What are peoples thoughts on Always INcluded?

[beachfanatic]

Are people pleased with not having options to cruise with less perks?  Seems like pricing is significant now,  

[davekathy]

10 minutes ago, beachfanatic said:

Are people pleased with not having options to cruise with less perks?  Seems like pricing is significant now,  

I'd rather have the OBC than the Wi-Fi. We never use all our Elite minutes in the past. We always selected the CBP even prior to the new AI. Depending on the length of the cruise we would select either the OBC or the gratuities so that's not a big deal either. 

Edited February 3, 2021 by davekathy

[TeaBag]

I don't like the idea of paying for what I used to get for free as Elite+.  So Celebrity has lost me except for the cruises I had booked before the AI was introduced.

[DENIE]

I don't think I am a fan of it.  We have a Baltic cruise in August 2021 that is "still a go", but having my doubts that this will happen (or at least not with big changes to the itinerary).  We looked at pushing out a year, but between the change of ship (S-class to E-class), and new amenities all included, it certainly is a LOT more expensive and will not qualify for a lift and shift (if that is even still offered).  Besides, we don't need all 4.  Used to always get the beverage package and on-board credit.  This may have priced us out of that particular cruise.  Maybe even considering other lines, although I think there is a lot of this going on with all lines.

Edited February 3, 2021 by DENIE

[taznremmy]

As a solo cruiser, I don't appreciate the fact that they think it is OK to charge me for two.  I have come to accept the business necessity of charging me for two in the cabin; but to charge me for two drink packages, two gratuities, etc. is absurd.  I'm Elite+, and but for the cruise booked prior to this new "all inclusive",  I probably won't be sailing X anymore.

[cruisestitch]

Not a fan.  I am another single who resents having to pay double for amenities.  The company is doing its best to lose me as a customer.

[TeaBag]

I think they could make a lot of us prior loyalists happy if they had an option of booking without the perks.  I really don't like subsidizing those who start with a drink at breakfast and then continue all day.  I don't need unlimited internet.  I don't need to be forced to pay gratuities.  i was happy to have them on the seapass card each day if they were not a perk from a TA and I'm also one of the people who give extra at the end of the cruise for a job well done which is almost always.  Please Celebrity listen to those who are objecting to this money grab.

[Cruise Junky]

I’m on the fence right now. We drink and would use the internet.  The Transpacific I put a hold on today didn’t seem to be too much higher than prior years. I’d have to price more cruises to form a decision. 

[LGW59]

59 minutes ago, beachfanatic said:

Are people pleased with not having options to cruise with less perks?  Seems like pricing is significant now,  

I am good with it, though i do one cruise per year so I am a very happy Celebrity cruiser.

[davekathy]

We also liked it when it was an option to either pick and choose what bundled perks we wanted or pick none. Possibly this AI will also go by the wayside like the pay for gourmet 'burgers did. A lot of us were very vocal by posting here on CC with our disapproval. I believe Celebrity listened. Time will tell. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, beachfanatic said:

Are people pleased with not having options to cruise with less perks?  Seems like pricing is significant now,  

😛  Cannot put into words.

[grandgeezer]

To force people to pay for things that aren’t essential to cruising, is strictly a money grab with no concern for the people that don’t want or need them. And they wonder why some people sort of enjoy watching them lose hundreds of millions of dollars a month.

[jelayne]

This was discussed on some threads a few weeks ago, here is the link to one of them

Some feel it negates their Captains Club perk, some think it is intended to get rid of older cruisers and some like us are fine with it as we always picked or purchased the beverage package and wi-fi and of course the gratuities we always paid.

[WestLakeGirl]

Solo passenger here.  I always got the drinks package, BUT NOT TWO OF THEM.  always bought a wifi package BUT NOT TWO OF THEM.  always paid gratuities DITTO.

 

So I hate the new “always included”.

 

When I go to the hairdresser, I tip for myself, not for two people,  if I have one suitcase, I tip the bellboy for carrying one suitcase, not two,  i resent having to pay for two drinks packages, two internets, two service charges.

i can understand that I am occupying a whole cabin to myself, and will pay for that, but the rest makes no sense to me.

 

celebrity should make an adjustment for singles.

Edited February 3, 2021 by WestLakeGirl

[sydbarrett]

I am not a fan since I travel with a minor and he can't drink but is still subject to the same AI fare. I myself would just have a couple of glasses of wine a night, and not even every night. I like to bring the 2 bottles at embarkation. We also don't really need the wifi access. I would probably just get the basic service for 1 device just to keep in touch back home. The tips are good because we would pay that anyway. For our next cruise we were not able to book a non-AI fare so there was no other option and it will be nice not to have to worry about too many extra fees at the end, but given the option, I would choose the non AI fare. It would be nice if you could pick your perks like some lines offer.

[rvlandandsea]

We are diamond plus with Royal Caribbean and now have two 12 night cruises booked out of Amsterdam for summer 2022.  It seems are elite plus benefits have been negated by the AI. One left with Celebrity this fall and that will be it, if it even sails. We usually book a couple Celebrity cruises during our winter stay in Florida but prices are outrageous now in my opinion.

 

[Bo1953]

Personally, we always get a beverage package and then upgrade, we always pay grats, we always use the Wifi in port (now we do not have to wait so long LOL).

 

I trust the upgrade packages will be on sale from time to time in order to take advantage of them, as in the past for upgrades to PBP...

 

We shall see, for sure.

 

No issues with AI, really, just a different approach for the "few" who almost always purchase or have included a beverage package, and those who always pay their gratuities and then some, and those who use WiFi...

 

As with many of the changes at X over the last few years, some of us like them, some of us do not... go figure...

 

For those of us who travel solo, I do not know pre-AI, how X compared to comparable lines in terms of pricing, but I do know how they compare in other terms and for us, X is our line of choice due to service and other amenities... price excluded. We look for the best pricing for our chosen itinerary on X and not on other lines.

 

I Am sure there will be a few who will leave X over this and others who will ride it out looking for amendments or changes to the policy...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

[WonderMan3]

Prices have been going up year after year no matter what. If they are going to continue to rise we should at least get some stuff included instead of being asked to pay more for our cabin plus shell out money for all sorts of extras.

[PelicanBill]

I have cruised NCL the past 6 years, and have watched the huge popularity of their "free at sea" inclusions.  They have been criticized for limiting cruise options without those perks but they have better options and pricing for solo cruisers.

 

If Celebrity can fix the solo pricing and elite pricing issues, this will be very popular.

 

I have my eyes on a first Celebrity cruise after Covid and this announcement is fantastic to me.

 

[RickT]

It will all come down to pricing.  I usually get the beverage package and pay my tips (either as a perk or via shipboard account). I’ve not needed wifi as I’m on vacation and my Elite minutes were more than enough. I’m finding current pricing is a lot more than the old pricing (taking into account the perks) but am not sure if this is due to pent up demand or simply the new All Inclusive model.  If Celebrity provides good value and a good product I’ll continue to be a customer.  If not there are other options.

[BridgeMates]

If everyone on the ship is "all included," won't that really crowd up the coffee bar and the other bars even more than they are already?   I haven't been on CC for some time now so I've probably missed something....

[PelicanBill]

@RickT We are seeing the same on pricing at NCL.  All prices are high right now and their 30% off promotions are still not viewed as good prices.  I think post-covid there will be little discounting until demand falls below available inventory.  If fewer ships are sailing at 50% full, no need to discount as demand is far above inventory.  Maybe in 2022 we will see pricing start to fall again.

[Bo1953]

3 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

I have cruised NCL the past 6 years, and have watched the huge popularity of their "free at sea" inclusions.  They have been criticized for limiting cruise options without those perks but they have better options and pricing for solo cruisers.

 

If Celebrity can fix the solo pricing and elite pricing issues, this will be very popular.

 

I have my eyes on a first Celebrity cruise after Covid and this announcement is fantastic to me.

 

While I Am not familiar with NCL's program in this respect, it is recommended that those affected call and/or write X to propose a similar program instead of just posting it here...

 

bon voyage

[PelicanBill]

1 minute ago, BridgeMates said:

If everyone on the ship is "all included," won't that really crowd up the coffee bar and the other bars even more than they are already?   I haven't been on CC for some time now so I've probably missed something....

 

Yes. I haven't studied Celebrity ship layouts but on NCL the bars became crowded and wait time for drinks is an issue at peak times.  They started allowing people to order 2 drinks at a time to alleviate this a little.   The coffee bar is not included in NCL's packages so no idea if that would be an issue but I suspect it will depend on port days vs sea days - crowded early on port days, not so much when more  people sleep in on sea days.

[TMLAalum]

I like several suggestions here- allow Elite and higher to choose to book without perks or maybe have the Premium beverage package as a perk. OBC instead of wifi sounds good to me, but even better would be OBC in lieu of beverage package since many cruisers do not drink alcoholic beverages. That would also help with crowding at Al Bacio. Although since we don't if ship's will be sailing at full capacity once cruising resumes, perhaps that won't be a problem.