New Celebrity Bundle Pricing (Go! Big, Go! Better, Go! Best)

[maggie.1008]

Seems like this makes are elite plus perks less valued.

[BEAV]

I'm inclined to think that "stateroom only" Exciting Deals, Senior, Resident and Military rates will continue under the new pricing structure since =X= has also excluded inside cabins from the all-inclusive strategy.

 

And speaking of excluding inside cabins from the new price structure, it allows Celebrity to advertise "cruises starting at $499", keeping them in line with other mass market competitors. If Princess, HAL, RCCL, etc, are all advertising "starting from $499", but Celebrity's entry level is $749 because they include perks with the inside categories, then they've lost a big chunk of a competitive game.

[hcat]

Dh got an e mail offer today for Europe which reads:

 

Choose two offers for our 123Go.....

 

duh....that's only one two go!

[cruisingsince94]

We only have 1 cruise booked with Celebrity at the moment and all I can say is that they had better leave it alone. It was booked long ago under the promo where we received all 3 perks, classic beverage pkg, prepaid grats, and OBC for booking a concierge balcony or higher.

We feel we got a great price for it, especially with it being the week of Thanksgiving. We have already paid off the cruise so I do not see how they could possibly change anything to ours.

[ChiGal1962]

I wonder how this new price structure will work for Solo cruiser like me? Now I am paying double - minus port charges. I book at least balcony. Will I still pay double and get OBC for one?

 

I'm hoping the single supplement might be less than 200%, but not terribly confident that will be the case. I'm not going to get too fussed about it until we get the details, though.

[tangerinebunny]

We were part of the sample survey Celebrity sent out before they decided on this change. And this is the one that I chose, in part because I thought that cruisers would like some say in their perk.

 

But I sure wish they had thrown in free laundry. It's the only time I miss HAL.

[TMLAalum]

Looking at a cruise of the British Isles on the Silhouette later this summer, the website is offering 2 prices:

 

For example the pricing for 2 in a 2D verandah is $4638 with $355 credit from this big box agency. However for an additional $1260 you can upgrade your reservation to include $475 shipboard credit + 123Go classic beverage package. If this is a harbinger of Celebrity's new pricing/perk policy, I know which option I'll be choosing;).

[Scrappytraveller]

I wonder how this new price structure will work for Solo cruiser like me?

 

 

It won't, at least not if you want the drink package or pre-paid tips - and celebrity couldn't care less. We either book the insides or pay for two and only get the value of one drink package or one set of tips.

 

OBC is for the cabin, not per person, but I don't find the big jump in price is worth a couple hundred bucks of OBC. Only true value is the drink package, but not for one.

 

Here's hoping the new builds will get with the times and include a few solo cabins.

[Snit13]

It had better not be!!! Elite Plus needs more perks not less. Well maybe not more but different. I don't need all those laundry coupons take those back and give me something I can use and the coupons for discounts on the specialty restaurant and beverage packages are a joke.

 

Also don't need any of those casino/bingo perks Elite+ gets. Give us something we can use. Most of our coupons get torn up and thrown in waste. On longer cruises I do use the laundry coupons and sometimes get a jacket pressed. A 5x7 free photo would be nice.

[PoppyandNana]

Also don't need any of those casino/bingo perks Elite+ gets. Give us something we can use. Most of our coupons get torn up and thrown in waste. On longer cruises I do use the laundry coupons and sometimes get a jacket pressed. A 5x7 free photo would be nice.

 

 

Two points on the coupons. Can you use leftover coupons on the next cruise? Why do,we get the same number of coupons on a 14 day cruise as on a seven day?

[Lois R]

Another promotion? But this is supposed to permanent.......

 

And I am also in the group of solo cruisers.....I doubt they are going to

do anything for us. A lower SS would be awesome but I won't hold my

breath.

[ptrpanpens]

I dont drink much and get three free drinks per night anyway with Elite which is more than enough for me, so the drink package is worth zero to me. Usually if I have to choose perks I choose the $300 OBC. Seems unfair that solos like me pay double for a cabin and will only get 1/2 OBC. But not surprising. If prices go up enough I will be looking around at more luxury lines like Oceania or Azamara if the difference is not that great. I know there are some UK sites that sell Oceania for amazingly low prices.

 

Supply and demand will drive everything as always.

[Andy]

I'm hoping the single supplement might be less than 200%, but not terribly confident that will be the case. I'm not going to get too fussed about it until we get the details, though.

 

I think that's wise advice ChiGal1962. Too many unknowns at the moment. I'm surely not going to pass any final judgments, until all the details are known. On the bright side, the wait is less than a week :)

Edited June 30, 2015 by Host Andy

[Andy]

Another promotion? But this is supposed to permanent.......

 

And I am also in the group of solo cruisers.....I doubt they are going to

do anything for us. A lower SS would be awesome but I won't hold my

breath.

 

Hi Lois,

 

How are you ? Hope all is well. You're right. A lower Single supplement would be awesome. While we can always hope, I suspect it's not in Celebrity's game-plan. We'll find out next Monday.

[ghstudio]

The announcement is interesting, but I have no real reaction until I see how they price the options. I can see the new promotions now...upgrade to better for only $x. Without pricing, it's pretty much a fluff marketing announcement. Let's see how they price the options.

[jelayne]

This sounds good, I like the idea of options and adding the unlimited internet is a plus, particularly on long cruises. Since we prepay gratuities and upgrade to the Premium beverage package looks like the Go Best may be our choice- some OBC & unlimited internet. Then the OBC we get from the TA can all go back on the credit card to pay for shopping & sightseeing😊

 

I'm not sure why the concern that Celebrity will force a change to existing booking. I have never heard of Celebrity, or any other line, forcing a passenger to change a existing booking- if they raise prices after you book you do not pay the higher price. In fact we have often gotten the lower price when there was a price drop. We have 6 cruises booked and I don't expect anything to change on them.

[ORV]

It won't, at least not if you want the drink package or pre-paid tips - and celebrity couldn't care less. We either book the insides or pay for two and only get the value of one drink package or one set of tips.

 

OBC is for the cabin, not per person, but I don't find the big jump in price is worth a couple hundred bucks of OBC. Only true value is the drink package, but not for one.

 

Here's hoping the new builds will get with the times and include a few solo cabins.

 

Actually under the new plan the OBC is per person;

 

"Guests can choose among four perquisites: a Classic beverage package, free gratuities, unlimited internet or a $150-per-person spending credit.

 

which apparently makes it even worse for solo travelers.

[gimletgal]

I'm wondering if the "unlimited internet" is of the 24 hr. variety like they offer on Royal. Can't imagine them offering free internet for the entire duration of one's cruise. It will probably be in the "fine print". ;)

[Jane2357]

I've two cruises booked - from long ago that have have free Bev Pkg, Grats and OBC - plus I've already paid to upgrade Bev Pkg to Premium. The price and promo was offered and I accepted and booked - I do not think that X would or could change the agreement at this time, however it would be nice if the Celebrity Rep would at least confirm that no current bookings will be changed.

 

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Exactly what I was thinking!

I feel badly for our TA - she already spends so much time trying to get things straight with Celebrity.

:(

 

Don't! Previously when you bought a bev. package or paid your gratuities the TA didn't get a commission. Now that they are bundled in, the entire fare is "commissionable" so TAs will be making more money. Expect TAs to become Celebrity's best friends!

[BEAV]

Don't! Previously when you bought a bev. package or paid your gratuities the TA didn't get a commission. Now that they are bundled in, the entire fare is "commissionable" so TAs will be making more money. Expect TAs to become Celebrity's best friends!

 

Exactly. If a "stateroom only" goes for $899 on Princess, but $1299 on Celebrity because it includes a drink package, some OBC and/or gratuities, which cruise line do you think the TA is going to try to sell to their client?

[need2cruisesoon]

Exactly. If a "stateroom only" goes for $899 on Princess, but $1299 on Celebrity because it includes a drink package, some OBC and/or gratuities, which cruise line do you think the TA is going to try to sell to their client?

 

Princess is also bundling:

[ISABELLA]

It won't, at least not if you want the drink package or pre-paid tips - and celebrity couldn't care less. We either book the insides or pay for two and only get the value of one drink package or one set of tips.

 

OBC is for the cabin, not per person, but I don't find the big jump in price is worth a couple hundred bucks of OBC. Only true value is the drink package, but not for one.

 

Here's hoping the new builds will get with the times and include a few solo cabins.

 

It said - OBC- $150 pp

[ghstudio]

Sort of a tempest in a teapot. Potentially this is nothing more than repackaging and charging the same price. If they raise the basic package price of a cabin by $300 and give $300 spending credit...or $350 gratuities on a 14 day cruise....nothings changed other than the "base price". If they charge another $300 for the next level and you can now pick both....again, nothing's changed.

 

For experienced travelers, it's all in the pricing. For those new to cruising....Celebrity can build wonderful marketing stories....and I'm sure we'll hear a few from Lisa on her live chat. How good it's going to be..... The grass is greener....(on the M-class?)

Edited June 30, 2015 by ghstudio

[JaneStarr]

I think that's wise advice ChiGal1962. Too many unknowns at the moment. I'm surely not going to pass any final judgments, until all the details are known. On the bright side, the wait is less than a week :)

 

I'm also going to try to keep an open mind about this until we see how the pricing and remaining details shake out, but I think we already know that the strategy is intended to raise prices.

 

This is what really jumped out at me from the linked article:

One of the four stated guiding principles of this new pricing structure was to "...raise APDs (average per diems).." (per Donra Ritzenthaler, Celebrity's senior vice president for sales, trade sales and service)

 

This is just another way of saying "price increases".

Of course Celebrity is a business, so this shouldn't really come as a surprise. They are supposed to be working towards increasing profit for their share-holders. It will interesting to look back on how this strategy ultimately affects the bottom line.

 

The other details I will be watching closely are the impact on an already hobbled web-site and what happens to make the Celebrity "Suite Life" initiative compatible with this new structure.

 

Should make for some very interesting CC reading!

Jane