What's the big WOW in the sale?

[phantomtales]

I spoke to a customer service agent on Sunday to see if I could put a cruise on a curtosy hold. I was told to wait for the WOW sale and that savings certificates would apply. I spoke to someone today, to get a crown and anchor number for a family member and was told that the savings certificates would not apply. Which is it?

 

If it is not applicable, then what is the big sale? The cruise itself is not on sale and one could get a better on-board credit from a wholesaler. What is the incentive to book? :confused:

[FL_Cruiser64]

I spoke to a customer service agent on Sunday to see if I could put a cruise on a curtosy hold. I was told to wait for the WOW sale and that savings certificates would apply. I spoke to someone today, to get a crown and anchor number for a family member and was told that the savings certificates would not apply. Which is it?

 

If it is not applicable, then what is the big sale? The cruise itself is not on sale and one could get a better on-board credit from a wholesaler. What is the incentive to book? :confused:

 

Good question.

 

I guess the incentive is only 50% deposit and some OBC.

 

Since no other discounts apply I'd rather take discounts and pay the full deposit.

[sas80]

I don't see the big "wow" either.

 

I am wondering if their fiscal quarter isn't ending soon and they are trying to get their bookings/numbers/revenue up before they report....!

[FL_Cruiser64]

I don't see the big "wow" either.

 

I am wondering if their fiscal quarter isn't ending soon and they are trying to get their bookings/numbers/revenue up before they report....!

 

Could be.

[DonnaK]

I am a Gold C&A member, who doesn't have access to any other discounts. The $100 onboard credit is a good deal for me. Also, for a family of four, $1000 is a large chuck of change to lay out so far in advance of a cruise, however $500 is more manageable. I realize I have to eventually pay the other half, but at least it isn't tied up for a year.

 

If you are C&A platinum or above, an RCI stockholder, etc, then this sale is not good for you.

 

Not every sale works for everyone - some benefite people like you, and others benefit people like me.

 

I booked my upcoming AOS trip during the June WOW sale. Had the full deposit been required, I would not have been able to reserve it until we paid for the Mariner trip we took in August 2007. But for half deposit, it was doable to reserve another cruise before paying off the first one.

 

The cost of that cruise has gone up $1500 since I reserved it, so I feel I made out very well on the last WOW sale, because booking the same cruise now would be cost-prohibitive.

[phantomtales]

I could see where the discounted deposit would be helpful, but it is still owed in the back end. I think I am going to have to go with a complimentary gratuities deal with a company that accepts the savings certificates.

[glendalemom]

I am a Gold C&A member, who doesn't have access to any other discounts. The $100 onboard credit is a good deal for me. Also, for a family of four, $1000 is a large chuck of change to lay out so far in advance of a cruise, however $500 is more manageable. I realize I have to eventually pay the other half, but at least it isn't tied up for a year.

 

If you are C&A platinum or above, an RCI stockholder, etc, then this sale is not good for you.

 

Not every sale works for everyone - some benefite people like you, and others benefit people like me.

 

I booked my upcoming AOS trip during the June WOW sale. Had the full deposit been required, I would not have been able to reserve it until we paid for the Mariner trip we took in August 2007. But for half deposit, it was doable to reserve another cruise before paying off the first one.

 

The cost of that cruise has gone up $1500 since I reserved it, so I feel I made out very well on the last WOW sale, because booking the same cruise now would be cost-prohibitive.

 

 

Well said! I couldn't agree more. I also booked the June WOW and the price of our 08 cruise has skyrocketed. In addition to the lower deposit and OBC we also received a $100 OBC per cabin from our TA. I think it's wise to weigh all the factors before comitting to any large expense.:)

[FL_Cruiser64]

I am a Gold C&A member, who doesn't have access to any other discounts. The $100 onboard credit is a good deal for me. Also, for a family of four, $1000 is a large chuck of change to lay out so far in advance of a cruise, however $500 is more manageable. I realize I have to eventually pay the other half, but at least it isn't tied up for a year.

 

If you are C&A platinum or above, an RCI stockholder, etc, then this sale is not good for you.

 

Not every sale works for everyone - some benefite people like you, and others benefit people like me.

 

I booked my upcoming AOS trip during the June WOW sale. Had the full deposit been required, I would not have been able to reserve it until we paid for the Mariner trip we took in August 2007. But for half deposit, it was doable to reserve another cruise before paying off the first one.

 

The cost of that cruise has gone up $1500 since I reserved it, so I feel I made out very well on the last WOW sale, because booking the same cruise now would be cost-prohibitive.

I am a Gold Member as well (soon to be Platinum :D). My online certificate as a Goldmember is $125/stateroom (OS or Balcony). My OBC through the WOW sale would only be $100. Plus by not going through the WOW event I can apply my Platinum discount when I reach it.

 

But yeah, a $1000 deposit is a chunk. Yet, you still have to pay the $500 at a later date.

[tinker]

RC benefits greatly by reducing the required deposit and thus sells more cabins to those with the conception that 1/2 deposits are easier to make.

I would think that in essence, these WOW sales are the reason fares are skyrocketing.

 

Supply and demand dictates pricing and by lowering the required deposits, they get more people to book, thus selling more cabins and generating "demand" so prices hold steady and go up rather than down as the ships sell out faster.

 

Have to wonder how many people follow thru on final payment because not as much thought goes into spending half as much money.

[Bagbklyn]

Yeah the sale isn't that great but any $$$ that you can keep in your pocket longer is always great. Think if you charged something and had to pay an extra 6 months of finance charges on it. In my case I planning to use it since i'm planning a Honeymoon cruise, so with the sale at the moment it helps me greatly since I don't have to lay out as much for a deposit.

[phantomtales]

I am a gold member too, and using the saving certificates today would be better for me then waiting for tomorrow. That is why I am confused. If as a repeat costumer, I can do better today, what is the sale? I can understand the benefit of a discounted deposit for a far off cruise, but is it a sale?

[wrp96]

It's just like any other sale. Some people can take advantage of it, some people can't. I went into a clothing store the other day and they had a sale on certain dresses. None of the dresses met my requirements so I didn't take advantage of the sale.

 

If your sailing has a savings certificate available, then definitely use that instead of booking the WOW sale. In my case, for my sailing next year there are no savings certificates, but I couldn't get my Diamond balcony discount so the WOW sale wouldn't be worth it for me. But for my best friend who books inside staterooms, tomorrow's sale would be perfect because she won't be able to take the Platinum balcony discount sailing in an inside room, and her sailing has no residency discounts or savings certificates available.

 

For a first time cruiser or someone on a sailing that doesn't have any other discounts available, this sale can be the perfect opportunity. For the rest of us, we miss it, but we get other advantages that maybe someone else doesn't get.

[DonnaK]

Those Gold Member certificates don't apply to every sailing. I usually cruise during the summer school holidays, which rarely have savings certificates.

 

On the AOS sailing I mentioned, there is a certificate for $125 for blacony and $65 for promenade, which is pretty close to the $100 per cabin OBC I got for the WOW sale. However, since I was able to book early because of the reduced deposit, and the price has drastically gone up since then, I am still ahead of the deal.

 

Again, everyone has to weigh out which deal works better for them. Granted, this is not a good deal for everyone, but it gets tedious reading all of the complaints and negatively from those who don't benefit from this sale. If you have other options, then go with those. Stop knocking the WOW sale because it is beneficial for more than just newbies or the corporation itself.

 

 

Edited to add: Wrona, you said it very well!!!

 

Myself and others accept that there are many benefits and discounts that don't apply to us, even when we have been loyal to RCI and will continue to be. It's really selfish and almost obnoxious of those who have other discount options to criticize or complain about this sale just because it benefits us and not them.

 

If there's a resident discount for many states but not yours, are you crying "unfair". Or if you are 54, is it unfair that people just one year older get the senior discount but you don't? This is the same principle.

[dalynne]

Booking my second cruise during the WOW sale tomorrow, with a first time cruiser. There are no special savings discounts for the cruise we picked. We were not going to book until Jan or Feb 2008 due to holidays, however this half price deposit is just what we needed to get the suite we wanted. Also this way we have a couple more months to pay it off and to second guess purchases we make for oursevles during the holiday shopping ( hhmmm these new boots could be a couple of drinks on the ship). LOL;)

[symphony]

I've heard that the on-board credit offered by RC for their WOW sale has limited use: spa, beauty salon, and casino. Anyone know about this? Is the casino credit only for tokens at table games or can you get cash for the slots?

[sas80]

I know that when DH and I have an OBC, we always end up spending it and we also always rack up just as much on our on board account as we would normally!

 

Me thinks that a coupon for $100, etc, off the price of the cruise is a much better deal!

[kingsgirl]

I've heard that the on-board credit offered by RC for their WOW sale has limited use: spa, beauty salon, and casino. Anyone know about this? Is the casino credit only for tokens at table games or can you get cash for the slots?

 

 

That would really suck. I hope not??

[DonnaK]

I've heard that the on-board credit offered by RC for their WOW sale has limited use: spa, beauty salon, and casino. Anyone know about this? Is the casino credit only for tokens at table games or can you get cash for the slots?

 

 

Where did you hear this from? It sounds like a rumor being spread by nay-sayers. Just like the lie about not honoring future price drops, when it says plain and clear on the bottom of the reservation confirmation that price drops WILL be matched except for the specials that are for new bookings only.

[waterbugohio]

Did anyone else get a comfirmation as to the credit card points are one of the "other promotions" that cannot be combined??

 

I had a Royal TA tell me this today, but he had no idea how the credit card points are used. He just keep reading the line from the sale advertisement:

 

"Not combinable with any other offer"

 

Still waiting on a answer from my personal TA