up-grades

[tenpin]

Just so I don't hi-jack other posts I will clarify what I have said on various topics.

 

Last year I approached Costa direct about a med cruise out of Marseille for 12 days, the price on line for a suite on the Pacifica was £3488. 90.

Now the year before I could not go on two of the three cruises we had booked with them due to illness, but my wife went with a friend in my place.

 

I phoned Costa in Genoa and asked them to book the cruise they came back the following day with the offer.

 

They Booked Me a inside basic cabin at £1730 for the two of us, but because I had only sailed once (I guess the wife booked the last three) in 2018 I was up-graded to a suite which included the intenditore drinks package at £1197.12, OBC was £150 our luggage transfers at £ 284.68. a total of £1631.18 

 

Giving us a cruise of 12 days for the grade total of £98.82 if you take every perk off.

Now while I did eventually accept this offer I did tell them it was totally wrong. the outcome for us is that this year for the first time in 35 years we will not be cruising for our anniversary simply because we were unable to find ant Med/European cruise with any suites available.  

 

I am willing to pay full asking price but they give them to those who are being up-graded. I have been against this from the start and have written twice to the Costa club with no real replies.

The way Costa is shutting out their most loyal customers will be there downfall. 

 

 

[gerryuk]

2 hours ago, tenpin said:

I am willing to pay full asking price but they give them to those who are being up-graded. I have been against this from the start and have written twice to the Costa club with no real replies.

The way Costa is shutting out their most loyal customers will be there downfall. 

 

 

Perhaps I am getting you wrong here? How are Costa shutting out their loyal customer base? If their loyal customers are paying for a inside cabin and are being rewarded with a up grade to a balcony or suite, how is this driving them away, if anything its keeping their loyal customers, loyal.

[tenpin]

Simply because loyal customers like me, three with them each year do not get upgrades (normally) through my illness I only cruised once while my wife cruised three times in 2018

 

As I have said in other posts although we always have a suite and use to buy the drinks package we now can't find a suitable cruise with a suite, up to September this year thus leading us to return to MSC & Princess for at least two of our cruises this year.

 

Providing you have enough points you could cruise just once on a 7 day cruise this year,  twice next on a longer say 21 day cruise & be upgraded to a suite every other year. (450 points are awarded for each day in a suite.)

 

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by tenpin

[gerryuk]

If you are couple, do you both have to take more cruises than the year before to get a up grade?, couldn't your wife book the tickets and get the upgrade for both of you?, sorry I don't know the intricacies of how cruise lines work with their upgrade system.

Could it be possible that Costa have actually sold out their suites and they are not going to customers with up grades, unless there are cancelations at the last minute.

 

 

[tenpin]

Apparently not, my wife normally books our cruises, but she was going out & asked me to book it.

Imagine my surprise when I was given the up-grade from basic inside to a suite without asking.

 

I did tell them that my wife had cruised with them three times in 2018, while I only cruised once.

 

Even if I dropped below the Perla Diamante level this year my wife would still be at that higher level, thus getting a suite if we cruise with them three times this year.

As I said once you reach the highest Club level you could simply booked the cheapest cruise going but only sailing once this year, next year you do another cheap one then book second & third long ones and get upgraded.

 

Can't be sure how true it is but one post on another forum he/she booked five days then the following year booked same short cruise then a 22days one getting a up-grade.

 

Just does not seem right to me like every other good thing brought out by Costa over the last 20 years people spoil it by taking advantage.

Single drinks package stopped, ( you could purchase just for one person in cabin) bottles of wine on tables in MRD's, water everywhere free, buying drinks for friends not on any package, free mini-bar & bottled water in suites.

All stopped because people abuse it.

[gerryuk]

I think you get what you pay for, at the end of the day. It seems to me that the Costa business model is no different to that of Ryanair and other cheap airlines. The cost of tickets for most of Costas cruises, are a fraction that you would pay for a similar cruise with the likes of Celebrity and HAL. Once on board the ship, then like Ryanair and the other cheap airlines, you pay for everything that you want, extra.

Judging by the numbers who fly with the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet, its a very successful business model, For many people in the UK and Europe, they have grown up and are used to this kind of cheap travel, it is no wonder that many of them look for the same cheap rates that Costa are offering, when looking to cruise for the first time.

Is this such a bad thing?, for me its perfect, I can get a very cheap cruise from Costa and then decide if I want to pay for all the trimmings and extras once on board, and judging by the numbers who continually cruise with Costa, I am not alone. 

Costa gets a bad rap from a lot of people on these boards, but I think that many who complain, just don't get it. 

If you want a luxury cruise with all the trimmings then sail with the likes of HAL, but be prepared to pay substantially more for your ticket, and then all the trimmings. If you want a cheap up front ticket and then decide if you want to pay for all the ad ons, then book with Costa, it works for me.

 

[tenpin]

We do cruise with other lines which are lots dearer than Costa but really do enjoy our Costa cruises.

 

My point is we are willing to pay full price for a suite yet unable to find one on any cruise from our preferred leaving ports.

 

Yet those who get suite up-grades seem to be able to book one.

 

Seabourn, Cunard are very nice but we don't get the friendliness we get from our Costa Cruises. 

[drsel]

Seabourne and Cunard are really expensive.  why do you book them

Are they really value for money

[tenpin]

We just like to be spoilt once in a while as I can no longer go ashore & like  being pampered during a cruise.

 

We only ever do the short cruises we them, not really our preferred cruises. When you get to my age I am trying to spend our money & do things together before it's to late or I can't travel.

[drsel]

Norwegian becomes cheaper than Costa!
Norwegian Jade now is the cheapest cruise available at 33 dollars a day from Singapore to Dubai on Feb 27th
Be careful about paying much more than 33 dollars a day