Massive Price Drop - Equinox - thank you Celebrity!

[Baby Nicks]

I think these kind of posts should be banned by CC as they upset people in the UK who cannot get any pricedrops:(

I totaly agree, CC should stop these posts as its getting people down, they dropped the price by approx £1000.00 only weeks after we booked, months before the final payment due date, we've got no where, i'm even on the phone to Celebrity again now telling them about the posts i'm looking at now and they won't budge, as 1st time cruiser will now become last time cruisers with celebrity :-(

[Suite Susie]

I totaly agree, CC should stop these posts as its getting people down, they dropped the price by approx £1000.00 only weeks after we booked, months before the final payment due date, we've got no where, i'm even on the phone to Celebrity again now telling them about the posts i'm looking at now and they won't budge, as 1st time cruiser will now become last time cruisers with celebrity :-(

 

Celebrity promised me recently that they would honour any price drops so i am disappointed to hear that they are not playing ball. Did u book direct? If they won't budge why don't cancel and rebook. I know you would lose your deposit but you would still be up on the deal. Good luck. Susie

[austinlw]

I totaly agree, CC should stop these posts as its getting people down, they dropped the price by approx £1000.00 only weeks after we booked, months before the final payment due date, we've got no where, i'm even on the phone to Celebrity again now telling them about the posts i'm looking at now and they won't budge, as 1st time cruiser will now become last time cruisers with celebrity :-(

 

I disagree. This website is all about cruisers sharing information and experiences. Info about massive price drops after a final payment date is relevant and valid information that many of us would want to know, whether or not some readers may be on the raw end of the deal and be upset by it. I want to know this information because it may influence my strategy for booking cruises in the future. In this case some people may be paying a premium price for the ability to choose their cabin and cruise date a year in advance. There are others of us who have the flexibility to wait and see what deals become available if certain ships don't fill up. Waiting around to pick up the leftovers at a discount price is a valid strategy, and the price drop information is relevant. The disadvantage to these people is that they have to settle for leftovers and may not be getting the cabins or dates that they would have originally chosen.

 

In my case, I was booked on the Equinox next May, saw the deals for this October, and changed our plans, thereby saving over half the price we would have paid. If I had not read the Celebrity email about these deals, Cruise Critic would have probably been the way I learned about that possibility.

[daoshaug]

Hate to disagree with you :o

 

I am in Ireland - and my booking is through celebrity UK. You will always get price drops as long as it is before final payment date. I've done it many times with both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. :D

 

Likewise, I'm in Ireland.

I went onto the Celebrity.co.uk website following your comment since I'm looking to book a Med cruise on the Equinox next May.

I found the cruise I wanted (although a somewhat different time period to that on the US website when I started searching) and then I went to "pricing" - I was then directed to the Celebrity.com website. Therefore, how do I book with the UK website?

[Wilde_37]

Likewise, I'm in Ireland.

I went onto the Celebrity.co.uk website following your comment since I'm looking to book a Med cruise on the Equinox next May.

I found the cruise I wanted (although a somewhat different time period to that on the US website when I started searching) and then I went to "pricing" - I was then directed to the Celebrity.com website. Therefore, how do I book with the UK website?

 

Make sure when you are on the home page of the celebrity website that you are listed as being in Ireland. If it says "Not from Ireland" then you are in fact on the Irish site. If it says "not from United States" or any other country then click on it and choose Ireland. Then when you choose the cruise and go to pricing you will get the Euro price. You can reserve and book it then. Alternatively phone Celebrity directly on 1800 555 603 - that is Celebrities Irish freefone number - you will be directed to their UK call centre. Tell them you are in Ireland and wish to book the cruise.

 

I have had experience in the past of booking through a travel agent and then having them refuse to honour any price drop. That's why I book through Celebrity. I sometimes book over a year in advance and then regularly check their site for price drops - they have always dropped the price for me the moment I call them.

[Wilde_37]

Hi Wilde37

Do you use a particular agent at Celebrity each time you book ?

Cheers

 

 

Nope - I just reserve it online and then if I have to call, I speak with whomever answers. I have always found them to be very helpful.

[daoshaug]

Hate to disagree with you :o

 

I am in Ireland - and my booking is through celebrity UK. You will always get price drops as long as it is before final payment date. I've done it many times with both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. :D

 

Many thanks for reply.

[Mystic Eye]

We have always used CC for some amazing tips on tours and what to do in port The pricing does annoy all of us brits because we get nowhere with our TA ,but the pricing is blatant in all the cruise ads every weekend in the papers so no way of avoiding the comparison.

Gary you are spot on in saying you have to book direct to get the best service and price not done it yet but will be doing in Future ,Thanks for the advice.It will not stop me enjoying my cruise!!!

[mike x ftc]

We have had no luck with this price drop at all, we are from the Uk and booked through a TA for an Equinox cruise in Oct 11. We booked as they were released last year. The price fell a lot earlier this year and we contacted our TA and got the usual "for new bookings" speech. In the end we cancelled and rebooked through another travel agent, lost our deposit but got a better cabin and still saved over £200.

They have fallen again, so I contacted our new TA as Aqua class cabins are now the same price as the 1c we paid for, again I got the "new bookings" speech.

It just doesn't seem to work for us here. I don't know if its worth persuing, i'm happy with our cabin and really looking forward to my cruise but it does get you down a bit when everyone else seems to congratulate themselves on getting price drops and upgrades.

[oztravellerleeds]

I have apost on here about price drops in the UK, I booked a cruise with a high street travel agaent and when I saw the price drop I rang them and got the answer similar to some of the uk posters on here, I asked that they ring Celebrity and complain on my behalf after 1 phone call I was repayed £319 which eventuallu became £350 which was the full price drop, so don't take the stock answer the travel agents are there to work for you, tell them you are not happy and get them to ring it worked for me and I am in the uk

[cruise kitty]

We have had no luck with this price drop at all, we are from the Uk and booked through a TA for an Equinox cruise in Oct 11. We booked as they were released last year. The price fell a lot earlier this year and we contacted our TA and got the usual "for new bookings" speech. In the end we cancelled and rebooked through another travel agent, lost our deposit but got a better cabin and still saved over £200.

They have fallen again, so I contacted our new TA as Aqua class cabins are now the same price as the 1c we paid for, again I got the "new bookings" speech.

It just doesn't seem to work for us here. I don't know if its worth persuing, i'm happy with our cabin and really looking forward to my cruise but it does get you down a bit when everyone else seems to congratulate themselves on getting price drops and upgrades.

 

Hi Mike,

 

I think you're on the same cruise as us, it seems like the problem in the UK is that if you go through a TA, they simply won't honor the price drops, MysticMum is on the same cruise, & it sounds like she was able to get hers, but it took a bit of doing. (see post#20)

 

I hope it works for you, but even if it doesn't, I hope you still have a fantastic trip!

[mike x ftc]

Thanks, I think I will go back to them and make them work for their commision!! At the end of the day I'm happy with my cruise and cabin, (I think we are on the same one Cruise Kitty and i'm sure it will be superb), but it would be nice to 'enhance' the experience..

Thanks for your replies, I will let you know if I have any luck.

[keela1eva2]

I have been successful in getting price drops through my TA in the UK. X now charge an Admin fee for a 2nd but not a first change,

I am happy to say that I have just booked a C1 Room on the Solstice 22nd August at a price drop for the over 55's £819 less but this is for a solo booking. I am delighted!

 

Sue

[The Londoners]

Thanks, I think I will go back to them and make them work for their commision!! At the end of the day I'm happy with my cruise and cabin, (I think we are on the same one Cruise Kitty and i'm sure it will be superb), but it would be nice to 'enhance' the experience..

Thanks for your replies, I will let you know if I have any luck.

 

Hi, we had a similar situation and when our RA got nowhere with X on our behalf I did some Googling and went directly to senior members of RCCL/X who very charmingly and swiftly resolved, so I strongly suggest you try this rather than accepting that nothing can be done, as this really isn't the case! Good luck

[Wilcoam]

I prefer to use Internet TA's that compete for your business than booking direct with Cruise Lines - Often the price is the same as you can get from the Cruise Line but the OBC's and potential gratuities thrown in make a huge difference

 

For example, my family is booked for the 10 day Equinox Sept 30th European Cruise, one in a CS Suite, next door to a CC2 Cabin, our combined OBC is $1,924.00 USD, which buys alot of free excursions, wine, spa-time (lol)

 

Even better, having seen this post, and having booked our cruise this past Jan, I went on X's website today just to see what the current pricing was some 5 months later

 

The CC2 has gone up (I'm happy we booked in Jan) but to my utter surprise, the CS Suite price dropped significantly, some $1,100 USD plus - I quickly called my internet TA, stayed on the line while they called X, within minutes I had re-confirmed the now lower price

 

Thank you Cruise Critic, thank you to the original poster for sharing information, thank you Celebrity, my family is going on a superb trip, and we're saving some $3,000 USD off the total price just for being internet saavy, and lucky

 

Tramps Like Us

jc

Toronto

[ariawoman]

I prefer to use Internet TA's that compete for your business than booking direct with Cruise Lines - Often the price is the same as you can get from the Cruise Line but the OBC's and potential gratuities thrown in make a huge difference

 

For example, my family is booked for the 10 day Equinox Sept 30th European Cruise, one in a CS Suite, next door to a CC2 Cabin, our combined OBC is $1,924.00 USD, which buys alot of free excursions, wine, spa-time (lol)

 

Even better, having seen this post, and having booked our cruise this past Jan, I went on X's website today just to see what the current pricing was some 5 months later

 

The CC2 has gone up (I'm happy we booked in Jan) but to my utter surprise, the CS Suite price dropped significantly, some $1,100 USD plus - I quickly called my internet TA, stayed on the line while they called X, within minutes I had re-confirmed the now lower price

 

Thank you Cruise Critic, thank you to the original poster for sharing information, thank you Celebrity, my family is going on a superb trip, and we're saving some $3,000 USD off the total price just for being internet saavy, and lucky

 

Tramps Like Us

jc

Toronto

 

Wow that is FANTASTIC. Gotta get it if you can! Good for you :-) I hope to have this fate at some point for my october sailing...time will tell!

[ariawoman]

Wow I just checked my sailing and for the first time, the price has moved. It wasn't down it was UP. My category is up $50.00. I'm surprised, we haven't even hit final payment yet. Maybe the cruise is selling better than anticipated (despite showing over 100 open cabins...maybe they have a ton of guarantees sold).

[mike x ftc]

Thanks to everyone for their encouragement, I went back to my TA who in turn went back to Celebrity, and guess what, they agreed!! I got upgraded to Aqua class, the cabin of my choice and a small reduction in the price of the cruise - result!!

It just shows you need to push it and not just accept the "new bookings only".

Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

 

Is it October yet...???

[Wilde_37]

... X now charge an Admin fee for a 2nd but not a first change...

 

 

Can I ask if it was your TA who told you that X now charge an Admin fee for the 2nd change or was it X themselves? Sounds a bit odd to me. I had a 2nd price drop and called X directly and there was no Admin Fee.

 

If I were a TA, I might be tempted to charge an Admin fee equal to the loss of commission I might experience by giving the price drop - again me being cynical!!!;)

[cruise kitty]

Thanks to everyone for their encouragement, I went back to my TA who in turn went back to Celebrity, and guess what, they agreed!! I got upgraded to Aqua class, the cabin of my choice and a small reduction in the price of the cruise - result!!

It just shows you need to push it and not just accept the "new bookings only".

Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

 

Is it October yet...???

 

Hi Mike!

 

I'm so glad it worked out for you! We're in Blu also for the first time, due to those price drops! October cannot come fast enough!

[SueOverend]

Whilst on board the Eclipse last week, I spotted that our 19th Sept sailing to the Eastern Med had dropped by just over $2000 (S2 category) if we switched our booking to a W Suite Guarantee. We jumped at the chance, but were in the middle of the Baltic Sea - fortunately the future cruise office on board emailed London and by the next day we had the new confirmation at the lower price. Two days later we were allocated a cabin and we were given our original cabin back! Can't quite believe it. We had booked direct with Celebrity so had therefore not made our final payment, which helps. I was so lucky as I hadn't checked since we had been on board - must have picked the right day to look! Sue

[Pammyg]

I am from the UK and had also read from these boards about price reductions so I contacted my Travel Agent who replied as follows:

 

"I understand that you may have seen your Celebrity cruise at a lower price since booking. However, as cruise companies operate on a "fluid pricing" policy, rates can go up or down the nearer we get to departure date. However, any reduced rates would only be available to new bookings made so, unfortunately, we are not be able to offer a reduction against the cost of your cruise."

 

So no joy for me. :confused: Perhaps if you book direct with Celebrity and not via a Travel Agent you may get these price reductions?

 

My Constellation Baltic curise showed a considerable reduction prior to the final amount being paid and Celebrity gave me the discount through my travel agent and we live in the UK.