Booking a new cruise on board

[paulista1950]

Is there any advantage on doing so? I remember they advertising the possibility during my cruise and I can see why they do it, but are there any perks attached?

[Vic The Parrot]

Usually a nice shipboard credit to use, and a 5% discount.

 

 

 

;)

[paulista1950]

read bellow

[paulista1950]

Has anyone booked a new cruise while on board?

I'm curious how they'll handle an aditional issue if I decide to do so. On my first and only cruise with Cunard I sent a couple of e-mails, made two or three phone calls and it was all set.

This time I tried to do the same but was told I had to do it by a specific TA (their representative) here in Sao Paulo.

I was very upset since I don't like TAs and had some terrible (and I really mean terrible) experiences with them before, but I have to admit till now everything is going well.

[ocngypz]

Unless the FCC onboard is running a special, there is typically no onboard credit attached to making a deposit while onboard one of Cunard's vessels.

 

Other lines, such as Princess, RCCL,Celebrity do offer obc on every booking made onboard.

 

There is no standard discount across the boards. And the farecodes used vary as well.

 

As an example, my clients are sailing now. When they deposit onboard, they will automatically get my group rate which is lower to start with than the past passenger rate with a discount. On other sailings, there are no past passenger rates, no groups.. no promotional fares. It is strictly Full Individual tariff regardless of who books, when.

[cunardqueen]

I booked onboard QE2 during my last cruise, and found it a breeze Though personally l prefer Yoko as opposed to Anna in the onboard sales office, you can see exactly what cabins are for sale in your grades, depending on the voyage length l have a $200 onboard credit,and a 5% discount

A deposit is taken and then when you dock you have 2 weeks to transfere to an agent, Its an ideal chance to email various agents and get many different quotes, lm always surprised at just how much this varies:eek: and indeed my regular agent always assured me they had the best deal and were in Cunards top 5 sales agents:rolleyes: needless to say this wasnt strictly true and l have moved to another agent, who l wish l had discovered earlier, but that is another story.

And of course being a platinum world club holder, they pile the extra benefits on as well:rolleyes:

[paulista1950]

I decide for a on board booking: I'll have to transfer it to their representative on my arrival.

[pnhmrk]

I booked onboard QE2 during my last cruise

 

We booked for last Christmas on board. We booked through an Agent for next Christmas once we'd got home. You'd shop about and compare prices before any major purchase - do the same here, find out prices before you go, ask them onboard and tell them if they're not cheaper. If you book onboard go back to your Agent and ask them to give you a further discount.

 

And of course being a platinum world club holder, they pile the extra benefits on as well:rolleyes:

 

Do they? What benefits?:confused: :)

[cunardqueen]

And of course being a platinum world club holder, they pile the extra benefits on as well

 

Do they? What benefits?

 

Well according to Vic the parrott compared to his "favourite" l think we get much more than them, Mindyou what we get isnt much anyway is it:rolleyes:

Heck even an upto date membership card would be something, How long ago did they send out our voyage history details, and they cant even get that right!

Dare l say it but p&o seem to have a good scheme, But l guess l shall never find out about it:D

RJMS74 has travelled with p&o and seems to be defecting ever so slightly these days to that side.. lol:)

[travel-to-go]

Heck even an upto date membership card would be something, How long ago did they send out our voyage history details, and they cant even get that right!

 

at least you GOT you voyage history details! They sent one to Marc, none to me, though I am the one who does the planning, booking and paying.

And the last membership card we got, I think, was in 1996.

 

Karie,

who feels invisible to Cunard. :-(

[pnhmrk]

Heck even an upto date membership card would be something

 

I do have a Platinum membership card - It's attached to a letter dated April 2003!

[cusyl]

at least you GOT you voyage history details! They sent one to Marc, none to me, though I am the one who does the planning, booking and paying.

And the last membership card we got, I think, was in 1996.

 

Karie,

who feels invisible to Cunard. :-(

Karie, check with CWC. If you both use the same email address for your cruise history you have the same problem I did which was easily fixed.

 

All you need are two separate passwords for your online history and you can both use the same email address.

 

I've had my gold cards for several years now, but haven't received a Platinum card yet, in fact it doesn't even show as such on my cruise history. :(

[judy&steve]

Unless the FCC onboard is running a special, there is typically no onboard credit attached to making a deposit while onboard one of Cunard's vessels.

 

Other lines, such as Princess, RCCL,Celebrity do offer obc on every booking made onboard.

 

There is no standard discount across the boards. And the farecodes used vary as well.

 

As an example, my clients are sailing now. When they deposit onboard, they will automatically get my group rate which is lower to start with than the past passenger rate with a discount. On other sailings, there are no past passenger rates, no groups.. no promotional fares. It is strictly Full Individual tariff regardless of who books, when.

 

 

In December, we booked a future trip on QM2. I stress "future" because we really didn't know when or where we could go. The features that I can recall are as follow:

1. A shipboard credit based upon the accommodation and length of voyage.
   
2. The deposit is less booking through our TA
   
3. Four years to make a reservation

We LOVE our TA, so we are happy to give her the business. As it turned out, we booked a 10-day Caribbean cruise out of New York for November. Our TA called us when we returned and we worked out a date. The deposit was less (I believe) than it would have been if we had done so traditionally. We got a very significant shipboard credit for the onboard transaction. We were given a letter stating that our booking was good for four years so we wouldn't lose the shipboard booking status.

 

--Judy

[judy&steve]

Unless the FCC onboard is running a special, there is typically no onboard credit attached to making a deposit while onboard one of Cunard's vessels.

 

Other lines, such as Princess, RCCL,Celebrity do offer obc on every booking made onboard.

 

There is no standard discount across the boards. And the farecodes used vary as well.

 

As an example, my clients are sailing now. When they deposit onboard, they will automatically get my group rate which is lower to start with than the past passenger rate with a discount. On other sailings, there are no past passenger rates, no groups.. no promotional fares. It is strictly Full Individual tariff regardless of who books, when.

 

 

The last day of our November 29th cruise, we booked a future trip on QM2. I stress "future" because we really didn't know when or where we could go. The features that I can recall are as follow:

1. A shipboard credit based upon the accommodation and length of voyage. We got $400/person.
   
2. The deposit is less booking than through our TA (we paid $300/person)
   
3. Four years to make a reservation

We LOVE our TA, so we are happy to give her the business. As it turned out, we booked a 10-day Caribbean cruise out of New York for November. Our TA called us when we returned and we worked out a date. The deposit was less (I believe) than it would have been if we had done so traditionally. We got a very significant shipboard credit for the onboard transaction. We were given a letter stating that our booking was good for four years so we wouldn't lose the shipboard booking status.

 

I don't really see a downside to booking onboard.

 

--Judy

[paulista1950]

"Four years to make a reservation" This is good news. This way I'll commit myself to a future cruise without having to decide which one.

[judy&steve]

I just realized that I (for a change) goofed up my last posting. I went to edit it and must have hit reply. So, sorry about that.

--Judy

[pnhmrk]

I don't really see a downside to booking onboard.

 

A lot depends on which country you're in. If you want to book from the British brochure then you must specify a cruise. When you do that you become liable to the UK cancellation penalties.

[judy&steve]

A lot depends on which country you're in. If you want to book from the British brochure then you must specify a cruise. When you do that you become liable to the UK cancellation penalties.

 

The point is, we did not book from any brochure. Just gave them a deposit and they gave us the "perks."

We did this on the ship. We honestly didn't expect to book something as soon as we did. When on Royal Caribbean, we had to book a definite voyage while on board to collect their benefits. Our Travel Agent said that anything could have been changed and the shipboard credit would have conveyed along with any booking. I don't think a cancellation penalty would apply until we are within the penalty phase of the booking (90 days out?) Some travel agencies impose their own cancellation fees and they shouldn't be confused with the cruiseline's policies.

--judy

[rjms74]

cunardqueen,

 

Yes as you know I enjoy my cruises on P & O but I think you know I wont' be giving up just yet on my annual cruise on QE2 or sometimes 2 Cunard cruises a year!!!! with bookings for both Oct 07 & April 08 on board so to speak and both back in one of the Grills!!!!

 

P & O's food is good but nothing compared to the Princess or Queens Grills!!!!! As you know I've also enjoyed Celebrity cruise's Summit ship where the food & service were great - but as I always say QE2's cuisine is still a hard act to follow! & service come to that!

 

Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[pnhmrk]

The point is, we did not book from any brochure.

 

Judy - my point is that if you are from outside the US you get the UK brochure. (You are from the US aren't you?) You get quite different terms if you book to pay in sterling.:(

[paulista1950]

"We honestly didn't expect to book something as soon as we did"

 

Exactly what I meant by "I can see why they do it"

[Timtammi]

I wonder how this applies if you are in Australia? We have an Australian brochure and pay in aussie dollars so how would that effect making a future booking on board?

 

Cheers

 

Timmi