2017 onboard bookings

[iandjm]

Hi. I'm on eclipse at present having a wonderful time. All is great. I asked about booking 2017 on eclipse and the offers are not good at present. No low discount and nothing extra free on the new booking, just up to $250 onboard credit. I'm assume the free drinks package will return in the future? Such a shame tough as I always try to book onboard to get the free classic drinks package.

[Andy]

Hi. I'm on eclipse at present having a wonderful time. All is great. I asked about booking 2017 on eclipse and the offers are not good at present. No low discount and nothing extra free on the new booking, just up to $250 onboard credit. I'm assume the free drinks package will return in the future? Such a shame tough as I always try to book onboard to get the free classic drinks package.

 

Thank you for the onboard report. We've had others mentioning similar observations. That I recall, this is the first time in years, that Celebrity has not offered some sort of early booking bonus. They must be pretty confident that initial demand will be strong. If not ? Don't worry, promotions may come along soon.

 

Is the current OBC combinable with one other offer ? If so, you might wish to consider booking anyway, and see if you can combine when another promo comes along. Sure, it's somewhat complicated and time consuming, but I hope it all works out in your favor !

 

Have a wonderful cruise !

[iandjm]

Hi Andy. The onboard offer for 2017 is not combinable with anything at present. In fact prices are up £400pp on an identical 2016 booking!

The 2016 offer is still as it's always been though. It's a bit of a shame that Celebrity are not gaining valuable early bookings with a decent incentive at this stage but as you say offers will come along. I just hope they do before Cunard fares are released or I may be tempted.

[gimletgal]

As far as I am concerned on board bookings on Celebrity are now nothing but a joke. When they made you take the OBC on your current cruise, they lost many a future booking customer. There is no incentive other than a $100 deposit. I took 3 Celebrity cruises this year and not once did I make a future booking - for the first time ever. Pricing and incentives are worth $0 to me under the current system.

[Jade13]

As far as I am concerned on board bookings on Celebrity are now nothing but a joke. When they made you take the OBC on your current cruise, they lost many a future booking customer. There is no incentive other than a $100 deposit. I took 3 Celebrity cruises this year and not once did I make a future booking - for the first time ever. Pricing and incentives are worth $0 to me under the current system.

 

 

They do not make you take the OBC on the current cruise. They give you the option. If you take it on the current cruise it makes the deposit non refundable. I do not know why anyone would take that option. The bookings we made on board. (North America) are 10O% refundable and the bonus for booking onboard is the OBC on the future cruise. One has $2OO OBC and another $250 OBC. We also have drinks packages (could have taken more OBC), but as we know you can get that without booking onboard. The bonus is the low deposit and OBC.

[elapel01]

They do not make you take the OBC on the current cruise. They give you the option. If you take it on the current cruise it makes the deposit non refundable. I do not know why anyone would take that option. The bookings we made on board. (North America) are 10O% refundable and the bonus for booking onboard is the OBC on the future cruise. One has $2OO OBC and another $250 OBC. We also have drinks packages (could have taken more OBC), but as we know you can get that without booking onboard. The bonus is the low deposit and OBC.

 

Can I ask which category of cabin did you book on these future cruises?

[iandjm]

There's not even a low deposit available on 2017 onboard bookings.

[ChucktownSteve]

Hi. I'm on eclipse at present having a wonderful time. All is great. I asked about booking 2017 on eclipse and the offers are not good at present. No low discount and nothing extra free on the new booking, just up to $250 onboard credit. I'm assume the free drinks package will return in the future? Such a shame tough as I always try to book onboard to get the free classic drinks package.

 

We were on the Summit in September when I tried to book a 2016 future cruise. They only offered me the up to $250 obc also with high pricing. When I pointed out their web site, which I accessed from the ship, had a bonus $100 obc they said "we don't honor the internet promotions."

 

Needless to say I didn't book another Celebrity cruise but did book a 2017 Azamara one when I returned home because they had a promotion going and X hadn't released their 2017 European itineraries yet. I still have a summer 2016 hole but will probably wait until after final payment to see if something excites me value wise.

Edited December 11, 2015 by ChucktownSteve

[prim8keeper]

There's not even a low deposit available on 2017 onboard bookings.

 

We were able to book a Fjords cruise on Eclipse for 2017 with a $200 deposit on board Reflection. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that you are from the UK? I also wouldn't be surprised if the rep didn't know how it all worked, I seemed to know more about all of it than the rep helping us. He gave us the price in pounds first. :eek:

[jagoffee]

Hi. I'm on eclipse at present having a wonderful time. All is great. I asked about booking 2017 on eclipse and the offers are not good at present. No low discount and nothing extra free on the new booking, just up to $250 onboard credit. I'm assume the free drinks package will return in the future? Such a shame tough as I always try to book onboard to get the free classic drinks package.

 

 

Sounds like an Open Passage. Are you referencing the 2017 cruises that have already been released? Are you asking about suites? Otherwise the full deposit for an on board booking makes no sense. Misunderstanding?

 

Last month on a TA they offered free gratuities as well as the OBC for an on board booking for the yet to be released 2017 fall TA that had to be converted into a specific booking by the end of the month.

[Jade13]

Can I ask which category of cabin did you book on these future cruises?

 

AQU

 

What category are you looking at?

[Jade13]

There's not even a low deposit available on 2017 onboard bookings.

 

That must be a change made in the past few weeks?? Either that or the difference between North America and the UK?

[AlbertaCruisers]

Yeah, I'm wondering if it is a UK issue. We were on the Summit this past November and I booked 3 weeks for 2017. For the bookings: $100 per person deposit for each cruise book, the choice of the Big Better Best package, the same price as was currently showing on the Celebrity website (CDN funds, so the big US travel agents don't help me any more with our terrible exchange rate), and the extra OBC for booking onboard (which they gave me the choice of either taking on the current cruise or moving it forward onto the future cruise - I picked the future cruise for all).

[hobbsie65]

Hi. I'm on eclipse at present having a wonderful time. All is great. I asked about booking 2017 on eclipse and the offers are not good at present. No low discount and nothing extra free on the new booking, just up to $250 onboard credit. I'm assume the free drinks package will return in the future? Such a shame tough as I always try to book onboard to get the free classic drinks package.

 

Greeting to my neighbour on the beautiful IOW :) We just came back from a wonderful cruise in Australia on the Solstice & booked another cruise in Jan 2017 for Asia. We booked an outside cabin & got $175 onboard credit plus the drinks package. It was only $75 deposit each & I transferred to my travel agent who gave me another discount. This was only a few weeks ago.

Edited December 11, 2015 by hobbsie65

[elapel01]

AQU

 

What category are you looking at?

 

I usually book 1B balcony so I wouldn't expect to get as much obc as someone booking Aqua. Close though! If you got obc for 2 2017 cruises I wonder why people are saying they're not getting anything extra. I think I will question what they offer now or won't book if no extra offered.

 

Thanks.

[gimletgal]

They do not make you take the OBC on the current cruise. They give you the option.

 

Well, it seems to depend on the Future Cruise agent you talk to. I was definitively told that the OBC attached to the booking on board would need to be applied to the current cruise. When I disagreed with that (knowing better from past experience and from what the Celebrity Cruises official had confirmed here previously when questioned) I was told "that is the policy"! The agent was actually quite put off that I would even question him. Needless to say, I did not book a future cruise.

 

And, not to mention the flyer one receives once on board the ship stating:

 

"Receive up to $500 Instant Onboard Credit to spend - when you book your next cruise vacation onboard!"

 

If, in fact, some agents will currently allow you to apply the OBC to the future cruise, those who are not aware of that possibility would never think to ask. And I am sure it would not automatically be offered as an option.

 

It is just unfortunate that like everything else Celebrity, nothing is consistent anymore.

 

I say "kudos" to those who have had good agents and were able to have the OBC applied to the future cruise!

Edited December 12, 2015 by gimletgal

[iandjm]

Greeting to my neighbour on the beautiful IOW :) We just came back from a wonderful cruise in Australia on the Solstice & booked another cruise in Jan 2017 for Asia. We booked an outside cabin & got $175 onboard credit plus the drinks package. It was only $75 deposit each & I transferred to my travel agent who gave me another discount. This was only a few weeks ago.

 

 

Hey from a Sandownite [emoji3]. I think the offer runs until April 17. I am / was trying to book July. Hope you are having an amazing time [emoji3]

[iandjm]

That must be a change made in the past few weeks?? Either that or the difference between North America and the UK?

 

 

We normally get poor deals and non refundable deposits so no change there [emoji53]

[Jade13]

Well, it seems to depend on the Future Cruise agent you talk to. I was definitively told that the OBC attached to the booking on board would need to be applied to the current cruise. When I disagreed with that (knowing better from past experience and from what the Celebrity Cruises official had confirmed here previously when questioned) I was told "that is the policy"! The agent was actually quite put off that I would even question him. Needless to say, I did not book a future cruise.

 

And, not to mention the flyer one receives once on board the ship stating:

 

"Receive up to $500 Instant Onboard Credit to spend - when you book your next cruise vacation onboard!"

 

If, in fact, some agents will currently allow you to apply the OBC to the future cruise, those who are not aware of that possibility would never think to ask. And I am sure it would not automatically be offered as an option.

 

It is just unfortunate that like everything else Celebrity, nothing is consistent anymore.

 

I say "kudos" to those who have had good agents and were able to have the OBC applied to the future cruise!

 

 

 

I would send an email to Celebrity, give the name of the onboard booking agent and ask.

[WEGL81]

I received an email from Celebrity in advance of my cruise this week. It indicates:

 

"Here's what you get with a Cruise Now booking*

 

-Instant onboard credit up to $500* per stateroom

-Combinable with 1 other offer special promotional offer of your choice

-Flexibility—change your sailing date when you return home to suit your needs

-Reduced deposit

-Select the stateroom of your choice "

 

Reading the (*) asterisk, the OBC is instant OBC for that cruise only. It cannot be applied to a future cruise (the Future Cruise salesperson referenced above was correct). If you change your booking to a lower category, the OBC has to be re-paid/ Specifically, the wording is "You may change your ship or sail date, but your onboard credit is subject to repayment out of your onboard deposit if you book a lower category or shorter sailing."

 

So, you do get the a reduced deposit and one perk. The instant OBC appears to be a way to make your deposit non-refundable should you cancel your cruise. Only my opinion, but it's probably a way to counteract the practice so many people use of making future cruise deposits and cancelling with no penalty.

 

In my case, I am looking at a Western Med cruise in the future in Aqua, which would give me $200 instant OBC and a $200 deposit. If I cancel, then I have to pay back the $200, hence my deposit becomes basically non-refundable.

[chicagopaul]

We just book May 2017 Reflection med sailing while on board. All my research and fine print reading lead me to believe the go best would not apply. When we went to our agent at future cruises last week he told us it did apply. So we booked and got the Go Best promotion for our med cruise. Let's hope it sticks! I feel like we got a great deal!