1cruiselvr

Depends on inventory after final payment. For example, a Caribbean cruise sailing next week has been sold out for some time. Nobody on the roll call or X board has mentioned being offered an upsell. Inventory is tight. I have seen 1 cabin in a category open up for a day, then the category closes again. I know this is not exactly what you asked, but I think the reality of the upsell/no discount announcement is totally dependent upon inventory availability after final payment is due. My 2 cents. TAs holding onto 300 cabins for a cruise seems excessive to me. They actually thought they'd sell that many? My personal opinion on that subject is that the cruise line should limit how many cabins can be held by a TA. Then the fire sale last minute after final payment would less likely happen. Again, just my 2 cents on the subject.

Use the cabin phone. And ask relatives to use the ship phone when the are around the ship and need to contact you. Prearranged time and places work well too. But if communication is required, I suggest using the ship's cabin or house (meaning ship) phones (usually on the wall in places like buffet, etc.) to call your cabin or theirs.

Just an additional idea. :rolleyes:

That's correct lol, we definitely got lucky !

 

Its the first CC/Balcony cabin I've had before and I think it will be hard to go back to inside/oceanview

Understandable. Most of the time, when we asked, this was on HAL, before we started cruising on X, they would tell us the ship was full and no upgrades were available. We were always wiling to pay some extra $$ but not full brochure rate difference. We didn't even pay brochure rate for the original cabin?!?!?!

Was their something wrong with your OV that you didn't like - too far forwrd etc? Sometimes a GTY booking will get you one of the cabins nobody wants. Just curious. Still amazed by your luck!!!

Am I understanding you correctly, they gave you a 3 category upgrade for free, simply because you asked for a better cabin? The one time we asked if an upgrade was available, they wanted full brochure rate for the price difference. We passed. You won the cruise cabin lottery!

What is the cost for Park N Go? Thanks for your help!

I just prepaid on line for $7.99 a day. Pay At Lot rate is $12.99 per day.

Interesting timing of this post as I am currently booked on Connie in Feb 2016 and for the first time in my cruising 'life' I am not excited about going. I have already decided not to book a FCC while on board and I'm thinking I am done with cruising in general. It's just not what it used to be and they are asking too much $$ to get less IMHO. I used to get so excited and couldn't wait for my next cruise experience. Don't feel that way anymore.

Lois, enjoy your river cruise. I get what you are saying and why.

Just to add an anecdote, I booked a SS quite a while ago for my honeymoon this weekend as it was the highest category available when I booked. I have since been watching the cruise like a hawk for a CS/RS/PH to come available. Finally, this Tuesday night, an RS came available around 8pm. On Wednesday morning my TA called to upgrade me (Note: I paid full price to upgrade). He was told they would not be releasing any suites for upsell on this cruise, just Aqua and CC, due to the popularity. If ?I wanted the cabin, I had to pay the available go best rate. I went ahead and booked as soon as I could. Right after I booked and my old SS listed as available, so did a CS. Interesting and although this could be from cancellations, I really wonder if they are purposely pulling some of the inventory out for future upselling.

Probably not. People cancel or changing booking just like you did. In my opinion, this upsell program only works when higher categories are available in large quantities. My 2/16/16 cruise has been sold out at the suite level since final payment was due. Only 1 PH left and some lucky suite person might get that upsell email to fill it last minute but all the verandah, CC and Aqua cabins have nothing to be offered.

I like that suggestion too, but I doubt it will ever happen. For one thing, Celebrity doesn't make any money from the beds being separate or together; they DO make money when someone takes something from the minibar (inadvertently or through temptation or laziness or maybe the kids raid the fridge before someone can stop them...) Most people don't know that having it emptied is an option; if you give them a choice beforehand, a lot more cruisers will take that option, resulting in more work for the cabin crew...and yes, less income from the minibar items :D

Oh darn, why can't a decision be made to make the customer happy instead of for profit. :( Plus I wonder how much revenue they make off of those mini bar selections for sale? :rolleyes:

We don't want the stuff taking up room on the counter tops. We specifically ask that it be taken away. We've seen it then under the bed on a tray. You don't want the cans or bottles rolling around under the bed if it gets rough. ;)

Good point! :D

We asked for this on our last Celebrity Cruise. The Room Steward just locked the fridge instead of emptying it.

That's a lazy room steward and I would have challenged him. You are entitled to use the frig without all their to-buy items in it. A very common request.

I prefer letting the cabin steward do it. That way, should I get charged for something missing, I can honestly say I didn't touch anything. They do it all the time. Most folks want the stuff gone. Another thing X should do, make it an option to choose - empty fridge or full - in your booking. Like dining selections.

My favorite place is The Martini Bar. Ask for either Christiana vodka or Pravda vodka. Both are smoother than Grey Goose.

 

I will be sailing on 11/28 and am all ready for the Martini Bar!

Do you know if either of these vodkas are offered in the classic package?

The scheme works very well on Azamara I suspect that's what has given X the confidence to apply it.

Most cruise lines already do it. So X is behind the industry. Doesn't mean much, gets folks excited about something that most likely won't happen to them.

Might just be luck of the draw, but we're travelling with family - 3 rooms on the Silhouette. None of us have been on Celebrity before. Two of the 3 parties have gotten upsell emails. Could just be a fluke, but we're still pretty far out from our sailing. We're Florida residents, so maybe that's the reason?

There are lots of reasons for upsell offers. For example, your Silhouette cruise, is it sold out? If not, your categories might be easier to sell than the cabins offered for the upsell. Many are hoping for suite offers for little $$ incentive and I find that often X cruises are sold out at the suite level and above so that's not a possibility.

You didn't say whether the 2 parties in your group took the upsell offer and if so what was it. I think this board should start a new sticky thread where people can post if they've been offered an upsell, details and if they took it. Would make for interesting reading and people would soon find that not too many get that golden email offer.

Maybe you have a better chance of getting a upsell with Celebrity then you do with HAL . It makes little sense offering these deals to new rather then frequent customers but , as I previously posted , I happily accepted an upsell on my one and only HAL cruse . So your odds are good .;)

Nice thought but we are not new to X....got 295 points, headed toward Elite soon. BTW I don't believe newbies are targeted for upsells. Just my opinion on the subject. I believe it's based on how bad they need your cabin category.

The reality of an upsell program is that very few get an offer. The new program doesn't get me excited at all. Chances are I will never get that email. Never did with HAL who has had a similar program for years and we sailed them at least 2x a year for over a decade. I know, people will say HAL isn't X but an upsell program basically works the same no matter what cruise line. It's a reshuffling of inventory as needed by motivating people to change cabin categories for a little $ incentive. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Hair driers are not on the wall in the bathroom. I've always sat at the vanity and used the outlet there.

We have sailed insides often and never felt a lack of room. They are very dark and we leave the TV turned on to the bridge camera channel to see the sun coming up in the AM.

Enjoy the Connie, one of our favorites.

I could swear it was on the bathrm wall on the old Century. Guess my memory is getting bad and mixing cruiselines.

on how important the quality of your hair dryer is. If you don't care, just want some hot air blowing to dry your hair, then don't bother bringing your own. If you want heat selection and being more mobile than stuck in the bathrm to do your drying, then bring yours.

Please allow me a small vent against Celebrity Cruises.

 

Many months ago, I saw this somewhat unique itinerary. I was quickly interested in booking this cruise on a ship I wished to sail and returning to a cruise line that I have enjoyed in the past. And, I wanted a veranda stateroom.

 

My travel agency of choice said: all veranda staterooms are sold out! What! This far in advance? Yes. Hard to believe, but I chalked it up to the unique itinerary during prime cruising season.

 

Now, I learn that some TA has booked all of these staterooms. I have no desire to patronize any other agency than the one with whom I have worked for many years.

 

Others will disagree with me, which is fine. But, in my opinion, Celebrity Cruises Marketing Department: this arrangement is unfair and has a potential for lost revenue for RCI. I have no knowledge of what the Company's return will be from those staterooms "reserved" for that TA. My guess is that their return would be less than if Celebrity Cruises could have sold a veranda stateroom to me directly and not through some "group rate" offered by whatever TA.

 

For such a unique itinerary at that time of year: what were the marketing people thinking? Did they think it would not sell? And sell at a good price?

 

As a potential customer and a RCI shareholder: not happy being either one as a rsult of this experience!

What knowledge do you have that a TA has booked 'all' of the veranda staterooms? The OP only said they know a TA that has some held under a group booking. I think you misunderstood.

Is their sense of entitlement. To have a chair when they want it, where they want it and to 'reserve' it with a personal item. Their rudeness won't change. No matter what you say or do. It's part of their DNA. I wonder if you can get genetic testing to make sure you don't marry one. :D

Ok thanks I will just tell them to keep checking and hopefully the rates drop soon. :)

No certainty on that. Might miss the entire cruise opportunity. Guess only they know if it's worth the gamble.

I actually have most of the last two days and debarkation written out. I just never posted them.

 

I'm sure I speak for the supporters who were following your review, Please post the final part especially if you have it all written out. We'd love to hear the rest of the story.

I agree. Please do.

Or try...

 

www.lmtclub.com

 

The OP can just go through the signup they are usually always offering a free membership...I've had mine for over 4 years and use this site often...very reliable.

They wanted $49.99 for a one year membership.

I got this far and now I'll quit. I was hoping for a review of the ship. I was misled

I'm guessing from the signs that posts were removed, some not nice comments were made and the OP decided to stop. A shame because there was a following of folks that were non-judgmental and interested in what the poster had to say.

and am sad the OP didn't finish. I truly enjoyed his honesty and view on cruising.