OBC for solo cruiser? $150 or $300?

[perditax]

Briefly, when I do a mock booking with one guest through a bulk store, it offers me an option of a $300 OBC (seemingly via the cruise line; it's in addition to the TA's $120 OBC). Through X's website, it just says $150pp. Anyone with recent experience know which one is true?

 

Also, anyone know what unlimited internet is running on a FIVE night cruise?

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited August 5, 2015 by perditax

[cruisestitch]

From the Celebrity website FAQ:

 

Unlimited: $299 / 6-9 Day Voyage: $349 / 10-14 Day Voyage

 

Perhaps they don't offer it on 5 night cruises?

 

Of course, the website is notoriously out-of-date on some things, notice the references there to the Century, which is no longer in the fleet, and to Steiner, which no longer operates the spa. So who knows?

[perditax]

I appreciate you taking a stab at it.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

According to the CEO in her chat here at Cruise Critic, OBC is $300 for a single.

 

[AZSwissGal]

I just booked a Panama Canal cruise last week solo and received the $300 (plus some OBC from my TA).

[minz56]

OBC - Yes, $300 OBC for a solo

 

Internet - For a 5 night cruise you would pay 5 x the daily rate of $59 = $295

[perditax]

Thank you for the responses!

[Olive1950]

.

.

Good to know that, especially since we are paying for 2 sets of legs....

[gimletgal]

Briefly, when I do a mock booking with one guest through a bulk store, it offers me an option of a $300 OBC (seemingly via the cruise line; it's in addition to the TA's $120 OBC). Through X's website, it just says $150pp. Anyone with recent experience know which one is true?

 

The Celebrity website does, in fact, show the $300 OBC for a solo doing a mock booking. I just tried booking as a single under the GoBig option, choosing the OBC, and it showed the $300. Maybe you didn't go far enough into the process?

[perditax]

I ended up having to book over the phone with TA, and they verbally confirmed the $300 OBC, and it is reflected on the docs from the TA.

 

And thus I have booked my first cruise on Celebrity! (Eclipse Dec 13.)

 

Haven't tried to log in/register with X's site yet, though.

Edited August 5, 2015 by perditax

[perditax]

...and now that I HAVE logged into the site, it's slightly terrifying. For example:

 

Food Style

Italian Stakehouse

 

Also, the Internet packages offered for my sailing include an option to buy 90 minutes for $59, or 24 hours ... for $59. (Decisions, decisions.)

 

(Someone assure me this is not a bad omen for shipboard attention to detail.)

[brfan]

Has any solo booked and upgraded to either go better or best and not been charged double to upgrade? If you do a mock booking online the cost to increase to the better/best is doubled, but during the CEO's Q&A she said that solos would not be paying double (though I guess we are with the go big as that is incorporated into the price which is doubled for solos).

[gimletgal]

Has any solo booked and upgraded to either go better or best and not been charged double to upgrade? If you do a mock booking online the cost to increase to the better/best is doubled, but during the CEO's Q&A she said that solos would not be paying double (though I guess we are with the go big as that is incorporated into the price which is doubled for solos).

 

I just did a mock booking for the Eclipse 12/13 cruise (5 night) -

GoBig was $1398.39 for a 2D veranda stateroom ($300 OBC)

GoBetter was $1548.39 for same 2D ($300 OBC w/Bev. Pkg)

 

I was surprised as the Bev. Pkg. on a 5 nite cruise is worth $275 ($55/day) and the upcharge to GoBetter was only $150. So, based on that I was not being charged for 2 beverage packages.

 

You almost have to do many comparisons and know what each benefit is worth in order to figure out the true cost! It's a lot of work!! :)

[brfan]

I just did a mock booking for the Eclipse 12/13 cruise (5 night) -

GoBig was $1398.39 for a 2D veranda stateroom ($300 OBC)

GoBetter was $1548.39 for same 2D ($300 OBC w/Bev. Pkg)

 

I was surprised as the Bev. Pkg. on a 5 nite cruise is worth $275 ($55/day) and the upcharge to GoBetter was only $150. So, based on that I was not being charged for 2 beverage packages.

 

You almost have to do many comparisons and know what each benefit is worth in order to figure out the true cost! It's a lot of work!! :)

 

The upcharge between go big and better should be $15 USD per person per night. The difference you show is $30 per night, which means solos are being charged double (eg. paying for two drink pkgs, two tips, etc., depending on which perk you pick for the second one). Plus for the go big you are paying double for that perk (as it's built into the price) as you have to pay double as a solo.

 

According to the CEO solos should only be charged the per person rate to upgrade and not double that rate, but the web site doesn't reflect that. I was wondering if anyone had called Celebrity to book and was only charged $15 per night to go with the go better option.

[gimletgal]

The upcharge between go big and better should be $15 USD per person per night. The difference you show is $30 per night, which means solos are being charged double (eg. paying for two drink pkgs, two tips, etc., depending on which perk you pick for the second one). Plus for the go big you are paying double for that perk (as it's built into the price) as you have to pay double as a solo.

 

According to the CEO solos should only be charged the per person rate to upgrade and not double that rate, but the web site doesn't reflect that. I was wondering if anyone had called Celebrity to book and was only charged $15 per night to go with the go better option.

 

I see what you're saying. I wasn't even thinking about the $15/pp/day when I did the comparison, so yes, it is definitely double! I talked to my CVP at Celebrity after the BBB came out and had him figure out the price for one of my upcoming cruises under the GoBetter pricing. The price he gave me was $150 less than what was quoted on the website, so yes, they are charging double the $15/day (it's a 10 night cruise) on the web! :eek: He told me not to try pricing on the web for a solo as it is too convoluted and does not reflect the actual price. Seems pretty strange it would not reflect the correct price when you do a mock booking as I would think some people would just reject the pricing and not even call a TA or Celebrity. But then, it is the Celebrity website we are talking about!!! Not known for accuracy.

Edited August 6, 2015 by gimletgal