Tips to book an eXciting deal Tuesday?

[Janet987]

I have not been on CC since last cruise and was disappointed to learn about new X policy not to match price drops. From now on, since I’m flexible, it will be eXciting deals for me. Do the cruisers who use it often have any booking tips specific to the Tuesday offers?

 

I searched the forum and read JackDiamond uses a 24 hour on-line TA. Is it risky to wait to 9am for Celebrity to open? Can cruise TAs get orders in previous night/early? Any advantage to wait for X over TA on Tuesday? I will want specific cabins once I have determined availability on-line. Is cabin choice easier to do with X directly? Most likely I will call Tuesday next for the sailing a week after one listed for tomorrow, so any and all eXciting booking tips will be much appreciated. Thank you, Janet

[Wine-O]

I just booked one this past Tuesday for the Summit. I called Celebrity direct. They advertise 9:00am to 11:59pm on Tuesday. I called at 8:30 and the Celebrity rep said she would look to see if they had opened up into the system, and they did. I booked immediately. By Noon the C2's were pretty much gone.

 

It was very helpful to find out which staterooms were open using another website so you could request a specific one from the rep.

 

I called the number on the Exciting Deals site. I didn't get a "we don't open until 9am" recording. 1-800-437-3111.

[Janet987]

Thank you...Just the kind of tips I want! Do you happen to know if you can still transfer the resv. to a TA after you have purchased an eXciting Deal through X?

 

I just booked one this past Tuesday for the Summit. I called Celebrity direct. They advertise 9:00am to 11:59pm on Tuesday. I called at 8:30 and the Celebrity rep said she would look to see if they had opened up into the system, and they did. I booked immediately. By Noon the C2's were pretty much gone.

 

It was very helpful to find out which staterooms were open using another website so you could request a specific one from the rep.

 

I called the number on the Exciting Deals site. I didn't get a "we don't open until 9am" recording. 1-800-437-3111.

[smtcan]

Wine-O has it right. Check a few days before and sort out all your arrangements, including cabin availability so that when you call you can book immediately. We booked direct with Celebrity, our friends used a TA, but by the time she had got back to them, the cabin they wanted was gone. Thy still had a reasonable cabin, but not their first choice.

Sheila

[Wine-O]

UInfortunately, you can't transfer it to a TA since it will be after final payment. You have to pay for the entire cruise on the spot when you book directly with Celebrity, or even a TA for that matter.

[Janet987]

Thanks again..you confirmed what I vaguely remembered about the not "after final payment" rule to a switch. You and smtcan have both provided very useful info. Current inventory shows many good cabins so hope to snag one early next week.

 

UInfortunately, you can't transfer it to a TA since it will be after final payment. You have to pay for the entire cruise on the spot when you book directly with Celebrity, or even a TA for that matter.

[BEAV]

It was very helpful to find out which staterooms were open using another website so you could request a specific one from the rep.

 

Are you referring to a website other than Celebrity's? Because you can check specific cabin availabity on the X website as well.

 

UInfortunately, you can't transfer it to a TA since it will be after final payment. You have to pay for the entire cruise on the spot when you book directly with Celebrity, or even a TA for that matter.

 

I've booked Tuesday sales direct with X and then turned them over to a TA for the perks. The stipulation being final payment is due that day. Has this policy changed?

[diligaf51]

It is good to remember that even at these great rates, some travel agents will still give you an onboard credit to book with them. Check before buying from Celebrity.

[smtcan]

Are you referring to a website other than Celebrity's? Because you can check specific cabin availabity on the X website as well.

 

 

 

On Celebrity's site you can check for individual cabins if you enter their number. There is another site where you can see all available cabins in each category. We are not allowed to post the name on here, unfortunately.

[Janet987]

An update on pricing strategy. Considering Millennium Sept 10 (9/3 is today's eXciting deal). For inventory, I first check on-line cruise agency which can show inventory up to 15 cabins per class (other well known travel sites only show up to 7 per class) then use X's site to re-check a specific cabin. There are many CCs available.

Yesterday afternoon, X website added a CC price for Seniors at substantial discount..only about $100 more than this week's eXciting deal. Had my TA quote it and full payment is required today and no OBCs or other perks offered at this cheap rate. Most likely booking this Senior rate today will be worth small premium over waiting for a possible deal. Bird in hand, etc... Of course I would have been upset had I booked the CC2 rate last week ($391 pp more than Senior now) if X will no longer refund the difference.

 

It is good to remember that even at these great rates, some travel agents will still give you an onboard credit to book with them. Check before buying from Celebrity.

[gimletgal]

....($391 pp more than Senior now) if X will no longer refund the difference.

 

Just remember - any price listed on Exciting Deals is for NEW bookings only. Even before the new policy went into effect, you would not have received any price reduction/OBC, etc. on an existing reservation if comparing to an Exciting Deal price. Also, there are no guarantees that the sailing the week after (9/10) the one listed today (9/3) would be available in the Exciting Deals.

[BEAV]

Just remember - any price listed on Exciting Deals is for NEW bookings only. Even before the new policy went into effect, you would not have received any price reduction/OBC, etc. on an existing reservation if comparing to an Exciting Deal price. Also, there are no guarantees that the sailing the week after (9/10) the one listed today (9/3) would be available in the Exciting Deals.

 

You are correct, however I believe Janet987's comparison didn't have anything to do with Exciting deals, but rather last week's lack of senior rates compared to this week's newly-offered senior rate and the disappointment that Celebrity will no longer refund the difference.

[Janet987]

I understand X never matches eXciting deal rates as they are only for new bookings, but on our Solstice cruise they did match a Senior rate drop (alas, for which we qualify :-) from our originally booked regular rate even after final payment date. That was a big adjustment, and not just an OBC, and we have received adjustments on other cruises as well. From what I'm reading here, it is this type of adjustment that is no longer available, which will make me less likely to book early. As I was typing, yes, Beav is correct..thanks.

 

 

Just remember - any price listed on Exciting Deals is for NEW bookings only. Even before the new policy went into effect, you would not have received any price reduction/OBC, etc. on an existing reservation if comparing to an Exciting Deal price. Also, there are no guarantees that the sailing the week after (9/10) the one listed today (9/3) would be available in the Exciting Deals.

[EmmaN]

We are very new to the whole cruise thing so excuse my lack of knowledge.... 'Exciting Deals site' is that a different site to the main one :confused:

 

I just looked at the main site but could not find anything that looked like you were all talking about. How far in advance to the offers tend to be we are looking at one for next July :D

[Janet987]

Welcome Emma,

Exciting Deals are last minute deep discounts for remaining unsold inventory ..not what someone new to cruising should consider until you know your way around various itineraries & cabins. Click "Search this Forum" (this case, enter exciting deals) when you have a question and you will likely find previous threads and posts to explain terms, but the link is here: http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/exciting_deals/XcitingDeals_cel_tues.pdf and the offers are only 4-6 weeks out.

 

 

 

We are very new to the whole cruise thing so excuse my lack of knowledge.... 'Exciting Deals site' is that a different site to the main one :confused:

 

I just looked at the main site but could not find anything that looked like you were all talking about. How far in advance to the offers tend to be we are looking at one for next July :D

[EmmaN]

Thanks Janet! :D

 

Do they change the offers on that link every week out of interest?

 

We know what cabin and itinerary we want but don't want to wait on the off chance it may come up a few months before we want to go so will book it 'normally'.

 

Will keep an eye on that though just out of interest. :)

 

Welcome Emma,

Exciting Deals are last minute deep discounts for remaining unsold inventory ..not what someone new to cruising should consider until you know your way around various itineraries & cabins. Click "Search this Forum" (this case, enter exciting deals) when you have a question and you will likely find previous threads and posts to explain terms, but the link is here: http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/exciting_deals/XcitingDeals_cel_tues.pdf and the offers are only 4-6 weeks out.

[Janet987]

Since it's the day before Exciting Deals and there is another post about them, thought I would share some pricing details for tomorrow, which make me wonder if the deals should be called not-so eXciting or unhappy hour deals .:rolleyes:

 

July 9 (post final payment) began searching for a Sept Alaska cruise. Selected Millennium Sept 10 southbound after finding frequent flyer air tickets. S2 was $1729 and C2 was $1359 on X website. Mille’s Sept 3 sailing was on eXciting Deals, a C2 for $849. After starting a thread for deal tips and finding significant distressed inventory, decided to wait. But then the afternoon of July 19, X posted a C2 Senior Rate of $968. There was a C2 NC Resident rate for same price, and resident rates for S1 of $1479 and S2 of $1,449. Inventory shown with on-line cruise sites was around 10 SSs and 15 each C2&3s (likely more).

 

On Friday, July 23, the Tuesday Exciting deals were posted including the Sept. 10 sailing. C2&3 was $899 (only $69 less than current resident rate) and S1&2 was $1,499 ($20 to $50 MORE than current posted Resident rates). 2A was $899 ( SAME price as the Resident rate currently posted on X and same as CC price too). Seems an odd pricing/yield management strategy to sell remaining cabins, since these prices would be attractive only if no resident/senior rate applied. Just a caution that you need to be aware of other special situation incentives and not assume these are rock bottom. Also the Sept 3 is on Exciting Deal for a second week with further reductions from previous week.

[Grado]

Thanks again..you confirmed what I vaguely remembered about the not "after final payment" rule to a switch. You and smtcan have both provided very useful info. Current inventory shows many good cabins so hope to snag one early next week.

How do you know the current inventory? Thanks, jan. Sjgrado@yahoo.com

[Rahi]

Just remember - any price listed on Exciting Deals is for NEW bookings only. Even before the new policy went into effect, you would not have received any price reduction/OBC, etc. on an existing reservation if comparing to an Exciting Deal price. Also, there are no guarantees that the sailing the week after (9/10) the one listed today (9/3) would be available in the Exciting Deals.

I am confused.. I just got them to reduce my fair cause of a price drop they had.. Are you saying they are not doing this.. OR is this all just about the deals they have every Tues?