Next Cruise certificates - how old can they be before becoming problematic?

[windjamming]

Looking for some NextCruise help!

 

We have a December 2015 reservation using a Next Cruise certificate. It comes along with $100 OBC.

 

Now I see that I can make a brand new reservation with $200 OBC, same price.

 

Obviously the choice is to switch my stateroom from the Next Cruise reservation to this new reservation and get the higher OBC. (We are before final payment.)

 

Question is, though, the Next Cruise reservation is from 2011. We will unlikely be able to book another cruise until late next year at the earliest and maybe even later. (Our 2016 cruises already are on other Next Cruise certificates.)

 

Has anyone here had experience using a Next Cruise reservation from 5 or 6 years back? I believe there is no expiry technically, but it seems the RCI systems can be somewhat temperamental.

 

(Yeah, yeah, I know it's old - we had to roll the reservation a few times for several reasons.)

 

Thanks in advance!

[Clarea]

I've not heard of the NC certificates expiring.

[SamInWa]

They do not expire and I have had no problem with using them 5 years down the line.

 

I have also had no problem moving them from one booking to another (before final payment) numerous times.

 

RCL is very good about keeping track of older pre-booking credits using the rules that were in place when they were booked.

 

Over the years they have made changes to the program, such as not being able to combine them with stockholder credit, combinability with other discounts or more recently granting variable credit based on cabin types. They have always honored the original conditions.

 

Hope this helps.

[windjamming]

Yes, it helps - appreciate knowing that they do not indeed expire in practice!

 

Thanks!

[Driftwoodgal]

I have had some of the older certificates that I did have to fight for all of the combinable benefits. Do your research on the boards before booking as it sure help when talking to them if you know what your certificate benefits were at the time. I had to be transferred to a supervisor to get all of mine benefits on an older booking.

[Becoming]

I just cruised on a Next Cruise booking from December 2012. It all turned out OK. My OBC was shown on the first few statements and then while on the cruise and viewing my account on the TV in the cabin, I noticed it had not been posted.

 

For some reason, the OBC had dropped off my account along the way. The gal at Guest Services on the ship called Miami and got it straightened out. The OBC was on my account that night.

 

Just keep your eyes open and it should be fine.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[pspercy]

Looking for some NextCruise help!

 

We have a December 2015 reservation using a Next Cruise certificate. It comes along with $100 OBC.

 

Now I see that I can make a brand new reservation with $200 OBC, same price.

 

Obviously the choice is to switch my stateroom from the Next Cruise reservation to this new reservation and get the higher OBC. (We are before final payment.)

 

Question is, though, the Next Cruise reservation is from 2011. We will unlikely be able to book another cruise until late next year at the earliest and maybe even later. (Our 2016 cruises already are on other Next Cruise certificates.)

 

Has anyone here had experience using a Next Cruise reservation from 5 or 6 years back? I believe there is no expiry technically, but it seems the RCI systems can be somewhat temperamental.

 

(Yeah, yeah, I know it's old - we had to roll the reservation a few times for several reasons.)

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Yes I have.

Once you have used it to make a reservation you have to move it to a different reservation and "park" it if plans change, if you simply cancel you'll lose it. At least, that was the rule when I bought mine (about 2012/3)

 

My next RCL cruise is on a "parked" NCC that I've moved several times but now the plan is to actually take that trip, Anthem looks interesting and the ports will be new:)

 

I believe NCCs under the new rules cannot be switched around so much, if at all.

Edited September 20, 2015 by pspercy

[sblair]

If you have Nextcruise certificates already that is one thing, but I would AVOID ever trying to get them in the future. My parents had one it has caused nothing but a complete nightmare for us!

 

I already had the reservations all set up for my cabin and theirs and then called to get the NextCruise credit for us both. They ended up deleting both reservations in order to credit the NextCruise. They completely screwed up the reservations, it wouldn't let us edit them online anymore with the new ones, RCI staff was difficult to deal with and then caused nothing but headaches in trying to get it transferred to a TA because of the Nextcruise.

 

Totally NOT worth the $100 for the hassle and time it cost to deal with. We would have been better off throwing them away in hindsight then using it.

[Ashland]

If you have Nextcruise certificates already that is one thing, but I would AVOID ever trying to get them in the future. My parents had one it has caused nothing but a complete nightmare for us!

 

I already had the reservations all set up for my cabin and theirs and then called to get the NextCruise credit for us both. They ended up deleting both reservations in order to credit the NextCruise. They completely screwed up the reservations, it wouldn't let us edit them online anymore with the new ones, RCI staff was difficult to deal with and then caused nothing but headaches in trying to get it transferred to a TA because of the Nextcruise.

 

Totally NOT worth the $100 for the hassle and time it cost to deal with. We would have been better off throwing them away in hindsight then using it.

Sorry...you had this problem...usually not the case at all. Just know the details of your particular NCC and continue to be your own best advocate..and don't hesitate to take any problems that arise a step further up the RCI chain.

[windjamming]

Thanks all for your help. We ended up using the Next Cruise reservation anyway, because the higher OBC was not compatible with the C&A balcony discount.

 

Still, good to know that the Next Cruises are still valid in practice even after that many years.