Royal Caribbean Senior Discount

[CruiseNerd2123]

If someone is turning 55 and wants to go on a December cruise (maybe around Christmas) would they be eligible for the Royal Caribbean Senior Discount?

[royal3]

Would they be eligible if they were 55 on embarkation day, yes. Would it be offered during the popular Christmas period, highly unlikely. "We offer reduced senior prices only on selected sailings exclusively for guests who are 55 years of age and older"  

[HicksRA]

Senior discounts are hit or miss. Mostly miss. 

[PhillyFan33579]

I have never received a 55 and over discount that was less than the current “sale” price. 

[Ashland]

We cruise often and have only received one maybe two senior discounts in the last twenty years.

[zebra36]

SR and Military discounts are rare, though I do catch a military one every few years. These just seem to depend on how slowly bookings are going for any particular cruise.

[Engineroom Snipe]

I agree with all of the posters.

 

Military, Senior, Police, and "State" discounts are normally only offered when bookings are not meeting expectations.

 

In most cases, they come with "non-refundable" deposit clauses.

 

They also allow a price to go lower without having previous bookings requesting a price adjustment if they occur before final payments.

[island lady]

The only discounts we have received is military, and that being more and more rare (shame on that).  😞  

 

Never see any discounts when I put in "senior" or "Florida Resident".  I think they are just teasers.  🤑

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Military, Senior, Police, and "State" discounts are normally only offered when bookings are not meeting expectations.

 

In most cases, they come with "non-refundable" deposit clauses.

This is not accurate.  While 55+, military, resident, etc., discounts are not applied on every sailing, when they are they are applied to both refundable and NRD fares in our experience.  They also are initiated when bookings are released and applied at anytime during the booking cycle and not just added to boost bookings.

Edited May 2 by leaveitallbehind

[TheHawk1]

Senior discounts are an urban myth.  If Holland America offered them, the line would go broke.

[Engineroom Snipe]

27 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

This is not accurate.  While 55+, military, resident, etc., discounts are not applied on every sailing, when they are they are applied to both refundable and NRD fares in our experience.  They also are initiated when bookings are released and applied at anytime during the booking cycle and not just added to boost bookings.

The two times I used the military discount in the past, my booking went to non-refundable. I am not saying that you are not correct. Your experience obviously was different from mine.

 

This change was emphasized by my travel agent when we went for the discount. That is why remember it so well.

[leaveitallbehind]

10 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

The two times I used the military discount in the past, my booking went to non-refundable. I am not saying that you are not correct. Your experience obviously was different from mine.

 

This change was emphasized by my travel agent when we went for the discount. That is why remember it so well.

Thanks for the update.  To be fair, while I lumped them altogether in my response, I was referring primarily to the resident and 55+ as they are the two we are eligible for.  If what you indicate is now the direction, in particular with the military discount, that is indeed unfortunate.  Especially since the refundable fare option carries a measurable premium to begin with.

 

Thank you for your service.

Edited May 2 by leaveitallbehind

[Engineroom Snipe]

7 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Thanks for the update.  To be fair, while I lumped them altogether in my response, I was referring primarily to the resident and 55+ as they are the two we are eligible for.  If what you indicate is now the direction, in particular with the military discount, that is indeed unfortunate.  Especially since the refundable fare option carries a measurable premium to begin with.

 

Thank you for your service.

In general, my travel agent's group rates (where I get to pick my cabin for no extra cost) have been lower than the best Royal pricing including any discounts at any time from announcement to cruise.

 

I only used military discounts when they were available in 2022 for one cruise in 2022 and two cruises in 2023 that I booked in 2022. This occurred when the cruise lines were trying to fill rooms during their recovery from shut-down.

 

[leaveitallbehind]

33 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

In general, my travel agent's group rates (where I get to pick my cabin for no extra cost) have been lower than the best Royal pricing including any discounts at any time from announcement to cruise.

 

I only used military discounts when they were available in 2022 for one cruise in 2022 and two cruises in 2023 that I booked in 2022. This occurred when the cruise lines were trying to fill rooms during their recovery from shut-down.

 

Group prices are not shown through RCCL directly or through their website but are visible to the TA's - just one advantage of using them.  Fares are often lower as a result.

 

In the context of the restart, it would be more likely that the different discounts would be more available to assist with bookings.  Beyond that, however, I don't think it is as likely to be applied to support bookings as demand is very high.

 

Enjoy your cruising.

Edited May 2 by leaveitallbehind

[island lady]

IMHO...the really high rates that RCI is charging now, it would go a long way for them to offer regular standard Military and senior discounts as a PR statement.  

 

Let's face it....RCI is not intending to lure the seniors much any longer anyway, what with the Mega theme park ships geared for families.  And military, police discounts are just a nice thing to do for those that serve.   Lowes gets our business over Home Depot.  😉 

 

 

 

 

[PhillyFan33579]

4 minutes ago, island lady said:

IMHO...the really high rates that RCI is charging now, it would go a long way for them to offer regular standard Military and senior discounts as a PR statement.  

 

Let's face it....RCI is not intending to lure the seniors much any longer anyway, what with the Mega theme park ships geared for families.  And military, police discounts are just a nice thing to do for those that serve.   Lowes gets our business over Home Depot.  😉 

 

I agree with you that RCI is not targeting seniors. Fortunately Celebrity fills that square very well.

Lowe’s and Home Depot both offer 10% discount to military. It was that way during the 20 plus years I served on active duty in the USAF and has remained that way the 17 plus years since I retired from the USAF. 

[nelblu]

Senior and state discounts were more prevalent prior to the pandemic.  Very rare at capacity that Royal ships are sailing. 
I’m lucky that I’m eligible for the V&A solo supplement DP340 and even with this the fares are out of sight. 
 

[jennellen]

I just booked a September cruise in mid April and got the senior discount.  I turn 55 before sail date.  It was $259 off, which I was super happy about.  Didn't realize the senior discounts were so rare.  So now I'm even happier to get it, even though couldn't believe at 55 I would qualify.  But I'll take all the discounts I can get.  

[Longhorn Cruiser]

I have two Loft Suites on the Symphony booked for next month both at a Senior Discount.  $842 per cabin.

The ship is full.

Edited May 2 by Longhorn Cruiser

[George C]

1 hour ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

In general, my travel agent's group rates (where I get to pick my cabin for no extra cost) have been lower than the best Royal pricing including any discounts at any time from announcement to cruise.

 

I only used military discounts when they were available in 2022 for one cruise in 2022 and two cruises in 2023 that I booked in 2022. This occurred when the cruise lines were trying to fill rooms during their recovery from shut-down.

 

MSC offers a ten percent discount to veterans. Love there yacht club.

[island lady]

46 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I agree with you that RCI is not targeting seniors. Fortunately Celebrity fills that square very well.

Lowe’s and Home Depot both offer 10% discount to military. It was that way during the 20 plus years I served on active duty in the USAF and has remained that way the 17 plus years since I retired from the USAF. 

 

Really?  Our area Home Depot only offers on very rare select days the military discount, both here in Titusville and Merritt Island.   Our Lowes here offers it daily.  

 

Where are you getting that discount daily from Home Depot?  

[Jetdriver787]

Not sure if this is just a US thing? Ticking the box on the UK site has pretty much the same success rate as finding the Loch Ness monster?

[scubaslayer]

6 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Really?  Our area Home Depot only offers on very rare select days the military discount, both here in Titusville and Merritt Island.   Our Lowes here offers it daily.  

 

Where are you getting that discount daily from Home Depot?  

You verify it through the app or website and scan the app at checkout. I go wherever I get the best price though, even if the local place doesn't have a discount at all.

[PhillyFan33579]

6 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Really?  Our area Home Depot only offers on very rare select days the military discount, both here in Titusville and Merritt Island.   Our Lowes here offers it daily.  

 

Where are you getting that discount daily from Home Depot?  

I currently live in Lakewood Ranch. There are 3 Home Depots I go to (depending where/what I am doing), which all offer a 10 percent discount for military. Over the years I have lived in Colorado, Alabama, South Carolina, and several places around Tampa. Every Home Depot I have been to always gave a 10 percent discount to military. The only thing that has changed is several years ago you had to register/verify your military service in their system (I had to do this for Lowe’s too). Now at Home Depot (and Lowe’s too) I just provide my phone number and the discount is automatically applied. 

[island lady]

29 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I currently live in Lakewood Ranch. There are 3 Home Depots I go to (depending where/what I am doing), which all offer a 10 percent discount for military. Over the years I have lived in Colorado, Alabama, South Carolina, and several places around Tampa. Every Home Depot I have been to always gave a 10 percent discount to military. The only thing that has changed is several years ago you had to register/verify your military service in their system (I had to do this for Lowe’s too). Now at Home Depot (and Lowe’s too) I just provide my phone number and the discount is automatically applied. 

 

Nice.  I wish our Home Depot up here offered daily military 10% discounts.  We have tried several times, but gave up.  We like our Lowes, and the same...just phone number...we are in their system.