Beginning 1/1/09, Shareholder OBC will be combinable with............

[lovetocruise99]

After all that..looks like my chart 'interpretation' still stands.

:cool:

 

 

Where is your chart interpretation? I need it because I'm thoroughly confused now. I have a next cruise, I'm a stockholder, a Diamond member, a credit card holder and i always book balconies.

 

 

Darn, I wish I hadn't bought that stock now!!

[FL_Cruiser64]

Where is your chart interpretation? I need it because I'm thoroughly confused now. I have a next cruise, I'm a stockholder, a Diamond member, a credit card holder and i always book balconies.

 

 

Darn, I wish I hadn't bought that stock now!!

 

I'll take it offline anyways. Nobody should have to deal with my 'interpretations'. :cool:

[cruisenfever]

After all that..looks like my chart 'interpretation' still stands.

:cool:

Gosh, don't ya just hate it when you're right!!:D

 

Where is your chart interpretation? I need it because I'm thoroughly confused now. I have a next cruise, I'm a stockholder, a Diamond member, a credit card holder and i always book balconies.

 

 

Darn, I wish I hadn't bought that stock now!!

As of December 31, 2008 you will only be able to select one benefit that is offered by RCI. To any booking you can have either an OBC from being a Shareholder, an OBC from booking a NC/FC while on board, P/D/D+ balcony discount or C&A $$$ off Savings Certificate.

 

Your Visa points are not affected and they can be combined with any one RCI offered benefit.

 

I'll take it offline anyways. Nobody should have to deal with my 'interpretations'. :cool:

I found it...............:p

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=870594

[lovetocruise99]

Gosh, don't ya just hate it when you're right!!:D

 

 

As of December 31, 2008 you will only be able to select one benefit that is offered by RCI. To any booking you can have either an OBC from being a Shareholder, an OBC from booking a NC/FC while on board, P/D/D+ balcony discount or C&A $$$ off Savings Certificate.

 

Your Visa points are not affected and they can be combined with any one RCI offered benefit.

 

 

I found it...............:p

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=870594

 

Thank you. Does this mean if my cruise has already been booked for next June that I can still combine benefits. What if I have two cabins a balcony and an inside stateroom, can I split the benefits up? I should be able to if they're on 2 separate reservations.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Gosh, don't ya just hate it when you're right!!:D

 

Honestly, I wish I could be wrong.

 

There are other things surrounding this issue which irk me. But I do not want to go into details - just that much: neither information provided should be ridiculed nor the person providing information. I have never done that so I can expect that from others. Nor should the person from RCI providing the information (even if that person is too most unknown) be ridiculed. What is even worse is that when faced opposition by me the help from a certain moderator is sought. Well, that person made a choice for CC: There will be no more info coming from my end (be it solid info or possible changes). I follow the way a couple other posters have gone and CC is truly becoming more and more the home of the whiners, promoting hot bed of illegal behaviors and the center for bashing cruise lines in general.

 

I certainly will reduce my exposure on CC and stick mostly with the roll calls.

 

That's where I pretty much leave it at.

[beachbuddy]

Honestly, I wish I could be wrong.

 

There are other things surrounding this issue which irk me. But I do not want to go into details - just that much: neither information provided should be ridiculed nor the person providing information. I have never done that so I can expect that from others. Nor should the person from RCI providing the information (even if that person is too most unknown) be ridiculed. What is even worse is that when faced opposition by me the help from a certain moderator is sought. Well, that person made a choice for CC: There will be no more info coming from my end (be it solid info or possible changes). I follow the way a couple other posters have gone and CC is truly becoming more and more the home of the whiners, promoting hot bed of illegal behaviors and the center for bashing cruise lines in general.

 

I certainly will reduce my exposure on CC and stick mostly with the roll calls.

 

That's where I pretty much leave it at.

 

This is sooooooo crazy!!! I'm starting to really get P*ssed off with RCCL!!! They're combinable.......they're not combinable........they're combinable again........no, they're not!!!

 

As far as I'm concerned, being Platinum or Diamond or Diamond+ means absolutley nothing now. They aren't giving us anything that any other cruiser can get. All cruisers, even first time cruisers with RCCL can get a NC OBC or a Shareholder OBC. As a Diamond member, I have to chose if I want my balcony discount or one of the OBC's...........that's insane!!! So if I chose my Diamond Balcony discount, I can't get any of the OBC's so I don't think Diamond is such a big deal anymore!! We're not gaining anything, all we're doing is losing our OBC's. That balcony discount should be in additon to anything a new cruiser or C&A gold member gets.

 

I've about had it with RCCL. They are losing lots of customers and you can tell by the amount of discounted cruises..........where did you ever see a 12 night cruise for around $700 and $800?? Inside cabins, but still I never saw those kind of prices.

 

RCCL has cancelled a port on our next 12 nighter and also reduced the time that we're in one of the ports and a lot of us are not happy about it. We now have 2 sea days going and 3 sea days coming back - I'm not thrilled about it!! A cancelled port, reduced times at other ports and they only took $11/person off the bill. Missed port equals $11??? I don't think so!!!

 

They better wise up before they lose all their loyal customers. I have a NC booked for sometime the end of 2009, but I know I'm not going on that date so I'm just going to call and cancel it completely and get my $500 deposit back. I know once I move it to another date and another ship I won't be able to get all my OBC's so no sense letting them hold onto my money, especially if I'm not benefiting from it in any way.

 

Patty

[cruisenfever]

Honestly, I wish I could be wrong.

 

There are other things surrounding this issue which irk me. But I do not want to go into details - just that much: neither information provided should be ridiculed nor the person providing information. I have never done that so I can expect that from others. Nor should the person from RCI providing the information (even if that person is too most unknown) be ridiculed. What is even worse is that when faced opposition by me the help from a certain moderator is sought. Well, that person made a choice for CC: There will be no more info coming from my end (be it solid info or possible changes). I follow the way a couple other posters have gone and CC is truly becoming more and more the home of the whiners, promoting hot bed of illegal behaviors and the center for bashing cruise lines in general.

 

I certainly will reduce my exposure on CC and stick mostly with the roll calls.

 

That's where I pretty much leave it at.

I still value all the information you provide/have provided.:)

[beachbuddy]

I still value all the information you provide/have provided.:)

 

Patti,

 

This is so unbelievable........they send you an email in black and white that is very clear about the shareholder OBC being combinable with the balcony discount and now they say it's not. No wonder they're making some enemies. I don't think any of them know what they're talking about! Honestly, I have never seen anything like this with any company. All I can do is laugh because they're driving me crazy!! LOL:rolleyes:

 

Patty

[dfishner]

I will still sail on RCL maybe not as often as we use to. RCL was our cruiseline of choice and we were looking forward to becoming diamond, this is not so important anymore. It has open more opportunites for us to try other cruise lines in addition to RCL.

 

RCL management has closed the book on this issue and there is really nothing anyone can do. By this decision RCL has shown it does not values their repeat customers but that does not take away from what great ships they have, the fantastic staff and for us the best overall on board experience. I will try to keep these two things seperate going forward.

 

I think it is time to put this issue to and end and move on.

 

One thing more and this is to Patti, never really chatted with you much on here until this thread. I think you are one terrific lady with so much class, humor and a great sense of style...I sincerely hope I get the chance to cruise with you sometime.

[Jeka]

Patti, I just got off the phone with IR it is 12/24 at 1:22PM and was told that there had been some confusion but that the stock obc and the balcony discounts will not be combinable as of 1/1/09. I read what you have from Linda but it seems things may have changed since that email. I just want to give you a heads up. Have agreat holiday.

 

Revenue mangement and marketing made the decision to end the combining of benefits for Stock owners, repeat customers who are platinum and above members. Crown and Anchor and IR did put up a fight but lost. So as of 12/31 there is no more combining of benefits. No matter what has been written before this is the final decision made by RCL. You have until 12/31 to cash in your OBC for stock, NC or any other certificate you are holding after that date you will only be able to use one. If you want to validate this call IR or Crown and Anchor..I just was on the phone with both.

 

This is a very sad day for all of the stock holders and repeat customers.

 

 

RCL management has closed the book on this issue and there is really nothing anyone can do. By this decision RCL has shown it does not values their repeat customers but that does not take away from what great ships they have, the fantastic staff and for us the best overall on board experience. I will try to keep these two things seperate going forward.

 

I think it is time to put this issue to and end and move on.

 

Just curious, why should any of us think that this is the end of this issue. Patti got a totally different answer than you did, and to be quite frank, we all have had different answers depending to whom we've spoken to at RCI. Are your sources the final decision makers or do we once again have some RCI employees interpreting/guessing on the policy?

[Jeka]

Patti, I just got off the phone with IR it is 12/24 at 1:22PM and was told that there had been some confusion but that the stock obc and the balcony discounts will not be combinable as of 1/1/09. I read what you have from Linda but it seems things may have changed since that email. I just want to give you a heads up. Have agreat holiday.

 

Revenue mangement and marketing made the decision to end the combining of benefits for Stock owners, repeat customers who are platinum and above members. Crown and Anchor and IR did put up a fight but lost. So as of 12/31 there is no more combining of benefits. No matter what has been written before this is the final decision made by RCL. You have until 12/31 to cash in your OBC for stock, NC or any other certificate you are holding after that date you will only be able to use one. If you want to validate this call IR or Crown and Anchor..I just was on the phone with both.

 

This is a very sad day for all of the stock holders and repeat customers.

 

 

RCL management has closed the book on this issue and there is really nothing anyone can do. By this decision RCL has shown it does not values their repeat customers but that does not take away from what great ships they have, the fantastic staff and for us the best overall on board experience. I will try to keep these two things seperate going forward.

 

I think it is time to put this issue to and end and move on.

 

Just curious, why should any of us think that this is the end of this issue. Patti got a totally different answer than you did, and to be quite frank, we all have had different answers depending to whom we've spoken to at RCI. Are your sources the final decision makers or do we once again have some RCI employees interpreting/guessing on the policy?

[satxdiver]

What I am seeing is that RCCL cannot make a decision and stay with it. Their relations with customers seems to be rather poor. For a transportation company to not manage their communication with their clients is short minded particularly in this economic downturn. I realize that they have income stream problems like so many corporations and individuals. Allowing conflicting stories to be told by RCCL personnel, constant changing of rules and not keeping their website up to date is inexcuseable and certainly not the way to treat their client base. In economic downturns, it is the client base that will produce the most revenue. It now appears that loyalty means nothing. Not an unusual condition these days but extremely short sighted.

 

RCCL may have the most glamorous glitzy ships on the seven seas, but the competitors are not far behind. I have been treated well by the crews of the four different cruise lines I have been on so that is not a deciding factor. Actually on my last cruise, I found some of the waitstaff in the WJ to be downright rude. Maybe it is time to look at the competitors.

 

If you are a stockholder in RCCL, you have a voice. They hold an annual stockholder's meeting as required by the SEC. If enough vocal stockholders get together in one voice, management will have to listen. You do not have to hold millions of shares of RCCL. Other companies have felt the sting of their shareholders. Maybe it is time to unite and let RCCL hear from their customers who are also shareholders.

[dfishner]

Just curious, why should any of us think that this is the end of this issue. Patti got a totally different answer than you did, and to be quite frank, we all have had different answers depending to whom we've spoken to at RCI. Are your sources the final decision makers or do we once again have some RCI employees interpreting/guessing on the policy?

 

 

As a repeat customer I did not sit on the sidelines complaining but did try to do something. I called, I wrote to RCL even wrote to Adam Goldstein who office did call me back and that is not some low level employee. I do know that C&A and IR took up the fight to managememt to keep the combine benefits but in the end Marketing and Revenue management kept the decision for non combinability. Makes no difference if you believe this or not the facts are as of the new year the benefits are not combinable.

 

 

Why don't you validate this yourself and call C&A today and ask them.

Call IR on Monday and you will get the same answer, and then I would like you to come back on here and tell us what they said.

[emmy]

This is what irritates me.... the consistency of the enforcing of the rules.

If what you are saying about NOT combining anything except Visa points (which by the way we as Canadians cannot get) is true then enforce it.

 

I am sure at some point someone will post here saying "I was able to combine"and that is what will muddy the waters even more. Some agent at RCI will not have received 'the memo' and will put through combined perk.

 

I am waiting for that post so because of that even though I have a cruise booked in 2010 with Shareholder's credit, onboard booking and balcony discount I will not transfer it to another sailing at this point...things change.

 

I am disappointed with RCI but I am not ready to give up on this issue until we see it played out after Dec. 31/08

[beachbuddy]

This is what irritates me.... the consistency of the enforcing of the rules.

If what you are saying about NOT combining anything except Visa points (which by the way we as Canadians cannot get) is true then enforce it.

 

I am sure at some point someone will post here saying "I was able to combine"and that is what will muddy the waters even more. Some agent at RCI will not have received 'the memo' and will put through combined perk.

 

I am waiting for that post so because of that even though I have a cruise booked in 2010 with Shareholder's credit, onboard booking and balcony discount I will not transfer it to another sailing at this point...things change.

 

I am disappointed with RCI but I am not ready to give up on this issue until we see it played out after Dec. 31/08

 

Emmy,

 

I totally agree with you. I'm not ready to give up on this issue either. As far as I'm concerned, RCCL is not giving anything extra to the P/D/D+ members. Instead of giving us some extra benefit, all they're doing is saying, "if you book a balcony or above, you can use the P/D balcony discount in place of any OBC you might be eligible for". So, it's not really a benefit in addition to, it's now in place of.

Patty

[Morecruisesplz]

Just curious, why should any of us think that this is the end of this issue. Patti got a totally different answer than you did, and to be quite frank, we all have had different answers depending to whom we've spoken to at RCI. Are your sources the final decision makers or do we once again have some RCI employees interpreting/guessing on the policy?

 

I'm sticking with Patti's answer. It's in writing!

[emmy]

I have a question ~ if I choose to use the $100. P/D/D+ balcony discount for a 7 day cruise and then a C&A coupon shows up for $150. do you think I can call RCI and ask to change the 'benefit' to use the one that is greater?

[beachbuddy]

I have a question ~ if I choose to use the $100. P/D/D+ balcony discount for a 7 day cruise and then a C&A coupon shows up for $150. do you think I can call RCI and ask to change the 'benefit' to use the one that is greater?

 

Hmmmmm, I won't even attempt to guess at that one! LOL If your cabin didn't go up in price, you could just cancel and rebook and use the coupon. I really have no idea how they will handle that, but it will probably depend on which rep you talk to........LOL

 

Patty

[lovetocruise99]

I still value all the information you provide/have provided.:)

 

Me too! Don't let a few whiners get you down.

[cruisenfever]

I have a question ~ if I choose to use the $100. P/D/D+ balcony discount for a 7 day cruise and then a C&A coupon shows up for $150. do you think I can call RCI and ask to change the 'benefit' to use the one that is greater?

Hi Emmy........yes I do believe that you can do that. You can take the higher of the two.

 

But then again............it's a matter of who you speak with on any given day at any given hour.:rolleyes:

 

I know that somewhere buried in one of these threads is a post that said if you have an OBC and one is greater than the other (Shareholder OBC is $250 for a 14+ cruise while an OBC from a NC/FC is $200) they will give you the higher of the two.

[FL_Cruiser64]

What I am seeing is that RCCL cannot make a decision and stay with it.

 

The decision was made. And they seem to stick with it. The problem is the same though as it is with most companies:

 

Each department in customer service just doesn't know about the other. Reservation doesn't know exactly what C & A offers, C & A is not fully informed what Investor Relations does and Investor Relation of course does not know all the extended benefits of C & A members.

 

Customer Relations people are usually trying to give you an answer on outdated policies, trying guess work or there are simple misunderstandings because of the terminology.

 

I.e. If you followed the early stages of the chart there was confusion about FC. On board of ships FutureCruise is shortened with FC, very much like NC stands for NextCruise. But you will be surprised when you call reservations and you utter the abbreviation FC. It is actually the abbreviation of Future Cruisecredit (RCI issued OBC for i.e. refunds, complaints etc). The FutureCruise program is mostly unknown to the average land based reservation agent because they never get involved in it. Even if you change that FutureCruise, a reservation agent does not know that it was booked onboard unless someone goes deeper into the reservation.

 

The e-mail address from Linda is a catch-all mail address, very much like our friend Mr Fitzgerald. E-mails are being distributed automatically through employees in that particular department.

 

Just like agoldstein@ or rfain@, Linda probably does exist but there is no person on earth who can answer thousands of e-mails on a daily basis so these e-mail addresses are catch-all. E-mails will be distributed through the department thus (see above): different answers with the same e-mail.

 

The chart was filled out by a regular normal person who is above regular customer service. You will never get to him unless you know his e-mail address or his extension. The guarantee that the chart was created correctly is given by the fact that even if he does not know the answer he will get it for me by contacting the correct department or simply tells me to contact person xyz (using him as reference). Through that person I climbed the ladder of ranks to get information. They are all real people not a catch-all e-mail address.

 

What bothers me though is not only the constant trashing of information given by certain people (Kewlguy went through it as well) but the dissing of people while not knowing that person. The person I deal with I know personally i.e. we met at Dolphins games etc. He is a stand-up guy and just because he asked me not to publicise his name does not give anybody the right to dismantle his integrity. Unfortuntately while defending him and the information he gave me an admin came down hard on me but let the attacks on him and the information provided stand (no Pattie, not you. You are a stand-up gal).

 

People act like they are looking for information but have nothing better to do then pitch one information against another information (based on biased towards CC members and/or what they like to hear) totally forgetting that

 

a) information can change

b) rather have more information than none

c) they should take every information they get and then act accordingly

 

I don't care what CCers say about me and if they take my info for granted or not (so far my track record is pretty good though) but when a friend of mine gets bashed in order to get back at me that's where it ends.

 

I decided to let the chart where it is eventhough it is only an 'interpretation' by me based on information from a lonely and lowly creep at RCI because it is already out there and I can easily modify it if neccessary.But in the future I stay away from all this information crap and just inform a few dear friends on CC so they can plan accordingly if I should hear something.

[beachbuddy]

FL Cruiser,

 

Your chart is very easy to follow and it's a big help so please continue to provide information. The only problem I have is really with the inconsistency that RCCL seems to have all the time. I don't agree with all the changes that they're making but I was very happy with the email that Patti had received. I thought it was a fair deal with them letting us use ONE OBC with the P/D/D+ balcony discount. Seemed to me that they would still be cutting back the OBC's but was still being fair to their loyal customers. But now it seems we are back at square one. I'm not happy about it but there's nothing I can do about it as an individual. I just wish they'd open their eyes and realize how their P/D/D+ customers feel about it.

 

Sorry if the moderators came down on you. But don't stop providing information here on the boards. That's what they're for.

 

Patty

[RJL58]

Fl CRUISER, thanks for all your info you have provided. I have six cruises booked until APR 2010 and have all DIA Share and OBC applied to them. If I didnt read these boards I dont think I would have known about the 31/12 cut off date and new rules....Keep up the good work :)

 

Patty, I too agree with you, maybe they will take a "relaxed" approach to DIA DISC and Share OBC and not enforce it. ;)

[FL_Cruiser64]

@CRUISEAHOLIC

@beachbuddy

 

Not about me. I can defend myself. I do have a boundary though. That boundary is:

- pets

- family

- friends and people I respect

 

Any attack - verbally or physically - on these groups I turn into a meanie. :D

 

I certainly can defend myself but hey, those who are dear to me? Heck no. I go bananas. :)

I turn into a stubborn, grumpy old man. :p

[truthandkeidy]

I am really enjoying all the valuable insights offered in this thread and look forward to seeing most of you again on another cruise. It is likely that, during this challenging economic environment, corporate has been testing the waters in search of whats most valuable to us before any final determinations are made. Capacity in relation to recent demand has driven the cost of cruising to ridiculously low levels. Our 14-day Brilliance ending last week was cheaper in a Grand Suite than our 7-day honeymoon on Song of Norway in an outside cabin 31 years ago. Our 8 hour exclusive flight was more expensive than the 14 day inclusive cruise. Due to all the OBC, I came home with more money than I left with.

 

Don't misunderstand, I too am disappointed with the changes, but things have got to change drastically and soon. The challenge befalling Royal and the entire industry is how to adequately reward its most loyal customer base without carelessly compromising its bottom line in the face of an increasingly deteriorating economic global climate. The recent unprecedented fed funds rate cut is a cue for how dire the global economy is actually in, and our industry must proactively do all it can to "stay aloat".:D

 

Enough ranting, back to this thread. Patti, your frequent updates are most appreciated and Ms Linda B is top notch. I have no doubt that the info she gave was accurate at the time on 12/19. Ironically, the PPS closed that day well over 100% from its recent intraday low of $5.97 on 11/21; just one month earlier. Back when our stock was in the $40's, many threads often lamented not buying post 9/11 when it dipped sub $5; wonder how much we've learned 7 years later? FlCruiser, loved your chart and the effort put into it. No doubt, there will be many chart amendments to come. Can't wait for the reunion and can certainly understand your "mega ship" aversion.

 

I think an interesting thread, if there isn't already one, could assist in the augmentation of non-monetary rewards to D/D+ members. One brilliant perk that sets this line apart from others and, thus far, keeps us very loyal: Concierge lounge. To you D+'ers, what did you do before CL?

 

Hope we can all proactively sharpen our personal economic pencils, even if the government refuses to do likewise (another tangent). Let's all put the cruising experience into perspective. Even after policies are changed, cruising will likely remain one of the most cost effective ways to have fun and see the world. Before you jump ship to another line, just realize that RCI is just doing what it takes to make sure we still have a ship to enjoy!

 

Meanwhile, Happy New Year to all and to all a Why Not!!:)

 

Keith