Has Celebrity Out Priced Their Cruises

[beaveh]

In the UK, I just wish we had the opertunity to chase lower prices. Here, when you book, you are locked in to the holiday price.... even if the price drops later. ( unless you want to loose a substantial deposit).

 

Last year my cruise dropped by £600 I was tempted to cancel and rebook, but my saving would have been just £200 after losing the deposit. Aargh!

[villauk]

In the UK, I just wish we had the opertunity to chase lower prices. Here, when you book, you are locked in to the holiday price.... even if the price drops later. ( unless you want to loose a substantial deposit).

 

Last year my cruise dropped by £600 I was tempted to cancel and rebook, but my saving would have been just £200 after losing the deposit. Aargh!

 

I must have said it a million times here on CC (I know some of you will be nodding your head in agreement :D), but you have to be happy with your initial pricing if you book over here in the UK because the chances of you being able to change without penalty are very slim. If I think there's a high possibility of price drops for an intended cruise, I book in the US and take my chance - I can always cancel before FP (without charge) and then rebook over here ;).

[misprint]

In the UK, I just wish we had the opertunity to chase lower prices. Here, when you book, you are locked in to the holiday price.... even if the price drops later. ( unless you want to loose a substantial deposit).

 

Last year my cruise dropped by £600 I was tempted to cancel and rebook, but my saving would have been just £200 after losing the deposit. Aargh!

 

I agree with this. I have just booked for August 2018 with a friend and her 2 daughters to celebrate a 'big' birthday. We were restricted to the 6 week school holiday window and wanted 2 cabins next door to each other so felt we had to book early. No bargains for us and as you say we are locked in. :(

[misprint]

I must have said it a million times here on CC (I know some of you will be nodding your head in agreement :D), but you have to be happy with your initial pricing if you book over here in the UK because the chances of you being able to change without penalty are very slim. If I think there's a high possibility of price drops for an intended cruise, I book in the US and take my chance - I can always cancel before FP (without charge) and then rebook over here ;).

 

How do you book in the US, do you use a US travel agent via the internet?

[villauk]

How do you book in the US, do you use a US travel agent via the internet?

 

I have used a US TA for many years and have received many price drops. It's always important to price the sailing on both sides of the pond before booking, including any perks in the equation. If the price difference is minimal, or I think there's a high chance of price drops, then I'll book in the States. Exchange rates are not good for us presently, however, I still have cruises booked that are less in price than booking over here.

 

Chat to others at your Connections gathering and you will collect much information and also recommendations of good TAs ;).

[Wiltonian]

Clearly, enough people are willing to pay the higher charges of recent years for Celebrity.

 

However, looking at the Baltic for summer 2018, Royal Caribbean is 12 nights for £1239 (OV) while Celebrity is £2569(OV). Balcony £1703 or £2769. Celebrity includes Classic package, but . . . . .

 

Stuart

[dutchclogs]

Clearly, enough people are willing to pay the higher charges of recent years for Celebrity.

 

However, looking at the Baltic for summer 2018, Royal Caribbean is 12 nights for £1239 (OV) while Celebrity is £2569(OV). Balcony £1703 or £2769. Celebrity includes Classic package, but . . . . .

 

Stuart

 

 

ITA. You pays your money and you takes your choice .... It does seem that the Celebrity price model in Europe is to start sky high then come down adjusting to supply and demand. Suites may be the exception to this.It is a gamble to wait if you want a particular cabin though, as there is no guarantee of availability

[pmymmw]

We have started looking at Oceania and other such lines for 2018 as the prices are coming in cheaper than anything Celebrity can offer for similar cruises. Looks to me like prices in the UK have exploded over the last 12 months. Probably another consequence of Brexit.

We booked our September Pacific Coast B2B cruise on Infinity through a US TA and saved over £4000 on a balcony cabin compared to the prices being offered in the UK.

 

 

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[MixerDave]

Unfortunately Celebrity pricing varies widely from cruise to cruise and depending on time of day. Recently booked AQ on Equinox for under $100 per person per day. Invoice shows it as half price. Price came up at 11 PM EST. Personally feel suite prices are WAY too high.

 

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Which Equinox cruise? And do I understand 2 people for under $1500? In January I booked the 9 night Memorial Day on Equinox. A 1A veranda was $1499 pp - It is now over $2000 pp and that is for a 2C Veranda. Sure looks like the ship is selling out.

[Straughn]

I book very early when the new itineraries are released and on board ship if possible. I currently have four cruises in the pipeline: Sept. 2017, Feb. 2018, Oct. 2018 and Feb. 2019. The Oct. 2018 cruise has been changed, by me, twice. One change was a cabin upgrade when the price of the CS was just over what we were paying for an S2. The second time was a date change because the price of the CS on a different date was less than the one we had booked. We are retired so quite flexible in sail dates. All of these cruises include the four, supposedly free, perks.

[Orator]

Unfortunately Celebrity pricing varies widely from cruise to cruise and depending on time of day. Recently booked AQ on Equinox for under $100 per person per day. Invoice shows it as half price. Price came up at 11 PM EST. Personally feel suite prices are WAY too high.

 

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Is that the President's Cruise in August? Lots of friends are on that one. Enjoy your current cruise.

[TeeRick]

Having taken well over 40 Celebrity Cruises ,we are now inclined to use other cruise lines ;because we feel that Celebrity has raised their prices far too high .

 

What is your opinion of this topic ?

 

There are quite a few cruise lines out there many of which compete directly with Celebrity. Like any business with intense competition they will price their product as the market dictates for the demographics and customer base they serve. You might find less expensive prices on other cruise lines so you should go elsewhere if you think it is a better value for you personally. Celebrity seems to be filling all of their ships most of the time at the current price levels so the market is supporting their pricing strategy.

[Ma Bell]

The truth is there are still good prices to be had but you have to constantly play the pricing game with them.

[LOU]

The cruise lines that have lower prices also have lowered the quality of the cruise experience. I will pay a little more for better food and service.

[conquesodor]

It's been pointed out at least once already in this thread, but I think it bears repeating: you can get a greatly reduced price by opting out of perks. I've been watching a 2018 Med cruise rather obsessively the past few months and I've come to the conclusion that the deals for "free" perks are no bargain at all. The basic price my TA got me without perks for a standard veranda is thousands less than getting the perks added.

 

That's not to say that there aren't times that the deals are fantastic. For the cruise I'll be on next month, it only cost us a few hundred dollars extra to get all four perks - well worth it. Bottom line is that you need to do that math. If you don't like the pricing you see on the =X= site, call a TA and discuss alternative prices without perks. I do wish Celebrity was a bit more up front about the pricing, as the way its advertised now is confusing and it could be turning away potential customers.

 

As far as Celebrity pricing compared to other major lines, my impression from the itineraries I've comparison shopped is that =X= is comparable and sometimes cheaper than NCL or RCCL. Your mileage may vary however.

[4774Papa]

It's been pointed out at least once already in this thread, but I think it bears repeating: you can get a greatly reduced price by opting out of perks. I've been watching a 2018 Med cruise rather obsessively the past few months and I've come to the conclusion that the deals for "free" perks are no bargain at all. The basic price my TA got me without perks for a standard veranda is thousands less than getting the perks added.

 

That's not to say that there aren't times that the deals are fantastic. For the cruise I'll be on next month, it only cost us a few hundred dollars extra to get all four perks - well worth it. Bottom line is that you need to do that math. If you don't like the pricing you see on the =X= site, call a TA and discuss alternative prices without perks. I do wish Celebrity was a bit more up front about the pricing, as the way its advertised now is confusing and it could be turning away potential customers.

 

As far as Celebrity pricing compared to other major lines, my impression from the itineraries I've comparison shopped is that =X= is comparable and sometimes cheaper than NCL or RCCL. Your mileage may vary however.

Opting out of the perks never works for us. Also, most of our friends don't ever qualify for discounts like resident of a certain state or over 65.

 

We can still cruise on a TA, because price bundling with perks is not done there.

[mcrcruiser]

Thanks every one for posting your thoughts & feelings .

We have a Nov 2017 cruise booked with HAL from our home port here in San Diego to Mexico & got excellent price for a outside cabin . HAL I'm our opinion is very close to the Celebrity experience .

 

We also own a upscale time share & can get away a week a year with out trading . Then we can also get Get Away time shares anywhere in the world .

 

What we endeavor to do is eliminate or at the outside fly just one way . After 78 cruises under our belts flying is a struggle which we prefer not to do any longer

 

Again thanks for all your posts & bon voyage

[Redtravel]

Supply and demand determines pricing. Popular cruises can sell at a higher price. Unpopular sailings can be less expensive. Same is true for hotels and resorts. In season prices are higher than out of season. If you are happy to sail anytime anywhere, you can find bargains. Found a great price on a Med cruise in January. Too cold for me. Found a great price on a Caribbean cruise in October. That's hurricane season. I like the Caribbean in winter and the Med in the spring. Prices are high. Many people will go on those sailings just because it is cheaper. I have noticed that there are fewer long cruises. As a retired cruiser, I have lots of time and like the longer trips. That dictates that long cruise prices could be high. If Celebrity increases prices and people book, then they are doing the right thing. If higher prices drive people away and they don't fill the cabins, the prices will drop. If Celebrity is too high, there are other lines that do cruises for less money. Nobody makes you book. Ultimately, you decide if and when to sail. I am booked on a cruise next winter on the Silhouette. Celebrity's higher prices pushed me to look at more upscale lines. My next cruise leaves in 2 weeks. 15 nights Lisbon to Rome in a suite not on Celebrity.

[Hestia]

Try and book a cruise today for May. Unless you want an inside cabin or a suite, rooms are mighty scarce as the season winds down (and there are no deals to be had that I could see!). Ended up booking a land vacation for my parents and had really hoped they could get on their first ever cruise!

 

Having said that, prices have absolutely gone up markedly in the 3 years we took off cruising. Normally, I would expect this and wouldn't mind particularly but in all honesty, I cruise Celebrity for all the little extras they have always given. I can't help but notice that we are now paying more and those little extras are fewer and further between. This may make me begin to look at other cruise lines for the first time in a few years. (Although I'm a huge fan of the glass show so that keeps me coming back... as long as it lasts).

[Chunky2219]

We've alternated between Celebrity and Cunard for quite some time. For suites, Cunard is now rather better priced and the food is significantly better/ To my mind, Luminae is just a mildly better MDR in comparison. Pity they have only three ships and spend so much time on world cruises or transatlantics.

 

Not making any bookings this year 'cos the prices are so unattractive, the first time in yonks we won't have cruised.

.

[BEAV]

Having taken well over 40 Celebrity Cruises ,we are now inclined to use other cruise lines ;because we feel that Celebrity has raised their prices far too high .

 

What is your opinion of this topic ?

 

Here's quite a lot of feedback on the subject as well.....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2404829

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2399224

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2394775

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2290782

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2240029

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2187550

[keithm]

Having taken well over 40 Celebrity Cruises ,we are now inclined to use other cruise lines ;because we feel that Celebrity has raised their prices far too high .

 

What is your opinion of this topic ?

We paid $1400/PP in 2014. In 2015 it was $1550/PP. In 2017, it was again about $1550/PP. We're booked next year on the Eclipse(all cruises are 14 days in an inside cabin)for about $1770/PP This also includes a $100/OBC/PP as well. Not too much of a price jump. We use the cheap price as a starting point. We usually do several excursions & dine frequently in the alternative rest. For us I find it to be a relative bargain.

Edited April 6, 2017 by keithm
correction

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Thanks every one for posting your thoughts & feelings .

We have a Nov 2017 cruise booked with HAL from our home port here in San Diego to Mexico & got excellent price for a outside cabin . HAL I'm our opinion is very close to the Celebrity experience .

 

We also own a upscale time share & can get away a week a year with out trading . Then we can also get Get Away time shares anywhere in the world .

 

What we endeavor to do is eliminate or at the outside fly just one way . After 78 cruises under our belts flying is a struggle which we prefer not to do any longer

 

Again thanks for all your posts & bon voyage

 

Sounds like you have made the best decision for your situation. Bon voyage to you too.:)

[Ma Bell]

The major jump in prices has been for Concierge and above. There is a lot of competition for Caribbean cruises so the price hikes are more evident in cruises to other areas of the world.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Ma Bell

[benjaminhuf]

Here's what to me is a very interesting comparison:

 

Celebrity Equinox's Dec. 16 Western Caribbean $1499pp for AquaClass with 2 perks

 

Viking Sky's Dec. 17th Western Caribbean $1999 pp

 

At first it seems like Celebrity has an advantage, but Viking Ocean Cruises always has included many valuable perks in the price, including for this cruise: Free Air fare, free wifi, wine and beer, specialty coffees, shore excursions, alternative dining, self-service laundry, port taxes and fees, airport transfers, etc. Plus the room is about 20 square feet larger. And, the ports seem more interesting for Viking, including Belize and Merida. Last, Viking seems like a more luxurious and relaxing experience. From what I've read no upsell, art auctions, or anything like that.

 

!!!

 

On this particular route the luxury line Viking seems like a good value compared to Celebrity. Wish I could go. Just 3 cabins left at this price....Don't delay if that appeals. Viking seems to be doing very well these days, and from this comparison I can see why.

 

But, on this same Equinox cruise, if you opt out of the perks, and get a regional discount, a veranda can be had for $699 pp.

Edited April 7, 2017 by benjaminhuf