Another Sale; Another Price Increase!

[Lastdance]

I hear what everyone is saying and have paid more than I wanted, along with great deals IMHO. I guess it depends on how you feel about what you have, noting the psychological aspect too. Sometimes a person just can't go at the last minute, but I am hoping that will change for me in the near future. There are always people who pay less and those who pay more. Everyone would like the best deal, but sometimes that is not possible. I have two Edge cruises that were expensive, even when booked the first hour, but I want the new experience.

 

I check many websites using tactics I learned on CC and from friends. Most work quite well and yes I do wish that I bought stock when it was down very low, but I didn't. However, good dividends in other stocks really do pay off. I combine a cruise with a land tour that I do myself, as just a cruise without another getaway is wasting precious time and in depth exploring overseas. Just getting the best price doesn't guarantee the best cruise...

Edited December 21, 2017 by Lastdance

[CEOofVacation]

You may have an entirely different experience & I hope you do. We tried a Royal after a 5 year hiatus a couple of week ago- never again.

 

The downside- early December cruise & ship had over 600 kids & sailed at full capacity 4,000+. IMHO food was marginal at best, ship was crowded & loud. Windjammer was a zoo, felt like we were in the middle of a feeding frenzy and the food was way too salty. There were a few bright spots among the crew but the majority never smiled or acted like they were doing anything more than going through the motions to get a check.

 

Smoking in the casino is a no go for us. The smell of smoke infiltrated the Schooner Bar, Photo area & Boleros. So even if the food were better, ship less crowded, fewer kids and a happier crew we won’t sail Royal again as long as there is smoking inside.

 

I did not know about the smoking. I will check it out.

 

This ship only holds about 2,400 passengers and that was certainly a consideration factor as we could never see ourselves on a 4000 or 6000 passengers cruise ship. Being a 16-night TA from FLL to Copenhagen in late April, we expect it to have very few children.

[Lastdance]

Celebrity's pricing has caused us to look elsewhere. When X's 2019 Transatlantic itineraries were released, we decided to book the Transatlantic with Oceania which has more interesting ports and reportedly has better food and service. Then yesterday, our TA talked us into joining him on a 2019 Transatlantic with Royal Caribbean in the same timeframe (April) in an Owner's Suite. The cost of the RC Owner's Suite (582 sq ft room + 154 balcony) + equivalence of Olife perks (w/o air) comes out to about the same as what we have booked with Oceania in a balcony. We would have stayed with Oceania but decided to give RC Owner's Suite a try. Even RC is giving X a run for the money.

 

I think this sounds wonderful and can't wait to hear all about it...:cool:

[CEOofVacation]

I think this sounds wonderful and can't wait to hear all about it...:cool:

We are looking forward to catching up with you in April, and we will share our experience with you after our 2019 cruise!

[bEwAbG]

Booking upon release of the cruise doesn't get you the lowest price. They set an opening price and then adjust based on how it's selling. So it COULD be the lowest if there is great demand. Or they could have it set high and go higher. I used to say that early bookings got you a better choice of rooms but I don't think that is even true anymore because it seems like there are lots of rooms that are blocked from the initial inventory.

[Mynki]

Booking upon release of the cruise doesn't get you the lowest price. They set an opening price and then adjust based on how it's selling. So it COULD be the lowest if there is great demand. Or they could have it set high and go higher. I used to say that early bookings got you a better choice of rooms but I don't think that is even true anymore because it seems like there are lots of rooms that are blocked from the initial inventory.

 

There are some very popular itineraries that have a trend of increasing such as some of the Japan sailings and the 14 day exotic southern Caribbean in peak season etc.

 

Weirdly, if booking in the UK there are no restrictions on inventory. It's the US site that imposes them only. I don't know why this is so but can only guess it's because US bookers have a habit of switching and cancelling more?

[ano]

You couldn't be more wrong if you tried and have clearly misunderstood the point I've made. :)

 

My thoughts on the current nickel and diming are well documented with my historical posts. And as I've spent quite a few weeks at sea with Celebrity within the last 18 months I understand exactly what is and what is no longer included. I know what additions I'll have to pay for in order to give me the cruise I want, which is exactly why I can assign a dollar value per night depending on the class of cabin.

 

Some itineraries seem very bad value to me and I'd simply never book them, but others do offer both a sensible price and a quality product.

 

What you need to understand is that the quality product can be had for a good to very good price for those prepared to put the effort into their searches. This is completely serpate to the point you are making. Hopefully, you'll understand.

 

I do get what you are saying, and I applaud you for trying to find better bargains. Children being on vacation, weather, holidays, special events all play into that. My wife was a teacher, and while we have no kids we were always forced to go during summer, which was expensive. And newer ships seem to demand higher prices as well. Go on a new ship in the summer and they will get you.

[happy 2 b cruising]

I hear what everyone is saying and have paid more than I wanted, along with great deals IMHO. I guess it depends on how you feel about what you have, noting the psychological aspect too. Sometimes a person just can't go at the last minute, but I am hoping that will change for me in the near future. There are always people who pay less and those who pay more. Everyone would like the best deal, but sometimes that is not possible. I have two Edge cruises that were expensive, even when booked the first hour, but I want the new experience.

 

I check many websites using tactics I learned on CC and from friends. Most work quite well and yes I do wish that I bought stock when it was down very low, but I didn't. However, good dividends in other stocks really do pay off. I combine a cruise with a land tour that I do myself, as just a cruise without another getaway is wasting precious time and in depth exploring overseas. Just getting the best price doesn't guarantee the best cruise...

 

Your last sentence is right on point! We enjoyed meeting you on the April 2017 TA. We also like to book when the sailings are first offered. The most ridiculous thing I have ever seen recently was the insane price jumps on the 2019 Edge April TA within 24 hours of the cruise release. Then I found out a large Travel Agency prebooked half of the ship for their CEO’s President’s Cruise. Hardly any supply of cabins to choose from unless you booked directly with that Travel Agency and the prices kept jumping and jumping. Should be very interesting around final payment to see how low the prices will go when the big agency has to dump their unsold cabins. Really surprised that Celebrity allowed so much inventory to be tied up with this Agency considering it was a brand new ship with a great TA itinerary.

[Beanb41]

I have just completed a review of cruises that I have already booked that are supposedly up to $800 cheaper as a consequence of the sale. All three I have prebooked are about $1400 per couple dearer with same conditions. These sales are nothing but a joke

[Lastdance]

Your last sentence is right on point! We enjoyed meeting you on the April 2017 TA. We also like to book when the sailings are first offered. The most ridiculous thing I have ever seen recently was the insane price jumps on the 2019 Edge April TA within 24 hours of the cruise release. Then I found out a large Travel Agency prebooked half of the ship for their CEO’s President’s Cruise. Hardly any supply of cabins to choose from unless you booked directly with that Travel Agency and the prices kept jumping and jumping. Should be very interesting around final payment to see how low the prices will go when the big agency has to dump their unsold cabins. Really surprised that Celebrity allowed so much inventory to be tied up with this Agency considering it was a brand new ship with a great TA itinerary.

 

It was nice meeting you at dinner too, along with one of the tours. Yes, that big box agency in the northeast did have lots of cabins, although many were in places that were not the best locations. Their prices were higher, but they offered some OBC and free gratuities. I did look at them in terms of transferring, but they were a lot more money too. A friend of mine who did book the first day was able to transfer and get a much better deal than she had with Celebrity. I guess there are just too many variables. I was able to get my favorite S1 corner aft suite on deck 11, so that made me happy. No other agency that I looked at gave me anything better than what my TA gave me, which was my gratuities and a little extra OBC. However, I will keep watching and looking for that "pie in the sky!"

[riclop]

You should be use to it by now.

[BosoxI]

I have just completed a review of cruises that I have already booked that are supposedly up to $800 cheaper as a consequence of the sale. All three I have prebooked are about $1400 per couple dearer with same conditions. These sales are nothing but a joke

 

On the Eclipse last week we received a flyer offering four perks on certain cruises, if we booked them by December 19; I spent considerable time searching for cruises that fit our needs, then checked their prices on line. Armed with that information, I asked the Future Cruise Person for her offer.

 

She gave me a price that included the four perks but was $700 over the base cost I had discovered on line. I asked her where was the benefit the flyer promised and she claimed we were benefitting by an $800 reduction on the cost of the cabin. Really?, I replied. I would get the same price if I booked on line or through an agent.

 

I then asked her to book the cabin for us at the base price with no perks, as we are Elite + and can do quite nicely with those benefits plus Michael's Club. She said she couldn't do that. I was amazed and left her office. When I reached my cabin, she had left a message that she was mistaken and could book the cabin at base price. No thanks.I had lost interest due to Celebrity's misleading antics.

 

Several days later I was told the same story by a second agent. So I left the ship with no future cruise booked and now I am researching other lines to see what they offer. I really resent how X is playing the old shell game with its customers. Keep your eye on the shells and maybe if you're really lucky, you'll find the one hiding the bean.

[teecee60]

Connie 15 night repo cruise April next year, inside cabins work out at almost exactly $50 pppn with a semi interesting itinerary. $77 if you want a balcony. So yeah, they can still be found. Just! :D

 

$724pp is what I'm seeing... not too bad for 15 nights on Celebrity these days. It might have made a good B2B with the 15 nighter from Singapore just prior. Alas... I will once again miss out on Celebrity in the spring... as I got quite a nice deal on a 23 night transpac from Sydney to Seattle on Explorer OTS.

 

 

 

On Eclipse last week we received a flyer offering four perks on certain cruises, I spent considerable time searching for cruises that fit our needs, then checked their prices on line. I asked the Future Cruise Person for her offer. She gave me a price that included the four perks but was $700 over the base cost I had discovered on line.

 

I then asked her to book the cabin for us at the base price with no perks. She said she couldn't do that. I was amazed and left her office. When I reached my cabin, she had left a message that she was mistaken and could book the cabin at base price.

 

No thanks.I had lost interest due to Celebrity's misleading antics. I left the ship with no future cruise booked and now I am researching other lines to see what they offer. I really resent how X is playing the old shell game with its customers.

 

Are you trying to tell me those "FREE PERKS" are NOT "free"? Surely you can't be serious. :confused: ;) :D

 

I agree with you completely... Celebrity sales very much remind me of the antics at a circus side show.

 

Now they are also denying the shareholder OBC... even when booking a no-perk-base-fare. :mad:

[ChucktownSteve]

Several days later I was told the same story by a second agent. So I left the ship with no future cruise booked and now I am researching other lines to see what they offer. I really resent how X is playing the old shell game with its customers. Keep your eye on the shells and maybe if you're really lucky, you'll find the one hiding the bean.

 

I was never able to find a good deal at the future cruises desk. On one cruise, their website had a better perk that the desk wouldn't give me so I walked away too.

 

 

Then I sailed AZ and found they're playing the same corporate shell game with higher prices. I went looking around and found an aft cabin on a Holland America ship to the Panama Canal for $2800 less than a similar Celebrity cruise. Granted I don't get the drink package but I can't drink that much difference at the bar.

 

 

Now I'm booking on O because I found good itineraries with good perks, free specialty restaurants and air at pricing lower than AZ.

[Oceangoer2]

Booking upon release of the cruise doesn't get you the lowest price. They set an opening price and then adjust based on how it's selling. So it COULD be the lowest if there is great demand. Or they could have it set high and go higher. I used to say that early bookings got you a better choice of rooms but I don't think that is even true anymore because it seems like there are lots of rooms that are blocked from the initial inventory.

 

I've booked 'early' for several years looking for best price. However, with price drops after final payment that hasn't been the case. As for 'cabin choice' early isn't necessarily providing the best choice either as TA's release their hold on prime real estate right around final payment date. So best price and good location CAN be available after final payment. Only down side to booking later is the cost of air fare goes up substantially in some cases. Planning a vacation has become a game of chance. Maybe there's 'an app for that'??

[Bo1953]

On the Eclipse last week we received a flyer offering four perks on certain cruises, if we booked them by December 19; I spent considerable time searching for cruises that fit our needs, then checked their prices on line. Armed with that information, I asked the Future Cruise Person for her offer.

 

She gave me a price that included the four perks but was $700 over the base cost I had discovered on line. I asked her where was the benefit the flyer promised and she claimed we were benefitting by an $800 reduction on the cost of the cabin. Really?, I replied. I would get the same price if I booked on line or through an agent.

 

I then asked her to book the cabin for us at the base price with no perks, as we are Elite + and can do quite nicely with those benefits plus Michael's Club. She said she couldn't do that. I was amazed and left her office. When I reached my cabin, she had left a message that she was mistaken and could book the cabin at base price. No thanks.I had lost interest due to Celebrity's misleading antics.

 

Several days later I was told the same story by a second agent. So I left the ship with no future cruise booked and now I am researching other lines to see what they offer. I really resent how X is playing the old shell game with its customers. Keep your eye on the shells and maybe if you're really lucky, you'll find the one hiding the bean.

 

That is great. I trust you will find the line which you find is far better than you have been treated since your last sailing.

 

bon voyage

[happy 2 b cruising]

I've booked 'early' for several years looking for best price. However, with price drops after final payment that hasn't been the case. As for 'cabin choice' early isn't necessarily providing the best choice either as TA's release their hold on prime real estate right around final payment date. So best price and good location CAN be available after final payment. Only down side to booking later is the cost of air fare goes up substantially in some cases. Planning a vacation has become a game of chance. Maybe there's 'an app for that'??

 

After final payment could be the best way to book providing you are retired, don’t have to kennel your animals and hopefully find a reasonably priced seat on a plane. I totally agree that booking a cruise has become more and more difficult, you definitely need to be game player.

[ano]

If you are "searching out for a quality product..." the likes of Crystal, Silversea, Oceania, Regent and Seabourn await you... and your wallet.

We have looked at those, and ultimately that might be a partial solution. If you look at, say, Royal Caribbean or Celebrity 10 years ago, and say Oceania today, they are both much better than Royal or Celebrity today certainly, but they are not similar to each other. The only cruise company that has really stayed true-to-form has been Carnival, because it was already at the bottom to start with. Its a bit like Southwest in airlines. At one time Southwest was the "low-cost" airline. Today they are the luxury airline. Luggage is free, change your flights anytime for free, seats and headroom relatively spacious.

 

 

I guess what bugs me the most is not that the mass market cruise lines have made a race toward the bottom, its that NONE of them see a market for a cruise like most of them used to offer 10-15 years ago. Yes, certainly it would cost a bit more, but they would stand out from the crowd.

 

 

In the last few years we've been on Royal, Celebrity, Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess, and while there are very minor differences between them, the differences are VERY small. 15 years ago the differences between Carnival and Celebrity were night and day.

 

 

I guess its sad that the mainstream cruise industry has become like the booths at the state fair, each trying to steal away your money without giving you much in return.

[Jeremiah1212]

I'm still not sure why these threads garner so much attention. You know this is going to happen. You also know, typically, the earlier you book, the lower the price. If you booked a cruise 12 months ago, why does it matter if the price is higher 6 months later? What industry doesn't market sales and promotions? Every retailer of every product or service does this.

[Mynki]

I do get what you are saying, and I applaud you for trying to find better bargains. Children being on vacation, weather, holidays, special events all play into that. My wife was a teacher, and while we have no kids we were always forced to go during summer, which was expensive. And newer ships seem to demand higher prices as well. Go on a new ship in the summer and they will get you.

 

It's not all about finding good prices. I really want to visit Galapagos and Norway on cruise ships. I'm more than happy to pay the going rate as long as I'm happy with the ship and itinerary. I accept the fact that I will not find great deals on these trips due to demand outstripping cabin numbers etc.

 

As for newer ships, I have a suite booked on Edge. We booked as soon as the cabins became available. My heart tells me it will be great to see the new ship and experience suite class aboard the new E class ships they are building. My head tells me the itinerary is boring and the cabins are well overpriced!

 

If it's just a case of getting away for getting away's sake and itinerary isn't important then the tactics and strategies come into play. I guess things all balance out in the end. :)

[ano]

When it comes to room choice, the cruise lines play the same trick that Ticketmaster and others play. Many years ago we went to the Olympics in Salt Lake City. My wife wanted to see figure skating so we waited until the exact second that figure skating tickets went on sale and bought them. We must have been one of the first people to get them.

 

So we go and are seats are WAY WAY up in the nosebleed section, while many many of the lower prime seats were empty. We got talking to others and found out this is a trick they commonly do. They know the early purchasers are going to attend, so there is absolutely no reason they should give these people good seats, so they save the best seats to attract those later on which might be on the edge. If they don't sell out, its the best seats which are never sold.

 

I think the cruise lines do something very similar. The only difference, near sailing they upgrade those who they want to impress, for whatever reason. So maybe the BEST time to book is right before these upgrades occur, which I think is a few weeks out.

[Lastdance]

I'm still not sure why these threads garner so much attention. You know this is going to happen. You also know, typically, the earlier you book, the lower the price. If you booked a cruise 12 months ago, why does it matter if the price is higher 6 months later? What industry doesn't market sales and promotions? Every retailer of every product or service does this.

 

 

 

I am not sure why a lot of threads garner attention. Maybe it is to see how others feel about the situation or for newbies to learn the many ploys of advertising and It is interesting to see if others feel the same way and /or have a different perspective.

Sometimes, if you book very early you may get an exceptional price; however, two people could book the same day and the difference in price could be hundreds of dollars.

It does matter to many of us when prices go up and down, but especially when they go way down for a few hours. I was able to save a lot of people money by posting on CC roll call about a huge drop. It did not help me one bit, but it made quite a few people very happy. I guess you saw a little value in this post, as you chose to read and comment to add validity to what was being said, even though your purpose was to imply that this thread was unnecessary because we all should know this. Not everyone is aware of all the advice given; that is why IMHO CC is a great wealth of information. You validated this thread with you devaluation!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited December 22, 2017 by Lastdance

[Hlitner]

This really seems to be the norm with Celebrity, along with its 20% off of certain dinner packages and tours. So now we have refundable and non-refundable, raise in gratuities, many different promos/sales and some pretty big price increases...I guess we all need to get even more savvy on when and how we book! How do you feel about all of this, as it is the sign of the times, along with supply and demand?

 

How do we feel about it? When you couple constant price increases, numerous cut-backs in terms of cuisine, entertainment, etc, it does not add up to a good thing for some cruisers. We are Elite Plus and just returned (this Monday) from 21 days on the Reflection. For the first time in over a decade we have no future Celebrity cruises booked...despite cruising 70-100 days a year. Some have theorized that the Celebrity strategy is to drive away the older cruisers and, in our case, their strategy has been effective. The nice thing about the cruise industry is that there are many different cruise lines and options for those who enjoy variety.

 

Hank

[ChucktownSteve]

How do we feel about it? When you couple constant price increases, numerous cut-backs in terms of cuisine, entertainment, etc, it does not add up to a good thing for some cruisers. We are Elite Plus and just returned (this Monday) from 21 days on the Reflection. For the first time in over a decade we have no future Celebrity cruises booked...despite cruising 70-100 days a year. Some have theorized that the Celebrity strategy is to drive away the older cruisers and, in our case, their strategy has been effective. The nice thing about the cruise industry is that there are many different cruise lines and options for those who enjoy variety.

 

Hank

 

It could take seven to ten new cruisers to replace you. Is that smart business?

[BosoxI]

$724pp is what I'm seeing... not too bad for 15 nights on Celebrity these days. It might have made a good B2B with the 15 nighter from Singapore just prior. Alas... I will once again miss out on Celebrity in the spring... as I got quite a nice deal on a 23 night transpac from Sydney to Seattle on Explorer OTS.

 

 

 

 

Are you trying to tell me those "FREE PERKS" are NOT "free"? Surely you can't be serious. :confused: ;) :D:mad:

 

To be accurate the words "free perks" did not appear on the flyer. There was, however, a clear promise of some sort of benefits above and beyond what was available to people not booking on board a Celebrity ship, if I booked prior to 12/19. Unfortunately, the flyer was a come on, as these benefits did not exist.