Double Points - did I miss anything?

[MarkusB]

Hi,

Most likely I did not pay attention, nonetheless I wanted to reach out to the community and see if they encountered the same issue.

My wife and I booked a cruise in January 2022 whilst on the Allure using a sales rep from the "Next Cruise" for September 2022. We were told the double points promotion was still on. Because if this we booked a 9 day cruise in a Junior suite, which should yield 36 points (9 nights x 2 for Jr. Suite x 2 for promotion). The sales rep confirmed this. Unfortunately I don't have it in writing. After returning from our last cruise we noticed that we only got credit for 18 points, not for 36 as expected. I reached out to the Crown and Anchor support, but I haven't heard back from them.

Anybody else having a similar experience?

Markus

[SpeedNoodles]

I'd call them directly.

[Vancity Cruiser]

I don't think the double points promotion was on anymore in January. I'm pretty sure you had to be booked by the end of September 2021 to qualify for double points. I'm pretty sure the sales rep at next cruise was incorrect which wouldn't be a shocker. 

[Ampurp85]

Double points expired September 30th, 2021, I think the rep might have meant double points for the JS. 

[WesKinetic]

@Vancity Cruiser is correct--the double points promotion expired Sep. 30, 2021. I remember it vividly because I was frantically trying to get one booked that afternoon.  

Sorry if you were given bad information. 

[Va4fam]

You are definitely eligible for double points for the Junior suite.  9 nights would earn you 18 points.

The other double points offer that Royal was running was for cruises booked before the end of September 2021 or possibly the end of 2021, I don't remember which one. Even if your cruise took place in 2022, as long as it was "booked" before the deadline, you received the extra points.   But if you booked in 2022, you still get double points for a junior suite but not the extra "double points" promotion.  Confusing, right? 

If a rep at Royal promised you something else, it might be worth a call.

[Linda R]

Yes, to receive double points you needed to book by Sept. 30th 2021.  And take the cruise by Dec. 2022.   We have our last double point cruise this December.  

[TXcruzer]

13 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Double points expired September 30th, 2021, I think the rep might have meant double points for the JS. 

BINGO

[SPS]

14 hours ago, WesKinetic said:

the double points promotion expired Sep. 30, 2021. I remember it vividly because I was frantically trying to get one booked that afternoon.  

So it wasn't just me then? I booked our Alaska cruise that same evening with about 5 hours to spare! LOL!

Also, as @Ampurp85said, the rep may have been referring to receiving double points for booking a JS since the double point promotion expired on 9/30/2021.

Unfortunately, the NextCruise reps either being incorrect about current promotions or not applying discounts or OBC correctly is nothing new. Thankfully, most of the time, a direct call to Royal can correct these issues. I think you may be out of luck on on getting the "double-double" points, though.

[RhodyTraveler]

We booked in July of 2021 for a cruise sailing Oct 29, 2022.

I called.  No answer.  Emailed.  No response.  Contacted on social media... finally got responses.

Got told this...

"Thanks for your patience. I've found that you did book within the appropriate period for the Double Points offer. However, only existing Crown & Anchor members Gold and above were eligible. As your account was Pre-Gold at the time of sailing, we wouldn't be able to provide double points."

I asked where it said for gold and above and was told this.

"I'm not showing it says for Gold and above, but it does clarify it is for our Crown & Anchor members. Rest assured, this was confirmed directly with our Crown & Anchor representatives, who I've reached out to for confirmation."

We had such a good cruise, so it's pretty annoying that the post cruise logistics and communications have been so terrible.

 

[Ampurp85]

13 hours ago, RhodyTraveler said:

We booked in July of 2021 for a cruise sailing Oct 29, 2022.

I called.  No answer.  Emailed.  No response.  Contacted on social media... finally got responses.

Got told this...

"Thanks for your patience. I've found that you did book within the appropriate period for the Double Points offer. However, only existing Crown & Anchor members Gold and above were eligible. As your account was Pre-Gold at the time of sailing, we wouldn't be able to provide double points."

I asked where it said for gold and above and was told this.

"I'm not showing it says for Gold and above, but it does clarify it is for our Crown & Anchor members. Rest assured, this was confirmed directly with our Crown & Anchor representatives, who I've reached out to for confirmation."

We had such a good cruise, so it's pretty annoying that the post cruise logistics and communications have been so terrible.

 

Welcome to the board!

Sorry communication was a bust.

However, I don't understand why the communication would have to indicate a level when it was only applicable to Crown and Anchor members. Gold is the first level. Sailing just 1 night would have made someone gold.  If you never sailed with Royal, you wouldn't be able to participate in the double points promotion.

[BowTieBrigade]

14 hours ago, RhodyTraveler said:

We booked in July of 2021 for a cruise sailing Oct 29, 2022.

I called.  No answer.  Emailed.  No response.  Contacted on social media... finally got responses.

Got told this...

"Thanks for your patience. I've found that you did book within the appropriate period for the Double Points offer. However, only existing Crown & Anchor members Gold and above were eligible. As your account was Pre-Gold at the time of sailing, we wouldn't be able to provide double points."

I asked where it said for gold and above and was told this.

"I'm not showing it says for Gold and above, but it does clarify it is for our Crown & Anchor members. Rest assured, this was confirmed directly with our Crown & Anchor representatives, who I've reached out to for confirmation."

We had such a good cruise, so it's pretty annoying that the post cruise logistics and communications have been so terrible.

 

We had the same experience on our first sailing. 

[twangster]

14 hours ago, RhodyTraveler said:

We booked in July of 2021 for a cruise sailing Oct 29, 2022.

I called.  No answer.  Emailed.  No response.  Contacted on social media... finally got responses.

Got told this...

"Thanks for your patience. I've found that you did book within the appropriate period for the Double Points offer. However, only existing Crown & Anchor members Gold and above were eligible. As your account was Pre-Gold at the time of sailing, we wouldn't be able to provide double points."

I asked where it said for gold and above and was told this.

"I'm not showing it says for Gold and above, but it does clarify it is for our Crown & Anchor members. Rest assured, this was confirmed directly with our Crown & Anchor representatives, who I've reached out to for confirmation."

We had such a good cruise, so it's pretty annoying that the post cruise logistics and communications have been so terrible.

 

 

The double points promo always indicated it was for gold and above.  That was plain to see from the very moment it was announced.  

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/11/09/top-8-royal-caribbean-double-points-questions

 

Do all Crown & Anchor Society tiers qualify for the double points offer?

Yes, all existing members qualify for this offer, including Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle members.

  

[twangster]

My Dec. 2020 email had this notation:

Double Points applies to new individual and group named bookings, and named existing bookings on all Eligible Bookings made before January 31, 2021. Double Points is available to existing Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members. Double Points provides Crown & Anchor Society members double Cruise Points on sailings departing on January 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022 (“Eligible Bookings”). Cruise Points will be applied once the guest has paid their booking in full and completed their sailing. When reserving, a valid Crown & Anchor Society member number must be included in the reservation. Offer excludes residents of China. 

[Pooch]

My understanding of the promotion was that you had to already be a C&A member meaning you had to have cruised on RCCL prior to the booked cruise.  You don’t become Gold until after that first cruise.  

[RhodyTraveler]

When I read "all existing members qualify for this offer, including Gold", I don't read "all existing members of at least gold status qualify for this offer".  I would think that having a C&A number prior to the cruise makes you an existing C&A member.  

I would say this section is clear as mud, because when I read it (even with the context of what the intention is), I still read it the way I did originally as including anyone with a C&A number. 

There is nothing wrong with it being a gold and above perk, but it certainly isn't clearly communicated as one.  "Including Gold" is not the same as "excluding C&A members who are not at least gold (have not yet sailed with RC)".

[Ampurp85]

2 hours ago, RhodyTraveler said:

When I read "all existing members qualify for this offer, including Gold", I don't read "all existing members of at least gold status qualify for this offer".  I would think that having a C&A number prior to the cruise makes you an existing C&A member.  

I would say this section is clear as mud, because when I read it (even with the context of what the intention is), I still read it the way I did originally as including anyone with a C&A number. 

There is nothing wrong with it being a gold and above perk, but it certainly isn't clearly communicated as one.  "Including Gold" is not the same as "excluding C&A members who are not at least gold (have not yet sailed with RC)".

But that's you interpreting that, it is clearly communicated unless you take things out of context. That read as the lowest level will qualify......as Gold is the lowest tier. Some promotions don't apply to the lowest level, which is why they specified it.

[Maggie M]

It's a bummer but that promotion isn't available anymore. 

[Atlantix2000]

4 hours ago, RhodyTraveler said:

When I read "all existing members qualify for this offer, including Gold", I don't read "all existing members of at least gold status qualify for this offer".  I would think that having a C&A number prior to the cruise makes you an existing C&A member.  

I would say this section is clear as mud, because when I read it (even with the context of what the intention is), I still read it the way I did originally as including anyone with a C&A number. 

There is nothing wrong with it being a gold and above perk, but it certainly isn't clearly communicated as one.  "Including Gold" is not the same as "excluding C&A members who are not at least gold (have not yet sailed with RC)".

You would have a point if the sentence ended after the words "including Gold" because that would call out Gold as somehow an exception or special.  But the sentence doesn't end there, it continues to lists EVERY level of the C&A program from Gold to Pinnacle.  That makes it clear that you have to be in one of those categories to qualify.  Someone who has never sailed before does not have a qualifying level.  It IS possible to get a C&A number before your first cruise, but you are not Gold until AFTER your first cruise.

[Jolly Ogre]

Got my cruises in during the promo. I did not take any extra cruises but got from Gold to Diamond.

[RhodyTraveler]

All I can say is this is how I read it / understood it and I'm not the only one.  Is it earth shattering?  No. 

But it was very disappointing and I honestly felt like I was mislead.  That said, had a great time on the cruise.  Just wish I hadn't spent hours and hours of failed communications to be disappointed.  Adding the phrase "who have previously sailed with Royal Carribean" would have cleared up the confusion.

[Ampurp85]

4 hours ago, RhodyTraveler said:

All I can say is this is how I read it / understood it and I'm not the only one.  Is it earth shattering?  No. 

But it was very disappointing and I honestly felt like I was mislead.  That said, had a great time on the cruise.  Just wish I hadn't spent hours and hours of failed communications to be disappointed.  Adding the phrase "who have previously sailed with Royal Carribean" would have cleared up the confusion.

Welcome to boards, I am glad you had a wonderful cruise. 

I still can't say it was misleading as the term "existing members" was used.

[twangster]

Perhaps if you visited the message boards at the time it would have been more clear.  This was discussed in several threads.  Here is one from Dec. 2020.  

Apparently not everyone misunderstood.  

 

 

[RhodyTraveler]

I took "existing members"  to mean people with and existing C&A number.  Sounds like it meant people that have previously cruised with RC.  The phrasing is unclear if people read the same thing with different understandings.  May be worth a slight adjustment to the language in the future if multiple threads have happened on this topic.    

Regardless, the actual cruise experience with RC was wonderful.  I won't let this little after cruise annoyance deter me from future cruises.  Hopefully they do another double points thing some time.

[twangster]

"Rewarding our loyal members who have never cruised with us before"

Got it.