Janet987

Just received same email as Markus. Elite to Black.

Not that I have given this one thought since the first day of the thread, but checking the prices on a TA's ticker, the YC isn't showing much in way of discounts for this winter in the Caribbean. 5% off for Black doesn't excite much either.

Do any of the MSC fans have experience with how this line handles last-minute pricing for YC? Do you see discounts after final payment worth waiting? I'll check out the MSC forum but any thoughts on their pricing appreciated (winter getaway to sun, flexible on weeks, standard routes, last minute doable).

Karen,

Thank you so much for answering! But drat, that first interesting part is at night. No problem about the early rising...I am a very early riser in NC, so I'll likely be spending many hours awake in the dark. Don't do jet lag as well as I did when younger.

Again, so much appreciate your terrific review and photos, thanks,

Depends on the itinerary, time of year, how many cabins remain in the class you want, how flexible you are about maybe another week or ship, etc. etc.
But in general, I [I]always[/I] wait until after final payment, and then some:)

This thread should help: [url]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2246337[/url]

I bought our W suite for a triple about 7 weeks before sailing, the cabin was listed on my X account the next morning. I use a TA, and it was the exact same cabin I had had on hold for more $ under a senior price..not sure if that had any impact on the assignment, or the fact there were only a few triple suites left.

Though have done AQ W before...same, the cabin listed the next morning, both times it was well past final payment day.

Definitely do more reading. But I read so much comparing the land tours from X, Princess and HAL that in the end, didn't book any of them :) just doing a last minute X cruise in two weeks.

 

However, I have been reading this year's reviews on the Mille, and this one opened up another world of options hadn't even considered before. Happy Planning. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=509030

Karen,

Many thanks for posting your wonderful review and photos here in the Celebrity sub-forum! Almost missed it as I have been watching the Member Revews for the Millennium, which have links to port excursions, but hadn't been checking the Alaska ports board directly. So many places on CC to put your very helpful review:)

 

With so many Alaska cruises taken and your close observation for photo ops, can you tell me what is seen in daylight on day one/two leaving from Vancouver? It appears it might depend on the tides whether or not the ship gets through the Seymour Narrows the first night. I have a detailed Cruise Guide and Map but the question in general is... Is there nearby land ...Vancouver Island on port side the cruising day? Or by daylight is the Millenium already past that interesting first section and photo ops from the ship are more limited as the ship by then is out in the wider channel? In addition to attending the naturalist talks, are there good times to take photos near land. Assuming it is not raining two weeks from today:)Thanks again, Janet

I "spoke from experience". No one has done this, because even if you ask the CC hostess on board, as I did...she will not move you up mid cruise, nor allow you "to try out" an Eliite event. No exceptions to the official rules.

No. I "chatted to the hostess" who very nicely explained the points do not accrue until the cruise is over, nor did she invite me to any Elite events to try it out.

Chemmo... glad you are following this; I'm still trying to figure out out how in the OP's mind that this plan is not scamming the system.

 

Just wanted to add some helpful info from X:

******

 

Babysitting (Stateroom Services):

For a nominal fee of $19.00 per hour for up to three children within the same family, parents can arrange for a private, in-stateroom babysitter. Two sitters will be assigned per stateroom. Children have to be twelve months old or older to be eligible for in-stateroom sitting. Babysitting services are available through the Cabin Services Desk onboard all Celebrity ships (except Celebrity Xpedition). Parents are asked to make all private, in-cabin babysitting requests 24 hours in advance. Private, in-cabin babysitting is subject to personnel availability.

 

******

 

You could pick whatever cabin class both adult couples would enjoy, all go together to the same dining room or speciality restaurants, leave the kiddos with a sitter. Sure the one year old doesn't care what cabin class it is. The Family cabins as someone suggested are nice.

Perhaps you can book the four adults into the suite....and book the kids in their own room next door or across the hall (rules). Once on board, you can just change rooms...and even get cards to the real rooms you'll be using.

They're Toddlers..Celebrity requires that at least one person in each cabin is 21 or older, though I know families do switch the cards. Our 23 yo DD is in a suite with us this cruise...should we send her to the buffet one night so we can substitute our friend in AQ? I don't think so.:rolleyes:

That .99 has upgraded me more than once - along with saving $100's.

 

Someone mentioned historical tracking over years - not sure if we're talking the same site or not, but if there is a site that allows me to see the price history in a cruise that has already sailed, I'd be very interested in taking a look at that.

We were posting at the same time...click the STATS tab, read my post. Good luck!

99 cents to save hundreds is doable :) and worth it for the sailings you are serious about. But can also look at the same week, same ship, for previous years under stats, hover the mouse over the final price and see the dates the published prices dropped for regular, senior, etc. However, all these BBB type promotions add more wrinkles that complicate the comparisons, but a good start to see if final payment date triggered a big drop. The only percentage of sold I found in past was by general categories (suites, veranda, OV, ) so personally did not find it as useful as knowing the number of AQ cabins and what inventory remained, but likely there are other industry/analaytic sites.

Where it could be more transparent if they keep this structure in place permanently and when they need a promotion just cut the Go Big fare (as the others track off it).

Or they cut the up charge for Better and Best as some Travel Agents are already doing!

If you do come onboard at embarkation or in ports with wine or alcohol over the two, all they do is take it and store it for you, then give it back. On my B2B duty free and extra wines were returned to passengers on Friday night so it can be packed in luggage. Just sayin', and I was staying in the same cabin. Also took a nice walk in turnaround port and visited a wine shop, you get a special pass to return on board bypassing check-in, only with a quick walk through security.

Imagine what it will be like in a few years with two more RCCL Oasis class ships, and FOUR new ships for Carnival/Costa that also carry 6000 passengers... (along with all the OTHER new builds coming out...)

 

More and better last minute discounts for me? ...I'm OK with that:D

What I can't imagine is a day on the few islands that have built the deep water docks to handle the behemoths if two end up in port, in addition to existing large ships :eek:

 

Magsmc, Google is always your friend :) looking for an agent that offers last minute discounts? OK, Google: Discount and Last Minute Cruise Vacations. A last minute ticker service is useful for seeing what's out there at a glance.

Looking for "cruise price history" ask for that and find the same result Nachosdelux indicated, Stats tab, five years back by class. What did we do without Google? oh sorry, Alphabet.

Does anyone have a sense for which cruises are more likely to be undersold at final payment and result in bargains?

 

I know some cruises that sell out early, like our Japan and China cruise and Around the Horn cruises.

 

I once thought transatlantics typically don't sell out, but noticed some have.

 

Nachos deluxe gave a good answer, and since you can drive to the ports, I would add almost every Caribbean cruise, even the holidays and "spring break" since that is a rolling time period. There are just too many ships, lines, mega-ships with way too many cabins to fill leaving Florida every weekend. Cheaper for you to cruise than stay at home if you are free to waiting about 6 weeks before sail date.

 

The websites that show pricing histories have graphs of the price over time and keep the history for a few years. Check out itineries of interest to see the patterns after final payment.

It's the summit, Oct. 18 repo from NY to SJU. Only thing I can figure out is that the $849 is for AQ guarantee and the residency rate doesn't apply to guarantee cabins?

That's it...the $849 is the W rate, while the discounts come off the lowest regular rate (btw, $699 for military if qualify). Good deal for 6 days...we sailed to Norman Island from Tortola..nothing in town but waters around it are just amazing.

No excursion needed for Key West, easy walk to Hemingway house, southernmost point in U.S., etc or take the on/off tram tour.

In Cozumel you want to get out of tacky port area, a taxi or excursion to a beach is needed, private is fine. Even though not big drinkers, we had a great time on the Cozumel Bar Hop because it takes you to the "back side" of the island, beautiful remote bars with hammocks and casual "toes in the sand" cantinas.

Tap on the Constellation link ^^ above for an Editor review, then follow through links to Member reviews, reading those last for last winter's Caribbean itinerary. If you want the upscale, "intimate" experience, suggest you consider AQ class, for a five day and during a less popular week, the price difference is small and you can eat in BLU for breakfast and dinner, not worry about lido. I make a salad in the buffet and return to cabin balcony for quiet lunch for two, or chose the AquaCafe, avoiding the crowd issue altogether.

Yup, it doesn't apply, neither does the Captains Club "Savings Certificate". Because I book various discounted rates I haven't used one of those yet...but keep trying:)

Hi,

I noticed a newly offered discount on my sailing on Silhouette (dec 2015). It is the same amount either for military or seniors. I did not check all the cat. I noticed 300dol disc. on verandas, aqua ...... and 200 dol on inside, per cabin.

 

Check your sailing maybe there is some saving to be gained as well - or maybe not if your sailing is selling well.

 

When I checked military/senior prices with new BBB perks for different sailings earlier in this thread, if the military discount was $300 per cabin (no perks) when clicked through to next page...the pricing reverted back to Go Big with a $300 OBC. X figures it is the same to you, and they would obviously prefer to sell you their new program for marketing reasons and OB sales. However, if I found a senior/military discount MORE than $300 per cabin, then the next billing page kept the military price with no perks.

 

Years ago I read on one of price history websites that August, when folks are on vacation, getting kids back to school and otherwise engaged, is a good time to find discounts off regular fares for Holiday and Jan cruises. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and right after New Years are generally slow anyway, well-priced to start, and often with more discounts after final payment. Good luck finding a price you like..if there are military rates for your sailing, you may also find group rates, extra TA credits, or other types of discounts.

Ditto what Hancock wrote. On an s-class (Equinox) the cabins are identical. For me access to BLU and Persian Garden with AQ is worth the price difference, only you can decide if those amenities are important to you. Read Some of the many previous threads comparing MDR to BLU, lots of strong opinions about both.

 

Edit: Not all AQ cabins are under the pool, and not all of those that are have any noise problem. Booking this far out, you will have your choice of cabins, maybe even snagging one with a larger balcony. There is an S-class spreadsheet in the stickies above to help you make sense of the deck plan.

If there is a regular published rate on the X website (not Xciting deal, group, etc) for a higher class cabin for same $ or less, you may request to change to that cabin. Your TA has to handle it, can't call X, (extra work for no extra commission) so it helps to have a good relationship. Also know the remaining inventory before requesting an upgrade to be sure it would be an improvement in location. Moving from a good CC to the last remaining AQ may only be a benefit if BLU is important to you.

You will not get money back after final payment though you can pay more if you wish :)

I booked a triple Suite guarantee for upcoming cruise a few weeks ago...had no problem. There were 2 Sky Suites remaining for 3, booked with my TA and the next morning was assigned the exact same SS we had had on hold for a senior rate $400 pp higher, also snagging a ridiculous cheap rate for the third passenger. Have done Ws before, my experience is if there is a triple left you can do it. Don't know if having a TA make the call impacts it in any way. I do check remaining inventory (that German company or X) before even calling TA that there are triples showing for that class on the deck plan.

A week or two ago, another member posted an article MSC's new Loyalty Match Program, which apparently "guarantees" a 5% discount. Info and application here: http://www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/Msc/Loyalty-Match-Program.aspx