RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 #1 Share Posted September 1, 2023 I booked my first cruise with Celebrity a few weeks ago, over the phone. The agent assured me there was a Best Price Guarantee, so if the price dropped before I made the final payment I'd get the lower price. On a sale starting yesterday, the price on my cruises dropped $90 per person. I called and after an hour on hold was told first by a regular agent and then by a supervisor that this new low price was an "Exciting Deal" -- a specific category of Celebrity offers -- only available to new bookings and the Best Price Guarantee doesn't apply to them. I said I don't care what you call it, you're advertising a lower price while your guarantee says "you will enjoy the lowest advertised rate on your cruise fare...." The agent repeated that the "guarantee" doesn't apply to "Exciting Deals." I asked why it's not more widely known that their "guarantee" is a lie and she said "Exciting Deals" don't come up very often so people just don't know. I was unlucky, I guess. I told her at the very least I'd spread the word. Buyer beware, this is a guarantee that doesn't guarantee anything. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lv2cruisgrl Posted September 1, 2023 #2 Share Posted September 1, 2023 "If your booking meets certain requirements " is how they get around that. Sorry but this is nothing new. However a good reminder to everyone, some things aren't always what they seem! 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #3 Share Posted September 1, 2023 Thank you for that. Yes, that's what I figured. But in this case, the "certain requirement" for your booking is that you didn't actually book. "We'll give you the new lower price provided you didn't actually book with the old higher price." Which, I don't know, isn't a great guarantee? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MISTER 67 Posted September 1, 2023 #4 Share Posted September 1, 2023 We get 2 or 3 emails a day from Celebrity with all kinds of sales but bottom line when I look up fares on specific cruises the fares are always the same, it’s all a bunch of bull feathers. 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poeticlicensed Posted September 1, 2023 #5 Share Posted September 1, 2023 So does the best price guarantee only hold if you call and tell them you saw your cruise at a lower price? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrk2cruise Posted September 1, 2023 #6 Share Posted September 1, 2023 I assume if you cancelled and made a new booking your NRD penalty would have eaten the $90 difference? I thought Exciting deals were always for sailings within the 90 day final payment window. Has that changed? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #7 Share Posted September 1, 2023 "I assume if you cancelled and made a new booking your NRD penalty would have eaten the $90 difference?" Right. The agent said to go with a refundable deposit next time & cancel. Except the extra cost I would have paid is more than I would have saved here. "I thought Exciting deals were always for sailings within the 90 day final payment window. Has that changed?" This cruise is something like 100 days away, and I still haven't made the final payment (because that means any further reductions in price would get me credit instead of cash). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #8 Share Posted September 1, 2023 (edited) "So does the best price guarantee only hold if you call and tell them you saw your cruise at a lower price?" No, all this was on the phone (with a wait time of 45 minutes to an hour). Celebrity's official position is that some sales simply aren't covered by the guarantee .. which is why I can call the "guarantee" a lie & be reasonably certain they won't sue me. I spoke to a SUPERVISOR for over half an hour and am still paying more than the currently advertised rate. Edited September 1, 2023 by RomanH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremiah1212 Posted September 1, 2023 #9 Share Posted September 1, 2023 The explanation may not have been great but the key point for Exciting Deals is the price applies only to new bookings. Gotta read the fine print. *Offer applies to new individual bookings and to staterooms in non-contracted group bookings, which must be named and deposited during the Offer Period. Offer is capacity controlled, availability varies by sailing, and eligible staterooms may sell out. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolebludger Posted September 1, 2023 #10 Share Posted September 1, 2023 I used to get at least two emails a day from Celebrity. After reading this forum, I hit “unsubscribe”. The language “providing YOUR booking meets certain requirements” clearly refers to Your booking — not the advertised booking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #11 Share Posted September 1, 2023 (edited) "the key point for Exciting Deals is the price applies only to new bookings" That's absolutely right. But nowhere in the "guarantee" do they mention there's a whole category of prices it doesn't apply to. And what kind of guarantee is that when they can just call something an "Exciting Deal" & the guarantee goes out the window? Like I say elsewhere, the "certain requirements" my booking must meet is that I didn't actuslly make a booking. Edited September 1, 2023 by RomanH 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguins Posted September 1, 2023 #12 Share Posted September 1, 2023 59 minutes ago, RomanH said: I booked my first cruise with Celebrity a few weeks ago, over the phone. The agent assured me there was a Best Price Guarantee, so if the price dropped before I made the final payment I'd get the lower price. On a sale starting yesterday, the price on my cruises dropped $90 per person. I called and after an hour on hold was told first by a regular agent and then by a supervisor that this new low price was an "Exciting Deal" -- a specific category of Celebrity offers -- only available to new bookings and the Best Price Guarantee doesn't apply to them. I said I don't care what you call it, you're advertising a lower price while your guarantee says "you will enjoy the lowest advertised rate on your cruise fare...." The agent repeated that the "guarantee" doesn't apply to "Exciting Deals." I asked why it's not more widely known that their "guarantee" is a lie and she said "Exciting Deals" don't come up very often so people just don't know. I was unlucky, I guess. I told her at the very least I'd spread the word. Buyer beware, this is a guarantee that doesn't guarantee anything. 1 hour ago, RomanH said: I booked my first cruise with Celebrity a few weeks ago, over the phone. The agent assured me there was a Best Price Guarantee, so if the price dropped before I made the final payment I'd get the lower price. On a sale starting yesterday, the price on my cruises dropped $90 per person. I called and after an hour on hold was told first by a regular agent and then by a supervisor that this new low price was an "Exciting Deal" -- a specific category of Celebrity offers -- only available to new bookings and the Best Price Guarantee doesn't apply to them. I said I don't care what you call it, you're advertising a lower price while your guarantee says "you will enjoy the lowest advertised rate on your cruise fare...." The agent repeated that the "guarantee" doesn't apply to "Exciting Deals." I asked why it's not more widely known that their "guarantee" is a lie and she said "Exciting Deals" don't come up very often so people just don't know. I was unlucky, I guess. I told her at the very least I'd spread the word. Buyer beware, this is a guarantee that doesn't guarantee anything. Sorry you feel mislead but regretably it's your headline which is "a lie" not X's promotion. Prior to Covid this particular promotion/offer was never generally available in the UK. Since the restart it has been available and on one occasion ( Silhouette) we had 4 price drops on 1 cruise (3 cash refunds and 1 OBC. ) As always the devil is in the detail. 1 hour ago, RomanH said: I booked my first cruise with Celebrity a few weeks ago, over the phone. The agent assured me there was a Best Price Guarantee, so if the price dropped before I made the final payment I'd get the lower price. On a sale starting yesterday, the price on my cruises dropped $90 per person. I called and after an hour on hold was told first by a regular agent and then by a supervisor that this new low price was an "Exciting Deal" -- a specific category of Celebrity offers -- only available to new bookings and the Best Price Guarantee doesn't apply to them. I said I don't care what you call it, you're advertising a lower price while your guarantee says "you will enjoy the lowest advertised rate on your cruise fare...." The agent repeated that the "guarantee" doesn't apply to "Exciting Deals." I asked why it's not more widely known that their "guarantee" is a lie and she said "Exciting Deals" don't come up very often so people just don't know. I was unlucky, I guess. I told her at the very least I'd spread the word. Buyer beware, this is a guarantee that doesn't guarantee anything. 48 minutes ago, RomanH said: Thank you for that. Yes, that's what I figured. But in this case, the "certain requirement" for your booking is that you didn't actually book. "We'll give you the new lower price provided you didn't actually book with the old higher price." Which, I don't know, isn't a great guarantee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymncruise Posted September 1, 2023 #13 Share Posted September 1, 2023 These are the kind of things that make me change where I spend my money. Sounds like they “guarantee” nothing up front. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerelmx Posted September 1, 2023 #14 Share Posted September 1, 2023 1 hour ago, RomanH said: The agent repeated that the "guarantee" doesn't apply to "Exciting Deals." A guarantee booking only allows to change to another cabin in the same category Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkWiltonM Posted September 1, 2023 #15 Share Posted September 1, 2023 I agree with the OP. The "guarantee" is meaningless if it doesn't apply to all advertised bookings as described, unless they give you the caveats and exceptions up front. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #16 Share Posted September 1, 2023 (edited) 19 minutes ago, the penguins said: Sorry you feel mislead but regretably it's your headline which is "a lie" not X's promotion.... Since the restart it has been available and on one occasion ( Silhouette) we had 4 price drops on 1 cruise (3 cash refunds and 1 OBC. ) I didn't say the low price guarantee never applies: just not to "Exciting Deals." Which I'm guessing your price drops weren't. Edited September 1, 2023 by RomanH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #17 Share Posted September 1, 2023 3 minutes ago, gerelmx said: A guarantee booking only allows to change to another cabin in the same category This is the Best Price Guarantee, not the cabin guarantee. The BPG says "[Y]ou will enjoy the lowest advertised rate on your cruise fare...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #18 Share Posted September 1, 2023 From the reply to my submitted Best Price Guarantee request form: "Please be advised that the lower rate you have mentioned is with the Exciting Deals offer which is only applicable for new bookings and cannot be applied to your already created booking." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen haywood Posted September 1, 2023 #19 Share Posted September 1, 2023 1 hour ago, RomanH said: This cruise is something like 100 days away, and I still haven't made the final payment (because that means any further reductions in price would get me credit instead of cash). I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if the price lowers after final payment you will not get the difference in OBC. That practice ended years ago. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare hcat Posted September 1, 2023 #20 Share Posted September 1, 2023 17 minutes ago, RomanH said: From the reply to my submitted Best Price Guarantee request form: "Please be advised that the lower rate you have mentioned is with the Exciting Deals offer which is only applicable for new bookings and cannot be applied to your already created booking." Sleazy! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #21 Share Posted September 1, 2023 15 minutes ago, helen haywood said: I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if the price lowers after final payment you will not get the difference in OBC. That practice ended years ago. Thank you for your reply but I still haven't made the final payment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelayne Posted September 1, 2023 #22 Share Posted September 1, 2023 1 hour ago, hcat said: Sleazy! That has been that way for Exciting Deals for as long as I remember. Regular price drops are honored. We just got 2 rather nice price drops recently $525 and $875. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lv2cruisgrl Posted September 1, 2023 #23 Share Posted September 1, 2023 17 minutes ago, jelayne said: That has been that way for Exciting Deals for as long as I remember. Regular price drops are honored. We just got 2 rather nice price drops recently $525 and $875. Way to go with the price drops! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare C-Dragons Posted September 1, 2023 #24 Share Posted September 1, 2023 14 minutes ago, jelayne said: That has been that way for Exciting Deals for as long as I remember. Regular price drops are honored. We just got 2 rather nice price drops recently $525 and $875. I agree. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanH Posted September 1, 2023 Author #25 Share Posted September 1, 2023 1 hour ago, jelayne said: That has been that way for Exciting Deals for as long as I remember. Regular price drops are honored. We just got 2 rather nice price drops recently $525 and $875. Wow! Congratulations. I really love the idea that Celebrity passes on lower prices. Which led to my complete disgust when they said, "Fine print! Not for you!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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