Would you give up Aqua Class for a Suite Guarantee?

[BEAV]

It has taken a spreadsheet to weigh the ins/outs - having to pay for drinks, the TA's requires a cancellation fee, etc.

 

Where does a cancellation come into play here? Aren't you simply upgrading and paying the price difference between the two categories? We've done this a number of times in the past and it didn't involve any type of cancellation, which is why I was wondering.

[mickeysgal]

Where does a cancellation come into play here? Aren't you simply upgrading and paying the price difference between the two categories? We've done this a number of times in the past and it didn't involve any type of cancellation, which is why I was wondering.

 

Different TAs have different rules. We've used this one in the past several times too. We talked to both an agent and their customer service. Supposedly, since we booked during a certain promotion that they were running, it applies. I'm not thrilled with it either but it is what it is. Their cancellation charge is $100pp just to cancel even though we are rebooking at a higher category minus some of the perks we had originally. It is what it is; we knew the risk of booking with them our eyes were wide open - but we still asked anyway. The perks at the time outweighted the potential cost of the cancel fee.

[BEAV]

Different TAs have different rules. We've used this one in the past several times too. We talked to both an agent and their customer service. Supposedly, since we booked during a certain promotion that they were running, it applies. I'm not thrilled with it either but it is what it is. Their cancellation charge is $100pp just to cancel even though we are rebooking at a higher category minus some of the perks we had originally. It is what it is; we knew the risk of booking with them our eyes were wide open - but we still asked anyway. The perks at the time outweighted the potential cost of the cancel fee.

 

Thanks for explaining. If it were me, I'd view their charge as more of a change fee than a cancel fee. If they call it a cancel fee, then I would want a whole new booking number from the cruise line when I made the category switch! To me, upgrading to a more expensive category within the same cruise line booking number doesn't necessitate cancelling. But I'm getting nit picky here! The main thing is you knew what their policies/fees were from the beginning when you made the decision to book through them.

[hulamoon]

Enjoy your suite! Spreadsheets don't lie.;)

[jenniebnyc]

I would take the suite guarantee for the same price in a heartbeat.

 

Please be aware that you cannot request a particular butler. They are assigned to particular cabins and can't be moved around at whim.

 

You certainly can request a certain bulter. I have seen it done many times. On Summit, guests in two different suites requested Keith and were allowed to have him. On my last cruise Gordon was requested by guests in a suite not near ours and he was servicing them. So, you can request. Maybe no guarantee, but it happens frequently.

[richstowe]

I would do a suit GTY over aqua any day. More Captains club points, Butler, ability to use BLU in most cases if space is available.

 

Cabin assignments for GTY are completely random, sometimes months in advance, sometimes not until you reach the pier. Sometimes you get assigned, then reassigned. :D

Really ? You can get your cabin and then they can unassigned it and give you another ? Really ? :confused:

 

We are carefully weighing the pros and cons as we would lose our drink package. We're not big drinkers and we honestly probably couldn't drink enough to make it pay anyway. I think I'd rather have a bigger room. We are thinking about booking Choice Air as their rate can't currently be beat with anything we've been able to find, so with their new promotion we could buy back the drink package if we wanted (or at least a wine package) and still come out a bit ahead. Weighing the pros/cons over Choice Air as well.

 

We've sailed in all types of rooms (mostly Royal) but most recently suites (NCL) and have gotten spoiled a bit. This is why this has gotten our attention. It is a nice way to travel and would be a great way to try Celebrity for the first time. It's our 30th anniversary.

 

Are there chaise lounges on the suite balconies?

We aren't big drinkers either but we used our package and then some.

Just our use of the coffee bar , sodas and water came to the equivalent of the "free gratuities" option.

Including 2 or 3 drinks a day and the fresh juices, we were way ahead.

We were surprised we got so much value out of this promotion.

Edited May 14, 2014 by richstowe

[cle-guy]

Really ? You can get your cabin and then they can unassigned it and give you another ? Really ? :confused:

 

Yes, really, there are threads here in these forums that discuss it. There are even threads where folks were upgraded from balcony to sky suite and were upset ! They had a 'favorite cabin'...

 

Some have even had their cabins taken and relocated that were not part of a guarantee. The cruise line reserves the right to reassign you within your cabin type or to a higher cabin type, and worst case if they have to reassign to a lower cabin type, give you the right to cancel with no fees or a round on the difference of fare paid.

 

Sometimes they need to relocate to accommodate parents next to children (rules require parent/guardian in an adjacent cabin) or a cabin may be out of order for some reason needing major repairs.

 

It's the LAST thing the lines want to do - reassign cabins -- but it can and does happen, and on a GTY it can happen multiple times.

[SPacificbound]

Which decks are the rear facing aft balconys covered? :confused:

 

Thank you!! :)

[vulcan1971]

Toying heavily with Celebrity's newest promotion. Would you give up AQ for a suite guarantee for essentially the same price? Looking at the website...it looks like there is a fair amount of suites left at this point...regular and accessible too. Final payment is in June so we have a bit to go before the sail date. Do they assign the gty pretty quickly and keep it assigned, do they assign and reassign if necessary, or do they wait until the very end to assign? Not sure if I'd be pleased with an accessible and I realize that is the downside of a gty. What would you do?

 

I have gone from being in an Aqua Class booking to a Suite GTY category (before final payment) and was placed into an Aqua Suite. It was a nice surprise. Granted the Aqua Suite is going away... but as long as you are comfortable understanding what the differences are, the suite gty is a great option if the price difference is minimal to none at all.

[cle-guy]

I have gone from being in an Aqua Class booking to a Suite GTY category (before final payment) and was placed into an Aqua Suite. It was a nice surprise. Granted the Aqua Suite is going away... but as long as you are comfortable understanding what the differences are, the suite gty is a great option if the price difference is minimal to none at all.

 

Just for the sake of clarifying for the OP (who hasn't stated what ship they are on, though I see their sig indicates Silhouette Pending this summer) REFLECTION is the only ship with AQ SUITES, none of the others do, and starting next cruise season they are being changed to Sky suites.

[terigo]

I don't even know why you are thinking about it.

Last year, on the Equinox, we took a suite gty which was only 100.00 more per person than our CC cabin. At first we were assigned a sky suite. 2 days later they changed it to a Celebrity suite....With a suite, you pretty much get the same perks plus much more as you do in Aqua. (We didn't make a whole lot of use out of the butler, but the free specialty dinners, the free laundry and internet, those were GREAT)

We tried Blu, since we were entitled to it on a space available basis, and didn't even like it that much.

[MisterBill99]

Why would the TA charge you a cancellation fee? Mine never did- a lesson learned, sometimes best to book directly through Celebrity.

I agree it should not be considered a cancellation. I just changed from 2A to AQ and kept the existing reservation.

 

I know the agency that charges the $100pp cancellation fee as I have used them, and prefer not to book with them for anything other than a cruise in the near-term because of it. However, there is a happy medium between not using the agency with the cancellation fee and going back to dealing with Celebrity and giving up the perks that a TA can provide. The TA I am currently using charges no change or cancellation fee and while she may not give me quite as much OBC as the big guys I get much better service from her. And my TA managed to convince Celebrity to let me upgrade to AQ even though their computers were claiming it was a special fare and wanted to drop my existing promotions.

[Cruise a holic]

I agree it should not be considered a cancellation. I just changed from 2A to AQ and kept the existing reservation.

 

I know the agency that charges the $100pp cancellation fee as I have used them, and prefer not to book with them for anything other than a cruise in the near-term because of it. However, there is a happy medium between not using the agency with the cancellation fee and going back to dealing with Celebrity and giving up the perks that a TA can provide. The TA I am currently using charges no change or cancellation fee and while she may not give me quite as much OBC as the big guys I get much better service from her. And my TA managed to convince Celebrity to let me upgrade to AQ even though their computers were claiming it was a special fare and wanted to drop my existing promotions.

The TA I sometimes use, is from a "big" credit card company and no longer gives perks for booking Celebrity cruises- they do for RC and others.

[Jamaica_Bride919]

I just got off of the Solstice today and was in an S1 (corner sky suite) I also had the opportunity to see an aqua room.. No comparison! It was like a closet with a bed in it! And you get way too many benefits in a suite to give up :)

[need2bespoiled]

We are carefully weighing the pros and cons as we would lose our drink package. We're not big drinkers and we honestly probably couldn't drink enough to make it pay anyway. I think I'd rather have a bigger room. We are thinking about booking Choice Air as their rate can't currently be beat with anything we've been able to find, so with their new promotion we could buy back the drink package if we wanted (or at least a wine package) and still come out a bit ahead. Weighing the pros/cons over Choice Air as well.

 

We've sailed in all types of rooms (mostly Royal) but most recently suites (NCL) and have gotten spoiled a bit. This is why this has gotten our attention. It is a nice way to travel and would be a great way to try Celebrity for the first time. It's our 30th anniversary.

 

Are there chaise lounges on the suite balconies?

 

Most suites, depends on the suite and ship, if not, foot stools and fully reclining chairs.

 

AQ suites are becoming Sky Suites.

 

I'm curious to know if they will get a new category like S3, given their unique shower, or will they become the secret best S2 suites on that ship where some S2 have normal shower, and these have the special shower.

 

I'm guessing it will just be an S1 with a different shower.

 

 

I'm guessing it will just be an S1 with a different shower.

 

 

And to answer your original question, in our heartbeat too, we would do it. We wouldn't have a problem making the decision, even losing our drink package. We did the same switch on Reflection and, like other posters, ended up on the AS on Reflection. I requested a move from the assigned cabin to one on the hump which was provided.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

Edited May 17, 2014 by need2bespoiled

[vulcan1971]

[quote name='cle-guy']Just for the sake of clarifying for the OP (who hasn't stated what ship they are on, though I see their sig indicates Silhouette Pending this summer) REFLECTION is the only ship with AQ [B]SUITES[/B], none of the others do, and starting next cruise season they are being changed to Sky suites.[/quote]

Curt - when I added my post to the thread, I was only speaking to my experience of doing a Suite GTY and how it turned out for me. I just happened to be booked on the Reflection when I switched my booking to a Suite GTY. I am fully aware about the AQ Suite conversion to Sky Suites in 2015. Glad I had an opportunity to try one when I did... and I would book one of those Sky Suites in the future if I sailed on the Reflection. And, if the price was right, I most likely would do a Suite GTY on any ship in the fleet.