Future Cruise Help Required

[holidaylover10]

Hi Al,

 

We have booked a Cruise on the Constellation next month which we are really looking forward to as this will be our first Cruise.

We recieved the Celebrity Europe brochure at the weekend and fancy a 14 night Cruise to the med next September 2013. The price seems good and there is free parking at Southampton and $50 on board credit from the Travel Agent but as we have not yet Cruised we can't join the Captains club till after our sailing so can't claim any benifits.

My question is whether it is worth waiting to book until after the first Cruise, are the benifits of joining the Captains Club worth the wait and could someone explain about buying future Cruise credits as were not quite sure what this is.

Thank you

[Andy]

Hi Al,

 

We have booked a Cruise on the Constellation next month which we are really looking forward to as this will be our first Cruise.

We recieved the Celebrity Europe brochure at the weekend and fancy a 14 night Cruise to the med next September 2013. The price seems good and there is free parking at Southampton and $50 on board credit from the Travel Agent but as we have not yet Cruised we can't join the Captains club till after our sailing so can't claim any benifits.

My question is whether it is worth waiting to book until after the first Cruise, are the benifits of joining the Captains Club worth the wait and could someone explain about buying future Cruise credits as were not quite sure what this is.

Thank you

 

Hi Holidaylover

 

In the fine print of the US document, it states you can add on your Captains Club number until June 10, 2012 if you are a NEW Captains Club member, so you should be able to book while onboard, and get the benefits.

 

Here's the info from the Captains Club offer document : http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/12028094_CEL_CaptainClub_Offer_Flyer.pdf new members may book onboard without a membership number but must provide the membership number by June 10, 2012 .

 

Please keep in mind, the rules may be different for Non-US Guests, so I suggest contacting your local Captains Club office to confirm.

 

I hope this helps. Have a wonderful time on Constellation !

[dkjretired]

Hi Al,

 

We have booked a Cruise on the Constellation next month which we are really looking forward to as this will be our first Cruise.

We recieved the Celebrity Europe brochure at the weekend and fancy a 14 night Cruise to the med next September 2013. The price seems good and there is free parking at Southampton and $50 on board credit from the Travel Agent but as we have not yet Cruised we can't join the Captains club till after our sailing so can't claim any benifits.

My question is whether it is worth waiting to book until after the first Cruise, are the benifits of joining the Captains Club worth the wait and could someone explain about buying future Cruise credits as were not quite sure what this is.

Thank you

 

Really no benefit in waiting until after your first cruise. The only perk for Captains Club members at booking is an upgrade from an inside cabin to a higher category inside or an outside to outside. It really just involves moving you up a deck and is usually worth about $20... If you want to get a better deal, consider booking once on board...

[CathyCruises]

Using recent experiences of mine and many others, I think the benefit of waiting to book is getting lower prices. IN GENERAL, it appears that the closer you book to sailing date, the less you will pay. I thought I was getting a great bargain on our upcoming cruise but with about a month to go, prices have really fallen and my 'bargain' ain't much of one any longer. If you have some flexibility in when you cruise, you can seemingly find some great deals at the relative last minute.

[Hawaiidan]

Forget the " Captains club" its a bit of hype and fluff that I think is over raited. I saw no real tangible benifit... Same with Holland americas Mariner club...

I am taking my first cruise with Celeb. actualy 2 cruises back to back over a month and am not even remotely interested in even joining or even getting a number. People in it however, seem to feel some how elite and special.

More power to them. I forget who said it but " I would not join any club who would have me as a member"

 

My suggestion is start your own club, . call it " The Royal mystic knights of the Sea" and pass membership cards on your cruise to worthy people you meet, Install your self as President, and grand Poohba. Meeti in the bars and hold court telling others how lickey they are to be chosen to join your select group . Let them buy drinks You could "Knight" them too. Many possibilites

 

No... dont take any of these faux elite circles too seriously..;)

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Forget the " Captains club" its a bit of hype and fluff that I think is over raited. I saw no real tangible benifit... Same with Holland americas Mariner club...

I am taking my first cruise with Celeb. actualy 2 cruises back to back over a month and am not even remotely interested in even joining or even getting a number. People in it however, seem to feel some how elite and special.

More power to them. I forget who said it but " I would not join any club who would have me as a member"

 

My suggestion is start your own club, . call it " The Royal mystic knights of the Sea" and pass membership cards on your cruise to worthy people you meet, Install your self as President, and grand Poohba. Meeti in the bars and hold court telling others how lickey they are to be chosen to join your select group . Let them buy drinks You could "Knight" them too. Many possibilites

 

No... dont take any of these faux elite circles too seriously..;)

 

If you've never cruised Celebrity and are not a member of the Captain's Club, I don't see how you feel you are qualified to opine that the benefits are worthless.

 

The current Captain's Club offer is very nice. We are getting $500 OBC on our suite and $200 OBC on balcony cabins. And that can be combined with Passages Certificates worth $300/cabin.

 

So that's $800 of OBC for one cruise for one cabin. In addition to that, there will be free drinks, free internet, and free laundry and dry cleaning on board. Now maybe to you $800 and those other benefits are chump change, but to me it represents a real value.

[Andy]

Forget the " Captains club" its a bit of hype and fluff that I think is over raited. I saw no real tangible benifit... Same with Holland americas Mariner club...

 

Hi Hawaiidan,

 

While I agree that loyalty programs are marketing strategies, IMO, Captains Club has some great benefits... including complimentary internet minutes, the Captains Club lounge for Elite members, and some laundry / dry cleaning perks. I feel that Celebrity's loyalty program is the best amongst it's peers.

 

Another outstanding benefit: as mentioned earlier, Celebrity is currently running a new booking offer for the new 2013/2014 deployments, that's exclusive for Captains Club members - offering from $100-$600 in OBC's..... and, it's combinable with one other offer. I feel that's a very rich offer.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Using recent experiences of mine and many others, I think the benefit of waiting to book is getting lower prices. IN GENERAL, it appears that the closer you book to sailing date, the less you will pay. I thought I was getting a great bargain on our upcoming cruise but with about a month to go, prices have really fallen and my 'bargain' ain't much of one any longer. If you have some flexibility in when you cruise, you can seemingly find some great deals at the relative last minute.

 

Depends on the cruise. My experience with Baltic and Alaska cruises was that the price only went one way--up. A lot. There are soft periods in the Caribbean and lately in the Med, so those would be the better places to gamble. However, last minute airfare to the Med from the US would usually eat up any savings.

 

So my view is if you really want to take a particular cruise, book as soon as it is released. You'll have your choice of cabin and you're protected on any price drops which occur prior to final payment. If you're not too fussy about where the cruise is going, there are indeed some great bargains to be had at the last minute. A bunch of friends and I grabbed one of those bargains for our second cruise to Alaska.

[RMSeadog]

If you book your next cruise onboard you are eligible for the OBC, you may not get the upgrade on that booking but the $300 OBC for a 14 night cruise is an excellent insentived. The Captain's Club OBC for new booking is for booking ashore or aflot. I would wait til your on board and go see the Cruise Sales Manager. Take your TA address, you will be able to give the booking to your TA and get the $50 too, maybe. I think it's worth the wait. That Med cruise is Excellent BTW. We did it in the fall of 2010. ~ Ric

[holidaylover10]

Thank you all for your advice, will wait and check out out prices whilst on board.

[CathyCruises]

Depends on the cruise. My experience with Baltic and Alaska cruises was that the price only went one way--up. A lot. There are soft periods in the Caribbean and lately in the Med, so those would be the better places to gamble. However, last minute airfare to the Med from the US would usually eat up any savings.

 

So my view is if you really want to take a particular cruise, book as soon as it is released. You'll have your choice of cabin and you're protected on any price drops which occur prior to final payment. If you're not too fussy about where the cruise is going, there are indeed some great bargains to be had at the last minute. A bunch of friends and I grabbed one of those bargains for our second cruise to Alaska.

 

OP lives in England and wants to cruise the Med, hence my remarks.

[sarafinadh]

If you've never cruised Celebrity and are not a member of the Captain's Club, I don't see how you feel you are qualified to opine that the benefits are worthless.

 

The current Captain's Club offer is very nice. We are getting $500 OBC on our suite and $200 OBC on balcony cabins. And that can be combined with Passages Certificates worth $300/cabin.

 

So that's $800 of OBC for one cruise for one cabin. In addition to that, there will be free drinks, free internet, and free laundry and dry cleaning on board. Now maybe to you $800 and those other benefits are chump change, but to me it represents a real value.

 

OK, to be fair the benefits you are describing are NOT what someone with one cruise under their belt is going to get. Lots of folks around here have opined that the basic Captain's club is pretty lame and it's only when you get to higher levels you see real advantages.

[Shake]

With Celebrity you can double or triple your points per cruise and actually get to Elite status in as fast as 4 cruises.

 

Also, Celebrity and RCCL share level benefits so you can benefit on either line. Elite is Diamond on RCCL.

 

IMHO, Elite status gets you the most grats compared to any other cruise lines. :cool:

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

OK, to be fair the benefits you are describing are NOT what someone with one cruise under their belt is going to get. Lots of folks around here have opined that the basic Captain's club is pretty lame and it's only when you get to higher levels you see real advantages.

 

Fine, go ahead and think the benefits are lame. I just don't happen to share your opinion.

 

Actually, a person with one cruise under her belt could have a passages cert worth $300 and could combine it with the current Captain's Club offer of $200 for a balcony cabin, so that would be $500 in OBC. To me that's not in the least lame, but obviously your opinion is different.

[sarafinadh]

Fine, go ahead and think the benefits are lame. I just don't happen to share your opinion.

 

Actually, a person with one cruise under her belt could have a passages cert worth $300 and could combine it with the current Captain's Club offer of $200 for a balcony cabin, so that would be $500 in OBC. To me that's not in the least lame, but obviously your opinion is different.

Hi, When I looked at the X site (I know, counting on the site for reliable info is not always wise ; -) it listed this;

Classic Member Benefits (after your 1st earned tier credit)**

 

 

• Exclusive Captain's Club Celebration Event onboard each Celebrity sailing
  
• Complimentary use of the Loyalty Desk member service center between cruises
  
• Complimentary access to the onboard Loyalty Host during your cruise
  
• A premium onboard discount booklet filled with special offers during each cruise
  
• Complimentary upgrade from ChoiceAir® to ChoiceAir Plus when booking travel for your cruise
  
• Pre-sailing specialty restaurant reservations available before your cruise
  
• Annual member Reunion Cruise with additional member events
  
• One category upgrade prior to sailing (when available)
  
• Complimentary online Captain's Club newsletter with the latest program news and information
  

Comments I have read about the party and loyalty host dismissed them as not much in the way of perks. The cabin upgrade is (if I understand this correctly) within the same class, so inside to better inside, not to ocean view, for instance, when it is available. And no upgrades for classes above inside and OV.

 

 

 

The coupon book sounds as if it has some things that might be useful, but I haven't heard about free laundry, drinks (except at the party) or wifi at the classic level. Just a wine discount and a laundry discount, bingo cards, a coffee.

 

The passages certificate looked to me to be a 100.00 pre-purchased deposit for a future cruise that saves you having to make a larger deposit when you book your next cruise. I can see how that could be convenient but not how it saves money. Some posters have commented that they could not use the passage certificates combined with Captain's Club offers. Others have said the certificates were not honoured for some bookings, and they were required to make additional deposits prior to final payment.

 

I don't understand how a passages certificate adds to your OBC total.

 

And OBC seems to be accrued in a number of ways, thru X, thru agents, sometimes combinable, sometimes not. It looks as if you can get OBC, if you are clever, on most bookings and that it's related to how much your fare is.

 

Honestly, I am not being a smart-aleck! It really does look to me as if, other than a discounted coupons for laundry, the Classic Captain's Club does not offer that much.

 

Are the benefits you are referring to ones that would come to someone with select or elite? I understand that at those levels there are some worthwhile advantages.

 

That is why I specified passengers with one cruise under their belt. If that cruise was a basic 7 day lower class stateroom then they have 1 credit. What would they get?

[Bobal]

Unless you have your eye on a specific cabin and think it may go, I would be inclined to wait until you're onboard. We just booked onboard for a 14 night cruise and received $300 onboard credit and an Aqua Class cabin for the price of a C3 :)

 

I'm not sure how much parking at Southampton would cost but you are basically weighing up the cost of parking + $50 obc vs $300 and a potential cabin upgrade.

 

I'm not sure about the rules regarding Captain's club but it may be that you can't join anyway until after you've completed your cruise next month.

 

Obviously I can't mention the name of travel agents here but we transferred our booking to our TA when we got home (one of the biggest Cruise specialists in the UK) and got an additional 10% off the Celebrity price.

[Shooraq]

Hi, When I looked at the X site (I know, counting on the site for reliable info is not always wise ; -) it listed this;

Classic Member Benefits (after your 1st earned tier credit)**

 

 

• Exclusive Captain's Club Celebration Event onboard each Celebrity sailing
  
• Complimentary use of the Loyalty Desk member service center between cruises
  
• Complimentary access to the onboard Loyalty Host during your cruise
  
• A premium onboard discount booklet filled with special offers during each cruise
  
• Complimentary upgrade from ChoiceAir® to ChoiceAir Plus when booking travel for your cruise
  
• Pre-sailing specialty restaurant reservations available before your cruise
  
• Annual member Reunion Cruise with additional member events
  
• One category upgrade prior to sailing (when available)
  
• Complimentary online Captain's Club newsletter with the latest program news and information
  

Comments I have read about the party and loyalty host dismissed them as not much in the way of perks. The cabin upgrade is (if I understand this correctly) within the same class, so inside to better inside, not to ocean view, for instance, when it is available. And no upgrades for classes above inside and OV.

 

 

 

The coupon book sounds as if it has some things that might be useful, but I haven't heard about free laundry, drinks (except at the party) or wifi at the classic level. Just a wine discount and a laundry discount, bingo cards, a coffee.

 

The passages certificate looked to me to be a 100.00 pre-purchased deposit for a future cruise that saves you having to make a larger deposit when you book your next cruise. I can see how that could be convenient but not how it saves money. Some posters have commented that they could not use the passage certificates combined with Captain's Club offers. Others have said the certificates were not honoured for some bookings, and they were required to make additional deposits prior to final payment.

 

I don't understand how a passages certificate adds to your OBC total.

 

And OBC seems to be accrued in a number of ways, thru X, thru agents, sometimes combinable, sometimes not. It looks as if you can get OBC, if you are clever, on most bookings and that it's related to how much your fare is.

 

Honestly, I am not being a smart-aleck! It really does look to me as if, other than a discounted coupons for laundry, the Classic Captain's Club does not offer that much.

 

Are the benefits you are referring to ones that would come to someone with select or elite? I understand that at those levels there are some worthwhile advantages.

 

That is why I specified passengers with one cruise under their belt. If that cruise was a basic 7 day lower class stateroom then they have 1 credit. What would they get?

 

When you purchase an open passages certificate, it is as though you are booking onboard. When you convert it to an actual booking, you also get OBC, based on the length of your cruise. So it can be a good deal. Most things nowadays do not combine deals. The Captain's Club Early booking bonus offer is one of the few that actually allows you to comibine with one other offer, such as booking onboard, an open passage certificate, etc.