How to Book

[CRUISE4JANE]

I am totally ignorant as to how to book on RCCL. On another cruiseline, I booked Early Saver and received quite a number of price drops for my last cruise. I have no clue how to book on RCCL. I am not a past guest. Can anyone let me know if there is something like an Early Saver on RCCL. Thanks. :)

[PH8]

I am totally ignorant as to how to book on RCCL. On another cruiseline, I booked Early Saver and received quite a number of price drops for my last cruise. I have no clue how to book on RCCL. I am not a past guest. Can anyone let me know if there is something like an Early Saver on RCCL. Thanks. :)

No Early Saver like Carnival..............but if you book with RCCL and there is a price drop before final payment(excluding sales that say New Bookings only),you will get the reduced price.

 

After final payment,no credit for you,but you can upgrade if the price is the same as you booked or fairly close and you pay the difference,

[Ren1216]

RCI doesn't have Early Saver, but it's still very easy to to make a reservation. Deposit is normally $500pp for 1st and 2nd, $250 for 3rd and 4th (suite deposit amounts are higher). Visit their website, the Reservations phone number is located on the bottom left of their homepage. If you don't have a preferred travel agent, then booking directly with RCI is your best bet (in my opinion). You'll maintain complete control of your reservation this way... and if you notice a price drop later on, call them and ask for it to be adjusted. This can only be done prior to final payment being made, the rules change after final pmts.

 

RCI is great! Good luck with choosing a sailing... making the reservation will be the easy part.

[CRUISE4JANE]

No Early Saver like Carnival..............but if you book with RCCL and there is a price drop before final payment(excluding sales that say New Bookings only),you will get the reduced price.

 

After final payment,no credit for you,but you can upgrade if the price is the same as you booked or fairly close and you pay the difference,

 

RCI doesn't have Early Saver, but it's still very easy to to make a reservation. Deposit is normally $500pp for 1st and 2nd, $250 for 3rd and 4th (suite deposit amounts are higher). Visit their website, the Reservations phone number is located on the bottom left of their homepage. If you don't have a preferred travel agent, then booking directly with RCI is your best bet (in my opinion). You'll maintain complete control of your reservation this way... and if you notice a price drop later on, call them and ask for it to be adjusted. This can only be done prior to final payment being made, the rules change after final pmts.

 

RCI is great! Good luck with choosing a sailing... making the reservation will be the easy part.

 

Thanks to both of you. I am starting to learn a lot about RCCL. :)

[Ren1216]

You're welcome. One more thing.... unlike Early Saver, if you need to cancel your reservation before final payment is made (for any reason), you'll get a 100% refund.

 

I suggest travel insurance so that if you must cancel after final payment, the insurance will cover any portion not refundable under RCI's cancellation policy (pay attention to covered reasons for cancellation on whatever policy you decide to purchase though).

 

Have a great RCI cruise!

[CRUISE4JANE]

Thanks again. I always get insurance. First 2 cruises got the insurance with Carnival, but then joined Cruise Critic and found better insurance coverage through insuremytrip. I sure learned a lot since I have been on CC this past year. :)

[edjny]

I have noticed that "generally" if one books more than a year in advance, the price will be less than if they waited. For example, if I book a year or so in advance, the price might be $1000. If I look a couple of months later, the price will be listed at $1100. Then if one waits till soon before embarkation, the price may drop to fill cabins. The risk of waiting till the end for the lowest prices is that the cruise may be fully booked or only the 'undesirable' cabins are left.

 

The prices I stated are completely hypothetical and certainly do not hold true for all cruises.

[CRUISE4JANE]

I agree.

[truffles2]

No Early Saver like Carnival..............but if you book with RCCL and there is a price drop before final payment(excluding sales that say New Bookings only),you will get the reduced price.

 

After final payment,no credit for you,but you can upgrade if the price is the same as you booked or fairly close and you pay the difference,

 

 

It is important to add to the first statement that YOU must find the price drop and take the initiative with either travel agent or RCI to have the new price applied. They (RCI) do not do it for you.

[Sundiego]

Jane!! Sorry to hijack this thread lol... I posted to you over on the Carnival boards and the thread I started got buried so I am guessing you never saw it. I was curious how you liked your cruise. Hope you had a great time!

 

~Denise

[pennys mum]

No Early Saver like Carnival..............but if you book with RCCL and there is a price drop before final payment(excluding sales that say New Bookings only),you will get the reduced price.

 

After final payment,no credit for you,but you can upgrade if the price is the same as you booked or fairly close and you pay the difference,

 

Not if you live in the UK...we lose deposit and cannot switch without penalty

[CRUISE4JANE]

Sundiego - I sured did see your post. Guess I will see you posting here since I read you are going on Brillance of the Seas. :) Until another posting,

 

Jane

[Desert Cruizers]

In every cruise I have booked for DH & I, we paid a much lower fee then if we had waited and I book as soon as the dates open. Even if the price goes down, it never has dropped to the level we paid at the time we booked. It probably will benift those who book later. We generally know of our next cruise before opening dates, so select the cruise we want, and cabin # right away, I also will pick out a back up cabin should the first choise be taken.

[bbbearden]

I have noticed that "generally" if one books more than a year in advance, the price will be less than if they waited. For example, if I book a year or so in advance, the price might be $1000. If I look a couple of months later, the price will be listed at $1100. Then if one waits till soon before embarkation, the price may drop to fill cabins. The risk of waiting till the end for the lowest prices is that the cruise may be fully booked or only the 'undesirable' cabins are left.

 

The prices I stated are completely hypothetical and certainly do not hold true for all cruises.

 

We have also noticed an advantage to booking extremely early, we have noticed prices go up 4 times since we orignally booked our next cruise.

[TEXASMUNK]

A PREVIOUS POSTER'S COMMENT!!!

 

You must find the price drop and call Royal. It is not AUTOMATIC!!!

 

We sail RCI frequently and occasionally on Carnival.....There is a difference!!!!! You will love the ships! You will find the crew great!

[nyc12345]

Also, if you have a great agent, you will also receive onboard credit that you would not receive booking directly from Royal. That's how I book all my cruises and enjoy the extra money that I can spend while on the ship.

 

Royal does have sales every Tuesday, but usually during the last few months when there's still a lot of rooms left on the cruise.