Is Celebrity's pricing policy fair?

[Krazo]

We booked an ocean view on Solstice over a year ago, hoping to upgrade to a veranda if the price dropped. We paid $2099pp for 18 days, April 11, 2014 from Sydney to Honolulu. After making our final payment I noticed on Celebrity's website that a veranda had gone down to $2299pp. Hey, that sounded good. We could upgrade for $200 additional per person. Well, not so fast! Called my travel agent and after checking with Celeb she told me that price was for "new bookings" only. I'm willing to give them $400 to upgrade and then they can put our ocean view back on the market for whatever price they like. It would make business sense to me. Should someone booking 30 days in advance get a better rate on that veranda than a customer booking over a year ahead? Me thinks it might pay to always book very near departure date, unless there's some cruise you just can't live without. Anyone else run into this early booking discrimination?

[wallie5446]

Your TA has no verandas left open in the block for the group.

[Pilot70D]

OK, you booked a cabin at a price that you were happy with and now you're unhappy with =X= becausse they offered a different price and clearly stated that this new price was for new booking only. Doesn't sound like discrimination to me.

 

 

There is another side of the coin when to the debate about booking early or not. We are booked on the Eclipse December 21st sailing. I booked our cabin last year during the Give Thanks Special. As we speak today those cabins that are available have all increased in price by 30% to 40% over what they were selling for during that special. So people do come out ahead from time to time by booking early just as some come out ahead booking at the last minute. But either way it goes I don't see any discrimination as long the T's & C's are clearly stated.

:cool::cool:

[ghstudio]

Your TA has no verandas left open in the block for the group.

 

It's after final payment....

 

Generally celebrity will allow the upgrade if the new rate is more $...unless it is a Tuesday special. Not sure of the details in your case

[wallie5446]

Your TA has no verandas left open in the block for the group.

 

It's after final payment....

 

Generally celebrity will allow the upgrade if the new rate is more $...unless it is a Tuesday special. Not sure of the details in your case

 

That is why I commented the way I did, generally when you book thru Celebrity, yes, they will allow this. But when booked thru a TA that released any un-sold cabins back to the line at final, it is hard to get handled. The easy out for the sales person is to lay off the blame on the cruise line instead of telling it like it is.

Now like you, " not sure of the details" and the wifester says I am wrong about things every day:D so this is all conjecture on my part.

[CathyCruises]

This debate has been going on forever. Many of us will only book after final payment for this exact reason.

[TeaBag]

I can see why the Tuesday specials are for new bookings only as they are usually trying to fill the ship. But I was really surprised to see that senior rates are now for "new bookings only" as well.

[cls711]

KRAZO, the question that is always asked but rarely answered when this debate comes up is.......had the demand been high for your cruise and the prices had gone up, would you be willing to pay the increase or be downgraded to the current cabin offered for the price you paid? If no, then why should you get the reduction or an upgrade because prices went down?

 

And yes, if you have the flexibility to cruise on short notice you will most always get better deals. But some cruises do sell out, prices do go up. If you need/want to plan ahead to secure airfare at a better rate or request time off from work, then you will have to book early, you will get the best choice of cabin locations and peace of mind knowing all the details are taken care of way ahead of time. It's a choice.

 

You also realize that when you are sitting on the airplane on the way to your cruise, everyone on the plane paid different prices for the same seat. Some higher, some lower, some booked earlier, some booked later. Both airlines and cruise lines have to play the supply and demand game. If they never dropped prices for lower than expected demand then planes and ships would travel partially empty and that would in turn make them have to raise prices for those who do want to travel because empty seats and cabins mean less profit.

 

Enjoy your cruise, don't worry what others paid and have a great trip! :)

[cruzsnooze]

We booked an ocean view on Solstice over a year ago, hoping to upgrade to a veranda if the price dropped. We paid $2099pp for 18 days, April 11, 2014 from Sydney to Honolulu. After making our final payment I noticed on Celebrity's website that a veranda had gone down to $2299pp. Hey, that sounded good. We could upgrade for $200 additional per person. Well, not so fast! Called my travel agent and after checking with Celeb she told me that price was for "new bookings" only. I'm willing to give them $400 to upgrade and then they can put our ocean view back on the market for whatever price they like. It would make business sense to me. Should someone booking 30 days in advance get a better rate on that veranda than a customer booking over a year ahead? Me thinks it might pay to always book very near departure date, unless there's some cruise you just can't live without. Anyone else run into this early booking discrimination?

I just started a thread before you about this. I am not happy to be paying a premium for booking early. yes we know after final payment prices can change but PLUMMET with no compensation for us early bookers. I will not book any celebrity cruise prior to final payment again, I learned the expensive way.

[jagoffee]

We booked an ocean view on Solstice over a year ago, hoping to upgrade to a veranda if the price dropped. We paid $2099pp for 18 days, April 11, 2014 from Sydney to Honolulu. After making our final payment I noticed on Celebrity's website that a veranda had gone down to $2299pp. Hey, that sounded good. We could upgrade for $200 additional per person. Well, not so fast! Called my travel agent and after checking with Celeb she told me that price was for "new bookings" only. I'm willing to give them $400 to upgrade and then they can put our ocean view back on the market for whatever price they like. It would make business sense to me. Should someone booking 30 days in advance get a better rate on that veranda than a customer booking over a year ahead? Me thinks it might pay to always book very near departure date, unless there's some cruise you just can't live without. Anyone else run into this early booking discrimination?

Krazo, I suggest you do a dummy booking for you cruise on the Celebrity website and see if you standard price is for the balcony cabin. I would think that if you are willing to give up any other Celebrity perks that you received that you should be able to upgrade for the difference from what you paid. If you see the pricing you may want to take to your TA again. I would think you could get it if it was not a Tuesday special.

 

Good luck. Do not give up yet.

I am assuming you are US based.

[Dancin85]

I can see why the Tuesday specials are for new bookings only as they are usually trying to fill the ship. But I was really surprised to see that senior rates are now for "new bookings only" as well.

 

What is a Tuesday special?

 

I learn so much on CC!

 

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[Adammara]

I'm afraid thats cruising for you, as others have said, sometimes you win. Both Celebrity and P&O have done this to us, seeing the price drop by £1000 after final payment. We no longer cruise with either!

 

Lots of alternatives, we are now enjoying land based holidays, mainly in luxury rental properties and 4 star hotels, and so far have not seen any drastic price reductions after we have booked.

 

We have seen lots of wonderfull places on our cruises, and we are now going to visit them for a few days, rather than a few hours.

[Wine-O]

We were in an OV cabin and a deal on the Tuesday Special came up for a Veranda. Of course, Celebrity wouldn't let us upgrade since this was for new bookings only, but on Wednesday after the Tuesday special, they did let us upgrade, using the military rate.

[kelmac]

We booked an ocean view on Solstice over a year ago, hoping to upgrade to a veranda if the price dropped. We paid $2099pp for 18 days, April 11, 2014 from Sydney to Honolulu. After making our final payment I noticed on Celebrity's website that a veranda had gone down to $2299pp. Hey, that sounded good. We could upgrade for $200 additional per person. Well, not so fast! Called my travel agent and after checking with Celeb she told me that price was for "new bookings" only. I'm willing to give them $400 to upgrade and then they can put our ocean view back on the market for whatever price they like. It would make business sense to me. Should someone booking 30 days in advance get a better rate on that veranda than a customer booking over a year ahead? Me thinks it might pay to always book very near departure date, unless there's some cruise you just can't live without. Anyone else run into this early booking discrimination?

 

Hey Krazo,

 

Give it a few days or a week or so; the rules are a moving target. We've been told that we can't upgrade, only to upgrade a couple of days later. You may lose certain extras (like 1,2,3 promo), so be careful. Last summer, we worked our way from a CAT 9 inside, all the way up to Aqua Class, for less than $200. All after final payment. You need a TA that will check multiple times over a period of days and "catch" the right person, on the right day.

 

Good Luck,

Kel:)

[micmacmissy]

Let's say you go to Macy's in April and buy a bathing suit for $75.

 

You return in late August and find the same suit on clearance for $19.99.

 

Fair, or not fair?

 

This is how it works. That's why folks either:

a) stop looking at prices after final payment

b) book at the last minute, knowing cabin selection will be limited

[Zoey]

I have always cruised solo, usually paying exactly double for the privilege, and always booked early so I could get the cabin I want and also to have something to look forward to so I could get through work hell every day.

 

However recently I've been rethinking that strategy and have decided when I book my next one, hopefully soon, I'm going to take my chances on cabin selection and book after final payment so that double fare (and always balcony) stings a little less.

 

Of course with my luck, I'll have my eye on a specific cruise and there will be no balconies left!!

 

If it doesn't work out to my satisfaction, the next time I'll return to my old way of booking early and NOT LOOKING at the prices after final payment.

[4774Papa]

Another good reason to have control of your reservation by not using a TA.

[CoachT]

Another good reason to have control of your reservation by not using a TA.

What does THAT have to do with anything?

 

As a TA, I have gotten clients several upgrades with purchase on new booking only sales.

 

As far as the OP is concerned, consider it this way. They have to fill the ships. What would be unfair is if you had to pay a higher rate on a sailing that is selling well because someone was willing to pay more for your location!

 

I know one cruise line that looked at floating rates that could go up before final payment unless it was paid in full!

[cruisestitch]

It's all about choices -- and as the song goes "you can't always get what you want"

 

do you want a specific cabin? Are you comfortable with the price? Book early

 

do you care about price more than the cabin's location? Wait and see if the price drops after payment

 

do you need to lock in expensive airfare or use frequent flyer points? Book early

 

can you drive to the port? Wait and see if the price drops after final payment

 

do you need to depend on OBC from the travel agent and don't want to risk losing it? Book early and keep your choice

 

do you have Shares in Royal Caribbean and can fall back on their OBC offering? Agree to give up your choice and lose the OBC because you have a back up plan

 

It's not a one-size-fits-all strategy

[cle-guy]

Anyone else run into this early booking discrimination?

 

It's not discrimination, it's supply and demand, good old American Capitalism.

 

Initially cabins are priced assuming they will all sell, so they get a high price.

 

Once sailing time nears, and final payments are due and all contractual obligations are met (i.e. you agreed to a cabin fare and that you could change it until final payment, after which you agree to that stated fare) and if there seem to be cabins that may remain unsold, they can go for discounted rates, but may not be the best cabins in the best places, and may not have even been available had all cabins sold outright.

 

As others say, it's a 2 sided sword, you are not asked to pay higher cabin fares as they may have adjusted them up in price along the way, again, protected by your contracted upon, agreed upon cabin fare.

 

I now book some cruises far out when I want a specific cabin, and wait till after final payment for others when I am not concerned about the specific cabin.

 

I'd have sympathy with any passenger who wants a lower fare after final payment, only to the extent that same passenger would also agree to pay a higher fare if they are selling at a higher fare on embarkation day, and same to the airfare used to get to ship, they should pay the final last minute fare when it applies and if its more expensive than that booked in the past. But of course no one ever wants to be on THAT side of the equation.

[cruzsnooze]

Let's say you go to Macy's in April and buy a bathing suit for $75.

 

You return in late August and find the same suit on clearance for $19.99.

 

Fair, or not fair?

 

This is how it works. That's why folks either:

a) stop looking at prices after final payment

b) book at the last minute, knowing cabin selection will be limited

This is not a good comparision. You used and enjoyed the bathing suit. Let's say you put the bathing suit on lay away and haven't picked it up yet and the price dropped significantly. The cruise hasn't been taken and the price plummeted, very different to have over paid and not feel badly. Most people won't complain about a few dollars but we're talking $500 - thousands here, not petty cash. Edited March 18, 2014 by cruzsnooze

[jhans24]

This is not a good comparision. You used and enjoyed the bathing suit. Let's say you put the bathing suit on lay away and haven't picked it up yet and the price dropped significantly. The cruise hasn't been taken and the price plummeted, very different to have over paid and not feel badly. Most people won't complain about a few dollars but we're talking $500 - thousands here, not petty cash.

 

So you would be comfortable if they adjusted your price up, after your booking, if demand was high? If not, then you have nothing to complain about.

 

The complaints on this board are completely illogical.

[4774Papa]

What does THAT have to do with anything?

 

As a TA, I have gotten clients several upgrades with purchase on new booking only sales.

 

As far as the OP is concerned, consider it this way. They have to fill the ships. What would be unfair is if you had to pay a higher rate on a sailing that is selling well because someone was willing to pay more for your location!

 

I know one cruise line that looked at floating rates that could go up before final payment unless it was paid in full!

I am sure using a TA has its advantages, but I have read many posts on cc from unhappy cruisers that could not take advantage of price drops or upgrades because they were booked through a TA or their TA was not available.

 

I know that TAs can offer some bennies and good prices, but I tend to book early, like 18 months ahead and find that after research with online TAs that I don't get much more than what I get going direct.

 

I know cruisers that book late, even after final payment and get good deals through TAs, but I tend to book early.

[Theodorable]

We are going from Hawaii to Sydney in October 2014 (17 days) on the Solstice and inside cabins at the moment are selling for about $1,000 more per cabin than we paid for our concierge balcony. It is just your luck as to how popular each cruise is. We also booked in May 2013 and received free gratuities for both of us and $100 on board credit using our online TA.

 

Nicola

Edited March 18, 2014 by Theodorable

[ellasnan]

I saw that AQ was only £100 more so I rang X and was told I would lose my early booking discount and my OBC. But then read on the roll call that a first time cruiser with X was upgraded from ocean view to AQ at no extra cost! They only found out when they received their luggage tags. Obviously X would rather get a new repeat cruiser than one that only sails with them and was prepared to pay for the upgrade! Makes me think it's time to look at a new cruise line!

Karen

 

 

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