Club Royale Casino Certificate Change

[tekguy26]

I have in the past. So this is probably a case of Royal not being consistent with its own policies. I will throw another one out there....the cert says valid for only one year to book.....when speaking to an agent in the past...he told me nah, it does not matter, it can go over a year..........very frustrating.

 

I used a cert last year and they were very flexible. I was a bit over, 14 months from date of issue. It was still accepted. Then this time around, I spoke to 4 different agents trying to book a cruise with the guys and each agent specifically told me that my booking is within a year of issue so this is a valid offer. I asked if there's flexibility in it because I was looking at April 2019 sailing. They told me new policy has stricter rules because offers are based on last years play. I guess by doing this, they get you taking a cruise minimum of once every 12 months. I hate to walk away with an offer on the table. So looks like I'm cruising in January.

[Goofyfanatic]

I plan on calling tomorrow morning to talk with a rep and then I am guessing a supervisor. This is disappointing. We have four cruises booked and three of them are in junior suites. All three have different situations though.

 

1. A three night totally free (other than the typical port fees and gratuities)

2. A seven night that was upgraded from an OVB free cert

3. A seven night that was booked using the casino discount

 

I probably wouldn’t fight the double points on the first one as the cost was nothing. The other two I would fight for and if I lost the second one I would be upset because we paid the upgrade fee solely for the points and were sold on that by the casino Royale rep. But might understand. The third one though I would really lose it over.

 

Any thoughts on my logic at almost midnight and a scotch or two in my system:????

 

 

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[OTownNick]

Well what sucks is I paid over $1,000 to upgrade the last 2 sailings I need for Pinnacle and they’re past final payment so I am stuck paying more for something I didn’t sign up for. They’re taking away what I paid for and I can’t go back and downgrade cause it’s past final. That part is what I’m mad about. Change the rules is fine. Just shouldn’t be retroactive.

 

 

Everyone needs to send an email to Club Royale AND Crown and Anchor. I sent a LONG email voicing my opposition and displeasure with this possible change . It’s not fair to change the rules retroactively. After we already booked and affecting cruises past final payment that we now can’t get our money back that we paid to upgrade.

Edited April 18, 2018 by OTownNick

[OTownNick]

Here is a thought - if someone’s redeeming points EARNED from an RCCL VISA towards a suite , THEY get the proper points. That benefit is really NO different than what WE EARN through gambling. We need to voice that to C&A.

[Goofyfanatic]

Is this a crown and anchor policy change or a casino change? Going to C&A might not make any sense.

 

 

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[svillager]

We have heard that It's a Club Royale change that was mandated by Crown and Anchor.

[OTownNick]

We have heard that It's a Club Royale change that was mandated by Crown and Anchor.

 

 

So it’s C&A. My gripe is they changed the rules on 2 of my cruises already past final payment. I paid $1,000 to upgrade these 2 specific sailings to get the points. I paid for something that they have now taken away. I should be able to downgrade and get the difference refunded. I will call again and see if there’s any new information. I just think that the reps don’t reallt know what the official policy is

[Goofyfanatic]

One with a rep from casino royale who has me on hold. When he heard my question he said that he was waiting on this question because he saw the thread here. Will let you know what I find out.

[wolfganghowell]

We board Liberty on the 29th so it will be interesting to see what's going on. We are in a GS with discount and didn't buy the drink package since between suite lounge, D+ drinks and the expected free drinks in the casino, we're covered except for the days we hang at the pool bar. ;) I'll report back when we return. We've gotten used to that nice GS discounted rate the last few years.

[Goofyfanatic]

After a few minutes on hold the rep came back with the following information.

 

this is not a policy change...its been the policy all along. really? The rep was nice enough but did admit that in the past he would advice the clients that they would be getting double points.

 

Not sure that i will got to C&A or just send an e-mail to Michael Bayleys office. I think we all need to send an e-mail either to C&A or Mr. Bayley.

[ticketsunlimited]

Here it is in a nutshell!! Just got off the phone with Casino Royale. They are getting bombarded with pissed off clients of the casino/RC.

ANY and I many ANY cruises that occur after 4/15/18 no matter when booked WILL NOT get double points EVER if they use any certificate from the Casino. It can be a 100 day 50,0000.00 suite of ANY category. If you use even a $100.00 certificate towards payment you WILL NOT get double points towards CA status.

Also ANY cruise booked through the casino getting "casino rates" WILL NOT get double points for ANY suite booking of ANY category. Royal considers it "double dipping" and has stopped it fleet wide as of 4/15/18. NO EXCEPETIONS as I was told.

In saying that I asked them to remove my $200.00 certificate from my 1/6/19 12 day Anthem cruise as with the 24 points I would obtain Diamond status after the cruise. In this case I felt the points were worth more than the $200.00. They honored that for me and reactivated my certificate if I wanted to book another cruise and use it.

This is definitely going to raise hell with the program as this policy DEFINATELY diminishes the benefits of Club Royale.

She felt that this will definitely hurt the company in the short term.

 

Any questions fire away because I spent over an hour on the phone with her because she was very knowledgeable about the new policy and I hit her with a lot of concerns. Dan

[Goofyfanatic]

Here it is in a nutshell!! Just got off the phone with Casino Royale. They are getting bombarded with pissed off clients of the casino/RC.

ANY and I many ANY cruises that occur after 4/15/18 no matter when booked WILL NOT get double points EVER if they use any certificate from the Casino. It can be a 100 day 50,0000.00 suite of ANY category. If you use even a $100.00 certificate towards payment you WILL NOT get double points towards CA status.

Also ANY cruise booked through the casino getting "casino rates" WILL NOT get double points for ANY suite booking of ANY category. Royal considers it "double dipping" and has stopped it fleet wide as of 4/15/18. NO EXCEPETIONS as I was told.

In saying that I asked them to remove my $200.00 certificate from my 1/6/19 12 day Anthem cruise as with the 24 points I would obtain Diamond status after the cruise. In this case I felt the points were worth more than the $200.00. They honored that for me and reactivated my certificate if I wanted to book another cruise and use it.

This is definitely going to raise hell with the program as this policy DEFINATELY diminishes the benefits of Club Royale.

She felt that this will definitely hurt the company in the short term.

 

Any questions fire away because I spent over an hour on the phone with her because she was very knowledgeable about the new policy and I hit her with a lot of concerns. Dan

 

Pretty much the same that I got from the rep.

 

I did fire off a detailed but nice e-mail to Michael Bayley figuring that someone in his office will see it. The more of us that do that the better chance we see a change to the policy. mbayley@rccl.com

[Milwaukee Eight]

Glad we got off Harmony on the 14th with a Casino discounted GS.

 

 

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[ticketsunlimited]

Glad we got off Harmony on the 14th with a Casino discounted GS.

 

 

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Timing is everything!! :)

[Milwaukee Eight]

Timing is everything!! :)

 

 

 

Allure came in on the 15th. I wonder if they will get the extra point.

 

 

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[nu_cruzer1]

I am not sure how things work when using a certificate but when booking with the casino rate, they take the rack rate - so the rate for the room without any discounts/promotions - and apply the casino rate to this. No further discounts are applied (but again, not sure if a cert can be applied also). It's not like I'm getting a discount on top of Royal's promotional rates. I look at it as being offered a different type of promotion - one that many of us have essentially paid for by playing at the casino. Are they going to discontinue double points for suites booked with a promotion on Royal's site? Or discontinue double points if you receive a discount through your TA? Or no double points if you use your C&A balcony discount? No double points if you use a MyVegas on board credit promotion? Preposterous. Even if they implement this going forward, they should not make this retroactive to people who booked under the promise of receiving specific incentives. If my cruise was not in a couple of weeks I would seriously consider changing my rooms. How is it fair that if I book a balcony, I get the casino discount and not penalized in terms of point? Or is the plan to remove the 1 point you'll get for a balcony or less if you book with a casino rate or cert??? I could go on about this. Maybe all of this is retaliation for all the negative comments about the website rollout. That's all I've got ...

[The Scurvy Pirate]

So, since they have apparently changed this policy without telling any of the customers, those that originally booked without a coupon or casino rate, will they retroactively re-instate my previous reservation, where I was getting double points? And, oh by the way, will I get my old room back? I guess they are trying to close down the reservation department at CR.

 

I would love to see where it was previously stated "no double points", since they indicate that was always the policy.

 

I would hope that they would issue a notification which says any reservation made after ___ date, these rules apply, but we will honor our "word" on any previous reservation. But, that is probably asking too much...

[The Scurvy Pirate]

Just found this on the explanation page of C&A Benefits:

 

14 One Cruise Point for each completed night of sailing and an extra Cruise Point per night when you purchase and sail in suite accommodations (categories RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, TL, A1, A2, A3, CL, OL, OS, OT, OP, FS, GL, GP, GS, GB, GT, JS, J1, J3, J4, VT, VP, VO, VS, L1, L2) and/or sail in any category and pay a single pricing type for double occupancy staterooms. All other rates including Travel Agent rates are excluded from single price type extra point promotions. Cruisetours are included as an additional night per each day on the cruise tour. Points will be awarded by rate paid not rate berthed, for example, in the instance of an upgrade from an outside to a suite category.

 

I guess they now consider the Casino Rate as an "other rate"...

 

Still, they should have told everyone about the new enforcement policy and not changed it with no notice. Further, I believe the employees of the CR reservation center, as agents of RCI, would be able to bind RCI when they made (now apparently) blatantly false representations to everyone making a reservation by promoting "double" points. Sounds like a class action lawsuit to me...

[ticketsunlimited]

So, since they have apparently changed this policy without telling any of the customers, those that originally booked without a coupon or casino rate, will they retroactively re-instate my previous reservation, where I was getting double points? And, oh by the way, will I get my old room back? I guess they are trying to close down the reservation department at CR.

 

I would love to see where it was previously stated "no double points", since they indicate that was always the policy.

 

I would hope that they would issue a notification which says any reservation made after ___ date, these rules apply, but we will honor our "word" on any previous reservation. But, that is probably asking too much...

 

No matter when you booked your cruise you WILL NOT get double points if your cruise takes place after 4/15/18. I bitched for an hour to honor those that booked before the policy change and they said that corporate said ZERO wiggle room. Use a certificate and forfeit your double points PERIOD.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

So, if you can't use a certificate and you can't use the CR rate, what now is the benefit of getting a suite (other than the "other" suite perqs)? To me, it was always about getting the double points. I could care less about the suite lounge, etc. Is this something they are doing to free up more "full price" suites? Similar to what they did with the non-refundable suite deposit to keep people from using the future bookings to "hold" suites?

[Milwaukee Eight]

So, if you can't use a certificate and you can't use the CR rate, what now is the benefit of getting a suite (other than the "other" suite perqs)? To me, it was always about getting the double points. I could care less about the suite lounge, etc. Is this something they are doing to free up more "full price" suites? Similar to what they did with the non-refundable suite deposit to keep people from using the future bookings to "hold" suites?

 

 

 

Lots of stuff goes with a full Suite especially on Oasis Class. SL/CK, VOOM, Helipad Sail Away. Typically a Advanced towel creature each evening. Reserved seating in theater/shows/ice show. Escorted walk off.

 

Just the SL/CK make it worth it.

 

 

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[seabeew]

Just found this on the explanation page of C&A Benefits:

 

14 One Cruise Point for each completed night of sailing and an extra Cruise Point per night when you purchase and sail in suite accommodations (categories RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, TL, A1, A2, A3, CL, OL, OS, OT, OP, FS, GL, GP, GS, GB, GT, JS, J1, J3, J4, VT, VP, VO, VS, L1, L2) and/or sail in any category and pay a single pricing type for double occupancy staterooms. All other rates including Travel Agent rates are excluded from single price type extra point promotions. Cruisetours are included as an additional night per each day on the cruise tour. Points will be awarded by rate paid not rate berthed, for example, in the instance of an upgrade from an outside to a suite category.

 

I guess they now consider the Casino Rate as an "other rate"...

 

 

Is that line about agency rates new? Does that mean people who use travel agencies don’t get extra points?

 

I think casino royal may be considered a travel agency by Royal. I was confused recently when I called to make a change to an onboard booking. When I gave the representative my booking number, he told me he didn’t think he could help me. He put me on hold and came back and told me he had to transfer me to Casino Royale. I asked why and he said Casino Royale was my travel agency.

 

When I talked to Casino Royale, the agent said when I made my reservation onboard, it was transferred to Casino Royale because we were sailing using casino rates. She clarified that they were not acting as a travel agency.

 

We have a cruise on Adventure coming up on Saturday. It’s too late for us to do anything to remove our measly little certificate.

 

 

 

 

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[Goofyfanatic]

Interesting. I just got a call from Tiffany Gomez at the Executive Offices to answer my e-mail to Michael Bayley. Impressed at the quick response.

 

She did say that there is a meeting scheduled for tomorrow at the executive office to discuss this. She also said that she doesn't think that the policy will change but will let me know. I let her know the frustration that we have because we feel like we were sold something that we aren't getting.

 

I will let you know what she says when she calls me back tomorrow or Friday.

 

seth

[gaylemh]

Is that line about agency rates new? Does that mean people who use travel agencies don’t get extra points?

 

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No they are talking about travel agents that get to sail at a special rate, to get to know the ships - not people that book through travel agents.

 

Also if you are on a cruise booked through the casino or a TA, the cruise booked on board will also go to that TA. You need to tell them when booking you don't want the TA to get it and sign a paper saying so.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

Maybe they will make it effective for all cruises booked after May 1, 2018. That would at least make it "fair" to those already booked and give RCI a chance to give everyone some notice of the implementation of the rule. But, that would probably be too much common sense...