Solo booking with travel agent

[latebuyer]

I booked with a travel agent and was surprised when I had to pay double the deposit -530 cdn. It’s refundable so it’s not a big deal but it’s still annoying. Is this the way it’s done with a group booking with royal Caribbean? If it had been non refundable I wouldn’t have booked it.

 

I hope this question is allowed. As a Canadian I don’t believe I can book on US sites.

Edited February 25, 2022 by latebuyer

[Ourusualbeach]

18 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

I booked with a travel agent and was surprised when I had to pay double the deposit -530 cdn. It’s refundable so it’s not a big deal but it’s still annoying. Is this the way it’s done with a group booking with royal Caribbean? If it had been non refundable I wouldn’t have booked it.

 

I hope this question is allowed. As a Canadian I don’t believe I can book on US sites.

If you paid double deposit you are booked into a group.  Groups go by a cabin deposit based on 2 guests regardless of how many in the cabin. 

 

Dmallmprive tomorrow gor a refundable rate thst is cheaper than booking it direct and some extra obc. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[latebuyer]

Thanks yes the rate was cheaper although it is guaranteed cabins and I got 100 obc.

Edited February 25, 2022 by latebuyer

[pcur]

I always book with Big Box, and I think all their reservations are considered group bookings. As a solo cruiser I have always paid whatever is required, because I'm going to pay it anyway. 

[Seacruise]

2 hours ago, latebuyer said:

I hope this question is allowed. As a Canadian I don’t believe I can book on US sites.

As a fellow Canadian you can book with US sites. I have done it many times. The thing is you have to pay in USD.
Now there are Canadian TA's that can book both in CAD and USD . This works to our advantage with the exchange rate at the time of booking. Sometimes a cruise line can offer a reduced pricing conversion for CAD vs. USD or the other way around. It will also work for Americans in reverse who can book in CAD when the rate is good for them.
Don't forget that you have to factor in the exchange rate of 1% or higher if booking in USD.
In one case a few years back RCL had a very low exchange rate and locked in for our 24 day cruise. We ended up buying onboard credit for that cruise and the exchange rate difference paid for our cruise was different than the current bank rate. When the cruise was at the end we went in and cashed out our onboard credit and went home.

[latebuyer]

Since i haven't booked with these group booking before, i'm wondering if its common to not get the OBC until you are on the ship. I only got 1/2 the obc and my travel agent is saying i won't get it until later and maybe not until on the ship. I'm a little concerned i'm being penalized by royal caribbean for being single though although i paid for 2 cabins. I hope i get it or i'll be mad.

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

i'm wondering if its common to not get the OBC until you are on the ship.

That is the default - seeing the OBC around the second day of sailing. 

[Baowen]

36 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

 i'm wondering if its common to not get the OBC until you are on the ship. I only got 1/2 the obc and my travel agent is saying i won't get it until later and maybe not until on the ship.

My OBC usually isn't available until I'm on the ship unless it comes directly from Royal Caribbean ( like OBC for a reduced rate or Next Cruise OBC)

Beth

[latebuyer]

Thanks! That's good to know. Just wondering if there was something wrong. Guess i was lucky to get even half up front.

Edited February 25, 2022 by latebuyer

[nelblu]

Just be sure that the OBC amount is written in some form of a contract.  When I book directly with RCL the amount of OBC, if any, is listed on the invoice.  

[brillohead]

8 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Since i haven't booked with these group booking before, i'm wondering if its common to not get the OBC until you are on the ship. I only got 1/2 the obc and my travel agent is saying i won't get it until later and maybe not until on the ship. I'm a little concerned i'm being penalized by royal caribbean for being single though although i paid for 2 cabins. I hope i get it or i'll be mad.

It sounds like you're getting $50 in OBC from Royal as a promotion for the sailing, and $50 from the TA as a "thank you for booking with us".  

OBC from Royal will show up in your cruise planner in advance.  OBC from a TA will show up in your account on board the ship. 

Royal doesn't care that you're a solo cruiser.  I'm not sure why you would think that.  

Also, you didn't pay for two cabins -- you paid for one cabin.  The price is for double occupancy... if you only have one person in the room, you have to pay for the second person.  

Think of it like a hotel room on land.  Do you pay half the cost of a hotel room just because you're the only one in the room?  Nope.  Same on the ship.  The room rate is X, and the per-person fare for double occupancy is "X divided by 2".  

 

[latebuyer]

Thanks Brillohead, I just meant I’m paying for the whole cabin, same as a couple so I should get my obc. Hopefully I do!

[latebuyer]

To be honest I was blaming royal Caribbean as I thought they would want to encourage you to spend more while you were on the cruise so it’s interesting if it’s actually the travel agent. I would prefer it beforehand but will use for chops lunch and part of pedicure.

[brillohead]

If it's OBC from Royal, it will show up on your Booking Confirmation, like this:

 

For this particular cruise, I'm getting this $50 from Royal, and then I'm also getting $75 from my TA, for a total of $125.  I can use the $50 in the cruise planner, but the $75 will need to be used on board.  

I never prepay my gratuities, so any OBC that I get on the ship can be used to pay down what I owe for that.  

 

[nelblu]

When it comes to OBC it can get a bit convoluted, I recently had one of those.

 

While sailing on Allure in January, I stopped by the "Next Cruise Desk" to book a future cruise.  I booked (solo) Oasis for December 4, 2022.  I got $100 OBC for booking on board and an add'l $50 for a promo that was going on.  Got my invoice and it reflected these amounts,

 

2 things that made the situation a bit convoluted.  After finishing the Allure cruise, I reached the so called D+ 340 level (thanks to the solo 4x points) which afforded me a solo supplementary adjustment and a casino credit of $100.

 

I called the Casino desk to get the credit and also for the solo adjustment.  It took some time as many agents are not familiar with the solo adjustment.  After about 20 minutes, it was done and was instructed that I would receive the revised invoice.  When I received the invoice, it showed only $38 which confused the crap out of me.

 

Called again and explained that I could understand the elimination of the $50 promo as I was instructed that I would lose it if I got a price adjustment, but the $100 is a perk for booking on board and it's per cabin.   The agent says ok, he'll add $62 to complete the transaction.   Never got an adjusted invoice to reflect the OBC.

 

Waited a week and no invoice and called again.  Explained the entire saga to agent and he tells me that he/she sees the $62 adjustment, but it was not processed and will take care of it and an invoice would be forth-coming.  Got it, but now it reflected $38 twice.😜

 

Called again, spoke to another agent, explained the situation and she tells me that the $62 credit is noted, but it needs approval by the revenue (?) unit.  After waiting 20-25 minutes on the phone (thanks God for speaker phone) with no resolution yet, I advised her if she would not mind calling me back when resolved.  About 3 hours later got the ok for the adjustment.  Subsequently got the adjusted invoice.

 

I still could not get a clear explanation how they arrived at the $38.

 

 

[ecslady]

2 hours ago, nelblu said:

I still could not get a clear explanation how they arrived at the $38.

 

 

 I recently booked an Oasis cruise as a solo, and go t the $38 OBC too.  My TA said it was because I was booking solo.  No other real explanation.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, nelblu said:

When it comes to OBC it can get a bit convoluted, I recently had one of those.

 

While sailing on Allure in January, I stopped by the "Next Cruise Desk" to book a future cruise.  I booked (solo) Oasis for December 4, 2022.  I got $100 OBC for booking on board and an add'l $50 for a promo that was going on.  Got my invoice and it reflected these amounts,

 

2 things that made the situation a bit convoluted.  After finishing the Allure cruise, I reached the so called D+ 340 level (thanks to the solo 4x points) which afforded me a solo supplementary adjustment and a casino credit of $100.

 

I called the Casino desk to get the credit and also for the solo adjustment.  It took some time as many agents are not familiar with the solo adjustment.  After about 20 minutes, it was done and was instructed that I would receive the revised invoice.  When I received the invoice, it showed only $38 which confused the crap out of me.

 

Called again and explained that I could understand the elimination of the $50 promo as I was instructed that I would lose it if I got a price adjustment, but the $100 is a perk for booking on board and it's per cabin.   The agent says ok, he'll add $62 to complete the transaction.   Never got an adjusted invoice to reflect the OBC.

 

Waited a week and no invoice and called again.  Explained the entire saga to agent and he tells me that he/she sees the $62 adjustment, but it was not processed and will take care of it and an invoice would be forth-coming.  Got it, but now it reflected $38 twice.😜

 

Called again, spoke to another agent, explained the situation and she tells me that the $62 credit is noted, but it needs approval by the revenue (?) unit.  After waiting 20-25 minutes on the phone (thanks God for speaker phone) with no resolution yet, I advised her if she would not mind calling me back when resolved.  About 3 hours later got the ok for the adjustment.  Subsequently got the adjusted invoice.

 

I still could not get a clear explanation how they arrived at the $38.

 

 

$38 is 75 % of the $50. Because you use the 150% solo supplement you get 75% of the obc and you get 75% of your balcony discount. 

[latebuyer]

Thanks! Using the onboard credit for tips is a good tip as I really just want the chops lunch the most and I presume that’s good to book in advance. I haven’t received my invoice yet but will check.

[lakelorain]

I have 5 solo cruises booked for this year at 150% and I got all my full obc's from RC and my travel agent.  There was no reduction for being solo.

 

[pcur]

Don't forget the C&A casino free play money that you can use on the first two days of a cruise.  The amount depends on your C&A level, and I know Gold gets $2, D+ gets $6.  You have to play all the original free play money before you can cash out.  I walked away with $20 last week.  A small amount, but it's like finding a $20 bill on the sidewalk:  no money spent to get it.

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, pcur said:

D+ gets $6.

It might be more the first couple of days. 

[pcur]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

It might be more the first couple of days. 

Yes, I actually got $16, but I wondered if it was a percentage of Cruise Planner purchases pre-cruise.  I have no proof of this, so I didn't mention it, like "oh, you can get more, but I haven't the foggiest idea why".  😄

[molly361]

8 hours ago, pcur said:

Don't forget the C&A casino free play money that you can use on the first two days of a cruise.  The amount depends on your C&A level, and I know Gold gets $2, D+ gets $6.  You have to play all the original free play money before you can cash out.  I walked away with $20 last week.  A small amount, but it's like finding a $20 bill on the sidewalk:  no money spent to get it.

I got $8 on the 4 night Indy that I just got off off Friday.  Turned it into $45.  That's a first for me😁

[molly361]

7 hours ago, Biker19 said:

It might be more the first couple of days. 

It is  It was $8 on the Indy this past week.  Used it night 1

[nelblu]

20 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

$38 is 75 % of the $50. Because you use the 150% solo supplement you get 75% of the obc and you get 75% of your balcony discount. 

I accepted the reduction in the balcony discount and the loss of the $50 promo as it's understood, but the OBC of $100 for booking on board is as advertised.  Anyway, if I use your logic, it should have been $75 ($100 x .75%).  I'm not sure where you are getting the $50 in your example.

 

Ps.  Maybe I'll go back and ask for $138 rather than the $100. ( $100 + $50 x .75)😄

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by nelblu