booking question

[belle19]

somewhat new to Celebrity,  this will be second time. we went with a group of friends to Alaska a couple of years ago. a little more background, we are elite members thanks to our diamond status with royal and going to Europe next year so I have a while to book

question is how do I get the maximum bang for buck, should I use travel agent? perks on website seem to change frequently, 50% off  third and fourth passenger does nothing for us. do they ever offer go better go best thing this far out? best way to get a OBC?

any other info greatly appreciated!

[jelayne]

Go Big, Better or Best has been replaced with a new pricing structure.  If you go thru the booking process on the website after you select your cabin you will have 2 pricing choices.  One choice is a lower price,  no perks, and a non-refundable deposit (should you cancel a part of the deposit is returned as a credit good for 1 year I believe). The other choice has a higher price, includes 2 perks and the deposit is refundable.   You also have the option of adding 2 additional perks for more $.

 

One of the perks is $300 for the cabin.  You can book with Celebrity and within 60 days of booking (but before final payment) you can transfer your reservation to a TA.

This gives you some time to fina a TA who may have better pricing or offer pre-paid gratuties or OBC in addition to what. Celebrity provided.  If you consider transferring  be sure to ask about booking fees, change fees, and cancellation fees before you move the reservation.  Personally I won’t book with a TA that charges a booking or change fee and only use TAs who have a very low cancellation charge and waive that if I am cancelling and immediately book another cruise.

[tallnthensome]

Prices have risen dramatically just in the last couple months with Celebrity's "Sail Your Way" pricing promotion. It's not good and the window for a decent deal  has closed. Any feeling of getting your money's worth is barely there. Hate to say you should have been here yesterday but ...... My Cruise for 2020 is up $2000 this week from my original booking price. At this point last minute bookings is the best way to get a deal on many bookings .......

[prish]

Until very recently booking onboard gave you extra OBC and sometimes an extra perk. Don’t believe there’s any specific incentive now, except for the OBC perhaps.

 

And yes, prices have increased exponentially, especially on the new ships, though there have been quite deep discounts  on last minute Edge sailings. 

 

As jelayne says you can transfer your booking to a TA  for extra OBC, just shop around to see who gives the best deal. We transfer to the big box store where you buy in bulk at lower cost, we’ve been very happy with them and get 8-10% as OBC, sometimes we also get a group rate. 

 

 

 

 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Book real early to get the best deals and with a travel agent. I always book a year or better in advance. 4-6 a year for us. Offers on price mean nothing. Only the bottom line.

[belle19]

thanks for the advice, helps going forward a lot!!

[killsport]

Depending on your timing, you may wait until "Wave Season", usually the first few months of the calendar year. Traditionally that is when cruise lines have offered their biggest promotions. NOT ALWAYS TRUE, but generally a good rule of thumb. We only book two ways - Wave Season or Last Minute. And we ALWAYS use a travel agent.

Different travel agencies offer different benefits (insurance, OBC, lower prices, etc). It does pay to shop around. I have found that some TAs have group rates that sometimes save hundreds (and usually get you the same perks).

Good luck!