Future Cruise Voucher on Celebrity ends up costing you MUCH MORE MONEY

Why buy a Celebrity voucher for your next cruise on board your current sailing? They tell you that you get OBC and amenities for just $100, the cost of the deposit on your next sailing.

What they DONT TELL YOU is that the cruise you book in the future will cost you HUNDREDS of dollars more than the price you should be paying. SO IN EFFECT, you are putting a deposit down NOW to pay MORE later for ...your cruise.

Why not just pay less later when you are ready to book?

This just happened to me on the Celebrity Constellation.

I got a rate from my travel agent and asked to use my voucher that I purchased for $100.

He told me that if I used the voucher the rate would be substantially higher. I held a reservation at the lower rate while he called everyone at Celebrity to try to get the lower rate using my voucher.

By the time my travel agent exhausted every he could call at Celebrity, what happened?

The rate went up more than $400.

Now the pricing is ridiculously more and the GO BETTER, GO BEST, GO BIG (how confusing is this to the consumer) rates are more.

I called Resolutions at Celebrity myself several times and spoke to Lacey. She told me she couldn't help me with rates but could help my travel agent.

He was offered a rate $270 MORE than he was offered without Resolutions last night.

So there is no rhyme or reason to cruise pricing.

I am now looking at other cruises on the same dates as Celebrity seems to not care about its customers.

Don't get caught up in buying these vouchers on a cruise for $100.

It will cost you more in the long run.

I learned the hard way.:(

I have 9 future cruises booked and have sailed on many more using them. They were all transferred to the TA that I use. He would give me a discount and extra OBC and if the price ever decreased he would pass it on. The only time that the cruise has ever decreased in price is after final payment or within a few weeks of sailing. It has rarely happened and when t does the price is for a guarantee and comes with no perks.

Most times the price has increased even after final payment and all the good cabins are gone and less perks are offered.

That is my experience. I am sure that may feel as you do and that is why there is the option to either transfer the reservation or cancel getting your deposit back and rebooking.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

I am sorry that the OP had a bad experience, but this is an extreme distortion of the benefits and liabilities of on-board bookings. The OP's TA was most likely quoting a lower rate for a group fare and should have just immediately told the OP that the on-board booking could not be transferred to a group discounted fare. Then the OP could have immediately booked the attractive group rate with the TA and cancelled the on-board booking with absolutely zero loss or held on to it for an alternative future booking.

I am sorry that the OP had a bad experience, but this is an extreme distortion of the benefits and liabilities of on-board bookings. The OP's TA was most likely quoting a lower rate for a group fare and should have just immediately told the OP that the on-board booking could not be transferred to a group discounted fare. Then the OP could have immediately booked the attractive group rate with the TA and cancelled the on-board booking with absolutely zero loss or held on to it for an alternative future booking.

Exactly!! Sounds more like the op just not understanding "group" rates. Apples and oranges my friend....

Need to have a heart to heart with your T/A if they didn't explain this to you.

I am sorry that the OP had a bad experience, but this is an extreme distortion of the benefits and liabilities of on-board bookings. The OP's TA was most likely quoting a lower rate for a group fare and should have just immediately told the OP that the on-board booking could not be transferred to a group discounted fare. Then the OP could have immediately booked the attractive group rate with the TA and cancelled the on-board booking with absolutely zero loss or held on to it for an alternative future booking.

Glad you explained it better because the OP's post made no sense to me. Perhaps they should have said they were having difficulty joining a group rate and not making generalities about the benefits of the certificates themselves for every cruise :rolleyes:. However to the OP if it helps, I booked a cruise on board (not open ended, I picked a cruise) and was able to join my TA's group rate once I got home and got the onboard perks as well as the group price. I did however have to pay the full deposit amount of $900 to join the group.

Glad you explained it better because the OP's post made no sense to me. Perhaps they should have said they were having difficulty joining a group rate and not making generalities about the benefits of the certificates themselves for every cruise :rolleyes:. However to the OP if it helps, I booked a cruise on board (not open ended, I picked a cruise) and was able to join my TA's group rate once I got home and got the onboard perks as well as the group price. I did however have to pay the full deposit amount of $900 to join the group.

That is what we have to do most of the time. We just book the additional amount of the deposit required if we want the group rate. We still get all of the onboard booking benefits.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

Why buy a Celebrity voucher for your next cruise on board your current sailing? They tell you that you get OBC and amenities for just $100, the cost of the deposit on your next sailing.

 

What they DONT TELL YOU is that the cruise you book in the future will cost you HUNDREDS of dollars more than the price you should be paying. SO IN EFFECT, you are putting a deposit down NOW to pay MORE later for ...your cruise.

On our last cruise, we were discouraged from buying one of the Future Cruise Vouchers by the sales staff. Told us they were not popular any longer.

Prices do fluctuate. If there is a cruise that you see on board, then book it. You could change it later and you often keep the perks.

That is what we have to do most of the time. We just book the additional amount of the deposit required if we want the group rate. We still get all of the onboard booking benefits.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

Oh Lordy, now I'm confused. So if you book a future cruise on-board, and then find an offer - a Group Rate - for the same cruise through your TA that has a better price, are you allowed to (1) transfer the on-board booking WITH whatever perks were included for that SAME cruise to the TA's Group Rate option, OR do you either (2) cancel the original booking & get a refund of the $100 deposit or (3) transfer that deposit to another future cruise, AND then book the Group Rate for the cruise with whatever perks are included through the TA's offer?

Now I'm not even sure I've asked the question clearly...:'):')

We also book our cruises on board since we can change the date, ship, cabin, etc because they are flexible. We get the perks, OBC, deposit is only $100pp and the flexibility of being able to change it as long as it's 90 days before sailing. If we want to, we can change our cruise to our TA in order to get more OBC if any is available.

We don't use vouchers at all! Always book on board and if need to, change the date.

It sounds like a group rate. I have used on board booking vouchers on group bookings but the full deposit is required.

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Oh Lordy, now I'm confused. So if you book a future cruise on-board, and then find an offer - a Group Rate - for the same cruise through your TA that has a better price, are you allowed to (1) transfer the on-board booking WITH whatever perks were included for that SAME cruise to the TA's Group Rate option, OR do you either (2) cancel the original booking & get a refund of the $100 deposit or (3) transfer that deposit to another future cruise, AND then book the Group Rate for the cruise with whatever perks are included through the TA's offer?

 

Now I'm not even sure I've asked the question clearly...:'):')

The original booking is kept along with all the perks. The only difference is paying the additional deposit. When you use a future booking certificate the perk is only paying $100 deposit per person and SBC depending on length of cruise and category. Booking on board usually also provides some additional perks. You can transfer that booking to a TA within 60'days of booking or just have it assigned to the TA you used for the current cruise you are on. They have it on record. If the TA has a group price available and you want it you pay the difference in deposit. If the full deposit required is $900 you would have to pay and additional $700. The reservation number is the same except for the new pricing and maybe some extra SBC.

The advantage of booking on board to get the extras with a small deposit. Many may not like having their money "tied up" on the full deposit. For us paying $700 and sometimes getting a extra $100 SBC and a reduced cruise rate Is a decent return on the investment. It all depends on the final price.

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

The original booking is kept along with all the perks. The only difference is paying the additional deposit. When you use a future booking certificate the perk is only paying $100 deposit per person and SBC depending on length of cruise and category. Booking on board usually also provides some additional perks. You can transfer that booking to a TA within 60'days of booking or just have it assigned to the TA you used for the current cruise you are on. They have it on record. If the TA has a group price available and you want it you pay the difference in deposit. If the full deposit required is $900 you would have to pay and additional $700. The reservation number is the same except for the new pricing and maybe some extra SBC.

 

The advantage of booking on board to get the extras with a small deposit. Many may not like having their money "tied up" on the full deposit. For us paying $700 and sometimes getting a extra $100 SBC and a reduced cruise rate Is a decent return on the investment. It all depends on the final price.

 

happy cruising

Is a "future booking certificate" different than an actual future booking where you select the future cruise while on-board? Maybe that's why I'm confused. I'm not familiar with the former.

Most experienced with the open ended "Future Cruise Voucher" which you pay $100 per person will discourage buying it. Myself included. I had one which took me years to be able to use to book a future cruise due to the limitations. Like others I now do a booking for a specific cruise and have been very successful transferring to a TA and apply to a group booking.

Celebrity came through today and adjusted my rate and amenities.

thank you Celebrity:)

Most experienced with the open ended "Future Cruise Voucher" which you pay $100 per person will discourage buying it. Myself included. I had one which took me years to be able to use to book a future cruise due to the limitations. Like others I now do a booking for a specific cruise and have been very successful transferring to a TA and apply to a group booking.

I have had two future cruise vouchers for a couple of years now and have never been able to use them with any travel agent. The agents give me a much better price for the cruise I wish to book and tell me to mothball the stupid vouchers. I will never buy another.

Why buy a Celebrity voucher for your next cruise on board your current sailing? They tell you that you get OBC and amenities for just $100, the cost of the deposit on your next sailing.

 

 

 

What they DONT TELL YOU is that the cruise you book in the future will cost you HUNDREDS of dollars more than the price you should be paying. SO IN EFFECT, you are putting a deposit down NOW to pay MORE later for ...your cruise.

 

 

 

Why not just pay less later when you are ready to book?

 

 

 

This just happened to me on the Celebrity Constellation.

 

I got a rate from my travel agent and asked to use my voucher that I purchased for $100.

 

 

 

He told me that if I used the voucher the rate would be substantially higher. I held a reservation at the lower rate while he called everyone at Celebrity to try to get the lower rate using my voucher.

 

 

 

By the time my travel agent exhausted every he could call at Celebrity, what happened?

 

 

 

The rate went up more than $400.

 

Now the pricing is ridiculously more and the GO BETTER, GO BEST, GO BIG (how confusing is this to the consumer) rates are more.

 

 

 

I called Resolutions at Celebrity myself several times and spoke to Lacey. She told me she couldn't help me with rates but could help my travel agent.

 

 

 

He was offered a rate $270 MORE than he was offered without Resolutions last night.

 

 

 

So there is no rhyme or reason to cruise pricing.

 

I am now looking at other cruises on the same dates as Celebrity seems to not care about its customers.

 

 

 

Don't get caught up in buying these vouchers on a cruise for $100.

 

It will cost you more in the long run.

 

I learned the hard way.:(

This is the case, request a refund of your future cruise deposit...(it S refundable) and youve lost nothing...

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Celebrity came through today and adjusted my rate and amenities.

thank you Celebrity:)

Congratulations; enjoy your cruise

This is the case, request a refund of your future cruise deposit...(it S refundable) and youve lost nothing...

 

 

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Unless they have changed them recently they are NOT refundable. Most times you have trouble using them it's that the extra OBC they provide is not combineable with whatever the current perks are.

In my case I was finally able to use it as $100 credit towards my deposit and forfeited the OBC that was attached. My TA was able to do this.

But in the end it just resulted in me loaning Celebrity $100 at zero interest for 5 years!

Unless they have changed them recently they are NOT refundable. Most times you have trouble using them it's that the extra OBC they provide is not combineable with whatever the current perks are.

 

 

In my case I was finally able to use it as $100 credit towards my deposit and forfeited the OBC that was attached. My TA was able to do this.

 

But in the end it just resulted in me loaning Celebrity $100 at zero interest for 5 years!

The future cruise sheet I received while on Celebrity Xpedition less than a week ago clearly states that the amount you put down is refundable.

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I recently got off the Equinox and considered buying these. They have a huge room with 5 people dedicated to selling future cruises. I agree with the OP, the deal isn't great. You CAN get a refund anytime however, but now that there are rumors Royal will remove this cancel option from their deposits. Celebrity has said they will keep the cancel option. Overall its a better deal for Celebrity than it is for you. Unless you know you have a future Celebrity cruise planned, I would stay away. You have more options if you aren't locked in.

Also note, if you are a Royal Caribbean shareholder (with 100 share) you get about the same OBC but having the future cruise OBC eliminates your ability from using the shareholder credits, so its a wash at best.

Overall, with so many specials out there, there is really no benefit to locking in a future cruise even if you CAN cancel it. It just puts the bug in your mind that you have a future Celebrity cruise booked even though it gives you no benefit over what prices you can get anyway. Its just playing mind games with you to get you on the future cruise. All cruise lines do this so there are so many prices with so many deals and so many rooms types, its impossible to compare one to another. And prices and deals change daily.

Yes this is how it is SUPPOSED to work.

you pay $100 on board and either book a cruise then or apply it to a future cruise you book.

It didn't work this time.

I booked a MA resident rate with NO amenities.

It was very inexpensive.

I then tried to apply my $100 voucher to get the 2 promised amenities and CELEBRITY said NO.

Either take the resident rate and no amenities

OR

take the much higher rate with the amenities

This is the FIRST time I experienced this.

I took the lower resident rate while my TA fought with everyone at Celebrity.

By the time he exhausted everyone he knew, the cruise rate with the amenities had increased exponentially - a few weeks max.

I called Resolutions and Captains Club and my TA continued to try.

I was ready to cancel when CC finally came through with more OBC, and a higher rate.

I was ok with this but NEVER got to use the voucher

Hence I said WHY BOTHER buying it on board if it cant be used EVERY TIME for the best rate available

I am the OP and it is not a group rate but a MA resident rate.

I will stay away from these vouchers in the future.

They used to be SO much better

I got a refund of my $100

I also paid the $900 deposit

for some reason Celebrity just would not honor it

I also booked onboard an open future cruise in 2012 with $100 deposit. Although thinking of using it in 2018, I'm wwondering if I'll get the OBC set out in the program in 2012 (based on the length of the cruise), because the program has been changed since. Would Celebrity honor its previous program? If not, would they allow me to cancel and get the deposit back?