Deployment 2021-22 booking season begins

[NancyIL]

I love the Empress Canada itineraries, but I'm already booked on her 11-night round trip from Montreal in September 2020. I need to wait patiently for the rest of the summer 2021 northern Europe itineraries to come out next week. 😎

[FLACRUISER99]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

 

I've booked on royalcaribbean.com while on board.  Did so last week.  Booked refundable then walked down to NextCruise the next day and cancelled it on the phone with C&A and NextCruise grabbed my cabin (last in that category) before anyone else could score it.  

 

In fact royalcaribbean.com is a free site that works without Voom.

 

I also routinely browse a TA website and a big box travel website while on board.

 

What sites can't you use while on board?

On Harmony?

[LuCruise]

Excited to see the post-amped 5 night Freedom summer 2021 out if New Jersey.  There is one that fits our schedule before our kids return to school, but surprised at the cost.  Seems quite pricey for a 5 night.  Not sure if that is because it's still August or because it's Bermuda or because the ship will be amped?  ...Or all of the above?

Edited December 4, 2019 by LuCruise

[toad455]

5 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Yes they are

 

Just looked. Same 11-day itinerary for four years now. 

[jbethel11]

56 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

Excited to see the post-amped 5 night Freedom summer 2021 out if New Jersey.

Same! Kinda sad that she won't be running 9 day sailings like Adventure is doing next year!

57 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

Seems quite pricey for a 5 night.

I agree with you, I was hoping for the pricing to be $150-$250 more than an interior.

59 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

Not sure if that is because it's still August or because it's Bermuda or because the ship will be amped?

I think it might be an amalgamation of all, but specifically Bermuda. Bermuda's taxes and fees are a staggering $176!

[twangster]

1 hour ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

On Harmony?

I was on Empress last week but royalcaribbean.com is free on HM.  So is Celebrity’s website.  It was on my last Harmony sailing.  
 

Over the last three years I’ve never seen royalcaribbean.com blocked on the 21 ships I’ve sailed.  

[Teeara]

6 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

More dates/sailings out. Got my Brilliance Oct2021 Boston-Tampa Repo in my favorite Corner/Aft cabin... Canada sailings also

I booked this one, too.  Taking my mom for her first Southern Caribbean islands.  And I don’t have to fly until after the cruise since I work in Boston.  

[mugtech]

11 minutes ago, twangster said:

I was on Empress last week but royalcaribbean.com is free on HM.  So is Celebrity’s website.  It was on my last Harmony sailing.  
 

Over the last three years I’ve never seen royalcaribbean.com blocked on the 21 ships I’ve sailed.  

Same here, used it without any web package on Anthem and Adventure recently.

[jptoz]

Disappointed freedom wont be doing  the 9 n Bermuda & Caribbean. love freedom but  not into the N.E/Canada. Doesn't make sense to me, Amped ship with all the bells and  whistles going north. Seems like RCI is trying to steer family's onto the Oasis

[notmyrealnameoremail]

20 minutes ago, twangster said:

I was on Empress last week but royalcaribbean.com is free on HM.  So is Celebrity’s website.  It was on my last Harmony sailing.  
 

Over the last three years I’ve never seen royalcaribbean.com blocked on the 21 ships I’ve sailed.  

 

While my wife was taking nap one day when we were on the Grandeur in October, I was using Royal's computer to check for price breaks.  We saved ~$700 on three booked cruises.  It was like getting paid to use their computer and internet.  YMMV.

 

Tom

[notmyrealnameoremail]

Does anyone know what Oasis is doing from October 24 to November 3 in 2021?

[Ourusualbeach]

16 minutes ago, notmyrealnameoremail said:

Does anyone know what Oasis is doing from October 24 to November 3 in 2021?

I would guess a one week charter followed by a 3 day non revenue repositioning. 

 

Not sure if 10 days is enough to get to a distant foreign port and then to Miami for a paid repositioning cruise.  

[notmyrealnameoremail]

14 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I would guess a one week charter followed by a 3 day non revenue repositioning. 

 

Not sure if 10 days is enough to get to a distant foreign port and then to Miami for a paid repositioning cruise.  

 

 

Brilliance of the Seas is doing an 11 repositioning from Boston to Tampa that hits all three of the ABCs, so I think Oasis could do Bayonne to Miami in 10.  You are probably right about the charter though.

 

Tom

[FLACRUISER99]

10 hours ago, twangster said:

I was on Empress last week but royalcaribbean.com is free on HM.  So is Celebrity’s website.  It was on my last Harmony sailing.  
 

Over the last three years I’ve never seen royalcaribbean.com blocked on the 21 ships I’ve sailed.  

Do you think I'm making this up? The whole site is not blocked only booking parts and cruise planner sites.

[twangster]

26 minutes ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

Do you think I'm making this up? The whole site is not blocked only booking parts and cruise planner sites.

 

All I know is what I've experienced.  I am constantly in the cruise planner looking for price drops.  I am constantly on the site looking for new cruises and when I see something I book it on the spot.  

 

The only items I've seen blocked (or inaccessible is a better term) are domains with rccl.com in them.   That was fixed several months ago and I am able to view the GGG flyer on Oasis today.  

 

I've been in the cruise planner over the weekend and on cyber Monday looking for holiday sales.  If UDP dropped I was going to buy it but it never dropped in price for any of my booked cruises.  I did make show reservation for Anthem and Allure this weekend, they finally became available.

 

royalcaribbean.com is free for anyone without a paid Voom plan. I've booked cruises while on Vision and Empress over the past 30 days.  I booked cruises while onboard Royal ships several times this year.  I research, visit NextCruise and if their rates are bad I book the cruise directly on Royal's site.  I usually do refundable bookings so NextCruise is often unattractive.  I've cancelled cruise planner purchases and repurchased at lower prices countless times this year while on board. 

 

Granted I use my laptop usually, not my phone. 

[Sizzlechest]

Only ONE 9 day cruise on Oasis out of Bayonne in the summer. I didn't want to book this far out, but a lot of cabins are already taken.

[ssb]

36 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

All I know is what I've experienced.  I am constantly in the cruise planner looking for price drops.  I am constantly on the site looking for new cruises and when I see something I book it on the spot.  

 

The only items I've seen blocked (or inaccessible is a better term) are domains with rccl.com in them.   That was fixed several months ago and I am able to view the GGG flyer on Oasis today.  

 

I've been in the cruise planner over the weekend and on cyber Monday looking for holiday sales.  If UDP dropped I was going to buy it but it never dropped in price for any of my booked cruises.  I did make show reservation for Anthem and Allure this weekend, they finally became available.

 

royalcaribbean.com is free for anyone without a paid Voom plan. I've booked cruises while on Vision and Empress over the past 30 days.  I booked cruises while onboard Royal ships several times this year.  I research, visit NextCruise and if their rates are bad I book the cruise directly on Royal's site.  I usually do refundable bookings so NextCruise is often unattractive.  I've cancelled cruise planner purchases and repurchased at lower prices countless times this year while on board. 

 

Granted I use my laptop usually, not my phone. 

Are you saying you experienced different pricing  at Next Cruise Desk on Ship  than on The Royal Caribbean Website ? 

[twangster]

20 minutes ago, ssb said:

Are you saying you experienced different pricing  at Next Cruise Desk on Ship  than on The Royal Caribbean Website ? 

 

As soon as you ask Next for refundable they typically offer nothing in OBC and no reason to book with them.  I'm not going to book through them when I can book directly and keep the booking open for transfer for any TA I want.  Simply out of principal if they offer nothing they don't get my business.

 

Having said that on Empress last week they beat the website, it was refundable and it was a $100 deposit instead of $450.  So I always check in with Next because once in a while they do offer a refundable rate that includes OBC.  I also grabbed a deal for star class on a different ship through them and got $300 OBC.  That was NRD so while they were exactly the price of the website for NRD, Next gave me $300 OBC.  

 

Many times I walk away from Next empty handed because I tend to do refundable bookings, but once in a while I get lucky with Next.  

Edited December 4, 2019 by twangster

[psujmatt]

A few months ago on Liberty of the Seas, I was searching cruises on my phone with the free connection to Royal Caribbean site and finding prices cheaper than was NextCruise was showing on some cruises, with both places showing non-refundable rates.

[Saab4444]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

All I know is what I've experienced.  I am constantly in the cruise planner looking for price drops.  I am constantly on the site looking for new cruises and when I see something I book it on the spot.  

 

The only items I've seen blocked (or inaccessible is a better term) are domains with rccl.com in them.   That was fixed several months ago and I am able to view the GGG flyer on Oasis today.  

 

I've been in the cruise planner over the weekend and on cyber Monday looking for holiday sales.  If UDP dropped I was going to buy it but it never dropped in price for any of my booked cruises.  I did make show reservation for Anthem and Allure this weekend, they finally became available.

 

royalcaribbean.com is free for anyone without a paid Voom plan. I've booked cruises while on Vision and Empress over the past 30 days.  I booked cruises while onboard Royal ships several times this year.  I research, visit NextCruise and if their rates are bad I book the cruise directly on Royal's site.  I usually do refundable bookings so NextCruise is often unattractive.  I've cancelled cruise planner purchases and repurchased at lower prices countless times this year while on board. 

 

Granted I use my laptop usually, not my phone. 

So you spend most of your time on a cruise searching for other cruises or prize drops on existing bookings?  

[Sizzlechest]

I had booked my 2020 cruise prior to my 2019 cruise, but the refundable price at my TA was less than the non-refundable on-board price.

[molly361]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

As soon as you ask Next for refundable they typically offer nothing in OBC and no reason to book with them.  I'm not going to book through them when I can book directly and keep the booking open for transfer for any TA I want.  Simply out of principal if they offer nothing they don't get my business.

 

Having said that on Empress last week they beat the website, it was refundable and it was a $100 deposit instead of $450.  So I always check in with Next because once in a while they do offer a refundable rate that includes OBC.  I also grabbed a deal for star class on a different ship through them and got $300 OBC.  That was NRD so while they were exactly the price of the website for NRD, Next gave me $300 OBC.  

 

Many times I walk away from Next empty handed because I tend to do refundable bookings, but once in a while I get lucky with Next.  

You can always get OBC for booking a refundable rate on board but it is less than what you get if you book nonrefundable  For a balcony on a 6-9 night cruise non refundable gets you $100 OBC and refundable gets $75

Edited December 4, 2019 by molly361

[twangster]

32 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

So you spend most of your time on a cruise searching for other cruises or prize drops on existing bookings?  

 

Yes, I do nothing but shop for cruises while on board.  

 

2 minutes ago, molly361 said:

You can always get OBC for booking a refundable rate on board but it is less than what you get if you book nonrefundable  For a balcony on a 6-9 night cruise non refundable gets you $100 OBC and refundable gets $75

 

This is sometimes right.  Sometimes when traveling solo the Next OBC is zero, often actually.  Sometimes the Next rate is more than my travel agent quotes me.  In that case I walk away and tell my TA to book it.  Sometimes I get lucky with Next.  Sometimes I don't.

[Ourusualbeach]

4 hours ago, twangster said:

 

As soon as you ask Next for refundable they typically offer nothing in OBC and no reason to book with them.  I'm not going to book through them when I can book directly and keep the booking open for transfer for any TA I want.  Simply out of principal if they offer nothing they don't get my business.

 

Having said that on Empress last week they beat the website, it was refundable and it was a $100 deposit instead of $450.  So I always check in with Next because once in a while they do offer a refundable rate that includes OBC.  I also grabbed a deal for star class on a different ship through them and got $300 OBC.  That was NRD so while they were exactly the price of the website for NRD, Next gave me $300 OBC.  

 

Many times I walk away from Next empty handed because I tend to do refundable bookings, but once in a while I get lucky with Next.  

You should still be getting OBC for a refundable booking on board.  You may have to find a staff member who knows about it but it is available. 

 

On a 7 day cruise in a Balcony you would get $75 instead of $100 so it’s really not that bad.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Yes, I do nothing but shop for cruises while on board.  

 

 

This is sometimes right.  Sometimes when traveling solo the Next OBC is zero, often actually.  Sometimes the Next rate is more than my travel agent quotes me.  In that case I walk away and tell my TA to book it.  Sometimes I get lucky with Next.  Sometimes I don't.

You can always book to get the OBC then transfer to your agent and get them to reprice.