Celebrity introducing nonrefundable deposits?

[leaveitallbehind]

Since Celebrity's current CEO comes from a Royal Caribbean background it would explain the current series of changes. I think Celebrity would be wise to take a minute and remember what has made them special in the marketplace. Progress is important and inevitable, and of course profit is every company's goal, but sagacious progress would be prudent and remembering who your customer base is would be smart business IMHO.

 

Actually her background is split about evenly between Celebrity, where she was SVP Hotel Operations for Celebrity and Azamara, and VP Onboard Revenue, and RCI where she held several senior sales and marketing positions, and most recently that of EVP of Operations.

 

There clearly is an RCI parent company culture that is overlaying much of what each line is doing from an ops standpoint. But they are separate brands with individual identities and target markets. It would be nice to retain each brand identity but the more each one adopts the same operations format the less defined those brands become IMO. And that is what I find disappointing.

[gerelmx]

I as well am not crazy about this policy.

I would not be planning so far ahead, but to get a cabin that we want,

it is a necessity.

Thanks for listening :)

 

One example of necessity to book far ahead is a B2B in the same cabin

[NantahalaCruiser]

Andy's information is interesting. They will give you a choice of refundable higher price, or non-refundable for a lower price, for a specific November promotion.

 

I would bet, without hesitation, that they will make this two choice system the standard. Royal already does. HAL is doing it.

 

Further I would expect that the non-refundable/lower fare option will be at the current price level equivalent.

 

One fact not being discussed is that the cruise lines rely on bookings to keep the public stock markets happy that sales are strong. The company would have to reeducate the market analysts.

 

I realize that others in this thread have said similar, or pieces, I just wanted to put all together.

 

Ken

No reeducation required. Analysts of RCCL are already familiar with the same existing policy on the sister company RCI

[caribill]

 

 

Anon,

Above is an example from Royal.

 

 

12% higher for the refundable deposit. Insurance usually just costs around 7%. Of course if you purchase insurance for a cruise with a refundable deposit, the insurance cost will be based on the higher price that comes with a refundable deposit.

[caribill]

Don't forget that much of the filling up may indeed be TA's grabbing inventory, which if not sold by final payment is returned to inventory.

 

TAs may commit to a number of cabins, but they are not considered booked until customers actually book them.

[CruisingUS]

 

 

Anon,

Above is an example from Royal.

 

 

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wow.....i haven't sailed with RCI in a while. when did they do this again? i need flexibility and shouldn't have to pay a premium for essentially nothing in return.

[Mynki]

wow.....i haven't sailed with RCI in a while. when did they do this again? i need flexibility and shouldn't have to pay a premium for essentially nothing in return.

 

Are you looking at booking after final payment date or well in advance?

[AnOnymously]

Are you looking at booking after final payment date or well in advance?

 

Surely you get in return that you have flexibility and can simply ask for your money back and get it and if you continue it comes off final payment. What do you think the cruise line gets if you simply pull out?

 

Try booking UK style with all deposits non-refundable.

[Mynki]

Surely you get in return that you have flexibility and can simply ask for your money back and get it and if you continue it comes off final payment. What do you think the cruise line gets if you simply pull out?

 

Try booking UK style with all deposits non-refundable.

 

Hey, hey, hey, morning Mr Happy

 

Ready for the weekend? Next two cruises coming up soon were booked in the UK with non refundable deposits.

 

Thankfully though I did my homework a long time ago and understood the pros and cons of making UK and US bookings so as not to make any schoolboy errors and end up disappointed. Quite clearly I understand how these games work much better than you. :)

 

Infact, the last cruise I booked out of Southampton was with Celebrity UK. I lost the £150 per person deposit when they changed the offer to a genuine BOGOF deal so we cancelled and rebooked. We were still around £600 per person better off compared to a US though which kind of shows how naive your "level playing field" comments are.

 

Still, I'm sure the forum members are educating you pretty well. Cruise Critic is excellent for that. Stick around and learn something. :)

[hcat]

Can someone with a report button pls let Moderators know about the two threads so they might be combined.

Cant find the button

Thanks

[AnOnymously]

Hey, hey, hey, morning Mr Happy

 

Ready for the weekend? Next two cruises coming up soon were booked in the UK with non refundable deposits.

 

Thankfully though I did my homework a long time ago and understood the pros and cons of making UK and US bookings so as not to make any schoolboy errors and end up disappointed. Quite clearly I understand how these games work much better than you. :)

 

Infact, the last cruise I booked out of Southampton was with Celebrity UK. I lost the £150 per person deposit when they changed the offer to a genuine BOGOF deal so we cancelled and rebooked. We were still around £600 per person better off compared to a US though which kind of shows how naive your "level playing field" comments are.

 

Still, I'm sure the forum members are educating you pretty well. Cruise Critic is excellent for that. Stick around and learn something. :)

Afternoon here , plenty of gardening this weekend, absolutely lovely weather.

 

Sorry that you wanted to try and take a swipe and did not even bother to answer the questions I posed. Ah well, glad I am the happy one.

[shipshape sam]

Not sure how it fully works, but like idea that people will find it harder to book multiple cruises and select prime cabins knowing they will be releasing some of them.

 

I did think it was originally started/limited to suites.

[Globehoppers]

Don't forget that much of the filling up may indeed be TA's grabbing inventory, which if not sold by final payment is returned to inventory.

 

Not just TAs. There are far too many who play the stateroom game of making a reservation and canceling when a "better deal" or "better cruise" comes along. Much of that can be attributed to CC discussions, the rest to greed. Locking up a stateroom until just prior to "final payment" costs the cruise lines in lost sales. So they have finally decided to punish everyone for the greed of a few...

[MisterBill99]

Not just TAs. There are far too many who play the stateroom game of making a reservation and canceling when a "better deal" or "better cruise" comes along. Much of that can be attributed to CC discussions, the rest to greed. Locking up a stateroom until just prior to "final payment" costs the cruise lines in lost sales. So they have finally decided to punish everyone for the greed of a few...

Given that people will still be able to do this by booking at ahigher price, I don't see how this will solve the problem {if, in fact, that is why they're doing it).

 

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[Merly]

Nothing new here. In the U.K., and I think other European countries, if you cancel you lose your deposit. If you change reservations you are charged a fee. If the price goes down, tough! Book what you intend to take and at a price you are happy to pay.

[Mynki]

Nothing new here. In the U.K., and I think other European countries, if you cancel you lose your deposit. If you change reservations you are charged a fee. If the price goes down, tough! Book what you intend to take and at a price you are happy to pay.

 

Don't take this personally but if that's aimed at UK cruisers it could well be the worst advice I've ever seen.

 

Occasionally the price drops are so large that it's worth cancelling and rebooking. Even though you forfeit your deposit you can still be ahead. Or book in the US and enjoy a more flexible system.

 

Whilst I don't disagree with your last sentence, why not take advantage of price drops when you can? Even when you're happy with the price you paid originally.

[leaveitallbehind]

wow.....i haven't sailed with RCI in a while. when did they do this again? i need flexibility and shouldn't have to pay a premium for essentially nothing in return.

 

Again?? This is the first time in 25 years of cruising with RCI that I am aware of them doing it - and it started in July / August of this year.

[hcat]

Link to other thread,.,same topic, both started same day...if they cant be linked lets just keep one going

 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2557572

[gimletgal]

Can someone with a report button pls let Moderators know about the two threads so they might be combined.

Cant find the button

Thanks

It's the triangle with the exclamation point in the middle - right next to the post # (upper right side of post). :)

[MVPinBoynton]

It's the triangle with the exclamation point in the middle - right next to the post # (upper right side of post). :)

 

And if you are on an iPhone, you will only see it in landscape view.

[Merly]

Don't take this personally but if that's aimed at UK cruisers it could well be the worst advice I've ever seen.

 

Occasionally the price drops are so large that it's worth cancelling and rebooking. Even though you forfeit your deposit you can still be ahead. Or book in the US and enjoy a more flexible system.

 

Whilst I don't disagree with your last sentence, why not take advantage of price drops when you can? Even when you're happy with the price you paid originally.

 

 

My comment wasn’t ‘aimed’ at any one. I was just telling it how it is here. When we book we pay a non refundable deposit of £300 (about $400). So it has to be a good price drop to lose that and benefit. Having said that we have done just that on one occasion.

However I am still of the view that one should book cruises one wants to take and not book speculatively, with the intention of cancelling before final payment.

[leaveitallbehind]

My comment wasn’t ‘aimed’ at any one. I was just telling it how it is here. When we book we pay a non refundable deposit of £300 (about $400). So it has to be a good price drop to lose that and benefit. Having said that we have done just that on one occasion.

However I am still of the view that one should book cruises one wants to take and not book speculatively, with the intention of cancelling before final payment.

 

Let me start this response by saying I am sensitive to the restrictions of non-US bookings and feel that any restrictions associated with them are at the least unfortunate.

 

We have booked many cruises over our many years of cruising, often several at a time. It isn't a matter of booking speculatively with any predetermined intent of cancelling. What would be the point in that?

 

But having the flexibility to change a booking if needed without penalty is the key . As all of our bookings originate in the US, we have never had any issue with canceling or rebooking to another date or itinerary if the need arose, and rarely have cancelled outright. But to at least have that flexibility has been one of the reasons we would book cruises in advance.

 

There have been many occasions where our plans have been impacted resulting in unforeseen changes and this flexibility has allowed us to preserve a booking, albeit with the necessary changes. As example the Future Cruise Certificates were originally offered with that express intent included at no charge. But this flexibility has historically applied to all bookings prior to final payment.

 

My opposition to this new policy is not so much based on the restrictions associated with a non-refundable fare as this is offered as an option and not a mandate. The issue is that - as mentioned previously - in our observation the now non-refundable rate is at the original level as that which used to be refundable. And the new refundable rate is now higher, IMO simply making this a method to increase the cruise line's fare base and bottom line. So the result is we will now be paying a premium for the "privilege" of having flexibility that for all the years we have cruised was the norm.

Edited October 28, 2017 by leaveitallbehind

[serendipity1499]

Can someone with a report button pls let Moderators know about the two threads so they might be combined.

Cant find the button

Thanks

 

I did report it two days ago..Perhaps someone else needs to report it..I agree the two threads should be merged..

 

Anyone who is on a PC can see the report button in the upper right hand corner of a post..Hit the little red triangle next to the post Number..When you report it be sure to scroll down & hit report post..

[Lastdance]

What about Celebrity having to incorporate these two prices in their web site? I can see all sorts of issues like not being able to click on the price you want etc. I am considering just going back to regular cabins and not suites,but I do want to keep the option of price drops and need to know how that would work with transferring to a TA etc.

 

It will be interesting to say the least...I also book insurance. Many are most likely booking cruises now to offset the new pricing choices. I am interested in the westbound Edge TA, but will not be booking a suit this time.

 

 

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[RDC1]

As long as they offer a refundable option at a slightly higher price, I would book the refundable early, then convert to the non-refundable close to final payment. If the rates go down I can take advantage of it. If the rates go up such that the non-refundable is higher then the original refundable then stay with it. Over time I would expect that the costs would still work on better with the refundable and taking advantage of any drops.