What cruise discounts have you gotten for 55+?

[crazy canuck]

We have recieved many seniors discounts over the past few years.We always find the best rate available by research and checking the internet agencys that have a search engine for 55+ pricing. Vacations to G_ is a good one . On our next trip on Celebrity we now have a sky suite for less than we were paying for our balcony. I think REAPFM has the right attitude.

[schack74]

I've gotten great discounts for 55+ on both RCCL & Carnival this year. You have to keep checking websites. Travelocity and Expedia gave the senior discount and it must be for only a few cabins because they booked up fast on certain dates and opened up on other dates. I got very lucky but I keep checking different websites for weeks before booking.

[WelovetaCruise]

Newsflash - there is thing little thing called the "Baby Boom"! They (boomers) are the ones going on cruises - if you decide to wait for the discount that's cool but, there are several million boomers behind you with plenty of $$$'s! :-) Good luck!!

[Beach Nut]

Booked our New Zealand to Australia for 2/08 on Mercury 13 months out, in January '07 via *****.com. Thought we got a good deal. Then, in April '07, I saw it on the site for a special 55+ rate. One phone call to our ***** travel counselor and 15 minutes later, we had the very same cabin with a $420 total reduction in price.

 

Total cost of the 14 night cruise (for both of us/one outside cabin on the Panorama deck) went from $4,329.26 to $3,909.26. Our total per day cost of the cruise went from $309 per day to $279 per day, a $30 per day savings, which will cover our wine costs with dinner and a shore excursion or two, I figure.

 

The 55+ savings for this particular cruise was posted for several months on the VTG website.

 

This is the only time I've gotten a 55+ deduction, in a total of 8 cruises booked, so far.

 

Happy sailing,

Susan

[upwarduk]

I saw a 55+ discount advertised on Monday, for our Mercury 20th Jan, leaving Sydney for Auckland.

By the time the TA got back to me, the room I was interested in was no longer on the site.

I was also told that nothing could be done over the phone, but I had to write a letter. This was e-mailed, as we have suffered a recent postal strike in UK. Next thing will be ' we don't deal with e-mails,' so I have copied & sent the letter snail mail.

Not sure what will happen, but our final payment is due in 2 weeks.

 

Just out of interest, I looked at the Celebrity site and The Royal Suite ( 1026) was available, until I clicked 'Book' then it told me that there were no suites available! CAN THE SITE BE RELIED ON?

[fluffi]

I usually book my cruises so far out that the early booking discount is all that's offered at the time.

 

if the cruise u book goes on sail at any time RCL will give u back the discount i have gotten it till the last week of our cruises

[Toothfairy754]

When my son booked our balcony room through E Cruises not only did I get the discount rate but he did also. I had booked with them before so we got an additional 20.00 off the room. And their gimmick is free insurance... so I figure we came out ahead. (Room was discounted about 80.00 per person for the 55+)

[sparty1]

You normally get an over 55 discount if the ship is not sold out

 

I have just received a dicount on Celebrity Millenium for a FOV on a transatlantic out of Barcelona Dec 2nd to Fort Lauderdale

of 8.75% of cruise part of cost This is for each person in cabin of any age,

 

Total saving of $300 on the cabin plus a reduction in the cost of the Total package including air fare

I only obtained this discount after being told about it on the CC role

The Venice Barcelona 18th November 2007 is also the same

 

David

Hi David. Would u mind being more specific on your discount? We are on the same cruise as you, Dec 2., in a mid-veranda. Who was your TA? thx. Sparty

[Daffydd]

Hi David. Would u mind being more specific on your discount? We are on the same cruise as you, Dec 2., in a mid-veranda. Who was your TA? thx. Sparty

Sparty

Our TA was in Wales (No advertising) would you like to join our cruise critic party 140 at the moment on the other Board

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=350557

and e-mail me at david at dyorath . freeserve . co . uk ignoring spaces etc quoting Millenium Dec 2 in heading

David

[irismike]

I booked a 4-11-08 on RC and they aren't giving senior discounts. When do they usually give them?

[Jim_Iain]

We also book within the first week of cruises being release. Have never gotten a 55* discount... I have gotten a number of price drops.

[upwarduk]

I have saved plenty of money watching for the 55+ rates on RCI. Sometimes we book quite far out, other times we book closer to cruise time. It all depends on what you are looking for. Our last 9 night cruise we spent $745. p/p, while others on the ship in the same cat paid double that. We took advantage of the 55+ discount. Once I book a cruise, I take 5 minutes out of my day, and check prices. If there is a price drop, I call immediately. 5 minutes of time could be worth $100's, so I'll give up 5 minutes of my day, to save. We also have gotten a discount after final payment.

 

I bet you are not talking Celebrity here!

The 55+ discounts advertised on our cruise are for low cat cabins 5&7. We are booked 2A.

I called our TA, she called RCCL, who said nothing can be done on the phone.

TA said send me a letter.

I did, asking either for an upgrade- no cabins available, or on board credit.

TA phoned me & left a message, Celebrity will do nothing, as letter was written to TA, not FAO David----? who is head of the marketing Team @Celebrity UK.

Rang TA.

Away for this week, as it is schools Half Term holiday.

Decided I had better pay as payment is due today.

Read our Roll call, one group who want to upgrade were asked for over $2000p.p. So they are staying in the same cabin.

 

Just guess that \celebrity have no problem selling this cruise( Sydney to Auckland 20th Jan 2008) as all cabins except fore & aft inside & Ocean view are 'sold.' It will be interesting to see how many become available in a few weeks when everyone has settled their bill/ or not.

[Daffydd]

I bet you are not talking Celebrity here!

The 55+ discounts advertised on our cruise are for low cat cabins 5&7. We are booked 2A.

I did, asking either for an upgrade- no cabins available, or on board credit.

TA phoned me & left a message, Celebrity will do nothing, as letter was written to TA, not FAO David----? who is head of the marketing Team @Celebrity UK.

/quote]

 

Lois Jones

Customer Service Manager, UK & Ireland

RCCL

Building 2

Aviator Park

Station Road

Addleston

Surrey

KT15 2PG

01932834200

Fax 01932820286

 

or Operational Support Unit 01932 834243

 

 

also if you look at booking again on their web site and see a box for 55+ on the first sheet you know that some of the cabins are reduced

you then ask the question to whomever you have booked with, whether it affects your grade of cabin

 

David

[blyle]

The problem I see is that no one really seems to know what a good price is anymore. I save last minute prices from the previous year on cruises I may be interested in booking in the future. Many sites are very expensive and if you have not shopped the discount houses for deals first you never know what a good price is. I find a good price and then call my TA who can meet it or give me something extra. The senior rates are usually last minute, and for ships that are not full so if you can go at any time you are very lucky. My TA checks the prices weekly and will credit me or give me OBC is they price goes down. I don't have to watch the prices myself.

[sailnsee]

I booked 4 cabins for Thanksgiving cruise...2 PR and 2 balconies-booked first thru RCL ,900$ +and 1200$+-switched to TA when they offered 100$ pp off the bal.plus free insurance...checked in occasionally and lo and behold-found a Sr. special on the balconies-final cost,814$ per person-my DH and I split the cabins (on paper) with son and DW so the 3 grandchildren can be accomodated-all four of us got a savings for a total of over 1200$(all adults in cabin with a sr. get the discount)-as she was checking that day she said the PR's had gone down so we saved over 200$ pp (now 705$)and an additional 50$ pp on the grandchildren for a whopping 2100$! Sure glad I was checking that day! Looked afterwards and have not seen another Sr. for our catagories. Keep checking-they will NOT be calling you. Check under sr. cat. on V.T.Go-they will show all who are offering sr. discount.

[luvscruising2007]

I found a senior discount for our next cruise. I had been looking at it for several weeks and one day saw that the senior discount was offered. So I called my TA and she booked it with the senior discount. This all brings up a question.

In our case the rates for the cabin continued to go up and is now more than $500 pp than what we paid. If they were to impose a senior discount now, it would really only benefit those who had booked recently at the higher rate. If you booked back when I did, the senior discount would not be much of a deal. Am I understanding how this works.

[irismike]

which cruise are you on and when

[comfortcove]

We were booked in a balcony, saw a deluxe junior suite at a senior rate on Orbitz just before final payment as due, but we had already paid. DH was 55, I am still far from it :). I called and they honored the price drop and upgrade. They refunded the money to our CC, it was about $500.

 

The suite was great, the Jewel is a very beautiful ship. We had booked directly with RCCI, and they honored what they said at booking.