Clarification from RSSC Re: Use of Shipboard Credits

[LauraS]

Hello: We received the following information from RSSC. The information has been posted in its entirety. We have verified that this information was sent directly from RSSC.



LauraS
Cruise Critic


Clarification from RSSC regarding the use of Shipboard Credits

June 19, 2009

Dear Luxury Cruise Enthusiasts:

Recently, there have been numerous discussions on cruise chat boards about Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ policy regarding Shipboard Credits. I want to take a few moments to offer some clarity surrounding this discussion:

There are two types of Shipboard Credits:



Those that are issued by RSSC (either directly or through the rewards program of a travel partner) which are offered as a booking incentive or reward.




Those that are purchased on behalf of a client by their travel agent or other well wishers, and for which RSSC receives payment in advance.


Use of Shipboard Credits:



The first type of shipboard credit is a Non-Refundable Shipboard Credit which may only be used by guests while they are on board our vesselsand can be usedto pay for the following services:


· Boutique purchases
· Art purchases
· Spa services
· Medical expenses
· Internet and telephone expenses
· Shore excursions or other items from Destination Services booked on board
· Premium wines, liquors and cigars from the Connoisseur list
· Laundry and dry-cleaning services

A Non-Refundable Shipboard Credit cannot be traded in for Casino chips or cash advances.



The second type of Shipboard Credit (as described in #2 above) may be used for all purchases onboard as noted aboveand may also be used for cash advances. Any unused portion of a Refundable Shipboard Credit will be refunded in cash at the end of the cruise.


I hope this clarifies our policies on the use of shipboard credits and eliminates any confusion in regards to this matter.

Kind regards,

Mark Conroy, President

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Thanks for posting Laura

[poss]

Thank you, Laura-- very good of you to post the details. (Now if I could figure out which of those two our OBC is. Comes from our TA, but somehow I think it's the first sort, alas.)

[Travelcat2]

Thanks Laura. I only cringed once when I read the list -- "Art Purchases":rolleyes:

[hulaboi8]

This is really helpful since we have both kinds of cabin credit!




ote=LauraS;20074503]Hello: We received the following information from RSSC. The information has been posted in its entirety. We have verified that this information was sent directly from RSSC.



LauraS
Cruise Critic



Clarification from RSSC regarding the use of Shipboard Credits



June 19, 2009

Dear Luxury Cruise Enthusiasts:

Recently, there have been numerous discussions on cruise chat boards about Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ policy regarding Shipboard Credits. I want to take a few moments to offer some clarity surrounding this discussion:

There are two types of Shipboard Credits:



Those that are issued by RSSC (either directly or through the rewards program of a travel partner) which are offered as a booking incentive or reward.



Those that are purchased on behalf of a client by their travel agent or other well wishers, and for which RSSC receives payment in advance.

Use of Shipboard Credits:



The first type of shipboard credit is a Non-Refundable Shipboard Credit which may only be used by guests while they are on board our vesselsand can be usedto pay for the following services:

·Boutique purchases
·Art purchases
·Spa services
·Medical expenses
·Internet and telephone expenses
·Shore excursions or other items from Destination Services booked on board
·Premium wines, liquors and cigars from the Connoisseur list
·Laundry and dry-cleaning services

A Non-Refundable Shipboard Credit cannot be traded in for Casino chips or cash advances.



The second type of Shipboard Credit (as described in #2 above) may be used for all purchases onboard as noted aboveand may also be used for cash advances. Any unused portion of a Refundable Shipboard Credit will be refunded in cash at the end of the cruise.

I hope this clarifies our policies on the use of shipboard credits and eliminates any confusion in regards to this matter.

Kind regards,

Mark Conroy, President[/quote]

[oldcruiser59]

Dear Mark Conroy: RE SHIPBOARD CREDIT AND SHORE EXCURSIONS

As it relates to use of shipboard credit for shore excursions, this policy operates as a complete fraud and misrepresentation of the scads of shipboard credit being offered to lure customers for use for shore excursions. Most of the shore excursions are already sold out by the time one boards the ship, so the only way one can use the shipboard credit for excursions is to roll the dice and risk an unhappy travel partner (wife!) when the preferred (or any) excursions are gone and the only ones left are...FREE! The flimsy explanation given to my agent and alluded to above is something to the effect that there is some risk to RSSC in allowing "use" of the credit before one boards. Hmmm. Someone needs to explain that to me. I've already paid for my cruise in August, in full, so what risk is there to RSSC in my using the credit for excursions? If I cancel, it's not like I'm going to sneak on the excursion half-way around the globe. ABSURD. It's to sucker you into the cruise and then make the credit utterly useless for excursions. So PLEASE - just tell the truth. Had I known, I would have gone Crystal, as per usual. So much for trying out RSSC. Makes RSSC look slimey.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Hear hear. Listening, Mr. Conroy?

[breezepark]

This is an extremely helpful clarification of policy, and not unreasonable. Unfortunately, it should be posted on RSSC's web site and explained by TA's PRIOR to customer bookings so people don't expect one thing and get another. Personally, I am looking forward to spending my shipboard credit on other things than shore excursions :)

[PaulaJK]

I,too, hope that Regent will post this information on its web site.
Since I know other cruise lines sometimes offer credits to be used on board and since I have stayed at hotels that have done the same for their facility, I do not find this concept so alienating. However, the current inclusion/ ? reduced fees for excursions seem to have muddied the waters and I,along with many of you, believe that excursions should be able to be paid for with 'credits'. The actual logistics of this would seem to need to be worked out due to pre-booking.

Most folks, I suspect, don't plan on spending $1000-1600 while on board...so the division of the credits into these two categories will need to be ascertained via TA in advance. I do understand why Regent would not wish to simply hand over the 'promo' cash....at the same time, I hope that Mr. Conroy understands that pax who routinely lose credits are going to feel deceived and taken.

[Dreps]

It's all well and good to say one can use the credits for other things than shore excursions, but on a 7-day port-intensive Baltics cruise that is easier said than done. We really have no interest in spending $300-$400 on expensive wines, the spa, or in the botique in this situation.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well, considering how pricey the spa is, not too hard. I admit the port intensity makes it tougher, but a nice massage or two after a day of touring, and the money will be gone!

[cruiseej]

Well, considering how pricey the spa is, not too hard. I admit the port intensity makes it tougher, but a nice massage or two after a day of touring, and the money will be gone!

Wendy, I guess this is similar to the discussions earlier this year about free excursions: if you want them, then it's a great benefit, but if you don't, you feel like you're getting ripped off. I don't use the spa, and my wife usually doesn't because she finds the prices too high, so getting an onboard credit that we could use at the spa would be annoying. Yes, my wife would probably use the spa or we'd get some fancy bottle of wine to use up the credit, but we'd feel like that was money we could have used for some other aspect of our trip that we were forfeiting.

-- Eric

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Of course Eric, I'm annoyed too. It's just that a $300 credit, which is the most we've gotten so far, is no biggy. I also think the prices in the spa are outrageous, but if I'm forced to use it, I don't mind! In fact, since we live in the frozen north, I often wait until I'm on board to have a pedicure, even though I could get one at home for a fraction of the price.

[Pam]

I'm having a problem with understanding all this angst.

I book a cruise because I want to go "there" on "that ship", and am completely aware up front of what I am paying for that cruise. I don't book it because "xyz" is supposedly "paying" me $300 for being on the cruise.

Amex Platinum has this same agreement with several other cruiselines. Do those cruiselines treat the OBC in a different way? Do they let you have the cash? I'm asking honestly, because I haven't cruised on any of those other lines and I'm just trying to understand why Regent is 100% the bad guy.

I can hope to use my OBC/SBC in some other way on our next cruise than what we used it for on our last cruise; my husband's infirmary bill. But I betcha I can find a way to spend it.

[sevenseassailor]

I tend to agree with OldCruiser59 above. If your cruise is paid for, then why can't you use the OBC for excursions. I had meeting with my TA and Regent's area marketing rep. I expressed my disappointment that the $1000 OBC I received for 2010 WC could not be used when booking excursions. She said she would bring this to attention of "higher ups" at Regent. Now I have $500 OBC for July 1st Alaska cruise. I booked only the "free" excursions in Alaska. Will roll dice with trying to book "pay for" excursions onboard. Easier to spend the $1000 on 119 day cruise. I am not complaining since any OBC is better than none!!!

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Pam, searched the other lux line forums and Crystal, SS, SB, all allow OBC to be used
for excursions (could not find a post about limiting the OBC to excursions booked on board for these lines..maybe someone knows). You did add another option to use
OBC for (Ship's Doctor--hopefully not) other OBC usages I read about from other forums, are using OBC for a crew party or donating to the crew welfare fund.

[PaulaJK]

Pam

Sometimes the 300$ is only a portion of the OBC, the remainer coming from the cruise line as a promo or from your TA as a promo. While I wouldn't feel like wasting $300, I would really object to $1000. Nor would I like feeling that I had to go to the spa or order priced wine. I remain strongly supportive of being able to utilize promo OBC for excursions.This option would eliminate the 'angst' for most of the people, most of the time. If excursions and desired special features do not soak up [soory, couldn't think of a better term] the OBC, then people are likely to feel annoyed/frustrated/deceived,etc.

We all make choices in cruising...and this policy may point folks in another direction.

[Pam]

The $300 is all we have ever gotten, and we haven't sailed since this new excursion thing took effect. Our next cruise is still too far in the future to even think about excursions, so obviously haven't looked.

I'd rather not use the credit for doctor either, but we did send out some laundry and I would have absolutely no problem spending $300 in the boutique. I yearned for a pair of sunglasses that I would in NO way pay for, but if we hadn't already used the OBC (different cruise, we used that one for excursions) I might have thought about spending the free money. Back in the olden days before we attained Silver, it was nice to have the money to use toward internet service. And couldn't we use it to have caviar every night if we wanted to? I could live with that. I'm very inventive when it comes to ways to spend money

[DebbieH103]

Just because a cruise is paid in full does not mean the passenger is going. Any agent that has been around a while can site many a story of the people that cancelled hours before departure. Perhaps the cruiseline could come forth when the trip is in 100% penalty or something of that nature.

At any rate, I do think buyers need to look into any promo offer in detail and know what they are getting, though the need to do so certainly may not be obvious.

I really think Regent still has growing pains with the whole excursion business and there is no intent to deceive. Those that are really upset should contact the line direct as well as posting here.

[llorear]

LauraS, thanks for posting the OBC information.

As this will be our 1st Mariner cruise, 08/12-19, & we have $500 OBC can someone tell me what is the boutique like that is mentioned in the original post? We have already booked & paid for our shore excursions, most of which now are full.

Thanks

[Island Cruiser]

In explaining the onboard credit policy Mr. Conroy used the word "incentive." For us, by essentially excluding shore excursions as a purchase option Regnet has eliminated any "incentive" to book this perk offers since the only significant cash we spend onboard is on shore excursions. If a "perk" lowers the net cost of a trip for us it is, indeed, an incentive to book. This perk is not an incentive at all. We'll spend the credit of course but on purchases we otherwise wouldn't make. Regent will be wasting money on us!

[MtnDriver]

in explaining the onboard credit policy mr. Conroy used the word "incentive." for us, by essentially excluding shore excursions as a purchase option regent has eliminated any "incentive" to book this perk offers since the only significant cash we spend onboard is on shore excursions. If a "perk" lowers the net cost of a trip for us it is, indeed, an incentive to book. This perk is not an incentive at all. We'll spend the credit of course but on purchases we otherwise wouldn't make. Regent will be wasting money on us!

amen!

[Travelcat2]

In explaining the onboard credit policy Mr. Conroy used the word "incentive." For us, by essentially excluding shore excursions as a purchase option Regnet has eliminated any "incentive" to book this perk offers since the only significant cash we spend onboard is on shore excursions. If a "perk" lowers the net cost of a trip for us it is, indeed, an incentive to book. This perk is not an incentive at all. We'll spend the credit of course but on purchases we otherwise wouldn't make. Regent will be wasting money on us!

Could not agree more!!!!!

[cruiseej]

I would have absolutely no problem spending $300 in the boutique. I yearned for a pair of sunglasses that I would in NO way pay for, but if we hadn't already used the OBC (different cruise, we used that one for excursions) I might have thought about spending the free money.

I guess that's my problem with this policy -- I can't think of it as "free money", I think of it as my money. ;) And I wouldn't be happy "wasting" $300 or $500 or more on overpriced items in the boutique, a spa we don't want to use, laundry that can easily wait 'til we get home, or wine or caviar I wouldn't pay for if I was spending my own money.

Hopefully Regent will get enough feedback on this to eventually change the policy to allow OBCs to be used for book-in-advance excursions.

-- Eric

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yes Eric, you're right. I pay for the Amex Plat card precisely so that I get the $300 credit. If I can't use this credit for legitimate expenses, I will cancel it. Probably keep it this year, use it on my December cruise, collect my points, transfer them to my favourite air collector, then next year, cancel it. And use my credit at the spa just this once (all those sea days!). Or maybe they'll have a nice golf shirt for sale in the gift shop! :D

[cruiseej]

Or maybe they'll have a nice golf shirt for sale in the gift shop! :D

Just as long as no one wears it to dinner -- oops, wrong controversy! ;)

-- Eric

[Ka Honu]

I have over $1,000 SBC for Alaska in September, all our excursions are booked and paid for, and I have no idea what all this controversy is about. People seem to be forgetting they're on vacation and should be pampering themselves. No matter whose money it is, it's there. Consider it a "bonus" and use it to enhance your trip.

We treat ourselves to services we wouldn't "normally" use and goods we might not ordinarily purchase. Isn't that the point of taking a vacation on a luxury cruise line?

Let someone else do your laundry!

Have (or treat your spouse to) that expensive massage!

Buy some nice gifts!

Upgrade to a fine wine!

Make the most of your cruise/vacation experience and quit whining!

[Dreps]

I'm with you Wendy. If we can't use the Shipboard Credits for either pre-paid excursions or, better yet, onboard bookings for future cruises, I will be canceling my AMX Platinium card. I primarily got the card for its cruise credits.

As I've said elsewhere, I think it is ridiculous that in this economic climate, Regent doesn't think it is sound company policy to allow its clients to use a few hundred dollars in Shipboard Credits toward a future cruise costing thousands of dollars. It is not as if we can just cancel the cruise and receive cash back. At a minimum we would lose $200.

[Pam]

Okay, maybe this is the difference; we had the Amex Platinum card for years before we ever even knew about any cruise benefits. We got it for far different reasons, and still have it for those reasons. I guess that's why I look at the onboard credit as "free money".

Oh, and when I contributed to the crew welfare fund, they charged it to our account as a cash advance, and then took the actual cash out of the money box and put it into an envelope for the fund. So if they won't let you use it as a cash advance for the casino, I'm betting you can't use it as a cash advance for anything else.

[verdl]

I guess that's my problem with this policy -- I can't think of it as "free money", I think of it as my money. ;) And I wouldn't be happy "wasting" $300 or $500 or more on overpriced items in the boutique, a spa we don't want to use, laundry that can easily wait 'til we get home, or wine or caviar I wouldn't pay for if I was spending my own money.

Hopefully Regent will get enough feedback on this to eventually change the policy to allow OBCs to be used for book-in-advance excursions.

-- Eric

Second that!

[LOGHL]

[QUOTE=Ka Honu;20103155][FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][COLOR=Blue][B]I have over $1,000 SBC for Alaska in September, all our excursions are booked and paid for, and I have no idea what all this controversy is about. People seem to be forgetting they're on vacation and should be pampering themselves. No matter whose money it is, it's there. Consider it a "bonus" and use it to enhance your trip.

We treat ourselves to services we wouldn't "normally" use and goods we might not ordinarily purchase. Isn't that the point of taking a vacation on a luxury cruise line?

Let someone else do your laundry!

Have (or treat your spouse to) that expensive massage!

Buy some nice gifts!

Upgrade to a fine wine!



I AGREE WITH YOU 1,000 PERCENT......... IT'S MONEY THAT YOU DIDN'T WORK FOR.....HOW GREAT IS THAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PaulaJK]

I believe that the 'money you didn't work for' is factored into the tariff. There is no free lunch!

[Ebonybombshell]

I believe that the 'money you didn't work for' is factored into the tariff. There is no free lunch!

I agree that there is no free lunch...but I have no issue for paying upfront for the excursions, even though I wish that wasn't the case, however I do know the cruiselines are moving towards that b/c of the amount of people filing up excursions and then bailing...b/c of that fact I understand.......

Middle ground would be to pay upfront and have a simple system of switching to your OBC on board OR even once your excusrion is completed. Winner Winner Chicken dinner all around....

Lastly, in a way it is free money...most people don't get huge OBC's...especially $1000 or more and they are still paying the same fare..and in some cases more. My TA got me a slightly lower fare and $400 OBC so I switched to her....I WAS disappointed about the excursions, but bottom line, I was going anyway.....I'll try to work it out on the ship if not...well I'd never order a bottle of DOM in my "real" life....but maybe in Alaska I will :p And if any of you simply can't spend your OBC on my sailing...I volunteer my services! My mom raised me to be both helpful and thoughtful :D

P.S. If anyone does get the ship credit switched out..please come back and let us know the details. Thank you...

[Wendy The Wanderer]

The Amex Plat credit is not free money, unless you are like Pam and have the card for other reasons. I get the card for the $300 credit, period.

[Leejnd4]

Pam, searched the other lux line forums and Crystal, SS, SB, all allow OBC to be used
for excursions (could not find a post about limiting the OBC to excursions booked on board for these lines..maybe someone knows).

Wes, you are correct that OBC's are not limited from use on excursions on other lines. Crystal in particular is doing something similar in terms of giving huge OBC's - they have a promotion they call "As You Wish" which gives passengers as much as $2000 per cabin in OBC - but you can use it however you want. In fact, I'm using all of mine on an excursion to Moscow on my Baltics cruise next week.

Just to comment on those who consider this "free money" - not being someone who is rolling in the dough, but wanting to get the most luxury cruise experience possible for my hard-earned money, I factor ALL financial aspects into my cruise decision, including incentives. I'm looking for not only the best experience, but the best value. I'm currently evaluating cruises for 2010, and didn't realize until I saw this thread that Regent doesn't allow you to use their incentive OBC's on excursions! That was a bit of a shock, and will definitely factor into my comparisons. As an all-inclusive line, I don't see any way to spend a generous OBC, except on things that I wouldn't ordinarily purchase - and then it's not a cost savings at all.

I too hope that Regent hears the outcry, and changes their policy. There are a few 2010 itineraries that are looking really attractive to me, but if the value isn't there, then they'll be out of the running.

[Dreps]

Just an update on a conversation with AMX Platinum I had today. Yesterday, I called AMX on another matter and they always ask is there anything else, and I brought up the issue of the $300 cruise credits and Regent's policy, despite the new inclusive excursions now available on most remaining 2009 and all 2010 cruises. The representative told me that someone would get back to me, and much to my surprise they did already today.

The person with whom I spoke understood pretty well what the issues were and said they would provide feedback to the relevant department. I think this is really more a Regent issue than an AMX issue. Nevertheless, I don't think it will hurt if people who feel as I do that their primary reason of having a Platinum card is for the cruise benefits let AMX know that this situation may precipitate a large number of card cancellations. Perhaps AMX won't care, since this card does not result in late fee income for AMX--just high annual fee income. I occasionally have used the Platinum card for obtaining event tickets, but the 2-for-1 first/business class air is usually a waste, and AMX canceled the 2-for-1 domestic air program, which actually was worthwhile sometimes. None of these uses is sufficient for me to keep the card.

My personal opinion is that if Regent would just let us use the Shipboard Credits for onboard bookings, I'd be relatively satisfied.

By the way, just to comment on the last post, one can certainly use them for excursions, but only for those booked onboard--not in advance. And we who are not risk takers are not going to wait until we're onboard to book those we really want. Furthermore, I do not want to play the game of canceling once onboard and rebooking.

[Leejnd4]

By the way, just to comment on the last post, one can certainly use them for excursions, but only for those booked onboard--not in advance. And we who are not risk takers are not going to wait until we're onboard to book those we really want. Furthermore, I do not want to play the game of canceling once onboard and rebooking.

I fully agree. We've pre-booked all of our excursions on our upcoming Baltics cruise, and many of them are now sold out. I like to know what I'm going to do in each port well before boarding. So this doesn't solve the problem for me, and other "planners" like me.

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

LeeAnne, thanks for the OBC update..and Fair Winds and Following seas for
your Baltic Cruise..

r/wes

[Leejnd4]

Thanks Wes! I'm back to posting on this board as I'm in "search" mode for our next cruise, and looking at a few Regent itineraries. This board always has the latest and greatest info, so here I am, lookin' for it...and sure enough I found some critical info in here!