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Deposit question


kilili
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Hi all,

 

Are RC deposits non refundable?  If so, do they ever do any promotions where deposits are refundable?  We are looking into a trip some eighteen months out and are a bit unsure about putting over 1000K down so early.  On the other hand, if we wait, the price of the cruise will probably skyrocket.  Any advice on when is the best time to book?  We are looking into combining with a land tour and those itiniraries will not be available until September, by which time I imagine the cruise price will be super high.

 

TIA

 

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5 minutes ago, kilili said:

Hi all,

 

Are RC deposits non refundable?  If so, do they ever do any promotions where deposits are refundable?  We are looking into a trip some eighteen months out and are a bit unsure about putting over 1000K down so early.  On the other hand, if we wait, the price of the cruise will probably skyrocket.  Any advice on when is the best time to book?  We are looking into combining with a land tour and those itiniraries will not be available until September, by which time I imagine the cruise price will be super high.

 

TIA

 

Deposits are still refundable for staterooms inside and up to and including JR Suites. You just have to go through thebooking process to the end until you get a box to check for refundable deposit at an increase in the rate.

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3 hours ago, WeatherFx said:

Deposits are still refundable for staterooms inside and up to and including JR Suites. You just have to go through thebooking process to the end until you get a box to check for refundable deposit at an increase in the rate.

OK.  Do you have a ballpark idea what the increase in the rate is?  Is it a set fee, a percentage, etc?  Thank you so much.

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It depends.  You can only book and see.  I have head that it can be several hundred dollars, other times it is almost no difference.

 

And do realize, only $100 per person is fully non-refundable.  If you change ship or sailing date, you will forfeit $100 per person, and the remainder of your deposit is given as a future cruise credit, that must be used within one year.

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2 hours ago, kilili said:

OK.  Do you have a ballpark idea what the increase in the rate is?  Is it a set fee, a percentage, etc?  Thank you so much.

I chose the NRD option booking on the Serenade March 2020 for 11 nights. I believe it increased the rate by @ $120 to 130 pp. Never saw a price breakdown on my receipt, tho.

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2 hours ago, mayleeman said:

I chose the NRD option booking on the Serenade March 2020 for 11 nights. I believe it increased the rate by @ $120 to 130 pp. Never saw a price breakdown on my receipt, tho.

In last month saw couple where benefit to get Refundable but also seen some where was $300pp more. Both for Serenade. But hit and miss, no set pattern... 

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If the fare difference is more than $100/person, and if you're sure you will go on another Royal Caribbean cruise within a year of when you might cancel, then you're better off going with the Non-Refundable Deposit (NRD) fare.

If you go with a NRD, you only lose $100 of your deposit as a Change Fee, and the balance is applied to a Future Cruise Credit good for up to one year FROM THE DATE YOU CANCEL (not from the date of the cruise you cancel).  

However, if you don't think you'd cruise again within a year of canceling, you're better off with the refundable fare, because you would lose the rest of the deposit above the $100 change fee if you did NRD.  

It's all in the math... everyone's situation is different.

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  • 3 weeks later...
8 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

So if you book the non refundable higher rate and then the price drops, does Royal give you the price drop?  Do you get to keep any percs booked, the cabin?  I have the same question about a price drop on a refundable deposit cruise.  Thanks.

 

Price drops are normally given for non-refundable rate bookings just like refundable rate bookings, up until final payment date for US/Canadian bookings.

 

Perks that were based on a booking promo would be lost unless the same perks are in force for the new price.   It's also possible that the new price would include better perks.

 

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8 minutes ago, Big_G said:

Did I read somewhere that people are booking refundable up until just before final payment then converting to a nonrefundable?

Yes that could be done but they would have to pay the current NR pricing for their category of cabin. This could be more than the higher refundable deposit cost when the original booking was made.

It would be a real guessing game as to where prices are going to be in the future on the final payment date. Does one take the current lower cost of a NR deposit booking or hope for a lower NR cost in the future.

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1 minute ago, robtulipe said:

Yes that could be done but they would have to pay the current NR pricing for their category of cabin. This could be more than the higher refundable deposit cost when the original booking was made.

It would be a real guessing game as to where prices are going to be in the future on the final payment date. Does one take the current lower cost of a NR deposit booking or hope for a lower NR cost in the future.

 

We've been booking suites so I really never gave it any thought until I read it. I'm not sure if it was here or FB.

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45 minutes ago, Big_G said:

Did I read somewhere that people are booking refundable up until just before final payment then converting to a nonrefundable?

I usually book refundable and have not had much luck converting to non refundable before final payment as the prices have risen so much that the non refundable rates are higher than the refundable ones that we booked at

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1 hour ago, molly361 said:

I usually book refundable and have not had much luck converting to non refundable before final payment as the prices have risen so much that the non refundable rates are higher than the refundable ones that we booked at

 

Same experience here.

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I just went to reserve a JS on Adventure since I wasn't too keen on a $500 deposit on a cruise 1.5 years away.   Checked the refundable deposit rate at the end, it added that amount to my total due and then still asked for $500.  Didn't pursue.

 

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11 minutes ago, parrotfeathers said:

I just went to reserve a JS on Adventure since I wasn't too keen on a $500 deposit on a cruise 1.5 years away.   Checked the refundable deposit rate at the end, it added that amount to my total due and then still asked for $500.  Didn't pursue.

 

 

Reduced deposits are only available when booking non-refundable deposits while onboard.

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12 minutes ago, parrotfeathers said:

 

But I thought 5 nighters were not $500 deposit.  

 

Good point, you are correct, the deposit should have been $100pp for a 5-night cruise.

 

Might be that old "bug" on Royal's website that never was able to charge the proper reduced deposit amount for WOW sales.

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On 3/15/2019 at 9:33 PM, molly361 said:

I usually book refundable and have not had much luck converting to non refundable before final payment as the prices have risen so much that the non refundable rates are higher than the refundable ones that we booked at

 

On 3/15/2019 at 11:07 PM, Host Clarea said:

 

Same experience here.

 

And a third. Recently an attractive senior discount became available on our next cruise but the refundable deposit price was still higher than our original booking. We were able to 'save' over $400 by switching to NRD though -- this being about 6 to 8 weeks before final payment. 

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On 3/15/2019 at 12:46 PM, Big_G said:

Did I read somewhere that people are booking refundable up until just before final payment then converting to a nonrefundable?

Yes...over several booked cruises it has only worked out for us on one of these...it can be a gamble...and at this point not worth it to me.

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