All inclusive. Not really. Expensive, YES!

[Ride-The-Waves]

47 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Yes, someone did post it here as well as a policy statement (which I did not see or verify) indicated that there would be social distancing in all cabin categories and no insides sold (although there is a thread indicating that this is no longer the case, did not see or verify this info).

 

bon voyage

The only thing I've read actually from a cruise line is they were going to start by not selling inside cabins to provide some "social distancing."  Closing off balcony cabins doesn't make much sense.  However on some ships that may be the only option.

 

Recommendations from CDC and other are changing rapidly in recent days.  Likely by the time cruise lines are ready to begin sailing with passengers again many restrictions will be moot, like adjacent cabins.  Would like to believe that we will still be required to wear masks in close quarters, like the theaters and bars.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Ride-The-Waves

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 hour ago, Bo1953 said:

Yes, someone did post it here as well as a policy statement (which I did not see or verify) indicated that there would be social distancing in all cabin categories and no insides sold (although there is a thread indicating that this is no longer the case, did not see or verify this info).

 

bon voyage

Because they are limiting bookings to 50-60% of capacity.. Eliminating the inside cabins would bring them some additional revenue. I still think they would get the 50-60% booked.

[Bo1953]

34 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Because they are limiting bookings to 50-60% of capacity.. Eliminating the inside cabins would bring them some additional revenue. I still think they would get the 50-60% booked.

They did get them booked, in most cases!!!

 

bon voyage

[HMR74]

1) Most of us have sat at bars on board and watched as the bartenders swiped cards all day. It's not just for the charge, but it gathers data on us for Celebrity to make decisions. I suspect but cannot prove that the AI for the beverage portions was based on a rather high number buying that before. So just include it  in the base price.  We are not, or do not think we are heavy drinkers, but we have 2 drinks at dinner, a couple during the day, or at our "happy hour", a few specialty coffees at night thus justifying the package, and not having to look at long  itemized bill the last night and just throwing in the towel.

 

2) Internet-its a fixed cost to X  but I asked what the pricing of the streaming was and I was told some outrageous price. We are going to get it anyway so not a big deal. One reason is to face time with the grandkids--priceless. Now post covid we understand ZOOM.

 

3) Gratuities-keeps it simple--plus, when we receive especially good service from the cabin steward, or server(s). etc. we have our envelopes for that. They, and others,  can make or break the enjoyment of the cruise. Treat them nicely with respect and you get it in return.

 

Yes, the prices are up. However, their costs are up too, including the new rules on # of  medical staff, leaving cabins open for emergency use, all the on board testing and cleaning protocols. And let's not forget inflation in food and energy. It is more than a little (unlike what Fed Chair Powell said today about inflation).

 

I have to pull out my contract and see if what I heard is true--the contract allegedly says they can charge  an adjustment fee if oil prices rise by an "X" amount.

 

Also, if you look at the P&L, which is what I do , you can ascertain if RCCL is making an outrageous amount or not and how much add ons are bought. That includes RCCL and Celebrity and Azmara for the last real year 2019. RCCL earned ~20% on sales, ~$2 million, a nice profit margin but based on a return on assets, since cruise lines are so capital intensive, the ROI is ok.

 

So I have no problem with the pricing. In life, hopefully, you get what you pay for.

 

My only issue is how they handled cancelled cruises. They could have handled the L&S a little better, and now I hear that side deals were made.

 

That also means my Travel Agent did not stand up for me in anyway shape  or form, so I changed Travel Agents.

 

Everything looks fine.

 

As I have said, I certainly would not want to be a CEO of a Cruise line for the past 15 months, or going forward for a while. They are paid well (Fain received the lowest pay of the big 3 for 2020) but not enough for the grief, stress and aggravation. It has not been so great for management or general adm or front line employees either.

 

I just feel that once I step on board, I am on a real no brainer no stress  vacation.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The oil price clauses were added [by most cruise lines] after the 'Arab Oil Embargo,' when OPEC still had clout over oil prices and the sudden jump really hurt the lines.  AFAIK they have never been triggered.

[HMR74]

1 minute ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The oil price clauses were added [by most cruise lines] after the 'Arab Oil Embargo,' when OPEC still had clout over oil prices and the sudden jump really hurt the lines.  AFAIK they have never been triggered.

Thanks

I also think they all hedge using futures. From a business perspective they are pricing 2-3 years out and have to hedge both food and oil.

 

I want the cruise line I use to be successful financially. I do not want them cutting corners on anything.

anybody ever fly "Peoples Distress (express) "?  One and done with me, the cabins were filthy, and I prayed they maintained the engines and other critical parts better.

 

One of the things I noticed on X was the number of people going around the ship and just cleaning stair rails and other things or touch up painting all week. There is a cost to that and its AI.

[grandgeezer]

10 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The oil price clauses were added [by most cruise lines] after the 'Arab Oil Embargo,' when OPEC still had clout over oil prices and the sudden jump really hurt the lines.  AFAIK they have never been triggered.

It was activated years ago, I don’t remember exactly when. It was a short period of time. We got lucky enough to pay it, $10 per day, 14 day max.

[jagoffee]

15 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

They are NOT all sold.  Celebrity is blocking many cabin on the website...possibly to encourage bookings now.  Discovered this by asking our TA to check for vacancies for a trans-Atlantic in a group of suites just because the website didn't make sense.  Of the 14 suites, 9 were available.  Marketing and manipulation.

Are you saying that in the past, Celebrity showed all cabins that were available within a certain category?  And now they do not?

 

Which TA did you ask about?

[HMR74]

6 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Are you saying that in the past, Celebrity showed all cabins that were available within a certain category?  And now they do not?

 

Which TA did you ask about?

I recently booked 4 adjacent balcony  cabins on Oasis for Nov 2022 Thanksgiving. I had been waiting to see when they were offered and I was definitively one of the first. However, when I booked, very few cabins were open and I think I was able to reach someone at RCL who got me the cabins I wanted.

That also happened when booking the 2021 Thanksgiving cruise. Either they hold them back, might be giving the impression they are short on open cabins, or not, or specific cabins were presold to agents.

I have not had that issue on the Celebrity website, although on some cruises it does appear, like someone suggested earlier, they are booking every other cabin. But that was a March 2022 cruise that I passed on in favor of April and May 2022.

 

I forgot to mention in a prior post that some of the pricing was to cover them on 50-60% occupancy restrictions and who knows how long that can last when we do not know now when sailings will be from the US. These will be very expensive propositions-if they cannot get back to near 100% for a while.  (although it would be interesting to be on a ship with a great itinerary with half a normal load and no distancing or mask restrictions-but that woudl not be in anybody's interest-except perhaps the CDC).

 

[earlydiner]

I just booked Alaska for over a year out and got it without AI.  They also gave us room upgrades.  We do not drink, so why should I pay an extra $420 and only get gratuities @ $100+.  We had some FCC so I grabbed this when I saw it.  Love the Solstice round trip out of Seattle.

After this one we will see which line we go to.  We love Princess, Holland America, and RCC just as well as Celebrity.  I think we would be happy on any ship about now.  

 

[HMR74]

29 minutes ago, earlydiner said:

I just booked Alaska for over a year out and got it without AI.  They also gave us room upgrades.  We do not drink, so why should I pay an extra $420 and only get gratuities @ $100+.  We had some FCC so I grabbed this when I saw it.  Love the Solstice round trip out of Seattle.

After this one we will see which line we go to.  We love Princess, Holland America, and RCC just as well as Celebrity.  I think we would be happy on any ship about now.  

 

Can we ask which cruise and what type cabin did you select to begin with?  And when you Said "they" upgraded you was it an  agent or Celebrity.

 

I just checked the late June cruises  and it was not offered on line without AI. So was it the first  sailing to Alaska in 2022?

TIA

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by HMR74

[highway180]

5 hours ago, HMR74 said:

Can we ask which cruise and what type cabin did you select to begin with?  And when you Said "they" upgraded you was it an  agent or Celebrity

 

I just checked the late June cruises  and it was not offered on line without AI. So was it the first  sailing to Alaska in 2022?

TIA

possibly a captains club upgrade??

 

Blue Chip comped cruises do not have AI

Blue Chip discounted cruises do have AI

I've booked both in the past.

 

[highway180]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The oil price clauses were added [by most cruise lines] after the 'Arab Oil Embargo,' when OPEC still had clout over oil prices and the sudden jump really hurt the lines.  AFAIK they have never been triggered.

ALL companies that transport people, goods, ect. have fuel surcharge programs in place. this has been common practice for many years.Whether or not they are implemented is an individual business decision.

It is a safety valve in the event fuel costs skyrocket.

we utilize this line item in my business.

[highway180]

On 4/27/2021 at 10:22 AM, ipeeinthepool said:

 

On most cruises that I've been on the percentage of first time cruises approaches 50%.  

whens the last time you tried to get a drink at the Elite cocktail hour???

the fact that there are so many repeat cruisers is the main reason they did away with the drink cuopons

I do admit it was a pain to remember to bring them, so that was a good move.

 

i would estimate a lot fewer, especially on the longer cruises.

My last TA seemed like 90% range , most Elite and above,

All riding the slow boat home from Europe

My favorite, as it beats flying home!!!

[Kellyblue]

I have some level of sympathy with LGW59.  We travelled enough with Celebrity to reach Elite Plus. This gave us a few free drinks before dinner and our morning coffee.  There is no way we would be able to drink enough to make the AI worth the money that is now charged.  And with 240 minutes each of free wifi, of which we used very little, we find that is also a perk not worth while. So the only benefit we would get use from is the gratuties which are almost always included anyway when you booked your next cruise on board.  Sadly, this means Celebrity cruises are now too expensive for us to afford.

 

We've also noticed that there are many more younger passengers appearing on the ships and that more passengers are the worse for wear than previously.  I guess it is their holiday too and they are entitled to enjoy it as they wish, but the resultant noise and behaviour takes the shine off our relaxing break.  It is frustrating to now have to face experimenting with other cruise lines to find one that suits our age group and pocketbook.

[wrk2cruise]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The oil price clauses were added [by most cruise lines] after the 'Arab Oil Embargo,' when OPEC still had clout over oil prices and the sudden jump really hurt the lines.  AFAIK they have never been triggered.

 

I paid it on one cruise within a year after the instituted the policy.   I think it was $14 pp/pd added onboard.  The threshold is $65 / barrel which in the last 10 years has been well over that threshold quite a bit.   There was such an outcry all lines stopped charging it.

[tfred]

17 minutes ago, Kellyblue said:

I have some level of sympathy with LGW59.  We travelled enough with Celebrity to reach Elite Plus. This gave us a few free drinks before dinner and our morning coffee.  There is no way we would be able to drink enough to make the AI worth the money that is now charged.  And with 240 minutes each of free wifi, of which we used very little, we find that is also a perk not worth while. So the only benefit we would get use from is the gratuties which are almost always included anyway when you booked your next cruise on board.  Sadly, this means Celebrity cruises are now too expensive for us to afford.

 

We've also noticed that there are many more younger passengers appearing on the ships and that more passengers are the worse for wear than previously.  I guess it is their holiday too and they are entitled to enjoy it as they wish, but the resultant noise and behaviour takes the shine off our relaxing break.  It is frustrating to now have to face experimenting with other cruise lines to find one that suits our age group and pocketbook.

you should look at RCCL if you want to keep it in the "family "  Ala carte pricing with new ships and basically same service levels.  HAL is another option as those ships are very sedate and more "traditional"

 

X wants younger people on board, especially if they are new to cruising.  They have money to afford the cruise fare and they spend more when they get on board

[TeeRick]

10 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

It was activated years ago, I don’t remember exactly when. It was a short period of time. We got lucky enough to pay it, $10 per day, 14 day max.

I always found it interesting that when oil prices crash the cruise lines don't give you a daily refund!

😀

[HMR74]

2 hours ago, highway180 said:

possibly a captains club upgrade??

 

Blue Chip comped cruises do not have AI

Blue Chip discounted cruises do have AI

I've booked both in the past.

 

Captains club upgrades can automatically take one from aqua 2 to Aqua 1, nice but not necessarily great and there are other perks.

if an independent agent bought cabins at a discount, that can get a customer an upgrade but also remember the Celebrity upgrade bid process.

 

Big volume agents have some room to work with discounts, or upgrades at that level, or refundable or non refundable obc.

but if some agent  or Celebrity itself is doing some wheeling and dealing, i would like to know.

just getting to book without AI is not necessarily a good deal, but paying inside price and getting a balcony is a good deal, even if deck 6 obstructed on solstice class. The lowest inside price I saw was 999 pp. on certain cruises i might do it, but i think Alaska I want a balcony with a view without obstruction by tenders or the overhang.
 

 

[HMR74]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

I always found it interesting that when oil prices crash the cruise lines don't give you a daily refund!

😀

Thats gas pump prices too, fast to change on upside, not so fast on downside. We belong to Costco and Sams where gas is discounted heavily, like 30 cents a gallon. Also Sams premium membership, at least for our needs, has unbelievable pricing, zero, on expensive prescriptions not covered or not covered completely in regular medicare. 

[Kellyblue]

17 minutes ago, tfred said:

you should look at RCCL if you want to keep it in the "family "  Ala carte pricing with new ships and basically same service levels.  HAL is another option as those ships are very sedate and more "traditional"

 

X wants younger people on board, especially if they are new to cruising.  They have money to afford the cruise fare and they spend more when they get on board

LOL. Thanks tfred.  RCCL totally gear themselves to children.  We switched to Celebrity after accidently booking on a ship with 1,000 children on board.  Having said that, our two weeks in the middle east on Jewel of the Sea just over a year ago was not too overrun with children and very enjoyable.  Being solidly of the 'grey brigade', we might try the likes of Holland America.  I understand their average age is over 70!

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, Kellyblue said:

I have some level of sympathy with LGW59.  We travelled enough with Celebrity to reach Elite Plus.

 

I have always been amazed at the seduction of folks through "elite status".

[iancal]

Not a big issue for us.  We are not loyal to any cruise line.  We are elite on Celebrity, something else on Princess.   Celebrity Solstice class ships are a favorite of ours.

 

We seldom buy the liquer or soda packages.  Not worth it to us.  

 

Do not know how this will play out for us post covid.  We typically select based on ship, itinerary, and price.   For comparison purposes we price out bundled or inclusive items at their value to us, not the price or value that the cruise line places on them.

 

Not certain what impact this will have on our future Celebrity cruises.  We do like Celebrity but we are not going to pay above the odds for inclusives that have little value to us.

Edited April 29, 2021 by iancal

[TeeRick]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

I have always been amazed at the seduction of folks through "elite status".

Funny.  Celebrity calls these member levels "tiers".  Some do think of it as status or entitlement.  Honestly I have seen this view much less on Celebrity than the other cruise line (Royal Caribbean) that I often use for cruising where it seems to be quite more of a status thing on board.  

[iancal]

Elite is actually quite meaningless to us on Celebrity.  

 

On RCI it gives us access to a quiet Diamond lounge where we can relax, have our double espresso caps, a glass of wine, or some appetizers.  It is where we go for a continental breakfast each morning if we happen to be on an RCI ship.  Plus a $200 discount on our balcony cabin.

Edited April 29, 2021 by iancal