Celebrity is cheaper

[Merriem]

I have a 24 hour hold on A royal suite for the fall of 2015 booked online with Celebrity. I get a quote from a well known online agency, and they are $2,000 more for the exact same thing. Found that very interesting.

[Project_gal]

Are the quotes for like for like? I know that in the UK, they have to be up-front about all the costs but believe that the regulations are different in the US and that sometimes there are hidden charges.

[Merriem]

Are the quotes for like for like? I know that in the UK, they have to be up-front about all the costs but believe that the regulations are different in the US and that sometimes there are hidden charges.

 

Exactly the same.same cruise, same cabin, same date. I even told them to leave off any drink package because with the new suite benefits drinks were included. Celebrity was $2,000 cheaper!

[20pluscruises]

I have a 24 hour hold on A royal suite for the fall of 2015 booked online with Celebrity. I get a quote from a well known online agency, and they are $2,000 more for the exact same thing. Found that very interesting.

 

I have always found the price much less booking directly through Celebrity.

[Merriem]

I have always found the price much less booking directly through Celebrity.

 

You do have more control over your reservation and of course can transfer it to a TA if you like.

[jagoffee]

Exactly the same.same cruise, same cabin, same date. I even told them to leave off any drink package because with the new suite benefits drinks were included. Celebrity was $2,000 cheaper!

 

I have always found the price much less booking directly through Celebrity.

 

I have never seen this on any of my cruises. You can either find a different TA or tell this TA the price you have. Either one will be able to get the exact same price with Celebrity and should give you some additional benefits. I always make sure the TA does not a change or cancellation fee.

 

Celebrity would not be in business very long if it undercut it's channel partners. I am amazed that people find situations where a TA cannot get the at least the same price as you can direct.

 

20pluscruises,

 

I know you cruise a lot perhaps some day we will cruise together and I can give you some TAs that will always be able to get you a better deal than Celebrity direct. Exact same price, but with OBC. Of course you may still book direct, but it will not be because you could not get the detail.

[mickeysgal]

I have a 24 hour hold on A royal suite for the fall of 2015 booked online with Celebrity. I get a quote from a well known online agency, and they are $2,000 more for the exact same thing. Found that very interesting.

 

I've seen this happen. For my cruise, Celebrity was/is running an instant discount, shown as a green price tag icon on each cabin category...an "offer" that apparently was exclusive only to them. My online TA and other online sites was showing the full, regular price for the cabin but then would offset it with their perks. Perhaps that is what you're seeing...an exclusive discount that only Celebrity is allowing for their site only. Maybe this is Celebrity's way of trying to keep bookings in house.

Edited June 10, 2014 by mickeysgal

[jagoffee]

I've seen this happen. For my cruise, Celebrity was/is running an instant discount, shown as a green price tag icon on each cabin category...an "offer" that apparently was exclusive only to them. My online TA and other online sites was showing the full, regular price for the cabin but then would offset it with their perks. Perhaps that is what you're seeing...an exclusive discount that only Celebrity is allowing for their site only. Maybe this is Celebrity's way of trying to keep bookings in house.

 

The OP did say quote, but if you and others are getting your price comparisons in an automatic TA on line price it is certainly possible that some of them might not have the capability to handle all the special deals automatically. I always get my quotes via e mail. They are always exactly the same as the one that I get on line with all the specials plus the TAs OBC. My TA is getting the Celebrity price via their tool from Celebrity.

[need2bespoiled]

We have quite a few days booked in suites on celebrity, through two different TAs. Almost all were booked onboard, but we compared and quoted through TAs after the fact to make sure pricing was the same. On three of the last 4 cruises we booked, we compared three different agencies that are based both online and not. The fourth was the last cabin available and we just compared celebrity to the TA and went with the TA who paid our grats and gave us $500 more for OBC on top of Celebrity's OBC and cabin discount.

 

For other RSs as of April 2015 we received our drink package (suite perk) and gratutities (through onboard 123) plus OBC for week long cruises of $350/week and $400 for a 15 day cruise from Celebrity. So all that was left to give from our TA was OBC. We received another $625-$700/week from the TA for the week long cruises (B2b) and $1525 for the 15 day cruise. All in all, we're getting prepaid grats, drink package and more then $1000 per week in OBC. I'm not sure what we'll spend it on with free specialty dining too. I guess it is the Spa, bottles of Wine, gambing $$ or cash at the end.

 

On every sailing we have booked (7 I think), the price has not changed, or gone up, or suites are sold out.

 

Happy Sailing,

Jenna

[need2bespoiled]

I've seen this happen. For my cruise, Celebrity was/is running an instant discount, shown as a green price tag icon on each cabin category...an "offer" that apparently was exclusive only to them. My online TA and other online sites was showing the full, regular price for the cabin but then would offset it with their perks. Perhaps that is what you're seeing...an exclusive discount that only Celebrity is allowing for their site only. Maybe this is Celebrity's way of trying to keep bookings in house.

 

The OP did say quote, but if you and others are getting your price comparisons in an automatic TA on line price it is certainly possible that some of them might not have the capability to handle all the special deals automatically. I always get my quotes via e mail. They are always exactly the same as the one that I get on line with all the specials plus the TAs OBC. My TA is getting the Celebrity price via their tool from Celebrity.

 

Exactly, call or get an email (some agencies don't like to email), but when they look up actual prices, they've always matched, regardless of what was shown online.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[20pluscruises]

I have never seen this on any of my cruises. You can either find a different TA or tell this TA the price you have. Either one will be able to get the exact same price with Celebrity and should give you some additional benefits. I always make sure the TA does not a change or cancellation fee.

 

Celebrity would not be in business very long if it undercut it's channel partners. I am amazed that people find situations where a TA cannot get the at least the same price as you can direct.

 

20pluscruises,

 

I know you cruise a lot perhaps some day we will cruise together and I can give you some TAs that will always be able to get you a better deal than Celebrity direct. Exact same price, but with OBC. Of course you may still book direct, but it will not be because you could not get the detail.

 

I would be happy if you could do that for me! Thanks!!! Is it all about having a good relationship with the TA? I wish they would allow sharing great TA names. :(

 

I have checked the big name TA online and when everything is said and done I find Celebrity is less...and yes, sometimes only by $25.

Edited June 10, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[jagoffee]

I would be happy if you could do that for me! Thanks!!! Is it all about having a good relationship with the TA? I wish they would allow sharing great TA names. :(

 

I have checked the big name TA online and when everything is said and done I find Celebrity is less...and yes, sometimes only by $25.

 

I did mean to imply that the price was dependent of a good relationship with a TA just a good TA.

 

If you wish the next time you have a lower quote from Celebrity you can call/email the TA to see that the price is the same and what extras they offer.

 

Good luck

[Merriem]

I have a TA who is good. I checked with an online one I had dealings with 10 years ago. Just curious to see the price, as they had been horrible to deal with. Anyway, they had made an error in the pricing. Anyway, they were less money, but I still booked it directly because I did not like this online agency, and will transfer it to my current TA.

[Gangplanker]

I really believe there was an error in the OPs experience. I have been following prices closely for a long time and have never seen a case where a TA quotes prices that are that much more expensive, unless they include air, hotel, etc.

 

I just booked through an online TA who must have bought up a bunch of cabins because the price was $400 less than Celebrity's price plus included a bunch of perks like prepaid gratuities that Celebrity was not offering.

 

But every situation is different and it just shows that it pays to shop around

[cle-guy]

I travel regularly with a group that reserves group rates, and they are also a travel agency. They tell me that Celebrity won't allow them to get suites on discount within their group bookings, only on Aqua and below can they offer discount group pricing.

[blindrid]

You all have given me reinforcement on why I never use a TA. To me, it just adds another person involved. I don't care about OBC or other enticements - just give me the price and I'll pay for it. When I travelled virtually every week on travel , I did use a TA but not for my now, every once in a while vaca.

 

Unfortunately, as with airlines in the past, there are fewer and fewer incentives and commissions paid to the TA's. That's why there are more and more "wannabe" travel agents and not many true, professional TA's around. With the advent of multi-level marketing "agencies" that in itself seemed to dilute the professionals from the business.

 

There is a place for the true professional but to simply book flights and a cruise, a TA isn't really needed anymore. If one books a sophisticated trip, by all means use a TA.

[JFontaine]

One potential reason for what happened with the OP is that when she put the suite on hold with Celebrity, their pricing model adjusted for one less cabin left in a class with very few to start with, so the next priced suite was higher. This is the way airlines price their fares, although with them you are sometimes given a warning when you shop ('one seat left at this fare'). While the difference seems high, at the suite level it is less so.

[C 2 C]

We have never had a Celebrity direct price lower than the TA's that we have used.

 

The large agency has a lot of group space (in the categories we book) that are almost always lower but never higher. Throw in free gratuities or comparable OBC and the TA option wins hands down (our agency).

 

In addition, our agency has a loyalty club and for frequent cruisers, the extra cash OBC is a nice loyalty reward from $25 to $100 per sailing depending on how often one books a cruise.

 

However if one wants to have 7 day access going direct is the best solution.

[Merriem]

I really believe there was an error in the OPs experience. I have been following prices closely for a long time and have never seen a case where a TA quotes prices that are that much more expensive, unless they include air, hotel, etc.

 

I just booked through an online TA who must have bought up a bunch of cabins because the price was $400 less than Celebrity's price plus included a bunch of perks like prepaid gratuities that Celebrity was not offering.

 

But every situation is different and it just shows that it pays to shop around

 

Did you read my post? I said they corrected their error , however i booked and will transfer to my TA who takes very good care of us. My point is that service is more important than $$$$$