Booking a group cruise with RCI?

[a3593]

Has anyone ever coordinated a group cruise with Royal?  I spoke to their groups department, but they have a few policies that I feel may turn some people off from booking. For example, everyone in the group has to pay $250 deposit within 30 days, and the sailing isn't until next summer.  I'm concerned that asking, for example, a family of 4 to immediately fork over $1000 might dissuade them from taking part.  And they don't include 3-4 person cabins in groups. Should I try to speak with someone else?  Any tips for a planning a successful group cruise with them?

[Cigar King]

I'm wondering why you wouldn't expect to pay a deposit on a cruise?  That being said, why don't you handle the booking AND pay the deposit.  Then the family can pay you back at their leisure.  

 

 

[firefly333]

40 minutes ago, a3593 said:

Has anyone ever coordinated a group cruise with Royal?  I spoke to their groups department, but they have a few policies that I feel may turn some people off from booking. For example, everyone in the group has to pay $250 deposit within 30 days, and the sailing isn't until next summer.  I'm concerned that asking, for example, a family of 4 to immediately fork over $1000 might dissuade them from taking part.  And they don't include 3-4 person cabins in groups. Should I try to speak with someone else?  Any tips for a planning a successful group cruise with them?

Have you considered using a TA. Yes the downside is paying full deposits. I can book onboard for a lower deposit. The upside to a group is a refundable deposit. The downside is not only do I pay $250, I pay $500 deposit as a solo, I pay for 2 peoples deposit, but usually a little lower price. Radiance only saved me $10, usually i save more. All my further out bookings were made as group bookings. 

 

It's a lot of flexibility booking a year or more out. Harmony i booked b2b the best prices and then my friend wanted the last week before xmas so i added that week. B2b2b. I might not want 3 harmony in a row and have the flexibility to cancel. My ta was afraid there was a large group the middle week, but now i have flexibility. Your other choice is not group booking and non refundable deposits at higher rates. 

[Corby114]

Coordinating a group booking is a time consuming process. Try to find a travel agent in your area that specializes in group bookings. Find a ship, company and itinerary your interested in and check for pricing. Let the travel agent handle everything including getting the deposits. As usual someone in your group will complain about the itinerary, the ship, the week you planned and the price. Let the travel agency and the travel agent work hard for their commission. Let them handle the headaches associated with a group cruise. Good luck! 

[firefly333]

4 minutes ago, Corby114 said:

Coordinating a group booking is a time consuming process. Try to find a travel agent in your area that specializes in group bookings. Find a ship, company and itinerary your interested in and check for pricing. Let the travel agent handle everything including getting the deposits. As usual someone in your group will complain about the itinerary, the ship, the week you planned and the price. Let the travel agency and the travel agent work hard for their commission. Let them handle the headaches associated with a group cruise. Good luck! 

I'd ask for recommendations. I've had a very bad TA and now have a good honest one.

 

I wouldnt just choose some random local TA. If you dont know someone with a good one there are places you can ask ..if you cant figure those out ask on your next cruise. In person. 

 

My last TA should be in jail let's put it that way. He disappeared with funds. My TA has my credit card number. Dont trust just anyone. 

[Cigar King]

I don't remember the exact rate, but, I believe it is something like 1 cabin comped for every 8 booked.

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, pinnacle_king2023 said:

does royal offer a discount if u have a very large group sailing on one of there ships 

Even a group of 1 can benefit.

 

The sale with up to $550 off doesnt combine really with your balcony discount. My friend is exact same loyalty, booked the same 2 dates, same category. He booked direct solo $1450. I booked group at just under $1200. We booked within hours of each other. I got the balcony discount, he did not, plus my deposit is refundable and his is not.

 

Your balcony discount is combinable with group rates. 

[iuki]

Whenever you book a cruise, you have to pay a deposit.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a year or two away.  It also doesn’t matter whether it’s a group booking or not.

 

There are 16 of us going on a cruise next month to celebrate my husband’s sister’s 80th birthday.  The others went through one TA.  We booked directly with RC.  Our niece, who dealt with the TA and airlines and hotel, gave us info on their flights, etc., and we booked our own flights, etc.  She provided the others the same info and they made their arrangements with the same TA, hotel, etc.

[royalcedars]

I coordinated a group cruise in January 2020.  I'm not a TA, just an avid cruiser.  I call RC's group department to set it up and get a group number, then everyone called the groups department to book their own cabin and pay their deposit.  Yes, we did have cabin's of 3-4 people in our group.  We wound up with 14 staterooms (you need a minimum of 8 to set up a group).  Each stateroom got $50 OBC, and the primary person who set up the group, got a credit equivalent to one berth in the most common booked stateroom type.  We used the money to buy group tee shirts, back packs, reef-safe sunscreen for everyone and a poopouri for each stateroom.  We also bought some photo albums from the photo area on ship to give as prizes.  We had several big tables in the MDR and had it set up so we could rotate where we sat among the tables so we could sit next to different people each night.  We set up our own cabin crawl, slot pull, scavenger hunt, and shore excursions.  It was massive fun, can't wait to do it again.

[a3593]

4 hours ago, royalcedars said:

I coordinated a group cruise in January 2020.  I'm not a TA, just an avid cruiser.  I call RC's group department to set it up and get a group number, then everyone called the groups department to book their own cabin and pay their deposit.  Yes, we did have cabin's of 3-4 people in our group.  We wound up with 14 staterooms (you need a minimum of 8 to set up a group).  Each stateroom got $50 OBC, and the primary person who set up the group, got a credit equivalent to one berth in the most common booked stateroom type.  We used the money to buy group tee shirts, back packs, reef-safe sunscreen for everyone and a poopouri for each stateroom.  We also bought some photo albums from the photo area on ship to give as prizes.  We had several big tables in the MDR and had it set up so we could rotate where we sat among the tables so we could sit next to different people each night.  We set up our own cabin crawl, slot pull, scavenger hunt, and shore excursions.  It was massive fun, can't wait to do it again.

Sounds like a great time! Great idea about how to use the credit. How did you set up the private group activities? And please excuse my lack of knowledge, but what is a cabin crawl? 🙂

 

 

 

 

[Cigar King]

8 hours ago, a3593 said:

what is a cabin crawl?

It's an opportunity to see other cabin types.  Somebody organizes the group and you work your way through the different types of cabins in that group.  Works best when there is a large mix of different cabin types.

[Ourusualbeach]

On 4/30/2022 at 12:24 PM, pinnacle_king2023 said:

does royal offer a discount if u have a very large group sailing on one of there ships 

 

On 4/30/2022 at 12:26 PM, Cigar King said:

I don't remember the exact rate, but, I believe it is something like 1 cabin comped for every 8 booked.

You receive what is known as a Tour Conductor Credit.

 

You get 1 TC for every 8 cabins booked.  A tour conductor is equal to the average cruise fare (Not including taxes or NCCF's) for all the cabins in the group.

 

In order to get that "free" cabin you need to have 16 rooms in the group.

 

I said "free" but its not free.  As I mentioned the TC does not include taxes or NCCF's.  NCCF's are the non commissionable cruise fare that is included in the cruise fare for all sailings.  Most people do not even see this on their invoices but TA's do.  It is between $25 and $40 per person per night depending on the ship.  On a newer ship you would be looking at $250 to $280 for a 7 night cruise. 

 

Just as an example take a balcony cabin for 2 people at $2500 taxes in, out the door would not get you a TC of $1250.  take your $2500 subtract the taxes (say $125pp) leaves you with $2250.  Subtract the NCCF of $250 per person leaves you with $1750 net cruise fare.  your TC would be $875

 

Now if you found a great deal on insides for say $1200 taxes in take off taxes $250 and NCCF of $500 leaves you with $450 or a TC credit of $225

 

Definitely not a comped cabin.

[Ourusualbeach]

On 4/30/2022 at 10:48 AM, a3593 said:

Has anyone ever coordinated a group cruise with Royal?  I spoke to their groups department, but they have a few policies that I feel may turn some people off from booking. For example, everyone in the group has to pay $250 deposit within 30 days, and the sailing isn't until next summer.  I'm concerned that asking, for example, a family of 4 to immediately fork over $1000 might dissuade them from taking part.  And they don't include 3-4 person cabins in groups. Should I try to speak with someone else?  Any tips for a planning a successful group cruise with them?

Groups always have a cabin deposit and not a per person deposit.  This is great for families of more than 2 as they only have to pay a $500 deposit (using a 7 day sailing as an example) but it sucks for solos as they pay $500 as opposed to $250 or for those that book a next cruise with a $200 deposit and transfer it to a travel agent to get the lower group rate...they must bring their deposit up to the group deposit level.

 

Group rates are refundable...a big plus

 

Group rates are pretty much always cheaper than Royals NRD rates...another big plus.

 

On the downside, groups rates are only for double occupancy cabins.  Triples and quads can be moved into the group to pick up the group amenity but they are booked at prevailing rates. either refundable or non refundable.

 

Another downside is that only certain categories are available for the discounted group rates.  Usually limited to 4V, 2V. 4N, 2N, 2I, 2J, 4D, 2D and occasionally 2B and 4B or the virtual balconies 2U and 4U.  Suites do not benefit from group rates.

 

There are 2 types of groups.  Deposited and non deposited.

 

In order to get the group amenity you must book a deposited group.  This is a $50 per stateroom that the group leader must pay within 30 days of the group creation.  If all 8 or 16 or whatever number of cabins you hold for the group are booked and deposited before the 30 days this $50 per stateroom does not need to be paid.  If you wish to continue holding staterooms (for those friends and family members that have commitment issues) you must pay the $50 per stateroom to hold that space.  The $50 per stateroom is refundable and once the group is filled it can either be refunded or applied to one or more bookings within the group.

 

With a non deposited group you can hold the space but you will not receive the group amenity,.

 

 

Edited May 1, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[Cigar King]

I do know that I recently booked 5 cabins for a family cruise and Royal was not interested in offering any additional perks for the booking.  I'm assuming business is good for them right now.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 4/30/2022 at 10:48 AM, a3593 said:

For example, everyone in the group has to pay $250 deposit within 30 days, and the sailing isn't until next summer.  I'm concerned that asking, for example, a family of 4 to immediately fork over $1000 might dissuade them from taking part. 

that's a normal practice for a non-refundable deposit even if not booking a group cruise. I've just forked over $750 for the 3 of us for April 2023 cruise. I've also recently forked over $1,200 deposit for the 3 of us for a November 2022 Princess cruise.

It does not dissuade me from booking a cruise.

If you don't want to pay a deposit, choose a last minute cruise and pay in full right away. Of course, the price may be unreasonable since it's so close to the sailing, but it's normal for RCI. For more discounted last minute cruises, look to Princess.

[MCC retired]

If in your Group , people are hesitant about paying a Deposit , just think how hard it will be to collect Final Payment..

 

[a3593]

Ok, so I spoke with a different agent at RCI and gained clarity around the deposit.  The way it was explained before is that they ENTIRE group had to pay their deposit within 30 days or the group rate is forfeited--for everyone.  The person I just spoke with said as long as someone does a deposit within 30 days the group rate is held, people can pay the deposit when they can, and final payment is due next March for us.  This works perfectly as I am prepared to pay a deposit for two cabins myself.  I just didn't know everyone else's ability to immediately pay, but I know everyone would pay at least within the next 2-3 months.  I'm relieved.  It's very hard to get 40-50 people on the same accord.

[johnjen]

On 4/30/2022 at 10:48 AM, a3593 said:

Should I try to speak with someone else?

I'm certain they have their policy in place - but, it never hurts to wait and try speaking with someone else. I've gotten different answers in the past, especially when I am told NO on the first call.

[a3593]

50 minutes ago, johnjen said:

I'm certain they have their policy in place - but, it never hurts to wait and try speaking with someone else. I've gotten different answers in the past, especially when I am told NO on the first call.

Yep. Well, it turns out that speaking with someone else did the trick this time. 

[Ourusualbeach]

23 hours ago, Cigar King said:

I do know that I recently booked 5 cabins for a family cruise and Royal was not interested in offering any additional perks for the booking.  I'm assuming business is good for them right now.

Groups have always required a minimum of 8 cabins. 

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

Get a TA they can get you group benefits you can't get on your own.  We do it all the time.  Our TA is worth her weight in gold.  

 

[johnjen]

21 hours ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

Get a TA they can get you group benefits you can't get on your own.  We do it all the time.  Our TA is worth her weight in gold.  

 

Sometimes I think about getting one again. Our first TA was a big online company and they completely blew off price drops because the agent taking care of our account was on a cruise herself and no one would help us out.

IF I can find a decent TA, I'd need them to:

Stay on top of price drops;

Get us a decent credit;

Give us what we want

And that's really all I'd want from a TA.

[GEORGIEGIRL]

On 4/30/2022 at 12:24 PM, pinnacle_king2023 said:

does royal offer a discount if u have a very large group sailing on one of there ships 

To qualify as a true "group" with RCCL you need to have a minimum of 8 cabins. This will get you an extra discount depending on the category of cabins that are booked. You do need to have everyone make an initial deposit (when placing the cabin request) for each cabin. That is true when dealing with their group department. However, that may not be the case when you do individual bookings.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

On 5/2/2022 at 1:47 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

Groups have always required a minimum of 8 cabins. 

Our TA will put us in a group of eight cabins with her other clients so we can get the group discount.