X discontinues surcharge on Beverage package

[prish]

30 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Probably and if anyone had a brain in their head they would have just raised the price for everyone $2 and nobody would have known. Instead they add it to the one perk that draws business and the most attention.  

 

The question is do they even ever think through any decision? This one was really ridiculous!

 

Does this hold good for US bookings too, has anyone seen it in writing? If so, would appreciate if you could post a link. Thanks in advance!

[TickledBlue]

44 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Probably and if anyone had a brain in their head they would have just raised the price for everyone $2 and nobody would have known. Instead they add it to the one perk that draws business and the most attention.  I know if I had something booked I would have just picked the $300 OBC and paid gratuity  and would have used the savings on the gratuity and the OBC to buy drinks. Perhaps those who are elite and have access to the free cocktails did the same.

I, for one, am not particularly pleased with the old ways since we are elite and don't choose the bev package as a perk.   

 

The cost of the perks were lowered significantly with the introduction of the $14pp pd surcharge such that I would have purchased them with the cruise (without choosing the bev package) because they were a pretty good deal.

 

Now that we are back at the old pricing scheme, the perks are much too expensive to be worth it (at least for me). 

[C-Dragons]

1 hour ago, sandian said:

Hello I contacted Celebrity & was fobbed of with excuses, told me they had not removed the charge just added it to the Cruise price instead of showing separately.Took a screenshot of the price without the upcharge & within a couple of hours had received a new invoice with upcharge removed. Many thanks for making me aware of this

You’re welcome. So glad it worked out in your favor. 😊

[cluso]

3 hours ago, cluso said:

We booked a cruise on Monday, 25 November through a large online TA.  The next day the upcharge was removed.  It was actually included in the base fare amount.

Reading the verbiage on the TA site was confusing.  I bet the TA's had some input to Celebrity's back peddle.

I just wanted to clarify my comment.  There was never a separate upcharge shown on my invoice.  However, the day after we booked, the exact amount for the upcharge was subtracted from our base fare.

[slei15]

Just got an official e-mail from Celebrity about this...

Travel Partners, Celebrity Cruises is committed to our Travel Partners and we have heard your requests to remove the Beverage Package Perk Fees. You asked, and we have removed the Beverage Package Perk Fees.   BEVERAGE PACKAGE PERK PRICING REMOVAL FAQS December 16, 2019 Talk Track until announcement of BPPP Removal on 12/19. Based upon the performance of our Black Friday/Cyber Monday offer, we will not be charging the Beverage Perk Pricing charge through the end of the November offer, December 17, 2019. 1. Q. Why did Celebrity decide to remove this upcharge? A. The satisfaction of our guests always comes first. Due to guest comments, we have reevaluated this policy and decided to remove. 2. Q. Will guests who have already been charged the $14/day upcharge receive any type of compensation? A. Guests who have already been charged will be upgraded to the Premium Beverage package. Or they can re-shop and book the updated Beverage promo with no charge at prevailing rates. 3. Q. Are guests permitted to reprice their booking to exclude the $14 upcharge? A. Yes. Guests can reprice to exclude the beverage charge at prevailing cruise rates. 4. Q. Does the change in pricing impact my commission? A. No. Unless you choose to select a different promotion. 5. Q. What are my options if I have a booking with a beverage perk charge? 1. Keep the booking as is, and Celebrity will automatically upgrade from Classic to Premium at no additional charge. 2. Choose another promotion (including current beverage perk options) at prevailing cruise fare. 6. Q. Will this affect my contracted group rates that included the beverage perk increase? A. Yes, however contracted Group rates can be reviewed on case by case basis with Revenue. 7. Q. What happens to guests that paid to upgrade from 2 – 4 perks who already had the Premium Beverage Package during the periods of 10/10 – 11/26/19? A. Guests will receive an Onboard Credit of $14 per day. Guests who qualify for this onboard credit must have booked under promo names 4PERKS or 4PERKS NRD during the offer period of Oct 10 to Nov. 25,, 2019. 8. Q. The current paid upgrade for a beverage perk from classic to premium is $11 pp per day, while the beverage perk charge was $14 pp per day. Will guests receive any refunds? A. No refunds will be issued. The beverage perk charge was not based on the paid upgrades. Guests have the choice of re-shopping at prevailing cruise rates so that they don’t incur a beverage charge.

[villauk]

Unbelievable. What is happening to X? Recently, they are constantly backtracking on these new policies - who knows which policy is valid from one day to the next. I feel sorry for TAs as they are the frontline to their clients and have to keep explaining what’s currently happening (this includes amenities on the new ships as well as changes to their reservations).

[bEwAbG]

Of course they're being tone deaf on not processing refunds altogether.  The cost to upgrade is less than $14/day so how is that a fair resolution of the issue?  I see they added that as an answer in their FAQ, but the answer is as ill thought out as the charge was in the first place.  At the very least, they should offer the OBC equivalent for everyone and let people decide what they want to do with their money.

[ohiolovescrusing]

Wonder about if purchased during Veteran’s Day Sale (4 perks for price of 2) ?  Booking says 4PERK SALE NRD?  

[Fouremco]

Like Kobe burgers, this idea too was destined for failure from the outset.

[diamondintn]

That's great news! After they announced the surcharge I had started looking at NCL!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

1 minute ago, diamondintn said:

That's great news! After they announced the surcharge I had started looking at NCL!

Which does add a surcharge onto their beverage package, so... ??

[Bo1953]

5 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Which does add a surcharge onto their beverage package, so... ??

They did not get that far in fully exploring NCL policy on beverage packages, or so it appears or it did not matter and was just a poke in the eye of X for doing the same thing... LOL

 

cheers and bon voyage

[BellKat]

1 hour ago, slei15 said:

Just got an official e-mail from Celebrity about this...

Travel Partners, Celebrity Cruises is committed to our Travel Partners and we have heard your requests to remove the Beverage Package Perk Fees. You asked, and we have removed the Beverage Package Perk Fees.   BEVERAGE PACKAGE PERK PRICING REMOVAL FAQS December 16, 2019 Talk Track until announcement of BPPP Removal on 12/19. Based upon the performance of our Black Friday/Cyber Monday offer, we will not be charging the Beverage Perk Pricing charge through the end of the November offer, December 17, 2019. 1. Q. Why did Celebrity decide to remove this upcharge? A. The satisfaction of our guests always comes first. Due to guest comments, we have reevaluated this policy and decided to remove. 2. Q. Will guests who have already been charged the $14/day upcharge receive any type of compensation? A. Guests who have already been charged will be upgraded to the Premium Beverage package. Or they can re-shop and book the updated Beverage promo with no charge at prevailing rates. 3. Q. Are guests permitted to reprice their booking to exclude the $14 upcharge? A. Yes. Guests can reprice to exclude the beverage charge at prevailing cruise rates. 4. Q. Does the change in pricing impact my commission? A. No. Unless you choose to select a different promotion. 5. Q. What are my options if I have a booking with a beverage perk charge? 1. Keep the booking as is, and Celebrity will automatically upgrade from Classic to Premium at no additional charge. 2. Choose another promotion (including current beverage perk options) at prevailing cruise fare. 6. Q. Will this affect my contracted group rates that included the beverage perk increase? A. Yes, however contracted Group rates can be reviewed on case by case basis with Revenue. 7. Q. What happens to guests that paid to upgrade from 2 – 4 perks who already had the Premium Beverage Package during the periods of 10/10 – 11/26/19? A. Guests will receive an Onboard Credit of $14 per day. Guests who qualify for this onboard credit must have booked under promo names 4PERKS or 4PERKS NRD during the offer period of Oct 10 to Nov. 25,, 2019. 8. Q. The current paid upgrade for a beverage perk from classic to premium is $11 pp per day, while the beverage perk charge was $14 pp per day. Will guests receive any refunds? A. No refunds will be issued. The beverage perk charge was not based on the paid upgrades. Guests have the choice of re-shopping at prevailing cruise rates so that they don’t incur a beverage charge.

This was an email to travel agents - not sure you should have posted this. I was going to copy it and leave out a couple of things that are for travel agent eyes only

[BellKat]

Well, a cruise line does it again! Travel agents are the last to know. We didn’t receive their email until this morning and reading posts I see they stopped the process on November 27. What??

[Bo1953]

12 minutes ago, BellKat said:

This was an email to travel agents - not sure you should have posted this. I was going to copy it and leave out a couple of things that are for travel agent eyes only

Thank you for indicating this, I thought the same thing and I Am not a TA....

 

bon voyage

[PTC DAWG]

Honestly, this is nothing but good news....nothing to complain about.

 

The folks that did agree to pay the $14 are better off too...they get an upgrade they didn't expect...prices change...good on X for seeing the error of their ways.  

[Beba-Beba]

...huh????   X will automatically upgrade the passenger to premium at $14 when the passenger could easily cancel and re-purchase the package at $12 per day??????  Leave it to Celebrity to give with one hand and take away with the other -  that is coming from a loyal Celebrity cruiser who is getting fed-up.

 

Q. Will guests who have already been charged the $14/day upcharge receive any type of
compensation?
A. Guests who have already been charged will be upgraded to the Premium Beverage package.
Or they can re-shop and book the updated Beverage promo with no charge at prevailing rates.

 

[slei15]

1 hour ago, BellKat said:

This was an email to travel agents - not sure you should have posted this. I was going to copy it and leave out a couple of things that are for travel agent eyes only

 

There wasn't anything in it that you would not be able to say to a client aside from the will it affect my commission, but it doesn't give any details about commission that would be an issue to see that question...If I happened to have had any clients booked under this, I would have simply forwarded them the e-mail and FAQ's along with a quote to re-price at the current rate if it were beneficial to them to do so.

 

1 hour ago, BellKat said:

Well, a cruise line does it again! Travel agents are the last to know. We didn’t receive their email until this morning and reading posts I see they stopped the process on November 27. What??

 

They announced with the Black Friday sale that they were waiving the fee for that sale, and then said the same thing for the subsequent sale...It wasn't announced at the time that they were doing away with it altogether, however; they effectively stopped it by waiving it for those current sales and deciding not to put it back.

[davekathy]

12 minutes ago, slei15 said:

There wasn't anything in it that you would not be able to say to a client aside from the will it affect my commission, but it doesn't give any details about commission that would be an issue to see that question...If I happened to have had any clients booked under this, I would have simply forwarded them the e-mail and FAQ's along with a quote to re-price at the current rate if it were beneficial to them to do so....

Agree. Thank you for sharing. Great info. You aren't the first to share TA correspondences. If you would have over stepped the CC guidelines the CC mods would have deleted it. Why some posters feel they are a CC mod...🙄

Edited December 17, 2019 by davekathy

[PTC DAWG]

28 minutes ago, Beba-Beba said:

 

 

Q. Will guests who have already been charged the $14/day upcharge receive any type of
compensation?
A. Guests who have already been charged will be upgraded to the Premium Beverage package.
Or they can re-shop and book the updated Beverage promo with no charge at prevailing rates.

 

Honestly, the guest agreed to pay the $14 for the classic package...they are getting the Premium for the same price.   I suppose if you wanted to call up and raise a stink for 2 bucks a day,  they might listen.  I just don't see the uproar.  

 

You could cancel the entire cruise, assuming you are outside of 90 days and take your chances.  But for 2 bucks a day? ...if you were happy before, why be upset now?  

Edited December 17, 2019 by PTC DAWG

[mickey89]

17 minutes ago, BellKat said:

I still think it’s bad form to post a corporate email to the general public.........

So grateful that the email was posted as I was unaware and YES I did pay the surcharge.  Would I have known otherwise...........unlikely I think.  We can all say thank you to .....slei15 and C-Dragon
 

Edited December 17, 2019 by mickey89

[Bo1953]

28 minutes ago, Beba-Beba said:

...huh????   X will automatically upgrade the passenger to premium at $14 when the passenger could easily cancel and re-purchase the package at $12 per day??????  Leave it to Celebrity to give with one hand and take away with the other -  that is coming from a loyal Celebrity cruiser who is getting fed-up.

 

Q. Will guests who have already been charged the $14/day upcharge receive any type of
compensation?
A. Guests who have already been charged will be upgraded to the Premium Beverage package.
Or they can re-shop and book the updated Beverage promo with no charge at prevailing rates.

 

In the long run, it is easier for passengers to cancel the package and rebook than X going reservation by reservation to refund and etc..

 

I believe that anyone who does not want the PAL under the current conditions/situation should cancel and book the CAL and wait for a sale to upgrade... all solved.

 

Maybe a bit of a 'hassle' of course, but to save money a good way to do it at this time.

 

cheers and bon voyage

[mayleeman]

Unless TAs see themselves, and X sees them, as employees of X, it in no way resembles an internal corp communication. Is there any proprietary info here?

[Bo1953]

54 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Honestly, this is nothing but good news....nothing to complain about.

 

The folks that did agree to pay the $14 are better off too...they get an upgrade they didn't expect...prices change...good on X for seeing the error of their ways.  

Just wait until X raises the price on Beverage packages to make up for this faux pas, across the board, we will be coming out of the walls of the ship to complain about that... LOL

 

cheers and bon voyage

[PTC DAWG]

9 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Just wait until X raises the price on Beverage packages to make up for this faux pas, across the board, we will be coming out of the walls of the ship to complain about that... LOL

 

cheers and bon voyage

I tend to agree, they will get their share from some place for sure.