UK/Ireland Cruisers-Questions/Ideas/Suggestions Please

[Elizanessie]

Wilde_37 :D

 

Dont worry...just do a "ghost booking"...pick a date and ship...and put hold on a cabin..then when you get home you have normally 3 weeks to pay deposit... contact your TA/RCCI and give them booking number and move your "ghost booking" over to the chosen ship etc...and pay your deposit.

 

That way you have your OBC ....but remember to keep the same booking number.;)

[scotsman]

You can claim back the price drop through your TA here in the UK

we are on the 14th April Voyager Caribbean 21st April Transatlantic.

For the first cruise we were in a JS paying £920 each when the price dropped after we had payed the final balance to £580 for a W grade JS Guarantee I called my TA who contacted RCL and we recieved a nice cheque for £680 + our JS has turned into an Owners suite, but that might have something to do with this being our 39th RCL cruise.

[Elizanessie]

I have realised recently that we here in UK/Ireland dont get any of these special promotions that RCCI have been offering ...like the February ones ..remember there was a different offer every friday in Feb. And what about the ones where you get 3rd/4th person for $99 type of promos...we dont get them either do we ?:(

 

Thanks everyone for your posts. :D .it is only two weeks till I am on the Liberty...so please let me know of any other ideas/questions/suggestions you would like me to bring to the attention of RCCI UK/Ireland.

[Jetscot]

Liz

Just found this thread - very interesting! When we did our 1st Princess cruise in Feb this year, we were given the offer of paying a small non-refundable deposit towards other cruises. I think it was a four year option. Didn't pay too much attention as Ken doesn't agree with handing over cash in advance for anything. Also, how do you get a US travel agent? We were in the US one time and tried to book flights to Key West. As we couldn't give them a permanent address in the US, the TA wouldn't make the booking. We had to phone Thomas Cook in Glasgow and get them to do it for us.

Janette

[uksimonusa]

On Board, UK guests can only pay with credit cards or cash - and US guests can use their debit cards - why is this?

 

Why do RCL not offer hotels in Manhattan - we do not want to stay at Newark Airport after our cruise!

 

Debit cards in the US normally have a visa or mastercard logo and therefore are run exactly the same as credit cards. The UK uses a different system, that is not universal, like visa and mastercard. Just like American Discover card holders cannot use them out of the US and they are not universal

[kingsgirl]

I just wanted to share that we lonely Canadians do not have a RCI Visa card either.

 

It is not available to us.

 

Hope that makes ya'll feel a little better :(

[6MonthsHere6MonthsThere]

I just wanted to share that we lonely Canadians do not have a RCI Visa card either.

 

It is not available to us.

 

Hope that makes ya'll feel a little better :(

 

Liz, Just found the thread, we had an invitation for the Pre-Inaugural cruise as well but unfortunately had to decline as we will be on the Navigator Transatlantic crossing back to Southampton, as for the RCI Visa card question, know the answer but always good if more and more people keep onto them, I shall be asking again next week whilst onboard:D , oh, the answer is because it is not a RCCL requirement, it is the Bank that requires you to have a SSN (Social Security Number) and you have to be a US Citizen to get this, although we live in the US for 6 months of the year we are not allowed a SSN. I will also be trying to book 2 more cruises with the "Next Cruise" option,:D will try and post the results whilst onboard, thats if the internet isn't on a go slow. Heard a rumour that they were going to give free internet to Diamond + members, if it is true, hope they hurry up.

Thanks for taking the time to find the answers to all the queries and hope you have a fruitful meeting;) .

John.

[Elizanessie]

Janette :D

I have in the past used 3 US TAs...no probs with making the bookings....but my probs came when I had a C&A coupon...twice it took 4 months to get them credited to my bookings. I just emailed the TAs and asked for price etc and explained I was in UK and therefore unable to phone then...and that was it.

But I did find it a bittie stressful as I found with the time differences then sometimes I wasnt able to get an answer to any questions for a few days.

With my current bookings with RCCI UK...I get immediate replies and any questions etc are dealt with so much quicker...less stress :)

 

John...thanks for your input on the Visa Card...I was told that it was due to the exchange rate etc that we couldnt get it over here...but heck..I am sure if they put their minds really to it then it could be done for folks here.I realise that it is now Bank Of America they use in USA but surely there is a company here that could be used for it.For example MBNA ?

 

Kingsgirl...sorry to hear you dont get Visa card in Canada...maybe you could take up the case with RCCI on you side of the pond.;)

 

Thanks everyone again everyone for your posts and support.

[madforcruising]

I use an online TA in the US and never had a problem with them.

 

They only deal online, so no telephone or fax, only emails. I first was resitant to try this kind of deal as of course I was suspicious if this would work out good, but it did and I have used them for 8 cruises now (two still coming up). The advantage is they respond 7/365. Depending on the time of day (time difference) I get a response from them within a few minutes or up to a few hours. Never waited longer than 24 hours.

[SylviaB]

madforcruising, who do you use? feel free to email me (email address is on the website listed in my signature)

[little britain]

Liz, not a deal breaker but just an odd thought on another difference - on these boards I see many who say they call C&A for cruise info - whereas here in the UK the C&A is a run by a totally seperate company who are probably the same people who run your Tesco ClubCard loyalty scheme.! From what I understand they have absolutely nothing to do with RCL and would not have prior/insider knowledge - is this different in the US?

 

Also have you thought about asking posting this thread over on the Celebrity boards - it is the same company and I am sure there are some discrepancies over there too - so you may as well kill two birds etc!

[Jetscot]

I take it when you use a US TA that they can only book the holiday/cruise part and not the flights:confused:

[Elizanessie]

little britain :D

 

Heck I never thought about Celebrity :o and as you say they are the same company.Thanks.

 

I have found our C&A isnt quite the same as it use to be...I did get to know a few of the girls there and they were excellent and very helpful and would get answers for me anytime I phoned.

Infact when my mum was injured on the Brilliance a few years ago,it was our C&A who were able to contact the ship to ensure she was ok.Also when my parents were left behind on a RCCI Excursion in St.Petersburg it was again our C&A who came to the rescue.

 

But there were some changes in the staff last year and sadly I havent been so happy with recent enquiries :( And I have found also they werent as knowledgeable as past staff in that office.

 

Janette...yes it is cruise only,for us, when using US TAs...well as far as I know anyway.

[henny penny]

:confused: On the topic of using debit cards if you are from the UK - we have used ours many times in the States, Canada, Australia - it has the visa logo and we have never had it refused. I'm confused!! - Will we only be able to use our credit card whilst cruising???

 

I would be grateful for any comments:) :)

[uksaint]

as for the RCI Visa card question, know the answer but always good if more and more people keep onto them, I shall be asking again next week whilst onboard:D , oh, the answer is because it is not a RCCL requirement, it is the Bank that requires you to have a SSN (Social Security Number) and you have to be a US Citizen to get this, .

 

American Airlines used to trot out this excuse about their loyalty credit card. Several years later and they have finally made it available in the UK thru Citibank.

 

Bank of America does a lot of corporate business in the UK so it shouldn't be a massive hurdle to clear. Don't know if they have a consumer credit licence though - however, seeing as Bank of America have just merged with MBNA this should not be a problem at all.

[Sue's Mom]

Jetscot - you are right in thinking that a US TA cannot book you flights for you. We use a US TA and have to book our own flights. But there again, I have found that a return flight from the UK to the US is way cheaper than the other way around.

[togger]

I have been watching with increasing dismay as the price of the cruise I booked in England several months ago has been falling.

I had no idea until I read your posts that price differences could be refunded in the UK and so today contacted my TA and have managed to secure a sizeable refund!

Thanks again for pointing this out - Im very grateful.

[Elizanessie]

Hi Togger

Wow great to hear you got a refund :D Congratulations.

My cruises have never had a price drop :(

I just got letter today to say that Adam Goldstein will be at the meeting on the Liberty :eek: ...geez I think I might need a drinkie when I get on the ship hahaha

So folks if you have any more RCCI UK/Ireland questions etc...please post them here soon,you have until 22nd April to give your opinion/suggestions etc.

Thanks everyone ......now where is Alan.....Grumm ...where are you please...can you post your suggestion here ...please.:D

[togger]

Hi Liz

Interestingly enough when I first contacted my TA yesterday (one of the biggest cruise only TAs in england) they flatly denied that RCCI ever offered refunds in such circumstances.

However as Cruise Critic info is always so reliable, I decided to double check with Royal Caribbean themselves and am glad I did! They advised me to go back to my TA and request that they give them a call.

Good luck with your meeting and thanks again

[wakelover]

I have spoken to RCI too today and they suggested I speak to my TA (who I have subsequently emailed today)......am waiting for a reply.
My cruise has dropped by £278....thanks a good hunk of the bar bill:(
Will let you know what happens.

[DutsCruiser]

[quote name='madforcruising']I use an online TA in the US and never had a problem with them.[/quote]

Hi madforcruising,

Can you let me know which TA that is? I may give them a try. I don't think you can post that here but can you email me? "[B]dutscruiser - at - itmon - dot - nl[/B]"

[quote name='Elizanessie']On the 23rd April, while on the Liberty of the Seas UK Pre-Inaugural, I will be meeting up with Executives from RCCI UK/Ireland to discuss the differences between UK/Ireland and US/Canada and to see if they plan any changes to how things are done on this side of the pond.[/quote]

Hi Liz,

Thank you for doing this!

I realize you can only do this for the UK but many if not all the applies to the Netherlands aswell. I'm not a 100% sure but judging from the coupons and RCCL magazine I think the dutch representatives (AMCA ([url]www.amca.nl)[/url]) deal with RCCL UK and not with RCCL US.

Especially things as price drops interest me... For our upcomming cruise we paid; 370 euro ($ 460) per person for an inside cabin. I heard in the roll call topic that the price dropped to about $150.- Fortunately I got a "free" upgrade from the "upgrade fairy" (didn't know until a couple of days ago when I was checking my reservation.

If we would have had the US policy on that I would have cut my cruise costs in half. Unfortunatly I couldn't find a single document (website or paper) that suggested that I was entitled to a refund:(

But also the other issues like "Next cruise" and the "coupon"-timing issues apply to the Netherlands also.

[Elaine0138]

Looking forward to hearing how you get on Liz, enjoy yourself

[little britain]

Good Luck Liz - from both of us too:D

[Elizanessie]

DutsCruiser :D
Thanks for your comments...I have added them to my list.

Elaine :D Thanks..will do my best to have some fun aha....suitcase is packed...nearly..my Highland blouse frill is bugging me ahahh...but I will get it right yet.

little britain :D Thank you both also ...getting to the excited but nervous stage already ;)

If anyone has any more comments I will be here until noon tomorrow so please post if you have anything you would like me to mention at the meeting.

I do have a last minute subject ...Compensation...has anyone in the UK found they have had a lot more bother getting compensation when they know others from different countries have received compensation already for same thing...as in on the same cruise.?

[Guienevere_Arianette]

[quote name='Albert Ross']On Board, UK guests can [U]only[/U] pay with credit cards or cash - and US guests can use their debit cards - why is this?

Why do RCL not offer hotels in Manhattan - we do not want to stay at Newark Airport after our cruise![/quote]

On our side of the pond, most debit cards are backed with a CC logo, like VISA or Mastercard; that's why we get away with it, I think; do the debit cards in the UK have CC logos or no?