Timing of price drops?

[BurgerBits]

When I do see a drop, I take a screen shot of the page and email it to my TA, she calls X, and X credits my card.

 

That's exactly what I do - :D!! Has your TA told you whether or not the 'photo evidence' has been helpful?

[des1rees]

Sorry if I'm a bit dense, but could someone please clarify: The price on our Century cruise recently dropped AFTER final payment (the price listed on Celebrity's website. I see no disclaimer about new bookings only.). Can we get a refund? And I should contact my TA, not Celebrity, right?

 

Thanks for your patience!

 

Half Hitch,

 

Can you keep us posted about whether you got an OBC or a refund based ont he price drop AFTER the final payment? I am monitoring the prices for our cruise in Sep booked through a TA, and have so far adjusted the price twice. Final payment is not due till June but would like to know what your TA did.

 

Thanks,

 

D

[Oceangoer2]

In this economy, you should continually monitor for price drops, especially in the weeks after final payment, even for new ships and/or popular itineraries. After booking in August for Solstice Christmas week, there was a $550 pp price drop a week or so after final payment, and another $50 closer to sailing. The 1A cabins were in the after-Thanksgiving sale for $999 (new bookings only!), half the August price. We couldn't take advantage of that price, but were happy with our $1200 refund. And yes this was on the total adult price, the third passenger price never budged once. As others have said, watch all the categories because X's yield management system might offer a bigger % drop in a category with many cabins, like Solstice verandas. It doesn't have many OVs, and at times, the Guarantee Veranda rate was lower. It's a pain to have to watch the rates yourself, but the reward may be worth it. When I do see a drop, I take a screen shot of the page and email it to my TA, she calls X, and X credits my card. At least, that part is quick and simple.

Exactly....I take a copy of the pertinent detail on the web page and send to my --X-- TA. Received credit to my Visa today (less than a week to do so) and this was after final payment. Will keep watching.

[kennetro]

When they drop the prices like this, is it up to us to call and request the credit or do they automatically adjust?? The price of our upcoming May cruise has been reduced for quite some time now, but it has not been reflected on my "balance due" statement on "X.com"....

Any advice is appreciated.... Thanks.

[budster]

It is up to you to request the price reduction.:) Good luck!

[des1rees]

It is up to you to request the price reduction.:) Good luck!

 

ALSO, it is a good idea to not wait once you have seen the price drop. In my brief experience through these past two price drops AND being tied to X for the past year and a half for the cruise, the prices fluctuate and if you do not take advantage of the price drop, you might see the prices climp back up again...

 

D

[raudacruise]

I wasn't watching this thread but I do check on-line prices at Celebrity once a week. We are on a TA on Century next Nov/Dec and have a RS. Price dropped $400/pp. Sent email last night to our TA and got the new price today. Nothing like an unexpected $800.

 

The TA said to keep checking - maybe that should be her job but it I only check once a week and it only takes a couple minutes.

[carte005]

I have a deposit on Solstice for May 4. I booked it through the Celebrity website. I see a lot of people talking about travel agents. Are these local TA's or online companies? Did I make a mistake using the Celebrity website? Will I have a better chance at getting refunds if the price drops with a TA versus directly through Celebrity?

[CruisingChick]

Did I make a mistake using the Celebrity website?

 

No.

 

Will I have a better chance at getting refunds if the price drops with a TA versus directly through Celebrity?

 

No.

 

You just have to monitor it yourself and call Celebrity as soon as you notice a price drop in your category of cabin.

 

Personally, I prefer dealing directly with Celebrity. The TA I had was useless.

 

Anne Maria

[Half Hitch]

I contacted my online TA via email and they said credits are at the discretion of Celebrity. If Celebrity "agrees," the TA requires a $39 change fee which would appear to come out of the onboard credits I received from this particular booking. I'm a little unclear as to whether there is an additional dent in my onboard credits and am awaiting email clarification of this.

 

By the way, this is only a 4-day cruise, but the $140 price drop for the two of us seemed worth asking about. Unless I get nickel and dimed to death over it.

[BurgerBits]

I contacted my online TA via email and they said credits are at the discretion of Celebrity. If Celebrity "agrees," the TA requires a $39 change fee which would appear to come out of the onboard credits I received from this particular booking. I'm a little unclear as to whether there is an additional dent in my onboard credits and am awaiting email clarification of this.

 

By the way, this is only a 4-day cruise, but the $140 price drop for the two of us seemed worth asking about. Unless I get nickel and dimed to death over it.

 

When your price drops and you get a refund, the TA has to send the portion of their commission they earned on that refunded amount back to =X=. My TA doesn't charge me for these, but we swing a lot of business her way... and I always pay her back, along with a little thank-you gift, anyway. (I used to be an independent TA :))

 

If your TA is on the up-and-up, you should be able to frankly discuss commissions, fees, etc. with her/him and get the truth. Nothing wrong with the TA protecting their commission, but you should know that that's what happening (if indeed it is) so you can choose whether or not to use her/him or not in the future. It's entirely possible that the onboard credit (or some of it) that you received was a 'gift' from your TA, who was kicking back some commission to provide it.

[Half Hitch]

BurgerBits,

Ah . . . that explains a lot. Thanks for the info and advice!

[kennetro]

Thanks for all your suggestions & advice. I just got off the phone with X Customer Service. I told them that I noticed on their website that the price of my May '09 cruise and gone down by $ 500, and asked how I could go about receiving a credit toward my reservation account. The young man replied, "I'm sorry, but since you've already reserved, I cannot credit you." I simply said, "Fine! Please cancel my trip and refund my deposit." He then asked me to hold. After only about 15 seconds he came back and said, "Okay, I received PERMISSION to lower your cruise price by $500."

 

I realize times are tough right now for all cruise lines, but do these people think we are complete idiots??? It just seems so silly to have to play these games.

[Tinwoman]

Thanks for all your suggestions & advice. I just got off the phone with X Customer Service. I told them that I noticed on their website that the price of my May '09 cruise and gone down by $ 500, and asked how I could go about receiving a credit toward my reservation account. The young man replied, "I'm sorry, but since you've already reserved, I cannot credit you." I simply said, "Fine! Please cancel my trip and refund my deposit." He then asked me to hold. After only about 15 seconds he came back and said, "Okay, I received PERMISSION to lower your cruise price by $500."

 

I realize times are tough right now for all cruise lines, but do these people think we are complete idiots??? It just seems so silly to have to play these games.

 

Oh trust me there are people out there who will never question prices. The same people pay sticker price for their automobiles.

Cruises and all foreign vacations are cheap, cheap, cheap right now because of the US economy right now.

I am glad that we were prepared and can enjoy those prices, not just for cruises but also All Inclusive which include airfare, and renting island cottages, which I love more than anything. :)

We have a cottage on Eleuthera Island which is a place I love above all others for the whole of February, for haft for the price of last year.

[raudacruise]

Thanks for all your suggestions & advice. I just got off the phone with X Customer Service. I told them that I noticed on their website that the price of my May '09 cruise and gone down by $ 500, and asked how I could go about receiving a credit toward my reservation account. The young man replied, "I'm sorry, but since you've already reserved, I cannot credit you." I simply said, "Fine! Please cancel my trip and refund my deposit." He then asked me to hold. After only about 15 seconds he came back and said, "Okay, I received PERMISSION to lower your cruise price by $500."

 

I realize times are tough right now for all cruise lines, but do these people think we are complete idiots??? It just seems so silly to have to play these games.

 

Pretty much what my TA did. She doesn't monitor the prices but fights for us when the prices drop and I tell her about it.

[lobster129]

Consider rechecking cruise prices on Wednesdays! It seems that the Tuesday "new bookings" sales are not going very well for Celebrity. Air prices are still high even when there are good cruise prices.

 

Today I was able to save $960 for our DS & DIL in a Celebrity Suite (w/2 toddlers) on Summit from San Juan next month. It was the first price drop they have had since booking in April. Others in our group have had 3 price drops.

 

Just keep checking and watch the roll call for your sailing. If anyone finds a price drop they are great about posting here.

 

I just emailed our TA & asked him to verify the price change. He did and contacted Celebrity and then emailed the new invoice the same afternoon.!

 

Even though we made our final pymt long ago, when there is a price drop the difference is deducted from the credit card that you used to pay for your cruise. (I assume everyone puts on a credit card to earn points toward something, or just because it's convenient) They are to post the credit within 7 business days.

 

Happy price watching!

Lobster129

[Project_gal]

Does anyone know if refunds when the price drops are only available in the US [and Canada] or if refunds will also be made in the UK [and elsewhere], please? We usually book direct with Celebrity [if that makes any difference].

[smileon]

Does anyone know if refunds when the price drops are only available in the US [and Canada] or if refunds will also be made in the UK [and elsewhere], please? We usually book direct with Celebrity [if that makes any difference].

 

I contacted our TA today with that exact question and she confirmed that we would be able to benefit from any price drop ( must be 10% apparently) We are sailing in the school Summer holidays to the Baltic from Harwich so doubt there will be any significant changes but keep hoping! Everything else is so much more expensive with the current poor rate of exchange - I calculated our excursions in St Petersburg alone will cost approximately £150 more than they did when the pound was stronger in September last year.

 

Hope you are lucky and get a nice little extra spending money!!

[lucky white heather]

Does anyone know if refunds when the price drops are only available in the US [and Canada] or if refunds will also be made in the UK [and elsewhere], please? We usually book direct with Celebrity [if that makes any difference].

 

We've had a price drop before BUT you have to satisfy the qualifying criteria...whether you have inclusive air or book cruise only .....is usually one of the factors in the pricedrop qualifying decision.If you are booked direct you can phone your personal booking consultant (at your own expense of course) and ask them to check and see if you qualify.

 

If you booked with a TA you have to ask them to do this for you.Of course since their commission depends on what you are paying in your global figure they are sometimes reluctant to phone Celebrity to check things out for you and Celebrity will not discuss this with you if you booked with a TA.

Our EX TA was dropped by us because they were extremely reluctant to check things out on our behalf.It costs slightly more to book direct with Celebrity than booking with a TA who might offer OBC or some other "sweetener" to get you sign up with them..but if a price drop happens ( and people on your rollcall usually are pretty vigilant about telling everyone there has been a price drop in whatever category it is happening in so you can check your cabin grade/ whole booking and then apply) it is sometimes worth while to have no hassle if you qualify and book direct ...one phone call should do it.

 

BTW...we were being charged a fee to send us a new invoice by Celebrity (which our TA passed on to us immediately even although they knew there should be no fee in this case) ... we appealed to Celebrity to have the fee refunded and it was ..but that was because we knew from vigilantly reading the boards on CC that there is no fee for getting your new invoice if you qualify for the price drop.

[Project_gal]

I contacted our TA today with that exact question and she confirmed that we would be able to benefit from any price drop ( must be 10% apparently) We are sailing in the school Summer holidays to the Baltic from Harwich so doubt there will be any significant changes but keep hoping! Everything else is so much more expensive with the current poor rate of exchange - I calculated our excursions in St Petersburg alone will cost approximately £150 more than they did when the pound was stronger in September last year.

 

Hope you are lucky and get a nice little extra spending money!!

 

Thanks for this.

 

I don't know what excursion you are planning to take in St Petersburg but the private car [with driver and guide] is really exceptionally good value [even at today's exchange rates]. We had an effectively private tour of the Hermitage and could choose exactly what we wanted to do and what we didn't. The only problem was my husband felt so relaxed he was actually touching the paintings in the Hermitage and setting off alarms. He just kept wondering what the buzzing sounds were - no one tried to stop him!!!