Groupon has a new offer to save on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but buyer beware.
Royal Caribbean is running a gift card promotion on Groupon with 8% savings. Although savings are still possible, the deal’s terms and conditions put strong limitations on when and how the gift cards can be redeemed.
Groupon is currently offering a promotion on $100, $250, and $500 Royal Caribbean gift cards. The coupon site states the gift cards can be used for “cruise fares, onboard purchases, and more,” but Royal Caribbean fans have found conflicting information in the fine print.
We took a closer look at this Royal Caribbean gift card offer to see whether or not the 8% savings are worth the limitations.
The offer will save you 8% on Royal Caribbean gift cards
Royal Caribbean offers gift cards year-round on their website, but purchasing gift cards through Groupon currently yields the following discounts:
- A $100 gift card for $92
- A $250 gift card for $230
- A $500 gift card for $460
Gift cards can be purchased directly through Groupon and redeemed through Royal Caribbean. At the time of publication, no additional taxes and fees were applied at checkout.
The fine print has conflicting information about how to redeem the gift card
Although an 8% savings seems like a great deal, we urge cruisers to read the fine print before purchasing a discounted gift card. Groupon states conflicting information within the offer, making the redemption rules unclear.
In the discount’s description, Groupon states that “gift cards are redeemable towards cruise fares, pre-cruise purchases, and onboard purchases.” In the FAQ section of the offer, Groupon writes that the gift cards can “typically be applied to new or existing cruise bookings.”
The fine print, however, states that the certificate “may be used only as a form of payment toward a new reservation made directly with Royal Caribbean International.”
It also lists the following restrictions:
- Certificate value may only be applied toward the cruise fare for sailings quoted in USD
- Certificate cannot be used toward payment of the required initial deposit
- Certificate may not be split between multiple reservations or be partially redeemed
- Certificate may not be applied to a reservation within a group, charter, or casino program/promotions
- Certificate may not be used to purchase onboard credit or settle shipboard charges
The offer mentions that “gift cards are subject to Royal Caribbean’s standard terms and conditions” and recommends checking the official website for specific redemption policies.
“Read the terms and conditions very closely,” says a cruise travel advisor
Even though Groupon’s description claims this gift card can be used for pre-existing bookings and onboard purchases, we spoke with a travel advisor from MEI-Travel to clear up the confusion.
Jenn Greene has over 15 years of experience as a travel advisor specializing in cruises, and she urges cruisers to proceed with caution before booking this Groupon offer.
“As with any gift card offers,” she explained, “I would be sure to read the terms and conditions very closely. Many are not able to be combined with certain promotions. Once you redeem them you could lose onboard credit, valuable sales or onboard offers. Also, it takes around a week or so for these to be redeemed as you cannot call and have them applied.
If purchased too close to the payment you may have to still pay that balance because they cannot redeem the gift card in time. These are rarely ever for anything but payments towards fare, meaning you cannot take them onboard to redeem,” stated Greene.
She recommends working with a travel advisor to ensure you’re making the right choice before purchasing a gift card through this type of promotion.
For cruisers who typically book through travel advisors, for example, using the gift card could disqualify you from agency group rates. These group rates could offer more savings than the 8% discount from the Groupon gift card.
Overall, the deal can still save you money in select cases
Despite the conflicting terms and conditions, the offer can still be applied to new Royal Caribbean bookings in select circumstances.
If you purchase the $500 gift card for $460 and book a Royal Caribbean cruise directly through the cruise line, you will save $40 on the cruise fare.
Plus, if you have an American Express credit card, you may be able to combine the Groupon offer with an American Express spending offer, enabling you to save even more. Some cardholders report targeted Groupon offers of $10 back on $50 purchases, for example.
Overall, though, despite the advertised 8% savings, cruisers should proceed with caution if they plan to purchase a Royal Caribbean gift card through Groupon. The conflicting information and limitations may make it difficult to redeem the gift card unless you plan to book a new Royal Caribbean cruise in the near future.
