BEWARE of the MOVE UP bidding!

[jkgourmet]

Where are you located? We sail in 34 days, and the Captains Club was willing to upgrade me to the Royal Suite for $800/pp. without any hesitation. I declined. I also received the move up email.

 

Not that Celebrity cares, but I called to tell them that I can upgrade to the Royal Suite for the current online pricing of $800/pp more with go best and my move up email was a starting bid of $1,000 more. Which they considered a weak bid.

 

Again, they don't care, but I wanted them to know that we are not stupid and their shenanigans are getting out of control.

 

What "shenanigan"? Like any business, their sole goal is to make a profit for their stockholders. We, as passengers, may not like or agree with how they decide to achieve that goal. Ultimately, we have the choice to participate in their goal by being passengers or not.

[FreesiaE]

Where are you located? We sail in 34 days, and the Captains Club was willing to upgrade me to the Royal Suite for $800/pp. without any hesitation. I declined. I also received the move up email.

 

Not that Celebrity cares, but I called to tell them that I can upgrade to the Royal Suite for the current online pricing of $800/pp more with go best and my move up email was a starting bid of $1,000 more. Which they considered a weak bid.

 

Again, they don't care, but I wanted them to know that we are not stupid and their shenanigans are getting out of control.

 

We’re in the US. Right now we are Conceirge Class. I was interested in a bit more space. We’re fine where we are at, but if the right opportunity arose, we’d be content to make a move.

[Want2Cruise 701]

What "shenanigan"? Like any business, their sole goal is to make a profit for their stockholders. We, as passengers, may not like or agree with how they decide to achieve that goal. Ultimately, we have the choice to participate in their goal by being passengers or not.

 

Celebrity never used to things like this to fill cabins, and I feel it's deceptive to let you think you're getting a deal to bid when the lowest bid is more than what you can get without. Also, they tell you that bid is weak to boot. I still like Celebrity but just not as much as I used to since Bayley and LLP. The inflated pricing and the bundle package with the 123go and now the go big, better and best. Service and food have declined a bit. The drinks were better and the difference in food between the MDR and specialty restaurants was minimal. I also have to pay more now for a Suite to get the same enjoyment I used to out of a Celebrity cruise. Also, the last several years all my sailings have plummeted in price after final payment. I used to never worry about that. Their prices were reasonable from the beginning and they went up from there. The amount of unsold cabins compared to years ago is significant as well.

 

This is just my opinion, but I feel Celebrity as a whole has changed. Others may disagree and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I respect that.

[jkgourmet]

Celebrity never used to things like this to fill cabins, and I feel it's deceptive to let you think you're getting a deal to bid when the lowest bid is more than what you can get without. Also, they tell you that bid is weak to boot. I still like Celebrity but just not as much as I used to since Bayley and LLP. The inflated pricing and the bundle package with the 123go and now the go big, better and best. Service and food have declined a bit. The drinks were better and the difference in food between the MDR and specialty restaurants was minimal. I also have to pay more now for a Suite to get the same enjoyment I used to out of a Celebrity cruise. Also, the last several years all my sailings have plummeted in price after final payment. I used to never worry about that. Their prices were reasonable from the beginning and they went up from there. The amount of unsold cabins compared to years ago is significant as well.

 

This is just my opinion, but I feel Celebrity as a whole has changed. Others may disagree and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I respect that.

 

I'm not at all sure that I agree with you about the number of unsold cabins decreasing. This statistical reference indicates otherwise (note that these combine all the brands under Royal Caribbean - I cannot find specifics for Celebrity alone.) https://www.statista.com/statistics/224264/royal-caribbean-cruises-occupancy-rate/

 

I recognize that the bundled packages don't please some cruisers. But I DO believe they are generating more passengers for those cruise lines. NCL has added a all inclusive alcohol package and other perks to many (all?) sailings. There is significant growth in cruise lines that offer more inclusive cruises (take a look at Viking Ocean. Take a look at the growth in river cruises). Just like the growth in all inclusive resorts, this type of cruising attracts more people - new cruisers and those from other cruise lines. We are an example: We would very much like to go back the HAL, but they simply are overpriced by comparison to the total value we get on Celebrity (NOTE - we book whatever cabin we have to to get those perks - usually an OV. No perks - we get an inside and pay for gratuities and the alcohol package. I'm sure that suite passengers, etc. have a different experience with pricing - but they are also getting big additions like Blu and Luminae.)

 

 

We have this discussion all the time, and I do think there are valid opinions/sides to both viewpoints. But there still remains the fact that everyone has the choice to sail on Celebrity, sail on another cruise line or not sail at all. Wall Street expects higher returns from virtually all corporations. Celebrity is certainly not alone in cutting back services and/or product to maintain or increase profits.

[Azulann]

What "shenanigan"? Like any business, their sole goal is to make a profit for their stockholders. We, as passengers, may not like or agree with how they decide to achieve that goal. Ultimately, we have the choice to participate in their goal by being passengers or not.

 

 

 

So now Celebrity has folks bidding for suites? I left Celebrity for Viking Ocean ships because Celebrity has gone crazy with its gimmicks and their on board service continued to shrink.

Found a great new home . BTW Viking is a privately held cruise line . The owner has a great vision of what cruising is all about.

I do thank Celebrity for my first cruise experience on the Century many years ago.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Want2Cruise 701]

I'm not at all sure that I agree with you about the number of unsold cabins decreasing. This statistical reference indicates otherwise (note that these combine all the brands under Royal Caribbean - I cannot find specifics for Celebrity alone.) https://www.statista.com/statistics/224264/royal-caribbean-cruises-occupancy-rate/

 

I agree. You read it the wrong way. I said the number of unsold cabins is SIGNIFICANT meaning there are alot more unsold compared to the past.

[Want2Cruise 701]

So now Celebrity has folks bidding for suites? I left Celebrity for Viking Ocean ships because Celebrity has gone crazy with its gimmicks and their on board service continued to shrink.

Found a great new home . BTW Viking is a privately held cruise line . The owner has a great vision of what cruising is all about.

I do thank Celebrity for my first cruise experience on the Century many years ago.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

It's not just for Suites. Celebrity just started this new process called Move Up. They are trying to sell unsold cabins last minute. It targets certain cruisers with an email. The email will give you a choice to bid on an upgraded cabin starting with a minimum bid.

 

In our case, we were booked in a Celebrity Suite. They gave us the opportunity to upgrade to a Royal and Penthouse both for $1,000 starting bid and upward. And, if you went on line the difference for what we paid between the Celebrity and Royal suite was $800. That's a $200/pp difference. I could've called Celebrity and upgraded myself for less if I wanted. I agree with you. It's definitely gimmicks and shenanigans.

[jkgourmet]

I agree. You read it the wrong way. I said the number of unsold cabins is SIGNIFICANT meaning there are alot more unsold compared to the past.

 

I am the one who said it wrong. Based on occupancy rates (see my link), the ships are sailing with more passengers each year. More passengers = more cabins sold.

[Azulann]

It's not just for Suites. Celebrity just started this new process called Move Up. They are trying to sell unsold cabins last minute. It targets certain cruisers with an email. The email will give you a choice to bid on an upgraded cabin starting with a minimum bid.

 

 

 

In our case, we were booked in a Celebrity Suite. They gave us the opportunity to upgrade to a Royal and Penthouse both for $1,000 starting bid and upward. And, if you went on line the difference for what we paid between the Celebrity and Royal suite was $800. That's a $200/pp difference. I could've called Celebrity and upgraded myself for less if I wanted. I agree with you. It's definitely gimmicks and shenanigans.

 

 

 

HA it still looks like this new gimmick is not even consistent!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[BEAV]

When I read the terms and conditions in the email, the move up program does not include any benefits at all. I also called the Captains Club to check. The Move Up does not include anything at all even for Suites.

 

So the answer is No. Your will not get refunded. Your package will stay. If you have the Go best currently it will stay. Whatever you have on reservation currently stays but nothing will be added. And, if you don't have any perks or obc on your reservation, you will not get any with the Move Up.

 

Suites don't always come with the Go Best. And, our current sailing, they are offering the Royal Suite and Penthouse suite for a discounted rate without any perks. I was surprised when I saw that. They really want to move those cabins.

 

With regard only to RS and PS my understanding is that the Premium Alcohol package, internet package and unlimited specialty restaurants is a perk of the accommodation type, regardless of fare type purchased. For example Transatlantic sailings that don’t offer the Go BBB, the perks I mentioned above are still included to RS/PS, but not in CS/S1/S2. We bought a RS on a Transpacific on resident rate and received the premium package, internet and specialty dining as an inclusive of the room type. If someone sailed in RS/PS as the result of a successful MoveUp bid, I’d be surprised if they didn’t receive these perks. Hopefully someone will actually accomplish this (MoveUp) and report back what they did or didn’t receive. When you read the description of RS/PS, these 3 perks are listed along with a long list of other items describing these 2 room types.

[richstowe]

Yes, that is correct about it having to be a higher cost, but I wondered if X were going to phase it out with the new ‘MoveUp’ programme coming online? Expect they will wait and see how it works out?

Exactly my thoughts . Unfortunately if the new program is successful I can predict the future .

So now Celebrity has folks bidding for suites? I left Celebrity for Viking Ocean ships because Celebrity has gone crazy with its gimmicks and their on board service continued to shrink.

Found a great new home . BTW Viking is a privately held cruise line . The owner has a great vision of what cruising is all about.

I do thank Celebrity for my first cruise experience on the Century many years ago.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Great post .Viking Ocean cruises are very tempting especially for those who want a step-up from the other mass market brands . Wondering which cruise lines Viking is getting their customers from . The name Celebrity occurs . ;p

[SadieC]

We upgraded from a Celebrity suite to a Royal suite for no cost last November for the Panama. We already had the Go Best package and all that stayed the same. Was great!

That being said, going to try Regent Mariner this November for a change. Love the fact that everything is included, but have always been loyal to Celebrity up to this point-but things are definitely changing that's for sure.

[Hlitner]

The concept of "upsells" has been around for years with several other cruise lines. HAL has taken upsells to an art form and we know folks who book certain cabin categories with the expectation of later getting an upsell offer to a much higher category (it does not always happen). We have never played the game with X..but have played the upsell game with HAL. When offered upsells we have sometimes responded with a counter offer. On one 62 day HAL cruise we did manage to get an upsell deal which put us in a very nice suite.

 

Recently we were on a Golden Princess cruise in Asia. A few weeks prior to the cruise we received an e-mail upsell offer to bid on a large suite. But Princess has an interesting process on upsells. You call a special toll free number and it automatically puts you in a queue for the upsells. You later here from Princess as to whether or not you got the upsell.

 

Years ago (we started cruising in the 70s) most cruise lines routinely gave out free upgrades...and they were often amazing upgrades (such as to a suite). But the lines have now decided that it makes little sense to give something away for free when they can enhance their bottom line by "upsells" instead of "upgrades."

 

This has even happened to us on an airline. SAS is now using a bidding strategy for upgrades to Premium Economy and/or Business Class. This only happens when there are available seats and its an interesting process. They set a minimum bid and you are free to bid any price from the minimum up! This is done electronically and the upgrades go to the highest bidder.

[villauk]

 

This has even happened to us on an airline. SAS is now using a bidding strategy for upgrades to Premium Economy and/or Business Class. This only happens when there are available seats and its an interesting process. They set a minimum bid and you are free to bid any price from the minimum up! This is done electronically and the upgrades go to the highest bidder.

 

Well, isn’t that the very similar to X’s Move Up policy: they have a minimum bidding amount, except that in the OP’s example, they are actually offering the same cabins to new reservations for less than the minimum bid?

 

I still return to the point that will X cease with allowing paid upgrades after FP (when pricing has often dropped and pax want better cabins at the reduced rate) if they can charge more from the Move Up programme and receive increased income? Is this a trial to see what it generates and then for it to be implemented?

 

The money for the multi-million M class refurbishments has got to come from somewhere ;).

[Want2Cruise 701]

With regard only to RS and PS my understanding is that the Premium Alcohol package, internet package and unlimited specialty restaurants is a perk of the accommodation type, regardless of fare type purchased. For example Transatlantic sailings that don’t offer the Go BBB, the perks I mentioned above are still included to RS/PS, but not in CS/S1/S2. We bought a RS on a Transpacific on resident rate and received the premium package, internet and specialty dining as an inclusive of the room type. If someone sailed in RS/PS as the result of a successful MoveUp bid, I’d be surprised if they didn’t receive these perks. Hopefully someone will actually accomplish this (MoveUp) and report back what they did or didn’t receive. When you read the description of RS/PS, these 3 perks are listed along with a long list of other items describing these 2 room types.

 

There is a first for everything, and they are offering the RS and Penthouse without perks. I wonder how Celebrity is getting around this. They still advertise all the perks for the Royal and Penthouse suites included, but on my sailing, the pricing is now $3800/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp. This is for the Royal Suite. The Penthouse is now $6649/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp.

[BEAV]

There is a first for everything, and they are offering the RS and Penthouse without perks. I wonder how Celebrity is getting around this. They still advertise all the perks for the Royal and Penthouse suites included, but on my sailing, the pricing is now $3800/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp. This is for the Royal Suite. The Penthouse is now $6649/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp.

 

 

I don’t disagree at all with what you’re saying, except to differentiate Go Best (Premium alcohol, $150 (pp) OBC, Internet & Gratuities) from the RS/PH amenities of Premium Alcohol, Specialty Dining and Internet. I still hold out one would receive the RS/PH published amenities, but I’m not willing to put my $$$ where my mouth is to test the waters, either! [emoji4]

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[jagoffee]

There is a first for everything, and they are offering the RS and Penthouse without perks. I wonder how Celebrity is getting around this. They still advertise all the perks for the Royal and Penthouse suites included, but on my sailing, the pricing is now $3800/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp. This is for the Royal Suite. The Penthouse is now $6649/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp.

 

As mentioned above I am sure you are confusing the Perks associated with the BBB. With the Best you get four of the Perks. On most cruise (not repositioning cruises) Celebrity offers a single regular price for suites that include the Best (all four perks). The Perks are Classic Drink Package, Free Internet, $300 OBC, free gratuities, and an upgrade to the Premium Drink Package. If you book a RS, you get no value out of the Free Premium Drink Package and Internet as it is already include in the benefits (along with many other items) with the RS booking.

If you book a RS in a repositioning Cruise you do not get the Best Perks. With a RS you still get the Premium Drink Package, Free Internet, and the many other benefits. You do not receive the free gratuities and $300 OBC. I have done this twice, so I know it is true.

 

One time I received a reduced paid upgrade to a RS, but I only received the CC points for my original Sky Suite booking. I suspect this might be true for this new bidding process, but I have yet to an offer under this new offer.

 

I am amazed that Celebrity is offering a starting bid for an upgrade at a price that is greater than the current on line price. I would hope this is just a misunderstanding. I would just call and upgrade without bidding.

 

Good luck

[richstowe]

There is a first for everything, and they are offering the RS and Penthouse without perks. I wonder how Celebrity is getting around this. They still advertise all the perks for the Royal and Penthouse suites included, but on my sailing, the pricing is now $3800/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp. This is for the Royal Suite. The Penthouse is now $6649/pp without anything or you can add the Go Best for $500/pp.

Another poster was unhappy with your use of the word shenanigan

to describe Celebrity's marketing gimmicks . So reduced perks for full suites with

a bargain basement price of over 13 thousand ??? :eek: I'd say it's a perfect word .

[retired floridian]

We sail on the Millennium the 18th of this month on our first cruise. We had booked and paid in full for a Celebrity suite with the four perks of OBC, internet, premium drink package and paid gratuities. Yesterday I saw Royal suites available for $400 less than we paid. I was given an upgrade to RS as an even swap, with all the perks plus those offered in the RS. I was told because we had paid in full we could not get the lower price. Fair enough. Also, we had used OBC for a specialty restaurant reservation and tbat was credited back to OBC on request.

[jagoffee]

We sail on the Millennium the 18th of this month on our first cruise. We had booked and paid in full for a Celebrity suite with the four perks of OBC, internet, premium drink package and paid gratuities. Yesterday I saw Royal suites available for $400 less than we paid. I was given an upgrade to RS as an even swap, with all the perks plus those offered in the RS. I was told because we had paid in full we could not get the lower price. Fair enough. Also, we had used OBC for a specialty restaurant reservation and tbat was credited back to OBC on request.

 

Congratulation. That is a sweet suite deal. Enjoy.

[wrk2cruise]

I have booked Royal Suites using the Resident or Senior Discount which does not include the 4 perks offered for standard suite bookings in the Caribbean. Yes we did get all the perks included with the RS including the premium bev package and unlimited internet. In fact I find it troubling that the the upcharge for including the 4 suite perks is exactly the same as it is for SS and CS categories which is why I always take this rate if available as I feel I only want to pay for the drink pkg and internet once!

[jagoffee]

I have booked Royal Suites using the Resident or Senior Discount which does not include the 4 perks offered for standard suite bookings in the Caribbean. Yes we did get all the perks included with the RS including the premium bev package and unlimited internet. In fact I find it troubling that the the upcharge for including the 4 suite perks is exactly the same as it is for SS and CS categories which is why I always take this rate if available as I feel I only want to pay for the drink pkg and internet once!

 

True. You do get the OBC and gratuities. I am never sure whether I am really paying the Big price and getting the Best Perks or just being forced to pay the Best price for a Suite. I usually do not see the Resident or Senior rate like you do. I must book the wrong cruises.

Can you give me an example with an exact cruise, so I can look it up and see your point?

Thanks.

[BEAV]

Can you give me an example with an exact cruise, so I can look it up and see your point?.

 

Look at Millie, May 25 sailing (2018). RS Senior rate is $4699. Non-senior Go Best rate is $5099. So $800 less for 2 passengers (if seniors) and you still get Premium package, internet and specialty restaurants. You don’t get gratuities, but at that price point most TAs are going to give enough $$ in

OBC to cover the cost of gratuities.

[TFree]

We sail on the Millennium the 18th of this month on our first cruise. We had booked and paid in full for a Celebrity suite with the four perks of OBC, internet, premium drink package and paid gratuities. Yesterday I saw Royal suites available for $400 less than we paid. I was given an upgrade to RS as an even swap, with all the perks plus those offered in the RS. I was told because we had paid in full we could not get the lower price. Fair enough. Also, we had used OBC for a specialty restaurant reservation and tbat was credited back to OBC on request.

 

We had a similar experience on the Equinox cruise we finished last week. We had paid in full for an S2 suite. After the final payment date, I noticed that the S1 had now dropped to a price $100 per person below what we had paid for the S2. I had heard of the "$1 rule" but didn't really understand it, and it made no sense to me. So I asked our cruise TA customer service department to get the free upgrade to an S1. It took her over an hour on the phone with Celebrity, and multiple phone calls, to eventually find someone who would approve the free upgrade. But she got it done (no refund of the difference, just the free upgrade).

 

Part of it was misinformation. They originally told her that my new S1 price was without perks. I knew that was wrong and sent the TA a link to show that this price included the perks. I now wonder if part of the difficulty was the "$1 rule" lurking in the background. But at any rate, our experience and that of Retired Floridian show that the $1 rule is not hard and fast. Whether it goes away in light of the Move Up program, who knows.

 

Tom & Judy

[Hlitner]

Celebrity and several other cruise lines are now doing so many marketing gimmicks that its hard for anyone to keep track on no what is best (we think this is part of their strategy). If you are trying to compare several different cruises (with different lines) it can drive you to drink (even without a Happy Hour).

 

So what to do? We suggest a simple exercise which to reduce everything to a single number...."cost per passenger day." This is simply the total cost of the cruise, adjusted for the "real value" of all the perks and OBCs, divided by the number of days of the cruise. But the key is to use "real value" of the perks and not the value alloted by the cruise line :). So, if Celebrity tells me that a drink package is worth $60 per passenger day....I ignore that in my calculations and count it at $40 per passenger day. Why? Because having spent over 1000 days cruising I know that DW and I will average $70 - $80 per passenger day (for the two of us) for drinks. Even when we have had the Celebrity Premium Drink Package we only had drinks that would have averaged out to this $70 - $80 per day. As to Internet packages, they count as zero in my calculations because we get enough free internet with our Elite Plus status. Even if we had unlimited internet it would make no difference since we do not spend our cruise time online...other then to check our e-mails once a day and sometimes text.

 

My message is simple. Do not get caught up in the values that cruise lines attribute to their perks. Only consider the real value that perk has to you!

 

Hank