NextCruise - Everything you need to know

[CruiseKeeper]

After three Next Cruise Options, we have not received or even seen that Friends and Family coupon I keep reading about. Two of them were booked on the Explorer.

[Cleocruiser]

So, after all the wonderful information, I have one last question. As of now, can you still book a next cruise with no date with a deposit and get an OBC or do you have to have a specific date to get the OBC?

 

Thanks for your help. I'm sailing the Mariner in April and I want to get it right the first time.

[ranchingal]

Thanks for the email address. My problem was solved to my satisfaction.

Don't think it would have been so without your info.

 

Angie:D

[Hollster]

So, when I'm looking at your My Cruises on the RCCL website, should it indicate that we're getting the OBC for each cabin that we booked using NextCruise? I see where we paid $100 toward each cabin, in addition to the regular deposit, but nowhere does it mention an OBC. Do I need to do something else to verify this, or do I take it on faith?

Thanks!

[cruisenfever]

OK....it did not go smoothly onboard the Grandeur last week, so heads up everyone! I went to the area of the ship where you can book your Next Cruise. The lady "seemed" very competent, however....when I received my packet in my cabin....NO Friends & Family certificates were inside my envelope, so a second trip to her desk was necessary. I had also noticed that she had listed the travel agency I had used to receive the future commission, meaning I would have to book through them, which I had specifically told her I did NOT want to do, sooooooooo she had to change that so I would be able to book directly through RCCL, AND issue my Friends & Family Certificates. Thinking ALL was ok now....I called RCCL yesterday to book our next cruise, only to discover that she had NOT included any on-board credits, so now a call to Customer Service is necessary. Not a big deal...just a lot of hassel unnecessarily in my opinion. It might be a good idea to make a "CHECKLIST" of what to make sure you receive for anyone getting ready to cruise that wants to book a "Next Cruise". Hope this helps you all!:D

Suzanne..........a check list is a wonderful idea. It just would be nice if all of the LA's on all of the ships had the same information to pass along. Consistency is important when you are trying to make money.

[cruisenfever]

After three Next Cruise Options, we have not received or even seen that Friends and Family coupon I keep reading about. Two of them were booked on the Explorer.

You have to ask for them if they are not included with your confirmation letter.

 

So, after all the wonderful information, I have one last question. As of now, can you still book a next cruise with no date with a deposit and get an OBC or do you have to have a specific date to get the OBC?

 

Thanks for your help. I'm sailing the Mariner in April and I want to get it right the first time.

Correct..........you can use the NextCruise booking option that has the non-refundable deposit of $100pp when booking on board. There is no expiration date. You will get the appropriate OBC when a specific cruise is booked and that is determined by the number of days you sail.

 

So, when I'm looking at your My Cruises on the RCCL website, should it indicate that we're getting the OBC for each cabin that we booked using NextCruise? I see where we paid $100 toward each cabin, in addition to the regular deposit, but nowhere does it mention an OBC. Do I need to do something else to verify this, or do I take it on faith?

Thanks!

NextCruise Bookings should NOT show up in My Cruises because they are not linked to a specific cruise. You have a booking number with NextCruise but it will only become an active number when a specific cruise/itinerary/ship is booked. This is what C&A told me.

 

Your OBC will be applied when you make a specific booking.

[cruisenfever]

Thanks for the email address. My problem was solved to my satisfaction.

Don't think it would have been so without your info.

 

Angie:D

Great............it's always good to hear positive feedback.

[Hollster]

[

 

NextCruise Bookings should NOT show up in My Cruises because they are not linked to a specific cruise. You have a booking number with NextCruise but it will only become an active number when a specific cruise/itinerary/ship is booked. This is what C&A told me.

 

Your OBC will be applied when you make a specific booking.

 

Thanks for the response! I reread my question, and I wasn't very clear. We cruised in July, booked 2 NextCruises (is that the plural? :rolleyes:) then in October we booked a cruise (for August 2008) using those NextCruise deposits. So we do have a specific cruise, and My Cruises shows the cruise, and it shows we paid $100 per cabin separately from the regular deposit.

 

My question is then, is there any documentation of the onboard credit being applied for the cabin? We've never gotten an OBC before. Does it show in the account activity for the cruise in My Cruises?

 

Hope that's a little more clear! :)

[cruisenfever]

Thanks for the response! I reread my question, and I wasn't very clear. We cruised in July, booked 2 NextCruises (is that the plural? :rolleyes:) then in October we booked a cruise (for August 2008) using those NextCruise deposits. So we do have a specific cruise, and My Cruises shows the cruise, and it shows we paid $100 per cabin separately from the regular deposit.

 

My question is then, is there any documentation of the onboard credit being applied for the cabin? We've never gotten an OBC before. Does it show in the account activity for the cruise in My Cruises?

 

Hope that's a little more clear! :)

Unfortunately, OBCs do not show up in your account activity. It will show up on your SeaPass account about 2 days into your cruise. You can always call C&A at 1-800-526-9723 to verify.

[Coralc]

Hollster, the Next Cruise OBC will not show up in your MyCruises account. If you booked directly with RCCL,, you can request a .pdf summary of your cruise booking and it will show up there. It will be listed as "ADV-2-$xxx ONBRCR" . If you want to make sure it is there. I don't know how it appears if you book through a TA. :)

[Hollster]

Thanks cruisenfever and pbhunt for the replies.

 

Is it smart to verify that they're there? I wonder if anyone has had a problem with the OBC not happening?

 

I'll probably call to check. That's just the way I am :D :rolleyes:!

[cruisenfever]

Thanks cruisenfever and pbhunt for the replies.

 

Is it smart to verify that they're there? I wonder if anyone has had a problem with the OBC not happening?

 

I'll probably call to check. That's just the way I am :D :rolleyes:!

It's good to check. I do. But in all of our cruises, we have never had a problem with the OBC's showing up.........eventually!;)

[Driftwoodgal]

First let me post that it is VERY important that you get your "next cruise" certificates in to the LA at the very beginning of the cruise. We were on a B2B cruise and really weren't worried about booking. The second cruise was so busy you couldn't get into see the LA. She did not put out her time sheets for future days so when you arrived it was a toss up if she would have a time slot. She gave us forms to fill out on the first cruise, and told us to be sure that we did not leave the forms on her desk. We should fill them out and hand them to her when she was there. Unfortunately she wasn't at the desk, the International Ambassador was there instead so we handed it to him. On Saturday we went with friends at their appointment time and brought up that we had already turned certificates in and not received documents. On the last night I didn't sleep worrying about the certificates (letters) I had booked four of them and managed to get one of them during the appointment. When we got up the next morning the certificates were outside on the cabin number.

 

For those that are not wanting to use the same TA you can sign a form when you are on the ship transfering your bookings back to RCI. The first time we booked on board the LA put down a TA that we had used on our first cruise. That TA was an online company and a nightmare. I told the LA that I wanted the TA company off my information. I signed a form that removed the online company and have booked my cruises directly since. You don't have to get home and transfer your booking from the TA to RCI, you should be able to do this on board the ship.

 

Good morning Patti:

 

Unfortunately NextCruise reservations can only be used for Royal Caribbean and not Celebrity.

 

Since the program has been a huge success some of the ships have run out of the confirmation letters and started giving out a booking recap. I apologize for any inconvenience that has caused anyone but we are very excited about the program and its popularity.

Regards,

 

Aaron Laufer

Supervisor

Loyalty Service Center

Trade Support & Services

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

316-554-5759

Alaufer@rccl.com

 

 

Not understanding why they would have a problem with forms. They have a printing department that does the Compass every day, and copy machine. :rolleyes:

[Coralc]

That's good to know Colleen, we will do it early in the cruise. I'm not sure why would care about a letter? The booking recap is fine as long as I receive the number. I think I will inquire about friends & family certificates this time too. Not for family, but we do have friends that we sail with. :)

[jstpshe]

Im going on a 3 night cruise in a couple of weeks and was going to buy at least 3 Next Cruises should I even try to get them on this short cruise if they're having problems. I'd hate for it to be time to get off the ship and still be waiting for my papers.

 

Thanks :)

[cruisenfever]

Im going on a 3 night cruise in a couple of weeks and was going to buy at least 3 Next Cruises should I even try to get them on this short cruise if they're having problems. I'd hate for it to be time to get off the ship and still be waiting for my papers.

 

Thanks :)

Absolutely get them. Since no appointment is necessary, see the LA on the day after embarkation........fill out the form and give it to her immediately. That should give her time to process it and return your confirmation before you disembark the ship.

[suzepoo]

on the Grandeur last week....they were REQUIRING appointments! I just kept going back until I saw her alone and just walked up to her. At one point, though, some other people walked up and she indicated to me that they had an appointment and that she would get back with me later. I didn't wait for her to get back with me, though, I went back later that day...again when she was alone at her desk.

[cruisenfever]

on the Grandeur last week....they were REQUIRING appointments! I just kept going back until I saw her alone and just walked up to her. At one point, though, some other people walked up and she indicated to me that they had an appointment and that she would get back with me later. I didn't wait for her to get back with me, though, I went back later that day...again when she was alone at her desk.

They required an appointment for just filling out the form on NextCruise bookings? It's a single sheet of paper that takes 5 minutes to fill out. The LA is wasting valuable time and probably losing those folks who want to book a specific cruise.:(

[ecmcm]

So, after all the wonderful information, I have one last question. As of now, can you still book a next cruise with no date with a deposit and get an OBC or do you have to have a specific date to get the OBC?

 

Thanks for your help. I'm sailing the Mariner in April and I want to get it right the first time.

 

We were just on the Mariner and booked a Next Cruise. The forms were on the desk, I filled one out, called to see if an appointment was necessary and was told to just drop it off which I did (wrote on it to charge to my Seapass card so as not to leave credit card info on an empty desk). Later that day got a call to ask if we wanted our TA to be credited and had paperwork and family certificates delivered to the room the next day. Easy and correct. Debbie was the LA's name.

 

em

[suzepoo]

but I agree....I was NOT going to put my credit card information on a form and just leave it on her desk.....I filled three out, but since I wanted to also use a RCCL credit card to apply the charges to, I needed to also apply for that, AND I had several questions, so when I stopped by to drop off my forms with her and apply for the RCCL credit card, that is when she told me that the people waiting had an appointment. I asked her if I should make one, and she said that I could just check back with her and if she wasn't busy she would answer my questions. In the meantime, that is when my Next Cruise bookings and my Credit Card approval were sent to my room WITHOUT Family and Friends Certificates, and also still had my TA listed on them, which I had requested to be removed, thus why I had to make another trip to see her. Really not a big deal, but that's why I suggested a check list, so there are NO misunderstandings and you don't end up leaving the ship without something you wanted.:D

[cruisenfever]

One suggestion would be that when you fill out the form for a NextCruise booking............where is asks for your CC information..........just write in............."please use CC on file". If you used a CC when you checked in on the pier............they have it on file.

[flahagan]

I am very new to this "Next Cruise" option. We will be taking our first RCL cruise in April, a 14-nt TA. I would like to take advantage of this for a future cruise, but I'm not sure I understand the travel agent vs RCL commission part.

 

We booked this cruise with an online agency. I've booked other cruises on other lines with different agencies. If they credit the agency that booked this current cruise, am I stuck with buying the next cruise through them? Can it be transferred? I got a great deal through this agency and wouldn't have a problem booking with them again, but I always just go with who has the best deals. Maybe I'll have to start being more loyal!

[cruisenfever]

I am very new to this "Next Cruise" option. We will be taking our first RCL cruise in April, a 14-nt TA. I would like to take advantage of this for a future cruise, but I'm not sure I understand the travel agent vs RCL commission part.

 

We booked this cruise with an online agency. I've booked other cruises on other lines with different agencies. If they credit the agency that booked this current cruise, am I stuck with buying the next cruise through them? Can it be transferred? I got a great deal through this agency and wouldn't have a problem booking with them again, but I always just go with who has the best deals. Maybe I'll have to start being more loyal!

My suggestion would be that after you fill out the form for a NextCruise booking you make an appointment with the Loyalty Ambassador ( she is the Future Cruise Consultant) and tell her that you want it kept with RCI, otherwise the booking will most probably be sent to the TA on file for the cruise you are on.

 

If you are happy with this TA........then nothing lost. If you keep it with RCI when you change your NextCruise booking into a specific cruise you can then transfer it to a TA before final payment is due.

 

Wishing you a wonderful first cruise on RCI and I sincerely hope it is the start of many to come.

[flahagan]

Thanks for the info, Cruisnfever. Sounds like it's a good deal to me. And I think we'll have plenty of time to book, with all the sea days.

[Kesaelcele's gramma]

I see where it says cruise only. Does this mean when the actual booking is made that we cannot include air? we want to do this booking but want air included on the cruise that we are going to book, anyone have any experance with this?

 

I just did this on our Independence TA booking for November. When I called to actually BOOK the cruise, I gave them the booking # from the "Next Cruise" and told them that I also wanted to book the air for the cruise. There was no problem! You haven't made a commitment to anything but a $200 deposit until you tie the booking to an actual cruise/date. Booking this way gives you the shipboard credit without having to decide on a specific cruise at the time of booking (onboard).