Cruising Granny Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 OK so I am waiting for the drop of 7 night Wonder cruises for July 2025 (as everyone else is too). My dilemma is that I will be on Grandeur Sunday, Feb 25 - Wed., March 6. I will not have internet, a “poors vintage”, and my TA is out of office for family emergency. I’ve emailed her my preference. Can she book and hold a reservation for me? If she is available. Or should I go to Next Cruise and book? Would she be able to give me a group rate if I go ahead and book and then move to her? I am so confused. Can anyone help me out? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpe Diem Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 Your best bet is to go to the Next Cruise desk and book the cruise you want. If you booked your current sailing on Grandeur of the Seas through a travel agent, then Royal Caribbean will automatically assign the new booking on Wonder of the Seas to that same travel agent. If not, the new booking on Wonder of the Seas will be assigned to Royal Caribbean, but you can transfer it to your travel agent when you get home. Your travel agent can give you their best rates and perks. As a nice bonus, because you book at the Next Cruise desk while on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you will get shipboard credit from Royal Caribbean in addition to any shipboard credit/perks your travel agent may offer. It's a WIN-WIN! ChessE4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattycruise Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 Ho to next cruise and ask to be put on the call list if those sailings drop. they can book you and you can keep the TA you are currently traveling under (if you are) or do the form to remove that TA from the booking (ask for the form) And then either A)put the new TA on the booking OR B) leave it with Royal and you’ll have 30 days to get the TA on the booking.(TA Does that) or buy an open reservation-let your TA do the booking. (See above about removing any TA if needed when buying that open booking). Don’t use the app for open bookings-it will automatically go to TA on file. Not so sure you can get that group rate if you do the above…..perhaps a real TA here can weigh in. problem I see, if your TA is booking and you don’t know it and then you are booking….youll be booked twice. i should imagine there will be wifi at a port that you can make calls. Download WhatsApp which allows wifi calling if you can’t connect in the port. Maybe your phone provider has service in your ports? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 If you want to be totally sure, buy a day's internet that day and call your TA to book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 On 2/21/2024 at 4:56 PM, Cruising Granny said: Or should I go to Next Cruise and book? Would she be able to give me a group rate if I go ahead and book and then move to her? If you book at NextCruise on a refundable rate you would be able to reprice into any TA group rates. The key is it has to be a refundable booking to be eligible for the group rates. The only benefit you get from doing this through NextCruise is you will secure your cabin selection. You won't be eligible for the reduced deposit or OBC bonus that is advertised by NextCruise. There usually is a small OBC offered with a refundable deposit, but you will have to pay the full $250/person deposit. Refundable fares also have a premium, so they do cost more than a non-refundable booking, but if your TA ends up having a group rate a lot of the time those rates are similar to the non-refundable booking price. Your NextCruise booking by default goes to the TA attached to your current sailing unless you tell them otherwise. If you didn't use a TA to book the Grandeur cruise you will have 30 days to transfer the booking. If it turns out the TA doesn't have any group rates you can decide if you want to switch your booking to a non-refundable deposit to capture the cheaper fare if you like. OCSC Mike and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 6 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said: The key is it has to be a refundable booking to be eligible for the group rates. I guess I didn't realize that you COULD book a refundable deposit cruise with NC. Thanks for this ! PPPJJ-GCVAB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 52 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said: If you book at NextCruise on a refundable rate you would be able to reprice into any TA group rates. The key is it has to be a refundable booking to be eligible for the group rates. The only benefit you get from doing this through NextCruise is you will secure your cabin selection. You won't be eligible for the reduced deposit or OBC bonus that is advertised by NextCruise. There usually is a small OBC offered with a refundable deposit, but you will have to pay the full $250/person deposit. Refundable fares also have a premium, so they do cost more than a non-refundable booking, but if your TA ends up having a group rate a lot of the time those rates are similar to the non-refundable booking price. Your NextCruise booking by default goes to the TA attached to your current sailing unless you tell them otherwise. If you didn't use a TA to book the Grandeur cruise you will have 30 days to transfer the booking. If it turns out the TA doesn't have any group rates you can decide if you want to switch your booking to a non-refundable deposit to capture the cheaper fare if you like. A TA can move an NRD booking into a group but it will remain NRD and you must satisfy the full PP deposit requirement for groups so a $100 NC NRD deposit will require putting down more deposit money to move it into a group. Suites are not typically offered for group rates but can be moved into a group for other purposes like a group cruise. 48 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: I guess I didn't realize that you COULD book a refundable deposit cruise with NC. Thanks for this ! You typically lose the $100 deposit requiring full deposit for refundable at NC and often the NC OBC is decimated so it rarely makes sense to book refundable at NC. With only $100 at risk with an NRD booking I rarely book refundable at NC anymore. Neesa and WAAAYTOOO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharla Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 1 hour ago, AshleyDillo said: The key is it has to be a refundable booking to be eligible for the group rates. It doesn't have to be refundable- but it will remain non-refundable even if pulled into a group. And you have to make full deposit, nothing reduced like next cruise will give you. I see @twangster answered this too but I was already typing so... Neesa, Baked Alaska and WAAAYTOOO 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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