What to do.. Opinions please

[colesc15]

I can't decide what I want to do. Looking for opinions. Right now, we have an aft balcony on Icon booked for February, roughly the 4th sailing. I booked it when it first came out, so got an "okay" price of about $3,400 for the two of us total. So far, I only paid the non refundable deposit of $500.

 

For the same week, I can cruise on Oasis for only port fees and taxes, so roughly $300. The iterinary is less than desirable, Coco cay, Nassau, Labadee and Falmouth. It'd just be an interior room, which is fine. 

 

What would you do? As much of a "downgrade" it'd be to go on oasis, even after losing the $500 nrd, I'd still come out ahead about $3,000. 

 

Opinions? I'm like 50/50.

 

[RCCLNYMETS41]

IMHO-if you were comfortable with the Icon price when you booked it, then I would stick with the newest ship.

[firefly333]

Idk where the icon stops. So cant compare ports. Imo that's still a lot of $$$. I'd take the free cabin and go. If I didnt get DP340, I doubt I'd have booked these last cruises, makes a big difference. I'm over $200 a day on wonder and utopia, but they are with friends who choose them.

 

I'm shocked by the prices on a couple of what I've booked .. I'm thinking royal is getting to where they are losing bookings at these crazy prices. If I had any offers which I dont, free sounds very nice to me. I just wouldnt pay over $3400 unless it's a suite, then i would. 

[RyderJ201]

You could pay the $100 pp change fee and put the $500 towards something else.

 

I have $500 down on Icon for May. Booked day one. Now the price is literally 3xs more. But they are charging so much more for the extras drink, food, excursions, wifi, etc. If I hadn't already bought the air and pre hotel I would probably switch. 

[colesc15]

10 minutes ago, RyderJ201 said:

You could pay the $100 pp change fee and put the $500 towards something else.

 

I have $500 down on Icon for May. Booked day one. Now the price is literally 3xs more. But they are charging so much more for the extras drink, food, excursions, wifi, etc. If I hadn't already bought the air and pre hotel I would probably switch. 

Interesting. When I asked if I could change the deposit, I was told I couldn't. At least I was told I couldn't use it towards a casino booking. 

[RyderJ201]

18 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

Interesting. When I asked if I could change the deposit, I was told I couldn't. At least I was told I couldn't use it towards a casino booking. 

Casino bookings have specific rules. But if the deposit ($500) was non refundable it can be put towards another trip for a $100 per person change fee. I change dates and ships 3 times last year. Royal made a fortune in change fees on me. Again, talking regular booking not casino comp etc. 

[RFerrington]

54 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

Interesting. When I asked if I could change the deposit, I was told I couldn't. At least I was told I couldn't use it towards a casino booking. 

I think this is incorrect. I would call again.  You would lose $100 PP of your original $500 down payment but I still think you could do it.  Booking a casino comp shouldn’t affect your ability to move your booking.

[colesc15]

12 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

I think this is incorrect. I would call again.  You would lose $100 PP of your original $500 down payment but I still think you could do it.  Booking a casino comp shouldn’t affect your ability to move your booking.

I'm thinking what I should have done is changed my icon sailing to oasis, ate the $100 change fee, and then applied my tier benefit to that sailing to zero it out. I think. Maybe. Lol. 

[George C]

2 hours ago, colesc15 said:

I can't decide what I want to do. Looking for opinions. Right now, we have an aft balcony on Icon booked for February, roughly the 4th sailing. I booked it when it first came out, so got an "okay" price of about $3,400 for the two of us total. So far, I only paid the non refundable deposit of $500.

 

For the same week, I can cruise on Oasis for only port fees and taxes, so roughly $300. The iterinary is less than desirable, Coco cay, Nassau, Labadee and Falmouth. It'd just be an interior room, which is fine. 

 

What would you do? As much of a "downgrade" it'd be to go on oasis, even after losing the $500 nrd, I'd still come out ahead about $3,000. 

 

Opinions? I'm like 50/50.

 

I would go for oasis then try to royal up with all that money that you saved to a suite.

[OCSC Mike]

Take the money and run... onto Oasis!

[colesc15]

5 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

Take the money and run... onto Oasis!

Killssss me losing the aft balcony on Icon, but a free cruise is better than a $3,400 cruise lol. Figure we can always do Icon the following year or something. 

[taglovestocruise]

Something no one has mentioned.  The first few weeks/months of sailings will be filled with youtubers, tic tockers, Vlogers, and a swarm of kids. Add to that a new ship with a crew that has not worked together as a team, and a ship with highest guest capacity ever. Read a blog a few weeks ago stating Icon will be the first ship to sail at 135% capacity. First few months sounds like a s... show, but have fun.

[colesc15]

1 minute ago, taglovestocruise said:

Something no one has mentioned.  The first few weeks/months of sailings will be filled with youtubers, tic tockers, Vlogers, and a swarm of kids. Add to that a new ship with a crew that has not worked together as a team, and a ship with highest guest capacity ever. Read a blog a few weeks ago stating Icon will be the first ship to sail at 135% capacity. First few months sounds like a s... show, but have fun.

Such a good point. The amount of kids in general freaked me out 

[colesc15]

54 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

I think this is incorrect. I would call again.  You would lose $100 PP of your original $500 down payment but I still think you could do it.  Booking a casino comp shouldn’t affect your ability to move your booking.

Called back. Didn't fully understand what all took place, but canceled my booking I made earlier today on oasis. He then moved my icon booking to oasis, and then reapplied my casino comp. He originally said I owed $100 pp change fee, took my card number, then came back and said I didn't owe a change fee because of ????. So, I should be getting $345 back from the Oasis sailing from Port fees and taxes, and he said I'd get back about $280 from my icon booking since the $600 I paid was in excess of the port fees and taxes? We'll see what actually happens. 

[RFerrington]

2 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Called back. Didn't fully understand what all took place, but canceled my booking I made earlier today on oasis. He then moved my icon booking to oasis, and then reapplied my casino comp. He originally said I owed $100 pp change fee, took my card number, then came back and said I didn't owe a change fee because of ????. So, I should be getting $345 back from the Oasis sailing from Port fees and taxes, and he said I'd get back about $280 from my icon booking since the $600 I paid was in excess of the port fees and taxes? We'll see what actually happens. 

Awesome !  Glad you got someone who knew what they were doing.  It’s hard to find those people…

[CatieM80]

3 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Something no one has mentioned.  The first few weeks/months of sailings will be filled with youtubers, tic tockers, Vlogers, and a swarm of kids. Add to that a new ship with a crew that has not worked together as a team, and a ship with highest guest capacity ever. Read a blog a few weeks ago stating Icon will be the first ship to sail at 135% capacity. First few months sounds like a s... show, but have fun.

This is such an excellent point. As much as I enjoy their content, I think a ship full of all of those content creators would feel very…extra. Another vote to take the Oasis deal and rebook Icon down the line! 

[Rusty_lock]

3 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Killssss me losing the aft balcony on Icon, but a free cruise is better than a $3,400 cruise lol. Figure we can always do Icon the following year or something. 

Is there anyway to do both. Could you get a slightly different Oasis date and keep the icon cruise?

[colesc15]

7 hours ago, Rusty_lock said:

Is there anyway to do both. Could you get a slightly different Oasis date and keep the icon cruise?

Unfortunately no. We already have cruises booked for January, Feb, March, April and may. Lol. 

[colesc15]

7 hours ago, RFerrington said:

Awesome !  Glad you got someone who knew what they were doing.  It’s hard to find those people…

I'm pretty positive I should have paid the change fee and not been refunded the difference from the nrd but I certainly wasn't going to question it lol

[Cruise a holic]

We love the Oasis, especially in a suite.  However, why not try the ICON?  We have both booked- ICON next March- Oasis next week!  

[Ocean Boy]

I've, fortunately, never felt the need to be on the latest and, arguably, greatest. I'd choose Oasis. I love the O class. Icon will be around for years. Others can break her in and I'll eventually get there.... maybe.

[colesc15]

14 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I've, fortunately, never felt the need to be on the latest and, arguably, greatest. I'd choose Oasis. I love the O class. Icon will be around for years. Others can break her in and I'll eventually get there.... maybe.

That's kind of my thought. Icon will be available for casino bookings in 2025, so by waiting a year, we'll likely get on her in 2025 for a casino comp. Just killed me giving up the aft room and pricing since it's so expensive now. More so fomo I think. But to your point, I love oasis class and a free 7 night cruise is better than paying $3400 for a week long cruise. 

[Ret MP]

My wife would take virtually "free", every time.  I like what I like and I like balconies.  Glad it isn't us facing that decision/dilemma, we'd be debating it for weeks and one or the other would lose.  That's not to say I wouldn't take a free cruise in an interior cabin.  But, it would be an addition to or not one or the other.  If I had a cruise booked, I'd go on it and take the "free" cruise earlier or later.  We're retired, so time off for two cruises isn't an issue.    

[fenton04]

For us itinerary wins out when all things equal.

[colesc15]

9 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

My wife would take virtually "free", every time.  I like what I like and I like balconies.  Glad it isn't us facing that decision/dilemma, we'd be debating it for weeks and one or the other would lose.  That's not to say I wouldn't take a free cruise in an interior cabin.  But, it would be an addition to or not one or the other.  If I had a cruise booked, I'd go on it and take the "free" cruise earlier or later.  We're retired, so time off for two cruises isn't an issue.    

Yeah we still deal with pto unfortunately. Although, we're way more fortunate in the pto category as you can tell with all the cruises are have booked already.