Bo1953

During today's live chat with Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, she was asked for an address like the one we used to contact Michael Bayley at.

 

CC Chris said it would be posted, but it never was. Does anyone have any idea what the new contact email might be?

 

From CC Forums: Your predecessor set up an email address so that folks could contact him (actually his staff) directly if they had a problem or suggestion that couldn't be handled by any other function. That id: contactmichael@celebrity.com was actually quite helpful to some with unusual issues and as an outlet for frustration. Often those emails resulted in a personal call back from a staff member. That ID has been turned off. Are you, or would you consider reactivating that concept with a "contactlisa@celebrity.com" email?

by Cruise Critic Chris 12:55 PM ↑3

 

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo,...

Every email that is addressed to me gets my personal attention. So if you send an email for my attention, I read it and it is personally handled.

12:56 PM

 

Cruise Critic Chris

Hi there - Lisa is sending over an email address now :)

1:02 PM

Not sure, but I think you can use the email we already have and in the subject section place her name/attention LIsa Lutoff-Perlo.

Worst case scenario, no response from her directly, best case scenario she responds directly...

Agreed. There were questions that were never addressed. Lisa determined which questions she wanted to address, and those she did. It was a canned Q&A. It is what it is, and now I know to skip it the next time.

 

 

 

Exactly.

She only had 60 minutes to answer questions which were passed on to her, presumably, by the moderator of the chat. Are you indicating that any of your question(s) tangentially were not touched upon? If not, there was an email address given to reach out to her or her staff... sorry I did not see it in the transcript, if you need it maybe someone here can provide it to you.

I've checked multiple cruises on multiple dates and geographies and the only thing I see is GO BIG and that's not a choice...it's $150 a person OBC. I guess in the large scheme of things that assures that everyone will spend at least $150 on board on something.....it could be an excursion, meals, drinks or just Gratuities. I guess the intent was to raise the average revenue per passenger per day...and if you make them pay an extra $150 so they must buy $150 OBC, you've accomplished your goal....but if they use that money to pay the gratuities, I'm not sure how celebrity benefits. But wait....then there's the current "select only" dining time open "(IMHO) scam" to force everyone to pay their gratuities up front. Hmmm...that's interesting.....Maybe Lisa will shed some light on this later today.....

 

So can anyone book early/late dining on a new cruise.....and would someone give me a cruise with all the big, bigger, best options showing.

As per X's web site:

Prepaid Tips for two

Free Tips option provides for prepaid stateroom, waiter, assistant waiter and headwaiter gratuities in the amount suggested by Celebrity's guidelines. Gratuities will be applied to reservation within 10 days of booking date. Guests in the same staterooms must select the same option(s).

Also, you must, as I was, using other options when doing the booking i.e. age or state or other such which knocks out the option for the new specials. Try it using a sailing AFTER September 2015 again.

Good luck.

Hello all,

We decided that the new 'Best' pricing for our 7 Feb 16 cruise is actually $200 less (net) than what we are paying currently. As such, we will be taking the new deal. Yes, the internet package will not be used to its' fullest yet it is still a perk/freebee to factor in regardless, for us. Never the less, provides us, with an 'All (mostly) Inclusive' deal.

Please know that I did not ascribe my own value(s) of the packages to the calculations, only X's, so no judgement as to its' worth other than theirs, as published was used.

Thanks to Cle-Guy for posting about doing a spread sheet to calculate costs and etc... with the $490 OBC we get, this can go towards spas and tours and shopping.. Oh My.

http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/celebrity-drink-lists/

Not sure how old it is, but I googled/duckducked your question for some quick answers...

Give a gander and search too..

Here you go, read all about it - go to your log in page and sign up, although it does not say anything about the coca cola glass here...

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/onboard-beverage-packages?pagename=onboard_beverage_packages_riedel_wine&tab=onboard_beverage_packages_riedel_wine_tab

Then there is the possibility of utilizing private tour companies as well, instead of using X's tours.

Have you looked at any of them, yet?

As you see from my signature, I've been on RCCL several times and never had a problem, then again we don't flaunt other than being at a two top table for meals and having our bed made up as one. Has anyone had problems with RCCL lately? We are doing Alaska Inside Passage next summer.

No need to worry, I know there should be no problems at all. We did not have any problems on our RCCL last year. Then again, for meals we ate with others too and that was fine.

The key difference is the right to cancel without penalty for major changes, where there normaly would be cancellation penalties.

 

the issue is that for cruise the definitions boundry of major/minor is not well established and each cruise line uses different examples.

 

There main relevent law in the UK that the cruise lines interpit are the package holiday regulations that cover cruise.

 

eg

Single port change, minor

two port changes, grey area.

two ports to two sea, major.

 

Some other changes are established by how they apply to other package holidays like the departure and delays.

 

the actual regulations are

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3288/contents/made

 

they cover other things like changes to fares after booking which make things like fuel surcharges very difficult to enforce.

 

 

Celebrity also has this clause.

1.11 Can I make changes to my booking after it has been

confirmed?

Should you wish to make any changes to your confirmed

holiday, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible.

Whilst we will endeavour to assist you, we cannot guarantee

we will be able to meet any such request. For guests wishing

to make a significant amendment to their booking outside of

56 days from departure, such as changing the ship, sail date,

flights or brand, please note that a booking transfer fee is

applicable.

 

So those effected by the itinerary changes but canot cancel without penalty should be able to change their booking to another cruise and in many cases X have been know to wave any change fees.

Sounds like it is 'Government' that makes this permissible, NOT X, better get those pesky consumer friendly regulations changed so X can do something other to benefit those who want protection and not want them in other situations.

Just a vision, new glasses are in order for me though. :D

Not if you're the OP, he may not be able to afford to lose those hundreds of $ on his deposit and then take one of your options ;). Moving his booking may also not be an option as some pax are only able to cruise once every couple of years due to finances, holiday schedules etc. Give people the option of cancelling if they so wish - X have made changes to his itinerary and now the reason for those changes, so let the OP decide whether he wants to accept or cancel and receive his money back!

In which case, I recommend that 'every' potential cruiser in the UK and Europe do last minute bookings (after pay in full dates) to be sure they will like any/all itineraries then losing 'big bucks' become a non-issue, maybe cost of booking last minute will become the issue.

Maybe I Am not looking at this correctly, I Am sure I will be corrected just in case... TIA

Consider also that in many cases flights have been booked and

prepaid.

We have prepaid flights from the West Coast of Canada to FLL

Would have to find something else for 14 days if we were to cancel.

So they have us over a barrel ,so to speak.

Actually, if you are entitled to a 'full' and unencumbered refund, then you can take the money from the cruise portion and do a 14 tour of South Florida so the flights can be still used without loss of money, unless your insurance will not cover the air portion of your vacation?

Just a thought.

Hi there,

 

Apologies, but this cruise was not changed for safety reasons. The change was made to allow for us to provide overnights itineraries.

Thank you and sorry you had to 'respond' to such out of the air accusations or mis-readings. Although not knowing how or from who the OP received that info.

To everyone else, if it were for 'safety' reasons, there would be publicity in major newspapers or TV or cruise publications about this, especially in the U.S.

I accept the published adverts on the overnights as the official position on this. Anyone else? Let us not continue to bash X on this point.

Please stop.

 

You keep on introducing logic and common sense into your arguments.

 

This is Cruise Critic and conspiracy theories along with the odd bit of drama is all that keeps some of us coming back.

Like a herd... ;-) Fortunately, there are other groups going on these cruises which do not mind and are NOT made up, mainly, of the vocal CC posters here on this topic. :cool:

Here's a revelation for you.

 

Itinerary and ports can CHANGE at anytime for whatever reason Celebrity chooses to use.

 

It's in your cruise contract.

 

If losing one port (not even losing an overnight - just a matter of hours!) on a 10+ day cruise is THAT important to you, then perhaps a land-based vacation going to the ports YOU select would be more suitable.

 

You'll have complete control of your vacation and you can go wherever you like, whenever you like.

:p :p :p :p

Thanks... sounds reasonable.

I Am sure you will be just fine, based on your stated reasons for changing. Let us know if YOU feel the same way upon your return.

Bon Voyage...

Cruise insurance may be your best friend in this case, the proper coverage as well.... bon voyage

Hello all, quick question and input from those in the know...

I have BCBS and it appears that I have worldwide coverage (still waiting to hear from agent on this) if in fact I do have ww coverage, does anyone else here have similar and know about this?

This leads me to believe that I only need cruise cancellation insurance, should I want to get it, as my main concern was for illness and repatriation if medical was beyond what the local hospital/doctor/professionals could reasonably provide.

TIA - bo1953

Some of you may recognize my user name as a longtime poster on these Travel Insurance boards....I say that only to restate that I know all about the fine print on Trip Insurance policies, I read them, I understand the limits, I pay attention to details as obscure as knowing "Reasonable Expenses" can be limited to Hotel and Food expenses in one policy and will be Hotel, Food, Rental Car, replacement clothing and toiletries in another.

 

----------------- snip snip snip snip snip snip -----------

Hello - once again, perchance do you know which of the 'Primary/First Payers' will pay directly to the hospital upon contacting them when the emergency occurs?

TIA - bo1953

It is for the entire cruise at $29 per person per day.

Actually a VERY GOOD DEAL :)

Especially on Silhouette and Reflection with Murano, Qsine, Tuscan and Lawn Club.

Thanks for the clarification, we would not be interested in purchasing for the whole cruise as we also want to experience the MDR several nights, so the pre-boarding dining package will be the best choice, covering three (3) nights.

Thanks again - bo1953

Unlimited Specialty Restaurants for $29 per person per day. Available for purchase on embarkation day only and must be purchased for every day of the cruise. Cannot be booked in advance.

I have another question about the UDP and other costs:

Can someone advise what the current cost is for Lawn Club Grille Lunch and can the package be used for lunches?

If so, which other venues would the UDP be good for at lunch time?

I will be on the Silhouette 7 Feb 16.

TIA - bo1953

Thank you for the comprehensive review and sharing your experience. I will follow your lead in this.

bo1953

You are correct. You cannot book the ultimate dining in advance.

Sorry for the mis-fire all. I now see that one can get a dining package in advance, but not that one.

bo1953

Since your sailing is so far out, I would not bank on it still being $29, as most charges of late, pricing is going up.

I forgot to add, if you are booked on that sailing, it may be possible to purchase the package now to lock in the price.

Since your sailing is so far out, I would not bank on it still being $29, as most charges of late, pricing is going up.

Great! I won't have to spend 30secs a day looking for information!

 

 

 

Oh well, I was going to ask how to sign up...:o

GKW - there is really a service that will do this for you. Very, very, very reasonable too.... in your search engine you want to use the following terms: cruise price drop and the site will be in the top five showing, for sure.

Good luck.