Shareholder OBC......

[vbayly]

So today I went online to check the stock and low and behold I saw a new message on the investor site - http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-shareholderbenefit#2

 

As of December 31, 2008 they are no longer combining ANY discounts???!!! I called in and they confirmed it! If you have a discount for platinum, diamond what have you - you can not get that discount as well as the OBC as a stockholder. I knew there was talk of the OBC for booking on while on a ship and combining it with shareholder OBC but this is crazy!

 

How do we complain to RCCL and get them to knock off this nonsense?? When I talked to RCCL today the guy I spoke to said I should post here and rally people together to complain.

 

Any suggestions???

 

Vicki

[Sue L]

this has been talked to death, it was originally already rescinded a couple of weeks ago and they reinstated it until the end of the year.

[cruisenfever]

So today I went online to check the stock and low and behold I saw a new message on the investor site - http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-shareholderbenefit#2

 

As of December 31, 2008 they are no longer combining ANY discounts???!!! I called in and they confirmed it! If you have a discount for platinum, diamond what have you - you can not get that discount as well as the OBC as a stockholder. I knew there was talk of the OBC for booking on while on a ship and combining it with shareholder OBC but this is crazy!

 

How do we complain to RCCL and get them to knock off this nonsense?? When I talked to RCCL today the guy I spoke to said I should post here and rally people together to complain.

 

Any suggestions???

 

Vicki

If receiving an OBC from being a Shareholder is important to you, then book as many cruises as you can prior to December 31.

 

Just be aware that you can not change/transfer a booking after December 31 and still receive the Shareholder OBC.

[Merion_Mom]

Write a letter articulating your displeasure and send it to Adam Goldstein.

[vbayly]

Who is Adam Goldstein?

[cruisenfever]

Who is Adam Goldstein?

You're a shareholder and you do not know who Adam Goldstein is?:eek:

 

He's the President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

[vbayly]

I am a shareholder who bought the stock for the OBC.......

[PhoenixCruiser]

I am a shareholder who bought the stock for the OBC.......

 

Next time you JUST might want to do some research before purchasing stock....

;)

 

###

[Ladylouwho]

Next time you JUST might want to do some research before purchasing stock....

;)

 

###

 

A little unfair. If the poster bought the stock prior to the recent economic meltdown and stock market free fall, the stock was considered a buy and the shareholder OBC a nice benefit. Even if the poster bought the stock as recently as today, one could consider it a smart move if one took enough cruises in a short period of time to benefit from the OBC.

 

We own the stock. Between today and the next 1 1/2 years we have 4 separate 7 night cruises booked. Two are within the next 6 weeks. 2 cabins each time. Daughter using her stock to get $100 benefit for her cabin each time, and DH and I using our stock to obtain $100 benefit for our cabin each time. That is a total of an $800 benefit (2 cabins X 4 cruises). That $800 benefit is TAX FREE!

 

So at the low stock price of today that stock OBC could be worth a lot of money if one cruised with RCL often. The question is.......how soon before the stock OBC benefit is history?

 

Also.....with regard to the poster not knowing who Adam Goldstein is.....do you know the President or CEO of every Company that you hold shares in your Mutual Funds or 401K?

 

Folks Vicki (vbayly) is a Newbie (@25 posts) be nice.

 

Vicki there are a lot of helpful folks and information on these boards. Note Carol's (Merion Mom) post. Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[Merion_Mom]

A little unfair. If the poster bought the stock prior to the recent economic meltdown and stock market free fall, the stock was considered a buy and the shareholder OBC a nice benefit. Even if the poster bought the stock as recently as today, one could consider it a smart move if one took enough cruises in a short period of time to benefit from the OBC.

 

We own the stock. Between today and the next 1 1/2 years we have 4 separate 7 night cruises booked. Two are within the next 6 weeks. 2 cabins each time. Daughter using her stock to get $100 benefit for her cabin each time, and DH and I using our stock to obtain $100 benefit for our cabin each time. That is a total of an $800 benefit (2 cabins X 4 cruises). That $800 benefit is TAX FREE!

 

So at the low stock price of today that stock OBC could be worth a lot of money if one cruised with RCL often. The question is.......how soon before the stock OBC benefit is history?

 

Also.....with regard to the poster not knowing who Adam Goldstein is.....do you know the President or CEO of every Company that you hold shares in your Mutual Funds or 401K?

 

Folks Vicki (vbayly) is a Newbie (@25 posts) be nice.

 

Vicki there are a lot of helpful folks and information on these boards. Note Carol's (Merion Mom) post. Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Note her join date. She has been a member of Cruise Critic since 2003. Longer than I have. :)

[hylasgirl]

SO??? Can you still combine it with a TA OBC after the 1st of the year?

[Rancher Dave]

SO??? Can you still combine it with a TA OBC after the 1st of the year?

 

I'd expect so since RCCL is not giving out the TA OBC.

 

Saw in WSJ the close price yesterday...sure is getting to the point adding more shares to cost average is getting very appealing!!!

 

 

I wonder really how much the share holder OBC costs RCCL in the course of a year...

[Ladylouwho]

Note her join date. She has been a member of Cruise Critic since 2003. Longer than I have. :)

 

Carol, I have been a Member since January, 2003 and most of my posts are from within the last year. I have taken quite a few hits and only recently learned to fight back a little. I have had some of my posts removed for me being not so nice and I have had posters be really mean to me, one actually very mean (hateful), those posts obviously have been removed. It takes a bit of a thick skin to post on the main board.

 

I know a lot of people that I have talked to over the years who have joined CC but mainly "lurk" on these boards because they cruise, but have said to me...."I would never actually post....people on there can be really mean if you don't know what you are talking about" and similar type comments. With roughly 25 posts, Vicki (vbayly) is a "Newbie" in this arena. There are people on here who have been a member for only a year or so and have 5 times the number of posts that I have posted in 6 years of being a member. That doesn't make them more knowledgeable about cruising than me, but it probably makes them more thick skinned and CC savvy. I just have never understood the "jumping all over people" because of a comment that isn't "in the know".

 

JMO,

Colleen

[ruskatab]

I bought RC stock a few weeks back when they rescinded the not being able to combine share holders OBC and the getting the Platinum discount. Now they have reinstated this??? That was not my main reason to buy the stock but it did play into it. I am getting sick of RC flip flopping on things. Its ridiculous RC cant get their act together especially to the loyal customers who both cruise on their ships and buy their stock. I plan on emailing RC and letting them know how unhappy I am about this.

[Ladylouwho]

I'd expect so since RCCL is not giving out the TA OBC.

 

Saw in WSJ the close price yesterday...sure is getting to the point adding more shares to cost average is getting very appealing!!!

 

 

I wonder really how much the share holder OBC costs RCCL in the course of a year...

 

Dave, You are right of course. The low price IS tempting to cost average. But with this economy and market, anybody in the travel business could have bankruptcy in their future. I think RCL has a great product and a lot of Loyal customers. Those are EXACTLY the folks they should be concentrating on now.

 

Funny, we took one Carnival cruise so far, last Thanksgiving, on the Conquest out of Galveston. I cannot tell you how many times we have had a Carnival Rep call here and try and persuade us to cruise with them again, offering upgrades, perks, etc. If we didn't have four cruises with RCL already booked, we might have taken them up on it and still may do so. Love to cruise out of Galveston (no airfare) and to be honest, I LOVE RCL and Carnival was not as good overall. But....... there were certain things that I liked about Carnival that RCL does not do. Plus, I am not a snob. I had a great time on Carnival even though, overall, I didn't think it was as nice as RCL. But, when you are traveling with friends and family and having a great time, Carnival was a lot of fun for us.

 

I think RCL is taking a lot of us for granted and for the few lousy bucks they think they are saving, they will certainly be loosing some of my future bookings. We cruise all the time. Our on board spending is HIGH!!!! We have one RCL (Liberty w/friends) in summer 2009, and one RCL (Oasis w/friends) in summer 2010 booked. Have the Voyager to the Mediterranean in 1 1/2 weeks and the Voyager out of Galveston for a NYE cruise already paid. After that???? Don't know anymore. Instead of 2-3 RCL cruises per year( 2 cabins or a RSF each time) we are looking into other things and cruise lines. Doesn't look like this cutting back Loyalty amenities is working out too well for RCL, at least in our family's case.

[TFlo]

Carol, I have been a Member since January, 2003 and most of my posts are from within the last year. I have taken quite a few hits and only recently learned to fight back a little. I have had some of my posts removed for me being not so nice and I have had posters be really mean to me, one actually very mean (hateful), those posts obviously have been removed. It takes a bit of a thick skin to post on the main board.

 

I know a lot of people that I have talked to over the years who have joined CC but mainly "lurk" on these boards because they cruise, but have said to me...."I would never actually post....people on there can be really mean if you don't know what you are talking about" and similar type comments. With roughly 25 posts, Vicki (vbayly) is a "Newbie" in this arena. There are people on here who have been a member for only a year or so and have 5 times the number of posts that I have posted in 6 years of being a member. That doesn't make them more knowledgeable about cruising than me, but it probably makes them more thick skinned and CC savvy. I just have never understood the "jumping all over people" because of a comment that isn't "in the know".

 

JMO,

Colleen

 

Colleen,

 

Thank you so much for this post. I have to tell you that I really love CC and have learned so much here, but I have never been to another forum where folks will so readily jump on you for any little thing. I mean, typos, simple questions, etc. -- come on!

 

I'm not sure if it's because they're not face to face or because they're not using their real names sometimes that give people the idea they can say anything that comes to their mind, but I think it's probably just poor manners.

 

Tim

[Ladylouwho]

to benefit from the OBC.

Vicki there are a lot of helpful folks and information on these boards. Note Carol's (Merion Mom) post. Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

By the way Carol, least you think this was a dig, I was complimenting you as I thought your post was helpful.

 

Colleen

[Ladylouwho]

Colleen,

 

Thank you so much for this post. I have to tell you that I really love CC and have learned so much here, but I have never been to another forum where folks will so readily jump on you for any little thing. I mean, typos, simple questions, etc. -- come on!

 

I'm not sure if it's because they're not face to face or because they're not using their real names sometimes that give people the idea they can say anything that comes to their mind, but I think it's probably just poor manners.

 

Tim

 

Thanks Tim. I have always enjoyed CC as well. We all just need to calm down, take a deep breath and be nice.....Oh and take another cruise too!!!!!! We leave for the Voyager out of Barcelona in 9 days......Whoeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

 

Colleen

[Merion_Mom]

By the way Carol, least you think this was a dig, I was complimenting you as I thought your post was helpful.

 

Colleen

 

I understood that, Colleen, and I thank you for the compliment.

 

But I also didn't mean MY second post as a dig at you or anyone.

 

Look at it this way:

 

As you said, many people lurk. Whatever their reasons for not posting, they read without writing.

 

My conclusion, therefore, is that in five and a half years, the OP would have learned a lot about cruising, about Cruise Critic, and about the kind of posts that you see. (thus in no need of protection, defense, or "newbie" status)