Cruise Junky

8 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

I wouldn't really put HAL or any other mass market line in the same sentence with Oceania. It's like comparing Mercedes and Toyota..

 

As for Azamara, they are a good line, but to me not as good as Oceania, especially when comparing to Oceania newer ships.

 

I'm curious which itineraries you are comparing? I compared few itineraries in Europe and found the prices comparable. To me paying the same for R ships and a ship like Vista is absurd, but some people like R ships..

Definitely wasn’t comparing lines. I’m all about the itinerary. We want a Western Europe, London to Barcelona kind of thing followed by a Suez Canal   We’re currently booked on Nieuw Statendam 28 days followed by Azamara Pursuit 18 days for Athens to Dubai.  Definitely wasn’t saying HAL compares to Oceania but I will have their highest drink package, tips,, a very large balcony and probably better entertainment.    My statement is more aimed that I’m not seeing any benefit/value in having to pay the simply more prices on Oceania. It puts them out of range especially with their lousy included drink package.  But I guess that’s why we drive a Toyota 😂

14 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

We have done 2 azamara, for us the food on A does not compare to O, not even close. So we will pay the big bucks but cruise less in 2025.

To each his own…we cruise for the itinerary. I can eat when I get home 🤷🏻‍♀️

30 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

I understand and many are feeling just like that.

If food didn't matter quite as much to us, we would also be questioning the high prices.

We have chosen to do less cruises instead. Won't reach the large loyalty markers quite that soon, if ever.

Even comparing them to Azamara where the food will be better than HAL, they’re $7k (for 2) more expensive for an extra two days.  (Suez Canal…nautica vs pursuit)  I wish them luck. 

I think even with the 5% off their new pricing model of no basic fare will keep us on a similar itinerary on HAL. $5k more on Oceania for 2 days less.  I don’t think we’ll be switching 

On 9/30/2023 at 8:16 AM, ak1004 said:

So was anyone be able to find out if the published prices include the early booking discount? My logic says they do not.

I agree with you. The itinerary we’ve been looking at on an online TA site, had the price drop about $1,000 pp late tonight which would be around 5%.  

A year today we’ll be boarding her 😄

We’re on this one next year.  Post lots of tips 😂. And hello from the Oahu North Shore. Enjoy Honolulu.  

They changed the itinerary of the one we were eyeing …Marina 56 days in October. Alexandria was on the itinerary yesterday, it’s gone today.  Now only a single day out of Port Said. 

45 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

They don't appear in a search but if you saved a direct link, the itineraries are still there. Funny.

They’re also on some online only TA sites
 

Thanks for the heads up.

13 hours ago, retird said:

Couldnt say no.   Now to mortgage my property to pay for airfare.    Its rediculous high

Be creative with flights.  Check routes like Hawaiian from Seattle via Honolulu.  

Good to see it confirmed. Can’t wait to see the itinerary. 

Heading there on Friday.  (turtle bay).  The road can be absolutely nuts with surfers on a weekend or during competitions.  Much better in the week. It’s a great drive around the island.  

Good for you guys.  Glad to see HAL offering it overseas as well. I was happy to not have to part with $4,500 two years in advance.  

It was on Facebook yesterday.  Congrats, nice upgrade 

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

 

You took a risk having the payment go to the TA payment system. Generally not recommended. I know you wanted to save $250 but if Celebrity does not receive your payment have you no recourse with Celebrity. (my TA here in the US sends my CC info to Celebrity and there are no extra charges for using a CC.)

Different countries different rules.  UK for sure pay the agency, not the cruise line AU is likely the same.  

6 minutes ago, Hobar said:

How did you get the Elite package drinks in Have It All?  

(When I booked directly with HAL, i said to please include everything, including gratuities and Elite - rep said, yes, all included.  I come to see only Signature, and no gratuities, so I call back and am told, yet, grats included, but only Signature and can upgrade to Elite on board.  Ok, no biggie - until I see posts that it’s a crap shoot whether you can upgrade on board.  So I call a third time and am told nope, no grats included and you’ve got Signature.  Anyway, it is what it is, which I have learned is the way of HAL based on so many posts, and so I’ll just roll with it.)

Honestly, no idea. It was just part of the early booking promo

13 minutes ago, MarkWiltonM said:

We booked yesterday through our TA. He confirmed the stateroom number and other particulars but said it would take a day for his agency to get the itineraries entered into their system since it's a new ship. He promised the official confirmation within a day. We had also asked about a current promotion for past guests providing a 10 percent discount, but Oceania told him that they weren't offering that on Allura sailings. Nevertheless, we were surprised that the fare for a 2025 Caribbean cruise in a B3 veranda on Allura was less per day than was being charged for similar 2024 Vista bookings before Simply More. For example, we had priced a B3 on Vista for 2024 at $715 per night for two prior to Simply More (not sure what the current rates are), and we got a B3 on Allura for 2025 at $675 per night for two including the $800 shore excursion credit and alcohol (which we don't drink). We were actually planning on waiting to see Crystal's 2025 itineraries which are due out this week or next, but this was a good deal and we got the exact stateroom we wanted so we went for it. Oceania won our business primarily because they got their 2025 itineraries out before Crystal. (Based on Crystal's 2024 fares, I expect a veranda on Crystal in 2025 in the Caribbean to be at least $890 per night for two.) 

Crystal’s 2025 cruises were on their site yesterday.  

2 hours ago, oakridger said:

Note that you are comparing a Non-Refundable "Cruise Only" fare to the HIA Refundable fare.  I think the more accurate comparison would be the Refundable cruise only fare (Advantage Fare?-which is not listed online, must ask for it) to the HIA Refundable fare.  The difference will be less.

 

~Nancy

But that “Non Refundable” was $2.  Not enough to drive up pricing for Have It All. 

20 minutes ago, commodoredave said:

I've decided to give Celebrity another try even thought our last cruise was disappointing. We are doing an 8-day Bermuda cruise with friends next May. Hoping for the best. 

Yes, I’m still doing their transpacific on Solstice next year. I didn’t cancel any current bookings, just booked elsewhere for 2025. 

2 minutes ago, commodoredave said:

New sales, too. Check these threads: An Azamazing Voyage to Mediocrity which details a couple's nightmare trying to get mistakes on their reservation corrected for the last 3 months with no resolution. Also the thread directed to Carol Ceberas the CEO. On the positive side, it does appear that onboard service is still good, and that once the onshore troubles are fixed it may be safe to cruise with them again.

I did say hitting more, not that it wasn’t hitting at all.   Either way, we booked a 27 day HAL cruise yesterday for around the same time frame, so in either case, it’s not Celebrity.  

9 minutes ago, commodoredave said:

You may want to check the Azamara board -- it has several threads lamenting the decline in service and lack of attention to customers, particularly by onshore management. It would appear Celebrity is not the only cruise line that has changed for the worse.

I researched the Azamara board extensively before booking.  It would appear RCL left them in a mess upon the sale. Service onboard is being reported as excellent. The onshore (lack of) service seems to be hitting the reservations that we’re transferred with the sale far more than new ones. But, we’ll see.  

2 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

Seems like a lot. Is that a nearer term booking or one that is further out? I just checked for a 10 day Med cruise in 2024 - and I still only get an upgrade cost of $58/pp/pd CDN.

 

(2386-1802)/10 - $58.40 (Canadian pricing) 

 

If I look at our med cruise in 2 weeks, the cost to add HIA is MUCH higher, but whenever I look for early booking cruises, it is always that $45-50US/day with favourable exchange rate to CDN.

 

 

 

 

EDIT:

Just logged out and repriced same cruise without Casino discount and HIA was $70/pp/pd CDN. I never realized there was a difference in the HIA add on cost with the Casino discount .. but I guess there is.

Interesting that there’s a difference. Here’s mine. 27 day cruise. Seems to be $60 us a day.  

1 hour ago, dawnvip said:

Ouch!

Yes, but you add it all up and it’s not horrific if you drink.  Gratuities take it down $20 Cdn.   $200 US OBC each, $300 US shore excursions each, three dinners, wifi and then Elite package drinks. 

1 hour ago, yerdua said:

Sept 20, 2025, 14 days Barcelona to athens.

We’re on the preceding 14 days as well. Amsterdam to Athens 28 days in total.