Blue chip email? Is it a scam?

[Knitwit555]

I got the email, called and waited on hold for 2+ hours.  I paid taxes and fees - around $280 and I have a midships cabin on deck 9 to the Mexican riviera for 2 people in October.

 

not a scam, just no freebies that come with paying $700+ for the same cabin.

[NutsAboutGolf]

14 minutes ago, Knitwit555 said:

I got the email, called and waited on hold for 2+ hours.  I paid taxes and fees - around $280 and I have a midships cabin on deck 9 to the Mexican riviera for 2 people in October.

 

not a scam, just no freebies that come with paying $700+ for the same cabin.

All in for a balcony for two on the 12/26 sailing is $2814 + daily gratuities

[cruiserchuck]

11 hours ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

Can anyone confirm that this cruise is refundable until 48 hours before departure? I think someone mentioned it in one of these threads, and I think the Celebrity BCC rep said it too, but the connection was so bad, that I don’t know for sure. It would be really good to know if it is refundable because the booking confirmation just shows the regular cancellation schedule as if it were a regular booking. 
 

Hope everyone gets what they want! I waited on hold for 45 minutes tonight and got it exactly what I wanted. 👌

 

The taxes/fees are fully refundable at any time.  On my booking confirmation, it shows that my current cancellation penalty would be $35, which is 25% of the $140 cruise fare, which is the amount I paid to upgrade to Aqua Class.  The percentage of the penalty will increase as I get closer to the cruise, but it will be based only on the upgrade charge,  not the taxes/fees.

[cruisequeen4ever]

2 hours ago, cruiserchuck said:

 

The taxes/fees are fully refundable at any time.  On my booking confirmation, it shows that my current cancellation penalty would be $35, which is 25% of the $140 cruise fare, which is the amount I paid to upgrade to Aqua Class.  The percentage of the penalty will increase as I get closer to the cruise, but it will be based only on the upgrade charge,  not the taxes/fees.

That’s interesting. Mine had the regular cancellation schedule and showed a $500 deposit is due 8/5. I know I don’t owe that, of course.

[Sunset329]

We have decided to skip our "free" balcony cabin. We do not like seven day cruises. Shortly after boarding they are already giving announcements about debarkation. Also, our flights would cost four times as much as the balcony cabin. We have three cruises on Princess with much better casino offers (for us anyway).

[OrcaGirl]

1 hour 30 min on hold this morning, then it rang, and then… silence. And the call was cut off. 😝

 

Trying again this afternoon…

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, Sunset329 said:

We have decided to skip our "free" balcony cabin. We do not like seven day cruises. Shortly after boarding they are already giving announcements about debarkation. Also, our flights would cost four times as much as the balcony cabin. We have three cruises on Princess with much better casino offers (for us anyway).

Fascinating..

[MCazer]

Well, after the batteries drained in my home phones twice, I finally got through.

I was able to get an Aqua Suite for $418 for my husband and myself in March 2023.  Not bad.  Love Bleu, so its like have a private restaurant meal included! And spa. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 hours ago, Sunset329 said:

We have decided to skip our "free" balcony cabin. We do not like seven day cruises. Shortly after boarding they are already giving announcements about debarkation. Also, our flights would cost four times as much as the balcony cabin. We have three cruises on Princess with much better casino offers (for us anyway).

 

Yes; on NCL, CCL/Princess, etc, you get perks.  On X, you need to be a very high roller to get perks.

[gold1953]

5 hours ago, cruiserchuck said:

 

The taxes/fees are fully refundable at any time.  On my booking confirmation, it shows that my current cancellation penalty would be $35, which is 25% of the $140 cruise fare, which is the amount I paid to upgrade to Aqua Class.  The percentage of the penalty will increase as I get closer to the cruise, but it will be based only on the upgrade charge,  not the taxes/fees.

Have you confirmed whether you get aqua class points or just balcony

[gold1953]

On 7/31/2022 at 1:18 PM, luv2cruisemore said:

 

I had a choice of any 2B Veranda.

They gave me a sunset veranda!!

[gold1953]

I have another thought. There is an offer for double captains club points for this cruise . I wonder if this would apply since we actually get points.

[OrcaGirl]

Second attempt at calling took me 2 hours 20 minutes on hold, but then I got through. As someone else mentioned, the agent couldn't find a record of me being sent the offer so I had to forward the email, but that was the only hiccup.

 

My first choice sailing still had availability, and I got booked into a nice 2B on deck 7 for $284US of taxes and fees. Interestingly, after initially asking if I wanted to be charged in US or Canadian funds, he then backtracked and said casino offers can only be paid for in USD.

[gpension]

56 minutes ago, gold1953 said:

I have another thought. There is an offer for double captains club points for this cruise . I wonder if this would apply since we actually get points.

I had that question as well! I don't see why not.

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 hours ago, gold1953 said:

Have you confirmed whether you get aqua class points or just balcony

 

I have done comped AQ sailings and can confirm you do receive AQ Capt Club points when in an AQ room

[gold1953]

8 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I have done comped AQ sailings and can confirm you do receive AQ Capt Club points when in an AQ room

This worth a move up for me as we are so close to elite plus. It would get us there and we would do a B2B after this

[lhsail]

Thanks to all for the information. Called about 7:30 Central this morning. On hold for about an hour. Asked if there was any chance we were eligible for the promotion based in information I had seen on CC. He came a few minutes later and said we were. Didn’t have to have any email sent us. We are booked for 10/22, assigned a 1A on Deck 8. Kind of wish I had asked about a Concierge upgrade, but we’re on the angle so hard to complain. Now to book flights and hotel. Thanks again!

[ORV]

We filled out form and requested a call Saturday. Here it is Tue, no call, no email. Anyone else in this situation? Maybe I'll call tomorrow. 

[Jase0581]

11 minutes ago, ORV said:

We filled out form and requested a call Saturday. Here it is Tue, no call, no email. Anyone else in this situation? Maybe I'll call tomorrow. 

Both of my parents sent in their forms and never heard back so they had to call, I must have been lucky to get an e-mail response to mine the following day.

[MCazer]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

We filled out form and requested a call Saturday. Here it is Tue, no call, no email. Anyone else in this situation? Maybe I'll call tomorrow. 

I emailed on Saturday but got no response, so I called yesterday and am booked!

[SFCAcruiser]

9 minutes ago, MCazer said:

I emailed on Saturday but got no response, so I called yesterday and am booked!

 

2 hours ago, ORV said:

We filled out form and requested a call Saturday. Here it is Tue, no call, no email. Anyone else in this situation? Maybe I'll call tomorrow. 

 

I was in the same situation as you and Mcazer.   But I grew impatient and called yesterday and was on hold about 90 minutes. But it all worked out for me.   

Suggestion for you and others, when you call -  have the "real-time" deck plan for your desired cruise in front of you. The phone agents seem to select cabins at random and are agreeable to giving you your preferred cabin. 

[lhsail]

5 minutes ago, SFCAcruiser said:

 

 

I was in the same situation as you and Mcazer.   But I grew impatient and called yesterday and was on hold about 90 minutes. But it all worked out for me.   

Suggestion for you and others, when you call -  have the "real-time" deck plan for your desired cruise in front of you. The phone agents seem to select cabins at random and are agreeable to giving you your preferred cabin. 

I agree about having the “real time” deck plan available, but I was shocked when I was offered a Deck 8 cabin on the angle. I was prepared to negotiate. 
 

Has anyone upgraded to Concierge?  If so, may I ask what they charged?

[SFCAcruiser]

8 minutes ago, lhsail said:

...

Has anyone upgraded to Concierge?  If so, may I ask what they charged?

Can't help with Concierge, but Aqua upgrade for us was $10 per person per day. I would hope Concierge is equal to or less than that. But my upgrade was done at the time of booking when the agent asked me about my interest in upgrading. I am not sure how it works if you call them after the booking has been made. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by SFCAcruiser
more info

[MCazer]

2 hours ago, SFCAcruiser said:

 

 

I was in the same situation as you and Mcazer.   But I grew impatient and called yesterday and was on hold about 90 minutes. But it all worked out for me.   

Suggestion for you and others, when you call -  have the "real-time" deck plan for your desired cruise in front of you. The phone agents seem to select cabins at random and are agreeable to giving you your preferred cabin. 

Yes, I was actually signed into their website and was checking cabin locations and pics on cruisedeckplans website. Of course the aft facing cabin I had my eyes on was gone. But I was able to snag the Aqua on an angled hump.  One of the larger decks for Aqua class!

[gold1953]

10 hours ago, lhsail said:

I agree about having the “real time” deck plan available, but I was shocked when I was offered a Deck 8 cabin on the angle. I was prepared to negotiate. 
 

Has anyone upgraded to Concierge?  If so, may I ask what they charged?

I was told that it is $70 a person for the week . The blue chip line does not do it . They booked my balcony and then They put me on hold to transfer to another 1.5 hour wait.