Gratuities on Drink Package

[davekathy]

22 minutes ago, Dimarie40 said:

Australians will mutiny if they try to do this.  I can just imagine the uproar now!  We are on the October 27 Solstice sailing so we shall see what happens.  Could be an interesting cruise.😀

 

Remember the rumor is for only new bookings made 10 October or after when bundling with the BP perk. Not for bookings made prior to the latest rumor date. Cheers. 🍺

Edited September 28, 2019 by davekathy

[snowbird1]

4 hours ago, DebInAntigua said:

That is roughly 20% of the cost of a premium BP per day. Methinks this is quite the sneaky way to add it in without disclosing it as a charge for the Perk exactly. 

 

1 hour ago, Dimarie40 said:

Australians will mutiny if they try to do this.  I can just imagine the uproar now!  We are on the October 27 Solstice sailing so we shall see what happens.  Could be an interesting cruise.😀

 

Actually it probably is 18 to 20% because that is the new tip rate on bev packages

Edited September 28, 2019 by snowbird1

[mikkelhansen]

6 hours ago, davekathy said:

I'll believe it when I see it. First rumor September 1st now October 10th 2019. If it happens, at least we have other options to enjoy drinks. 

It actually is true this time. According to Celebrity's October promotion starting on October 3, the fare increase with the beverage perk already starts at that point, ie. October 3:

"Each of the first two guests in a qualifying inside, ocean view, veranda, Concierge Class, or AquaClass stateroom are eligible to receive two amenities with the choice of a “Two Perks Included” rate: Classic Beverage Package, Unlimited Internet Package, $150 per person onboard credit (“OBC”), or Prepaid Gratuities. Selecting the Beverage Package Perk will result in an increase to the price of cruise fare; amount varies by length of sailing."

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/CEL_October_Offer_OBC_Plus_KidsSailFree_Non_Editable.pdf

 

They might have chosen to wait a week with the implementation, ie. until October 10, to let this drastic change settle with TAs etc.

 

On the "bright side", when booking in October, most sailings give you an additional 200$ OBC (400$ for Suites), which for 7-day cruises almost exactly zeros out the additional beverage package upcharge (given that it's 14$pp per day). Again, probably an incentive from CC to "hide"/camouflage the upcharge. "Oh, I receive 200$ OBC extra", instead of "Oh, it's just to zero out a new upcharge".

 

[omeinv]

3 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

It actually is true this time. According to Celebrity's October promotion starting on October 3, the fare increase with the beverage perk already starts at that point, ie. October 3:

"Each of the first two guests in a qualifying inside, ocean view, veranda, Concierge Class, or AquaClass stateroom are eligible to receive two amenities with the choice of a “Two Perks Included” rate: Classic Beverage Package, Unlimited Internet Package, $150 per person onboard credit (“OBC”), or Prepaid Gratuities. Selecting the Beverage Package Perk will result in an increase to the price of cruise fare; amount varies by length of sailing."

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/CEL_October_Offer_OBC_Plus_KidsSailFree_Non_Editable.pdf

 

They might have chosen to wait a week with the implementation, ie. until October 10, to let this drastic change settle with TAs etc.

 

On the "bright side", when booking in October, most sailings give you an additional 200$ OBC (400$ for Suites), which for 7-day cruises almost exactly zeros out the additional beverage package upcharge (given that it's 14$pp per day). Again, probably an incentive from CC to "hide"/camouflage the upcharge. "Oh, I receive 200$ OBC extra", instead of "Oh, it's just to zero out a new upcharge".

 

I think the charging of the 20%, and then issuing a corresponding OBC may simply be a way to do what they've always done, but differently, likely to comply wit an advertising regulation.  Here's why:

 

When the beverage package is advertised for sale, it's always listed at a given price.  For example the Classic package is listed at $59.00 per day.  However, it's not possible to buy it at that price, because there is a 20% gratuity added, bringing the total to $70.80 per day. 

 

It strikes me as likely that - perhaps in the EU, where requirements about transparency in pricing advertising are different - it may have become necessary to break out the price and service charge (gratuity amount), even when the perk is being bundled in. 

 

Then, to prevent an issue, Celebrity can charge the service charge, then counter it with a corresponding on-board credit, which seems to be what's going on, especially given post 9 on this thread.

 

I'm seeing this as similar to what's long happened on sailings from the UK, where instead of having per drink prices broken down as the price plus a gratuity, they simply raised the price by 20%, and deleted the gratuity.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

 

Edited September 28, 2019 by omeinv

[wrk2cruise]

Raising the price $200 and giving $200 OBC is not a wash in my book.  It's adding $200 to the cost of the cruise.  That $200 is non-refundable and ends up in Celebrity's pocket.

 

And reading the flyer they are back to requiring non refundable deposits to book without perks.

Edited September 28, 2019 by wrk2cruise

[Mauidiver]

The flyer says only for bookings between October 3-31 for applicable sailings as well.

Edited September 28, 2019 by Mauidiver

[jimzgoldfinch]

The extra charge for selecting drinks package will be added to cruise fare and not as onboard charge. As already mentioned, this only applies to bookings from Oct 3 - 31.

Edited September 28, 2019 by jimzgoldfinch

[davekathy]

8 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

It actually is true this time. According to Celebrity's October promotion starting on October 3, the fare increase with the beverage perk already starts at that point, ie. October 3:

"Each of the first two guests in a qualifying inside, ocean view, veranda, Concierge Class, or AquaClass stateroom are eligible to receive two amenities with the choice of a “Two Perks Included” rate: Classic Beverage Package, Unlimited Internet Package, $150 per person onboard credit (“OBC”), or Prepaid Gratuities. Selecting the Beverage Package Perk will result in an increase to the price of cruise fare; amount varies by length of sailing."

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/CEL_October_Offer_OBC_Plus_KidsSailFree_Non_Editable.pdf

 

They might have chosen to wait a week with the implementation, ie. until October 10, to let this drastic change settle with TAs etc.

 

On the "bright side", when booking in October, most sailings give you an additional 200$ OBC (400$ for Suites), which for 7-day cruises almost exactly zeros out the additional beverage package upcharge (given that it's 14$pp per day). Again, probably an incentive from CC to "hide"/camouflage the upcharge. "Oh, I receive 200$ OBC extra", instead of "Oh, it's just to zero out a new upcharge".

 

I'm not seeing anything on Celebrity's US website that you posted. That's why I'll just wait and see what Celebrity publishes on their US website. 

[mikkelhansen]

4 hours ago, davekathy said:

I'm not seeing anything on Celebrity's US website that you posted. That's why I'll just wait and see what Celebrity publishes on their US website. 

Feel free to wait - but my link is to the official Celebrity info site for travel agents. Check the URL - www.rccl.com .

Also, it doesn't start until October 3 (or October 10), so clearly they wouldn't post it on the "public" site before that date.

[rimmit]

7 hours ago, jimzgoldfinch said:

The extra charge for selecting drinks package will be added to cruise fare and not as onboard charge. As already mentioned, this only applies to bookings from Oct 3 - 31.

 

And will likely be extended beyond that with each subsequent promotion.

[davekathy]

5 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

Feel free to wait - but my link is to the official Celebrity info site for travel agents. Check the URL - www.rccl.com .

Also, it doesn't start until October 3 (or October 10), so clearly they wouldn't post it on the "public" site before that date.

No problem. If I'm proven wrong I'll eat my humble pie. I've read way to many posts here on CC concerning changes or perks/benefits being reduced, changed or taken away that turned out to be either a lot of blah, blah, blah or not for all cruises based on location of booking. 

[Solution]

5 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

Feel free to wait - but my link is to the official Celebrity info site for travel agents. Check the URL - www.rccl.com .

Also, it doesn't start until October 3 (or October 10), so clearly they wouldn't post it on the "public" site before that date.

 

I totally agreed. Unless Celebrity has a change of heart, this time is for real, as I have signed up for the Agent Breaking News Webinar. 

[chamima]

On 9/27/2019 at 9:43 PM, davekathy said:

Remember the rumor is for only new bookings made 10 October or after when bundling with the BP perk. Not for bookings made prior to the latest rumor date. Cheers. 🍺

 

 

Does anyone have any idea what happens to a transferred booking?

For example : We booked a fall 2020 cruise last year on board with the drinks package as a perk. We can't take that exact cruise but transfer the booking number to another cruise. Do we keep the 2 perks we received for booking on board EXACTLY as they were given or do we fall under these new rules (should they prove to be true)?

[wrk2cruise]

1 hour ago, chamima said:

 

 

Does anyone have any idea what happens to a transferred booking?

 

 

When you move a reservation to another booking it's done at the current pricing term & conditions.  The only thing you retain automatically is the book on board bonus OBC.  Booking perks an refundable/non-refundable deposit status and booking perks are determined by the current rate on the new sailing.  So if you transfer the booking after 10/10 and select a rate including the beverage package I'm very sure your new rate will include the surcharge.

[chamima]

14 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

When you move a reservation to another booking it's done at the current pricing term & conditions.  The only thing you retain automatically is the book on board bonus OBC.  Booking perks an refundable/non-refundable deposit status and booking perks are determined by the current rate on the new sailing.  So if you transfer the booking after 10/10 and select a rate including the beverage package I'm very sure your new rate will include the surcharge.

 

Thanks.

We've been more and more dissatisfied with Celebrity over these last several years.

Should this new charge  really prove to be true it will be our "final straw".

We are not big drinkers but appreciate(d)  the convenience of the package.

[MightyMike]

As long as existing bookings are grandfathered, I don't see a problem. It does complicate pricing though.

 

I found it interesting how the Classic Beverage Package costs twice as much as the other perks you can choose from. It seemed unsustainable to me. I don't drink much alcohol, but even with just sodas, water and coffee, the beverage package is the perk of highest monetary value to me. This appears to be Celebrity's attempt to balance perks to more equal value. While I don't want to defend a price increase, the balancing does make some sense.

 

Be happy they aren't downgrading this perk to the classic or premium non-alcoholic package. The price of those non-alcoholic packages is more similar to the prices of the other perks offered.

[Fouremco]

15 minutes ago, MightyMike said:

I found it interesting how the Classic Beverage Package costs twice as much as the other perks you can choose from. It seemed unsustainable to me. I don't drink much alcohol, but even with just sodas, water and coffee, the beverage package is the perk of highest monetary value to me.

Given the huge markup on alcoholic drinks and wine, the actual cost to Celebrity for a BP perk versus OBC or grats really isn't all that significant.

[wrk2cruise]

This  just came in my email from the very large on-line Cruise agent in NH.  Sure looks like it's going to happen.

 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Effective October 10, 2019, Celebrity's Beverage Package cost
increases by $14 pp per day and will be added to your price.
Book by October 9th to secure your Beverage Package with all
costs included!

[Ocdublin]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Effective October 10, 2019, Celebrity's Beverage Package cost 
increases by $14 pp per day and will be added to your price. 
Book by October 9th to secure your Beverage Package with all 
costs included!

 

official notice has been given 9/29/19 

[villauk]

On 9/6/2019 at 3:36 PM, wongcruise said:

I read somewhere that Celebrity will start charging gratuities on a drink package received as a perk for bookings after Sept 1.  Does everyone have any information on this?  We just came back from an Equinox sailing and gratuities were not charged for our drink package perk.

 

So it appears that the OP who posted this back in July/August was correct, 

but they just got the dates wrong - or, more likely, X altered the date as they were not quite ready to implement?

[RICCruisers]

6 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

So it appears that the OP who posted this back in July/August was correct, 

but they just got the dates wrong - or, more likely, X altered the date as they were not quite ready to implement?

 

He was correct about a change coming.  He was not correct about  the charge being gratuities on the beverage package.  This is a surcharge on the beverage package, not gratuities.  Drink Staff onboard should not expect to receive any of the additional money.

[villauk]

2 hours ago, RICCruisers said:

 

He was correct about a change coming.  He was not correct about  the charge being gratuities on the beverage package.  This is a surcharge on the beverage package, not gratuities.  Drink Staff onboard should not expect to receive any of the additional money.

 

 

No they won’t, but it’s all semantics - instead of X taking the grats off the current prices to pay the servers, they’re adding it on instead - all the same difference. I was making the point that the OP was slammed and told on several occasions that it was all just rumourmongering - appears that wasn’t the case all along. If you want the beverage package as a ‘perk’, you’ll be paying extra for it, what ever X wish to call it.

[prish]

Any idea if there’s an upcharge to upgrade from classic to premium? We have an existing booking with the classic beverage package as a perk. Wondering if I should upgrade before October 3 using my OBC...

[Cruise Junky]

4 hours ago, RICCruisers said:

 

He was correct about a change coming.  He was not correct about  the charge being gratuities on the beverage package.  This is a surcharge on the beverage package, not gratuities.  Drink Staff onboard should not expect to receive any of the additional money.

Oh please, it’s no coincidence the amount is the same as the gratuity.  A lot of people owe that poster an apology. 

[chamima]

6 hours ago, prish said:

Any idea if there’s an upcharge to upgrade from classic to premium? We have an existing booking with the classic beverage package as a perk. Wondering if I should upgrade before October 3 using my OBC...

 

 

I was wondering the same thing.

(We know about the $11.80 upcharge - just wondering if they'll figure out a way to make that even more)

Edited September 30, 2019 by chamima