No discounts within 30 days.

[Bo1953]

A snippet of the statement just in case:

 

http://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/rccl-sticks-with-no-last-minute-discount-policy.html

[Hlitner]

The 200 unsold cabins for the Eclipse 4/3 sailing I mentioned earlier in this thread are now all gone. Only a single s2 and one gs are available. Obviously the fire-sale they conducted after final pmt worked. It's just aggravating to have seen a $1,500 price drop for my c2 with no benefit to me. They did roll out a resident deal where an s2 was just a few bucks over my c2, but that would have forced me to give up all my 123 perqs and res. isn't combinable with bbb. Not thanks.

 

You just cannot have it all :). The cruise lines are operating a business that needs to maximize profits...not satisfy everyone who books. If you make a decision to book far in advance you often get some advantages such as cabin choice and various promotions. Those who "choose" to wait until the last minute (we often fall into this category...but also do early bookings) may or may not snag an amazing deal. But the secret of last minute booking is having flexibility and being willing to cruise on many different ships of multiple cruise lines. So while we might be hoping for a great last minute deal on the Eclipse, perhaps we will stumble on a terrific bargain on the Oosterdam, Blight of the Seas, etc/

 

Hank

[Christine Frances]

Agree completely! Some of the deals available make it almost as cheap to cruise Celebrity as to live at home.

 

In addition, vowing not to cut prices inside the 30 day mark is absolutely MEANINGLESS when they are cutting prices at 45 days or 60 days, or even BEFORE final payment... to keep those who booked early from rioting over having paid too much.

 

The 13 night Constellation transatlantic (inside cabin) is $499pp (45 days out)

 

The 16 night Reflection transatlantic (balcony cabin) just went from $999pp to $799pp (50 days out)

 

I'd be curious to hear how those who booked at $1699pp feel. :(

 

Imagine the vast majority of cruisers who don't even know these price drops happen.

 

Your preferences don't work for all people. We are in the group still that cruises for itinerary. None of those TA itineraries induce us to spent $$'s as we have been to all those ports before. We will pay more $$'s for a great itinerary and those prices never seem to go down. Actually we seem always to be attracted to the "once a year" cruises but we have to pay for them and they are never discounted below what we have booked way in advance. I like TA's but only if they are less than airfare and can be worked into a fabulous selection of ports. Boy if we lived in Florida we would be doing TA's twice a year once our bucket list was pretty well finished/)

[varoo]

........Imagine the vast majority of cruisers who don't even know these price drops happen.

The vast majority of cruisers only check for discounts for which they are eligible, if they even bother to check them at all, so they usually don't know when others are paying much lower prices to book the same cabin category.

 

It is rather like airline prices where 5 people sitting in similar seats in the same section of the plane may have paid 5 widely differing prices.

 

Edited February 20, 2016 by varoo

[jeno]

Agree completely! Some of the deals available make it almost as cheap to cruise Celebrity as to live at home.

 

 

 

In addition, vowing not to cut prices inside the 30 day mark is absolutely MEANINGLESS when they are cutting prices at 45 days or 60 days, or even BEFORE final payment... to keep those who booked early from rioting over having paid too much.

 

 

 

The 13 night Constellation transatlantic (inside cabin) is $499pp (45 days out)

 

 

 

The 16 night Reflection transatlantic (balcony cabin) just went from $999pp to $799pp (50 days out)

 

 

 

I'd be curious to hear how those who booked at $1699pp feel. :(

 

 

 

Imagine the vast majority of cruisers who don't even know these price drops happen.

 

 

Where did you see that price for the Reflection TA? I have been watching those prices like a hawk, because we would like to upgrade our Balcony Category. The lowest I have seen is $999. Was it a residency deal or special pricing? Also, maybe my web page is stuck, because it is still showing exciting deals as the special pricing I qualify for. I am hoping the 1A cabin price falls.

[grandgeezer]

Where did you see that price for the Reflection TA? I have been watching those prices like a hawk, because we would like to upgrade our Balcony Category. The lowest I have seen is $999. Was it a residency deal or special pricing? Also, maybe my web page is stuck, because it is still showing exciting deals as the special pricing I qualify for. I am hoping the 1A cabin price falls.

 

These are Exciting Deals pricing and they aren't available until Tuesday and normally a limited number of cabins, as sales pick up, the price goes up. They also show a Concierge for $1199 but they are both guarantees. I would guess all regular categories are regularly priced.

[Bruin Steve]

This morning (the cruise embarks 4 weeks from tomorrow), Celebrity dropped the rates on all remaining categories by $100 per person each...

They have 55 remaining cabins--most of them Concierge (29) and Aqua (23)(plus two standard balconies and one suite)...But they are also selling an OV guarantee as well...

 

Yesterday morning, they had been showing 75 remaining cabins--most of that extra 20 being Concierge class. I seriously doubt they sold 20 concierge cabins in one day. Likely, they just assigned a bunch of "guarantees". Did they sell "balcony guarantees" or OV guarantees and assign them Concierge cabins?

Edited February 20, 2016 by Bruin Steve

[masspector]

This morning (the cruise embarks 4 weeks from tomorrow), Celebrity dropped the rates on all remaining categories by $100 per person each...

They have 55 remaining cabins--most of them Concierge (29) and Aqua (23)(plus two standard balconies and one suite)...But they are also selling an OV guarantee as well...

 

Yesterday morning, they had been showing 75 remaining cabins--most of that extra 20 being Concierge class. I seriously doubt they sold 20 concierge cabins in one day. Likely, they just assigned a bunch of "guarantees". Did they sell "balcony guarantees" or OV guarantees and assign them Concierge cabins?

 

Where do you see how many cabins are left? What website? Thanks

[Bruin Steve]

Where do you see how many cabins are left? What website? Thanks

 

Lots of sites will show you all or most of the available cabins (just not Celebrity's site--they only show four per category). The one I've looked to lately is a major travel booking site--one with travel in the name...and ending in "city"...with an "o" somewhere in the middle...(I don't think Cruise Critic will let me post the exact link)...They show up to 25 available cabins per specific category--so, if there are still more than 25 available in a particular category, you know it could be more...But, typically, when you are this far along, that 25 limit is not an issue...Also, remember, in each category, to click on each deck--more cabins show up...

[Baron Barracuda]

Been mulling a strategy with X ships that sail the same itinerary regularly. If I want Eclipse So Carib and it's sailing on both 1/1 and 2/1 then I'd book the 2/1 but don't book airfare. After the 1/1 passes final pmt date I can monitor prices on that sailing for a full month before I have to make final pmt on the 2/1. If prices on the 1/1 drop sharply I can switch sailings and save. If 1/1 prices hold firm I can switch or stay with the 2/1 depending on my preferred travel date. This gives me the opportunity to benefit from a late price drop on the 1/1 while protecting me from rising prices by locking in the 2/1. I just have to be willing to sail on either date.

[Bruin Steve]

Been mulling a strategy with X ships that sail the same itinerary regularly. If I want Eclipse So Carib and it's sailing on both 1/1 and 2/1 then I'd book the 2/1 but don't book airfare. After the 1/1 passes final pmt date I can monitor prices on that sailing for a full month before I have to make final pmt on the 2/1. If prices on the 1/1 drop sharply I can switch sailings and save. If 1/1 prices hold firm I can switch or stay with the 2/1 depending on my preferred travel date. This gives me the opportunity to benefit from a late price drop on the 1/1 while protecting me from rising prices by locking in the 2/1. I just have to be willing to sail on either date.

 

MAYBE that kind of strategy works okay for people with no scheduling concerns and no air concerns--like retired people living in South Florida...Of course, many of those people never book far in advance--they just keep waiting for last minute offers and when they find one they like, they take it...

 

For most of us, none of that is an option...

For example, for us:

1) My wife works for a school district and has specific vacation windows...so, for example, we are cruising during her Spring Break next month, then again in July..Virtually no flexibility in those dates...

2) We need to fly in to Fort Lauderdale, then to Barcelona for these cruises FROM LOS ANGELES...We need to book air fairly early...Limited flights and they fill up...and, often, we use frequent flyer mileage and that availability is VERY limited...And airline fares are even more volatile than cruise fares. Wait until last minute and we are likely paying more in airfare increases than we's save on the cruise.

3) Not all cruises are interchangeable. We don't always cruise just to cruise...The exact itinerary is often important. For example, our July 1 Constellation cruise is pretty much a one-of-a-kind--circumnavigating Iberia and being in Bilbao for the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona.

 

We always try to BOOK EARLY...Then we monitor prices. If the prices just go up, then we are cemented into our lower early booking price. If prices drop, then we contact Celebrity or our TA and get our price lowered. Before final payment, there is always the consideration that you could cancel and rebook, so the cruise lines always give you the new better deal. After final payment, we've always been able to renegotiate at least an upgrade in cabin.

[teecee60]

 

Your preferences don't work for all people. We will pay more $$'s for a great itinerary and those prices never seem to go down. Actually we seem always to be attracted to the "once a year" cruises but we have to pay for them and they are never discounted below what we have booked way in advance.

 

I never suggested my preferences work for all people. But they can and do work for those who like to cruise, have flexibility in their schedules, are on a tight budget, and REALLY enjoy being on Celebrity for $50pp/day.

 

These are Exciting Deals pricing and they aren't available until Tuesday and normally a limited number of cabins, as sales pick up, the price goes up. They also show a Concierge for $1199 but they are both guarantees. I would guess all regular categories are regularly priced.

 

You are correct about the price being on this week's "Exciting Deals." There are still over 30 insides, 10 ocean views and well over 150 balconies (of all varieties) left. That's a LOT of inventory remaining to be sold to people who are going to be VERY happy with 16 nights in a balcony, on Celebrity for $799pp! :cool: :D ;)

Edited February 20, 2016 by teecee60

[amyr]

I wish I could EVER figure out Celebrity's strategies on this...

 

The cabins that ARE available...and there are LOTS of them:

28 Aqua class cabins

At least 44 Concierge cabins (the site I use to check only shows up to 25 cabins in any specific category--so the 25 C3s it shows could mean even more available).

 

So, 30 days to sell, 75 cabins left...and the overwhelming bulk of them are Concierge and Aqua.

But, they are still selling those balcony guarantees at a much lower price than for choosing a specific Aqua or Concierge cabin ($1249 pp for the guarantee, $1449 for a Concierge guarantee, $1549 for an Aqua Guarantee, $1499 to choose a Concierge cabin, $1599 to choose an Aqua cabin).

 

This sounds almost exactly like the scenario under which we booked our recent (1/31) Silhouette. We (Celebrity elite) and our friends (first timers) both booked 2D GTY cabins with the same travel agent at the same time. This was the first time we've ever booked a GTY cabin as I'm usually pretty picky about where we're located. We booked shortly after final payment, sort of on a whim. The available cabins sound exactly like what you've described, though there were several more suites available. Almost all the Celebrity Suites, two Royal Suites, and the odd (and ever changing) S1s and S2s. No insides and outsides to speak of, no 1A, B, or C, or even 2A, B, C, or D, but so, so many AQ and CC. So many.

 

Within two weeks of booking, our friends were assigned a pretty nice 2B on Deck 7, about halfway between the mid lifts and the aft. I would have been delighted with that. Weeks go by, and nothing for us. We finally print our Xpress Pass and blank luggage tags, and pack. Four days before departure we are assigned a CC cabin up on Deck 12, on the port side. It was a far less desirable cabin than our friends had, though it was considered to be quite an upgrade from a 2D. We were under the buffet, adjacent to the galley with the accompanying smells, and down the hall from a pretty heavily trafficked smoking section. It was also quite hot as the hallway opened to the pool area. They say when you purchase a guarantee cabin you should be happy and prepared for just what you purchased, and I would have been. We would have been much happier in an obstructed 2D than the CC cabin we had. In the end we still had a great time, and felt like we got a good value for a 7 day cruise. We were just happy not to have AQ and assigned Blu whilst traveling with people who weren't.

 

I suspect our cruise was a lot like yours, and that most of those empty cabins you see will be/have been accounted for by who knows how many unassigned GTY cruisers they have floating around. This keeps them from having to discount the price of those CC and AQ cabins I guess.

[jeno]

I never suggested my preferences work for all people. But they can and do work for those who like to cruise, have flexibility in their schedules, are on a tight budget, and REALLY enjoy being on Celebrity for $50pp/day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are correct about the price being on this week's "Exciting Deals." There are still over 30 insides, 10 ocean views and well over 150 balconies (of all varieties) left. That's a LOT of inventory remaining to be sold to people who are going to be VERY happy with 16 nights in a balcony, on Celebrity for $799pp! :cool: :D ;)

 

 

I guess that is my point. I have been checking the Exciting Deals this week and the lowest price I have seen for a balcony guarantee is $999 and that has not changed since it came out on Tuesday. If you are seeing a different price or know another way to check to get the lower number, I would really appreciate knowing how to do that. Thank you.

[az_tchr]

Celebrity is a business - They simply stated there would be no more huge discounts in the last 30 days. Am booked on Equinox and it dropped $300 a couple days ago. The big discounts are only looking like GTY cabins and really not much difference IMO between Veranda and Aqua. Was offered Aqua upgrade for $180 at 59 days out.

 

Cruise lines always get lots of cabins at the final payment date turned back in. Sad but true. Sometimes demand is there and the price goes up and on the April TA it seems mostly down.

[grandgeezer]

I guess that is my point. I have been checking the Exciting Deals this week and the lowest price I have seen for a balcony guarantee is $999 and that has not changed since it came out on Tuesday. If you are seeing a different price or know another way to check to get the lower number, I would really appreciate knowing how to do that. Thank you.

 

That price is for the Exciting Deals starting this coming Tuesday, not this week.

[jeno]

That price is for the Exciting Deals starting this coming Tuesday, not this week.

 

 

Thanks so much! Thought I was losing my mind. How do you see them in advance?

[grandgeezer]

Thanks so much! Thought I was losing my mind. How do you see them in advance?

 

Go to Google or whatever you use for a search engine. Type in Celebrity Cruises Exciting Deals. On Google it's about the fourth listing down. My typing sucks so I would probably screw it up if I typed it here. RCL has Exciting Deals also, you can find it the same way. They usually post the Tuesday/Wednesday deals the Friday before.

[jeno]

Go to Google or whatever you use for a search engine. Type in Celebrity Cruises Exciting Deals. On Google it's about the fourth listing down. My typing sucks so I would probably screw it up if I typed it here. RCL has Exciting Deals also, you can find it the same way. They usually post the Tuesday/Wednesday deals the Friday before.

 

Thank you. Finally saw it. Thanks!

[fleckle]

I guess that is my point. I have been checking the Exciting Deals this week and the lowest price I have seen for a balcony guarantee is $999 and that has not changed since it came out on Tuesday. If you are seeing a different price or know another way to check to get the lower number, I would really appreciate knowing how to do that. Thank you.

Are you really looking at Celebrity's current Exciting Deals effective 2/23 - 2/24?

 

Right now it is showing veranda guarantees on

 

- Summit 4/22/16 - 8 nights - $649

 

- Constellation 3/10/16 - 4 nights - $499

 

- Constellation 4/2/16 - 12 nights - $699

 

- Reflection 4/9/16 - 16 nights - $799

 

- Summit 3/26/16 - 7 nights - $899

 

- Constellation 3/5/16- 5 nights - $499

 

- Silhouette 4/10/16 - 13 nights - $849

 

 

 

Source:

XcitingDeals_cel_tues.pdf

 

Edited February 21, 2016 by fleckle

[CathyCruises]

We have been contemplating a spring transatlantic for a while. I've been following prices closely. We had pretty much decided on the Silhouette, 13 days going to Southampton. Our California resident rate at $769 was quite a bit cheaper than the exciting deal at $899. I wasn't that thrilled with the itinerary but I liked the price. Then I realized that the 16 night Reflection TA had come down from $1799 to $999 on the exciting deal. We did the math, compared itineraries etc. and decided that we would much rather book the Reflection. I contacted our large Internet TA and got some good OBC plus their Valentines week special of a bottle of wine, a bouquet of flowers, and chocolate covered strawberries. So on Thursday afternoon we finally booked.

 

Fast forward to Friday morning when next week's specials came out, and the reflection balcony prices were down to $799! Our TA did everything she could but Celebrity wouldn't budge. We couldn't cancel our new booking even though it was within 24 hours of booking. So we just had to suck it up and be mad at ourselves for not checking how many balconies were left before deciding to book. I had just assumed with the 1799 price that had been in place for months that there weren't very many cabins left, my bad. The good news is that we got our cabin assignment right away, a location we hated, and we were able to switch it immediately for a location we love. But, to get back to the topic at hand, if celebrity thinks this kind of pricing is going to make people book early I think they're very much mistaken. I sure learned my lesson, again!!

[Guernseycruiser]

We have been contemplating a spring transatlantic for a while. I've been following prices closely. We had pretty much decided on the Silhouette, 13 days going to Southampton. Our California resident rate at $769 was quite a bit cheaper than the exciting deal at $899. I wasn't that thrilled with the itinerary but I liked the price. Then I realized that the 16 night Reflection TA had come down from $1799 to $999 on the exciting deal. We did the math, compared itineraries etc. and decided that we would much rather book the Reflection. I contacted our large Internet TA and got some good OBC plus their Valentines week special of a bottle of wine, a bouquet of flowers, and chocolate covered strawberries. So on Thursday afternoon we finally booked.

 

Fast forward to Friday morning when next week's specials came out, and the reflection balcony prices were down to $799! Our TA did everything she could but Celebrity wouldn't budge. We couldn't cancel our new booking even though it was within 24 hours of booking. So we just had to suck it up and be mad at ourselves for not checking how many balconies were left before deciding to book. I had just assumed with the 1799 price that had been in place for months that there weren't very many cabins left, my bad. The good news is that we got our cabin assignment right away, a location we hated, and we were able to switch it immediately for a location we love. But, to get back to the topic at hand, if celebrity thinks this kind of pricing is going to make people book early I think they're very much mistaken. I sure learned my lesson, again!!

Hi Cathy

 

Sorry to hear about your situation, I have sent you an email.

[insidecabin]

Go to Google or whatever you use for a search engine. Type in Celebrity Cruises Exciting Deals. On Google it's about the fourth listing down. My typing sucks so I would probably screw it up if I typed it here. RCL has Exciting Deals also, you can find it the same way. They usually post the Tuesday/Wednesday deals the Friday before.

 

you also have to go check prices over the weekend before as RCI and X often do weekend deal but don't advertise them, they just drop the price or throw out GTY rates. Usually one of the price trackers catch them but not always.

[insidecabin]

transatlantic there is so much competition there will always be a deal out there as long as you are bit flexible on ship/line and can pick up air.

[teecee60]

We have been contemplating a spring transatlantic for a while. I realized that the 16 night Reflection TA had come down from $1799 to $999 on the exciting deal, so on Thursday afternoon we finally booked.

 

Fast forward to Friday morning when next week's specials came out, and the reflection balcony prices were down to $799! So we just had to suck it up and be mad at ourselves for not checking how many balconies were left before deciding to book. I had just assumed with the 1799 price that had been in place for months that there weren't very many cabins left, my bad. I sure learned my lesson, again!!

 

If the "cabin inventory expert" weren't cavorting all over the country, you'd have KNOWN! :D

 

 

transatlantic there is so much competition there will always be a deal out there as long as you are bit flexible on ship/line and can pick up air.

 

Exactly! On top of the incredible deal of 16 nights on Celebrity in a balcony for only $799pp... AIR2SEA (formerly Choice Air) has one way return flights to the states from Rome for UNDER $400pp!

Edited February 21, 2016 by teecee60