Any reason to book next cruise onboard?

[casperthecat]

I was quoted a price by the onboard cruise seller which included $400 OBC if I book within the next 3 days. However, a quick google showed the same cruise at a lower price (around £1000GBP) with my usual travel agent. This was with a 2 category upgrade from the onboard price. Apart from the OBC is there any reason to book onboard? I’m very confused as he insisted that was the best price available.

[papaflamingo]

Don't know if the UK has different rules, but you also get a much reduce deposit.  So... yes...  But it seems incorrect that the cruise is so much lower priced at your TA rather than on board unless your TA is offering a huge discount.   Also you can always cancel and rebook a different cruise if you want if you book on board.  One more thing you can get an "open booking" (I believe) on board that gives you a certain time to book a cruise (I believe book within a year) and you still get the on board perks and the reduced deposit. Again... I am speaking as a U.S. resident so don't know if it is different for UK residents. 

[Techno123]

 as @papaflamingo says - if you leave a deposit you get  money off the next cruise you book and OBC 

The onboard cruise consultant will allocate it to your TA and you will get a letter with the details too.

 

We had a similar issue with the cruise we are about to take. Originally 2 back to backs with 3 days in HK and 3 days in Tokyo post and pre. Then Regent cancelled China stops so our cruises were cancelled/ changed and we were offered a significant discount on the rearranged cruises.

 

As we were onboard Navigator we tried to do it with the onboard consultant who raved about the amazing discount then quoted £2000 MORE than the original cost 😂. Left a deposit, booked the leg we are about to do with the TA for significantly less than quoted onboard and got the discount and OBC so very happy with the outcome.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Techno123

[Pcardad]

Ask the onboard sales person why your TA is quoting you the same cruise for less.

[casperthecat]

I will ask tomorrow and report back. He seemed particularly uninterested in what I wanted eg he quoted for a G2 cabin telling me I’d got a free upgrade from H, but neglected to mention how small those cabins are. I only found out from comments on this site. The travel agent quoted for a F1 and that was the online price without negotiation, which in the UK you can get a fairly significant further amount off. 

[mrlevin]

In USA I get sizable kickback from my TA AFTER I book onboard and then get it transferred to my TA.  Please do an apples to apples comparison.

Edited September 26, 2023 by mrlevin

[wcsdkqh]

This is why you may be inclined to book onboard or in the 30 day window leading up to your cruise.

 

https://www.rssc.com/onboard-savings-program

 

 

[flossie009]

@casperthecat, You can book on board and ask the on-board cruise consultant to transfer the booking to your TA in the UK.

That way you will receive the on-board booking benefits (lower deposit, OBC etc) plus any discounts or other perks being offered by your TA.

Suggest you speak to your TA in the UK to firm up their offer before you then book with the on-board cruise consultant. 

 

9 hours ago, casperthecat said:

I’m very confused as he insisted that was the best price available.

That is the best price that he, as a Regent sales consultant, can offer you.

He will have no interest in, or knowledge of, any extra discount you may receive from your UK TA when the booking is transferred.

 

Note that the "rules" are different between the USA and the UK in the ways Regent allows their TAs to offer additional incentives.

 

 

 

[lprp]

Am in the UK so this is probably a  relevant “Apples to Apples” comparison, as @mrlevinsays the US TA system is different.

 

We booked a cruise for Christmas 2024 while we were on board Splendor earlier this month. The price quoted by the cruise consultant was exactly the same as the UK website prices, to this they applied onboard and SSS savings, as this cruise was one that qualifies as per the comments by 

@flossie009.

We paid a much lower deposit and have all the options to do a 1 x move at no additional cost (obviously the cruise price will vary) with all the benefits listed above included. We also have 30 days from booking to get a full refund. We also received $150 OBC PP.

 

When we got home I spoke with our TA who applied a further discount. I would usually have spoken to our TA while we were onboard but we booked it on the last day of the cruise. We were happy with the additional discount offered.

 

I can’t speak to the cruise consultant who didn’t listen to you about what suite you wanted, our experience was much different, she looked at the suites we had previously had on Voyager and suggested similar.

 

Personally, I wouldn’t hesitate to do another booking while onboard. There seems to be quite a bit of upside to no downside.

 

[Pcardad]

If you book onboard and your current onboard cruise was booked by a TA, the new cruise will automatically transfer to that TA unless you specify otherwise.

[flossie009]

3 hours ago, lprp said:

Personally, I wouldn’t hesitate to do another booking while onboard. There seems to be quite a bit of upside to no downside.

Totally agree, and of course you can also reap all the benefits of an “on-board” booking up to 30 days prior to going on a Regent cruise.

Very useful if a price rise is coming up or an attractive offer will expire before boarding.

[cruiseluv]

I think that as part of the benefits they give you  a $200 onboard credit or something like that to be used on the current cruise. Just be aware, If you later cancel the cruise you booked onboard they’ll claw back the $200 from the refund of the deposit 

[lprp]

6 hours ago, cruiseluv said:

I think that as part of the benefits they give you  a $200 onboard credit or something like that to be used on the current cruise. Just be aware, If you later cancel the cruise you booked onboard they’ll claw back the $200 from the refund of the deposit 

You can choose, as we did to have the OBC added to the cruise you are booking, rather than the one you are currently on. It would have been almost worthless as the selection of products for sale in the boutique on Splendor was risible.

[swansong]

On 9/26/2023 at 1:11 PM, casperthecat said:

I was quoted a price by the onboard cruise seller which included $400 OBC if I book within the next 3 days. However, a quick google showed the same cruise at a lower price (around £1000GBP) with my usual travel agent. This was with a 2 category upgrade from the onboard price. Apart from the OBC is there any reason to book onboard? I’m very confused as he insisted that was the best price available.

Beware, some travel agents quote cruise only prices in the UK. Booking on board also has a best price guarantee which we have frequently used to reduce the original invoiced price. We have always booked on board and after reducing the price on the invoice with all the reductions, (early booking discounts etc ) we have been quoted the brochure final price.

[flossie009]

21 hours ago, casperthecat said:

The travel agent quoted for a F1 and that was the online price without negotiation

Was that the TA's on-line price or Regent(UK)'s website price?

 

21 hours ago, casperthecat said:

I will ask tomorrow and report back.

Looking forward to your update and hope that you secured a booking for the cruise/suite that you wanted

[DaveFr]

14 hours ago, lprp said:

You can choose, as we did to have the OBC added to the cruise you are booking, rather than the one you are currently on. It would have been almost worthless as the selection of products for sale in the boutique on Splendor was risible.

There is a potential gotcha to deferring the $200 OBC to the cruise you are booking. Recently we booked a cruise on board and deferred the OBC. Later, Regent had a promotion for the cruise we booked on board and the $200 OBC was invalid because of the promotion. Since the promotion reduced our fare by $2000, giving up the OBC was a no-brainer. I have decided that, in the future whenever it’s feasible, I will take the OBC immediately and will not defer it.

 

Dave

[wineoclock]

What a shame can’t recommend TAs on here! That’s a good saving. 
 

Just booked my first Regent cruise so just reading around the posts:))

[Lonedaddy]

Don’t remember but on another thread I posted the onboard booking certificate you can get on a future booking 1000 depositing plus obc and then your TA can apply to booking they book for you.  Flying out tomorrow to Texas visit the kids and Gks for a few days and off to Israel to board the voyager !

[papaflamingo]

8 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

Don’t remember but on another thread I posted the onboard booking certificate you can get on a future booking 1000 depositing plus obc and then your TA can apply to booking they book for you.  Flying out tomorrow to Texas visit the kids and Gks for a few days and off to Israel to board the voyager !

We booked an Open Booking and used it for the Grand Cruise in 2025.  Our entire deposit for both of us is only $4,000 ($2,000 each).  MUCH cheaper than the normal deposit.  THAT is one of the HUGE advantages of on board bookings. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by papaflamingo

[Lonedaddy]

10 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

Don’t remember but on another thread I posted the onboard booking certificate you can get on a future booking 1000 depositing plus obc and then your TA can apply to booking they book for you.  Flying out tomorrow to Texas visit the kids and Gks for a few days and off to Israel to board the voyager !

The certificate is also 100% refundable if you don't use it in a year.  

[Joanandjoe]

On 10/5/2023 at 9:39 AM, Lonedaddy said:

The certificate is also 100% refundable if you don't use it in a year.  

Lonedaddy, we look forward to seeing you in Israel next week, either in Jerusalem if you are on the pre-cruise trip, or on the ship.

 

Is the certificate program still in effect? We did this once, and it was quite useful.  However, the onbourd booking rules mentioned in the link in post # 7 does not mention the future cruise certificates.

[Lonedaddy]

36 minutes ago, Joanandjoe said:

Lonedaddy, we look forward to seeing you in Israel next week, either in Jerusalem if you are on the pre-cruise trip, or on the ship.

 

Is the certificate program still in effect? We did this once, and it was quite useful.  However, the onbourd booking rules mentioned in the link in post # 7 does not mention the future cruise certificates.

I believe it still is just ask the future cruise consultant on board.  We are on the pre cruise leave Wednesday 

[edgee]

2 hours ago, Joanandjoe said:

Lonedaddy, we look forward to seeing you in Israel next week, either in Jerusalem if you are on the pre-cruise trip, or on the ship.

 

Is the certificate program still in effect? We did this once, and it was quite useful.  However, the onbourd booking rules mentioned in the link in post # 7 does not mention the future cruise certificates.

Yes. Future cruise certificate is still in effect.