Changes in onboard credits?

[Eliger]

On the Celebrity thread, someone has indicated that the credits for booking a cruise while onboard will be reduced, and other changes will also take place. Knowing that Celebrity and Royal Caribbean are very similar in their operation (being the same company...), will RCCL also adopt these new policies?

 

Here is the thread on the Celebrity board: http://messages.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=502506

 

Anyone know if this will occur with RCCL? Any comments?

 

Gerry

[Charles4515]

On the Celebrity thread, someone has indicated that the credits for booking a cruise while onboard will be reduced, and other changes will also take place. Knowing that Celebrity and Royal Caribbean are very similar in their operation (being the same company...), will RCCL also adopt these new policies?

 

Here is the thread on the Celebrity board: http://messages.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=502506

 

Anyone know if this will occur with RCCL? Any comments?

 

Gerry

 

Royal Caribbean has already done that this past December. It is called NextCruise. The rumored changes on Celebrity would copy the RCCL policy.

[elleluv]

RCCL is making changes to their onboard booking program, but they are very positive changes. The thread the OP posted from the Celebrity board is not talking about NextCruise (which is RCCL’s new program). The thread is talking about Celebrity reducing the amount of their onboard credits which is not part of the NextCruise program information that we’ve seen.

Original NextCruise Information released by RCCL

“For the cruise line's loyal cruisers, Royal Caribbean has devised the NextCruise option to ease the planning of a guest's next cruise. The new program allows vacationers enjoying a Royal Caribbean cruise to book their next cruise vacation without having to commit to a specific date or itinerary. By paying a nominal, non-refundable deposit, guests are eligible to receive an onboard credit to use on their next cruise. Royal Caribbean will notify the guest's travel agent when a NextCruise booking has been made and once the guest has decided on a sail date and ship, they can work with their preferred travel partner to process the booking. Deposits have no expiration and travel agents will receive full commission and revenue credit for the reservation.

 

An additional enhancement to the future booking onboard program enables guests booking a future cruise while onboard a ship to retain their onboard credit for their next cruise vacation even if their travel agent applies their FIT reservation toward a group booking. Travel agents will be able to apply relevant group amenities to these guests.”

New Information released 2/23/2007

“A new and third feature has been added to Royal Caribbean’s recently announced NextCruise program. With this new element, the line makes it more convenient for travelers to book and share a memorable cruise vacation with family and friends using a travel agent. The first part of the program

allows guests who book a future cruise while aboard a Royal Caribbean vacation to receive an onboard credit during a future sailing. By submitting a $100 non-refundable deposit, guests do not need to decide on a ship or sail-date, and their travel agent will immediately be notified by email to

follow-up on the future booking. The second part of the program allows the guest to join a group booking where they may retain their onboard cruise credit in addition to the group amenities already established.

Finally, following recommendations made by its Travel Agent Advisory Board, the line introduces the third element of NextCruise. This new viral component of NextCruise enables the guest’s family or friends to book up to two additional staterooms on the same sailing within 30-days, and all three

staterooms will each enjoy the same onboard credit per stateroom earned by the original guest.”

This thread has some excellent information on NextCruise… http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=463276&highlight=nextcruise

It doesn’t make sense to me that Celebrity would be decreasing their OBC benefit at the same time that RCCL is expanding theirs….

[cruisecookie]

We booked our next cruise while on board the Freedom last month (January 2007) and we did not notice a new policy. Our $500 deposit per stateroom is 100% refundable. (We booked on the Adventure for January 2008.)

[elleluv]

We booked our next cruise while on board the Freedom last month (January 2007) and we did not notice a new policy. Our $500 deposit per stateroom is 100% refundable. (We booked on the Adventure for January 2008.)

 

 

The NextCruise program just became available in the last week or two. I don't believe you have to use it though... You should be able to book a specific cruise through the Loyalty Ambassador the same way you always have.

 

If you don't know which cruise you want to book though OR if you know you want to book a cruise for a period outside the timeframe that RCCL is booking then NextCruise is an excellent opportunity to still get the onboard credit.

[Charles4515]

RCCL is making changes to their onboard booking program, but they are very positive changes. The thread the OP posted from the Celebrity board is not talking about NextCruise (which is RCCL’s new program). The thread is talking about Celebrity reducing the amount of their onboard credits which is not part of the NextCruise program information that we’ve seen..[/font]

 

I am thinking that the thread the OP is posting about from the Celebrity board might be in error. That Celebrity will be adding a NextCruise type option for open bookings and not reducing onboard credits if a specific sailing is booked. That would make more sense than the speculation on the other board. I hope that it turns out that way. An added option. We shall see.

[elleluv]

I am thinking that the thread the OP is posting about from the Celebrity board might be in error. That Celebrity will be adding a NextCruise type option for open bookings and not reducing onboard credits if a specific sailing is booked. That would make more sense than the speculation on the other board. I hope that it turns out that way. An added option. We shall see.

 

 

I agree that makes more sense... As I said before, I can't imagine Celebrity decreasing their onboard credits at the same time RCCL is expanding theirs.