Changes Announced for Captain's Club Member Benefits

[JKHawaii]

23 hours ago, jagoffee said:

With everything going one how can you possible know that any price increase in due to the Always Included change?  The shutdown of cruises for such a long time, the generous L&S program, and the bonus FCC have created a massive demand.  Perhaps the price increases are related to those events.

 

All I know is the cost of the January 2022 Apex cruise I booked at the beginning of the year is now double what I paid.  While some of the price appreciation may be due to the factors cited, does anyone think Celebrity, in a cash crunch,  would just throw in free amenities during a period of "massive demand"?

 

So whatever percentage these "always included" amenities cost the cruiser, I personally would be paying for unlimited drinks & internet I don't want or need.  Everyone has to look at their needs and decide for themselves.

 

For myself, I'm just not paying $2200 per person for a 7-night Caribbean cruise balcony when I can book a ship like Royal Caribbean's new Odyssey of the Seas in the same month (January 2022) for less than $1200 per person with gratuities included. 

[ipeeinthepool]

1 minute ago, JKHawaii said:

For myself, I'm just not paying $2200 per person for a 7-night Caribbean cruise balcony when I can book a ship like Royal Caribbean's new Odyssey of the Seas in the same month (January 2022) for less than $1200 per person with gratuities included. 

 

You will have lot's of company.

[verizon]

1 hour ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

You will have lot's of company.

With 2 bottles of wine that I will bring and with happy hours from 5:00- 8:30 there will be more than enough for a 7 days cruise.

[jagoffee]

3 hours ago, JKHawaii said:

 

All I know is the cost of the January 2022 Apex cruise I booked at the beginning of the year is now double what I paid.  While some of the price appreciation may be due to the factors cited, does anyone think Celebrity, in a cash crunch,  would just throw in free amenities during a period of "massive demand"?

 

So whatever percentage these "always included" amenities cost the cruiser, I personally would be paying for unlimited drinks & internet I don't want or need.  Everyone has to look at their needs and decide for themselves.

 

For myself, I'm just not paying $2200 per person for a 7-night Caribbean cruise balcony when I can book a ship like Royal Caribbean's new Odyssey of the Seas in the same month (January 2022) for less than $1200 per person with gratuities included. 

A lot of people will not pay the higher prices. I believe that the current high prices have  very little to do with the AI change.  I have seen some prices that I can not believe are real and I will not be paying those prices either.  
 

Between the previous CC benefits(free drinks, internet, etc.) , and the number of people that previously booked with the 2 or 4 perk packages, I doubt  the AI change is costing Celebrity as much as many people think.  
 

After the L&S program deals and the bonus FCC’s are used, the Celebrity pricing will “return to earth” IMO.  At least to the point of being competitive.  Otherwise, it makes no sense.  The other cruise companies were not as generous as Celebrity with the L&S program, so Celebrity’s competitors do not carry that burden.  

 

I guess we will see in a couple of years.

 

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by jagoffee

[LGW59]

7 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

A lot of people will not pay the higher prices. I believe that the current high prices have  very little to do with the AI change.  I have seen some prices that I can not believe are real and I will not be paying those prices either.  
 

Between the previous CC benefits(free drinks, internet, etc.) , and the number of people that previously booked with the 2 or 4 perk packages, I doubt  the AI change is costing Celebrity as much as many people think.  
 

After the L&S program deals and the bonus FCC’s are used, the Celebrity pricing will “return to earth” IMO.  At least to the point of being competitive.  Otherwise, it makes no sense.  The other cruise companies were not as generous as Celebrity with the L&S program, so Celebrity’s competitors do not carry that burden.  

 

I guess we will see in a couple of years.

 

 

Seems to me that this new pricing method is effecting frequent cruisers far more.  From posts I read here many on CC take 4, 5, 6+ cruises per year, so will be paying thousands more on an annual basis if the continue to sail on Celebrity.  Some have called me selfish for my opinion when I say it does not really impact us and we are OK with it as we love Celebrity.  We cruise just once per year , and always 12-15 day cruises, (well once in a blue moon we may do a 7 day island cruise if friends talk us into it) so that cruise will now cost us a bit more but it still works for us.  

[Bruin Steve]

I believe there are lots of factors in play here--yes, there's the added all-inclusive thing...and there is the attempt to recoup losses during the pandemic...

 

But, overall, this could be part of it as well:  A sort of a "rebranding".  For many years, Celebrity has drifted into sort of a co-equal status with the large number of "mass market" cruise lines--Carnival, NCL, Royal Caribbean, Princess, HAL...sort of hanging out in the same general price range and, even if we think they are a step above, gaining the general perception of being just like everyone else.

 

As an alternative, there have always been some "premium" or luxury lines--Seabourne, Silverseas, Regent, etc.  These cater to passengers willing to pay a LOT more...but also expecting a lot more--included drinks, gratuities, shore excursions, sometimes airfare or pre-cruise hotels...and more.

 

And then, over the past several years, a market has appeared for a class somewhere between those two with Oceania and Azamara...

 

A lot of the allure of the luxury lines are smaller ships, less crowded with fewer passengers.  But, even with those, the trend may be to bigger ships--because the economics demand it.  So, Oceania's two newbuilds were twice the size of their older ships...and getting closer to the size of the Celebrity ships.

 

In MANY ways, it appears that Celebrity's new strategy may be to position itself closer to these semi-luxury lines and distance themselves from the mass-market lines.  They already have slightly smaller, less crowded ships.  Going to more of an all-inclusive deal and higher prices may have them competing more with Oceania and grabbing some off the Regents and Seabournes.  People who don't really care that much about the pricing as the larger mass-market customer base does...and also doesn't want to feel nickled and dimed for things like drinks and gratuities.

 

Has that market grown enough to support another cruise line?  Can they still hang onto a lot of their long-term base while sliding upward in pricing?  Only time will tell.

 

Bottom line is that cruise pricing will ALWAYS be a matter of supply and demand.  If the cruises sell out with the all-inclusive deals and the higher prices, Celebrity may never look back. If cruises don't sell well, they will adjust downward until they reach an equilibrium.  If the market seems to like AI, they'll keep it.  If people aren't paying the price, they'll offer more and more no-frills fare alternatives.

 

In the meanwhile, they may have a lot of cruises backlogged with bookings between the lift-and-shifts, the FCCs and the customers who are just tired of sitting home and anticipating getting to actually cruise again.  Poor people are hurting economically during the pandemic...but that is not the cruise customer demographic anyway.  A lot of people in the demographic that buys Celebrity cruises have just gone through an entire year where their travel budget expenditures were ZERO.  They have money to spend NOW.  Of course, that, too, will level back down to an equilibrium.

 

I'm not going to worry, personally, we have three upcoming lift-and-shift cruises that were purchased at pre-pandemic deal prices...and that takes us out to April 2022.  So, for now, I will hold back on booking anything beyond that...and I'll wait to see how it all settles out.

[LGW59]

7 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

I believe there are lots of factors in play here--yes, there's the added all-inclusive thing...and there is the attempt to recoup losses during the pandemic...

 

But, overall, this could be part of it as well:  A sort of a "rebranding".  For many years, Celebrity has drifted into sort of a co-equal status with the large number of "mass market" cruise lines--Carnival, NCL, Royal Caribbean, Princess, HAL...sort of hanging out in the same general price range and, even if we think they are a step above, gaining the general perception of being just like everyone else.

 

As an alternative, there have always been some "premium" or luxury lines--Seabourne, Silverseas, Regent, etc.  These cater to passengers willing to pay a LOT more...but also expecting a lot more--included drinks, gratuities, shore excursions, sometimes airfare or pre-cruise hotels...and more.

 

And then, over the past several years, a market has appeared for a class somewhere between those two with Oceania and Azamara...

 

A lot of the allure of the luxury lines are smaller ships, less crowded with fewer passengers.  But, even with those, the trend may be to bigger ships--because the economics demand it.  So, Oceania's two newbuilds were twice the size of their older ships...and getting closer to the size of the Celebrity ships.

 

In MANY ways, it appears that Celebrity's new strategy may be to position itself closer to these semi-luxury lines and distance themselves from the mass-market lines.  They already have slightly smaller, less crowded ships.  Going to more of an all-inclusive deal and higher prices may have them competing more with Oceania and grabbing some off the Regents and Seabournes.  People who don't really care that much about the pricing as the larger mass-market customer base does...and also doesn't want to feel nickled and dimed for things like drinks and gratuities.

 

Has that market grown enough to support another cruise line?  Can they still hang onto a lot of their long-term base while sliding upward in pricing?  Only time will tell.

 

Bottom line is that cruise pricing will ALWAYS be a matter of supply and demand.  If the cruises sell out with the all-inclusive deals and the higher prices, Celebrity may never look back. If cruises don't sell well, they will adjust downward until they reach an equilibrium.  If the market seems to like AI, they'll keep it.  If people aren't paying the price, they'll offer more and more no-frills fare alternatives.

 

In the meanwhile, they may have a lot of cruises backlogged with bookings between the lift-and-shifts, the FCCs and the customers who are just tired of sitting home and anticipating getting to actually cruise again.  Poor people are hurting economically during the pandemic...but that is not the cruise customer demographic anyway.  A lot of people in the demographic that buys Celebrity cruises have just gone through an entire year where their travel budget expenditures were ZERO.  They have money to spend NOW.  Of course, that, too, will level back down to an equilibrium.

 

I'm not going to worry, personally, we have three upcoming lift-and-shift cruises that were purchased at pre-pandemic deal prices...and that takes us out to April 2022.  So, for now, I will hold back on booking anything beyond that...and I'll wait to see how it all settles out.

Great points, Bruin Steve, makes very good sense.

[ChucktownSteve]

1 hour ago, Bruin Steve said:

I believe there are lots of factors in play here--yes, there's the added all-inclusive thing...and there is the attempt to recoup losses during the pandemic...

 

But, overall, this could be part of it as well:  A sort of a "rebranding".  For many years, Celebrity has drifted into sort of a co-equal status with the large number of "mass market" cruise lines--Carnival, NCL, Royal Caribbean, Princess, HAL...sort of hanging out in the same general price range and, even if we think they are a step above, gaining the general perception of being just like everyone else.

 

As an alternative, there have always been some "premium" or luxury lines--Seabourne, Silverseas, Regent, etc.  These cater to passengers willing to pay a LOT more...but also expecting a lot more--included drinks, gratuities, shore excursions, sometimes airfare or pre-cruise hotels...and more.

 

And then, over the past several years, a market has appeared for a class somewhere between those two with Oceania and Azamara...

 

A lot of the allure of the luxury lines are smaller ships, less crowded with fewer passengers.  But, even with those, the trend may be to bigger ships--because the economics demand it.  So, Oceania's two newbuilds were twice the size of their older ships...and getting closer to the size of the Celebrity ships.

 

In MANY ways, it appears that Celebrity's new strategy may be to position itself closer to these semi-luxury lines and distance themselves from the mass-market lines.  They already have slightly smaller, less crowded ships.  Going to more of an all-inclusive deal and higher prices may have them competing more with Oceania and grabbing some off the Regents and Seabournes.  People who don't really care that much about the pricing as the larger mass-market customer base does...and also doesn't want to feel nickled and dimed for things like drinks and gratuities.

 

Has that market grown enough to support another cruise line?  Can they still hang onto a lot of their long-term base while sliding upward in pricing?  Only time will tell.

 

 

You have some good points however IMO, Celebrity can't just raise prices and expect to compete with the premium or luxury lines without adding the quality and service to match.  I'd even place Celebrity a notch below Viking Ocean. They've been cutting costs on everything including the cheaper cuts of meat plus reducing both cabin and restaurant staff.  Look at each ship's crew to passenger ratio.  That says a lot.

 

The cruiser that books Regent, Silversea or Seabourn will not accept Celebrity's lower quality at a high fare cost. I don't believe the Azamara and Oceania cruiser will accept the almost same fare without adding the former quality back in.

 

Celebrity will need to step up their game if they want to play with the quality cruise lines.

Edited December 24, 2020 by ChucktownSteve

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

You have some good points however IMO, Celebrity can't just raise prices and expect to compete with the premium or luxury lines without adding the quality and service to match.  They've been cutting costs on everything including the cheaper cut of meat plus reducing both cabin and restaurant staff.  Look at each ship's crew to passenger ratio.  That says a lot.

 

The cruiser that books Regent, Silversea or Seabourn will not accept Celebrity's lower quality at a high fare cost. I don't believe the Azamara and Oceania cruiser will accept the almost same fare without adding the former quality back in.

 

Celebrity will need to step up their game if they want to play with the quality cruise lines.

I certainly do not cruise anywhere near as many on here.  That said, I have never had a bad experience with Celebrity.  Service+++, food, in both MDR's, Luminae and on a few occasions a specialty restaurant, have always at a minimum and usually almost always exceed my expectations.  I always leave the ship with a huge melancholy smile and look forward to returning.   

[ChucktownSteve]

5 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

I certainly do not cruise anywhere near as many on here.  That said, I have never had a bad experience with Celebrity.  Service+++, food, in both MDR's, Luminae and on a few occasions a specialty restaurant, have always at a minimum and usually almost always exceed my expectations.  I always leave the ship with a huge melancholy smile and look forward to returning.   

 

It's good that you're pleased with Celebrity.  Many people are just as pleased with Carnival.  Have you ever cruised Azamara, Oceania, Silversea, Regent or Seabourn to compare?

Edited December 24, 2020 by ChucktownSteve

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

It's good that you're pleased with Celebrity.  Have you ever cruised Azamara, Oceania, Silversea, Regent or Seabourn to compare?

I have not.  Have only been on NCL, Princess, CarniMESS and Celebrity.  Though, all I have read on here about the brands you mention, have been almost universally positive.

[ChucktownSteve]

26 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

I have not.  Have only been on NCL, Princess, CarniMESS and Celebrity.  Though, all I have read on here about the brands you mention, have been almost universally positive.

 

Since you only do one cruise a year and don't mind doing a Celebrity suite, I'd like to suggest you try an Azamara cruise.  You keep your same club status and earn points back on Celebrity at the same time. 

 

Price two Caribbean cruises:

 Azamara Fri, Dec 10, 2021 13 night Club Continent Suite N2 $6,814.68 for two passengers including port charges, grats & basic liquor.

 

Celebrity Mon, Dec 13, 2021 10 night Sky Suite S2 $7,951.38 for two passengers including port charges, grats, premium liquor and wifi.

 

Azamara is three nights more and $1136.7 less in fare.  Can you tell me Celebrity is worth the difference? They haven't changed the club perks on AZ yet.

Edited December 25, 2020 by ChucktownSteve

[LGW59]

19 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Since you only do one cruise a year and don't mind doing a Celebrity suite, I'd like to suggest you try an Azamara cruise.  You keep your same club status and earn points back on Celebrity at the same time. 

 

Price two Caribbean cruises:

 Azamara Fri, Dec 10, 2021 13 night Club Continent Suite N2 $6,814.68 for two passengers including port charges, grats & basic liquor.

 

Celebrity Mon, Dec 13, 2021 10 night Sky Suite S2 $7,951.38 for two passengers including port charges, grats, premium liquor and wifi.

 

Azamara is three nights more and $1136.7 less in fare.  Can you tell me Celebrity is worth the difference? They haven't changed the club perks on AZ yet.

Thank you for this, I appreciate the food for thought!  That is def a big diff considering 10 days v 13.  I cannot tell you though that Celebrity is worth the difference, would not be able to do so until/unless I cruise on AZ.  I will seriously consider it though, once my 2 future cruises on Celebrity have been completed, well fingers crossed anyway!

 

[ChucktownSteve]

1 minute ago, LGW59 said:

Thank you for this, I appreciate the food for thought!  That is def a big diff considering 10 days v 13.  I cannot tell you though that Celebrity is worth the difference, would not be able to do so until/unless I cruise on AZ.  I will seriously consider it though, once my 2 future cruises on Celebrity have been completed, well fingers crossed anyway!

 

 

Our aft P1 cabin on the AZ Dec 10 2021 cruise is only $6,495 for two with $200 obc from AZ and another $625 obc from my TA which is refundable in cash. So you can see why I've been saying what I have in previous posts about value.

 

Having sailed both AZ and Oceania, I have to see the value in Celebrity before I book them.  That being said, I'm trying an Apex S1 to see what the Resort life is like and whether I believe it's an experience worth the price.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Our aft P1 cabin on the AZ Dec 10 2021 cruise is only $6,495 for two with $200 obc from AZ and another $625 obc from my TA which is refundable in cash. So you can see why I've been saying what I have in previous posts about value.

 

Having sailed both AZ and Oceania, I have to see the value in Celebrity before I book them.  That being said, I'm trying an Apex S1 to see what the Resort life is like and whether I believe it's an experience worth the price.

May I ask when on APEX?  We have an 8/28/2021 Med/Greek Isles and 10/17/2022 Greece and Israel.  Also have a 5/15/2021, but that ship ain't sailing!

[ChucktownSteve]

26 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

May I ask when on APEX?  We have an 8/28/2021 Med/Greek Isles and 10/17/2022 Greece and Israel.  Also have a 5/15/2021, but that ship ain't sailing!

 

Feb 2022 Caribbean

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Feb 2022 Caribbean

Totally unrelated question, ChucktownSteve... is your name related to an area near Boston?

[hcat]

If X wants to be even a semi luxury line..it will have to up its game.. Go back to how it was when we had Michael Roux,  elegant dinner service, etc,

[ChucktownSteve]

9 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Totally unrelated question, ChucktownSteve... is your name related to an area near Boston?

 

Nope.  I used to live in Charleston. That is the nickname some used for there.

[Wine-O]

4 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Nope.  I used to live in Charleston. That is the nickname some used for there.

I used to live in North Charleston, thus the terms Chucktown and UpChucktown.  😀 🍷

[ChucktownSteve]

11 minutes ago, Wine-O said:

I used to live in North Charleston, thus the terms Chucktown and UpChucktown.  😀 🍷

 

I had to move to FL to be closer to Port Everglades.  The only cruises that embarked from Charleston were Carnival.  Ugh.

[dabear]

While we like Celebrity, we've also cruise Regent, Azamara & Oceania. They  offer a lot more than X,  & have substantially better food & service. Celebrity is kidding itself by raising prices and have ai, but still have a way to go to match the luxury or near luxury lines. This being said, we still evaluate most cruises for both price and itinerary. We doubt however, that we would pay the newly inflated X prices for it's existing product.

[ChucktownSteve]

24 minutes ago, dabear said:

While we like Celebrity, we've also cruise Regent, Azamara & Oceania. They  offer a lot more than X,  & have substantially better food & service. Celebrity is kidding itself by raising prices and have ai, but still have a way to go to match the luxury or near luxury lines. This being said, we still evaluate most cruises for both price and itinerary. We doubt however, that we would pay the newly inflated X prices for it's existing product.

 

We feel the same way which is why we just booked a Regent Alaska cruise to try them out.  We already know what AZ and Oceania deliver.  We liked them both.  So as Celebrity raises prices as a wanna be, we found that AZ aft facing cabin.

 

BTW I no longer use "X" to refer to Celebrity.  The X was from when Chandris owned them.  Celebrity certainly doesn't maintain that standard.  Maybe I'll start calling them "XX"....the double cross company. 🤣

Edited December 25, 2020 by ChucktownSteve

[jagoffee]

14 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

We feel the same way which is why we just booked a Regent Alaska cruise to try them out.  We already know what AZ and Oceania deliver.  We liked them both.  So as Celebrity raises prices as a wanna be, we found that AZ aft facing cabin.

 

BTW I no longer use "X" to refer to Celebrity.  The X was from when Chandris owned them.  Celebrity certainly doesn't maintain that standard.  Maybe I'll start calling them "XX"....the double cross company. 🤣

It will be interesting to see how you like Regent.  We experience our first Regent cruise in January 2020.  Celebrity removed the regular 14 day Caribbean cruise (it was our favorite every January), so we paid a premium to try Regent’s 14 day version.  As I am sure you know, Regent is much more all inclusive than Celebrity’s AI (Always Included) or even Celebrity’s  Best package.  A lot to like about Regent.  The specialty restaurants are included and are excellent, but the MDR quality and variety is amazing. The service was outstanding and the shows excellent considering the smaller size. (We were on their largest ship).

There were some things that we like better on Celebrity, some of them depends on whether one is in a suite.  It should  be a great experience. If you do not normally stay in a suite on Celebrity and the Regent price is in the ball park of the Celebrity price, regent would be an obviously choice IMO.

In our continuing  search for a January 14 day warm weather Caribbean cruise, we booked an Oceania  Riveria cruise for January 2022.  ( our 2nd Oceania cruise, the previous being the Regatta).  Celebrity hooked us in the 14 day January cruise, then abandoned us.

 

[Oceangoer2]

1 hour ago, dabear said:

While we like Celebrity, we've also cruise Regent, Azamara & Oceania. They  offer a lot more than X,  & have substantially better food & service. Celebrity is kidding itself by raising prices and have ai, but still have a way to go to match the luxury or near luxury lines. This being said, we still evaluate most cruises for both price and itinerary. We doubt however, that we would pay the newly inflated X prices for it's existing product.

 

This info is interesting....Would like the change to see if we'd enjoy these lines but I've checked out Azamara and Oceania...and compared to X, prices were higher, cabins smaller, bathroom has a 'curtain', ships smaller, ports seemed to be limited, and less entertainment, etc.  Food would be a plus, but not for someone non-gourmet.  I really want to try these lines but somehow concerned they would not be for me.  Our friends are almost totally Oceania now and only drawback seemed to be the included air.....non-direct economy and  unsuitable flight timing.  They obtain the credit and book their own flight.  We keep booking X and are E+...never will reach Zenith so points aren't an issue.