How much luck has UK cruisers had with Price Drop guarantee after the final payment??

[DebbieMacG]

Oh Richard that's terrible :( did you pay for it by card? Maybe you could show them a statement if you did?

 

Im sorry they didn't get back to you (celebrity) its such a shame that they would choose to lose such good custom as yours :(

 

I'm feeling pretty rubbish at the moment, had to fight all day to pay the right price and lost the cabin I was allocated in the first place.

 

This will be our second Celebrity cruise in 5 months with a third booked for October so three cruises in less than a year (we've done the Eclipse in 2010 as well) its obvious we like Celebrity but today has upset me a lot :(

[Adammara]

Yes, paid by debit card, and has been deducted from my account, I think the checkout counter messed it up as she threw the first gift card away as it was 'faulty', apparently the gift card number on my receipt does not match the encrypted number on the gift card.

 

Eclipse is fantastic we have been on her 5 times, Equinox once and IOTS three times in the last 3 years, still not a good enough customer apparently.

 

Celebrity really need to sort their policies out!

 

Richard

[misprint]

I think Celebrity are going to have a lot of very unhappy customers. To be honest I don't think they care, if they did they would be looking after loyal cruisers who come back year after year.

[Monty's Mum]

DebbieMacG

 

My Celebrity contact was supposed to get back to me today. Heard nothing from her or management.

 

We have decided to cancel next years cruises we have booked, we will probally loose our deposits, but despite Celebrity saying they look after their regulars, they don't really care at all!

 

Had a bad day too! Bought my best man and closest friend a big B&Q Gift Voucher for his 70th birthday, when he tried to spend it, it was blank! B&Q say the card is a different one to the one issued, apperently, all tills sales are recorded on CCTV, but they have wiped the tape! How convenient! Now fighting that as well!

 

Richard

 

OMG Richard you are having a torrid time of it lately!!! Did you purchase it on Credit card?? Would that not be proof enough???

Whilst I understand that you are frustrated...rather than loose the deposit I would speak to a supervisor before doing anything.....why should you loose any further money....you never know they may turn out to be helpful and all this could come out positive!!!! Fingers crossed!!! :)

[Monty's Mum]

I booked a gty inside on the 4th May cruise to Norway and was thrilled to be allocated an outside cabin. Then last Friday they had a good deal on a balcony gty for £380 more so I rang and spoke to someone, asked if this price was for new bookings only or if I could upgrade and I was told yes I could upgrade at that price.

 

Phone half an hour later and spoke to someone else and upgraded, he said he could not take payment from me because revenue was shut (7.45pm) and although I had the booking confirmed, would it be possible to ring them back Monday to pay the extra charge. I asked if the price would be honoured on Monday and was told yes, it had been seen by a supervisor and all was fine. Ok no problem.

 

The price on my booking then changed to over £126,000 with me still owing £125,000!! That caused much laughter! The next morning (Saturday) it changed again and this time I owed them £1000, this was still wrong as the correct figure was £380 but I wasnt too worried as I knew adjustments had to be made.

 

This morning I was overjoyed to see we had been allocated a 1c cabin :) but this is where the nightmare begins. To cut a long story short I have spent most of the day on the phone with Celebrity who were trying to charge me the £1000 and were saying that the gty balcony price was for new customers only. I've had a nightmare of a day :(

 

Finally after I spoke to a supervisor who seemed to know her stuff it was resolved at 5.30pm but only after they reviewed the phone calls I had with the booking dept on Friday night. She said she actually heard me ask the lady if it was for new bookings only and she said no, so therefore they have had to honor the price.

 

She was nice and apologetic BUT I have had go back into the gty pool and have lost my 1c :( I would not have minded if I had been allocated a 2d in the first place as it was what I expected but now I'm gutted. I asked if the allocation was based on a gty and she said it was so its possible I may get it again. She could not adjust the price without me goig back to a gty.

 

Sorry this is long but I've had such a stressful and rubbish day I needed to vent! :mad::)

 

OMG Debbie...as well what is going on!!! Why is it such a fight all the time!! Either have a policy or not or a customer service centre that knows what they should know or at least check if they don't before promising anything!!! It drives me mad!!! I hope you get what you want but if not ask to go back into the pool as so many others have and hope that you get it back!!! You might get lucky also!!! ;)

[DebbieMacG]

OMG Debbie...as well what is going on!!! Why is it such a fight all the time!! Either have a policy or not or a customer service centre that knows what they should know or at least check if they don't before promising anything!!! It drives me mad!!! I hope you get what you want but if not ask to go back into the pool as so many others have and hope that you get it back!!! You might get lucky also!!! ;)

 

Thanks :) they put me back in the gty pool, at the moment the only balcony cabin showing as available is the one I had, as the cruise is almost sold out (there's a c3 and an RS as well)

 

The supervisor said she would try and keep an eye on it and see what I was allocated so fingers crossed

[Monty's Mum]

Thanks :) they put me back in the gty pool, at the moment the only balcony cabin showing as available is the one I had, as the cruise is almost sold out (there's a c3 and an RS as well)

 

The supervisor said she would try and keep an eye on it and see what I was allocated so fingers crossed

 

Hope you get the RS!!!!;)

[excitedofharpenden]

Thanks :) they put me back in the gty pool, at the moment the only balcony cabin showing as available is the one I had, as the cruise is almost sold out (there's a c3 and an RS as well)

 

The supervisor said she would try and keep an eye on it and see what I was allocated so fingers crossed

Fingers crossed from me too Debbie.

 

Phil

[excitedofharpenden]

Thanks :) they put me back in the gty pool, at the moment the only balcony cabin showing as available is the one I had, as the cruise is almost sold out (there's a c3 and an RS as well)

 

The supervisor said she would try and keep an eye on it and see what I was allocated so fingers crossed

Can't see the one you had showing any more, so perhaps you got it back again.

 

Phil

[mcd1411]

Hi i have never had any issues getting price drops before or after final payment . I always book our cruises with a Travel Agent as you always get better discounts than direct usually around the 12 % mark. My TA has also just called celebrity direct and got them to reissue a new invoice for the cruise. If i have made final payment then we get a cheque back for the difference. We always book Aqua class as we enjoying eating in Blu so never been upgraded rather than a refund on celebrity however have been upgraded on Royal before rather than the price drop. I think a lot of TA don't want you to know that we in the Uk are allowed price drops also. I also know of people on my up and coming cruise who changed from aq2 to gyt and got a refund of the difference also after final payment and it was over £1000.

 

Barry.

[DebbieMacG]

Can't see the one you had showing any more, so perhaps you got it back again.

 

Phil

 

 

Thanks :) its still showing for me though and I haven't been allocated yet

[DebbieMacG]

Ive now been allocated an obstructed view cabin so Im really not happy at all :( I wouldnt have minded but yesterday I was allocated a 1c then re-allocated down to an obstructed view because THEY made an error! :(

[villauk]

Hi i have never had any issues getting price drops before or after final payment . I always book our cruises with a Travel Agent as you always get better discounts than direct usually around the 12 % mark. My TA has also just called celebrity direct and got them to reissue a new invoice for the cruise. If i have made final payment then we get a cheque back for the difference. We always book Aqua class as we enjoying eating in Blu so never been upgraded rather than a refund on celebrity however have been upgraded on Royal before rather than the price drop. I think a lot of TA don't want you to know that we in the Uk are allowed price drops also. I also know of people on my up and coming cruise who changed from aq2 to gyt and got a refund of the difference also after final payment and it was over £1000.

 

Barry.

 

Barry,

We also get the price drops from our TA as well as the discount. Like you, I think it's not advertised over here so much because the TA's commission is reduced when the price drop occurs. I believe it's different in the States, TAs can't charge any less than booking direct, but they can offer incentives.

 

Missminnie's post relating to obtaining the price drop when it is for new bookings only did surprise me. Even in the US they are unable to get price drops on this basis, so I was very surprised to hear Celebrity had agreed to her price drop and adjusted the balance? Goes to show, it must be who you speak with on the telephone that makes all the difference ;)

[Project_gal]

 

Steve and I always book direct but on-line' date=' to get the 5% discount.....so far we haven't experienced any problems but sounds like having a PCC in your corner might be the way to go in future. Do they offer any incentive to offset the loss of the on-line booking discount?[/size']

Sue

 

Sue

 

I do not know about any incentives but, although I have seen the message about a 5% discount for booking online, I have always paid the same price as shown on the website when I book direct with Celebrity. When we booked at this time last year, it was actually lower than the webprice but I believe that was due to the Captain's Club discount they had last year.

 

Sue

[DebbieMacG]

I am stuck with the obstructed view as there is nothing for me to change to. If I go back into the gty pool I will get the same cabin again.

 

If another cabin becomes available they will try and sort it.

 

Oh well I guess if this had been my allocation in the first place I would have been happy with it (just would prefer not to have had hassle over two days etc etc) Ill just have to make the best of it and pretend I never was allocated that 1c :(

[Monty's Mum]

I am stuck with the obstructed view as there is nothing for me to change to. If I go back into the gty pool I will get the same cabin again.

 

If another cabin becomes available they will try and sort it.

 

Oh well I guess if this had been my allocation in the first place I would have been happy with it (just would prefer not to have had hassle over two days etc etc) Ill just have to make the best of it and pretend I never was allocated that 1c :([/QU

 

Oh I hope they can do something for you....I would maybe keep an eye and phone to see if there is anything they can do closer to the time!!! You never know it might be as late as boarding....either way you are on holiday!!! ;)

[oldmovieguy]

Was warned on here about price drop on upcoming cruise already paid in full, contacted Celebrity in UK who dropped price and sent another statement, said if price was to drop again I could claim it but would have to pay an admin fee of about £30.

[Bestbubba]

Sue

 

I do not know about any incentives but, although I have seen the message about a 5% discount for booking online, I have always paid the same price as shown on the website when I book direct with Celebrity. When we booked at this time last year, it was actually lower than the webprice but I believe that was due to the Captain's Club discount they had last year.

 

Sue

 

Hi Sue

 

Thanks for the info:)

 

Steve has just reminded me that when we booked Millennium for next March we wanted to use a Passages certificate...obviously couldn't book this on-line as we already had a reference number. When he phoned he asked the rep about the 5% and she gave us $200 in lieu....can't argue with that:)

 

Sue

[mcd1411]

OH no Debbie, thats bad news, what a rollercoaster this has been for you, its so frustrating, maybe you can change to one in the same cat but less obstructed?

 

 

 

Barry

Would you be so kind as to e mail me the name of your TA? I know you aren't allowed to mention them on these boards.

you can contact me on lisahubball at yahoo dotcom

 

Thanks

 

Hi i have used mostly high street Travel agents in the past and currently still doing so. Also used a large internet cruise website also and never had a problem getting a price drop. I am currently using the largest high street TA for my current bookings as we are getting the best price from them. However myself and my friends are booking on average 3 cruises a year with them.

 

 

Barry.

[Guest intercruise]

Very interesting thread, but I am still confused about some of the policies and would appreciate if one of the veterans who knows can sort me out!

 

1. You are eligible for price drops in the UK and US. But you are only eligible for price drops AFTER final payment if you are in the UK. Correct?

 

2. Several people mentioned that prices are generally better from US agents. Is this correct? (The reason I ask is that we live in the UK now, but can easily go through a US TA as I have US credit cards with a US billing addresses.)

 

3. Now something that I have not seen written about. What if you book a specific cabin, and that room category sells out (C1, for example). If that category is sold out on a specific cruise, would that categories price be lowered too during future sales periods? Or would sales prices only be introduced for other categories on that specific cruise that have rooms still unsold - C2, outside guarantees, etc?

 

Thanks

[Adammara]

Intercruise

 

Q1 Some say they have had refunds, many have not. There does not seem to be a consistent policy.

 

Q2 Can't help, live in the wrong Boston!

 

 

Q3 We booked an Aqua A1 March 2011, basic price has remained constant on Celebrity at £2888, but after final payment Aqua class in general went on XA guarantee at £2072, so possibly some might have got an A1 for that price.

 

A letter to Celebrity UK on April 4th, asking them to clarify the rules on refund/upgrades/OBC after final payment goes un-answered as yet.

 

Richard

[Project_gal]

Very interesting thread, but I am still confused about some of the policies and would appreciate if one of the veterans who knows can sort me out!

 

1. You are eligible for price drops in the UK and US. But you are only eligible for price drops AFTER final payment if you are in the UK. Correct?

 

Yes, provided price drop is not for new bookings only. [source: From experience before final payment. From reports on CC after final payment.] If you book through a UK TA, you may have difficulty obtaining price drops. I also understand that Celebrity now charge an administration fee after a certain number of price drops. [source: From reports on CC]

 

2. Several people mentioned that prices are generally better from US agents. Is this correct? (The reason I ask is that we live in the UK now, but can easily go through a US TA as I have US credit cards with a US billing addresses.)

 

Swings and roundabout: There have been reports on CC about US prices being higher than in the UK. There are many factors that affect pricing including the exchange rate being used both by Celebrity at the time the price is set [Celebrity does not change UK prices as the exchange rate fluctuates] and the exchange rate used for the price comparison. Remember, you have to pay in US$ if you book through in the US and, if you book early [we always book when the cruise opens and have found gives us the best prices as well as the room we want] the variation in exchange rate can be huge. [Can you predict the exchange rate in 20 months time?

Apples and oranages: The consumer protection laws in the EU are vastly different to those in the US. You may not need to take advantage of them but, as with the exchange rate, you never know. Also, if you book using a US address, flights from the UK would not be available to you. Booking flights in addition to the cruise with Celebrity creates a "package" in EU law which provides further consumer protection. There are also other different T&Cs in the UK - e.g. deposits which are lower in the UK but not refundable, OBR which can be more often combined with shareholder OBC than in the US, early booking offers which are often different to those in the US. When Celebrity sets the prices, from their point of view they are pricing two different products.

So you can see, the choice is yours.

 

3. Now something that I have not seen written about. What if you book a specific cabin, and that room category sells out (C1, for example). If that category is sold out on a specific cruise, would that categories price be lowered too during future sales periods?

 

No. Celebrity does not publish a price on sold out room categories.

 

Or would sales prices only be introduced for other categories on that specific cruise that have rooms still unsold - C2, outside guarantees, etc?

 

Thanks

 

However, as the previous poster said, if the price for a higher category falls below what you have paid, you could opt for an upgrade and price reduction. We have not done this precisely but I know, from experience, how Celebrity deals with upgrades and you pay the current price of the higher category room less the price you booked your lower grade room for. [it is just, in our case, we have had to pay extra.]

 

Sue

[Guest intercruise]

Thanks Sue and Richard, that was extremely helpful

[DebbieMacG]

Just to let you all know my story did have a happy ending :)

 

After speaking to a wonderful wonderful lady at Captains club today I got upgraded from my obstructed view on deck 6 to 9211, I'm so pleased I've been doing the happy dance :D

[Adammara]

Lucky you!

 

I have not even recieved an acknowledgement or answer to my letter of 4th April and a follow up letter. I really feel like a valued member of the Captains Club! If they cannot be bothered to answer my letters, don't know if I can be bothered to cruise with them!

 

Richard