Finally forcing me to re-think

[mapleleafvoyage]

OP-

 

I feel your pain with the falling Canadian dollar...

 

and its not as easy as just finding a US TA.

 

I just checked, and. for each 1$ in CAN.. I will get 78cents!! ouch.......

 

 

so, unless I have a bundle saved up in a US account..... we are stalling on the booking anything further

[CRUIS4ME]

As the dollar rises on the world market....the cost of cruising will definitely go up...especially for the markets in Europe and Asia that RCCL are beginning to "court". For me, I cruise for a nice vacation and I travel to land points for adventure. I don't think I can ever think of just cruising as the only option. Too many places to see in the world that the cruise industry doesn't go to. Have a good time planning your land based vacation and see ya on a cruise perhaps later.

[Magicat]

A $0.78 Canadian dollar is nothing, we started cruising when we had the $0.64 dollar. Life is too short to wait on the side lines and wait for the perfect moment to do something. My neighbour next door cancelled his dream cruise because of his bladder cancer. If you can't afford to cruise then do the land based vacation.

[Iluvcruising2]

RCI prices have gone up so much in recent times that we have been looking at other options.

 

Just last Dec, we tried NCL and loved it!

 

This Dec, we will be trying MSC.

[mapleleafvoyage]

A $0.78 Canadian dollar is nothing, we started cruising when we had the $0.64 dollar. Life is too short to wait on the side lines and wait for the perfect moment to do something. My neighbour next door cancelled his dream cruise because of his bladder cancer. If you can't afford to cruise then do the land based vacation.

 

If our dollar goes to 0.64 we will not be leaving Canada :(

 

We are finally in a time in our lives where we can afford to go on a vacation of any kind...

[Justmekaren918]

Just don't forget on those land vacations no food is included and I travel for work and food/drink can add up beyond fast and normally at least double of what the food normally costs. They have you by the you know what. After a awhile it gets to be obnoxious for a $25.00 basic breakfast.

 

I feel your pain; the prices are about double then this time last year. I turned on my upgrade request back on.

 

No Royal stuff is out for 2017 yet!

[Paulette3028]

"Royal Caribbean International, owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in Norway and based in Miami, Florida in the United States of America. As of May 2012, with 21 ships in service, it controls a 17 percent share of the world cruise market.[3] All ships under the Royal Caribbean International brand have had names ending in "of the Seas" since 1991. Sister brands owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. are Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises and CDF Croisières de France."

 

RCI = our beloved Royal ships

RCCL = the parent company that also owns X, Azamara, etc

 

I posted on this forum because I think I'm more known here (see my signature) and there's been ample talk from long time cruisers very recently (Clarea, Max's'mom. etc) that the do not have anything new booked either because of these pricing games. There was another thread a few months ago by well known Pinnacle mommabean and others seriously looking at other options too.

 

The kicker is the Canadian dollar. Total cost $6600USD = $8,646 Canadian my cost :eek::eek::mad::mad:

Again, I repeat for me $8,646 for the cheapest most forward deck 2 oceanview cabin, 14 days, on the refurbished but older Infinity (Vision Class sized).

Thx for listening CC family.

 

I have no problem with you posting it here, but perhaps you could have been clearer for those people not as aware of Celebrity ship names and the relationship that Celebrity has to RCCL. Not everyone reads the small details, nor has the same knowledge as others.

 

No one has the ability to control the currency exchange. When your write "The kicker...." it makes it more difficult for me to be sympathetic. There have been years when the 'dollar' is at a terrible exchange rate, and it travel by vacationers is limited because of it, the airlines nor the hotels nor the restaurants, nor cruise lines are to blame.

 

It is part of the information vacationers use to determine what to do.

[Big_G]

Maybe because I cruise Celebrity, I have no problem with him posting it here. It's all Royal Caribbean. Good luck with whatever you choose Hoopster. I can understand your disappointment but trying other lines isn't the end of the world either.

 

 

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[dhill]

So why post it here?

 

Really so we are going to stat debating where this should of been posted what difference does it make that's a little off topic:confused:

[bigboffs]

I have found that the people that think Royal's prices are equivalent are those who have already spent tens of thousands on Royal to reach the status which provides significantly discounted rates. For those of us starting from scratch, Royal can be a good 20-30% higher than equivalent lines/itineraries.

 

Many of us who have been "Loyal to Royal" are not happy with the current RCCL pricing schemes and are now looking elsewhere. On our last few cruises, a main topic in the Concierge and Diamond Lounges has been 1) fewer bookings by these people on RCCL and 2) other cruise line options.

[cruzsnooze]

It's really a simple solution, if you don't like the price don't book it.

[knittinggirl]

I have found that the people that think Royal's prices are equivalent are those who have already spent tens of thousands on Royal to reach the status which provides significantly discounted rates. For those of us starting from scratch, Royal can be a good 20-30% higher than equivalent lines/itineraries.

Off the top of my head, As Diamond Plus, we get only $350 balcony discount for a longer cruise. We do get some internet credit, free photo, Diamond lounge access and bag of laundry. But the coupon book has mostly spend money to save money.

 

I agree w/ the OP. Remove the "not so free" drink package and drop the price. We'd originally gotten a Celebrity room for $2,299 and our TA upgraded us to their 123 Go promotion w/ free gratuities, same OBC as we already had, and the drink package for $500 more per person. We asked her to return us to the original booking. We weren't going to drink that much, especially with Elite lounge access.

[Paulette3028]

Off the top of my head, As Diamond Plus, we get only $350 balcony discount for a longer cruise. We do get some internet credit, free photo, Diamond lounge access and bag of laundry. But the coupon book has mostly spend money to save money.

 

I agree w/ the OP. Remove the "not so free" drink package and drop the price. We'd originally gotten a Celebrity room for $2,299 and our TA upgraded us to their 123 Go promotion w/ free gratuities, same OBC as we already had, and the drink package for $500 more per person. We asked her to return us to the original booking. We weren't going to drink that much, especially with Elite lounge access.

 

When you say your TA 'upgraded' you to a promotion you had not booked using, are you saying they did it 'without your OK'? I would not like that at all.

 

I don't know how long this cruise on Celebrity was for that you are using as the example, but an 8 night cruise (just as my example) would have gratuities at $192 for two in a cabin. DH and I are not big drinkers, so as Diamonds we have access to the lounge or 3 drinks per night in any bar.

 

It would take a very long cruise for that 'deal' to be a 'real deal' for us.

 

But what would annoy me more, is if the TA did it without consulting me first.

[Starry Eyes]

Many of us who have been "Loyal to Royal" are not happy with the current RCCL pricing schemes and are now looking elsewhere. On our last few cruises, a main topic in the Concierge and Diamond Lounges has been 1) fewer bookings by these people on RCCL and 2) other cruise line options.

 

That may be a main topic of conversation at your tables in lounges, but not a main one at mine. Also, judging by the crowding in both lounges on our last four cruises, plenty of C&A members are sailing the cruise line. And by the number I saw at the future cruise desk, they still seem to be booking upcoming cruises on board.

 

Some of the pricing programs do not work well for me either, so I well understand your sentiments. I have always been open to other lines and to other types of travel, so for me to keep my eyes open to other options is almost a given.

[LucasLounger1]

While I enjoy cruising in the Caribbean, I have never expected it to be the less expensive option.

 

I can travel in Europe (land) for a fraction of the cost of any (balcony) room I've ever found. Add to that the experiences I've had that I never would on a cruise, I doubt I'll ever cruise the Med. And we are not talking hostelling, we stay in nice (not five star) hotels, and rent cars where appropriate, and have beautiful meals with wine. For the cost of many cruises, I can do up to triple the time in Europe on my own, and see more while there.

 

And just by calling it a "cruise", they put the price up. For example, when I did the China tour with Sinorama, it isn't advertised as a cruise, it is advertised as a tour that includes a cruise. Everywhere we went we ran into the Uniworld people - same shows, same restaurants, same hotels (not all, but enough). Ours was longer, and a fraction of the cost (less than half for almost twice the length).

 

So while I hope to continue cruising the Caribbean in the winter, I continue to do all sorts of other trips.

[bigboffs]

It's really a simple solution, if you don't like the price don't book it.

 

A truly brilliant analysis and conclusion

[knittinggirl]

When you say your TA 'upgraded' you to a promotion you had not booked using, are you saying they did it 'without your OK'? I would not like that at all.

 

I don't know how long this cruise on Celebrity was for that you are using as the example, but an 8 night cruise (just as my example) would have gratuities at $192 for two in a cabin. DH and I are not big drinkers, so as Diamonds we have access to the lounge or 3 drinks per night in any bar.

 

It would take a very long cruise for that 'deal' to be a 'real deal' for us.

 

But what would annoy me more, is if the TA did it without consulting me first.

 

She said she made an "executive decision." But she also told us she would get us the original price if we wanted. Originally the Celebrity rep told her we would have our original $300 OBC plus the $300 that came w/ the promotion, then the next day the rep told our TA she'd never said any such thing. With $600 it was almost worth keeping, but only $300 OBC, it made the decision to revert the booking much easier. Our poor TA called and called but the Celebrity representative wouldn't budge. After noticing all the phone calls, another sales rep called our TA and gave us another $100 OBC and promised us a discount book. So far, the $100 has been added to the booking, but no discount book. For an 11 day cruise, we figured we'd have to drink about $375 to make up for the price jump. We didn't want to drink that much, so we got our TA to change it back to our original price. Now the current price for new bookings is about $1,000 over what we got it for. It probably didn't hurt our case that we have five cruises booked w/ royal and two with Celebrity. Still, that's $1000 nonrefundable we have w/ Royal & Celebrity. While I didn't rant and rave, I think the TA knew we weren't thrilled with this decision, and that decision dumped a lot of extra work on the TA. I explained that the value was on what WE thought we could drink, not their stated value.

 

During this mess with Celebrity, we sold our stock. While that may have caused us to pull the trigger, we weren't happy about losing the flowers at dinner, the turn down chocolates, the daily newspaper, the twice daily ice w/o having to request and the pen and paper. Also, food quality has dropped since they brought out the new menus.

 

Just wondering. Has anyone asked for a price quote w/o all this promo stuff?

Edited February 2, 2015 by knittinggirl

[Ilikeboats]

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise. I consider cruises my beach vacation and usually do Caribbean cruises. For a trip like that I would rather take the land trip. I want to eat the food of the country and meet the people and stay in the country not on a cruise ship . Just my opinion.

 

 

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[Paulette3028]

She said she made an "executive decision." But she also told us she would get us the original price if we wanted. Originally the Celebrity rep told her we would have our original $300 OBC plus the $300 that came w/ the promotion, then the next day the rep told our TA she'd never said any such thing. With $600 it was almost worth keeping, but only $300 OBC, it made the decision to revert the booking much easier. Our poor TA called and called but the Celebrity representative wouldn't budge. After noticing all the phone calls, another sales rep called our TA and gave us another $100 OBC and promised us a discount book. So far, the $100 has been added to the booking, but no discount book. For an 11 day cruise, we figured we'd have to drink about $375 to make up for the price jump. We didn't want to drink that much, so we got our TA to change it back to our original price. Now the current price for new bookings is about $1,000 over what we got it for. It probably didn't hurt our case that we have five cruises booked w/ royal and two with Celebrity. Still, that's $1000 nonrefundable we have w/ Royal & Celebrity. While I didn't rant and rave, I think the TA knew we weren't thrilled with this decision, and that decision dumped a lot of extra work on the TA. I explained that the value was on what WE thought we could drink, not their stated value.

 

During this mess with Celebrity, we sold our stock. While that may have caused us to pull the trigger, we weren't happy about losing the flowers at dinner, the turn down chocolates, the daily newspaper, the twice daily ice w/o having to request and the pen and paper. Also, food quality has dropped since they brought out the new menus.

 

Just wondering. Has anyone asked for a price quote w/o all this promo stuff?

 

I have been in sales for close to 40years. I have seen plenty of sales reps of tons of companies, believe they can make 'executive decisions' for clients and then realize they broke the trust with that client. NO salesperson has the right to make an 'executive decision' on your part with your money, unless YOU gave them that authority. If you believe your TA 'called and called' - between you and I, I don't . Your TA saw 'extra commission' for her with the additional $1000 you would pay moving you into the promotion, and did not expect you to balk, because she expected you to see the 'value' it was giving you. And as you rightly state, you did not see it as the same value, because you did expect to USE the value, that was stated.

 

To your second issue of why you sold your stoke, it has no bearing in the specifics of what the TA did. Unlike any other investment, you sold it when you got angry that they changed what they were giving away as perks on cruises vs what the stock was returning to you as an investment. That only matters to you, not the discussion.

 

You don't have to agree with my opinions, they are mine.

[LetsGetWet!]

Thanks, but he does say Infinity (I bolded it above).;)

 

I agree this should be on the Celebrity board.

Yep, as I read the OP I got to the mention of Infinity and definitely found it confusing. This is the RCI board, not the RCCL board - as RCCL includes RCI, Celebrity and Azamara, each of which have their own forum. Quite confusing when a Celebrity-specific thread is started on the RCI board.

[Hoopster95]

Yep, as I read the OP I got to the mention of Infinity and definitely found it confusing. This is the RCI board, not the RCCL board - as RCCL includes RCI, Celebrity and Azamara, each of which have their own forum. Quite confusing when a Celebrity-specific thread is started on the RCI board.

 

Per post #20

"I posted on this forum because I think I'm more known here (see my signature) and there's been ample talk from long time cruisers very recently (Clarea, Max's'mom. etc) that the do not have anything new booked either because of these pricing games. There was another thread a few months ago by well known Pinnacle mommabean and others seriously looking at other options too."

 

This isn't Celebrity specific at all... it's just the example that's dearest to my heart at the moment. Royal's just as bad at the moment. I am one of very many that have mentioned the "pricing games" in recent months on various threads here on the RCL boards that this shouldn't be surprising

Edited February 2, 2015 by Hoopster95