Booking Question

[aprime23]

Hello all,

 

We are seasoned cruisers but are new to RC and are looking at booking the Independence June 2016 for our 30th anniversary. So the cabin availability is good now and the second person half off seems to be a recurring offer. I noticed that every June they run a 3 day sale and include a $200 OBC for balconies. I checked the best rate guarantee and its basically crap.

 

How would you suggest a newbie book to get the best rate and OBC offers.

 

P.S thanks to the folks who pointed out the JS is a waste without perks.

[Clarea]

Hello all,

 

We are seasoned cruisers but are new to RC and are looking at booking the Independence June 2016 for our 30th anniversary. So the cabin availability is good now and the second person half off seems to be a recurring offer. I noticed that every June they run a 3 day sale and include a $200 OBC for balconies. I checked the best rate guarantee and its basically crap.

 

How would you suggest a newbie book to get the best rate and OBC offers.

 

P.S thanks to the folks who pointed out the JS is a waste without perks.

There is no predicting price trends or promos. I'd book now to get the best choice of stateroom. If the price goes down before final payment date, Royal will usually allow you to get the lower price.

Edited May 9, 2015 by clarea

[ChattTN]

Hello all,

 

We are seasoned cruisers but are new to RC and are looking at booking the Independence June 2016 for our 30th anniversary. So the cabin availability is good now and the second person half off seems to be a recurring offer. I noticed that every June they run a 3 day sale and include a $200 OBC for balconies. I checked the best rate guarantee and its basically crap.

 

How would you suggest a newbie book to get the best rate and OBC offers.

 

P.S thanks to the folks who pointed out the JS is a waste without perks.

 

Newbie myself, but the best rate guarantee actually worked well for me multiple times. I was successful booking cabin I wanted earlier (and getting cabin I wanted) and then letting RCL price match when prices (or sales) happened to actually be lower than what I booked. Assuming you are a North American booking, RCL with price match multiple times between your initial booking and the final payment date. All it took for me was a 5 minute call to RCL to get a price math when it was warranted (I did not use a TA).....

[aprime23]

The fine print in the best rate guarantee says its only valid for 48hrs. What I really want to know is if I book now and that better offer comes along with OBC will they honor that.

Edited May 9, 2015 by aprime23

[BekkaW]

The fine print in the best rate guarantee says its only valid for 48hrs. What I really want to know is if I book now and that better offer comes along with OBC will they honor that.

 

Best rate guarantee and price drop are different. If you book in North America they will honour price drops until final payment date. An exception is sales that are for new bookings only (although many of us have still gotten rate drops then too).

 

To add OBC promotions they usually require the room to be re-priced at the prevailing rate. It's then up to you whether the OBC represents a better deal or not. If the OBC is more than what it will cost me to reprice then I take it, if not I keep the less expensive room rate.

[Clarea]

The fine print in the best rate guarantee says its only valid for 48hrs. What I really want to know is if I book now and that better offer comes along with OBC will they honor that.

They usually will honor a future promotion, unless the promo is restricted in some way, such as requiring a new booking.

[ColoradoGurl]

The fine print in the best rate guarantee says its only valid for 48hrs. What I really want to know is if I book now and that better offer comes along with OBC will they honor that.

 

I think the 48 hour thing is for people who book their cruise after the final payment date (so people who book last minute). If the cruise price drops within 48 hours they will honor that for those people who booked after final payment date, and also within the 48 hours of the price drop. For people who book way ahead, the price drops are honored only up until the final payment date.

 

For example, I booked a cruise in an inside room in January for a cruise that leaves in August. This last couple weeks, the promenade rooms dropped in price and became the same price as what I paid for an L category inside, so I called and upgraded my room for free. Then, there was a price drop in the promenade rooms for $38 less, so I called and was given an obc for that amount to compensate for the price drop. My final payment date hasn't come yet (although my cruise has been fully paid, it doesn't matter because it isn't required to be fully paid yet). If any more price drops happen before final payment date, I can keep calling to get obc for the amount of the price drop. I got lucky because my original room had gone up in price, so because I check the prices everyday I was able to catch the deals and got a higher category room for less money. Hope that helps make sense of the rule.

[aprime23]

Are a lot of things up charges. I just found out there is no self serve laundry? What else is an extra charge.

[Clarea]

Are a lot of things up charges. I just found out there is no self serve laundry? What else is an extra charge.

Soda, alcoholic drinks, specialty restaurants, specialty coffee & tea, some items on the MDR menu, excursions, spa treatments, casino. merchandise from the shops, room service after midnight, pool towels you take off the ship and don't return, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, arcade, golf simulator, etc.