What are the book on board benefits?

[PhD-iva]

Hello all. I did try to use the search function, including using quotation marks around “book on board”, but I guess the search function does not work very well.

I will be on board Voyager in February and I am wondering if the book on board benefits will be similar to Oceania. 

Is there a reduced deposit? If so, is it a set amount, or a reduced percentage?
Do you get a best price guarantee? In other words, if prices are reduced in the future, do you get to refare your invoice?

Are you able to change the itinerary once without losing your book onboard benefits?

Do you have the ability to book your chosen itinerary 30 days before your cruise and then while on board convert it to the “book on board” benefits?

Can you buy a future cruise credit if you don’t have a specific itinerary in mind? I am traveling solo, and I am wondering if I can buy more than one future cruise credit and use the second and third ones for my future traveling companions who will not be in my suite.

If I buy a future cruise credit and decide not to book anything, is it refundable?

Are there any additional benefits that I have not thought of?

Thank you to all experienced Regent cruisers!

[DarthCruiser]

Here's the link to the Regent site with the details:  https://www.rssc.com/onboard-savings-program

[pingpong1]

Robin - I'm in the process of taking advantage of the OSP, myself.  Our cruise embarks on Nov 20 and I've just booked a future cruise (for March 2025).  You can use the program up to 30 days in advance of your "current cruise" or of course, while you're actually onboard that "current cruise".  You only pay a deposit of $500 per person for the new booking (vice 15% of the fare), You get a $100PP OBC for the "current cruise", and you get a small additional discount (in addition to any others you quality for) off the fare price of the "future cruise".  And yes, the future cruise booking does have a "guaranteed price lock" with it.  Regards.

[PhD-iva]

30 minutes ago, DarthCruiser said:

Here's the link to the Regent site with the details:  https://www.rssc.com/onboard-savings-program

Thx!

[PhD-iva]

24 minutes ago, pingpong1 said:

Robin - I'm in the process of taking advantage of the OSP, myself.  Our cruise embarks on Nov 20 and I've just booked a future cruise (for March 2025).  You can use the program up to 30 days in advance of your "current cruise" or of course, while you're actually onboard that "current cruise".  You only pay a deposit of $500 per person for the new booking (vice 15% of the fare), You get a $100PP OBC for the "current cruise", and you get a small additional discount (in addition to any others you quality for) off the fare price of the "future cruise".  And yes, the future cruise booking does have a "guaranteed price lock" with it.  Regards.

Thx!

[PhD-iva]

47 minutes ago, DarthCruiser said:

Here's the link to the Regent site with the details:  https://www.rssc.com/onboard-savings-program

Thx again. I did read through it, but didn’t see any reference to an FCC option. In case my galpals haven’t selected our itin yet by the time I’m onboard…….

[papaflamingo]

3 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Thx again. I did read through it, but didn’t see any reference to an FCC option. In case my galpals haven’t selected our itin yet by the time I’m onboard…….

You can book an "open booking" on board.  We did it in 2022.  You have a certain time frame to book a cruise (I think within a year), but you get the reduced deposit plus all the OBC, etc.  You also get one "free" change of a cruise that's been booked on board without losing the perks or reduced deposit.  So you could book a cruise 2 years out and then change it when your friends decide on a cruise.  You also get the one time "free" change with an open booking.  

[PhD-iva]

3 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

You can book an "open booking" on board.  We did it in 2022.  You have a certain time frame to book a cruise (I think within a year), but you get the reduced deposit plus all the OBC, etc.  You also get one "free" change of a cruise that's been booked on board without losing the perks or reduced deposit.  So you could book a cruise 2 years out and then change it when your friends decide on a cruise.  You also get the one time "free" change with an open booking.  

Yay! Thx! Am a happy camper!

[flossie009]

10 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Thx again. I did read through it, but didn’t see any reference to an FCC option. In case my galpals haven’t selected our itin yet by the time I’m onboard…….

The Future Cruise Certificate does give the ‘on board’ booking benefits and is refundable if not used after a year.

However there are some potential drawbacks:

  1. You are not locking in todays prices

  2. The money spent on the certificate is not earning interest

  3. It is unlikely that you would have charge-back rights with your credit card for the value of the certificate.

 

Better, IMO, to decide on a cruise and use the change option if you later decide on another itinerary.

 

[edgee]

Another tip: The on board credit for on board booking can be applied to either the cruise you are currently on or on the future cruise you are booking. Definitely take the credit on the current cruise instead if the future one. I am glad that I did. The cruise I booked became available at a fantastic sale price. New price was $5000 (for 2) less expensive than the original booking. Regent agreed to give me the new price. Catch was I lost about $600 worth of benefits including on board booking discount, Amex Platinum  $300 credit and $100 shareholder on board credit. If I had applied the on board credit from future cruise booking to the future cruise I am sure I would have lost that also. Side note: Originally my TA was told that I would only lose the AMEX on board credit. Even though it was Regent who reneged on assurances by their agent that I could keep on board discount, my TA offered to cut me a check to make up for Regent's failing to keep their promise.  I appreciate my TA!

Edited December 2, 2023 by edgee

[flossie009]

On the face of it, $5000 cash off your final payment in exchange for $600 loss of benefits sounds like a good deal.

If the change was processed by cancelling the old booking and making a new booking at the better price then Regent could theoretically have clawed back the original on-board booking OBC by deduction from the new price.

 

On the other hand, the on board booking comes with the Regent "Best Price Guarantee" which means that the new price should have been applied to the original booking with no loss of the other benefits given when you made the original booking.

 

(Best Price Guarantee applies when another applicable public promotion offers a better price on the cruise guest has selected. Guest will be able to take advantage of this new promotion plus the added benefit of the applicable Onboard Savings by having their travel agent call Regent Seven Seas Cruises to have the new promotion added to their reservation)

 

As regards the shareholder OBC, can you not just re-apply for the NCLH shareholder benefit to be applied to the new booking?

[edgee]

On 12/2/2023 at 10:18 AM, flossie009 said:

On the face of it, $5000 cash off your final payment in exchange for $600 loss of benefits sounds like a good deal.

If the change was processed by cancelling the old booking and making a new booking at the better price then Regent could theoretically have clawed back the original on-board booking OBC by deduction from the new price.

 

On the other hand, the on board booking comes with the Regent "Best Price Guarantee" which means that the new price should have been applied to the original booking with no loss of the other benefits given when you made the original booking.

 

(Best Price Guarantee applies when another applicable public promotion offers a better price on the cruise guest has selected. Guest will be able to take advantage of this new promotion plus the added benefit of the applicable Onboard Savings by having their travel agent call Regent Seven Seas Cruises to have the new promotion added to their reservation)

 

As regards the shareholder OBC, can you not just re-apply for the NCLH shareholder benefit to be applied to the new booking?

Thanks for your comments. I believe that the key to getting or not getting lower price and keeping book on board benefits is the reference to the price being offered to the public. I did not see the better price on Regent website, but on a very popular website offered by a major primarily on line TA with a special code next to it...so not sure it was "available to the public" by their definition. I then sent a screenshot of that to my travel agent who works for another very  large agency and they matched the significantly lower price for her. As I noted, my agency has connections pretty high up in Regent and request to keep on board benefits was rejected at that level. Final payment date was 2 days ago, so at that point I paid the price without on board discount and will get a check from my TA making up what I am unexpectedly  losing, (except $100 shareholder credit), so I am good. Will take a crack at getting the shareholder credit restored, however.

[PhD-iva]

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Edited December 4, 2023 by PhD-iva
Delete

[lprp]

Just had a very strange experience while getting a quote for a cruise in 2025/26 (Two B2B’s).

The total price I was quoted with all the book on board discounts was MORE than if I went into the website and booked them myself as 2 separate cruises 🤷‍♀️.

I was not logged into the website so I wasn’t getting any special deals for status, etc.

In addition, I was quoted £10k per person EACH WAY to upgrade to Business Class, so £40k, which is more than the total cruise only amount!!

Given that we can’t book flights for our 2024/25 cruise yet I’m not sure how it’s possible to quote for the following year 🤔.

 

[flossie009]

2 hours ago, lprp said:

The total price I was quoted with all the book on board discounts was MORE than if I went into the website and booked them myself as 2 separate cruises 🤷‍♀️.

Was she quoting cruise only or with economy air ?

What did she say when you pointed out her error ?

 

Agree that it is impossible for Regent(UK) to supply a firm price for business class upgrade this far ahead.

 

We always try to book with the Southampton office during the 30 day pre-cruise window when the on board booking benefits (including price guarantee) can be applied. We then have the booking transferred to our TA for their extra discount to be applied.

 

[mrlevin]

4 hours ago, lprp said:

Just had a very strange experience while getting a quote for a cruise in 2025/26 (Two B2B’s).

The total price I was quoted with all the book on board discounts was MORE than if I went into the website and booked them myself as 2 separate cruises 🤷‍♀️.

I was not logged into the website so I wasn’t getting any special deals for status, etc.

In addition, I was quoted £10k per person EACH WAY to upgrade to Business Class, so £40k, which is more than the total cruise only amount!!

Given that we can’t book flights for our 2024/25 cruise yet I’m not sure how it’s possible to quote for the following year 🤔.

 

Lprp, remember who you were booking with; she who believes Christchurch is on the North Island.  I would be suspect of any price she gives you and I definitely would not trust her recommendations on cabins. 

[lprp]

2 hours ago, flossie009 said:

Was she quoting cruise only or with economy air ?

What did she say when you pointed out her error ?

She was quoting cruise only, my comparison was for the same.

she blamed the computer - apparently she had to quote for 3 segments - MIA-MIA round trip, MIA-Panama City, Panama City-LA, even though the website allows MIA-MIA round trip, MIA-LA. 
She was not forthcoming as to why her quote was dearer 😏. She is emailing Head Office…….

3 hours ago, flossie009 said:

We always try to book with the Southampton office during the 30 day pre-cruise window when the on board booking benefits (including price guarantee) can be applied. We then have the booking transferred to our TA for their extra discount to be applied.

That sounds like a good idea 🤙

[lprp]

Just now, mrlevin said:

Lprp, remember who you were booking with; she who believes Christchurch is on the North Island.  I would be suspect of any price she gives you and I definitely would not trust her recommendations on cabins. 

She does seem a little unsure of everything, I wonder if she was drafted in from NCL. This was her second attempt at making a booking for us , she got the first one completely wrong 🤨

[mrlevin]

Six months ago she was selling perfume in boutique on Explorer. 

[mj_holiday]

On 12/26/2023 at 1:15 PM, lprp said:

She does seem a little unsure of everything, I wonder if she was drafted in from NCL. This was her second attempt at making a booking for us , she got the first one completely wrong 🤨

What ship are you on right now?

[lprp]

14 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

On 12/26/2023 at 2:15 PM, lprp said:

 

What ship are you on right now?

Mariner