Book & Go Packages from Canada

[barb-ottawa]

Just priced out the Book & Go package from Ottawa for March 2016, which we did this year for less than $3000. The same package for an inside cabin for the same time on the same ship is $5006! I expected an increase with the drop in the Canadian dollar, but this is way beyond ridiculous.:eek:

[bunnyrab]

I am finding prices too high on all cruises we are interested in. Celebrity seems to be adding on minimum of 25% extra to there cruises. Was looking at a roll call for one of them & there was only one couple from Canada listed. That says loads. If prices don't come down will just stay in Canada. Gas prices are down this year as well. Taking a Hot Springs tour this fall in B.C.

Am also thinking of a land vacation in Cuba before it gets more busy. I was there once for 2 weeks with my husband & we loved it but my son who I now travel with hasn't been.

[Mo from Canada]

We called Celebrity 800 number from Ontario and they seemed to give us a good price in Dec

[HappyCruiserWoody]

Just priced out the Book & Go package from Ottawa for March 2016, which we did this year for less than $3000. The same package for an inside cabin for the same time on the same ship is $5006! I expected an increase with the drop in the Canadian dollar, but this is way beyond ridiculous.:eek:

 

 

Wow. Our price from London went up a bit (as we expected) but we also booked an upgrade in cabin location. Looking forward to our sailing next March.

[cormike1]

We get the Ottawa paper and saw that ad which includes air also. We like to go for 2 weeks so I really didn't pay much attention to the price....$5000 is a bit much I think. We have 2 cruises booked in 2017....a B2B beginning with a Mardi Gras cruise. I booked it directly with Celebrity as I could book and pay in CDN. Their exchange rate was lower than the bank at the time I booked so got a good price. I paid for insurance and gratuities so I really did get a deal with the lower exchange rate. I have done the same for the other cruises we are taking with other cruise lines....called directly and paying in CDN. I hope our dollar gets better but don't have high hopes for that!

 

Corinne & Mike

[BrendaJ]

We booked from London for February. We too were surprised at the prices, but I guess the high exchange rate explains most of it. The convenience of flying from London is just too great not to take advantage of. Booking the components separately and flying with connecting flights from London, we would really not save any money. When we book everything ourselves, we always feel the need to fly to the port the night before; I assume with these charters, they would hold the ship for a while if our flight was a bit delayed, which is good for our peace of mind.

[canusa1]

We booked from London for February. We too were surprised at the prices, but I guess the high exchange rate explains most of it. The convenience of flying from London is just too great not to take advantage of. Booking the components separately and flying with connecting flights from London, we would really not save any money. When we book everything ourselves, we always feel the need to fly to the port the night before; I assume with these charters, they would hold the ship for a while if our flight was a bit delayed, which is good for our peace of mind.

 

 

We went on a cruise with Celebrity in February from Hamilton. The weather was white out conditions. They held us at the airport for 3 hours before takeoff. The Celebrity rep was there and assured us that we would get to the ship.

We finally took off and arrived in Miami. They bused us to Fort Lauderdale.

We arrived late but they held the ship for us. When we got to the cruise port it was empty with only the Celebrity staff at the door to meet us. They asked what stateroom we in handed us our sea passes and hurried us aboard. With that we went directly to the muster drill and when that was over we had already set sail.

We have done this package in 2014 and again this year in February. Love both experiences. But when we were on the cruise in February we book another one for this April. I told the agent that we wanted the same package out of Hamilton. He said that the packages were not available but when they were Celebrity would change them over as the price would be different with the air and transfers.

When our travel agent called to confirm that she received the booking she said that we received the drink package and the pre paid gratuities plus 150.00 for booking on board plus another 300.00 shipboard credit as we had booked in Aqua which we had on the other 2 cruises out if Hamilton.

Now I know that we would not be able to keep the extra 300.00 shipboard credit and take the package I was willing to give that up just to fly out of Hamilton as we are around 10 min from the air port.

That was until our travel agent called with the price to go out of Hamilton with the package. It was more than 2000.00 more than what we had booked while on the cruise. Same cruise same stateroom same perks but no 300.00 extra shipboard credit.

I know that our dollar has gone down but when our dollar was 112.00 the price was not cheaper for our cruise they booked it at par. When I asked why we did not get it at a better rate and they said that they come to the price 6 months before the cruise.

At the rate that we got the cruise for in February we can fly to Florida stay 2 day pre cruise.

After saying all of this if the price was not such a difference we would fly out of Hamilton in a minute. But to get it at a rate that would be the same we would have to go to a balcony stateroom and give up the extra 300.00 on board credit,

You are going to have a wonderful time on your cruise as we gave had on all our Celebrity cruises.

[claudart]

Hi everyone, my first post on the board...We did our first ever cruise last february on the Reflection, with the Book&Go package from Quebec City and we loved it so much that we booked again for next year. The same package will be on the Silhouette. For some reason the flight is to West Palm Beach with transfer to Fort Lauderdale. We really look forward to our cruise. The price increased by a thousand dollars! Last year we paid 4498$ for a veranda, this year it's 5478$ for the same veranda! A lot of money, but we think it's worth it!

[newfiegirl4]

Our first time on X Eclipse.

We to are Canadian and we used a TA that could book in CA dollars. We got a group rate for an OV for a 14 nighter, which includes the Classic drink pkg for just over $4000. If booking directly with cruise line is was over $5800!!

We also got a little OB credit! :D

[Barwick Cruiser]

Our first time on X Eclipse.

We to are Canadian and we used a TA that could book in CA dollars. We got a group rate for an OV for a 14 nighter, which includes the Classic drink pkg for just over $4000. If booking directly with cruise line is was over $5800!!

We also got a little OB credit! :D

 

Is that a package out of Canada? Including flights? If so, that's a great price for 14 nights in Feb...the packages include grats too right?

Cathy

[canusa1]

Our first time on X Eclipse.

 

We to are Canadian and we used a TA that could book in CA dollars. We got a group rate for an OV for a 14 nighter, which includes the Classic drink pkg for just over $4000. If booking directly with cruise line is was over $5800!!

 

We also got a little OB credit! :D

 

 

You have a very good deal for a 14 night cruise. Have a great time.

[newfiegirl4]

Is that a package out of Canada? Including flights? If so, that's a great price for 14 nights in Feb...the packages include grats too right?

Cathy

 

No flights and no Grats! I think Grats are only $135 pp. approx. We are flying using airmiles so that's a good thing!

Still a good price I think ;)

[newfiegirl4]

You have a very good deal for a 14 night cruise. Have a great time.

 

I think so too. ;)

 

Also cruise is in March

[cocacola86]

Are they going to offer it in 2017, were on RC in Oct 2016 can you book this package onboard?

[canusa1]

Are they going to offer it in 2017, were on RC in Oct 2016 can you book this package onboard?

 

 

We tried to book our cruise for 2016 when we were on a cruise in February this year. We could book one but they did not have the prices set for 2016 at that time. They start advertising around June each year for the package. We have gone on the package twice now from Hamilton and were more than pleased with it.

When we booked in February the price they gave us was a lot less than the advertised price for the package. But one must realize that the price did not include air fair and transfers. But we received $150 shipboard credit plus drink package and pre paid gratuities with it. They also gave us another $300 shipboard credit. When we add the air onto our price of the cruise it is still less that the package.

We have not ruled out taking the package but we would not be able to keep the extra 300 shipboard credit. Plus it would cost us more.

The problem is it is just so much easier just go fly out if Hamilton. If you do it I am sure you will be very please with the package.

[cocacola86]

Hamilton is the closest to us, we live in hagersville

[canusa1]

Hamilton is the closest to us, we live in hagersville

 

 

Hamilton would be good for you. The airline Canadian North is very good. They give you breakfast going to Florida and dinner coming back. Plus drinks both way if you want them. The service is excellent. They have buses in Florida to take you to the ship all worry free. It's a fantastic way to start and end a cruise.

[cocacola86]

Used to work at the airport and would see them come in all the time. We're looking at 2017, I'm not sure if they will operate than but what months do they operate this package?

[claudart]

I agree we had excellent service from Canadian North, very friendly people. The good thing about this promotion is that everything is taken care of, from your local airport to the ship, no need to book flight a day before, hotel for the night, meals, transfers, etc. Direct flights from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale are very expensive with Air Transat, flights with transfers can be a little less expensive but can take 8-9 hours.

[cocacola86]

Can you book IS or OV with this package? We're flying to PR and it can get expensive. I can't remember if the intenarys were on here, on Adventure we're going to the ABC, Antigua and St Maarten so all the Dutch islands, last year we went out of SJ again this time on Carnival to St Thomas, St Maarten, Barbados, St kitts, St Lucia. So would be nice to visit different ports. Do you still earn points for this sailing. Our second cruise with Carnival for an OV was 509 pp US, plus 960 airfare to FLL, plus internet time, drinks, transfers and the nice thing about X book and go is its all taken care of.

[juanita1767]

We did our first Celebrity out of Halifax with the all inclusive and wanted to book again for this year but when the packages came out I figured it out and I can book it all separate and save $1000. Did you know that with the all inclusive package this year you are flying in the day before and they are putting you up in a hotel, that is the reason they are saying the price increased.

[cocacola86]

We're looking at 2017, to save up from San Juan in 2016. I prefer to fly in the day before

[canusa1]

We did our first Celebrity out of Halifax with the all inclusive and wanted to book again for this year but when the packages came out I figured it out and I can book it all separate and save $1000. Did you know that with the all inclusive package this year you are flying in the day before and they are putting you up in a hotel, that is the reason they are saying the price increased.

 

 

They are only offering that on the East coast. Here in Ontario you fly out the same day as the cruise. If we take the package from Hamilton it will cost 2000 more as we are booked in Aqua same as the last time. If we had booked the package it would have been less than 1000 then what we paid this year.But since we booked it without the package it is 2000 less plus airfare for next April Flights out if TO now to Florida are 1400 the others out of Buffalo have not posted the cost for April.

[canusa1]

We're looking at 2017, to save up from San Juan in 2016. I prefer to fly in the day before

 

 

We usually fly in 2 days before to be able to spend more time in Florida. Once you are there you can just relax and shop and eat at your favourite places. This year the hotel rates are much higher with the exchange rate being what it is plus the bank rate to exchange into US dollars. I liked it better when it was at parr. Lol

[cocacola86]

Can you use your drink packages on their private islands