Cheaper to book Celebrity cruises from elsewhere?

[itf]

I don't understand it. I've found the cruise we want at a travel agent website - we used them last year, no problems.

 

I called Celebrity, they quoted me a higher price, I quoted them back the travel agent price, they offered OBC which was STILL not as good a price, then gave me some nonsense about the travel agent charging credit card fees (they don't) and then made no further effort to match the price. It makes no sense to me - why let your customer go elsewhere and buy the same cabin from you rather than sell it to the customer direct, especially when the TA is going to be taking a cut. I despair.

 

It's not like I was booking just one cabin, either. But Celebrity (UK) apparently just don't want my business direct.

 

Oh, and the Celebrity App on the iPhone quotes a lower price, but the guy on the phone wouldn't give that price.

[CFamilyWales]

We booked through an internet T/A too and their price/benefits beat both Celebrity direct and their internet/TV arm....

We did not get in touch with Celebrity, but based on your comments, we would not have been in a better position anyhow...

The only comment I would make is Celebrity and other Companies need distribution/exposure through as many avenues as possible and it does keep their base price high.

[sunshine nana]

Remember when hotels let web sites undercut them for a specific room? They finally got smart and their own web site is the cheapest you can get on the internet unless you want to book "blind". I hope cruise lines do the same. Some do like NCL.

[CathyCruises]

Not sure if this is valid in the UK, but Celebrity is having a special from 1/30 to 2/5 with up to $300 off per stateroom--so check again Monday!

[Project_gal]

I don't understand it. I've found the cruise we want at a travel agent website - we used them last year, no problems.

 

I called Celebrity, they quoted me a higher price, I quoted them back the travel agent price, they offered OBC which was STILL not as good a price, then gave me some nonsense about the travel agent charging credit card fees (they don't) and then made no further effort to match the price. It makes no sense to me - why let your customer go elsewhere and buy the same cabin from you rather than sell it to the customer direct, especially when the TA is going to be taking a cut. I despair.

 

It's not like I was booking just one cabin, either. But Celebrity (UK) apparently just don't want my business direct.

 

Oh, and the Celebrity App on the iPhone quotes a lower price, but the guy on the phone wouldn't give that price.

 

Not sure why you are annoyed. I understand in the US, Celebrity fixes the prices. In the UK, that is not allowed and the TA is passing on the good deal they have managed to negotiate with Celebrity. You can take that deal and benefit. However, you will probably find that it is a "group booking" and, from what I have read on these boards, you may not be able to do some of the things you want with your booking. You will also have to deal through your TA for anything you want to do or know and, in the UK, TAs do not provide the same service as in the US. You pays your money and .....

 

Personally, we have always chosen to book direct with Celebrity and get really great service. However, some of the deals on offer out there at the moment are incredible. [Have you seen those offered on digital TV?]

 

Sue

[cnarf77]

Most travel agencies book blocks of cabins when the sailings first open up and lock in prices at the opening price. For example in April 2011 the cruise line opens up the April 2012 itineraries. Travel Agency block books 10 inside cabins at $699 pp. By Dec 2011 the cruise line price for an inside cabin has gone up to $899 pp (supply and demand, the more cabins which are filled the higher price the cruise line charges) but the travel agency still has some rooms unsold from their block booking and are able to offer you the same room for $699 plus most travel agents will offer you something out of their commission (which is built into the price of the cruise set by the cruise line) to try to convince you to go with their agency. It can really pay to shop around.

[itf]

Not sure why you are annoyed.

 

Not so much annoyed as confused by the economics of it from Celebrity's end. I'm buying the exact same cabin (same cabin number, not part of a block booking) - so why on earth would they want to sell that to a third party, allowing them to make a profit on it, and not sell it direct to the consumer at the same price and cut out the middle man!

[kristikae]

Not so much annoyed as confused by the economics of it from Celebrity's end. I'm buying the exact same cabin (same cabin number, not part of a block booking) - so why on earth would they want to sell that to a third party, allowing them to make a profit on it, and not sell it direct to the consumer at the same price and cut out the middle man!

 

When TA's hold cabins they don't necessarily hold specific cabins, just categories so the same cabin number would be available to them and the cruiseline.

[4774Papa]

Most travel agencies book blocks of cabins when the sailings first open up and lock in prices at the opening price. For example in April 2011 the cruise line opens up the April 2012 itineraries. Travel Agency block books 10 inside cabins at $699 pp. By Dec 2011 the cruise line price for an inside cabin has gone up to $899 pp (supply and demand, the more cabins which are filled the higher price the cruise line charges) but the travel agency still has some rooms unsold from their block booking and are able to offer you the same room for $699 plus most travel agents will offer you something out of their commission (which is built into the price of the cruise set by the cruise line) to try to convince you to go with their agency. It can really pay to shop around.

Perhaps that is why I never can get a better price from a TA. I tend to book our cruises about a year in advance.

Booking onboard ship with X is a great savings, you get upgrades plus $300 OBC for two week cruise.

[cruisinelsewhere]

Interesting thread. I have booked directly with Celebrity for quite some time. However, when booking a cruise this past week I spoke with X...they offered the same $200 off the cabin but with $150 less OBC than the internet agency that I ended up booking with. I thought that having booked with an agency would "tie my hands" for managing my booking but I have total access online. Another lesson learned.:rolleyes:

[jimzgoldfinch]

I don't understand it. I've found the cruise we want at a travel agent website - we used them last year, no problems.

 

I called Celebrity, they quoted me a higher price, I quoted them back the travel agent price, they offered OBC which was STILL not as good a price, then gave me some nonsense about the travel agent charging credit card fees (they don't) and then made no further effort to match the price. It makes no sense to me - why let your customer go elsewhere and buy the same cabin from you rather than sell it to the customer direct, especially when the TA is going to be taking a cut. I despair.

 

It's not like I was booking just one cabin, either. But Celebrity (UK) apparently just don't want my business direct.

 

Oh, and the Celebrity App on the iPhone quotes a lower price, but the guy on the phone wouldn't give that price.

 

Hi,

The travel agent will be rebating part of their commission to be able to quote a lower premium.

 

Our travel agent is giving us 8% discount on cruise fare. Discount does not apply to tax element of cruise.

 

Jim

[Jack Horner]

Not sure why you are annoyed. I understand in the US, Celebrity fixes the prices. In the UK, that is not allowed and the TA is passing on the good deal they have managed to negotiate with Celebrity. You can take that deal and benefit. However, you will probably find that it is a "group booking" and, from what I have read on these boards, you may not be able to do some of the things you want with your booking. You will also have to deal through your TA for anything you want to do or know and, in the UK, TAs do not provide the same service as in the US. You pays your money and .....

 

Personally, we have always chosen to book direct with Celebrity and get really great service. However, some of the deals on offer out there at the moment are incredible. [Have you seen those offered on digital TV?]

 

Sue

 

It is called out sourcing. If Celebrity encouraged direct cruise bookings they would have to substantially increase their customer support staff to cope with the millions of daily customer questions. SO THE SOURCE THAT PART OF THE BUSINESS OUT TO TRAVEL AGENTS. It’s the good old American way of reducing internal fixed costs.

 

If you are booked on a cruise through a major travel agent you are most probably in a “Group” booking. Once you are in the so called “Group” booking Celebrity support agents will not give you the time of day and tell you to talk to your travel agent because you are in a group booking. Reminds me of the song “There’s a hole in the bucket dear Liza” :D

 

,

[potterduck]

we chose the sailing we wanted, priced directly with Celebrity for just a cruise, went into a UK high street travel agent, we told them exactly what we wanted, they telephoned celebrity whilst we were in store.

 

Result = paid around £100pp more, but it includes 2 nights accommodation in Barcelona, return flights, taxis to ship, $200 obc. Can't be bad surely!

[dabear]

Not only TA's block book cabins at lower rates than individual cabins, X as well as most (if not all) cruise lines do not want to cut off the hand that feeds them. Some of us recall that Renasaince cruise lines in the late 90s only booked direct w/o TAs and when the economy swooned, they went bankrupt.

[leonardofan]

You're all missing the point--a couple of years ago all the major lines

stopped allowing UK residents from booking at US prices, even if they booked through a US agent.

 

If it was me I'd use a US friend's address, (They won't see your passport

until much later, and you can still claim to live in the US then). But I

suppose there is some small risk of problems.

 

The business of charging different rates in different countries goes back a

long way. When I took the QE2 35 years ago I was told that the smart

thing to do was to book in Italy. (Maybe it will be again...)

[Project_gal]

It is called out sourcing. If Celebrity encouraged direct cruise bookings they would have to substantially increase their customer support staff to cope with the millions of daily customer questions. SO THE SOURCE THAT PART OF THE BUSINESS OUT TO TRAVEL AGENTS. It’s the good old American way of reducing internal fixed costs.

 

This discussion was actually started about the business in the UK, not the US. The regulations about price fixing are different here to in the US.

 

In the UK, some of the best deals are being offered at the moment by a TV/Internet TA which is fully owned by Royal Caribbean. They sell cruises from all cruise lines but, clearly, they are employing the TA's customer service staff. Outsourcing to yourself is an interesting concept even in the UK!

 

Although there are some great deals around at the moment, it is only if you want to take the cruises that are not selling well. We still find booking as soon as the itineraries are released gets us the very best deals on the cruises we want to do.

 

Sue

[Freecall]

I think that some of this discussion is being held at cross-purposes.

 

The situation in Europe is very different to the US. Generally in the US a price is set by the supplier (Celebrity) and then any special deals are based upon this.

 

Under European Union law this is seen as a form of price fixing and is therefore illegal.

 

The big downside however is that although in the US it is fairly easy to cancel a booking, in Europe this is almost impossible and would be viewed as a breach of contract.

 

.