New U.K. website

[mrsgoggins]

41 minutes ago, chemmo said:

 

 

Perhaps the new website is a cunning plan to deflect us from noticing the high cost of cruising from the U.K. 

 

Ain't that the truth?  Last night I took a look at a 14 night St Petersburg itinerary from Southampton with both P&O and Celebrity. Now, not like-for-like because the P&O is for May 2021 launch price and the X is for May 2020 which is heavily booked already. Both prices are for 2 in mid-ship balcony cabins.  P&O £3304 with parking at Southampton included, Celebrity £5418,  Celebrity has $300 OBC (but I am a Carnival shareholder so get £150 OBC on P&O) and of course, the drinks package.  I am the next thing to a non-drinker, not caring for alcohol at all, and DH is a moderate drinker.

 

Guess which one I am seriously considering?  We've done a couple of short P&O cruises which we enjoyed and, although I prefer X, we are generally about the destinations - well, unless it's the Caribbean - and so selecting P&O would be no hardship if we do choose to do that itinerary again.

 

Our recent Silhouette Ireland and Iceland cruise was only booked around final payment time when prices dropped a lot, to what I considered to be a fair price.  I do have a few bookings in the pipeline, but so many things about the pricing model (and the different treatment of North American passengers, about which I have aired my views many times) used by all of the US-based cruise lines irritate me, so less cruising and/or more last minute bookings with X are likely to be in my future.  Add the website re-design to that list of irritants!

 

Signed, grumpy old woman 😉

Edited October 16, 2019 by mrsgoggins
A pp mentioned grats being included from Southampton with X

[chemmo]

9 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

I wonder if the ex-Southampton prices are high because of the current promotion...

 

Simply Book an eligible Ocean View stateroom or above by 18 November 2019 on select worldwide sailings departing September 2019 through May 2021, and you’ll enjoy:

• A free Classic Drinks Package for two (worth over £750 per person)*
• $300 to spend onboard per stateroom*
• Free flights to Europe, from selected airports†
• Gratuities included on sailings from Southampton*
• Gratuities included & Unlimited Wi-Fi* for Suite Class guests
• Half price cruise fare plus a Non-alcoholic Drinks Package for additional family members in the same stateroom or suite*

Offer ends 18 November 2019

 

I imagine the prices will be lower once they drop the 'free' stuff 🙂

 

 

As we book RS generally we already have the premium drinks package and free WiFi  for up to 4 guests which sort of knock the stuffing out of the ‘free’ stuff. The only offer that really suits us is the occasional ‘2nd person half price’. Only managed to grab the odd one of these but they do make a difference when they come up!

[Mynki]

25 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

Ain't that the truth?  Last night I took a look at a 14 night St Petersburg itinerary from Southampton with both P&O and Celebrity. Now, not like-for-like because the P&O is for May 2021 launch price and the X is for May 2020 which is heavily booked already. Both prices are for 2 in mid-ship balcony cabins.  P&O £3304 with parking at Southampton included, Celebrity £5418,  Celebrity has $300 OBC (but I am a Carnival shareholder so get £150 OBC on P&O) and of course, the drinks package.  I am the next thing to a non-drinker, not caring for alcohol at all, and DH is a moderate drinker.

 

 

 

I've noticed that. In July 2016 we sailed aqua class on Eclipse with the same itinerary with included beverage package for £1800 per person. The same cruise is now £2900 per person. I'd love to know how they justify the 61% price increase in three years. It is a great itinerary though! 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Mynki

[chemmo]

52 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

Ain't that the truth?  Last night I took a look at a 14 night St Petersburg itinerary from Southampton with both P&O and Celebrity. Now, not like-for-like because the P&O is for May 2021 launch price and the X is for May 2020 which is heavily booked already. Both prices are for 2 in mid-ship balcony cabins.  P&O £3304 with parking at Southampton included, Celebrity £5418,  Celebrity has $300 OBC (but I am a Carnival shareholder so get £150 OBC on P&O) and of course, the drinks package.  I am the next thing to a non-drinker, not caring for alcohol at all, and DH is a moderate drinker.

 

Guess which one I am seriously considering?  We've done a couple of short P&O cruises which we enjoyed and, although I prefer X, we are generally about the destinations - well, unless it's the Caribbean - and so selecting P&O would be no hardship if we do choose to do that itinerary again.

 

Our recent Silhouette Ireland and Iceland cruise was only booked around final payment time when prices dropped a lot, to what I considered to be a fair price.  I do have a few bookings in the pipeline, but so many things about the pricing model (and the different treatment of North American passengers, about which I have aired my views many times) used by all of the US-based cruise lines irritate me, so less cruising and/or more last minute bookings with X are likely to be in my future.  Add the website re-design to that list of irritants!

 

Signed, grumpy old woman 😉

 

I think many of us may consider alternative lines and alternative holiday types...Historically a Southampton cruise has been our ‘second holiday’. If it becomes too expensive there are so many other holiday options available like city breaks, European luxury villa hire...

 

The itineraries are not showing much variety either, or perhaps I just can’t find the interesting itineraries on the website!

Edited October 16, 2019 by chemmo

[mrsgoggins]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

 

I think many of us may consider alternative lines and alternative holiday types...Historically a Southampton cruise has been our ‘second holiday’. If it becomes too expensive there are so many other holiday options available like city breaks, European luxury villa hire...

 

The itineraries are not showing much variety either, or perhaps I just can’t find the interesting itineraries on the website!

 

Exactly!

 

We are very lucky to take many other holidays each year and cruising has been a relatively recent discovery for us - and it is a good way to get a taste of places we have not visited but may consider in the future.  For instance, very recently we spent a week in Croatia after 'discovering' it on cruises.  We are probably happiest self-driving on our own itinerary (central Europe, Italy, Canada and USA mostly) but having cruised, can see that the ease of cruising may appeal even more as the years roll by.  So I may come on here for a moan every now and then, but we are likely to continue to cruise to some degree, although Caveat Emptor is writ large for me when it comes to the cruise companies' fluid, and discriminatory pricing structure!

 

Apologies to the OP for going off topic.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by mrsgoggins

[zltm089]

I agree. 

Very poor website, why the hell did they have to change it as it was working fine before. 

 

Not very user friendly now and can't book flights or hotels. Can't see all prices in one glance. 

 

They must have too much time and money. 

[BigAl94]

Spotted this Admin post on Celebrity Cruise Addicts facebook page

 I've been reading all the comments on the group about the new website layout, and I have to agree its horrendous. I've made some enquiries, and it appears that this is how Celebrity want it to look 😮 What I suggest is that everyone who dislikes it (which I'm assuming is everyone,lol) posts a comment on the official Celebrity FB page, and we may be able to at least make them aware of their customers feelings. If we can all do this asap (I already have) and enough people make their feelings knows on the official page, at least we have a chance of getting our point across.

[villauk]

7 hours ago, Mark_T said:

 

That's the magic carpet I believe, but they have mirrored the photo so it is showing on the wrong side...

 

 

You obviously missed the 🤣 in my post.

 

 

5 hours ago, Mynki said:

 

. It is a great itinerary though! 

 

But not that great 😜.

 

 

5 hours ago, chemmo said:

 

I think many of us may consider alternative lines and alternative holiday types...Historically a Southampton cruise has been our ‘second holiday’. If it becomes too expensive there are so many other holiday options available like city breaks, European luxury villa hire...

 

The itineraries are not showing much variety either, or perhaps I just can’t find the interesting itineraries on the website!

 

Chemmo,

How long have we been banging on about the costs over here and, btw, how is that new car 😹?

[Mynki]

38 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

But not that great 😜.

 

 

 

lol - no...

I'd revisit St Petersburg again though. We were there for three days which wasn't even enough to see all of the Hermitage, let alone all of the other sites. There was also an all day tour to Moscow on the train. I'd deffo do that if we're ever back there. 

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, villauk said:

 

 

Chemmo,

How long have we been banging on about the costs over here and, btw, how is that new car 😹?

 

OP sincere apologies again, another reply off focus!

 

Not so new anymore! We had delivery early June and our purchase plus three years no worry service/cover was less than the cost of a 9 night Edge Mediterranean cruise in a Villa Suite....As the car is awd and big enough to tow a caravan it puts prices of Mediterranean cruises into perspective. We have spent over a month this Summer enjoying the wonderful North Wales Coast.

 

We have always felt that exceptional ships/exceptional services are worth that bit more but there is a cut off point. Last year for us it was a very overpriced Edge in the Med accompanied by two needing refurbishment M class ships that made us decide just not to bother booking a second cruise holiday. For us it just didn’t work, the experience did not match the price - I guess that is the bottom line for all of us.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our Caribbean  Equinox cruise (a few weeks ago) but the limited upgrading is just that, limited...This is not a reflection on Celebrity, we all know the circumstances, I just hope the suite deck on the rest of the upgrades is the full experience. I also hope they listen to feedback on the balcony furnishings....really poor for a RS and even after our butler ‘aquired’ cushions for us it was still less comfortable than a pre Revolutionised RS balcony.

 

So we made the right decision last year but all we want to find on that ‘wonderful new website’ is a great cruise at a good price from Celebrity and they will have us once again hooked!