Booking Early ?? Really worth it ??

[KittyLiXX]

I booked my Eclipse Cruise for next February in May of 2010. I booked an AQ and the prices have not changed on Celeb or my online TA site. This week, Celebrity just came out with a $150 OBC incentive for AQ bookings between August 1 - 14th... My February cruise is part of the eligible, but I'm not because I booked already .

 

Cruise price is still the same... I'm bummed about not waiting now... I really want that OBC.. I feel like I'm being punished for booking early now !!

 

I asked if I can cancel and rebook and I've gotten 4 different answers regarding being eligible for the bonus if I cancel /rebook .. I booked through an online TA, but also called Celebrity ... 2 peopel at both places totalled 4 different answers.. Anyone ever have luck in this situation... Personally I think $150 is worth the legwork ...

[Xcruiser]

I had the same thing happen with a OBC offered on a upcoming Solstice sailing. I booked directly with Celebrity and called the Captains Club on getting the OBC and they informed me it was "New Bookings Only" and offered to cancel my present and rebook me to qualify. They did warn of slight chance of losing my cabin if someone waitlisted it.

 

Anyhow since the chances were slim on that happening I told them to go ahead. Process took about 5 minutes, got the same cabin and the $ 200 OBC as well as a new booking number and date. You do have to place a new deposit and it takes a couple of billing cycles to see the credit back on your old deposit on your credit card account.

 

On yours you would have to consider that if you do this you would now fall under the new price reduction policy from this point forward as your booking date would now be post changes.

 

I would follow up your TA, I've heard some are reluctant to do this.

 

Joel

[City_Woman]

I had the same thing happen with a OBC offered on a upcoming Solstice sailing. I booked directly with Celebrity and called the Captains Club on getting the OBC and they informed me it was "New Bookings Only" and offered to cancel my present and rebook me to qualify. They did warn of slight chance of losing my cabin if someone waitlisted it.

 

Anyhow since the chances were slim on that happening I told them to go ahead. Process took about 5 minutes, got the same cabin and the $ 200 OBC as well as a new booking number and date. You do have to place a new deposit and it takes a couple of billing cycles to see the credit back on your old deposit on your credit card account.

 

On yours you would have to consider that if you do this you would now fall under the new price reduction policy from this point forward as your booking date would now be post changes.

 

I would follow up your TA, I've heard some are reluctant to do this.

 

Joel

 

This is why I prefer to book directly with Celebrity. A lot more flexibility.

 

Judy

[pisces223]

We booked with an online TA for our upcoming Solstice cruise. They gave us chocolate covered strawberries as a perk. I then found several other online TAs who were offering up to $161 in pre-paid gratuities or OBC. We called the TA on the phone and he agreed to give us $100 OBC. So, it was worth it for that. I just wish I had known beforehand. I think he would have done it if he could have!

[Solstice23]

This is why I prefer to book directly with Celebrity. A lot more flexibility.

 

Judy

 

I book with a TA and they book directly with Celebrity and its the same thing! we have always been taken care of.

[Bruin Steve]

Generally, the answer is that it almost always pays to book early...On our just-completed Eclipse cruise, from the time we booked until the cruise, the price of our cabin went up almost $1,000 per person...I watch prices regularly and it NEVER came down once...

 

Now, we book with a TRAVEL AGENT...not some internet online booking service but a real agent who offers incentives aside from those that may on rare occasions be offered by the cruise line...So, with our booking, our TA gave us $400 in onboard credit...

 

If the prices come down at any time, I call my TA and SHE gets us the price drop...by whatever means necessary...That's one of the reasons to have a good TA--they will fight for you with the cruise lines...and they know who to call and how to do it...

 

Booking directly with the cruise line RARELY gets you any sort of incentive...and, booking with my TA, I get BOTH any incentive offered by the cruise line PLUS any incentive my TA offers.

 

One ALWAYS has the ability to cancel and rebook...but, the cruise line agent is right--you do risk losing that preferred cabin...but it is rarely a large risk...and a good TA can steer right through it...

 

The only "drops" or bargains" for which you have no leverage are those that come in the final days--AFTER final payment...since, at that point, you cannot cancel without penalty...Often the cruise line will offer some incredible incentives, sometimes to a small class of people, in order to fill the final cabins...and they will NOT re-work your deal to give you the same deal...after all, those cabins are often the least desirable...If that happens, let it go...don't worry about it...Be happy with the price you booked...

 

But, to everyone: Don't hold off on booking waiting for some perceived possible future deal...often that deal never comes...or the "Free OBC" is offered after the fares have been boosted...Popular cruises in high season usually never drop in price, they just fill up...You are more likely to find a last minute deal in "low" season--but the better categories or cabins may have filled...

 

Good luck...

[KittyLiXX]

I did call both the TA and Celebrity - 2 x each. As I mentioned, got a lot of iffy answers. Most concise was " no , you're not eligible, it's for new bookings only" .

 

I think I'll give Captains Club a call this time see if I get anywhere.... I don't feel like it's an incentive to book early anymore....

[biker1972]

Since I own RCCL stock, the fact that X offers OBC as a booking inducement is moot for me since I can't combine. But that my future cruises have all gone up in price and have limited cabins available tells me that it is best to book early to get the cabin I want at the best price. Sure if there is excess inventory, the company will do something to sail full and if I want to take a last minute cruise, I can wait. But a trip that is really important to me, I book early. Also I can shop my bookings to a TA and get TA OBC that is combinable as I get close to final payment.

[uktog]

I am with Bruin Steve on this one - in the UK I can only recancel and book if I forfeit my deposit so I carry a bigger risk in some ways. For our upcoming cruise booked a year ago it would cost be £1000 each more now if I could get a cabin (the rooms I am in are booked out) so I have to remember these good ones if I ever lose out on a $150 offer down the line

[Peteymil]

I usually want a particular cabin, so I book early. I book on my own with Celebrity, and watch the prices almost every day. For next summer's Baltic Cruise, the price went down $300 a cabin in some categories this week-I noticed it at night, called Celebrity, and got my price reduction.

 

I will transfer to a TA at final payment so I get OBC.

 

That being said, if the price did not drop, I would still be happy that I got the cabin I want by booking early.