How does the group rate work?

[zeppgirl]

Has anyone gotten the group rate on their cruise after the fact?  We booked our room, then had a few other family members book.  Now it's looking like a few more might join us.  Thought I remembered hearing that you could get a discount after the fact once you had 8 rooms but not sure how this works and wasn't sure if it works if you all pay individually.  Would love to get more info.

[Clarea]

21 minutes ago, zeppgirl said:

Has anyone gotten the group rate on their cruise after the fact?  We booked our room, then had a few other family members book.  Now it's looking like a few more might join us.  Thought I remembered hearing that you could get a discount after the fact once you had 8 rooms but not sure how this works and wasn't sure if it works if you all pay individually.  Would love to get more info.

 

No problem if everyone pays individually, you can still get into a group.  Either contact a travel agent or RC directly to create a group.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

No problem if everyone pays individually, you can still get into a group.  Either contact a travel agent or RC directly to create a group.

Im guessing that the only way to do it would be to contact Royal.  All the reservations would have to be with the same TA and even if they were booked through Royal they have to be transferred to a TA within 60 days of the reservation being created.

 

Perhaps someone else else knows but I’m not 100% certain that you can create a group “after the fact”

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 ...

 

Perhaps someone else else knows but I’m not 100% certain that you can create a group “after the fact”

 

I agree that if the bookings are with different TAs or even some with a the same TA and some with Royal, it would be problematic to create a group.

 

However, if all the bookings are with the same TA or all the bookings are with Royal, I think they can create a group out of existing bookings.  All staterooms would have to be brought up to full deposit also.

 

 

[zeppgirl]

We all booked directly through the site.  I wanted to call RC but the group dept is closed until Monday.  Not sure what is meant by full deposit.  I think everyone paid the $1000 or whatever it was to reserve. Did not see any other option.

[Clarea]

14 minutes ago, zeppgirl said:

We all booked directly through the site.  I wanted to call RC but the group dept is closed until Monday.  Not sure what is meant by full deposit.  I think everyone paid the $1000 or whatever it was to reserve. Did not see any other option.

 

Sometimes you can get a reduced deposit deal, usually from booking while on board.  If someone has one of those reduced deposit bookings, and they want to move into a group, they lose the the reduced deposit perk and have to pay the additional amount to bring the deposit up to the full amount.

[zeppgirl]

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Sometimes you can get a reduced deposit deal, usually from booking while on board.  If someone has one of those reduced deposit bookings, and they want to move into a group, they lose the the reduced deposit perk and have to pay the additional amount to bring the deposit up to the full amount.

Gotcha!  You are right, we almost did this while on board. 

[Russ Lomas]

I have booked groups several times with RCCL.  You can call RCCL groups department and create a group booking at any time.  You can then transfer any reservations you made with RCCL outside of the group into the group with no problem with a couple of exceptions.

 

Now for the exceptions...

1 - When I have talked to RCCL groups to set up my groups with them, they have told me that they only permit a certain number of groups for each sailing depending on the sailing.  I do not know if this is true or not, but I have been told this by multiple agents I have set up bookings with.  I have never been denied creating a group yet, so I cannot verify this.

 

2 - more importantly...the individual reservations MUST have been made through RCCL directly, or cancelled and re-booked through them.  I currently have a group created for this March on the Adventure of the Seas.  We need 8 cabins to get the perks of a group booking.  We had 7 cabins booked and one person cancelled, bringing us down to only 6 cabins.  We do have three other cabins booked, but those families booked through travel agencies.  RCCL refused to move those TA bookings into the group.  They say the only way this is possible is if they cancel and re-book it at current rates (in our case the cost of the cruise had doubled, so it would be stupid for those families to cancel and re-book at the higher rate).

 

I hope this information is helpful.  If you have any further questions, let me know and I will try to help you to the best of my knowledge.

 

[phabric]

What are the group perks?

[Clarea]

27 minutes ago, phabric said:

What are the group perks?

 

Varies, but the most consistent perk is a credit in the amount of one fare if there are 8 or more double occupany staterooms booked.  Depending on the sailing there may be more perks such as OBC.