6502programmer

It all depends. “Murphy bed,” if you want to go looking for images. Sometimes it’s built in, sometimes it sticks out a few inches.

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Does it depend on the cruise line? Some cruise lines don’t allow TAs to discount. Is it OBC and other perks?

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have limits as to what a TA can rebate to their customer. They also require that the customer pays the LAPACF (lowest applicable publicly available cruise fare). This still opens the door to creating groups that exist for the TA’s clients, but the client needs to pay the fare, not the TA (ie, no “$500 off” sale where the TA pays $500 and you pay the balance).

Generally, the cruise lines don’t seem to take it too seriously, if a TA rebates. As long as you’re not blasting it all over the internet that you will beat any TA’s rebate, and as long as it only happens 1:1 between the TA and their client, the cruise lines don’t seem to get all snoopy about it.

I can’t see this happening:

X: hey, mr. big box store, we’ve heard you rebate more than $200 on a one week cruise. Did you read the rebating policy?

Big box: yup. We have to in order to compete with everyone else. Will you stop the small TA’s from going over too?

X: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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You’ll be fine.. it’s a huge ship, and some people don’t like that. For many ships, if you want an ocean view, you have to accept being on a lower deck. It looks like the casino is above you, but that it’s office space that’s directly above you.

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Lower decks are sometimes noisier.. reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt sometimes. What ship are you on?

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No problem if one takes the Skytrain to or from the airport. I am surprised that you did not mention it.

 

 

 

igraf

It is a problem.. The sketching terminal is wall to wall people, and I stood out the corner of Howe and Canada Place for fifteen minutes waiting for a light to change and people to move.

Hey guys.. Anyone sailing from this port this weekend, I can't caution you strongly enough to GET HERE EARLY. If you can walk, try to do so. There is a security perimeter around the port, roads are closed, and downtown is a WRECK for someone trying to get to the port this weekend.

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Hey guys.. Anyone sailing from this port this weekend, I can't caution you strongly enough to GET HERE EARLY. If you can walk, try to do so. There is a security perimeter around the port, roads are closed, and downtown is a WRECK for someone trying to get to the port this weekend.

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We did the British Isles last year on the Silhouette with an eighteen year old. She had no problems connecting with others her age. I have dailies if anyone is interested.

I called some local TA's in town and one told me that it was illegal for TA's to give clients OBC. NOT TRUE. I ended up using a big box warehouse TA. I have been happy and you get approx 8% in OBC./QUOTE]

 

Most TA's will break the rules (I went googling for what Celebrity's policy on giving back OBC to clients is), but there are supposed to be caps on what TA's can rebate. Some TA's don't discount as a matter of course, and trade service and knowledge for the full commission. Some strive for a balance between service and price (generally, they will take calls and make changes to a reservation without a fee). Still others offer top dollar OBC, but expect clients to be nearly self-sufficient with their booking., and some charge a fee to make changes to a booking.

We always go with one of the major online agencies (whoever has better quotes!). Local TA would not have group rates like big travel agency specialized on cruising. We are not interested in "perks" so we rather take group rate with big savings and significant OBC or prepaid gratitudes

Don't assume that a local TA doesn't have access to group rates. Those agents may be affiliated with a host that maintains open groups--I know that mine does. Just because you're dealing with an individual doesn't mean they don't have groups.

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Sooo, the port calendar has this to say:

WednesdayMay 17, 2017 Celebrity Solstice 12:51-19:15 Volendam 07:26-17:16 Radiance Of The Seas 08:14-19:16

It looks like the ship arrived significantly delayed. I know the 5/17 sailing was due to depart at 5:00p, so it left over two hours late. It sailed from Hawaii on 5/11. Embarkation was Honolulu on 5/8. I suspect that there was something that required a delay, likely a course deviation due to weather. If it got in a 12:51, they probably had two hours to clear everyone off, so that puts it at 3p for earliest embarkation. I also suspect that the reason there was little food onboard was because they were sailing from Honolulu, and were nine days out from an "away port". They didn't start loading dinner up until lunch time, and even then, were doing so in the midst of trying to get all the luggage off and on as quickly as possible. I'm sure it was no fun, but it sounds like you kept the right kind of attitude to enjoy your cruise. If anything, think of the folks who had air booked out of YVR on the 17th, knowing they were going to be at least five hours delayed getting off the ship. UGGGGGGH!

The lounge is a public room or restaurant, normally. Breakfast is often in Tuscan Grille, and evening cocktail hour is in Sky lounge. Tendering is usually in the Rendezvous, but you will be told where and when to meet. They get ship tours off, then the host/hostess will lead you from Rendezvous down to the tenders. It is an INCREDIBLY handy perk and has saved us hours of time.

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I'd do it if I was managing my own booking, and I would certainly do it if a client asked, BUT, unless this was someone I had a long history with, I probably would be loathe to invest a lot of time in that person in the future if they wanted some port or excursion personal experience, or help saving on non-cruise related travel, or something else that was "special" and took time. I get why you did it and I don't fault you for it, but that ten dollars you got back cost probably fifteen minutes of your agent's time.

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For Alaska don't think, just do it!

Unfortunately, I originally only booked 8. Afterwards, I booked another cabin and after I received my confirmation from RCL I noticed the new reservation was booked on Harmony of the Seas and not the Oasis of the Seas. I have called everyday since and the ship has been sold out. My credit card was charged for the cabin on the Harmony and to date RCL has not made right on the situation. Any thoughts?

Any chance you're within the period to purchase cancel-for-any-reason insurance for your Harmony reservation? That may be your only recourse. I don't know when you booked and when you let RCL know about your error, so I can't offer specific guidance.

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Try talking to your travel agent. This is the kind of scenario where having an advocate in your corner, reaching out to the business development manager who is their contact with the cruise line, goes a long way.

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Hi everyone, we will be on the Summit next week, and stopping in St. Thomas. I am wondering if any recent Celebrity cruisers can shed some light on which dock they stopped at, Crown Bay or West Indian (Havensight)? According to my roll call, many seem to think we will be going to Crown Bay; however when I called the Captain's Club yesterday they assured me it is definitely the West Indian dock in Havensight. I'd like to think the information they directly provided was accurate, but I have my doubts. I've made a backup plan if we indeed go to Crown Bay, but hopefully this will not be the case. Can any recent cruisers let me know where you actually docked? Thanks in advance! :)

A site that CC thinks is naughty says it will be the WICO dock at Havensight. Have fun!

Sincerely curious as to why you say this? What do you feel the difference is? We have done both itineraries and yes, we do have (now grown) children - so interested to hear your rationale. :)

I'll share my take, as someone who's dragged kids on cruises since they were four years old.. Alaska is more about the sights and scenery versus the culture and experiences of a Caribbean cruise. The activities more common in Alaska happen at a slower pace, and will be less likely to keep toddlers engaged. It's a lot easier as a parent to drag younger kids to a beach and have them play in the sand and the ocean than it is to take them on a four hour bus ride. You will run out of fun quickly at Mendenhall--Doubly so if they've closed off the trail loop so you can't take your kid to "go look for bears" while waiting for the taxi to take you back to the port.

BUT, it's the parents' vacation. I'd never say "don't do it!", but I would happily say I didn't do it. Our first two cruises were before our youngest was four, the youngest we would have wanted to bring him with us. I watched my sister deal with a three year old on NCL, and it was just no fun for her, which reaffirmed for me our decision to hold off on cruising with kids.

You are probably right as that's 2017's line up, but as summer 2018 for the Caribbean and Bermuda hasn't been released yet, how do you know for certain Equinox isn't doing the Bermuda run summer 2018?

Because there is information available about where ships will be that is available to TA's? Just because sailings aren't available to book doesn't mean the deployment schedule isn't available.

And yes, 12/13 is accurate as to when the next wave of bookings open.

Will the Summit still be doing the Bermuda run in 2018? I was hoping that Celebrity might replace her with an S-Class ship.

It will. Summer 2018, solstice will be in Alaska, equinox in Caribbean, and rest in Europe.

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Thanks for the reply. What is it that they prefer about Celebrity, if I may ask?

They like the personal attention from the kids staff. They have to have two counselors per age group to give coverage, so with 12 kids (that's what I normally see when I go in) and two adults, they've always been happy. They also like having a good mix of structured vs unstructured activities. As they get older, the club becomes more of a meet up point, where they decide whether to swim, get ice cream, or sit on stairs somewhere.

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3/4 are typically much less expensive the 1/2 passengers, so you will pay more booking two doubles vs one quad. Celebrity doesn't sell itself as a family line, but it is our kids' favorite between it, RCCL, Cunard, and NCL. Pools are not a highlight on most Alaskan cruises.

If you want to be two and save a bit, consider a balcony/outside with an inside across the hall. Book girls in one and guys in the other, and let front desk onboard get people in the right rooms. You typically need someone 21+ in each cabin.

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My daughter is 12, I can not find the age limit for "child" classification on excursions. Thanks!

It's up to the operator, but usually 12 and under is considered a child.

First, I thought that suites included go best by default, just like OV and higher includes go big in the base price.

It may be that it was booked before that, and now prevailing rate, which gives you go best included, is the $10 per night. Even if only for never having to watch Internet minutes, it would be worth it to me.

Roll call: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2155088

See you on board!

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