New suite policy faq

[CRUISEBOY305]

NEW SUITE POLICY FAQ

In an effort to preserve our Suite inventory and to ensure that our committed Suite guests have abundant access to premium accommodations, Royal Caribbean is introducing a nonrefundable deposit and a change fee for all Grand Suites and above booked through our NextCruise program.

Suite guests who reserve their future cruise while onboard will now require a full, nonrefundable deposit. Assuming these guests commit to the original selection and do not adjust their ship or sail date in the future, there is no impact imposed by this new policy adjustment. Should guests opt to alter their cruise selection in the future, a change fee of $100 per guest will be incurred. All Suite cancellations are now subject to a nonrefundable fee in the amount of the deposit. NextCruise continues to be a vibrant, impactful program whose growing success would not be possible without the ongoing support of our valued travel partners.

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/General_Info/17055956_NextCruise_TC_Suite_final%20.pdf

[bUU]

That makes it sound like a lot of people were holding these less numerous cabins until the last moment of refundability, making it more difficult to fill these cabins at full price.

[juliea344]

Why only nextcruise though. I don't get it. I'll just book online from now on...

 

Allure of the Seas February 2017

Freedom of the Seas February 2018

Harmony of the Seas February 2019

[nolesrule]

Why only nextcruise though. I don't get it. I'll just book online from now on...

 

 

People could book suites through NextCruise for the higher OBC with a smaller deposit and then downgrade their reservation. Classic gaming the system.

 

Although I think you should be allowed to change the reservation to something comparable without getting hit with the charge.

[mrsz]

People could book suites through NextCruise for the higher OBC with a smaller deposit and then downgrade their reservation. Classic gaming the system.

 

Although I think you should be allowed to change the reservation to something comparable without getting hit with the charge.

 

It doesn't make sense to me. If they downgrade from a suite to a lesser cabin shipboard credit would go down. Where did you get the info from. My sister is a travel agent and wasn't aware of this. No notification about the change

[jamesr3939]

People could book suites through NextCruise for the higher OBC with a smaller deposit and then downgrade their reservation. Classic gaming the system..

 

 

Nice try, but it won't work that way. If you book the suite and take the higher OBC as instant credit, rather than applied to the Next Cruise, then when you cancel you don't get your refundable deposit back, which is equal to the OBC.

 

When I just booked our OS for October Next Cruise made it real clear if I took the instant OBC (I didn't) and canceled; then I would forfeit my otherwise refundable deposit. Any changes were considered a cancellation, also. In fact I had to cancel to move two other cabins into our TA's group booking with a much better fare than NC offered. Since the rebook was the same type of cabin no loss of NC OBC.

 

Now as for the OP, I see no more NC bookings in my future. I'll just stick with my TA.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

NEW SUITE POLICY FAQ

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/General_Info/17055956_NextCruise_TC_Suite_final%20.pdf

 

Thanks for posting this Eric. Here's a copy of the PDF file.

 

17055956_NextCruise_TC_Suite_final.pdf

[nolesrule]

I didn't say cancel. I said downgrade the booking.

 

Book a 15 night cruise in a GS for a $500 deposit for an instant $500 OBC. Then switch to a shorter cruise in a lower category.

 

Who cares about the deposit amount? It's just part of the cruise fare for the next cruise anyway. It's the OBC that's the bonus.

[txcowboy10]

I'm glad this new policy starting. Know too many folks who brag they've tied up numerous suites thru NCC for future cruises till they decide what they actually want...if you look out into 2018 a lot of sailings already show no suites avail or very limited inventory. This may be from true secured bookings, but my theory are a lot are held, since day after final payment miraculously a bunch will show up available. Maybe this policy will free up more suite availability for everyone interested

 

Mark

[nolesrule]

It doesn't make sense to me. If they downgrade from a suite to a lesser cabin shipboard credit would go down. Where did you get the info from. My sister is a travel agent and wasn't aware of this. No notification about the change

 

How can it go down? It's an instant OBC, and you used it before you got off the ship on the cruise you made the booking.

[Ourusualbeach]

How can it go down? It's an instant OBC, and you used it before you got off the ship on the cruise you made the booking.

They will adjust the amount of your deposit to reflect the downgrade.

[ThirstyCruiser]

When we booked on board the Harmony, the agent told us about this. People would book a suite, get that level of OBC, then switch to an interior months later, apparently keeping the higher level OBC somehow.

[Coralc]

"The benefit of booking onboard, however, is the advantage of the rich NextCruise Onboard

Credit program, which will not apply if the reservation is not confirmed while onboard."

 

Thank you Sue and Eric for bringing this policy change to our attention. At least they have finally quit calling their programs "robust" , now they are rich. :rolleyes:

[suzyluvs2cruise]

How can it go down? It's an instant OBC, and you used it before you got off the ship on the cruise you made the booking.

 

Not everyone takes the Instant OBC. Many don't and have it on the future cruise they've booked.

[CRUISEBOY305]

"The benefit of booking onboard, however, is the advantage of the rich NextCruise Onboard

Credit program, which will not apply if the reservation is not confirmed while onboard."

 

Thank you Sue and Eric for bringing this policy change to our attention. At least they have finally quit calling their programs "robust" , now they are rich. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

Thanks for posting this Eric. Here's a copy of the PDF file.

 

[ATTACH]405341[/ATTACH]

 

 

My pleasure :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[travelgoddess1]

Did this issue arise after RCI started offering instant OBC's? If so, the simple solution would be to discontinue it, since it appears to be causing problems.

[grapau27]

That makes it sound like a lot of people were holding these less numerous cabins until the last moment of refundability, making it more difficult to fill these cabins at full price.

All cabins are non refundable in the UK.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

I'm glad this new policy starting. Know too many folks who brag they've tied up numerous suites thru NCC for future cruises till they decide what they actually want...if you look out into 2018 a lot of sailings already show no suites avail or very limited inventory. This may be from true secured bookings, but my theory are a lot are held, since day after final payment miraculously a bunch will show up available. Maybe this policy will free up more suite availability for everyone interested

 

Mark

Great answer

How can it go down? It's an instant OBC, and you used it before you got off the ship on the cruise you made the booking.

 

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

When we booked on board the Harmony, the agent told us about this. People would book a suite, get that level of OBC, then switch to an interior months later, apparently keeping the higher level OBC somehow.

Selfish and greedy people, when we have booked onboard the Inc was for the next cruise not the current one.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

Did this issue arise after RCI started offering instant OBC's? If so, the simple solution would be to discontinue it, since it appears to be causing problems.

Good idea.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[Big_G]

I'm glad this new policy starting. Know too many folks who brag they've tied up numerous suites thru NCC for future cruises till they decide what they actually want...if you look out into 2018 a lot of sailings already show no suites avail or very limited inventory. This may be from true secured bookings, but my theory are a lot are held, since day after final payment miraculously a bunch will show up available. Maybe this policy will free up more suite availability for everyone interested

 

Mark

 

I hope you're right. We were watching the 9 night Navigator for this March for almost a year and there were no grand suites available. After I made final payment on Adventure I stopped looking so I don't know if any shook out after that.

[molly361]

They will adjust the amount of your deposit to reflect the downgrade.

 

Yeah I thought RCL had it figured out. Maybe folks were just tying up too many GS and above that they were not going to use.

 

I can foresee some kind of change fees happening in the future though

[nolesrule]

What does adjust the deposit mean? Does that mean they made some of your deposit disappear and you need to pay more to bring it back to the right level? Or did it mean they raised your deposit and you had to pay some additional up front?

 

The former sounds like a change fee. The latter, who cares? The lower deposit from booking onboard is nice, but a deposit is still just partially prepaying for something you're going to purchase anyway.

 

I've never understood why people get so excited about reduced deposits, but then, we only get to cruise maybe 2 times a year.

[txcowboy10]

I hope you're right. We were watching the 9 night Navigator for this March for almost a year and there were no grand suites available. After I made final payment on Adventure I stopped looking so I don't know if any shook out after that.

 

 

I'd certainly keep checking...esp right around final payment date! For weeks there were no GS avail on my 2/4/18 Liberty...then poof around midnight yesterday one popped up avail...was lucky to grab it! I like the new policy for two reasons: 1) increase suite inventory for those truly wanting to book them and pay for them, and 2) curb the fraud on OBC abuse in booking/downgrading suites. I book all mine thru Casino Royale group so we don't get any OBC due to our player discounts so I'll be curious if we are also going to be penalized for any changes we make on our reservations for a GS or above after initial 30 days....

 

Mark

[poncho1973]

I like this.