Minimum amount for group pricing discounts?

[xps15z]

Planning on cruising next year, it's going to be a large group. I am wondering how many people do you need to receive a group discount and is that discount even significant to do? We don't have interest in having all of our rooms next to each other, the main thing is it worth even combining everyone if a discount is significant. If it's $100 off, then that's not a major deal.

[Coralc]

I think (have read on here) that it is 8 cabins for bonus perks. If you can find a TA that has group rates already, that might be a discount in, and of itself. 

[GEORGIEGIRL]

22 hours ago, Coralc said:

I think (have read on here) that it is 8 cabins for bonus perks. If you can find a TA that has group rates already, that might be a discount in, and of itself. 

You are correct. You need a minimum of 8 cabins (booked and paid for in full) to qualify for a group discount. They are not all the same, all of the time. It depends on the ship, itinerary (popularity) Date of sailing, etc.. Keep in mind you will only receive the "Group" reservation discount based on the category of cabin with the most reservations. For example if 5 of your cabins are inside or ocean view and 3 are balconies you will get the inside/ocean view discount for all 8 cabins. Not one discount for the 5 and another for the 3. 

 

You will also have to coordinate with everyone to ensure they are making their required deposits/payments on time..

 

Just ask your TA a lot of questions and make sure they have handled "Groups" before. They are not as easy as you might think. 

 

PS, my wife is a TA and I speak from experience.

 

Other than that enjoy your cruise.....

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

 It's been awhile since we sailed with enough people, but it was eight cabins to get the credit for "free" lowest category cabin.  If everybody books a suite, except for one person in an inside, you get the credit for the inside.  You don't get the credit until all is paid for and we didn't get ours until around day two after we sailed as OBC.  We always just split the "free cabin" credit among everybody in our group.  Our current TA will put us in a "group" of other clients and also get us the credit.  

[Ourusualbeach]

9 hours ago, GEORGIEGIRL said:

You are correct. You need a minimum of 8 cabins (booked and paid for in full) to qualify for a group discount. They are not all the same, all of the time. It depends on the ship, itinerary (popularity) Date of sailing, etc.. Keep in mind you will only receive the "Group" reservation discount based on the category of cabin with the most reservations. For example if 5 of your cabins are inside or ocean view and 3 are balconies you will get the inside/ocean view discount for all 8 cabins. Not one discount for the 5 and another for the 3. 

 

You will also have to coordinate with everyone to ensure they are making their required deposits/payments on time..

 

Just ask your TA a lot of questions and make sure they have handled "Groups" before. They are not as easy as you might think. 

 

PS, my wife is a TA and I speak from experience.

 

Other than that enjoy your cruise.....

Actually the way Royal calculates the tour conductor credit changed back in 2018 or 2019.  It is now calculated on the average cruise fare of all cabins in the group.

 

Also, it is only calculated on the cruise fare and does not include port fees and taxes and what Royal also call the NCCF which is the non commissionable cruise fare that can range from $20 to $35 per person per day.

 

That 7 day cruise on a new ship in an inside cabin that costs $2100 has taxes of $300 and NCCF's of $450 so the net cruise fare is $1350 so if you booked 8 of these cabins you would get a credit of $625.

 

A lot of people are surprised at how low the credit is.

[nyc12345]

Depending on when you create the group, the rate may be lower than the rate advertised to the general public.  Working with a TA would definitely make it easier for you and your group.  I get tour conductor discounts, additional OBC and lower group rates when I set up the group through my TA.