Next Cruise ?

[kathyemma]

While on LOS last week I booked the next cruise option. I booked for 2 and paid my 200. (i know, should have booked for 1 and paid 100 - oh well.) When they delivered the papers to my stateroom it came with 2 cert for friends. From what I have read - it looks like if i can convince 2 other families to come I can give them each a cert and they can also get an obc (50 -200 - depending on room and length of cruise). They must be on the same sailing as me. My question - it says on there my friends have 30 days to use the cert. "Call your travel agent and have them contct a royal caribbean rep within 30 days and mention your cert #" Do you think this is 30 days from when i book my next cruise or 30 days from when I booked the next cruise option?

 

I just put a cruise on hold today - not sure yet if i am going to book (may hold off until after the christmas bills!). But if I hold off I will be past the 30 days and then none of my friends could use the certs. Of course, don't think I could convince my friends to make a decision within 30 days - so I may be offering them up on these boards.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Kathy

[Merion_Mom]

While on LOS last week I booked the next cruise option. I booked for 2 and paid my 200. (i know, should have booked for 1 and paid 100 - oh well.) When they delivered the papers to my stateroom it came with 2 cert for friends. From what I have read - it looks like if i can convince 2 other families to come I can give them each a cert and they can also get an obc (50 -200 - depending on room and length of cruise). They must be on the same sailing as me. My question - it says on there my friends have 30 days to use the cert. "Call your travel agent and have them contct a royal caribbean rep within 30 days and mention your cert #" Do you think this is 30 days from when i book my next cruise or 30 days from when I booked the next cruise option?

 

I just put a cruise on hold today - not sure yet if i am going to book (may hold off until after the christmas bills!). But if I hold off I will be past the 30 days and then none of my friends could use the certs. Of course, don't think I could convince my friends to make a decision within 30 days - so I may be offering them up on these boards.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Kathy

Kathy, while I have not experienced this myself, this very question was asked and answered here recently.

 

The answer is "30 days from when YOU book and use the NextCruise option".

 

:)

[cruisenfever]

The certificates that you received with your NextCruise booking have your NextCruise booking number on them. So, when your NextCruise booking number actually turns into a real cruise, then your family/friends have 30 days from the day that you booked a cruise to book the same cruise and get the OBC.

[kathyemma]

Kathy, while I have not experienced this myself, this very question was asked and answered here recently.

 

The answer is "30 days from when YOU book and use the NextCruise option".

 

:)

 

That gives me time to start talking it up to my friends. But if none of them take me up on the offer - i will be sure to offer them up on the boards. FYI - I am looking at Mariner Thanksgiving week 2008.

[cruisenfever]

That gives me time to start talking it up to my friends. But if none of them take me up on the offer - i will be sure to offer them up on the boards. FYI - I am looking at Mariner Thanksgiving week 2008.

Kathy, if you have a cruise on hold and decide to change it, remember to keep that booking number and just change the date/ship/itinerary. You don't want to lose your OBC.

[kathyemma]

Kathy, if you have a cruise on hold and decide to change it, remember to keep that booking number and just change the date/ship/itinerary. You don't want to lose your OBC.

 

Thanks for the heads up - I would hate to lose my FIRST obc because of something stupid!!

 

Kathy

[familycruzer]

Kathy, if you have a cruise on hold and decide to change it, remember to keep that booking number and just change the date/ship/itinerary. You don't want to lose your OBC.

 

 

I agree with that comment. I booked a 7 night Mariner while on Freedom and I switched dates once and then ended up with a 9 night Explorer. I kept my booking number so I am still able to get the OBC. Even better, I get more OBC because its a longer cruise.

[RosieRoo]

I also booked a Next Cruise booking on my sailing last week. The form was delivered to my stateroom the night before we left the ship. There were no friends and family certificates included :(. By then it was too late to track anyone down to fix it. Is there anything you can do once you get home to rectify this? Thanks.

[kathyemma]

question for you guys. when i booked yesterday I did the 24 hour hold online. I did it under my cruises - so they have my c & a number. but i did NOT give them the next cruise booking or conf #. If i let my 24 hour hold expire today - i won't lose the obc - will I? if i will then i will go ahead and put down a deposit today.

 

thanks -

 

kathy

[cruisenfever]

I also booked a Next Cruise booking on my sailing last week. The form was delivered to my stateroom the night before we left the ship. There were no friends and family certificates included :(. By then it was too late to track anyone down to fix it. Is there anything you can do once you get home to rectify this? Thanks.

You could call C&A and tell them that you did not receive certificates with your NextCruise booking......1-800-526-9723 It seems that some LA's are on top of their game and include them and others don't.

 

question for you guys. when i booked yesterday I did the 24 hour hold online. I did it under my cruises - so they have my c & a number. but i did NOT give them the next cruise booking or conf #. If i let my 24 hour hold expire today - i won't lose the obc - will I? if i will then i will go ahead and put down a deposit today.

 

thanks -

 

kathy

As long as you did not book anything to that booking number you should be fine. I would give C&A a call just to make sure............but I do believe that you are safe. Plus, you just put a cruise on hold, no money was involved as far as a deposit..........so that hold will disappear if you do not book within 24 hours.

[RosieRoo]

cruisenfever, thanks for the info. I will try that route and see how I make out. I have read lots of your posts and you usually have all the info. Thanks again.

[cruisenfever]

cruisenfever, thanks for the info. I will try that route and see how I make out. I have read lots of your posts and you usually have all the info. Thanks again.

You are more than welcome.

[RosieRoo]

It would seem that not all the RCCL reps are sure how that "friends and family" thing works. After 45 minutes on the phone today with 5 different people at RCCL I found out that if you don't get them on the ship you are out of luck. They will not send them to you. Also they kept telling me that they were only good for 30 days from the date of the next cruise booking. Thanks again cruisenfever, I saw your earlier post with the e-mail from RCCL and informed the rep of such. She had already talked to her supervisor and got the wrong information. Thanks to the info from cruisenfever I was able to get the rep to honor it. Hopefully all will work out in the end. Thanks to all the people here who keep the rest of us informed!:o Thanks again cruisenfever.

[cruisenfever]

It would seem that not all the RCCL reps are sure how that "friends and family" thing works. After 45 minutes on the phone today with 5 different people at RCCL I found out that if you don't get them on the ship you are out of luck. They will not send them to you. Also they kept telling me that they were only good for 30 days from the date of the next cruise booking. Thanks again cruisenfever, I saw your earlier post with the e-mail from RCCL and informed the rep of such. She had already talked to her supervisor and got the wrong information. Thanks to the info from cruisenfever I was able to get the rep to honor it. Hopefully all will work out in the end. Thanks to all the people here who keep the rest of us informed!:o Thanks again cruisenfever.

I'm so glad that it worked out for you. I guess you could say that in the end it was 45 minutes well spent?

 

It's always good to post those emails with answers to questions, especially when they come from somebody at RCI with some authority. It's unfortunate that not every rep is on the same page.