Celebrity discriminates against UK customers

[kevinyork]

After my first cruise with celebrity and learning of the price/perks/offers/terms etc difference between the uk & the US I just started to book via the US, I've never looked back and over the last few years saved a bundle of pound notes in the process, even with the recent impact on the £ I still see a big saving so life isn't so difficult [emoji4]

 

 

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We did this a couple of years back however for our ex UK Eclipse sailings it's been less expensive to book in the UK for our last 4 bookings. Our June 17 sailing that we booked in the UK 2 weeks ago is £1280pp more through a large US discount agent.

 

 

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[Mark_K]

Having just cancelled a booking and lost £300 deposit because of the BOGOHP offer, I have done some research on Celebrity. Never cruised with them before.

 

I somehow managed to look them up not on their .co.uk site but on their .com site. I was staggered to read that they had a best price promise but even more staggered to read

" The Best Price Guarantee is only available to U.S. and Canadian consumers."

 

Never cruised with them before...never will again.

 

 

Since "UK customers" are not a protected group in the US, there's nothing illegal about discriminating against them.

 

 

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[MR_T]

We did this a couple of years back however for our ex UK Eclipse sailings it's been less expensive to book in the UK for our last 4 bookings. Our June 17 sailing that we booked in the UK 2 weeks ago is £1280pp more through a large US discount agent.

 

 

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Yes you are correct, the U.K Does get better pricing for ex uk cruises as they really need to push the uk market, I generally don't cruise out of the U.K As id rather fly to have decent weather from the start, [emoji41]

 

 

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[villauk]

Yes you are correct, the U.K Does get better pricing for ex uk cruises as they really need to push the uk market, I generally don't cruise out of the U.K As id rather fly to have decent weather from the start, [emoji41]

 

 

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Same for us ;).

[AnOnymously]

I am not sure how non-refundable deposits got into this. I have no problem with them, my issue is why does Celebrity offer a guarantee to match prices if prices fall for US and Canadian customers and not for UK customers. I would be interested if the UK had laws to prevent this.

 

I was not complaining that I had lost a deposit because it was non-refundable, but that as a forum writer has shown they asked about the price match and as a US consumer got a refund, but that was not extended when UK consumers went through booking in the same promotion and then discovering the new promotion ie me.

 

I know all cruise lines discount when a cruise is near, but we are talking a year ahead. Anywise I have asked their CEO about it and if I get a reply I will post it here.

 

Sorry to take the bubbles out of you champagne123 and reply and could you point out the other 6 threads I have started or even one other would be good. But I like to see what comments are being made and try to glean what I need to know rather than just shooting my mouth off before reading others.

Edited September 13, 2016 by AnOnymously

[MR_T]

I am not sure how non-refundable deposits got into this. I have no problem with them, my issue is why does Celebrity offer a guarantee to match prices if prices fall for US and Canadian customers and not for UK customers. I would be interested if the UK had laws to prevent this.

 

 

 

I was not complaining that I had lost a deposit because it was non-refundable, but that as a forum writer has shown they asked about the price match and as a US consumer got a refund, but that was not extended when UK consumers went through booking in the same promotion and then discovering the new promotion ie me.

 

 

 

I know all cruise lines discount when a cruise is near, but we are talking a year ahead. Anywise I have asked their CEO about it and if I get a reply I will post it here.

 

 

 

Sorry to take the bubbles out of you champagne123 and reply and could you point out the other 6 threads I have started or even one other would be good. But I like to see what comments are being made and try to glean what I need to know rather than just shooting my mouth off before reading others.

 

 

Good luck with getting a reply from the CEO...

 

As for the promotions, where sometimes both the uk & the US offer similar perks they are never the same promotion as they are always different due to the previous mentioned different regulations etc, so as frustrating as it is to see such differences in prices/offers etc I'm afraid that's just the way it is,

 

I'm pretty sure most if not all other lines have similar restrictions for uk guests/bookers? [emoji848]

 

 

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[wallie5446]

Having just cancelled a booking and lost £300 deposit

 

Never cruised with them before...never will again.

 

I am not sure how non-refundable deposits got into this.

 

The opening statement.

[DYKWIA]

The only one that narks me and does potentially disadvantage UK buyers is that those booking on the US site have some flexibility to change cabins assigned when booking a guarantee. In the UK that is not allowed which means that UK buyers are more likely to end up with the cabins that the US buyers rejected.

[insidecabin]

Good luck with getting a reply from the CEO...

 

As for the promotions, where sometimes both the uk & the US offer similar perks they are never the same promotion as they are always different due to the previous mentioned different regulations etc, so as frustrating as it is to see such differences in prices/offers etc I'm afraid that's just the way it is,

 

I'm pretty sure most if not all other lines have similar restrictions for uk guests/bookers? [emoji848]

 

 

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Regulations do not set prices/promotions the cruise line do love to here which UKor even EU regulations have restricted the offers available.

[MR_T]

Regulations do not set prices/promotions the cruise line do love to here which UKor even EU regulations have restricted the offers available.

 

 

I don't think that's what I said, what I meant was that there's a difference in what the uk can/do offer vs the US! And so the prices/offers generally reflect this...

 

 

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[excitedofharpenden]

I know I must sound like a never ending record, but I'll repeat my mantra anyway :D, if you book in the UK you have to be happy with the package you purchase from the initial booking i.e. price, perks, promos, discounts etc. If you think the cruise is too expensive or doesn't contain all the perks you want, then don't book it. Do the research. Make a reservation in the US, where you can cancel up to final payment date and claim the price drops/new promos should they occur, or wait until after final payment and take a chance on cabins still being available in your desired location ;). Everyone's needs are different and what works for some, doesn't for others ;).

 

Spot on!

[MarkusToe]

we do have the non refund at Germany as well - the nice thing on it,

in Germany a binding contract in 2 ways...

If a cruiseline change cruise significant or charter the ship - you are entiteled for compensation - means if you book a suite on Nov 1st for 2 weeks and cruiseline cancel - the have to organize you a suite on a other ship from same port, if you like and agree other ports - your choice.

[peteukmcr]

If you think Celebrity discriminates against anybody, it would be the non drinkers. Case in point, their perks. On a 7 day cruise if you only want one perk, your choices are: $300 obc. Gratuities for two, value of $189. Classic drink package with a value of about $910 p.p. Somebody would have to drink all kinds of non alcoholic drinks to make it worth water. If you drank all that water, soda, and specialty coffees, you'd spend the whole cruise in the bathroom.

I question your sensationalist statement on the value of $910 pp for the classic drinks package for a 7 night sailing.

 

The total rate for my upcoming 10 day sailing for the classic beverage package is £362 which equates to approximately $490 which equates to $49 per day, not the $130 per day your statement implies. So for a 7 night sailing that's $343 which isn't much more than the $300 OBC you mention. So I don't see any discrimination against non drinkers.

Edited September 13, 2016 by peteukmcr

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Well, if you never cruised Celebrity before, you certainly can't sail them again :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

That made me laugh too:D

[DarrenTravels]

After my first cruise with celebrity and learning of the price/perks/offers/terms etc difference between the uk & the US I just started to book via the US, I've never looked back and over the last few years saved a bundle of pound notes in the process, even with the recent impact on the £ I still see a big saving so life isn't so difficult [emoji4]

 

 

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Hi MR_T. Did you book direct with Celebrity or via a US Agent? I was under the impression Celebrity were cracking down on US Agents selling Brits/Non-US.

[AnOnymously]

There seems t o be some doubt about what the Best Price Promise is even among sesononed Celebrity cruisers, you can read the whole thing here

https://secure.celebritycruises.com/best-price-guarantee

 

But I quote

"What is the Celebrity Cruises Best Price Guarantee? Our Celebrity Best Price Guarantee ensures that you will enjoy the lowest advertised rate on your cruise fare and your preferred promotional offer. If a lower cruise fare or different promotional offer advertised to the general public is found and your booking meets certain requirements, you may request to have that savings or promotion applied to your booking (savings options vary by whether the request is submitted before or after the final payment due date)."

 

I can see nothing that says this has to be advertised on another site just advertised to the public. It also applies even when final payment has been made if you read on.

 

My understanding of that is that if you book and find a cheaper advertised price you have some redress.

 

Perhaps many posters here should have read the price promise before commenting.

 

This does not apply to other countries but to United states and Canadian customers.

 

Yes they can do what they like, but through forums like this people, when they survive the bullying, can express those issues and bring them to the attention of potential customers of Celebrity and in this case customers in the UK, so that they can realise what they are getting themselves into, and make a decision as to if they wish to travel with this company or not.

[insidecabin]

I don't think that's what I said, what I meant was that there's a difference in what the uk can/do offer vs the US! And so the prices/offers generally reflect this...

 

it is what you said(even if you meant something else.

As for the promotions, where sometimes both the uk & the US offer similar perks they are never the same promotion as they are always different due to the previous mentioned different regulations etc

 

What are these regulations?

 

I will give the obvious well known one that does cause a display difference.

Regulations require the prices to include the taxes/ports fees, and this also means that any "free" stuff must be free. eg The NCL "free" packages are inclusive of 18% grats in the UK/EU not in the US.

 

It is very rare for any real fundamental difference in promos packages on offer to be down to regulations.

[insidecabin]

we do have the non refund at Germany as well - the nice thing on it,

in Germany a binding contract in 2 ways...

If a cruiseline change cruise significant or charter the ship - you are entiteled for compensation - means if you book a suite on Nov 1st for 2 weeks and cruiseline cancel - the have to organize you a suite on a other ship from same port, if you like and agree other ports - your choice.

 

Similar in the UK, replacement or refund with costs.

 

package holiday regulation cover the cruise line breaking the contract.

 

none of this US only $250 for flight changes and if they can't offer a suitable replacement they have to cover all costs, even down to the bottle of sun cream you got just for the cruise.

[wallie5446]

Every few months this is dis-cussed to death like here. Right, wrong, don't matter since all the cruise line's have to do business under the requirements of many different country's with varied concepts of protecting their citizens. They can not vary from those requirements.

 

OP, you want the same options on this side of the pond on your side? Get your elected resprentavites to change the consumer protection requirements.

 

The rest of the conversation is babble, that's life.

[The_Big_M]

it is what you said(even if you meant something else.

As for the promotions, where sometimes both the uk & the US offer similar perks they are never the same promotion as they are always different due to the previous mentioned different regulations etc

 

What are these regulations?

 

I will give the obvious well known one that does cause a display difference.

Regulations require the prices to include the taxes/ports fees, and this also means that any "free" stuff must be free. eg The NCL "free" packages are inclusive of 18% grats in the UK/EU not in the US.

 

It is very rare for any real fundamental difference in promos packages on offer to be down to regulations.

 

Spot on.

 

There's very little relevance to regulation causing the difference between global markets.

 

Mostly it's just due to marketing, budgets and the competitive situation.

[Beanb41]

When I have queried different X promotions even between Australia and New Zealand I have been advised that different promotions are offered to different places around the world at different times hence what is offered one place is not necessarily offered in another. Just a fact of life I guess. One accepts it or changes cruise lines and likely to find a similar practice. Because the US market is so competitive one can expect to see more promotions there than elsewhere. I have seen examples of extra perks offered by US travel agents back to their customers greater than the total commission offered to a NZ travel agent.

[MR_T]

Hi MR_T. Did you book direct with Celebrity or via a US Agent? I was under the impression Celebrity were cracking down on US Agents selling Brits/Non-US.

 

 

I book most of my cruises onboard and then transfer them to my American agent and I've never had an issue, but saying that I do have a friend in Canada so I do use their address from time to time, but all my captains club details are for my uk address

 

 

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[MR_T]

it is what you said(even if you meant something else.

 

 

As for the promotions, where sometimes both the uk & the US offer similar perks they are never the same promotion as they are always different due to the previous mentioned different regulations etc

 

 

 

What are these regulations?

 

 

 

I will give the obvious well known one that does cause a display difference.

 

Regulations require the prices to include the taxes/ports fees, and this also means that any "free" stuff must be free. eg The NCL "free" packages are inclusive of 18% grats in the UK/EU not in the US.

 

 

 

It is very rare for any real fundamental difference in promos packages on offer to be down to regulations.

 

 

[emoji849][emoji849][emoji849] next time try to get out of bed the right side... [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

 

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[villauk]

Did you book direct with Celebrity or via a US Agent? I was under the impression Celebrity were cracking down on US Agents selling Brits/Non-US.

 

Where did you gain this impression? Many of us on CC have been using US TAs for years. X are quite aware of where you are residing when you place the booking - your address and Captain's Club details are a major clue :rolleyes:. I've never heard of one pax that has ever been refused boarding for booking in the US on a Celebrity ship. Have you?

[Wiltonian]

There seems t o be some doubt about what the Best Price Promise is even among sesononed Celebrity cruisers, you can read the whole thing here

https://secure.celebritycruises.com/best-price-guarantee

 

But I quote

"What is the Celebrity Cruises Best Price Guarantee? Our Celebrity Best Price Guarantee ensures that you will enjoy the lowest advertised rate on your cruise fare and your preferred promotional offer. If a lower cruise fare or different promotional offer advertised to the general public is found and your booking meets certain requirements, you may request to have that savings or promotion applied to your booking (savings options vary by whether the request is submitted before or after the final payment due date)."

 

This does not apply to other countries but to United states and Canadian customers.

 

 

As a matter of fact, Celebrity UK did have that offer several months ago. However, there were no other perks offered at the time.

 

Stuart