Solo Supplement (DP340) Blackout Periods?

[nelblu]

Finally, after an hour my Liberty 8/21/2025 was considered as in the blackout period.  Was told some strange answer that the blackout dates run concurrently with the "Kids Sail Free".  I wasn't going to waste my breath as I thought that it was some stupid answer that the C&A dept. gave the agent.  Anyway, went to the fallback sail on Liberty for September 18, 2025.

 

Hope someone can confirm if the blackout dates have been revised and expanded.

[Ocean Boy]

20 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Finally, after an hour my Liberty 8/21/2025 was considered as in the blackout period.  Was told some strange answer that the blackout dates run concurrently with the "Kids Sail Free".  I wasn't going to waste my breath as I thought that it was some stupid answer that the C&A dept. gave the agent.  Anyway, went to the fallback sail on Liberty for September 18, 2025.

 

Hope someone can confirm if the blackout dates have been revised and expanded.

What I don't understand is if you are sailing solo then you are, obviously, not taking advantage of any kids sail free benefit so why should you lose the DP340 discount? It isn't as if you are stacking discounts. 

[firefly333]

2 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

What I don't understand is if you are sailing solo then you are, obviously, not taking advantage of any kids sail free benefit so why should you lose the DP340 discount? It isn't as if you are stacking discounts. 

I think that's why she said it was a stupid answer lol. 

 

Royals IT. Maybe if they make enough profits they can afford to hire some IT help. I cant get utopia online to work with DP340 either and someone above thinks it's because the sale says 60% off 2nd pax. Idk. 

[Ocean Boy]

18 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I think that's why she said it was a stupid answer lol. 

 

Royals IT. Maybe if they make enough profits they can afford to hire some IT help. I cant get utopia online to work with DP340 either and someone above thinks it's because the sale says 60% off 2nd pax. Idk. 

Don't count on any extra profit being invested in the IT department.

[nelblu]

31 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

What I don't understand is if you are sailing solo then you are, obviously, not taking advantage of any kids sail free benefit so why should you lose the DP340 discount? It isn't as if you are stacking discounts. 

My opinion, it was made up as the KSF on some sailings has been going, it seems, for the last 2 years.

 

@OurusualbeachIs it possible for you to confirm the new and revised blackout dates, if you can.

[Ourusualbeach]

39 minutes ago, nelblu said:

My opinion, it was made up as the KSF on some sailings has been going, it seems, for the last 2 years.

 

@OurusualbeachIs it possible for you to confirm the new and revised blackout dates, if you can.

Go by what is written on the C&A benefits page

[molly361]

1 hour ago, nelblu said:

My opinion, it was made up as the KSF on some sailings has been going, it seems, for the last 2 years.

 

@OurusualbeachIs it possible for you to confirm the new and revised blackout dates, if you can.

Per Crown and Anchor benefits dated January 26,  2024  You can access the page thru Royal's website

 

39_Single members must have at least 340 Cruise Points earned to receive the single cruise fare at 150%. This offer is based on availability with certain restrictions. Ocean Voyage Packages, Holiday sailings (Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, Easter/Spring break) and the peak summer months of June 15 thru August 15 are not included in this offer.

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

Per Crown and Anchor benefits dated January 26,  2024  You can access the page thru Royal's website

 

39_Single members must have at least 340 Cruise Points earned to receive the single cruise fare at 150%. This offer is based on availability with certain restrictions. Ocean Voyage Packages, Holiday sailings (Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, Easter/Spring break) and the peak summer months of June 15 thru August 15 are not included in this offer.

Yes, I reread the restrictions, but I don't know if there's has been a more recent change to the blackout dates.  One agent tells me that there was an update and the new blackout periods, other than holidays and spring break, to be from May 15-September 12.  Another tells me that it coincides with the Kids Sail Free promo.  Is the C&A desk making up rules as situation come up.  

 

The DP340 benefit was not available on the Liberty August 21, 2025 (my preference), but available on the September 18, 2025, sail.

[cublet]

Hello,

 

When I came to book 2025 Indy out of Southampton, the DP340 Single Special prices had not been loaded so someone had to work them out manually. Being in possession of a (misplaced) sense of helpfulness, I worked out the SS price and forwarded it. But the agent ignored it and worked it out herself. She divided the couple's price by two and that was my SS price. There really is no hope for some people.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[nelblu]

4 hours ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

When I came to book 2025 Indy out of Southampton, the DP340 Single Special prices had not been loaded so someone had to work them out manually. Being in possession of a (misplaced) sense of helpfulness, I worked out the SS price and forwarded it. But the agent ignored it and worked it out herself. She divided the couple's price by two and that was my SS price. There really is no hope for some people.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

I calculated mine, however the agent calculation was sbout $250 cheaper.   When the 30/30 promo was in play my calculation on the 2nd pax was right on.  However, not so clear with the 60% off 2nd pax. 

[twangster]

It always appeared to me that the system was coded for the original DP340 dates that were July and August plus Holidays.  Any cruise that had the word "Holiday" in the title was often automatically declined for DP340 except new releases where they had added the restriction yet.

 

When they more recently announced the change to June 15 to August 15 my gut tells me that IT was unable to reprogram the reservation system, probably due to using antiqued platforms and databases, so it was still trying to use July and August.  Since they couldn't reprogram the system for whatever reason they have just taken the DP340 out for many cruises and now it requires manual application by resolutions.  

 

This is the problem when a company doesn't invest in modern IT.

[cublet]

34 minutes ago, twangster said:

<Humongous snip> 

 

This is the problem when a company doesn't invest in modern IT.

Hello,

 

This appears to be the case particularly when the CEO or COO is a bean counter who, armed with a spreadsheet, cannot see the need for anything more sophisticated.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet 

[molly361]

23 hours ago, twangster said:

It always appeared to me that the system was coded for the original DP340 dates that were July and August plus Holidays.  Any cruise that had the word "Holiday" in the title was often automatically declined for DP340 except new releases where they had added the restriction yet.

 

When they more recently announced the change to June 15 to August 15 my gut tells me that IT was unable to reprogram the reservation system, probably due to using antiqued platforms and databases, so it was still trying to use July and August.  Since they couldn't reprogram the system for whatever reason they have just taken the DP340 out for many cruises and now it requires manual application by resolutions.  

 

This is the problem when a company doesn't invest in modern IT.

That's what I thought as well.  I just checked a couple of other sailings outside the new blackout dates and no DP340 available on them either.  I'm pretty sure that TA's also have to call to get it applied.  Pain in the neck

[Anton]

It wouldn't surprise me if the word went to out from the head bean counter's office to make DP340 a tedious exercise to add to a booking.

[Ourusualbeach]

57 minutes ago, molly361 said:

That's what I thought as well.  I just checked a couple of other sailings outside the new blackout dates and no DP340 available on them either.  I'm pretty sure that TA's also have to call to get it applied.  Pain in the neck

At the end of the day it depends on the agent you get.  I had one yesterday who tried to tell me that November and early December sailings did not qualify.  Read her the line from the C&A benefits page and asked her to contact another resolutions specialist who knew what they were doing.  The first one was simply going by the coding (or lack thereof) in the system not knowing that it just had not been loaded.

 

Although every group rate has to be manually applied it is in a way easier than dealing with agents to get it applied to non group bookings.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, Anton said:

It wouldn't surprise me if the word went to out from the head bean counter's office to make DP340 a tedious exercise to add to a booking.

Don't read too much into it and come up with conspiracy theories.  As stated before it is simply a matter of a very outdated IT system that was never designed to handle some of the things they are now doing.  Unfortunately it will not be until 2028 when the new system launches.

[Ocean Boy]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

 Unfortunately it will not be until 2028 when the new system launches.

So we have four years before the real problems begin.

[Ourusualbeach]

14 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

So we have four years before the real problems begin.

Hopefully the new system where everything is fully integrated will solve more issues that it creates.  The problem now is they are running multiple old legacy systems that were never designed to work together and it creates lots of issues.  Some still aren't live and rely upon nightly updates to sync different systems.

[nelblu]

4 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Hopefully the new system where everything is fully integrated will solve more issues that it creates.  The problem now is they are running multiple old legacy systems that were never designed to work together and it creates lots of issues.  Some still aren't live and rely upon nightly updates to sync different systems.

I think in addition to the IT issues, many agents are not familiar with some of the rules and benefits.  One agent tells me that the DP340 code was Casino benefits.  I almost threw up the coffee that I was drinking at that time. 

 

Also, when I booked the Liberty sail, it was the C&A folks that advised the agent that the August 21 sail was in the blackout periods.  I referred him to the C&A listing of benefits which states the summer blackout dates were from June 15-August 15, but he would have none of it.  He reiterated this was a most recent change. 

 

Ps, can't fight City Hall .😜

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, nelblu said:

I think in addition to the IT issues, many agents are not familiar with some of the rules and benefits.  One agent tells me that the DP340 code was Casino benefits.  I almost threw up the coffee that I was drinking at that time. 

 

Also, when I booked the Liberty sail, it was the C&A folks that advised the agent that the August 21 sail was in the blackout periods.  I referred him to the C&A listing of benefits which states the summer blackout dates were from June 15-August 15, but he would have none of it.  He reiterated this was a most recent change. 

 

Ps, can't fight City Hall .😜

I won't disagree that there are agents that definitely need a bit more training.  I run into that and I get agents that have a lot more experience than the general call center.  

 

You can definitely fight city hall, it's just how much time and effort you have to put in to win the fight.