Rapidly going off Celebrity...

[villauk]

In future save yourself the headache and just book with an American TA.

 

And if you book onboard, transfer the booking to an American TA.

 

Then you can cancel, transfer, rebook as many times as you like without losing your deposit before final payment.

 

Usually, we also get a lot of OBC with an American TA as well.

 

Agree, it's worth any exchange rate hit for the flexibility. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware that you can book via the US ;).

 

It will be interesting to see if X follow Royal with the non refundable deposit route when the new itineraries are released later this year.

[Miaminice]

The fact that most onboard agents tell you all about the advantages based on US terms is old news - unfortunately.

We (live in Germany) and book all our cruises on board and then transfer the booking to our German TA. The rules in Germany are basically the same as in the UK - in a nutshell: hardly any flexibility.

 

Here on CC most people from the US will give you all kinds of answers based on their experiences. Disregarding the fact that different terms apply in other countries.

 

Whenever we book onboard and the agent tells us things I know aren´t true I can´t help but smile. Most of the times I ask if he/she is aware of the different rules in Germany. A few times the agent asked the supervisor and then admitted he/she was wrong. I am not happy about the different rules - but I stopped worrying about something I already know.

 

However, this year for the first time I was told (and I got it in writing) that, if I payed the deposit on board (10 % as per German terms), I could cancel without penalty i.e. without loosing the deposit. We made use of that two weeks ago. The price of one of our booked cruises dropped more than 1600 Euro. No adjustment was possible. So we cancelled and booked again for the new price. Since we did it on land we lost one perk (Grats) which still resulted in a price better by 1300 Euro). Had we waited and rebooked on board our next cruise, we could have received the perks for booking on board. However, given the possibility of the price changing again, we did not take the chance.

 

So long story short, you might ask for the possibility of a penalty free cancellation of a cruise booked on board. Since the terms are pretty much alike in Europe you might be able to do that.

Edited September 5, 2017 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

Agree, it's worth any exchange rate hit for the flexibility. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware that you can book via the US ;).

 

If you find a US TA who ignores the rule that you have to have an address in the US (and you will) you have to consider that a) prices are sometimes different and b) consumer protection rights are different.

 

By no means I am saying you should not do it, however, be aware there are two sides of a coin.

[villauk]

If you find a US TA who ignores the rule that you have to have an address in the US (and you will) you have to consider that a) prices are sometimes different and b) consumer protection rights are different.

 

By no means I am saying you should not do it, however, be aware there are two sides of a coin.

 

I've been using a US TA for years and X do allow (they have all your details so they know exactly where you reside) ;). Flexibility is the name of the game.

[laslomas]

This is part of the T&C for Future Bookings as seen on the Celebrity UK website:

 

10 Guests who wish to take advantage of a new UK market promotion/benefit(s) at a later date, whilst keeping the same ship and sail date will have to cancel (at loss of deposit or applicable cancellation charges) and re-book to access the benefits of the new promotion/benefit(s). The unlimited free changes apply to changing ship and/or sail date only.

Maybe just my devious mind, but I wonder could work our for you if you change to a different ship and sail date, then change back a few days later???. Possibly the original stateroom would have gone, but would anyone really follow the trail I wonder. If you are considering cancelling and losing the deposit anyway it may be worth a try.

 

By the way the full T&C are on this link: https://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/promotional-terms/#Future Cruise Promotion

[Wiltonian]

Agree, it's worth any exchange rate hit for the flexibility. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware that you can book via the US ;).

 

It wasn't worth it when the Pound collapsed after the Brexit referendum, and until UK prices were adjusted, many US prices were significantly higher than UK ones!

 

Stuart

[villauk]

It wasn't worth it when the Pound collapsed after the Brexit referendum, and until UK prices were adjusted, many US prices were significantly higher than UK ones!

 

Stuart

 

It's the flexibility that it allows ;). You can always cancel that US booking, or take the price drops/new promos, right up to FP without penalty and then consider your options ;).

[villauk]

Maybe just my devious mind, but I wonder could work our for you if you change to a different ship and sail date, then change back a few days later???. Possibly the original stateroom would have gone, but would anyone really follow the trail I wonder. If you are considering cancelling and losing the deposit anyway it may be worth a try.

 

Unsure if a history comes up with the booking as the reservation number is obviously the same? Only someone who has access to X's systems would be able to confirm if this is the case.

[Miaminice]

I've been using a US TA for years and X do allow (they have all your details so they know exactly where you reside) ;). Flexibility is the name of the game.

 

As I said I know it works and it happens every day. However, the official regulation states that a customer using a TA in the US or even Celebrity US directly needs to have an address within the US. Just because it is ignored on a daily base does not mean the rule does not exist. BTW: just because you might have one address registered in their system does not say you could not have a second anywhere else.

I live in Germany and that address is registered with X. However, I could also provide them another address in Sunny Isles, Florida any day.

 

IMHO Giving advice to others here on CC should involve the full and correct information. Otherwise it is no better than the half truths given on board. Making the decision, of course, is everyone´s own business.

Edited September 5, 2017 by Miaminice

[dutchclogs]

Under most legal systems, a verbal statement is as much part of a contract as a written one. "Silly." A contract between a U.K. Citizen and a U.K. Company would be under UK consumer law. A claim at the UK's small claims court would be interesting to say the least.

 

It would indeed. The difficulty with a verbal contract is proof, as it is one person's word against another. If there is a recorded message, it is not completely anonymous as you will have proof of time and could possibly have a record of names and location.

[villauk]

As I said I know it works and it happens every day. However, the official regulation states that a customer using a TA in the US or even Celebrity US directly needs to have an address within the US. Just because it is ignored on a daily base does not mean the rule does not exist. BTW: just because you might have one address registered in their system does not say you could not have a second anywhere else.

I live in Germany and that address is registered with X. However, I could also provide them another address in Sunny Isles, Florida any day.

 

IMHO Giving advice to others here on CC should involve the full and correct information. Otherwise it is no better than the half truths given on board. Making the decision, of course, is everyone´s own business.

 

Apart from the address on the X booking is the UK address, so no, that's not the case. Also when you book onboard, with a Celebrity rep, they have your details and confirm before completing the reservation. No US address has ever been asked for.

 

Btw, information on here is given freely and pax can either use it or not, that's their prerogative - a completely different scenario to those that are paid by the cruise line to provide the correct details to their customers ;).

[dutchclogs]

@Miaminice interesting re refundable deposits. Is this just for on board booking? I live in the Netherlands and was told 2 years ago that if making a NL euro booking we would lose our deposit if wanting to re book or cancel.

[Jade13]

Yeah....the words from the agent were that we couldn't lose by booking on board....well I'm sorry but we have ..the same cruise is now £900 cheaper and we can't get it ......that's a "lose" to me .

 

 

 

Villauk has the right idea. Just move the deposit that you can change to as far out as possibly to use later. Just pay a new deposit to get the cruise you want with the huge discount / promotion you want. You need to check because most likely that lower price will not come with two perks (maybe one instead of two). This is just a new/different promotion and likely the savings isn't really as great as you think.

[Miaminice]

Btw, information on here is given freely and pax can either use it or not, that's their prerogative - a completely different scenario to those that are paid by the cruise line to provide the correct details to their customers ;).

 

Interesting point! So you are saying you don´t have to make an effort because you are not payed to do so... I for one will always try to give advice here to the best of my knowledge and mention the pros and cons - for free. But I guess everybody is different.

[Miaminice]

@Miaminice interesting re refundable deposits. Is this just for on board booking? I live in the Netherlands and was told 2 years ago that if making a NL euro booking we would lose our deposit if wanting to re book or cancel.

 

The latter is the way we always knew it as well. In March we booked two cruises on board and we were told that we are now able to cancel onboard bookings without penalty. All the other flexibilities do not apply though. Because I was suspicious I sent an email to our friend and TA in Germany and asked him to reconfirm with his Celebrity representative. A day later he replied that the German office confirmed.

 

Two weeks ago we did cancel one of the two cruises and the deposit was returned.

 

I am not sure if it is a general change in regulations or if it was temporary. However, it does not hurt to ask.

[villauk]

Interesting point! So you are saying you don´t have to make an effort because you are not payed to do so... I for one will always try to give advice here to the best of my knowledge and mention the pros and cons - for free. But I guess everybody is different.

 

I can only go on my 10 years of experience of booking. Now your experience may be totally different, even booking the same cruise lines in the same geographical area. It all comes down to the OP (allegedly - as I wasn't there in person - before you try and quote me on that one) being misinformed by a representative of that company. As I stated, I don't work for the cruise line so can only quote MY past experiences and I was trying to provide the OP with suggested alternatives for her situation. I believe, from your posts, that you do not book in the UK so would have little experience of ever having to deal with X over here.

[jojo1966]

This is part of the T&C for Future Bookings as seen on the Celebrity UK website:

 

10 Guests who wish to take advantage of a new UK market promotion/benefit(s) at a later date, whilst keeping the same ship and sail date will have to cancel (at loss of deposit or applicable cancellation charges) and re-book to access the benefits of the new promotion/benefit(s). The unlimited free changes apply to changing ship and/or sail date only.

Maybe just my devious mind, but I wonder could work our for you if you change to a different ship and sail date, then change back a few days later???. Possibly the original stateroom would have gone, but would anyone really follow the trail I wonder. If you are considering cancelling and losing the deposit anyway it may be worth a try.

 

By the way the full T&C are on this link: https://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/promotional-terms/#Future Cruise Promotion

 

Thats exactly what my issue is - I was told I could do that - and now I've come to do it they are saying I can't

[Miaminice]

(allegedly - as I wasn't there in person - before you try and quote me on that one)....

I believe, from your posts, that you do not book in the UK so would have little experience of ever having to deal with X over here.

 

Don´t worry I will not quote you on anything - why would I.

You however, are free to quote me on one thing. I wrote that I will give advice to the best of my knowledge. And although your capital was home to my wife for many years booking in the UK is beyond my knowledge in deed. I did not write anything about booking in the UK and I will not do so. Your ten years of experience remain unchallenged by me...

 

Boy, since when did trying to help people become a competition ?!

[pbrady]

Last February we did 7 nights on the Silhouette & then transferred to the POM and did 14 nights on the Eclipse. I was in Future cruises a few times on each & talked to different people on each. What they said on the Silhouette was totally different than what I was told on the Eclipse. Unfortunately, I was waiting to hear from someone on whether or not they were joining us so I waited to book until I was on the Eclipse but none of what I was told on the Silhouette was the same on the Eclipse.

I really don't care what the rules are - - just be consistent!!!!

[Solon]

Last February we did 7 nights on the Silhouette & then transferred to the POM and did 14 nights on the Eclipse. I was in Future cruises a few times on each & talked to different people on each. What they said on the Silhouette was totally different than what I was told on the Eclipse. Unfortunately, I was waiting to hear from someone on whether or not they were joining us so I waited to book until I was on the Eclipse but none of what I was told on the Silhouette was the same on the Eclipse.

I really don't care what the rules are - - just be consistent!!!!

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

Why can't they be consistent on the website as well.