Stock Obc Not Combinable Anymore

[piercetc4]

princess - from my limited experience - wont honor price drops after f.p. now- makes me want to stay with rci! plus the loyalty program is better at rci - another thing keeping me loyal to royal- at this point.......

[critterchick]

princess - from my limited experience - wont honor price drops after f.p. now- makes me want to stay with rci! plus the loyalty program is better at rci - another thing keeping me loyal to royal- at this point.......

 

My limited experience with Princess (one cruise) was that they would (and did) honor a price drop. The only time I was unsuccessful was when I redeemed a time share for a cruise - that payment was final the day I booked. Won't be making that mistake again.

[grandsix]

I am not sure what you were disagreeing with in my post? :confused:

 

However you have an error in your comment above. All that matters is the overall results: Will this policy drive so many people away the RCL loses more money by people fleeing to other lines than they gain from people having less OBC at the start of their cruise. As you say "revenue is also generated once the guest in on board." If people accrue $500 OBC and up by combining various discounts, all or most of the money they spend on board is covered by the OBC. If they are limited to one type of OBC, most of the money they spend on board goes to RCL.

 

This move by RCL to limit the combination of OBCs/discounts is sure to increase revenue per passenger; the question is will they lose so many passengers that it negates the increased revenue per passenger? You seem to think the answer to this question would be yes. I think the answer will be no. Time will tell.

 

Ask anyone who has been in sales or marketing or owned their own company. Once you lose a good and loyal customer, it is VERY hard and sometimes impossible to get them back. Every major cruise line stresses service and food. RCL is great, but just read the other cruise line threads and you find loyal devotion. The bottom line is getting the guest on the ship and they will spend. OBC builds devotion. Let's not lose the RCL diehards.

[walcherw]

Looks like Princess has the best benefit package but you need 16 cruises.

[CruisinDawn]

This went into effect July 1, 2008.

I got both for my Oct 10th Monarch cruise? Haven't applied it to the March cruise, will be curious to see what happens. Denied, SELL It, not worth the dividend to hold.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[silentbob007]

I don't know if they will change their price-drop policy or not ... after all, almost all non-cruise critic folks I've talked to know nothing about being able to get a price drop ... they think they've paid and that's the end of it. Those that have honest and diligent TAs might be a different story, but on average, your CC regular is far more cruise-savvy than the average cruiser, IMO, and also makes up a very low percentage of cruiers.

[Gonzo70]

Ask anyone who has been in sales or marketing or owned their own company. Once you lose a good and loyal customer, it is VERY hard and sometimes impossible to get them back. Every major cruise line stresses service and food. RCL is great, but just read the other cruise line threads and you find loyal devotion. The bottom line is getting the guest on the ship and they will spend. OBC builds devotion. Let's not lose the RCL diehards.

 

I think they are reasoning that the type of person this is most likely to cause to switch to another line is the person pooling every type of discount available and then limiting their on board spending to approximately the amount of the OBC they managed to accrue. They actually lose money on such a passenger. So long as they are not struggling to fill their ships limiting the amount of free OBC they hand out helps their revenues. People who are truly loyal to Royal Caribbean are not likely to jump ship because they can no longer combine multiple discounts; they cruise Royal Caribbean because they like the overall product, not just the amount of money they can cut off the total cruise cost.

[Ocean Boy]

It seems that the change is that you can no longer combine your benefits with an offer. In the past you could combine all of your benefits (stockholder, platinum/diamond balcony discount) with one other "offer" such as a C&A savings certificate. Now it appears that you have a choice of any one benefit or offer.

 

One night I didn't have much to do so I faxed in my stockholder benefit for my upcoming March cruise. I was in no rush as I figured I had plenty of time. I guess it is a good thing that I got it in as I had also used a C&A savings certificate for the cruise. It looks like in the future it will be one or the other. Since most C&A certificates are good for more than $100.00 it appears that any cruise with a certificate will render the stockholder benefit unusable.

[critterchick]

It seems that the change is that you can no longer combine your benefits with an offer. In the past you could combine all of your benefits (stockholder, platinum/diamond balcony discount) with one other "offer" such as a C&A savings certificate. Now it appears that you have a choice of any one benefit or offer.

 

Actually, you used be able to combine everything you could throw at them.

 

One night I didn't have much to do so I faxed in my stockholder benefit for my upcoming March cruise. I was in no rush as I figured I had plenty of time. I guess it is a good thing that I got it in as I had also used a C&A savings certificate for the cruise. It looks like in the future it will be one or the other. Since most C&A certificates are good for more than $100.00 it appears that any cruise with a certificate will render the stockholder benefit unusable.

 

The largest savings certificate I recall seeing is $225, on some 12-night cruises. The shareholder OBC goes up to $250 on those cruises, so that would be worth a bottle of La Terrible wine...

[Ocean Boy]

Actually, you used be able to combine everything you could throw at them.

 

 

 

The largest savings certificate I recall seeing is $225, on some 12-night cruises. The shareholder OBC goes up to $250 on those cruises, so that would be worth a bottle of La Terrible wine...

 

I didn't know that. I thought the stockholder benefit was $100.00 flat. I did not know that it went up with the lenght of the cruise. I guess that is because I have only done 7-night cruises.

[crisndeefromde]

I didn't know that. I thought the stockholder benefit was $100.00 flat. I did not know that it went up with the lenght of the cruise. I guess that is because I have only done 7-night cruises.

 

I want to be able to use my stockholder benefit on every cruise that I have. I understand that the wow sale was the exception for using any future discount. Well stock obc is not a discount. It is a benefit for being a stockholder and has nothing to do with discounting the cruise. Personally with the economy as such, RCCL as well as all cruiselines should be thrilled to have their ships still full and if that is what it takes to just give the earned obc then so beit. I don't think RCCL wants the shareholders to sell off right now for sure.

[Jeka]

Our guess is that if this happens, thy will start to lose some good customers.

 

It's when they dump the diamond lounge/consierge that these folks will leave. Let's be honest, the free booze attracts many repeat customers.

[Ocean Boy]

I want to be able to use my stockholder benefit on every cruise that I have. I understand that the wow sale was the exception for using any future discount. Well stock obc is not a discount. It is a benefit for being a stockholder and has nothing to do with discounting the cruise. Personally with the economy as such, RCCL as well as all cruiselines should be thrilled to have their ships still full and if that is what it takes to just give the earned obc then so beit. I don't think RCCL wants the shareholders to sell off right now for sure.

 

Well I , and I am sure all of the other stockholders, feel the same way. Unfortunately the new wording would seem to suggest that it isn't going to happen any longer. I have been fortunate enough to have C&A certificates for my past three cruises or so as well as my next one. If I had not faxed in my stockholder benefit for this cruise when I did I suspect that it might be rejected if I did it now.

 

The thing is, if a cruise was selling well there would probably have not been a C&A certificate in the first place. So RCI should just be happy that it sparks some bookings. There seem to be a lot of unwelcome changes occuring lately.

[skibyrd]

We were just getting set to buy the stock as it has been down, but after this post, I doubt we will be buying.

[Jeka]

Well I , and I am sure all of the other stockholders, feel the same way. Unfortunately the new wording would seem to suggest that it isn't going to happen any longer. I have been fortunate enough to have C&A certificates for my past three cruises or so as well as my next one. If I had not faxed in my stockholder benefit for this cruise when I did I suspect that it might be rejected if I did it now.

 

The thing is, if a cruise was selling well there would probably have not been a C&A certificate in the first place. So RCI should just be happy that it sparks some bookings. There seem to be a lot of unwelcome changes occuring lately.

 

Earth to you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People who recently booked cruises(within the last few weeks) have been able to get shareholder benefits, along with C&A balcony discount and NC obcs. Does anyone on here know for sure the wording the op posted is new or has it always said that?

 

Well let's all keep this thread going so we can all point out to RCI what their fine print says, as opposed to what they are currently doing.

[Jeka]

Well I , and I am sure all of the other stockholders, feel the same way. Unfortunately the new wording would seem to suggest that it isn't going to happen any longer. I have been fortunate enough to have C&A certificates for my past three cruises or so as well as my next one. If I had not faxed in my stockholder benefit for this cruise when I did I suspect that it might be rejected if I did it now.

 

The thing is, if a cruise was selling well there would probably have not been a C&A certificate in the first place. So RCI should just be happy that it sparks some bookings. There seem to be a lot of unwelcome changes occuring lately.

 

Thank you!!! Someone who has the old wording. Would you kindly post the old wording so we can see the difference?

[tootsieh]

We are Diamond Plus and we also own RCCL stock. I cannot believe all of the changes. I don't know who is responsible for all of the changes but I believe RCCL should take a long, hard look before they decide to continue. We have a next cruise booking for a cruise in Feb and I just faxed a Crown and Anchor certificate that I received in the mail - which has nothing to do with a next cruise booking - and I was just e-mailed saying they are not combinable. We have a group of friends that are normally RCCL cruisers and they are currently on a NCL cruise. We didn't go because it was not a RCCL cruise. If they cannot be loyal to their loyal cruisers I don't believe they will have the loyaly they have been enjoying in the past. What are they thinking!!!!

[PSCruiser]

We are Diamond Plus and we also own RCCL stock. I cannot believe all of the changes. I don't know who is responsible for all of the changes but I believe RCCL should take a long, hard look before they decide to continue. We have a next cruise booking for a cruise in Feb and I just faxed a Crown and Anchor certificate that I received in the mail - which has nothing to do with a next cruise booking - and I was just e-mailed saying they are not combinable. We have a group of friends that are normally RCCL cruisers and they are currently on a NCL cruise. We didn't go because it was not a RCCL cruise. If they cannot be loyal to their loyal cruisers I don't believe they will have the loyaly they have been enjoying in the past. What are they thinking!!!!

 

Exactly right. There are other lines such as Princess, that are very close to RC, AND allow TAs to discount fares. It is only the stock OBC and the loyalty program that keep me coming back to RC. My advice to RC suits - don't cut your own throat to save a few bucks, it might backfire on you.

[Coralc]

I think that the marketing person that Royal Caribbean recently brought in from Carnival is responsible for all/many of the negative changes. Others might remember her name, I don't. :mad: Or not really mad...just very disappointed that the changes are not "enhancing" our cruise experience. Quite the contrary. :(

[Jeka]

None of these supposed changes have been implemented and no seems to have the old wording which may or may not be different. If someone has this old info please post the old rules. My guess is nothing has changed,

[FUN33]

I can understand RCCL's desire to reduce costs.

 

Unfortunate they did not consider keeping the SHB the same and simply increase the number of shares needed to qualify. I would have had no objection to 200, 250 or even 500 shares.

 

Alternatively, they could have kept the number of shares required at 100 and reduced the amount of the benefit by 10%, 25% or even 50%.

 

Seems counter productive to eliminate this program, aggravate stockholders AND customers at the same time.

 

Hopefully they will correct this obvious error.:( :( :( :(

[critterchick]

Thank you!!! Someone who has the old wording. Would you kindly post the old wording so we can see the difference?

 

Here's the link to a thread from April, when somebody kindly cut and pasted the language. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=757169&highlight=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...

[dirtgirl]

Here's the link to a thread from April, when somebody kindly cut and pasted the language. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=757169&highlight=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...

 

 

Wow. It sure is.:(

[critterchick]

Oh, and I'm pretty sure it didn't change in July. I remember looking for the language in August and it was the original that I posted.

 

And how is it that $15 worth of steak gets so much more attention than the (potential) loss of several hundred dollars of OBC or discounts?:p :eek:

[dirtgirl]

Oh, and I'm pretty sure it didn't change in July. I remember looking for the language in August and it was the original that I posted.

 

And how is it that $15 worth of steak gets so much more attention than the (potential) loss of several hundred dollars of OBC or discounts?:p :eek:

 

 

Funny how that works!!!! :rolleyes: There will either be no point in getting Next Cruises anymore, or in keeping the stock for the OBC. I know I will drop one of those things. Most likely the stock, because now I am mad.:mad: There have been too many cost-cutting changes too fast - all of which negatively impact the customer in some way.