NextCruise - Everything you need to know

[emmy]

The advantage for me is you put down areduced deposit of $100. and it secures a

shipboard credit for you on a cruise when you decide to book.

 

In April I did two Next Cruises one in each my name and DH's and I have already used both of them. One is for Oasis for 2010 and one is for Liberty in November. I now have a shipboard credit of $100 waiting for me when I sail on these ships.

 

I was also able to offer this option to two couples who also booked.

 

You don't have to decide on a ship and sailing date until you get home and perhaps watch for a good deal and then you have a Next Cruise ready to use.

[Little Elm]

The advantage for me is you put down a reduced deposit of $100. and it secures a

shipboard credit for you on a cruise when you decide to book.

 

We purchased a "Next Cruise" in April. We have not decided on a cruise yet. I thought the deposit would be $100.00 because everyone is say it's a reduced deposit. From what I have been reading here, once you decide on a cruise you still have to pay the regular deposit minus the $100.00.

 

If that's the case, we should call this a $100.00 OBC for giving RCCL an interest free loan until we decide to cruise again.:D

[geenafeena]

The advantage for me is you put down areduced deposit of $100. and it secures a

shipboard credit for you on a cruise when you decide to book.

 

In April I did two Next Cruises one in each my name and DH's and I have already used both of them. One is for Oasis for 2010 and one is for Liberty in November. I now have a shipboard credit of $100 waiting for me when I sail on these ships.

 

I was also able to offer this option to two couples who also booked.

 

You don't have to decide on a ship and sailing date until you get home and perhaps watch for a good deal and then you have a Next Cruise ready to use.

 

i also read, i think on this post, that you have to leave a $100 deposit, but once you actually select and book your cruise, the regular deposit is due.

 

so, am i missing something????...i see no real advantage to doing this next cruise booking. if the only reason is to get the OB credit, we usually have a savings certificate when we book. am i correct??

[cruisenfever]

i also read, i think on this post, that you have to leave a $100 deposit, but once you actually select and book your cruise, the regular deposit is due.

 

so, am i missing something????...i see no real advantage to doing this next cruise booking. if the only reason is to get the OB credit, we usually have a savings certificate when we book. am i correct??

There are many times when one is interested in a particular ship/itinerary/sailing date which has not been released yet. Many, many people book when itineraries are first released which could be 18 months in advance.

 

By making a NC booking.........you can book when the particular itinerary is available for booking when you are home and not on a ship and still get the OBC. TO some OBC is a very important perk.

 

The only downside, in my opinion, to booking ANYTHING on a ship, be it a specific cruise or a NC is that you CAN NOT use the C&A Savings Certificate for that cruise, if one becomes available, because you are being offered the OBC. You now must decide whether you want an OBC or $$$ off a cruise.

 

Yes, you do only put down a $100 non-refundable deposit........but if the itinerary you are interested in is not available for booking you are only spending $100.......which to some is much more affordable.

[emmy]

i also read, i think on this post, that you have to leave a $100 deposit, but once you actually select and book your cruise, the regular deposit is due.

 

so, am i missing something????...i see no real advantage to doing this next cruise booking. if the only reason is to get the OB credit, we usually have a savings certificate when we book. am i correct??

 

Saving certificates are not always available for every sailing. NC gives you an option when you are at home and see either a great itinerary or a great price to know that you can also sweeten the deal by having a S/B credit as well.

[Sea and Me]

While on our cruise last Oct. we did the next cruise. We put $200 down and have until 10/2010 to go on a cruise. Well we saw an Alaskan cruise in 9/09 that we liked so we booked. We put $900 down and have a cabin etc. NOW the airfares are out of sight! This would have been one way to San Francisco and back from Vancouver. Pricing the airfares now are any where from $511-$700plus. We are rethinking this cruise. As I understand we can "move" this booking number around before 10/10 as long as we don't cancel anything. Is this correct??? Also do they deduct $900 and the $200 on final payment???

 

I don't think we would do a next cruise again only because our TA usually has groups and we get obc that way.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Carol

[cruisenfever]

While on our cruise last Oct. we did the next cruise. We put $200 down and have until 10/2010 to go on a cruise. Well we saw an Alaskan cruise in 9/09 that we liked so we booked. We put $900 down and have a cabin etc. NOW the airfares are out of sight! This would have been one way to San Francisco and back from Vancouver. Pricing the airfares now are any where from $511-$700plus. We are rethinking this cruise. As I understand we can "move" this booking number around before 10/10 as long as we don't cancel anything. Is this correct??? Also do they deduct $900 and the $200 on final payment???

 

I don't think we would do a next cruise again only because our TA usually has groups and we get obc that way.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Carol

Hi Carol........first of all when you booked your NC in October of 2007 it is good forever not until 10/2010.......it has NO expiration date. It is good until you decide on what cruise you want to book.

 

OK, so you changed your NC into a specific cruise to Alaska for 2009. Did you check out custom air through RCI? Sometimes the airfare allowance through the cruise lines is cheaper. Just a thought.

 

As long as you keep the same booking number you can move it to another itinerary/sailing date/ship and not lose your OBC. When you changed your NC booking to the Alaska sailing your initial NC deposit of $200 should have been deduced from the full deposit required for that cruise.......and that should be noted on your invoice.

[unberwoob]

Can I use OBC to pay for a next cruise booking? In other words, can I put it on my seapass card instead of my cc on file? I may have excess OBC that I want to use.

Thanks.

[cruisenfever]

Can I use OBC to pay for a next cruise booking? In other words, can I put it on my seapass card instead of my cc on file? I may have excess OBC that I want to use.

Thanks.

You can try..........but they always just add it to the cc that you used when you checked in on the pier as a separate entry.

 

Now, if you don't use all of the OBC, then it will go on your cc as a credit. If you put a deposit down, then the deposit should absorb the credit.:D

[unberwoob]

Thanks Patti,

 

I figured you would know the answer.

 

Were you the Patti quoted in the new C and A magazine?

 

Dennis

[cruisenfever]

Thanks Patti,

 

I figured you would know the answer.

 

Were you the Patti quoted in the new C and A magazine?

 

Dennis

Yep.......that was me!!:D Thanks so much for asking.

[Sea and Me]

Hi Carol........first of all when you booked your NC in October of 2007 it is good forever not until 10/2010.......it has NO expiration date. It is good until you decide on what cruise you want to book.

 

OK, so you changed your NC into a specific cruise to Alaska for 2009. Did you check out custom air through RCI? Sometimes the airfare allowance through the cruise lines is cheaper. Just a thought.

 

As long as you keep the same booking number you can move it to another itinerary/sailing date/ship and not lose your OBC. When you changed your NC booking to the Alaska sailing your initial NC deposit of $200 should have been deduced from the full deposit required for that cruise.......and that should be noted on your invoice.

 

Patti: The paper I received when I did the next cruise states under traveling with booking numbers :

 

This booking is applicable up to three years from the booking date listed at the top of this confirmation.

Since we have a booking number and a cruise booked we would have to cancel that cruise and book another and have up to 3 years to do it correct which would be 2010.

 

My TA hasn't given us an invoice because we are waiting for airfares. I checked on RCI (all the steps of booking cruise on line) the air was $1698 for both which the airlines were cheaper at this point in time.

 

We are still looking into another cruise using the same booking number. I hope I'm not sounding dense here.

 

Thanks for your help.

Carol

[cruisenfever]

Patti: The paper I received when I did the next cruise states under traveling with booking numbers :

 

This booking is applicable up to three years from the booking date listed at the top of this confirmation.

Since we have a booking number and a cruise booked we would have to cancel that cruise and book another and have up to 3 years to do it correct which would be 2010.

 

My TA hasn't given us an invoice because we are waiting for airfares. I checked on RCI (all the steps of booking cruise on line) the air was $1698 for both which the airlines were cheaper at this point in time.

 

We are still looking into another cruise using the same booking number. I hope I'm not sounding dense here.

 

Thanks for your help.

Carol

Carol.......nobody sounds dense around here.:) It seems that the NC program is constantly changing...........sometimes it depends on what ship you are on...........what LA you talk with..............what RCI rep you talk with over the phone. Nobody seems to be on the same page.........and it's very frustrating.

 

I know that NC bookings are good forever...........there is no expiration date. However, with that being said...........it is possible that once you change your NC into a specific booking with ship/itinerary/sailing date.........then it looks like you do have an expiration date.

[Sea and Me]

Patti: That is what I thought too. Once that booking # changes into an actual booking then the time frame is 3 years. As I said we are going to change it, it is just trying to figure out where to go and when. Such decisions!!:D

 

Thanks again:)

 

Carol

[milford_cruiser]

My question is in regards to Cruisetours. We are looking to go on an 11-night Alaska cruisetour in the summer of 2010. I am considering setting up a NextCruise while onboard the Navigator in February 2009.

 

Now the question: when I book the cruisetour, I'm looking at 4 nights on land and then 7 nights onboard Radiance. Is the NextCruise OBC calculated only based on the 7-night cruise portion ($100 OBC) or on the total RCI trip of 11 nights ($200 OBC)?

 

I'll probably still do it, since as a lowly Gold member the return in OBC is better than I get on coupon savings, but I'm curious what I should be expecting. We're also likely to be bringing Grandmothers on the Alaska cruise so I could bring them Friends & Family certificates to spread the joy!

[cruisenfever]

My question is in regards to Cruisetours. We are looking to go on an 11-night Alaska cruisetour in the summer of 2010. I am considering setting up a NextCruise while onboard the Navigator in February 2009.

 

Now the question: when I book the cruisetour, I'm looking at 4 nights on land and then 7 nights onboard Radiance. Is the NextCruise OBC calculated only based on the 7-night cruise portion ($100 OBC) or on the total RCI trip of 11 nights ($200 OBC)?

 

I'll probably still do it, since as a lowly Gold member the return in OBC is better than I get on coupon savings, but I'm curious what I should be expecting. We're also likely to be bringing Grandmothers on the Alaska cruise so I could bring them Friends & Family certificates to spread the joy!

The OBC is only based on the cruise portion. But, if you book a 5 day land tour you would earn an extra cruise credit because combined with a 7 day cruise that would equal 12 nights....................and 12 nights gets you 2 cruise credits upon completion. You'll get to Platinum level quicker.

 

Yes, when you do your NC booking...........definitely ask for the Certificates for F&F. Grandmothers are the best...........aren't they?:)

[milford_cruiser]

The OBC is only based on the cruise portion. But, if you book a 5 day land tour you would earn an extra cruise credit because combined with a 7 day cruise that would equal 12 nights....................and 12 nights gets you 2 cruise credits upon completion. You'll get to Platinum level quicker.

 

Thanks for the quick answer, Patti. Actually the Alaska trip will make us Platinum no matter what - We did the Royal Family Suite this February on Adventure (6 people in the suite, but 2 credits!) and will be in a JS on Navigator (2 more! Credits, not people...).

 

Yes, when you do your NC booking...........definitely ask for the Certificates for F&F. Grandmothers are the best...........aren't they?:)

 

Absolutely - MY grandmother is the best... So was DW's! My kids' grandmothers? Well, let's not go there :rolleyes: . (Kidding...)

[lovelife]

FYI - When I booked a recent Bermuda cruise during the July 4 sale, I was not allowed to use my NC booking. I called three different RCCL people and they all said no because it was a special sale.

[dmbfiredancer03]

Just to make sure I read some stuff right -

 

If I were to convert my NextCruise to an actual cruise tomorrow, would I have to put money towards it immediately? Minus the $200 I have already put down? ($100 per head)

What is the deposit for a 7 night cruise?

:confused:

[cruizinmimi]

Just to make sure I read some stuff right -

 

If I were to convert my NextCruise to an actual cruise tomorrow, would I have to put money towards it immediately? Minus the $200 I have already put down? ($100 per head)

What is the deposit for a 7 night cruise?

:confused:

 

Yes, you would have to pay the remainder of the deposit. For a 7 night cruise, it is $250 pp. So you would owe an additional $300 tomorrow if you booked a 7 night cruise using your NC.

[dmbfiredancer03]

Yes, you would have to pay the remainder of the deposit. For a 7 night cruise, it is $250 pp. So you would owe an additional $300 tomorrow if you booked a 7 night cruise using your NC.

 

Thank you!

[WM219]

Gotta love the inconsistencies.... We were told by the LA on Liberty last month that the advantage to adding 2 names to the NC reservation was that it would secure us the OBC amount per person. ($100 per person on the NextCruise booking which would have given us a $200 stateroom total because we paid $200 onboard for the NC) Also, I had never heard that you could not combine the NC offer with any C&A savings certificates. Our TA asked for the certs when we booked, so undoubtedly we'll hear back from her that we can't combine the two.

 

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Will

[emmy]

Gotta love the inconsistencies.... We were told by the LA on Liberty last month that the advantage to adding 2 names to the NC reservation was that it would secure us the OBC amount per person. ($100 per person on the NextCruise booking which would have given us a $200 stateroom total because we paid $200 onboard for the NC) Also, I had never heard that you could not combine the NC offer with any C&A savings certificates. Our TA asked for the certs when we booked, so undoubtedly we'll hear back from her that we can't combine the two.

 

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Will

 

 

OH BOY re the Liberty LA..heading for Liberty next Saturday and plan on booking a sailing for Oasis and a NC... wonder what kind of stories I will hear:D Fortunately I have done a ton of reading on this subject so should be interesting the conversation we might have.

[monn_a]

Just an FYI - I booked a cruise last week that did have a savings certificate of $150. I asked the RC agent if I could use a Next Cruise with the savings certificate, and the agent said yes. Both were applied. Maybe I was just lucky.:rolleyes:

 

 

I too booked a cruise using my Next Cruise booking and a certificate and it was allowed. If you're only using the Next cruise benefit you can book it online, it's an option on the payment page. You can put the code of the letter in the option code spot and select next cruise booking from the drop down list. If, however you're apply another certificate and want the C & A discount you have to call to have those added. Just depends on how you want to do it.

[cruisenfever]

Gotta love the inconsistencies.... We were told by the LA on Liberty last month that the advantage to adding 2 names to the NC reservation was that it would secure us the OBC amount per person. ($100 per person on the NextCruise booking which would have given us a $200 stateroom total because we paid $200 onboard for the NC) Also, I had never heard that you could not combine the NC offer with any C&A savings certificates. Our TA asked for the certs when we booked, so undoubtedly we'll hear back from her that we can't combine the two.

 

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Will

Hi Will, so sorry that the LA gave you such back information. The OBC is determined by length of cruise and is per cabin and not per person.

 

$ 50 for sailings of 3-5 nights

$100 for sailings of 6-9 nights

$200 for sailings of 10+ nights

 

According to C&A, as of July 31, 2008, they were not going to allow the coupons if you had an OBC attached to your reservation. It was one offer (which is an OBC for booking a cruise while on board, whether it is a NC or a specific cruise) or $$$ off C&A coupon.

 

However, with all the various changes going on..............I have no idea if one can use a C&A coupon anymore.:o