Senior Discounts

[iancal]

N

Yes, we are Diamond on RCI.

 

We did not book with a TA.  We booked directly with RCI by calling their office in Sydney.

 

I suspect that RCI (and others) have different offers in different countries just as they have different booking Terms and Conditions.  I was told that gratuities inclusive was part of the package and we certainly were not charged on board.  We also were given a $200 OBC.

 

What made up the 35 percent difference advantage in booking directly with RCI Australia was the reduced cabin price for seniors, the inclusion of gratuities, a and the $200. RCI  obc.  The $200 Diamond cabin credit for selecting a balcony cabin was common to both Australian and US quotes.

 

 The difference also took into account the OBC that our US on line TA was offering. I was amazed at the difference in price.  It took us about two seconds to say yes. This 21 day cruise last minute cruise was already heavily discounted.

 

We often check prices in different countries.  We will be in Cyprus next month.  Last week we booked a resort through a UK Travel firm.  The cost was about 30 percent less than booking it on North American sites.  This does not happen very often. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by iancal

[leaveitallbehind]

7 hours ago, iancal said:

N

Yes, we are Diamond on RCI.

 

We did not book with a TA.  We booked directly with RCI by calling their office in Sydney.

 

I suspect that RCI (and others) have different offers in different countries just as they have different booking Terms and Conditions.  I was told that gratuities inclusive was part of the package and we certainly were not charged on board.  We also were given a $200 OBC.

 

What made up the 35 percent difference advantage in booking directly with RCI Australia was the reduced cabin price for seniors, the inclusion of gratuities, a and the $200. RCI  obc.  The $200 Diamond cabin credit for selecting a balcony cabin was common to both Australian and US quotes.

 

 The difference also took into account the OBC that our US on line TA was offering. I was amazed at the difference in price.  It took us about two seconds to say yes. This 21 day cruise last minute cruise was already heavily discounted.

 

We often check prices in different countries.  We will be in Cyprus next month.  Last week we booked a resort through a UK Travel firm.  The cost was about 30 percent less than booking it on North American sites.  This does not happen very often. 

 

So just to be clear (to the OP's thread title and question), this was then a combination of promotions and discounts offered at the time of your booking and not all tied together as a senior rate discount.  In other words there was a separate OBC, plus your C & A balcony discount, plus pre-paid gratuities, plus a senior discount that all in combination on that booking resulted in the price differential you indicate.  I would suspect that the senior discount component was 5% or less of that total off the listed price.

Edited September 9, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[iancal]

We were told by the RCI agent that our seniors discount was $300 AUD per person Plus prepaid gratuities.  I do not know if the $200 obc was part of the seniors rate.  He mentioned after bringing up our profile on his screen.  It was mentioned after he applied the $200 cabin credit for a balcony cabin.  I did not ask.  Just happy to get it and happy to realize such a large saving over what we would have paid had we booked with our US Ta.   Don’t know if there were any contractual differences since we booked and paid in full two or three weeks prior to blast off.

 

Our focus was on the net bottom line inclusive of OBC’s. The senior discount, inclusive of gratuities was certainly more that five percent of the discounted late booking price.  No idea what the percentage was of list.....if a list legitimate list price really exists.  We were down to just over $85 AUD pp per diem for this 21 day balcony cabin cruise.

 

A person on the Oz page of C.C. gave us the heads up on this offer otherwise we would have booked it with our usual on line US TA.  So we decided to call RCI Sydney direct.  So glad we did.  They got some of it back though.  We had just been on a Princess cruise where the on board currency was AUD.  The RCI on board currency was USD and  prices were higher.  Adjusted for currency, bar prices were  about 50 percent higher for beer, wine, and specialty coffees on RCI.

Edited September 9, 2019 by iancal

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

We were told by the RCI agent that our seniors discount was $300 AUD per person Plus prepaid gratuities.  I do not know if the $200 obc was part of the seniors rate.

 

Our focus was on the net bottom line inclusive of OBC’s. The senior discount, inclusive of gratuities was certainly more that five percent of the discounted late booking price.  

 

If you were told that the seniors discount was $300 AUD pp, then that was the senior discount.  The senior discount is a discount unto itself.  Pre paid gratuities would be a separate promo.  It may be tied in the booking with the senior discount in that the cruise you booked was one in which the senior discount qualified and was applied.  The prepaid gratuities would be in addition - and prepaid gratuities was also a promo in which that cruise qualified.   But the pre-paid gratuities were not part of that senior discount $ value - they would be separate as that is a separate promo.

 

I used the 5% figure as that is roughly the amount +/- that the senior discount is typically worth by itself - at least with US bookings.  Adding the separate pre-paid gratuities to that would indeed exceed the 5% as you indicate.

 

Regardless, you got a great rate with all that was offered in combination on that booking!

Edited September 9, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[iancal]

I really have no idea.  We have, on several occasions, booked hotels, air, and tours in other countries at significant discounts to what we would have otherwise paid had we booked in Canada or the US.

 

 

[George C]

I have not gotten a senior discount on rccl we are diamond plus so we get that have taken about 5 cruises since 65 not sure what there senior age is.

[leaveitallbehind]

9 hours ago, George C said:

I have not gotten a senior discount on rccl we are diamond plus so we get that have taken about 5 cruises since 65 not sure what there senior age is.

 

The senior age with RCI, Celebrity (and others) is 55+.  And as mentioned previously, with RCI and Celebrity as examples, the senior discount (along with the residency, and police and fireman discounts) are not applicable on every cruise.  Other cruise lines may differ in this.

 

Again as well, each is its own separate discount when applicable and does not have other promo's built into or combined with its' value.  It is also included automatically in your quoted price.

 

In most instances the only way you would know if it was applicable on any given cruise would be to do mock bookings both with and without the applicable boxes checked on your quote request to see if there is a pricing difference - or ask the cruise agent or travel agent directly.  

Edited September 10, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[AdGuyMG]

On 9/6/2019 at 11:20 PM, Ms. Piggy 1961 said:

 I always fill in my age and state and never get a discount.  What gives?  Why do they ask you if they don’t give you a discount?

 

At the point where you are asked to enter the "Qualifiers" you are still at the landing page gateway and have not yet put in a specific ship, date or cabin category.

 

Once you enter the specific ship & date and hit Search, the booking engine queries the sailing and if any of the qualifiers apply, and it will display the best available rate.

 

If none of the qualifiers apply to the specific ship and date, and it will display the regular best fare,

 

[Ms. Piggy 1961]

Thanks, AdGuyMG!

 

I guess that means that if they haven’t sold enough rooms you might get a discount, most likely a last minute cruise.

 

Only three more years until the stepkids are out of the house and we don’t have to go at peak times anymore. 🤔😃😂

[leaveitallbehind]

5 minutes ago, Ms. Piggy 1961 said:

Thanks, AdGuyMG!

 

I guess that means that if they haven’t sold enough rooms you might get a discount, most likely a last minute cruise.

 

Only three more years until the stepkids are out of the house and we don’t have to go at peak times anymore. 🤔😃😂

 

Not necessarily.  When we have gotten the senior or residency discounts it has been with our booking origination, which is typically 6 months+ prior to the sailing date.  I believe the discount determination is typically made with the itinerary release.

 

When itinerary bookings are slow, either by stateroom category or overall, they will typically just reduce the booking fares overall, not just add select discounts.

Edited September 10, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Ms. Piggy 1961]

Good to know!  I guess I’ll keep trying.. 😊

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 9/7/2019 at 6:51 AM, navybankerteacher said:

While focused discounts may exist, they are unlikely to be very substantial.  Why would a cruise line be willing  to get less from a passenger just because he/she was from New Jersey, or was a school teacher, or was 60 years old?

 

It is really just a marketing gimmick (or perhaps they might think that older teachers from New Jersey are gullible enough to be conned into higher than average on board spending).

 

MSC is pretty free with military, teacher, and other discounts.  I got 10% on both my MSC cruises as a (retired) teacher.  

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 9/7/2019 at 3:01 PM, ed01106 said:

You are more likely to be offered a senior discount on an unpopular week as opposed to say school holidays.

 

I think that for lots of seniors school holiday times are the more UNpopular times.

Edited September 10, 2019 by Toofarfromthesea