Non US Resident booking on US site?

[newxmascruiser]

Hi All

Wondering if anyone from the UK has booked direct with Royal Caribbean using .com before? I get as far a filling out my details but it won't let me continue without inputting state of residence, obviously I don't have one. Is there a get around for this?

Thanks

[Clarea]

I have friends in the UK that use US travel agents, so they get the same prices and policies as you would booking on the US website.

[Biker19]

Pick any state that sounds good to you.:cool:

[yvet]

The only way to book under the US conditions is booking with an US based TA.....

[Jeannie333333]

Hi All

Wondering if anyone from the UK has booked direct with Royal Caribbean using .com before? I get as far a filling out my details but it won't let me continue without inputting state of residence, obviously I don't have one. Is there a get around for this?

Thanks

 

Its a no go I'm afraid, you just can't book on the US site if you are from the UK. Can only be done through a US T/A, as said above.

 

I get into a quandary about this - the booking conditions for the US -v- UK are 100% better...but you have to book in USD and the exchange rate can fluctuate so much, I worry how much the cruise could end up costing...but I'm probably being a baby! :D

 

Its a real negative being unable to cancel without loss of deposit - and also the prices are so high at the moment, I can't believe they won't drop in the future, but anyone booking in the UK will not be able to take advantage of the price drop...frustrating :confused:

 

Currently, the 2017 Caribbean prices are approx $600 (for 2) cheaper in the US than UK for a balcony, so I may well book my next cruise via a US T/A....:eek:

 

good luck with whatever you choose ..

 

Jean :)

[uksimonusa]

Its a no go I'm afraid, you just can't book on the US site if you are from the UK. Can only be done through a US T/A, as said above.

 

I get into a quandary about this - the booking conditions for the US -v- UK are 100% better...but you have to book in USD and the exchange rate can fluctuate so much, I worry how much the cruise could end up costing...but I'm probably being a baby! :D

 

Its a real negative being unable to cancel without loss of deposit - and also the prices are so high at the moment, I can't believe they won't drop in the future, but anyone booking in the UK will not be able to take advantage of the price drop...frustrating :confused:

 

Currently, the 2017 Caribbean prices are approx $600 (for 2) cheaper in the US than UK for a balcony, so I may well book my next cruise via a US T/A....:eek:

 

good luck with whatever you choose ..

 

Jean :)

 

I book on the .com for my English Friends all the time, I just use their address and my state, never been a problem.

[Wellard]

I've booked several times through a US agent. It's a win win

Me:

minimal and refundable deposit.

Cheaper price

OBC

Price drops

Change cabins with out hassle.

 

US agent:

Gets my business.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Pipo]

All my cruises have been booked through TA in the USA. Here in Costa Rica international itineraries (air tickets, cruises) come with a high tax if booked through local TAs, along with the fact that they don't offer benefits as good as the ones you can obtain from agencies in the US.

Just make sure that your credit card can be used abroad, otherwise payments cannot be processed. I also highly recommend do a comparison among several online travel websites, and then call to a physical TA specialized on cruises, to make sure that you are getting the best offer.

[newxmascruiser]

Thanks for everyone's replies. The 2017 Caribbean I'm looking at is indeed £400 cheaper (current conversion) on US site plus has free grats which the UK deal is not running currently.

It's never been such a big difference before so I think I'll search for a US TA and go that route this time. The dollar rate for us at the moment is sooo bad it can't get worse! Guess at any time it swings in my favour I can jump in and pay up.

[yvet]

Look for a TA that also gives you OBC for booking with them.

It's another savings of money you get for free!!!

[little britain]

Its a no go I'm afraid, you just can't book on the US site if you are from the UK. Can only be done through a US T/A, as said above.

 

I get into a quandary about this - the booking conditions for the US -v- UK are 100% better...but you have to book in USD and the exchange rate can fluctuate so much, I worry how much the cruise could end up costing...but I'm probably being a baby! :D

 

Its a real negative being unable to cancel without loss of deposit - and also the prices are so high at the moment, I can't believe they won't drop in the future, but anyone booking in the UK will not be able to take advantage of the price drop...frustrating :confused:

 

Currently, the 2017 Caribbean prices are approx $600 (for 2) cheaper in the US than UK for a balcony, so I may well book my next cruise via a US T/A....:eek:

 

good luck with whatever you choose ..

 

Jean :)

 

Jean, I'll give you the name of my USA TA when I see you on Harmony ;)

[newxmascruiser]

Hi again

So I've done some investigating and think I'm getting there, 1 more question though. I've been offered a 'group pricing' rate..any issues with that or is it quite normal?

Thanks!

[Clarea]

Hi again

So I've done some investigating and think I'm getting there, 1 more question though. I've been offered a 'group pricing' rate..any issues with that or is it quite normal?

Thanks!

Group pricing is not uncommon, and you may get better prices than are currently on Royal's website. You will have to pay full deposit to book under the group, which should not be much different than you would have paid anyhow.

[newxmascruiser]

So I went for it and books via US TA. The difference in cost vs UK was too great to pass up, will almost cover our flight cost London to Miami!

Thanks for everyone's advice - and for anyone else who was thinking about it, it was really easy, you can pay up whenever you like (so I'll jump in once the dollar rate swings in my favour) the reservation is already showing in my cruises on RC website and all Terms confirmed as a US booking. Sooo pleased.

Happy Cruising!

[Biker19]

The only way to book under the US conditions is booking with an US based TA.....

Unless you are willing to claim a US address while booking on the RCI site.:cool:

[bogofman]

I book on the .com for my English Friends all the time, I just use their address and my state, never been a problem.

 

This interesting,

 

why don't they book themselves and put your state?

 

i assume it would know that were booking from the UK?

 

do you organise the price drops for them as well?

[Biker19]

i assume it would know that were booking from the UK?

 

Nope.

[bogofman]

So I went for it and books via US TA. The difference in cost vs UK was too great to pass up, will almost cover our flight cost London to Miami!

Thanks for everyone's advice - and for anyone else who was thinking about it, it was really easy, you can pay up whenever you like (so I'll jump in once the dollar rate swings in my favour) the reservation is already showing in my cruises on RC website and all Terms confirmed as a US booking. Sooo pleased.

Happy Cruising!

 

did they organise the perks and flights for you as well?

 

will they organise any price drops for you if they occur?

[newxmascruiser]

did they organise the perks and flights for you as well?

 

will they organise any price drops for you if they occur?

 

 

Flights no they aren't open yet and I prefer to do that myself anyhow when rates come out as I'm not fussed on airline or which London departure airport

Perks yes

Price drops / upgrades yes although I don't expect any we got a group rate price which was amazing

[little britain]

Flights no they aren't open yet and I prefer to do that myself anyhow when rates come out as I'm not fussed on airline or which London departure airport

Perks yes

Price drops / upgrades yes although I don't expect any we got a group rate price which was amazing

 

Well done! You'll never book in the UK again! :cool:

[Biker19]

Well done! You'll never book in the UK again! :cool:

Except those rare times when the UK pricing is better than US.:cool:

[kopelo]

Officially the travel agents are not allowed to sell outside of their set areas. RCL can punish from this behaviour in various ways, see the travel agent documentation at http://www.cruisingpower.com/public/global/taguideNoLogin.do#section_21

 

Additionally, the US rates are only for US residents. I've discussed this with non-US people of RCL and there is no way around it. Similarly any other discount programs are usually area specific (think BOGOHO etc) and cannot be applied to persons from not that specific area. When you select the state you are resident of, you are also binding to provide documentation that you are a legal resident of that state, i.e. you have to have a drivers license, state identification card or other similar public document). Whilst boarding this may be checked and whilst denying boarding doesn't seem to have happened to anybody, you might be asked to pay the difference in the published fare vs your discounted fare.

[newxmascruiser]

Officially the travel agents are not allowed to sell outside of their set areas. RCL can punish from this behaviour in various ways, see the travel agent documentation at http://www.cruisingpower.com/public/global/taguideNoLogin.do#section_21

 

Additionally, the US rates are only for US residents. I've discussed this with non-US people of RCL and there is no way around it. Similarly any other discount programs are usually area specific (think BOGOHO etc) and cannot be applied to persons from not that specific area. When you select the state you are resident of, you are also binding to provide documentation that you are a legal resident of that state, i.e. you have to have a drivers license, state identification card or other similar public document). Whilst boarding this may be checked and whilst denying boarding doesn't seem to have happened to anybody, you might be asked to pay the difference in the published fare vs your discounted fare.

 

Ah ok well I'm in now so will have to take my chances. I made the reservation using my full UK address, implied nowhere that I have a US address and linked my C&A number which obviously has all my details in too. Nothing at all suggested there would be any issue. In fact the TA I used has a UK toll free number suggesting it's a frequent way of booking. Thanks for the info

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

Ah ok well I'm in now so will have to take my chances. I made the reservation using my full UK address, implied nowhere that I have a US address and linked my C&A number which obviously has all my details in too. Nothing at all suggested there would be any issue. In fact the TA I used has a UK toll free number suggesting it's a frequent way of booking. Thanks for the info

Think I know which one you mean. I'm just on the last night of my first sailing booked through them and everything from booking to now (that they have been involved with) has gone perfectly. Really impressed. Hope you have the same experience :)

[villauk]

Ah ok well I'm in now so will have to take my chances. I made the reservation using my full UK address, implied nowhere that I have a US address and linked my C&A number which obviously has all my details in too. Nothing at all suggested there would be any issue. In fact the TA I used has a UK toll free number suggesting it's a frequent way of booking. Thanks for the info

 

Many of us have been using US TAs for years ;).