Booking Future Cruise On-Board

[penfriend]

I would be grateful for some information and advice regarding booking a future cruise on-board, I understand there is a discount; how much and what is the base price on which it is applied? Would this booking preclude me from taking advantage of any future promotions, price drops or perks. In simple terms, what are the advantages (downsides) of doing an on-board booking? I tried to do a search on this but did not get very far. Thanks for reading.

[pingpong1]

Hi Penfriend - There will be more people weighing in on this who have far more experience/knowledge than I do but here's my own thoughts, based upon my own experience of booking a future cruise while on a current one.

 

You are offered several "discounts" off of the current published catalog price by booking onboard ("Early booking", "bonus discount", "Seven Seas Society Saving", and "Onboard Savings"). Secondly, the discount which is required to book/reserve that next cruise while you're onboard is 10% (vice the normal 15% that would be required later). Finally, you can select the specific stateroom (if it is available) and reserve it right on the spot while sitting in the onboard sales office with the sales rep. You'll know exactly which stateroom you'll be getting (unless/if you're offered and accept a later upgrade/upsell to another stateroom choice).

 

The Voyager Med cruise we'll be departing on in a little over a week was booked/reserved over a year ago while we were on a Navigator Alaska cruise. We saved several thousand dollars by doing this. We knew at the time which ship/cruise we wanted to go on and we knew the timeframe we wanted to travel.

 

If all goes well, we'll most likely book our next cruise while we're on this upcoming Med cruise, as well. We're retired, so we can go most anytime on a cruise without a lot of scheduling or juggling around involved. It's just a matter of knowing when/where you want to go, selecting the stateroom you want, getting the discount, and giving them the 10% deposit.

 

Best Regards.

[Travelcat2]

I would like to address another aspect of onboard booking -- future cruise certificates. For $2,000 you can get a future cruise certificate. You do not need to identify a cruise that you wish to take. You have two years to book a cruise (you can request a full refund within two years if you decide not to book a cruise).

 

When you book a cruise you receive the onboard booking discount. The cruise you book is transferable one time.

[HanaleiSailor]

Aloha all,

 

Just off our second Regent cruise and we booked for next year while on board. There were several itineraries for which the on board discounts were negligible, and others for which they were much better. One huge advantage for us on the cruise we booked was that we only had to put down 7.5 percent as a deposit. One can change the itinerary once prior to 121 days before the cruise, and the contract states that one will receive the on board discount available for the new itinerary, but that Regent has the right to close on board savings at any time.

 

One oddity for the cruise we booked is this: the price of a penthouse suite, with business air included, was cheaper than the price of many of the "regular" suites with Regent business air added. The on board consultant figured out this anomaly and used it it our advantage. We really have no interest in the penthouse, but since the fare includes business air, and it is cheaper than lower suites, we booked. The inboard consultant said that this glitch in pricing wold most likely get discovered and "fixed" soon.

 

Will write more about the trip later ; we're about to board our flight to Honolulu from SFO.

 

Aloha to all,

 

Mark

[Travelcat2]

Great deal! We once booked a penthouse suite for a lower price than a lower suite when you considered business class air. We have been hooked on penthouse suites since then.

 

In terms of the ins and outs of booking on board, IMO, it is very important to have a TA that regularly books Regent. Those of us on CruiseCritic can try to explain it and give you our experiences...... but a TA can answer any question you may have.

 

There are a few things that I would recommend speaking only to a TA about...... one is deviation and the other is onboard booking. You can get some good advice on CC....... but, none of us have the expertise of a TA.

[pingpong1]

TC - I would think that for as many cruises that you and others have taken with Regent over the years (not to mention the many thousands of $'s spent), you would have as much (or more) expertise and experience with the in's and out's of booking/sailing on Regent as any TA would. What would make a TA's opinion (in the final analysis, that's all it really is) - and one that is ultimately driven by profit - any more valid or worthwhile than the opinion of someone like you - a longtime satisfied Regent customer?

[Travelcat2]

TC - I would think that for as many cruises that you and others have taken with Regent over the years (not to mention the many thousands of $'s spent), you would have as much (or more) expertise and experience with the in's and out's of booking/sailing on Regent as any TA would. What would make a TA's opinion (in the final analysis, that's all it really is) - and one that is ultimately driven by profit - any more valid or worthwhile than the opinion of someone like you - a longtime satisfied Regent customer?

 

As usual, you bring up good points but you may be giving us too much credit (pun intended). Actually, the on board discount varies by cruise and by the category of suite you are booking. For instance, if you book the Voyager 15 night cruise on 1/17/2014, the credit for categories G-H is $350 while categories D-F is $400. If you book the Mariner's 12 night cruise departing 6/24/14, the credit is $325 for categories G-H and $350 for categories D-F. This is information that TA's and Regent has.

 

In my opinion, the best thing to do onboard is to purchase the future cruise certificate for $2,000 since it is fully refundable and can be transferred once. Most importantly, you do not have to select a specific cruise while you are on vacation. I find that most of the cruises I've booked on board we end up changing.

 

The problem with being fortunate enough to have taken many Regent cruises is that we can ramble on about this stuff endlessly:p

[HanaleiSailor]

As usual, you bring up good points but you may be giving us too much credit (pun intended). Actually, the on board discount varies by cruise and by the category of suite you are booking. For instance, if you book the Voyager 15 night cruise on 1/17/2014, the credit for categories G-H is $350 while categories D-F is $400. If you book the Mariner's 12 night cruise departing 6/24/14, the credit is $325 for categories G-H and $350 for categories D-F. This is information that TA's and Regent has.

 

In my opinion, the best thing to do onboard is to purchase the future cruise certificate for $2,000 since it is fully refundable and can be transferred once. Most importantly, you do not have to select a specific cruise while you are on vacation. I find that most of the cruises I've booked on board we end up changing.

 

The problem with being fortunate enough to have taken many Regent cruises is that we can ramble on about this stuff endlessly:p

 

TC: We were just on board and booked a future cruise, and we were thinking about the certificate, but we were lead to believe that once used towrards one itinerary that it is not transferable to a a different itinerary without a charge. That is also how I read the certificate.

 

Aloha from Honolulu, almost home!

 

Mark

[Travelcat2]

TC: We were just on board and booked a future cruise, and we were thinking about the certificate, but we were lead to believe that once used towrards one itinerary that it is not transferable to a a different itinerary without a charge. That is also how I read the certificate.

 

Aloha from Honolulu, almost home!

 

Mark

 

There was either a recent change on these or some people have been able to purchase them when they are not onboard. Many of us have purchased and used the future cruise credits have booked a cruise and were allowed one transfer. I think I will contact my TA and find out.

 

Continued safe travels!

[Travelcat2]

Heard from my TA and some rules are different. This includes the transfer of the FCC once it has been booked. You can no longer do this. Disappointing news.

[Sunprince]

Perhaps I am not understanding this...but is the "incentive" to book your next cruise while onboard (or via FCC) really only $350 on a $12500 cruise fare (using TCs examples)? If so, then IMO that is a very low loyalty incentive. I probably wouldn't even bother for that small amount of money and just book what I wanted when I felt like it, rather than to have to decide while (or shortly after) being onboard. I know many people book while on board so perhaps there are other advantages? I just expected the incentive would be a little (actually quite a bit) more.

[Travelcat2]

Perhaps I am not understanding this...but is the "incentive" to book your next cruise while onboard (or via FCC) really only $350 on a $12500 cruise fare (using TCs examples)? If so, then IMO that is a very low loyalty incentive. I probably wouldn't even bother for that small amount of money and just book what I wanted when I felt like it, rather than to have to decide while (or shortly after) being onboard. I know many people book while on board so perhaps there are other advantages? I just expected the incentive would be a little (actually quite a bit) more.

 

I should have posted that it is per person. We book penthouse suites and get approximately $600/person on board credit. We also try to book Seven Seas Society cruises for that discount. Every little bit helps:-)

[HanaleiSailor]

One of the best advantages to onbpard booking is that the deposit is greatly reduced and the itinerary is transferable once without a fee. For the cruise we just booked onboard, the deposit was only 7.5 percent rather than the 15 percent that it would have been with a regular booking.

 

Aloha,

 

Mark

[penfriend]

Thanks everyone. This is all very helpful.