New OBC Plus Platinum ~ Diamond ~ Diamond Plus Balcony Discounts as of June 1, 2010

[amickeyfriend]

? if we already have booked more than 6 months out, will they change the balcony discount? or do we have to cancel and rebook?

[cruisenfever]

? if we already have booked more than 6 months out, will they change the balcony discount? or do we have to cancel and rebook?

I think that the new balcony discounts are effective for all bookings made on or after June 1, 2010. But I would call to double check.........never hurts to ask.:)

 

Just keep in mind that if you booked a cruise prior to May 17, you fall under the old Best Price Guarantee Program where you will receive any/all price reductions up until 72 hours prior to sailing.

[mmpassionflies]

I usually always book a Next Cruise while onboard, but this time I thought I would select a random cruise in 2012 and then transfer to the TA cruise when the booking opens in March. If I do this, I would only have to put down a $100 deposit for the cabin and would owe nothing more until final payment even though I am going to transfer my reservation. Is this correct?

 

Also, I'm Platinum, but when we go in 2012 I'll be Diamond. When I reach diamond can I call RCCL and have them give me the additional balcony discount?

 

Thanks!!

 

Could you please explain this transferring to a TA process. I see this all the time on the boards, but I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Thanks for any help for one of us not-so-newbies-but-clueless-none-the-less people!!

 

Mel

[cruisenfever]

Could you please explain this transferring to a TA process. I see this all the time on the boards, but I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Thanks for any help for one of us not-so-newbies-but-clueless-none-the-less people!!

 

Mel

Hi Mel, if you have booked a cruise direct with RCI and now have found a Travel Agent that you would like to transfer the booking to you may find this that I have copied and pasted from the RCI FAQ.......

You can transfer your reservation to a travel agent at anytime unless your reservation is within final payment period or it has been paid in full, or includes a ChoiceAir booking . If you would like to transfer your reservation, please fill out the Travel Agent Transfer Form PDF provided below and fax back to us.

 

Sometimes folks will book with RCI to get the benefits that they may be offering and then find a TA that is offering additional benefits. Benefits from RCI can be combined with any/all benefits that a Travel Agent might be offering.

[mmpassionflies]

Hi Mel, if you have booked a cruise direct with RCI and now have found a Travel Agent that you would like to transfer the booking to you may find this that I have copied and pasted from the RCI FAQ.......

 

You can transfer your reservation to a travel agent at anytime unless your reservation is within final payment period or it has been paid in full, or includes a ChoiceAir booking . If you would like to transfer your reservation, please fill out the Travel Agent Transfer Form PDF provided below and fax back to us.

 

Sometimes folks will book with RCI to get the benefits that they may be offering and then find a TA that is offering additional benefits. Benefits from RCI can be combined with any/all benefits that a Travel Agent might be offering.

 

Thanks, so much, Patti. You are so informative and so prompt!! And I agree that your granddaughter is absolutely precious, but that goes without saying as I've seen you get complimented on her incessantly. Thanks, again, Mel.

[cruisenfever]

Thanks, so much, Patti. You are so informative and so prompt!! And I agree that your granddaughter is absolutely precious, but that goes without saying as I've seen you get complimented on her incessantly. Thanks, again, Mel.

You are more than welcome and thanks for the kind words.:)

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Hi Mel, if you have booked a cruise direct with RCI and now have found a Travel Agent that you would like to transfer the booking to you may find this that I have copied and pasted from the RCI FAQ.......

 

You can transfer your reservation to a travel agent at anytime unless your reservation is within final payment period or it has been paid in full, or includes a ChoiceAir booking . If you would like to transfer your reservation, please fill out the Travel Agent Transfer Form PDF provided below and fax back to us.

 

Sometimes folks will book with RCI to get the benefits that they may be offering and then find a TA that is offering additional benefits. Benefits from RCI can be combined with any/all benefits that a Travel Agent might be offering.

 

Patti - thanks for posting this from the FAQ. I was not aware that you could not transfer a reservation with a ChoiceAir booking. We have used RCI Custom Air and have been able to transfer a reservation to a TA up to right before final payment. If this is correct you would have to transfer any booking with ChoiceAir prior to making your flight plans. With flights being released approx 330 days before the cruise the opportunity to hold a reservation and deal with any changes yourself is diminished (if you want to wait to transfer to a TA).

 

Has anyone tried to transfer a reservation with a ChoiceAir booking to a TA? If so....please share your experience with us.

[cruisenfever]

Patti - thanks for posting this from the FAQ. I was not aware that you could not transfer a reservation with a ChoiceAir booking. We have used RCI Custom Air and have been able to transfer a reservation to a TA up to right before final payment. If this is correct you would have to transfer any booking with ChoiceAir prior to making your flight plans. With flights being released approx 330 days before the cruise the opportunity to hold a reservation and deal with any changes yourself is diminished (if you want to wait to transfer to a TA).

 

Has anyone tried to transfer a reservation with a ChoiceAir booking to a TA? If so....please share your experience with us.

Hi Sue, I am not familiar with Choice Air at all and I'm sill a little skeptical about using it.

 

I know that it is quite different than Custom Air because you have to pay for Choice Air when you book your flights.......and that could be 330 days out.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Hi Sue, I am not familiar with Choice Air at all and I'm sill a little skeptical about using it.

 

I know that it is quite different than Custom Air because you have to pay for Choice Air when you book your flights.......and that could be 330 days out.

 

We used Custom Air several times.......especially for Repositioning or TA cruises. We have not used Choice Air but were considering it for a Repositioning cruise next year. We also like to hold our reservation and turn it over to a TA before final payment so it looks like we won't be using Choice Air.

[Elizanessie]

Patti...I am confused here :o

 

I didnt take much notice of the Platinum C&A discount until recently...and if I am reading your list correctly...is seems that Platinum members have in effect had their balcony discount reduced if they book less than 6 months before their cruise?

 

Whereas the Diamond discount hasn't got lower if cruise is less than 6 months.:confused:

 

Or am I reading your list wrong?

[cruisenfever]

Patti...I am confused here :o

 

I didnt take much notice of the Platinum C&A discount until recently...and if I am reading your list correctly...is seems that Platinum members have in effect had their balcony discount reduced if they book less than 6 months before their cruise?

 

Whereas the Diamond discount hasn't got lower if cruise is less than 6 months.:confused:

 

Or am I reading your list wrong?

What you see is what I copied from the C&A site. All balcony discounts (P/D/D+) decrease by $25 if booked less than six months from sailing date.

 

With D/D+, when booking 6 months from sailing, it brings the balcony discount down to what it used to be prior to June 1. Unfortunately for Platinum, it brings it down $25 lower than what is was prior to June 1.:(

 

Prior to June 1, booking a balcony at any time got D/D+ members the following discount:

 

$100 for 3-5 nights

$200 for 6-9 nights

$300 for 10+ nights

 

Prior to June 1, booking a balcony at any time got Platinum members the following discount:

 

$50 for 3-5 nights

$100 for 6-9 nights

$200 for 10+ nights

[Elizanessie]

With D/D+, when booking 6 months from sailing, it brings the balcony discount down to what it used to be prior to June 1. Unfortunately for Platinum, it brings it down $25 lower than what is was prior to June 1.:(

 

Thanks Patti.

 

Wow thats a bit rough on the Platinum members isn't it :( Do you think C&A made an error?

 

 

Has anyone who is Platinum applied for their balcony discount recently and actually been told it is now only $75 if cruise less than 6 months away?

 

I ask because I have some friends who recently became Platinum and they were pleased to think they would get the $100 discount on their already booked December cruise.

[cruisenfever]

Thanks Patti.

 

Wow thats a bit rough on the Platinum members isn't it :( Do you think C&A made an error?

 

 

Has anyone who is Platinum applied for their balcony discount recently and actually been told it is now only $75 if cruise less than 6 months away?

 

I ask because I have some friends who recently became Platinum and they were pleased to think they would get the $100 discount on their already booked December cruise.

Surely you jest!!:D

[Elizanessie]

Surely you jest!!:D

 

Well, I was going to put a :rolleyes: at the end of "Do you think C&A made an error?" but hey its Monday and I thought I would be nice :D

[lady_cruiser]

Sandy here are the deposits...........whether booking from home or on a ship...

 

Deposit required when booking

up to a JS cabin category

$100 for a 3-5 night sailing

$250 for a 6-9 night sailing

$450 for a 10+ night sailing

 

Deposit required when booking

a GS cabin and above category

$200 for a 3-5 night sailing

$500 for a 6-9 night sailing

$900 for a 10+ night sailing

 

 

I was wondering if I did right by booking my 2011 February cruise last week. Looks like I lost out on an OBC but now I am glad I booked the Mariner for 2012 out of Galveston at the same time because I saved $250 each on our deposit (we will be in a GS for this sailing.)

 

You are darned if you do and darned if you don't. But the important thing is that I will be on a cruise ship and I have the exact cabins I want.

 

Thanks for all the information cruisenfever!

[crookedhalo]

Okay, so if I read this right, on Majesty in October, I can cancel my existing booking for ExOS in 11/11 and rebook to get the $150 OBC then once my cruise credit posts and we are officially platinum, I can call C&A and have them apply the $200 balcony discount (we're on a 10 nighter)? Just want to make sure before I run the chance of loosing my selected cabin 7688 (corner aft balcony) in the few minutes needed to rebook. I don't think (hope) it will be a problem 13 months out, do you guys:confused: Any help would be appreciated:D

[Pencruise]

Sandy here are the deposits...........whether booking from home or on a ship...

 

Deposit required when booking

up to a JS cabin category

$100 for a 3-5 night sailing

$250 for a 6-9 night sailing

$450 for a 10+ night sailing

 

Deposit required when booking

a GS cabin and above category

$200 for a 3-5 night sailing

$500 for a 6-9 night sailing

$900 for a 10+ night sailing

 

We just did a Future Cruise deposit onboard the Adventure, deposit was $100 per person + the onboard credit, amount to be determined by which cruise we eventually choose. However we were told that this is only available for US based passengers.

[cruisenfever]

We just did a Future Cruise deposit onboard the Adventure, deposit was $100 per person + the onboard credit, amount to be determined by which cruise we eventually choose. However we were told that this is only available for US based passengers.

When I posted the deposit required when booking a JS cabin or below I didn't realize that RCI was keeping the same reduced deposit after June 1. I apologize for the misinformation.:o

[Evilgrin72]

Is the OBC credit per person/booking or per cabin? For example, if my wife and I give them $200 to satisfy the $100 deposit x 2 people, so we each get a $100 OBC or is it $100 per cabin? Likewise, are the deposits $100pp or $100 per cabin?

[Retirement]

We are Platinum and booked a cruise on May 18th, 2010 for October, 2011--during a WOW sale. Would we be eligible for a balcony discount?:confused: Is the balcony discount combinable with the WOW sale?

[amickeyfriend]

If you really care about that corner aft cabin, I would not cancel and try to rebook. There are people wait listed all the time for certain cabins. Yours could be gone the second you cancel it. If you like the cabin, just enjoy it.