Reservation and Celebrity IT question--Beverage package

[markeb]

I may yet call our TA, but the first part of this is a general question for those of you more familiar with Celebrity's IT systems.

 

We're leaving Saturday on Reflection. We initially booked the cruise over a year ago on the "Go Better" promotion in a veranda. I do not recall ever seeing the promotion in our online reservation (just as I've never seen an OBC in a reservation on RCI, although we've always received it onboard).

 

We upgraded to AQ in April, while the promotion was still going, through our TA. We generally get better pricing and loyalty benefits through USAA, and they were our TA of record when we booked, so everything defaults to them in the first place. That confirmation (as it's been in the past) is an abridged document, and is silent on OBC and the drink packages we selected on our "Go Better" promotion.

 

This week, I'm suddenly getting e-mails from Celebrity telling me how great it would be to have a drink package, and when I click on those in the cruise planner, signed into my reservation, it's showing me full price drink package. Is that "normal"? There's absolutely nothing I could do at this point if we screwed up the promotion, but I've changed cabin classes before (on RCI) with no issue, and my memory is that the TA asked about the promotion, but it's now been months!

 

Thanks!

[ghstudio]

duplicate

Edited December 20, 2016 by ghstudio

[ghstudio]

Why do you assume that celebrity marketing communicates at all with Celebrity bookings. Experience over the years has many of us assuming that each celebrity department is in a different country...in fact we have seen cruises with interesting itineraries such as a cruise from Alaska that stopped in St Thomas, etc.

 

I also wouldn't worry too much about the IT system letting you select a package you already have, etc. There are so many threads about Celebrity's IT department and their web site, it's not worth rehashing here.

 

You should call celebrity or maybe you have to call your travel agent and get a print out of your reservation. There should be codes that indicate you have the drink package or whatever perks you chose.

[BEAV]

It's not at all uncommon for Celebrity to send out "advertisement" emails trying to get you to purchase things you already have on your existing booking. Happens to me all the time. Their system obviously can't determine who has perks and who doesn't and just sends out the ads to everyone booked.

 

But for peace of mind, do as ghstudio suggested and have your TA confirm with Celebrity what perks are listed on your booking.

 

Enjoy your holiday cruise. ;)

[markeb]

Actually, I wasn't assuming competence; we're D on RCI, so I'm well aware of the corporate IT incompetence. I was wanting to see if this was normal, which is sounds like it is. I may give them a quick buzz, although there's nothing I could do if this was screwed up in April...

 

There is, of course, no excuse for this not being visible in the reservation online!

[sanger727]

When I go to manage reservation and click on order history I have 'wave promo - classic package' and amount due $0.00. If you don't have that would be worth a call and print out something from your TA showing your booking perks just in case there's an issue on board

 

 

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[jelayne]

If you go to your reservation on X's website look under Manage My Reservation and on the right had side of that screen there is a link "Order History" click on that and your Beverage package will show there - if it is in celebrity's record. OBC doesn't show on tge on-lune reservation.

 

Ask your TA to send you the Celebrity Guest Copy-Booking Confirmation. This is the official record of your reservation and any perks. Many TAs use their own documents but they can get the Confirmation document I mentioned.

[markeb]

A quick update: Sometimes a little paranoia is a good thing. And I can't blame Celebrity on this.

 

It appears that when we changed to AQ, the TA priced the cabin without the promotion. She "no longer works in that department". Long story, but it appears as long as the recording bears out that we weren't advised the new price did not include the go better promotion, the TA will make it right. I probably won't know until tomorrow.

 

We've used these guys for probably 8 years and never had an issue, so needless to say this is more than a little disappointing. The only good news is for whatever reason (probably all the Cruise Critic posts from people losing promotions when rebooking) I was concerned enough to check.

[jelayne]

I was changing a reservation and asked to have it repriced with 2 perks (bev & tips). When the TA called back with the pricing it was lower than I had figured it would be. When I asked why, it was because they had priced it with just 1 perk (bev pkg). Their reasoning- to price with 2 perks cost $420 more & the tips were only $378. So they were pricing with 1 perk, charging us the gratutues on our invoice and in the end we saved $32. Not a huge amount but you have to love a TA that looks for ways to save $.

[markeb]

I was changing a reservation and asked to have it repriced with 2 perks (bev & tips). When the TA called back with the pricing it was lower than I had figured it would be. When I asked why, it was because they had priced it with just 1 perk (bev pkg). Their reasoning- to price with 2 perks cost $420 more & the tips were only $378. So they were pricing with 1 perk, charging us the gratutues on our invoice and in the end we saved $32. Not a huge amount but you have to love a TA that looks for ways to save $.

 

And I'm all for that with full disclosure; sometimes it makes more sense to pay for extras. What's frustrating here is they appear to have just "assumed". And, unfortunately, so did we...

 

If, as I believe (and remember), the TA screwed up, we'll get the best of both worlds and a caution going forward.

[RickT]

So, let me get this right. Another post questioning the Celebrity IT Dept (with good reason) and it turns out to be a TA issue?

 

Good luck to the OP. As I always say, Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean people aren't out to get you :p

[markeb]

So, let me get this right. Another post questioning the Celebrity IT Dept (with good reason) and it turns out to be a TA issue?

 

Good luck to the OP. As I always say, Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean people aren't out to get you :p

 

Yeah. Can't change the header now! After years on RCI, you just "assume" Celebrity will have the same issues!

 

And, that's the quote that's been running through my head tonight...

[helen haywood]

Its a reasonable question to ask. I have the beverage package from a perk on most of my X cruises...yet, as the OP mentioned, X will send me confirmation emails that are generic and exhort me to buy a beverage package.

 

 

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[paulh84]

I understand your concern. I know it has to be very tough to keep all of the promotions, perks and combinability rules straight. And it can get very frustrating.

 

We booked through a fairly large TA for the first time for a cruise on Reflection this winter. I booked at 1C cabin with Go Best. The TA wasn't calling it Go Best, but ultimately it was all 4 perks. As we get closer to our sail date, prices on Aqua and Concierge cabins have fallen below what I paid for the 1C. The only drawback is the TA is calling it 1 perk from Celebrity, and 1 perk courtesy of the TA. Long story short, I get a different answer every time I call.

 

Told I would lose all perks...

Told I could get two perks with the resident discount which is several hundred dollars (and I still don't believe is accurate)...

Told I could get only 1 perk...

Finally told I could get no perks but can get the resident rate...

 

Needless to say, to avoid being in your situation, I don't believe I will use this TA again and will leave my reservation as is just in case I would somehow lose my current booking.

[markeb]

So, a final update for anyone who cares...

 

Just spoke with my TA and we now have for sure a $300 onboard credit and a (visible in my order history) classic drink package X2. I'm told they believe their agent did everything right to preserve our promotions, but somewhere along the way they disappeared. I neither know nor care the cost breakdown on who covered what, but we're covered.

 

I suspect that Celebrity's IT system isn't innocent here, but business is business and the customer is now happy.

 

As Stan Lee would say, 'nuff said...

[Tedferg]

I understand your concern. I know it has to be very tough to keep all of the promotions, perks and combinability rules straight. And it can get very frustrating.

 

We booked through a fairly large TA for the first time for a cruise on Reflection this winter. I booked at 1C cabin with Go Best. The TA wasn't calling it Go Best, but ultimately it was all 4 perks. As we get closer to our sail date, prices on Aqua and Concierge cabins have fallen below what I paid for the 1C. The only drawback is the TA is calling it 1 perk from Celebrity, and 1 perk courtesy of the TA. Long story short, I get a different answer every time I call.

 

Told I would lose all perks...

Told I could get two perks with the resident discount which is several hundred dollars (and I still don't believe is accurate)...

Told I could get only 1 perk...

Finally told I could get no perks but can get the resident rate...

 

Needless to say, to avoid being in your situation, I don't believe I will use this TA again and will leave my reservation as is just in case I would somehow lose my current booking.

 

I believe it is true that Resident Rate does NOT include perks - that was what I was told by my TA.

 

I had a similar question to OP, TA invoice did not show OBC amount and perk. I asked her to clarify and she sent me a copy of Celebrity invoice. This showed everything.

[caribill]

I was changing a reservation and asked to have it repriced with 2 perks (bev & tips). When the TA called back with the pricing it was lower than I had figured it would be. When I asked why, it was because they had priced it with just 1 perk (bev pkg). Their reasoning- to price with 2 perks cost $420 more & the tips were only $378. So they were pricing with 1 perk, charging us the gratutues on our invoice and in the end we saved $32. Not a huge amount but you have to love a TA that looks for ways to save $.

 

I believe it is true that Resident Rate does NOT include perks - that was what I was told by my TA.

 

 

 

When you have to pay extra for each perk, then it is not a perk. It is something you have paid extra for.

 

For big, better, best you are just paying what is about the regular cost for each amenity.