Check my math? 4 perks purchase looks like a bad deal

[SempreMare]

Could someone please check my assumptions in calc below 

Evaluating if 4 perks purchase is a good or bad deal

 

ex:

Are per person costs:  just the WiFi and Beverage package ? 

Are per stateroom costs:   Gratuities

Per stateroom benefit:    OBC

 

 

 

This 4 Perks promotion seems deceptive.   It's not really a good deal.  It seems like a con.

 

Are my per-stateroom and per-cabin-guest assumptions correct? 

 

 

[nchpmn]

One thing off in your math, I think, is the beverage package cost - I believe you've forgotten to multiply that amount ($69) by the number of days of the cruise.

 

From my reading, currently you're just 'paying' for one day of beverage package, whereas the 'perk' cost is for the whole cruise.

[Gordoncruickshank]

You also need to add on the gratuity for the drinks package at 20% of the total.

[GastroGnome]

The beverage package is 7 x 69 = 483. Plus 20% gratuity total: $579.6.  That makes the total cost of the 4 perks package for a single individual $1245.6.  A benefit of $65.6?

 

But math not always my best feature - happy to be corrected!

[Gordoncruickshank]

29 minutes ago, GastroGnome said:

The beverage package is 7 x 69 = 483. Plus 20% gratuity total: $579.6.  That makes the total cost of the 4 perks package for a single individual $1245.6.  A benefit of $65.6?

 

But math not always my best feature - happy to be corrected!

✔️

[Ken the cruiser]

Has the OBC gone up to $400 per stateroom now? I thought it was $300. 

[cruisestitch]

Gratuities are per person, not per cabin.

 

And as already noted, the drinks price should be per day

[wpgcycler]

41 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

 

And as already noted, the drinks price should be per day

Also, per person.

[citronella]

Also - not sure if you’ve done this - need to price in the more expensive WiFi package as that is what is included with 4 perks.

[sound_guy0918]

3 minutes ago, wpgcycler said:

Also, per person.

This is correct, both parties in the stateroom must have the drink package.  Also keep in mind that while you may not drink enough alcoholic to "break even" with the $69 +20% per day, it is also valid for soda, specialty coffees, bottled water, etc.  We also prefer it so we can not feel as wasteful if we don't finish a glass of wine at dinner or order something different because the first drink didn't suit us.  Note that X just implemented a $14/day surcharge for the bev pkg perk, though...

[citronella]

And gratuities are per per person per day. So $36 per day x 2 = $252.

 

 

[bEwAbG]

That much for a 7-day cruise is not a good deal any way you split it

[SempreMare]

Many thanks for all the corrections!  

 

I see: 
celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/onboard-packages/internet-and-phone-packages

but no prices.  Where can I find internet package prices per day? 

 

ah - I found it - in my booking add-ons section

 

OK, updated: 

 

 

Conclusion:  It's worth it if booking double, and you use the $800 OBC for expenses you didn't try to create just to use up the $800 OBC ;-).  Booking as a solo, I'd need to ask my agent what is the cost of insuring $1180 more in trip expense.  Plus, I think I'd have to invent expenses and buy things I wouldn't normally buy to use up $800.  (could I gamble with it?)

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by SempreMare

[jelayne]

It is my understanding the $400 OBC is for the cabin not per person.  

Normally the OBC as a perks is $300 per cabin.  The $14 per day charge for tge beverage package doesn’t apply to Suites.  So if you are booking a suite you delete that from your calculation.

 

I just did a mock booking for a suite and the OBC was $400 for booking during the promo and the normal $300 OBC as a part of the 4 perks.  So $700 total.  I booked a Suite the 2days before tge new promo so didn’t get the extra OBC, but when the promo started the price jumped $1,000

Edited October 9, 2019 by jelayne
Addition

[SempreMare]

49 minutes ago, jelayne said:

I booked a Suite the 2days before tge new promo so didn’t get the extra OBC, but when the promo started the price jumped $1,000

*exactly*

 

Much better off with a $1,000 lower cruise price than $400 more OBC.

 

I gotta hand it to the financial analyst who created this after no-doubt running many spreadsheet models.

 

They made it convoluted enough that the non-skeptical guest will just hope for the best and assume it's a good deal.

Edited October 9, 2019 by SempreMare

[SempreMare]

50 minutes ago, jelayne said:

The $14 per day charge for tge beverage package doesn’t apply to Suites.  So if you are booking a suite you delete that from your calculation.

Thanks!

 

Where do you see it in the fine print that Suites are exempt? 

Edited October 9, 2019 by SempreMare

[SempreMare]

13 minutes ago, SempreMare said:

Thanks!

 

Where do you see it in the fine print that Suites are exempt? 

 

Removing the new Double Gratuities Tax since I'm booked in a Suite

 

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by SempreMare

[2flacruisers]

In our case, we purchased the cruise and got 2 perks on one day with no extra fees...the next day, because of the 24 hour period, we were able to pay the exact same amount for the cruise, but were given 4 perks...again, no increase in price...so I guess it is just the luck of the draw... 

[Want2Cruise 701]

I might be in the minority here, but I base my calculations on the value I perceive it to be rather than the actual dollar amount.  Examples:

 

We do not need internet for 2.  DH is the only one who uses the internet while on vacation and not everyday so we usually would not purchase it.

We certainly can not drink the value of the beverage package.  Too much alcohol for us and most days you are in port and not on the ship anyways.

 

Even if you do save a little as opposed to the face value of the perks, it's usually not a good value for us.  We usually figure the OBC and gratuity amount first.  Gratuities we are going to pay regardless.  We purchase excursions so the OBC will cover that.  If the cost for 2 perks is less than those, we will usually go with the perks.  For four perks, we calculate the remainder after OBC and gratuities and see if we will drink that amount based on our normal consumption of alcohol, water, coffee etc.  If not, we will not go with the perks.  If we think we will drink more or come out even, we will go with the perks.  

 

[Nachosdelux]

For $12K for a 7 day cruise I would look at Seabourn or Crystal.

[2flacruisers]

18 hours ago, Want2Cruise 701 said:

I might be in the minority here, but I base my calculations on the value I perceive it to be rather than the actual dollar amount.  Examples:

 

We do not need internet for 2.  DH is the only one who uses the internet while on vacation and not everyday so we usually would not purchase it.

We certainly can not drink the value of the beverage package.  Too much alcohol for us and most days you are in port and not on the ship anyways.

 

Even if you do save a little as opposed to the face value of the perks, it's usually not a good value for us.  We usually figure the OBC and gratuity amount first.  Gratuities we are going to pay regardless.  We purchase excursions so the OBC will cover that.  If the cost for 2 perks is less than those, we will usually go with the perks.  For four perks, we calculate the remainder after OBC and gratuities and see if we will drink that amount based on our normal consumption of alcohol, water, coffee etc.  If not, we will not go with the perks.  If we think we will drink more or come out even, we will go with the perks.  

 

Really, the only reason that  chose to rebook to get the 4 perks is that they were free, and I do mean at no added expense. And as for the premium beverage package, we do not drink to excess, but we we do enjoy some higher shelf items, and the fact that I can get a regular size martini, mixed with grey goose, not the small one with something that may lead me to have a headache later in the evening...internet, we can take or leave it, just nice to know that I can keep track of my elderly mother while we are gone.  The OBC was a nice add, and we always pay our gratuities upfront.  Just nice to have these, with no increase in our price...I would never have rebooked if they were an added expense....

 

[2flacruisers]

In addition, we don't book suites...as I have looked, the suites get all the perks included.

 

[SempreMare]

19 hours ago, Nachosdelux said:

For $12K for a 7 day cruise I would look at Seabourn or Crystal.

Yes - I'm actually considering rebooking on a different line, though I'd love to explore the Apex: 

 

1 reason:  No complimentary laundry for Sky Suites.

 

After paying that much, and after seeing at the per-piece Laundry prices on Celebrity,  ...it might become straw... camel... back.

 

On my first cruise with HAL to Alaska in a Neptune Suite, their complimentary laundry services was amazing.  Each item came back perfectly folded and tissue wrapped with a personal note.    In a Neptune suite $5k less than a Sky Suite.

 

Are there any packages to buy that include Laundry?

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by SempreMare

[wpgcycler]

Sorry but, you're spending nearly $2K/day for a cruise and a few bucks for laundry is a deal breaker? Is someone taking the pith?

[SempreMare]

Hey, don't be sorry!  Everyone has their own perspective.   

 

You said it almost correctly: 

 

Because I am spending nearly $2k / day, laundry should be complimentary.