The end of reduced deposit for Onboard Bookings

[AnnAtSesa]

My sister that works onboard said that starting from August 1th Royal will not offer reduced deposit for onboard bookings. You will have to pay full deposit and they will push for Non Refundable offer. What is going on with Royal? :mad:

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[JAMESCC]

Then there is absolutely no reason to book this way then. They might as well close down the "next cruise" office on the ships.

[Gatorspuck]

My sister that works onboard said that starting from August 1th Royal will not offer reduced deposit for onboard bookings. You will have to pay full deposit and they will push for Non Refundable offer. What is going on with Royal? :mad:

If this is the case guess I won't be booking a cruise while iam on the Oasis this Oct .

[mac_tlc]

To me, any OBC was worth much more than the reduced deposit. The OBC is money I never have to come up with, the reduced deposit is just a timing issue of when I have to come up with the money.

 

mac_tlc

 

 

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[LeesSummitCruiser1]

My sister that works onboard said that starting from August 1th Royal will not offer reduced deposit for onboard bookings. You will have to pay full deposit and they will push for Non Refundable offer. What is going on with Royal? :mad:

 

While I know it's not a universal requirement, my travel agent required full deposit as soon as I transferred to them when I got home from the cruise, so I never saw a benefit in a reduced deposit.

[scorpluvsdolphins]

I'll find out tomorrow what they say on the Majesty and try to post on Tuesday evening when I start using my free internet.

 

 

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[subtchr]

To me, any OBC was worth much more than the reduced deposit. The OBC is money I never have to come up with, the reduced deposit is just a timing issue of when I have to come up with the money.

 

mac_tlc

 

 

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This.

 

What is the value in just waiting to pay the same amount?

[borg1of2]

While I know it's not a universal requirement, my travel agent required full deposit as soon as I transferred to them when I got home from the cruise, so I never saw a benefit in a reduced deposit.

That's because they were adding you to some group, which requires full deposits. A trick used by TAs to help them bring added benefits. Hope you get good TA benefits.

[Ourusualbeach]

This.

 

What is the value in just waiting to pay the same amount?

When you are booking a couple of cruises a year and for 2 years out and for each cruise you are booking 2 cabins this adds up to a significant amount of money tied up in deposits.

[Biker19]

^ and because of that commitment, RCI will have a much better idea of real bookings instead of the current situation where people change/move/cancel bookings willy nilly, which will hopefully lead to more predictable prices.

[Ourusualbeach]

^ and because of that commitment, RCI will have a much better idea of real bookings instead of the current situation where people change/move/cancel bookings willy nilly, which will hopefully lead to more predictable prices.

Only if you are booking a NRD. Even with a full deposit booked as a refundable deposit people will still move them around.

[Lordnlkon]

Only if you are booking a NRD. Even with a full deposit booked as a refundable deposit people will still move them around.

 

 

But the higher amount of money due should reduce the amount of cabins booked this way.

[Biker19]

Only if you are booking a NRD. .

Given the premium (which is likely to go up more) of booking RD, it's pretty obvious RCI is aiming to have NRD bookings only (as mentioned by OP).

[molly361]

Only if you are booking a NRD. Even with a full deposit booked as a refundable deposit people will still move them around.

 

It will just be costlier

[mrsgoggins]

^ and because of that commitment, RCI will have a much better idea of real bookings instead of the current situation where people change/move/cancel bookings willy nilly, which will hopefully lead to more predictable prices.

 

This absolutely.

 

It's not that being from the UK I am jealous of the flexibility the North American market, (because we have a lifetime of knowing that we pay non-refundable deposits and are used to it - travel insurance covers you for 'serious' reasons) but it's the way that flexibility changes the market for others that irks.

 

My example is that I wanted an Aqua cabin on a Celebrity cruise I booked 18 months in advance. They were gone and so I booked a regular balcony cabin. The cruise was soon showing as sold out in most categories. Meanwhile on the Roll Call, (US) contributors were often dropping out giving the flimsiest of reasons (as they were entitled to do). It wasn't until very late in the day that any of the Aqua cabins reappeared on the UK site, and then at double their original price!

 

All I would like to see is some standardisation, i.e. the fair playing field, so I wish RCI well in their endeavours.

[Clarea]

When you are booking a couple of cruises a year and for 2 years out and for each cruise you are booking 2 cabins this adds up to a significant amount of money tied up in deposits.

Agreed. Sometimes we book multiple staterooms for the kids like you, and it's a chunk of money to tie up.

[molly361]

Agreed. Sometimes we book multiple staterooms for the kids like you, and it's a chunk of money to tie up.

 

I;m adoptable:halo:

[Clarea]

I;m adoptable:halo:

I'd have a hard time dealing with all the halos!:eek:

[molly361]

I'd have a hard time dealing with all the halos!:eek:

 

 

Better??:evilsmile::evilsmile:

[Clarea]

Better??:evilsmile::evilsmile:

 

For my own safety, I think I'll make no comment.

[CRUISEBOY305]

it's true I'm afraid. =/

 

Now with the non-refundable fares, those require full deposits no matter how (where) you book them.

 

Royal figures very few will book refundable fares now, since they're generally lower in price and come with OBC when booking more than 6 months out.

[molly361]

it's true I'm afraid. =/

 

Now with the non-refundable fares, those require full deposits no matter how (where) you book them.

 

Royal figures very few will book refundable fares now, since they're generally lower in price and come with OBC when booking more than 6 months out.

 

You have confirmation from RCL?? Even refundable bookings made on board are going to have to pay the full deposit??

[SherriZ366]

When you are booking a couple of cruises a year and for 2 years out and for each cruise you are booking 2 cabins this adds up to a significant amount of money tied up in deposits.

That's why my husband likes low deposits. He would rather have that than OBC. Of course, when it is time to pay it off, he gets sticker shock.

 

I agree that getting rid of low deposits makes booking onboard less attractive.

[bethc1952]

We won't be booking any non-refundable cruises on board, and won't be booking way ahead of time. My husband is in the TV business and we don't always know for sure when he can get away. We will be booking MUCH closer to sailing date now, which means higher prices, which means Royal will get less of our money and we will find other types of vacations. The reduced deposit onboard was nice, but I would much rather go back to the refundable fares.

 

Beth