Canadian cruisers!!

[moopetguy]

Any Canadians here booked a next cruise on board? If so, do they make the booking and take the deposit in CAD or is it only done in USD?

 

I have done NextCruise bookings on board. Yes, they'll make the booking in CAD and take the deposit in CAD. :)

[Ourusualbeach]

Any Canadians here booked a next cruise on board? If so, do they make the booking and take the deposit in CAD or is it only done in USD?

 

We have made lots. The deposit is taken in CDN. Not sure how it would be handled if you booked in US$.

 

Our last cruise in December we were charged $125 CDN deposit on a 7 night balcony cabin and received the instant $100 OBC in US$

Edited January 24, 2016 by Ourusualbeach

[monctonguy]

Ok...it will be like a new booking...so deposit in CAD...but OBC in USD....which I can use for the current cruise I am on at time of booking or put towards the cruise I booked...correct?

[moopetguy]

Ok...it will be like a new booking...so deposit in CAD...but OBC in USD....which I can use for the current cruise I am on at time of booking or put towards the cruise I booked...correct?

 

Correct, but if you take the OBC on your current sailing and later decide to cancel your future booking, your deposit on that booking isn't refundable.

[JessyCruises]

Ok...it will be like a new booking...so deposit in CAD...but OBC in USD....which I can use for the current cruise I am on at time of booking or put towards the cruise I booked...correct?

 

The new reservation will be in whatever currency your current one is booked. I am not sure if you can change ti from USD to CAD if you originally booked in USD. Regarding the OBC, you will get it in USD on the current cruise.

[moopetguy]

Regarding the OBC, you will get it in USD on the current cruise.

 

This month on Grandeur, I made a NextCruise booking and applied the OBC bonus to that future booking. I didn't have to take it on the current cruise. Possibly an inconsistent policy between ships or NextCruise staff?

[JessyCruises]

This month on Grandeur, I made a NextCruise booking and applied the OBC bonus to that future booking. I didn't have to take it on the current cruise. Possibly an inconsistent policy between ships or NextCruise staff?

 

You can choose whether or not to take the OBC on this cruise or the cruise you booked. We took it for the current cruise we were on. I don't remember why we chose to do that - I think we would have lost the option to make any changes.

[Ourusualbeach]

You can choose whether or not to take the OBC on this cruise or the cruise you booked. We took it for the current cruise we were on. I don't remember why we chose to do that - I think we would have lost the option to make any changes.

 

I find it better to take it on the current cruise as you receive the full value of the OBC. If you take it on your next cruise and then change that sail date then the OBC will be reduced greatly .

[Wallydog3]

Hello,

We are booked(family of four) on the Brilliance on the 18th of April. Can anyone tell me if I can prepay my gratuities for only two of us( at a better exchange) to save OBC or is the only option to prepay for all 4?

 

Thanks

Sean

[The_Big_M]

Gratuities when prepaid are done for the entire booking.

[moopetguy]

You can choose whether or not to take the OBC on this cruise or the cruise you booked.

 

That's what I thought, but your previous wording seemed to imply that you wouldn't get a choice ("you will get it in USD on the current cruise"). I've learned there can be a lot of inconsistency with RCI across ships, between reps, etc. and I wasn't sure if this was one of them. :)

[Ourusualbeach]

That's what I thought, but your previous wording seemed to imply that you wouldn't get a choice ("you will get it in USD on the current cruise"). I've learned there can be a lot of inconsistency with RCI across ships, between reps, etc. and I wasn't sure if this was one of them. :)

 

This is one of those cases. Some have reported that the only option is to take it on the current cruise while others have been able to do either.

 

Personally as long as you know you are going to cruise again sometime with Royal you are better off taking it on the current cruise as you get the full value. If you take it on a future cruise and change the date then Royal will reduce the amount of the OBC significantly.

[moopetguy]

This is one of those cases. Some have reported that the only option is to take it on the current cruise while others have been able to do either.

 

Personally as long as you know you are going to cruise again sometime with Royal you are better off taking it on the current cruise as you get the full value. If you take it on a future cruise and change the date then Royal will reduce the amount of the OBC significantly.

 

Thanks for clarifying. Sometimes I wonder why many things don't seem to be consistent across the organization. I can think of a number of different reasons why, but none of them are flattering to RCI :eek: These are not minor details or policies that are particularly difficult to maintain uniformity on, either. One internal e-mail or memo ought to do it!

 

And that is a good tip about taking the OBC on the current cruise; thank you. :)

[robtulipe]

I find it better to take it on the current cruise as you receive the full value of the OBC. If you take it on your next cruise and then change that sail date then the OBC will be reduced greatly .

 

This is one of those cases. Some have reported that the only option is to take it on the current cruise while others have been able to do either.

 

Personally as long as you know you are going to cruise again sometime with Royal you are better off taking it on the current cruise as you get the full value. If you take it on a future cruise and change the date then Royal will reduce the amount of the OBC significantly.

 

We did our next cruise booking late in the day on the second to last day of our Anthem cruise we came back from just over a week ago so deferred the OBC to that next cruise since we didn't need nor want it on our current cruise. I guess we could have drawn it out in casino cash but didn't want to bother with that. Our friends who also booked the same future cruise after us did the same.

We upgraded our cabin one class early this week, from inside to OV guarantee, and questioned if this would have any effect on our onboard booking. I was told no by the C&A agent I did this with as we weren't changing the ship and/or sail date.

She also stated that we were allowed to make one major change to our future next cruise booking like a different sailing date which could be on a different ship before our future cruise booking would revert to the lower OBC non-specific onboard booking.

Edited January 25, 2016 by robtulipe

[Ourusualbeach]

We did our next cruise booking late in the day on the second to last day of our Anthem cruise we came back from just over a week ago so deferred the OBC to that next cruise since we didn't need nor want it on our current cruise. I guess we could have drawn it out in casino cash but didn't want to bother with that. Our friends who also booked the same future cruise after us did the same.

We upgraded our cabin one class early this week, from inside to OV guarantee, and questioned if this would have any effect on our onboard booking. I was told no by the C&A agent I did this with as we weren't changing the ship and/or sail date.

She also stated that we were allowed to make one major change to our future next cruise booking like a different sailing date which could be on a different ship before our future cruise booking would revert to the lower OBC non-specific onboard booking.

 

 

Yes just changing cabins would not trigger a reduction in the OBC. I do realize that they are telling people that you can make 1 change without it affecting the OBC but we all know how consistent Royal can be in both giving out information and applying that information. We had a LA once who promised us that she would put a note on our next cruise that we booked knowing that we would change dates allowing us to change with no reduction in OBC. Guess what, no note and we lost the OBC.

 

I would still much rather take the guaranteed OBC however like you said it can be taken on a future cruise.

[hancogran]

Since we're talking about on board booking, is the OBC you receive determined by the length of the cruise? After checking online, I found some info that says cruises over 15 days receive $200 OBC.... I'm also looking at a 16 day transatlantic. Perhaps things have changed somewhat and all bookings now just get the $100 OBC :confused:

[Clarea]

Since we're talking about on board booking, is the OBC you receive determined by the length of the cruise? After checking online, I found some info that says cruises over 15 days receive $200 OBC.... I'm also looking at a 16 day transatlantic. Perhaps things have changed somewhat and all bookings now just get the $100 OBC :confused:

Here is the schedule for on board booking OBC:

 

Booking a specific cruise

-------------------------

 

•5-7 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $50

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $100

◦Grand Suite and above: $200

 

•8-10 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $100

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $150

◦Grand Suite and above: $300

 

•11-14 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $150

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $200

◦Grand Suite and above: $400

 

•15 nights or longer cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $200

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $250

◦Grand Suite and above: $500

 

Open Booking

------------

5-7 nights; $25

8-10 nights: $50

11-14 nights: $75

15+ nights: $100

[hancogran]

Here is the schedule for on board booking OBC:

 

Booking a specific cruise

-------------------------

 

•5-7 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $50

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $100

◦Grand Suite and above: $200

 

•8-10 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $100

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $150

◦Grand Suite and above: $300

 

•11-14 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $150

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $200

◦Grand Suite and above: $400

 

•15 nights or longer cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $200

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $250

◦Grand Suite and above: $500

 

Open Booking

------------

5-7 nights; $25

8-10 nights: $50

11-14 nights: $75

15+ nights: $100

 

:) Thanks so much, Bob!

[moopetguy]

Beyond the "standard" OBC amounts that Bob posted, there are sometimes bonuses. For example, I booked a 10-night interior while onboard Grandeur earlier this month and received $176 OBC instead of $100. I believe the NextCruise rep said it was a promo lasting only 2 days. It was a nice surprise :)

Edited January 25, 2016 by moopetguy

[hancogran]

Beyond the "standard" OBC amounts that Bob posted, there are sometimes bonuses. For example, I booked a 10-night interior while onboard Grandeur earlier this month and received $176 OBC instead of $100. I believe the NextCruise rep said it was a promo lasting only 2 days. It was a nice surprise :)

 

That IS a nice surprise :D The way my luck is, there's no chance of that happening to us! I'm happy with the $250 that goes with cruises over 15 days. ;)

[Chris Copeman]

The new reservation will be in whatever currency your current one is booked. I am not sure if you can change ti from USD to CAD if you originally booked in USD. Regarding the OBC, you will get it in USD on the current cruise.

 

Yes you can do this. I just did it with two cruises I booked on Allure this past week.

 

My Allure cruise was booked through a US Travel Agent in USD and the two new cruises I booked onboard were in Canadian Dollars. I did have to sign the form to not give it to my TA as I and the ship were not sure if they would accept a CDN dollar booking from the ship. I know they do so I will try and transfer it within 60 days to them otherwise I will transefer to a CDN travel agent.

 

I booked 2 grand suites or higher on a 11 night or longer cruise so I received $800 USD instant OBC and my credit card was charged $1000 Canadian a 1.25% exchange rate. Any extra OBC that was in addition to my current bill on the Allure I had to cash out at the casino for an addition 5% fee as it was Non-refundable at guest services at the end of the cruise.

[monctonguy]

1.25% exchange rate?...wow...that's good....is that the norm??!

[Semi Retired]

I use a highly reputable agent in Miami and he always quotes me exactly what the Royal Caribbean webpage offers in Canadian. The bonus is...he adds extra OBC (based on type of cabin I book) and a specialty dining for us. He also gives me an extra 25 OBC for every other cabin that gets booked because I convince others to join us. He is also very good at watching for price drops and getting my booking lowered before final payment date.

[Russ Lomas]

I posted a great deal here a couple weeks back and some were able to take advantage of it $500 Canadian on the Liberty for Valentine's week.

 

Hopefully someone here can make this flight work for them. Prices coming home from Florida to Southern Ontario for March break have been insane (Delta wanted $1350 per person one way direct).

 

They just dropped prices huge on two flights from MCO to DTW on March 20th. $122 Canadian direct at 8:21am and $207 Canadian direct at 4pm. I would have been all over these flight prices if I had not already booked. Hope this info helps someone on this board who lives in Southern Ontario and can fly into Detroit that day from Orlando.

[Queensmom2]

Hello,

We are booked(family of four) on the Brilliance on the 18th of April. Can anyone tell me if I can prepay my gratuities for only two of us( at a better exchange) to save OBC or is the only option to prepay for all 4?

 

Thanks

Sean

 

FYI, I'm going on the Oasis in March, and I called last Friday to prepay my gratuities. The RCI agent quoted me a Canadian charge for this ($15.91/night per person, plus tax), and I paid with Visa in Canadian dollars.

 

I have $300 OBCs that I received when booking, but she said I couldn't use those toward my gratuities, so I still have those.