Guaranteed inside question

[tigger54]

maybe someone can give me some insight. A few weeks ago we booked the 3 day cruise for January 17th on Equinox ( our first Celebrity cruise). Today we decided to go ahead and book the 7 day cruise on Equinox following the first one so our agent linked them together as a back to back. I have done btb on Carnival so was wondering how Celebrity handles their btb folks. Anything special after others get off?

Also

We booked the second cruise as an inside quarantined. What are the chances of us getting something better than an inside? We have done this on other cruise lines and have gotten a balcony. Don't get me wrong, we will be happy and satisfied with whatever they give us. We don't expect anything more than an inside but wanted to hear from others who have done this on Celebrity.

Thank you

[gerelmx]

From the internet I find for the Jan 20 sailing there are 8 cabins in inside cat 8 and 2 cabins in inside cat 10 and the penthouse suite, all OV and Veranda cabins are sold. So You will be in Interior cat 9 or cat 10.

 

For the B2B they will deliver a letter to your cabin with instructions.

[davekathy]

...Anything special after others get off?

 

We always get $50.00 discount (per cabin) for each 7 day leg when booking our Celebrity B2B cruises. This is from Celebrity not our TA. A day or two before TAD you will be given detailed instructions on the procedures for TAD.

[rose6]

On some back to back cruises you are invited to have lunch in the main dining room instead of the buffet. However, when we have done back to back cruises they have been following transatlantic cruises not a three day.

If you are invited to the luncheon in the MDR they will let you know while on the first cruise.

Do not expect to be upgraded from an inside to a balcony. If there are any insides available you will be assigned one of them. Oceanview is the next category above an inside so if the insides were to be sold out you might be assigned an Oceanview before a balcony. If upgraded, you will not receive the points or perks that go with the higher categories e.g. no beverage packages.

To receive the $50 discount you must request it in advance of the cruise from whomever you booked the cruise.

Celebrity will not give it upon or after sailing.

Edited December 29, 2017 by rose6
Additional information

[Cruise Raider]

Most likely, you will be assigned an inside cabin. Check your Celebrity account often as we’ve usually been assigned a room immediately upon booking a guarantee.

 

Things may have changed since we did this last but you will definitely get a letter in your cabin with regards to b2b sailings. Previously, you would have to disembark and wait in a room with other b2b pax until the ship is cleared and then you are allowed to reboard. Even if you have to change cabins, your room stewards will help you move your things to your new room ... you don’t really have to pack everything back up in your suitcases either. They will bring a bell hop rack and everything on hangers will be hung on the rack and you can just put all your other stuff in bags or your luggage and it will be taken to your new room. It is easy than it sounds.

[varoo]

maybe someone can give me some insight. A few weeks ago we booked the 3 day cruise for January 17th on Equinox ( our first Celebrity cruise). Today we decided to go ahead and book the 7 day cruise on Equinox following the first one so our agent linked them together as a back to back. I have done btb on Carnival so was wondering how Celebrity handles their btb folks. Anything special after others get off?

If you have not already received your b2b discounts, call Celebrity or your travel agent (depending on how you booked) to request them.

The b2b procedures on the turnaround day can vary from ship to ship and from port to port. Depending upon circumstances, they may even vary from one time to the next for the same ship at the same port.

 

You will receive an envelope with instructions for your turnaround day procedures before the end of your first cruise, and additionally are typically invited to attend a meeting where they will explain everything and answer questions.

 

Each b2b passenger will receive a transit pass to use on the turnaround day that will allow you to leave the ship and return easily without needing to wait in check-in lines with the new passengers who are boarding for the first time.

If you are on the ship at lunch time on the turnaround day, b2b passengers can have lunch in the main dining room.

But it is usually a very limited menu, so even those who choose to eat there will often head up to the buffet afterwards as well for the much greater variety of choices, and the ice-cream of course.

When changing cabins, it makes it easier if you leave as much clothing as possible on hangers, so you don't have to pack those items.

Also, you can ask your stateroom attendant for a large plastic bag and toss all your shoes into it, so you don't need to pack shoes either.

We find it helps to empty everything from each drawer or shelf into its own plastic bag before packing them into a suitcase.

Then we move each bag directly from the suitcase to the corresponding drawer or shelf in the next cabin.

That keeps the things together that we want to have together and saves needing to sort it out at the new cabin.

 

Also

We booked the second cruise as an inside quarantined. What are the chances of us getting something better than an inside? We have done this on other cruise lines and have gotten a balcony.

It just depends on how the cabins are selling for any particular cruise,

 

You are more likely to get upgraded to an ocean view or balcony, (or occasionally even higher) on cruises where there are lots of available unsold cabins in those categories.

But when the higher level cabins are sold out, or close to selling out, then booking an inside guarantee will most likely get you assigned to an inside cabin.

Prices do fluctuate, so if you can find a higher level cabin for a little more than you paid for the inside guarantee, you can call and upgrade by paying the difference.

 

Whichever cabin you get, I hope you enjoy Celebrity as much as we do.

Edited December 30, 2017 by varoo

[Jade13]

I won’t be surprised if you end up with a very good upgrade. From all of the reports, upgrades tend to go to first time cruisers on many lines.

They want you to come back.

 

 

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[Mynki]

Anything special after others get off?

 

I wouldn't use the word special, but we got :-

 

Cruise fare discount from Celebrity

A B2B lunch (Don't get too excited)

Free laundry (Though we already qualified for this under the loyalty program)

 

After booking a B2B.

[tigger54]

Thank you for the replies. Still waiting to find out what cabin we will be assigned to.

[FlorenceItaly]

Thank you for the replies. Still waiting to find out what cabin we will be assigned to.

 

Please come back and let us know what you are assigned. We have done a few guarantees, and have been assigned within our category(interior), except for one time. We booked OV and assigned a balcony. This was for a short cruise. But, as one poster mentioned it is not unusual for them to assign new Celebrity cruisers a higher category. This has been my observation. Have a wonderful cruise. You are going to love Celebrity.

[tigger54]

Thank you. The cruise will be great no matter where they put us. Have not been assigned our cabin yet.

[Hlitner]

Just did B to B on the Reflection and the extra perks were......completely underwhelming. The pricing of the cruise was certainly no bargain. As to the other perks, we are Elite Plus so they really did not give us anything we wouldn't get anyway....except for the turn around day luncheon. But since we were in Concierge and that back to back lunch is simply the same as the Concierge lunch...that also was a no gainer.

 

My long-time criticism of the process is that Celebrity still handles each cruise as entirely separate. They close out your account from the first cruise, you cannot carry-over OBCs, internet minutes, etc. And they must issue new cruise cards. Take this kind of cruise on many other lines such as Princess and HAL and they simply deal with it as one cruise (with segments). On those lines everything carries over to the 2nd (and subsequent cruises), you do not need to get new cruise cards, and the procedure is akin to another day. If doing the back to back in Europe (or anywhere outside the USA) there is none of the "zero-out" nonsense (imposed by the US Authorities).

 

Another weird thing about Celebrity pertains to the free internet benefit given to Elites and above. For example, on our back to back Reflection cruises (2 weeks ago) both DW and I got 240 free minutes of internet time on each cruise. But at the end of the first cruise they wipe out all your remaining minutes and then you have to go through the procedure to get another 240 min for the 2nd cruise. But we were not able to get the minutes on our 2nd cruise as the system kept rejecting any attempt. The Celebrity site (where you log in) told us to go to Guest Services. So I walked down to Guest Services and waited in line for about 30 minutes. When I got to the counter they told me "this always happens with back to backs..but we cannot help you. You must go to the Internet room" And of course the internet room was not staffed until 4pm (it was about 11 at the time). At 4 I go to the internet room, wait in line another 15 minutes and then the internet expert says "this always happens with back to backs and it will take me a few minutes to fix your account." Bottom line was that we wasted about an hour for what is apparently a known and common problem....which is just not the way we want to spend our time. On Princess all of our free minutes would have simply carried over to the next cruise with no problems.

 

Hank

Edited December 31, 2017 by Hlitner

[Redtravel]

Be patient. I have booked gty many times. The lowest category will be what you bought. If you booked a gty inside, most likely that's what you.ll get. You booked at a reduced fare. If you only get the lowest category, you will have saved some money. However, you may do better. The longer it takes to get an assignment, the more likely that you will get a better cabin. I have also been assigned and then reassigned to another cabin. Each time, the cabin assigned was better. On one cruise, I was assigned and reassigned 3 times. Wait and see. You may get lucky. My daughter booked a gty cat. 12 inside and got upgraded 9 categories. The assignment was given less than a week before embarkation. If you are getting closer to the cruise, relax and know that you will be on the ship.

[tigger54]

Thank you. My cruise is for January 20th so don't have to wait too long.

[tigger54]

So my TA just called Celebrity and was told we would not get the $50.00 for btb cruises because they won't combine promotions. Oh well, we tried.

[FlorenceItaly]

So my TA just called Celebrity and was told we would not get the $50.00 for btb cruises because they won't combine promotions. Oh well, we tried.

 

What promotions do you have?

[tigger54]

I didn't know I had a promotion unless getting OBC is considered a promotion.

[cherburt]

I wouldn't use the word special, but we got :-

 

Cruise fare discount from Celebrity

A B2B lunch (Don't get too excited)

Free laundry (Though we already qualified for this under the loyalty program)

 

After booking a B2B.

We are booked on a b2b leave this Sunday. A 7 day then 12 day. We have a balcony room and are first timers on Celebrity. Do you think we get free laundry.

 

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[varoo]

.......Another weird thing about Celebrity pertains to the free internet benefit given to Elites and above. For example, on our back to back Reflection cruises (2 weeks ago) both DW and I got 240 free minutes of internet time on each cruise. But at the end of the first cruise they wipe out all your remaining minutes and then you have to go through the procedure to get another 240 min for the 2nd cruise. But we were not able to get the minutes on our 2nd cruise as the system kept rejecting any attempt. The Celebrity site (where you log in) told us to go to Guest Services. So I walked down to Guest Services and waited in line for about 30 minutes. When I got to the counter they told me "this always happens with back to backs..but we cannot help you. You must go to the Internet room" And of course the internet room was not staffed until 4pm (it was about 11 at the time). At 4 I go to the internet room, wait in line another 15 minutes and then the internet expert says "this always happens with back to backs and it will take me a few minutes to fix your account." Bottom line was that we wasted about an hour for what is apparently a known and common problem....which is just not the way we want to spend our time.......

Sorry this happened to you.

I am very surprised to learn that anyone would say "this always happens with back to backs" as we have done many back to backs and have never encountered this problem.

Could it possibly be a "known and common problem" only on the Reflection?

We have not yet cruised on Reflection, but on other Celebrity ships whenever we received our new seapass cards for the next cruise, there were instructions enclosed in the folder for setting up our new internet accounts that included a new internet code to enter.

 

We only needed to follow those instructions, type in the new code that we received, then create our own new user ID name and 4-digit pass code, select the option for 240 free minutes and our new accounts were ready to use.

It was quick and easy -- took maybe 3 minutes at most to set up each account right in our cabin.

There was no need to see anyone else.

(Now having admitted this, I have probably jinxed myself and will run into problems setting up my internet account on my next cruise. ;p)

Edited January 2, 2018 by varoo

[monctonguy]

I booked an inside gty on the Jan,17, 2018 cruise on Equinox......and as of Nov 1st they had my cabin assigned....so I don't think they wait last minute to see whats sold out to be honest. Same thing happened on Royal...its was assigned about a week or two after I booked it(and long ways out from sail date)

 

I am a first time cruiser with Equinox so I don't think that made a difference on what room I got obviously.

 

Not complaining, was a great deal...just adding my recent/current experience booking the gty option with Celebrity.

[tigger54]

Ok I got my cabin. You were right, got an inside on the 10th floor. I am happy.

[davekathy]

So my TA just called Celebrity and was told we would not get the $50.00 for btb cruises because they won't combine promotions. Oh well, we tried.

 

You may want to consider having your TA call Celebrity's Captains Club Desk and ask about the $50.00 discount for the B2B bookings. You may get a different answer. We always get the Drink Package and OBC as a perk and have received the B2B discounts. Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[FlorenceItaly]

Ok I got my cabin. You were right, got an inside on the 10th floor. I am happy.

 

Great update! Please come back and let us know how you like Celebrity. Have a wonderful cruise.

[publicpersona]

Ok I got my cabin. You were right, got an inside on the 10th floor. I am happy.

You're in luck. That's pretty good placement considering that there are some very undesirable rooms on the lower decks near the thrusters. When coming into port, the entire room shakes.

 

Having said that, we always book Balcony/Veranda gty class, as I've never encountered a bad balcony cabin.

[mesamarie]

We have stayed

 

 

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