New Policy for Suite Bookings

[TwoBeAtSea]

4 hours ago, ggo85 said:

 

 

To be clear, this ONLY applies to suites, not to all bookings.

For now. 

[bigbenboys]

With all the changes X has been making. I'm hoping it is a good thing for us. At least when it comes to booking a suite. Food not sure yet 😱.  I'm hoping more suites will be available to book closer to sailings.

 

For those of us that will sail in Aqua or Suites. Book Aqua and wait see what is still available closer to sailing.

When it comes to what the policies are with X. There is always an exception to most policies. Have a good travel agent. I have for over 20 years. 

[neverlaysup]

I would imagine that Celebrity has made this change because there are too many people locking up suites when the itineraries open up only to cancel prior to final payment. I have no problem with this policy if it makes inventory available to those that actually plan on sailing and are committed to paying the deposit and subsequent payments.

[Baynanno1]

6 hours ago, RichYak said:

Yes. The most recent Celebrity NRD faq. If it changes, so will my opinion. 
 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_2_23_23_FLY_Non-Refundable_FAQs_Trade.pdf

 

An interesting response to one of the FAQ's in the document :

 

7. Will the required deposit amount also change?

At this time, there are no changes to our standard deposit policy.  All Suite categories require a 200% deposit at the time of booking. 😆

 

[jagoffee]

10 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

An interesting response to one of the FAQ's in the document :

 

7. Will the required deposit amount also change?

At this time, there are no changes to our standard deposit policy.  All Suite categories require a 200% deposit at the time of booking. 😆

 

The Document you attached is dated March 1, 2023 and the double deposit was the suite policy.

 

A suite deposit change was implemented effective June 1, 2023 as announced recently.

[Lastdance]

I just moved a cruise(NFD) with a FCC of $200; I booked a suite, but lost my $200, so had to add an addition $200. My initial cruise was 10 months away, not just prior to 90 days of sailing.  When all was said and done, my OBC was the most I had ever had, yet did not include my shareholder credit because it “fell off.”  This went back and forth a little, but I am pleased with the end result.  I believe that Celebrity needs to interface with their previous information before putting new rules out to the public, not to mention inservice their staff.  I purchased another FCC while onboard in May.  Had I known this new rule about suites, this would not have been purchased.  However, not using it returns the money to my credit card, but I know to call and make sure this happens after the sixth month period, unless another cruise is booked; it will not be a suite if a 10% deposit is lost and the cruise cannot be moved to another one.  I also enjoy SV’s because of their large verandas, so that would be another good choice for me.

Edited June 3, 2023 by Lastdance

[Jim_Iain]

17 hours ago, RichYak said:

Yes. The most recent Celebrity NRD faq. If it changes, so will my opinion. 
 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_2_23_23_FLY_Non-Refundable_FAQs_Trade.pdf

 

Celebrity has always been slow at correcting inconsistencies.     I did a mock booking and it did show the new 10% deposit for the suite i chose but the fine print has the following. -  No wonder there is so much confusion.

 

[crusinthrough]

21 hours ago, ggo85 said:

As of yesterday, if you book a suite, you must put down 10% of the cruise fare that is non-refundable.  

Non refundable deposits are still available on suites. However, the price is significantly more.  The sailings I looked at have been at least 1K more.

 

12 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

I would imagine that Celebrity has made this change because there are too many people locking up suites when the itineraries open up only to cancel prior to final payment. I have no problem with this policy if it makes inventory available to those that actually plan on sailing and are committed to paying the deposit and subsequent payments.

Celebrity doesn't lose money when people cancel.  When the room goes back in inventory it's sold at the new market rate, which is typically higher than when first released.  It's expected that life happens and there is no guarantee that a reservation made 15 months in advance will be fulfilled.   

 

Suite prices drop when they are not selling because the price was more inflated than the actual value of the product.  With the diminished quality of services and food but higher prices and now deposits, I suspect there will be less demand causing an abundance of inventory.  Likely, suites will be less expensive closer to sailing.  

[Baynanno1]

6 hours ago, jagoffee said:

The Document you attached is dated March 1, 2023 and the double deposit was the suite policy.

 

A suite deposit change was implemented effective June 1, 2023 as announced recently.

 

I did not attach a document.

 

I read and commented on a document attached by @RichYak which appears to have been generated for Travel Agents judging by the use of the words Travel Partners and Your Clients in several places throughout the document.

 

The wording :

"All Suite categories require a 200% deposit at the time of booking."

to a cruiser who is not a Travel Agent the quote reads as requiring 200% of the cruise fare.

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

I did not attach a document.

 

I read and commented on a document attached by @RichYak which appears to have been generated for Travel Agents judging by the use of the words Travel Partners and Your Clients in several places throughout the document.

 

The wording :

"All Suite categories require a 200% deposit at the time of booking."

to a cruiser who is not a Travel Agent the quote reads as requiring 200% of the cruise fare.

Sorry, you are correct.  You were not the one that attached the document as it was in the quote section for your response.

The  attachment was last updated in March 2023 and it stated - “At this time, there are no changes to our standard deposit policy. All Suite categories require a 200% deposit at the time of booking.”

 

 I read a 100% deposit as a requirement of the full deposit and not the full fare and 200% deposit as a double deposit. Although true in March,  the policy has now changed..  I suspect you are aware of that fact.  

[dock]

We just  booked an Aqua Sky Suite today on Ascent. 
TA advised me that Deposit of 10% was Non Refundable. 
 

In would've preferred a Sky Suite but none available. I’m  fine if this new policy  frees up suites in a sense to this who are serious about a particular cruise as I would be quite annoyed if closer to sail date a bunch of SS open up. 
 

RD quote was  over $2000. 
 

It’s a family reunion cruise so unless something go major comes up , we’re unlikely to cancel. 

 

 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

31 minutes ago, dock said:

We just  booked an Aqua Sky Suite today on Ascent. 
TA advised me that Deposit of 10% was Non Refundable. 
 

In would've preferred a Sky Suite but none available. I’m  fine if this new policy  frees up suites in a sense to this who are serious about a particular cruise as I would be quite annoyed if closer to sail date a bunch of SS open up. 
 

RD quote was  over $2000. 
 

It’s a family reunion cruise so unless something go major comes up , we’re unlikely to cancel. 

 

 

Can you clarify please?

The amount of a Refundable deposit was more than $2000 per person?  Or was the price difference $2000 for refundable vs non refundable.  Again per person or total.

If you move the booking to another ship or sailing date, is there a per person change fee or is the whole deposit lost?

 

Thanks.

[jelayne]

I did mock bookings on our existing suite reservations and the Refundable Deposit was an additional 20% of the Cruise fare.  So a suite priced at  $18K with a NRD has an additional $3600 added for a refundable deposit.  

[dock]

Deposit : over C$1200

 

Price of  cruise to get RD was C$2523 more per cabin. 
 

No mention of penalty of $100 pp to make any changes to another sailing but I’ve sent TA and email to clarify. He just said deposit was NR.