Equinox 2/20/2017

[mrshersh]

HI All,

Does any one know why a cruise in 2017 is sold out other than inside cabins already? Seems funny that all cabins except for insides and suites are available... If anyone has any insight to this I would love to hear it as I'm baffled...:

[mrshersh]

Just got off the phone with a Celebrity agent and asked about availability and it is true they have one suite left for 12,000.00 after taxes and fees. But the inside room is priced out at 2402.00 with taxes and fees WITHOUT any perks. Really Celebrity?

[purpletequila]

Could be a/various large group booking(s).

Could just be super popular because it's a special combo cruise that hits the Caribbean and gives you 3 nights at Mardis Gras.

[wallie5446]

Call a Travel Co, see if there have any inventory remaining. oH that cruise! It sold out like a Rolling Stone concert!

Edited September 30, 2015 by wallie5446

[gimletgal]

That cruise is very, very popular. The day it opened for bookings it had a huge response - mainly because of the overnights in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Prices have continued to rise. Those who jumped in early on got a decent price. Those "late to the party", not so much!

 

And yes, there is 1 Royal Suite available and 45 insides. (Cat. 09, 10, & 11)

[cmalagngl]

We are booked on this cruise and luckily got the early rates with perks. There is no large group on this cruise other than the huge cruise critic group. The reason for the almost sold out so early is New Orleans. Everybody is excited to be able to go to NO for Mardi Gras and be able to go back to the ship every night. It will be interesting to see if Celebrity does this again in 2018 based on the response they got on this one. No doubt it will be sold out before we leave.

[CruisingAmazona]

We are booked on this cruise and luckily got the early rates with perks. There is no large group on this cruise other than the huge cruise critic group. The reason for the almost sold out so early is New Orleans. Everybody is excited to be able to go to NO for Mardi Gras and be able to go back to the ship every night. It will be interesting to see if Celebrity does this again in 2018 based on the response they got on this one. No doubt it will be sold out before we leave.

 

Agreed. We are booked on it as well! We booked early and also with all the perks. It's an amazing opportunity to spend 3 days in Mardi Gras without having to pay the high hotel prices, meals, crowds. Looking forward to it.

[wallie5446]

Ya'll that booked, we would have loved to be there with ya!

[pattibacon]

I booked early too and know 19 people going - not a group, just word of mouth to cruise friends. It's gonna be a blast, and the roll call is huge.

[Cruise Raider]

We booked it last month and no perks for us .... really expensive cruise for an inside cabin but it is Mardi Gras...yay!!

Does anyone know if they are doing something special onboard (also asked this on the roll call)? Also, does anyone know where we dock relative to Canal Street? It has been years since I have been in NOLA but in looking at pictures, it appears the ships dock near the Riverwalk....is this right??

 

Well, very excited and have a long time to research and save up for this cruise.

[jayzee99]

HI All,

Does any one know why a cruise in 2017 is sold out other than inside cabins already? Seems funny that all cabins except for insides and suites are available... If anyone has any insight to this I would love to hear it as I'm baffled...:

 

We booked this cruise through Celebrity in December 2014 as soon as it was announced. It wasn't opened for booking by travel agents until mid December and by then, I heard it was 75% sold. We booked a Concierge Class Balcony in Dec, 2014 for $2100 per person. I understand that now when available, it is going for $4500. Sure glad we booked early. I think this cruise can be cancelled sometime in December 2015 without penalty. There will probably be many cancellations then opening up all classes of cabins - NOT AT THE 2014 PRICES.

All of the cruise lines are playing games with their pricing by "giving" free beverages, gratuities, internet and 3rd or 4th person discounts. The pricing is MUCH HIGHER to compensate for these "FREE" things. I guess they think us passengers are stupid but is they don't stop this practice, their bookings will go way down.

 

Steve

[jayzee99]

Here is the main page for the Mardi Gras Cruise:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=48357187&posted=1#post48357187

[BILL-WI]

There are some balcony cabins that have opened recently, but they are not cheap!:eek::eek:

 

BILL

[Cruise Raider]

There are some balcony cabins that have opened recently, but they are not cheap!:eek::eek:

 

BILL

 

I saw those and wondered what happened....looks like they opened up earlier this month. You are so very correct ...they are not cheap! Way too rich for my blood....we'll be sailing in an inside cabin which was rather expensive even if it was a balcony cabin. I will be hanging out in the solarium a lot, for sure!

[Cruise Raider]

Just checking back on this thread to report that there have been quite a few cancellations and some TA's have offered really good pricing ... with perks, no less.

We were able to upgrade from our inside cabin to a balcony and get quite a few free perks..... all for a lesser price tag. Not sure if it is cheaper than when it was first released but talked to some friends of ours that said they booked when it first came out and think we got better pricing than they did ... so keep your eyes peeled. As December approaches, I think pax are going to be able to do even better.

 

Really looking forward to this cruise and think we've got all of our plans in place. :)

[ClaudiaB]

Agreed. We are booked on it as well! We booked early and also with all the perks. It's an amazing opportunity to spend 3 days in Mardi Gras without having to pay the high hotel prices, meals, crowds. Looking forward to it.

 

I live an hour from New Orleans. There WILL be crowds. I don't know if you are expecting differently because you're on a ship, but there will be huge crowds from the ship to anywhere in the French Quarter. Well maybe they have protection right at the ship, but once you're out in the city....well.....It will be quite a welcome relief to come back on the ship at the end of the day, if you want to relax. I imagine some will just stay out all night. With the rest of the world out there. We used to do that when we were young ha ha. For first-timers to Mardi Gras it will be eye-opening and in some ways exhilarating but also somewhat depressing. You'll know what I mean afterwards.

 

You're right, the prices are crazy during Carnival and you would have to book a year or two at least in advance. Getting into restaurants without a reservation will be hard - in our most recent years we only went when we were with a group who had a suite of rooms and a bathroom and food. Hopefully some on the Roll Call have reservations made. Some hotels won't even let you in the lobby if you aren't a guest there. They don't want a bunch of drunks running around inside too!

 

Be careful, particularly on the streets closest to Canal Street (the big boulevard where parades run). Bourbon is impossible to walk down - you will be smashed shoulder to shoulder. It's crazy. Royal one street over is a little better. You'll figure it out, but just be careful. Be prepared for nudity and people making very poor choices. :eek::eek:

 

I guess this is somewhat negative but when I read "...without crowds..." I had to post. You'll have a great time and come back with some stories, for sure. I'll be up in Baton Rouge here during Carnival, waiting to get on Eclipse as soon as she returns to Miami.

[UpcountryTravelers]

We booked this cruise in January 2013! VERY popular cruise. Looking forward to Mardi Gras again, but in a very different way!