Edge Overpriced???

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 minutes ago, Mynki said:

We booked Edge within hours of bookings becoming available. I guess I was caught up in the hype. Then later on we ended up on another sailing which happened to visit the only port on the Edge itinerary that we were yet to visit. 

After some consideration I decided that the itinerary was the deal breaker for me and cancelled. I have no doubt that Edge will offer a great experience but for now it certainly fails with the original "Big ship amenities, small ship destinations" that the original marketing promised.

As I've said before, if people sat down and plotted the most boring Caribbean itineraries they could do, how close would they be to the ones currently on offer? That's a serious question and not a dig at anyone already booked. 

So right now I'll be patient and wait to experience an E class ship when there's an itinerary that appeals to us personally. 

 

We booked both Edge itineraries B2B within hours of release, at which time the prices were only slightly higher than Equinox (same itineraries, reversed, one day earlier).  Yes, very boring itineraries.  Ultimately we decided that the those itineraries didn't make the Equinox cruises appealing, and that one week on Edge – just for the ship – was sufficient.  But if you watched the Edge prices shoot up day after day in those first weeks, you would have to say Celebrity's planners were right on – in that feeding frenzy they could have sold a 'cruise to nowhere' 

[Quo Vadis?]

37 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Then there is Blu and Luminae, if one has one of those included cabins....

But are the Blu and Luminae menus the same across the fleet?

I can understand that some people with the funds available are willing to pay the premium for a new ship but the floating hotel or resort will have the same level of service as other ships in the fleet.  On a square foot basis those accommodations in comparable cabins are selling at a premium because Celebrity understands the hype it has created.

A comparison of Suite prices comparing Edge and Equinox:

 

[Mynki]

22 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

We booked both Edge itineraries B2B within hours of release, at which time the prices were only slightly higher than Equinox (same itineraries, reversed, one day earlier).  Yes, very boring itineraries.  Ultimately we decided that the those itineraries didn't make the Equinox cruises appealing, and that one week on Edge – just for the ship – was sufficient.  But if you watched the Edge prices shoot up day after day in those first weeks, you would have to say Celebrity's planners were right on – in that feeding frenzy they could have sold a 'cruise to nowhere' 

Oh I don't think there's any question about them doing a good job selling the ships. Prices have increased in recent years and they're sailing at capacity etc. Edge pricing is way higher than other ships in the fleet and I doubt there will be any empty cabins onboard for quite some time yet. 

[hcat]

Lots of choices so no need to debate,......Anyone may pick the cruise line,  ship, category and extras that fit the personal  plan and budget.

[Hlitner]

Re MSC, they now have 2 ships in the American market.  And you might consider they are building 14 more ships in the next 8 years which will give them about 29 vessels.  Not bad for a family owned company who must be doing something right.

 

Hank

[miched]

I booked B2B cruises in AQ on the first day the cruises were available and at the time I thought they were overprice , $1750 pp for a 7 day cruise with two perks.  Other ships were around $1100 for the same time and Caribbean.    We were seriously thinking of dropping one and booking a different cruise to still have 14 days.  

 

Since then the price for AQ for one person is more than what we paid for two for every Edge Cruise.  It was over priced  then and is beyond overpriced now.   It is ridiculous, insane.   

 

Recently we booked a future cruise for the same cruise we were on  for the same time and category and it is almost $700/day.    I know that there can be cheaper rates but it is getting to where I can stay in a nice hotel, dine in a fine  restaurant if I desire, have cocktails at a class bar,  and go to a show for less having the choices of what, where,  and when.    Also I can have liquor and other drinks in my room along with WiFi and more choices on the TV and don’t have the chair hogs.  🤗

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Bo1953]

6 hours ago, Quo Vadis? said:

But are the Blu and Luminae menus the same across the fleet?

I can understand that some people with the funds available are willing to pay the premium for a new ship but the floating hotel or resort will have the same level of service as other ships in the fleet.  On a square foot basis those accommodations in comparable cabins are selling at a premium because Celebrity understands the hype it has created.

A comparison of Suite prices comparing Edge and Equinox:

 

 

 

Thanks for the comparison and it was very eye opening, especially were people to book as of the date provided.

 

Since many of us who are booked on The Edge did so very early on, our fares are not near those shown in your info graphic.

 

For example when I booked, The Edge for the IV was only $200 more than a regular verandah on Silhouette for the same time frame with two (2) perks. As such, I believed (and still do) that it was a value and price worth booking.

 

Now, based on the pricing you found, I might have a different view point were I booking right now for The Edge.

 

As for the great point of no new ports or different itineraries in the Caribbean on The Edge, I dare say most passengers may not even get off the ship because we want to explore the many aspects of it as we can. So the ports are almost tertiary in this case. Yes, some of the people in our party will want to visit the ports and no doubt that I will join them for an hour or so before heading back to explore the ship more.. just me and many others who are very excited about boarding The Edge.

 

Yes, X has done a good job of marketing The E Class ships, if not then there would be no need to produce them.

 

Thank goodness there are other ships in the fleet to choose from and even better there are other cruise lines which others can choose for the 'best' value which may be sought.

 

Enjoy which ever class of ship you select and/or cruise line that provides all of the bells and whistles desired for your hard earned vacation money. It is very important that each of us believes our selection is the best for what we seek and not what other may seek or want.

 

If we find there is NO value in the new class of ships, it will be readily broadcasted by us, if there is value, again, it will be readily broadcasted - YET it is up to the individual who is booking to decide if it is or will be of value to them rather that be itinerary, food, cabins, entertainment or cost... or????

 

bon voyage

[maxsales]

On 11/6/2018 at 5:03 PM, gerelmx said:

Here is a comparison how overpriced is the Edge:

Transatlantic April 2019 Starting prices per person

Infinity 14 Nights $999

Reflection 14 Nights $1,249

Edge 15 Nights $10,499

Now that not really a fair comparison.  The Edge price is for a suite and the infinity price is for an inside.

[Quo Vadis?]

16 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

 

Thanks for the comparison and it was very eye opening, especially were people to book as of the date provided.

 

Since many of us who are booked on The Edge did so very early on, our fares are not near those shown in your info graphic.

 

"The early bird gets the worm, the second mouse gets the cheese."

 

 

[Cruise Junky]

41 minutes ago, maxsales said:

Now that not really a fair comparison.  The Edge price is for a suite and the infinity price is for an inside.

Edge insides started at $1389 for a couple of hours and had two price increases on the first day. Ended up at $1519 by the end of the first day. 

[Hlitner]

I think "overpriced" is probably the wrong term.  It is simply a supply/demand issue mixed in with "price elasticity."  Put simply, as long as there are enough folks willing to pay the high price, the price will stay high!  If there is resistance to the high price then the price will fall to a level that sells the berths.    For us,  much of Celebrity is now overpriced when compared to other cruise lines with comparable and even better levels of service and quality.  For us it is just a matter of booking the other line.  But there are some folks that are wedded to a single cruise line...and they will pay, pay, pay.  And we have another issue with the Edge...in that over forty years of extensive cruise experience has taught us to avoid new ships (especially new classes of ships) for the first few months.  It usually takes time to work out the bugs and get the crew working together as a true team.

 

Hank

[cruisefam38]

Interesting videos and information, Richsea.

 

For me, your summation is on point, TeeRick.

 

Thanks for the informative comparison table, Quo Vadis. 

 

Your simplified formula does capture the core of the decision making, ronbe65.

 

Bo1953, I bet you will be able to enjoy your Celebrity Edge cruise, you have an aptitude for finding positives.  I look forward to your review.

 

[Mynki]

17 hours ago, Hlitner said:

   For us,  much of Celebrity is now overpriced when compared to other cruise lines with comparable and even better levels of service and quality. 

I booked two cruises yesterday. One with X and the other with AZ. What I have noticed is that X pricing is now comparable with AZ pricing in some of the cruise regions I've been looking at. My perception is that AZ will offer better quality and service and so I've decided to try them to see how they compare. I'm looking forward to that. :)

I introduced some good friends of ours to cruising and Celebrity. They have fallen foul of the loyalty program trap and don't want to sail with anyone else other than X until they have achieved Elite level which they are now very close to achieving. I think Celebrities marketing team have done a very good job of suckering people in with captain club here. But I can't help but think how many people will miss out on great experiences when falling for this trap? :/ 

[Hlitner]

26 minutes ago, Mynki said:

I booked two cruises yesterday. One with X and the other with AZ. What I have noticed is that X pricing is now comparable with AZ pricing in some of the cruise regions I've been looking at. My perception is that AZ will offer better quality and service and so I've decided to try them to see how they compare. I'm looking forward to that. 🙂

I introduced some good friends of ours to cruising and Celebrity. They have fallen foul of the loyalty program trap and don't want to sail with anyone else other than X until they have achieved Elite level which they are now very close to achieving. I think Celebrities marketing team have done a very good job of suckering people in with captain club here. But I can't help but think how many people will miss out on great experiences when falling for this trap? 😕

We are looking at a future Silhouette cruise (late next year) and would have normally booked that cruise (have done a similar X cruise many times in the past).  But now, given the pricing and overall reduction in quality on X we are going to wait until after an upcoming MSC  cruise (in the Yacht Club) to make a decision.  We love how the cruise industry has many options (for those that choose to open their eyes to all options) and is a very competitive industry.  For us it is not a matter of whining about pricing or value.  We simply book the line that best meets our needs/wants at that particular time.  Yes, we are long time X cruises (Elite Plus) but X is only as good as their current pricing, staffing, quality, and value.  Past performance is meaningless when the line's CEO seems determined to undermine much of what made X a great choice.  As to the future, we try to keep an open mind.  

 

We agree with your "loyalty trap" comment and could care less about our status (which is very high on many different lines).  Some of the perks are nice, but not a deal maker or breaker.  We one long cruise away from achieving Diamond Plus status on RCI, but that has been the case for over 5 years!  That line used to be our favorite, but has now dropped so low on our list that its likely we will never cruise with them in the future unless they change their entire business philosophy.   Getting to the next loyalty level has no impact on our decision making.

 

Speaking of "loyalty levels,"  MSC put that in proper perspective by simply offering a comparable loyalty match to anyone :).  So our first cruise on that line will have us in their highest loyalty level.  That had no impact on our decision to book with them, but we did find it somewhat amusing.  

 

Hank

[Cruise Junky]

45 minutes ago, Mynki said:

I booked two cruises yesterday. One with X and the other with AZ. What I have noticed is that X pricing is now comparable with AZ pricing in some of the cruise regions I've been looking at. My perception is that AZ will offer better quality and service and so I've decided to try them to see how they compare. I'm looking forward to that. 🙂

I introduced some good friends of ours to cruising and Celebrity. They have fallen foul of the loyalty program trap and don't want to sail with anyone else other than X until they have achieved Elite level which they are now very close to achieving. I think Celebrities marketing team have done a very good job of suckering people in with captain club here. But I can't help but think how many people will miss out on great experiences when falling for this trap? 😕

They know they can get points for Celebrity on Azamara? 

[Mynki]

1 minute ago, Cruise Junky said:

They know they can get points for Celebrity on Azamara? 

They do. They also know about the reciprocal arrangement with RCL. Though they made it quite clear that they wouldn't try RCL until Elite so they's automatically be Diamond. 

Good job Celebrity Marketing and Captains Club team eh? :) 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I find the comments about the loyalty trap amusing.  I'm Elite + with Celebrity.  No chance I'll ever make Zenith.  So where's the incentive?  None, as far as I'm concerned.  If it's a cruise I want to go on with friends I want to cruise with, at a price I'm willing to pay, I'll sail Celebrity.  But certainly not for the loyalty points.  MSC has granted me the highest tier in their loyalty program because of my Celebrity status.  Just need to cruise once every three years to maintain that.  Probably won't be a problem, but basically all it gets you is a chocolate ship and a free meal in a specialty restaurant, so it wouldn't be a disaster if it went away.  I would never sail with them except in the Yacht Club which comes with all the other benefits, whether or not one is Black.  They just need to up their game as far as itineraries from Florida.

[Denny01]

2 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

...... They just need to up their game as far as itineraries from Florida.

Not sure if you mean MSC or Celebrity, or both, but I agree with Celebrity needing to ‘up the game’. I’d love to see an extended sea time to go further south to various Windward/Leeward Lesser Antilles (love to throw those names in - but the southeastern islands). And what about an East Coast cruise up and back along a lot of neat US ports? With a quick strop in Nassau to meet the foreign port requirements?

 

We’ve done the West Coast and and back 4 times and would love to stop in Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington and further and then back. That type of itinerary. 

 

Den

 

 

[newyorkray]

On a Celebrity cruise back in January, 2018 we booked an Infinite cabin on the Edge for March 10th (we really have always preferred Aqua because we enjoy Blu). We paid about &4,200. It is now over$6,000. I have cruised Celebrity 16 times and when I have booked Concierge we paid about $2,700. Looking out to the Edge for next winter the prices are outrageous. I cruised on the Reflection when it was new and the premium for a new ship wasn't that much more then an older ship. Same when the we cruised on the Century when it was new, but now to pay almost $8,000 for a regular cabin!! I love cruising and have loved Celebrity but increase is outrageous. I know it is a business and they will charge what traffic will bear but I suspect they will have to drop prices because many of their everyday customers won't or can't pay these prices when for the same money prople can go elsewhere. It is a shame, I fondly remember the Celebrity of old days when I felt like more that a customer. On the old Celebrity Meridian in 1996 Celebrity showed class it doesn't have today

[deliver42]

While I know I'm missing some loyalty perks on some lines I've sailed on, it has no effect on who I go on.

[Pipo]

Definitely it's overpriced. Edge IS NOT a good looking ship, no cruise ship has overtaken the beauty of Solstice Class. For the me the ship aesthetics play a HUGE roll for selecting a cruise.

[MarLieb]

Completely overpriced!  We have never sailed Celebrity, but I was looking for a Christmas week Caribbean cruise and had our choice of ships leaving from either a Florida port or San Juan.  We decided to book the Summit based on good reviews plus an interesting itinerary.  Also, price.  We booked a Royal Suite with a connecting concierge stateroom on the Summit for far less than half of what they were asking for a RS on the Edge during the same week.  The Edge price for 3 people in a RS was $35k.  I will never, ever pay $35k to go to Nassau.  Yes, I know, completely different ships, but there is nothing on the Edge that appeals to me to spend $20K+ more to sail on it.  Heck, we sailed in the Walt Disney Suite on DCL Magic on a 9-night Norway cruise for less than that.  For those that find value in the Edge pricing, I really hope it is all you dream it will be.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I've been watching the suite availability for our Edge cruise on Jan. 20.  For a while there were only Sky Suites.  then an Edge Villa and a Penthouse Suite popped up:  each nearly $17,000 (pp) for 7 days.  The Edge Villa was snapped up in a few days.  So: overpriced?  Not if it sells like this!  [And obviously the strongly held opinions on this thread didn't stop someone from deciding that $17,000 was a reasonable price ]

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

5 hours ago, Denny01 said:

Not sure if you mean MSC or Celebrity, or both, but I agree with Celebrity needing to ‘up the game’. I’d love to see an extended sea time to go further south to various Windward/Leeward Lesser Antilles (love to throw those names in - but the southeastern islands). And what about an East Coast cruise up and back along a lot of neat US ports? With a quick strop in Nassau to meet the foreign port requirements?

 

We’ve done the West Coast and and back 4 times and would love to stop in Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington and further and then back. That type of itinerary. 

 

Den

 

 

 

I was actually referring to MSC, but Celebrity could up their game on sailings out of Florida as well.  Really getting tired of the same old, same old.  Would love that east coast itinerary, although not sure how many ports could accommodate a large cruise ship.

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I was actually referring to MSC, but Celebrity could up their game on sailings out of Florida as well.  Really getting tired of the same old, same old.  Would love that east coast itinerary, although not sure how many ports could accommodate a large cruise ship.

Then you will need to start writing letters to your Congress folks and Senators.  The Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (PVSA) (which is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Jones Act) specifically prohibits that type of itinerary.  We do agree that an East Coast itinerary would be a good thing.  So why would the PVSA prohibit your idea?  Unless I am horribly mistaken, the PVSA requires a stop at a "distant" foreign port.  The Bahamas and many Caribbean ports do not meet that "distant" definition.  They  could do it with a stop at Aruba but that would mean a pretty long cruise.  We just returned from a 10 day Regal Princess cruise (we have taken this same cruise for the past 5 years) which cruises between NYC and Ft Lauderdale.  But that cruise complies with the PVSA by having a stop in Aruba (some previous cruises have stopped in Curacao).  The so-called "ABC" islands do qualify as distant foreign ports.

 

Hank