Booking for 5

[Stede Bonnet]

I was tempted by the "kids sail free" offer to book a cruise for next year.

I found out after that the offer was only up to September but that isn't the reason for my post.

I called first a large cruise agency with some other offers that looked good on the website.

I then called Celebrity's booking number.

In both cases the experience was very off-putting

Neither of them was able to identify the cruise I wanted after I gave the cruise ship by name, the departure port and suitable dates. It took both of them several minutes to find the correct itinerary (Summit from San Juan, Southern Caribbean through Barbados). Celebrity's agent kept insisting the ship didn't sail from that port.

I then said I would like to book a family veranda for 5 persons (2 adults + 3 small children). The online agency lady had difficulty seeing the family verandas and eventually passed my booking request to a colleague (who tried to sell me Carnival by email)

The Celebrity agent had similar difficulty, put me on a long hold and came back to offer me a mid-ship family veranda. On the Summit :confused:

 

 

All of this to ask. Would I have got a better interaction if I simply booked on either website for 4 persons and then called to add a person and change the room? Would I have got a more experienced person?

 

I did not end up booking the cruise because the offer was not within my dates but I would have been uncomfortable giving either person my credit card data.

 

They both seemed unfamiliar with the cruises they were selling and the cabins as well?

 

I do still want to book a cruise at some point but what is the best way?

[ariawoman]

I believe the max you can have in any cabin is 4. Therefore, 5 to the cabin wouldn't work. You'd need to split the 2 adults into 2 adjoining cabins and do 2/3.

[varoo]

I believe the max you can have in any cabin is 4. Therefore, 5 to the cabin wouldn't work. You'd need to split the 2 adults into 2 adjoining cabins and do 2/3.

It looks like you may have missed the part where the OP said she would like to book a family veranda on the Summit, where 5 is exactly the size family the cruise line prefers to have in that category of cabin.

 

In fact. whenever new cruises are first released for booking they are usually reluctant to sell the family veranda category for fewer than 5.

 

[gimletgal]

I believe the max you can have in any cabin is 4. Therefore, 5 to the cabin wouldn't work. You'd need to split the 2 adults into 2 adjoining cabins and do 2/3.

 

That would be correct. 4 is the max. I can't even imagine trying to move in a cabin with 5 people! :eek:

[phoenix_dream]

I don't know about the max that can sail in a stateroom, but online you can only book up to four passengers. I find it very odd that you had so much trouble with each phone call. Not that Celebrity is known for great phone service, but FV cabins are not something new. I would not mess around with booking four and then trying to change to five. Depending on pricing, specials, etc.., you could end up losing a perk or discount if you need to change the number of passengers., The rules change regularly - wouldn't want to take the risk of messing up a good deal.

[Stede Bonnet]

Varoo's information is correct by Celebrity's website and this forum.

My issue is really lack of confidence in the telephone agents I've encountered, and I'm looking for tips for a better experience in booking

[Stede Bonnet]

I find it very odd that you had so much trouble with each phone call. Not that Celebrity is known for great phone service, but FV cabins are not something new.

It was a bizarre experience. My husband thought it hilarious though

 

I would not mess around with booking four and then trying to change to five. Depending on pricing, specials, etc.., you could end up losing a perk or discount if you need to change the number of passengers., The rules change regularly - wouldn't want to take the risk of messing up a good deal.

OK, that sounds reasonable

[wallie5446]

Varoo's information is correct by Celebrity's website and this forum.

My issue is really lack of confidence in the telephone agents I've encountered, and I'm looking for tips for a better experience in booking

 

In the OLD days:rolleyes: we did the walk into a brick an motar agency, sat down face to face with a real person and got it all planned out. There are still a few in the Dallas area that do this but they are becoming hard to find. That would be the option I suggest to try.

[neeko]

Sometimes I wonder whether the people on the phone are really employees for Celebrity. I have never had any luck discussing cruises with them.

The Family suite does in fact accommodate 5 but they hold these cabins until the sail date is closer in departure. That is the response I got from Celebrity twice over the phone. Does not make any sense to me. The fact that you cannot even book it on their web site is just one more example how their web site is lacking.

I love Celebrity but these type of issues over the last few years have me looking elsewhere.

[Stede Bonnet]

In the OLD days:rolleyes: we did the walk into a brick an motar agency, sat down face to face with a real person and got it all planned out. There are still a few in the Dallas area that do this but they are becoming hard to find. That would be the option I suggest to try.

 

I saw the kids sail free offer Saturday night and it was due to expire Monday

Also the triple miles offer is a big lure

 

that's mostly why I didn't try a local agent

 

If the phone service is consistently bad I will use a local agent and forfeit the miles

[h20cruzer]

There are some some staterooms that accommodate 5, when you call celebrity tell them you want a cabin for 5 and they will give you your options.

Its tight but we have done it. We really are only in the cabin to sleep and change our clothes.

Norma

[varoo]

I saw the kids sail free offer Saturday night and it was due to expire Monday

Also the triple miles offer is a big lure

 

that's mostly why I didn't try a local agent

 

If the phone service is consistently bad I will use a local agent and forfeit the miles

Mama Dlo, if you are in the USA, have you tried calling the Captain's Club number?

 

1-800-760-0654

 

I have found them to be knowledgeable and helpful - most of the time.

If you happen to get an agent who doesn't seem to know anything, you can try calling back and hope you get a different one the next time.

 

[varoo]

......... I can't even imagine trying to move in a cabin with 5 people! :eek:

I'm with you on that and also would not want to put 5 people in a family veranda cabin on one of the M-class ships.

Or if I did, I would not be one of them.

I would stay home that week and enjoy having the house all to myself :D

 

But Mama Dlo appears to be a lot braver than I am and is apparently fully aware of what she is getting into. ;)

 

However, if it was one of the S-class ships where the family verandas are configured differently, that would be another matter entirely.

 

Edited February 19, 2014 by varoo

[packyourpixiedust]

I will say the program that agents book with doesn't make it easy to find the family suites.

 

 

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[Lsimon]

Hard to believe you had such problems! Next time try giving them a few preferred cabin numbers. 7199,7202,8181 or 8166 would be my first choices. If those are not available then tell them you'd like them to check one of the 8 other cabins in the same FV category on all M class ships.

 

These cabins are all held for groups of 5 for cruises in time periods when families tend to cruise (school break periods). They'll sometimes release for smaller families and when the cruise gets close and they get concerned about them not selling they'll release to any size group - even a single. Because of this they often don't show up online until they are released and you, or your TA, needs to phone in and check availability. If you call Celebrity and they don't know what you are talking about or try to sell you a side facing cabin (Not one of the aft FV's) then I'd tell them that there has been a mistake and you have to go then try calling again and speak to a different agent.

 

Good luck.

 

Here is a link to a some photos taken before the last refurbishment:

 

Edited February 19, 2014 by Lsimon

[ariawoman]

I will say the program that agents book with doesn't make it easy to find the family suites.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

 

I couldnt' find a way to look at it at all in the agent engine either - all drop downs gave me a max of 5 - which leads me to believe that even TAs have to call to get the 5 occupancy cabins. Wonder why they make it so difficult? Maybe people were booking it with less than max occupancy.

[Stede Bonnet]

Thanks for all the responses

 

Varoo, I've never cruised before and am not in the US so the Captain's Club # may not be for me

 

ariawoman & LovesVaca thanks for the insight that the average agent may genuinely not be able to see those cabins for booking. This is better than thinking they are frighteningly clueless

 

Maybe Celebrity should allow these cabins to be booked with the provision that smaller groups may be reassigned if a group of 5 needs the cabin

 

When I am ready to book again or if another awesome deal comes up I will call until I find a person I'm comfortable with and then book, or go to the agency nearby. If the local people offer OBC that may be worth the loss of airline miles

Edited February 19, 2014 by Mama Dlo

[Pushkin]

We are sailing in June on the Summit (2 adults, 3 kids) in a Family Verandah (8161, I believe). Our online agent had no problem seeing or booking the cabin -- although it was handled by 2 reservation numbers. One reservation number is for 4 of us, and the other, just 1.

 

We booked this cabin approximately a year ahead of time, so I don't think they hold them back.

 

Wish me luck! Although it makes me feel a little better that the FVs are larger than a regular verandah, I'm stressing over it a bit. I just keep telling myself how bad can it be "you are on a cruise...in what is supposed to be a great cabin." All is good.