Gratuities???

[Travelling2Some]

I have not sailed on Celebrity for a few years.  From what I see on their website ALL cruises now include drinks, wifi and tips.  So why, when I go to actually book a cruise does a option come up to pre-pay gratuities?  Isn't it already included?  Thanks for any explanation.

[Miaminice]

😂 for the same reason that you can choose dining times although booked on Aqua Class or a Suite... because their IT sucks 😂😂😂

 

[ipeeinthepool]

3 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

I have not sailed on Celebrity for a few years.  From what I see on their website ALL cruises now include drinks, wifi and tips.  So why, when I go to actually book a cruise does a option come up to pre-pay gratuities?  Isn't it already included?  Thanks for any explanation.

 

Celebrity has also said that they may drop the Always Included for last minute bookings, so the option to pre-pay gratuities would be useful in that situation.  But we don’t know for sure because Celebrity has not sailed since they introduced the AI concept.

[cruisestitch]

Some Blue Chip club bookings don’t have their gratuities paid so you would need to add them on your own 

[Travelling2Some]

Thanks for the explanations.  I do recall Celebrity's infamous IT glitches now.  I once cancelled an excursion only to find they had cancelled my entire reservation by mistake.  Luckily I caught the error right away.

[Glendakayself]

It is the website. I price the cruises I have booked frequently and have found that it will ask if I want to pre-pay grats on occasion and not the next time. This morning it asked me to pre-pay grats on an Alaskan cruise and did not offer any other "perks." You know it is a glitch when you are not offered other items.

[4774Papa]

6 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Celebrity has also said that they may drop the Always Included for last minute bookings, so the option to pre-pay gratuities would be useful in that situation.  But we don’t know for sure because Celebrity has not sailed since they introduced the AI concept.

We don't care for the all inclusive that X has chosen.   Xs prices now are frequently double or more of a similar Royal C. cruise and still significantly higher than Princess (even when you pick the Princess perks). 

Also, we like to book early and in the past have found that we almost always save when we do that.  We don't do the Caribbean and last minute doesn't work for us.

[drsel]

5 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Some Blue Chip club bookings don’t have their gratuities paid so you would need to add them on your own 

What is this Blue chip club

[drsel]

7 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Celebrity has also said that they may drop the Always Included for last minute bookings, so the option to pre-pay gratuities would be useful in that situation.  But we don’t know for sure because Celebrity has not sailed since they introduced the AI concept.

I would personally wait for these last minute price drops which have been up to 50% in the past before covid

Edited March 13, 2021 by drsel

[davekathy]

10 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

I have not sailed on Celebrity for a few years.  From what I see on their website ALL cruises now include drinks, wifi and tips.  So why, when I go to actually book a cruise does a option come up to pre-pay gratuities?  Isn't it already included?  Thanks for any explanation.

Agree, noticed the same. When I booked our September 2022 Summit cruise (January 2021) the AI (CBP, gratuities and WiFi) was part of the booking. Just did a mock booking for our cruise and there is a box to select to pre pay gratuities and the AI is no longer listed. Also the price is about $300.00 more than I paid.  No the AI isn't included if it isn't listed on the summary page. 

Edited March 13, 2021 by davekathy

[cruisestitch]

Drsel, The blue-chip club is the rewards program for gamblers. Sometimes they provide complementary Cruises, and those bookings do not include beverage packages, gratuities, etc.

[drsel]

42 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Agree, noticed the same. there is a box to select to pre pay gratuities and the AI is no longer listed.

No the AI isn't included if it isn't listed on the summary page. 

So if AI is not seen/not listed/not available, won't The Cruise fare be much lower?

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, drsel said:

So if AI is not seen/not listed/not available, won't The Cruise fare be much lower?

Not necessarily. See my post #10. 

[jelayne]

I just did a  mock booking and at the point where it asks to prepay gratuities the default setting is  Maybe Later.  This may be how they allow those booked without gratuities ( Blue Chip, last minute bookings) to add gratuities.   I recently booked and selected the refundable deposit  and the AI didn't show on the Summary page but  it  did show on the booking confirmation

[drsel]

33 minutes ago, jelayne said:

the AI didn't show on the Summary page but  it  did show on the booking confirmation

This proves that the AI is included in all bookings, until or unless there is a last minute price drop

[drsel]

12 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

I have not sailed on Celebrity for a few years.  From what I see on their website ALL cruises now include drinks, wifi and tips.  So why, when I go to actually book a cruise does a option come up to pre-pay gratuities?  Isn't it already included?  Thanks for any explanation.

Obviously, its not required to prepay gratuities if the cruise is all inclusive or AI.

 

The option must have been retained in the software to accommodate last minute price drops,  which would possibly not include alcohol Wi-Fi and gratuity

Edited March 13, 2021 by drsel

[Denny01]

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

We don't care for the all inclusive that X has chosen.   Xs prices now are frequently double or more of a similar Royal C. cruise and still significantly higher than Princess (even when you pick the Princess perks). 

Also, we like to book early and in the past have found that we almost always save when we do that.  We don't do the Caribbean and last minute doesn't work for us.

I find these ‘double or more’ pricing comments to be common on these forums, but I find it’s more than a bit of an exaggeration. I’m cruising on Apex this Thanksgiving and I compared Norwegian, RCL, and Princess to that specific price I got. All of them w similar itineraries were with 80-90%, not 50% or less. And Apex isn’t being discounted. And Celebrity was offering more benefits. 

 

I realize you can root around you may find some itinerary that is closer to the purported 50% cheaper, good luck. I’ll stick w the reality of actual pricing that  I checked. 
 

den

[davekathy]

57 minutes ago, jelayne said:

I just did a  mock booking and at the point where it asks to prepay gratuities the default setting is  Maybe Later.  This may be how they allow those booked without gratuities ( Blue Chip, last minute bookings) to add gratuities.   I recently booked and selected the refundable deposit  and the AI didn't show on the Summary page but  it  did show on the booking confirmation

Good to know. I never go past the summary page as I call the Captains Club for more details and to do the actual booking. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, drsel said:

So if AI is not seen/not listed/not available, won't The Cruise fare be much lower?

 

1 hour ago, drsel said:

Obviously, its not required to prepay gratuities if the cruise is all inclusive or AI.

 

The option must have been retained in the software to accommodate last minute price drops,  which would possibly not include alcohol Wi-Fi and gratuity

Supposidly late bookings WILL be offered without perks.  Just cruise fare.  Same with Blue Chip Club.

One of the reasons I go to Celebrity website then call or email my TA.

Again everything today is speculation.  Things have changed multiple times in the last year.  Expect more of the same in the future.

[4774Papa]

2 hours ago, Denny01 said:

I find these ‘double or more’ pricing comments to be common on these forums, but I find it’s more than a bit of an exaggeration. I’m cruising on Apex this Thanksgiving and I compared Norwegian, RCL, and Princess to that specific price I got. All of them w similar itineraries were with 80-90%, not 50% or less. And Apex isn’t being discounted. And Celebrity was offering more benefits. 

 

I realize you can root around you may find some itinerary that is closer to the purported 50% cheaper, good luck. I’ll stick w the reality of actual pricing that  I checked. 
 

den

We like TA cruise and priced westbound cruises in Fall of 2022

 

Celebrity

1) 14 nights, Reflection, Rome to FLL, $2,499 pp

2) 15 nights, Constellation, Rome to Tampa, $2,399 pp

3) 14 nights, Edge, Barcelona to FLL, $3,099 pp

 

Royal Caribbean

1) 14 nights, Barcelona to Galveston, $959pp

2) 15 nights Rome to Tampa, $1,099 pp

 

Princess

Rome to FLL, Island Princess,  $1,569 without perks, $2,129 with perks

 

The Royal cruises don't come with perks (also I know Celebrity includes gratuities as well).  Still, Royal's Diamond happy hour from 5-8pm is so good that for both Royal cruises we have done, we never paid for any alcohol, since we don't drink outside of those hours.  Clearly with several cruises to compare (also, Princess had more from the MED to Florida at around the same prices, the difference is huge.

 

I have compared a few other cruises and found Celebrity to always be the highest priced line.  The differences are not always this significant, but for the cruise that I was planning, Celebrity was double or almost triple considering the gratuities are included.

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

We like TA cruise and priced westbound cruises in Fall of 2022

 

Celebrity

1) 14 nights, Reflection, Rome to FLL, $2,499 pp

2) 15 nights, Constellation, Rome to Tampa, $2,399 pp

3) 14 nights, Edge, Barcelona to FLL, $3,099 pp

 

Royal Caribbean

1) 14 nights, Barcelona to Galveston, $959pp

2) 15 nights Rome to Tampa, $1,099 pp

 

Princess

Rome to FLL, Island Princess,  $1,569 without perks, $2,129 with perks

 

The Royal cruises don't come with perks (also I know Celebrity includes gratuities as well).  Still, Royal's Diamond happy hour from 5-8pm is so good that for both Royal cruises we have done, we never paid for any alcohol, since we don't drink outside of those hours.  Clearly with several cruises to compare (also, Princess had more from the MED to Florida at around the same prices, the difference is huge.

 

I have compared a few other cruises and found Celebrity to always be the highest priced line.  The differences are not always this significant, but for the cruise that I was planning, Celebrity was double or almost triple considering the gratuities are included.

May I ask what type of cabin for these?

[4774Papa]

15 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

May I ask what type of cabin for these?

ALL balcony cabins

[Denny01]

28 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

We like TA cruise and priced westbound cruises in Fall of 2022

 

Celebrity

1) 14 nights, Reflection, Rome to FLL, $2,499 pp

2) 15 nights, Constellation, Rome to Tampa, $2,399 pp

3) 14 nights, Edge, Barcelona to FLL, $3,099 pp

 

Royal Caribbean

1) 14 nights, Barcelona to Galveston, $959pp

2) 15 nights Rome to Tampa, $1,099 pp

 

Princess

Rome to FLL, Island Princess,  $1,569 without perks, $2,129 with perks

 

The Royal cruises don't come with perks (also I know Celebrity includes gratuities as well).  Still, Royal's Diamond happy hour from 5-8pm is so good that for both Royal cruises we have done, we never paid for any alcohol, since we don't drink outside of those hours.  Clearly with several cruises to compare (also, Princess had more from the MED to Florida at around the same prices, the difference is huge.

 

I have compared a few other cruises and found Celebrity to always be the highest priced line.  The differences are not always this significant, but for the cruise that I was planning, Celebrity was double or almost triple considering the gratuities are included.

Great RCL prices especially the $959 if you don’t mind making a 15N TA with two ports (Malaga and the always popular Nassau) and you don’t want any drinks, never use WiFi and don’t tip. And you want to make a 15N TA on a 5,400 passenger ship. Been on that for 7N and never again. As I said, you can find a the 50% less but you aren’t comparing similar cruising, at least what I define as similar cruising. 

 

But the Princess is nice, go for it. I’ll personally spend the extra $200 for what I specifically want. 

 

Den

[Denny01]

52 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

ALL balcony cabins

And I hate to point this out (no I Love pointing this out), the $959 ‘balcony’ on the RCL Allure of the Seas is one of those internal balconies where you overlook the lower inside decks. It is Not an oceanview balcony. Those run about $1500. Not bad, but again, those prices used to show that Celebrity is 50% higher than other cruises isn’t comparing anything even close.

 

And if you want a ‘balcony’ overlooking a few thousand people milling through the open lower deck, standing in lines to dine in ‘Central Park’ and hearing all the noise as it rafts up, go for it. It isn’t a ship balcony. It’s a condo balcony with a large neverending party going on outside.

 

Good for sunbathing when you are worried about skin cancer. 

 

Den

[gold1953]

Once on the Oasis was more then enough for us and the inside balcony was awful.. Too noisy to have the doors open. Too hot to sit out. No privacy with drapes open after dark. We could see people in bed across the other side!!!

 We stood in line for over 20 minutes to get a seat at the lunch buffet and really did not want to be seated where they put us

Oh.. plastic dishes!!  I do not drink my tea and coffee from plastic mugs!!

 We attended a private formal event with our group and the wine was served in those cheap plastic wine glasses that we use at picnics