Perks Package and Prepaid Gratuities

[sketcherb]

I have never sailed with Celebrity before, so I am a bit unsure about the perks package I selected. I picked the one with 4 perks (premium bev, tips, internet and $150 shipboard credit.) I booked online at Celebrity.com and they charged me for the tips anyway despite that they were included in the perks package. Anyone know if they credit the tips back at a later time?

 

Has anyone done the package where you select all 4 perks and did you think it was a good deal? I would have done the bev package anyway so it seems like a pretty good deal.

[AlbertaCruisers]

Did you already pay in full? When we picked the Go Best, it showed the gratuities on our account initially and about a week later it should them being taken off (i.e. a plus for the gratuities and a minus for them as well). If you have already paid in full I'm not sure.

 

As for how good of a deal it is, go in and do a mock booking with just the drink package (Go Big) and what that would cost you. Then to figure out the difference, with the Go Best you also get the value of your gratuities, the $300 OBC ($150 each I think), the unlimited internet and the upgrade to premium ($11.80 per day per person still I believe). You can then easily do the math and see what the difference in price is versus the extra benefits and see if it is worth it to you. For our cruise next November, when I did the math, we were essentially getting the unlimited internet for free, so it was worth it for me. [Also, as an FYI, we always spend at least $300 extra OBC on a cruise, so getting that isn't a waste for us, it is money we would have spent in any event - AND we always upgrade to premium as well so that is also money we would have spent anyway]

Edited September 15, 2015 by AlbertaCruisers

[DrivesLikeMario]

As of today, Celebrity is saying it's taking up to two weeks for the tips to be credited back to the invoice. This is assuming you haven't made your final payment yet. Give them about 5-10 days, then request a new invoice. If it's not off by then, get in contact with them to get them off.

 

Which package you choose depends on your wants/needs. For us, it pays to go with Go Better (with bev. pkg. and $300 OBC). We have a hard time spending a lot of OBC even when we pay for gratuities out of that $300. We just don't have that much else to buy. After so many cruises, we just don't buy things unless we know we'll use them (been there/done that with pics, premium drinks, spa and salon treatments) and there isn't much else to buy other than the specialty restaurants charges. It just depends on what you'll spend money on. The more of a newbie you are, the more you spend IME anyway.

[Pluto_fan]

For us, it pays to go with Go Better (with bev. pkg. and $300 OBC). We have a hard time spending a lot of OBC even when we pay for gratuities out of that $300. We just don't have that much else to buy.

 

Just to confirm...on Celebrity, you may apply cruiseline-provided OBC toward the gratuities? We've never sailed with Celebrity before, but are considering a Med cruise on Reflection next summer. On NCL you are not able to apply OBC that NCL gives you toward the gratuities. Sounds like Celebrity has a more user-friendly policy. :) Thanks!

[Grandmaanne7]

Just to confirm...on Celebrity, you may apply cruiseline-provided OBC toward the gratuities? We've never sailed with Celebrity before, but are considering a Med cruise on Reflection next summer. On NCL you are not able to apply OBC that NCL gives you toward the gratuities. Sounds like Celebrity has a more user-friendly policy. :) Thanks!

Yes. OBC can be used for gratuities on Celebrity. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Sent from my SM-G386W using Tapatalk

[Pluto_fan]

Great! Thank you.

[Iamcruzin]

Just to confirm...on Celebrity, you may apply cruiseline-provided OBC toward the gratuities? We've never sailed with Celebrity before, but are considering a Med cruise on Reflection next summer. On NCL you are not able to apply OBC that NCL gives you toward the gratuities. Sounds like Celebrity has a more user-friendly policy. :) Thanks!

 

Yes as long as you book traditional dining. If you book select you will have to pre pay gratuities at final payment.

[Pluto_fan]

Yes as long as you book traditional dining. If you book select you will have to pre pay gratuities at final payment.

 

Good to know, thanks! That might make a difference in which perks we would choose, depending on which way we decide to go for dining.

[bonedoc7]

We have two reservations currently. We booked our room on board and received a great deal with the 1 2 3 perks, receiving all three and added OBC. I had booked the four of us in one stateroom. When it came down to switch it to the actual cruise we wanted, the kids decided they wanted their own stateroom, so i managed to keep our rate and perks for the one stateroom and the second stateroom with just the 123 (all three again, but no extra OBC). 6 months later, the kids decided to bring friends. At this point, the go big, better, best pricing came out. After doing the math, it made sense to switch to the go best. It basically gave the kids free internet (which they appreciate for Instagram, snapchat, etc but mom and dad dont really need it) and we dont have to worry about using the OBC to upgrade to premium drink package.

[cbradley1209]

Yes as long as you book traditional dining. If you book select you will have to pre pay gratuities at final payment.

 

Are you saying that if you have pre-paid gratuities and select dining that you owe gratuities above what are prepaid?

 

Thanks-chris

[cle-guy]

I created this BBB Calculator, to help determine actual value of the perks packages when considering the price differences.

BBB Pricing.pdf

[cardcrafter]

I created this BBB Calculator, to help determine actual value of the perks packages when considering the price differences.

 

Thanks for that valuable info. I had no idea how to work out these comparisons and will keep it to hand when we think about our next cruise.

[cbradley1209]

Thanks for that valuable info. I had no idea how to work out these comparisons and will keep it to hand when we think about our next cruise.

 

I second that. chris

[Pluto_fan]

Yes as long as you book traditional dining. If you book select you will have to pre pay gratuities at final payment.

 

Are you saying that if you have pre-paid gratuities and select dining that you owe gratuities above what are prepaid?

 

I understood Iamcruzin to mean that if you chose the OBC (instead of the pre-paid gratuities) and also chose select dining, that you could not use the OBC to pay your gratuities. I assumed (dangerous, I know) that if you chose the pre-paid gratuities (instead of the OBC), the gratuities would already be credited to your account as of final payment and you would not have to pay them again, regardless of which dining option you chose. Iamcruzin (or anyone else who knows), can you please clarify? :confused: Thanks again!

[cle-guy]

I understood Iamcruzin to mean that if you chose the OBC (instead of the pre-paid gratuities) and also chose select dining, that you could not use the OBC to pay your gratuities. I assumed (dangerous, I know) that if you chose the pre-paid gratuities (instead of the OBC), the gratuities would already be credited to your account as of final payment and you would not have to pay them again, regardless of which dining option you chose. Iamcruzin (or anyone else who knows), can you please clarify? :confused: Thanks again!

 

 

Correct, select dining requires prepaid gratuities. So OBC can not be used for them, as they are paid in advance.

 

I have read where some have been successful in getting by this by changing to Fixed dining on board and having grats adjusted off then they apply them daily which can then be offset by OBC, but I have no personal experience with this technique.

[Sandy1975]

I created this BBB Calculator, to help determine actual value of the perks packages when considering the price differences.

 

Nice! I always put things on spreadsheets to see what gives me the best value.

 

I think the only thing that might be missing here is the up cost to go from big to better to best but people can just add that to figure out if the extra to go to the next package is worth the month. For me, it was a no brainer to go from big to best for my 7 day cruise. I always choose the bev package and for $210 more I got the $300 OBC which gives me an extra $90 in OBC. I am fully covered for gratuities and upgrade to premium (I would be the one upgrading for the better wines and perrier waters)!

Edited September 18, 2015 by Sandy1975

[cle-guy]

Nice! I always put things on spreadsheets to see what gives me the best value.

I think the only thing that might be missing here is the up cost to go from big to better to best but people can just add that to figure out if the extra to go to the next package is worth the month. For me, it was a no brainer to go from big to best for my 7 day cruise. I always choose the bev package and for $210 more I got the $300 OBC which gives me an extra $90 in OBC. I am fully covered for gratuities and upgrade to premium (I would be the one upgrading for the better wines and perrier waters)!

 

I'm not certain the rates to move from Big to Better to Best is always the same, is it? I never looked at booking multiple reservations on multiple ships and itineraries to check.

 

If anyone can confirm that the step up between each level is in fact a standard per day rate, I can easily update this. I had thought of making this part of it, but wasn't sure the math was always 100% fixed so left it off.

 

I've also recently updated (n=bout not reposted) it to include a section for those in Suites, to consider the perks the Suite offers that may be duplicated by the BBB offers, especially important for RS and above. I have determined RS and up should stop ad Better, and Solos unless on long trips where grats exceed $300, should never go above Big, as the value added isn't worth it since only 1 person gets the advantage, and the fares do bill for 2, they don't consider 1 person won't get valus or use of the perks (but of the OBC that they leave as $300 for a solo (why I noted that it's $300 per cabin wheres advertising says $150 pp), it's up to US to do that, so this was my way of helping me interpret this stuff.

Edited September 18, 2015 by cle-guy

[Sandy1975]

I'm not certain the rates to move from Big to Better to Best is always the same, is it? I never looked at booking multiple reservations on multiple ships and itineraries to check.

 

If anyone can confirm that the step up between each level is in fact a standard per day rate, I can easily update this. I had thought of making this part of it, but wasn't sure the math was always 100% fixed so left it off.

 

 

You are right, it is not a fixed amount. I just pointed it out as maybe having a cell at the bottom so people can factor that in on their own.

I think it is pretty good what you put together and helps people visualize all the different moving parts.

[JaneStarr]

I'm not certain the rates to move from Big to Better to Best is always the same, is it? I never looked at booking multiple reservations on multiple ships and itineraries to check.

 

If anyone can confirm that the step up between each level is in fact a standard per day rate, I can easily update this. I had thought of making this part of it, but wasn't sure the math was always 100% fixed so left it off.

 

I've also recently updated (n=bout not reposted) it to include a section for those in Suites, to consider the perks the Suite offers that may be duplicated by the BBB offers, especially important for RS and above. I have determined RS and up should stop ad Better, and Solos unless on long trips where grats exceed $300, should never go above Big, as the value added isn't worth it since only 1 person gets the advantage, and the fares do bill for 2, they don't consider 1 person won't get valus or use of the perks (but of the OBC that they leave as $300 for a solo (why I noted that it's $300 per cabin wheres advertising says $150 pp), it's up to US to do that, so this was my way of helping me interpret this stuff.

Unless things have changed from when they first introduced the program, this is the cost differential:

BIG to Better: $15 per person/day

BIG to Best: $45 per person/day

[cle-guy]

Unless things have changed from when they first introduced the program, this is the cost differential:

BIG to Better: $15 per person/day

BIG to Best: $45 per person/day

 

Thanks for this!

 

I'll make a couple tests tonite to be sure and then update!

[JaneStarr]

Thanks for this!

 

I'll make a couple tests tonite to be sure and then update!

 

Good idea! I just found the flyer that spelled out the cost differential in USD and CAD. See pg 1 of the attached flyer.

Jane

15045079_CEL_Big_Better_Best_FAQ_Overview_Flyer downloaded 3July q5.pdf

[cle-guy]

Sweet!

 

I'll post an update. Maybe I can post an Excel file?

[Iamcruzin]

Are you saying that if you have pre-paid gratuities and select dining that you owe gratuities above what are prepaid?

 

 

 

Thanks-chris

 

 

No if you chose prepaid gratuity Celebrity pays gratuity and it doesn't matter which dining option you choose. If you choose the OBC and select dining you will have to pre pay gratuity therefore you won't be able to use the OBC towards gratuity since it will be paid for before you board the ship.

[sleepless]

I created this BBB Calculator, to help determine actual value of the perks packages when considering the price differences.

 

Your breakdown is interesting. To me, it proves the value of the Go Best promotion. For a 7 night cruise for two adults:

 

Premium beverage package - $1,073

Tips $181

Internet $199

total $1,443

 

Add to that $300 dollars on board credit bringing the "value" of the perk to $1,743 for two adults.

 

 

The cost of the Go Best promotion is $630 for two people for 7 nights. Not a bad promotion. Over one thousand dollars in savings.

 

 

Broken down, the Go Best promo is $45 per day per adult. The premium beverage package alone is $76.70 per day.

Edited September 19, 2015 by sleepless

[jagoffee]

Your breakdown is interesting. To me, it proves the value of the Go Best promotion. For a 7 night cruise for two adults:

 

Premium beverage package - $1,073

Tips $181

Internet $199

total $1,443

 

Add to that $300 dollars on board credit bringing the "value" of the perk to $1,743 for two adults.

 

 

The cost of the Go Best promotion is $630 for two people for 7 nights. Not a bad promotion. Over one thousand dollars in savings.

 

 

Broken down, the Go Best promo is $45 per day per adult. The premium beverage package alone is $76.70 per day.

 

Good comparison. Unless I am confused the $45 a day is above the Big price which could include the Classic package, therefore it would be more appropriate to say $11.80 a day for the upgrade to premium for a total savings with OBC of $845. Therefore the savings over Big for a cost of $45 a day for 2 ($533) is really $312 for 2.

 

The bottom line is I believe the cost of the Classic package needs to be subtracted from your number to get the real savings.