Is Celebrity misleading customers regarding non-refundable deposits?

[Alsmez]

14 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I agree that Celebrity Website sucks.   I've on a number of occasions gotten either a NR or Refundable fare and found it almost impossible select the one I want.   Could be a reason I never book directly on Celebrity Site-

 

Celebrity should definitely be much more transparent

 

The first clue if you see two prices and once much cheaper (on the left) it is Non-Refundable

 

 

 

 

 

When they first started offering the non-refundable deposit fares, the screen pictured above CLEARLY stated refundable deposit in the check-marked list on the right under Best Value. See screenshot from one of my old posts below:

 

 

You still had to extrapolate that the Lowest Price fare DIDN'T include a refundable deposit, but it was much more clear and IMO they are absolutely misleading customers now that they have removed it, especially since they are now bundling one perk with Lowest Price and three with Best Value (making it appear as though the perks are the only difference). Luckily, the TA website I use very clearly delineates between refundable and non-refundable deposits - they even have a popup that appears when you choose a non-refundable deposit fare to warn you and ensure that you know what you're booking. 

Edited February 14, 2020 by Alsmez
Clarity

[MEcruzr]

15 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I did that recently on a couple of cruises and works perfectly.   Just one warning.  You may loose most of your free perks.   Usually the NRD comes with either no or 1 perk.    I've never checked the price of adding the perks against the discount price.  

TRUE! We did this when we upgraded from a CS to a RS for our upcoming May cruise. Made the price difference when we went NRD worth the upgrade. So the perks were not an issue then. 

[Jim_Iain]

7 minutes ago, MEcruzr said:

TRUE! We did this when we upgraded from a CS to a RS for our upcoming May cruise. Made the price difference when we went NRD worth the upgrade. So the perks were not an issue then. 

I'm similar.   With my CC status I get free Internet and Premium Drink Package.   I have the opposite problem of trying to get the system to give me a Suite without any perks.    I find I can often do this if I select the see if you qualify for these option on the page where you put in the number of passengers.    Very often the Senior or State discount will give you fares without perks.. 

[yorky]

Celebrity are clearly trying to move those in the US away from refundable deposits and in line with most of the rest of the world. It can’t be easy when some individuals book multiple staterooms on multiple cruises knowing they are going to cancel some of them. It blocks rooms for others giving less choice and effects pricing. I think if everyone played fair and just booked the one cabin and only cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances  it would be fine but just by reading this forum that’s not always happening.

[gotcha3]

6 minutes ago, yorky said:

Celebrity are clearly trying to move those in the US away from refundable deposits and in line with most of the rest of the world. It can’t be easy when some individuals book multiple staterooms on multiple cruises knowing they are going to cancel some of them. It blocks rooms for others giving less choice and effects pricing. I think if everyone played fair and just booked the one cabin and only cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances  it would be fine but just by reading this forum that’s not always happening.

I almost always book 2 cabins (side by side) when cruises are first announced. In 20 years, we have only canceled both cabins once, due to the death of 1 of our children. Most of the time, say 75%, friends have said they'd like to go and we set them up in the second cabin. Not doing that now. In that time frame, Celebrity has canceled 2 of our cruises and left us with little recourse in booking a new voyage. The whole Celebrity thing is getting tiresome. It's a nice cruise (we've been on better) but getting more expensive and difficult to deal with.

[Oceangoer2]

14 hours ago, cruiserchuck said:

 

Does it show the page with two options for booking?  For me, I see it in the background for a second, but it then skips over it.

I've found the same 2 pages, but if I don't quickly indicate which one I want, the pages default immediately to the NRD page.  Someone not carefully examining the price out page may miss the NRD indicator.  The web masters should get rid of that default.  BTW, after the inclusion of the ONE perk, I click on the 3 perk option;  for me it comes up every time as being $264 Cdn per person.  Still a really good savings over the refundable option.  All depends if you want to put major $$s down and lose it if you cancel.  Another tip I found on these posts is if you add to the NRD at ANY time, that amount also will be lost.  X finance dept. covers their b*tt without letting you know the cost (unless you carefully read the fine print before booking or asking your CVP or agent what NRD really can cost - not just the cancellation fees we all will pay after final payment).

Edited February 14, 2020 by oceangoer2

[ghstudio]

IMHO, Celebrity's web pages are intentionally designed to steer you to the Non-refundable options.  Like others,my recommendation is to never even bother to look at Celebrity's pages when booking a cruise....find any of the large online TA's and use their site for pricing and cabin availability information.  Not only will you get more complete information, you will almost always get additional perks from the TA that you wouldn't get booking through Celebrity.

Edited February 14, 2020 by ghstudio

[Glendakayself]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I have this often happen usually when a sale is on.    Someone, wish I could give them credit, pointed out that when you only get the one offer: at the top you will see in small print -   YOUR OFFERS.      If you click this it will take you back to the two offers that it skips over.    Usually I can see the shadow of the two offers between selection of room and that single offer page

 

You beat me to it. When I check prices, I always price the Left side and its options first. Then I go back and click the offers and start on the right side options. However, sometimes even those offers are NRD. In that case, a call or a visit to a large TA web site will bring up the infornation I seek.

[Glendakayself]

Forgive me if this has been asked and answered. We always take cancellation insurance and try book the refundable deposit, switching to NRD a week or so before final payment. I have wondered, however, if anyone ever filed an insurance claim for cancellation reimbursement and had the price of the NRD refunded or denied?

[wrk2cruise]

25 minutes ago, Glendakayself said:

Forgive me if this has been asked and answered. We always take cancellation insurance and try book the refundable deposit, switching to NRD a week or so before final payment. I have wondered, however, if anyone ever filed an insurance claim for cancellation reimbursement and had the price of the NRD refunded or denied?

If you cancel for a covered reason any cancellation penalty would be covered by insurance.   Remember though they are only going to reimburse you for the $100 pp penalty as you get a FCC for the rest prior to final payment.

[Snit13]

20 hours ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

I never book on line always call my CVP so I know exactly what I'm booking.

Agree 100% and I too always call my CVP at Celebrity or Royal to do my booking once I select my cruise and my cabin on their site.  I also ask questions of CVP and print guest copy while she is still on the phone.  

[Glendakayself]

1 hour ago, wrk2cruise said:

If you cancel for a covered reason any cancellation penalty would be covered by insurance.   Remember though they are only going to reimburse you for the $100 pp penalty as you get a FCC for the rest prior to final payment.

If we have to cancel, it would be for a major illness or worse. In that case, I fear that we would not be able to take a future cruise within a year. That was the case the only time we had to cancel. Our insurance took care of every penny.  

 

I have to wonder if the amount Celebrity allows to be applied to a future cruise could be applied to a cruise with a refundable deposit. Then, if that future cruise had to be cancelled....perhaps the deposit would be refunded???  Alas, they probably require that the refund be put on a non-refundable deposit. Just trying to cover all the bases. The only time we have done a NRD was last cruise, a few weeks before final payment when things start to be NR anyway. 

[wrk2cruise]

The FCC can be applied to any reservation.  The way they do it (at least for me) is to reduce the cruise fare.  It's not applied as a payment which would be refunded so NRD or RD doesn't really matter.

 

I believe it's handled by insurance like a non-refundable air where they will cover the change fee only as the airline would let you change the ticket retaining the remaining value of the ticket.

Edited February 15, 2020 by wrk2cruise

[phoenix_dream]

Not only do I feel the non-refundable deposit pricings are not clearly stated, but I also feel that the difference between non-refundable and refundable is getting ridiculous.  We just looked at an 11 night sailing in a Sky Suite.  The difference between the refundable and non-refundable pricing was more than $1000 pp.  That's a ridiculous difference!  I am a frequent X cruiser, so I realize at worst I lose $100 pp and can use the FCC on another cruise but still.  I understand them wanting to make some extra money this way, but this seems like highway robbery to me.

[jelayne]

Highway robbery or a good deal?  We booked 2 cruises with a NRD in Suites the saving were $1000 on each.  Barring a medical issue we will take both Cruises and if we can’t our travel insurance will cover the $400 loss, and the FCC will get applied to another booking.  IMHO its a good deal. 

[wrk2cruise]

Just a note on the FCC applied to another reservation.  If you cancel that reservation the FCC can  be reused BUT only if it is before the expiration date of the FCC.   This was clearly explained to me when questioning CelebrityOneTouch on FCC restrictions last summer.

[phoenix_dream]

18 hours ago, jelayne said:

Highway robbery or a good deal?  We booked 2 cruises with a NRD in Suites the saving were $1000 on each.  Barring a medical issue we will take both Cruises and if we can’t our travel insurance will cover the $400 loss, and the FCC will get applied to another booking.  IMHO its a good deal. 

I guess there are two ways to look at things.  IMHO the pricing for the NRD is what the pricing should be in the first place!  Celebrity is counting on people to look at it the way you do.  We do not take travel insurance except for medical so that cost would not be covered for us.  We have some coverage with our credit card, and are willing to take the risk for the rest.  I know many believe I am foolish.  But I look at it this way - I have taken more than 60 cruises.  If I had taken good travel insurance out for each of those cruises, none of which I had to cancel, I would have been out WAY more money than if I had to cancel any of the cruises.  Yes, someday it may catch up to me and I may lose some $$, and as I age I may change my position.  But insurance companies stay in business based on people taking out way more insurance than they really need.  Not saying it is not sometimes the right choice - of course it is, but it is not always the best option based on risk assessment.

[LuAnn]

My experience calling and making a reservation on this past Wednesday night:

 

I called and booked an AQ1 and was given a price and paid the $900.00 pp.The rep gave me the price pp and the total price. When I received the invoice and looked it over I didn't really understand what I was looking at...re a line item with NRD after it.

 

So I called the next day and was told THEN that I had booked a cruise that had a none refundable deposit! At no time did the rep EVER tell me that. I explained that I would never book a cruise with that type of deposit because at my DH's age (83) you never know when our sailing days might end! 😞

 

Fortunately I called with in the 24 hour "grace" period and I was able to switch to a refundable deposit...but only AFTER the price increased by over $900.00!

 

Needless to say I was shocked that the rep never mentioned about the NRD!!! Thank goodness I checked the invoice right away and was "under the 24 hour wire"!!

[NMTraveller]

Someplace you will see NRD when you book.  

 

My TA told me that I was changing to a NRD fare.

 

I mock booked a cruise and saw the NRD designation.  I will mock book to see if the prices have come down.

[deliver42]

When you are booking on line, where you choose the dining times, insurance, and pre paid grats, there is also an option for refundable deposit and the extra cost.

[doubled]

I agree is very deceptive.  I sent an email to my TA to book a cruise and he let me know was a NFD.  Price difference for refundable was $800pp for a 5 night cruise in April 2021.  Decided not to book.  Felt deceived.

[Cruise Raider]

I agree with you and even talked to one of the agents down at Celebrity about this very thing.  He was so helpful ... described that the fare I was looking at had a non-refundable deposit and that is why anytime anyone that books online should always follow up with a phone call to ensure they are getting exactly what they want. 

I will skip that step of booking online and just call in, as I agree ... they don't make it easy to see that NRD when booking it online.  I checked the promotion email they sent to me and finally found it in the small print but, it sure wasn't apparent in the booking screen.  

 

[Stockjock]

In my instance, there was no such option.

[Sabbycat]

Anytime it is a sale with a low price and/or multiple perks it will be a NRD. It is like this with many cruiselines, not just Celebrity. For example: Oceania always has their half price with many additional booking options; these fairs are also always NR. The industry is moving this way, more and more. 

 

Ready the actual booking fine print. We booked one yesterday and I figured it would be a NRD because it was a discount off the cruise price plus all four perks...reading the fine print confirmed this. 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Sabbycat

[hcat]

For the NR Dep , the re booking period would be too short for us  to find something at a good  price that works with scheduling. Just not appealing to us despite lower costs...

.

We are sticking with the higher  refundable  prices and    have ok prices for a few more cruises.  After those we'll cruise less often. Tired of the pricing games!