RCCL Stock question

[Nodakboiler]

I just recently bought RCCL stock and then sent in via email a request for OBC. I did get a confirmation email for my cruise that it will be credited to my account. Do I need any follow-up documentation or shall I just assume that it will be taken care of? Thanks.

[B&J1]

I took a copy of the email with me last week but didn't need it. When I checked my Seapass acct. on the TV the credit wasn't there, so I called guest services & they verified that I was indeed due the credit but that it typically takes a few days into the cruise before it appears on my acct. :)

[Nodakboiler]

Thanks. I will bring my email with me.

[Janet524]

I always take a copy of the confirmation along with me AND I'll call about a week before the cruise to make sure the OBC is noted in my reservation record. About the third day out I also check with Guest Relations to make sure it's there.

[Clarea]

Ask whoever booked your cruise (TA or RCI as appropriate) for the Guest Copy of your invoice. You should see a line item on the invoice similar to this: SB02-$50 PP OBC. This is an example for a 5 day cruise. Yours will look slightly different if your cruise is over 5 days.

 

Also, this entry will not show up on the invoice from the TA. You need the RCI invoice. I've had TA's that were reluctant to provide the RCI Guest Copy of the invoice, but eventually did after I insisted. One supposedly knowledgable TA (agency owner no less) in the Miami area insisted that Royal does not give shareholder benefit OBC's anymore, so there was no need to see the invoice. Needless to say I don't use that agency anymore.

[dutchess43]

I always bring my comfirmation from RCCL saying I am to receive the OBC, my guest copy confirmation from RCCL as well. I have never had a problem. I find by day 2 or 3 the OBC is posted.

[Bruton Branch]

As others have stated take your confirmation e-mail and you will need to wait ( 2 days) to see it posted to your account. If you do not see it posted by the third day - speak up be polite and firm and take names and dates. Sometimes things really do happen and it takes extra time for OBC to be entered into the system .

 

Have a great cruise and enjoy your OBC.

 

Bruton Branch

[glo1196]

So how much RCI stock do you need to buy to get the discount?

[xpcdoojk]

100 shares, and it is not a discount it is on board credit. Known here as OBC.

 

jc

[cruisenfever]

For owning 100 shares of RCI stock the OBC is as follows............

 

$ 50 for sailings of 5 nights or less

$100 for sailings of 6-8 nights

$200 for sailings of 9-13 nights

$250 for sailings of 14+ nights

[mikeerdas]

To anyone savvy with stock picking, what is the outlook for Royal Caribbean as an investment--let's presume the OBC didn't exist or was discontinued. How does it compare to Carnival stock, and will the industry be able to thrive and survive in light of what could only be meteoric rises in fuel?

 

Wonder if a cruise ship could be powered by liquid hydrogren produced by renewable energy sources like wind and solar. If the fuel problem isn't solved, my guess is that the industry will either shrink or begin catering exclusively to wealthy cruisers--who can well afford whatever fuel surcharges are thrown their way.

 

Or, like air travel, I suppose I could imagine free dining disappear completely.

 

What about stocks that provide services to all or most of the cruise lines? Would those be a better bet? Or any up-and-coming cruise lines that offer stock?

[xpcdoojk]

Carnival and RCI (both of which I own) have sucked for the last year or so. Fuel expenses and overall stock market down have been difficult for the cruiselines. Carnival has fared a bit better than RCI. Both are doing much better than the airlines. Buying stock is always a crap shoot. Win some lose some. I bet both corporations are around a decade from now, and both will hit new highs and lows during that time.:D

 

OBC is nice perk though.;)

 

jc

[MellyBell]

Thanks for the info. I have been looking for it.

[mikeerdas]

Can the shareholder OBC be combined with whatever OBC you can finagle from a TA?

[pmshirl]

Yes the shareholder Credit can be combined with ANY other OBC or C&A Benefit you earn!

[mikeerdas]

Thanks pmshirl! Don't know if I'm going to buy, but wish I'd done so several months ago when there was a huge price drop.

 

Hmmm... wondering something... what about purchasing the shares inside of an IRA? Is that doable / advisable / desirable?

 

I'm with Vanguard and they seem very conservative and finicky about what they'll let you do. If I could simply transfer enough out of one of my index funds into Royal shares, but that be nice.

 

I've also got a 401(k) at work with Prudential. Maybe they're less restrictive than Vanguard.

 

Would love to hear in what context people have purchased the shares. And did you purchase primarily because of the OBC, or because you think it's a viable long-term, buy-and-hold keeper due to financials and projected growth?

 

I'm not very stock savvy and prefer mutual funds / index funds, as they distribute the risk. Got burned, like so many others, on tech stocks ~2000 - 2002.

[silentbob007]

I think you have to be careful buying stock simply for OBC. Obviously with gas prices, the stock has been taking a hit, though it is higher than it has been in the past few months. The stockholder perk is something I believe that has to be approved each year by the board, so there's always a chance that the program will be ended as a part of cost-cutting measures.

[mikeerdas]

> I think you have to be careful buying stock simply for OBC. Obviously with

> gas prices, the stock has been taking a hit, though it is higher than it has

> been in the past few months. The stockholder perk is something I believe

> that has to be approved each year by the board, so there's always a

> chance that the program will be ended as a part of cost-cutting measures.

 

Excellent point silentbob. That's one reason I'm asking about the long-term growth / value prospects of the stock. Exactly as you said, it seems silly to buy a stock just for the perks. So I'm simply assuming the OBC doesn't exist, or could be cut-off in the future. Sometimes buying low is a good deal; sometimes a low stock price / PE Ratio simply means a virtual death knell.

 

But still... it's the board decides about the OBC perk and not the shareholders? Shareholders wouldn't receive a proxy vote form for something like this?

 

Also, can the OBC by used on either Princess or Celebrity; can't remember which, but I know that both RCL and Carnival own some higher-tier cruise lines. It's like Toyoya and Honda--I can never remember which luxury car companies those two own. Lexus and something else...

 

Wondering if the ultra-luxury liners--Seabourne? Crystal? etc--offer stock. If so, maybe they're a better bet than Carnival or Royal stock.

 

Because my guess is that, if fuel prices continue their steady rise--they have to, really; "drill baby drill" in the US probably isn't going to do much to influence world oil prices. Like you said, this will hurt the cruise lines unless they can re-tool their ships to run on liquid hydrogren (inexpensively generated, given the right technology and distribution network, via solar or wind).

 

Thanks.

[dbub]

Here is the RCI shareholder benefit page (that includes their other lines):

http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/10/103045/Cruise%20Discount%20%20Letter%20FINAL.pdf

 

And Carnival's:

http://library.corporate-ir.net/library/14/140/140690/items/287713/Carn_Benefit.pdf

 

No knowledge of any other line at this time with benefits.

[Gonzo70]

> I

Also, can the OBC by used on either Princess or Celebrity; can't remember which, but I know that both RCL and Carnival own some higher-tier cruise lines. It's like Toyoya and Honda--I can never remember which luxury car companies those two own. Lexus and something else...

 

Thanks.

 

RCL owns Celebrity, Azamara, and Pullmantur. The OBC is good on all Royal Caribbean ships, all Celebrity ships, and all Azamara ships with the exception of not being good with Celebrity Xpedition (Galapagos Islands). The OBC is combinable with most but not all other OBC's (occasionally Royal Caribbean announce special deals and exclude combining the deal with shareholder OBC in the fine print).

[dforeigner]

I just recently bought RCCL stock and then sent in via email a request for OBC. I did get a confirmation email for my cruise that it will be credited to my account. Do I need any follow-up documentation or shall I just assume that it will be taken care of? Thanks.

 

Thou shall never assume. It is always a good idea to bring a copy of the documentation in case of any SNAFUs.

[xpcdoojk]

Thanks pmshirl! Don't know if I'm going to buy, but wish I'd done so several months ago when there was a huge price drop.

 

Hmmm... wondering something... what about purchasing the shares inside of an IRA? Is that doable / advisable / desirable?

 

I'm with Vanguard and they seem very conservative and finicky about what they'll let you do. If I could simply transfer enough out of one of my index funds into Royal shares, but that be nice.

 

I've also got a 401(k) at work with Prudential. Maybe they're less restrictive than Vanguard.

 

Would love to hear in what context people have purchased the shares. And did you purchase primarily because of the OBC, or because you think it's a viable long-term, buy-and-hold keeper due to financials and projected growth?

 

I'm not very stock savvy and prefer mutual funds / index funds, as they distribute the risk. Got burned, like so many others, on tech stocks ~2000 - 2002.

 

My wife's RCI stock is in an IRA, and my CCL stock is in an IRA. RCI and CCL do not care.

 

jc

[dgcruises]

Thanks pmshirl! Don't know if I'm going to buy, but wish I'd done so several months ago when there was a huge price drop.

 

Hmmm... wondering something... what about purchasing the shares inside of an IRA? Is that doable / advisable / desirable?

 

I'm with Vanguard and they seem very conservative and finicky about what they'll let you do. If I could simply transfer enough out of one of my index funds into Royal shares, but that be nice.

 

I've also got a 401(k) at work with Prudential. Maybe they're less restrictive than Vanguard.

 

Would love to hear in what context people have purchased the shares. And did you purchase primarily because of the OBC, or because you think it's a viable long-term, buy-and-hold keeper due to financials and projected growth?

 

I'm not very stock savvy and prefer mutual funds / index funds, as they distribute the risk. Got burned, like so many others, on tech stocks ~2000 - 2002.

 

Not sure how conversant you are with investments but if you deal with low cost broker ($10.00 trade say) you might consider the approach I took.

 

Bought 100 shares and sold a Dec $25. call and intend to sell come Dec as I have no interest in RCL as an investment although it might do quite well if oil continues down.

 

This is what you could do at present stock price which was about $27.50 at Friday close.

 

Purchase 100 shs cost $2760 incl brokerage.

Sell 1 December $25.00 call receive $470.00 after brokerage.

Net cost of shares $2290. or $22.90 per share cost basis.

 

If stock is lower than $22.90 on Dec 19th then you will be in a loss position If stock is above $25.00 Dec 19th the holder of the call will oblige you to sell your shares at $25.00 and you will have received in total $2970. and will have a profit of about $200. In addition you will have the $200 OBC and possibly a $15.00 dividend

 

You have to assess your comfort level.

[rencity]

sorry I hate to say it but..$50 OBC isnt really worth RCL stock. Considering how much it goes up and down and there is no real draw to this stock, I think ill just save room in my portfolio for something else.

 

If you really want the $50 lay down the 2700 on some roulette.

 

just my .02c of cruise critic forum credit.

[mikepmcm]

I just recently bought RCCL stock and then sent in via email a request for OBC. I did get a confirmation email for my cruise that it will be credited to my account. Do I need any follow-up documentation or shall I just assume that it will be taken care of? Thanks.

 

Did you also send a copy of your stock proxy or statement? (they need some sort of proof other than your word on your email)

 

"A photocopy of your shareholder proxy card or a current brokerage statement

showing proof of ownership of at least 100 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd."

 

I did receive confirmation from RCCL on my OBC.