Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

No more balcony/suite discount within 6 months(as of Sept 1,2016)

PH8

By PH8,
in Royal Caribbean International

 Share

Recommended Posts

kccrzr

kccrzr

Posted
Posted
I had stopped buying the next cruise/decide later certificates since the %25 was a joke and not worth bothering with but now they may have value again if we can trust RCCL not to change their policies later on down the road.

 

"4. What if my client makes a “Decide Later” booking through NextCruise outside of the 6

months but decide on the cruise within 6 months of sailing? Will we honor the discount?

Yes, in this case, the discount will be honored within 6 months of the sail date."

 

So my dilemma is do I purchase a bunch of certificates (10-20) on my upcoming Sept 4th cruise to hopefully protect the <6 month out discount? 90% of the cruises we book are within 6 months and many within 1 month of sailing. The concern is that RCCL will change their policy and the certificates will be worthless again Currently I am holding about 15 that were purchased back when they had the $100 and friends and family discount which should last me 2 maybe 3 years.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I sure wouldn't buy a bunch of certificates on the hope RCI won't abolish the newly stated exception for Next Cruise/Decide Later certificates. Why would RCI be any more likely to leave that exception in place than any other policy or perk?

 

I have several old Next Cruise Certificates purchased under the previous OBC offer and have kept the offer sheet that applied to those. It says the certificate is combinable with Balcony and Suite discount but does not stipulate what the B&S discount is or that it can not be changed.

 

So, unless the certificate or the offer papers state specifically when purchased that it is combinable with a B&S discount within 6 months of sailing, I would never count on being able to do so.

 

In fact, now I think I better use my remaining certificates before RCI decides to change yet more policies/reduce more perks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ltjn

ltjn

Posted
Posted

That maybe a very good option living in the Coco Beach area!

 

However, some of us still have commitments to our employer and their vacation policies. I wish I could forecast a year or two ahead, but not realistic. The balcony and suite discount as set up before 1 September 2016 would take our availability into account. That is no longer the case. Especially, with the suite cost continuing to increase, on each new sale or promotion.

 

I am very thrilled that the announcement was sent to travel agents before any other notification to customer, during Royal's "Customer Appreciation Week" promotion. This is enforcing the warm feelings I get from Royal!:mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
I had stopped buying the next cruise/decide later certificates since the %25 was a joke and not worth bothering with but now they may have value again if we can trust RCCL not to change their policies later on down the road.

 

"4. What if my client makes a “Decide Later” booking through NextCruise outside of the 6

months but decide on the cruise within 6 months of sailing? Will we honor the discount?

Yes, in this case, the discount will be honored within 6 months of the sail date."

 

So my dilemma is do I purchase a bunch of certificates (10-20) on my upcoming Sept 4th cruise to hopefully protect the <6 month out discount? 90% of the cruises we book are within 6 months and many within 1 month of sailing. The concern is that RCCL will change their policy and the certificates will be worthless again Currently I am holding about 15 that were purchased back when they had the $100 and friends and family discount which should last me 2 maybe 3 years.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Unless things have changed (and who knows, with Royal Caribbean :rolleyes:), you are limited to 3 purchases.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
That maybe a very good option living in the Coco Beach area!

 

However, some of us still have commitments to our employer and their vacation policies. I wish I could forecast a year or two ahead, but not realistic. The balcony and suite discount as set up before 1 September 2016 would take our availability into account. That is no longer the case. Especially, with the suite cost continuing to increase, on each new sale or promotion.

 

I am very thrilled that the announcement was sent to travel agents before any other notification to customer, during Royal's "Customer Appreciation Week" promotion. This is enforcing the warm feelings I get from Royal!:mad:

 

I think you miss the point. I still work, so I need to book and not change the trips. Living 'on' Cocoa Beach doesn't have a lot of bearing on that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MommaBear55

MommaBear55

Posted
Posted (edited)
Do people actually do that???:eek:

:eek:

 

I don't book cruises meaning to cancel them but I have cancelled or changed dates for:

1) grandchild's arrival

2) niece's wedding

3) reunion

4) delayed healing from surgery

5) significant difference in price for same itinerary by shifting dates

 

And I am waiting to see what the political situation is in the eastern Mediterranean before I pay off a cruise for May 2017.

Edited by MommaBear55
Link to comment
Share on other sites
nbsjcruiser Great Review Rare

nbsjcruiser

Posted
Posted
Not sure if this has been mentioned and if it has,I'll get admins to delete.

 

Anyway,I just got a flyer about an upcoming promo......and at the end it says this.:mad::mad::mad:

 

Encourage your clients to book now! As of Sept 1,2016,balcony and suite discounts will only be applied if more than 6 months out!

 

I called and verified with the C&A DP desk.

 

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Crown_and_Anchor/16052085_CAS_Member_Appreciation.pdf

 

Next step - once you book that's the price you get, no price adjustments if the price drops. I suspect that it wont be long before they're like all-inclusives. Once you put your deposit down, you're fully committed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
That's good to hear. Sometimes the 30% off for a JS is close to the C&A balcony discount.

 

HUH? What are you saying?

 

Currently you can get your C&A balcony discount on that JS, even with the 30% discount, although the balcony discount will be reduced by 30%. :rolleyes:

 

As of September 1, you won't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
I don't book cruises meaning to cancel them but I have cancelled or changed dates for:

1) grandchild's arrival

2) niece's wedding

3) reunion

4) delayed healing from surgery

5) significant difference in price for same itinerary by shifting dates

 

And I am waiting to see what the political situation is in the eastern Mediterranean before I pay off a cruise for May 2017.

 

She was joking. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
Next step - once you book that's the price you get, no price adjustments if the price drops. I suspect that it wont be long before they're like all-inclusives. Once you put your deposit down, you're fully committed.

 

Isn't it that way in the UK now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MommaBear55

MommaBear55

Posted
Posted

I have been mulling over the degradation of the Loyalty benefits and what they mean.

 

I believe that by taking away the balcony discount within six months of the cruise RCI is telling us that our loyalty to them is not that important, and that all money is equal at that point. I feel they have been heading in that direction with the recent generous incentives that have not been combinable with the balcony discount. I am sure that the bean counters have been crunching the numbers and have concluded that taking away the benefits did not affect the bottom line.

 

I think their goal is to get the new cruiser who is more likely to buy pictures, buy excursions, buy drink packages, go to art auctions. I know we rarely have more than $100 discretionary spending on board. We have an amount in our mind that we are willing to spend on a room, and will sometimes do an inside. We actually dropped from a very expensive balcony to an inside when RCI chartered out a cruise (which was a cruise replacing a different cruise that had been chartered out) They lost $2000 by annoying us.

 

People need to speak with their spending. If this is the final straw, then move cruise lines. If the cost now is above what you want to spend on a balcony, book a different cabin.

 

The biggest stupidity/irony/ignorance/hubris is that they announced the reduction in benefits during Member Appreciation Week. Reminds me of the motto at one of my former employers. "Beatings will continue until morale improves"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...