Question about hotel reservations via Flights By Celebrity

[Aralim]

I noticed when I first checked out the Flights by Celebrity site that in addition to airline bookings, they can also do combined airline and hotel. My family and I are planning to stay in Dublin for a few days after our Iceland & Greenland cruise next year, and I was thinking this would be good to use so I can get all the reservations handled together. I'm hoping some of the folks here have done this in the past, as I'm wondering about a few things.

 

1. I know the airline prices are pretty competitive for transatlantic flights, lots of testimony about that; but how do the hotel prices compare? I'd hate to save a couple hundred on air and then be spending more than that because the hotel rate isn't competitive
   • Maybe put another way -- Is there a "package discount" for making the combined air and hotel reservations?
   • As a family of four planning to wander Dublin and maybe the surrounding area over a few days with a lot of suitcases to haul, I'd prefer to do a regular hotel rather than Air BnB; never used Air BnB and don't want to make a big trip like this the first time we try it out.
      
2. When making the hotel reservations, is it like Expedia or some other travel sites where I have to pay up front to lock in the rate? Or is it like booking with the hotel directly, where I have the reservation and the price is locked in, but I won't actually be charged until we check out?
   • Related question -- if it's pay-up-front, can I still cancel without penalty (say, in case of a family emergency)?
      
3. If I make a hotel reservation through this site, will Celebrity provide a shuttle or other transportation from the port to the hotel, or am I on my own?
    
4. Can I make multiple hotel reservations? My wife suggested we could make our way from Dublin to Shannon over the few days we plan to stay, and then fly home from the airport at Shannon rather than Dublin.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Jim_Iain]

Celebrity offers a product called City Stay at either embarkation or disembarkation in most ports.   It includes transfer, room and often a tour or two.  Having said that It is also expensive.   They charge per person as oppose to per room and the end price in my experience run at least 2x than if you booked the same hotel on your own.  

 

You will have to call as you can not book on line and on looking I don't see Dublin listed.

https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-packages/vacation-packages/city-stays/

 

 

[Alushar]

We booked our recent flights from London to Hong Kong and return from Singaapore though Celebrity along with a hotel stay in Hong Kong.

 

We didnot have to pay for flights or hotels until we paid for the cruise. The hotel cost was calculated after we'd been through the cabin booking etc but was one flat charge. It and the flights were cancellable at any time up to final payment.

 

I checked with the hotel and couldn't get better than Celebrity's price and that was for the Langham a top rated 5*

 

Hope that helps I know there are differences in the UK and US systems but we get asked if we want flights and hotels once we are through the cabin booking bit.

[Aralim]

@Alushar, was the hotel booking done through the City Stay product that @Jim_Iain mentioned? Or was that a "regular" hotel booking?

 

Once you paid for the hotel at final payment, was it non-refundable or could you still cancel and get a refund if you had to cancel the trip for some reason? Covered by trip insurance?

 

Jim, it looks like that City Stays product is only applicable before the cruise starts, at least from reading the page. It says in the top banner: "Start your vacation three days early by adding a City Stay to your Celebrity Cruise in 2019." Since I'm looking to do this after the cruise has ended (I'm doing the first leg out of NJ), wouldn't be an option for me even if I wasn't put off by the cost of it that you mentioned.

[Luvcrusn]

We've found that booking hotels directly costs about half of what it does when booking through Celebrity. Since Celebrity charges per person rather than per room, we've never found an upside to booking through them.

[Alushar]

9 minutes ago, Aralim said:

@Alushar, was the hotel booking done through the City Stay product that @Jim_Iain mentioned? Or was that a "regular" hotel booking?

 

Once you paid for the hotel at final payment, was it non-refundable or could you still cancel and get a refund if you had to cancel the trip for some reason? Covered by trip insurance?

 

.

It wasn't City Stay the UK site doesn't have that we are simply given the option of adding flights and hotels once the cabin is selected. There are usually multiple options each with a price that adds to the total cost.

 

I'm not aware if it was refundable after final payment but was covered by our trip insurance

[Aralim]

Just now, Alushar said:

It wasn't City Stay the UK site doesn't have that we are simply given the option of adding flights and hotels once the cabin is selected. There are usually multiple options each with a price that adds to the total cost.

 

I'm not aware if it was refundable after final payment but was covered by our trip insurance

 

Thanks, that's all helpful info!

 

4 minutes ago, Luvcrusn said:

We've found that booking hotels directly costs about half of what it does when booking through Celebrity. Since Celebrity charges per person rather than per room, we've never found an upside to booking through them.

 

And as the counterpoint, I guess it just reinforces that I'll probably have to "do my homework" once I'm inside the window where I can book the flight and just see the prices compare on each! 😅

[Luvcrusn]

3 minutes ago, Aralim said:

 

 

 

 

And as the counterpoint, I guess it just reinforces that I'll probably have to "do my homework" once I'm inside the window where I can book the flight and just see the prices compare on each! 😅

In the past we have often noted the exact hotel used by X, but booked it ourselves at half the cost (for 2). That way, they've done the homework and we benefit by saving.