Future Cruise Vouchers (Questions)

[Baileygirls]

On our last few cruises, we have seen the promotions for purchasing vouchers towards your next cruise. We have never taken this offer up but we are considering this on our next cruise as we wish to book a family cruise for July 2013.

 

Can anyone tell me the benefits and disadvantages of this offer please, as we are unsure whether to book in advance or wait to purchase vouchers in October.

[Shippy]

We have done them on Princess, Celebrity & Royal Caribbean.

We front $100. while onboard & then when we book another cruise......usually many months later....the $100. goes towards the downpayment & we get $100. onboard credit.

Like doubling our money.

I think the amount of onboard credit varies depending on the length of the cruise. Ours are usually 7 day.

We always use an internet TA & never had any problems.

 

on the downside.....

It is not combinable with some perks. On our upcoming cruise next month, we are getting free prepaid gratuities & $150. onboard credit. We have gotten things like that before from internet TAs with no problem. However, it turns out on this particular cruise, the prepaid gratuities are a perk given by Celecrity & not the TA so they would not let us use our future cruise credit unless we gave up the gratuities. We decided to keep them as they are worth more & will save our future booking credit for our next cruise.

This has never happened to us before.

[Baileygirls]

Thanks Shippy, that's useful. Our next cruise is 12 nights. Is there a minimum/maximum amount for purchases?

Also, do you know if they can be used for either RCCL/X or only the company you buy them with?

[Shippy]

3-5 nights $50.

6-9 nights $100.

10-13 nights $200.

14 or more nights $300. onboard credit

 

You can put down $100. per person but can only use 1 per cabin.

So since we only book one cabin at a time, I only get 1 in my name.

 

They are not interchangeable between the cruise lines.

Celebrity does recognize your tier credit (total cruises) with Royal Caribbean.

We made diamond on Royal last year so Celebrity gave us their Elite status.

[rhlaw]

We bought ours last May and did not use it for our Alaska cruise in August, because we couldn't use that plus the promotion they had going on at the time. We made out better with the promotion. We just booked a cruise for 14 nights to the Caribbean, using it. We were able to use it with the promotion for Captain's Club members. We didn't have to put a deposit down, they used our $200.00 for that and we got $300.00 plus $250.00 for our on board credit. One was part of the Captain's Club promotion. Not putting down a deposit helped us book this cruise and it was nice getting that extra money. The only thing I know that I didn't like about it, is that you might not be able to use it when a special promotion comes up. And we couldn't use our TA because it had to be transferred to them within 60days. It wasn't a problem for me for the trip I booked, just would have liked to give our TA the credit. I might buy it again on the ship. Hope that helps.

[Baileygirls]

Thanks! Useful info. I guess it's all down to whether we find the iteniary that we want before we next cruise. Mind you prices for next year are very high right now!

[Johanna7]

Royal Caribbean 100 minimum shares are good on the above 3 cruise lines but not combinable with RCL onboard Credit or with their Future Cruise Certificates. I have a print out of the restrictions and benefits.

 

You sent your broker's statement, blacking out the other shares you own and the total cash and circling the RCL shares.

 

You can use mail, fax or email.

[Christine Frances]

We bought ours last May and did not use it for our Alaska cruise in August, because we couldn't use that plus the promotion they had going on at the time. We made out better with the promotion. We just booked a cruise for 14 nights to the Caribbean, using it. We were able to use it with the promotion for Captain's Club members. We didn't have to put a deposit down, they used our $200.00 for that and we got $300.00 plus $250.00 for our on board credit. One was part of the Captain's Club promotion. Not putting down a deposit helped us book this cruise and it was nice getting that extra money. The only thing I know that I didn't like about it, is that you might not be able to use it when a special promotion comes up. And we couldn't use our TA because it had to be transferred to them within 60days. It wasn't a problem for me for the trip I booked, just would have liked to give our TA the credit. I might buy it again on the ship. Hope that helps.

 

That 60 days is from when you book the cruise, not when you puchased the certificate.

[Bluebury]

Baileygirls - when we were on a Celebrity ship last year and enquired about the purchase of future cruises or a future cruise credit, what we were able to buy was very different to what people from the States could buy. For us, the deposits were much higher and also we could not cancel without losing part(if not all) of the deposit. We decided not to bother in the end and were disappointed that people from the UK did not get the same opportunities as the USA.

 

Going again in a few weeks so intend to check again - it is possible that the guidelines have changed.

[Baileygirls]

Baileygirls - when we were on a Celebrity ship last year and enquired about the purchase of future cruises or a future cruise credit, what we were able to buy was very different to what people from the States could buy. For us, the deposits were much higher and also we could not cancel without losing part(if not all) of the deposit. We decided not to bother in the end and were disappointed that people from the UK did not get the same opportunities as the USA.

 

Going again in a few weeks so intend to check again - it is possible that the guidelines have changed.

 

Bluebury, Thank you for that info, I did wonder why the deposits were so low but just thought it changed from different companies. Our recent cruise with NCL offered vouchers at £250, and i am sure that was pp, however we felt that it was unlikely we would use NCL again so we declined. I wonder if you wouldn't mind relaying what you find please? Enjoy your holiday :)

[villauk]

Bluebury, Thank you for that info, I did wonder why the deposits were so low but just thought it changed from different companies. Our recent cruise with NCL offered vouchers at £250, and i am sure that was pp, however we felt that it was unlikely we would use NCL again so we declined. I wonder if you wouldn't mind relaying what you find please? Enjoy your holiday :)

 

Ours is the usual £150, not the discounted $100 (US only). Also, they are not transferable between the two lines. Which, for us, is a bit of a downer as we have a RCI future cruise certificate and are wanting to book a Celebrity cruise :(. To add to that, the present Captain's Club OBC offer is also combinable with a future Celebrity Passage certificate, isn't it always the way :(.

[Sir~Cruisealot]

Until May 18th, if you book onboard, select 2013 and 2014 sailings, Celebrity is offering from $200 for a 6 night inside room to $900 for a 16+ night suite booking.

 

We took advantage of a $350 OBC for a 12 night OV May 2013 cruise.:D

[Jade13]

Ours is the usual £150, not the discounted $100 (US only). Also, they are not transferable between the two lines. Which, for us, is a bit of a downer as we have a RCI future cruise certificate and are wanting to book a Celebrity cruise :(. To add to that, the present Captain's Club OBC offer is also combinable with a future Celebrity Passage certificate, isn't it always the way :(.

 

 

What is the current Captains Club Offer?

[villauk]

What is the current Captains Club Offer?

 

Upto $600 OBC depending on length of cruise and type of cabin booked for specific 2013/14 sailings (see Celebrity website for breakdown) e.g. 7 night in balcony $150 OBC or $200 for 10-15 nighters. Must be booked by 18th May, but is combinable with Celebrity Passage certificate.

[heakja]

Ours is the usual £150, not the discounted $100 (US only). Also, they are not transferable between the two lines. Which, for us, is a bit of a downer as we have a RCI future cruise certificate and are wanting to book a Celebrity cruise :(. To add to that, the present Captain's Club OBC offer is also combinable with a future Celebrity Passage certificate, isn't it always the way :(.

 

What about booking a specific cruise onboard - do Europeans get the offer of 3 category upgrade ++?

 

(Any input from Europeans that have booked aboard are VERY MUCH appreicated! :))

[Baseball fan]

Are the Celebrity Passage or RCCL Next Cruise Cert combinable with the shareholder credit? If so, that is a really good deal...

 

I am sailing RCCL in November and trying to decide what to do for next year. I really want to do a TA in November 2013 and Celebrity has the better ports right now.

 

Thanks

[Sir~Cruisealot]

Are the Celebrity Passage or RCCL Next Cruise Cert combinable with the shareholder credit? If so, that is a really good deal...

 

 

No such luck.

[Compass Rose Monica]

If you purchase a $100 future cruise voucher, is there a time limit as to when to use it?

[Sir~Cruisealot]

If you purchase a $100 future cruise voucher, is there a time limit as to when to use it?

 

Mine says "There is no expiration date"

[Baseball fan]

No such luck.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. One can always hope:)

 

But it does appear from the info above that the OBC from the cert is larger than the shareholder OBC (at least on the 14 day cruises).

 

3-5 nights $50.

6-9 nights $100.

10-13 nights $200.

14 or more nights $300. onboard credit

[rhlaw]

Christine Frances - I was told by Celebrity, that my certificate had to be transferred within 60days from the purchase of the certificate.

[Sir~Cruisealot]

I was told by Celebrity, that my certificate had to be transferred within 60days from the purchase of the certificate.

 

The certificate has to be transferred within 60 days only after you use it to book a cruise. This misconception is (was) probably held by half the people you ask at Celebrity including sales staff on board as well as many Travel agents. I recently assigned one (bought in Sept) to a TA for a cruise purchase in March.

[Christine Frances]

Christine Frances - I was told by Celebrity, that my certificate had to be transferred within 60days from the purchase of the certificate.

 

Was that from Celebrity or from the Passages Desk? If you booked a specific cruise on board then yes, you have 60 days to tsf. But if you purchased an Open Passages and at a later date booked a specific cruise, that is when the 60 days time-clock kicks in. An Open Passages does not expire and you can book a cruise 3 years from now with it and still tsf to a TA within 60 days.

[patterson3]

The Passages certificates read that if you book a future cruise while onboard you're also eligible for an upgrade. Does anyone know the specifics of this? Can you upgrade to a SS1 for the cost of a SS2?

[wildescapade]

Upto $600 OBC depending on length of cruise and type of cabin booked for specific 2013/14 sailings (see Celebrity website for breakdown) e.g. 7 night in balcony $150 OBC or $200 for 10-15 nighters. Must be booked by 18th May, but is combinable with Celebrity Passage certificate.

I have an open passage booking with a $250 OBC and it is NOT COMBINABLE with the current Captain's Club offer...I have called several times and I cannot combine it with any other offers. The price for my cruise is $2252 per couple for a cat 2B so subtract OBC and it is $2002 per couple...when I booked my cruise on the Eclipse in January (after final payment) I paid $1728 for a 1C...subtract OBC of $80 and I paid $1648...so I will be undecided (until closer to final payment) about whether I made the right decision in booking onboard.