New C&A coupon policy???

[cruizinmimi]

brn2crz,

 

Okay, I found where I emailed my last coupon into rccl. Emailed to coupons@rccl.com and be sure to put your booking ID# your names and your C&A #'s and the amount of the coupon and sailing date. It worked for me BUT I did not go through a TA either.

 

Hope this works.

Linda :)

[staylor]

What's next?!!! I am disappointed in RCCL. So much for the loyalty program. They aren't being very loyal to us.

 

I also read the C&A society member benefits page listed in the magazine. Big Whupp! Let's see.... we spend thousands of dollars with their company......finally make it to Platinum status and ...I GET TO WEAR A USED ROBE ONBOARD!!!!!!! WOW! Hold me back! They should be embarassed that they aren't GIVING me a robe!

 

No wonder we are straying........

[F858MM]

Tony,

Thanks for the info about the coupon. If anyone has the $100.00 and would like to give it away. You can email at F858mm@aol.com

Thanks,

Fran

[staylor]

Names and C&A numbers are on the coupons. No one else can use them.

[cujosmom]

cruzinmimi - Thanks for the email address. I went ahead and emailed my coupon information in. We'll see if they take it or if I get an email back with a denial. At least this way I didn't have to fill in the information on the coupon, mail it and then get turned down :eek: Who knows....maybe I'll book another cruise by Nov 16.

[gkrebs]

Brn2crus,

 

Listen, dont blame yourself, you were excited as we all would be. Prices cant have changed that much since you booked. if your not in penalty phase, cancel, rebook and use the coupon. If you can't its a lesson, we will all have just learned through you. Thanks for letting us know.

 

Jim,

 

Im right there with you. Seems petty to me also to change what they have always done now. But then again its about them making money and getting as much out of us as they can. Well maybe Princess wont mess around with me if I book over there. But they are bigger tightwads about getting refunds if price drops. Its just not as much fun booking with them :-(

[beachchick]

Okay, I realize we are relatively new to cruising and to RCI. I've not said a thing about the JR charges, the increase in price for the soda sticker, and all the other "little" things. It's the cost of doing business; just call it inflation or whatever. I didn't say a thing about the new discounting policy, which I think is stupid and short-sighted, but I realize that's just my opinion. I understand things change and RCI can do whatever they want.

 

I also realize that DH and I (and sister, BIL, and mother) are only a tiny, obviously insignificant, fraction of the cruising public. However, I'm now at the point of thinking that land vacations will be the way to go in the future. We love cruising, but there comes a point where you have to decide what you are willing to accept.

 

Yes, I understand it won't make the slightest difference to RCI whether we continue to cruise. There are many, many cruisers out there. But this is where I say enough is enough. Why even join C&A if RCI is going to take our business for granted? This new coupon policy is, IMO, another short-sighted decision. We'll see how it shakes out. In the meantime, we're planning a lovely land trip for next year. I had hoped to cruise, but am making the choice to take my business elsewhere for now. I may look into other cruise lines; we'll see because we've been rather partial to RCI so I don't know what we'll find.

 

And please, no one chime in with "well, good riddance" or "see ya" or any of the rather rude responses posters get when they write that they've decided not to cruise with RCI for whatever reason--I already get that the more obsessive among us are almost rabid in their defense of RCI. Plus, those kinds of responses are not worthy of the quality if almost all the posters I've "met" on this board. I don't "hate" RCI, far from it, we've loved our RCI cruises; I'm just taking our hard-earned dollars somewhere else until RCI changes some policies back to make them more consumer friendly, that is if they do reverse or modify some of these changes. I do have to wonder just how far they think they can push their customers. There are so many ships to choose from, with more on the way. I will watch to see what happens in the future.

 

Hope everyone has wonderful cruises in the future.

beachchick

[isujim]

beachchick:

 

I for one understand where you are coming from and I think my previous posts reflect that..........while I will continue to cruise RC............this one sticks in my neck only because it is targeted IMHO at the one thing all cruise lines used to cherish.........LOYALTY............by pretty much cruising RC exclusively, you derived a benefit not available to everyone..............now unless you book within "their window" that benefit is pretty much gone. I am going to my t/a today as I just recieved my magazine yesterday............she is a top producer for RC and I am going to have her call her district sales rep............no...........I don't expect it will change anything...........yes...........I'm going to say what I think needs to be said.

 

Jim

[gkrebs]

Let us know what happens Jim.

 

Beachchick,

 

I was already thinking about a land vacation to an all inclusive next year. Cruising is great and I like RCI, but there are other things to do on a vacation then cruise.

[babs275]

Speculation - maybe they want to discourage people from booking so far out and locking in "discounted" prices now that the tourist industry seems to be recovering.

[Ocean Boy]

If that were the case then they simply would not offer early discounted pricing. From their perspective I would think that the sooner they can get your money into their bank account the better.

[beachchick]

Thanks everyone for your support (or at least understanding) of my position. Honestly, I expected to be flamed for our decision; now I realize that my opinion of CCers has been reinforced. This is a good group of people. Maybe RCI will rethink how far they can push their loyal repeat cruisers--I hope so and hope to see you all in the future.

 

beachchick

[Ziggy7]

Is there a coupon for Monarch of the Seas for Dec 13th sailing in the C & A, I havent recieved mine yet either :(

Can anyone look this up for me please :)

Thanks! :)

[NYDee]

beachchick:

 

I for one understand where you are coming from and I think my previous posts reflect that..........while I will continue to cruise RC............this one sticks in my neck only because it is targeted IMHO at the one thing all cruise lines used to cherish.........LOYALTY............by pretty much cruising RC exclusively, you derived a benefit not available to everyone..............now unless you book within "their window" that benefit is pretty much gone. I am going to my t/a today as I just recieved my magazine yesterday............she is a top producer for RC and I am going to have her call her district sales rep............no...........I don't expect it will change anything...........yes...........I'm going to say what I think needs to be said.

 

Jim

 

I already have a loyalty discount when I booked, as a Platinum member with one more cruise to Diamond, we received $100 per person discount. If I want I can rebook and use this discount. My choice. However, we are booked in a cabin for 4, aft on Navigator and I would rather not use the discount and not bring attention to booking only 2 into this cabin. I booked it as soon as the schedules were posted.

 

I don't see these coupons as a non reward to loyal cruisers. After all you have to be a C&A member to get them.

[isujim]

It is certainly a NON reward if you can't use them:p or they limit how you use them. JMHO!.............but I respect your point of view.

 

And by the way.........we also get the $100 per cabin booking discount......that has nothing to do with the Crown and Anchor coupons in the magazine......

[brn2crz]

Boy Jim...My exact thoughts.Any luck through your TA?

I got a written response to my e-mail from C&A,after getting my firm "no" on the phone,simply stating the obvious "it is only valid on sailings booked during this period" blah...and DUH!! I fired back with,yeah,yeah save your breathe (sortof)

and how dare you tell me this when your agents are KNOWINGLY canceling booked customers,and rebooking them and allowing the use of the coupon...Give me a break....the price of the sailing BTW has not changed since I booked..

[isujim]

Cathy:

 

She e-mailed the coupon in..........didn't know she had that capability.......but she did..........don't know if it went to Crown and Anchor or Revenue........I have a copy of her confirmation that it went in and they say they will notify her within 48 hours via e-mail or fax whether or not it was accepted..........we are at the 24 hour mark and just waiting............

 

I'm not counting on it...........and if the answer is no...........which I expect it will be........I'm writing a very nice letter...........never done that before, but that is how strongly I feel about it............

 

24 more hours to notification..............I'll keep you posted right here.

 

Jim

[BK300]

Crown & Anchor is sent to those who have cruised with them before or often in many cases. Those who cruise often usually book out early. Perhaps they should send out the magazines with coupons for a year or more out. I don't think it's good to penalize your loyal frequent cruisers. We are the ones booking *- hello-*** . The magazines with coupons aren't sent to those who have not sailed before. There's alot involved in planning a cruise especially considering air and work schedules. I understand this is a small thing in the overall picture to some of you but we I sure get excited and motivated when I get to use one. This is a perk for cruising their cruise line more than the others. Do you think this new rule is working by bringing in more new bookings? Maybe...or maybe just disappointing alot of faithful customers and no longer making them stand out above the others. Oh well enough said. Hope they reconsider their position but if not "whatever". :rolleyes:

[isujim]

I haven't followed up on this because there is nothing to report yet.......t/a sent the coupon electronically just to see if they would take it and 10 days later they said they never recieved it.......so the t/a did it again........we are now in that process and haven't heard from RC yet...........still planning to keep everyone posted.......t/a says even if they reject it, she has a few more things to try (didn't press her) so we are just in a waiting game.

[tiggy]

Hrm. We've had none of these problems. We booked our October 2005 cruise in mid-July. Our C&A magazine came a couple of weeks ago. We mailed the coupon to our TA on Saturday and just received a new invoice this morning showing the coupon had been applied.

 

So, I guess you can assume that the application of these "new rules" varies.

[aleone]

I don't understand what is going on at RCI. tiggy's response indicates a complete change from everything we've heard before. I always thought that a policy was a policy and applied to everyone equally under all cases.

 

I'm really glad that tiggy got to save some money, but everyone else should be able to benefit also.

[isujim]

tiggy:

 

That is encouraging news.........we also booked mid July for an October 05 cruise........just waiting to hear if it was accepted. Thanks for letting me know you had no problems.

[isujim]

Well my t/a finally got an answer from Crown and Anchor this morning so I am following up our outcome.

 

They DID ACCEPT our coupon even though we booked the cruise 4 months before the coupon came out.

 

It may be one of those things who you talk to and on what day..........so for those of you that pre booked a cruise and had your coupon turned down because you booked early...........keep trying and try again.

[aleone]

Congratulations !! I'm glad it turned out OK for you. It seems as though RCI may be re-thinking their new policy. I think your advice is right on and everyone should re-apply and by all means don't just take the word of your TA.

[Beelady]

I booked my Oct. '05 Hawaii cruise several months ago. When my C&A magazine arrived several weeks ago, there was a $225.00 coupon for my sailing. I emailed RCI with my coupon and sailing info, and waited for their reply. The answer came a week later, - "Coupon Denied".

I immediately fired off a letter right back to them, basically stating that I didn't understand why I was allowed to do this in the past, and now that I have achieved platinum status, you will no longer honor my coupon? I said that "since I am still well beyond the penalty window, I could always cancel my booking, and rebook using my coupon. But then I would risk losing my cabin, which I had specifically selected - not a very nice way for you to treat a loyal customer".

Anyway, to make a long story short, RCI's answer to that letter was a $225.00 credit to my account!!

I guess youcan't argue with common sense!