We Made Enough Noise, RCCL WILL ALLOW US TO COMBINE OBCS

[kalajori]

I sent our e-mail as shareholders and diamond members. Happy they listened, and thank you cc for letting us know how important it is to be heard and for notifying us of rcl's decision. Also, what has happened to the promowave site--I am still showing cruises listed for the Tuesday, October 7th posting. Thanks for any info!

[2zhaus]

Darn Good thing!!

 

Thanks for writing the letter.

 

Didn't know a thing about it, until I saw it mentioned on one of the boards.

 

I know a lot of people who bought the stocks for just this reason, including my husband and I.

[Seagal123]

I've faxed a copy of our stock account showing our RCCL stock back on 10/09/08 to the shareholders fax number for our OBC and have followed up with a phone message on 10/17 for status and email message on 10/23 for status. No response from RCCL and we leave on 11/01. On our previous cruises, we would get a response within 24 hrs of our OBC. Any suggestions on what to do next to verify that we have received our OBC??? Who to contact???

 

Thanks for any assistance!

[walcherw]

I've faxed a copy of our stock account showing our RCCL stock back on 10/09/08 to the shareholders fax number for our OBC and have followed up with a phone message on 10/17 for status and email message on 10/23 for status. No response from RCCL and we leave on 11/01. On our previous cruises, we would get a response within 24 hrs of our OBC. Any suggestions on what to do next to verify that we have received our OBC??? Who to contact???

 

Thanks for any assistance!

They respond well to email.

[Coralc]

I've faxed a copy of our stock account showing our RCCL stock back on 10/09/08 to the shareholders fax number for our OBC and have followed up with a phone message on 10/17 for status and email message on 10/23 for status. No response from RCCL and we leave on 11/01. On our previous cruises, we would get a response within 24 hrs of our OBC. Any suggestions on what to do next to verify that we have received our OBC??? Who to contact???

 

Thanks for any assistance!

 

Call C&A (800) 526-9723 tomorrow and ask for an email confirmation/statement of your booking. The shareholder's credit will show up on there. And they will also be able to verify it for you over the phone. :)

[ainoh]

yesterday I wrote . . . . (Chevy Cruiser)

"I posted this earlier today on the other thread after receiving the call from Corporate Guest Relations and am adding it here where it will be seen. Glad you thought to make it a NEW thread - so the wonderful word will get out."

Originally Posted by havebagswilltravel

I have just received a MOST welcome phone call from Royal Caribbean.

They've restored my faith - and then some - they are currently calling people who expressed concern with the policy change; they are revising it - he called it "making exceptions" - and I cannot swear that it is for all time - but when I asked if it were (just) being grandfathered for those of us who made Next Cruise purchases before the announcement, (which was all I had asked for),

I THINK he indicated that it's more than that - (I told you I was excited.) I asked if it will apply to my daughter who was with me on September 11; also purchased three Next Cruises and also is a shareholder; but had not communicated her concern and he said YES!!!!!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks ChevyCruiser for finding the new wording on the investor relations site - it was even more wonderful to see it in print. Good to Go!!!!!!!!! - In my own letter I had excerpted several of the many excellent comments from other CCrs, (including you) after stating my own reasons (hope that was okay with you all w/o your permission) some which had been mailed to RCCL and some which were only to be read here.

It was less than half an hour after the phone call from Corporate Guest Relations that I received a satisfaction survey about my recent request. You may well believe that I took full opportunity in the comment section to express appreciation (and continued loyalty) for being able to feel better than ever about RCCL.

I am still going to send thanks to ibailey@RCCL.com and shareholderbenefit@RCCL.com since that's where I sent my original letter.

 

I called C&A yesterday and was told you could not use both share holders credit and Next cruise credit. You could only use one.

[Seagal123]

I've faxed a copy of our stock account showing our RCCL stock back on 10/09/08 to the shareholders fax number for our OBC and have followed up with a phone message on 10/17 for status and email message on 10/23 for status. No response from RCCL and we leave on 11/01. On our previous cruises, we would get a response within 24 hrs of our OBC. Any suggestions on what to do next to verify that we have received our OBC??? Who to contact???

 

Thanks for any assistance!

 

Thanks for responding. Just received an email response from Linda Buchanan that OBC has been applied and I called the C & A phone number to confirm.

 

Leaving for my first trans Atlantic cruise on Independence--first time on a Freedom class ship! Will the next cruise be on the Oasis or back to my, so far, Radiance class ships>

[havebagswilltravel]

(Obviously I do not know how to use the quote function - where do I find instruction?)

 

but ainoh - see below for the good news posted on October 24 - maybe C&A will learn it later - (Be patient??)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Originally Posted by molly361

Now it would be NICE if RCI would (or have they already?) post this information somewhere for others that are not on CC to read and if there is an end date for combining that they post that also on their website.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tocanada

Cool Cruiser

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: Toronto, Canada

I see that RCCL have updated their Investor Information:

6. Can this benefit be combined with other offers, onboard credits and coupons?The benefit is NOT available to company employees, travel agents, tour conductors and/or others utilizing complimentary or reduced-rate cruise fares. Benefit is not combinable when using inter-line rates or onboard chartered sailings.

 

I am very pleased that they listened to us all.

andrew

[cruisincha]

Good Morning Everyone,

 

I sent a thank you note to shareholder benefits, and also asked a couple of questions for clarification. Here's the response I just received:

 

Good day,

 

They have decided to not make any changes until 12/31/08. At this time, not sure what the changes will be.

 

Thank you.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Kind regards,

 

Linda Buchanan

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.

Guest Sales & Service Administration

 

That pretty much sums it all up. Get your next cruise credits booked by 12/3l/08 just to be safe.

 

Trish

[shadowtiger]

I received this from RC on the 27th of Oct

We have temporarily relaxed the combinability of the shareholder benefit and the Crown and Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts as well as the onboard credit for the Next Cruise program. For any sailing that is confirmed on or after December 31, 2008, the shareholder benefit will no longer be combined with any other benefit or offer, be it for dollars off or onboard credit. In the event that two offers or benefits are available on a given reservation, you may choose which offer you prefer. Unless advised otherwise, we will presume you wish to have the offer or benefit with the higher value.

 

I received this one on the 31st of Oct.

We have temporarily relaxed the combinability of the Crown and Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts as well as the onboard credit for the Next Cruise program. However, for any sailing that is confirmed on or after December 31, 2008, the Crown and Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts and Next Cruise program will no longer be combinable with each other. In the event that two offers or benefits are available on a given reservation, you may choose which offer you prefer. Unless advised otherwise, we will presume you wish to have the offer or benefit with the higher value

[DP]

Can someone clarify the term "confirmed after December 31, 2008". Does this mean for any new bookings made in 2009. We currently have two cruises booked for 2009 which were booth made onboard thus shipboard credits on both. We fully intended to apply our Diamond balcony discount on both. Will this be allowed as these cruises have been "confirmed" in 2008.

[Libby7]

Can someone clarify the term "confirmed after December 31, 2008". Does this mean for any new bookings made in 2009. We currently have two cruises booked for 2009 which were booth made onboard thus shipboard credits on both. We fully intended to apply our Diamond balcony discount on both. Will this be allowed as these cruises have been "confirmed" in 2008.

 

It's my understanding that a cruise 'confirmed after December 31,2008' would mean any cruise booked AND deposited (not just final payment) by that date that sails after 1/1/09. IE - we have a cruise booked for Jan., March, June and Dec. 09 which we've made on board, and have made a deposit ..... so we will get that credit plus the shareholder credit on each of those.

 

Libby

[TravelerThom]

Can someone clarify the term "confirmed after December 31, 2008". Does this mean for any new bookings made in 2009. We currently have two cruises booked for 2009 which were booth made onboard thus shipboard credits on both. We fully intended to apply our Diamond balcony discount on both. Will this be allowed as these cruises have been "confirmed" in 2008.

I certainly think that if you have a cruise for 2009 [or 2010] confirmed before 1 Jan 2009 that you are allowed to "multi-dip". I have a cruise in Oct 2009 with written [invoice] confirmation of both NextCruise OBC and Shareholder OBC. But with RCI who knows:confused: They have always stated that the cruise must be confirmed by a certain date, but never stated that you couldn't get all your credits after that date, but to be more certain I'd try to get everything in place as soon as possible.

[TravelerThom]

I received this from RC on the 27th of Oct

We have temporarily relaxed the combinability of the shareholder benefit and the Crown and Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts as well as the onboard credit for the Next Cruise program. For any sailing that is confirmed on or after December 31, 2008, the shareholder benefit will no longer be combined with any other benefit or offer, be it for dollars off or onboard credit. In the event that two offers or benefits are available on a given reservation, you may choose which offer you prefer. Unless advised otherwise, we will presume you wish to have the offer or benefit with the higher value.

 

I received this one on the 31st of Oct.

We have temporarily relaxed the combinability of the Crown and Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts as well as the onboard credit for the Next Cruise program. However, for any sailing that is confirmed on or after December 31, 2008, the Crown and Anchor Platinum and Diamond balcony/suite discounts and Next Cruise program will no longer be combinable with each other. In the event that two offers or benefits are available on a given reservation, you may choose which offer you prefer. Unless advised otherwise, we will presume you wish to have the offer or benefit with the higher value

WHOA - did I miss something here???

 

I thought that everything I'd seen before was talking about taking away the combinability of

1) Shareholder OBC

2) NextCruise/ On-Board-Booking OBC

3) C&A Saving Certificate Coupons

and that you got only one of the above, but that that one could be combined with any and all of P/D/D+ Balcony Discount, Travel Agent OBC, Visa Reward OBC, etc.

 

The two msg posted above say that P/D/D+ Balcony Discount is NOT combinable with either Shareholder OBC or NextCruise OBC. Isn't that NEW??:confused:

[beachbuddy]

WHOA - did I miss something here???

 

I thought that everything I'd seen before was talking about taking away the combinability of

1) Shareholder OBC

2) NextCruise/ On-Board-Booking OBC

3) C&A Saving Certificate Coupons

and that you got only one of the above, but that that one could be combined with any and all of P/D/D+ Balcony Discount, Travel Agent OBC, Visa Reward OBC, etc.

 

The two msg posted above say that P/D/D+ Balcony Discount is NOT combinable with either Shareholder OBC or NextCruise OBC. Isn't that NEW??:confused:

 

Whoa is right!! I said sort of the same thing on the other thread that this was posted on. I understood that the P/D balcony discounts had nothing to do with OBC's and we were entitled to them regardless of which OBC we took.

 

I just wish that RCCL would put something out in writing - LOL - well, the same thing out to everyone!!! People are getting all different responses. But this is the first one that mentions P/D discounts. They would be putting themselves in a very bad position if they go with what that email says.

 

Patty

[OceanCruise]

I am really upset now. Yesterday I just got off the Oct 23 sailing of the Explorer and had spoken with the Loyalty Ambassador. She confirmed that I could not combine NextCruise with the shareholder credit so I didn't do NextCruise. I was thinking of booking 1 or 2 cruises (10-12 nights) but didn't because I was disappointed with RCCL for taking away this benefit which would be $200 for each cruise. Now after reading this thread I find out the Loyalty Ambassador gave me incorrect information (but she probably wasn't even notified of this policy change so I can't really blame her). I even wrote on the comment card that I was disappointed about the NextCruise/shareholder situation. I called RCCL this evening and was told I can't book now to get the NextCruise credit. I will try to speak with customer service tomorrow. The whole situation is a fiasco.

[Libby7]

I am really upset now. Yesterday I just got off the Oct 23 sailing of the Explorer and had spoken with the Loyalty Ambassador. She confirmed that I could not combine NextCruise with the shareholder credit so I didn't do NextCruise. I was thinking of booking 1 or 2 cruises (10-12 nights) but didn't because I was disappointed with RCCL for taking away this benefit which would be $200 for each cruise. Now after reading this thread I find out the Loyalty Ambassador gave me incorrect information (but she probably wasn't even notified of this policy change so I can't really blame her). I even wrote on the comment card that I was disappointed about the NextCruise/shareholder situation. I called RCCL this evening and was told I can't book now to get the NextCruise credit. I will try to speak with customer service tomorrow. The whole situation is a fiasco.

 

This thread seems to have died. Ocean Cruise - did you get you question(s) answered and situation resolved?

 

I've used an onboard booking and shareholder credit for cruise I booked/deposited (one in Nov. and one in Dec. for 2009 and both credits are showing. Now I' not sure how they will handle after Jan.1. I'm not sure they know either.

[magicaliam]

I was told by Loyalty Ambassador of Voyager of the Seas : If I did future Cruise bookings, got home and booked Cruises by Dec. 31th.,got stock credits applied on these bookings - down payment totals made - finished and confirmed, I would get both these credits. If Senior discounts or coupons come out (that don't require a new booking to use), I could apply these to account also. When I called RCCL to book, this was confirmed. Further, if I change the cruise to another date, ship, - I could transfer the booking number, keeping all my credits (they would be adjusted, of course, if went from Celebrity to Royal Car. ships or nights, or etc.).

I am trusting them on all of this. If it changes, I will certainly lose my loyalty to this line - I am trying out Princess line again - in Jan. - and will then do a Holland Am. ..

[Lynnees]

I was told by Loyalty Ambassador of Voyager of the Seas : If I did future Cruise bookings, got home and booked Cruises by Dec. 31th.,got stock credits applied on these bookings - down payment totals made - finished and confirmed, I would get both these credits. If Senior discounts or coupons come out (that don't require a new booking to use), I could apply these to account also. When I called RCCL to book, this was confirmed. Further, if I change the cruise to another date, ship, - I could transfer the booking number, keeping all my credits (they would be adjusted, of course, if went from Celebrity to Royal Car. ships or nights, or etc.).

I am trusting them on all of this. If it changes, I will certainly lose my loyalty to this line - I am trying out Princess line again - in Jan. - and will then do a Holland Am. ..

 

Some of what you are saying is quite contrary to what I was told. I was told if you change your NC booking after Dec. 31/08 the combinations will ceases. I believe you can get your shareholders but nothing else and you will loss the OBC if you have a balcony discount or vis versa.

 

Also, NC have never been transferable from one company to the other. If you bought one for RCL it could only be used to book RCL and if you bought for Celebrity you can only use Celebrity.

[land lover]

Shareholder credit drops off a booking when you transfer to a new sail date so will they reinstate it if you have other OBC after 12-31-2008.....who knows......but I really doubt the system will let you add it back on if you have a higher OBC.

 

The reason it drops off is because sailing days can differ from one booking to another and that is how your OBC is decided.

[cruisenfever]

I was told by Loyalty Ambassador of Voyager of the Seas : If I did future Cruise bookings, got home and booked Cruises by Dec. 31th.,got stock credits applied on these bookings - down payment totals made - finished and confirmed, I would get both these credits. If Senior discounts or coupons come out (that don't require a new booking to use), I could apply these to account also. When I called RCCL to book, this was confirmed. Further, if I change the cruise to another date, ship, - I could transfer the booking number, keeping all my credits (they would be adjusted, of course, if went from Celebrity to Royal Car. ships or nights, or etc.).

I am trusting them on all of this. If it changes, I will certainly lose my loyalty to this line - I am trying out Princess line again - in Jan. - and will then do a Holland Am. ..

As Marilyn has already said the LA on Voyager gave you some incorrect information. Now, I can't fault the LA as the new rules from Management have been changing on a daily basis.

 

After December 31, if you keep a booking number but change ship/itinerary/sailing date you will lose all your benefits and have to select just one. It used to be that way............but not anymore.:(

 

If you have a NC booking you can not use it to book a cruise on a Celebrity ship. You would have had to book a Celebrity Passage on an RCI ship if you wanted to sail Celebrity. OBC's on Celebrity are determined by the total cruise fare.................where on RCI an OBC is determined by the number of nights sailed.

[granghee]

I guess that means I quit trying to see the Loyalty Ambassador for a next cruise booking......;)

[Ladylouwho]

I guess that means I quit trying to see the Loyalty Ambassador for a next cruise booking......;)

 

You got it! Just like on our cruise in November and on our cruise in December. We did not book an appointment to see the Loyalty Ambassador on either cruise. Why? Next Cruise and obc for booking while on board is no longer necessary or desirable. We have Diamond balcony discounts and shareholder credit. No need to book ahead anymore. We have two cruises booked out ahead, Liberty in 2009 and Oasis in 2010. We are getting diamond balcony discount AND shareholder OBC on those. Now we will probably just wait for the last minute fire sale prices to book and then use one or the other discount/obc.

 

Hey! Great marketing strategy RCL! Now I get to keep all the money I USED to give you so far in advance. Plus, I'll get a cheaper price by booking the last minute, new bookings only prices. Hey, works out great for me! And for you RCL, uh, gee, exactly WHAT is it you are gaining by this? Ya might want to re-think this one RCL....................

[crischickie]

My DH and I used to sail Princess ALOT. We always had one or two future cruises booked in case something came along we wanted to do. They also stopped "double dipping" and we quit booking on board. I think our last Princess cruise was about 4 years ago. It was like breaking a habit.

 

We just came back from the IOS and didn't book on board for the first time in years. When you have the commitment of a booked reservation you know you'll be back. Otherwise something else may come up. After weaning from Princess we became Diamond Plus so it wasn't all bad.

 

Who knows what the future will bring.

[abhb]

I think the LA's are going to be very lonely like the Maytag repairman. Count us as another couple that did not book a NC on our last cruise because of the non-combinable rules now.