PL8SWPR Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 It's been a few years since we've cruised, but I recall booking through NextCruise used to give you OBC for the current cruise. If I am reading the fine print correctly, the offer now is for OBC on a future cruise. Is this correct? So the small future OBC and reduced deposit is all they offer? Plan on booking 2 rooms on Icon or Wonder next year and we are on Mariner Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USFFrank Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 You are correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK6404 Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 Yes, that's it. For that future cruise, you pay current online cruise rates and you receive OBC and a reduced deposit. So, for my wife and I (generally non-suite, balcony, 7/8 night sailings), we get $100 OBC and pay a reduced deposit of $200 per booking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheeler825 Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 1 hour ago, JohnK6404 said: Yes, that's it. For that future cruise, you pay current online cruise rates and you receive OBC and a reduced deposit. So, for my wife and I (generally non-suite, balcony, 7/8 night sailings), we get $100 OBC and pay a reduced deposit of $200 per booking. No offense, but that doesn't seem like much of a deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK6404 Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 37 minutes ago, Wheeler825 said: No offense, but that doesn't seem like much of a deal Agree, but we'll take what we can get... I like the reduced deposit especially since we tend to book sailings over a year (at a minimum) in advance. The good news is that you can generally still reprice your cruise fare if it drops in price down the road and keep the OBC, etc. Neesa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 If you book regularly its a $250pp deposit that is not refundable. If you book onboard, you get $25-600 OBC plus only pay $100pp. Thats a decent deal to me. Neesa, Linda R, SebagoSue and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Templecruiser Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 We did next cruise a month ago and we got $600 off cruise fare and $200 Deposit. We did book a 10 day to get the 600 off. Neesa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 I'll gladly take reduced deposits and $300 in OBC for a 6 night cruise. 2 hours ago, Wheeler825 said: No offense, but that doesn't seem like much of a deal I'd love to be so filthy rich that $300 is nothing and hardly worth it. Ampurp85 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steverk Posted January 18, 2023 Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 3 hours ago, Wheeler825 said: No offense, but that doesn't seem like much of a deal How good or bad this is, depends somewhat on the sailing. For example, a 4 night sailing already has a pretty low deposit and the OBC is pretty small. Therefore, this is not worth worrying about for a short sailing. On the other end, I booked the 14 night Greenland cruise from NextCruise when it first came out. The normal deposits were $900. That's enough I would be hesitant to book it non refundable. However, the price difference between refundable and non-refundable was over $500. No great options. I was able to book on board and received a $200 deposit and a $300 OBC. I think this was worthwhile. One thing that isn't mentioned though. To get more than just a token amount of OBC, you have to book non-refundable. JohnK6404 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PL8SWPR Posted January 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2023 A normal 7 night cruise on a balcony is only going to get you $100. $50 for an Interior or Ocean View. The higher amounts don't kick in until you start booking suites. Been going back and forth with MEI on Wonder/Icon sailings. They have refundable deposit interior rooms for less than non refundable and less than RC direct, especially for non GTY cabins. Saves more than the OBC. Only downside is I'm looking for 2 rooms, 5 people so it's a hefty deposit on a trip almost 2 years out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianB Posted January 21, 2023 Report Share Posted January 21, 2023 On my current cruise…I booked seven future cruises at NextCruise. All are non-refundable solo sailings in balconies. Two of them are eleven night cruises in January 2024. Six were b2bs. I paid $700 total deposit for all of them. If I booked by myself, the deposit would have been $1,750. Plus, I received $250 OBC for the two eleven night cruises and $100 OBC on each of the others…except one five night cruise where I received $50. Total of $950 OBC (if my arithmetic is correct!). I had the option of taking the OBC or having those amounts deducted from the cruise fare on each…but I like the OBC. Doing my bookings at NextCruise makes sense to me because I already know the cruise fare by checking the price before I go…so no surprises. Plus, they can pull up available cabins on both of the b2b cruises so it’s easier to pick the same cabin. And, of course the reduced deposit is big for me. Less I have to shell out. Then, I monitor the bookings over time and take advantage of any price drops prior to final payment. Also…if I so decide…I can transfer the bookings to a Travel Agent. **note: Usually I can only book three reservations at NextCruise while on the same sailing…but b2bs count as one. So, actually I booked four reservations. They just had to get permission from shoreside for the last one. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PL8SWPR Posted January 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2023 45 minutes ago, BrianB said: On my current cruise…I booked seven future cruises at NextCruise. All are non-refundable solo sailings in balconies. Two of them are eleven night cruises in January 2024. Six were b2bs. I paid $700 total deposit for all of them. If I booked by myself, the deposit would have been $1,750. Plus, I received $250 OBC for the two eleven night cruises and $100 OBC on each of the others…except one five night cruise where I received $50. Total of $950 OBC (if my arithmetic is correct!). I had the option of taking the OBC or having those amounts deducted from the cruise fare on each…but I like the OBC. Doing my bookings at NextCruise makes sense to me because I already know the cruise fare by checking the price before I go…so no surprises. Plus, they can pull up available cabins on both of the b2b cruises so it’s easier to pick the same cabin. And, of course the reduced deposit is big for me. Less I have to shell out. Then, I monitor the bookings over time and take advantage of any price drops prior to final payment. Also…if I so decide…I can transfer the bookings to a Travel Agent. **note: Usually I can only book three reservations at NextCruise while on the same sailing…but b2bs count as one. So, actually I booked four reservations. They just had to get permission from shoreside for the last one. Is everything at NextCruise exactly the same as booking from home? Meaning you still need to pay a higher fare to pick your own room, etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianB Posted January 21, 2023 Report Share Posted January 21, 2023 @PL8SWPRYes. I priced the cruises at home and also onboard right before I went to NextCruise. The prices were the same. I don't know about comparing 'I pick/they pick'...I only do I pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted January 21, 2023 Report Share Posted January 21, 2023 The last time we booked at Next Cruise (Feb 2022), the price we paid to close our cabin was the same that was showing online for a GTY. I don’t know if it’s a regular thing or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted January 21, 2023 Report Share Posted January 21, 2023 My last booking at Next Cruise was much cheaper than website prices. The rep said they were still booking based on the previous sale. So far, the price I paid is the cheapest I have seen in months. The OBC is great, but the reduced deposit is why I try to book cruises when I cruise. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.