Are Future Cruise Consultants Available on Embarkation Day?

[emileg]

The new all-inclusive 3 Perk 123GO promotion ends January 4, 2015. That is the day we board the Solstice in Auckland, New Zealand. We would prefer to book a new cruise on board rather than right now to get extra onboard credit. So, my question is: Can you book a new cruise the day you board a ship?

 

If not, and we had to book on the first full day of the cruise on January 5, it would still be January 4 in the USA due to the International Date Line. Would we still qualify for the promotion?

 

It reminds me of the time we flew from Korea to New York and we arrived before we took off.:);)

 

Thanks,

Edited November 12, 2014 by emileg

[Iamthesea]

Yes, they have been on the cruises that we have been on. ;) I'd go there as soon as you board. If no one is there, ask around for them.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Iamthesea

[emileg]

Yes, they have been on the cruises that we have been on. ;) I'd go there as soon as you board. If no one is there, ask around for them.

Thank you for your advice. I imagine that if the consultants are on the ship, they wouldn't want to turn down business if called.

 

If one books a cruise now, can one cancel and rebook once on the ship to get the added future cruise bonuses?

[dkjretired]

Thank you for your advice. I imagine that if the consultants are on the ship, they wouldn't want to turn down business if called.

 

If one books a cruise now, can one cancel and rebook once on the ship to get the added future cruise bonuses?

 

Hi Emil:

 

Great to see you, hope everyone is well. On my recent Alaska cruise, they were available the first day, I was speaking to one of them. They had I believe three people serving the customers on the Solstice.

[emileg]

Hi Emil:

 

Great to see you, hope everyone is well. On my recent Alaska cruise, they were available the first day, I was speaking to one of them. They had I believe three people serving the customers on the Solstice.

Thanks, Don. Nice to hear from you and I appreciate the feedback. E

[Iamthesea]

Hi Emil:

 

Great to see you, hope everyone is well. On my recent Alaska cruise, they were available the first day, I was speaking to one of them. They had I believe three people serving the customers on the Solstice.

 

I do not have any experience doing so, but have heard it can be done.

 

Perhaps a safer route would be to put a 24 hour hold (some cruises only offer a 12 hour hold) on the cruise and then deal with it onboard instead of calling Celebrity. That way, you don't have a deposit down already, yet if you are not able to book onboard, you can go ahead and make your payment online before the incentive period is over.;)

Edited November 12, 2014 by Iamthesea

[wwcruisers]

On our recent Summit Cruise, we booked on Day One. We had seen literature saying that a promo we wanted was ending that day -- turns out that they extended it through the week of our cruise. But, I was glad that we went to see the FCC (Akim) early. It seemed like every time we passed his desk after that, there was a line of people waiting.

 

If nobody is at the FCC's desk on boarding day, and you don't see a list of posted hours, you can check at Guest Relations to see when the FCC will be on duty.

[phyllisrf]

We are in a similar situation. We board on January 2 and I am wondering celebrity will raise their fares, by then.

 

 

 

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[emileg]

Thank you to everyone for your very helpful advice. I think we will be okay. Right now the prices are so high, I can't imagine them going much higher, though they do include all three perks of the 123GO package.

[s1amblue]

Thank you for your advice. I imagine that if the consultants are on the ship, they wouldn't want to turn down business if called.

 

If one books a cruise now, can one cancel and rebook once on the ship to get the added future cruise bonuses?

 

 

 

We did. But we had to change rooms because we couldn't book the same cabin until the agency released it.... Shouldn't be a problem even with that if you book direct with a Celebrity.....

[sheeng]

Future Cruises usually opens after the lifeboat drill on embarkation day.

 

Sheila.

[chrismakris]

If the cruise you would like to book has multiple sailings of the same itinerary, and your schedule allows it, why not book the sailing before or after right now to get all the perks included. That way if the price stays the same for when you take your current cruise you can book the sailing you want and cancel the other and transfer the deposit to the new booking.

 

If the price goes up then you can keep your original booking at the price you want.

 

 

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[Sloop-JohnB]

I would book now... Lol, and later.

 

Then you will be sure not to miss out on the best deal

 

Snag the deal & the cabin you want now.

 

On the cruise book again if there is a better deal.

 

Recently heard that each person can have up to 3 cabins booked on any one cruise at the same time.

 

Then when you get back home, you can KEEP the Booking Number for the best deal... And if necessary swap it out with the other / better cabin. And then cancel whatever is "leftover"

 

Thing here is to stay organized, and make sure you are very clear with the Celebrity Phone Rep what exactly it is you want to do (ie Booking B. Swap Cabin B for Cabin A. Then Cancel Booking A)

 

It will cost you an extra Deposit (50% if you are a Returning Captain's Club Member) that you will get refunded in the end back to your credit card. But really no big deal, considering under the Cruise Now Onboard OBC Deposit Program, you will get that Deposit back as well (be it in OBC on your current cruise, or the one you are booking... Your choice)

 

Cheers!

Edited November 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[uktog]

 

Recently heard that each person can have up to 3 cabins booked on any one cruise at the same time.

 

Then when you get back home, you can KEEP the Booking Number for the best deal... And if necessary swap it out with the other / better cabin. And then cancel whatever is "leftover"

 

Thing here is to stay organized

Cheers!

 

Whilst your advice may be correct you are encouraging a practice that is hardly fair - well we in the UK would say that, the minute we book a cruise we are committed to it and we lose our deposits if we cancel.

 

Think about it, if lots of people hold off three cabins, cruises will look like they are selling well, revenue management will increase fares then heyho inventory comes available.

 

In the meantime, some guests will have paid a higher price than they needed to, and are perhaps from countries where price drop refunds are not readily available and others may have not even been able to book the cruise of their choice.

 

So the sooner Celebrity deal with this unethical practice the better IMHO - ok flame away it may be a wheeze you will want to continue to advocate and I do not think it was in the OPs mind, but others do not support it one bit

Edited November 13, 2014 by uktog

[harz99]

Whilst your advice may be correct you are encouraging a practice that is hardly fair - well we in the UK would say that, the minute we book a cruise we are committed to it and we lose our deposits if we cancel.

 

Think about it, if lots of people hold off three cabins, cruises will look like they are selling well, revenue management will increase fares then heyho inventory comes available.

 

In the meantime, some guests will have paid a higher price than they needed to, and are perhaps from countries where price drop refunds are not readily available and others may have not even been able to book the cruise of their choice.

 

So the sooner Celebrity deal with this unethical practice the better IMHO - ok flame away it may be a wheeze you will want to continue to advocate and I do not think it was in the OPs mind, but others do not support it one bit

 

You can add me to those who deplore the above advice and practice from Sloop-JohnB!!

 

Fair enough to book one cruise/cabin to lock in the benefits and change it later if your allowed to, but multiple cabins - you're havin' a laugh at the expense of others:(.

Edited November 13, 2014 by harz99

[Sloop-JohnB]

I make no apologies for this... As it is totally above board within Celebrity's current booking parameters

 

Plus, I am not talking about MONTHS here folks...

 

I am talking about a timeframe that runs from the time I book onboard until the time I get back home (week or two) and can make the necessary clean up.

 

Sincerely don't believe that is going to inconvenience anyone else, or drive up the cost of cabins substantially.

 

As it does not amount to much more than other Cruisers putting a cabin on hold... They do it for 24 Hours for free... I do it for a week or two for several hundred dollars. In the end we both have to make a decision... Keep it or, let it go back into the Vacancy List.

 

I get that it is something those in the UK cannot do by booking thru the UK Website or TA... But believe it is something they too can do if they use a US TA

 

When it comes to booking cruises, I have learned c/o Cruise Critic that "local" is not necessarily the best deal

 

And I do believe that knowledge is power (as in an Educated Consumer... Is a better Consumer) which is exactly why I read / utilize the info I get here from CC

 

Same reason I believe the majority of CC Members exist

 

Cheers!

Edited November 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[uktog]

OK, there is education and there is ethics. There is also knowledge sharing and there is advocacy. We are not going to agree on this one but revenue management can take effect in days even hours.

 

As a relative newcomer to Celebrity you are as free to share your views as anyone no one is denying you that however do not share your view that this behaviour would not impact prices.

[Sloop-JohnB]

OK, there is education and there is ethics. There is also knowledge sharing and there is advocacy. We are not going to agree on this one but revenue management can take effect in days even hours.

 

As a relative newcomer to Celebrity you are as free to share your views as anyone no one is denying you that however do not share your view that this behaviour would not impact prices.

 

Yes we will have to agree to disagree.

 

I am very much about ethics too...

 

I don't believe doing something that is totally legit like this is unethical in any way.

 

If Celebrity's dang IT Functions / Future Cruises Ops actually worked properly, then none of this would be necessary. One could fix their booking onboard (Hold Cabin A - Book using Deal B & Cabin A - and Cancel out any leftovers)

 

But as that is not the case... One must do a work around.

 

Sure i do it for my own gain, but i do it without any mal intent towards any one else (unethical actions is when someone does something intending to hurt others in the process... That was / is never my motivation / intent)

 

Cheers!

Edited November 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[emileg]

I never thought my initial question would bring about controversy. In any case, I will be booking either now through my travel agent or once I get on board. I suppose I could make a reservation through my travel agent, make a second reservation on board and immediately cancel the first one. This way I would not be tying up two cabins for more than a few minutes. Please note that the cruise we are looking at is a year and half out. Again, I appreciate all the suggestions from my fellow Cruise Critics.

Edited November 13, 2014 by emileg