El Cheapo Cruises Thread

[goodycruising]

Thanks for that, absolutely confirms what we saw. And you saved us the trouble of ringing the "help" line. Captains Club, seriously there has to be some basic words they should understand.

 

This is also why we will no longer get the future cruise certificates, as when you ring them it is always different again, and whatever you agree to on the phone is then different from your email confirmation. We are now pretty much over booked for the next 2 years, but I still like to do research and if a good deal comes along we can brace ourself for the battle. :D

 

Yes, we are finding the Aussie prices are sometimes less or pretty close on conversion to the US. We have a VPN subscription for other things and have checked the US prices, and we also get a price alert that comes in US$. I think sometimes they add a bit to the US prices so they can discount air fares to get here. Got to reel people in with something.

Edited August 20, 2014 by goodycruising

[Aussie FF]

another good bargain

 

24th november Voyager from Singapore to Sydney

 

inside gte $1499

outside gte $1799

balcony gte $2199

suite gte $2799

 

What's Included?

 

Your holiday includes,

 

• One way flight from Sydney

• One night pre cruise stay in Singapore staying at the V Hotel Lavender or similar

• Thirteen night cruise on Royal Caribbean's 4 star rated ship the Voyager of the Seas on full board basis

.

• All port fees, taxes, food and entertainment

 

Transfers and gratuities are not included

 

We have made all of our own arrangements.

 

One way airfare from Melbourne-Singapore direct $254.00 pp

One way Sydney to Melbourne $100.00 pp

Per person per night Singapore Hotel 3 1/2 stars $100.00

2 person JS $2385 pp

3 person JS $1930 pp

 

Includes fees, taxes, pre-paid gratuities. no transfers (they are cheap in Singapore).

 

So to compare $2839 pp each for 2

Or $2384 pp for 3

 

Booked around a year ago, with C&A balcony discount.:)

[Aussie FF]

OK a little off topic but still in the cost saving mode. Is it possible for 5 people.2 oldies(us) 2 x 20 somethings and their 1 year old to all sail in the same cabin. Can it work out cheaper or almost as cheap to book a suite for 5 as two separate OV's etc. I know I can call up a TA, cruise line rep etc. and find out but am more interested in what experienced cruisers think of the idea. Might be able to take advantage of RCCL 3rd, 4th person for free etc. I like to have some background knowledge before I speak to the booking person as I have found at time they are not all over some of the categories/issues.

 

When our kids were pre-teen we did this a few times. 3 adults (one on walker) DMIL, 2 kids. Ocean view family cabin, one bathroom. We were quite comfortable. The price is good.

 

Now they are nearly out of their teens, I have done paid upgrade to RFS, for about $2000.00 and I'm addicted. 2 bathrooms and LOTS of space.:D

 

Gotta love the Suite life, and the suite perks.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Aussie FF

[dancinman66]

Exactly. When I entered in my +55 and captains club number the first screen once I had ticked the dot under inside showed a pp price of $604 with the condition underneath saying plus taxes of $179 (? not sure of the exact amount now) plus of course grats are not part of this either. So I figured $604 + $179 + $170 grats = approx. $950 pp which with grats included is a great deal.

 

 

 

WELL in the weird world of Celebrity maths that now adds up to around $1200once you have pressed the book button and when you click on the breakdown link the base fare (that was $604) becomes $900 +

 

 

 

UNTIL you eventually talk to their "help" (probably a bad choice of words but lets run with it) person, who after finally understanding what I meant when I said I was a captains club member and wanted to enquire about this cruise price gave me a cost of about $930.

 

 

 

What I have learned from all this is that you always need to talk to someone before you commit and to compare US and Aussie prices. This time the Aussies came out on top.

 

 

For once I've found this

 

So far all year we have had lots of offers better than the states or ul

 

Very pleasant change indeed

Got to be diligent and research every option

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Tara Jane]

I booked the century dec 1st cruise about 3 or 4 weeks ago, had similar issues with the website but when I phoned I came across an extremely helpful staff member yes they do exist!!!! ended up getting inside taxes fees and tips for $850 pp Also was able to use the FCC I purchased on board a few years ago. The OBC from the FCC isn't showing on my booking yet but I was told it wouldn't appear until 90 days before departure. As others have found, when I phoned back I got someone else who quoted me a totally different price but fortunately I had the name of the extremely helpful chap and waited to speak to him and he honoured what he had quoted me an hour earlier.

[goodycruising]

I would say that mostly the phone help people are very nice and polite. They do try to do their best, but they are often very lacking in understanding the terminology, and they seem very restricted in getting information and inputting what they have just spoken of. If I could ask...what was the issue that you had to ring back about?

[MicCanberra]

Record the details of phone calls such as time, date, person or persons you spoke to, etc and that way you can have some comeback when/if issues arise. At least with emails this is automatically recorded.:D

Edited August 20, 2014 by MicCanberra

[Tara Jane]

Yes you may notice I am always advocating people to email rather than call but in this situation I didn't want to miss out on a good deal!!

 

I just had to phone back to make the booking as I needed to contact my friend to make sure she was able to get the time off to join me. I am the frustrated TA always looking for a good deal, so I research, find the deal, call to ensure the deal is really a true deal and not just a way of enticing interest and the real price is way above. If it is legit then we go ahead if both free. We are both in remission so no time to be wasted doing the " I wish I had" in the years ahead. Fortunately we both have done a lot of travelling before the big C hit and actually met when roomed together on a coach tour of Europe 13 years ago. So some room shares work out fine. Have done lots of travelling together at least once a year until the big C diagnosis a week apart with the same type. And we also both ended up with the same complications, must have been twins in a previous life!!! So there is my long winded explanation of why I had to call back.

[wombat13]

That is freeky. Keep on going and have fun. Best wishes to both of you.

 

Jean

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

[goodycruising]

Tara, I know exactly what you mean with getting in and enjoying life! That is also why we choose to cruise as much as we can. Glad you have found a good cruise buddy/twin!

 

I am impressed you were able to get the same salesperson. We have gotten the name in the past and they don't seem to be able to find who we are asking for when we asked one time. When you rang the first time did they offer you a hold?

[Tara Jane]

No and I didn't think to ask should have thought of it but was soooo excited and just wanted to get onto my friend to see if she was able to go.

I did ask him if I could ask for him and he said anyone would be able to help me and I mentioned my concern about not being able to get the same price he quoted. turns out that exactly what happened but I was able to get to speak with him when I called back. Next time I am going to have to remember to ask for a hold while I make a few phone calls. I truly expected them to say they didn't know who he was but luck was with me. My son works in a call centre for a major bank and calls are taken from staff in manila, wellington nz, perth and Melbourne not in any order so I do understand if the staff could be in different locations. It just depends whos phone happens to be free when the customer calls in.

[MicCanberra]

You were very fortunate and it must have been destined for you to get that cruise, as you say the calls could have been directed to any number of people who wouldn't have known your first helper.:D

[angelwingsflys]

Hi Everyone,

I just received 2 different emails with really good pricing for the cruise I am going on,so would like to share the deals with you from the Cruise agents

The 1st one is has ,Interior Stateroom - Guaranteed price $607 each

Ocean View Stateroom - Guarantee-Price $1107 each

Concierge Class - Guaranteed- Price $1204 each

Suite - Guaranteed -price$1721

 

Then th ecruise agent has ,Guarantee - Inside for $599. each

Guarantee - Veranda , $1,159.00,

Tipping has to be added but that is not to bad.

I really would like more cruise critic members on this cruise :D:D

cheers Deb

[woodyren]

Hi Everyone,

I just received 2 different emails with really good pricing for the cruise I am going on,so would like to share the deals with you from the Cruise agents

The 1st one is has ,Interior Stateroom - Guaranteed price $607 each

Ocean View Stateroom - Guarantee-Price $1107 each

Concierge Class - Guaranteed- Price $1204 each

Suite - Guaranteed -price$1721

 

Then th ecruise agent has ,Guarantee - Inside for $599. each

Guarantee - Veranda , $1,159.00,

Tipping has to be added but that is not to bad.

I really would like more cruise critic members on this cruise :D:D

cheers Deb

 

I too would like more CC members on this cruise because two of them would be me and my DW BUT we are just getting off a plane from a month in China a couple of days before and I need to work a little between that and our Solstice cruise 9th Dec. I would be "splurging" on the OV gty for $824 offered by my US TA which would come with drinks, grats and $150 OBC I believe.

 

.........Heads off to try and convince the misses to go once again.......

[Tara Jane]

If only we could work out who your US agent is then perhaps more of us would be on the cruise. I got into celebrity website, put in 55 + and previous cruiser details, got a price of something like 250 for an inside plus tax and tips. when I tried to do a dummy booking it went up to 1300 pp.

Whenever I look at USA sites it has not been a temptation as the prices of the US companies I look at need taxes added to be able to compare apples with apples. I have found the taxes/fees have varied between 10% - 20% and sometimes even more.

[woodyren]

Tara Jane. Click on the deals tab in the menu bar at the top of this forum then click on any of the cruises listed bellow. Once that cruise is open there is a tab towards the right hand top corner (just under the community tab) that says "cruise agencies". Click on that one. There are a number of agencies listed and I have a current booking with two of them. There is one of the well known ones there, the one I use to post the prices, that will let you go through the whole process including where taxes are added and available cabins are listed without booking.

 

NOTE. If you want to see the price for Celebrity with pick your perk(s) added you cannot click the over 55 age tab. PYP is not combinable with senior discount, police, group prices. Of course if you are looking for the cheapest inside that doesn't matter as there is no PYP offer for insides.

[MicCanberra]

Tara Jane. Click on the deals tab in the menu bar at the top of this forum then click on any of the cruises listed bellow. Once that cruise is open there is a tab towards the right hand top corner (just under the community tab) that says "cruise agencies". Click on that one. There are a number of agencies listed and I have a current booking with two of them. There is one of the well known ones there, the one I use to post the prices, that will let you go through the whole process including where taxes are added and available cabins are listed without booking.

 

NOTE. If you want to see the price for Celebrity with pick your perk(s) added you cannot click the over 55 age tab. PYP is not combinable with senior discount, police, group prices. Of course if you are looking for the cheapest inside that doesn't matter as there is no PYP offer for insides.

 

Good tips for price comparison, a lot of people are not aware of the companies listed through this site.:D

[Tara Jane]

Thanks so much woodyren will have a go at it right now.

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine today.... so nice to see spring is ready to spring.

[woodyren]

Thanks so much woodyren will have a go at it right now.

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine today.... so nice to see spring is ready to spring.

 

Raining in Sydney. I would try the middle one on the list as it will give you the full cost with tax without having to email for the price.

[sheridan318]

Hi all just booked celebrity centuary for the 11th november eight nights to tassie for $539 inside guarantee and that includes the gratuties:D so got to be happy with that I thought I was quite the guru to book this at this price, thats for senior past passenger.

Jacquie

[woodyren]

Hi all just booked celebrity centuary for the 11th november eight nights to tassie for $539 inside guarantee and that includes the gratuties:D so got to be happy with that I thought I was quite the guru to book this at this price, thats for senior past passenger.

Jacquie

 

I hope you don't want to get off in Tassie because the Century is heading to Adelaide and back on the 11th. Great price with grats included. US or Aussie booking?

[sheridan318]

Lol I meant Adelaide, must be the excitement. Of another cruise "it was an Aussie company

[woodyren]

Radiance OTS. 18 nights Hawaii to Sydney Sept 22 2014

 

Inside GTY $1299PP US

 

Passenger Fare Taxes/Fees Total

#1) $1,161.62 $137.38 $1,299.00 USD

#2) $1,161.62 $137.38 $1,299.00 USD

 

Subtotal: $2,323.24 $274.76 $2,598.00 USD

 

 

Celebrity Millennium 14 nts Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong.

 

OV GTY

 

Pricing Summary

 

 

Passenger Fare Options Taxes/Fees Total

#1) $1,199.00 $168.00 $107.72 $1,474.72 USD

#2) $1,199.00 $168.00 $107.72 $1,474.72 USD

 

Subtotal: $2,398.00 $336.00 $215.44 $2,949.44 USD

 

Sure it is a little more expensive per day but it is an OV and you can currently get free drinks AND free grats AND OBC for this. So just over the $100 per day threshold.

 

Aqua GTY is available for $1800pp US on this cruise. Sensational price for an Aqua with all those perks (perks are worth close to $1000pp if you had to pay for them all)

 

 

In the name of research some one should check what prices are available locally for these.

Edited August 25, 2014 by woodyren

[woodyren]

Radiance OTS. 18 nights Hawaii to Sydney Sept 22 2014

 

Inside GTY $1299PP US

 

Passenger Fare Taxes/Fees Total

#1) $1,161.62 $137.38 $1,299.00 USD

#2) $1,161.62 $137.38 $1,299.00 USD

 

Subtotal: $2,323.24 $274.76 $2,598.00 USD

 

 

Celebrity Millennium 14 nts Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong.

 

OV GTY

 

Pricing Summary

 

 

Passenger Fare Options Taxes/Fees Total

#1) $1,199.00 $168.00 $107.72 $1,474.72 USD

#2) $1,199.00 $168.00 $107.72 $1,474.72 USD

 

Subtotal: $2,398.00 $336.00 $215.44 $2,949.44 USD

 

Sure it is a little more expensive per day but it is an OV and you can currently get free drinks AND free grats AND OBC for this. So just over the $100 per day threshold.

 

Aqua GTY is available for $1800pp US on this cruise. Sensational price for an Aqua with all those perks (perks are worth close to $1000pp if you had to pay for them all)

 

 

In the name of research some one should check what prices are available locally for these.

 

Millennium is on the 1st March next year.

[MicCanberra]

There are some great deals out there.:D