Question about booking a future cruise onboard

So, I've read some recent threads regarding booking a future cruise while on board, and I have some questions as to how exactly it works...

1. Deposit - does the deposit vary depending on the cruise you book? Is it reduced when booking online?
   
2. Cancellation - is the cancellation policy the same as if we'd booked from home? We may/may not take our kids on the cruise we'd book onboard, so what if we book for all of us and then decide we want to go just the 2 of us? What if we decide we need to cancel the whole thing (for a non-insurance covered reason, like work conflict, etc)?
   
3. Travel agent - we booked this cruise with an agent. I think I read that if we book a future cruise onboard, it will automatically be assigned to that same agent. Is this the case? If so, how does this usually affect any perks the agent might offer. Should we keep it with Celebrity and transfer it to the agent upon returning home depending on perks?
   
4. OBC - If we book a future cruise, will we get an OBC for the cruise we're currently on?
   
5. What other, if any "perks" are generally offered for booking onboard?
   

In case any of the following matters - we are on the 10/21/18 Summit repo from Bayonne to San Juan and are considering a Bayonne to Bermuda cruise for 2019, which we may book onboard if it seems like a better deal.

Thanks in advance everyone!

Cari

Cari we are on the Oct 7 sailing, yesterday downloaded the e-doc inside this docs is a coupon up to $500 OBC if you book a cruise onboard.

Cari we are on the Oct 7 sailing, yesterday downloaded the e-doc inside this docs is a coupon up to $500 OBC if you book a cruise onboard.

Thank you, Lupita or Gerardo...I will DL that and bring with us for sure!! :)

Please see answerers below in RED

So, I've read some recent threads regarding booking a future cruise while on board, and I have some questions as to how exactly it works...

 

1. Deposit - does the deposit vary depending on the cruise you book? Is it reduced when booking online?
   

The deposit is often reduced also may vary depending on if you are booking a suite.

1. Cancellation - is the cancellation policy the same as if we'd booked from home? We may/may not take our kids on the cruise we'd book onboard, so what if we book for all of us and then decide we want to go just the 2 of us? What if we decide we need to cancel the whole thing (for a non-insurance covered reason, like work conflict, etc)?
   

Cancellation policy is the same at least for U.S. Residents if booked on board. Make sure you don't book a "Non-Refundable" Fare. It is often offered and could be applied unless you specifically ask for it not to be.

1. Travel agent - we booked this cruise with an agent. I think I read that if we book a future cruise onboard, it will automatically be assigned to that same agent. Is this the case? If so, how does this usually affect any perks the agent might offer. Should we keep it with Celebrity and transfer it to the agent upon returning home depending on perks?u
   

You can ask the agent to remove you travel agent from the current cruise from your booking. I do this often and then when home contact a couple agents that I work with and ask what they would offer to transfer the booking to them. Never a problem.

1. OBC - If we book a future cruise, will we get an OBC for the cruise we're currently on?
   

No - You will get an OBC for the cruise you are booking.

1. What other, if any "perks" are generally offered for booking onboard?
   

Ask - never know.

 

In case any of the following matters - we are on the 10/21/18 Summit repo from Bayonne to San Juan and are considering a Bayonne to Bermuda cruise for 2019, which we may book onboard if it seems like a better deal.

 

 

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

Cari

I almost always book a cruise while on board for a number of reasons:

1. Reduced deposit - generally $100 pp

2. Receive OBC for the future cruise - depends on the cabin category

3. Receive an extra perk at no charge (depending on the offer in place at the time)

4. I ask Celebrity to hold the reservation and I complete the transfer form when I get home - you have 60 days to transfer the reservation to the travel agent of your choice

5. If I need to switch to a different/later cruise, I can do that and keep the OBC that I received for the on board booking.

Specific example: I booked a Baltic cruise while on a Caribbean cruise the prior year. I received $200 OBC in addition to one perk. I transferred the reservation to a TA upon my return and received the perk that they provide (cash back card). When the fare dropped, I was able to request cabin category upgrades/fare adjustments by having my TA contact Celebrity.

While on my Baltic cruise, I booked a future cruise - and again paid $100 pp for the deposit. We received $200 OBC and two perks for this booking! The deposit is refundable and, if necessary, it can be moved to a different cruise. I transferred the reservation to my TA upon my return since I wanted to confirm the perk I would be receiving from them first.

Sorry to slightly hijack the question, but it is linked - do you know if you can book both the 'cruise now' and 'cruise later' for friends? We're on a cruise end of August but want to book for ourselves and another couple for a specific cruise in September next year.

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Sorry to slightly hijack the question, but it is linked - do you know if you can book both the 'cruise now' and 'cruise later' for friends? We're on a cruise end of August but want to book for ourselves and another couple for a specific cruise in September next year.

 

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Yes, you can book for others while onboard and receive the onboard booking offer for others. You need: their Celebrity Captain’s Club numbers ( or, if first time cruisers, all their contact info including email address) plus pay the deposit.

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You can decide to take the OBC on the cruise you are on when you book but that impacts on the deposit as the deposit needs to be enough to cover the OBC they are giving out to cover them for any cancellations.

You can decide to take the OBC on the cruise you are on when you book but that impacts on the deposit as the deposit needs to be enough to cover the OBC they are giving out to cover them for any cancellations.

Doesn't matter whether you opt to take the obc on the current or the future cruise, the obc is the same. It is equal to the deposit paid. For the Uk cruiser paying in sterling the deposit is convert at a very favourable exchange rate e.g. a deposit of £148 gives you $250 obc - thats a profit of $62 ( 1.69$ to 1GBP vs 1.27$ to 1GBP)

see attached chart - https://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/getmedia/a226fee3-cda4-4b57-85c5-e44cb93f860c/cruise-now-onboard-spend-schedule.pdf

A question -

I booked on board in January 2018 for Sept 2019 with 2 perks, $500 OBC and an upgrade, the booking went to my agent.

When the late 2020 cruises come out in Nov/Dec 2018. I want to switch this cruise for a Oct 2020 cruise.

Will all the perks that I got for booking on board be transferred to a new booking?

If, there are new perks, will I get them also?

Just a cautionary note having booked our last 2 cuises on board and being very happy with packages we got I was shocked at the poor service given us on the Silhoutte at begining of July luckily I had done some research of what we wanted enough to realise that what we were being offered was at least £2000 over stated. I suspect we hit a particular advisor on a bad day but still!

Just a cautionary note having booked our last 2 cuises on board and being very happy with packages we got I was shocked at the poor service given us on the Silhoutte at begining of July luckily I had done some research of what we wanted enough to realise that what we were being offered was at least £2000 over stated. I suspect we hit a particular advisor on a bad day but still!

I have also found that our big online TA can do better than what we can get online - mostly because they pay the gratuities when we book X.

It's also worth noting that the ONE SINGLE TIME we received rude service on 25+ cruises on seven cruise lines was from a future Celebrity cruise agent. He clearly did not want to bother with booking cheap seat cabins and was downright insulting about our preferences.

Yes, I reported him. Still, It took quite awhile to wash that bad taste from my mouth.

A question -

 

I booked on board in January 2018 for Sept 2019 with 2 perks, $500 OBC and an upgrade, the booking went to my agent.

 

When the late 2020 cruises come out in Nov/Dec 2018. I want to switch this cruise for a Oct 2020 cruise.

 

Will all the perks that I got for booking on board be transferred to a new booking?

 

If, there are new perks, will I get them also?

If you transfer to another ship/date you will keep the deposit paid, retain the one level upgrade, the onboard spend (obc) given as a booking bonus and the change will be free of all charges. Any added bonus given by your TA will probably change as well.

The 2 perks given with the original booking will be invalid, you will get the perks that are now offered with your new choice.

I have also found that our big online TA can do better than what we can get online - mostly because they pay the gratuities when we book X.

 

It's also worth noting that the ONE SINGLE TIME we received rude service on 25+ cruises on seven cruise lines was from a future Celebrity cruise agent. He clearly did not want to bother with booking cheap seat cabins and was downright insulting about our preferences.

 

Yes, I reported him. Still, It took quite awhile to wash that bad taste from my mouth.

Interesting! This guy clearly wasn't listening to us he moved our flight day (which increased cost by £1200), didn't look at the cabin we wanted and refused to book the particular pre cruise hotel we wanted simply picking the first on his drop down list probably the Aardvark! My wife was ready to pay but I stopped her we walked out into the Martin Bar rang X and dealt with a lovely woman at X UK result being £2300 less for the flights, cabins and hotels we wanted from the guys first offer though his 3rd offer meant only a saving of £1800!! I did lose $250 OBC though!!

I have found the bitter taste remained so have reported the individual

Interesting! This guy clearly wasn't listening to us he moved our flight day (which increased cost by £1200), didn't look at the cabin we wanted and refused to book the particular pre cruise hotel we wanted simply picking the first on his drop down list probably the Aardvark! My wife was ready to pay but I stopped her we walked out into the Martin Bar rang X and dealt with a lovely woman at X UK result being £2300 less for the flights, cabins and hotels we wanted from the guys first offer though his 3rd offer meant only a saving of £1800!! I did lose $250 OBC though!!

 

I have found the bitter taste remained so have reported the individual

If you were in the USA, I'd absolutely suggest you get a quote from a large online TA - they may very well be able to do better. I'm quite sure that booking the precruise hotel on your own would save significant money.

And I appreciate knowing that I'm not the only one who has had issues with the future cruise agents. The guy really made me feel like a lower-life form for wanting an inside or OV cabin.

Doesn't matter whether you opt to take the obc on the current or the future cruise, the obc is the same. It is equal to the deposit paid. For the Uk cruiser paying in sterling the deposit is convert at a very favourable exchange rate e.g. a deposit of £148 gives you $250 obc - thats a profit of $62 ( 1.69$ to 1GBP vs 1.27$ to 1GBP)

 

see attached chart - https://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/getmedia/a226fee3-cda4-4b57-85c5-e44cb93f860c/cruise-now-onboard-spend-schedule.pdf

The obc is the same whether you take it on cruise or on the booked cruise but the deposit is what comes off your final bill in GBP so it doesn’t really matter what the exchange rate is.

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err.

err.

If I pay a deposit of £148 that is what is deducted from my cruise price. If my cruise costs £5,148 my balance is £5,000 irrespective of how many dollars I get as obc or the deemed exchange rate for that. My cruise still costs £5,148 in total and I get an amount of $us to spend dependant on the cabin and cruise length either on the cruise that I am on or on the future cruise.

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If I pay a deposit of £148 that is what is deducted from my cruise price. If my cruise costs £5,148 my balance is £5,000 irrespective of how many dollars I get as obc or the deemed exchange rate for that. My cruise still costs £5,148 in total and I get an amount of $us to spend dependant on the cabin and cruise length either on the cruise that I am on or on the future cruise.

........and if you cancel the cruise you paid £148 for $250.