Why Such A High Deposit?

[Crism]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm curious if you are all seeing the same kind of thing that I'm seeing. We are looking at booking an 8 night Adventure cruise next year, and Royal is asking for a $500 deposit. That's HALF of the entire cruise price for an inside room. Are the days of $100-200 deposits long gone?

[Clarea]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm curious if you are all seeing the same kind of thing that I'm seeing. We are looking at booking an 8 night Adventure cruise next year, and Royal is asking for a $500 deposit. That's HALF of the entire cruise price for an inside room. Are the days of $100-200 deposits long gone?

The deposit for a 6-9 night cruise is $250 per person.

The deposit for a 1-5 night cruise is $100 per person.

[lbjen]

We had to pay a $500 deposit for the cabin for our 5 night Vision sailing which was half of the total cost, but it didn't seem like a big deal. Just that I was closer to having it paid off!

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm curious if you are all seeing the same kind of thing that I'm seeing. We are looking at booking an 8 night Adventure cruise next year, and Royal is asking for a $500 deposit. That's HALF of the entire cruise price for an inside room. Are the days of $100-200 deposits long gone?

 

The travel agent we have always used has always required a $500 refundable deposit, so even when RCCL would run a special we never saw the benefit. We have not had to cancel yet so the deposit just makes final payment lower. With inflation low and savings account interest rate low, the cost of the money is a few dollars over the time period.

[njmomof2]

The travel agent we have always used has always required a $500 refundable deposit, so even when RCCL would run a special we never saw the benefit. We have not had to cancel yet so the deposit just makes final payment lower. With inflation low and savings account interest rate low, the cost of the money is a few dollars over the time period.

 

I find it interesting that your TA does not honor the reduced deposit sales that RC runs occasionally. Have you asked to make the smaller deposit and been denied? The only reason I can see for them to do that is because they have group space that they are planning on either booking directly into or moving you into and they need full deposit to do that.

 

If they disclosed that to you as the reason and you agreed, then that's certainly fair. But if they just require it and don't give you the option to take the lower deposit, I could see some clients using someone else. Yes, the interest on the difference is tiny, but some people like the idea of a small upfront amount and waiting until final to pay it off.

[Tljcruiser]

We paid a $400 deposit in June for a 4 night on Brilliance in January 2018 with a TA and a $500 deposit for Harmony October 2018 booked directly with RCCL while onboard the Empress. Just checked a travel website for a friend for Harmony as well and it was a $500 deposit. We did book non refundable so that could have increased the deposit price.

[Wine-O]

I booked a transatlantic while on a transatlantic and only had to pay a deposit of $250. This was before they instituted the non-refundable deposits. Now, if I wanted to convert this booking to the non-refundable deposit in order to save $190, I would have to pay the full deposit of $450pp = $900. Then, if I cancelled, I would lose $200, and the remainder of $700 would only be credited back to a future cruise. No refund. Doesn't sound like a good deal to me.

[jaxon41]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm curious if you are all seeing the same kind of thing that I'm seeing. We are looking at booking an 8 night Adventure cruise next year, and Royal is asking for a $500 deposit. That's HALF of the entire cruise price for an inside room. Are the days of $100-200 deposits long gone?

:o I came to the boards to find out what was going on. Haven't ocean cruised since 2016, and was just pricing an anniversary cruise for next year. RCCL wanted a $900 deposit (18 months out?!) for the two of us in a promenade cabin! Nope, not happening. I guess things have changed -- maybe I'll do a refundable deposit (50pp currently) on another line I have sailed before, in Europe, and wait to see what happens.

[cruisinfanatic]

:o I came to the boards to find out what was going on. Haven't ocean cruised since 2016, and was just pricing an anniversary cruise for next year. RCCL wanted a $900 deposit (18 months out?!) for the two of us in a promenade cabin! Nope, not happening. I guess things have changed -- maybe I'll do a refundable deposit (50pp currently) on another line I have sailed before, in Europe, and wait to see what happens.

If it's a longer cruise the deposit has always been $900

[Homosassa]

You are going to find that the higher deposits are being required by many cruiselines.

 

The cruiselines are reacting to the cruise roulette that some cruisers are playing. A cruiser will book several cruises that leave around the same time. This means those cabins are being taken out of inventory.

 

As final payment approaches, the cruiser will then pick the cruise that offers the best deal and cancel the others.

 

As a result, the cruiseline will now have empty cabins that need to be sold.

 

To discourage the game playing, the deposits are now higher.

 

A lower deposit may be offered, but it will be non-refundable if the cruise is cancelled at any time after the booking is made.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

7 nights in MSCs Yacht Club has a $198.00 deposit. Fully refundable.

[accio_7]

I just booked a seven night Western Caribbean cruise on Harmony for December 2019 earlier this afternoon through my TA and was charged $265 Canadian for the deposit. I’m booked in a studio ocean view (refundable deposit). The deposit for my eight night Eastern on Adventure in December 2018 was exactly the same, booked in a studio interior with refundable deposit.

 

Here’s the blurb on the website regarding the deposit.

[BuckeyeCruiseGuy]

You are going to find that the higher deposits are being required by many cruiselines.

 

The cruiselines are reacting to the cruise roulette that some cruisers are playing. A cruiser will book several cruises that leave around the same time. This means those cabins are being taken out of inventory.

 

As final payment approaches, the cruiser will then pick the cruise that offers the best deal and cancel the others.

 

As a result, the cruiseline will now have empty cabins that need to be sold.

 

To discourage the game playing, the deposits are now higher.

 

A lower deposit may be offered, but it will be non-refundable if the cruise is cancelled at any time after the booking is made.

NCL almost always has a $50pp deposit, regardless of the length of the cruise you choose, it's fully refundable.

 

Msc runs either a $49 or $99pp deposit on all their ships and it's refundable.

[Merion_Mom]

I find it interesting that your TA does not honor the reduced deposit sales that RC runs occasionally. Have you asked to make the smaller deposit and been denied? The only reason I can see for them to do that is because they have group space that they are planning on either booking directly into or moving you into and they need full deposit to do that.

 

If they disclosed that to you as the reason and you agreed, then that's certainly fair. But if they just require it and don't give you the option to take the lower deposit, I could see some clients using someone else. Yes, the interest on the difference is tiny, but some people like the idea of a small upfront amount and waiting until final to pay it off.

Groups always require the full deposit.

[JonRegister]

You are going to find that the higher deposits are being required by many cruiselines.

 

 

 

The cruiselines are reacting to the cruise roulette that some cruisers are playing. A cruiser will book several cruises that leave around the same time. This means those cabins are being taken out of inventory.

 

 

 

As final payment approaches, the cruiser will then pick the cruise that offers the best deal and cancel the others.

 

 

 

As a result, the cruiseline will now have empty cabins that need to be sold.

 

 

 

To discourage the game playing, the deposits are now higher.

 

 

 

A lower deposit may be offered, but it will be non-refundable if the cruise is cancelled at any time after the booking is made.

 

 

 

Notice all the suites are not taken up for the rest of the year like they have been in the past.

 

 

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[ONECRUISER]

:o I came to the boards to find out what was going on. Haven't ocean cruised since 2016, and was just pricing an anniversary cruise for next year. RCCL wanted a $900 deposit (18 months out?!) for the two of us in a promenade cabin! Nope, not happening. I guess things have changed -- maybe I'll do a refundable deposit (50pp currently) on another line I have sailed before, in Europe, and wait to see what happens.

I been paying same $900 deposit for 5 yrs on 10/11/12 nite cruises. Same as you book 18 months out when cruises are released. Nothings changed...

[ReneeFLL]

You are going to find that the higher deposits are being required by many cruiselines.

 

The cruiselines are reacting to the cruise roulette that some cruisers are playing. A cruiser will book several cruises that leave around the same time. This means those cabins are being taken out of inventory.

 

As final payment approaches, the cruiser will then pick the cruise that offers the best deal and cancel the others.

 

As a result, the cruiseline will now have empty cabins that need to be sold.

 

To discourage the game playing, the deposits are now higher.

 

A lower deposit may be offered, but it will be non-refundable if the cruise is cancelled at any time after the booking is made.

This.

 

Notice all the suites are not taken up for the rest of the year like they have been in the past.

Booked a b2b Alaska cruise several weeks ago. I was suprised at how many suites were left. I got the best jr. suite on the ship imo. There is only one like that on the entire ship. :D

 

 

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[majorjan]

You are going to find that the higher deposits are being required by many cruiselines.

 

The cruiselines are reacting to the cruise roulette that some cruisers are playing. A cruiser will book several cruises that leave around the same time. This means those cabins are being taken out of inventory.

 

As final payment approaches, the cruiser will then pick the cruise that offers the best deal and cancel the others.

 

As a result, the cruiseline will now have empty cabins that need to be sold.

 

 

 

To discourage the game playing, the deposits are now higher.

 

A lower deposit may be offered, but it will be non-refundable if the cruise is cancelled at any time after the booking is made.

 

That is exactly what the RCCL cruise planner told me when I asked why the deposits were so high, and non refundable. He said they did that to discourage multiple bookings for the same week, as it was becoming a huge problem.

[cruzinlady1947]

If it's a longer cruise the deposit has always been $900

 

 

 

Not if you booked a cruise on board. Used to be $100 pp, until recently. They now charge full deposit on any booking, no matter where you book it.

 

Gwen [emoji3]

[Arzeena]

7 nights in MSCs Yacht Club has a $198.00 deposit. Fully refundable.

 

I paid $98 for 2. 10 night repo cruise from NYC. Fully refundable.

[gerelmx]

We pay $900 for 9+ night cruises, $450 7 night cruises, and starting January 1 it's not refundable, exist the refundable option for a higher cruise rate

[Justprettynpink]

Found a TA that is offering no deposits on RC. Down side they charge $25 non refundable fee and $100 cancellation fee. Price was one if the cheapest I have seen...I do not usually use TA that charge a cancellation fee but I am not planning on cancelling. We are trying to pay off our cruise for this year and could not afford putting $500 deposit on a cruise for 2019 plus I will get airline miles for booking with them.

[precious89904600]

I paid $ 500 on 7 day. Its 250 deposit per person for two people

[whitshel]

Celebrity will be having their $25pp deposit over Presidents Weekend, any length. Book something with them and then you can change it to RCCL.

[Maraprince]

You are going to find that the higher deposits are being required by many cruiselines.

 

The cruiselines are reacting to the cruise roulette that some cruisers are playing. A cruiser will book several cruises that leave around the same time. This means those cabins are being taken out of inventory.

 

As final payment approaches, the cruiser will then pick the cruise that offers the best deal and cancel the others.

 

As a result, the cruiseline will now have empty cabins that need to be sold.

 

To discourage the game playing, the deposits are now higher.

 

A lower deposit may be offered, but it will be non-refundable if the cruise is cancelled at any time after the booking is made.

 

What you stated in your post is exactly why the deposits have increased. Many posters reported that they had routinely placed deposits on sailings that were in direct conflict with each other and RCL's system allowed them to do so. Some booked as many as 20 or more sailings per year and then only followed through on a fraction of them.

 

I can understand TA's reserving blocks of cabins for their clients and then releasing unsold cabins after final payment date but not individuals who know full well they will only book one or two actual sailings. Too bad RCL's booking system did "catch" what was going on sooner. Now, as a result, deposits have increased.

 

MARAPRINCE