shareholder benefits question

[jakenashleysmom]

Does anyone know what would happen if I applied my shareholder benefits to my upcoming cruise, and then sold my shares? Has anyone ever done this, and what happened? Will I be able to apply them so far in advance in the first place? (cruising 9/25/08)

 

thank you

[ssapiers]

I beleive that if you have the shares at the time the OBC is credited you'd be o.k. You coould wait until after the cruise to sell if you only have the shares for the credit.

 

Bill

[debshomespun]

It clearly states that in order to receive the OBC for the shareholder benefit, you must own the stock WHEN YOU CRUISE. If they check, and you have sold your shares, they can deny you the OBC. The decision is yours.

 

From the RCL stockholder website:

 

8. Are there any restrictions?

Offer is non-transferable and not available to employees, or agents of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. or its subsidiaries and affiliates, travel agents and tour operators. Offer is not combinable with any special fare programs, including, but not limited to, staterooms purchased with tour conductor credits, interline rates, complimentary cruises or cruises onboard chartered sailings. The Shareholder must own the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. stock at time of sailing. Onboard credit is calculated in US dollars except on sailings where the onboard currency used is a foreign currency (in which case the onboard credit will be converted at a currency exchange rate determined by the cruise line) and is not redeemable for cash. Certificate value credited to onboard account at time of sailing. Any unused credit shall be forfeited. Credit is applied on a per stateroom basis; double occupancy. Single guests paying 200% of applicable fare shall receive full value of certificate. Only one shareholder credit per stateroom. Only one credit per shareholder on any one sailing. Other terms and conditions may apply.

[jakenashleysmom]

We're just weighing the odds weather the $50 is worth it or not. We'd lose more than that if the stock took a nose dive, so I may try and have the credits applied and just see what happens. If the stock isn't doing well, its not worth $50 obc to keep it. My question was if anyone ever had that happen, and how did they (royal caribbean) go about it? Also can I have the credits applied so far in advance.

[BILL-WI]

We're just weighing the odds weather the $50 is worth it or not. We'd lose more than that if the stock took a nose dive, so I may try and have the credits applied and just see what happens. If the stock isn't doing well, its not worth $50 obc to keep it. My question was if anyone ever had that happen, and how did they (royal caribbean) go about it? Also can I have the credits applied so far in advance.

 

Bonnie...

 

If you are buying the stock just for the OBC...do not do it. The stock could go up or down over the $50.00 you are trying to save, before you have a chance to sell it.

 

There are much better ways to have an extra $50.00 OBC than to put over $3,200 at risk!

 

Just my opinion, for whatever it is worth....

 

BILL

[rubrrick]

RCL stock will do alright over the long haul. It's a little below what I paid for it a few years ago, but in that amount of time, we have enjoyed close to $2,500 in OBC credits, with another $250.00 coming up in the next two cruises. We consider the OBCs great dividends!!:)

 

Rick

[jakenashleysmom]

I already own the stock, and have already enjoyed benefits in the form of OBC. It has been worth it. Will it still be worth it if I don't have any cruises planned on RCCL for a couple of years, probably not. Thus the reason we may decide to sell.

 

Just thought I'd get my last $50 out of it before I unload it, if I decided to.

[TravelerThom]

Does anyone know what would happen if I applied my shareholder benefits to my upcoming cruise, and then sold my shares? Has anyone ever done this, and what happened? Will I be able to apply them so far in advance in the first place? (cruising 9/25/08)

I will give a straight answer and not attempt to address ethical issues. I have gotten confirmed Shareholder OBCs almost a year ahead of time [i had made several reservations, that was the furtherest out]. Most stock is owned in "Street Name" [it is registered to the Broker, and you are the Beneficial Owner, but not the owner of record] and RCCL does not know who the Beneficial Owner is [that is why you have to send in a Brokerage Statement, showing that you are the Beneficial Owner].

[cruisinfanatic]

RCL stock will do alright over the long haul. It's a little below what I paid for it a few years ago, but in that amount of time, we have enjoyed close to $2,500 in OBC credits, with another $250.00 coming up in the next two cruises. We consider the OBCs great dividends!!:)

 

Rick

Did you read what you just wrote? Seems you've had it for the long haul and aside from the on board credit you've received, you've lost on the stock.

[jakenashleysmom]

Thanks for answering my question. I truly was just curious, $50 is not really worth keeping a stock that is losing money so I wasn't sure what to do. I think I'll go ahead and get the OBC applied to my cruise, and see what happens. I wasn't attempting to be dishonest;) , just wondered if they would "take it off the top" or something.

 

Cruisinfanatic: maybe rubrrick didn't lose more than the $2750 he has earned? Just a thought.:)

[pmfan]

When do you usually submit your statement for the OBC? 3 months, 6 months, or 9 months prior to sailing?

[gramtofive]

pmfan,

We had two cruises booked by June of last year. One for October '07 and one for September '08. We sent in the info before the first cruise and got a confirmation of our OBC for both cruises.

[Gonzo70]

When do you usually submit your statement for the OBC? 3 months, 6 months, or 9 months prior to sailing?

 

I send it out right after plunking down a deposit on a cruise. I have done it 11 months in advance and it was applied within hours.

[debshomespun]

Once you send your statement to RC about stock ownership, how do you tell if they have applied the OBC? I have booked with a TA, not RC. I faxed my ownership to RC shareholder benefit, and requested they send me an email for verification, and have not yet received an answer. About how long does it take?

[cruisnpat]

I usually have mine applied 3 months prier to my cruise but then if I have another one booked within 9-12 months I will have it applied at the same time. 1 fax instead of 2.

[critterchick]

First of all, IMHO the ONLY reason one should buy a stock is if it represents a good value for the long term. These days it's hard to know what to sell, so we are holding on to the stock in the hopes that it will recover long term.

 

At the time we purchased RCCL, it reasonably well-regarded by the various gurus we consult. We didn't buy for the shareholder credit, but we're holding on in part for that reason. We had been able to obtain the OBC for three years, and that tax-free dividend has smoothed out the rollercoaster ride. If, however, the loss on the stock outstrips the OBC benefits and we start sailing outside the RCI family, then we'll look harder at selling the stock.

 

As for owning the stock at the time of your cruise, the only way I can see them checking is if the credit doesn't appear on your account and you ask for it. Even then they would probably just look to see what proof you submitted at the time you made the request, so it's a good idea to take that confirmation with you. I scan in the page of my brokerage statement and email it to RCI. I get a reply back within 48 hours, print it out and bring it with me.

[rt1092]

Now is probably not the time to sell it's close to the 52 week low. If it goes down a bit more I'm going to buy another 100 shares. Then sell my others when it goes back up holding on to the cheaper ones.

We cruise about twice a year so the shareholder benefits are worth it for us. An untaxed perk.

[TravelerThom]

Once you send your statement to RC about stock ownership, how do you tell if they have applied the OBC? I have booked with a TA, not RC. I faxed my ownership to RC shareholder benefit, and requested they send me an email for verification, and have not yet received an answer. About how long does it take?

I have always scanned my documents and emailed those as an attachment to my email request for Stockholder OBCs. I have always gotten rapid confirmations [from maybe a day to less than 90 minutes!]. From comments I have read by others it seems that they a quite good about replying if you email the request, but not so good about replying if you applied by fax or snail mail. If you haven't heard in a week or so, I'd email them and request confirmation.

 

Thom