Captains Club rip off?

[chemmo]

If I don’t like how a company works I vote with my £.....I simply don’t spend it with them. I don’t expect them to change because of something I don’t like.

 

We had lots of happy cruises getting to Elite Plus. It didn’t cost us anything to join, we have enjoyed each little extra free thing as we worked our way up. We will probably never reach Zenith but we don’t care....

 

We have never, nor will we ever, be loyal to any cruise line, hotel chain or airline based on point collecting or point spending. Each purchase we make is based on our comparisons of product price and quality....

[varoo]

I have always heard that to avoid seasickness, it is best to be low and center on the ship, at a location where you have access to fresh air and can see the horizon.

 

That certainly seems to be true for us

(along with having an arsenal of "just in case" non-medicinal seasickness preventatives available as additional precautions for really rough seas).

It has now been decades since I last felt seasick on a ship.

But I am still trying to find that elusive suite with large balcony on deck 1 in the middle of the ship.

[stephencarr5]

Hi there

 

 

Thank you all for taking the time to provide feedback on my originalpost, there are many great comments given, and it has been interesting to readthem all. Thank you also for the great advice help & tips.

 

 

Rather than quoting all the feed backs individually, thoughtit best to cover with one final post on the matter.

 

 

I have had a response back from CC UK

“I do apologise regardinginformation in relation to the loyalty discount for Internet Packages. It iscorrect that this discount is only applicable to the one device package and notto the newly released multiple device packages. Your comments have been forwardedto our web team for their review”

My first word of caution is for those in the UK who chooseto book via the US… We do this occasionally but got caught out! With Brexit andthe drop in the £. A 2 week cruise endedup costing nearly £1000 pounds more (Hence we now stick to booking in the UK) .It would also be interesting to know if a cruise is booked in the US for UKcustomers, if the price guarantee covers this or if anyone has received theOBC.

Pleased to say, that our next 2 cruises (booked) will bringus to Elite level, so look forward to the extra benefits as described in thethread. Let’s face it, the Perks are an added bonus, my only gripe is how they giveinformation about them, which in my opinion could be improved. This just makeslife difficult when trying to weigh up all your options.

 

 

Thanks to the member who gave the 0800 number for CC in theUK, will keep this for all future calls, only a small charge, but with Networkcosts on top this can build up over the years.

 

 

As regard to having 2 online devices, please don’t think weare 24/7 on line! There are some benefitsto having a connection each, such as having quiet times when we both want tocatch up with Friends, post on social media or upload our photos. We don’t necessarywant to plan our days separately to accommodate this. One connection each alsomakes way for a great way to communicate with each other when we are indifferent places on the ship (Via Whats’app or other services) – Still tryingto find out the T&C / User agreement of the Internet at sea packages.

At the end of the day, we all have choices, but need clearand consistent information to make them. I hope that this tread is seen by Celebrity,and they take all the positive feedback as a pointer they almost there, andtake the few negative comments about the programe to help improve it further.

[wendychloecruiser]

I didn't realize that used to be a charge. Just out of curiosity, do you recall what the cost was?

 

It was $35. One time fee. It was circa 1990’s. When X did away with the Founder Classic, I was hoping that “we” would get a few extra bonus captains club points but I guess we got ripped off. :o

[JBare]

If I don’t like how a company works I vote with my £.....I simply don’t spend it with them. I don’t expect them to change because of something I don’t like.

 

We had lots of happy cruises getting to Elite Plus. It didn’t cost us anything to join, we have enjoyed each little extra free thing as we worked our way up. We will probably never reach Zenith but we don’t care....

 

We have never, nor will we ever, be loyal to any cruise line, hotel chain or airline based on point collecting or point spending. Each purchase we make is based on our comparisons of product price and quality....

 

Totally agree.

[Shadow9612]

Location, location, location! C1 aft cabins on M class ships are some of the best for balcony size and views on the ship, bar the FV & PH. Aqua was introduced to sell the less desirable position cabins - even Aqua cheerleaders often don’t take the A1 upgrade and stay with the A2 because of their location ;).

Ahhh, yes, makes perfect sense. Thank you.

[Shadow9612]

IMHO, the Captain's Club benefits are exceptional and I love the program. My only 'wish' would be for a new level between Elite+ and Zenith. I'm not yet E+, but will be one day. Then, I can't see how I would make Zenith ...still, in no way does this mean I don't appreciate the CC benefits I'm already receiving.

[smtcan]

We are Elite+ and appreciate the benefits. The only gripe I have is that if I book inside and upgrade to balcony at an additional charge when the price drops, I still only get CC points for inside. Someone who makes a new balcony booking at the same price gets the full balcony points.

 

This is really academic because we won’t live long enough to reach Zenith unless we cruise in suites, which is very unlikely.

[hcat]

After taking away a bit of the anger portions, you are both right.

 

Movements of the ship, forward/aft pitching, and port/starboard rolling are the main culprits of motion sickness. The lower decks midship reduces the motion felt. Moving into the middle of a ship will also reduce it, and that requires a inside cabin. And for some people, seeing the horizon moving can add to the imbalance felt, leading to motion sicknesses. To recover, they may need rest on a quiet, dark room.

 

So an Inside midship lower deck (3?) would be the best.

 

For many others, certainly the ship’s movements cause motion sickness but seeing the horizon and the outside to give them a reference instead of being in an enclosed space such as an inside cabin helps control the internal imbalance and a lower midship oceanview or even better, a balcony to step,out on and get fresh air is best.

 

See? We can all now be a happy family throwing up in our cabin of choice!

 

Den

 

Off topic of perks which has been well discussed on this thread..but you seem to know a bit about locations...and motions. And would appreciate your thoughts

 

We try to stick mid but have done well a bit more forward..We will be in a Sunset Veranda deck 7 on EDGE..Do you thnk there will be motion issues., ..and hope no vibration. No one has sailed on her yet but hope the SV was an okay choice..

 

We won,t be in our AQ level so E + perks will be helpful...one visit to PG on port day..

[hcat]

I didn't realize that used to be a charge. Just out of curiosity, do you recall what the cost was?

 

No..but it was a modest charge..also got our fee back as a credit . I still have the original founders cards!

[PatC]

I still have my original Captains' Club pin, the tiny one. When I wear it on my visor from Summit, along with the little pins that they used to have on the older ships, everyone asks where I got it. When I tell them, especially crew, they are amazed. Won't give that one up, ever.

[villauk]

 

My first word of caution is for those in the UK who chooseto book via the US… We do this occasionally but got caught out! With Brexit andthe drop in the £. A 2 week cruise endedup costing nearly £1000 pounds more (Hence we now stick to booking in the UK) .It would also be interesting to know if a cruise is booked in the US for UKcustomers, if the price guarantee covers this or if anyone has received theOBC.

 

 

Why didn’t you just cancel your US refundable booking and book in the U.K. instead if the difference was that great? If it was an onboard booking and you didn’t want to lose your extra OBC, you could have moved that booking forward to a future cruise and then rebooked.

 

I’ve stated it year after year on these boards, my CC mantra (as most of the old timers will clarify ;p): check on both sides of the pond before you book to decide which is the best for your particular circumstances, and remember to include all perks in the equation and the flexibility that one gets with booking in the US ;). You win some, you lose some but overall, you need to look at what suits your own circumstances best ;).

[Mynki]

H

My first word of caution is for those in the UK who chooseto book via the US… We do this occasionally but got caught out! With Brexit andthe drop in the £. A 2 week cruise endedup costing nearly £1000 pounds more (Hence we now stick to booking in the UK) .It would also be interesting to know if a cruise is booked in the US for UKcustomers, if the price guarantee covers this or if anyone has received theOBC.

Pleased to say, that our next 2 cruises (booked) will bringus to Elite level, so look forward to the extra benefits as described in thethread. Let’s face it, the Perks are an added bonus, my only gripe is how they giveinformation about them, which in my opinion could be improved. This just makeslife difficult when trying to weigh up all your options.

 

Forgive me if this sounds a little flippant it really isn't meant to be, but there's a couple of errors here. First of all perks are not really an added bonus. You are paying for them in 99% of cases. They're really 'included' as opposed to 'free' or 'added'.

 

Brexit caused the pound to drop from about $1.5 to $1.3 ish... As has been said, you should have simply rebooked. That's the beauty of US bookings you can cancel without penalty up until final payment date.

 

No one knows what will happen with the Brexit debacle, but it would take a pretty serious global event to see such an adjustment in the future and the chances of that happening between final payment date and sailing date, whilst seeing a better deal in the UK are slim to say the least. I'd certainly not be put off booking outside of the UK after assessing all the info.

[TrustMeI'mANurse]

How can one be 'ripped off' by something that is free?

 

"Is it worth it?"

 

Worth what? It's free.

[Redtravel]

If you think you are being ripped off, vote and find another cruise line that makes you happy. I joined Captains Club many years ago after my first cruise on the Zenith. It cost to join. The only real value then was it was free to pick your air flights. That was in the day of the sea air packages. As time passed, the fee was eliminated and the benefits increased. I am now elite plus. It took many years to get there. I enjoy some of the benefits...one category upgrade, free internet minutes, free bags of laundry, nightly event. breakfast, and free specialty coffee and teas. Just wished that they would include free bottled water. At home I drink water all the time. On cruises, I drink coffee/tea. On my last cruise, we were in aqua class. It was nice. However, it would have been nicer if there was more bottled water. Just my thoughts.

[Arzeena]

Hi there

 

 

Is there anyone out there who is feeling a little “hackedoff” with the Celebrity Captains Club as much as we are?

We have sailed with Celebrity for a few years now, but haveonly just reached “Select Status”

 

 

Firstly issue – Emailed the UK email address on the 28thJuly – and still no reply as of 9th August…

 

 

Second issue – Tried to upgrade to C3 cabin, but informedthat this would not attract the C2 Price the only upgrades in C class are fromC1 to C2 – Could not find this clause on the Advertising.

 

 

Third issue – Internet Discount – The web site claims 30%off first Internet package. Tried to get the discount on the current internetpackage for 2 Devices. Were informed that the discount only applies to the 1device price! Therefore the cost of the internet without discount for 2 Devicesworks out cheaper than the discounted price for 2 x Single internet packages.

 

 

With all this misleading and unclear info – thinking ofcomplaining to ASA or Trading Standards! It has become more and more difficult toplan the cruise and keep within budget with all these “exceptions”

Thinking of returning to HA!

 

By reading your post above, I think you are misunderstanding the Captain's Club benefits/perks for different levels. Why not call Captain's Club, and have the benefits for Select level explain to you in detail.

 

On the other hand, give your patronage to and have a fun time on HA if you thin they are not robbing you.

[iSailor]

To be honest it is a rip off.Look at today stock price,it goes up from $100 to $115 within a month.

The cruise prices never go down.:*

[jagoffee]

To be honest it is a rip off.Look at today stock price,it goes up from $100 to $115 within a month.

The cruise prices never go down.:*

 

I guess we are getting a better idea of your definition of “Rip Off”.

 

You can probably find the Captain Club Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith are more to your liking.

 

I find it amazing that even 7 other people agree with you.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise.

[Tatka]

Don't feed anyone by hands. They will bite your hand.

Sounds like it.

[Mr. Click]

We are Elite+ and appreciate the benefits. The only gripe I have is that if I book inside and upgrade to balcony at an additional charge when the price drops, I still only get CC points for inside. Someone who makes a new balcony booking at the same price gets the full balcony points.

 

This is really academic because we won’t live long enough to reach Zenith unless we cruise in suites, which is very unlikely.

 

That is interesting because we have booked balconies and upgrade to CC and Aqua on price drops and we have gotten the extra Captains Club points each time. It happened on 3 of our last 4 cruises and it helped us reach Elite a bit faster the first time it happened. Elite+? Maybe if we live to be 100......

 

OP, please take some time to ready the rules of the upgrade policy and other benefits before you rant. We have enjoyed lots of the benefits offered at every level and as others have said, the cost of being part of the club is zero.

[Orator]

To be honest it is a rip off.Look at today stock price,it goes up from $100 to $115 within a month.

The cruise prices never go down.:*

How does this relate to the topic posted by the OP? Stock price up today in a down market due to a major Upgrade. Stock price is based on future projections of earnings and margins. Price of stock would most likely fall if profits and margins were lowered.

[4774Papa]

I guess we are getting a better idea of your definition of “Rip Off”.

 

You can probably find the Captain Club Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith are more to your liking.

 

I find it amazing that even 7 other people agree with you.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise.

Well Said.

[Mynki]

 

I find it amazing that even 7 other people agree with you.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

Seven people that are probably never described as the brightest stars in the sky....

 

And not one post justifying their vote! :D

[Oceangoer2]

If you think you are being ripped off, vote and find another cruise line that makes you happy. I joined Captains Club many years ago after my first cruise on the Zenith. It cost to join. The only real value then was it was free to pick your air flights. That was in the day of the sea air packages. As time passed, the fee was eliminated and the benefits increased. I am now elite plus. It took many years to get there. I enjoy some of the benefits...one category upgrade, free internet minutes, free bags of laundry, nightly event. breakfast, and free specialty coffee and teas. Just wished that they would include free bottled water. At home I drink water all the time. On cruises, I drink coffee/tea. On my last cruise, we were in aqua class. It was nice. However, it would have been nicer if there was more bottled water. Just my thoughts.

 

Bottled water is included in the beverage packages. Makes that perk more attractive to us. I'm guessing you wish bottled water was included as one of the CC benefits?

[Denny01]

Off topic of perks which has been well discussed on this thread..but you seem to know a bit about locations...and motions. And would appreciate your thoughts

 

We try to stick mid but have done well a bit more forward..We will be in a Sunset Veranda deck 7 on EDGE..Do you thnk there will be motion issues., ..and hope no vibration. No one has sailed on her yet but hope the SV was an okay choice..

 

We won,t be in our AQ level so E + perks will be helpful...one visit to PG on port day..

 

How Dare you post off topic!!!.....oops, you were responding to my off-topic post. OK:

We’ll all have to see what movement and vibration the Edge has in various locations. If you did OK more up ‘front’ (the bow) area, the aft cabins will probably work fine for you. The stern/aft portion of a ship does tend to move a bit more than the forward portion (unless its a good heaving storm!), the stern tends to do a bit of a figure 8 movement, but usually on ships this size, not really noticeable. There is a thread on lots of vibrations on a Baltic cruise aft cabin, you might read that thread.

 

But only a supposition that the Edge should be fine. I’d chance it, I hear the Sunset cabins are really nice on the stern.....but of course they are only ‘sunset’ cabins when cruising East - when cruising West, they are Sunrise cabins (no idea what a ‘sunrise’ is since I don’t ever get up in time anymore!), and when crusing North or South you’ll get both - or neither depending on the month!

 

enough, I’ve probably lost you on all my silliness.

 

Den