Upgrade drinks package

[boogybaby]

Hi, I’m wanting to upgrade from the classic to premium, can anyone give me a free phone number to use from the UK otherwise it could be expensive with the wait times thank you

[Moby Jones]

I don't have a number but you can do it at any bar or restaurant when onboard. Just tell your server that you want to upgrade and they'll sort it. There are no additional charges for doing so. 

Alternatively you can upgrade online through your cruise planner. 

[boogybaby]

Hi, thank you I tried through the planner but it was going to charge me full price 

[Moby Jones]

Strange. It should charge you $12 per person per day to upgrade from classic to premium. 

[boogybaby]

Yes that’s what I thought but I can’t get get it to work, it was a perk so maybe that’s why

[bikerunner]

It needs to be added to your planner, if you can get thru to Captains Club they add it and you can do the upgrade.  On board is easier right now probably.  The wait times are long, very long getting thru

[ChucktownSteve]

Here's a tip.  If have OBC, you can use that to upgrade once on board without out of pocket cash.  The cost is $10/day plus the $2/day gratuity/service charge.

[boogybaby]

I thought I could use the obc prior to cruise, it’s showing on the planner. The cruise is 2022 I didn’t want the price to go up but even if it does they will hopefully will keep $10 plus grats difference. I will wait to do it onboard, thanks for all your replies janice

[ghstudio]

Additionally, if you are at a high enough captain's club level to get a discount, that discount will usually be applied to the upgrade charge....if you upgrade on board.

[Moby Jones]

10 minutes ago, boogybaby said:

I thought I could use the obc prior to cruise, it’s showing on the planner. The cruise is 2022 I didn’t want the price to go up but even if it does they will hopefully will keep $10 plus grats difference. I will wait to do it onboard, thanks for all your replies janice

 

Based on what I've seen historically, if Celebrity were to increase the charge to upgrade they's almost certainly allow those like you who have booked before any price increases to pay the $12 a day charge. Obviously that's not guaranteed but I doubt you'd pay more. They'd have their call centers tied up with lots of complaints otherwise! 

[Guindalf]

2 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

 

Based on what I've seen historically, if Celebrity were to increase the charge to upgrade they's almost certainly allow those like you who have booked before any price increases to pay the $12 a day charge. Obviously that's not guaranteed but I doubt you'd pay more. They'd have their call centers tied up with lots of complaints otherwise! 

 

Couldn't be more wrong! Upgrades are charged at the current rate, so if there's a price increase, then that's what's paid.

 

Pre-increase prices will only apply if upgraded before a certain date, just like increases in gratuities.

[Brews'n'Cruise]

Try these numbers, there's no guarantee they're all still valid but they're all freefone numbers so you've nothing to lose:

 

0800 0182020

0800 0182525

0800 4414055

 

 

Andy.

 

[bluwes]

11 hours ago, boogybaby said:

Hi, thank you I tried through the planner but it was going to charge me full price 

Three weeks before your sailing it will appear on your cruise planner with the upgrade price

[Homestyle]

They have flash sales where the price is reduced. They also offer an enhanced packaged, can't remember it's name, but only available pre cruise and not onboard. 

[PelicanLvr]

If you do wait to upgrade until you board, resist the first person who asks - probably while you are still on the boarding line.  Go to the bar you expect to frequent most during the cruise and upgrade with someone who works there.  Apparently (according to these boards) the person who makes the upgrade sale gets something out of it so you will be "immediate friends" with them.  

 

One tip:  make sure the person you upgrade with is one of the regular servers there.  X puts extra people on for embarkation day so just ask.  I made that "mistake" once.

 

It's always nice to have a server-friend at your favorite bar.  

[ChucktownSteve]

2 minutes ago, PelicanLvr said:

If you do wait to upgrade until you board, resist the first person who asks - probably while you are still on the boarding line.  Go to the bar you expect to frequent most during the cruise and upgrade with someone who works there.  Apparently (according to these boards) the person who makes the upgrade sale gets something out of it so you will be "immediate friends" with them.  

 

One tip:  make sure the person you upgrade with is one of the regular servers there.  X puts extra people on for embarkation day so just ask.  I made that "mistake" once.

 

It's always nice to have a server-friend at your favorite bar.  

 

I agree with PelicanLvr's comments. I've done the same upgrade.  I had a bartender confirm he received commission if I upgraded with him.  And if he's the regular bartender, you are taken better care of. 

 

One thing I would add, ask the bartender if they have to charge tax while still in port.  In the U.S. once you hit the 3 mile limit there's no local tax charged. Otherwise it will be a surprise on your bill for the full charged amount. 

 

That doesn't matter if you're sailing from a Spanish port. They charge the tax until you hit a non EU tax port such as Monte Carlo.  Their laws are more complicated but understand, you will pay through the nose for everything.  If this is the case, I'd pre-purchase to avoid the tax.

[VitaminSea53]

Help me understand. I have the Classic beverage package and want the Premium. I will be sailing out of Barcelona.  Am I better off to upgrade before I go because of taxes?  Can you upgrade just one beverage package and not both when doing it online?

[boogybaby]

Thanks for all your replies, there is a lot of useful information, janice

[ChucktownSteve]

1 hour ago, VitaminSea53 said:

Help me understand. I have the Classic beverage package and want the Premium. I will be sailing out of Barcelona.  Am I better off to upgrade before I go because of taxes?  Can you upgrade just one beverage package and not both when doing it online?

 

Here is a link to a post where the attached a pdf from while someone was on Edge regarding VAT. 

At the bottom is a list of countries which charge the VAT. So if you visit a port not in those countries then the VAT is not charged on the entire cruise.  However it will be charged while in Spanish waters; just not the whole cruise.

 

I would upgrade before the cruise if you don't want to wait for a better drink without paying the VAT if sailing into a non EU port or the entire cruise staying within EU ports.  Did that make sense?

[boogybaby]

Thanks, we are sailing in the Caribbean, I will wait until everything settles then phone and upgrade

[downsmead]

If you got the classic package as a perk, then you have to ring Celebrity UK who then  do something in the background and then you can upgrade to the Premium package for the price difference. Unfortunately until the ‘background’ fix is done you cannot apply on line. The good news is that when it is done you can use a OBC. 
Occasionally X do an offer which makes the upgrade cheaper, so keep an eye out. Beware though that once you start to use your OBC, the exchange rate is then fixed for the remainder of any transactions using a OBC. 
We have had some great deals in upgrading to Premium over the years but not for every cruise. It’s better now you only pay the difference between the package price and the cost of the drink. When you were charged the full price of the drink, it made more sense to upgrade, but depending on your drinking habits, not necessarily so much these days. 

[boogybaby]

We upgraded on the millennium last January, and it was worth it. The brandy was better for us and we had a few martinis. We might as well use the obc on something we will both enjoy otherwise it’s just wasted on shop purchases which I wouldn’t look at on shore. Yep I get carried away with the hype