Celebrity vs TA Booking Issue

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

I am confused.  Why can't you just add the "extras" to your current booking with Celebrity?  I understand the group booking is less but is it $200 less (non refundable amount)?  

The group booking would be the same price as the cruise only fare but with perks included and a refundable deposit.

[the penguins]

16 hours ago, lovrccl said:

Hi everyone,  I booked a cruise directly on Celebrity website because my TA wasn't available.  He had told me if I ever see a cruise I want book it then he will get it transferred to his company.  So I did that and he had it moved to him, however they wont allow him to move it into a "Group" that he has.  So because of that I loose out on the benefits (all inclusive, OBC) his company would have been able to give me if he had booked it.  He said this is new, and because it is a non-refundable cruise I booked they wouldn't let him do that.

 

Anyone every heard of this?  So disappointed in Celebrity.  

From your post you seem to have got exactly what you were promised.

You booked direct.

The booking you made (which you say was cruise only) was transferred to your agent.

Now you want to transfer it again to become part of a group and benefit from the group perks.

Why would Celebrity agree to this?

Sorry but your options are:

accept the booking you have

or,

if the math works, cancel, loose the deposit and rebook at the group rate

 or,

depending on your CC status, see if you can move your booking to a different cruise free of charge and then rebook your current one at the group rate.

 

 

 

 

[crusinthrough]

4 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

The group booking would be the same price as the cruise only fare but with perks included and a refundable deposit.

Thank you for the clarification but wouldn't this be a huge discount?  Sometimes the difference between the cruise only fare and the one with perks is over $800.  How can a group fare be this different?

 

Iunderstand the refundable deposit, which is huge.  Perhaps this is why it cannot be moved to a group booking.  The current reservation cannot go from NR to Refundable. 

[lv2cruisgrl]

On 10/26/2022 at 11:18 AM, CoG72crewz said:

In June I booked a NRD cruise and then about a week later found that a much better deal was available via a TA group rate.  Transferring the booking to the TA was possible, but at the booked price (not the lower group rate).  To get the group rate, I transferred the booking, the TA cancelled it, requested an FCC for the $900 NDR, and then rebooked with the group rate.  When the FCC was issued (minus $200 for a cancellation fee) the TA applied it to the booking.  The savings was significant and included additional perks so the loss of $200 was well worth it. This was my experience but it was a few months ago so I'm not sure if it would work now. 

This is exactly what we are now doing!

[cdn_tbird]

On 10/27/2022 at 3:43 AM, crusinthrough said:

Thank you for the clarification but wouldn't this be a huge discount?  Sometimes the difference between the cruise only fare and the one with perks is over $800.  How can a group fare be this different?

 

Iunderstand the refundable deposit, which is huge.  Perhaps this is why it cannot be moved to a group booking.  The current reservation cannot go from NR to Refundable. 

This is exactly what (AI + refundable dep for cruise only rate) I get with the big box warehouse TA's group booking + a cash card worth about 8.5% of the fare and 2% more for being an exec member. It sounds insane but it's true.

Edited October 29, 2022 by cdn_tbird

[crusinthrough]

12 hours ago, cdn_tbird said:

This is exactly what (AI + refundable dep for cruise only rate) I get with the big box warehouse TA's group booking + a cash card worth about 8.5% of the fare and 2% more for being an exec member. It sounds insane but it's true.

Good deal..  I had a group rate but it didn't include anything extra just a refundable fare at the NR rate. 

[wrk2cruise]

On 10/27/2022 at 3:43 AM, crusinthrough said:

Iunderstand the refundable deposit, which is huge.  Perhaps this is why it cannot be moved to a group booking.  The current reservation cannot go from NR to Refundable. 

 

I believe this is the issue.  Once a reservation is non-refundable deposit there is no way to move it back to refundable.   I had this experience once when a  Celebrity rep mistakenly applied the wrong rate during a reprice and immediately corrected it.  They tried, escalated etc and couldn't make it refundable.  They eventually just sent me an email saying if I cancelled the deposit would be refunded and noted it on the reservation.

 

Note for the future.  If you know you are moving to a group at a different fare anyway, the fare you book is really not important so just do a refundable deposit.

 

I really don't see any reason why you couldn't cancel the existing reservation and rebook (I know you said they said no but this is what a good TA is for).  I would ask the TA to cover the $200 penalty.