Sold Out Regal Christmas Offer

[baronessk]

My friend who only previously sailed RCCL is booked on the Regal Dec. 20th with her two teenagers. She was just called by Princess and was offered $1,500 and upgrade her deluxe balcony M101 if she "abandons ship". The only other time she can go will be school break. She is asking my advice. I am going anyway as it is what I do with DM every year fro Christmas. I don't know if this is a good offer or not. Any advice I can pass along will be appreciated. Thanks!

[CineGraphic]

Wow....

I'm wondering about all of the possibilities as to why they want it back, and what they consider to be an upgrade from a deluxe balcony, mini suite, suite....

[MCC retired]

That is what is known as a "Move Over" offer.

The sailing is oversold .

It sounds like a great offer but if not grabbed now they will offer it to others .

Don't wait if interested.

Otherwise , they just sweeten the offer until they get enough guests to take it.

[lindy sails]

My friend who only previously sailed RCCL is booked on the Regal Dec. 20th with her two teenagers. She was just called by Princess and was offered $1,500 and upgrade her deluxe balcony M101 if she "abandons ship". The only other time she can go will be school break. She is asking my advice. I am going anyway as it is what I do with DM every year fro Christmas. I don't know if this is a good offer or not. Any advice I can pass along will be appreciated. Thanks![/

 

Is the $1500 in addition to what she paid for her cruise? Plus an upgrade? I'm sure she would like to cruise with you and your DM for the holiday. That would be a tough decision. Although if she is getting an additional $1500 she could book two cruises. Next Christmas and another during one of her school breaks.

Let us know what she decides.

Linda

[Colo Cruiser]

Wow....

I'm wondering about all of the possibilities as to why they want it back, and what they consider to be an upgrade from a deluxe balcony, mini suite, suite....

 

 

Princess consistently sells out and these move overs are done all the time.

Princess has this down to a science.

 

To the OP I would think your friend should make that decision. :)

[baronessk]

Well now I know from reading these boards, (thank you fellow members) that it is referred to as a "move over" offer. I have called her and said she needs to define:

Are they offering her a FREE future cruise PLUS the $1500, or just $1500 to move over?

Is the upgrade to a different category as in MS or Suite, or is it to mid ship in a deluxe balcony?

If it's a free cruise PLUS I will encourage her to jump at it. Since "spring break" dates are scattered across the country, I don't think she'd have a problem re-booking.

I think she will end up taking it as her DM, who gambles so much she gets free RCCL cruises all the time, didn't want her to leave for Christmas anyway. Oh and DM is currently ON RCCL for a week, after just getting back from a months cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

Well now I know from reading these boards, (thank you fellow members) that it is referred to as a "move over" offer. I have called her and said she needs to define:

Are they offering her a FREE future cruise PLUS the $1500, or just $1500 to move over?

Is the upgrade to a different category as in MS or Suite, or is it to mid ship in a deluxe balcony?

If it's a free cruise PLUS I will encourage her to jump at it. Since "spring break" dates are scattered across the country, I don't think she'd have a problem re-booking.

I think she will end up taking it as her DM, who gambles so much she gets free RCCL cruises all the time, didn't want her to leave for Christmas anyway. Oh and DM is currently ON RCCL for a week, after just getting back from a months cruise.

 

 

If she does not hurry the offer may not be there anymore.

Its first come first served.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[baronessk]

She just verified with them that it is ONLY a $1500 OBC, and as she does not know when she would take the future cruise (she's at work and does not know the school break dates), she does not know if the cruise would be more expensive then or not. That being said, she is leaning towards NOT taking the offer.

[Cruisin' Chick]

That is what is known as a "Move Over" offer.

The sailing is oversold .

It sounds like a great offer but if not grabbed now they will offer it to others .

Don't wait if interested.

Otherwise , they just sweeten the offer until they get enough guests to take it.

 

She just verified with them that it is ONLY a $1500 OBC, and as she does not know when she would take the future cruise (she's at work and does not know the school break dates), she does not know if the cruise would be more expensive then or not. That being said, she is leaning towards NOT taking the offer.

 

We've been offered moveovers twice but didn't take either. The last time was on one of our holiday Hawaiian cruises and that was the only time we could do it with a school-aged kid. I think it was an upgrade (from an OV) and partial refund.

 

The other time was a full refund and upgrade to balcony (from the lowest category on the ship -- not kidding) to postpone for a few weeks. We were taking the girl out of kindergarten anyway and didn't have a flight nor hotel to worry about, but it was the day before our first Princess cruise, so we didn't call back.

 

They will up the ante to find takers and you'll (or in the OP's case, friends) still have your cabin if you pass it up.

[TracieABD]

I have gotten 2 move-over offers:

1. January 2013- Buenos Aires to Santiago- 13 days. Give up a mini-suite. Get cruise to BA and Santiago in Winter of 2014 (year later), full cruise fare in refundable OBC, move to a full suite. We did not take it.

 

2. January 2015- RT Singapore to Indonesia- 10 days. Give up a balcony. Get:

a. a cruise up to 15 day cruise anywhere in the World in a full suite

b. another cruise up to 10 days in a full suite

c. 100% of original cruise fare in refundable OBC

d. an additional $500 in OBC (that was not in the original contract, but magically appeared on board)

e. change flight fees up to $300 per person

f. and somewhere they threw in an extra dinner for 2 at the Crown.

 

Guess what? We took that offer. It got us off the hook for a 23 hour flight with my mom who broke her hip 10 weeks before. We went to the Caribbean on the Royal and the British Isles and had a wonderful time in a Penthouse Suite and an Owners Suite. In our family, we fondly refer to this as the mack-daddy of all move-over offers!

Edited December 8, 2015 by TracieABD

[lindy sails]

Wow that is the Mack-daddy!

I've learned a lot from reading these posts. I'm also on the 12/20-1/3 Regal cruise. There are several of us who booked gty deluxe balconies without cabin assignments yet. I wonder if the sold out ship has anything to do the cabin assignments.

[TracieABD]

Wow that is the Mack-daddy!

I've learned a lot from reading these posts. I'm also on the 12/20-1/3 Regal cruise. There are several of us who booked gty deluxe balconies without cabin assignments yet. I wonder if the sold out ship has anything to do the cabin assignments.

 

I would guess it does. That is what happened on our Singapore Sapphire cruise. It was sold out for a really long time... and then the move over offer came. First they offered it to people from Singapore and other Southeast Asia countries. Then they offered it to Aussie and New Zealanders. By the time the offer came to us in the US, they had done a lot to sweeten the deal. My TA is pretty well known, and she found out that they needed 4 balcony cabins (I think). Two American couples and two Russian couples took the deal. While I hated to miss Indonesia with my mom, we were wise to take the offer. It really did work out for the best.

[lindy sails]

I would guess it does. That is what happened on our Singapore Sapphire cruise. It was sold out for a really long time... and then the move over offer came. First they offered it to people from Singapore and other Southeast Asia countries. Then they offered it to Aussie and New Zealanders. By the time the offer came to us in the US, they had done a lot to sweeten the deal. My TA is pretty well known, and she found out that they needed 4 balcony cabins (I think). Two American couples and two Russian couples took the deal. While I hated to miss Indonesia with my mom, we were wise to take the offer. It really did work out for the best.

 

 

I've followed your reviews and have enjoyed them and your writing style. I think it's neat you and your mom travel the world together!

[TracieABD]

I've followed your reviews and have enjoyed them and your writing style. I think it's neat you and your mom travel the world together!

 

Sadly, that is past tense...

[baronessk]

Sadly, that is past tense...

Awe, sorry to hear that. I have lived in Europe, South America, Australia, and Asia and my Mother has visited me or later traveled with me to all of those places except Asia. We do the Christmas cruise every year since losing my Dad. A Move Over offer to me would be met with a resounding "no". You cannot put a price on the time I get to spend with my Mother, who is 84.

[TracieABD]

Awe, sorry to hear that. I have lived in Europe, South America, Australia, and Asia and my Mother has visited me or later traveled with me to all of those places except Asia. We do the Christmas cruise every year since losing my Dad. A Move Over offer to me would be met with a resounding "no". You cannot put a price on the time I get to spend with my Mother, who is 84.

 

You sure have that right. My mom and I returned home from the British Isles on July 8. On July 24, she was gone. I am so grateful that my final memories of her are attached to the very things we most cherished: family and travel. And I know that it happened just the way she would have wanted it.

[lindy sails]

You sure have that right. My mom and I returned home from the British Isles on July 8. On July 24, she was gone. I am so grateful that my final memories of her are attached to the very things we most cherished: family and travel. And I know that it happened just the way she would have wanted it.

 

 

So glad you have those memories! I miss traveling with my mom and so glad we shared that time together. Wishing you the seasons best.

[TracieABD]

So glad you have those memories! I miss traveling with my mom and so glad we shared that time together. Wishing you the seasons best.

 

Thank you! I am taking my mom to the Panama Canal... well, a little bit of my mom... and sort of not in her original form... but she will be with me.;)

[pablo222]

Otherwise , they just sweeten the offer until they get enough guests to take it.

 

I waited, and got a way better offer.

 

For an expensive christmas cruise, there will be fewer passengers

driving to ship, and lots of passengers who have relatives on board, etc.

-- making them reluctant to change their plans.

 

Might be a good time to hold out for a better offer.

[lindy sails]

Thank you! I am taking my mom to the Panama Canal... well, a little bit of my mom... and sort of not in her original form... but she will be with me.;)

 

 

You are an awesome daughter Tracie!

[baronessk]

Decision has been made. My friend is NOT taking the Move Over offer. The only other time she can go is Spring Break and her ex has her son for that time, or summer and Princess does not sail the Caribbean during that time. If the offer had been "sweeter" she MAY have waited until next Christmas, but they were not interested in sweetening the offer, even after she asked.

[TracieABD]

Decision has been made. My friend is NOT taking the Move Over offer. The only other time she can go is Spring Break and her ex has her son for that time, or summer and Princess does not sail the Caribbean during that time. If the offer had been "sweeter" she MAY have waited until next Christmas, but they were not interested in sweetening the offer, even after she asked.

 

Thank you for coming back and updating us! I really do think she chose wisely...

[TracieABD]

You are an awesome daughter Tracie!

 

You have no idea what those words mean to me. Thank you for that.

[Colo Cruiser]

Decision has been made. My friend is NOT taking the Move Over offer. The only other time she can go is Spring Break and her ex has her son for that time, or summer and Princess does not sail the Caribbean during that time. If the offer had been "sweeter" she MAY have waited until next Christmas, but they were not interested in sweetening the offer, even after she asked.

 

 

Thanks for the update.

[lindy sails]

You have no idea what those words mean to me. Thank you for that.

 

 

I began going on Christmas cruises the year after my mother passed away -7 years ago. I always take a few holiday photos along to remind me of all of the good times we shared together. Enjoy the Panama Canal.

By the way I got my cabin assignment yesterday for the Xmas/NYE cruise on the Regal. So I better start packing!