Combining shareholders' OBC with anniversary OBC

[cs91]

Has anyone tried to combine the shareholders' on-board credit with the anniversary onboard credit? I am repeatedly being told that the anniversary OBC (which is substantial) states that it is 'not combinable with another offer'. I guess I did not consider the shareholders' benefit 'an offer'. Any thoughts/suggestions?

[critterchick]

I don't think it was an anniversary offer, but over the summer I had a go-round with shareholder services about combining an offer of $300OBC and prepaid gratuities with the shareholder credit. They ultimately relented.

 

But I think that the RCCL family is cutting back combinable offers and digging their heels in these days. Good luck!

[Andy]

Has anyone tried to combine the shareholders' on-board credit with the anniversary onboard credit? I am repeatedly being told that the anniversary OBC (which is substantial) states that it is 'not combinable with another offer'. I guess I did not consider the shareholders' benefit 'an offer'. Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

Hi Cs91 !

 

Have you tried recently ? A few weeks ago, Royal Caribbean made a change, that made combining Shareholders Credits with other promotions virtually impossible.

 

However, there is a thread on the Royal Caribbean board http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=864798, that claims they have reversed this decision, and you MAY now be able to combine the 2 credits.

 

I could be wrong about this, but if you havent tried recently, it may be worth trying again. If you do not get satisfaction, ask to speak with a Supervisor. It could be worth your time and effort.

 

Please let us know what happens, and Good Luck !

[cs91]

Hi Andy. Thanks for the feedback and information.

I spoke to both RCCL and Azamara today and they are insistent that the original onbd credit offer is not combinable with any other offer. The frustration is that I did not realize that the onbd credit was considered 'an offer'.

If anyone else has had experience with these circumstances, I'd appreciate your feedback

[Andy]

Hi Andy. Thanks for the feedback and information.

I spoke to both RCCL and Azamara today and they are insistent that the original onbd credit offer is not combinable with any other offer. The frustration is that I did not realize that the onbd credit was considered 'an offer'.

If anyone else has had experience with these circumstances, I'd appreciate your feedback

 

Hi Cs !

 

If you are booked on a special promotion, this can happen. There are occasional offers, where some OBC's are not combinable. I wish I could help more.

 

Perhaps some of our other Cruise Critic friends can offer some information, from past experiences. Good Luck !

[lschnauz]

i received an email this a.m. from l. buchannan stating shareholders credits are no combineable with any other obc's. what a bunch of baloney, we have always been able to combine all credits. i have written to Ian Bailey, at Rccl investor relations, expressing extreme displeasure, so far haven't heard back, and maybe never will, but we'll see. seems like they don't care about past passengers loyalty

[ZBay]

I just got off of the phone with an Azamara rep. The investor OBC's ARE combineable with credits that you receive from your TA. They are NOT combineable with OBC's issued by the cruise line for promotional fares. For example- Azamara ran a "Thank-you Sale" over the summer for passengers who sailed with them in their first year of cruises. Outside cabins, or better, got a $150 OBC for future cruises booked between June 2008 and December 2009. That credit is not combineable with the investor credit. If you have credits from the cruise line for reasons of "service disappointments"- ie. port cancellations, arrival delays, bad onboard experience etc., from a previous cruise, those Are able to be used with the investor OBC.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Chris

[lschnauz]

Thanks, but we have been using stock credits since 2006, and they always HAVE been combineable with all onboard credits, whether they came from the cruise line and/or travel agents. It appears they are changing their rules in mid-stream, without any notice. In any case I have sent an email to rccl investor relations, and have had no reply, and most likely will not. Guess they don't care about customers who have more than 22 cruises with them.

[ZBay]

I agree with you that they should be combineable. The investor OBC is kind of a thank you for owning a piece of the company and the confidence, in RCCL, that stock ownership is supposed to show. In the example I gave in my last post- the Summer "Thank you Sale" is just that. A thank you for sailing with Azamara during their inaugural season. Why should one cancel out the other? I guess I should decline the "Thank you" OBC because it is only worth $150 per cabin, and accept the Investor OBC because it is worth $200 per cabin (on a 12 night sailing)! Obviously, the cruise lines are hurting and, I believe, will continue to hurt for some time. They are trying to do whatever they can to remain profitable. So far, at least, RCCL hasn't suspended (or reduced) its stock dividend. Carnival suspended theirs for all of 2009, and maybe beyond.

 

Chris