Celebrity Price Drop

[Kalasi]

I have booked to sail with Celebrity in a few weeks, and last week, in a moment of boredom, I looked up my cruise. 

Upon doing this I saw that the price of my cruise had dropped by £380 (£190 each). This annoyed me because when I booked on the Celebrity website at Christmas there was a lot of spiel about the price I booked being the "best" and "once a year offer". The cruise I booked comes with the Classic Drinks Package as it would do if I booked the cruise last week at the cheaper rate. Both cabins (the one I did book at Christmas and the one I could of booked last week) are Concierge Class. I.e. it's like for like. 

I've only been on one other cruise thus, I am new to all of this, so I (still in a moment of boredom) looked up what happens if one has booked a cruise for a "best price" which later comes down. I found that many cruise lines will either refund one in cash or give onboard credit. With this info, I emailed Celebrity telling them about my bitter discovery.

I had a nice email back that just said sorry and told me that I was lucky to get the cabin of my choosing.

I replied saying that my aft cabin on Deck 9 was hardly prime position and,  that I felt like if I have been sold a product under the title "best price" etc. then that is what it should be.

Another email comes back to me, saying that Celebrity do not offer price drop guarantees and that promotions change all the time. However, as a "gesture of good will" I may have a complementary meal in a speciality restaurant.

Dear more experienced cruisers, what do you think of this offer? Please do not berate me, but rather suggest if you think I'm being given a fair compensation or if I should be offered more. 

Thank you. 

[Mike981]

First, I hope you have a great trip. Second, it's not fun, but yes it does happen and they really don't owe you anything. It's all in your cruise contract.

[WestLakeGirl]

You got more than most people.  After Final Payment theres always a lot of price volatilty.  They have to try to sell those unsold rooms.  Your best price guarantee only applied to the time you booked, not for future pricing.

 

it’s just like buying a winter coat.  You get it at a certain price when you buy it but later that year  it goes on sale.  You don’t expect to get anything from that store, do you?

[Panama Mom-Mom]

We too experienced the price drop and contacted our travel agent-who was able to give us the reduced rate-but we did lose our ship-board credit. We had also booked several excursions and noticed a sale on what we had booked earlier. When questioning Celebrity on this and asking for credit or shipboard credit, were told we would have to cancel our reservations and re-book.

We decided to stay where we were since we probably would not be able to select the times of the excursions.

All in all-we love this ship and have had wonderful cruises and experiences with this ship. We look forward to our up coming cruise. Hope you enjoy too.

[mafig]

I agree that it hurts when it happens to you.  It happened to us only once, on a Costa cruise, the price went down $500 per person the very next day after final payment.  Our travel agent did get us a OBC for half the amount. This was many years ago.

 

I do disagree that "many" cruise lines will give a refund or onboard credit.  Most don't.  The example I gave for Costa was many years ago and it was also because lots of people screamed loudly that they lowered the priced the day after final.

 

You could look into paying for an upgrade at the reduced price.  Celebrity sometimes allows you to do that.

[Luckiestmanonearth]

The risk is always there that the price could always go up after booking.  No need to regret this.  Ask yourself if you’re happy with your booking and make the best of it

[Denny01]

Fair compensation? For what. I suggest you be happy w what they offered. If people keep expecting some deal from a cruise line after final payment, get it and then complain or question it and make it public then there’s no reason for the business to do this, is there. 

 

Id enjoy getting a deal most don't get.....or ask for. There is a 7 page thread on the same subject titled poor service that should put this subject in perspective. 

 

Den

[Kalasi]

13 minutes ago, mafig said:

I agree that it hurts when it happens to you.  It happened to us only once, on a Costa cruise, the price went down $500 per person the very next day after final payment.  Our travel agent did get us a OBC for half the amount. This was many years ago.

 

I do disagree that "many" cruise lines will give a refund or onboard credit.  Most don't.  The example I gave for Costa was many years ago and it was also because lots of people screamed loudly that they lowered the priced the day after final.

 

You could look into paying for an upgrade at the reduced price.  Celebrity sometimes allows you to do that.

I was reading that Royal Caribbean, Costa, and Princess all would give OBC in my situation...maybe this was outdated information?

I'll ask about the upgrade, thank you for that.

[Kalasi]

16 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

You got more than most people.  After Final Payment theres always a lot of price volatilty.  They have to try to sell those unsold rooms.  Your best price guarantee only applied to the time you booked, not for future pricing.

 

it’s just like buying a winter coat.  You get it at a certain price when you buy it but later that year  it goes on sale.  You don’t expect to get anything from that store, do you?

It's kind of the other way round. I feel like I purchased the winter coat "on sale" only to find out the regular price was cheaper! Interestingly in the UK that is against consumer law- sale prices must actually be sale prices.

[Kalasi]

4 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Fair compensation? For what. I suggest you be happy w what they offered. If people keep expecting some deal from a cruise line after final payment, get it and then complain or question it and make it public then there’s no reason for the business to do this, is there. 

 

Id enjoy getting a deal most don't get.....or ask for. There is a 7 page thread on the same subject titled poor service that should put this subject in perspective. 

 

Den

Compensation for being lied to. If I am told that something is the best price, I expect that to be true, unless I'm buying something from a dodgy dealer down the market...which is sort of how I now feel about Celebrity.

[jkgourmet]

We've been in this situation several times, always with the same result with X.  Most recently on our cruise in April l 2019.

 

The compensation we've been offered was a better located cabin in the same class.  No upgrades.  And ONLY if cabins in that class were available.

 

Note that we book GTY, which means our initial cabin is always in a far art or far forward crappy location -which is obviously fine with us or Elsevier wouldn't be dumb enough to book GTY.  Our price drop compensation is a cabin of the same category located midship.

 

 

 

[Luckiestmanonearth]

2 minutes ago, Kalasi said:

Compensation for being lied to. If I am told that something is the best price, I expect that to be true, unless I'm buying something from a dodgy dealer down the market...which is sort of how I now feel about Celebrity.

 

I cant say I understand all the rate structures but if one books early and selects a specific room, I would say they are locked in.  But if one doesn’t care about a specific room and wants a flexible rate, isn’t that something offered at time of booking ?

 

We’ve had this happen countless times but we realize the room location is a priority and accept the rate we paid, even if it goes down.  The trick is not to research stuff like this to avoid having it drive you crazy

[jelayne]

4 minutes ago, Kalasi said:

Compensation for being lied to. If I am told that something is the best price, I expect that to be true, unless I'm buying something from a dodgy dealer down the market...which is sort of how I now feel about Celebrity.

 

The “best price” may have been the lowest price for that sailing when you booked it but that doesn’t mean that the price won’t change again.  

[bkbarrym]

After final payment they will not refund or take you lower than what you have paid.  However, you should be able to move to a better  concierge cabin, if available. You could also look to upgrade to Aqua for the difference, if any.  And maybe even look at adding perks, like moving to the 4 perks for the difference. It may turn out that the difference to move to 4 perks for your cabin maybe small.  As long as you wind up at or above your final payment amount I believe that it should be possible.

[hcat]

13 minutes ago, Kalasi said:

Compensation for being lied to. If I am told that something is the best price, I expect that to be true, unless I'm buying something from a dodgy dealer down the market...which is sort of how I now feel about Celebrity.

I think you misinderstood what best price and best price guarantee  means under current booking rules.

 

After final.payment is made the rules change..

Hope you can accept this and enjoy your cruise!

[hcat]

37 minutes ago, Panama Mom-Mom said:

We too experienced the price drop and contacted our travel agent-who was able to give us the reduced rate-but we did lose our ship-board credit. We had also booked several excursions and noticed a sale on what we had booked earlier. When questioning Celebrity on this and asking for credit or shipboard credit, were told we would have to cancel our reservations and re-book.

We decided to stay where we were since we probably would not be able to select the times of the excursions.

All in all-we love this ship and have had wonderful cruises and experiences with this ship. We look forward to our up coming cruise. Hope you enjoy too.

Easier to get sales prices or reductions for excursions..Call Cap Club or ta or cruise planner for an adjustment.  It is usually 10 or 20 dollars but some who watch closely do way better!

[villauk]

If you booked under the U.K. T&C (as you mentioned the U.K.in a post above), then it’s irrelevant whether it’s prior to or after final payment as X will not honour price drops. The T&C are totally different from those in the USA where there is far more flexibility.

[Kalasi]

8 minutes ago, hcat said:

I think you misinderstood what best price and best price guarantee  means under current booking rules.

 

After final.payment is made the rules change..

Hope you can accept this and enjoy your cruise!

Yes, I'm thinking that now as well.  

I'll take the offer of a free dinner and be happy!

[Kalasi]

26 minutes ago, jkgourmet said:

We've been in this situation several times, always with the same result with X.  Most recently on our cruise in April l 2019.

 

The compensation we've been offered was a better located cabin in the same class.  No upgrades.  And ONLY if cabins in that class were available.

 

Note that we book GTY, which means our initial cabin is always in a far art or far forward crappy location -which is obviously fine with us or Elsevier wouldn't be dumb enough to book GTY.  Our price drop compensation is a cabin of the same category located midship.

 

 

 

Thank you, I shall enquire into this.

 

[Kalasi]

26 minutes ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

 

I cant say I understand all the rate structures but if one books early and selects a specific room, I would say they are locked in.  But if one doesn’t care about a specific room and wants a flexible rate, isn’t that something offered at time of booking ?

 

We’ve had this happen countless times but we realize the room location is a priority and accept the rate we paid, even if it goes down.  The trick is not to research stuff like this to avoid having it drive you crazy

Hahaha, that's what my partner says- "stop researching, you'll go mad"

[Denny01]

Kalasi

 

you asked the opinion of more experienced cruisers. We are giving that to you. You have spent a good deal of money on this cruise, a fine cruise line, but are starting to work yourself into a snit. You’ll get aboard and start seeing problems everywhere and hate the cruise, and waste your money. 

 

We are telling you a few options of maybe maybe upgrading but the line as almost all others will mot give you the current price. You enjoyed P&O. My understanding is they do the same thing as Celebrity. There’s only a few cabins left they are trying to fill.  

 

You got a good deal before and are giving you a nice compensation. Please put this in proper perspective and enjoy. If not, you’ve wasted a good deal of money spent over a few you feel you were owed and we are telling, you weren’t owed it, and many of us have seen post-payment drops

 

den

[cruisingnewtoit]

OP

I know there will be a price drop after final.payment on my Alaska 2020 cruise. Because of my travel ins cancelling my cruise now &  after final payment booking a new cruise could cause problems.

 

For my sanity I am not going to look at the prices 90 days out. I check everyday before final payment for refare options. I will call my TA after final payment to see if a suite is close to the price I paid for my AQ . Also I"ll have her call to see if I could get some OBC as a gesture of good will. All X can say is No. 

 

Next cruise I'm.booking after final payment is due. I will pick the less popular time to go. My gamble might not pay off.

 

 

[bEwAbG]

Practically every cruise has price drops after final payment.  That's why the contract you agree to says you're not entitled to anything after final payment.  Many of us use that as a booking strategy with the caveat that the cruise may not be available if it's sold out + the room selection may be more limited.

[bkbarrym]

4 minutes ago, cruisingnewtoit said:

 

Next cruise I'm.booking after final payment is due. I will pick the less popular time to go. My gamble might not pay off.

 

 

Thinking the same. It may be worth the gamble for cruise itineraries with multiple sailings and at off-peak times. In hindsight, for our upcoming cruise in June it would have worked out better for us to have booked after final payment.  

[Umbarger]

Yep happened to me several times.  Most recently on our Hawaii cruise in April.  The price went down over $1000.  I fought and fought with Celebrity.  Didn't get a dog gone thing.  I decided that next time I am booking after final payment.