Group Cruises -- yes or no

[Cruishappy@aol.com]

Hi - can anyone offer any information on what the advantages or disadvantages are for joining in on a group cruise would appreciate any input that you may have -- we have been on many cruises and have often wondered about the group cruises ---- also we are Diamond Plus members --- but I think that there are only specified Member Cruises and I do not believe that the next cruise that we are going on is a Member Cruise

[nosnobunny]

I'm taking my first group cruise in about three weeks. The advantage was the price. Plus I get to meet some CC people that I've been talking to for several years. As far as group activities go, you can take part in as many or as few as you wish. There is no obligation on your part and if you wish to remain completely anonymous, you can do that too. Your level of participation may be greatly affected by the make up of the group. When you put a large number of strangers together, some will get along and some won't.

Beth

[emmy]

Can someone confirm this.... If you book your cruise on board and have an onboard credit for doing so when you transfer it to a group cruise I had heard that you loose the onboard credit... anyone know for sure?

 

Emmy

[oscarmoraz]

Hi Emmy,

 

I tried to utilize our on board credit when booking the Jewel from a previous booking number. However, the TA I booked with would and could not apply the on board credit because she was booking us in a group booking.

 

However, I do know that when you book on board, ask for a paper statement showing your on board credit. In some cases, if you contact RC outside of the TA, they have been known to apply it...this is first hand speaking! ;)

 

Cindy

[natesfirewife]

It states that the onboard shipping credit does not apply to Group Bookings. Sorry guys. :(

 

One advantage is that depending on the sailing the cruise line will offer special incentives. I know with our group cruise aboard the Enchantment next year that they are giving us free bottles of wine, chocolate covered strawberries and a $75 credit in the casino. But again, it is different with each group and sailing.

 

Misty

[4merlurker]

Our group isn't getting wine or strawberrys or cabin credits. TA said she gave a better price in lieu of all that. :eek: We are ok with it though. Price was GREAT!!!! Less than 2 weeks to go and I have not seen it lower!!!!

 

~Connie

[AFT_LOVER]

since I get fabulous rates from my TA. I also book a year or more in advance to get the stateroom we want.

 

Then I have fun watching the rate climb til we sail. Our November cruise is $1500 PP more than we paid!

[Jimbo]

It states that the onboard shipping credit does not apply to Group Bookings. Sorry guys. :(

 

One advantage is that depending on the sailing the cruise line will offer special incentives. I know with our group cruise aboard the Enchantment next year that they are giving us free bottles of wine, chocolate covered strawberries and a $75 credit in the casino. But again, it is different with each group and sailing.

 

Misty

 

Since Group Leaders get their Cabin for free, do they share the savings with the rest of the group ? Meaning if the entire group pays for 10 cabins at $2000 a cabin but they get that one more cabin for nothing. Do they all divide the $20,000.00....... 11 ways so each cabin can be had for 1818.18 thus saving money for each member in the group?

Seems the only fair way to do it? Is that how it works?

 

Jimbo:)

[nosnobunny]

I'm not sure that I agree with you on this one Jimbo. When I booked this group cruise, I was happy with the discounted price that I got. Group leaders take on a lot of work, so maybe this perk is well earned. I know that Miriam was "on call" for the entire cruise with many messages to be replied to and activities to organize. That's not my idea of relaxation.

Beth

[Jimbo]

Computer glitch

 

Jimbo

[Jimbo]

I'm not sure that I agree with you on this one Jimbo. When I booked this group cruise, I was happy with the discounted price that I got.Yes but wouldn't you have been even more happy if you paid even a lower price? Group leaders take on a lot of work,The travel agency who the cruise is booked with should really be doing all the leg work for the cruise booking and airfare booking for each person...... so maybe this perk is well earned. I know that Miriam was "on call" for the entire cruise with many messages to be replied to and activities to organize.It isn't worh $2000 is it?, I mean most of the organizing of things should be done well ahead of the cruise and all he info should be emailed to all the members in the group....... That's not my idea of relaxation. I guess when you think about it I could really relax on a cruise where I didn't have to pay the $2000 for it. Beth, not trying to bust stones here but $2000 is alot of money.

 

Beth

 

Jimbo:)

[nosnobunny]

Yes it's a lot of money, but I was happy with the price that I paid. If I found out after the fact that someone else benefited, so be it. They didn't get that benefit without some effort on their part. Personally, I would never want to be a group leader - free cabin or otherwise. From where I sit, it looks like a thankless job.

Beth

[Dem920]

Since Group Leaders get their Cabin for free, do they share the savings with the rest of the group ? Meaning if the entire group pays for 10 cabins at $2000 a cabin but they get that one more cabin for nothing. Do they all divide the $20,000.00....... 11 ways so each cabin can be had for 1818.18 thus saving money for each member in the group?

Seems the only fair way to do it? Is that how it works?

 

Jimbo:)

 

I am planning a group cruise next summer on Grandeur of the Seas out of Baltimore on August 18th and as teh group leader, instead of discounting each room by a small amount, we use the money to host a cocktail party for the group, get group shirts for everyone to wear, and other perks. I never use the money for myself but for the good of the group.

 

In polling the people that typically go with us on these cruises, although anyone is welcome, they all decided on the group activities instead of the cash. You don't get a free cabin, just one free passenger, so it really isn't a lot of money to spread out and it gets more difficult when you add triples and quads into the occassion.

 

I typically spend about 100 hours planning a group cruise. We send a monthly newsletter and flyers for each guest to either distribute or use themselves. I also plan group excurions that are cheaper for the other people going with my group, for example I chartered a boat in Grand Cayman 2 years ago to go snorkleing and swimming with the sting rays. The cruise line charged people $57 per person to go to one snorkling spot and to swim with the sting rays. I was able to get the group rate at $32 per person and it was 1 hour longer and included a second snorkling spot. Much cheaper and we had the boat to ourselves.

 

All this stuff takes time. You are definately right that some people take the free passenger credit and use it for themselves and probably don't do half the things my group leaders and myself do, but for us it is all about a great vacation with family and friends and I couldn't love doing it more.

 

Anyone that wants to join us next summer, it promises to be an extremely fun time with lots of surprises.

 

-DEM920

[familycruzer]

I am planning on putting a Southeast PA group together for summer 2007 and I already figured that I would give everyone the price break instead of taking the free passenger with 8 cabins deal. Its a better incentive for more people to join the cruise.

DEM920, did you put yours together from a local TA or did you use the cruise line?

[Dem920]

I am planning on putting a Southeast PA group together for summer 2007 and I already figured that I would give everyone the price break instead of taking the free passenger with 8 cabins deal. Its a better incentive for more people to join the cruise.

DEM920, did you put yours together from a local TA or did you use the cruise line?

 

Family:

 

Email me at tdembek@optonline.net and I will give you the scoop. Where are you going to go?

 

-DEM920:p

[natesfirewife]

When you receive your rebate 6-8 weeks after the cruise it is minus the port charges and taxes, so you do not get a completely free cabin. You also only get the rebate for the most booked cabin category. So since on our Alaska Cruise we stayed in a Junior Suite and our most booked cabin was a E1, then the rebate I got was for the E1 category. There are different types of group leaders and we all handle our groups in different ways. I believe in planning everything on our vacations so it doesn't bother me to research things for the group. We also organize tours, events, t-shirts, and all kinds of things. There is a lot of work that goes into putting a group together and keeping everyone happy. I am always available on board for questions, but I do find time to relax and do our own thing too. The people that sign up for my groups book for the price, the party and the good times. I feel that I earn my rebate and this is a way that I can travel more. I'm sorry if you feel that we don't do enough to earn the rebate.

 

Misty

[tupper]

I am escorting my first group cruise this December and it is ALOT of work, especially since we are planning onboard meetings on sea days in addition to a cocktail party.

 

All I can say is that RCCL's group department is a nightmare to work with and I have had difficulties from the beginning. I have heard this from others as well, but I didn't believe it, until it came to be my turn. With the cruise planned 12 months ahead of time, they did not confirm my meeting times and space nor gave me a final onboard invoice (for cocktail parties, use of equipment, etc,) until the final payment week, when ALL money is due-little late when you have to make sure you collect enough money, when you have to tell everyone an up front price. I told them I could have had a baby in a shorter time than it took to get answers, to questions that I had to constantly pursue.

 

I tried to add another cabin to my group after final payment and they said they couldn't do it...what they really meant is, they can seat them with the group for dinner, they can charge me for the additional people at our cocktail party, but they WILL NOT give us credit for them towards the free berths(so there's 2 bodies lost in the count).

 

They do have stips that they won't transfer individuals into the group nor will they transfer those who booked onboard (with shipboard credits), as well as those booked in individual/paid in full (like I did with this new couple-it was a check prices pay NOW situation, so I couldn't help it) after final payment. There is ALOT to keep up with. It definitely was a learning experience. I am looking forward to the cruise, as I heard the Mariner is beautiful, but I am a little reluctant to do something like this with RCCL again.

 

If you are just getting together and not planning anything special onboard, it may be a little easier to work with their group department. Other than that, be prepared to be on your toes, before you even leave home.

[Dem920]

Tupper:

 

Just wondering why you wnet directly through RCCL instead of using a TA and having them deal with the group department. I have tried it both ways and the TA wa costs everyone the same price as if I had all the headaches with Royal. I work with my TA, email her my questions and she gets me answers. I have also added people through her after final payment is due which counted towards group. Not all TAs are good at this kind of thing, but I deal with one that knows a lot of people at Royal and Carnival for that matter, so she knows the questions to ask. She got us agreat deal for next summer and she is already looking into our April 2006 sailing for kids vacation from school.

 

I agree dealing directly with Royal is a headache. That's why I transferred that job to a professional. I do all the other planning, but she was able to handle our cocktail party, scavenger hunt, free wine and other stuff we got free on next summer's sailing.

 

-DEM920

[tupper]

Simple answer ...I am a home based agent. However this was my 1st experience with RCCL's group department and it was a do-sie. We don't always have it easy with these cruise lines either and have to pull teeth a little harder with them sometimes too. I just never experience anything like this, that was this much of a pain in the butt for so long and they surely made it feel that way on their part too. I just felt it didn't have to be that way, though.

 

This year brought alot of changes in the group department as well, so some "brain adjustments" had to be made on everybody's part. Still I feel that this wasn't the reason for the lack of service in the group department and I have heard this from other agents who have worked with them on several occassions. We do earn our keep especially with this line's group department!

 

I guess my best answer should have been, take your group to a TA, to avoid the nuisances of dealing with it yourself. ; )

[Dem920]

If you have some time, I'd like to hear more about your experiences with the group department. If you don't feel like elaborating, that is fine, but if you do my email is teamtravel@optonline.net.

 

-DEM920

[49holding]

Since Group Leaders get their Cabin for free, do they share the savings with the rest of the group ? Meaning if the entire group pays for 10 cabins at $2000 a cabin but they get that one more cabin for nothing. Do they all divide the $20,000.00....... 11 ways so each cabin can be had for 1818.18 thus saving money for each member in the group?

Seems the only fair way to do it? Is that how it works?

 

Jimbo:)

 

I think group cruises are a hit or miss.. Some people plan them just for the free cruise ...look at all the group cruises and Group leaders planning multiple ones. My group cruise a CC one was to Alaska on the Serenade this past August and we booked primarily for the price the group leader who was traveling with her friends and family basically snubbed us ( and everyone?) once onboard.The GL was very friendly before the cruise online but that all changed..Reminded me of a new car dealer...great service till you buy the car....then forget about it.And I had a problem with the TA before the cruise that she was unwilling to mediate. She had a meet and greet in the schooner that was brief I thought the least she could do was to spring for a round of drinks but that didn't happen. Our tables in the DR were relatively close by yet this GL never stopped by not even the last nite .My husband who didn't know a thing about this CC group cruise wrote on our door sign ( that the CC GL distributed) "You pay, I go for free, nice knowing you."

[49holding]

I really don't mind paying for the GL and spouse..providing they earned it, that wasn't the case in my experience. The GL of my cruise has 2 more planned !!! Those of us that cruise, half of the fun is planning and researching it. My mother used to run group cruises with her fellow senior citizens in her seniors development, that entailed a lot of headaches and work and she always rebated the tour conductors credit back to the group.

[Dem920]

Joyce:

 

I'm with you. Half the fun is planning. It amazes me that so many people don't want to do that part. My DH just wants to know what day we leave... LOL.

 

-DEM920:p

[Host Caroline]

I took groups as a TA but had not done a group until the Diamond Princess (CC group last June) and the Caribbean Princess in Sept. First, let me apologize if you felt you were snubbed by any GL!! That should never happen but it has happened too often! For my part, I don't "stop" being the GL when we board the ship.. and I guess I did something right because most of my Alaska group is going back with me in '07 and a bunch of us from this year are going on RCI Explorer of the Seas on Dec. 3 '06.

GLs can do as much or as little as they want basically.. I arrange pre cruise hotel (and even precruise dinner if they want it), transport to port from hotel if not already offered by hotel, on board actitivities, do door signs, personalizsed name tags for lanyards and at least one group shore tour. On both cruises this year the "best laid plans" got totally blown.. first by a late arrival in Juneau that necessitated getting some 40 people rearranged with a private tour op,many of them have two tours booked and everyone got their tour-- that took about 3 hours and the wonderful cooperation of the ship staff.. Then in Sept. we got rerouted west instead of east due to Hurr. Rita... so the Catamaran in St Thomas got rearranged again with help of ship staff to a wonderful tour in Cayman... Was this necessary for me to do? Some would say "no" BUT my theory is that everyone in the group is important and if you go the extra mile for them, that comes with the "territory" of being a GL! I really try to get to meet and know as many as want to participate and have made many many friends on CC these cruises. Hopefully you will join one in the future and have a wonderful time :):)

you can always go with us next December 3! :D