Sticker Shock

[PROCRUISE]

On 8/11/2023 at 10:29 AM, deliver42 said:

I just did a mock booking on the celebrity Edge Alaska cruise for Sept,2024.With the all In on a regular Infinity veranda the price came to $5600.00, then another $950.00 for a refundable deposit. Celebrity has gone beserk. I love Celebrity, but not at these prices. They are $2000.00 higher than Princess AND Holland America for the same package, and I get a real balcony. I've been on Princess, and like their product. Haven't tried HAL yet. I realize  the Edge is a newer ship, but so is the Discovery Princess. In fact, it's newer than the Edge. There was no Celebrity alternative from Seattle in that time frame. All the itineraries were similar, except for Glacier Bay that Celebrity can't enter.

Am Elite with Celebrity BUT, have been to Alaska twice with HAL and the cruises and land trip were phenomenal and even now their prices are reasonable. Today, their Labor Day prices for 2024 Alaska cruises are really good and their "Have It All" INCLUDES crew gratuity! Won't find that with X.

[PROCRUISE]

56 minutes ago, PROCRUISE said:

Am Elite with Celebrity BUT, have been to Alaska twice with HAL and the cruises and land trip were phenomenal and even now their prices are reasonable. Today, their Labor Day prices for 2024 Alaska cruises are really good and their "Have It All" INCLUDES crew gratuity! Won't find that with X.

Meant to say, won't find gratuity added after October 2023. Additionally, HAL has been cruising to Alaska longer than another cruise line.

[QuestionEverything]

As a consumer, it is all about ME.

It would appear that Celebrity has contempt regarding consumers and are pushing their prices higher despite consumers becoming more aware of the cost/benefit analysis outcomes of Celebrity versus other cruise lines.

I just got off Oceania Insignia Wednesday in NYC after 17 days.  There were many "Celebrity Refugees" aboard, first time Oceania cruisers who have cancelled Celebrity due to cost, product reduction and the class segmentation issue.

Examine all the cruise lines - decide what is best for YOU.

 

[deliver42]

I couldn't agree more about Celebrity's contempt for the consumer. Why else would they raise their fares so much and take so much more?

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

Why else would they raise their fares so much and take so much more?

Maybe to be (more) profitable?  

[markeb]

3 hours ago, deliver42 said:

I couldn't agree more about Celebrity's contempt for the consumer. Why else would they raise their fares so much and take so much more?

 

Maybe because the board wants to show an ROE to their investors? Or find a brand president who can? The challenge is doing that in the short term without destroying the brand, but if their bookings are still strong with new cruisers...

[RD64]

4 hours ago, PROCRUISE said:

Meant to say, won't find gratuity added after October 2023. Additionally, HAL has been cruising to Alaska longer than another cruise line.

Quite frankly - if you want to go to Alaska - go with HAL. HAL opens u the bow - and upper decks of their ships for Glacier viewing (weather permitting), plus their wrap around promenade decks provide a sheltered viewing area that few ships can offer.

[terrydtx]

17 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Quite frankly - if you want to go to Alaska - go with HAL. HAL opens u the bow - and upper decks of their ships for Glacier viewing (weather permitting), plus their wrap around promenade decks provide a sheltered viewing area that few ships can offer.

I agree HAL and Princess pioneered cruising Alaska and have more experience that any other cruise lines.

[rj59]

It's not so much Edge or Celebrity, so much as demand for Alaska cruising from Seattle. I went on my first Celebrity cruise on Solstice in August 2022, and it was about $500 for a last-minute solo, and $250 per person for an inside, but Solstice this year is 4-5x that, as are most r/t cruises out of Seattle (the Carnival cruise I took last year is 10x higher now). On the other hand, N/S cruises are going for deep discounts, since there are so many ships on all the lines, and you can go on Summit next May for a fraction of the Edge price. The benefit of one-way cruises is you get to visit Hubbard Glacier, the only growing glacier, the largest, and the one with the highest chance of calving, you spend more time in ports, and you don't have rough sea days on the open ocean to the west of Vancouver Island, as you do going from Seattle. You also don't have to make the token evening stop in Victoria before the cruise ends. Edge and the other Seattle-based ships go to Dawe's or the other glacier by Juneau, and a lot of captains don't want to risk the ice by a sharp, narrow turn to get close to the glacier, so you might just get a distant glance of a small glacier. The Edge, unfortunately, also doesn't have the forward viewing platforms and forward Sky Lounge of the other older Celebrity ships, a significant drawback. They also don't go to Glacier Bay, like Princess, HAL, and even some NCL ships now. So Seattle-based prices won't go down until demand does, so the way to cope is to get a better and cheaper cruise by going out of Vancouver or Alaska. I know Princess even gives a discount for a r/t 14-day trip, where you visit Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, and College Fjord glaciers, and the prices from this summer for 14 days were cheaper than for 7 days out of Seattle. 

[neverlaysup]

14 hours ago, terrydtx said:

If you want to see sticker shock

Actually, mock book the Celebrity Ascent for May 27, '24. There are no words.

[neverlaysup]

On 9/3/2023 at 5:49 AM, TeeRick said:

Not sure why a certified true sommelier would accept the low pay (even with tips) on a cruise ship with limited wine selections.  Most are just crew members with some standard knowledge of wine in my experience.

I'm pretty sure that if they are calling themselves sommelier's on Celebrity, they are probably just CMS 1 (Introductory Level); that is nothing more than a 3 day course with a multiple choice test. I sail in a bit over a week so I will pay attention to the pins they wear.

[Islandbuoy]

17 hours ago, deliver42 said:

I couldn't agree more about Celebrity's contempt for the consumer. Why else would they raise their fares so much and take so much more?

Because they are being run by hachet men (& women) and accountants. No regard for marketing.The worm will turn (again). Anyone remember fuel surcharges?

[tfred]

7 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

Actually, mock book the Celebrity Ascent for May 27, '24. There are no words.

Part of me wants to say software glitch but …

 

$1200 night is my cutoff for X Sky suites. The $3000 night is ridiculous 

[ChucktownSteve]

On 8/13/2023 at 4:36 PM, deliver42 said:

We were on the Beyond. The food in the MDR and Ocean View Cafe was very good. We also had a  sommelier in the MDR every evening. The entertainment was a big improvement over the past Celebrity cruises.

Celebrity's menus and food used to be a large step above NCL, Carnival and RCL.  They used to be known for having a large variety of quality food even in the buffet. Now it's pretty much equal to those lines or better if they had cut back too.  So I can understand why Celebrity cuisine seems good to several cruisers. 

Edited September 5, 2023 by ChucktownSteve

[ChucktownSteve]

23 hours ago, TeeRick said:

If you want good wine recommended and served by a true sommelier than go to a land restaurant.  On a cruise, you likely know more than the crew member play-acting sommelier.  So just order something you pick out.

I wonder if XX will be downgrading in the future to Target's California Roots or Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chucks to increase profits.

[zitsky]

1 minute ago, ChucktownSteve said:

I wonder if XX will be downgrading in the future to Target's California Roots or Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chucks to increase profits.

They were offering one wine  by the glass from Lodi on the Premium list in Luminae on the Beyond two months ago.  While Lodi wines can be perfectly fine, I would prefer something else on a premium list.

[Lynn2629]

10 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

Actually, mock book the Celebrity Ascent for May 27, '24. There are no words.

Unbelievable! 
 

An oceanview stateroom for a solo traveler, such as myself, is $13,000 - or more than $1,000 a night!
 

By comparison, I can book a similar 12-night European cruise on Crystal. Their oceanview for a solo is $7200 - or $600 a night. So one could get a TRUE luxury cruise for practically half the money.

 

I don’t know what Celebrity is thinking.

[QuestionEverything]

Lynn, thanks for the market analysis you shared.

Celebrity is acting as if they are universally loved and that the world is begging for their product.

My TA just advised me he has had 3 cancellations of Celebrity bookings just last week alone, and all 3 clients have either a Oceania and Viking booked.

Time will tell if the Celebrity prices, downgrading etc result in price reductions.

I am watching with interest indeed.

 

 

[RD64]

59 minutes ago, Lynn2629 said:

Unbelievable! 
 

An oceanview stateroom for a solo traveler, such as myself, is $13,000 - or more than $1,000 a night!
 

By comparison, I can book a similar 12-night European cruise on Crystal. Their oceanview for a solo is $7200 - or $600 a night. So one could get a TRUE luxury cruise for practically half the money.

 

I don’t know what Celebrity is thinking.

For some reason, Celebrity seems to be charging exhorbitant single fares - more than just the double occupancy rate.

[hcat]

4 hours ago, Islandbuoy said:

Because they are being run by hachet men (& women) and accountants. No regard for marketing.The worm will turn (again). Anyone remember fuel surcharges?

Agree... their job is to strip it all down.

Then someone new ( hopefully a team with class) will come in and start upgrading the doomed product!

 

If X only had old ships  I would think they were out to kill it altogether. But S and E ships are some of the nicest ships at sea!

[RichYak]

5 minutes ago, RD64 said:

For some reason, Celebrity seems to be charging exhorbitant single fares - more than just the double occupancy rate.

Double occupancy rate is over $1000 per night, inside cabin, non-refundable, cruise only. Madness.

[Lynn2629]

16 minutes ago, RD64 said:

For some reason, Celebrity seems to be charging exhorbitant single fares - more than just the double occupancy rate.

They seem to be actively discouraging solos. A few months ago, they advertised rates for $400 pp on a 7-day Alaska cruise (oceanview), meaning $800 per couple, which I expected to pay. Still a GREAT deal. Lo and behold, when I (started to book), I found that for a solo to occupy the cabin would be $1600. 

Edited September 5, 2023 by Lynn2629

[trout62]

On 8/11/2023 at 9:43 AM, terrydtx said:

Our Sky suite on the Edge in January today is $2000pp more than what we booked in February 2022.  In fact, Aqua Class cabins are now more than our SS costs. Celebrity has priced us out of any future bookings. We can now book a longer cruise on Oceania with similar itinerary for less than a SS on Celebrity.

Ascent 7 day SS in Jan 23 is 50% more than when we booked, now 12K / week.  Insanity.

Trout

[Ex-Airbalancer]

4 hours ago, tfred said:

Part of me wants to say software glitch but …

 

$1200 night is my cutoff for X Sky suites. The $3000 night is ridiculous 

My cutoff is $150 a night with Alway  included , $1200 a night is ridiculous 🤣😉👍

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, trout62 said:

Ascent 7 day SS in Jan 23 is 50% more than when we booked, now 12K / week.  Insanity.

Trout

Our 12 night Apex cruise in a SS next week was only $12,000 for the 2 of us.  Can't see the current cost as all the SS are sold out.