No more Military discounts?

[icsys]

I have received Military discount on many past cruises, most recent being January of this year (2024)

However, calling today to price two cruises I was informed, by two different agents, that Royal has stopped Military discounts for all cruises.

Is this right?

[George C]

I never got a military discount in my 20 cruises on rccl , MSc gives us a ten percent discount and my charter cruises with star vista gives a nice discount.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, icsys said:

However, calling today to price two cruises I was informed, by two different agents, that Royal has stopped Military discounts for all cruises.

Is this right?

That is unlikely to be true. For US based bookings, any military discounts are rare but available. For UK based bookings, I don't recall all sailings having such a discount but perhaps higher chance than US.

Edited April 1 by Biker19

[molly361]

Not true  Indy 5/4/24 one example

Ocean View Guarantee

 

Guest 1.

Cruise Fare$1,692.00*

Instant Savings Flash Sale- $75.00

Military NRD- $163.00

BOGO60 NRD- $322.00

Taxes & Fees$137.07

Guest total$1,269.07

Guest 2.

Cruise Fare$1,692.00*

Military NRD- $162.00

BOGO60 NRD- $1,144.00

Taxes & Fees$137.07

Guest total$523.07

Stateroom total$1,792.14

[CruisinNole]

I booked a cruise online a couple of weeks ago. I selected Military where you enter promo. One wasn't available but the option appears to still be there. I think I received the discount one time on Royal in 35 years of cruising with the cruise line.

[RFerrington]

They're still around, but just as rare as they've always been.

[cruiseguy1016]

RCI uses the discounts - Military, 1st Responder & State of Residence - to boost sales if a particular sailing is not selling as fast as they would like. The sales are not available on all sailings.

[crzndeb]

7 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

They're still around, but just as rare as they've always been.

Like the 55+ ones 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Ourusualbeach]

46 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

RCI uses the discounts - Military, 1st Responder & State of Residence - to boost sales if a particular sailing is not selling as fast as they would like. The sales are not available on all sailings.

OP is from the UK.  I think at one time they were able to get a discount on every sailing

[FamilyCruiserUK]

We in UK had to ring them to get our military discount. Last used it feb 2023 and was fine not.used it since as get a better diacount through other means.

 

On the UK website there are no extra military selections. 

[George C]

I also didn’t get my diamond plus discount, rccl gives that only when they feel like it. Can’t wait for our MSc yacht club cruise 😁😁😁

[Engineroom Snipe]

I received a military discount for my last November, 2023, cruise which amounted to about 10%. Since then, I have seen anywhere between 4% to 6% on certain cruises.

 

Unfortunately, this seems to be a ploy to sell rooms on sailings that have not met quotas without having previous bookings trying to get their original prices adjusted since they are not veterans.

 

I know, I am a bit cynical on Royal's sales tactics. Just my opinion.

[RFerrington]

28 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Unfortunately, this seems to be a ploy to sell rooms on sailings that have not met quotas

I absolutely agree

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, George C said:

I also didn’t get my diamond plus discount, rccl gives that only when they feel like it. Can’t wait for our MSc yacht club cruise 😁😁😁

It has nothing to do with "when they feel like it".  It is whether or not it can be combined with other promotions.  I know that you book suites and the extra OBC or instant savings that you get for suites is always more than the balcony discount and the two are not combinable.  

[Engineroom Snipe]

16 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It has nothing to do with "when they feel like it".  It is whether or not it can be combined with other promotions.  I know that you book suites and the extra OBC or instant savings that you get for suites is always more than the balcony discount and the two are not combinable.  

This is something that took me some time to digest with my TA.

 

Everyone wants to combine every discount they see with their current discounts.

 

He had to "edukamate" me. Still learning the ins and outs of it all.

[ONECRUISER]

6 hours ago, icsys said:

I have received Military discount on many past cruises, most recent being January of this year (2024)

However, calling today to price two cruises I was informed, by two different agents, that Royal has stopped Military discounts for all cruises.

Is this right?

3 Military Discounts on Cruises last yr. At least 20 my Cruises in last 10yrs found Military Discounts on Royal. Ships Sailing Full less likely get Discounts, on older smaller Ships more likely. Most time they are offered closer to Cruise though have got few over 1yr out

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 minute ago, ONECRUISER said:

3 Military Discounts on Cruises last yr. At least 20 my Cruises in last 10yrs found Military Discounts on Royal. Ships Sailing Full less likely get Discounts, on older smaller Ships more likely. Most time they are offered closer to Cruise though have got few over 1yr out

Spot on.

[DaKahuna]

I have receive a military discount, $100, on every Celebrity and Royal cruise since restart. 

There were cruises in the past where if I took the Military discount, I would loose other benefits. e.g. not get OBC or an included drink package with Military discount.  Have not had that happen in the last two and half years. 

 

Edited April 2 by DaKahuna

[icsys]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I'm not disputing that Military discounts have been available in the past. 

As stated I have had the discount applied to a cruise taken in Jan this year (Oasis) and applied to a sailing in October this year (booked last October).

 

I am querying what I was informed yesterday, by two different agents. Both stated that Royal has stopped Military discounts for all new bookings moving forward. Just wondering if anyone has experienced the same recently, if this is misinformation or just UK only, which if confirmed is a little unfair.

 

Edited April 2 by icsys

[gavvy]

Do you have a blue light card?  I know there was a blanket discount on almost all bookings with that.  

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, icsys said:

Just wondering if anyone has experienced the same recently, if this is misinformation or just UK only, which if confirmed is a little unfair.

As you can see in Post #4, that's not true, at least for US bookings. Most of the feedback you'll get here are from folks who book in the US market.

[Ourusualbeach]

9 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

I have receive a military discount, $100, on every Celebrity and Royal cruise since restart. 

There were cruises in the past where if I took the Military discount, I would loose other benefits. e.g. not get OBC or an included drink package with Military discount.  Have not had that happen in the last two and half years. 

 

Celebrity offers an across the board military discount on all cruises for the same amount while Royal does not.  The amount on Royal varies and is used as a marketing / sales tool to boost sales of slow selling cruises as opposed to a thank you for your service. 

Edited April 2 by Ourusualbeach

[George C]

14 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It has nothing to do with "when they feel like it".  It is whether or not it can be combined with other promotions.  I know that you book suites and the extra OBC or instant savings that you get for suites is always more than the balcony discount and the two are not combinable.  

I never received OBC from rccl in my 20 cruises with them last half have been suites. 

[RFerrington]

6 hours ago, icsys said:

I am querying what I was informed yesterday, by two different agents. Both stated that Royal has stopped Military discounts for all new bookings moving forward.

This is simply not true.  I just snipped the below from a random search on one of my upcoming Indy cruises. US booking

 

Edited April 2 by RFerrington

[Ourusualbeach]

31 minutes ago, George C said:

I never received OBC from rccl in my 20 cruises with them last half have been suites. 

Which is precisely said OBC or instant savings.  Just depends on what promos are running at the time.  You will either get the $ off or pay a higher price and get OBC