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Need advice for next booking, first time with friends


jbrinkm

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Our friends want to do a cruise with us next summer (2024). We'll be on Allure this coming April. Neither of us really know what our schedules are next summer yet. What would you recommend for booking this theoretical cruise? We need refundable/flexible rates.

1. Book with Next Cruise while we're on board. Can we book for another family when they are not sailing with us in April? 

2. Book soon using our amazing MEI TA? Rates for summer 2024 are about half (for what we're interested in) of the rate I'm seeing for this upcoming summer, on a similar ship and itinerary. Ask our TA to book for both families and loop my friend in on the email?

3. Just wait until we know our schedules for next summer and book then using our TA. (book before Black Friday 2023 to take advantage of the planner sales.  )

ALSO, how do we go about linking a reservation like this? We do two rooms with our teens, so I know how to link them since we're doing everything together and are paying for everything. With another family, do we just link the same way? We'd love to be able to eat dinner together, all 8 of us, but other than that, not sure what linking would accomplish. Are there different ways of linking (i.e. one for dinner plans and another for the app)? Last year, our prior TA said we were linked with our teens but they didn't show up in our planner or in the app - we had to add them manually. 

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Linking lets you make reservations for activities and use the chat feature of the app onboard. There is a nominal fee for using the chat feature in the app if you don't have an internet plan but it worked out to something like $2 a day. That can make finding people onboard a lot easier.

 

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19 hours ago, jbrinkm said:

1. Book with Next Cruise while we're on board. Can we book for another family when they are not sailing with us in April? 

The "issue" with NextCruise is that the perks are better when booking with a non-refundable deposit. So, as an example, my wife and I book balconies (7/8 night sailings generally) so we pay a reduced deposit of $200 (non-refundable), and get a $100 OBC for that booking (plus any other promos Royal is running).

Unless you choose the "Book Later" reservation option (we have done this a number of times recently), you will have to select your sailing and cabins while onboard and that may be difficult if you're coordinating multiple groups. Just as an FYI, you have 60 days from purchasing the "Book Later" reservation to select a ship and sailing to retain the OBC (lose it if not booked in 60 days). You have one full year to decide before you lose the non-refundable deposit.

Yes, you can book for other family and friends... they do not have to be physically with you, but you'll need basic information from them (what they would need to provide if they booked it). We have done this before for our friends... Including your reservation(s), you can make up to 3 in total (for each stateroom you have on that sailing I believe).

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/next-cruise-onboard-future-booking

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19 hours ago, jbrinkm said:

2. Book soon using our amazing MEI TA? Rates for summer 2024 are about half (for what we're interested in) of the rate I'm seeing for this upcoming summer, on a similar ship and itinerary. Ask our TA to book for both families and loop my friend in on the email?

I agree with the general consensus and would go this route!

The longer you wait to book, generally the higher the cruise fare and the cabin selection will start to dwindle making it harder for your traveling party to have cabins near each other (if that's your goal) or in a preferred area of the ship. Only you can determine if the potential OBC and reduced deposit from NextCruise is worth the delay in booking.

 

19 hours ago, jbrinkm said:

ALSO, how do we go about linking a reservation like this? We do two rooms with our teens, so I know how to link them since we're doing everything together and are paying for everything. With another family, do we just link the same way? We'd love to be able to eat dinner together, all 8 of us, but other than that, not sure what linking would accomplish. Are there different ways of linking (i.e. one for dinner plans and another for the app)? Last year, our prior TA said we were linked with our teens but they didn't show up in our planner or in the app - we had to add them manually. 

As you know, you can easily link anyone's reservation through the Cruise Planner online (view their CP, make purchases/reservations for them, etc.), but be aware that just linking in the CP does not automatically link all of your parties to the same table in the MDR. Also, assumption is you all pick the same dining preference/time.

On our last sailing (last month), we sailed with 2 other parties (the rooms were of course booked by them and in their names). During one of our calls to Royal CS on another issue, they asked us for our MDR seating preference out of the blue. When I explained we had 3 parties that wanted to sit together, they asked for the reservation numbers and documented their system.

They explained that someone from each party needed to call them to confirm they wanted to be seated with the others in our group (they won't just take my word). The other parties called and we were assigned the same table for six. So, likely someone from the other family should reach out to Royal before you sail to make their seating wishes known (earlier the better). This way, all of your SeaPasses will have the same table number assignment. The alternative is to go to the MDR when you board and make the request, but then they'll likely move you to any available table that can accommodate your party which may or may not be in a desired location.

 

Have a great time on Allure in April!

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