Booking next cruise on board

[rnr4thatsme]

What is the typical "reward" offered for this?

 

 

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[Clarea]

What is the typical "reward" offered for this?

Reduced deposit and on board credit in the following "per stateroom" amounts:

 

Booking a specific cruise

-------------------------

 

•5-7 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $50

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $100

◦Grand Suite and above: $200

 

•8-10 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $100

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $150

◦Grand Suite and above: $300

 

•11-14 night cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $150

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $200

◦Grand Suite and above: $400

 

•15 nights or longer cruises

◦Interior/Oceanview: $200

◦Balcony/Junior Suite: $250

◦Grand Suite and above: $500

[whitsmom]

We were thinking about booking during our cruise in July. The offers you show aren't as good as what we got initially for our current cruise. If we book and find a better deal and before final payment for the same sailing/category - we should be able to get that deal. Am I correct in this?

[Clarea]

We were thinking about booking during our cruise in July. The offers you show aren't as good as what we got initially for our current cruise. If we book and find a better deal and before final payment for the same sailing/category - we should be able to get that deal. Am I correct in this?

A number of people have reported being told that you can make one change in your booking and still keep the OBC from booking on board. I've not seen this in writing and I've not tried it myself.

[cruisenfever]

We were thinking about booking during our cruise in July. The offers you show aren't as good as what we got initially for our current cruise. If we book and find a better deal and before final payment for the same sailing/category - we should be able to get that deal. Am I correct in this?

I question your statement about the offers that Bob posted as not being as good as what you got on your current cruise. OBC and Deposits are the same now. Plus you can have the OBC applied to the cruise you are on, making your deposit non-refundable, but you would be able to make as many changes as you wish.

 

Let's compare. The OBC for booking a specific cruise on board used to be:

 

$25 for sailings of 3-5 nights

$100 for sailings of 6-9 nights

$150 for sailings of 10-14 nights

$200 for sailings of 15+ nights

 

Then in April of 2014 it went to:

 

Length of

Cruise ......... Interior......... Oceanview......... Balcony.......... Suite*

5-7 days......... $25................ $50 ................. $100.............. $200

8-10 days....... $50............... $100................. $150.............. $250

11-14 days...... $75.............. $150................. $200.............. $300

15 + days...... $100............... $200................ $250.............. $400

*Includes JS cabins and above

 

But with the above OBC amounts, if you booked a GS or above your deposit was doubled which is not the case with the amounts that Bob posted above.

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by cruisenfever

[pajazz28]

I read on CC if you book on board for your next cruise you OBC to use on the cruise that you are on. is this correct?

[Clarea]

I read on CC if you book on board for your next cruise you OBC to use on the cruise that you are on. is this correct?

You have your choice of using the OBC immediately or on the future cruise.

[renee1222]

Our recent experience (last week) booking onboard....

 

7 nights in a balcony - $100 deposit, $100 instant obc for current cruise, $200 obc for future booked cruise

 

10 nights in a balcony - $150 deposit, $150 instant obc, $200 obc for future booked cruise

[tserface]

Also, on board, they allowed us to combine the OBC with the Diamond balcony discount which they won't always do if we order during a special sale.

 

When we were on last and booked on board, they said that we could change the reservation, "even to another ship" and still keep the OBC. The price might change according to the ship and the OBC might get adjusted based on the length of the cruise you switch to.

 

That had to be within RCI. They would not let us switch a Celebrity cruise to RCI or vice versa (according to what she said) even though we could book either while on board.

 

We've also found that the people working in the future cruise areas really know their stuff and they've been able to get us really good deals.

 

There's nothing really to lose except for the significantly reduced deposit (our last one was $100). Unless you spend the OBC ahead of time (which means you already used their money) you can get a full refund.

 

You can also switch the booking (I think up to 60 days) to a TA and get whatever perks they are offering as well.

 

I think they really want to hook you in while you are enjoying your current cruise. It's a really smart marketing deal and, so far as I've seen, a win win.

 

Tom

[molly361]

Also, on board, they allowed us to combine the OBC with the Diamond balcony discount which they won't always do if we order during a special sale.

 

When we were on last and booked on board, they said that we could change the reservation, "even to another ship" and still keep the OBC. The price might change according to the ship and the OBC might get adjusted based on the length of the cruise you switch to.

 

That had to be within RCI. They would not let us switch a Celebrity cruise to RCI or vice versa (according to what she said) even though we could book either while on board.

 

We've also found that the people working in the future cruise areas really know their stuff and they've been able to get us really good deals.

 

There's nothing really to lose except for the significantly reduced deposit (our last one was $100). Unless you spend the OBC ahead of time (which means you already used their money) you can get a full refund.

 

You can also switch the booking (I think up to 60 days) to a TA and get whatever perks they are offering as well.

 

I think they really want to hook you in while you are enjoying your current cruise. It's a really smart marketing deal and, so far as I've seen, a win win.

 

Tom

 

Did you take the instant OBC or the OBC on the future cruise? Just curious as there seems to be conflicting info on where or not you can make changes (without the OBC amount getting reduced) if you take the OBC on the future cruise.

[cruisenfever]

Our recent experience (last week) booking onboard....

 

7 nights in a balcony - $100 deposit, $100 instant obc for current cruise, $200 obc for future booked cruise

 

10 nights in a balcony - $150 deposit, $150 instant obc, $200 obc for future booked cruise

I did forget about those "instant OBC" offers. :o

[monctonguy]

I don't see any OBC offers currently, just the 30% sale. So the only OBC I would get is from the booking a future cruise onboard right?

 

When I am cruising next week I am looking at booking a cruise for 7 nights for next April.

 

Is there always a reduced deposit for booking on board(currently the deposit is $530)

 

If you can change your booking, what would happen if you chose a shorter cruise for example or went from a balcony to an inside.

Edited February 18, 2016 by monctonguy

[molly361]

Our recent experience (last week) booking onboard....

 

7 nights in a balcony - $100 deposit, $100 instant obc for current cruise, $200 obc for future booked cruise

 

10 nights in a balcony - $150 deposit, $150 instant obc, $200 obc for future booked cruise

 

Just FYI to the OP the second OBC offer expired when the 30/30 sale started this week.

[Clarea]

Our recent experience (last week) booking onboard....

 

7 nights in a balcony - $100 deposit, $100 instant obc for current cruise, $200 obc for future booked cruise

 

10 nights in a balcony - $150 deposit, $150 instant obc, $200 obc for future booked cruise

In this case, the instant OBC was due to booking on board, and the future OBC was due to the booking promo that Royal had running. In other words, the booking promo OBC has nothing to do with booking on board, and might not always be offered.

Edited February 18, 2016 by clarea

[molly361]

I don't see any OBC offers currently, just the 30% sale. So the only OBC I would get is from the booking a future cruise onboard right?

 

When I am cruising next week I am looking at booking a cruise for 7 nights for next April.

 

Is there always a reduced deposit for booking on board(currently the deposit is $530)

 

If you can change your booking, what would happen if you chose a shorter cruise for example or went from a balcony to an inside.

 

Correct, there is no longer any onboard credit offer, just the 30/30 sale.

 

Patti's post (#5) above lists the current OBC offers

Edited February 18, 2016 by molly361

[cruisenfever]

Correct, there is no longer any onbaord credit offer, just the 30/30 sale.

 

For seven days inside/outside would be $50, balcony $100, not sure about suites.

Deposit and OBC for suites is $200 per cabin.

Edited February 18, 2016 by cruisenfever

[Clarea]

Deposit and OBC for suites is $200 per cabin.

And suites in this case is GS and better. Royal quietly removed JS from the suite category in the case of on board booking OBC since the April 2014 changes.

Edited February 18, 2016 by clarea

[monctonguy]

so I will get $100 OBC for booking a balcony on board.

 

Usually the OBC offers with BOGO are better than that.

 

Unless the deposit is really reduced to a low amount, I don't see much if any advantage at all to booking on board right now.

 

IF there was a OBC current offer on top sure.....

Edited February 18, 2016 by monctonguy

[tserface]

We always take the OBC on our next cruise. We always consider it just part of the cruise price and we like the flexibility of not owing it back if we decide against the future cruise and cancel. I understand RCI's marketing thing in spending it now. There are a certain number of people that won't cancel a future cruise if they have to pay back a bunch of OBC they already used (even though they already got the money). So, by allowing you to spend it now they can, at least subconsciously, keep a certain number of people on the hook.

 

It would be nice if they let you use the future OBC for future prepaid gratuities (before the cruise). For example, if you could get $200 OBC and immediately apply $180 of it against gratuities (for MTD) on the same invoice (both of these being money you haven't spent or haven't received yet) that would be nice.

 

I think that's why some cruise lines are offering free gratuities instead of OBC (or as an option).

 

But, of course, allowing people to use the OBC for gratuities before the cruise would limit them from using the OBC on the cruise for other things and still having to pay the gratuities otherwise and they'd end up winning on both ends :)

 

Answer: no we don't use the OBC ahead of time. We just look forward to it on the next cruise (or don't have to repay it if we decide not to go).

 

Tom

 

Did you take the instant OBC or the OBC on the future cruise? Just curious as there seems to be conflicting info on where or not you can make changes (without the OBC amount getting reduced) if you take the OBC on the future cruise.

[Clarea]

so I will get $100 OBC for booking a balcony on board.

 

Usually the OBC offers with BOGO are better than that.

 

Unless the deposit is really reduced to a low amount, I don't see much if any advantage at all to booking on board right now.

 

IF there was a OBC current offer on top sure.....

If Royal is currently offering a promo than includes OBC, then that has been combinable with OBC from booking on board.

[Merion_Mom]

And suites in this case is GS and better. Royal quietly removed JS from the suite category in the case of on board booking OBC since the April 2014 changes.

 

Yep, lumped 'em in with balcony cabins, despite the (usually) major price differential.

[rnr4thatsme]

Would you get any OBC then for booking a 4 day cruise?

 

 

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[Clarea]

Would you get any OBC then for booking a 4 day cruise?

No more OBC for booking on board for cruises less than 5-days.

[cruisenfever]

so I will get $100 OBC for booking a balcony on board.

 

Usually the OBC offers with BOGO are better than that.

 

Unless the deposit is really reduced to a low amount, I don't see much if any advantage at all to booking on board right now.

 

IF there was a OBC current offer on top sure.....

The normal reduced deposit for a 7 day cruise would be $100pp for a total deposit of $200. If you book from home your deposit would be $250pp for a 7 day cruise.

 

Now, for booking a 7 day cruise on board, your deposit and OBC is $100 per cabin.

Edited February 18, 2016 by cruisenfever

[whitsmom]

I question your statement about the offers that Bob posted as not being as good as what you got on your current cruise. OBC and Deposits are the same now. Plus you can have the OBC applied to the cruise you are on, making your deposit non-refundable, but you would be able to make as many changes as you wish.

 

Let's compare. The OBC for booking a specific cruise on board used to be:

 

$25 for sailings of 3-5 nights

$100 for sailings of 6-9 nights

$150 for sailings of 10-14 nights

$200 for sailings of 15+ nights

 

Then in April of 2014 it went to:

 

Length of

Cruise ......... Interior......... Oceanview......... Balcony.......... Suite*

5-7 days......... $25................ $50 ................. $100.............. $200

8-10 days....... $50............... $100................. $150.............. $250

11-14 days...... $75.............. $150................. $200.............. $300

15 + days...... $100............... $200................ $250.............. $400

*Includes JS cabins and above

 

But with the above OBC amounts, if you booked a GS or above your deposit was doubled which is not the case with the amounts that Bob posted above.

 

 

 

 

We booked with BOGO half off and $300 OBC and only $100 per person deposit. We have 3 JS with balcony booked for 4 night on Majesty.