Booking Onboard

[shorti503]

We sail Feb 6-13th. I really want to book our next cruise onboard to take advantage of the lower deposit. The problem is the next cruise we want to do is to Alaska in 2017. We need a bit more time to save for this trip because we want to bring my parents along. My mom was just diagnosed with early stages on Parkinson's and Alaska has been a dream of hers. From what I have read the sale dates for Alaska 2017 don't come out until the week after our cruise. Is there any way to still book this onboard or am I out of luck?

[Retired LEO]

We sail Feb 6-13th. I really want to book our next cruise onboard to take advantage of the lower deposit. The problem is the next cruise we want to do is to Alaska in 2017. We need a bit more time to save for this trip because we want to bring my parents along. My mom was just diagnosed with early stages on Parkinson's and Alaska has been a dream of hers. From what I have read the sale dates for Alaska 2017 don't come out until the week after our cruise. Is there any way to still book this onboard or am I out of luck?

 

The itineraries for 2017 won't be in the system yet so there's no way to book it onboard.

[cruisenfever]

We sail Feb 6-13th. I really want to book our next cruise onboard to take advantage of the lower deposit. The problem is the next cruise we want to do is to Alaska in 2017. We need a bit more time to save for this trip because we want to bring my parents along. My mom was just diagnosed with early stages on Parkinson's and Alaska has been a dream of hers. From what I have read the sale dates for Alaska 2017 don't come out until the week after our cruise. Is there any way to still book this onboard or am I out of luck?

You can create an Open Booking while on board which has a reduced deposit of $100pp. This is a booking with a number but no itinerary which makes it inactive. Once the itineraries are released for Alaska, you can convert that into an active booking. The OBC is only $25 for a 7 day booking of this type but you do get the reduced deposit and the ability to book the cruise you want when the itineraries are released from home.

 

Just a note to add that if your current cruise was made through a TA, then that TA will be the TA on record for the cruise you are on. If you do not want the Open Booking sent to this TA, make sure you tell the Cruise Sales Specialist that you want the Open Booking to stay with Royal Caribbean.

Edited January 30, 2016 by cruisenfever

[molly361]

You can make a phantom booking while onboard in order to get the lower deposit and then once the sailings come out you can change the one that you made onboard to the Alaska one.

 

Or create an open booking like Patti said above. I type too slow :)

Edited January 30, 2016 by molly361

[parrothead34984]

You can book a "next cruise" certificate without having to pick a date. I believe you still get some of the benefits of booking on board such as a lower deposit.

[FirstAlto]

We sail Feb 6-13th. I really want to book our next cruise onboard to take advantage of the lower deposit. The problem is the next cruise we want to do is to Alaska in 2017. We need a bit more time to save for this trip because we want to bring my parents along. My mom was just diagnosed with early stages on Parkinson's and Alaska has been a dream of hers. From what I have read the sale dates for Alaska 2017 don't come out until the week after our cruise. Is there any way to still book this onboard or am I out of luck?

 

From what I understand is that you just book ANY cruise, and just change the details when the cruise you want is available to book - at least I hope that is the way it will work because I am planning on doing exactly that next week on the Serenade.

Anybody have any experience with this scenario ??

Jane

Man I must be a REALLY slow typist lol

Edited January 30, 2016 by FirstAlto

[PCWalton1]

Would there be any disadvantage when the OP is on board booking a currently listed cruise then just switching to the Alaska cruise when it becomes available?

 

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk

[cruisenfever]

You can book a "next cruise" certificate without having to pick a date. I believe you still get some of the benefits of booking on board such as a lower deposit.

It's now called an Open Booking.

From what I understand is that you just book ANY cruise, and just change the details when the cruise you want is available to book - at least I hope that is the way it will work because I am planning on doing exactly that next week on the Serenade.

Anybody have any experience with this scenario ??

Jane

See my Post #3 above. Much better way to do it.

[molly361]

If the OP books a phantom cruise while onboard they can get $100 instant OBC (But the deposit becomes non-refundable).

 

An open booking will get them $25 OBC

[molly361]

From what I understand is that you just book ANY cruise, and just change the details when the cruise you want is available to book - at least I hope that is the way it will work because I am planning on doing exactly that next week on the Serenade.

Anybody have any experience with this scenario ??

Jane

Man I must be a REALLY slow typist lol

 

That's the way I do it. I always take the OBC on the future cruise. In the past they let you make one change without changing the OBC down to the $25 open booking amount. I am not sure if they still do that.

 

If you take the OBC on the cruise that you are on you can make as many changes as you like.

[FirstAlto]

If the OP books a phantom cruise while onboard they can get $100 instant OBC (But the deposit becomes non-refundable).

 

An open booking will get them $25 OBC

 

And our cruise is a 10 day, so we will be eligible for $150 OBC - I will take the chance of non- refundable deposit :)

And I understood from what I read that your deposit would be equal to your OBC - so in this case $150 - seems like there is no downside - or am I missing something ?:confused:

Jane

[pjnj40]

From what I understand is that you just book ANY cruise, and just change the details when the cruise you want is available to book - at least I hope that is the way it will work because I am planning on doing exactly that next week on the Serenade.

Anybody have any experience with this scenario ??

Jane

Man I must be a REALLY slow typist lol

 

I ask my rep in the book your next cruise on anthem, He said you can changes it and it won't affect your obc.

[FLACRUISER99]

And our cruise is a 10 day, so we will be eligible for $150 OBC - I will take the chance of non- refundable deposit :)

And I understood from what I read that your deposit would be equal to your OBC - so in this case $150 - seems like there is no downside - or am I missing something ?:confused:

Jane

The only downside that I can think of is RCI may change their mind about allowing changes!:eek: Not unheard of with RCI.

[FLACRUISER99]

I ask my rep in the book your next cruise on anthem, He said you can changes it and it won't affect your obc.

Make sure you get that in writing!

[FirstAlto]

"The only downside that I can think of is RCI may change their mind about allowing changes! Not unheard of with RCI."

 

Now I can't imagine why you would think that !!! Lol

Jane

[whitshel]

Definitely, do not do an open booking, like many have said the OBC is very low compared to an actual booking. There have been reports too if you do an actual booking and take the OBC for the later cruise, they can lower the obc if you change it.

 

So the best way to do it is do and actual booking for any cruise, take the obc for the cruise you are on then move the booking when your bookings open up. They cant lower your obc because you've already spent it. I've done this twice now, and I have changed one with no problem at all (even went from RCCL to Celebrity). The other I just did while on the Oasis with the same issue you have, we already have a 2017 cruise booked but we want to take advantage of the low deposit for 2018 so we booked for the same week we already have 2017 cruise booked and plan to change it when the Caribbean booking open up.

 

They say the deposit is nonrefundable if you take the obc for the current cruise but really if you cancel you already spent the obc they gave you so the deposit has to be nonrefundable, you come out evenas well as RCCL.

[whitshel]

If the OP books a phantom cruise while onboard they can get $100 instant OBC (But the deposit becomes non-refundable).

 

An open booking will get them $25 OBC

 

Like I said, the deposit is nonrefundable because you already spent their money (OBC), so the deposit has to be nonrefundable.

[jagsfan]

I paid for two

Open Bookings on Oasis a couple of yeas ago

The $100 per person I paid for the Open Bookings was applied to the cruise I booked a month ago. The $50 per person OBC attached for a 7 day cruise was applied to my booking. In addition, we received $100 per person for booking the cruise.

The Open Booking was nonrefundable but would never expire, so I felt completely safe doing it.

Now I have my cruise booked, no cash out of my pocket for deposit, and $300 OBC.

[Clarea]

I paid for two

Open Bookings on Oasis a couple of yeas ago

The $100 per person I paid for the Open Bookings was applied to the cruise I booked a month ago. The $50 per person OBC attached for a 7 day cruise was applied to my booking. In addition, we received $100 per person for booking the cruise.

The Open Booking was nonrefundable but would never expire, so I felt completely safe doing it.

Now I have my cruise booked, no cash out of my pocket for deposit, and $300 OBC.

The OBC made them a good deal a two years ago, we used to buy one or two on every cruise.

 

Now the OBC is a pittance, so it's no longer worth it to me.

[shorti503]

Thank you all for your help! I am now planning on just finding a cruise in 2017 and booking two rooms and asking for the OBC for the current cruise then switching it to an Alaskan cruise when those itineraries open up.

 

One last question, when I do this if I book two balcony rooms would the deposit be $150 for each room for $150 for each person going?

 

Love and appreciate all the helpful people on here!

[Clarea]

Thank you all for your help! I am now planning on just finding a cruise in 2017 and booking two rooms and asking for the OBC for the current cruise then switching it to an Alaskan cruise when those itineraries open up.

 

One last question, when I do this if I book two balcony rooms would the deposit be $150 for each room for $150 for each person going?

 

Love and appreciate all the helpful people on here!

The deposit would be $100 per stateroom for a balcony on a 7-day cruise.

[shorti503]

A couple more questions I just thought of in regards to C&A points. If I am paying for both rooms do I get the points for them or no? It doesn't matter either way I was just curious.

 

when I do switch over to the Alaskan cruise will they charge me any additional costs for switching?

 

When taking an Alaskan cruise with land tours do you get C&A points for the nights of the land tours?

[kontraxed]

I like to book a cruise 12-18 months ahead and then just make relatively small monthly payments so the cruise is paid off by the time of the cruise with no big financial hit. That being said, on my last cruise I did the on-board booking to get the instant OBC and the minimal deposit. A month later I went to make my first payment and the Royal Caribbean website would not accept the amount. The website said I had to pay an amount at least equal to the full normal deposit. What??? So, I called Customer Service and they said that was correct. Now, this was not in print anywhere. So, my question is, what's the point of a reduced deposit if you're just going to hit me up for it a month later? Not everyone wants to spring for the entire value of a cruise at one time. Plus, if you pay off your cruise early, you cheat yourself out of any price adjustment if the prices for that cruise go down before the final due date. Just venting. This was the only time that RCCL ever really irritated me. Ultimately, I did cancel that cruise and went on Princess instead although I am now booked for another RCCL cruise in 2017.

Edited February 3, 2016 by kontraxed

[Clarea]

A couple more questions I just thought of in regards to C&A points. If I am paying for both rooms do I get the points for them or no? It doesn't matter either way I was just curious.

 

when I do switch over to the Alaskan cruise will they charge me any additional costs for switching?

 

When taking an Alaskan cruise with land tours do you get C&A points for the nights of the land tours?

It does not matter who pays, it only matters who is booked in the stateroom.

 

As long as it is before final payment date, Royal does not change a fee to chaneg your ship or sail date.

 

You get a C&A point for each night of the land tour, two if you are booked in a JS or better stateroom.

[robtulipe]

I ask my rep in the book your next cruise on anthem, He said you can changes it and it won't affect your obc.

 

That was also confirmed to me by a C&A desk when I called to upgrade our cabin for our October Brilliance TA. You are allowed one change to a different cruise after which any further change to another cruise will convert your onboard booking to an open one with the lower OBC.

Since we were only upgrading our cabin for the same cruise our booking still has that one cruise change option without the lost of OBC.