Be Aware when booking future cruise onboard

[Poohb]

We were on the TransAtl on the Brilliance last week. In the middle of our two week cruise we made an app't with Sonia, the cruise consultant to book our next cruise & get an onboard $250 credit. We knew approx what room and the category (E1). The cruise is in May '07. Sonia said the cat E1 was not available at all. We booked a D1, more expensive, and were not thrilled w/the room location. The next day I went online on the ship's 'puter. (FYI the RC website is free/you do not need to pay for anytime on that site, don't swipe your seapass). I pretended to book our selected cruise and guess what. The category AND the room we wanted was available. As a matter of fact the whole E1 had MANY choices. We went back to the 'consultant' but she was busy and we dealt w/her assistant. This gal told us that RC will 'close' a category so they can sell more expensive ones first. She changed our reservation and we got what we wanted; category, room & senior discount (Sonia didn't apply that either. $630 more in our pocket, and still got the onboard $250 credit. Always recheck and do your homework. I wonder what Sonia's commission was for us booking a more expensive room.

[isujim]

I believe you........have no reason not to........but have NEVER had this happen on a cruise.......have always got the category we wanted and were never steered to another category.........glad your situation was resolved to your satisfaction.

[Wildroze]

We actually booked onboard and checked their website first before our appointment and we got a room that we wanted and it wasn't available to book on the website, so I guess it can work both ways.

 

Also we had the LA put it in writing that we would be able to use any C&A coupons or senior discounts after the booking till final payment.

[Elizanessie]

Can I ask please...what length of cruise did you book to get an onboard credit of $250 ?...I thought the maximum was $200 ?

[laxdef10]

I never go without finding exactly what I want. I usually research the day before I leave, write it down, then tell them exactly what I want. This prevents anything from happening. One time they tried giving me a room I didn't want and I said I just checked online and it was there. Magically it then "appeared".

[mohavemommy]

... and for those who do not know... you can surf Royal Caribbean's website on the ship for NO COST. Of course if you leave the Royal Caribbean website you will get the message that you are leaving the free area.

[pmshirl]

Can I ask please...what length of cruise did you book to get an onboard credit of $250 ?...I thought the maximum was $200 ?

$200.00 max was my understanding too.

[traveler/]

$200.00 max was my understanding too.

 

Onboard Booking credit (I'm pretty sure)(should be same as shareholder credit):

$50 5nites or less

$100 6-8 nites

$200 9-13 nites

$250 14 nites or more

 

I made a chart of all available discounts that I refer to before booking.

[JandD Mom]

I thought if you book on board, you can transfer it to your own Travel agent and get a better price. I also thought the TA could change your room for you. Are these things untrue?:confused:

[pmshirl]

Traveler: The OBC you listed are for St0ckholder OBC, Not for OBC for booking a future Cruise Onboard. I sailed the Radiance (14 days), prebooked onboard and received $200,00 OBC for the onboard booking, and $250.00 OBC for the stockholder OBC. Was I riped off for $50.00 ?? The highest I ever seen OBC for onboard bookings is $200.00.

[Sheffie]

I thought if you book on board, you can transfer it to your own Travel agent and get a better price. I also thought the TA could change your room for you. Are these things untrue?:confused:

 

Yes, you can transfer to a TA. The TA can change your room, etc., by calling RCI. Better price? Only if they give you part of their commission; they are not allowed to discount the cruise price. Sometimes they may give you free insurance, excursion, etc.

[bubbie617]

The maximum OBC for booking while on a cruise is $200. The maximum OBC as a shareholder perk is $250.

[forevercruising1]

We've never booked on board, but plan to on our next cruise. So, I have two more questions:

 

If we are booking and would also like to book a cabin for Mom and Dad at the same time, would both cabins get the onboard credit?

 

Or, is it possible to book a cruise for Mom and Dad (for an anniversary present) without us going on the cruise too?

 

I know the answer is probably "credit on your own cabin only", but I thought I'd confirm with you all, just in case.

 

Thanks!

[Sheffie]

We've never booked on board, but plan to on our next cruise. So, I have two more questions:

 

If we are booking and would also like to book a cabin for Mom and Dad at the same time, would both cabins get the onboard credit?

 

Or, is it possible to book a cruise for Mom and Dad (for an anniversary present) without us going on the cruise too?

 

I know the answer is probably "credit on your own cabin only", but I thought I'd confirm with you all, just in case.

 

Thanks!

 

When we were on board we booked a future cruise for us and our friends. We both got the OBC. We are going on the future cruise together, so I believe this is why they also got the credit.

[duke052]

JandDmom, Yes you can transfer a reservation to a TA. cabins can be changed [ without calling RCI ] Any discount or other special will be added up to the point of final payment. Most TA have access to group rates and any reservation can be added to a group and the ammenties that go with it. Always book onboard to get the credit. You will be asked if you have a TA. If you turn the reservation over to a TA ,that agency will watch your reservation for you. Credits can be made up to final payment. Eighty five percent of RCI reservations are made through a TA. There must be a reason.

[BillOh]

We actually booked onboard and checked their website first before our appointment and we got a room that we wanted and it wasn't available to book on the website, so I guess it can work both ways.

 

Also we had the LA put it in writing that we would be able to use any C&A coupons or senior discounts after the booking till final payment.

 

From reading all the stories, this kind of reminds me of getting airline reservations in the early 80's. You could call the same airline three times in a row and get vastly different fares each time. We had a customer 350 miles away that my boss use to make me drive to. When I found an airfare under $200 he let me drive. Only took 3 or 4 calls each time.

[imatarb]

Does anyone know if they will hold off on processing your deposit until after you return home? Our CC will be getting enough of a workout as it is!

[duke052]

I wouldn't count on it.

[mohavemommy]

Does anyone know if they will hold off on processing your deposit until after you return home? Our CC will be getting enough of a workout as it is!

 

Yes, they can do it! I have done this a few times. Simply ask the Loyalty Ambassador to put off the deposit payment date as far as possible. I wasn't positive of the time frame when I read your post so I pulled my paperwork from a previuos on-board booking. They put off the deposit for me for 21 days max. I booked on the 3rd of the month and the deposit was due the 24th of the same month. Still had the OBC. Hope this helps. :D

[lmmn]

I would not waste a lot of precious cruise time on planning your next. Just book a cruise to get the onboard credit. Once you get home you can fine tune....change cabin, change cruise date, or change ships. The key is to keep your booking number to keep your credit.

[isujim]

Yes, they can do it! I have done this a few times. Simply ask the Loyalty Ambassador to put off the deposit payment date as far as possible. I wasn't positive of the time frame when I read your post so I pulled my paperwork from a previuos on-board booking. They put off the deposit for me for 21 days max. I booked on the 3rd of the month and the deposit was due the 24th of the same month. Still had the OBC. Hope this helps. :D

 

Hi MOm.........thanks for this info.......I didn't realize that was an option........:)

[FLCruizerFun]

We were on the TransAtl on the Brilliance last week. In the middle of our two week cruise we made an app't with Sonia, the cruise consultant to book our next cruise & get an onboard $250 credit. We knew approx what room and the category (E1). The cruise is in May '07. Sonia said the cat E1 was not available at all. We booked a D1, more expensive, and were not thrilled w/the room location. The next day I went online on the ship's 'puter. (FYI the RC website is free/you do not need to pay for anytime on that site, don't swipe your seapass). I pretended to book our selected cruise and guess what. The category AND the room we wanted was available. As a matter of fact the whole E1 had MANY choices. We went back to the 'consultant' but she was busy and we dealt w/her assistant. This gal told us that RC will 'close' a category so they can sell more expensive ones first. She changed our reservation and we got what we wanted; category, room & senior discount (Sonia didn't apply that either. $630 more in our pocket, and still got the onboard $250 credit. Always recheck and do your homework. I wonder what Sonia's commission was for us booking a more expensive room.

 

I also had a problem with Sonia on the Brilliance of the Seas Transatlantic. I had made an appointment with her to book my Diamond Level qualifying cruise. I arrived for the appointment 15 minutes early, but when my appointment time came she was still with other customers. Another 20 minutes passed until her assistant became free. I had to fight off two other customers without appointments who thought they were next, and I was only speaking to Sonia's assistant Sandra for several minutes, when Sonia came over and said, "Sorry sir, but my assistant has to leave to help some people who are touring the bridge!" Sonia did not offer to pick up where her assistant had left off, and rudely implied that I would just have to come back some other time. I was extremely offended by Sonia's behavior, so for the first time in my long history of RC cruises, I decided to report my experience to upper level management.

[RCCLCARIB]

We too were on the Brilliance OTS early this year and were shocked by her attitude regarding rooms available. We always do our HW as well, and were shocked when here prices were as much as $700 dollars off!!

 

We ended up going to the assistant as well, who made our life a whole bunch easier.

 

Now on the Explorer OTS, we booked the Jewel OTS and it was a nightmare.

**Rooms weren't available

**Onboard Credit wasn't applied when I got home

**My names and last name, along with my families name, were all wrong

 

It was a Nightmare....I hope the next cruise we go on has some better Loyalty Ambassadors!

[piercetc4]

fyi- i was told you cannot transfer a cruise booked while onboard to a group booking without getting a new group booking number- so if you do transfer to a group after you get home you will loose the onboard credit that was attached to that booking number- hope this made sense?

i wonder if you started the group and booked while onboard if that would go around this issue? just an idea.....

[dege]

We were onboard the Jewel this week and the loyalty ambassador announced that RCI would be changing this policy soon. In the future you will be able to retain the obc when transferring to a group booking. She didn't state when this would become effective however. In addition, they will also allow you to do a future booking to get the obc without selecting a specific sailing date.