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When "free" isn't "free"

grandgeezer

By grandgeezer,
in Celebrity Cruises

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grandgeezer

grandgeezer

Posted
Posted

Tomorrow we are going to try to grab two cruises off the Exciting Deals, 16 day transatlantic and 11 day Med on the Reflection. I logged on at celebritycruises.com to check today's prices. It said that you could pick two free perks for certain European cruises and the 11 day Med was one of them. The price was $1099 for a balcony guarantee with no perks, with 2 perks it was $1399 for a difference of $300 p.p. If I get the deal tomorrow the price, with no perks becomes $949, a difference of $450 p.p.

We are not heavy drinks and there are seven port days so the $450 p.p. is a no brainer. For some people it might still work.

The point is that the web site says free, in actuality the free cost $450 p.p.

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ISABELLA

ISABELLA

Posted
Posted
Thanks for taking the time to share what you have found.. I didn't know there was an opportunity to buy without the extras which I am not interested in paying more for either.

 

If there is no residential or senior special, you cannot buy a cruise without special add -ons. X tuck away " lower" pricing under 55+ or Residence discount, that is not combinable with perks.

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goodycruising

goodycruising

Posted
Posted (edited)
If there is no residential or senior special, you cannot buy a cruise without special add -ons. X tuck away " lower" pricing under 55+ or Residence discount, that is not combinable with perks.

 

Thank you for that info. We can qualify for 55+ so I will check that one out. We are looking at a couple of cruises and I know that the "free" extras don't come for free and would prefer to get a basic price and pay for my drinks as I go. We also have enough t-shirts and watches, so OBC that can't be cashed out at the casino is not as interesting either.

 

Ah, just realised when I looked another time that it asked if I wanted to stick with my current discount, or some similar wording, so that might have been the 55+ discount? I shall go and look again.

Edited by goodycruising
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Willman

Willman

Posted
Posted

"If I was in charge of this country", one law I would pass would be the absolute ban on the word "free" in any advertising. Rarely is any thing free, it always cost something. There is no "free" breakfast with your hotel room, you are paying for it.

 

The honest term to be used is "included in the price".

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JFontaine

JFontaine

Posted
Posted (edited)
If there is no residential or senior special, you cannot buy a cruise without special add -ons. X tuck away " lower" pricing under 55+ or Residence discount, that is not combinable with perks.

 

I don't think this is true. I use a US travel agent, and on my last cruise (February 14, 2016, booked in December during the pick your perk promotion) he said there were 25 different fares. I was able to get an absolutely no perks added fare, no resident or other discount for two balcony cabins. For the other two cabins different fares made more sense.

Edited by JFontaine
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The_Big_M

The_Big_M

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Posted

Yes, that offer has never applied to guarantee rates. It's one of the exclusions.

 

Hence it comes free with regular pricing, but if you get a guarantee rate which usually means it's been discounted, the offer isn't included.

 

Nothing dodgy there, just that they don't include the bonus with the discounted prices.

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Maligator

Maligator

Posted
Posted
"If I was in charge of this country", one law I would pass would be the absolute ban on the word "free" in any advertising. Rarely is any thing free, it always cost something. There is no "free" breakfast with your hotel room, you are paying for it.

 

The honest term to be used is "included in the price".

 

Amen. The consumer always pays somehow. The term "free" is merely a marketing gimmick. And when something is truly free, there's a catch. One of the most poignant observations I've ever heard is "if you're not paying for it, you're the product being sold."

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Bo1953

Bo1953

Posted
Posted (edited)
Amen. The consumer always pays somehow. The term "free" is merely a marketing gimmick. And when something is truly free, there's a catch. One of the most poignant observations I've ever heard is "if you're not paying for it, you're the product being sold."

 

 

Yes, it is marketing, but having to admit that I never ever really read the advertizing as I was going to book regardless, I Am 'now' reading at X's website that one has a choice of two (2) free perks, which I presumed always to be at a certain fare level(s), which is disclosed. I also presume, one has the option of NOT accepting any perk at the higher fare levels as well, which very few may do as they may get a few if these items as part of their E and E+ and E++ benefits.

 

Clicking on the T&C link brings up all of the Terms and Conditions. It may take up to four minutes to read them, but they are there... as such, I find they are 'free' within those terms and not what I wish they would be, unfortunately... :)

 

Yes, it is a matter of interpretation, for sure, when just reading the big print upfront and not the fine print at the end.

 

bon voyage

Edited by Bo1953
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4774Papa

4774Papa

Posted
Posted
Tomorrow we are going to try to grab two cruises off the Exciting Deals, 16 day transatlantic and 11 day Med on the Reflection. I logged on at celebritycruises.com to check today's prices. It said that you could pick two free perks for certain European cruises and the 11 day Med was one of them. The price was $1099 for a balcony guarantee with no perks, with 2 perks it was $1399 for a difference of $300 p.p. If I get the deal tomorrow the price, with no perks becomes $949, a difference of $450 p.p.

We are not heavy drinks and there are seven port days so the $450 p.p. is a no brainer. For some people it might still work.

The point is that the web site says free, in actuality the free cost $450 p.p.

 

TransAtlantics don't normally come with freebies.

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grandgeezer

grandgeezer

Posted
  • Author
Posted
That is a fantastic price for 16 nights on Reflection. We booked under last week's special at $999 and thought we were getting a great deal! Some people are getting really lucky, and Celebrity is sending a message--don't book early!!!

 

I agree, especially on transatlantics. We did get balcony guarantees for the 16 day transatlantic and 11 day Med cruise after for around $2,000 p.p. including all fees and taxes. That comes to about $74 per day, per person. I got a feeling that is a lot less than the people who booked when it first came out. No cabin assignments yet, but no big deal, we aren't fussy about cabin location. We do have preferences but nothing we would pay extra for.

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timbom

timbom

Posted
Posted

I really think some state should sue under deceptive advertising laws,

 

I like many people got excited about these FREE items after spending some time looking at it I found the cruise with free items was 1399$ and without was 909$ on senior rates Plus I could get shareholder discount which I can't this free sale.

 

In addition I am elite so I get free evening drinks so I wind up paying an additional about 500 dollars for about 250$ of extra items.

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ISABELLA

ISABELLA

Posted
Posted
"If I was in charge of this country", one law I would pass would be the absolute ban on the word "free" in any advertising. Rarely is any thing free, it always cost something. There is no "free" breakfast with your hotel room, you are paying for it.

 

The honest term to be used is "included in the price".

 

Exactly! Free with purchase.........

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ISABELLA

ISABELLA

Posted
Posted
I don't think this is true. I use a US travel agent, and on my last cruise (February 14, 2016, booked in December during the pick your perk promotion) he said there were 25 different fares. I was able to get an absolutely no perks added fare, no resident or other discount for two balcony cabins. For the other two cabins different fares made more sense.

 

Sometimes big agencies have " Group booking" with block of cabins booked with X and then, they can offer bare bone pricing without any perks.

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ISABELLA

ISABELLA

Posted
Posted
That is a fantastic price for 16 nights on Reflection. We booked under last week's special at $999 and thought we were getting a great deal! Some people are getting really lucky, and Celebrity is sending a message--don't book early!!!

 

It seems that - DO NOT BOOK EARLY applies to some other destination cruises.

10 days and 14 days Carib for March and April - X were giving them away about month ago. I am for one will not book anything in advance anymore..

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thecruise_guy

thecruise_guy

Posted
Posted

The problem is, people here what they want to hear. And some travel agents have a hard time understanding the promotions so they half listen and do not try to really understand a promotion that is pretty basic to understand. For some it works, others it doesn't. A person must be able to gauge whether or not it works for them to pay extra to get more. People fail to see a marketing plan as well. Yeah, it is supposed to entice you, that's called good marketing. Once you are enticed, it is up to you to understand the deal and read the fine print and all the stipulations. Just a thought.

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