Celebrity don't refare?

[sailco]

Our balcony cabin on an upcoming cruise is now selling for over $1200 less than we paid. A few people on our roll call have refared with cabin upgrades etc. Our long time TA is now semi independent online said her wholesaler told her "Celebrity doesn't refare". We're just under 70 days from sailing which may mean something. What we'd like to know is whether Celebrity do refare but maybe not in this situation, or is it our TA or the fact we're in Australia?

[bluwes]

The T&C'S in the UK and Australia are different to those in the USA. The only way around it is to cancel and re book, if its before final payment. If perks are the same the only thing you will lose is your deposit, and if that amount is less than the difference in price then you're a winner.

 

Edit: Just noticed you're 70 days out from sailing, so its not an option for you.

[cruisestitch]

In general, Celebrity does not refare. What they often will do (for passengers in the US and Canada) is change you to a higher grade of cabin if, after Final Payment, the price goes down. Passengers in the UK aren't eligible for that, so it is quite possible that you, in Australia, are also not able to upgrade to a higher stateroom class. Look at where your fellow passengers who have upgraded their cabins are from -- I'm guessing none are from Australia.

 

After Final Payment, some cruise prices go up. They don't ask you to pay the new higher fare. And when cruise prices go down, they don't refund the difference.

[nh282028]

Yep like us sometimes it sucks when you book in Australia. Next time I’m definitely going to look into booking through a US TA.

 

 

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[cruise47]

I wish Celebrity would rethink this policy. It seen to be totally unfair to loyal cruisers?

[G.M.T.]

I wish Celebrity would rethink this policy. It seen to be totally unfair to loyal cruisers?

It maybe that Celebrity's hands are tied. Could be that the local (foreign) country does not allow any changes to the contract after final payment.

 

Celebrity's T&C will always take second place to the countrys own laws.

 

Same but true.

[cruisestitch]

"I wish Celebrity would rethink this policy. It seen to be totally unfair to loyal cruisers?"

 

 

If you buy a coat at your local department store and later it goes on sale, do you ask them to re-price the coat? It was a price you agreed to when you bought it, you agreed to purchase it at that price.

 

 

If you buy an airplane ticket and later a ticket for the same flight goes on sale, do you get a refund? even a frequent flyer doesn't get their ticket refared.

Why should a cruise be any different?

After Final Payment date, your price is locked in. It's really not a good idea to look at prices after that time. The cruise line is trying to fill empty rooms, so they begin to discount the prices for new bookings. Yours wouldn't be a new booking, so it doesn't qualify. You booked the cruise at a price you were comfortable with at the time, so just let it go at that.

[HawaiiUK]

"I wish Celebrity would rethink this policy. It seen to be totally unfair to loyal cruisers?"

 

 

If you buy a coat at your local department store and later it goes on sale, do you ask them to re-price the coat? It was a price you agreed to when you bought it, you agreed to purchase it at that price.

 

 

If you buy an airplane ticket and later a ticket for the same flight goes on sale, do you get a refund? even a frequent flyer doesn't get their ticket refared.

Why should a cruise be any different?

 

Actually I did that with a ring I purchased! Bought it one day; the next it had been reduced in price so I went back to the shop and asked if they'd honour the difference. They did. (I think it had to be ordered in, so I'd paid for it, but hadn't received it just to add context).

[billslowsky]

If you buy a coat at your local department store and later it goes on sale, do you ask them to re-price the coat?

 

Oh, absolutely, if it's more than a nominal difference.

 

Don't you?

[oskarNZ]

Even though I’ve never personally tried for a upgrade or price change, everything I have read suggests that it’s not something us downunder cruisers can do once past final payment.

 

From a business perspective, I can understand why this is the case, but it’s still frustrating when there is one rule for some and not for others.

[gerelmx]

Here in MX we can do upgrades a re-fare only before final payment date.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Celebrity has refared for us at the time of final payment without offering an upgrade instead. In fact, Celebrity has never offered us an upgrade. We usually book on board and we live in the US. We are Elite Plus in Captain's Club. I don't know if any of those factors are the reason Celebrity did refare for us in the past. Perhaps, however, there has been a policy change because when we recently made final payment on a late November 2018 cruise, they would not refare that cruise.

[alcpa1]

We have sailed with passengers from many countries and the terms and conditions often are affected by the home country's rules and regulations. And I know it won't help but on more than a couple of cruises our Aussie and English friends have paid a lower fare than we have. It hasn't always happened but the presumption that North Americans always get the best rates is just not true.

[Hlitner]

We have sailed with passengers from many countries and the terms and conditions often are affected by the home country's rules and regulations. And I know it won't help but on more than a couple of cruises our Aussie and English friends have paid a lower fare than we have. It hasn't always happened but the presumption that North Americans always get the best rates is just not true.

 

Not always, but very often. We have an Australia friend who cruises more then 6 months a year on various lines. A few years ago he started using a Canadian address (it belongs to a friend he made on a cruise) as his address when he books most cruises. The reasons are pretty obvious :).

 

Hank

[villauk]

We have sailed with passengers from many countries and the terms and conditions often are affected by the home country's rules and regulations. And I know it won't help but on more than a couple of cruises our Aussie and English friends have paid a lower fare than we have. It hasn't always happened but the presumption that North Americans always get the best rates is just not true.

 

 

It’s not always just about the best price - it’s the deals and flexibility with the reservation that are usually far superior booking in the US.

[gold1953]

It’s not always just about the best price - it’s the deals and flexibility with the reservation that are usually far superior booking in the US.

 

Canada has the same flexibility rules as the US

[sailco]

Some very interesting replies here. I'm thinking booking with a US based TA is the best way to go in future.

[dani negreanu]

Some very interesting replies here. I'm thinking booking with a US based TA is the best way to go in future.

 

Excellent idea :D

[sham_rock]

The price of our cruise next month went down so I called our TA and was told we could upgrade to a suite. The upgrade amount is more then we originally paid for 2 of us. I asked if we could get onboard credit and was told no, that it's against Celebrities policy. It's very frustrating and makes me less likely to be loyal to just a couple brands.

[jagoffee]

The price of our cruise next month went down so I called our TA and was told we could upgrade to a suite. The upgrade amount is more then we originally paid for 2 of us. I asked if we could get onboard credit and was told no, that it's against Celebrities policy. It's very frustrating and makes me less likely to be loyal to just a couple brands.

Please do not feel too frustrated, it has been years since Celebrity changed the Policy.

I am confident that most (if not all) of Celebrity’s competitors have the same policy.

A full refund of any fares with a price drop after final payment would certainly give any cruise line (that actually reduces fares) a very strong competitive advantage. The result would probably be cruise lines sailing with empty cabins (reluctant to give refunds) and then increasing prices across the board to make up the difference.

 

Be careful what you wish.

[jelayne]

We have experienced a significant price drop on a cruise after final payment, just over $3000. So I understand the frustration. We cancelled the cruise and lost $900. We immediately rebooked for a net of $2100 less.

 

 

We currently have a cruise that is past final payment and our cabin category has increased in price by $4700. We aren’t being asked to pay more.

 

So sometimes we pay more than someone else paid, other times someone else pays more.

[mmsJack]

'Loyal' X pax would certainly not feel it acceptable if X sent them a bill for the difference if stateroom prices increased after booking, so...?

 

X allows price adjustments until final payment (in US.) If a cruise isn't very full, there's a great chance prices will drop. In the US, pax have the option to cancel all together (X 'return/exchange' policy, no penalty, but risk lose of any perks) & watch for a better deal. If one is flexible, it's a nice option. Risk is possibly not getting the room/category/perks desired or that prices will increase.

 

Bottom line (for us) is to only book a cruise if we feel the price is fair. Otherwise - there's the risk of taking a wonderful holiday and getting :loudcry: and/or :mad:

 

If OP is Aussie, that's a whole different thing altogether - know rules are different based on country. It never hurts to call or have your TA call and ask for options, maybe a room upgrade will come your way! I hope you are super psyched about your vaca and have a fabulous time.

[sham_rock]

Thank you all for helping me to let go of the frustration. I'm going on a cruise and I'm going to enjoy it!

[CEOofVacation]

Note that a couple of us responded to OP on our roll call that we did not get a refare. Celebrity does not refare and issue a refund for price drop after final payment. Instead we either pay more or do a lateral move to a higher cabin if cost of that is same or below what was paid before final payment. We paid $2K more to move up to a sky suite after final payment.

[jagoffee]

Thank you all for helping me to let go of the frustration. I'm going on a cruise and I'm going to enjoy it!

Perfect attitude.

 

Enjoy your cruise!