Check my math ...

[bhughey]

Yes, this is another "I don't get the pricing structure" post. Not posting for clarification on anything, just more or less to commiserate. So, I ran pricing for a 10-night cruise on the Equinox May 13, 2020. After choosing a veranda guarantee, I priced out the two options:

Option 1: $1540pp ($1409 + $131 taxes/fees pp), non refundable deposit, no "perks". Total cost for two including taxes = $3,080. (*bonus offer, $100pp OBC)

Option 2: $2381pp ($2250 + $131 in taxes/fees pp), refundable deposit, choose two "perks" - of which, I chose the classic drink package and $300 obc. CDP "perk" is additional $280. Total for two cost including taxes  = $5,042.

That's a difference of $1,962 in hard costs. If I were to purchase the CDP outright for two persons - the total cost including gratuity is $1,416.
So essentially - the purchaser is overpaying for the "perks" option by $546 - or $246 depending on if you add in the value of the $300 obc.

Perhaps I am asking for clarification (??) because this seems downright ridiculous.

 

 

Edited November 5, 2019 by bhughey

[Oville]

Did you add the $14/per person per/day to the beverage package price?  I came up with $1,696, $280 more than you.

[bhughey]

4 minutes ago, Oville said:

Did you add the $14/per person per/day to the beverage package price?  I came up with $1,696, $280 more than you.

 

I did, option 2 includes the additional $280 for the classic beverage package.

Would someone choose this? Is the refundable deposit option worth THAT much more?

[bikerunner]

That's what I have been seeing on a few I have priced out for next year in Nov.  The prices are getting crazy and I saw someone mention the only deals to be had is if your flexible and able to do last minute when prices are down.  I looked at similar cruise I am going on this year The final price is almost 2k more than what I am paying for similar cruise on Nov 18

[bhughey]

bikerunner - that is crazy.
I agree with you though - seems you have to book when there is an extra special promotion being offered or book last minute.

 

 

[gerelmx]

I choose 2 perks Gratuities and OBC, and purchase in my cruise planner the Beverage pack

[hcat]

11 minutes ago, bhughey said:

 

I did, option 2 includes the additional $280 for the classic beverage package.

Would someone choose this? Is the refundable deposit option worth THAT much more?

Can you book refundable without any perks?

[bhughey]

4 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

I choose 2 perks Gratuities and OBC, and purchase in my cruise planner the Beverage pack

 

But the point is - option two is still far more expensive than the value of perks that are being added in. It's not a deal - unless the purchaser is placing an unknown "value" of the refundable deposit.

[bhughey]

1 minute ago, hcat said:

Can you book refundable without any perks?

 

One can assume that the "no perks" was with a refundable deposit. It did not say "non refundable deposit" but on option two - the more expensive option, it says "refundable". So who knows.

Edited November 5, 2019 by bhughey

[Alsmez]

31 minutes ago, bhughey said:

So essentially - the purchaser is overpaying for the "perks" option by $546 - or $246 depending on if you add in the value of the $300 obc.

 

Yes, and I agree it is 100% ridiculous. Of course a refundable deposit has value, but marketing the perks as a "deal" when in reality they are anything but is incredibly deceptive in my opinion. It gets really crazy when you think that there are people who might buy the perks without the drink package - in that case they would be paying $1,682 for two perks that are worth $600-700 at most (retail price on the internet package plus $300 OBC). 

[Alsmez]

4 minutes ago, hcat said:

Can you book refundable without any perks?

 

I just tried a dummy booking for the May 13 cruise quoted by the OP and no, a refundable fare without perks was not an option on the X site. 

[Alsmez]

7 minutes ago, bhughey said:

 

One can assume that the "no perks" was with a refundable deposit. It did not say "non refundable deposit" but on option two - the more expensive option, it says "refundable". So who knows.

 

They don't say "non-refundable" on the screen that allows you to choose between the Lowest Price fare and the Best Value fare, but if you click into the Offer Terms & Conditions below each box on that screen, it clearly states that you must choose a non-refundable deposit to qualify for the lowest-available fare:

 

 

[gerelmx]

10 minutes ago, hcat said:

Can you book refundable without any perks?

 

9 minutes ago, bhughey said:

 

One can assume that the "no perks" was with a refundable deposit. It did not say "non refundable deposit" but on option two - the more expensive option, it says "refundable". So who knows.

 

5 minutes ago, Alsmez said:

 

I just tried a dummy booking for the May 13 cruise quoted by the OP and no, a refundable fare without perks was not an option on the X site. 

 

Just mark the square NO THANKS (below the box add to the stateroom) and the booking is without perks

[hcat]

4 minutes ago, bhughey said:

 

One can assume that the "no perks" was with a refundable deposit. It did not say "non refundable deposit" but on option two - the more expensive option, it says "refundable". So who knows.

What are the losses under unrefundable?   I heard you can still get  some credit to use for a future booking and woud not lose it all.????

 

We are set with booking and perks  into 2021. After that we will not book the Classic Alc perk with a daily fee.. and will rely  instead on wine carry-on, Elite breakfast and evening events that serve drinks .

 

Guess we may have to consider a "non refundable no perk"  approach in the future..X now fancies itself as a  Premium cruise  line  but I  see  alot of no frills!

[Alsmez]

2 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

 

 

 

Just mark the square NO THANKS (below the box add to the stateroom) and the booking is without perks

 

I tried this, and the price is the same. Also, the OBC and Gratuities seem to show up as the "default" perks on the final invoice:

 

[villauk]

 It’s in the title - X are hoping you don’t check the maths 😉.

 

I’ve come to the conclusion that many pax just ask for the total cost of the particular cruise they’re interested in, together with the ‘perks’ included, and have no idea how the figure is constructed. And that’s exactly the clients X are after.

[varoo]

3 minutes ago, Alsmez said:

 

I just tried a dummy booking for the May 13 cruise quoted by the OP and no, a refundable fare without perks was not an option on the X site. 

 

Often they show up later as the cruise date draws closer, especially if they have a lot of unsold cabins.

That is when they offer the lower prices in the various discount categories as well, sometimes practically giving away unsold cabins.

 

Waiting can be a gamble though, especially if it is a rare and unusual cruise that may sell out.

But for cruises where there are lots of ships offering similar itineraries, waiting can often yield a great bargain, especially if you qualify for several different  discount categories and are not super picky about your cabin.

 

 

 

 

 

[Alsmez]

4 minutes ago, hcat said:

What are the losses under unrefundable?   I heard you can still get  some credit to use for a future booking and woud not lose it all.????

 

The website says you will receive a future cruise credit, minus a $100pp service charge, that expires 12 months after the date of issue. So if you still planned to cruise with Celebrity and just needed to change your sailing, you'd only be out $200 - less if you book during one of those $25 deposit sales or some such.

[Oville]

50 minutes ago, bhughey said:

 

I did, option 2 includes the additional $280 for the classic beverage package.

Would someone choose this? Is the refundable deposit option worth THAT much more?

You are correct.

Edited November 5, 2019 by Oville

[Alsmez]

2 minutes ago, Oville said:

The package not as a perk would cost $1,416 PLUS the $280 which equals $1,696.

 

The package bought separately, not as a perk, does not incur the $280 surcharge - it is $59pppd ($70.80pppd after 20% gratuity is added), so $708pp for 10 days or $1,416 total. OP's math is accurate.

[Fogfog]

We recently ran the numbers on a sailing and the hard numbers of purchasing  a la carte instead of as perks was several hundred $ cheaper..

We cannot imagine WHY one would take the perks and pay the premium for doing so

 

 

[villauk]

5 minutes ago, Oville said:

But you didn’t add the $280 to the stand alone package.  The package not as a perk would cost $1,416 PLUS the $280 which equals $1,696. So your option 2 with beverage package and $300 OBC is slightly better.

 

 

If you don’t take it as a perk and pay full price (or the 50% off as appears to be happening on quite a few cruises according to recent posts) , you don’t pay the extra $14pppd.

[Alsmez]

2 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

We recently ran the numbers on a sailing and the hard numbers of purchasing  a la carte instead of as perks was several hundred $ cheaper..

We cannot imagine WHY one would take the perks and pay the premium for doing so

 

 

 

The only conceivable reason is to get the refundable fare. You can then always keep an eye on prices and switch to the non-refundable closer to your sailing date, provided that the fare is still lower. However, if you can save more than the price of your desired perks plus the $100pp penalty for canceling and changing by choosing the non-refundable fare, it makes no sense to pay the inflated refundable price!

[hcat]

10 minutes ago, Alsmez said:

 

The website says you will receive a future cruise credit, minus a $100pp service charge, that expires 12 months after the date of issue. So if you still planned to cruise with Celebrity and just needed to change your sailing, you'd only be out $200 - less if you book during one of those $25 deposit sales or some such.

Thanks...so a la carte non refundable may be the best value.????

[Alsmez]

1 minute ago, hcat said:

Thanks...so a la carte non refundable may be the best value.????

 

Entirely possible, but you have to check every cruise (and presumably every room category) separately to find out whether that is true. I have two upcoming cruises and at current prices, it is true on one of them but not the other.