Crown & Anchor Question

[voyager70]

Hello -

I'm new to these boards & have a question to other RCI Crown & Anchor members. Do you get a better deal booking future cruises while onboard, or is it basically the same rate as if you booked online at the RCI website? I've always booked online but on my last cruise someone told me you can get a better rate if you book onboard. I'll be on the NOS in November & want to book my next cruise for next March or April. Any info or advice appreciated! Thanks -

Dan

[cruiseman_tx]

I don't know about getting a better rate, but you will get an onboard credit to use on the cruise you book. The amount varies according to the length of the cruise.

[babyjmomma]

Just got off the Sovereign yesterday and tried to book on board for next summer... it was 60.00 more than it was on their website! But i am sure like everything else, you can negotiate w/them...but i just wasn't in the mood. But they do offer on board credit-the cruise i was looking into was only 4 nights, so it was $50.

[creativemaggie]

Welcome to Crown & Anchor! My DH and I booked our Christmas cruise on board Empress earlier this month and got an onboard credit. We will book our next cruise while on the Christmas cruise mainly because of this onboard ship credit which varies with the length of the cruise. We don't get better rates, just the ease of actually talking to a person about rooms available and any blocked views. Have fun! :)

[voyager70]

Thanks for the info. I guess an onboard credit is worth it, as long as you get the same rate as the website. At least it'll pay for a bottle of wine or two :)

[sally r]

If you book on board you will get an on-board credit (obc). You can transfer the booking to your travel agent when you get home. If you are unsure of your next cruise you can also get a voucher from the Loyalty Ambassador for the obc. Then, when you decide, you may book a cruise with RCCL or your travel agent and the obc will apply.

 

You are not locked in to the price quoted when you book on the ship.

 

Also, when booking on board you will receive a booking number. You can change cruises, dates, ships, whatever, as long as you keep the same booking number.

 

I always book at least two "dummy" cruses on board of 9 nights or longer for the maximum $200 obc. Then when I get home I decide what cruise(s) I really want and transfer the booking number(s). If the cruise I pick is under 9 nights, the obc is adjusted down.

 

A good travel agent can handle all of this for you.

[voyager70]

Great info Sally. Thanks!

[annemarie]

Once you book your cruise on board you can keep phoning RCCL to see if the prices have gone down and they will give you the better price. We have an 8 day cruise book for March and we get a 100 dollar credit.

[MGoodyear]

Hi

 

I think the way it goes is

 

$50, 3 - 6 days

$100, 7 - 9 days

$200, 10+ days

[emmy]

If you book on board you will get an on-board credit (obc). You can transfer the booking to your travel agent when you get home. If you are unsure of your next cruise you can also get a voucher from the Loyalty Ambassador for the obc. Then, when you decide, you may book a cruise with RCCL or your travel agent and the obc will apply.

 

You are not locked in to the price quoted when you book on the ship.

 

Also, when booking on board you will receive a booking number. You can change cruises, dates, ships, whatever, as long as you keep the same booking number.

 

I always book at least two "dummy" cruses on board of 9 nights or longer for the maximum $200 obc. Then when I get home I decide what cruise(s) I really want and transfer the booking number(s). If the cruise I pick is under 9 nights, the obc is adjusted down.

 

A good travel agent can handle all of this for you.

 

 

Hi Sally ~ when you book that 'dummy 'cruise do you have to actually pick a ship or itinerary and tell the Loyalty Ambassador which one?

 

Emmy

[critterchick]

You have to book an actual cruise and pay the full deposit (unlike on Princess where you can do an indefinite booking for $100pp), but you can transfer the booking to another sailing. As long as you keep the original booking number, the credit will be applied to the new sailing. We were once told that you can only make one change. We haven't tested that rule, so I don't know if it's actually true.

 

We have gotten the same price that is published on the RCI and other TA websites. We like to do our research on future cruises and have one or two in mind before we go to the Loyalty Ambassador - it really speeds up the process.

[cruisinfanatic]

Hi

 

I think the way it goes is

 

$50, 3 - 6 days

$100, 7 - 9 days

$200, 10+ days

Nope, 9 days is $200

[emmy]

Okay can you book a Celebrity cruise on board a RCI ship and get the OBC... and vice versa?

 

Emmy

[cruz1234]

If you can get a Voucher from the loyalty ambassador, why go thru the hassle of making a dummy booking and putting a deposit down? Am I missing a vital point?

[sally r]

cruz1234, sometimes the LB's won't give out vouchers so you have to do the "dummy" booking. Why, I don't know. Maybe they have just so many they can give out? Also, the vouchers have a very limited life span..about 30 days. You need to book something quickly or they expire. Sorry, my earlier post was so confusing.

 

9 nights or longer is $200.

 

emmy, RCCL and X are interchangable. I once asked the LB to book me two cruises, one on RCCL and one on X, of 9 nights or longer and as far out as possible. The next day I got my cruise confirmations. It was really fun to see what he had chosen..one to Hawaii and one to Spain! I later used the booking numbers and OBC's for other cruises I REALLY wanted. Just gave me more time than the vouchers. Downside was that I had to pay the deposits then and there.

 

Critterchick, I have transfered a booking number three times so it can be done. A little dicey but a good TA will make it happen.

 

Hope this answers some of your questions.

[sally r]

One other note: I just used a voucher for a six night cruise and RCCL gave me $200. TA said it was an error but she wasn't going to point it out.

 

I think it goes:

 

0-5 nights $50

6-8 nights $100

9+ $200

[wrp96]

Hello -

I'm new to these boards & have a question to other RCI Crown & Anchor members. Do you get a better deal booking future cruises while onboard, or is it basically the same rate as if you booked online at the RCI website? I've always booked online but on my last cruise someone told me you can get a better rate if you book onboard. I'll be on the NOS in November & want to book my next cruise for next March or April. Any info or advice appreciated! Thanks -

Dan

 

One caution about this. March and April are prime cruise time due to spring break so there may not be much choice left for those cruises when you go in November. Now if you just want to cruise in March or April that is great, wait until November, but if you have a specific cruise you want or a specific cabin you might want to go ahead and book it now.

[emmy]

One other note: I just used a voucher for a six night cruise and RCCL gave me $200. TA said it was an error but she wasn't going to point it out.

 

I think it goes:

 

0-5 nights $50

6-8 nights $100

9+ $200

 

Great for you Sally.... wili chat more about this on our upcoming cruise.... you know I want to book that same hawaii itinerary for 2007 that you are doing in May...

 

Thanks for the other info re RCI and Celebrity :)

Emmy