First time booking directly with Celebrity

[cyntil8ing]

We've been on lots of Celebrity cruises, but have always booked with a TA for booking bonuses. Even for a last minute exciting deal, they would throw in $50 obc for our loyalty, so we always checked the X web site prices, but booked with the TA.

 

But yesterday, it really surprised me that our TA could not match what I saw on the web site. They offered three perks rather than X's two, but it was only half the OBC, so it ended up with almost a $50 difference, even with the loyalty obc. First time this has ever happened!

 

I wanted to book adjoining cabins with the adults in one and the kids in the other so I had to call rather than use the web site. There was no wait to talk to an agent and the one I got was pleasant and knowledgeable. He answered my questions and was able to give me exactly what I wanted -- two adults in one cabin with the beverage package and obc and two kids in another cabin with unlimited wifi and obc. I was concerned we would have to put an adult in each cabin to get the Captain's Club upgrade, and that would mess up the beverage package vs wifi perks.

 

My only quibble is the insurance was included in the booking without my asking, but it was easy enough to remove. We always get insurance 3rd party.

 

I feel rather bad for not using my TA, but hey, cheaper is cheaper. The phone booking process couldn't have been easier! I never had to dig out our Captain's Club numbers, rattle off the kid's names and birth dates, or give them anything other than my name and credit card info and verify the rest.

 

Excited to be booked yet again on our "home" ship, the Summit.

[RickT]

My experience dealing with X directly has also been pretty good and like you, have once in a while found their prices/perks to meet/beat my TA.

 

That said, triple check that you got your Captain's Club one category upgrade (assuming of course the cabins you booked qualified). During one of my bookings I didn't get the upgrade, wasn't a huge deal but the extra $ I saved covered my meal in the Tuscan Grill.

[Mr. Click]

Don't feel bad about saving yourself money. We used one larger online TA for a lot of our cruises and they always included pre-paid grats for us. The last two trips we booked with them had major price drops after final payment and their first response was "sorry, nothing we can do" I let it go on the first trip, just 7 nights but the second was 12 nights and the drop was over $2000 so I pushed back and they got us upgraded to AQ for 1A. Then looking at our current two trips that TA was no longer offering pre-paid grats so we switched to another big, online TA who was offering a better deal. The little guys cannot afford to match the big guys but if I am saving some real money, well it is my money I am saving.

[Lastdance]

It is your money to spend on the cruise, so spend it accordingly. Additionally, I always book onboard or when they first come out for booking. Then I transfer it to the same TA I have been using for five years now. She is fantastic and knows my expectations, always delivering a great amount of OBC! I am happy and we have become friends, even though I am a little higher maintenance than most people!

 

 

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Edited January 4, 2017 by Lastdance

[cyntil8ing]

That said, triple check that you got your Captain's Club one category upgrade (assuming of course the cabins you booked qualified). During one of my bookings I didn't get the upgrade.

 

I did. I booked 06 cabins at the 07 price. It was a savings of $80 for both cabins.

[cyntil8ing]

The last two trips we booked with them had major price drops after final payment and their first response was "sorry, nothing we can do" ... The little guys cannot afford to match the big guys .

 

Yeah, any change would cause a re-calculation of the OBC, even before final payment. Once, I would have lost $50 obc for a $40 price drop. I said to forget it. Funny how upgrading didn't trigger that re-calculation for more obc.

 

The big guys definitely get incentives from Celebrity. We have also booked into TA groups with significantly lower rates.

 

Another bonus of booking direct is no TA cancellation fee. Knock wood, I have never in 20-some cruises moved or changed a date, but there's always a first.

[cyntil8ing]

I always book onboard or when they first come out for booking. Then I transfer it to the same TA I have been using for five years now.

 

The 2018 bookings weren't out when we were last onboard in March 2016, but we have done that in the past.

 

Hmmm, I guess I could transfer the booking I made yesterday. I didn't think about that.

[disfan13]

They didn't ask for the passenger's names? Just your name?

[cyntil8ing]

They didn't ask for the passenger's names? Just your name?

 

Nope, my husband and kids are set up as My Travel Companions in my account profile, so he pulled all the info from there. He even mentioned that he was glad they were there so he didn't have to copy/paste the address info. I added them a few years ago because it made it easier for me to do online check-in.

[Duanerice1]

I've always booked directly with Celebrity but transfer to a TA for the OBC. Don't forget you can still transfer to a TA to see if there is any OBC available.

[cyntil8ing]

Don't forget you can still transfer to a TA to see if there is any OBC available.

 

Thanks. I did call and the TA offered $. I have some time to decide.

[armadillo]

I always book direct with Celebrity - they have always done a great job for me and every time I call they are so willing to find me the best of everything. I have gotten upgrades and many reductions and adds on, but you do have to initiate the call. I figure I can do that and watch my own bookings for price reductions or cabin upgrades, then make the call, and poof it is done!! I have never seen a need for a 'third party' to have to run everything by and depend on them to call when I can make one call and it is done. Glad it worked out well for you, too!

[attilamom1217]

We've been on lots of Celebrity cruises, but have always booked with a TA for booking bonuses. Even for a last minute exciting deal, they would throw in $50 obc for our loyalty, so we always checked the X web site prices, but booked with the TA.

 

 

 

But yesterday, it really surprised me that our TA could not match what I saw on the web site. They offered three perks rather than X's two, but it was only half the OBC, so it ended up with almost a $50 difference, even with the loyalty obc. First time this has ever happened!

 

 

 

I wanted to book adjoining cabins with the adults in one and the kids in the other so I had to call rather than use the web site. There was no wait to talk to an agent and the one I got was pleasant and knowledgeable. He answered my questions and was able to give me exactly what I wanted -- two adults in one cabin with the beverage package and obc and two kids in another cabin with unlimited wifi and obc. I was concerned we would have to put an adult in each cabin to get the Captain's Club upgrade, and that would mess up the beverage package vs wifi perks.

 

 

 

My only quibble is the insurance was included in the booking without my asking, but it was easy enough to remove. We always get insurance 3rd party.

 

 

 

I feel rather bad for not using my TA, but hey, cheaper is cheaper. The phone booking process couldn't have been easier! I never had to dig out our Captain's Club numbers, rattle off the kid's names and birth dates, or give them anything other than my name and credit card info and verify the rest.

 

 

 

Excited to be booked yet again on our "home" ship, the Summit.

 

 

If you transfer to your TA would you still get the Perks (from the TA)?

 

 

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[varoo]

We've been on lots of Celebrity cruises, but have always booked with a TA for booking bonuses. Even for a last minute exciting deal, they would throw in $50 obc for our loyalty, so we always checked the X web site prices, but booked with the TA.

 

But yesterday, it really surprised me that our TA could not match what I saw on the web site. They offered three perks rather than X's two, but it was only half the OBC, so it ended up with almost a $50 difference, even with the loyalty obc. First time this has ever happened!

 

I wanted to book adjoining cabins with the adults in one and the kids in the other so I had to call rather than use the web site. There was no wait to talk to an agent and the one I got was pleasant and knowledgeable. He answered my questions and was able to give me exactly what I wanted -- two adults in one cabin with the beverage package and obc and two kids in another cabin with unlimited wifi and obc. I was concerned we would have to put an adult in each cabin to get the Captain's Club upgrade, and that would mess up the beverage package vs wifi perks.

 

My only quibble is the insurance was included in the booking without my asking, but it was easy enough to remove. We always get insurance 3rd party.

 

I feel rather bad for not using my TA, but hey, cheaper is cheaper. The phone booking process couldn't have been easier! I never had to dig out our Captain's Club numbers, rattle off the kid's names and birth dates, or give them anything other than my name and credit card info and verify the rest.

 

Excited to be booked yet again on our "home" ship, the Summit.

 

Nothing to feel bad about. It is a business transaction.

We also find it is often easiest and fastest to book directly with the cruise line initially.

 

Remember that you now have another 60 days to check around and compare offers from different TAs to find out which will offer you the best additional perks.

So if you find that a better deal comes along, Celebrity makes it very easy to transfer your booking to any TA you choose.

 

I just mark that 60 day deadline on my calendar so I don't forget about it.

 

 

[Cruise Raider]

We've done that before and had a very positive experience. In addition to them matching what a TA would have given us, we could call at any time to make updates to our reservation. They won't always do the match, but when they do, it is so much easier and I would prefer booking directly with the cruiseline.

[hubofhockey]

If you can't get a better price from a TA, then you are using the wrong TA. We currently use a website where you post your cruise choice with cabin type and several online TA respond to you with competing offers. Never fails to provide much better deals than the cruise line, no matter which line you choose.

[Flafun888]

I booked a verandah cabin in 2015 for a 2016 sailing and received free grats for us both as a perk from a big online agency plus group booking OBC bonus.

 

For the same cabin category, within $25 of same pricepoint, same sailing length with them this year - no grats, just $50 total in OBC. No group rate.

 

Not sure if they're trimming back OBC/perks for regular Verandah levels now that the economy is better and they're getting more bookings?

 

Unfortunately, too late for me on this cruise, but likely switching next time.