NextCruise - Everything you need to know

[dontpanik]

Thank You! I think I will just use the $100 and book it under just one name since it won't change the OBC and I will have $100 more to spend on this cruise :D . I can't wait, we really want to take the Mariner before it relocates.

[cruisenfever]

Thank You! I think I will just use the $100 and book it under just one name since it won't change the OBC and I will have $100 more to spend on this cruise :D . I can't wait, we really want to take the Mariner before it relocates.

Your welcome. Have a wonderful cruise on Mariner.

[cruisenfever]

Here is some information I just received regarding Certificates for family/friends with NextCruise bookings..............

 

Hi Patti:

 

I definitely do not think that of you and being inquisitive is not a bad thing. If there are questions that need answered I am happy to answer them. There has been some confusion on the certificates and the 30 day expiration on them. The friends and family certificates are good for 30 days after a ship and saildate have been confirmed on the NextCruise booking.

 

I hope this clears up the latest confusion. Have a great day!

Regards,

 

Aaron Laufer

Supervisor

Loyalty Service Center

Trade Support & Services

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

[jaysue]

Great thread - thanks to OP for starting, following and adding over time

 

Cheers

jaysue

[MrsPete]

A $100 non-refundable deposit per person is collected at time of making the NextCruise booking (Single = $100, Double = $200).

??? When I made my NextCruise reservation (onboard Mariner last month), they said that we'd received a $100 OBC if we cruised for 7 days or a $200 OBC if we ended up booking a longer cruise. No mention was made of single/double. How irritating that the rules can change so quickly!

 

Even though we will cruise as a family, I only purchased NextCruise for myself (not my husband or my children). We'll definitely take a one-week cruise again, which means we'll get $100/stateroom because we're in the NextCruise program. I could pay $100 now and get $100 OBC, or I could sign us all up and pay $400 now and get the same $100 OBC. NextCruise is a good concept, but since the reward will be no greater, why should I tie up more money than is necessary?

 

The only negative I can see: The onboard Loyalty Ambassadors were so rude that I wanted to walk out! I'm not a person who gets bent out of shape over little things, but I went in twice to try to book a NextCruise -- long lines, I left. I went on the last full day at sea, and three people were working. Lots of people were there, about half of whom had reservations with the LAs, and each appointment was taking quite some time (because most people didn't have any idea what ship/cabin/itinerary they wanted -- most of them had lengthy discussions with their spouses about whether they wanted to drive or fly, whether they wanted to take the kids out of school, etc.; personally, I would've had those conversations before going to the LA, but they were legitimately ahead of me, and that's the way things go). I had filled out all my paperwork, and I was ready to "do business". When I finally made it to the head of the line, the person who would've been my LA said it was time for him to leave, but Lauren (another LA who had just come in) would take care of us. She said she needed a minute to get set up . . . but after 10 minutes, when I walked back to her desk to ask if she was ready for clients, she said she wouldn't be making reservations for us (um, then why are you sitting behind that desk?). So we all waited, but we were irritated with Lauren's attitude. One of the other two LAs left, and Lauren moved up to take one of those empty desks -- and she started taking walk-ins instead of those of us who had been waiting (at this point a little over a full hour!). We were all irritated with her, so I asked her (politely while at the same time letting her know I didn't like her -- we Southerners are good at that) WHY she had taken the walk-ins with so many of us waiting. She sheepishly explained that NextCruise customers are quick and easy, and she wanted to get them out of the way fast -- at that, each and every one of us silently held up a completed NextCruise form. I was a little worried that she'd throw our stuff away, but I received a confirmation on my cabin door the next morning, and I received it in email once I was home.

In addition, when a guest makes a NextCruise booking on board, they can also obtain two NextCruise certificates to give to friends or family. The certificate will entitle the bearer to make a booking on the same ship and sail date the original booking is made on and receive the onboard credit.

Hey! I wasn't offered any certificates for friends and family! If y'all see that Lauren girl, tell her I really don't like her now! I definately would've taken them up on that! I wonder if I can call now and ask for them.

In May 07 on the Grandeur, the LA would only accept the RCI credit card for the deposit for NextCruise. If you didn't have one, in order to qualify for this program, you had to apply for their card while onboard (and she would be glad to take all your financial and personal information- right there with several other passengers waiting in the long line at her desk...).

This was NOT the case just last month. When I signed up for the NextCruise program, I had the choice of putting the $100 on my SeaPass or on another card.

The friends and family certificates are good for 30 days after a ship and saildate have been confirmed on the NextCruise booking.

So let's say I call on January 1st and make a reservation for my family (and I use the NextCruise benefit for which I paid last November). I'll get certificates THEN for my friends and family, and they'll have until February 1st to decide they want to sign up for my ship/cruise? I really think we'll talk a couple families into coming with us next time, and I'd like to be able to get them this benefit.

[cruisenfever]

??? When I made my NextCruise reservation (onboard Mariner last month), they said that we'd received a $100 OBC if we cruised for 7 days or a $200 OBC if we ended up booking a longer cruise. No mention was made of single/double. How irritating that the rules can change so quickly!

Your NextCruise booking could be made in one person's name, hence the $100 non-refundable deposit.........or in two people's name, hence, the $200 non-refundable deposit. The OBC will be determined when a specific cruise is booked using the booking number on your NextCruise form.

 

Of course they are not going to advertise that you can put NextCruise bookings in just one name..........and that person must be on the reservation when a specific cruise is booked.

Even though we will cruise as a family, I only purchased NextCruise for myself (not my husband or my children). We'll definitely take a one-week cruise again, which means we'll get $100/stateroom because we're in the NextCruise program. I could pay $100 now and get $100 OBC, or I could sign us all up and pay $400 now and get the same $100 OBC. NextCruise is a good concept, but since the reward will be no greater, why should I tie up more money than is necessary?

Smart thinking!

 

The only negative I can see: The onboard Loyalty Ambassadors were so rude that I wanted to walk out! I'm not a person who gets bent out of shape over little things, but I went in twice to try to book a NextCruise -- long lines, I left. I went on the last full day at sea, and three people were working. Lots of people were there, about half of whom had reservations with the LAs, and each appointment was taking quite some time (because most people didn't have any idea what ship/cabin/itinerary they wanted -- most of them had lengthy discussions with their spouses about whether they wanted to drive or fly, whether they wanted to take the kids out of school, etc.; personally, I would've had those conversations before going to the LA, but they were legitimately ahead of me, and that's the way things go). I had filled out all my paperwork, and I was ready to "do business". When I finally made it to the head of the line, the person who would've been my LA said it was time for him to leave, but Lauren (another LA who had just come in) would take care of us. She said she needed a minute to get set up . . . but after 10 minutes, when I walked back to her desk to ask if she was ready for clients, she said she wouldn't be making reservations for us (um, then why are you sitting behind that desk?). So we all waited, but we were irritated with Lauren's attitude. One of the other two LAs left, and Lauren moved up to take one of those empty desks -- and she started taking walk-ins instead of those of us who had been waiting (at this point a little over a full hour!). We were all irritated with her, so I asked her (politely while at the same time letting her know I didn't like her -- we Southerners are good at that) WHY she had taken the walk-ins with so many of us waiting. She sheepishly explained that NextCruise customers are quick and easy, and she wanted to get them out of the way fast -- at that, each and every one of us silently held up a completed NextCruise form. I was a little worried that she'd throw our stuff away, but I received a confirmation on my cabin door the next morning, and I received it in email once I was home.

You should call C&A and notify them of the problems that you had. When doing a NextCruise booking.........no appointment is really necessary. You just obtain the forms, fill them out and return them to the LA. I'm surprised that the LA was not sticking to her appointment book which allows so many minutes per passenger.

Hey! I wasn't offered any certificates for friends and family! If y'all see that Lauren girl, tell her I really don't like her now! I definately would've taken them up on that! I wonder if I can call now and ask for them.

Again, I would call C&A...........I don't know if they will send you any certificates for friends/family, but after what you went through on board, they certainly should.

This was NOT the case just last month. When I signed up for the NextCruise program, I had the choice of putting the $100 on my SeaPass or on another card.

Any credit card can be used............either the one on file or a different one.

So let's say I call on January 1st and make a reservation for my family (and I use the NextCruise benefit for which I paid last November). I'll get certificates THEN for my friends and family, and they'll have until February 1st to decide they want to sign up for my ship/cruise? I really think we'll talk a couple families into coming with us next time, and I'd like to be able to get them this benefit.

If you can get the Certificates for Friends/Family after talking with C&A, then yes...........they have 30 days to make a deposit on the same cruise that you will be doing. The Certificates for Family and Friends, when received on board, are linked to your NextCruise booking number.

 

If on January 1 you decide on a specific cruise using your NextCruise booking, then you would pay the full deposit required less the $100 that you paid on board.

[MrsPete]

Your NextCruise booking could be made in one person's name, hence the $100 non-refundable deposit.........or in two people's name, hence, the $200 non-refundable deposit. The OBC will be determined when a specific cruise is booked using the booking number on your NextCruise form.

 

Of course they are not going to advertise that you can put NextCruise bookings in just one name..........and that person must be on the reservation when a specific cruise is booked.

Smart thinking!

Exactly what I thought -- and I asked the rude LA just to make sure my thinking was correct. By buying only ONE person a NextCruise benefit, I'm tying up only $100. Since it'll probably be a year or more before we even book, it only makes sense to tie up as little a possible. We will definitely book with RC again, so I don't mind tying up my money . . . but if the reward for putting down $100 is the same as the reward for putting down $400 . . . well, I can do math.

 

I briefly considered doing NextCruise for myself and ONE of my two daughters; that would've meant that IF we book two inside staterooms next time, we would've been set to have a $100 OBC for each room . . . but I know that we'll stick to one balcony room. We loved 1388 so much that I know we'll be trying to snag it again, and we'd rather pay the fuel surcharge for only one room instead of two. I know I chose the right thing for my family's needs.

 

Everyone who was waiting with me seemed to be doing the same thing, so I don't think it's really a state secret. This makes me wonder if RC will change the program; perhaps $75 for each PERSON in the stateroom. If it'd been per person, I would've put down money for each of the four members of my family.

 

Obviously, they want us to buy NextCruise so that we will automatically look to them for our next cruise -- we won't even bother to price out Princess or Carnival. The more money we have "invested" with RC, the less likely we are to choose someone else.

 

You should call C&A and notify them of the problems that you had.

I will do that. Lauren the LA was the only bad crew member I encountered on Mariner. Maybe that's why she stands out in my memory -- she was so different from the rest. She was also one of the few Americans (or at least she appeared to be American and had an American accent).

[dachshunddoglover]

I also had considerable problems with the LA on Mariner (Phillipa) who kept me waiting forever and then when I brought up the "Friend Certificate", she said "I do not have any and can not get any!" I tried back several times on the friend certificate and she never did "find" any. She also said she would not be giving us any paperwork for our Next Cruise, that it would be in our email boxes. Well, when I got home, mine was NOT in my email box. I learned several valuable lessons on the Mariner.

 

1.) Always make sure you have a piece of paper listing your Next Cruise Booking number BEFORE you leave the ship.

2.) Don't leave the ship without your "Friend Certificate" because you can not get them once you get home.

 

I called Crown and Anchor who called the ship and found out Phillipa had a whole stack of Next Cruises she had not processed. About 4 days later it did finally show up in the email box but they told me I was SOL on the Friend Certificates.

 

Also - this was a big issue for someone in our group. If you are on a ship and you have used a TA for that sailing and you go to the LA to book a Next Cruise, they will automatically put that Next Cruise Sailing with the same Travel Agent UNLESS you tell them you want it with RCI and NO travel agent. Just FYI.

 

E-Beth

[mediator]

When I booked my Next Cruise onboard the Rhapsody this summer our LA advised us just to put one of our names down and do a $100 deposit.

I put it in my name (my DH and I always travel together) but I thought in case I decided to do a "girls cruise" I would rather have it in my name. Just wanted to let you know you have this option if you would like.

 

Same situation with me... I usually do a cruise with friend or mom etc. On board the Empress, DH and I sat in front of the Loyalty Ambassador and did the Next Cruise ( I have two) in my name only. The other passenger to be listed when I book. No problem what so ever doing this ($100 deposit).

[3dogmom]

How many Friends and Family certificates can each person that is booking obtain? I want to do 2 NextCruise bookings while onboard; one in my name and one in my DH.

[petel]

How many Friends and Family certificates can each person that is booking obtain? I want to do 2 NextCruise bookings while onboard; one in my name and one in my DH.

 

I think the only limit is how many $100 bills you want to lend RCL :rolleyes: Haven't heard of anyone being turned down. Enjoy :)

[3dogmom]

I think the only limit is how many $100 bills you want to lend RCL :rolleyes: Haven't heard of anyone being turned down. Enjoy :)

 

I need to know how many cerificates they will give out per booking, not how many bookings I can make.

[petel]

I need to know how many cerificates they will give out per booking, not how many bookings I can make.

 

You get a reservation number with each "booking" which is the certificate. One person, one hundred dollars, one Certificate........... or maybe I just don't understand the question. Only the person who gives the $100 gets a certificate. You can have one or more people on the booking but each person deposits $100.

[3dogmom]

Nope, that was my question. I hoped to get at least 2 certificates for each booking, but if not some friend or family will just have to go without!

[cruisenfever]

Nope, that was my question. I hoped to get at least 2 certificates for each booking, but if not some friend or family will just have to go without!

When we did our 2 NextCruise bookings on Radiance in April there were 2 certificates included with each booking to give to family/friends.

 

When making your NextCruise booking, you do not need an appointment with the LA...........you just ask for the forms and fill them out and then return them to the LA. I highly recommend that you do this early on in your cruise so that you will get your confirmation letter back in plenty of time to review it before disembarking the ship.

 

When handing in your forms...........ask for the certificates for friends/family..........I don't know if there is a limit or not, but your booking number that appears on your NextCruise bookings is linked to the certificates...........which, in turn, gives credit to the LA that booked them.

[3dogmom]

Patti,

 

Thank you for that information. I thought you had to do all the paperwork while sitting in front of the LA. Good to know! I will be picking up the forms on day 1!

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

When I booked my Next Cruise onboard the Rhapsody this summer our LA advised us just to put one of our names down and do a $100 deposit.

I put it in my name (my DH and I always travel together) but I thought in case I decided to do a "girls cruise" I would rather have it in my name. Just wanted to let you know you have this option if you would like.

 

Don't you lose potential OBC if you do that? I would think that for every NextCruise deposit, you receive $X of OBC.

[cruisenfever]

Originally Posted by mdwstcruiser

When I booked my Next Cruise onboard the Rhapsody this summer our LA advised us just to put one of our names down and do a $100 deposit.

I put it in my name (my DH and I always travel together) but I thought in case I decided to do a "girls cruise" I would rather have it in my name. Just wanted to let you know you have this option if you would like.

Don't you lose potential OBC if you do that? I would think that for every NextCruise deposit, you receive $X of OBC.

OBCs are per cabin and not per person/per deposit and are based on the length of the cruise.

 

The new OBCs are

 

3-5 nites $ 50

6-9 nites $100

10+ nites $200

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

OBCs are per cabin and not per person/per deposit and are based on the length of the cruise.

 

The new OBCs are

 

3-5 nites $ 50

6-9 nites $100

10+ nites $200

 

Then I think mdwstcruiser's strategy makes more sense; you get to retain your other $100 and earn whatever interest/dividends you could on it before handing it over to the company upon booking and paying for your trip.

 

Sorry, the investor in me always finds a way to surface. :D

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

Duplicate post...sorry

[Jimmers]

We signed up for Next Cruise in March while aboard the Navigator. $100 was charged to our CC.

 

In August we sailed on the LOS which we had already booked prior to the Mar cruise. So we didn't use the next cruise OBC.

 

We will be sailing on a 14 day cruise in March and want to use the OBC then. A few questions:

 

1.Does our TA take care of this?

 

2.Am I correct that we're entitled to $200 OBC.

 

3. What happens to the $100 deposit that we put down in March? Does it go toward the cruise fare?

 

Thanks.

[cruisenfever]

Then I think mdwstcruiser's strategy makes more sense; you get to retain your other $100 and earn whatever interest/dividends you could on it before handing it over to the company upon booking and paying for your trip.

 

Sorry, the investor in me always finds a way to surface. :D

Absolutely.......this is something that they don't advertise, but is perfectly legal. As long as the person on the initial NextCruise booking is still on the booking when a specific itinerary/ship/date is finally booked..........you are good to go......and you are only "investing" $100.

 

I think we all have that "investor" in us!!:p

[Jimmers]

We signed up for Next Cruise in March while aboard the Navigator. $100 was charged to our CC.

 

In August we sailed on the LOS which we had already booked prior to the Mar cruise. So we didn't use the next cruise OBC.

 

We will be sailing on a 14 day cruise in March and want to use the OBC then. A few questions:

 

1.Does our TA take care of this?

 

2.Am I correct that we're entitled to $200 OBC.

 

3. What happens to the $100 deposit that we put down in March? Does it go toward the cruise fare?

 

Thanks.

 

Okay, I've checked some other threads out and seems this does go through our TA, we are entitled to $200 and the $100 goes toward our cruise fare.

 

Pretty good deal. We have $950.00 total OBC on this cruise and it didn't cost us a dime.

[cruisenfever]

We signed up for Next Cruise in March while aboard the Navigator. $100 was charged to our CC.

 

In August we sailed on the LOS which we had already booked prior to the Mar cruise. So we didn't use the next cruise OBC.

 

We will be sailing on a 14 day cruise in March and want to use the OBC then. A few questions:

 

1.Does our TA take care of this?

 

2.Am I correct that we're entitled to $200 OBC.

 

3. What happens to the $100 deposit that we put down in March? Does it go toward the cruise fare?

 

Thanks.

If you used your NextCruise booking from the Navigator in March of 2007 to book your March, 2008 cruise, then you will receive the OBC. Your TA should have changed you the balance of the deposit........for a 14 day cruise that would be $900 for two less the $100 NextCruise deposit, bringing it to an $800 deposit on your March cruise.

 

Yes, for a 14 day cruise the OBC will be $200.

 

You can not use a NextCruise booking on a cruise already booked that has an established booking number.........as NextCruise Bookings have their own booking numbers and only become active when a specific itinerary/ship/sailing date is booked.

[Jimmers]

If you used your NextCruise booking from the Navigator in March of 2007 to book your March, 2008 cruise, then you will receive the OBC. Your TA should have changed you the balance of the deposit........for a 14 day cruise that would be $900 for two less the $100 NextCruise deposit, bringing it to an $800 deposit on your March cruise.

 

Yes, for a 14 day cruise the OBC will be $200.

 

You can not use a NextCruise booking on a cruise already booked that has an established booking number.........as NextCruise Bookings have their own booking numbers and only become active when a specific itinerary/ship/sailing date is booked.

 

Thanks, that's very helpful. Especially the part about the $900 deposit. I didn't know there was a set amount. I just checked our documents and I see that our TA has us down for a $900 deposit but only billed our cc for $800. Now I know why. You folks really know your next cruise stuff.

 

Jimmers:)