Does loyalty matter?

Over the years we've cruised several cruise lines mentioned here because of price, timing, itineraries, or the travel plans of friends, but for various reasons, we've always preferred our X cruises. What we've found is that those cruises that were booked through a large cruise only TA offered us more flexibility and benefits than did the cruises we booked through the line or onboard. In fact, we once booked a future cruise (to be decided later) on board with the promise of additional OBC, but every time we tried to use it, we found it was not combinable with the booking we were trying to make. The TA was able to get X to refund our future booking when X wouldn't. And it's also a function of the way you ask. Generally asking X directly, the answer is usually no, regardless of CC status. The TA has more flexibility and reason to try to please you. We have gotten our fare reduced when we saw a lower rate advertised without giving up perks, even when the offer said new bookings only (outside of final payment). Our theory is, if you don't ask, the answer is definitely no! It's also how you ask. As others have stated, we only book cruises when we like the combination of price, cabin, timing and perks. If we can do better, great, if we can't, well...we were already content. Sometimes when we see those last minute price drops and price them out we would not be getting as desirable a location or as many perks or OBC. We're just glad to be able to enjoy a lovely vacation at an acceptable price and are healthy and fortunate enough to enjoy! I prefer my cups half full and to enjoy what I have. The CC benefits are nice, but don't make or break our times onboard. :)

Hi, can you recommend a good TA? I know you can't do this on this board but could you email me? Is it ok to post my email address? Thanks

Hi, can you recommend a good TA? I know you can't do this on this board but could you email me? Is it ok to post my email address? Thanks

You probably shouldn't post your email address. You could look for a good TA by starting with the CC top 25 cruise deal email. Those are often sponsored by some TA. The one we like often sponsors X cruises featured on those. Pick out a X cruise and price out a cruise across several and compare apples to apples. Ask questions. Look at websites. Read recommendations and you'll find one that meets your needs and that gives the best deal. We have found over the years that we do best booking either far ahead during sales or last minute when they are trying to fill ships that had too many empty cabins. Be a comparative shopper.

Hi, can you recommend a good TA? I know you can't do this on this board but could you email me? Is it ok to post my email address? Thanks

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I pick my cruises and lines based totally upon itinerary and price. I have as much loyalty to a cruise line as they have to me - none.

 

DON

Ditto as this is my thoughts exactly. I prefer some lines but not enough to be loyal to them.

Hi, can you recommend a good TA? I know you can't do this on this board but could you email me? Is it ok to post my email address? Thanks

I know you've been chastised by the group on this one but just use a well known one and you'll be fine.

I've used cruise planners and online TA's and have never had a bad experience. Probably the only planner that I didn't care for was X's as they could have cared less and not very helpful. Luckily, I normally know what I want and use some of their knowledge for cabin selection and the like.

I think loyalty is maybe NOT the the word I would use.

I would use '

. Royal and Celebrity due to the number of cruises sailed with them, provide us with some 'extra benefits' to continue to sail with them.

I can tell you, at least for me, I would not book a Celebrity or Royal cruise if I did not like the product/service/itinerary/price as compared to another cruise line. This does not mean each item above has to be superior, but it does mean that if I include/consider the 'benefit' the combination of the above items plus benefit, in my mind, must be better OR there is some compelling reason not to book with them.

I would suggest Royal and Celebrity have a little advance advantage when we consider booking a cruise.

We are looking at a Carnival cruise, :eek:, next year as it is a local group we are thinking we would like to sail with....

I had wanted to sail on a Smooth Jazz theme cruise, but it was on HAL and I like HAL, but could not pull the trigger. Now on Celebrity, I am looking at the Smooth Jazz cruise again for maybe 2019.

I will say that I felt both Royal and Celebrity in past seem to want my passenger profile more than they seem to want it now. I do not book suites as I see my cabin as a place holder for my clothes and to sleep. DW thinks differently in that she likes balcony, so we typically book balcony cabins. :)

I can tell you, at least for me, I would not book a Celebrity or Royal cruise if I did not like the product/service/itinerary/price as compared to another cruise line.

Great post. :)

Loyalty is only for marriages. :)

Loyalty is only for marriages. :)

Where's the "like" button when you need one?

.

Loyalty is only for marriages. :)

... and football teams.:)

Where's the "like" button when you need one?

 

 

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Here ya go!

I'm a long time Celebrity only cruiser. Today I went on the site to check on an upcoming cruise. I find out that new bookings only receive a substantial discount on my upcoming cruise. I spoke with celebrity and they would not let me upgrade my current holiday booking. Is this right? Should I stick with this line?

I am Elite + and here are my 2 cents: If you feel that Celebrity is not loyal to you - don't feel obligated to be loyal to Celebrity. I completely agree with you - how upsetting to see that somebody else is paying much less than you are for the same thing. That is why now I consider to book only after final payment.

I tried upgrading a bunch of bookings yesterday and the Celebrity agent couldn't make it happen. We had promotional pricing and she said the system wouldn't allow the upgrade because you can't change promos after final payment. If there is a Standard price drop that we like on an upgrade she said to call back to request it. Standard prices do drop but mostly in the lower categories it seems. Too bad, because there are really good deals right now, and an inexpensive upgrade would have been nice. In the past the only last minute deals I saw on my cruises were senior, resident, and exciting deals and they weren't combinable. Next time I might wait to book.

My TA had upgrade done after final payment last year. Had to give up some perks and pay extra $100, but I went from 2D to AQ2. I think because origionally we paid a lot for our 2D cabin, so X gave us an upgrade.

This is the point that I was trying to make in my post. Honestly, how many passengers would have reached elite or elite plus if they didn't enjoy their experience? People were only loyal because the product worked for them. It would be a sad state of affairs if passengers would sacrifice the pleasure and experience just to gain a free load of laundry or to be pushed to the front of a tender line.

I agree with your statement. But would like to add that cruising industry have changed over time and cruise lines change their policies and price structures, so I have learned to do the same. I used to book my cruises at least 12 months, sometimes 18 months in advance, getting best pricing and ability to pick a cabin I like. Now, it seems that best pricing is offered after final payment on even popular holidays sailings, so if you are not fussy on the cabin location - that is a good time to book. Maybe price policies will get changed when they see that we are playing their game. Slow booking will prompt price drops.

I never speak with the regular reservations department for things such as this. The Captain's Club Department has specials/perks that are never listed on the website and you may get a different response from them. If you are still not happy with their response, ask to speak to a manager.

You're 100% right

 

Since only 30% of Celebrity's clientele are repeat cruisers, the hook is to get new people to try Celebrity since they make up 70% of the ship , If you look at the numbers 30% of Celebrity guests are repeat customers, and another 25% are people who have cruised on another line but are new to Celebrity. The rest are first-timers.

 

I would guess most all the lines share those statistics

Not sure where you are getting those numbers from. They might approach that for Alaska or Caribbean cruises. Which tend to be low cost and short cruises. But in general I doubt them.

On a recent cruise I was on 30% of the ship was elite or higher and another 30% was Select. Only about 20% was on Celebrity for the first time. The remainder was Classic.

It's like the cable companies that offer terrific deals only to new customers but don't offer the same to decades-long customers. It's a way of drumming up new business.

And that's why I dumped Dish for another company who had a one year huge savings. OP: I'd go where the itinerary and value is next time. If it's Celebrity, so be it. If another line, so be it. Do what's in YOUR best interest.

Not sure where you are getting those numbers from. They might approach that for Alaska or Caribbean cruises. Which tend to be low cost and short cruises. But in general I doubt them.

 

On a recent cruise I was on 30% of the ship was elite or higher and another 30% was Select. Only about 20% was on Celebrity for the first time. The remainder was Classic.

I;m not sure about Celebrity's numbers, but the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) reports that overall, 38% are new, 62% repeat, based on figures reported in 2014. http://www.cruising.org/docs/default-source/research/clia_naconsumerprofile_2014.pdf?sfvrsn=2

I;m not sure about Celebrity's numbers, but the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) reports that overall, 38% are new, 62% repeat, based on figures reported in 2014. http://www.cruising.org/docs/default-source/research/clia_naconsumerprofile_2014.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Yep, their numbers are pretty much the opposite of what the poster claimed. The CLIA numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced on cruises.

I agree with your statement. But would like to add that cruising industry have changed over time and cruise lines change their policies and price structures, so I have learned to do the same. I used to book my cruises at least 12 months, sometimes 18 months in advance, getting best pricing and ability to pick a cabin I like. Now, it seems that best pricing is offered after final payment on even popular holidays sailings, so if you are not fussy on the cabin location - that is a good time to book. Maybe price policies will get changed when they see that we are playing their game. Slow booking will prompt price drops.

We are with you on waiting to book. :)

I would say though that you have to be flexible if price is the trigger to book or not. We booked a cruise earlier this year about 21 months out from the January 2018 cruise date. We wanted to lock in our cabin location/category and felt the pricing including the incentives were good.

If you are not concerned with cabin category or location, as we are most of the time, waiting to book is a good strategy. We are currently waiting on booking 2 cruises till about 40 days out next year. If we get a great deal, we book and sail, if we do not, we don't book/don't sail. I don't like to gamble, so if it is something I really want, I pay the price early and enjoy the pre cruise CC sail threads.

Yep, their numbers are pretty much the opposite of what the poster claimed. The CLIA numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced on cruises.

I re-read the post, and I think that poster means that was the number of people wit their 1st time on Celebrity, not necessarily first cruising ever.

We are "Goldenballs" on many cruise lines, and Celebrity are the most generous with their perquisites, i.e., free booze, laundry, internet, casino coupons, etc.

We were just on MSC, yet as "Blackballs" - their highest loyalty level - we got very few perks.

We (I) am looking now at the 5* and 6* lines where "perks" are all included, albeit for a substantially increased fare.

Nevertheless, we would still like to check out the latest big new ships on most lines, even if we have no "status". We had a terrific time last Christmas on Norwegian Epic, despite it being only our second voyage with NCL.

This is good advice. Upgrading to a higher category for a minimal amount is your only option.

 

 

 

Marie

I just did this for a January cruise and received a substantial upgrade for $11 per person. Love my new cabin, its class and the price.

In a couple of weeks we'll be taking our first cruise as Elite Plus which doesn't mean as much as it used to but we're happy with the perks Celebrity gives us. It certainly isn't enough to keep us from trying another cruise line but so far we haven't had a good reason to look elsewhere. We normally book early so we can get the cabin of our choice and if there is a price reduction before final payment, they have repriced it for us without a problem. I've never asked or expected to get one after final payment although I would ask to upgrade if something was available that we were interested in. From what I've seen, most reductions after final payment have very limited cabin choices or are guaranteed which is too much of gamble for me. Once I join my other half in retirement, I may think differently about those.

Sue

Maybe you should cancel and rebook at the new rate.

I'm a long time Celebrity only cruiser. Today I went on the site to check on an upcoming cruise. I find out that new bookings only receive a substantial discount on my upcoming cruise. I spoke with celebrity and they would not let me upgrade my current holiday booking. Is this right? Should I stick with this line?