Platinum~Emerald~Diamond~Diamond Plus~Pinnacle Balcony Discounts as of Jan. 21, 2011

[Clarea]

If I buy a Next Cruise Certificate with $100 deposit for myself, will additional deposit be required when I eventually convert into a GS booking? Cruise would be 7 nights or longer. (We are Diamond, if that matters.)

 

If so, how much extra deposit would apply to a suite booking?

An extra $100 to Double the $100 deposit for myself --plus $200 when I add my husband?

 

$400 Extra for me (to add up to regular GS deposit) plus $500 for my DH?

 

Some other amount?

 

What are the deposit rules, if we just book a future cruise while onboard? I've read conflicting info about RCI sometimes coming back to client for full deposit, after LA has promised $100 PP is all that's due until final payment.

 

Thanks,

Jane

Next Cruise is Ex OTS April 18, 2013 sailing

The deposit rules when you convert an NC to a specific cruise are the same as booking a specific cruise on board. A GS or better will require a $500 per person deposit, so in the case of your NC, $400 extra for you and $500 for the 2nd guest.

[cruisenfever]

If I buy a Next Cruise Certificate with $100 deposit for myself, will additional deposit be required when I eventually convert into a GS booking? Cruise would be 7 nights or longer. (We are Diamond, if that matters.)

 

If so, how much extra deposit would apply to a suite booking?

An extra $100 to Double the $100 deposit for myself --plus $200 when I add my husband?

 

$400 Extra for me (to add up to regular GS deposit) plus $500 for my DH?

 

Some other amount?

 

What are the deposit rules, if we just book a future cruise while onboard? I've read conflicting info about RCI sometimes coming back to client for full deposit, after LA has promised $100 PP is all that's due until final payment.

 

Thanks,

Jane

Next Cruise is Ex OTS April 18, 2013 sailing

Hi Jane, here are the normal deposits when booking from home and that will be doubled if booked in a GS or higher no matter where you are when you book and whether you are booking a future cruise or converting a NC booking...

 

$100pp* for 3-5 nights

$250pp* for 6-9 nights

$450pp* for 10+ nights

*These double if booked in GS or higher

 

For a 7 night cruise, when you create your NC booking on board, since you are not selecting a ship nor cabin category it will be $100pp. When you go to convert the NC into a specific itinerary with any cabin lower than a GS, it would be an additional $100 for your husband with no further money due until final payment.

 

If you, at the time of conversion, select a GS or higher, and it's a 6-9 night cruise you would be paying an additional $400 and your husband would be paying $500 if his name was not on the NC at the time of creation.

 

If you book a cruise on board with a specific itinerary and select a GS or higher, then you would both have to pay the $500pp deposit with no further money due until final paymenbt.

 

Your Diamond Balcony Discount will be applied to your cruise fare and doesn't really affect your deposits.

Edited July 21, 2012 by cruisenfever

[cruisenfever]

The deposit rules when you convert an NC to a specific cruise are the same as booking a specific cruise on board. A GS or better will require a $500 per person deposit, so in the case of your NC, $400 extra for you and $500 for the 2nd guest.

I was wordier!!:o:D

[Clarea]

I was wordier!!:o:D

More useful information though. It's easier to understand where the $500 comes from when you read your full explanation.

[JaneStarr]

Sorry for the double-post. Computer problems!

Edited July 21, 2012 by JaneStarr
Duplicate

[JaneStarr]

Hi Jane, here are the normal deposits when booking from home and that will be doubled if booked in a GS or higher no matter where you are when you book and whether you are booking a future cruise or converting a NC booking...

 

$100pp* for 3-5 nights

$250pp* for 6-9 nights

$450pp* for 10+ nights

*These double if booked in GS or higher

 

For a 7 night cruise, when you create your NC booking on board, since you are not selecting a ship nor cabin category it will be $100pp. When you go to convert the NC into a specific itinerary with any cabin lower than a GS, it would be an additional $100 for your husband with no further money due until final payment.

 

If you, at the time of conversion, select a GS or higher, and it's a 6-9 night cruise you would be paying an additional $400 and your husband would be paying $500 if his name was not on the NC at the time of creation.

 

If you book a cruise on board with a specific itinerary and select a GS or higher, then you would both have to pay the $500pp deposit with no further money due until final paymenbt.

 

Your Diamond Balcony Discount will be applied to your cruise fare and doesn't really affect your deposits.

Thanks to both of you for the quick replies!

It is very unlikely that we will purchase any NCCs or onboard bookings under these current rules. Maybe I am missing some benefit?

 

Tying up $1,000 deposit for a 6-9 night booking or $1800 for 10+ nights is much more than I am willing to "float" to RCI.

Not worth it to me to let RCI hold onto that much deposit on a PER Person basis just to get a PER CABIN $150 or $200 OBC.

 

We typically book cruises over a year out -- when bookings open. Can't really justify doing that anymore with RCI's newish refund policy.

[We have also come to prefer Celebrity's product & Elite perks, so we'd need a better incentive to lock ourselves into Royal Caribbean (in addition to the Diamond balcony discount).]

 

We are booked on the Explorer OTS cruise mainly because a friends have booked it to celebrate a retirement & we can easily drive to Cape Liberty.

 

I'm confused about a couple of things.

1). I thought RCI promoted the NCC & onboard bookings as having reduced deposits?

Was this only offered on certain cruises as a special incentive?

Don't really understand what value is provided by allowing $100 deposit for booking onboard if they immediately require remainder of deposit.

 

See below photo of the elusive "Friends & Family" voucher posted 5/29/12 by CC member "kruzerci" here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=33951140#post33951140

 

Post #s 4 & 5

Photo shows the terms of F & F voucher from May 2012. Mentions the following [bolding is mine]:

"...We are inviting you to share your exclusive Onboard Booking Bonus credit of up to $200 USD and a reduced deposit with your friends and family..."

WHAT reduced deposit, if RCI requires full deposits no matter when/where you book? :confused: Don't your friends and family have to book an actual sailing (w/in 30 days of when you convert your NCC to a specific itinerary)?

 

 

2) Can Next Cruise certificates be used with group rates? (I have a Celebrity "Passages" certificate (from 2/14/10 Explorer sailing) which could not be applied to my recent Celebrity cruise because I was with a cruise-agent/friend's small group with group rate. Actually, I could've used it but would have to use the "5 Star booking rates" which were $740 higher for our Sky Suite.)

Here's the OBC info, in case anybody else booked a Celebrity Passages certificate on an RCI cruise:

(From 2/14/10):

$300 OBC for 14 nights or longer

$200 OBC for 10-13 nights

$100 OBC for 6-9 nights

$50 OBC for 3-5 nights

[crazy 4 cruising]

I LOVE next cruises and usually have several on hand, BUT we do not usually book full suites so don't have to upgrade to full deposit.

 

While there have been many changes since I have been cruising with RCCL that I don't agree with, I do agree with the suite deposit. Too many folks were putting down a little bit of deposit and hanging on to full suites up until right before final payment time and then there would be a number of high dollar suites show up. I assume they figured that with the deposit increase, the only folks who will book are those that really want to book a suite. I have a number of clients that only book suites and while deposit is a big chunk of change they figure they will pay it all anyway eventually.

[cruisenfever]

Thanks to both of you for the quick replies!

It is very unlikely that we will purchase any NCCs or onboard bookings under these current rules. Maybe I am missing some benefit?

 

Tying up $1,000 deposit for a 6-9 night booking or $1800 for 10+ nights is much more than I am willing to "float" to RCI.

Not worth it to me to let RCI hold onto that much deposit on a PER Person basis just to get a PER CABIN $150 or $200 OBC.

 

We typically book cruises over a year out -- when bookings open. Can't really justify doing that anymore with RCI's newish refund policy.

[We have also come to prefer Celebrity's product & Elite perks, so we'd need a better incentive to lock ourselves into Royal Caribbean (in addition to the Diamond balcony discount).]

 

We are booked on the Explorer OTS cruise mainly because a friends have booked it to celebrate a retirement & we can easily drive to Cape Liberty.

 

I'm confused about a couple of things.

1). I thought RCI promoted the NCC & onboard bookings as having reduced deposits?

Was this only offered on certain cruises as a special incentive?

Don't really understand what value is provided by allowing $100 deposit for booking onboard if they immediately require remainder of deposit.

 

See below photo of the elusive "Friends & Family" voucher posted 5/29/12 by CC member "kruzerci" here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=33951140#post33951140

 

Post #s 4 & 5

Photo shows the terms of F & F voucher from May 2012. Mentions the following [bolding is mine]:

"...We are inviting you to share your exclusive Onboard Booking Bonus credit of up to $200 USD and a reduced deposit with your friends and family..."

WHAT reduced deposit, if RCI requires full deposits no matter when/where you book? :confused: Don't your friends and family have to book an actual sailing (w/in 30 days of when you convert your NCC to a specific itinerary)?

The benefits from creating a NextCruise on board are that they are good forever because when they are created you only pay a $100pp deposit and get you an OBC as well as either a balcony discount (both dependent on length of cruise) or the ability to use a C&A Savings Certificate if one becomes available for your cruise.

 

The normal reduced deposit when creating a NextCruise is $100pp. When that NC is converted into a specific cruise you must pick out a cabin. The amount of money you chose to tie up will be dependent on the type of cabin you book once your NC has been converted......not when it is created. If, when you convert your NC booking into a specific itinerary, you book a JS or below, then the deposit remains at $100pp with no further money due until final payment. If you chose to book a GS or above then you must pay the double deposit. This double deposit for GS cabins and above has been in place for about 2 years.

 

With each NC you get 2 Certificates for Family and Friends and they have 30 days from the date you "convert" your NC booking into a specific cruise to book the same cruise as you have.

[JaneStarr]

The benefits from creating a NextCruise on board are that they are good forever because when they are created you only pay a $100pp deposit and get you an OBC as well as either a balcony discount (both dependent on length of cruise) or the ability to use a C&A Savings Certificate if one becomes available for your cruise.

 

The normal reduced deposit when creating a NextCruise is $100pp. When that NC is converted into a specific cruise you must pick out a cabin. The amount of money you chose to tie up will be dependent on the type of cabin you book once your NC has been converted......not when it is created. If, when you convert your NC booking into a specific itinerary, you book a JS or below, then the deposit remains at $100pp with no further money due until final payment. If you chose to book a GS or above then you must pay the double deposit. This double deposit for GS cabins and above has been in place for about 2 years.

 

With each NC you get 2 Certificates for Family and Friends and they have 30 days from the date you "convert" your NC booking into a specific cruise to book the same cruise as you have.

Thanks,Patti. I misunderstood your earlier post about the deposit once a NC is converted. I thought it immediately changed to a full deposit requirement.

 

I actually understand & agree with why they need to charge a larger deposit for GS and above. What I don't understand is how doubling the $100 NC booking becomes $500 (or $900) pp. Hope I am also mis-understanding that.

If it *really* only doubles, then booking a NCC might make sense for us.

Jane

[cruisenfever]

Thanks,Patti. I misunderstood your earlier post about the deposit once a NC is converted. I thought it immediately changed to a full deposit requirement.

 

I actually understand & agree with why they need to charge a larger deposit for GS and above. What I don't understand is how doubling the $100 NC booking becomes $500 (or $900) pp. Hope I am also mis-understanding that.

If it *really* only doubles, then booking a NCC might make sense for us.

Jane

OK, now you're catching on!!:D

 

First Scenario.......you were going to book a cruise from home, you pick up the phone, place a call to either RCI or your TA and this is what you would have to pay if you booked a Junior Suite or below cabin category......

 

$100pp for 3-5 nights

$250pp for 6-9 nights

$450pp for 10+ nights

 

Second scenario.....you decide to book a GS or above, now your deposits will become

 

$200pp for 3-5 nights

$500pp for 6-9 nights

$900pp for 10+ nights

 

Third scenario......you have created a NC on board and are ready to convert it once you are home, and by that I mean you have selected a specific cruise to go on as well as decided on your cabin. If you stay in a Junior Suite or below cabin category, that initial NC deposit of $100pp remains the same and there is no further money due until final payment date. So the most you have tied up is $200

 

However, if, when converting that NC you decided that you want to treat yourself to luxury and special perks and book a GS or higher cabin category, then that initial $100 reduced deposit will be switched over to having to pay a full deposit that is doubled because you have booked a Full Suite. So for a 7 day cruise you would be paying $500pp less your initial $100pp NC deposit that you paid when you created it on board leaving you a balance of $400pp.

Edited July 22, 2012 by cruisenfever

[Sass4]

Thanks for posting this!

[Sass4]

Thanks for posting this!

[SWManiac]

I was just looking for this!! :)

[Smokey Mountain Tim]

Great thread, thanks.

[cruisenfever]

Great thread, thanks.

You're welcome.:) Happy Holidays.

[ddolphinmom]

I'm newly platinum!! Yay!! Can you use both the balcony discount and the crown and anchor sailing certificates for the same sailing?

[Clarea]

I'm newly platinum!! Yay!! Can you use both the balcony discount and the crown and anchor sailing certificates for the same sailing?

No, those cannot be combined. You can use the on board credit from booking on board with either the balcony discount or the savings certificate and those are the only combinations allowed.

[Coralc]

I'm newly platinum!! Yay!! Can you use both the balcony discount and the crown and anchor sailing certificates for the same sailing?

 

No sorry. Congratulations! You can't combine dollars off discounts. You can combine Next or Future cruise onboard credit (when you purchase a cruise onboard) with the balcony discount OR a savings certificate. :)

[clan]

Is the time frame for switching a booking from RCI to a travel agent still 60 days?

 

Also, how do you determine if a senior rate becomes available for a specific cruise? Do you have to be booked for that cruise before it appears somewhere? Where should I look for this info?

 

Thanks for the great information.

[cruisenfever]

Is the time frame for switching a booking from RCI to a travel agent still 60 days?

 

Also, how do you determine if a senior rate becomes available for a specific cruise? Do you have to be booked for that cruise before it appears somewhere? Where should I look for this info?

 

Thanks for the great information.

Yes, it's still 60 days from the date the booking was created.

 

As far as any price reduction, you just have to keep going to the RCI site and do a dummy booking for your cruise making sure you check all the boxes.

[OnlyMe]

Bookmarking, thank you :)

[cruisenfever]

Bookmarking, thank you :)

You're welcome.:)

[gkrebs]

remember if you have been holding a Next Cruise credit for 6 mos or more then book a ship 2 months out, you still get the full credit.:cool:

[kccrzr]

remember if you have been holding a Next Cruise credit for 6 mos or more then book a ship 2 months out, you still get the full credit.:cool:

 

That is good to know. Thanks for the info.

[knittinggirl]

Great news. Subscribing to this so I can find it again.