So much for no reductions just before a cruise

[ghstudio]

So much for the bravado by Richard Fain that they aren't going to reduce prices to fill cabins just before a cruise. I just received the following email from Celebrity (excerpted).

 

Save up to $150* per person on February or March 2016 cruise vacations

where you don't even have to leave our award-winning ships to find bliss.

The best restaurants. The hottest nightspots. The most soothing spaces.

The warmest service. As only Celebrity can do it.

 

 

It doesn't sound like their suite focus, cutbacks and higher prices are winning the day...they have to discount or offer perks to fill the ships. Funny how things work well when the economy is good...but then when the economy falters, the stock market goes down...it's when you need your loyal customers more than ever. I wish someone at Celebrity realized that

 

Note...I didn't actually check any prices. Given history, it's likely that the prices went up by "up to $150" so that they could make this offer.

Edited January 16, 2016 by ghstudio

[Chardonnay Char]

But, do you have a benchmark to know if this really is a savings?

[ghstudio]

But, do you have a benchmark to know if this really is a savings?

 

Nope...as I added to the OP. But would celebrity really advertise a cost savings if it wasn't :) :) :)

Edited January 16, 2016 by ghstudio

[oneputt18]

I checked our cruise and they raised the price $150, we have the drink package. So I can get $150 obc pp by paying $150 pp extra. Some sale!

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk

[Alsmez]

So much for the bravado by Richard Fain that they aren't going to reduce prices to fill cabins just before a cruise. I just received the following email from Celebrity (excerpted).

 

Save up to $150* per person on February or March 2016 cruise vacations

where you don't even have to leave our award-winning ships to find bliss.

The best restaurants. The hottest nightspots. The most soothing spaces.

The warmest service. As only Celebrity can do it.

 

 

It doesn't sound like their suite focus, cutbacks and higher prices are winning the day...they have to discount or offer perks to fill the ships. Funny how things work well when the economy is good...but then when the economy falters, the stock market goes down...it's when you need your loyal customers more than ever. I wish someone at Celebrity realized that

 

Note...I didn't actually check any prices. Given history, it's likely that the prices went up by "up to $150" so that they could make this offer.

 

We booked a February trip on Reflection just a few weeks ago and the price has held steady on most categories, with the exception of a slight bump up on a couple of veranda categories and a small drop on Sky Suites. There are still quite a few unsold cabins, though, so I'm hoping to see some drops so I can upgrade! :D

[Hobbsey]

I can tell you that my Connie cruise leaving next Saturday saw some significant price decreases this week. I was able to upgrade for less than half the cost of a week ago.

[WALKER1313]

Money talks. Clearly letting staterooms leave the dock empty wasn't going to happen.

[thecruise_guy]

so there was no actual research done, just a complaint about a price that may or may not have gone up or down

[ghstudio]

so there was no actual research done, just a complaint about a price that may or may not have gone up or down

 

 

Nope, it wasn't a complaint...it was an observation that Fain's statement doesn't seem to be the way celebrity is operating.

[MR_T]

Checked a couple of cruises I have booked for March and even with the mentioned discount they are still way above what I booked under the 123Go promo! [emoji4]

[chemmo]

For the first time ever I have been regularly tracking the cost of suites (and how quickly they book) to try and get braver in looking and waiting for bargains.

 

Our Solstice cruise in March had no suites left at all for months and then in the last couple of weeks a few have popped up (and gone nearly as fast) and significantly more than we paid.

 

Next cruise, Eclipse, only one RS left and massively higher than we paid for our 2nd person half price offer.

 

Cruises after that are on price guarantee but one hasn't had any suites of any type left for months...

 

Is it a type of cruise, destination area that does give bargains? Or are there never any suite bargains? At the moment I am just so glad I booked quite early on my first two cruises...

[varoo]

What cruise lines often do is to offer lower special category prices to unload remaining unsold cabins.

 

That way they can sell them off to those who qualify for the discounted price, without needing to lower the regular prices posted for the general public.

 

Those who do not qualify for the reductions may not even be aware that they are being offered.

 

[chemmo]

What cruise lines often do is to offer lower special category prices to unload remaining unsold cabins.

 

That way they can sell them off to those who qualify for the discounted price, without needing to lower the regular prices posted for the general public.

 

Those who do not qualify for the reductions may not even be aware that they are being offered.

 

 

So does that mean the expensive CS on my next cruise (very near final payment) may be one of those cabins offered for a cheaper price to somebody now in a SS (Elite?)? If I wasn't booked on this cruise then would it be worth my while phoning and seeing if they would negotiate on price or would it only be discounted for others already booked on the cruise?

 

Sorry about the questions but really very new to bargain hunting!

[varoo]

So does that mean the expensive CS on my next cruise (very near final payment) may be one of those cabins offered for a cheaper price to somebody now in a SS (Elite?)? If I wasn't booked on this cruise then would it be worth my while phoning and seeing if they would negotiate on price or would it only be discounted for others already booked on the cruise?

 

Sorry about the questions but really very new to bargain hunting!

That expensive CS may even be available at a cheaper price to somebody now booked in an inside cabin, or to somebody eligible for the cheaper price who is not yet booked on the cruise at all.

 

Or it may not be available to anyone at a cheaper price.

 

AFAIK there is no hard and fast rule applied consistently about which type of discount is given when.

Different types of discounts come and go.

 

For example, on my next cruise they may be offering a resident discount to residents of Pennsylvania, or they may be offering a military discount, or an interline discount.

But if I am not a resident of Pennsylvania and do not qualify for a military or interline discount, I would be unlikely to be checking for such discounts, so most likely I would not even be aware of their existence.

 

As for phoning to see if they will give you a better price, I guess you would have nothing to lose but some of your time by doing that, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

 

[Iamcruzin]

Checked out the cruise that I'm booked on. I booked a C2 for $1299 with three perks. It's now up to $1669 with 2 perks. The savings that they are referring to must be the added perk because now go better is the default. The prices in general seem to have gone up. I would never pay what they are asking for a 7 day Caribbean cruise in an ocean view room, drink package or no drink package included. Celebrity may have priced me out of their market.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Iamcruzin

[chamima]

I also got the email and so checked out our cruise.

At first I was able to check out Concierge and C2 was about $2000 more (for 2 people) with Go Big (one amenity and I was only able to choose the internet, nothing else would click :rolleyes: ) than our Aqua that we have the whole 1,2, 3 program .

Then when I got locked out (surprise, surprise) Concierge seemed to be sold out and I could only get veranda which was only a few hundred more than what we paid for the Aqua.

What a wonderful "sale". :rolleyes:

 

Back to the point of this thread - I guess the "no sales on ships sailing with empty cabins" has kind of been born out. They have sales but the "sales" are at high prices.

[RickT]

I'm looking at 3 different itineraries and the only category of cabin I see this discount applying to is inside cabins, none of the oceanview/verandah cabins I am interested in show this discount.

 

Not a perfect example because I'm only looking at 3 sailings.

[az_tchr]

Nope, it wasn't a complaint...it was an observation that Fain's statement doesn't seem to be the way celebrity is operating.

 

Fain stated there would be no heavy discounting of cabins in the last few days before the cruise began. Thought they said last 30 days or less. This did not seem to fit the technical parameters of his statement. Also got the sense it was directed at RCCL and not Celebrity, but again Celebrity marketing is a jumble of prices and deals that make to sense to me.

[TommyD3]

So much for the bravado by Richard Fain that they aren't going to reduce prices to fill cabins just before a cruise.

 

This is what the Tuesday "Exciting" deals are all about. They had a deeply discounted price on the 1/14/16 Constellation cruise listed on the 1/12 - 1/13 Exciting deal. One/two days before the sailing !!! If that's not last minute I dont know what is !!!!

[casper106]

With our sinking Canadian dollar we decided to cancel our one week in a condo and go on a cruise. Celebrity is still the highest at this late date (for a late Feb cruise) even when converted to Canadian dollars. No deals for sure. We decided on a cruise on HAL based on the great deal in Canadian funds and good reviews on CC and from friends. We have our second Eclipse cruise booked for 2017 that we booked in 2015 at a great price. After that,we will definitely be shopping around more if our dollar stays so low.

[Christine Frances]

This is what the Tuesday "Exciting" deals are all about. They had a deeply discounted price on the 1/14/16 Constellation cruise listed on the 1/12 - 1/13 Exciting deal. One/two days before the sailing !!! If that's not last minute I dont know what is !!!!

 

Our friends cruise booked a year ago, is on this weeks exciting deals. They booked an A2 with the 123 promo @ $4800 CND per cabin and on this weeks Exciting Deals a XA is offered for $6610 with only 2 perks.:eek: I guess it is discounted because a regular A2 is being offered at $7670 per cabin!!

[SAC69]

Our March cruise is up in all categories except inside cabins which were reduced by about $120. My 1A jumped up $275 and every other category through S1 is up.

[cadburysmom]

Our friends cruise booked a year ago, is on this weeks exciting deals. They booked an A2 with the 123 promo @ $4800 CND per cabin and on this weeks Exciting Deals a XA is offered for $6610 with only 2 perks.:eek: I guess it is discounted because a regular A2 is being offered at $7670 per cabin!!

Exciting Deals have definitely proven to be MUCH less "exciting" lately.:cool:

[vkb2751]

Our friends cruise booked a year ago, is on this weeks exciting deals. They booked an A2 with the 123 promo @ $4800 CND per cabin and on this weeks Exciting Deals a XA is offered for $6610 with only 2 perks.:eek: I guess it is discounted because a regular A2 is being offered at $7670 per cabin!!

 

I thought that there are no perks with xciting deals! Did this change too?

[stratixman]

No particular bargains I can see. Same old marketing ruse. Raise prices by X and then discount by Y, price still remains at original Z it began at.