2018/19 Deployment On Sale 30 May 2017

Yeah................RCL have finally announced that 2018/19 cruises will now go on sale on 30 May 2017.

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com.au/media/pdf/reports/170522_RCI_201819_ProgramRelease_FA_Consumer_AU.pdf

Transpacific booking here I come :D

Already booked mariner ots .singapore to Miami then east and west caribbean b5b😉

I'm contemplating the Auckland to Melbourne sailing on Radiance. Never been to NZ, and after a couple of cruises on Voyager class, my next cruise on Ovation, it would be a completely different experience on Radiance.

Will flag it with my TA when I next catch up with her and plan on getting a decent deal at the Next Cruise desk on Ovation.

The site seems very glitchy. The balcony upgrade offer does not seem to be available once you click on the booking and go through. On some cruises there are no balconies at all available. Another cruise wanted to add gratuities for $250+. Very glitchy, which is not unusual for RCI. Not finding much to entice me to book, but I was kinda looking forward to booking something ....

Booked a South Pacific and Fiji cruise for March 2019. Back in an interior with virtual balcony. The $700 saved as opposed to a balcony room will (almost) cover the drinks package.

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We booked for Auckland to Sydney 24 Jan '19 on Radiance. Balcony at a price we're happy with.

Actually booked at one price and then found the website showed our reservation price as higher. Called RC and actually got it cheaper than it was originally.

We plan to spend several days in NZ pre-cruise.

It seems so long away :)

We have booked Explorer for NYE 2018.

We are going on RCI for the first time, Voyager in November - can anyone help me with the cost of the drinks package??

I believe that the gratutities are now included in the fare.

Am a bit worried with the USD as some 'pundits' are suggesting that the A$ is going to drop to somewhere between 61-68 cents. Perhaps should get some US cash now and take on board to put on our account.

Many thanks for any thoughts and advice

Judy

We are going on RCI for the first time, Voyager in November - can anyone help me with the cost of the drinks package??

 

I believe that the gratutities are now included in the fare.

 

Am a bit worried with the USD as some 'pundits' are suggesting that the A$ is going to drop to somewhere between 61-68 cents. Perhaps should get some US cash now and take on board to put on our account.

 

Many thanks for any thoughts and advice

 

Judy

Hi Judy

Yes all grats are included in our prices that you see. Gotta love Australian Consumer laws.

Purchase your drinks package through the Cruise Planner before you go. The cruises I've done they work out to about $65-$70 a day for the all inclusive package, and that works out to be around 6 alcoholic drinks per day. You will also have juices, bottled water, soft drinks, coffees included with this. Buying on board will be about $60 USD a day, so the exchange rate screws you over there.

Prices do vary from ship to ship and sailing to sailing onboard the same ship, so it is impossible to tell how much it will cost you.

Exchange rate, that's a hard one to work on (My previous job was as a Foreign Exchange Currency Specialist). All I do is put my Amex card on the room and go from there. Even with the international currency conversion fee on the card I still come out much better than if I was to get USD and pay in cash. Check your bank for fees and charges before you do this though. Do not rely on a pre-paid currency card as not all ships accept them, especially if your name is not embossed on the card.

I take the local currency cash for the islands that I'm going to. Small islands don't have ATMs, and where there are the ATM withdrawal fees internationally from your bank could be horrendous. You've been warned. [emoji13]

Oh, if you setup a cash account you'll have to stand in the long line at Guest Services on the final day/night to pay it off. Once done they will close the account and you can't purchase any more on board. Credit card backed account lets you go right through without any dramas though

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Many thanks for your detailed reply.

Yes,I will look into the drinks package and as it is only a short cruise, will just put up with whatever the exchange rate is - can't stand queues!!

Thanks again

We are going on RCI for the first time, Voyager in November - can anyone help me with the cost of the drinks package??

 

I believe that the gratutities are now included in the fare.

 

Am a bit worried with the USD as some 'pundits' are suggesting that the A$ is going to drop to somewhere between 61-68 cents. Perhaps should get some US cash now and take on board to put on our account.

 

Many thanks for any thoughts and advice

 

Judy

We were on Voyager in April and pre purchased the drinks package on line for $68AUD. If purchased on board it was $65USD so there is quite a saving to be made. Drinks on board were very very expensive if purchased individually in $USD. You do not have to be a huge drinker to get value from the package especially if you factor in specialty coffees and bottled water. I just use my Australian credit card for the shipboard account and wear the conversion rate whatever it may be. Even with a pre paid travel card in $USD you can't avoid a conversion fee somewhere along the line.

Am a bit worried with the USD as some 'pundits' are suggesting that the A$ is going to drop to somewhere between 61-68 cents. Perhaps should get some US cash now and take on board to put on our account.

 

Many thanks for any thoughts and advice

 

Judy

Your guess is as good as mine, if you are really worried about it, buying some US may be a good investment.

The main package was around $67.90 AUD when pre-purchased but $65 USD when purchased on board last January.

I'm looking at either a 9 or 11 day South Pacific cruise in October/November last year (avoiding school holidays like the plague!). Hoping to take advantage of the free balcony upgrade - I'm not sure it's a great saving, and it's a guarantee balcony so we don't get to choose our room, but anyway, the price is reasonable and about what I wanted to pay anyway. My TA is sorting it all out. It seems so far in advance but then time flies!

Must be a typo but if not it will be much easier to get one for later this year or even next year. :p

Must be a typo but if not it will be much easier to get one for later this year or even next year. :p

Oops! Next year! :D

 

Yes all grats are included in our prices that you see. Gotta love Australian Consumer laws.

'Australian Consumer Laws' require that pricing includes all costs that are compulsory, so in this case, in addition to the actual cruise fare itself, the advertised fare must include taxes and fees. Non-compulsory T&G's do not need to be included in the advertised fare & the recent change by RC to 'include' these had nought to do with any laws, but was a business decision based on their on-going experience with local cruisers.

Strangely, it seems that these same laws don't apply to airfares! Or rental cars, or ......

Am a bit worried with the USD as some 'pundits' are suggesting that the A$ is going to drop to somewhere between 61-68 cents. Perhaps should get some US cash now and take on board to put on our account.

Not sure I would worry too much about what some pundits may be saying - the drop to 60c has been around for a while now.

Options for paying your on-board account include:

- buy US$ cash ahead of time, at prevailing Fx rate & whatever fees at incurred and use this to pay your bill, either ahead of time ie early in the cruise, or near the end. A good option is to pay off your account (in US$ cash) on 2nd last day, and just have the final small balance covered by your cc

- just use your 'local' credit card and wear the applicable Fx rate - make sure you select to let your bank (an not RC) do the transaction. Some on here have reported that they have used cc's without transaction fees to save on the fee, but I have no experience but others on here can assist

- buy on-board credit [OBC] from RC ahead of cruise. Not sure of current rate, but last report was at 77c, which is probably 5c better than you will get on cash exchange

- use a pre-loaded travel money card with US$ on it

- just pay cash in $A on board prior to disembarkation - worst option money wise

Trust this assists.

'Australian Consumer Laws' require that pricing includes all costs that are compulsory, so in this case, in addition to the actual cruise fare itself, the advertised fare must include taxes and fees. Non-compulsory T&G's do not need to be included in the advertised fare & the recent change by RC to 'include' these had nought to do with any laws, but was a business decision based on their on-going experience with local cruisers.

 

Strangely, it seems that these same laws don't apply to airfares! Or rental cars, or ......

I agree, more to do with making sure they keep in line with competitors that were already doing it.

Rental car companies really get me with all the additions that you seem to have to sign up to.

I just booked the 5 day ovation of the seas to Tasmania in November 2018.

Not sure it was a great price but really wanted to try ovation, booked directly with RCCL so now I watch prices to see if I can do any better!

I noticed some of the online agents had guarantee cabins yet RCCL did not, still managed to get the BOGO and free balcony upgrade though.