Hate Losing Shareholder and Next Cruise Benefits? MAKE SOME NOISE WITH RCCL NOW

[Coralc]

Oh sorry, my name is Patti, and I posted above yours. Not the right person, I guess. What you were told about it "never" being combinable is outright wrong. See the previous wording above in FAQ #6. What she should do about it? I have no idea...it is there program to change. Lately Royal Caribbean seems to be making a lot of unpleasant changes that don't seem too be improving our cruise experience. :rolleyes:

[beachbuddy]

Oh sorry, my name is Patti, and I posted above yours. Not the right person, I guess. What you were told about it "never" being combinable is outright wrong. See the previous wording above in FAQ #6. What she should do about it? I have no idea...it is there program to change. Lately Royal Caribbean seems to be making a lot of unpleasant changes that don't seem too be improving our cruise experience. :rolleyes:

 

Thank you for answering anyway. If it was combinable before the policy change, her cruises were booked a while ago so she should be able to combine it with a stockholder benefit. But they are telling her it was never combinable if you booked onboard. I'm just trying to find someone that has combined those 2 in the past so that we will know if they are not giving her the correct information which I believe they aren't.

[Coralc]

We have combined them since 2005...do you really not understand Royal Caribbean's own shareholder benefits information as quoted above? Or my answer and information is not acceptable? Sorry then. I guess I really do need some other emblem to be believed. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Thank you for answering anyway. If it was combinable before the policy change, her cruises were booked a while ago so she should be able to combine it with a stockholder benefit. But they are telling her it was never combinable if you booked onboard. I'm just trying to find someone that has combined those 2 in the past so that we will know if they are not giving her the correct information which I believe they aren't.

 

We returned September 20th from b2b cruises on the Jewel of the Seas. We had both Shareholder and Next Cruise OBC on each cruise.

 

Has your friend sent in her proof of stock ownership? If not she should do it ASAP. Please keep us posted on what happens.

[ChevyCruiser]

We all thought the same, and we were hoping that was what they meant. Unfortunately not. :rolleyes:

 

Could it be any more confusing? No wonder the poor RCCL phone reps don't know what's going on. Here's what I sent to RCCL via email:

 

I have been informed by RCCL's Crown and Anchor Society that shareholder OBC benefits ARE combinable with Future Cruise Certificates - but then told that the OBC for a Future Cruise, issued by the on-board Future Cruise Consultant, after the daily Compass urged me to make an appointment with the Future Cruise Consultant are NOT COMBINABLE. Why do you have a Future Cruise Consultant if they are not issuing Future Cruise Certificates for Cruises booked for the Future? Clarity is needed!

 

And here's the response I received to help clarify the confusion:

 

Good day,

 

The Future cruise consultants are onboard to confirm sailing's for those that want to make sure they secure space for a certain sailing. Keep in mind, that if they are not stockholders, then to confirm onboard would give them the option of the onboard credit.

 

**Please note** For new bookings made or converted on or after October 15, 2008, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has implemented some changes to our shareholder benefits program. The shareholder benefit is combinable with Crown & Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts, Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises Credit Card Reward Points redeemed for onboard credit or discounts, Senior/Military/Resident rates, Gift Certificates and Future Cruise Certificates. The shareholder benefit is not combinable with promotions or offers that include onboard credit.

 

In the event that two offers or benefits are available on any one reservation, you may choose which onboard credit you prefer. Unless you specify otherwise, Royal Caribbean will issue the onboard credit with the higher value. This applies to Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises.

 

Please feel free to visit our Investor Relations website: www.rclinvestor.com for further details.

 

Thank you.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Kind regards,

 

Linda Buchanan

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.

 

 

Well, I'm sure glad she cleared that up.:rolleyes:

[NancyC]

My sister recently commented that we weren't cruising together anymore because we only want to cruise with RCC because of the OBC we receive for future cruises and stockholder credit. I guess this will send us looking at other cruise lines. I hope RCC realizes these perks were keeping some of us loyal. :confused:

[Morecruisesplz]

Okay, now here's a new question for anyone that can answer it.

 

Patti, I'm thinking you might be able to answer because you seem to be someone that would have booked while onboard in the past before next cruise certificates were being sold.

 

My friend booked a cruise while onboard and is cruising with me in March 09. She also used a next cruise certificate to book the Oasis. Now the rep is telling her that if you booked on board, the OBC was never combinable with a shareholder benefit. I have booked onboard in the past but I didn't have stock then so I don't know if what they are telling her is true or not. Can someone help with the truth. I can't see what the difference would be if you booked onboard or if you used a next cruise certificate.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Patty

I can tell you I had a return call from Jennell in Goldstein's office in reply to our email re: the same question. She called to say we could still combine if we booked our NC by Oct 15 but after that date stockholder OBC's and NC OBC could not be combined.

[dachshunddoglover]

Nancy C - You are absolutely right. The perks have kept us 100% loyal as well. If the perks do not stay as good, then we will compare more in the future as well.

 

I have sent my letters to the powers that be asking for them to reconsider their new policy. We will see what happens.

 

E-Beth

[beachbuddy]

We have combined them since 2005...do you really not understand Royal Caribbean's own shareholder benefits information as quoted above? Or my answer and information is not acceptable? Sorry then. I guess I really do need some other emblem to be believed. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

Oh no, I understand what you were saying. I was just wanting to hear from as many as I could that booking on board and shareholder benefits was always combinable because then my friend can be firm in her argument. I was unable to tell her if it was or not for sure since I didn't have stock when we booked onboard so it didn't affect me. The point is RCCL keeps telling her that it was never combinable which is false so thank you for your response. I'm sorry if you took my response in a negative way since it wasn't meant to sound in any way negative.

[beachbuddy]

We returned September 20th from b2b cruises on the Jewel of the Seas. We had both Shareholder and Next Cruise OBC on each cruise.

 

Has your friend sent in her proof of stock ownership? If not she should do it ASAP. Please keep us posted on what happens.

 

My friend actually booked on board last March for another 12 nighter for March 09. The next cruise certificate isn't in question. RCCL is telling her that next cruise certificate OBC were combinable with shareholder OBC, but booking on-board never was which is absolutely wrong!!!

[beachbuddy]

Could it be any more confusing? No wonder the poor RCCL phone reps don't know what's going on. Here's what I sent to RCCL via email:

 

I have been informed by RCCL's Crown and Anchor Society that shareholder OBC benefits ARE combinable with Future Cruise Certificates - but then told that the OBC for a Future Cruise, issued by the on-board Future Cruise Consultant, after the daily Compass urged me to make an appointment with the Future Cruise Consultant are NOT COMBINABLE. Why do you have a Future Cruise Consultant if they are not issuing Future Cruise Certificates for Cruises booked for the Future? Clarity is needed!

 

And here's the response I received to help clarify the confusion:

 

Good day,

 

The Future cruise consultants are onboard to confirm sailing's for those that want to make sure they secure space for a certain sailing. Keep in mind, that if they are not stockholders, then to confirm onboard would give them the option of the onboard credit.

 

**Please note** For new bookings made or converted on or after October 15, 2008, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has implemented some changes to our shareholder benefits program. The shareholder benefit is combinable with Crown & Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts, Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises Credit Card Reward Points redeemed for onboard credit or discounts, Senior/Military/Resident rates, Gift Certificates and Future Cruise Certificates. The shareholder benefit is not combinable with promotions or offers that include onboard credit.

 

In the event that two offers or benefits are available on any one reservation, you may choose which onboard credit you prefer. Unless you specify otherwise, Royal Caribbean will issue the onboard credit with the higher value. This applies to Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises.

 

Please feel free to visit our Investor Relations website: www.rclinvestor.com for further details.

 

Thank you.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Kind regards,

 

Linda Buchanan

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.

 

 

Well, I'm sure glad she cleared that up.:rolleyes:

 

LOL........:confused: :confused: I guess you can't really blame the reps all the time..........they're probably just as confused as everyone else which is a shame!

[igot2cruz]

Can you provide Adam Goldstein's email address so I may contact him about their new policy?

[mikeerdas]

> I can't believe they told you that you can combine them and yet my

> girlfriend spoke to at least 3 different reps and was told that she couldn't

> combine them and she's had her 2 crusies booked for a long time. One rep

> even told her it was never combinable!!! LOL I'm laughing but I don't

> really think it's funny!

 

I would try to get the agent's name "for my records", then try to get to the bottom of this by email--either through the shareholder benefit email address and/or the crown and anchor email address. Be polite of course.

 

Yes, the RCL TA on the phone told me I could combine since I'd gotten in on October 14th. So it definitely depends on who you speak to--although it shouldn't, really. This is a serious lack of customer service--or rather communicating policy to the TAs. Whoever manages the TAs should probably receive a reprimand. Indeed, how does one contact Goldstein's office?

 

> I agree with you.........I think OBC should be a use it or lose it! If they

> are giving people cash back at the end of the cruise, then maybe that's

> why they're losing money. But I can't imagine that there are that many

> people that don't even spend the OBC...........we always spend us plus

 

Exactly. Someone ought to email Goldstein's staff and put it in those terms. About a better choice being to disallow cashing out of OBC, and of course to let them know that the shareholder OBC and NextCruise OBC keeps you Loyal to Royal; and that you do, in fact, spend more than the free OBC you receive. I've heard people mention having $500+ bar tabs on their SeaPass, and people of course play in the casinos, take excursions, etc.

 

 

 

> What did you mean by this. I'm not aware of a lower deposit with a

> next cruise certificate. When I turned my certificates into bookings

> I still had to give a full deposit. $500 for 9 night, $900 for 12 nights.

 

Good point. The "lower deposit" was cited as a benefit by the RCL agent I spoke with. In my case, I already had a prior cruise booked where I'd had to pay a $500 deposit. Had that applied to my NextCruise ($200), so now I have the new booking with $700 as a deposit. I'll consider cancelling if the promised combined OBC does not appear when I check in a few days from now. In the mean time waiting on this, I found a more port-intensive itinerary on a Mediterranean cruise with a competitor (who've I've cruised with before and liked).

 

RCL can disrupt its Loyal Royals by eliminating benefits, and I am free--and now have a special incentive--to check out what the competition has to offer.

 

Absolutely, anyone who doesn't like the new non-combinability policy should email whoever or wherever it may get through to the RCI corporate offices.

 

Didn't someone mention there was going to be a board room meeting about the non-combinability due to the negative response they've already gotten? Any updates on that?

[beachbuddy]

Mikeerdas,

 

My friend just emailed me and said she just got off the phone with some bigwig and they told her that they will combine hers since she bought the stock before today and we know that's not the reason - they should have said that they will combine them because her cruises were booked before today. But at least she got somewhere! LOL Like I said, she had one booked 9 months ago and the other one a couple months ago. So even though they said they will be combined I told her she better keep checking on it.

 

She said she also told this person how she feels about this change and doesn't think it's in their best interest........the person listened but they've probably heard it from others and don't know if they will do anything about it or not.

 

Someone did mention that management was meeting about this but I didn't hear any updates on it.

 

I just found out that they dropped a port from our 12 night cruise and also shortened the time in 3 other ports so I have to go check that out. I will not be happy if they shortened the time by much! Now we have 2 sea days going and 3 sea days coming home. I don't mind sea days, but a lot of others are very unhappy about having 5 sea days.

[ribarfly]

I see this issue is still going strong! OK, I just sent my stock OBC request for our 2009 cruise reservations. Based on the answer below from RCL if you are a shareholder you still benefit from owning stock. Am I reading this wrong? What has really changed? Nothing....!!!!!

***********

 

Good day,

 

The requested shareholder's onboard credit has been applied and is hereby confirmed to reservation #982****, 813****, 964****.

 

**Please note** For new bookings made or converted on or after October 15, 2008, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has implemented some changes to our shareholder benefits program. The shareholder benefit is combinable with Crown & Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts, Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises Credit Card Reward Points redeemed for onboard credit or discounts, Senior/Military/Resident rates, Gift Certificates and Future Cruise Certificates. The shareholder benefit is not combinable with promotions or offers that include onboard credit.

 

In the event that two offers or benefits are available on any one reservation, you may choose which onboard credit you prefer. Unless you specify otherwise, Royal Caribbean will issue the onboard credit with the higher value. This applies to Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises.

 

Please feel free to visit our Investor Relations website: www.rclinvestor.com for further details.

 

Thank you.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Kind regards,

 

Linda Buchanan

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.

Guest Sales & Service Administration

[piercetc4]

just wanted to add our .02 with regard to this policy change- we are dissappointed rci has chosen to remove the ability to combine nextcruise with shareholder obc- i hope they reconsider and reinstate the ability to do this- we spend way more than that 200 onboard- especially when our 2 kids are with us- maybe they could just limit the amt of obc any one cabin can accumulate- like 200 for a 7 nighter and adjusted accordingly by how long the cruise you are taking is? just a thought

[mikeerdas]

> I just found out that they dropped a port from our 12

> night cruise and also shortened the time in 3 other ports

> so I have to go check that out. I will not be happy if they

> shortened the time by much! Now we have 2 sea days

> going and 3 sea days coming home. I don't mind sea

> days, but a lot of others are very unhappy about having

> 5 sea days.

 

Sorry to hear that. That's awful, especially since it's a breach of trust between the company and the customer--a change on a product that has already been sold.

 

Sure, the fine print may say the company can do whatever it wants at any time, but it's poor taste to mess with pre-existing cruise itineraries. If they muck with future itineraries, before any cabins are sold, so people know this before purchasing, that's another thing. But if they're removing ports on cruises they've already sold cabins on (false advertising) for any reason other than safety / weather, that's plain wrong in my opinion.

 

Because then you and they and I have the opportunity to vote with our money and give them a miss if we don't like the changes. Please be sure to fill out the cruise survey they hand out on the last night of the cruise and write-in with your dissatisfaction. Very people realize that, although one person may not be able to have any real effect, surveys and emails do get read--and are taken seriously by good corporations. One person complaining can be written off as a quack. Hundreds of people writing will get some attention.

 

For me, cruising is all about getting to as many ports as I can, and spending long days in port. Although my last cruise wasn't very port intensive (my wife wanted to give more sea days a try), I'm fairly certain they reduced the time spent at each of the small number of ports. This may have been to save fuel, but it was not as stated in the original cruise I purchased.

 

Looks like RCI is overpromising and underdelivering. I'm sure apologists for the cruise line will bark back that they can do anything they want at any time. Fine. I can take my business elsewhere, or go back to land vacations--they may be expensive for some, but I know how to travel on land inexpensively. If the cruise line changes its # of port days on me and cuts back on the amount of time in port, for a cruise it advertised differently, then that is in poor taste, a breach of trust, and it tells me they don't much care about my business. Like another person said, they likely want to see how far they can do without (too many) people complaining.

[mikeerdas]

Here's a Press Release from RCI about its new Vice President of Investor Relations, Ian Bailey. I'd say Investor Relations might be strained at the moment; at least for those of us wanting to combine shareholder OBC with NextCruise benefit and are being told different things by different RCI reps on the phone. Seems like his first duty ought to be to set the record straight on the policy among RCI staff.

 

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/081015/clw135.html?.v=12

 

"The appointment is effective immediately. Analysts and investors may reach Ian Bailey at ... or ibailey@rccl.com"

[Buccaneergirl]

I sent my e-mail to investor relations today and got a reply back that they would be forwarding it to management for review. If they get enough feedback from all of us, maybe they will reconsider. Keep your fingers crossed!

[cruisenfever]

Hi, someone told me that there is a difference between next cruise certificates which are the ones that gave OBC and they said future cruise certificates are given to people that had a problem on a cruise sort of like a compensation for something that was wrong. So they are 2 different things.

There are two ways to book another cruise while on a ship.

 

You can do a NextCruise booking with a $100pp non-refundable deposit that is good forever and the OBC will be determined when the NC is turned into a specific cruise.................or you can book a Specific cruise on board, pay the full deposit and know immediately what the OBC will be.

 

I have never heard of future cruise certificates being given to people that had a problem. They do send out Thank You Letters that have a $$$ off coupon for booking a new cruise within a given time frame.

 

OK, thanks. I mistakenly thought Future Cruise was when you booked a cruise onboard.

When booking a cruise on board.............whether it is a NextCruise booking or a Specific cruise................they are both considered Future Cruises.

 

Okay, now here's a new question for anyone that can answer it.

 

Patti, I'm thinking you might be able to answer because you seem to be someone that would have booked while onboard in the past before next cruise certificates were being sold.

 

My friend booked a cruise while onboard and is cruising with me in March 09. She also used a next cruise certificate to book the Oasis. Now the rep is telling her that if you booked on board, the OBC was never combinable with a shareholder benefit. I have booked onboard in the past but I didn't have stock then so I don't know if what they are telling her is true or not. Can someone help with the truth. I can't see what the difference would be if you booked onboard or if you used a next cruise certificate.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Patty

We have booked many cruises on board before NextCruise was even thought of and we were always able to combine our OBC and Shareholder Benefits OBC.

 

When NC came into play, we bought several and have used them and have received the OBC from the NC as well as have received our OBC from being a Shareholder.

 

Now..............I have no idea what you can combine with what anymore!:confused: There's also the OBC from VISA points cashed in............can that still be done and used with either the OBC from booking while on board or the OBC from being a Shareholder?

[Woodsmaster]

OK, please fill me in on what is a shareholder benefit? Are you talking about real stock shareholders?

 

 

I am a platinum club member and actually have stock in RCI. SO I am interested if there are real monetary benefits.

 

Thanks

[Retired LEO]

OK, please fill me in on what is a shareholder benefit? Are you talking about real stock shareholders?

 

 

I am a platinum club member and actually have stock in RCI. SO I am interested if there are real monetary benefits.

 

Thanks

 

Shareholder benefit is basically $50.00 - $250.00 of onboard credit (Depending on the length of the cruise) for owning 100 or more shares of RCL stock.

[beachbuddy]

There are two ways to book another cruise while on a ship.

 

You can do a NextCruise booking with a $100pp non-refundable deposit that is good forever and the OBC will be determined when the NC is turned into a specific cruise.................or you can book a Specific cruise on board, pay the full deposit and know immediately what the OBC will be.

 

I have never heard of future cruise certificates being given to people that had a problem. They do send out Thank You Letters that have a $$$ off coupon for booking a new cruise within a given time frame.

 

 

When booking a cruise on board.............whether it is a NextCruise booking or a Specific cruise................they are both considered Future Cruises.

 

 

We have booked many cruises on board before NextCruise was even thought of and we were always able to combine our OBC and Shareholder Benefits OBC.

 

When NC came into play, we bought several and have used them and have received the OBC from the NC as well as have received our OBC from being a Shareholder.

 

Now..............I have no idea what you can combine with what anymore!:confused: There's also the OBC from VISA points cashed in............can that still be done and used with either the OBC from booking while on board or the OBC from being a Shareholder?

 

Patti,

 

I thought a future cruise was exactly what your saying, but someone on the boards said it wasn't. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

RCCL is so crazy right now. All the reps are saying something different. I have friends who are Diamond + so I know they always booked onboard before next cruise things came out and she told me today that she always combined her OBC's as well. For now, my friend spoke to some bigwig today and they told her she will be able to combine them - her 2 cruises have been booked for quite a while. She voiced her dissatisfaction with the policy change and told them the reps told her that booking on board and shareholder OBC's were never allowed. I just don't know how they come up with these things. RCCL needs to state and write their policies more clearly so that they can be interpreted by us as well as the reps! :rolleyes:

 

Thanks for answering my question.

 

Patty

[beachbuddy]

> I just found out that they dropped a port from our 12

> night cruise and also shortened the time in 3 other ports

> so I have to go check that out. I will not be happy if they

> shortened the time by much! Now we have 2 sea days

> going and 3 sea days coming home. I don't mind sea

> days, but a lot of others are very unhappy about having

> 5 sea days.

 

QUOTE]

 

I can see them changing ports or skipping ports because of weather or emergencies, but not to just change the itinerary after people are all booked. And I'm really mad that now we are leaving Barbados earlier than what was on the original itinerary. We were only in Barbados once and had bad weather so didn't get to do much that day. Now, even if we head out to a beach, we'll have to leave by 2:30 to get back to the ship and no time even for shopping. Not happy about it at all!!

 

Some say they are doing it to save fuel but hey, fuel is down and they still have all our surcharges, so what's up with that? And really, is an hour or two going to save them that much fuel.

 

We were never in Tortola so it's disappointing that they cancelled that port all together. That was the only port on this cruise that we haven't been to. So out of 12 nights, we now have 5 sea days!! Gonna have to keep DH out of the casino...............:rolleyes:

[cruisenfever]

Patti,

 

I thought a future cruise was exactly what your saying, but someone on the boards said it wasn't. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

RCCL is so crazy right now. All the reps are saying something different. I have friends who are Diamond + so I know they always booked onboard before next cruise things came out and she told me today that she always combined her OBC's as well. For now, my friend spoke to some bigwig today and they told her she will be able to combine them - her 2 cruises have been booked for quite a while. She voiced her dissatisfaction with the policy change and told them the reps told her that booking on board and shareholder OBC's were never allowed. I just don't know how they come up with these things. RCCL needs to state and write their policies more clearly so that they can be interpreted by us as well as the reps! :rolleyes:

 

Thanks for answering my question.

 

Patty

You're welcome.:)