RCI terms and conditions, why always US/CA only?

[Verfai]

Okay, I am wondering if there are any people here that have a legal background, preferably in the US and or Canada.

 

I just read the “A look ahead to 2012” article, here RCI states this sentence “We also continue to bolster our brand’s presence in Europe” (Which for obvious reasons I can only applaud, but this of no consequence for my question here)

 

Now, here is my problem,

We already booked Liberty for May 28…And are thinking of booking Navigator end of September. Today I received the countdown to the new year’s sale mail…Today offering 100$ OBC on any European and TA sailing in 2012.

 

So my first reaction was ”whooooooooo lets book”, the prices are right for us and an extra 100$ OBC made it even better…YET, until I read the terms and conditions and again (this is not the first time these hold me back) “Offer is only available to residents of the United States and Canada”……..

 

Can somebody try to explain why a company that is based in the Bahamas, founded in Norway and has a HQ in Miami always only applies all its promotions and so on in the US and Canada???

I asked a very similar questions in the “ask Adem” blog series on Facebook., but I want to see how some legal buffs here can answer.

 

PS, For me this is a serious question that I want to understand, please don’t turn this into an anti EU bash, I will report every post that turns this question into that.

 

Grtz

[yummymummy99]

I would like to know same! It's same with credit card - we can't get in UK and also with the onboard booking - we have to ACTUALLY book a cruise and have to pay full deposit, although we get the onboard credit. Strange and slightly annoying!!

[phoenix1181]

The short answer is that the consumer protection laws are different & the potential cost to Royal is higher.

 

As far as the credit card is concerned you need to remember that the credit cards are NOT issued by Royal. Banking laws & regulations govern where a bank can do business & it's up to the issuing bank to determine if they can or want to do business outside of the US.

[Cotswold Eagle]

The other short answer, of course, is different marketing strategies for different markets, based on what is traditional in that market, what competitors are doing and what works for RCCL to maximise their yield.

 

However, the UK and Ireland site also has special offers, which I would have thought (with no experience to back this up) you would be eligible for under single market rules?

 

I was told in another thread that Decide Later (or whatever they are calling it this week) onboard booking IS now available for Brits, at least, although the form onboard is still only for US/Canada (and I couldn't get to see the LA to check on my recent cruise).

[Paulxyz2004]

While I´m sure there´s some legal issues with some stuff there´s also the simple economic aspect.

 

RCI serves different markets and they give different offers to different markets. They do have offers and sales over here as well. I don´t pay too much attention to them, but I get them in the mail and email from time to time.

 

As phoenix said the credit card thing is a whole other issue.

 

If RCI wants to boost their sales in a certain country / area / state they will have a sale. Just look at residency discounts that are given for certain states only.

[Elizanessie]

I was told in another thread that Decide Later (or whatever they are calling it this week) onboard booking IS now available for Brits, at least, although the form onboard is still only for US/Canada (and I couldn't get to see the LA to check on my recent cruise).

 

The Decide Later is available onboard in UK pounds, Euros & Dollars.

Some UK friends did one in Pounds & one in Dollars on the Grandeur earlier this year.

[Elizanessie]

The short answer is that the consumer protection laws are different & the potential cost to Royal is higher.

 

As far as the credit card is concerned you need to remember that the credit cards are NOT issued by Royal. Banking laws & regulations govern where a bank can do business & it's up to the issuing bank to determine if they can or want to do business outside of the US.

 

RCCL UK are still trying to find a bank in the UK which can offer the rewards/perks that is offered in the US.

[uksimonusa]

Okay, I am wondering if there are any people here that have a legal background, preferably in the US and or Canada.

 

I just read the “A look ahead to 2012” article, here RCI states this sentence “We also continue to bolster our brand’s presence in Europe” (Which for obvious reasons I can only applaud, but this of no consequence for my question here)

 

Now, here is my problem,

We already booked Liberty for May 28…And are thinking of booking Navigator end of September. Today I received the countdown to the new year’s sale mail…Today offering 100$ OBC on any European and TA sailing in 2012.

 

So my first reaction was ”whooooooooo lets book”, the prices are right for us and an extra 100$ OBC made it even better…YET, until I read the terms and conditions and again (this is not the first time these hold me back) “Offer is only available to residents of the United States and Canada”……..

 

Can somebody try to explain why a company that is based in the Bahamas, founded in Norway and has a HQ in Miami always only applies all its promotions and so on in the US and Canada???

I asked a very similar questions in the “ask Adem” blog series on Facebook., but I want to see how some legal buffs here can answer.

 

PS, For me this is a serious question that I want to understand, please don’t turn this into an anti EU bash, I will report every post that turns this question into that.

 

Grtz

 

Thought RCCL was a Liberian Corporation, not Bahamian

[CruisinGerman]

Each region where RCCL does business sponsors its marketing proposals geared towards the local population.

 

There are promotions in Colombia and other South American countries that are even better than the promotions in the United States.

 

Here in Spain, there are also several promotions usually sponsored in conjunction with the large travel agency chains and RCCL.

 

Here in Spain they even made a new TV commercial just for Spain (similar to what they did in the U.S. with the seashell phone). It's called "El mar te llama" and will probably never ever get shown in the United States because it has a second or two of nudity. Just log onto http://www.rccl.es and follow the links to see the video. It happens to be very well done. Imagine that, RCCL showing a second or two of nudity.

 

I know credit cards are being studied in several regions -- the affinity market for credit cards in other countries just isn't as strong as it is in the United States.

 

Here in Spain, for example, most people would rather get miles on our Iberia Visa cards and membership rewards on our American Express cards than get Royal Caribbean points on an affinity credit card.

 

You can now book future cruises (and receive future cruise certificates) on board the ships in dollars, euros and pounds -- no problem.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Cotswold Eagle]

Thought RCCL was a Liberian Corporation, not Bahamian

 

Yes, Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. (the parent company) is incorporated in Liberia, headquartered in Miami and listed on exchanges in New York and Oslo.

 

RCI's ships are registered in the Bahamas, which is what the OP may have been thinking of. The Brilliance is operated by a UK subsidiary, as a matter of interest.

 

None of which really affects the answers to the OP's question, of course....

[Verfai]

I still don’t get it (thx for awnsers doh)……This is what I find strange:

 

-I am able to book cruises online, when I book online I am automatically redirected to the sales office in Miami (the site is set to Belgium as standard). So sending them money is no problem, and they are able to help and satisfy me pretty well with booking my cruise.

-When I cruise I am able to pay in Dollars, sign waivers which to are legal contracts set up in the US, etc…I want to say here is that these made in the US contracts do work for EU residents apparently.

-I get the C&A saving certificates after I cruise and these are available to EU residents (in the fine print).

 

Sooooooo…If all above is possible, why does every contest, promotion send by mail, online sales every time only available to US/Canada residents!? I mean if the saving certificate work, why not those other things I dont see the differance???

[Verfai]

Yes, Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. (the parent company) is incorporated in Liberia, headquartered in Miami and listed on exchanges in New York and Oslo.

 

RCI's ships are registered in the Bahamas, which is what the OP may have been thinking of. The Brilliance is operated by a UK subsidiary, as a matter of interest.

 

None of which really affects the answers to the OP's question, of course....

 

Agreed, I just went off on this sentence which is always at the end of any fine print in RCI mails: ©2011 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd Ships registry: The Bahamas.

 

Why I concluded, the Bahamas...

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Brian here in Canada, we still do not have the Royal credit card here in Canada and I know they have there promotions for each market, somehow i get emails for the UK market under my sons name every couple of weeks, which offer different things than we get offered here, so i understand your frustration.

 

I know some of our european friends liked to book through the american travel companys but that has been blocked now. In Canada and the US we can cancel without penalty before final payment but Europe cannot by my understanding.

 

Happy sailing

 

Brian J

 

PS Hello David

[CaptData]

I'm Canadian and have never seen a break for my province which is in the middle of Canada. Also many of the contests are for US only. Name of Oasis and Allure for example. So the answers above are correct. Banking laws, merchant laws and gaming laws are all different.

 

The best example I can give is that in Canada if you win a lottery you get it all with no taxes removed. If I win in the USA they hold 30% of the winnings as they do charge taxes on winning in their casinos ect (over I believe $1200.00). I can get some of the money back but it takes months and a lot of paper work to get it. This is a pet peeve of many travelers.

[Verfai]

I agree, fully even, there certainly are different laws that apply over every country…I don’t doubt that, I even think Belgium is the worst example in the world on the subject, just watch this funny movie trying to explain something we don’t even understand :p

 

However, like I said above, what is the difference between the daily sale they are sending now and the saving certificates you get after a cruise??? I can get the certificates, but cant book the cruise from the daily sale…That I really don’t get

[Paulxyz2004]

I know it´s not the answer you are looking for, but in the end it what it all comes down to:

-Their ships, their offers, their rules.

[Verfai]

I know it´s not the answer you are looking for, but in the end it what it all comes down to:

-Their ships, their offers, their rules.

 

Agreed again :D, however due to this, we did not book a second cruise for this year (at this time, as we will be on the Navigator in September) today…

At the end this is what should be the most important for them…We would have booked today, now there is a chance we find something else before we decide to go trough booking Navigator.

[cruisingmimi]

Can you give us the link to that article. I would like to read it. Thx.

[setsail]

Agreed again :D, however due to this, we did not book a second cruise for this year (at this time, as we will be on the Navigator in September) today…

At the end this is what should be the most important for them…We would have booked today, now there is a chance we find something else before we decide to go trough booking Navigator.

 

Would gladly give you all my SC's. We get the promos and then can't combine them with anything, I don't even read or look at them anymore, just delete.

[Albert Ross]

I would like to know same! It's same with credit card - we can't get in UK and also with the onboard booking - we have to ACTUALLY book a cruise and have to pay full deposit, although we get the onboard credit. Strange and slightly annoying!!

This is not correct - you have been able to book the 'Decide Later' option on board for some months now. You put down just £75 deposit, and only need to put one name, and then you can decide later what cruise you do want to take. The booking never expires and you get 2 Friends and Family certificates to use,and if the friends book on the same cruise as you do within 30 days, then they also get on board credit.

 

To the OP, the most significant benefit is that we can still get price drops after final payment which they cannot in the USA.

 

Remember the OBC is not combinable with your C&A balcony discount/savings certificates - so what they give with one hand they take away with the other:rolleyes:

[Verfai]

Can you give us the link to that article. I would like to read it. Thx.

 

No prob http://www.answeritroyally.com/blog/?p=4496

 

 

Would gladly give you all my SC's. We get the promos and then can't combine them with anything, I don't even read or look at them anymore, just delete.

 

Thanks, but the SC's are the one thing that does work for EU residents :D :D :D, however none that are to our liking.

And at the end it will be just that, you just ignore everything and just book when the price is correct for you.

[Verfai]

 

- so what they give with one hand they take away with the other:rolleyes:

 

Yep :D

[Sirkeline]

This is not correct - you have been able to book the 'Decide Later' option on board for some months now. You put down just £75 deposit, and only need to put one name, and then you can decide later what cruise you do want to take. The booking never expires and you get 2 Friends and Family certificates to use,and if the friends book on the same cruise as you do within 30 days, then they also get on board credit.

 

To the OP, the most significant benefit is that we can still get price drops after final payment which they cannot in the USA.

 

Remember the OBC is not combinable with your C&A balcony discount/savings certificates - so what they give with one hand they take away with the other:rolleyes:

 

We can book "decide later" on board, and get 2 friends&family certificates. When I did and wanted to use the 2 cert. I was told bye the head office in Oslo "Sorry, but the LA made a mistake giving them to you, they are not available for Norwegians":rolleyes:

[Paulxyz2004]

Agreed again :D, however due to this, we did not book a second cruise for this year (at this time, as we will be on the Navigator in September) today…

At the end this is what should be the most important for them…We would have booked today, now there is a chance we find something else before we decide to go trough booking Navigator.

 

Well sure they would have liked your booking today, but then at this point they were not looking out for your booking. I know this sounds harsh, but isn´t meant as this. I just meant to say with this promotion you weren´t in the target group.

 

 

No prob http://www.answeritroyally.com/blog/?p=4496

 

 

 

 

Thanks, but the SC's are the one thing that does work for EU residents :D :D :D, however none that are to our liking.

And at the end it will be just that, you just ignore everything and just book when the price is correct for you.

 

Let´s say the SC´s work now. Wasnßt always like this:rolleyes: Of course to me they are useless these days not being combinable.

[wieslaw]

We can book "decide later" on board, and get 2 friends&family certificates. When I did and wanted to use the 2 cert. I was told bye the head office in Oslo "Sorry, but the LA made a mistake giving them to you, they are not available for Norwegians":rolleyes:

 

Hi,

I booked or purchased the "Next Cruise" ( I guess is the same as your "decide later") about two weeks ago on board of the Navigator and did not get the 2 cert. for "friends & family" ( or whatever they call them now) .

I did ask Mr. Peter Enns ( Loyalty & Cruise Sales Manager) for those cert. and was told that "they do not do that anymore" ...... so I do not know if that program already ended or got changed.

 

So it seems to me the marketing department does what it needs to do, to make sure that their ships sail full - and it seems that what they do does work for them ..... every cruise that I have been on has been full and no cabins were available.

 

If they loose a potential cruiser here and there because of their regulation or marketing strategy, they do get someone else to take their place.

 

Sorry OP, I have no 'legal explanation' - but if you like what they offer - take it and enjoy your vacation ..... and if you do not ..... there are other choices out there.