disappointed in celebrity open passage

[bz]

we bought an open passage last Nov., tried to use it today on a Greek Island cruise next May while the "free gratuities" offer was going on. We were informed that we could NOT use the open passage $200 OBC if we got the free gratuities offer, you could only use one or the other. So what's the advantage of the open passage if it voids any special offer? Very disappointed in their policy.

[boogs]

we bought an open passage last Nov., tried to use it today on a Greek Island cruise next May while the "free gratuities" offer was going on. We were informed that we could NOT use the open passage $200 OBC if we got the free gratuities offer, you could only use one or the other. So what's the advantage of the open passage if it voids any special offer? Very disappointed in their policy.

 

Open Passage is for standard bookings, not special offers. That is clearly mentioned in the documentation. To expect double benefits is unrealistic. Nothing different than virtually all promotions in any type of business, from hotels to restaurants to retail stores. Only one discount at a time is allowed. The cruise line has to make some revenue on your cruise booking to stay in business. Expecting them to lose money on yours is not in their best interests, which is entirely understandable from a business point of view.

[joetop2467]

I agree with BZ which is why we will never buy another.

[bz]

Just to add to our frustration with open passage, we also booked one with Azamara in May, were told by the Loyalty Ambassador it could be used on Celebrity, turned out not to be true. Were not told either offer was not combinable. Had we know that we wouldn't have made the deposit, there would be no need to, no benefit. We were looking at a 12-night cruise, gratuities would be $250, the OBC which would be denied would be $200. Sorry, but I do feel ripped off to some degree. I still prefer Celebrity, just very disappointed. We chose not to book at this time, will wait & hope there's another offer that will be better and hopefully use the open passage $200 OBC some other time. I don't feel we were excessively "stacking" offers, just trying to make the best deal possible. They lost quite an advance booking (May 2013).

[Seabreeze8]

This is where the fine prints come in where the cruise lines would state "this offer cannot be combined with other offers", "restrictions may apply", etc. Some benefits can be combined but not all. We take each offer on its own to determine whether to book or not. If it can be combined with other offers, then it's a bonus. Wouldn't want to set ourselves up for disappointment. One option would be to check if you can use the open passenger toward a group rate instead.

[C 2 C]

I know it's in the small print, but it's disappointing non the less when there is an OBC Special offer to encourage back to back cruising but not if a Passage certificate is used.

[bz]

Just to let you know, we rec'd NO documentation with our open passage, wasn't even sure it was passed on to our TA. Funny, they never mentioned orally it couldn't be combined. We're just hoping another offer will come & it can be combined. I'm not mad, just disappointed. We still think Celebrity is the best bang for the buck!

[Kevnzworld]

The rules and terms are nebulous and confusing. I bought an open passages certificate on my cruise n January. I didn't realize that it is an open booking, since that was never explained to me. I booked a cruise in April, from the Tuesday special, with a senior discount. I then asked my TA to get me my $300 OBC with my open passages certificate. They allowed it, but the cruise had to be rebooked.

So the open passages is allowed ( I guess ) when using the Tuesday special pricing. Who knows, the rules are never applied uniformly. It depends which operator is handling the booking.

[Wine-O]

Just to let you know, we rec'd NO documentation with our open passage, wasn't even sure it was passed on to our TA. Funny, they never mentioned orally it couldn't be combined. We're just hoping another offer will come & it can be combined. I'm not mad, just disappointed. We still think Celebrity is the best bang for the buck!

 

I am going to purchase one on my next cruise for a future cruise. I will get $300 OBC because it's a 15-day cruise, but I know in advance that I can't combine my $250 shareholder OBC. The $300 is $50 more, so I can't complain.

[sloopsailor]

I have a senior discount card at a favorite restaurant. I also belong to their "frequent guest" program, from which I receive two-for-one discount coupons on a regular basis. I cannot use my senior discount with the two-for-one coupons. Sure, it would be nice to take advantage of the senior discount as well, but I can fully understand why they don't allow it. We should be thankful for any discount offered and not complain if we cannot combine them. There is a limit to how much we should expect. Otherwise, we appear to be greedy.

[Azulann]

OP, the prepaid gartuities is offered by Celebrity not by the TA for bookings of 2013 European cruise. so it cannot be combined with open passages for this promotion.

 

Then again, I think last Spring they had some great promotions to sellout he 2012 Eporean curises where you could use open passaes plus get the new promotions.

As others have said, you have to read the fine print of each new promotion or offer.

[navyrotorhead]

I am going to purchase one on my next cruise for a future cruise. I will get $300 OBC because it's a 15-day cruise, but I know in advance that I can't combine my $250 shareholder OBC. The $300 is $50 more, so I can't complain.

 

Does it max out at 250 or 300 and for how many days...

[Beh789149]

Odd. I booked three weeks ago using our open passage and I combined it with the teacher discount offer. Celebrity didn't think twice about allowing it.

[C 2 C]

Does it max out at 250 or 300 and for how many days...

 

Max is $300 for two week or longer cruises for Passages, $250 for stock holder credit.

[Wine-O]

Odd. I booked three weeks ago using our open passage and I combined it with the teacher discount offer. Celebrity didn't think twice about allowing it.

 

Yes, you can combine with other discounts such as 55+, Military, Teacher, and Resident. You just can't combine Celebrity OBC. You can combine TA OBC though.

[gimletgal]

Just to let you know, we rec'd NO documentation with our open passage, wasn't even sure it was passed on to our TA. Funny, they never mentioned orally it couldn't be combined. We're just hoping another offer will come & it can be combined. I'm not mad, just disappointed. We still think Celebrity is the best bang for the buck!

 

That's amazing that you received no documentation at all. You should have gone back to the future cruise booking agent on board before you disembarked. I buy an Open Passage certificate on every cruise. This year there was a special w/Captain's Club that allowed combining with the Passages certificate. What a great deal!!! $500 in OBC with the combo (14+ nights cruise).

You just never know what might pop up and the $100 deposit is great. And, they never expire.

[ORV]

Odd. I booked three weeks ago using our open passage and I combined it with the teacher discount offer. Celebrity didn't think twice about allowing it.

 

Yes, you can combine with other discounts such as 55+, Military, Teacher, and Resident. You just can't combine Celebrity OBC. You can combine TA OBC though.

 

Wine-O, when you say you can't combine with Celebrity OBC do you mean the tiers they offer tied to the length of your cruise? If so then that is the basic benefit of buying the Passages certificate, other than the reduced deposit, which is no big deal anyway since you have to pay it all before you cruise. Now if you meant the Stockholder benefit I could understand.

[Glendakayself]

That's amazing that you received no documentation at all. You should have gone back to the future cruise booking agent on board before you disembarked. I buy an Open Passage certificate on every cruise. This year there was a special w/Captain's Club that allowed combining with the Passages certificate. What a great deal!!! $500 in OBC with the combo (14+ nights cruise).

You just never know what might pop up and the $100 deposit is great. And, they never expire.

 

We did the same on our cruise with the "early booking OBC."

 

Another great perk of the Open Passage beyond the OBC is the $100 pp deposit. Pay $100 on the ship and add $100 when you book.

 

Remember to tell the booking agent you are booking with your Open Passage and give them the number. That becomes your booking number. Otherwise, you will not receive your OBC and will have to put down a full deposit unless there is a special being offered on deposits at the time.

 

If you have booked your cruise on which you purchase the Open Passage through a travel agent, the certificate is assigned to that travel agent unless you specify otherwise. If your certificate is not assigned to a travel agent, you receive an e-mail with all the details, and you must assign the certificate through Celebrity to the desired TA if you want a TA to handle the booking.

[grammyandpoppy]

Found out the hard way that I could not transfer the booking to a TA offering free grats because itbwas more than 60 days since we had booked the Passage. I am now waiting for Celebrity to correct the onboard credit on my 10 day cruisento $200 (reservation is showing $100). We won't do it again

[Glendakayself]

Found out the hard way that I could not transfer the booking to a TA offering free grats because itbwas more than 60 days since we had booked the Passage. I am now waiting for Celebrity to correct the onboard credit on my 10 day cruisento $200 (reservation is showing $100). We won't do it again

 

Was that 60 days after booking a specific cruise with an Open Passage/Passage or 60 days after acquiring an Open Passage?

[Wine-O]

Wine-O, when you say you can't combine with Celebrity OBC do you mean the tiers they offer tied to the length of your cruise? If so then that is the basic benefit of buying the Passages certificate, other than the reduced deposit, which is no big deal anyway since you have to pay it all before you cruise. Now if you meant the Stockholder benefit I could understand.

 

The Passages works out great if you do not have Shareholder stock.

 

If you have Stock, you have to figure out which would be better to use -- the Passages OBC or the Stock OBC. You can't use both. You have to pick whichever is the higher amount. Most likely, the Passages OBC will be a tad more.

 

The other benefit is you don't have to shell out $900 up front, especially if you book a cruise that is 15-18 months in the future.

[ORV]

The Passages works out great if you do not have Shareholder stock.

 

If you have Stock, you have to figure out which would be better to use -- the Passages OBC or the Stock OBC. You can't use both. You have to pick whichever is the higher amount. Most likely, the Passages OBC will be a tad more.

 

The other benefit is you don't have to shell out $900 up front, especially if you book a cruise that is 15-18 months in the future.

 

Hey Wine-o, I got all that, that part is fairly straightforward. I have no Stock so I don't care about that. The question was about this statement you made earlier;

 

"Yes, you can combine with other discounts such as 55+, Military, Teacher, and Resident. You just can't combine Celebrity OBC. You can combine TA OBC though."

 

Unfortunately I read it wrong, and I was under the mistaken assumption that the Teacher promo was OBC instead of a discount. So I thought you were saying you could combine it with the Teacher promo yet not get Celebrity OBC, which led to my question that more than likely didn't make any sense to you. Thanks for trying to answer an illogical question anyway. Sorry for the confusion.

 

I think I have it all straight now though, I plan on buying an Open Passage the next time we are on board to hold until, if and when, they have another teacher promo. I can book a sailing over 14 nights and get the $300 OBC from the passages cert plus the $300(assuming the promo is the same) discount from the teacher promo off the price of the cruise.

 

My wife is a retired school Administrator and holds a teaching certificate. She currently teaches online university courses.

 

Thanks again.

[Christine Frances]

Found out the hard way that I could not transfer the booking to a TA offering free grats because itbwas more than 60 days since we had booked the Passage. I am now waiting for Celebrity to correct the onboard credit on my 10 day cruisento $200 (reservation is showing $100). We won't do it again

 

Was that 60 days after booking a specific cruise with an Open Passage/Passage or 60 days after acquiring an Open Passage?

 

 

The 60 day window has been around for a long time including booking directly with Celebrity (not just an Open Passage). With the Passage, the 60 day window starts when you book a specific cruise, not when you purchase it.

 

This is one of the best explanations of the Open/Reserved Passages Program (that some wonderful poster compiled) that I have read.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xd8wuqorMmmZX0LwchO2I-_Y2MOGvqXsACZMyATgTkc/edit

[Orlandocruiser]

The 60 day window has been around for a long time including booking directly with Celebrity (not just an Open Passage). With the Passage, the 60 day window starts when you book a specific cruise, not when you purchase it.

 

This is one of the best explanations of the Open/Reserved Passages Program (that some wonderful poster compiled) that I have read.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xd8wuqorMmmZX0LwchO2I-_Y2MOGvqXsACZMyATgTkc/edit

 

Was unable to access the Google Docs without permission. But when we were on our cruise in May we booked a cruise and purchased an Open Passage. When we transferred the real booking to our TA ( an online TA advertised here that does a lot of X bookings) she told us that the open booking also had to be transferred before the 60 day cutoff since it had been assigned a booking number. Now perhaps she was wrong but that was our experience.

[Christine Frances]

Celebrity Passages On Board Booking Program(s)

While on board a Celebrity cruise a passenger may take advantage of a Celebrity booking program that is restricted to passengers on a cruise. To activate this program requires a deposit of $100 per person ($200). At the time of making a deposit you will need to make a decision because there are two distinct versions of the Celebrity On Board Booking Program:

1. First is the Onboard Reserved Passage where you commit to and book a particular cruise (Ship – Date – Cabin Category) at the time of intial deposit

2. The second is an Open Passage Certificate(account) where you do not commit to a particular cruise at the time of deposit but you are free to book a future cruise at some future date.

Be aware that the Benefits and Restrictions are different for these two on board programs and they are:

 

Reserved Passage (Specific Booking)

 

 

The Reserved Passage Onboard Credit (OBC) is applied to the booking of a future cruise (Ship – Date – Cabin category) at the time of the deposit.

 

 

• The Celebrity OBC is based on length of the cruise and is assigned per stateroom not per person and is assigned to the guest who actually books the cruise.
  
  • 3 – 5 nights = $50/stateroom
    
  • 6 – 9 nights = $100/stateroom
    
  • 10 – 13 nights = $200/stateroom
    
  • 14+ nights = $300/stateroom
    

   

  [*]Brochure says you get up to 3 free category up grades within the same category stateroom: There seems to be some confusion what this exactly means, see the upgrade comments under the “Gotcha’s” comments

 

 

• You may use the Celebrity's Choice Air Program to book your airfares.
  
• There are no additional deposits due until final payment (75-days before cruise date)
  
• If you wish to transfer the Reserved Passage booking to a travel agent it must be done within 60-days of the actual booking.
  
• You may combine the Celebrity OBC with any of the TA’s OBC or other given TA perks.
  
• The prices you will pay for a cruise are the current Celebrity published pricing including any current promotional like the “Tuesday Exciting Deal Specials”http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Exciting_Deals/XcitingDeals_cel_tues.pdf
  

NOTE: With the Reserved Passage there are some hidden “Gotcha’s”:

 

 

• Reserved Passage Onboard Credit (OBC) prohibits converting it to an Open Passage account or to select restricted fares.
  

 

 

• Reserved Passage Celebrity OBC is not combinable with any Captain’s Club or shareholder OBC or any other promotional Celebrity OBC.
  
• Reserved Passage is not combinable with any Celebrity price discount offers like the Celebrity “Tuesday Specials” The price you pay for a cruise is the current Celebrity published pricing at the time of booking.
  
• According to the Captain’s Club support desk: The Free Upgrades ONLY apply to Inside & Ocean View category Staterooms it does not apply to Deluxe Ocean View Veranda Staterooms and up. YET you read some CC forum comments it appears that the upgrades do apply to the Veranda cabins and above. I fear it seams that getting a consistent definition of the rules from Celebrity depends on whom you talk too.
  

Open Passage Certificate

 

An Open Passage Certificate (account) is where you are free to book any future cruise at some future date (Ship – Date – Cabin category)

 

 

• The future cruise (Ship – Date – Cabin category) is not requiredat the time of the deposit.
  

 

 

• The future cruise may be booked directly with Celebrity or booked through a travel agent of your choice.
  

 

 

• You may apply the value of the Open Passage Certificate against the cost of the future cruise.
  
• You can use any current Celebrity promotional cruise pricing that is currently in effect at the time of booking; i.e. the so-called “Tuesday Specials”. etc.
  
• The Celebrity OBC is based on length of the cruise and is assigned per stateroom not per person and is assigned to the guest who actually books the cruise.
  
  • 3 – 5 nights = $50/stateroom
    
  • 6 – 9 nights = $100/stateroom
    
  • 10 – 13 nights = $200/stateroom
    
  • 14+ nights = $300/stateroom
    

   

  [*]If you wish to transfer the cruise booking to a travel agent it must be done within 60-days of the actual booking

  [*]You may combine the Celebrity OBC with any of the TA’s OBC or other given TA perks.

  [*]There is no expiration date on an Open Passage Certificate account

  [*]You may use the Celebrity's Choice Air Program to book your airfares when booking a cruise.

 

 

• There are no additional deposits due until final payment (75-days before cruise date).
  
• The price you will pay for a cruise are the current Celebrity published pricing including any current promotional like the “Tuesday Exciting Deal Specials”http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Exciting_Deals/XcitingDeals_cel_tues.pdf
  

NOTE: With the Open Passage Certificate (account) there is some hidden “Gotcha’s”:

 

 

• The Open Passage Certificate’s $100 deposit required per person ($200) is non-refundable. (Use it or lose it)
  

 

 

• With the Open Passage Certificate you do not get any of the free cabin category upgrades that you get with the Reserved Passage booking.
  

 

 

• Open Passage Certificate (account) OBC is not combinable with any Captain’s Club or shareholder OBC or any other Celebrity promotional OBC.
  
• If an Open Passage account is applied to an actual cruise (ship and sailing date), and then canceled for any reason the guest may apply for a refund, less the value of the initial Open Passage deposit ($200).
  
• For a US resident an Open Passage Certificate is not transferable to another guest (person’s name). BUT for some reason or other a Canadian resident can transfer it to another person (strange.)
  
• Only one Passage Certificate may be applied per cruise. You cannot use two Passage Certificates to try and double the Celebrity OBC per cruise.
  
• An Open Passage Certificate account is ONLY valid on a Celebrity ship and no other cruise line, including any other affiliates of Celebrity.
  

If you wish to transfer both these program versions to a travel agent it must be done within 60-days of the actual booking.

 

It apparently it is very important that when you call your TA or Celebrity to book a specific cruise using an Open Passage that you use the Open Passage booking # because Celebrity will use that number to assign the OBC to the booking. What you must not do when or your TA book s cruise and then try to apply the OPEN Passage # it will not work because in effect you now have 2 booking #'s. It is very important to protect the Open Passages reservation #

 

 

Terms and conditions:

 

 

 

US Residents: Guest will receive an onboard credit in the value of $50-$300 USD.

 

 

• Maximum ONE Onboard credit per stateroom can be applied to an Open Passage account.
  
• Onboard credit value is based on length of sailing and will be assigned per stateroom, when ship and sailing date is selected.
  
• Open Passage Onboard Credit is not combinable with discount offers.
  
• Converting an Open Passage account to select restricted fares is prohibited.
  
• If an Open Passage account is applied to an actual ship and sailing date, and then the booking cancels for any reason, guest may apply for a refund, less the value of the initial Open Passage deposit.
  
• Guest may apply the value of their Open Passage account against the cost of a Celebrity Cruises® individual or group cruises; however it is non-transferable to another guest.
  
• An Open Passage account may be transferred into a Group but not until final payment for the Group.
  
• Captain’s Club plus shareholder onboard credits and other onboard credit or dollars off promotions are not combinable with the onboard credit for booking an Open Passage or any other future cruise onboard.
  
• There is no expiration date on an Open Passage account.
  
• An Open Passage account is not valid on any other cruise line, including any other affiliates of Celebrity Cruises®.
  

Canadian Residents: Guest will receive an onboard credit in the value of $50-$300 USD.

 

 

• Maximum ONE Onboard credit per stateroom can be applied to an Open Passage account.
  
• Onboard credit value is based on length of sailing and will be assigned per stateroom, when ship and sailing date is selected.
  
• Open Passage Onboard Credit is not combinable with discount offers.
  
• Converting an Open Passage account to select restricted fares is prohibited.
  
• If an Open Passage account is applied to an actual ship and sailing date, and then the booking cancels for any reason, guest may apply for a refund, less the value of the initial Open Passage deposit.
  
• Guest may apply the value of their Open Passage account against the cost of a Celebrity Cruises® individual or group cruise.
  
• An Open Passage account may be transferred to another guest.
  
• An Open Passage account may be transferred into a Group but not until final payment for the Group.
  
• Captain’s Club Discounts, Savings Certificates, plus shareholder onboard credits and other onboard credit or dollars off promotions are not combinable with the onboard credit for booking an Open Passage or any other future cruise onboard.
  
• There is no expiration date on an Open Passage account.
  
• An Open Passage account is not valid on any other cruise line, including any other affiliates of Celebrity Cruises®
  

NOTE: Very strange this is taken directly from the Celebrity Passages On Board Booking Program T&C’s.

 

 

 

 

US Residents:

 

 

• Guest may apply the value of their Open Passage account against the cost of a Celebrity Cruises® individual or group cruises; however it is non-transferable to another guest.
  

Canadian Residents:

 

 

• Guest may apply the value of their Open Passage account against the cost of a Celebrity Cruises® individual or group cruise. An Open Passage account may be transferred to another guest.
  

 

 

 

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