123 GO with online TA

[harz99]

All online TAs offer 123 go, but I need to pick only one perk. Any hints for this TA, please?

 

Look back a few posts for a clue.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forums mobile app

Edited January 12, 2014 by harz99

[BosoxI]

Of course, for the cruise I'm interested in the reservation must be made today, Sunday, and they are closed so no questions get answered. For a 7 day Carib it appears that the choice of one 1-2-3 is absolute, as it comes from Celebrity. Past that point it gets fuzzy for me, at least. I can apparently get "up to a $300 OBC" but for my 7 date trip in a Concierge Class there is no telling how much the actual credit would be. That's crucial to know. If it's the full $300 plus the 1-2-3 OBC of $200, that is a nice piece of change. If it were only , say, $200 I'm better off booking directly with Celebrity and transferring to the known quantity of my current agent. I might get a bit less OBC but it might be worth the piece of mind. Curiously, I have to pay the gratuities up front for a February cruise, but I don't have to for the exact same cruise in March. I wonder why. And I might have to list for Traditional dining, when I prefer Select. Incidentally, I've used this big TA twice in the past with no problems at all. I don't know why I'm nervous now.

[Iamthesea]

According to the email that I received for a 7 day Caribbean, it was as follows:

 

$ 100 Shipboard Credit for BALCONY

$ 150 Shipboard Credit for Aqua Class

$ 200 Shipboard Credit for Suite

 

Up to $ 300 is for Europe.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Iamthesea

[urkidn]

I tried to book with this agency on Friday before they closed. Phoned in the afternoon and got a call back around 5pm (I'm PST). She gave me the quote, I hung up to check with DH on the category we wanted and called her back. She then told me the group price from less than 1/2 hr earlier had gone up by $100/person. I thought it was a bit odd and decided not to book yet when I go online today to see their updated offers, they continue to advertise the original rate that is supposedly not available? Also, they say you can still book online today and get the extra $100 OBC but their system doesn't show the group rates they advertise?

[Ceeborne]

Bosox1,

 

This is the way I read the offer for the Caribbean. This online TA is offering the classic drink package or an OBC up to $300...not both. This is the same as Celebrity's offer. The extra benefit that this TA is offering is pre paid gratuities. This is something that my TA offers to me and I am able to cancel without a fee and is always there to take my calls.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Ceeborne

[BosoxI]

According to the email that I received for a 7 day Caribbean, it was as follows:

 

$ 100 Shipboard Credit for BALCONY

$ 150 Shipboard Credit for Aqua Class

$ 200 Shipboard Credit for Suite

 

Up to $ 300 is for Europe.

 

Bosox1,

 

This is the way I read the offer for the Caribbean. This online TA is offering the classic drink package or an OBC up to $300...not both. This is the same as Celebrity's offer. The extra benefit that this TA is offering is pre paid gratuities. This is something that my TA offers to me and I am able to cancel without a fee and is always there to take my calls.

 

Thanks to both of you To me their site is very confusing, as it does not clearly differentiate between Europe and the Carib and other destinations. No matter, as it appears I can do better with less worry by listing with Celebrity and transferring it to my TA. Plus, with Celebrity I can get an Elite upgrade to a C2 cabin. Not necessarily a good idea but certainly a nice option. I also answered my own question: I would have to pay the gratuities upfront because both Traditional times are completely filled, leaving only Select which is what I want anyway. If I could talk to one of their agents to clarify all this, I might go with them, but as it is, I'd be buying a pig in a polk, not knowing for sure what I'd be getting until I get surprised tomorrow morning. Thanks again for your insights.

Edited January 12, 2014 by BosoxI

[ariawoman]

Ah...yes, that would do it. Europe gets to Pick 2. :) Thank you for the explaination.

 

I didn't have any luck trying to book on the TA website and why I called them. Oh well.

 

I called Captains Club and spoke with a very nice lady who was glad to take my booking for the Equinox. We get the 123 beverage Package AND received a 1A for the price of a 1B. When she told me that, I was thinking perhaps a savings of $100 per person off the 1A rate. I had to laugh when she said $200 off pp. :D Every little bit counts, I guess. We can use the savings to go to the Lawn Club one night. :rolleyes:

 

When and if that other TA calls after the weekend, I will explain that I needed to go ahead and book because there was only one cabin left in the 1A that suited us. We booked 9192 just aft on the forward hump. If she wishes to make an offer.

 

You can always transfer it to that TA, if she has more she can add to the reservation. Can't hurt!

[Iamthesea]

I tried to book with this agency on Friday before they closed. Phoned in the afternoon and got a call back around 5pm (I'm PST). She gave me the quote, I hung up to check with DH on the category we wanted and called her back. She then told me the group price from less than 1/2 hr earlier had gone up by $100/person. I thought it was a bit odd and decided not to book yet when I go online today to see their updated offers, they continue to advertise the original rate that is supposedly not available? Also, they say you can still book online today and get the extra $100 OBC but their system doesn't show the group rates they advertise?

 

You were lucky to get a call back that soon. Unlucky and weird about the price increase.

 

You can always transfer it to that TA, if she has more she can add to the reservation. Can't hurt!

 

True, although I am not going to call them back. If they call me, and can offer something worth my wile to change, then we'll see. ;)

[BosoxI]

My happy ending: I took a chance and waited to book this morning. Fortunately, the offer of a guarantee cabin was still active, and the on line TA also gave us the $100 OBC if we booked by 1PM, which we were only happy to do.

Edited January 13, 2014 by BosoxI

[Ceeborne]

My happy ending: I took a chance and waited to book this morning. Fortunately, the offer of a guarantee cabin was still active, and the on line TA also gave us the $100 OBC if we booked by 1PM, which we were only happy to do.

 

Well, done!

 

So in summary which benefits did you get that Celebrity didn't offer?

[dateacher]

Trying to weed through all of this and from what I can gather is that the best you can get is one of the three choices and maybe free gratuities from this unnamed TA and or some other TAs.

 

So I guess I need to just keep contacting TAs until I find one that will match the deal. It's a shame regular posters can't post the deals they find but I understand why (sort of). Why doesn't CC have an private email option or do they and I am missing it?

[Iamthesea]

I was home all day and never received a call from this TA. I guess they didn't want my business bad enough. :rolleyes:

 

BosoxI - Didn't the TA offer you gratuities, also? Did you get to take advantage of the 123 after you booked a GTY? I didn't think was allowed.

[cruiserjt]

I did book this promotion last week and received OBC + Gratuities + Beverage package +fountain soda for 3/4 passenger and internet for 3/4 passenger. I can't tell you if this is the way it is today but it was very different than the Celebrity quote I received the day before. The base price was $1400 less than Celebrity gave me. It is for 14day Southern Caribbean on 12/21.

 

I figured there would not be a whole lot of price drops because of the peak time of this cruise so the promotions added up nicely. I teach and have to vacation during school vacation periods.

[BosoxI]

Well, done!

 

So in summary which benefits did you get that Celebrity didn't offer?

 

On line TA gave us paid gratuities and the $100 OBC

We traded the Celebrity 1-2-3 drink package for a $200 credit

[BosoxI]

I was home all day and never received a call from this TA. I guess they didn't want my business bad enough. :rolleyes:

 

BosoxI - Didn't the TA offer you gratuities, also? Did you get to take advantage of the 123 after you booked a GTY? I didn't think was allowed.

t

 

Before calling the TA this morning I called Celebrity to confirm that the guaranty offer was still available and to ask if the 1-2-3 applied. He checked at his end and confirmed that 1-2-3 did apply . Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised as the GTY rate was $250 p/p lower than the lowest regular rate for that category. He also led me to believe the GTY might not be offered for long. Armed with that knowledge I called the TA and told the receptionist that if I didn't get a call back quickly, I would go elsewhere. For whatever reason I got the call 30 minutes later. My stars were aligned

[Iamthesea]

:) Lucky you! Enjoy your cruise.