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RCI Lowers Suite Discount for VISA Points??

pltag

By pltag,
in Royal Caribbean International

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pltag

pltag

Posted
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We booked an Owners Suite on the Liberty OTS for this June. We cashed 125,000 RCI VISA points which were going to use as a $2,500 discount off the booking.

 

My TA was just informed today by RCI that our discount is $2,198 and not $2,500!

 

Does this sound right? Any guesses on why they would do this?

 

Thanks for your help! :)

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vickiw0318

vickiw0318

Posted
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Here are the options available for 125,000 points:

 

125,000 Free 5 to 7 night Caribbean or Mexican Riviera cruise for two (minimum available oceanview stateroom).*

Free companion fare on a 7 night Alaska cruise (minimum available oceanview stateroom).*

Free companion fare on a 9 to 12 night Caribbean cruise (minimum available oceanview stateroom).*

 

There's no "suite discount" - just the option to apply the cost of the minimum oceanview stateroom towards the cost of the suite. The lowest outside fare on the 6/6 and 6/20 cruises is $1099 times 2 for $2198.00 or your discount amount.

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pltag

pltag

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There's no "suite discount" - just the option to apply the cost of the minimum oceanview stateroom towards the cost of the suite. The lowest outside fare on the 6/6 and 6/20 cruises is $1099 times 2 for $2198.00 or your discount amount.
This makes perfect sense! Thanks for your help! :)

 

What if that outside cabin fare goes up? I know they offer refunds when fares drop. Should my discount increase if this fare goes up?

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Ladylouwho

Ladylouwho

Posted
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Hey All,

I thought they changed it from 125,000 points to 150,000 points to cash in for a free cruise (up to $2,500 off)? Last summer when I went to cash in my points for the Freedom they charged me 150,000 points to get $2,500 off. The change was in the "fine print". When I called to inquire and received this new information I told them it would be nice if they had made the change a little clearer to folks so they wouldn't be disappointed or mad finding out about the change only upon cashing in their points.

 

I am going to call about this as we just passed the 150,000 points again recently and I want to use the points on our Liberty of the Seas sailing in July.

If anyone has received the "free" cruise within the past year for only 125,000 points I sure would be interested in knowing this.

 

The first two times we got the free cruise (once through MBNA and then BofA) it was only 125,000 points.

 

Thanks in advance for any info regarding this.

 

Colleen

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Ladylouwho

Ladylouwho

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This makes perfect sense! Thanks for your help! :)

 

What if that outside cabin fare goes up? I know they offer refunds when fares drop. Should my discount increase if this fare goes up?

 

Not if you have already applied the coupon.

 

I believe the discount is based on the fare for the Ocean View at the time of booking.

 

If you haven't applied the coupon yet, then you may have a shot at getting the higher discount based on a higher ocean view fare. Probably depends on who answers the phone at RCCL, LOL!

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pltag

pltag

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Not if you have already applied the coupon.

 

I believe the discount is based on the fare for the Ocean View at the time of booking.

Sounds like I need to take the $2,198 and go happily on my way! :D

 

Thanks to everyone for all your help! :)

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Ladylouwho

Ladylouwho

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I just used the 125K points 3 weeks ago for my AOS cruise for this June.

 

It did change last year for a few months to 150K points and then went back to 125K points for the free fare for 2.

 

Thanks pmshirl.

 

How weird that it changed then changed back again. That is good news because now the $2,500 off the Liberty cruise will cost me 25,000 fewer points.

 

Wonder if they had a lot of complaints about the change. I complained to them because I had the points BEFORE the change and since it was hidden in the "fine print" I didn't even know the change was coming, otherwise I would have cashed the certificate in before the change since it was in the 6 month window.

 

I took my complaints about this to several departments to no avail and during one of those conversations was told by a woman in the C&A department (after I mentioned that we were Diamond and I was disappointed in being treated this way) that being Diamond "was no longer a Big Deal" because there were so many Diamond members now.

 

Guess the writing was on the wall even back then.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Colleen

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Ladylouwho

Ladylouwho

Posted
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I booked my "free cruise" using 125,000 points last June for my March 1, 2009 Mexican Riviera cruise on Mariner. :)

 

Thanks bridedoll1026,

 

Yes, I realize now they changed the rule back.

 

I thought you could only use the free cruise coupon within 6 months of sailing?

 

Did they change that now too?

 

 

Hey, how was the Mariner Cruise? We sail her in May, 2009.

 

Colleen

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Bruin Steve

Bruin Steve

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I used my first 125,000 point reward in June 2007 for the then brand new Liberty of the Seas--chose a cruise where the lowest oceanview rate exceeded the $1250 mark...and booked a balcony...paid the difference...but I got the full value of the $2500 off...

 

I've got over 125,000 points once more...but am pretty much booked for this year...

I wouldn't waste my time applying the points to my upcoming Mexican Riviera Mariner cruise in January--since the entire rate I got for that one is only $699 pp for a balcony...

 

I'm waiting for the full summer 2010 schedule to come out --and I will likely do back-to-back cruises with at least one being on the Oasis of the Seas...The ocanviews for the sailings I can do in July are currently WAY above the $1250 mark ($1629 pp for July 10)...the Balconies are starting at $1779...

Even with my Diamond Crown & Anchor discount, I'm looking at $1679 pp for a balcony...

 

So, applying the FULL value of the point coupon (since Oceanview is over $1250), I'm looking at $3358 minus $2500--or $858 out of my pocket plus taxes and fees just for the first cruise...and, doing a back-to back, it will be the full $3358 for the second...

 

OR $4216 for 14 nights of sailing on the Oasis...EVEN with the "free cruise" coupon...

 

Now, I was looking at some Med cruises to help someone else out and noticed that, just as an example, I can do an oceanview on a 12-night Med cruise on the Brilliance of the Seas on July 2, 2010 for $2199 pp...a little more for a balcony and take a C&A Diamond discount...I can do a 12-night Med cruise in a Balcony on the brand new Celebrity Equinox in July, 2010 for a mere $2699 per person...

 

In other words, a really nice Mediterranean cruise will only cost me incrementally more than back to backs on the Oasis EVEN WITH THE VISA POINT coupon!!! (I, know, airfare is more--but, if I use Frequent Flier miles, it will cost me only 60,000 miles more)...

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pmshirl

pmshirl

Posted
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Thanks bridedoll1026,

 

Yes, I realize now they changed the rule back.

 

I thought you could only use the free cruise coupon within 6 months of sailing?

 

Did they change that now too?

 

 

Hey, how was the Mariner Cruise? We sail her in May, 2009.

 

 

You have to use the coupon ( apply it to a booking) within 6 months of the issue date of the Coupon. You can have that booking that sails 2 yrs ( if thats possible lol), later. As long as you apply the coupon to a booking within 6 months of the coupon being issued, you are good to go when that cruise sails!:)

 

A lot of people get confused with that.

 

Also be careful with the price of the lowest OV. That is what you get credit for. My AOS cruise in June was in a Balcony cabin with 3 in the cabin. The 125K good for 2 free in the lowest OV. When I checked the lowest OV, the price was $1249.00 p/p.

 

I called the Rewards dept., the day I got the coupon from BOA, to give them the number off the certificate over the phone, since final payment was due within 3 weeks of submitting the coupon. The Rewards rep would not credit the invoice by phone, claimed they needed the coupon in front of them to verify that it is valid ( Hummm), she did quote me that the coupon would be worth $2500.00 off my total invoice.

 

I mailed the coupon in, and received a phone call, the day they received it , stating I will only receive $2160.00 credit, since my Balcony ( which I booked over 1 yr ago), was less than the OV. I got the credit for the balcony, since the lowest OV was more value. It could of benefitted my invoice price with the lowest OV price paid for the coupon, but I am satisfied I got the 2 free fares for 2 out of my coupon.

 

If you are confused with how I would of benefitted, since I have 3 in the cabin. the 2500.00 off the invoice would of helped with my balance due. LOL! I learned the coupon benefits whichever is better for the cruiseline, not the customer!

 

Have a great cruise

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Annieeee

Annieeee

Posted
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Is there a way to find out when your points start to expire? I know they are good for 5 years. So at the 5 year mark, how do they know how many points to remove if you have not used them? And if my 5 year mark is say Jan/10 by when should I call and get my cert/coupoun?

 

Thanks, not sure where I want to go, but know I have a free cruise coming.

 

Annieeee

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pmshirl

pmshirl

Posted
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I have a slightly different question I'm hoping you can help me with.

I currently have 75,000 royal points and will be cashing them in for OBC for my B2B Oasis cruise in Dec. How much OBC I will recieve, also when should I call for the certificate?

 

You get $50.00 OBC for every 5K points. So cashing in 75K points gets you $750.00 in OBC.

 

It takes about 10 days to receive the certificate after calling BOA ( even if they tell you 4 weeks, I have always gotten mine within 10 days).

 

After receiving the certificate for the points, you have to mail them in ( usually they will receive them within 1 week), make sure you make copies before you mail them in. It then takes a few days until they apply the OBC to your reservation.

 

You can request them any time you want to. Make sure you apply them to the booking within 6 months from the date you got the coupon.

 

Some have said on here, the Rewards dept, processes the coupons first for the ones that are leaving the soonest! I always wait until 1 month before final payment, to request my certificate from BOA( in case you have to cancel your booking, you would losse your points if they are applied to that cruise).

 

Good Luck

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cruisecrazymama

cruisecrazymama

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You get $50.00 OBC for every 5K points. So cashing in 75K points gets you $750.00 in OBC.

 

It takes about 10 days to receive the certificate after calling BOA ( even if they tell you 4 weeks, I have always gotten mine within 10 days).

 

After receiving the certificate for the points, you have to mail them in ( usually they will receive them within 1 week), make sure you make copies before you mail them in. It then takes a few days until they apply the OBC to your reservation.

 

You can request them any time you want to. Make sure you apply them to the booking within 6 months from the date you got the coupon.

 

Some have said on here, the Rewards dept, processes the coupons first for the ones that are leaving the soonest! I always wait until 1 month before final payment, to request my certificate from BOA( in case you have to cancel your booking, you would losse your points if they are applied to that cruise).

 

Good Luck

 

 

Thank you so much for your help. That is what I was thinking, but wanted to double check with someone who has actually done it. Would you happen to know if the OBC from Royal Points will roll over to the second leg of my B2B? I have read some say it's a use it or lose it situation with OBC. Not that I won't be able to use it all, trust me. I will, just hoping I can spread it out over the entire 11 days:D

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