How do Price Drops work?

[4getmenot]

Currently booked in CC and noticed a PD on the celebrity website for an AQ guarantee. I called Celebrity (original reservation was through them directly) and they told me that the website fare is available for new bookings only and if I wanted to upgrade it would be another $300/pp over what's quoted on the website. Is this how price drop upgrades work typically? Is there anyway I can monitor the price available for existing reservations without calling them?

 

I would be interested in upgrading to AQ for the difference between what I paid and what's being quoted on the website ($50/pp) but not the $300 that the phone agent is quoting me.

[chefcaw]

Currently booked in CC and noticed a PD on the celebrity website for an AQ guarantee. I called Celebrity (original reservation was through them directly) and they told me that the website fare is available for new bookings only and if I wanted to upgrade it would be another $300/pp over what's quoted on the website. Is this how price drop upgrades work typically? Is there anyway I can monitor the price available for existing reservations without calling them?

 

I would be interested in upgrading to AQ for the difference between what I paid and what's being quoted on the website ($50/pp) but not the $300 that the phone agent is quoting me.

 

 

You can get the price drops if they are not only for new bookings. There is a sight you can register for . It is often difficult if not impossible to post the info on the board but if you send me an email with price drop in the subject lineat my screenname at aol.com I will send it to you. That account is my spam account but I will look in it for the next few days.

 

Chris

[Orator]

Your options are restricted when offer is for New Bookings Only. However, you may take advantage of price drops if they are not limited to new bookings. You may make changes prior to final payment. Following final payment you may only upgrade; however, there are times when you might save money by upgrading.

[4getmenot]

Ok thanks. I already registered on a price drop alert website. But the one that it alerted me to turned out to be the "Happy Hour" special that Celebrity says is for new bookings only. With the site you are thinking of - can they actually distinguish between upgradeable fares and new bookings only fare?

[mandream]

Are you prior to final payment? If so - can you cancel and rebook without penalty (either from TA, or loss of early booking bonus, etc.)?

 

You are changing classes and going to a GTY - so risk of losing the cabin isn't an issue.

 

Mike

[Orator]

You really need to keep monitoring your cruises. there were major price drops on The Nov. 17, 2012 Holy Lands and I went from a 1A to a C Guarantee and saved almost $1900. Just check the Celebrity site and the sites on the major online agencies. I did not need to cancel and rebook to gain the savings. Just called my agent and she took care of it. I also kept my OBC for making my original booking on board.

[iancal]

Prior to final payment we always check for both price decreases AND category consolidations, ie moving to a better cabin for the same price.

 

We have had a few cruises where we took advantage of price decreases, often more than one, and category consolidations.

 

We deal with an on line TA who does not charge for repricing or cabin changes (my understanding is that some do). But, when you get a price decrease sometimes the TA provided on board credit is reduced. You need to understand what this reduction is prior to making the change.

[4getmenot]

We are already within the final payment deadline so cancellation is not an option.

 

I called back a second time and the agent told me that what the previous agent said about "Happy Hour" fares not being eligible for upgrade was incorrect. Unfortunately this was a few hours later and now AQ guarantee is not book-able at all :(

 

Oh well, had some bad luck. I will keep monitoring I guess.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[Orator]

We are already within the final payment deadline so cancellation is not an option.

 

I called back a second time and the agent told me that what the previous agent said about "Happy Hour" fares not being eligible for upgrade was incorrect. Unfortunately this was a few hours later and now AQ guarantee is not book-able at all :(

 

Oh well, had some bad luck. I will keep monitoring I guess.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

Remember, you can always upgrade after final payment. Keep checking for price reductions in higher categories. Good luck!

[sarafinadh]

This morning there was a "One Day Only" price drop posted for our July cruise. I emailed the TA asking about upgrading to a balcony from an ocean view. By the time she looked the one day sale was gone from our cruise, although it remained on other sailings. She offered the balcony guarantee, post final payment, for the current price of the balcony, not for some other price over that.

[4getmenot]

Thought I should let everyone know that there was a happy ending in my case.

This Tuesday, the AQ guarantee dropped $150 below what I paid for CC (whereas last week it was $50 above). This time around, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning here on the west coast just in time for the start of Celebrity's customer service hours. At first the response I got was the same as last time - i.e. what's on the website is applicable to new bookings. But somewhere along the way, she finally understood that I wasn't asking for a refund after my final payment had been paid, just for an upgrade based on the price drop. She immediately upgraded me to AQ guarantee without further issues.

 

Overall the result went my way, but just a little bummed that I didn't wait until now to initiate the booking (would have saved $150 pp). But I figure $1149/pp for AQ on a 12 night Med cruise is still a very good deal right?

[Orator]

Thought I should let everyone know that there was a happy ending in my case.

This Tuesday, the AQ guarantee dropped $150 below what I paid for CC (whereas last week it was $50 above). This time around, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning here on the west coast just in time for the start of Celebrity's customer service hours. At first the response I got was the same as last time - i.e. what's on the website is applicable to new bookings. But somewhere along the way, she finally understood that I wasn't asking for a refund after my final payment had been paid, just for an upgrade based on the price drop. She immediately upgraded me to AQ guarantee without further issues.

 

Overall the result went my way, but just a little bummed that I didn't wait until now to initiate the booking (would have saved $150 pp). But I figure $1149/pp for AQ on a 12 night Med cruise is still a very good deal right?

 

Good for you. You did an upgrade which is completely within the rules as I posted earlier. The price is not a factor in determining if you are upgrading.

[Lyn2005]

Excellent price! The prices can change several times in a single day.