Book for relatives and manage booking

[barbeyg]

I’ve got a couple of questions for anyone that may be able to answer them. I searched for this but didn’t see my questions answered.

 

I am so excited.  Just booked us for 2020 Alaska, along with a cabin for my older sister and aunt. 😁

 

Neither of them are computer savvy, so I will be managing their account as well as ours. Used one of my other emails for booking their cruise.

 

We are fortunate to be able to make their cruise affordable for them by making their deposit (which I already did), but also want to pay additional on their cabin before sending them a copy of their reservation. I’ve already linked their cruise with ours on my RCI account, but I see that RCI has changed the links you can click on, and now instead of “making a payment”, shows “pay balance”.  

 

My questions:

1.  Can I change the amount to pay? Or would it be best to call them to pay the extra we want to? When we booked, the website only allowed for $500 dep per cabin, the entire balance of the cruise, or doing the monthly payments. 

 

2. Has anyone linked cruises with others in their RCI online account?  Was it easy to manage all together, or was it better to use the separate online accounts for bookings of dining plans, excursions, etc?

 

Thanks for any input. I am so excited to be showing them Alaska!  😁

 

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, barbeyg said:

I’ve got a couple of questions for anyone that may be able to answer them. I searched for this but didn’t see my questions answered.

 

I am so excited.  Just booked us for 2020 Alaska, along with a cabin for my older sister and aunt. 😁

 

Neither of them are computer savvy, so I will be managing their account as well as ours. Used one of my other emails for booking their cruise.

 

We are fortunate to be able to make their cruise affordable for them by making their deposit (which I already did), but also want to pay additional on their cabin before sending them a copy of their reservation. I’ve already linked their cruise with ours on my RCI account, but I see that RCI has changed the links you can click on, and now instead of “making a payment”, shows “pay balance”.  

 

My questions:

1.  Can I change the amount to pay? Or would it be best to call them to pay the extra we want to? When we booked, the website only allowed for $500 dep per cabin, the entire balance of the cruise, or doing the monthly payments. 

 

2. Has anyone linked cruises with others in their RCI online account?  Was it easy to manage all together, or was it better to use the separate online accounts for bookings of dining plans, excursions, etc?

 

Thanks for any input. I am so excited to be showing them Alaska!  😁

 

 

Just call Royal and make the payments.

[boontj2003]

I just tried to book Alaska 2020 and saw the dreaded interst charge to pay monthly. That’s the first time I have seen that. I’m using a travel site that will give us more bang for our buck w a TA and will pay then!

[Desert Cruizers]

I use a local TA but if I book with a cruise line, I would call and speak with an agent to make all my payments. I merely call my TA to authorize any payments and when to call in and she in turn contacts the cruise line who actually run the payment and I get an updated invoice within a day or two via email sometimes that afternoon. 

[shorti503]

Once you click on pay balance it allows you to change the payment amount that is there.  When we went to Alaska last summer I booked my parents room for them and then just added their booking onto my Royal account so I could do everything for them from my own account.  When my parents wanted to make a payment she would let me know how much to pay and I would get on and pay it and then forward her the new emails from Royal with the updated info on them.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, boontj2003 said:

I just tried to book Alaska 2020 and saw the dreaded interst charge to pay monthly. That’s the first time I have seen that. I’m using a travel site that will give us more bang for our buck w a TA and will pay then!

 

You can book normally and call in payments to Royal.  You do not have to take the financing plan.  That is designed for those that want to travel last minute and extend their payments past when they sail on the cruise.

[3monkeys4me]

1 hour ago, shorti503 said:

Once you click on pay balance it allows you to change the payment amount that is there.  When we went to Alaska last summer I booked my parents room for them and then just added their booking onto my Royal account so I could do everything for them from my own account.  When my parents wanted to make a payment she would let me know how much to pay and I would get on and pay it and then forward her the new emails from Royal with the updated info on them.

 

This is what I did with our next cruise that is booked with my MIL.  I called and booked 3 cabins over the phone and then made sure all three were listed in my account. I am able to log into my cruise planner and book most things for all 6 of us through there and anything that she is booking individually I just log into her planner and book it (like spa treatments). I just put it all on my credit card though and she transfers money when I give her a total. 

[LilBlackDress]

I have booked a few cruises that included family. 

I found it much easier to transfer the booking to a TA. They took care of most everything for me. We talked via email and voice calls. All I had to do was give them the booking # and the amount I wanted to pay up until final payment date! 

 

 

[Ashland]

I book all our family cruises (directly with RCI...my preference)...deposit is made over the phone when I book and final payment is also made over the phone. I have them all linked together and when I log in the first time it has asked if I want to "own" the bookings..I mark "yes". Everything else I want to add is done through the cruise planner by me for each reservation...Easy to do.

[barbeyg]

6 hours ago, shorti503 said:

Once you click on pay balance it allows you to change the payment amount that is there.  When we went to Alaska last summer I booked my parents room for them and then just added their booking onto my Royal account so I could do everything for them from my own account.  When my parents wanted to make a payment she would let me know how much to pay and I would get on and pay it and then forward her the new emails from Royal with the updated info on them.

 

Exactly what I was looking for, thank you! 🙂  And thank you, Ashland, as well!  Both very informative for what I’m doing. I too plan to make payments and have them reimburse me. I’m even booking their airfare so it is correct. When we lived nearby, my precious aunt would get lost driving to our home, even years after we moved there. 😂 It was a running joke between us. Thank goodness for map apps.

 

i love planning and booking. My hubby used to say that I missed my calling of being a travel agent. 😂

 

Thanks for the input all, I so appreciate this forum. 

Edited November 6, 2018 by barbeyg