Do suites always sell out first?

[ggo85]

On many cruises, the top tier suites (above Sky) often sell out early because there are so few of them as compared to other cabin classes.  Thus, people who want them grab them early.  This tends to be especially true on longer cruises or more "exotic" cruises, based on itinerary  

 

The above said, on some cruises there may be less interest in suites, for whatever reason.  That can mean great deals for those willing to bid for a suite or X may reduce prices on suites.  Whether the ship will be uncrowded really depends on how filled the other cabin categories are b/c there are a lot more of them than suites. IOW, if the suites are empty but every non-suite cabin is full, the ship could still be fairly crowded.  If the suite occupancy is reflective of the ship as a whole, it may be an empty ship.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I was on a Summit sailing this spring.  There were 350 passengers on the ship.  The suites were completely sold out and had been since the sailing was announced.  So one has nothing to do with the other.

 

[Cruise a holic]

On 2/7/2022 at 10:35 AM, mfs2k said:

 

How do you take advantage of price drops if the category you're booked in is sold out?

You cannot take advantage of.  Only if cabins are available, and the price drops before final payment you can.

[TravelingCircusof5]

12 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

I was on a Summit sailing this spring.  There were 350 passengers on the ship.  The suites were completely sold out and had been since the sailing was announced.  So one has nothing to do with the other.

 

350 passengers?! Was it like a ghost town? when they know they have a low % of pax, do they also reduce staff numbers? Or is it just a lighter week for the staff?

 

[terrydtx]

Our Equinox cruise next June and our Apex cruise next September have sold out all Sky Suites, which makes repricing during the recent sales very difficult. We book early because we prefer Sky Suites so that we do not get locked out. Our Edge cruise of the Great Barrier reef in Jan 2024 is also sold out of SS.

[TeeRick]

We were looking for a Caribbean cruise in the near time frame.  Jan-Feb 2023.  We wanted a suite. It was actually very difficult finding one.    Most ships had suites sold out entirely.  The remaining few ones were crazy expensive and were usually the very top end (like PH or Iconic), even with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday "sales".  BEYOND was outrageous.  But we ending up getting a CS on Equinox which was still expensive but we had FCC's to burn.  Not sure how crowded the non-suite areas of the ship will be.  Jan 21 southern Caribbean for 9 nights.  Happy to get a suite on an S-Class ship!

[TravelingCircusof5]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

We were looking for a Caribbean cruise in the near time frame.  Jan-Feb 2023.  We wanted a suite. It was actually very difficult finding one.    Most ships had suites sold out entirely.  The remaining few ones were crazy expensive and were usually the very top end (like PH or Iconic), even with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday "sales".  BEYOND was outrageous.  But we ending up getting a CS on Equinox which was still expensive but we had FCC's to burn.  Not sure how crowded the non-suite areas of the ship will be.  Jan 21 southern Caribbean for 9 nights.  Happy to get a suite on an S-Class ship!

Yeah. The Beyond pricing may be pricing customers right away from the ship. The suite prices are pretty crazy. 

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, TravelingCircusof5 said:

Yeah. The Beyond pricing may be pricing customers right away from the ship. The suite prices are pretty crazy. 

As soon as the new Ascent is launched next year, the Beyond pricing should drop some. This was the case for the previous Edge and Apex pricing. So many want to book the latest and greatest ship until the newest and greatest is launched. I remember that AQ Class and lower cabins on the Edge were outrageous when she was first launched in 2018 but by 2021 they were more in line with M & S class pricing.

Edited December 1, 2022 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

14 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

We were looking for a Caribbean cruise in the near time frame.  Jan-Feb 2023.  We wanted a suite. It was actually very difficult finding one.    Most ships had suites sold out entirely.  The remaining few ones were crazy expensive and were usually the very top end (like PH or Iconic), even with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday "sales".  BEYOND was outrageous.  But we ending up getting a CS on Equinox which was still expensive but we had FCC's to burn.  Not sure how crowded the non-suite areas of the ship will be.  Jan 21 southern Caribbean for 9 nights.  Happy to get a suite on an S-Class ship!

On the Reflection in August all suites were full and the ship was at 60% capacity and she never seemed to be crowded in the non-suite areas.  Not sure how the Caribbean cruises this winter are being sold capacity wise. Last year our August Equinox cruise was at 40% capacity with all suites again full.

[TeeRick]

12 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

As soon as the new Ascent is launched next year, the Beyond pricing should drop some. This was the case for the previous Edge and Apex pricing. So many want to book the latest and greatest ship until the newest and greatest is launched. I remember that AQ Class and lower cabins on the Edge were outrageous when she was first launched in 2018 but by 2021 they were more in line with M & S class pricing.

I am happy to sail on S-Class.  We tried a CS on EDGE but were not overwhelmed by it or the ship.

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I am happy to sail on S-Class.  We tried a CS on EDGE but were not overwhelmed by it or the ship.

Our last two Celebrity cruises, post covid have been in Sky Suites on S class ships, Equinox and Reflection.  We loved both ships but we are looking forward to the expanded and updated Retreat facilities on the Apex and Edge we have booked in the next 2 years. My sister and BIL sailed on the Apex in September in a CS and were so blown away they have booked the Beyond for an Atlantic to Europe TA next Spring in another CS.

[NevadaCruiser2023]

I think I'd probably look the day after final payment is due for the cruise. Some people book, but never follow through, at least that's what I hear. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

On our Conny November 2023 TA from Rome , there is 3 HC suite left 

Our April 2023 TA on Reflection probably 40% of the suits are left 

which is not to surprising as most North America people like westbound TAs 😁

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

I'm in an EV for a 7-night on Beyond next month. I'm also on Beyond in another EV for an 11-night Mediterranean cruise in August. 

 

There are EVs available for both my cruise dates, as well as other dates on same ship in January and August. 

 

In fact, looks like plenty of SS type rooms available, too.

 

I'd only book an RS or above because I prefer the amenities. But, I'd rule out RS and PH on the Edge class ships due to no hot tub on balcony and the insane overhang above balcony.

 

That leaves me with EV or Iconic (which with two bedrooms for only two people is overkill for me personally. However, I'd consider if I invited some family).

 

I think the pricing is fine. Celebrity advertises an elevated experience and I'm willing to pay for it.

 

Having said this, I am concerned about the food quality and service around the ship, what with so many critiques on this site about both.

 

Ok, and one gripe about possible chair hogs on the ship, but Retreat specifically. I hope that those who pay for the elevated experience come with an improved view of how to be respectful to others. Would be shameful to perpetuate this disrespectful behavior. Shouldn't be crew or staff who need to police chair use. 🦖

Edited December 1, 2022 by 4-2-N-8

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

5 hours ago, TravelingCircusof5 said:

350 passengers?! Was it like a ghost town? when they know they have a low % of pax, do they also reduce staff numbers? Or is it just a lighter week for the staff?

 

 

It wasn't like a ghost town because the suites were sold out.  I didn't spend much time in the rest of the ship.  Where I noticed the difference was on the following cruise which had 1600 pax.  I walked into Bacio and said to my favorite server:  Where did all these people come from???  Cruising was just ramping up again after we'd all been imprisoned for so long and the ships weren't allowed to sail and they did not have the regular amount of staff on board.

 

[rmalbers]

The comments on suites not full on cruises out a year or so is interesting, I wonder if that means that the FCC is getting close to having moved thru the system.  I sort of makes since. 

[Jeremiah1212]

28 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

The comments on suites not full on cruises out a year or so is interesting, I wonder if that means that the FCC is getting close to having moved thru the system.  I sort of makes since. 

 

Getting there. At the end of September RCG (not just Celebrity) had a half billion in outstanding FCC's but had 3.8 billion in deposits. 95% of bookings were new bookings made in new cash rather than previously issued FCC's.

[rmalbers]

On 12/1/2022 at 4:14 PM, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

Getting there. At the end of September RCG (not just Celebrity) had a half billion in outstanding FCC's but had 3.8 billion in deposits. 95% of bookings were new bookings made in new cash rather than previously issued FCC's.

Interesting, I wonder how much FCC will go unused, there has to be some I would think. 

[TeeRick]

22 hours ago, rmalbers said:

Interesting, I wonder how much FCC will go unused, there has to be some I would think. 

I think you can sell FCC's on the secondary market,  But you need to assign it to the new party buying it from you.

[Lillibet16]

Not always. I’m going on the Beyond in a January and it looks like all suite classes are still available. 

[terrydtx]

8 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I think you can sell FCC's on the secondary market,  But you need to assign it to the new party buying it from you.

Interesting, I have a FCC with HAL, but they will not let me reassign it to another party, I do not intend to use it. If Celebrity will allow it, then this is one more good reason to stay with them.

Edited December 5, 2022 by terrydtx

[SusieAV8R]

12 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I think you can sell FCC's on the secondary market,  But you need to assign it to the new party buying it from you.

 

12 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Interesting, I have a FCC with HAL, but they will not let me reassign it to another party, I do not intend to use it. If Celebrity will allow it, then this is one more good reason to stay with them.

Might want to double check whether X will honor such a secondary sale.  In order to use my EXTENSIVE FCCs, I had to provide the X cruise confirmation numbers (yup, multiple canceled cruises by X due to Covid), my full name AND argue the value those FCCs.  The phone conversation to work out the details took 8+ hours! (Yup, that's how I spent the day of my birthday 😞 )   Initially, I was offered by X about 30% of the value; after the 8+ hour call, X and I were within about $250 of each other's calculation, so I called it quits.  I will NEVER take an FCC again from X !!