Royal introduces non refundable booking option.

[Beachammo]

So, you are place marking the desirable cabins? Similar to booking all the JS on MJ. How would you suggest Royal remedy this? Are you now willing to book place marker cruises under the new plan (NRD)? It is only the deposit and $100 per person.

All we can do is play the cards Royal deals us.

 

If you are having problems getting a JS on MJ....I suggest booking early as possible to beat demand.

 

Or.....waiting a few days before final payment and pick up the scraps.

 

 

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

All we can do is play the cards Royal deals us.

 

If you are having problems getting a JS on MJ....I suggest booking early as possible to beat demand.

 

Or.....waiting a few days before final payment and pick up the scraps.

 

 

 

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This hasn't worked for us. MJ is unique, only balconies are Suites. Generally, most weekends (3 nights) are booked up in JS and other suites. Some come free after final payment but at a premium price.

 

So, with NRD and penalty, are you going to continue booking place markers?

[Beachammo]

This hasn't worked for us. MJ is unique, only balconies are Suites. Generally, most weekends (3 nights) are booked up in JS and other suites. Some come free after final payment but at a premium price.

 

So, with NRD and penalty, are you going to continue booking place markers?

Yes...

 

 

 

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[ColoradoGurl]

I'm extremely surprised at how many people are willing to give up flexibility in their cruises in exchange for pennies. $143 I read in one post. Really!!!??! That doesn't even cover the change fee if you need to move the cruise a week or a year. That kind of money is totally not worth switching to non-refundable to me.

 

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

Yes...

 

 

 

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So you are willing to lose deposit and play the $100 for each. So the NRD does nothing to prevent place marker cruises? Interesting...... at what penalty would you cease booking place markers? $200/300/400?

[Beachammo]

So you are willing to lose deposit and play the $100 for each. So the NRD does nothing to prevent place marker cruises? Interesting...... at what penalty would you cease booking place markers? $200/300/400?

I don't have place makers. It's a back up in case royal cancels my TransAtlantic.

 

I have only booked refundable deposit and will probably continue in that direction when booking TransAtlantic cruises.

 

I don't book 3 days cruises....not worth the effort.

 

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[sfaaa]

I'm extremely surprised at how many people are willing to give up flexibility in their cruises in exchange for pennies. $143 I read in one post. Really!!!??! That doesn't even cover the change fee if you need to move the cruise a week or a year. That kind of money is totally not worth switching to non-refundable to me.

 

 

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Then I suppose you never book cheap non refundable airfare early and always fly flexible business class or overpriced last minute flights. Good on you.

[Milwaukee Eight]

I don't have place makers. It's a back up in case royal cancels my TransAtlantic.

 

I have only booked refundable deposit and will probably continue in that direction when booking TransAtlantic cruises.

 

I don't book 3 days cruises....not worth the effort.

 

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Ok, not a place marker but a backup. So, if your booking refundable so NFD has no effect on you.

 

We live next door to PC so very easy to take a 3 nighter.

[Cuizer2]

Bob, isn't this preventing others from booking those special cabins? What would you suggest to remedy the practice of booking place marker cabins/cruises?

 

Apparently Royal is also creating the problem by allowing others to charter a ship that was being marketed to the general public. If people were not afraid of losing their original cabin to a charter, then there would be no need to book "place marker" cruises.

 

It works both ways. If Royal is bumping people off a ship, then why would those people be concerned about preventing someone else from booking a favorite cabin?

 

I've had two ships chartered out from under me. The first one was no big deal, I just booked the same cruise two weeks later. It was a drive to port, so I didn't make any air reservations. The cabin was nothing special.

 

The next one was a much bigger deal. I wanted a particular type of cabin and there are only eight of the cabins on the ship. Fortunately I was able to book an earlier cruise for one extra night at a $2,200 savings, and I got the cabin I wanted. However, I may have gotten lucky.

 

I had another cruise booked for January 2019. Rumors started up that the cruise would be chartered. Soon the rumors began to be backed up. Rather than take a chance and lose everything, I moved the cruise to later in the year. I got the same cabin for only five days instead of seven. The cruise costs less, but the rate per day is much higher. It will still work for what I want and leave me two extra days to do something else that I want to do. But again, I had a lot of advance warning and I was able to make the change work for me.

 

I have never tied up a cabin I didn't plan on using. However, I can see that if people are losing out on something they want because Royal Caribbean suddenly decided to pull the plug on their cruise, then people are going to find a way to protect themselves. This appears to be a problem that Royal Caribbean is also responsible for creating.

[Cuizer2]

Then I suppose you never book cheap non refundable airfare early and always fly flexible business class or overpriced last minute flights. Good on you.

 

It would appear that your financial situation and ColoradoGurl's financial situation are different. And it doesn't end there. There are people who only fly in chartered luxury business jets. That is a step up from what you are alleging that ColoradoGurl does. Then there are people who own their own luxury business jets. That is another step up. Sure, it costs more, but those people who can afford it, they think it is worth it.

 

If ColoradoGurl can afford it, why do you care how she spends her money. It is after all, her money - not yours.

[mac_tlc]

So it is the Suites that are the special cabins/bookings. Never much thought about the Aft cabins but we do have issues with Suites all booked up and later releasing. When do you release those cabins/cruises booked as place markers?

 

We are on one of those BR charters.... it is the High Seas Rally, a biker cruise.

 

 

 

I don't have any place marker/ backup / contingency cabins booked. I had every intention of going on the Brilliance. Royal cancelled it for me. That is their right. If I was unhappy with their offer, I could have cancelled and gotten my deposit back. It seems that the Brilliance in January is a risky venture.

 

If you want cabin 1100, you need to book it early ( and often!!!)

 

mac_tlc

 

 

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[Clarea]

Bob, isn't this preventing others from booking those special cabins? What would you suggest to remedy the practice of booking place marker cabins/cruises?

Not much we can do about Royal cancelling cruises, except booking backup cruises.

[toothy26]

I'm looking for some clarification...

Previously I would purchase a Next Cruise certificate open booking. I would give $100 deposit and when I was ready to book with my travel agent, I would give the remainder of the deposit to cover my husband.

If I decided to change the cruise, my travel agent would just transfer it to whichever cruise I chose. I was not getting a refund I was just transferring the reservation. Based on the new policies, would my scenario still be the same?

[Clarea]

I'm looking for some clarification...

Previously I would purchase a Next Cruise certificate open booking. I would give $100 deposit and when I was ready to book with my travel agent, I would give the remainder of the deposit to cover my husband.

If I decided to change the cruise, my travel agent would just transfer it to whichever cruise I chose. I was not getting a refund I was just transferring the reservation. Based on the new policies, would my scenario still be the same?

Royal decimated the on board credit amounts for the Next Cruise certificate a few years ago. If it is still available, it is not a popular choice. Most would opt for booking a specific cruise if only a placeholder, and changing it as necessary. Much greater OBC amiounts for booking a specific cruise.

[John&LaLa]

 

I don't book 3 days cruises....not worth the effort.

 

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Some folks actually live near the ports I'm told. 3 day trips allow you to not take any vacation days. You do what you can.

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

Not much we can do about Royal cancelling cruises, except booking backup cruises.

Et tu, Bob?

 

[emoji33]

 

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[hapster85]

Bob, isn't this preventing others from booking those special cabins? What would you suggest to remedy the practice of booking place marker cabins/cruises?

A lot of this is presuming that the place-holders (markers, backups, whatevers) are always held until the final payment date, which isn't always the case. Certainly hasn't been for us. The closest to sail date that we've held one, has been about months out -- December 2015 for an October 2016 cruise.

 

Still took the cruise, but didn't know which of two options would fit our schedule when originally booking. Same situation for our B2B booked for next year. Only held that one a couple of weeks, so it was cancelled over 14 months out. Still taking the B2B, but had to change one leg.

 

There are just so many possible scenarios as to why someone might desire to book a cruise that may not be taken. Obviously, it was being abused by some, or Royal wouldn't have taken the steps they have.

 

Our primary motivation has been to lock in a price. In the case of the B2B, it was also to secure the same cabin for both legs. If that flexibility goes away, we'll deal with it, and reevaluate our options accordingly.

[scorpluvsdolphins]

So, you are place marking the desirable cabins? Similar to booking all the JS on MJ. How would you suggest Royal remedy this? Are you now willing to book place marker cruises under the new plan (NRD)? It is only the deposit and $100 per person.

 

 

 

For me, the county changes our spring break every year. So for me to get #1100 on the Brilliance, I need to book 3 and hope I'm guessing correctly. I try to do a B2B.

I usually know 1 year before. Once I know, I release The one I don't need a year out.

I'm going the refundable deposit way until I retire in 2 to 4 years.

I was surprised nobody took the back to back for Thanksgiving 2018 cabin 1100. I guess the loyal Royals don't cruise over Thanksgiving.

Good for me.

 

 

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[barb in ga]

I am booked on Symphony for September 2018 western Med. just booked 2 weeks ago and paid $500 deposit.

I called today, changed to nonrefundable and saved $463 on my inside cabin, plus received a $50 obc. If we change the ship or the date we will be charged $100 per person.

 

We are traveling with another couple in the cabin next to us, they did the same. $926 savings for the 2 cabins will pay for 2 or 3 nites in a condo in Rome before we board.....it was too good a deal to pass up.

[molly361]

Royal decimated the on board credit amounts for the Next Cruise certificate a few years ago. If it is still available, it is not a popular choice. Most would opt for booking a specific cruise if only a placeholder, and changing it as necessary. Much greater OBC amiounts for booking a specific cruise.

 

Perhaps if they made the OBC more attractive people would not need to make phantom bookings and tie up cabins until they decide and//or the new sailings get released.

Edited July 12, 2017 by molly361

[Milwaukee Eight]

Not much we can do about Royal cancelling cruises, except booking backup cruises.

 

 

 

So, will these changes cause you to quit booking Backups?

 

 

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[Clarea]

Perhaps if they made the OBC more attractive people would not need to make phantom bookings and tie up cabins until they decide and//or the new sailings get released.

True, we never booked placeholder cruises when the OBC for the Next Cruise certificate was the same as booking a specific cruise.

[Clarea]

So, will these changes cause you to quit booking Backups?

We don't book backup cruises, we book placeholder cruises. However, I totally understand why people book backup cruises, and I would assume that the number of bookings in GS and better staterooms would probably decline because of the NRD policy for full suites.

[Milwaukee Eight]

We don't book backup cruises, we book placeholder cruises. However, I totally understand why people book backup cruises, and I would assume that the number of bookings in GS and better staterooms would probably decline because of the NRD policy for full suites.

 

 

 

Backup, Placeholder, and Place Marker bookings, are they not essentially the same on paper?

 

Trying to figure out why OBC affects this. The change to OBC??

 

You think NRD will prevent the above bookings?

 

 

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[Clarea]

Backup, Placeholder, and Place Marker bookings, are they not essentially the same on paper?

 

Trying to figure out why OBC affects this. The change to OBC??

 

You think NRD will prevent the above bookings?

I think of a backup cruise as one that you would actually take if Royal cancelled another, i.e. with a preferred stateroom, such as a corner aft. A placeholder is a cruise not intended to be taken, but made to create a booking with OBC to be changed later, no special stateroom chosen.

 

Both have OBC, but I would think that the backup cruises in GS and better staterooms would decline with the new NRD policy.