Onboard credit - how can you verify it is there?

[cuti]

After reading the board here until 2am last night, I learned about OBC and so I looked up our room for Apr 3, 2010, and sure enough, it was less! In fact about a grand less. So my travel agent called and said I now have OBC. But is there a place (like where I log in to RC) where I can see it so I know I actually have it - and they are aware? I just do not want to deal with it not showing when I get there.

 

Also, if I book any excursions now, would I pay or can it come from that? If not, I may wait since I was thinking of waiting anyway. For a family of 4 should it be hard to use that much? Since my kids are young, we cannot go to most specialty restaurants... We already paid gratuity.

 

I see our costs as follows:

- phones for the trip (if we get them)

- drinks

- excursions

- maybe a little wi-fi

- shopping on board (random stuff)

 

What else do you pay for that is not included?

[milwaukee mike]

We had a $100.00 on board credit (wow). When you check in, you walk through sliding glass doors, then to a security check, metal detectors, ect. then to a terminal, kind of oval shape where there are probably 50 or so check in employees waiting to serve you, after you get your sea pass, sign a form stating no one in your party has the flu, and take your picture, i asked about our on board credit and they said it would be credited to my name on my stateroom. We always pay cash as soon as we get on board at the guest services desk, both me and my wife put around $500.00 on our sea pass, we never have charges placed on our credit card, Ive heard horror stories of charges being applied after the cruise is over. When you get to your room, the interactive TV allows you to look at what is on your sea pass, The money we deposited plus the on board credit was on my account by 6:00pm the day we left.

Hope this helps

[bajathree]

The only way you can see your OBC is to have your TA send you an actual Royal invoice showing it.....no you can't use that now to buy excursions or specialty dining....you have to wait till your aboard....HOWEVER..... remember that what you don't use will go back onto the card you use for your seapass account....so if you want to book in advance I still would as it will kind of be a wash anyways.

Edited March 11, 2010 by bajathree

[cuti]

I was hoping I could see it to make sure it really happened. Oh well... Still so excited. Nice to have the extra money to use (even if it is ours)...

[cruising2705]

how do you go about finding out if your room is now cheaper to be eligible for on board credit

[cuti]

I just had my travel agent call.

[bajathree]

I was hoping I could see it to make sure it really happened. Oh well... Still so excited. Nice to have the extra money to use (even if it is ours)...

 

You can...just ask your TA to have Royal forward you a client invoice.

Edited March 11, 2010 by bajathree

[Triciabrownbear]

I found out by logging into the RCCI site as a new client looking for a cruise. You can then compare the current price with your reservation and they should honor the lower price. I booked directly with Crown & Anchor and called them when I saw the price reduction. They gave it to us as an OBC and we were told that if we don't use it, it will be credited back to our credit card at the end of the cruise. We also received an updated statement from RCCI that shows the new price and the OBC. Others have said that you can get cash for the remaining balance by going to the Purser's near the end of the cruise. :)

[cruising2705]

thanks for your comments, had a look at the web site and no change in the booking price to now. oh well it was worth a try!!!

[ktkcruisers]

Keep checking! We received an obc today of $949. I'm so glad I took the time today to read the message board today or else I may not have known about it.

[the plumbers wife]

When paying ahead before you cruise for shore excursions, special resturants when do you receive an email/confirmation? It has posted to our charge card but I have not heard from RCCL??

[EMH3kids]

How often do you find yourself checking the website to see if prices have changed? For example, we are booked for Feb. 2011. Should I check once a month, or more often? Do prices usually drop as the cruise gets closer to sailing?

Thanks!

[Ilikeboats]

I would check as often as time allows. Once a day would be ideal. It takes two seconds. You don't have to set up a new account everytime you do it. When my price went down I just called them and they were very happy to help me. I also worried about the OBC. It will show up two days after you sail. You can check your account on the TV in your stateroom. For a backup, I took printouts from the computer with the new price, but I didn't have to use it. It was applied to my seapass. I didn't use it all so when I got home about a week after, it was reapplied to by cc. Hope this helps.

[moviestar600]

Definitely have your travel agent send you a new invoice. I also found out that our cabin was almost a 1,000 less in total last week. RCCL simply reduced the cost of our cruise, which knocked out our small balance and refunded us the balance rather than giving it to us as an OBC (which was fine with us :D).

 

I have been bugging my TA for our new invoice because I like everything in writing.

Edited April 10, 2010 by moviestar600

[JSR]

I try to check at least once a day. Price drops can come and go quickly. I have had them last less then a day or as long as months.

[nanfromatlanta]

When paying ahead before you cruise for shore excursions, special resturants when do you receive an email/confirmation? It has posted to our charge card but I have not heard from RCCL??

 

 

 

You will not receive any notification from Royal. You should be able to see anything you have paid for in advance by logging into your reservation at http://www.rccl.com.

[the plumbers wife]

Nanfromatlanta, your right! I requested and email confirmation but I never did receive it? I am going to go on RCCL and print it, just to have a record that I did purchase! Thanks!

[EMH3kids]

Ok .... help me out here .... this is my first cruise! :p

 

To check pricing, I go to the Royal Caribbean site and click on Quick Vacation quote? Then I chose all the info for my particular sailing? I attempted to save this for future reference.

 

We have two rooms booked through AAA - a B1 and a D6. The AAA rate for the B1 is still better, but the website pricing for the D6 is a few hundred dollars less than what we reserved.

 

So .... so Royal Caribbean guarantee you get the lower price? Does it matter if I booked through AAA? We are getting their group rate, but obviously that isn't paying off.

 

Please let me know if I am not understanding something. Working with numbers is not my strong suit. Thanks!

[nanfromatlanta]

Ok .... help me out here .... this is my first cruise! :p

 

To check pricing, I go to the Royal Caribbean site and click on Quick Vacation quote? Then I chose all the info for my particular sailing? I attempted to save this for future reference.

 

We have two rooms booked through AAA - a B1 and a D6. The AAA rate for the B1 is still better, but the website pricing for the D6 is a few hundred dollars less than what we reserved.

 

So .... so Royal Caribbean guarantee you get the lower price? Does it matter if I booked through AAA? We are getting their group rate, but obviously that isn't paying off.

 

Please let me know if I am not understanding something. Working with numbers is not my strong suit. Thanks!

 

If you have agroup rate, that is what you will have to pay. The only time you can get the lower price is if you booked directly thrugh Royal or through a TA with non-group pricing. I suggest that you contact whomever is in charge of your group and see if Royal will lower the group rate on the D6, otherwise, you're outta luck.

[EMH3kids]

I just sent an E-mail to my AAA agent so we'll see what she says tomorrow. We are still OK at this point, as one of our rooms is $500 less than the website, but the other is $200 more. If it turns out that we can't change the price, I will have to stop checking the RCI site so I don't torture myself if the price goes down. :(

 

Does this mean that it isn't ideal to book with a travel agent that does group rates, such as AAA? Live and learn .... our first cruise.

[nanfromatlanta]

I just sent an E-mail to my AAA agent so we'll see what she says tomorrow. We are still OK at this point, as one of our rooms is $500 less than the website, but the other is $200 more. If it turns out that we can't change the price, I will have to stop checking the RCI site so I don't torture myself if the price goes down. :(

 

Does this mean that it isn't ideal to book with a travel agent that does group rates, such as AAA? Live and learn .... our first cruise.

 

 

Not necessarily, it is just that in this case you are locked into a group rate. Quite often the cruise line may lower the group rate to match the lower going rate. More often than not, the group rates are lower than what you will find elsewhere.

 

Stop torturing yourself... ;)

[coop24]

I booked through AAA and when I saw a price change called my AAA and I received an on board credit as we are leaving Saturday.

[soxfan7]

Not necessarily, it is just that in this case you are locked into a group rate. Quite often the cruise line may lower the group rate to match the lower going rate. More often than not, the group rates are lower than what you will find elsewhere.

 

Stop torturing yourself... ;)

 

 

We booked through a group, and our TA still gave us the price drops, they were just refunded back to my CC, instead of OBC. So you can still get the drops with the group. Keep looking! :)

[EMH3kids]

That makes me feel better! :) Waiting to hear back from my TA when business opens today. She is amazing so I am sure she will do whatever she can.

[crusin gator]

When paying ahead before you cruise for shore excursions, special resturants when do you receive an email/confirmation? It has posted to our charge card but I have not heard from RCCL??

 

 

I paid for my specialty dinner and was emailed a confirmation within that hour.

Edited March 23, 2016 by crusin gator
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