Celebrity Site Says One Thing - My TA Says Another

[TxnAquarian]

I recently switched to a new TA after having a really lousy experience with my last one (who mysteriously "disappeared" and I was given this new one)....the new one has been fantastic at emailing me back very quickly, accommodating price drops....I've been really happy with her willingness to find good deals for us.

 

I recently saw on the X site that there is a Suite Guarantee on our June cruise available for only $1,000 more than we paid for our Aqua Class room. There are only the Royal Suite and Penthouse Suites left, so it seems like a great deal. I forwarded her the link and she said that she's unable to get the Suite Guarantee rate for me. When I asked why, she said that it wasn't showing in her system. I know nothing about being a TA, so I don't want to push the issue, but I'm wondering if it seems like she's not doing her job, or if even TA's can't always offer what is showing on the X site. I hate to see this deal just go away lol

 

 

 

Michael

[MonaCK]

If your TA was worth her weight in salt, she would be calling celebrity so she could get that pricing for you, especially if you can get her a screen cap so she can get on the phone with Celebrity and fight for it for you. That being said- since it would mean extra commission for her, and I am surprised she is not doing this for you.

[wallie5446]

Go thru the process and do a ghost booking with the 24 hr hold. If it takes, book it, cancell the current, then transfer the new one to the TA.

[rwr235]

I can't answer your question directly...but I can tell you what I did in a somewhat similar circumstance...On a Sunday, when my TA was out of touch, a corner FV on the Millie opened up... I put a "Hold" on it on the Celebrity website, called my TA on Monday and told him...He called Celebrity, put us on a 3 way call, and the "Hold" Reservation was transferred over to him.

 

Just a thought

Edit: which was just suggested above ! :)

 

Woody

Edited April 29, 2014 by rwr235

[vulcan1971]

Go thru the process and do a ghost booking with the 24 hr hold. If it takes, book it, cancell the current, then transfer the new one to the TA.

 

I second that.

[TxnAquarian]

Thanks very much for the responses. I will work on this issue a little further, with your ideas, since it sounds like I should be able to get this deal.

 

 

Michael

[galavant3]

Make sure you are ok with any suite...there is the possibility that someone else will be moved into a more expensive suite and you'll be assigned their suite.

 

Regardless, good luck and enjoy your suite!

[HazyDavy]

Make sure you are ok with any suite...there is the possibility that someone else will be moved into a more expensive suite and you'll be assigned their suite.

 

Regardless, good luck and enjoy your suite!

 

This is a very important point. Just because the website is showing only the Royal Suite and Penthouse Suites left doesn't mean you're going to get a Royal Suite or Penthouse Suite with a suite guarantee.

 

They could upgrade someone else or otherwise move people around. With a suite guarantee you are only guaranteed a suite level cabin and can be assigned ANY suite level cabin.

[RickT]

Perhaps they were only listing one guarantee suite and someone else grabbed it? If it's still there then definitely put a hold on it and get your TA on the line!

[gdpups]

If it's for June cruise this year you must be after final payment and that suite guarantee could be for new bookings only. That's what I've been seeing on my upcoming cruise, they are only reducing the prices for guarantees that are "exciting deals" which are only for new bookings, no upgrades are possible for those and Celebrity will not allow upgrades.

[lovemylab]

Go thru the process and do a ghost booking with the 24 hr hold. If it takes, book it, cancell the current, then transfer the new one to the TA.

 

 

The OP is cruising this June and is likely past final payment; therefore, if they do cancel their original booking there will be a penalty.

[TxnAquarian]

If it's for June cruise this year you must be after final payment and that suite guarantee could be for new bookings only. That's what I've been seeing on my upcoming cruise, they are only reducing the prices for guarantees that are "exciting deals" which are only for new bookings, no upgrades are possible for those and Celebrity will not allow upgrades.

 

 

I think you may have answered this for me. Perhaps that is why my TA said that she wouldn't be able to get it for me.

 

 

 

Michael

[wallie5446]

The OP is cruising this June and is likely past final payment; therefore, if they do cancel their original booking there will be a penalty.

 

Thanks! I need to slow my speed reading down:D went back and bigger than day the OP said JUne. Yes, that changes everything:)

[Andy]

I think you may have answered this for me. Perhaps that is why my TA said that she wouldn't be able to get it for me.

 

 

 

Michael

 

Hi Michael,

 

Unfortunately, I believe the above will prove to be the answer. Once past final payment, your options are limited. It's very possible the GTY may not be an option for you.

 

With that said, I'd absolutely ask your TA to call Celebrity, and ask. You have nothing to lose by asking ! If they say no, I'd ask for the reason why they would not accomodate your request. At this point, perhaps Celebrity might be open to taking your $1000, and give you the Suite GTY. As another poster mentioned, just be sure you are ok with any Suite, as it's possible that an exisiting booking may be upgraded ahead of you. I wouldn't assume that since only the PH & RS are currently available, that it would be a sure thing.

 

Whew, I hope that all makes sense. Please let us know the outcome, and good luck to you !

Edited April 29, 2014 by Host Andy

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

If it's for June cruise this year you must be after final payment and that suite guarantee could be for new bookings only. That's what I've been seeing on my upcoming cruise, they are only reducing the prices for guarantees that are "exciting deals" which are only for new bookings, no upgrades are possible for those and Celebrity will not allow upgrades.

 

That's not true. After final payment on a cruise last spring, we were able to upgrade from an ordinary balcony cabin to an AQ1, a many class upgrade. The price was lower than what we had originally paid for the balcony. We did not get a refund, of course.

[gdpups]

I checked op's cruise and that suite guarantee is an "exciting deal" and therefore only applies to new bookings.

 

This was the case on my upcoming cruise, but I kept watching pricing and now 11 days before the cruise I was able to snag a really good upgrade that was not an "exciting deal", so it pays to keep watching!

[BEAV]

I assume the Suite Guarantee is part of this week's Xciting deals two-day sale, which, as has already been posted, is for new bookings only. In the event Celebrity would go ahead and grant the upgrade, keep in mind that if you have a promotion such as the free drink package, etc, you would lose that perk in the upgrade process as it is not combineable with Xciting deals.

 

Also, keep in mind that just because the public =X= website displays only Royal and Penthouse being available on your sailing is no guarantee that's what you'll be assigned. Typically, lower level suites are removed from public access and viewing for the purpose of assigning later on to those holding guarantees. Also, often times Celebrity will assign unsold accessible Sky Suites to those holding suite guarantees.

 

Just know the risks and possibilities before going forward with the upgrade if =X= allows it.

[waterbug123]

Make sure you are ok with any suite...there is the possibility that someone else will be moved into a more expensive suite and you'll be assigned their suite.

 

 

I second that. There was a thread once on Royal where I mentioned having been UG'd to a junior suite. Someone asked what cabin number it was... turns out our JS had been theirs, until they go UG'd to a grand suite. I have to think that unless the OP is very high up in the captain's club, the royal/penthouse would go to someone else, and they'd backfill that person's original cabin and so on. End result: The OP would probably end up in a Sky Suite. ;)

[scdreamer]

We were in a similar situation recently, past final payment on a CC, and hoping to upgrade to a newly offered suite GTY. Our TA got us on the phone three-way with Celebrity, and they agreed to allow us to pay a minimal amount for the upgrade ... but, in doing so, we would have had to give up the perks we had from our initial booking. That included the drink package and prepaid gratuities. In the end we decided to stay put.

[Classynfun1]

What ended up happening with this one, OP?

[jenniebnyc]

Remember, if you re-book your cruise to a suite guarantee you will probably lose any 123Go deals you may have had with your old booking.

[TxnAquarian]

Right after I posted this, the guarantee rate for suite disappeared, and all that was left was a fare of $24,000 for the top suite. However, since I had already made final payment, I couldn't have gotten the deal anyway. It's okay, we are very happy in Aqua Class. I decided that for our cruise in October 2015 on the Solstice that we would book a suite instead....however, the suites are already sold out a year-and-a-half in advance! Now our TA has us wait listed for the Celebrity Suite. We just can't seem to make the suite experience happen lol

 

 

Michael

[wrk2cruise]

We had this case a few years ago where I saw the "W" on the web site and my TA called Celebrity and they said they didn't have "W" available. She had me make the "hold" booking on the web and send her the reservation number.

 

We ended up getting the Sky Suite next to the PH on Connie which is the nicest SS we have ever been in. We saw the other passengers luggage at our door and know that they were put in the RS down the hallway. I suspect they probably paid the highest price for SS and that's what got them the upgrade. I'm sure it was someone in Resolutions dept that decides these types of things.

[Classynfun1]

Ack...sorry, OP! Soon you will get to experience the suite life! :D