Will the cost of cruises go down today?

[Baynanno1]

No.

At least not when comparing yesterday's pricing with today's pricing in Australia.

 

A cruise we have booked for next year was priced at A$16,000 yesterday.

It included as does our booking - Premium Drinks, Premium WiFi, Gratuities and A$1200 OBC (converted from US$800).

 

That same cruise today is priced at A$15,200. It includes Premium Drinks and Premium WiFi.

It does not include Gratuities at US$23 per person, per day. Nor does it include any OBC.

 

So base price difference A$800 less.

But and it is a big but - the removal of Gratuities and OBC equates to A$2218, an actual comparative price difference in A$ of A$1418 more than yesterday's price!

[Jeremiah1212]

The US offer will be 40% off every guest for refundable deposits, 30% off every guest for refundable instead of 75% off guest #2 - plus $200 savings for veranda and higher. The weekend of Oct 12-17 the $200 bonus savings will be replaced by $200 OBC. I can’t accurately compare base prices yet. 

[UK1sttimer]

11 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

No.

At least not when comparing yesterday's pricing with today's pricing in Australia.

 

A cruise we have booked for next year was priced at A$16,000 yesterday.

It included as does our booking - Premium Drinks, Premium WiFi, Gratuities and A$1200 OBC (converted from US$800).

 

That same cruise today is priced at A$15,200. It includes Premium Drinks and Premium WiFi.

It does not include Gratuities at US$23 per person, per day. Nor does it include any OBC.

 

So base price difference A$800 less.

But and it is a big but - the removal of Gratuities and OBC equates to A$2218, an actual comparative price difference in A$ of A$1418 more than yesterday's price!

But gratuities are included anyway in cruises booked in Australia so the difference is the $400 in OBC.

[laslomas]

Massive price rises as far as I can see!!

 

But the other thing I notice is that going through the booking process the Cruise only, and the upgrade to All Included (which still includes tips) are the same price. So basically there is no cruise only price. 

 

An example of the huge prices is a cruise I was interested in, from Southampton in September 2024 to Spain, Portugal and Mediterranean, 13 nights. The starting price is now £4361 pp for the cheapest inside cabin / £6076 pp for cheapest veranda. I can't imagine this will be booked out soon at those prices. I have lost interest.

 

 

 

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, Baynanno1 said:

No.

At least not when comparing yesterday's pricing with today's pricing in Australia.

 

A cruise we have booked for next year was priced at A$16,000 yesterday.

It included as does our booking - Premium Drinks, Premium WiFi, Gratuities and A$1200 OBC (converted from US$800).

 

That same cruise today is priced at A$15,200. It includes Premium Drinks and Premium WiFi.

It does not include Gratuities at US$23 per person, per day. Nor does it include any OBC.

 

So base price difference A$800 less.

But and it is a big but - the removal of Gratuities and OBC equates to A$2218, an actual comparative price difference in A$ of A$1418 more than yesterday's price!

I priced our cruise today and the price has dropped. Significantly for Cruise only and slightly for AI but I do wonder if it included tips as that wasn’t mentioned but thought all Aussie prices had to include tips. 

[Pushka]

59 minutes ago, UK1sttimer said:

But gratuities are included anyway in cruises booked in Australia so the difference is the $400 in OBC.

It isn’t stated so I’m not convinced. 

[Baynanno1]

2 hours ago, UK1sttimer said:

But gratuities are included anyway in cruises booked in Australia so the difference is the $400 in OBC.

I suggest you go right through a dummy booking.

 

The dummy booking shows :

The Retreat

Premium WiFi

Premium drinks

 

There is no mention of gratuities anywhere on the final page prior to payment.

 

[Baynanno1]

FireShot Capture 026 - Celebrity Cruises - www.celebritycruises.com.pdf

[Pushka]

57 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

FireShot Capture 026 - Celebrity Cruises - www.celebritycruises.com.pdf 1.3 MB · 9 downloads

Agree. My booking of a few days ago specifically shows tips. 
 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by Pushka

[UK1sttimer]

It would do! They want you believe you are getting more value (also Celebrity IT isn't sophisticated enough for it to be different to the inclusions for the rest of the world.) 

if you booked an inside room only it would also include tips as per the faqs.

Celebrity realised years ago that the only way to get staff to crew Australian cruises was to build the cost into the base price as the gratuities were always being removed

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, UK1sttimer said:

It would do! They want you believe you are getting more value (also Celebrity IT isn't sophisticated enough for it to be different to the inclusions for the rest of the world.) 

if you booked an inside room only it would also include tips as per the faqs.

Celebrity realised years ago that the only way to get staff to crew Australian cruises was to build the cost into the base price as the gratuities were always being removed

But what about European cruises that Aussies book?

 

 

[UK1sttimer]

Tips are included wherever the cruise leaves from as long as you book in Aus or NZ. 

 

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, UK1sttimer said:

 

Celebrity realised years ago that the only way to get staff to crew Australian cruises was to build the cost into the base price as the gratuities were always being removed

 

I thought it was because its Australia law to show the complete price upfront without hidden extras 

Edited October 4, 2023 by sgmn

[laslomas]

8 hours ago, laslomas said:

Massive price rises as far as I can see!!

 

But the other thing I notice is that going through the booking process the Cruise only, and the upgrade to All Included (which still includes tips) are the same price. So basically there is no cruise only price. 

 

An example of the huge prices is a cruise I was interested in, from Southampton in September 2024 to Spain, Portugal and Mediterranean, 13 nights. The starting price is now £4361 pp for the cheapest inside cabin / £6076 pp for cheapest veranda. I can't imagine this will be booked out soon at those prices. I have lost interest.

 

 

 

Since posting this after changes were made to pricing, it has all changed again. I must have jumped in before they had got it working right. Currently when looking on the UK website the main thing I notice is that the only option now is cruise only or cruise only plus gratuities. So I wonder if that will change to have the option to add drinks and wi-fi at the time of booking??

[Smmessineo]

What a joke! Looking just now on US pricing, the cost of going from cruise only to always included has not changed at all. The wording clearly states now that tips aren't included in the package but the cost for AI  remains at around 550-580 for a week long cruise. 

No surprise, I guess. I'm really losing faith in a cruise line I've loved for years.

[killaypirate]

Compared to dummy booking yesterday for Nov on Infinity, extra cost of AI appears to have INCREASED from approx 540 to 670. This roughly equates to gratuities cost being ADDED NOT TAKEN OFF. However website does state having difficulties with pricing contact call centre

[scotlanders]

At 6am UK time a cruise on Edge was selling for $574 tips WiFi & drinks included 5 mins letter it was over $1500 to go AI For about 5/10 minutes there were some very good bargains to be had due to updates I guess not done properly Pity were had already booked and paid for our 2 cruises were going on 

[Lena11033]

lol 

 

I just priced priced out a solo room - I don't know what maths they are using for AI but it's seriously messed up

 

[poffles]

1 hour ago, Lena11033 said:

lol 

 

I just priced priced out a solo room - I don't know what maths they are using for AI but it's seriously messed up

 

 

Top secret 🙂

 

Have to consider that this pricing being CAD has conversion in the mix. How many nights is that cruise since the math would depend on how many nights they can charge you for getting those most popular amenities to make your vacation a carefree one! 

 

Perhaps they are charging you AI for your imaginary guest 🙂

 

 

[Pushka]

Well, not sure Celebrity can do this legally in Australia but - tips are not included. 
 

 

[poffles]

22 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Well, not sure Celebrity can do this legally in Australia but - tips are not included. 
 

 

 

What they mean here as 'Tips charged separately.' is just another form of confusion.  I just priced a 7 night cruise and did Cruise Only vs AI (US$) and the final tax charge was exactly the same and there were no other add ins for tips?  The cost difference of the two matched the price difference shown on the 'Upgrade' page so nothing extra, and we know they don't charge tips when getting a drink on board when you already have the drink package (assumed prepaid) unless this is the next thing to change 'in the future'.

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by poffles

[CruseKrazy]

For the 2 future cruises I am monitoring the price for all included is the same as yesterday as well as the small obc but the prepaid gratuities are no longer included.  Will continue to look for a price drop.

[wrk2cruise]

On 2 2025 sailings I have been watching the cruise only price went down slightly and the refundable deposit add on dropped by over $100 on each sailing.

[Lena11033]

1 hour ago, poffles said:

 

Top secret 🙂

 

Have to consider that this pricing being CAD has conversion in the mix. How many nights is that cruise since the math would depend on how many nights they can charge you for getting those most popular amenities to make your vacation a carefree one! 

 

Perhaps they are charging you AI for your imaginary guest 🙂

 

 

 

lol probably charging for an extra person. It was a one week cruise, only time I've seen it inflated like that was for a SV because they were charging for an extra person. But this was for a solo room so there wouldn't be an extra person at all 

[wrk2cruise]

3 minutes ago, Lena11033 said:

 

lol probably charging for an extra person. It was a one week cruise, only time I've seen it inflated like that was for a SV because they were charging for an extra person. But this was for a solo room so there wouldn't be an extra person at all 

 

Check the Cruise only rate pretty sure it will be a GTY rate.   They don't offer AI for GTY rates.  If you want to select your cabin with cruise only the rate will be much higher.