Eclipse Cabin Swap

[offshorebear]

We are a family of four sailing Eclipse from Southampton in August round the Med, we are allocated two inside cabins on Panonorama Deck, only problem is that they are on opposite ends of the ship which is obviously not ideal. Travel agent was less than helpful resolving this ans said we would be best to wait until embarkation to see if Celebrity could offer us cabins closer together - is this correct or were TA fobbing us off as they couldn't be bothered to hang on the phone endlessly to get through to cruise line ?

[Yellowfurbaby]

Yes they are fobbing you off. Unfortunately it is unlikely celebrity themselves will help you directly as you've booked through a TA. (maybe worth a phone call though) tell your TA that you wish them to phone celebrity and ask them

 

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[upwarduk]

Celebrity require their money 8 weeks before sailing date, so check soon to see if there are any cabins close together. I have managed to get an upgrade in the past, just before final payment date, but I had booked via Celebrity.

[cle-guy]

Are the extra 2 family members minors and under age? If so X has a policy that underages need to be in a cabin adjacent to or connected to the adult/guardian cabin. Maybe call Celebrity Special Sevices line and explain the situation of that applies. If all are adults, this may not be worthwhile.

[jagoffee]

We are a family of four sailing Eclipse from Southampton in August round the Med, we are allocated two inside cabins on Panonorama Deck, only problem is that they are on opposite ends of the ship which is obviously not ideal. Travel agent was less than helpful resolving this ans said we would be best to wait until embarkation to see if Celebrity could offer us cabins closer together - is this correct or were TA fobbing us off as they couldn't be bothered to hang on the phone endlessly to get through to cruise line ?

 

I am not sure you mean by your were allocated two inside cabins. Did you book the two cabins knowing they were not together? Or was this a GTY?

 

Celebrity will allow you to move your cabins if two cabins in the same category are available.

 

If you could find two other cabins in a different category you can pay for an upgrade.

 

If you search these threads or Google you can find a website that will show you most if not all of the cabins that are still available for your cruise. We are not allow to give you the name since it is a TA.

 

What is the actual date of your cruise and the category of your inside cabins? I would be glad to look it up.

 

Good luck

[offshorebear]

I've just been on to the TA again who again said that they cannot get cabins closer together, however ;

 

they can get me a 2C category Concierge Room with Balcony across the corridor from one of the inside cabins we are allocated for an additional £2500 :eek:

 

I could be persuaded for the peace of mind aspect of being close together and a nicer cabin but do others think it is truly worth it ?

[Project_gal]

I've just been on to the TA again who again said that they cannot get cabins closer together, however ;

 

they can get me a 2C category Concierge Room with Balcony across the corridor from one of the inside cabins we are allocated for an additional £2500 :eek:

 

I could be persuaded for the peace of mind aspect of being close together and a nicer cabin but do others think it is truly worth it ?

 

Have you booked the cruise through a TA offering a great deal in the press/on TV? If so, it may be that the TA has made a block booking and can only offer the rooms they have contracted for. If so, unless you wish to loose your deposit, you may have to work with what they have to offer. You are extremely unlikely to be able to swap once on board because Celebrity, like all cruise lines, do everything they can to sail full.

 

If that is the case and you really want two staterooms close together, you would either have to loose your deposit and rebook with Celebrity or another TA [provided you know that there are two rooms that match your requirements] or take what your current TA is offering. There is a huge jump from an inside to a Concierge Class stateroom and £2500 is a high price to pay for something you did not want to book. However, you may find having a balcony is a nice thing to have on your cruise. Personally, I would not bother paying more for a CC room over a standard balcony.

 

If you are not getting a better price from the TA than elsewhere, I suggest that you find another TA for any future cruises or book direct with the cruise line. You should normally be able to select the stateroom of your choice when you book unless you are benefitting from a TA's block booking rate.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Project_gal

[rubydoobydoo]

I would ring Celebrity yourself, I have always used a TA but have never had a problem discussing my booking with celebrity direct

[TMLAalum]

If you are all adults, while it's great to have cabins close to each other, we've learned it's not essential! Just call each other when you're ready to leave for the MDR or buffet and arrange to meet up in a central location, e.g. by the elevators or near guest relations. We often sail with my DSiL and her DH and after our 1st cruise together in adjacent cabins, we've never been that near to each other. On our last cruise together we were in different cabin categories (OV for us; veranda for them) on different decks! Another consideration is that havng inside cabins, it's not too likely you'll be socializing there.

 

Of course, if your family members with you are your minor children, you definitely want them close by!

[drarill]

I've just been on to the TA again who again said that they cannot get cabins closer together, however ;

 

they can get me a 2C category Concierge Room with Balcony across the corridor from one of the inside cabins we are allocated for an additional £2500 :eek:

 

I could be persuaded for the peace of mind aspect of being close together and a nicer cabin but do others think it is truly worth it ?

 

If you are traveling with your children I will pay to have them closer.

[offshorebear]

It's two boys, a 7 and a 17 year old, allocation was that I was in with the older one as under 18 not allowed on their own and younger with his mum.

 

Most likely will end up with big one on his own and younger one staying with us but wouldn't be able to settle if we didn't know that older one is safely tucked up in bed at night.

 

Looking likely we will go with the (paid) upgrade :(

[WestLakeGirl]

I'm guessing you booked guarantee rooms? Otherwise why didn't you know which rooms you would have when you booked?

[d4m]

I would never pay that price for an upgrade. Seems to me that the TA let you down and that's part of the downfall for using them. I too would call Celebrity or Captain's Club if you are a member. All they can say is no.

 

There likely will be few or no rooms available when you sail. Celebrity does everything they can to fill rooms at last minute prices.

 

There are sites on the internet where you can find out what the available rooms are on the ship. After final payment (meaning the day after) rooms usually open up. I have heard that you can switch one gty cabin for another but have never done this so :confused:

Edited June 14, 2014 by d4m

[TMLAalum]

It's two boys, a 7 and a 17 year old, allocation was that I was in with the older one as under 18 not allowed on their own and younger with his mum.

 

Most likely will end up with big one on his own and younger one staying with us but wouldn't be able to settle if we didn't know that older one is safely tucked up in bed at night.

 

Looking likely we will go with the (paid) upgrade :(

 

I would wait awhile. Insides appear to be sold out for that sailing but higher categories aren't.

 

As you get closer to sail date there is a likelihood that there will be reduced prices on the unsold categories at which time you might pay just a little more to upgrade or others in inside cabins will make a move and a cabin closer to yours will become available. It is permissible here in the U.S. to switch an assigned guarantee cabin for an open one within the same category, e.g. a 9 for another 9.

 

You know your 17 year old and if the teen is a responsible adolescent it should be fine being somewhat apart, but on the same deck. That price differential is waaay too much IMO.

[cle-guy]

Assume you're on August 2 sailing on Eclipse?

 

I checked "the german site" and true there are no open insides. And only 3 standard veranda and 1 ocean view left. There are 9 Sunset (Aft) verandas open.

 

No Aqua, and 11 C2 Concierge and 15 C3 Concierge.

 

Several Sky suites, 1 Celebrity suite and 1 Penthouse left...

 

So basically, only premium cabins remain, and relatively few, so you must have gotten a steal when booking, and now are at mercy of the final balance of premium cabins selling at highest fares. You may get lucky come final payments, but as it's a sailing out of UK, and deposits are not refundable for UK/Euro residents, who will be the majority, don't expect much to open then, but you may get lucky to at least have a good opportunity to swap cabins if others upgrade when fares drop.

 

In any case, I recommend NOT paying extra for a cabin upgrade until after final payments are due, then wait a week or so for best value if you do end up having to purchase an upgraded cabin if a swap isn't possible.

[monicajay]

Sounds like way too much money for an upgrade just to be close. On our Disney cruise we were able to switch one inside for another closer to our cabin at the pier (but not immediately). We arrived very early. Explained our dilemma. We had 2 inside guarantees at opposite ends of the ship. They made a list of other cabins nearby and as people checked in they found someone willing to swap. They told us to check back in at guest services on board before around 4 pm and not to enter the cabin they were trying to get rid of. At 4 sharp I checked in and they said "good news" we were able to find someone willing to swap. The new cabin was about 3 doors away. Steward took care of making sure all suitcases ended up in the right places.

 

Sounds complicated but it really wasn't.

 

I would check cabin availability daily in the meantime. If you find one that 'pops' up call your TA, if not try again at check-in. Lastly, you could ask on your roll call. There might be someone with an inside closer who really doesn't care where the cabin is. Inside people tend to be less picky.

Edited June 14, 2014 by monicajay

[drarill]

Assume you're on August 2 sailing on Eclipse?

 

I checked "the german site" and true there are no open insides. And only 3 standard veranda and 1 ocean view left. There are 9 Sunset (Aft) verandas open.

 

No Aqua, and 11 C2 Concierge and 15 C3 Concierge.

 

Several Sky suites, 1 Celebrity suite and 1 Penthouse left...

 

So basically, only premium cabins remain, and relatively few, so you must have gotten a steal when booking, and now are at mercy of the final balance of premium cabins selling at highest fares. You may get lucky come final payments, but as it's a sailing out of UK, and deposits are not refundable for UK/Euro residents, who will be the majority, don't expect much to open then, but you may get lucky to at least have a good opportunity to swap cabins if others upgrade when fares drop.

 

In any case, I recommend NOT paying extra for a cabin upgrade until after final payments are due, then wait a week or so for best value if you do end up having to purchase an upgraded cabin if a swap isn't possible.

Excellent analysis, the best. But as a mom I wouldn't risk having my 7 y/o on the other side of the ship. If they got a really good deal for the two insides, paying extra for the balcony is not a bad option and you can't beat having a balcony. Keep in mind that I'm thinking as a mother, not having my children close to me will ruin my vacation.

[WestLakeGirl]

The OP said that the younger child will possibly be in with the parents but....is one of their rooms a triple occupancy? If both rooms are doubles and don't have facilities for a third passenger

[cle-guy]

Excellent analysis, the best. But as a mom I wouldn't risk having my 7 y/o on the other side of the ship. If they got a really good deal for the two insides, paying extra for the balcony is not a bad option and you can't beat having a balcony. Keep in mind that I'm thinking as a mother, not having my children close to me will ruin my vacation.

 

I can appreciate the mother wanting to protect her cubs for sure!

 

However is it worth £2500 (about USD $4241 today) extra to buy in now as the OP's TA has told him it will cost to upgrade 1 cabin to get the Concierge across the hall from the kids inside cabin? Mind you, the kids are 7 and 17, I'd trust the 17 year old to look after his sibling for $4200, to be quite honest...but O know a mother may have a different view. But given these facts what would you really do?

 

OP is looking for suggestions, probably to avoid paying the $4200, which could easily wreck a family vacation.

[H20TGP]

Assume you're on August 2 sailing on Eclipse?

 

I checked "the german site" and true there are no open insides. And only 3 standard veranda and 1 ocean view left. There are 9 Sunset (Aft) verandas open.

 

No Aqua, and 11 C2 Concierge and 15 C3 Concierge.

 

Several Sky suites, 1 Celebrity suite and 1 Penthouse left...

 

Hi Curt,

 

Just checked on the UK website and that mirrors the German site with the exception that it is still showing 16 Aqua cabins available ( 5 x A1 & 11 A2 )

 

I am assuming that the upgrade quote of £2500 would include a choice of 2 options on the 123go package?

 

As Insides were booked then no package would have been offered on those cabins.

 

I still think that is very expensive for an upgrade! I certainly wouldn't bother.

 

Hi Offshore bear

 

I wouldn't mind betting your 17 year old might relish the thought of a cabin to himself and a little bit of independence?

 

Hope you get it sorted out to your satisfaction.

 

Cheers

 

 

Tom

[Project_gal]

Sounds like way too much money for an upgrade just to be close. On our Disney cruise we were able to switch one inside for another closer to our cabin at the pier (but not immediately). We arrived very early. Explained our dilemma. We had 2 inside guarantees at opposite ends of the ship. They made a list of other cabins nearby and as people checked in they found someone willing to swap. They told us to check back in at guest services on board before around 4 pm and not to enter the cabin they were trying to get rid of. At 4 sharp I checked in and they said "good news" we were able to find someone willing to swap. The new cabin was about 3 doors away. Steward took care of making sure all suitcases ended up in the right places.

 

I would not depend on Celebrity being willing to do this. Our last cruise was a B2B. Because we upgraded after our initial booking, we were booked in one penthouse for the first cruise and the other for the second. Celebrity [shore-side and on-board] were totally unwilling to ask the people in the other PH on the second cruise if they were willing to swap either before the cruise or at check-in. The second cruise was a round trip Caribbean with no advantage being in either suite.

[kevinyork]

Im guessing you booked when there was a great rate on this cruise (our friends did so Im aware of the low price offered) and this would have been a guarantee booking so hopefully your agent advised when booking that the cabins could be anywhere on the ship ( I hope so as they dont spund too great). As it looks like the insides are sold out then changing to other inside cabins seems very unlikely and virtually impossible once onboard (naughty of your agent to even suggest this as a possible resolution given the ship will most likely be fully booked).

 

The upgrade cost to the C2 is pretty high and not worth paying for Concierge benefits and indeed IMO for a balcony upgrade. However, only you can say if the peace of mind is worth it. However, if the little one will most likely be in with you ask your 17 year old what they feel about being at the other end of the ship. If they are happy then I would run with it and save that upgrade cost for another cruise.

 

 

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[uktog]

I suspect the TA did not advise them and is now regretting that

For me, this thread highlights TA issues in the UK and why so many still choose to book direct with the cruiseline. We do not have the network offering personal service that exists across the pond

[Yellowfurbaby]

Does seem like you were misadvised on booking :(

You really did need connecting cabins for your family. If it was just kids aged say 15 and 17 and you trusted them I would have no issue in them being some distance away but obviously not a 7 year old. Sorry they can't sort it for you as £2500 is very excessive for an upgrade!!! :(

 

 

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[offshorebear]

Bit the bullet and went for the paid upgrade for peace of mind rather than anything else, oldest one is sensible enough but happier that he is just across the corridor, no doubt youngest will be in with us whilst other one lords it in a cabin by himself :)

 

Now need to decide if drinks package makes sense ?