All inclusive

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, basenji56 said:

I sailed on Disney once.  Good experience even though we didn't have kids with us.  Entertainment was very good (as you would expect).  Food was decent but not as good as Celebrity.  MDR was traditional seating and rotated between three dining rooms with same wait staff.  Ship was beautiful and very well maintained. Private island was outstanding. Price was probably twice that of Celebrity (at least before the AI pricing on Celebrity).

I have heard their ships are fantastic.  Having been to Disney World 3x and Disney Land 2x, with our kids, no desire to be on their ship, non-stop singing, characters etc. I'd be exhausted. 😂

[jagoffee]

6 hours ago, basenji56 said:

This could be seen as a way to make Celebrity more of an adult only cruise line without mandating that.  

 

As you point out, the drinks package is the real issue here.  Celebrity charges $59 per person--plus a 20% tip-- for the regular drink package.  $141.60 a day per cabin.  $991 for a seven day cruise--without kids.

 

This amount probably won't be fully added to the all-included cruise price--but a lot of will be.  This is especially expensive if you are bringing a few kids on the cruise.

 

As others have said, people need to compare what they are willing to pay for a cruise and choose accordingly.  For those who drink and already buy the package, this is not a big deal.  For those who don't drink and watch what they spend, it will be.

 

Disney (for younger kids) and Royal (for older kids) make much more sense at these prices.

 

I read several reports that the AI was added without any increase in the fare.  Of course one would need to know the price right before the AI was added.  A lot of people are confusing the significant price increases due to the demand prior to the implementation of AI.

[ChucktownSteve]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

I read several reports that the AI was added without any increase in the fare.  Of course one would need to know the price right before the AI was added.  A lot of people are confusing the significant price increases due to the demand prior to the implementation of AI.

 

Or Celebrity started raising rates as soon as they decided they were GOING to switch to AI so that the pricing increase wouldn't be as obvious?  Couple that with the cancelled sailings demand and couldn't that be the explanation for doubling of many fares for the same ship, cabin category and days?

[ipeeinthepool]

4 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Or Celebrity started raising rates as soon as they decided they were GOING to switch to AI so that the pricing increase wouldn't be as obvious?  Couple that with the cancelled sailings demand and couldn't that be the explanation for doubling of many fares for the same ship, cabin category and days?

 

Celebrity wouldn’t do that. Would they?

[verizon]

AI thing wont work for me.I just cancelled my March 14 2021 cruise before final payment.

550 OBC that I booked onboard wont cover the 1000 dollars price raised for AI that I don't use.

[snichols23]

New perks are deleting my option as a consumer to pick. It’s like going into a restaurant, opening menu to find only 3 options. Tofu, pork or chicken. Sides are predetermined. Captain’s club is really still on the table because they don’t want to pull it all at once. Will probably fall into the dark corner of the room and finally disappear altogether. Why did they bother with Power Up Points? Only to collect info from consumers. 

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, verizon said:

AI thing wont work for me.I just cancelled my March 14 2021 cruise before final payment.

550 OBC that I booked onboard wont cover the 1000 dollars price raised for AI that I don't use.

You booked your cruise before the new AI bookings were released. Your final payment would not have increased and any perks you got wouldn't have changed. 

Edited November 28, 2020 by davekathy

[Orator]

45 minutes ago, snichols23 said:

 Why did they bother with Power Up Points? Only to collect info from consumers. 

BINGO! It's called marketing!

Edited November 28, 2020 by Orator

[BPCW]

We looked at X’s “Black Friday sale” under this new pricing scheme and it was eye opening. We cruised on Summit this January out of PR and paid around $900pp for an oceanview room with drink package, tips, and OB credit ($100pp I believe) - which was booked during one of their sale events in early 2019.

 

I looked at a similar cruise for January 2022 and the pricing is $1,330pp (out of FLL).  Not quite apples to apples due to departure port difference but not exactly an amazing Black Friday deal nor are they rushing to get people to book cruises again post-COVID. Like others have said, I’m guessing inventory and demand questions are pushing prices up. 
 

It will be interesting to see how pricing and demand play out once there is a more defined vaccine timeline. But right now, pricing seems to be elevated from pre-COVID days. 

[eaflorida]

I am always looking for a great deal when picking a cruise. Pricing is one of the most important factors for me. I tend to only go on Long cruises, primarily Trans Atlantic cruising. If this new AI pricing is out of my price range due to my limited budget, I will look elsewhere. I generally book the lowest priced inside cabin price. I mostly cruise on RCL, and enjoy the Oasis class ships as I enjoy the Broadway Musicals. 

[TeeRick]

5 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Celebrity wouldn’t do that. Would they?

another implied wink?😉

[Kathe555]

This thread has been very educational.  I came here wondering what everyone was thinking regarding the new CC program (my next cruise will be as an elite) and came away with oh-so-much more. 

 

It looks like most of you on this thread agree with me that the CC benefits have been significantly reduced.  I feel the worst for the Zenith members, who's main perks have been taken away.  My only reason to want to make Zenith (I'm far from Zenith so it will never happen) would be access to Michaels and the Private pool area, and that's gone now.  And to make it even worse, only ONE Zenith member per cruise gets a free specialty dinner. Are there that many Zenith members that would clog up the specialty restaurants?

 

I had noticed that the price went up significantly on our existing cruise out of Amsterdam in 2021, so glad that we locked in that price. 

 

Based on what I'm reading, some of you don't get your price locked in when you buy?  That is confusing to me.  How can they raise prices on someone who's already paid?

 

It remains to be seen whether we will cruise X again after our next cruise.

[verizon]

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

You booked your cruise before the new AI bookings were released. Your final payment would not have increased and any perks you got wouldn't have changed. 

Problem is they changed the ship and dates of itineraries.

Celebrity Silhouette March 14 2021 from Chili to Argentina(14 days)

Silhouette will be replaced by Infinity.

Not allow for S&L.

[verizon]

27 minutes ago, verizon said:

Problem is they changed the ship and dates of itineraries.

Celebrity Silhouette March 14 2021 from Chili to Argentina(14 days)

Silhouette will be replaced by Infinity.

Not allow for S&L.

Chile to Argentina

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

15 hours ago, LGW59 said:

I have heard their ships are fantastic.  Having been to Disney World 3x and Disney Land 2x, with our kids, no desire to be on their ship, non-stop singing, characters etc. I'd be exhausted. 😂

 

It is NOT "nonstop singing and characters". Yes, there are characters out, but in designated places that you can easily avoid, and not at all times. No more singing than I've experienced on Celebrity - in the shows and in some of the bars. Wonderful adult areas. And you really only see kids at the shows and possibly meals - I see them LESS on Disney than on other lines because they want to be in the kids' clubs.

[Oville]

 

58 minutes ago, Kathe555 said:

 

It looks like most of you on this thread agree with me that the CC benefits have been significantly reduced.  I feel the worst for the Zenith members, who's main perks have been taken away.  My only reason to want to make Zenith (I'm far from Zenith so it will never happen) would be access to Michaels and the Private pool area, and that's gone now.  And to make it even worse, only ONE Zenith member per cruise gets a free specialty dinner. Are there that many Zenith members that would clog up the specialty restaurants?

 

I do believe the private pool area is not accessible to Zenith members, at least that’s the case on E Class.  Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, verizon said:

Problem is they changed the ship and dates of itineraries.

Celebrity Silhouette March 14 2021 from Chili to Argentina(14 days)

Silhouette will be replaced by Infinity.

Not allow for S&L.

Now that's a lot more information than your first post I respond to. 

[tfred]

2 hours ago, eaflorida said:

I am always looking for a great deal when picking a cruise. Pricing is one of the most important factors for me. I tend to only go on Long cruises, primarily Trans Atlantic cruising. If this new AI pricing is out of my price range due to my limited budget, I will look elsewhere. I generally book the lowest priced inside cabin price. I mostly cruise on RCL, and enjoy the Oasis class ships as I enjoy the Broadway Musicals. 

 

we are all looking for. great deal, but X can't survive on great deal seekers. 

[C-Dragons]

1 hour ago, Oville said:

 

I do believe the private pool area is not accessible to Zenith members, at least that’s the case on E Class.  Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

You are correct.

[basenji56]

16 minutes ago, tfred said:

 

we are all looking for. great deal, but X can't survive on great deal seekers. 

In the past, they survived and thrived on repeat cruisers.  Hence the concern about the downgrade to the Captains Club program.  Now, they seem to be going in a different direction trying to lure non-cruisers into becoming Celebrity loyalists.  Might work, might not work.

 

[tfred]

8 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

In the past, they survived and thrived on repeat cruisers.  Hence the concern about the downgrade to the Captains Club program.  Now, they seem to be going in a different direction trying to lure non-cruisers into becoming Celebrity loyalists.  Might work, might not work.

 

everyone is building billion dollar ships that are expensive to run. They want profitable repeat cruisers. not people who only purchase inside cabins and watch in room movies

 

they want to get the land based resort people to get on a ship.  Marriott resorts in AZ are pretty much the same experience as a upscale ship like X.  Those people have no idea of what it "used to be" as their only reference is land resorts.  If you ask those folks "how about a cruise?" you would get all the usual answers -newly wed, nearly dead replies and then a firm "no way". They assume all cruise lines are the same and that isn't true.  They could rank Marriott, Holiday Inn, Ritz Carlton easily.  They would have no idea about cruise lines, although there are enough people around here who would put HAL in the category as X.

 

x has to define their own niche based on market data of holiday makers and then go get them.  Existing elite users should look at airline programs which are based on revenue and number of miles.  You constantly have to requalify to maintain your level.  Marriott program is the same

[Gracie115]

2 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

It is NOT "nonstop singing and characters". Yes, there are characters out, but in designated places that you can easily avoid, and not at all times. No more singing than I've experienced on Celebrity - in the shows and in some of the bars. Wonderful adult areas. And you really only see kids at the shows and possibly meals - I see them LESS on Disney than on other lines because they want to be in the kids' clubs.

 

I've certainly read how great Disney cruises are...but was turned off when we were sailing out of Port Canaveral a few years ago and one of the Disney ships was beside us and the entire time we were up on deck before and during sailaway we could hear "It's a small world after all"  playing endlessly on their pool decks....we could still hear it as we sailed away😱.... just not for me.

 

Again...I know they get wonderful reviews...just not for us.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Just now, Gracie115 said:

 

I've certainly read how great Disney cruises are...but was turned off when we were sailing out of Port Canaveral a few years ago and one of the Disney ships was beside us and the entire time we were up on deck before and during sailaway we could hear "It's a small world after all"  playing endlessly on their pool decks....we could still hear it as we sailed away😱.... just not for me.

 

Again...I know they get wonderful reviews...just not for us.

 

Interesting. I've been on 6 Disney Cruises and have yet to hear It's A Small World on them - for certain not on a loop.

[Gracie115]

Just now, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Interesting. I've been on 6 Disney Cruises and have yet to hear It's A Small World on them - for certain not on a loop.

 

As I said it was a few years ago.  It was one of the older Disney ships...and I am not kidding it played over and over again.

[Luvcrusn]

1 minute ago, Gracie115 said:

 

As I said it was a few years ago.  It was one of the older Disney ships...and I am not kidding it played over and over again.

Now that I read this post I have that repeating ear worm in my head...ugh. Now back to the AI discussion to try and distract myself!