Booking onboard and Open Booking questions

[doglover214]

We have already booked 3 cruises beyond our first one in October. What is the benefit of booking onboard? Also, What is the benefit of doing an open booking?

 

[CruisePfan]

Booking on board earns you a 2.5% discount. An open booking is a placeholder if you haven’t picked an itinerary yet. I’m not sure what the timeframe is for finalizing the booking.

[Keith1010]

As CruisePfan said when you book on board you get the 2.5% savings. If you do this it is for new bookings or new open bookings only.  For new bookings you have to immediately put down a 25% deposit as you would at home and for open bookings you put down $500l.00 per person per open booking and the open booking is good for 90 days from the time of the open booking. If you don't use it within 90 days it is automatically cancelled and you get the refund.  When you do this you bring a credit card with you and the Future Cruise Sales Consultant charges it directly to your credit card.

 

Keith 

[doglover214]

Thank you for the clarification. With OC, I was able to book cruises, and when I went onboard, I was given the discount to the bookings I made before. 
So, it seems that although I would like to book a cruise for next summer, I would lose the 2.5% discount if I don’t wait until my cruise in October to book it.  
A quandary!

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, doglover214 said:

Thank you for the clarification. With OC, I was able to book cruises, and when I went onboard, I was given the discount to the bookings I made before. 
So, it seems that although I would like to book a cruise for next summer, I would lose the 2.5% discount if I don’t wait until my cruise in October to book it.  
A quandary!

That's correct.  You have to book on board to get the on board credit.

 

Keith

[May B]

4 hours ago, doglover214 said:

Thank you for the clarification. With OC, I was able to book cruises, and when I went onboard, I was given the discount to the bookings I made before. 
So, it seems that although I would like to book a cruise for next summer, I would lose the 2.5% discount if I don’t wait until my cruise in October to book it.  
A quandary!

I agree. If you call every day to ask about availability in the specific category you want, that might help you decide to wait until you’re onboard.

 

Also, compute the 2.5% to see just how significant an amount it is.

 

Happy deciding.

Edited August 17, 2023 by May B

[ctjon]

If they allow the same discount anywhere and anytime you book - then they are just reducing the price and not really offering a special deal

[TER777]

Makes it even trickier for solos as there are so few solo rooms. 

[cruise_loverinlaval]

Hello, my experience with the OC is that we had 2.5% discount if we were repeater and we paid the total price 6 months before the cruise.  Is the 2.5% discount you are talking is an additional 2.5% if we buy when we are on the ship, which means that we could get 5%?

[krb1000]

My understanding is that if you are a Crystal Society member you receive a 2.5% discount and if you book on board you receive an additional 2.5% discount…so yes, 5% 

[Keith1010]

5 hours ago, cruise_loverinlaval said:

Hello, my experience with the OC is that we had 2.5% discount if we were repeater and we paid the total price 6 months before the cruise.  Is the 2.5% discount you are talking is an additional 2.5% if we buy when we are on the ship, which means that we could get 5%?

At the present time we are getting a 5% past guest discount rather than 2.5%.

 

All my on board bookings I've done are open bookings but since that is 2.5 percent total should be 7.5%.

 

Back to back savings are and additional 5%.

 

Final payment is now due 4 months prior to sailing rather than 6 months. There is no early payment discount.

 

Like most things this is always subject to change but this is how it is presently working.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Just want to add the 5% past cruiser discount is for the present cruises of 2023 and 2024. Someone posted about a 2.5% past cruiser discount for the 2025 WC.

 

Keith

[doglover214]

Is there a deadline to getting the 5% past cruiser discount? We’re considering a 2024 Alaska cruise. I would enjoy getting the additional 2.5%, but I’m concerned that our cabin category could be waitlisted by the time of my October cruise. 

[cruise_loverinlaval]

7 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

At the present time we are getting a 5% past guest discount rather than 2.5%.

 

All my on board bookings I've done are open bookings but since that is 2.5 percent total should be 7.5%.

 

Back to back savings are and additional 5%.

 

Final payment is now due 4 months prior to sailing rather than 6 months. There is no early payment discount.

 

Like most things this is always subject to change but this is how it is presently working.

 

Keith

Thank you Keith.

[Keith1010]

3 hours ago, doglover214 said:

Is there a deadline to getting the 5% past cruiser discount? We’re considering a 2024 Alaska cruise. I would enjoy getting the additional 2.5%, but I’m concerned that our cabin category could be waitlisted by the time of my October cruise. 

If this was me I would have my TA contact Crystal to be on the safe side. They should know.

Keith

[seasack]

I have been looking at something and my TA just literally got back to me with a 2024 sailing I am looking at and the invoice only had 2 1/2% and she said the 5% promo ended July 31 2023 so it’s now back to the normal Crystal Society discount of 2 1/2%. YMMV

 

Good luck!

[skybluewaters]

2 hours ago, seasack said:

I have been looking at something and my TA just literally got back to me with a 2024 sailing I am looking at and the invoice only had 2 1/2% and she said the 5% promo ended July 31 2023 so it’s now back to the normal Crystal Society discount of 2 1/2%. YMMV

 

Good luck!

 

I had the same experience yesterday...booked on Serenity for next June/July and received 2 1/2% Crystal Society discount.

[skybluewaters]

16 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

Final payment is now due 4 months prior to sailing rather than 6 months.

 

Actually, it's still 6 months. 

[seasack]

@skybluewaters

I just checked the invoice I got today for a 2024 sailing and it is 4 months for the final payment. 

[skybluewaters]

17 minutes ago, seasack said:

@skybluewaters

I just checked the invoice I got today for a 2024 sailing and it is 4 months for the final payment. 

 

And I just checked the invoice I got yesterday for a 2024 sailing and it is 6 months.

Would anyone know why there would be this difference? 

[TER777]

Perhaps they are for different length bookings. 

[JusttheTwoofUs]

Our July 2024 booking has a final payment date of March 2024, so 4 months for us.

 

Phyllis

[nancygp]

24 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

And I just checked the invoice I got yesterday for a 2024 sailing and it is 6 months.

Would anyone know why there would be this difference? 

I checked the terms and condition section on crystals’s website and final payment for cruises under 40 days is due at 120 days.  For longer than 40 days, the final payment is due at 150 days.

 

Nancy

[BWIVince]

On 8/17/2023 at 6:26 PM, TER777 said:

Makes it even trickier for solos as there are so few solo rooms. 

 

I haven't had the pleasure of checking availability for any sailings yet -- has this been an issue so far?  The brilliance of using double cabins as dedicated singles is that they can dynamically balance between the window double and window singles on a guarantee basis depending on what is selling more, regardless of what the rooms are categorized as on the deck plans, but I'm curious how well that is playing out in the real world.

 

Vince

[May B]

1 hour ago, BWIVince said:

 

I haven't had the pleasure of checking availability for any sailings yet -- has this been an issue so far?  The brilliance of using double cabins as dedicated singles is that they can dynamically balance between the window double and window singles on a guarantee basis depending on what is selling more, regardless of what the rooms are categorized as on the deck plans, but I'm curious how well that is playing out in the real world.

 

Vince

Vince! It’s great to see you!