55+, military, and EMS discounts Question

I have had my cruise booked for a year almost. I saw that someone on my Roll Call got a Military Discount. I called my TA and asked them to check on the discount for me. Now I have caught my TA being l;azy before and this is the last time I am using them, but they said that I could not have the discount unless I cancelled my ressie and re-booked the cabin at the now higher rate. (Is now $600 more than when I booked it ) Last cruise when they offered an EMS discount to me right before the cruise, they just took a set sum off of my final payment and gave me the discount. Help me understand how it is supposed to be ?

If your cruise is March 30, you are beyond final payment date, and not eligible for price drops.

If your cruise is March 30, you are beyond final payment date, and not eligible for price drops.

It was a few months ago. I have just had bad dealings with this TA. I didn't know when I bought my NCC it would be put in their name. I have a timeshare and it is the company that does the exchanges for me. Last cruise in April, I traded part of my timeshare week for a discount on the cruise. I got a $200 discount, per cabin, for up to 8 cabins. My friends got the discount also. I had to pat a $ 190 exchange fee. Long story short, friends got a better deal than I did and I didn't have the heart to ask them to split it with me. This cruise the NCC will be left open to allow me to search disserent avenues. Hopefully I can find a good TA with some good perks to offer.

If it was before your final payment date your TA should have just had RCL adjust your rate.

This probably doesn't apply, but to be clear: "discounts" are off of the current rate. So if you had previously booked at $500 and the current rate is $600-50 (military discount), the new effective rate is $550 and you would not be eligible for a price drop.

This probably doesn't apply, but to be clear: "discounts" are off of the current rate. So if you had previously booked at $500 and the current rate is $600-50 (military discount), the new effective rate is $550 and you would not be eligible for a price drop.

Wrong!

Discount rates (Sr, Military, etc.) can be applied to any reservation regardless of the rate or when you booked.

Not within final payment though

Wrong!

Discount rates (Sr, Military, etc.) can be applied to any reservation regardless of the rate or when you booked.

Not within final payment though

You are correct. We have had discount (Military Sr. or resident) off many cruises. The discount was taken off the rate we booked at.

I am a little confused by the statement that Sr, Vets, etc discounts can be applied to any cruise. When I am looking for a cruise on-line, and do not check off the different discounts there are more cruises shown. Sometimes when I check off a Sr, or Residency discount the cruise that I was looking at is not shown. In other words, not all cruises offer all the different itineraries. Am I wrong about this.

I just did a mock booking for a Feb 2015 Caribbean Cruise without choosing a certain ship to sail on. Check out the results below.

 

 

When I did not check off ANY discounts it displayed 35 choices.

 

 

When I checked off the Senior discount it displayed 9 choices.

 

 

When I checked off a State discount it displayed 11 choices.

 

 

When I checked off a Military discount it displayed 14 choices.

 

 

So doesn't this mean that not all cruises offer the same discounted offers?

...So doesn't this mean that not all cruises offer the same discounted offers?

You are correct, not all sailings (or categories) are available with discounts.

And to add on, these are not really discounts. They are military, senior and/or resident rates.

 

It is not like a discount where you get a % off the published rate.

I am a little confused by the statement that Sr, Vets, etc discounts can be applied to any cruise. When I am looking for a cruise on-line, and do not check off the different discounts there are more cruises shown. Sometimes when I check off a Sr, or Residency discount the cruise that I was looking at is not shown. In other words, not all cruises offer all the different itineraries. Am I wrong about this.

 

We have yet to receive a Senior discount on a RCCL cruise even though we book through RCCL AND do look on-line before we call! :o

And to add on, these are not really discounts. They are military, senior and/or resident rates.

 

It is not like a discount where you get a % off the published rate.

I totally AGREE with molly361. These are SPECIAL RATES; they are NOT discounts. You may combine these Special Rates with a discount such as C&A Certificates; if it was a discount you could not combine. More often than not I do get a 55+ Special Rate and am able to combine it with a Shareholder OBC or Future Cruise Certificate (neither of which is combinable with a discount). Special Rates, Discounts etc are offered on cruises that are selling poorly; if you have to sail at peak times they will be few an far between.

 

Thom

We had a $140pp Military price reduction on our upcoming cruise in May and it appeared a week prior to final. So a quick phone call to our TA and she got us the lower cruise fare.

 

When we got our new Confirmation Invoice, the cruise fare for our JS had gone up since we booked back in 2012. This higher cruise fare was then adjusted by a higher price reduction so that when all was said and done, it still came out to $140pp.:eek: Kind of a strange way of booking keeping.

 

The cost of our Cruise Care also went down and we lost $25 in our balcony discount, but we still saved in the end.

You are correct. We have had discount (Military Sr. or resident) off many cruises. The discount was taken off the rate we booked at.

 

Ok that's interesting. That is completely the opposite experience that I've ever had.

This probably doesn't apply, but to be clear: "discounts" are off of the current rate. So if you had previously booked at $500 and the current rate is $600-50 (military discount), the new effective rate is $550 and you would not be eligible for a price drop.

 

That was also my understanding. We booked directly w/RCI and had a couple of reduced rates. The day before final payment there were new rates. We ended with a total savings of $270 for our cruise. The RCI certified planners were great whenever we called.

I am watching the military rate on a cruise I am booked on.

Currently is only offered on a couple of the inside cabin categories.

 

Same sailing: has a handful of residency rates for different states.

 

Same sailing: over 55 rate.

 

It is all about helping them to sell the cabins.

 

A few years ago, I did get a super military rate on a suite.

Many, many hundreds of dollars.

And it was right before sailing.

Rules have changed since then and not sure if that would ever happen again.

Ok put me in the "confused" category.

I am eligible for senior, resident, military, and interline (airline) rates. I use the most advantageous. Interline is not combinable with C & A discount. The others are. But, after final payment, if the price drops, it is my understanding that you can't get a refund of the difference anymore. Am I incorrect in that assumption?

As for the "discount," it depends. I booked Rhapsody on a regular rate. After final payment the price of the JS on Interline was $300 less than my balcony. So I called my TA and asked to do a straight upgrade as I believed I couldn't get the new rate. Then I found out that Interline is not combinable with Future Cruise booking. However after my TA argued the point, they agreed that if I lost the $100 OBC, obviously a good deal for me and the work of a great TA. Anyway, a week later the JS Interline rate was $300 more than the previous week. So, my point, the rate is not a "discount" per se, but a rate. If you go on RCI and run a mock booking without the discount eligibility selected, you can see the current "going rate." If you decide to change, you get the "current rate," not a "discount." Most often my D+ balcony discount of $250 is better than the Interline rate. Add to that the $100 OBC, and the Interline rate needs to be over $350 per cabin below the non-restricted rate. It is very complicated, too complicated in my opinion. We about got "bit" by the change to the JS. We didn't know that the Future Cruise was not combinable with the Interline rate. So we gave up a corner aft balcony on an Alaska cruise for a corner aft JS. Then we were being told we couldn't use the interline rate to upgrade (even if it was less than we paid). The non-restricted rate was way more and I didn't want to pay it. So it looked like I was going to have to go back to the Balcony, but my previous "primo" cabin was gone! As I said, I have a great TA. She worked with Resolutions to get them to agree to drop the $100 OBC and let us do an upgrade (effectively make it a non Future Cruise booking). Upgrading to a JS for only $100 loss of OBC was a great deal for me, even though I did pay $300 per person more for the JS than I would have if I had been able to get the going "interline rate." So, I repeat, am I incorrect in the assumption that once final payment is made RCI will not refund to a lower rate? Anyone else confused?

Ok put me in the "confused" category.

I am eligible for senior, resident, military, and interline (airline) rates. I use the most advantageous. Interline is not combinable with C & A discount. The others are. But, after final payment, if the price drops, it is my understanding that you can't get a refund of the difference anymore. Am I incorrect in that assumption?

As for the "discount," it depends. I booked Rhapsody on a regular rate. After final payment the price of the JS on Interline was $300 less than my balcony. So I called my TA and asked to do a straight upgrade as I believed I couldn't get the new rate. Then I found out that Interline is not combinable with Future Cruise booking. However after my TA argued the point, they agreed that if I lost the $100 OBC, obviously a good deal for me and the work of a great TA. Anyway, a week later the JS Interline rate was $300 more than the previous week. So, my point, the rate is not a "discount" per se, but a rate. If you go on RCI and run a mock booking without the discount eligibility selected, you can see the current "going rate." If you decide to change, you get the "current rate," not a "discount." Most often my D+ balcony discount of $250 is better than the Interline rate. Add to that the $100 OBC, and the Interline rate needs to be over $350 per cabin below the non-restricted rate. It is very complicated, too complicated in my opinion. We about got "bit" by the change to the JS. We didn't know that the Future Cruise was not combinable with the Interline rate. So we gave up a corner aft balcony on an Alaska cruise for a corner aft JS. Then we were being told we couldn't use the interline rate to upgrade (even if it was less than we paid). The non-restricted rate was way more and I didn't want to pay it. So it looked like I was going to have to go back to the Balcony, but my previous "primo" cabin was gone! As I said, I have a great TA. She worked with Resolutions to get them to agree to drop the $100 OBC and let us do an upgrade (effectively make it a non Future Cruise booking). Upgrading to a JS for only $100 loss of OBC was a great deal for me, even though I did pay $300 per person more for the JS than I would have if I had been able to get the going "interline rate." So, I repeat, am I incorrect in the assumption that once final payment is made RCI will not refund to a lower rate? Anyone else confused?

 

You got it.:)

 

No refunds after final payment for whatever reason.

 

Yes all the military, seniors, interline are rates and not discounts. Theses, if available, will be different for every cruise. It's not a set % that they take off.

 

BTW great deal on the JS. I have also had them remove the OBC from a NCC booking to take advantage of a better rate.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Ourusualbeach

Wrong!

Discount rates (Sr, Military, etc.) can be applied to any reservation regardless of the rate or when you booked.

Not within final payment though

 

Though Senior, Military discounts etc can be applied to any reservation regardless if the rate or when book it needs to be note that these types of discount come and go and are generally offered only on selected cabin categories. Because they come and go whether booked through a TA or RCCL directly I check regularly ( prior to final payment) for any discounts Apparently OP did not do that an trusted his/her TA would do so and it's too late now.

Edited March 23, 2014 by xxoocruiser

Though Senior, Military discounts etc can be applied to any reservation regardless if the rate or when book it needs to be note that these types of discount come and go and are generally offered only on selected cabin categories. Because they come and go whether booked through a TA or RCCL directly I check regularly ( prior to final payment) for any discounts Apparently OP did not do that an trusted his/her TA would do so and it's too late now.

Actually, I did not get any 55+ or resident discount when I booked because it wasn't offered then. When they finally offered it, I called TA and asked for them to check and see if could could get a discount applied to the fare that I booked at, because the current fare in total is more than when I paid for cruise. TA said they could not get me the discount unless I cancelled and rebooked at current rate. No deal there.

Actually, I did not get any 55+ or resident discount when I booked because it wasn't offered then. When they finally offered it, I called TA and asked for them to check and see if could could get a discount applied to the fare that I booked at, because the current fare in total is more than when I paid for cruise. TA said they could not get me the discount unless I cancelled and rebooked at current rate. No deal there.

It's not like a coupon where you just subtract it from your current booked cost.

Though Senior, Military discounts etc can be applied to any reservation regardless if the rate or when book it needs to be note that these types of discount come and go and are generally offered only on selected cabin categories. Because they come and go whether booked through a TA or RCCL directly I check regularly ( prior to final payment) for any discounts Apparently OP did not do that an trusted his/her TA would do so and it's too late now.

Actually, I did not get any 55+ or resident discount when I booked because it wasn't offered then. When they finally offered it, I called TA and asked for them to check and see if could could get a discount applied to the fare that I booked at, because the current fare in total is more than when I paid for cruise. TA said they could not get me the discount unless I cancelled and rebooked at current rate. No deal there.

There is NO, repeat NO, Senior, Military, Resident etc Discount. A discount would be a specified amount (eg $100) or specified percentage (eg 10%), and that does NOT exist within RCCL for Seniors etc. There are Special Rates (eg $569pp) for those categories. This rate might or might not be better than you are currently holding, but just because it HAPPENS to be say $100 lower than the current non-Special Rate does not mean it is $100 Discount. Either the Special Rate is a good deal or it is not, but it is not a discount.

 

Thom

You are correct. We have had discount (Military Sr. or resident) off many cruises. The discount was taken off the rate we booked at.

 

I think this is wrong.

 

You would get the current military rate as long as you were before final payment (if you called and asked). They do not take a discount off the rate you booked at.

 

There is NO, repeat NO, Senior, Military, Resident etc Discount. A discount would be a specified amount (eg $100) or specified percentage (eg 10%), and that does NOT exist within RCCL for Seniors etc. There are Special Rates (eg $569pp) for those categories. This rate might or might not be better than you are currently holding, but just because it HAPPENS to be say $100 lower than the current non-Special Rate does not mean it is $100 Discount. Either the Special Rate is a good deal or it is not, but it is not a discount.

 

Thom

 

Yes, this is correct.

Edited March 23, 2014 by marci22

I just did a mock booking for a Feb 2015 Caribbean Cruise without choosing a certain ship to sail on. Check out the results below.

 

 

When I did not check off ANY discounts it displayed 35 choices.

 

 

When I checked off the Senior discount it displayed 9 choices.

 

 

When I checked off a State discount it displayed 11 choices.

 

 

When I checked off a Military discount it displayed 14 choices.

 

 

So doesn't this mean that not all cruises offer the same discounted offers?

 

You are correct, not all sailings (or categories) are available with discounts.

I understand that not all sailings or categories are available with discounts. But one interesting note here - based on his post, it sounds like if you check the various discount eligibility options, it narrows down the selection and only shows you cruises which have those discounts? :confused: My preference is to check off the ones I'm eligible for - C&A, 55+ and possibly resident discount based on state - and have it show me best available prices for ALL cruises that meet my destination/timeframe/departure search parameters.

 

Also, whenever I start "shopping" and doing mock bookings on the RCI website, the price detail shows just a single line for "discount." How can one determine whether the discount is for 55+, resident or some other eligibility? I can figure out the C&A because balcony discounts should show on ALL cruises, but for 55+ and resident, how can you tell which discounts you're getting on a given booking?