First time as Casino Royale Prime-Can someone please help me with booking questions for redeeming cruise?

[chfenton]

Thank you in advance.  So I received the email entitling me to a free interior for up to 7 nights and went to clubroyal offers website.  I see the redeem now button.  When I go in, it looks like its a form to fill out where you choose your first, second and third choices.

 

Questions---

1) Does that mean you don't book your own cruise and you just fill out form and someone will get back to you?

2) How does the cash value of $500 work in lieu of the free interior room?

3) If I do choose the interior am I Never/sometimes/always allowed to immediately pay an upcharge to upgrade?

4) What else do I need to be thinking about?

 

Thanks again

 

Edited April 20 by chfenton
typo

[watcher_62]

1) yes they will get back to you, however you’re better off calling them. They’re very helpful. 1-888-561-2234
 

2) if you choose to book a cruise and room that doesn’t have an interior that matches your offer, you can use the $500 towards that booking.

 

3) you can call and ask to upgrade from an interior and they will tell you the current upgrade cost. It changes based on promotions that are active at the time.

 

4) call and talk to the reps, they’ve very helpful and can answer your questions….

[RFerrington]

Welcome to Club Royale !

 

If you want to choose your own room or are considering an upgrade, I strongly recommend against using the “redeem online” link.  This amounts to basically a Guarantee reservation.  I have read that some people have requested a specific room in the “comments” section and been successful, but there’s no guarantee that you will be awarded your requested cabin when doing it online.

 

The cash value is just that.  You are entitled to apply the cash value of the certificate to a new booking.  In the past, you used to be able to use the certificate (either the “full” value or the cash value) to an existing booking but recently there have been only a few reports of being able to use the annual tier cert on an existing booking.  YMMV

 

You can always upgrade your tier comp to a higher category.  In the past, there was a “casino rate” applied to comp upgrades but those days are over.  Nowadays, you pay the full retail price difference between the value of your comp (typically a 4V category for Prime) and whatever the current sticker price of the upgrade you desire.  No discounts whatsoever.

 

Something to keep in mind.  Sometimes (rarely) the cost of a higher cabin category will actually be less than the cost of your award (the 4V I mentioned earlier).  For example, I booked both of our annual Prime tier comps on Symphony for March 2025.  For both of these bookings, an ocean view balcony guarantee (category XB) was lower than the interior (4V) so we will get an OV balcony at no additional cost as opposed to a dungeon inside !  So be sure and do some research (and ask the rep with whom you speak) to see if there are any “hidden” upgrades.  These are rare…so you have to do your homework.

[chfenton]

Thank you both for your replies.  Sounds like calling is obviously best way to redeem.  So to be clear, let's say if I go to the website and see the price for interior is 699/pp for a particular cruise and the balcony is $799/pp for same cruise.  To be clear, in that circumstance I could book the balcony cabin for $100/pp - is that right?  Thanks again.

[birdofsong]

Definitely call.  And I wouldn't wait too long.  Everyone got their Prime certificates at the same time, so everyone is calling to book at the same time.  We just booked a Greek Isle cruise with ours, and there were literally two interior cabins left when we called.  That probably won't be the case with the larger ships or destinations that have several sailings, but if you're looking at something that might not have a lot of options, then I suggest you do it quickly.

 

Also, I have never NOT gotten the cabins I wanted when I call on the phone.  They always give me the cabins I ask for.  

[cruisegirl1]

2 hours ago, chfenton said:

Thank you both for your replies.  Sounds like calling is obviously best way to redeem.  So to be clear, let's say if I go to the website and see the price for interior is 699/pp for a particular cruise and the balcony is $799/pp for same cruise.  To be clear, in that circumstance I could book the balcony cabin for $100/pp - is that right?  Thanks again.

Not always, Royal has strange math.  They sometimes use a lower price for the interior than what is showing online so the upgrade is more.  As you suggested, calling is best.   It might be a good idea to have a first and second choice ready when you call.

Good luck. 

[roupa]

CALL. them… much easier. We have taken advantage of this offer but upgrade since I am claustrophobic in an inside stateroom 😩 Cost of an upgrade varies so do the math if you’re not comfortable with an inside.  
 Free only goes so far tho.  You may need to cover taxes, gratuities etc.

Good luck and enjoy!

[Ourusualbeach]

Absolutely call.  If they give you a price for an upgrade that you like book it right then and there.  Do not hang up to think about it and call back as you will likely be given a different price.

[Sunshine3601]

9 hours ago, chfenton said:

Thank you both for your replies.  Sounds like calling is obviously best way to redeem.  So to be clear, let's say if I go to the website and see the price for interior is 699/pp for a particular cruise and the balcony is $799/pp for same cruise.  To be clear, in that circumstance I could book the balcony cabin for $100/pp - is that right?  Thanks again.

I Always call to book as we like to select our own cabin.   We have had some great deals on upgrades.    The pricing you see online is never the same as they use "casino rate".

We have had some great upgrades.   

 

Our last cruise on Anthem in March (was a casino offer) and my offer was for an interior cabin; however, we got a OV balcony for no additional charge. 

 

I received a Certificate for my play while on the Anthem and used it for a sailing out of San Juan next January.  My Certificate was for an OV Balcony and the cost to upgrade to a Junior Suite was only $11/pp.    Royal's website showed it costing more than $2000 to upgrade to a JS.  Never hurts to ask. 

 

Remember to frequently check the clubroyaleoffer website at least once a week for new offers.  We receive new offers almost every Monday.   

 

The free cocktails, beer or wine and the 30% discount off internet booked onboard are always nice perks.   We have been Prime for several years.    Enjoy!!

 

 

[birdofsong]

On 4/20/2024 at 7:35 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

 

 

The free cocktails, beer or wine and the 30% discount off internet booked onboard are always nice perks.   We have been Prime for several years.    Enjoy!!

 

 

Seriously?  30%.  Of course they don't tell you that on the rewards website.  I had no idea. Do you do that at Guest Services, or in the casino?  Can you get that rate before sailing by calling the Casino Royale Prime number?

Edited April 22 by birdofsong

[Sunshine3601]

10 minutes ago, birdofsong said:

Seriously?  30%.  Of course they don't tell you that on the rewards website.  I had no idea. Do you do that at Guest Services, or in the casino?  Can you get that rate before sailing by calling the Casino Royale Prime number?

You book onboard via the App then you go to the voom desk and ask for the casino credit.

I've heard it is suppose to happen automatically but I always go to voom desk to make sure it gets credited to my acct.

 

Even nicer if you are Diamond or higher and can use your free day(s) first then sign up for voom then get 30% off

[RFerrington]

3 hours ago, birdofsong said:

 Can you get that rate before sailing by calling the Casino Royale Prime number?

No.  The discount is off the full onboard price so you must wait until after you board to apply for the discount.

[RNCindy]

We always call to redeem our "free" cruises with Club Royale.  I always ask for an upgrade and have rarely been denied (I ask them to combine my account and my husbands account for the redemption). Last cruise I booked, I was upgraded to a Junior Suite from a balcony for no extra charge. It never hurts to ask!!  We frequently utilize the Galveston cruises (close to home) and we usually pay no more than just the port charges and taxes.