Onboard Credit

[Frankmac]

Can someone tell me about onboard credit please. Is it an entitlement, is it an entitlement for returning customers, or is it discretionary?

 

We have done just four cruises and a far as I can remember we had onboard credit on them all, even the first one which was a four day cruise on Majesty.

[pltag]

It's discretionary. Of the 10+ RCI cruises we have taken, we have received OBC in only two ways. We bought it (actually cashed in points from our RCI VISA card), and we received some as a gift from our TA.

 

I'm guessing RCI might run some promotions that include a certain amount of OBC with a cabin booking, but I am not sure about this.

[nolesrule]

If you do an onboard booking or purchase an open booking onboard, you will also receive an OBC. Check out the C&A section of RCI's website.

[cruisenfever]

When booking on this side of the pond we can receive OBC from RCI for....

 

...Booking a cruise while on board

...C&A Advertised Promotional Sailings

...WOW Sales

 

It might be different on your side of the pond.

Edited January 16, 2014 by cruisenfever

[Iandidar]

You can receive OBC from RCI from....

 

...Booking a cruise while on board

...C&A Advertised Promotional Sailings

...WOW Sales

 

Add onto that list...

 

...as an apology for poor service.

...to make right a pricing issue they were unable to fix.

 

for my side of the pond anyway.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Iandidar

[Frankmac]

Thank you all for such prompt replies.

 

A summer cruise we are looking at has no onboard credit if booking direct with RCCl but does if I book through a TA.

 

I prefer to book direct if I can

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Thank you all for such prompt replies.

 

A summer cruise we are looking at has no onboard credit if booking direct with RCCl but does if I book through a TA.

 

I prefer to book direct if I can

 

I always use a TA to book, she always beats the cruiseline price and throws in some OBC.

I booked my first RCI cruise and got OBC, dinner and spa OBC and gratuaties paid, still need to learn all the ins and outs of what OBC can be combined etc on RCCL:eek:

[leaveitallbehind]

I always use a TA to book' date=' [b']she always beats the cruiseline price and throws in some OBC.[/b]

I booked my first RCI cruise and got OBC, dinner and spa OBC and gratuaties paid, still need to learn all the ins and outs of what OBC can be combined etc on RCCL:eek:

 

At least in the US, as an incentive to book through them, your TA is either offering pricing from a block of rooms booked prior to a current price increase, spreading the block credit back to you that they receive for the number of rooms blocked (typically 1 person rate a n/c for every 8 similar rooms booked), and providing the OBC, gratuities, or other perks from their commission. It may then be packaged as a price that beats the cruiseline price - but the base stateroom rate from RCI (and most mass market cruise lines) is the same booked direct or through a TA as they do not "discount" their rates through a TA.

 

Not saying there is anything wrong with this or that you don't benefit from it, but it is coming to you from the TA out of the total compensation paid by the cruise lines to them.

Edited January 16, 2014 by leaveitallbehind