Trying To Book Equinox Next Aug & Told It's Mostly Booked?!

[LBeeE]

Trying to book 2 adjoining veranda rooms on Equinox next August and being told there are basically no choices in cabin location aside from back of ship. Honestly, 10 months out, in a month where most kids are headed back to school/college, I know it's not a super full time to sail, why aren't there any choices? I'm not paying to be dizzy all week, we want midship, and they're saying there are no rooms available anywhere else. I honestly just don't believe it. What's going on? I've cruised at least 6x and never booked this early before, and always had pick of any area I want. Why would choices be this limited so far in advance?

 

Edited October 26, 2018 by LBeeE

[Denny01]

Not knowing the specific cruise or Class SR you are looking for makes it impossible to comment except generalizations about wanting two connecting SRs could be the issue, and who told you not avail: TA or Celebrity. 

 

Large TAs take blocks of SRs that the release later. Also, we cruise another couple a lot. We get SRs on the same deck but opposite sides so we can pick which one has a nice view in port.

 

 Assume you are looking for either connecting or balconies you can open up for sharing?

 

Den

[LBeeE]

Thank you. Via Celebrity, they are saying no adjoining are available. We need adjoining because we're traveling with 2 teens, don't want them on the other side of the hallway. We did Equinox in March this year, had adjoining via an alcove in the hallway, deck 8 I believe. Worked wonderfully, could share baths, open balcony partition, only needed 1 key card for all 4 of us. Room class is irrelevant to us, just need veranda adjoining.

 

Edited October 26, 2018 by LBeeE

[cruisestitch]

Try a travel agent.  They can often be helpful in these cases.

[Essiesmom]

So what you want is connecting cabins, not adjoining (side by side) cabins.  That limits your choices.  Also, with the cabins alternating bed position and capacity, People may have booked the specific cabin for 2 or for four, leaving the other half of the connecting pair available.  But then limiting the available pairs.  EM

Edited October 26, 2018 by Essiesmom

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Many school districts do not go back until after Labor Day.  Also the summer 2019 sailings have been available for booking since last Nov/Dec.  These two factors, along with limited #of connecting double/double rooms would be the issue.

 

Celebrity's inventory management has started blocking triple/quad cabins on many sailings from being bookable for double occupany, especially at peak family travel times. On the Solstice Class ships (of which Equinox is one) MOST connecting rooms are a double connecting to a triple/quad, and they are very, very few pairs of connecting double/double rooms.  Of those few pairs they are mostly in the aft section, or far forward. 

[bigbeergut]

8 hours ago, LBeeE said:

Trying to book 2 adjoining veranda rooms on Equinox next August and being told there are basically no choices in cabin location aside from back of ship. Honestly, 10 months out, in a month where most kids are headed back to school/college, I know it's not a super full time to sail, why aren't there any choices? I'm not paying to be dizzy all week, we want midship, and they're saying there are no rooms available anywhere else. I honestly just don't believe it. What's going on? I've cruised at least 6x and never booked this early before, and always had pick of any area I want. Why would choices be this limited so far in advance?

 

I would try calling Celebrity directly (and perhaps a second time if you already called).  You may need to talk to a supervisor.  I'm not sure about the date but I see a couple of cabins on deck 6 and 7 that would work for Aug 17 on the Equinox.  I would stick to cabins on the starboard side to avoid being above smoking areas.  I think the issue that you have is the connecting cabins for 2 connect to cabins for 3 or 4.  First do a mock booking for 2 in a cabin and see what cabins are available.  The for 3 or 4 in a cabin.  I think you will find a number of combinations that will work for you.  Then call Celebrity and tell them exactly what you need.  I think they will agree.   I've also had good luck with the big box TAs doing this for me.

 

Good Luck

[CruisersTimesThree]

That’s why many people book sometimes a year and a half to two years out especially if you want a very specific type of cabin.

The time of year you are looking at is very popular for families who cruise, as many schools in the northeast don’t begin until after the Labor Day holiday and adjoining cabins are a huge preference for families.

We have always sailed at the back of the ship in suites on M-class ships and have never had a problem with motion.  

Maybe you could look into a suite if they are available, which would give you more room for 4 and possibly cost not much more then booking 2 cabins and the amenities are wonderful.

[gold1953]

you should be able to do a mock booking and see which cabins are open.  Along with the north eastern states not being in school there is also the whole country just north of you. School starts after Labour Day in Sept... and we cruise too

[oneputt18]

Equinox cruises for Summer of 2019 are on sale, they include " go best" .all four perks included , one reason they are selling in advance. Special ends in 4 days.

[Jim_Iain]

As many have suggested there are many reasons why the ship shows mostly booked.   It is not uncommon for all the suites to be sucked up on the first few days of being released.    Many people book multiple cruises knowing they are only going on one and will cancel later.   Also as others have said major TA's receive blocks of rooms that they can hold for a certain period of time and then they are released back for general booking.  

 

If shopping for connecting cabins I find it easies to look at availability yourself.    You can see all the open cabins on most airline cruise booking pages as well as I have been told the Celebrity UK Site.    Connecting cabins will have a - on the wall between the two cabins.  

[NantahalaCruiser]

21 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

 

Celebrity's inventory management has started blocking triple/quad cabins on many sailings from being bookable for double occupany, especially at peak family travel times. On the Solstice Class ships (of which Equinox is one) MOST connecting rooms are a double connecting to a triple/quad, and they are very, very few pairs of connecting double/double rooms.  Of those few pairs they are mostly in the aft section, or far forward. 

This is in fact the problem. For example, if you do a mock booking for the Equinox August 3, 2019 sailing for a cabin for 2 you will find 9272, 9284 & 9288 are available but connecting cabins 9274, 9286 & 9290 are not available. However, if you do a mock booking for the same cruise but for a cabin for 4, you will then find 9274, 9286 & 9290 are available!

 

OP - try having a large TA with more clout call Celebrity and attempt to get your connecting cabins for you

Edited October 27, 2018 by NantahalaCruiser

[AlanAllyn]

 

I just checked a web site that shows all available cabins for the Aug 17 cruise.  It shows large areas of the ship where all cabins for two are available, but he adjoining ones for 4 are not.  I doubt that most of those are sold.  Celebrity is likely holding them for larger groups.

 

If you are a member of Captains Club, I would call them for help.  If not, email lLutoff-Perlo@celebritycruises.com.  That is the President's office.  Someone from there will call you and straighten this up within a week or so.

[Essiesmom]

As stated in post #13, if you are trying to book two cabins, you will be shone only cabins for 2.  If you want the connecting cabin for 3/4, it won't show unless you put in that number of guests.  If the connecting cabin shows available if you put in for 3 guests, you could book it with the third as a TBA, and then cancel that person just before final payment, getting back the deposit for that person.  Celebrity is not known for moving people out of a cabin if occupancy falls below capacity.  EM

[AtlantaCruiser72]

3 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

As stated in post #13, if you are trying to book two cabins, you will be shone only cabins for 2.  If you want the connecting cabin for 3/4, it won't show unless you put in that number of guests.  If the connecting cabin shows available if you put in for 3 guests, you could book it with the third as a TBA, and then cancel that person just before final payment, getting back the deposit for that person.  Celebrity is not known for moving people out of a cabin if occupancy falls below capacity.  EM

While that may have been true in past they are getting stricter with their internally imposed occupancy restrictions. I recently had a booking downgrade from triple to double right before final payment and they would not let them remain in their original room, they forced them to switch. My clients were VERY unhappy with the choice of available double rooms compared to that of the original triple room. I escalated the issue to resolutions whom escalated to revenue management (who has the final say in the matter) and they refused to make an exception. Now in a case of connecting rooms and minors they might make an allowance, but that's a pretty big "might" to run the risk of. 

Edited October 28, 2018 by AtlantaCruiser72

[bigbeergut]

On 10/26/2018 at 3:07 PM, LBeeE said:

Trying to book 2 adjoining veranda rooms on Equinox next August and being told there are basically no choices in cabin location aside from back of ship. Honestly, 10 months out, in a month where most kids are headed back to school/college, I know it's not a super full time to sail, why aren't there any choices? I'm not paying to be dizzy all week, we want midship, and they're saying there are no rooms available anywhere else. I honestly just don't believe it. What's going on? I've cruised at least 6x and never booked this early before, and always had pick of any area I want. Why would choices be this limited so far in advance?

 

 

Do you have any updates?