dates, so check back often if you've already booked. If it is before final payment, you can ask to be re-fared.

 

I agree with a poster above, these are typically out of Florida, however, senior discounts, I've seen across the world pretty often.

[Raxter54]

One way to check for any applicable discount to be applied would be to redo the mock booking without them checked off and see if there is a difference in the total price.

 

Couldn't do anything with C & A since this is my first cruise, and you can't join until you have been on a cruise :rolleyes:. I did go back and do the mock booking, once with the discounts checked and once without them. Got exactly the same prices. Which tells me maybe they are not offering the discounts. Seems strange, since the site said this cruise met my criteria of giving the discounts... :confused:

[Maybaybie10]

But thankfully Royal groups veterans in with retired military so serving 8 years also gives the discount when available. :)

 

Veterans with an Honorable Discharge serving a minimum of 2 years, or 6-months in an active war zone, in any of the United States service divisions listed above. Proper identification in the form of a DD214 or DD256, plus a current photo must be presented at time of check-in.

 

Thank you for this info. My husband is also a veteran (served 8 years), but not retired. I didn't know he was eligible...good to know. Some places give military discounts to ONLY retired or disabled veterans, not just any veteran. We were getting lumber to build a deck this summer and were at one of the two very large chain stores that sell lumber and they advertised a 10% off Veteran Discount, so I told the clerk my husband was a veteran. She asked him a few questions about his service and then very rudely said, "I'm sorry, you don't qualify for the discount, because you're not the right kind of veteran." :eek:

 

I still tease him about it...I told him he should return the veteran's license plates that he has on his car because he's not the right KIND of veteran.:p

[CruisinNole]

Thank you for this info. My husband is also a veteran (served 8 years), but not retired. I didn't know he was eligible...good to know. Some places give military discounts to ONLY retired or disabled veterans, not just any veteran. We were getting lumber to build a deck this summer and were at one of the two very large chain stores that sell lumber and they advertised a 10% off Veteran Discount, so I told the clerk my husband was a veteran. She asked him a few questions about his service and then very rudely said, "I'm sorry, you don't qualify for the discount, because you're not the right kind of veteran." :eek:

 

I still tease him about it...I told him he should return the veteran's license plates that he has on his car because he's not the right KIND of veteran.:p

I'm going to sound like I'm on a rant with this post but I'm very hurt by the comments made by the sales clerk like the one you encountered. I am a 6 year USAF veteran and have encountered the same type of ignorant response at the large home improvement store in town. I've been told that I'm eligible to receive a discount on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. So, my response to them is that they're telling me that I'm only a veteran two times a year. Your husband is a lot nicer than I am! My husband, who never served in the military, feels as insulted as I do and he would never tease me about something like this.

[Maybaybie10]

I'm going to sound like I'm on a rant with this post but I'm very hurt by the comments made by the sales clerk like the one you encountered. I am a 6 year USAF veteran and have encountered the same type of ignorant response at the large home improvement store in town. I've been told that I'm eligible to receive a discount on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. So, my response to them is that they're telling me that I'm only a veteran two times a year. Your husband is a lot nicer than I am! My husband, who never served in the military, feels as insulted as I do and he would never tease me about something like this.

 

Oh trust me...once we got into the parking lot, he was fuming! Not about the fact he didn't get the discount, but about the attitude of the clerk. It's been a few months now, but he's leary every time he sees a sign with 'military discount' on it and won't ask. I think he was more irritated than hurt, but I think he was also embarrassed like somehow his military service wasn't good enough, so now he won't ask. He understands my teasing is not at him, but a jab at clerk for her insensitive response.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TOO! :)

[mommabean]

Isn't that what I said? I also posted the link that explains who is eligible. But, as most will tell you, it's a rare thing to actually get. DH retired after 30 years (active and reserve). We've had military discounts on both Carnival and Princess.

 

I also answered the OP's question.:rolleyes:

 

Not really rare. We've gotten it often with just over 2 years of service and a DD214.

 

I bet most are out of FL. The ones out of the NE almost never offer it. And now, with all the changes it doesn't usually pay to try to get it on an already booked cruise.

 

We've even gotten an Alaska cruise in a JS for $1249pp. That's a great deal for that category in Alaska. I've seen other Alaska military discounts quite often.

 

Gina

[cole'snana]

I'd check everyday. We got a very good military discount for the Oasis August 2014. It was better than the senior discount so we dropped that and picked up the military.

[mommabean]

Oh trust me...once we got into the parking lot, he was fuming! Not about the fact he didn't get the discount, but about the attitude of the clerk. It's been a few months now, but he's leary every time he sees a sign with 'military discount' on it and won't ask. I think he was more irritated than hurt, but I think he was also embarrassed like somehow his military service wasn't good enough, so now he won't ask. He understands my teasing is not at him, but a jab at clerk for her insensitive response.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TOO! :)

 

The clerk's attitude was odd, but the reality is that it's rare for anyone to offer a military discount to anyone other than currently serving or lifetime service and retirement. The only time my husband has ever been the "right" kind of veteran is with RCI. I suspect Southwest Airlines would give him a free drink if we were flying on Veterans day. But hotels won't, theme parks won't, and stores won't offer anything to those with simply a DD214.

 

Yes, my husband served as a helicopter pilot in the Marines. But this gives him no benefits of a veteran in most cases.

 

I wouldn't be mad at the clerk, I'd feel sorry for her inability to express the benefit properly. Poor training by management is the likely problem.

 

Gina

[Clarea]

...We've even gotten an Alaska cruise in a JS for $1249pp. That's a great deal for that category in Alaska. I've seen other Alaska military discounts quite often.

 

Gina

That sure is a great deal! Most of the time I see that price around $1600-$1800pp.

[mommabean]

That sure is a great deal! Most of the time I see that price around $1600-$1800pp.

 

I'd gladly book Alaska again if I could find a JS for less than $1300pp. Every year when I follow flight prices to Anchorage or Vancouver, they don't go up much at all even a week before flying. We'll be doing most of our cruises last minute beginning in 2015.

 

Gina

[Nymue]

My husband is a Veteran of 8 years as well. That is just outrageous :eek: please tell me what chain that was so I can no longer do business with them!

 

Thank you for this info. My husband is also a veteran (served 8 years), but not retired. I didn't know he was eligible...good to know. Some places give military discounts to ONLY retired or disabled veterans, not just any veteran. We were getting lumber to build a deck this summer and were at one of the two very large chain stores that sell lumber and they advertised a 10% off Veteran Discount, so I told the clerk my husband was a veteran. She asked him a few questions about his service and then very rudely said, "I'm sorry, you don't qualify for the discount, because you're not the right kind of veteran." :eek:

 

I still tease him about it...I told him he should return the veteran's license plates that he has on his car because he's not the right KIND of veteran.:p