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Deployment 2025-26 booking season begins

SummmerInKefalonia
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Jumping Cruiser

Jumping Cruiser

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I wish we got price drops here in UK and Ireland.

 

Me too! This is why I always leave a NextCruise deposit while onboard if I can, even if I have no intention of sailing on the booked cruise. A great perk for UK guests is that these are fully flexible until final payment, meaning you can move to a different sailing or take advantage of price drops. Always nice to have the option to do so.

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little britain "Live from...." Rare

little britain

Posted
Posted
14 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I wish we got price drops here in UK and Ireland.

Why not book via USA ? 7/8 of my future cruise are with my USA agents and the only one that isn’t is because my friend booked it otherwise it would be 8/8 ! 

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Chiliburn

Chiliburn

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, springaussie said:

Royal Oz gives us price drops before final payment. 

 

My agent said that is no more ,it was the cruise with confidence program which has ended.  I called RC and they where a bit vague about it and just didn’t give a clear answer.

Their website says it’s only within 3 days of booking,like a cooling off period.

 

I hope you are right Glen but prices don’t seem to go down anymore,they just go up.

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Donsyb

Donsyb

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, little britain said:

Why not book via USA ? 7/8 of my future cruise are with my USA agents and the only one that isn’t is because my friend booked it otherwise it would be 8/8 ! 

Did you find it easy to get a good US TA from the U.K.?

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Blue Eyed Belfast Belle

Blue Eyed Belfast Belle

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, little britain said:

Why not book via USA ? 7/8 of my future cruise are with my USA agents and the only one that isn’t is because my friend booked it otherwise it would be 8/8 ! 

I am reluctant to book via US due to not getting ABTOL/ABTA protection.

 

After all the cancellations during the pandemic I was grateful to have that peace of mind that having the protection gave.

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Tin can

Tin can

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I am reluctant to book via US due to not getting ABTOL/ABTA protection.

 

After all the cancellations during the pandemic I was grateful to have that peace of mind that having the protection gave.

 

I agree about the consumer protection when booking from the UK.

 

I have to admit though it would be nice to get price reductions, I can't remember though post pandemic any of our cruises ever coming down in price after we have booked them. 

 

 

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ONECRUISER

ONECRUISER

Posted
Posted
Just now, Tin can said:

 

I agree about the consumer protection when booking from the UK.

 

I have to admit though it would be nice to get price reductions, I can't remember though post pandemic any of our cruises ever coming down in price after we have booked them. 

 

 

That's too bad I just saved over $1000 USD on 3 Booked Cruises sailing in 2025. 

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twangster "Live from...." Rare

twangster

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I am reluctant to book via US due to not getting ABTOL/ABTA protection.

 

After all the cancellations during the pandemic I was grateful to have that peace of mind that having the protection gave.

 

13 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

I agree about the consumer protection when booking from the UK.

 

I have to admit though it would be nice to get price reductions, I can't remember though post pandemic any of our cruises ever coming down in price after we have booked them. 

 

 

 

Not trying to start anything but genuinely curious how often you use those protections?

 

Not having them in the US hasn't left me feeling like I got screwed, even during the pandemic.  Dozens of cancellations from various reasons like cranes falling on ships, sudden change in deployments, pandemic and others.  Through them all I eventually am whole with Royal, no additional consumer protection laws required.  

 

Saved a few hundred this morning on a reprice for December 2024.  I saved thousands on each of my Jewel Amsterdam B2B cruises leaving today.  Between the two it's over $3,500 in price drops.

 

If a US lawmaker asked me if I wanted more consumer protection laws but I would have to give up price drops I'd tell him "no thanks!", leave consumers alone.  

 

 

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little britain "Live from...." Rare

little britain

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I am reluctant to book via US due to not getting ABTOL/ABTA protection.

 

After all the cancellations during the pandemic I was grateful to have that peace of mind that having the protection gave.

During pandemic all trips refunded in full - the only trip I lost money on was on an airfare via TAP - so much for European protection!!

 

My recent cruises which were cancelled - USA TA refunded within 24 hrs. 
UK TA took several weeks and still haven’t actually sent me an email yet telling me the trip has been cancelled. 
I know who I’d rather book with. 🤷‍♀️

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Tin can

Tin can

Posted
Posted
34 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

That's too bad I just saved over $1000 USD on 3 Booked Cruises sailing in 2025. 

 

I think it is because we travel peak time due to our son still being in school. We have cruises booked 24/25/26 and no reductions on any of them even if we could take them. It's not as if all our booking are UK or Europe where we are based, they are all over the world.

 

It is genuinely good to hear that people are bagging price reductions 🙂

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Tin can

Tin can

Posted
Posted
43 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

 

Not trying to start anything but genuinely curious how often you use those protections?

 

Not having them in the US hasn't left me feeling like I got screwed, even during the pandemic.  Dozens of cancellations from various reasons like cranes falling on ships, sudden change in deployments, pandemic and others.  Through them all I eventually am whole with Royal, no additional consumer protection laws required.  

 

Saved a few hundred this morning on a reprice for December 2024.  I saved thousands on each of my Jewel Amsterdam B2B cruises leaving today.  Between the two it's over $3,500 in price drops.

 

If a US lawmaker asked me if I wanted more consumer protection laws but I would have to give up price drops I'd tell him "no thanks!", leave consumers alone.  

 

 

 

It's like insurance I guess, of no use until you actually need it. 

 

I got embroiled in the Thomas Cook bankruptcy over here in the UK a few years back and was taken care of and flown home. They were probably the same size as Royal, although not suggesting that Royal would ever be in such a position but things do happen.

 

I'd certainly like price drops though, although as mentioned above as we cruise peak period, for as long as I can remember no matter when we book our cruises only ever increase in price.

 

Lifes a gamble, consumer protection and pay for it or you don't. I have a very good friend here in the UK who is on work visa in the US and I don't know the full details but he either has no US medical insurance or the very bare minimum. I can remember him telling me he would rather have the $400 a month he would pay for his medical insurance in his pocket instead. 

 

 

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little britain "Live from...." Rare

little britain

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I keep checking and the cruises have jumped from 612 to 615 - I think this is new

 

image.thumb.png.479c4d4e74164f00bf5ebca669bcee12.png

My US TA had this on his site 2 days ago. Nice prices. $1159 for a balcony before C&A discount.

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Donsyb

Donsyb

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, green_apples said:

And just like that. Ovation is in Singapore from

 

20th October 2025 - 12th March 2026

 

IMG_3445.thumb.png.c2132bbf5b517e15c46f5d9e98dd3412.png

Although disappointingly, only 3 and 4 night cruises......

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