NMTraveller

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

I compare similar itineraries and book the best price for what I want which is drinks and wifi included. Building loyalty was never the goal for me. Celebrity and Royal come in on the high side.

I just took a look at a Celebrity Japan itinerary, and the pricing has skyrocketed...  That is without adding in drinks.

I took a peek at these cruise prices back in May.  They were rather reasonable back then.  I took a look now and the prices have skyrocketed.  I suppose that I will wait for November and see if the pricing is back to a more normal level for the new cruises coming out.

On 9/23/2024 at 6:41 AM, WestLakeGirl said:

I would never take an edge class ships to Alaska because there is no sky lounge

Or for that matter on any scenic cruise...

We always got our coffees on the Millenium at Cafe Al Bacchio.

23 minutes ago, Kordy said:

I was actually a little surprised how expensive the packages are on Celebrity ... I recently sailed with Holland America, and I felt good getting an all-inclusive package with WIFI+Drinks incl. alcoholic drinks and it didn't break the bank.  Pricing out an equivalent on my upcoming Celebrity cruise, shocked me and made me sit down, when I calculated the price.  It's OK, I said to myself, I will drink a-la-carte.  As far as the WIFI package, again very pricey, but at least, there are frequent "flash sales" easily saving 30-35%... so I grabbed it during that flash-sale and I feel "OK" now; it felt a more "fair" price after a flash-sale.

Yep.  On our last Celebrity cruise, we got All Included as part of a TA group rate on Celebrity.  Looking at the rates now, I would probably drink by the glass or choose another line...  Probably a higher class line.  All of those added fees add up very quickly. 

2 hours ago, little britain said:

How many people in reality do not have a drinks package? They are exempt from this corkage fee. 

I suspect that number is growing as the price of Celebrity's premium package is very pricey.  Compare it to Princess who gives you unlimited specialty for roughly the same price ...

8 hours ago, markeb said:

That corkage is now moderately high compared to high cost areas. Most of their pricing is more New York or San Francisco already. A quick Google search of corkage fees for higher end restaurants in Manhattan averages around $30, with Jean Georges and the Polo Bar coming in at $85 and $100 respectively. Again, those are places people aren't bringing Two-Buck Chuck to!

 

 

Apples and oranges.  Even in specialty dining Celebrity does not compare to the nicer restaurants and should not command the higher fees.  I give them 3 out of 5 stars on a good day.

Replace Celebrity's Michelin Man with a Michelin star and then perhaps I would agree...

19 minutes ago, highway180 said:

And if you desire a second glass....send the wife back to the room for another!

Cheers

LOL.  Back and forth and back and forth ...

Thanks everyone.  I noticed the lower pricing on Viking and I was wondering if they were comparable.  I will stick with AMA.  They have done a good job and I am very happy with them.

42 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Why would you even want to do that.  

 

 

 

To hear the simultaneous popping of corks in the dining room ...

26 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

First of all the Cruise line don't have TAs. They work directly for the brand you are booking. If you book directly you wouldn't run into a double booking situation. The fact that the TA referred them back to Celebrity is a telling sign that they have no experience.  I don't even trust giving my credit card information to a 3rd party online agent.  

Celebrity has double booked before.  It would not be their first time or last ...

7 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

You should have never had to call Celebrity. The travel agent should have gone to bat for you. That's one of the pros the travel agents on this site always bring up. They should have refunded your money and went after Celebrity for theirs. Next time cut out the middle man and book directly with the cruise line. 

Then you have a TA that works for the cruise line.  How is that going to work?  Seems like a conflict of interest...

2 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

I agree with this however does a travel agency not bear some responsibility for ensuring a trip happens or at the very least when something goes wrong, they are in your corner to help?  I’ve only just very recently started using one, but I thought that was at least a major reason to use one.  

My TA would have been on the phone with Celebrity or submitting the insurance claim...

17 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

Are Ama passengers predominantly American?

Yes mostly from my one cruise...

So what do they charge if you uncork the bottle of wine yourself in the dining room?  Do they still charge you the ridiculous fee? 🤣

I have sailed AMA, but I am thinking about a Viking cruise.  What are the noticeable differences?

We passed on this.  Just too many people and too much of a circus ...

Murano for the food.

Tuscan for the views.

Well on Princess the corkage fee is $20.  You can bring more than 2 bottles of wine onboard, you just pay the $20 corkage fee for each bottle over 2...  I am not sure why Celebrity is twice as expensive?

Cairns is a beautiful place.  Snorkeling on the Great Barrier reef is a must.  We did a land trip to Cairns, Uluru, and Sydney.

31 minutes ago, Trevor Fountain said:

I would like to wholeheartedly thank Celebrity. Since recently jumping from NCL & P&O (UK), I find the cost of beverage packages and alcohol per se, so ridiculous that my alcoholism has been cured. All they need to do now is start charging for the MDR, and Buffet, and I will be able to cancel my Weight Watchers subscription.

Ah yes.  They are doing this for the cruiser's health 😁

30 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

There is no equivalence….river cruise and ocean cruise are different products…..

True.  One is a more luxury experience and the other is more mass market ...

10 minutes ago, Kordy said:

 

Actually, it's not Oceania that is most directly compared to Celebrity - it's VIRGIN VOYAGES... Virgin Voyages is an adult-only cruise-line, which is priced similarly to Celebrity, and which includes in its BASE FARE: specialty-restaurants, wifi, ALL TIPS & SERVICE FEES, essential drink package, gym classes, complimentary champagne at the start of cruise - FOR EVERYONE

Virgin took away the food awards from Celebrity.  I would probably consider if they had longer and more varied itineraries.

Oceania is a step above ...

23 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

This is probably true if you book a suite on Celebrity, but if you book a balcony or lower Celebrity is still very good bang for your dollar 

The AMA Waterways cruises that I am pricing out are definitely lower priced than when I compare pricing to an inside cabin on Celebrity with drink packages,  excursions,  room service, and chefs table.  Plus you know that you are going to run into other fees on Celebrity such as additional fees for wine with the drink package, etc., etc.

AMA Waterways does not have any inside cabins to compare with.  I had zero additional charges on AMA Waterways.

This kind of reminds me of the discount airlines.  Celebrity's prices are low,  but when you add in everything they can be more expensive.

Trying to get around the high drink prices, corkage fees by pouring in the room is probably not the way to go...

Skip drinks on Celebrity,  excursions,  and chefs table and Celebrity would be less expensive.

57 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Well it’s not as if people can choose other cruise lines……

I think that when you consider all of the extra charges on Celebrity,  you will find out that Oceania or the other premium lines are the same price,  or priced better...