Last time I book early with Celebrity

[mickey89]

Some will say that booking early you get choice, but at what price!

My cruise 3 weeks after final payment has dropped by $1000 and I feel pig-sick.

Is there anything one can do ?

[helpthejuggler]

Some will say that booking early you get choice, but at what price!

My cruise 3 weeks after final payment has dropped by $1000 and I feel pig-sick.

Is there anything one can do ?

 

Nothing to do,

 

Booking early does give you wider choice as you concede.

On popular cruises which sell out, book early or don't go - your choice.

 

Less popular cruises may have empty rooms to sell near sailing. So prices drop to stimulate demand. This often happens after final payment to protect revenue, but the ship has a higher risk of sailing with empty rooms.

 

You must judge the type of cruise you are considering and book when your criteria are met on price and availability to trade off the chance it could sell out.

 

It is a game of chance between you looking for a good price and X hoping to maximise income. Not a level playing field as X have more data than you do.

Edited October 7, 2014 by helpthejuggler

[greydog]

Some will say that booking early you get choice, but at what price!

My cruise 3 weeks after final payment has dropped by $1000 and I feel pig-sick.

Is there anything one can do ?

 

If you will consider higher categories (and guaranty assignment status), and if those higher cat prices have been lowered too but still higher than what you have already paid, you usually can 'buy up' paying $ difference. Watch if the 'buy up' affects your current perks in your decision. See if you can make a silk purse from pig's ear. Good Luck

[Cruise Raider]

MY DH always says, don't even check the prices once final payment has been made. He is right....no sense in making yourself sick about it. If you were happy enough with the price and choice made when paying that final payment, then you won't be disappointed as long as you don't check on pricing. Ignorance is bliss. ;)

[hulamoon]

Immediately check for upgrade options and decide if you are willing to forgo any obc or perks to get them. Call immediately, if you are, as everyone else is.

[cruisestitch]

If the price went up, would you wonder if there was anything you could do?

 

Were you happy with the price you paid at the time of booking?

 

What happened after Final Payment really isn't surprising. Cruise ships have to fill the rooms.

[wallie5446]

Some will say that booking early you get choice, but at what price!

My cruise 3 weeks after final payment has dropped by $1000 and I feel pig-sick.

Is there anything one can do ?

 

Wow! That is a lot! What date, route and ship is this on? Price drops like this are a sign that it is selling really poor, and not many care for the route. Please let us know so we too can avoid it in future considerations.

[NLH Arizona]

That is the risk of booking early (something I do as well). One can book after final payment is due, but runs the risk of (1) the cruise being much higher priced, which also happens, or (2) the cabin type or placement not being available. It is a crap shoot, but I would rather get the cabin type I want, where I want it, at a price I'm willing to pay and not worry if the price has gone down after my final payment.

[terigo]

Look to buy up. We were on a transatlantic that went down in price by quite a bit. We had booked a veranda cabin. When the prices dropped after final, the price of a suite guarantee was only $210.00 more per person (2 week cruise) and we were permitted to go for the higher priced higher category. We were immediately assigned a sky suite, and 2 days after that, upgraded to a celebrity suite. What a deal!

We are hoping something like that happens again for us on the transatlantic we currently have booked for next year.

Teri

[CruisingChick]

My last cruise dropped $300 per person 2 weeks after I booked it. It was after final payment and there is absolutely nothing you can do.

 

Then 3 days - yes 3 days - before sailing they dropped another $100 per person and guaranteed verandas were selling for what I paid for a guaranteed inside. But 3 days before sailing is to late for us to book as we still both work and need to put in for the time off.

 

The kicker is they were showing for weeks that this cruise was SOLD OUT. So how cabins became available 3 days before sailing is beyond me.

 

At one time Celebrity would give you an OBC or even refund your money, but they stopped doing that about 4 years ago.

 

If you don't need to fly and don't care about what type of cabin you are in and where it is located than you might be better off waiting until right before the cruise to book.

[cynbar]

Try to think of it like everything else that goes on sale at some point ---- dresses, cars, furniture, and so on. If you are willing to wait for that sale, you may get a great deal, or you may get nothing if your size or choice is gone. Stores discount what is left to get rid of unsold merchandise, and you can't go back to ask for a refund on the item you bought last month that was just the right size and color. Cruise ships have sales all the time after final payment, but they couldn't refund everyone the excess or they wouldn't make any money. Only way round this is to wait until after final payment to book --- some posters have written about booking airfare that would work for a couple of cruises, and then waiting to find a deal. Or, as mentioned above, it is sometimes possible to bump up to a higher category for very little more cost, but you may lose any perks you have.

[rockdoctor]

Immediately check for upgrade options and decide if you are willing to forgo any obc or perks to get them. Call immediately, if you are, as everyone else is.

 

My experience with Celebrity has been that if I spend more money, I can keep the perks. Of course this can be bad news since, as many others have said, once you cruise in a suite it's hard to go back to a balcony.

 

The flip side is that suites on the cruises I'm watching went up over 1000$ yesterday to compensate for the free companion air fare.

 

I have a friend who helped write the original yield management code they use to calculate fares. Google it, it's a fascinating methodology.

 

Have a great cruise!

[CruisingChick]

Or, as mentioned above, it is sometimes possible to bump up to a higher category for very little more cost, but you may lose any perks you have.

 

Unfortunately we were not. When they dropped the bottom out our the prices on our last cruise they had that little caveat "for new bookings only." Which really kind of got me mad.

 

You wait 3 days before a cruise, drop prices and give them to new bookings. You had my money already, why not upgrade me and give the new bookings the lower cabins?:mad:

[jkgourmet]

Wow! That is a lot! What date, route and ship is this on? Price drops like this are a sign that it is selling really poor, and not many care for the route. Please let us know so we too can avoid it in future considerations.

 

I'd like to know which ship, route and date so that I can WATCH it in the future. I'm all about the bargains and only book early when there is a good enough perk to entice ne (like 16 dats with classic alcohol on an already well priced repositioning cruise).

[Flafun888]

CruisingChick: if you don't mind me asking, what was the sailing length and time of year for this cruise you mention?

[CruisingChick]

CruisingChick: if you don't mind me asking, what was the sailing length and time of year for this cruise you mention?

 

It was Summit New England/Canada September 21 - October 5th.

 

Prices for Inside Guaranteed Cabins were holding around $1,399 - that's where we booked about 7 weeks before sailing. Exactly 2 weeks after that they dropped to $1,099 but only for 2 days, went back up, went back down, went back up, showed sold out, went back on, etc. I was getting a headache trying to follow it.

 

The Thursday evening before we left (we left Sunday morning), prices for insides, outsides and verandas all dropped. Now how many people can book a 2 week cruise that close to sailing?

 

I called my TA and she tried to upgrade us. We weren't asking for money back. They said no, this was for new bookings only. She said she saw availability and to ask when we boarded. We asked twice (pier agent and guest services). They said they were sailing full.

 

You figure it out because I can't.

Edited October 7, 2014 by CruisingChick

[Can'tstopcruising]

I notice that the last minute deals are often guarantees rather than specific cabins. If you are fine with that, it may be a good idea to book the last minute, especially if you do not have to worry about airfare.

[jkgourmet]

It was Summit New England/Canada September 21 - October 5th.

 

Prices for Inside Guaranteed Cabins were holding around $1,399 - that's where we booked about 7 weeks before sailing. Exactly 2 weeks after that they dropped to $1,099 but only for 2 days, went back up, went back down, went back up, showed sold out, went back on, etc. I was getting a headache trying to follow it.

 

The Thursday evening before we left (we left Sunday morning), prices for insides, outsides and verandas all dropped. Now how many people can book a 2 week cruise that close to sailing?

 

PLENTY - especially on a cruise like this. Departure port that's easily accessible by car for all those retired people. And not many would want an inside cabin for what is primarily a scenery cruise.

 

I called my TA and she tried to upgrade us. We weren't asking for money back. They said no, this was for new bookings only. She said she saw availability and to ask when we boarded. We asked twice (pier agent and guest services). They said they were sailing full.

 

You figure it out because I can't.

 

Celebrity is in business to make a profit for their stockholders. THAT is their single goal. Enticing NEW customers pays off bigger than keeping loyal customers happy. NEW customers spend more on the ship than loyal customers. Like it or not, the cruise industry is an anomaly to standard business practice. When you take all monies apent, The cost of getting new customers is not higher than keeping current customers.

 

I think Celebrity has simply figured that out quicker than sone other cruise lines. PS - I don't like it either.

Edited October 7, 2014 by jkgourmet

[RickT]

I hate to ask buy "Why is this a surprise to anyone?"

 

When we book we know the rules (regardless of which country you are in). If you don't know the rules you have no one to blame but yourself.

 

Cruise prices fluctuate and that's the world we live in. I've booked early and gotten a great deal, I've also waited until after final payment and got a good deal. Regardless of what happened to the price after I booked I got a cabin/price that I was happy with at the time of booking and that didn't change because of a price drop at a later date, it wouldn't have changed my decision to book the cruise at the price I booked because you cannot predict that cruise prices will drop.

 

People also need to keep in mind that often (but not always) the large price drops are guarantee rates, do not include any perks (1,2,3/etc) and are often within 6 weeks of sailing.

 

This is no different than an airline launching a seat sale after you purchased your non-refundable tickets, a car manufacturer introducing big incentives after your purchased your new vehicle.

Edited October 7, 2014 by RickT

[caladezi]

It was Summit New England/Canada September 21 - October 5th

 

 

I called my TA and she tried to upgrade us. We weren't asking for money back. They said no, this was for new bookings only. She said she saw availability and to ask when we boarded. We asked twice (pier agent and guest services). They said they were sailing full.

 

You figure it out because I can't.

 

Many cruise lines offer these rooms to employees families or to hotel and hospitality workers. These are last minute deals for those people and are at rock bottom prices that we will never ever get. It helps the cruise line with public relations and gets the hospitality people experience the joys of cruising.

[CruisingChick]

Enticing NEW customers pays off bigger than keeping loyal customers happy. NEW customers spend more on the ship than loyal customers. Like it or not, the cruise industry is an anomaly to standard business practice. When you take all monies apent, The cost of getting new customers is not higher than keeping current customers.

 

I think Celebrity has simply figured that out quicker than some other cruise lines. PS - I don't like it either.

 

Yes I see your point and agree with your theory, but just because it's for "NEW BOOKINGS" doesn't mean they are NEW CUSTOMERS. There were over 1,400 Captain's Club Members out of 2,100 passengers with over 500 Elite, Elite+s on board. Not many new customers at all. Mostly all repeats.

 

Plus why show SOLD OUT on all categories for weeks, only to have availability at the very last minute? :confused:

Edited October 7, 2014 by CruisingChick

[WestLakeGirl]

If you were happy with the price and room choice when you booked then what makes you feel so bad? You are going on a cruise, someone else may have gotten a different price, but that's no difference than any holiday, or any plane trip for that matter, where the person in the seat next to you may have paid much less (or much more!) than you

[deise17311]

We booked early on our upcoming 2 week cruise and booked and S1 Sky suite...at one point they doubled in price to the tune of $6,000 more than we paid...for us it paid to book early!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Tiggertastic]

Some will say that booking early you get choice, but at what price!

My cruise 3 weeks after final payment has dropped by $1000 and I feel pig-sick.

Is there anything one can do ?

 

This has happened to us twice but luckily before final payment so Celebrity UK honoured the change. It meant moving cabins or giving up any perks but we found the difference in price paid for those perks and still gave us change

 

Always worth ringing celebrity to see if they can offer anything

[cruising_Bif]

Ours also went down after final booking, and we felt sheep-sick. But then we realized that obviously the price and perks were right for us at the time of booking, otherwise we wouldn't have purchased the trip. Do yourself a favor and never look at pricing once you have paid (unless you are hunting for a specific upgrade). Why concern yourself with what others are paying? Like other posters have said, things go on sale all the time to ensure inventory is cleared out. Cruises are no different.