New Suite Deposits Effective June 1, 2023

[Ourusualbeach]

16 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

"At this time, deposit requirements for balcony, oceanview, and interior accommodations will remain unchanged".....AT THIS TIME. Anyone doubt this will be cabin and industry wide in a few years?🤔

 

Doug

 

10% of the cost of balconies and below is generally less than what the current deposit rates are.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[lovesthebeach2]

15 hours ago, firefly333 said:

He means not all suites of that type include free internet. Perks are not the same across the fleet. There was a earlier post about maybe they should make perks consistent across the fleet. 

 

I understood him. Lol. He said it's been true on that class of ship free wifi not included.

I didn’t know this. Is there a list of which ships have these perks? And which don’t?

[OCSC Mike]

4 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I didn’t know this. Is there a list of which ships have these perks? And which don’t?

 

Oasis Class has the "extra perks" like CK, free beer/wine/seltzer/soda from 11-11 in the SL, free internet for the entire cruise, etc.

 

Pretty sure Quantum class has some added perks but I've never sailed that class and always screw up info about it so I'll let someone else respond there.

 

All the smaller ships do not have the above.

 

P.S. And I assume Icon is the same as Oasis plus some extra stuff.

[lovesthebeach2]

11 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Oasis Class has the "extra perks" like CK, free beer/wine/seltzer/soda from 11-11 in the SL, free internet for the entire cruise, etc.

 

Pretty sure Quantum class has some added perks but I've never sailed that class and always screw up info about it so I'll let someone else respond there.

 

All the smaller ships do not have the above.

 

P.S. And I assume Icon is the same as Oasis plus some extra stuff.

I don’t stay in suites much, but I knew Oasis class has the perks, I’ve been in suites on that class. But I just assumed they all at least have internet! For what people pay for a GS, royal should at the very least throw that perk in! 

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

10% of the cost of balconies and below is generally less than what the current deposit rates are.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.

That may be true but RCI is driving up the refundable deposit supplements so high as to make them cost prohibitive. They are finding ways to get more money out of all cabin categories.

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

That may be true but RCI is driving up the refundable deposit supplements so high as to make them cost prohibitive. They are finding ways to get more money out of all cabin categories.

G _ _ _ _ _

 

Fill in the missing letters.😉

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

G _ _ _ _ _

 

Fill in the missing letters.😉

I get the message!😄

[molly361]

12 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

G _ _ _ _ _

 

Fill in the missing letters.😉

I'll take five letter words that begin with a G for $200 😇(Refundable)

Edited May 27, 2023 by molly361

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, molly361 said:

I'll take five letter words that begin with a G for $200 (refundable) 😇

Fixed

[A&L_Ont]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

Royal's answer is that Voom is included for guests in Sky and Star class in the Royal Suites program.

 

Older ships don't use the Royal Suites program, i.e. Sea, Sky, Star Class, so Voom is not included for any suite on the older ships.

 

One of my Genies said that there was unofficial talk of bringing Star Class to other classes of ships. That in turn could bring Sea, Sky and Star.  That said I don’t know what a Genie would do on the non Oasis/Quantum class ships for the juggling ventriloquist. 

 

3 hours ago, twangster said:

It's particularly egregious now that they have dramatically lowered internet costs by going to Starlink.

 

Their ships, their rules.  

And this is so true. 

[smokeybandit]

I'd be more than happy if only the internet perk came over to non Royal Suite ships.

[Ocean Boy]

9 hours ago, twangster said:

 

It's particularly egregious now that they have dramatically lowered internet costs by going to Starlink.

 

Their ships, their rules.  

Yes. And my credit card, I'll decide in what manner to use it.

[HicksRA]

5 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I'd be more than happy if only the internet perk came over to non Royal Suite ships.

If it did, you’d end up paying a couple hundred more for the room to pay for it. 

[PaperSniper4]

9 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

10% of the cost of balconies and below is generally less than what the current deposit rates are.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I'm more worried about the non-refundable deposits.

[Lorey2007]

2 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

I'm more worried about the non-refundable deposits.

I like to book about a year out always choose a refundable deposit on a Junior Suite. At our age and with some slight health issues you never know what will happen.  So if we have to cancel for a health reason are we out the deposit refund? We'll have to rethink this.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Lorey2007

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, Lorey2007 said:

I like to book about a year out always choose a refundable deposit on a Junior Suite. At our age and with some slight health issues you never know what will happen.  So if we have to cancel for a health reason are we out the deposit refund? We'll have to rethink this.

Travel insurance covers cancelling for health reasons (assuming you are covered for pre-existing conditions, if applicable)

[Biker19]

16 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Is there a list of which ships have these perks?

All Oasis, Quantum and Icon class ships - the rest don't.

[lovesthebeach2]

6 hours ago, Biker19 said:

All Oasis, Quantum and Icon class ships - the rest don't.

That’s what I figured. Thanks

[PaperSniper4]

12 hours ago, Lorey2007 said:

I like to book about a year out always choose a refundable deposit on a Junior Suite. At our age and with some slight health issues you never know what will happen.  So if we have to cancel for a health reason are we out the deposit refund? We'll have to rethink this.

I have found that booking so far in advance is the only way to get the cabin category and location we prefer. So we do the same thing. We booked an October 2024 RCI cruise about two months ago. That's about 18 months in advance. I have never had to cancel due to our health, but we have for other family members and of course "the virus" in years past. So you are smart to get a refundable. At our age it only makes sense to always get a refundable deposit and insurance for at least that deposit immediately. If we can only get a non-refundable deposit, we'll insure just the deposit then then remaining balance two months prior to the final payment date. The two months is to protect us from that nasty "pre-existing" clause in every insurance we've gotten.

 

Doug

[PaperSniper4]

10 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Travel insurance covers cancelling for health reasons (assuming you are covered for pre-existing conditions, if applicable)

Most do, yes. In our situation and health, I am more concerned about having to cancel for a reason NOT covered, but covered under the insurance (Cruise line or independent company) CFAR clause. It's tough booking a cruise way early - so much can change in a year! Grand kids get married for instance.

 

 Doug

[ShazM]

On 5/24/2023 at 11:51 PM, TexasRon said:

Not a chance that I would have shown him my card unless he produced his ship employee badge.  The little Pinnacle badge grants no powers of policing.  I would not allow myself or my family to be intimidated by someone overly impressed with himself.  I understand not causing a conflict, of course, so I am not saying that you were wrong.

 

There are people like that in every walk of life…it  doesn’t reflect on all Pinnacles.  Just him.

It was our first cruise so yes we were intimidated a bit. Have to say also that the nicest person we met on that cruise was another Pinnacle who was sitting at the next table in Chops for breakfast. He said hello, we got talking and spent a long time chatting to him that day, and others, about all things cruising. His wife had been sick and had to get off the ship and was going to be re-joining at the next port. Such a nice man who gave us lots of little tips to use along the way.

[DebJ14]

On 5/23/2023 at 1:48 PM, island lady said:

 

Out of curiosity...how did you know for certain of which every Pinnacle you saw in the CK and SL were in full suites or not?  

 

We had several Pinnacles in our SL on our last cruise bragging that they were in the cheapest inside possible.   They pretty much told us we were fools for paying for a full suite.

Ah, but we do get double points and that is the only reason we made it to  Diamond with so few RC cruises.

 

 

[DebJ14]

On 5/23/2023 at 1:04 PM, twangster said:

 

Everything on AD was cheap.  My aft balconies over Christmas were under $700 refundable. 

We did not decide until right around Christmas 2022 to book AD for Feb 2023.  I don't call $3900 for 2 people for  5 nights in a GS cheap.  But, we had not cruised at all since 2019, so the money we would have used on 3-4 cruises per year was still in the bank.

[island lady]

44 minutes ago, DebJ14 said:

We had several Pinnacles in our SL on our last cruise bragging that they were in the cheapest inside possible.   They pretty much told us we were fools for paying for a full suite.

Ah, but we do get double points and that is the only reason we made it to  Diamond with so few RC cruises.

 

 

 

You don't know me, but believe it or not...I am not one of those Pinnacles.  There are jerks in all levels of C&A, (Including your Diamond level).  For some reason some pax like to focus on the Pinnacles, and then demonize the whole group.  

 

It's the politics of the whole thing has has me weary.   I am so tired of the game, and even though I have already made Pinnacle awhile ago, I am done with RCI for pretty much that reason.  Tired of being judged, tired of the politics, tired of having our benefit perks eroded. 

 

Even though I have made it to that level, ironically I have now started booking almost exclusively with other lines...Viking being the major choice for us now.  Have some very long cruises booked around different parts of the world with them that we are looking forward to.    

[Tree_skier]

7 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

You don't know me, but believe it or not...I am not one of those Pinnacles.  There are jerks in all levels of C&A, (Including your Diamond level).  For some reason some pax like to focus on the Pinnacles, and then demonize the whole group.  

 

It's the politics of the whole thing has has me weary.   I am so tired of the game, and even though I have already made Pinnacle awhile ago, I am done with RCI for pretty much that reason.  Tired of being judged, tired of the politics, tired of having our benefit perks eroded. 

 

Even though I have made it to that level, ironically I have now started booking almost exclusively with other lines...Viking being the major choice for us now.  Have some very long cruises booked around different parts of the world with them that we are looking forward to.    

Every Pinnacle I have met has been wonderful.  I met a great couple on Navigator back in January.  We enjoyed each others company so much that we met and sat together in the SL happy hour each night.  We even ended up sitting together in the ice show.

 

I'm perplexed by the constant refrain of criticism.