Alcove price increase :-(

[4ready2cruz]

I was debating getting another alcove for our second sea day on the Silhouette in April. We booked the first sea day several months and it was $149. Today I checked and the sea day price has increased to $249! Port day was the same ($99). Should've booked both at the same time :-(. This early bird only got half a worm :-D.

[funship freddy]

Just off Silhouette last week. $249 is too much. Just MHO.

 

 

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[4ready2cruz]

Just off Silhouette last week. $249 is too much. Just MHO.

 

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I agree. $149 I could rationalize but not $249.

[funship freddy]

The greed continues....[emoji35]

 

 

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[Orator]

I wouldn't pay $149, but that's just me. Some who paid $149 wouldn't pay $249. Others would gladly pay whatever the cost might be. Celebrity doesn't need lots of people to fill the Alcoves, they just need a relatively few. They can always run a sale if they need to, but my guess is that they have calculated based on sales that the market will bear $249. Not greed, just Business 101. I'm really happy sitting on my balcony where I can see water as the world goes by.

[NCHPcruiser]

When traveling with another couple we have booked Alcoves in but we would never consider paying $249 even with two couples. With just my husband and I on our next cruise in two weeks we haven't even considered getting one.

[macaroni]

The price is only higher if you try to book once on the ship...I checked the pricing to book an alcove on an upcoming cruise and it shows $149...on our last cruise a few weeks ago, we -prebooked an alcove for $149 and saw that on the ship it was $249 so I checked for a future cruise of ours and it still shows for $149....if we wanted to pre book....was barely worth $149 but no way for $249....

[tinaincc]

The price is only higher if you try to book once on the ship...I checked the pricing to book an alcove on an upcoming cruise and it shows $149...on our last cruise a few weeks ago, we -prebooked an alcove for $149 and saw that on the ship it was $249 so I checked for a future cruise of ours and it still shows for $149....if we wanted to pre book....was barely worth $149 but no way for $249....

 

 

 

I looked last week (for our XMAS cruise) and it was $149. I just looked and it is $249. I was going to book all four of our sea days when it was $149, now I will just wait and maybe do a day or none at all.

[florisdekort]

The greed continues....[emoji35]

 

 

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Why is it greed if they can sell it for that price? It's supply and demand... If no one buys it for $249, the price will come down. If people do, good for them!

 

 

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[macaroni]

I looked last week (for our XMAS cruise) and it was $149. I just looked and it is $249. I was going to book all four of our sea days when it was $149, now I will just wait and maybe do a day or none at all.

Wow...so they went up for all...guess that just happened since I only looked 10 days ago....no way are r]they worth that unless it includes lunch & dinner at the Lawn Club Grill...

[CruisinNewb]

I think they had been testing the $249 price point on one of the ships. I thought at that price it also included a bottle of liquor and the ability to order at no cost off the room service menu.

 

 

We booked one for one day on the Reflection last month. We liked it so much we also got the next sea day while onboard. I thought it was worth the $149 but I wouldn't pay $249. I never saw more then 50% of them occupied but apparently they were all booked as we were on a wait list for the 2nd day and one didn't open up until 10PM the night before.

[janetz]

I just went into our cruise planner for April 2nd. Alcoves are available for port and sea days.

Port- 99.00

Sea Days- 249.00

I have looked before and they were at 149 for a sea day.

[shipshape sam]

Helps me with any thought I might like to try. :)

 

It is a value proposition pure and simple. Some will see the value, some will not. I don't hold it against them for testing the market. They did the same thing with Speciality Dining pricing. Lots of complains, but lots of people still booking.

 

 

My only thought to pass to Celebrity is that money should not always be the determination of who gets to use a feature. Pushing the price point higher does restrict some people who might like to enjoy the benefit, I guess there is a benefit, of an alcove?

[cgags47]

$249 is ridiculous for an Alcove. $149 for a sea day was reasonable, only $50 more than a port day. But $150 more is just too much. I had one on our last cruise, and was going to get one again, but definitely not for $249.

 

 

Like many of you have said though, it's business. If they don't sell, then the price will fall. I don't see that happening though.

[Elusive_Cruiser]

A 67% increase is a big 'ouch'. Time will, however, tell, what a good or bad decision this is on Celebrity's part.

 

All I have to say is that I thought I was being a bit of a freak by booking an Alcove for a sea day for our Jan-18 cruise. We're traveling with two other couples and I thought this would be a nice surprise and a great way to spend the afternoon lounging with them.

 

I would not have spent $250+ for this.

[benne1ej]

Darn.. was looking forward to booking one in April for $150 on the Reflection, but I dont think its worth it for $249!

[Elusive_Cruiser]

A 67% increase is a big 'ouch'. Time will, however, tell, what a good or bad decision this is on Celebrity's part.

 

All I have to say is that I thought I was being a bit of a freak by booking an Alcove for a sea day for our Jan-18 cruise. We're traveling with two other couples and I thought this would be a nice surprise and a great way to spend the afternoon lounging with them.

 

I would not have spent $250+ for this.

 

I should mention - we booked an Alcove 2 yrs ago on the Silhouette, for a sea day on our way back to FLL. There was only one other occupied. It was quite windy, which seems to be the norm when sailing to Fort Lauderdale. Our attendant was awkward. The banging noise of the awning in the wind was a test on my OCD! However, I loved this concept enough to book again. I'm looking forward to trying this experience again, but with a group, rather than with just the 2 of us.

[cls711]

On the NCL Getaway/Breakaway you can get a private cabana in a private beach club area limited to about 75 guests, with a dedicated bar 2 hot tubs, bathrooms and showers, and the cabanas actually face OUT TO the OCEAN, for about $350 FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK! (and you get $100 food and beverage credit)

 

 

On most Holland America ships you can get a private cabana in a private cabana club area limited to about 40 guests, with 2 dedicated butlers to fulfill your every whim, again the cabanas FACE THE OCEAN, for about $400 FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK!

 

 

Celebrity is my cruise line of choice but I find myself booking these other two for this option alone. Celebrity is crazy with the alcove fee and IMO those who pay it are a little crazy too.

[queenofcruise]

On the Solstice last November, the sea day was $249, we had five people, enjoyed the amazing view, the dedicated butler and enjoyed a beautiful day !

 

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[sandc4e]

On the NCL Getaway/Breakaway you can get a private cabana in a private beach club area limited to about 75 guests, with a dedicated bar 2 hot tubs, bathrooms and showers, and the cabanas actually face OUT TO the OCEAN, for about $350 FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK! (and you get $100 food and beverage credit).....

 

Correct and we loved our Cabana on Getaway.

 

We booked Alcove for 1 seaday for our April 16th sailing on Silhouette a few months ago for $149, checked after reading this and it's up to $249 - that's insane and doesn't appear to include anything additional.

 

I could justify $149, but can't justify @249 for 1 day.

[jules815]

Besides not having to fight for a lounger, what are the other advantages to having an alcove? Are they in the shade?

 

We've gotten an over the water cabana twice now on Barefoot Beach at Labadee. They were very nice, although the price on those has gone up as well, and I wouldn't do it again unless we were with a group to split the cost.

[long time lurker]

We booked Alcove for 1 seaday for our April 16th sailing on Silhouette a few months ago for $149, checked after reading this and it's up to $249 - that's insane and doesn't appear to include anything additional.

 

I wonder if it not including anything additional is just a matter of the Celebrity website strikes again. I looked at the Alcove description for our upcoming Reflection cruise (we have already booked our alcove, thank goodness with this price increase). I noticed in the description that it still lists only the Silhouette and Reflection as having this amenity, although alcoves have been added to the Solstice. I believe the Solstice is the ship that they tried the price increase on. I guess it worked if they are rolling it out an the other 2 ships. Then, again if Bistro/Sushi on 5 is any indication I do not think that success is defined by how much a venue is used after a price increase. Back on topic, I believe on the Solstice they included bottled alchohol in the price. I am curious if they only changed the price, but not the description on the website.

[zuzuflub]

Goodness! I am struggling to work out what exactly an alcove is. I usually cruise with royal and I haven't come across this. Please describe an alcove for me.

 

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[long time lurker]

Goodness! I am struggling to work out what exactly an alcove is. I usually cruise with royal and I haven't come across this. Please describe an alcove for me.

 

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The Alcoves are only on some Celebrity ships that include the Lawn Club area. They are private sitting areas that face the lawn with chairs and tables on the top deck. Here is a photo of the one that we rented on the Silhouette a few years ago.

[Rcsting]

We have already booked an Alcove for 2 days on our upcoming cruise on the Reflection at $ 149 per day ( Sea Day ). We would not have booked it at $ 249. Really interested to see if the price drops back down soon.