Stock Obc Not Combinable Anymore

[DON M.]

This was posted by critterchick:

 

Here's the link to a thread from April, when somebody kindly cut and pasted the language. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...ht=shareholder

 

And here's what that person posted (see item 6):

 

Who is eligible for this offer?Any shareholder holding a minimum of 100 RCL shares at time of sailing.

2.What is the offer?$250 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 14 or more nights.

$200 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 9 to 13 nights.

$100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 6 to 8 nights.

$50 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 5 nights or less.

Applicable on any Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises or Azamara Cruises Sailings. (excludes Celebrity Xpeditions)

 

3.How do I redeem this offer?Provide your name, address, confirmation number, ship and sailing date along with a copy of your shareholder proxy card or a current brokerage statement showing proof of share ownership in Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.

Via Mail: RCL Investor Benefit, PO Box 025511, Miami, Florida 33102-5511

Via Fax: 1-305-373-6699

Via Email: shareholderbenefit@rccl.com

 

Can I use the offer each time I sail?Yes, you may request this offer multiple times-as often as you sail on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises or Azamara Cruises (excludes Celebrity Xpedition).

6. Can this offer be combined with other offers, onboard credits and coupons?Yes, this offer is combinable with other offers, onboard credits and coupons. The offer is NOT available to company employees, travel agents, tour conductors and/or others utilizing complimentary or reduced-rate cruise fares.

 

I'd say that's a radical change...

 

Thank you for that information.

[Gonzo70]

Well, I hope we cruise together some day and I’ll use my stock OBC to buy you a drink, so see they will be getting it back:)

 

Sounds good to me!

 

Cheers. :)

[Gonzo70]

If the old policy said it is combinable, I stand corrected. Would love to see a copy of that old policy or the post you are referring to.

 

Let me see if I can find the post where it was quoted and if I find it I shall edit this and add a link.\

 

Edit: I see Ms. Dirt Girl beat me to it; Thanks. :)

[walcherw]

OBC and SHC are 2 different credits. AND the credits DO matter. Do you really think that I have to go on the Mariner instead of the Ruby ? They go to the same ports, serve the same food, have the same small rooms, have great service. WHAT is the difference ? Ship layout, price, and perks. Prices vary a LOT on all the lines , ship layouts are mostly very good so the only difference for me to pick one line is the PERKS. It is why I try to get to a diamond or elite level. Its just me but its my thinking about it.

[Liz]

Here are links to the Investor Relations page, with all of the details:

 

Investor Relations main page, with a link to a pdf of the Shareholder letter (about halfway down the page):

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-IRHome

 

Shareholder Benefit FAQ's:

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-shareholderbenefit

 

Liz

[rt1092]

I read the updated version but it seems to me that the only times they are not combinable is with the "WOW" bookings, charters, group bookings, or free cruises.

I sent my info in last week and they accepted it. I have obc for booking on board, plus obc for shareholder credits, plus got the diamond balcony discount.

For years the shareholder credit page said the offer was only good on bookings before a certain date but that never was a problem.

[Bobocasey]

The main reason we stayed with X and RCL was the perks of using both the on board booking credit and the stock obc since someone has decided it cause too much to retain the program you can be sure that we will be looking at other lines. What is the incentive to stay loyal !!!!! Especially since X and RCL haven't change some of the itineraries in years!!!! I would rather go new places than just the same old islands. Price of other cruise lines will now be competive with X and RCl. I know that X and RCL won't miss my business but I think the bean counter who came up with this bright ideas should be thrown overboard!!!!!!!!! Or let's look at how much his perks and benefits are tied to X and RCL stocks is he expecting a bail out of 700 billion too!!!!!!!!

[walcherw]

The main reason we stayed with X and RCL was the perks of using both the on board booking credit and the stock obc since someone has decided it cause too much to retain the program you can be sure that we will be looking at other lines. What is the incentive to stay loyal !!!!! Especially since X and RCL haven't change some of the itineraries in years!!!! I would rather go new places than just the same old islands. Price of other cruise lines will now be competive with X and RCl. I know that X and RCL won't miss my business but I think the bean counter who came up with this bright ideas should be thrown overboard!!!!!!!!! Or let's look at how much his perks and benefits are tied to X and RCL stocks is he expecting a bail out of 700 billion too!!!!!!!!

RIGHT ON

[Gonzo70]

I read the updated version but it seems to me that the only times they are not combinable is with the "WOW" bookings, charters, group bookings, or free cruises.

I sent my info in last week and they accepted it. I have obc for booking on board, plus obc for shareholder credits, plus got the diamond balcony discount.

 

:confused:

 

Either you read the old policy or you didn't do a very good job reading:

 

"Shareholder benefits onboard credit is not combinable with other onboard credit offers, general loyalty offers, 'dollars off' promotions and savings certificates. Guests have the option to choose between the shareholder benefit or the other offer."

 

I'd say that is rather clear that once they begin to enforce the new policy you will no longer be able to combine Shareholder OBC, OBC for booking on board and Diamond Balcony discounts, you will only be able to pick one these three discounts per cruise.

[Gonzo70]

What is the incentive to stay loyal !!!!!

 

Cruising with the same line solely because they provide the most discounts and then trashing them and avoiding them when they limit you to one discount per cruise does not constitute being "loyal." You were simply being a fair weather friend and trying to squeeze out of them whatever you could.

[walcherw]

Cruising with the same line solely because they provide the most discounts and then trashing them and avoiding them when they limit you to one discount per cruise does not constitute being "loyal." You were simply being a fair weather friend and trying to squeeze out of them whatever you could.

They are not our "team" . We cruise for our benefit. the only...ONLY... reason they give benefits is to get us to cruise with them. They want our $...... Income vs. outgo If its a plus for them they keep doing it. There is a lots of basic econ in what they do and what we do because of it. Why do you cruise with whatever line you do? The pretty color of the carpet? THINK about it.

[FL_Cruiser64]

They are not our "team" . We cruise for our benefit. the only...ONLY... reason they give benefits is to get us to cruise with them. They want our $...... Income vs. outgo If its a plus for them they keep doing it. There is a lots of basic econ in what they do and what we do because of it. Why do you cruise with whatever line you do? The pretty color of the carpet? THINK about it.

 

I cruise for my benefit but I choose the cruise line for ships and service and itineraries. In that order.

 

But I like your thinking. It will give me a lot more room and maybe RCI comes back to its senses that it was not a good idea in the first place to enter the race in the mass market - to many suckers out there. For the suckers we have now Oasis and there is always Carnival and Princess and HAL....

[bilyclub]

Cruising with the same line solely because they provide the most discounts and then trashing them and avoiding them when they limit you to one discount per cruise does not constitute being "loyal." You were simply being a fair weather friend and trying to squeeze out of them whatever you could.

 

 

They were the ones telling us to stick with their company and we would be rewarded with shareholder credit, diamond/plat discount. They are now squeezing us because times are tough. Why shouldn't we shop around.

[Jeka]

:confused:

 

Either you read the old policy or you didn't do a very good job reading

 

Nice!!??

[Gonzo70]

They are not our "team" . We cruise for our benefit. the only...ONLY... reason they give benefits is to get us to cruise with them. They want our $...... Income vs. outgo If its a plus for them they keep doing it. There is a lots of basic econ in what they do and what we do because of it. Why do you cruise with whatever line you do? The pretty color of the carpet? THINK about it.

 

I do not have a cruise line of choice. It depends on several factors - price, itinerary, niceness of the ship, whether I am looking for a quiet relaxing experience versus a more active one etc. I have never claimed to be "Loyal" to Royal Caribbean unlike the person who my post that you responded to was about. If Royal Caribbean begins to enforce the new policy it will have minimal (if any) impact on my future cruising decisions.

[Gonzo70]

They were the ones telling us to stick with their company and we would be rewarded with shareholder credit, diamond/plat discount. They are now squeezing us because times are tough. Why shouldn't we shop around.

 

I never said not to shop around. I simply said that one can't claim to have been "loyal" to the cruise line and suddenly start trashing them and say they are no longer sailing with them because of this relatively minor change. That is not loyalty.

[NewarkCC]

I never said not to shop around. I simply said that one can't claim to have been "loyal" to the cruise line and suddenly start trashing them and say they are no longer sailing with them because of this relatively minor change. That is not loyalty.

 

Thats a fair statement.

 

So is the statement that RCI is hardly being "loyal" to their repeat cruisers...cancelling ports because of fuel costs AFTER the cruises were booked, changing the stock OBC quietly and without publicity, AND all of the other things that people are concerned about on these boards.

 

I've cruised exclusively on RCI because they didn't used to do those things. They appeared to be concerned about their repeat business. But now the market has adjusted and they've suddenly started making changes that make their product less desireable to some - personally I'm still on the fence about my future on RCI.

 

Usually after such a statement on these boards the sentiment becomes that RCI is entitled to do these things because of the economy, demand and business practices. Okay. Not a problem, but the same standard should be afforded to the consumer as well. So if they, like me, have been exclusive (aka "Loyal") to RCI in the past, they have the priviledge to decide how their money is spent...just like RCI does.

[dirtgirl]

So, in just the last few months, RC has made several changes to its loyalty program which add up to quite a cash chunk:

 

• removal of Aeroplan rewards (Air Canada rewards program). They started this around the end of '05, offering 200 points per night. For a 7 day cruise, I would estimate this to be worth roughly $50. This program was discontinued in June/July with 24 hours notice. I joined the Aeroplan program because of this perk.
  
• no longer being able to get a savings certificate in combination with a Next Cruise. For a 7 day cruise, this represented a loss of $100 or $150, depending on which perk you pick. This has already affected me - I couldn't get the $150 off one of my cruises.
  
• no longer being able to use the shareholder's OBC with any other offer and benefit (enforcement date unknown).

I'm not going to go into chocolates on the pillow or $14.95 steaks...:p

 

Soooooo the way I look at it, the savings that I used to enjoy are mostly gone, to the tune of $250-300 per 7 day cruise (if a certificate was available). I don't find these changes minor, when you start adding them up. RC offered these things to provide past cruisers with the added incentive to book with them over the competition.

 

All we can do is sit back and say, "What next?" I enjoy sailing on RC - it is my favourite cruiseline, and I will continue to cruise with them. That said, I have less of a problem now trying out the competition. RC has the right to eliminate rewards programs, but they may be biting off their nose to spite their face. As said by NewarkCC, I have the privilege of deciding how to spend my money.;)

[Bobocasey]

I agree with dirtgirl. I have the right to decide where to spend my momey and with whom. I just felt that RCL stock obc with other obc made them look a more appealing. Now that that is gone I will definitely shop around for the best price if all things are equal .

[My2Kitties]

when I called to get my Visa certs applied i was told I could not use my shareholders credit because we are getting credit for booking on board...I wrote and was told I could not use the shareholders with my special booking...we had already mailed in the form so I am going to try and get more info this week...I will go all the way to the top on this...I booked last year and now that i am getting close to sail date and applying my credits they are going to change the rules...NOT FAIR! we should be godfathered!

I will let you all know how it goes....but I am very angry at RCCL

[grandsix]

when I called to get my Visa certs applied i was told I could not use my shareholders credit because we are getting credit for booking on board...I wrote and was told I could not use the shareholders with my special booking...we had already mailed in the form so I am going to try and get more info this week...I will go all the way to the top on this...I booked last year and now that i am getting close to sail date and applying my credits they are going to change the rules...NOT FAIR! we should be godfathered!

I will let you all know how it goes....but I am very angry at RCCL

 

If the facts are correct, WE TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU..

 

Some of our good neighbor Cruise Critic members will say you are making an issue over a minor change and you are trashing the line. They are hopelessly wrong. The large majority of people will feel like you do.

[Gonzo70]

when I called to get my Visa certs applied i was told I could not use my shareholders credit because we are getting credit for booking on board...I wrote and was told I could not use the shareholders with my special booking...we had already mailed in the form so I am going to try and get more info this week...I will go all the way to the top on this...I booked last year and now that i am getting close to sail date and applying my credits they are going to change the rules...NOT FAIR! we should be godfathered!

I will let you all know how it goes....but I am very angry at RCCL

 

Did you just apply for the Shareholder OBC, or did you have it confirmed some time ago? If you had it confirmed prior to the change in the policy I agree that they should grandfather (godfather) you in.

[TravelerThom]

...For years the shareholder credit page said the offer was only good on bookings before a certain date but that never was a problem.

This was a statement by the Company that allowed them to discontinue the program after that date. For quite a number of years they had renewed the program as it had been. This year is the first year that they have made significant changes in the program. BTW I am merely trying to state what I think are the facts.

 

RCI does what it thinks is best for its business. I do what I think is best for me. I have been reasonably "Loyal to Royal" [and its sister line Celebrity] because I felt as a repeat [Diamond/Elite] customer I was getting a good deal. This new policy eliminates some of the good deal, and I certainly will be looking closer at offers on other lines.

[My2Kitties]

I just applied because I just made final payment...I don't give them my money more than a month before final payment is due...that is how we always did things...but this is the first year we are taking the shareholders credit...we only had 75 shares prior to June...

[Gonzo70]

I just applied because I just made final payment...I don't give them my money more than a month before final payment is due...that is how we always did things...but this is the first year we are taking the shareholders credit...we only had 75 shares prior to June...

 

For future FYI, you do not have to wait until you have made final payment to apply for shareholder OBC. All you need is to have a deposit down.

 

Sorry you missed out on the OBC. IMHO if you applied for the OBC after they changed the policy (which from what you are now saying appears to be the case) I would not expect them to grandfather you in.