Thoughts on Onboard Booking

[Lannybird12587]

My husband and I are already thinking about next years cruises and we figured while we are onboard this Liberty this May we would seriously consider booking a cruise while we were onboard. Any feedback from this experience? I know they offer some onboard credit doing it this way but would you also be entitled to a bogo50% deal if that was going on as well?

[breeze123]

We just did this last week while on board and did get the BOGO and the OBC. The rep running the desk was knowledgeable and helpful. Made the process very easy.

[edjny]

My husband and I are already thinking about next years cruises and we figured while we are onboard this Liberty this May we would seriously consider booking a cruise while we were onboard. Any feedback from this experience? I know they offer some onboard credit doing it this way but would you also be entitled to a bogo50% deal if that was going on as well?

 

Yes, if the BOGO promotion is in effect, you will get that pricing in addition to the on-board credit. One thing to ask though is the on-board credit may have to be taken on the current cruise. Not sure if you can have it attached to the future cruise like it used to be. This was a change that took effect a few weeks ago. ASK first to see what your best options are.

[BonnieSte]

They told me I have to be platinum or higher to get a discount so I have to wait till after this cruise to get a discount on my 2016 cruise. I liked booking it on the ship because there is a better choice of rooms. For the cruise I am going on next month I booked on the ship last year for full price and when the BOGO sale came I called and had no problem getting the discount. Hope this helps

[breeze123]

Yes, if the BOGO promotion is in effect, you will get that pricing in addition to the on-board credit. One thing to ask though is the on-board credit may have to be taken on the current cruise. Not sure if you can have it attached to the future cruise like it used to be. This was a change that took effect a few weeks ago. ASK first to see what your best options are.

 

We were given a choice last week to use on current cruise or apply to the cruise we were booking. Not sure if this is a standard practice so it's worth asking.

[peggydee]

Thank u very much. I am a cruise addict and going again in October 24th,2015,

Peggy

[Lannybird12587]

great advice thanks so much!!

[JasonV1]

Just remember NOT to take the promo OBC for the cruise you are on then because that makes the deposit nonrefundable.

 

If you defer that OBC to the cruise you are booking you can cancel later. I prefer this because I often book multiple (often overlapping) cruises to secure the best prices (often at schedule launch), and then I can watch for price drops and/or decide which of the cruises I want to keep. It probably drives my TA a little nuts, but I sail on 3-4 cruises a year with her (and don't really ask for a lot of assistance with anything) so I'm probably a decent customer.

 

I actually like the new lower deposits too; $50pp for the first 2, no charges for the third (and I assume the 4th).

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

So is it only worth it if you've been on more than one cruise? I was hoping to book for next summer while on board this summer, but it will only be my first time on RCCL. I've only rebooked on Disney where rebooking is not dependent on how many times you have cruised, so this is a bizarre concept to me.

[LeeW]

So is it only worth it if you've been on more than one cruise? I was hoping to book for next summer while on board this summer, but it will only be my first time on RCCL. I've only rebooked on Disney where rebooking is not dependent on how many times you have cruised, so this is a bizarre concept to me.

 

 

Not necessarily. RCI gives discounts to all past passengers. I believe that future cruise bookings can even be done with discounts even for first time cruisers (at least they were pushing these on our first RCI cruise). In our case they also signed us up for Crown & Anchor while onboard. So you might get the discount. That said, you need to shop for that future cruise before you get onboard to see if you can get better prices not onboard.

 

 

Future cruise booking can be done two ways onboard. First, if you don't know what cruise you want you can do an open booking. This gives you about $25 onboard credit, which can now be applied either to the current cruise or a future one. Not only is this lousy, if you apply it to your current cruise the deposit becomes non-refundable. Most people on this board don't recommend this on RCI.

 

Second, if you know the future cruise you want you can book it onboard. Low deposit paid now and a decent onboard credit. Again, the onboard credit can be applied to either cruise but if you use it on the current cruise the deposit becomes non-refundable.

 

We buy future cruise credits on Princess but not RCI due to much higher OBC and no difference between choose now or choose later.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I'm keeping an eye on it... I can't really do anything until at least mid-May at any rate.

 

If I book before the cruise, can I reshop it onboard to see if I get a better deal?

 

Thanks for your help. I'm very familiar with Disney but Royal is all new to me.

[Robinhill]

Can anyone tell me if i am booking three people for a D1 balcony and i am Diamond how much the onboard credit would be and how much the deposit to book this cruise will be if I book while onboard a cruise. Thanks in advance

[Clarea]

Can anyone tell me if i am booking three people for a D1 balcony and i am Diamond how much the onboard credit would be and how much the deposit to book this cruise will be if I book while onboard a cruise. Thanks in advance

The onboard credit depends on the length of the cruise. The deposit would be $100 per person.

[Robinhill]

The onboard credit depends on the length of the cruise. The deposit would be $100 per person.

 

Thanks Bob! It is an 8 day cruise.

Robin

[Clarea]

Thanks Bob! It is an 8 day cruise.

Robin

I have an older form, so I don't know if it's changed, but an 8-day cruise in a balcony used to get $150 OBC per stateroom.

[Robinhill]

I have an older form, so I don't know if it's changed, but an 8-day cruise in a balcony used to get $150 OBC per stateroom.

 

Bob- thanks so much for the info!

Robin

[BillOh]

My husband and I are already thinking about next years cruises and we figured while we are onboard this Liberty this May we would seriously consider booking a cruise while we were onboard. Any feedback from this experience? I know they offer some onboard credit doing it this way but would you also be entitled to a bogo50% deal if that was going on as well?

 

Yes to the last question, but I hope that dam sale ends soon. Actually as real sale it ended months ago. To me Royal has really killed off the value of the onboard booking. To get the most value out of it you have to know what cruise you are taking specifically and have it be at least 7 days to get what you use to be able to get before.

 

Ironically with regard to the BOGOHO I am two weeks away from taking my cruise that I booked on Jewel last year when the sale first started. I did get a great deal, but the BOGOHOs are DOGOHOs (double one get one half off) I do know what cruise I am going on next (see my signature) I am going to book that one on my sea day coming up.

[breeze123]

I have an older form, so I don't know if it's changed, but an 8-day cruise in a balcony used to get $150 OBC per stateroom.

 

We booked an 8-day in a GS and got $200 OBC so this may still be correct!