Has anyone actually TAKEN a Spirit Incentives Cruise??

[MJNZ2012]

We followed all the instructions. Got called quickly and booked the latest available date (months later). We leave this Thursday. We upgraded to oceanview and then I decided to upgrade to balcony as a surprise for husband. Called Carnival and they told me price and said call your travel agent. I called Spirit. Could NOT believe they charged me same price (no markup). We sail soon and are still paying, with upgrades, no more than 55% of the retail cost. Maybe we could do batter with past guest or prebook discount but I am happy.

[TwoCruisersTexas]

We sail next week and ill post an update when we get back.

 

We just got back from this cruise and wanted to give you an update. The cabin we were assigned was 1437 on the Rivera Deck(1). While unpacking we made note of the noise coming from the AC duct, but realized that being on bottom deck and all the way in the back that was to be expected. We returned to the room after dinner, and I have to tell you it sounded like we were standing inside a fast moving locomotive. The noise and vibration was unbelievable. I went to guest services, knowing this was a Spirit Incentive deal, was prepared to hear "sorry, there's nothing we can do". I was pleasantly surprised. The officer on duty came back to the room to verify what I was telling her, told us she had to check with her supervisor and call us back. The next day we were moved into another A4 (starboard forward). No more noise and vibration...Bottom line, they took care of us...good deal.

[bigdaddyvoges]

Thanks so much for all of the insight. Just submitted our days last night, for 2013 on the Imagination. Hurry email, hurry! :D

[sweet angel]

Just got the call that we "won" a "free 4/5/7 night Caribbean cruise" on either Carnival or Royal Caribbean or a land vacation...forget the locations. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the dates for the presentation didn't work for us. We were told it was a 90-minute presentation. Since I agreed to have them keep our entry information and contact us next time they're local, I have some questions:

 

If it's a "free" cruise, why is there a deposit?

How fine is the fine print? Meaning, how many hoops to jump through?

How brutal is the presentation?

 

In my opinion, "free" means without cost. I can see having to pay taxes and port fees, but why a deposit?

[bigdaddyvoges]

Sue,

 

The deposit does go towards the port fees & taxes. As long as you hold your ground, you will walk out the door without paying a single cent. The presentation isn't *that bad,* its the pressure game afterwards. Also, I've read the room has bunk beds, but you can pay to upgrade. Hope this helps. We should be receiving the call from them in a couple of weeks telling us which of our days have been chosen (takes about 3 months). Hope this helps.

 

 

MRS. Bigdaddyvoges.

[sweet angel]

Sue,

 

The deposit does go towards the port fees & taxes. As long as you hold your ground, you will walk out the door without paying a single cent. The presentation isn't *that bad,* its the pressure game afterwards. Also, I've read the room has bunk beds, but you can pay to upgrade. Hope this helps. We should be receiving the call from them in a couple of weeks telling us which of our days have been chosen (takes about 3 months). Hope this helps.

 

 

MRS. Bigdaddyvoges.

Thanks. Maybe I'll keep putting them off until you report back!

[kris38ddRN]

Well I won a "free" 3 night cruise with airfare included from SUndance travel presentation. Of course I had to sit through 2-3 hours of a stron sales pitch but when it was over I got my cruise. I paid a 198 deposit which goes towards taxes. The total taxes/fees per person was 292. We have to arrrive a day before so we are also responsible for hotel accomodation for that night and transportation to and from the port. We are to land in Ft Lauderdale which is 30 min away and e are going to take a cab. On the call to get the confirmed dates of travel you have to be prepared to pay the full balance and agree to whatever date they quote you on that phone call. I did all of this and within 24 hours my itinerary was emailed to me and my reservation was visible on the royal caribean website. So less than 300 dollars for airfare and the cruise is a deal you cannot beat. Of course all of the other expenses but I am sure i saved waaaaayyyyy more than I could have ever afforded. I live in Chicago and round trip airfare alone would have been 400. So follow rules exactly and it should all pan out my cruise is in 75 days and i will post againa fter i return. It is NOT a scam!!

[Fydlstyx]

A word of advice - they will wear you down mentally - expect a 3-hour wait max and then they'll show you all of the wonderful niceties and properties on-site. Then, they'll hit you with 3 different folks - and try to get you to sign up for their program. You get a 3rd trip if you sign up with them too. We got the cruise, the 5-day vacation getaway to Aruba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Hawaii (our choice) and a severe headache.

 

Bring a book or a PDA cell phone to pass the time.

 

Our time share presentation was in Virginia. We said no multiple times and they dragged over another salesman, and when we got to salesman number three, I had a lightbulb moment. I started talking like they were convincing me and then said, "Do a lot of people bring their dogs?" A look of horror passed over the dude's face as he exclaimed that their property is entirely pet free (which I knew because I read that in the brochure in the room the night before). I looked suitably disappointed and said that of course we could not buy then because we do not travel without our dogs for longer than one or two nights. One last halfhearted attempt at selling, to which my husband replied, "Forget it. She never leaves those dogs," with a little shake of his head and a look that told the salesman I am a nut. Boom. Done. (Although he did advise that he knew how we could illegally and unethically pass our dogs off as service dogs).

 

Took the "free" Spirit incentives cruise on Norwegian and never looked back. The cruise was fabulous. The process for reserving was extremely easy, and I noticed that a lot of people who carry on about it being fake or being difficult to book, etc (on other boards, not here) simply failed to follow the instructions. If you follow them exactly, it seems to work out just fine!

[shooooby]

We attended the timeshare presentation today, so I am just learning about the difficulties in booking the free cruise.

 

This is my understanding. We have to send $100 before we can learn the available dates. Then we have to choose 3 dates and wait for them to approve or not.

 

Can we make all three choices from Galveston? It isn't worth flying to Florida for a 4 day cruise, but it would be easy for us to drive to Galveston.

 

Does anyone know? Thanks.

[shooooby]

Well, I registered for my "free" cruise. I should get an invoice within two weeks for the deposit. We may be stupid to follow through with this but we have friends who did this and took the free cruise.

[sweet angel]

Good luck! Keep us posted on your progress.

[FlaMilkman]

I can't honestly tell you about the cruise version of the Spirit Incentives trip but can tell you about taking the "free" airfare and hotel option of the deal.

 

We attended the presentation in Boca Raton approximately six months ago. The presentation itself isn't too bad and, in our case, the high pressure sales afterwards was almost non-existent. They realized that my DW and I weren't going to bite and figured that there were bigger fish to catch in our group. We got the coupons for $40 in free gas (4 x $10 coupons that had to be mailed in with original receipts) and the offer for a couple of nights in Anaheim and corresponding airfare.

 

We really had one date in mind because we wanted to attend a wedding. So we picked our week (which is actually next week), Christmas week and Thanksgiving week figuring that it was the safest bets to get the week we wanted. We were right. The hardest thing was waiting to 45 days before our trip to find out the week they selected because we were afraid if they didn't come through that we would have to buy expensive airline tickets.

 

In addition to the $100 deposit we had to pay an additional $168 in taxes and fees for the two of us. The $268 is still lower than the published fare of $675 it would have cost the two of us if we bought them without the incentive. We are flying on American Airlines from Fort Lauderdale (changing in Dallas on the way there and non-stop / red eye coming back).

 

As for the free hotel - we declined. Is was for a Motel 6 / Econolodge (or some equivalent). It may have saved us some money. However, not only did we not want to stay in that level hotel, the wedding itself is actually closer to downtown Los Angeles and we didn't want to commute that far anyway.

 

Be careful when you actually call Spirit Incentives to redeem your trip. If you don't make the reservation on the initial call they will charge you $35 to call again. The call itself, without exaggeration, took nearly 45 minutes (most of it on hold). They certainly don't make things easy. However, saving a couple hundred $$$ made the experience tolerable.

[savanratanpara]

Hi guys,

 

I just won the cruise to Bahamas, like many of you, and got an email from Spirit incentives asking for $100 registration fee. I dont mind sending a $100 check as it doesnt look like a scam from what many of you said. I would like to know what is the procedure after that. When do I tell them when I want to go. I would like to go in March 2014 which is like 7 months from now. thank you in advance

[hamgela]

Hi guys,

 

I just won the cruise to Bahamas, like many of you, and got an email from Spirit incentives asking for $100 registration fee. I dont mind sending a $100 check as it doesnt look like a scam from what many of you said. I would like to know what is the procedure after that. When do I tell them when I want to go. I would like to go in March 2014 which is like 7 months from now. thank you in advance

 

We were successful with spirit incentives and cruising. You have to be diligent, read the fine print, and be flexible about dates. It is also not a "free" cruise. They tell you that you have to pay "taxes and fees". At the end of the day, we wound up getting a highly discounted cruise. It was about 50% what it would have cost us to book with the cruise line.

 

Once you've paid the deposit I would watch the website (where you enter your certificate number) like a hawk. About 2weeeks after getting your deposit they'll allow you to pick 3 travel dates. Once you've picked your dates, I would watch the website like a hawk again. Eventually (30 - 45 days later) it will tell you you're ready to call and book. You must be prepared to pay all your taxes and fees at that time. if you don't they cancel and you loose the ability to use the certificate.

 

Good Luck!

[kninaz]

Hi All,

I got my free cruise from Spirit Incentives and mailed in my $198 check. I'm waiting to see the available dates.

 

If you've taken one of these cruises, can you tell me which ship you were on?

 

Thanks,

Nina

[hamgela]

Hi All,

I got my free cruise from Spirit Incentives and mailed in my $198 check. I'm waiting to see the available dates.

 

If you've taken one of these cruises, can you tell me which ship you were on?

 

Thanks,

Nina

 

I was on the norwegian pearl out of Miami.

[JageNGeeg]

We just booked our cruise yesterday for Sept 29, and are now in the 72 hour waiting for email reply stage. I have seen where a few have you have gotten the free upgrades. How did you accomplish this? What do we need to do to try and get it? This is our first cruise, long overdue honeymoon! So excited!!!

[SFCRUISER13]

Hi,

We attended a presentation which provided us with a 4 day cruise to Mexico on Carnival Inspiration. I agree that it was a bit of a process to get the cruise from the port you want to depart from. The room is an inside cabin but the price was free (no port charges either). You send a deposit which is refunded, after you select your dates. You choose three dates, and they try to match up one of them, so you need some flexibility.

 

The cruise was a lot more fun than I expected, it's not like a cruise on Royal Caribbean, (food/activiites/etc), but it was good.

 

So, yes, this is legitimate although it's not an entirely painless process.

[hamgela]

We just booked our cruise yesterday for Sept 29, and are now in the 72 hour waiting for email reply stage. I have seen where a few have you have gotten the free upgrades. How did you accomplish this? What do we need to do to try and get it? This is our first cruise, long overdue honeymoon! So excited!!!

 

 

We got a standard inside cabin. They told us it would be two twin "bunk beds" and the room would only fit two people. The ship we were traveling on didn't have bunk bed rooms so I knew it was their way of trying to get us to pay for an upgrade.

[Jackie12345]

Hi - I am starting the cruise process - did you end up going on the cruise?

 

Jackie

[JageNGeeg]

Not yet! Cruise is September 29th! So excited!

[kninaz]

Not yet. Our cruise is scheduled for Sept. 8th on the Ecstacy. I'll let you know how it goes

 

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[Jackie12345]

Not yet. Our cruise is scheduled for Sept. 8th on the Ecstacy. I'll let you know how it goes

 

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Hi - I sent my deposit in and my question is how much is the total cost?

 

Do you have to travel the day before the cruise or travel home the day after the cruise?

 

Jacks

[lvetocruise2012]

Has anyone recently taken a Spirit Incentive/GOCRV cruise?

Do you know if I can add/upgrade for my child to my reservation?

 

 

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[JageNGeeg]

Wanted to let everyone know that our cruise went well! We had a wonderful time! We were skeptical about the Spirit Incentives deal also, but it worked out great! You have to be flexible with your dates but it's well worth it! It was a belated honeymoon and first cruise for both of us. Would definitely do it again!