Onboard Credit: Is This True??????

[rebburke]

I just transferred my onboard credit (by retaining same booking number) from a cruise this October (06) to a cruise next October (07). RCI told me that the penalty phase for my newly booked cruise would start in October 06 - apparently it starts from the day the old cruise sets sail. So this means I would have to cancel this cruise a YEAR in advance in order to not be penalized. Anyone else heard of this???? I was dumbfounded.

[lledman]

If it is true, doesn't really make the on-board credit seem like an ensentive.

[lvanp]

I sure hope this is not true. We booked a cruise for Oct 06 on the Majesty last weekend. It is our intent to switch to a Panama Canal cruise in Oct 07 when those bookings open up. We told the loyalty ambassador our intentions and she said there would be no problem. Say is isn't so!

[critterchick]

I've never heard of such a thing. We cancelled a 12/05 cruise in favor of a 12/06 one, transferred the credit and don't have to make final payment until 60 days out of so.

[rebburke]

I double questioned this guy and yes, the final payment date still is 70 days out or whatever, but he said the penalty phase starts when the earlier cruise was to set sail, meaning after October 31st '06 in my case, if I cancel I lose my deposit ($900 for 2 people) for an October '07 sailing. I'm glad I'm not losing my mind. This is the first time I booked onboard and I was sure I had never heard of this. I'm pretty sure we won't be cancelling but a year out is a big commitment.

[sas80]

Call RCCL CS back and tell them that you are VERY upset because you mentioned that you might like to switch to the other cruise and specifically discussed if there would be a penalty, if you would lose the incentive, etc, and the loyalty ambassador on board said "absolutely not, no penalty"

 

(in other words, lie)

 

ask to speak to the CS's boss

 

just keep complaining till someone gives in (they will!)

[rebburke]

Okay, this gets worse and worse. I have talked to 3 different people at RCI and the penalty phase for my October 07 cruise starts on August 22, 2006 which is 70 days out from the original cruise date of October 31st. I am suppose to know 14 months in advance whether I am taking this cruise or I lose $900. This is nuts and I don't know what to do about it. I'm thinking about cancelling my cruise - it's not worth it for a $200 onboard credit if I chance losing $900.

[Barbee524]

We changed our four day 5/22/06 cruise to a six day 5/21/06 in March 2006. I have my final documents showing an onboard credit of $50. I did have to pay the increased deposit immediately but retained my credit. We had originally booked on board in June 2005. So unless their policy has changed since March, this sounds pretty strange to me.

[rebburke]

I just spoke to a supervisor and was told that for future reference (she is putting an exception clause into my record) that the penalty phase starts with the ORIGINAL booking date of Aug 22 '06 (because my original sail date was October 31 '06) for my Oct '07 cruise. I can still transfer the credit prior to final payment being due and not lose my deposit but if I were to cancel after Aug 22nd of '06 I WOULD lose my deposit of $900. I hope this makes sense - you can transfer, but if you cancel you will lose your deposit. My advice would be to make sure you book out as far as possible. Had I known I would have booked an April 07 cruise (as far out as the schedule will go) so at least my penalty would have been Feb of 07 for October 07 cruise rather than August of 06.

[Mildred]

Would this be true for all re-booked cruises or only those you booked onboard for the credit.?

 

Yikes!! I changed my 10/06 booking to a 10/07 booking so now my penalty phase starts in 08/06?

[rebburke]

Apparently it applies when you keep the same booking number (which is the only way to retain an onboard credit). I was told the penalty phase is ALWAYS applied to the original cruise date.

[LilPony]

I am a newbee an my head is spinning - we are taking our first cruise in Aug 06 - pending a wonderful time had by all we are planning our next adventure for either Jan 08 or Aug 08 - Jan 08 rates would be out in Aug 06, but not Aug 08 - so if I booked for Jan 08, then decided to change to Aug 08 we could transfer our deposit for AUg 08, but if we cancelled we would have to cancel by Nov 07 (60 days before Jan 08) whew... did I just say all that?? ANd did it make any sense???

 

Lil

[rebburke]

You got it exactly right. You can transfer it without penalty but if you cancel after the original sailing dates' 70 day out mark you lose your deposit.

[Jimbo]

Doesn't make any sense, they are holding your $900 all that time anyway, it's not like they aren't making money off your booking anyway......The interest they are making on all those $900 deposits everyone has really adds up.

 

If what you are saying is true, does that mean your final payment for the new cruise is due when dates on the original booking final payment comes due too?

 

Jimbo:)

[rebburke]

No, the final payment is still applied to the new booking so if I cancelled my cruise (Oct '07) anytime between Aug 22 of '06 - Aug 03 of '07 (my new final payment date) I would lose my deposit. I wouldn't lose anything more because I haven't paid anything other than my deposit.

[Diane F]

Do you get $200 per person,or per cabin, for booking a 14 day cruise on board?Also,how much off do you get for being Diamond and booking a balcony?Iknow there is a reduction in price for Diamond or higher.

[Jimbo]

Do you get $200 per person,or per cabin, for booking a 14 day cruise on board?Also,how much off do you get for being Diamond and booking a balcony?Iknow there is a reduction in price for Diamond or higher.

 

14 day cruise onboard credit is $200 off per cabin

 

14 Day cruise.........Diamond Balcony Discount is $300 off the Cabin

 

Jimbo:)

[TPKeller]

Is this actually a recent policy change, or a little known "fine print" aspect which has been in place all along?

 

Theron

[rebburke]

Theron, I was told this has always been policy. I guess because people just keep transferring the cruise credit it has never been brought to light. In truth, most of us would never cancel the cruise without rebooking something else but should you want to, you are out the deposit.

[critterchick]

Wow, if this is the policy, they should tell their Loyalty Ambassadors to let people know. We have asked about the transferability of credits, and the LAs have never said anything about the penalty phase remaining constant. I realize that it might result in reduced bookings, but it's an important part of the contract, and if it's unwritten and undisclosed, I don't see how RCI could enforce it.

 

I wish they would go to the open booking system Princess allows - if you don't have a particular cruise in mind, you just plunk down $100pp for a booking that you have to use within 3 years. If you never book, you get the deposit back so long as you ask for it within that time period. If you just let it expire, you lose it.

[rebburke]

I agree. I had never heard this discussed on these boards before so I know people are not aware of it. The supervisor I talked to yesterday said they would make sure this was covered with the agents in the next training session.

[Driftwoodgal]

This is a very interesting topic that I will need to check on when we return from a visit to my brothers in Florida. We booked on the Brilliance as far out as we could for the shipboard credit this January. I told the LA that I didn't intend to keep the booking, but rebook to another ship once the new bookings were out. He told me no problem and that I could cancel and get my deposit back if I didn't want the cruise. I plan on cruising but have a few things that are keeping me from changing dates right now. He also didn't mention that you are only allowed to make the change one time and keep the shipboard credit. I guess I will be doing some homework after May 5th.

[cmjaffe]

I wonder when this was "changed" since we had booked a cruise on Brilliance Dec. 04 for Splendor 12/05... when it down to a few days before final payment was due we weren't sure if Galveston would be "operating" (it was a 2 days before "Rita" was to hit Texas and if that would have happened we weren't sure what would have happened with our plans even though we had cancellation insurance) so we pushed back our cruise to the following year on Galaxy in December 06. I just looked at our booking information and it says that final payment is due 9/06. It doesn't say anything that final payment was due in Sept. 05 when the original booking was done. Right now we have 2 bookings (booked 2 cabins instead of doing a quad for our family) and have tied up $1800 in deposits (9 night cruise). We just got the school calendar for the kids and this new cruise WILL NOT work for us. I must check with Celebrity what their policy for cancellation will be. I don't want to tie up this money if it's potentially not going to be used and will need to be final payment over a year from when we may sail (right now final payment is due in September). I'll be on the phone tomorrow with X to find out.

Thanks for the heads up.

Carolyn

[cmjaffe]

I just called up (at 11:30PM) and spoke with rep. who checked w/supervisor. Our ressie for 12/06 Galaxy has a final payment of 9/23/06 before we get to penalty phase. He confirmed this AGAIN and wrote notation. I'm sure we're either going to cancel ressie by then or go on a spur of moment cruise this summer (hopefully).

Carolyn

[leavnofingerprints]

I just transferred my onboard credit (by retaining same booking number) from a cruise this October (06) to a cruise next October (07). RCI told me that the penalty phase for my newly booked cruise would start in October 06 - apparently it starts from the day the old cruise sets sail. So this means I would have to cancel this cruise a YEAR in advance in order to not be penalized. Anyone else heard of this???? I was dumbfounded.

 

I just booked a future cruise while onboard last week and we won't be cruising until 2008. This is what we were told by the loyalty representative..... We booked the cabin, ship and itinerary we wanted for the last sailing for 2007. The 2008 schedule isn't set yet and we don't expect it until approx. this time next year. BEFORE the 2007 penalty phase kicks in, we must modify our booking. It's all very doable but will require close monitoring.

 

LNF