How's The New Perk Pricing Working For You?

[RichYak]

So to sum up the calculations for your particular cruise, I get this:

 

No perks = $4,008.20

2 perks (no bev) = $4,428.20 ($420 upcharge for the 2 perks)

2 perks (with bev) = $4,624.80 ($616 upcharge for the 2 perks w/ bev pkg)

4 perks = $5,114.20 ($1,106 upcharge for all 4 perks)

 

[billslowsky]

17 minutes ago, RichYak said:

So to sum up the calculations for your particular cruise, I get this:

 

No perks = $4,008.20

2 perks (no bev) = $4,428.20 ($420 upcharge for the 2 perks)

2 perks (with bev) = $4,624.80 ($616 upcharge for the 2 perks w/ bev pkg)

4 perks = $5,114.20 ($1,106 upcharge for all 4 perks)

 

Simpler is gooder.

[vtcruising]

25 minutes ago, RichYak said:

So to sum up the calculations for your particular cruise, I get this:

 

No perks = $4,008.20

2 perks (no bev) = $4,428.20 ($420 upcharge for the 2 perks)

2 perks (with bev) = $4,624.80 ($616 upcharge for the 2 perks w/ bev pkg)

4 perks = $5,114.20 ($1,106 upcharge for all 4 perks)

 

Yes, that's a good way to look at it. 🙂

 

One thing to keep in mind is that with this offer, you receive $200 OBC and can choose $300 OBC (which I would do), so even though OBC isn't the same as cash, it is for people like me because we always book specialty dining, pay gratuities, buy a bottle of wine, often a shore excursion, photos, etc. and would have to pay for those things without the $500 OBC. I know the perks are built into the price, but the way I look at it, if I get 2 perks, including the BP and OBC, my upcharge from the basic, no perks price is $116 ($616-500 OBC) for a comprehensive beverage pkg. Works for us (again, this is how I view it and understand that everyone has to find value in it for themselves).

 

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by vtcruising

[vtcruising]

5 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

Simpler is gooder.

And I am such a simple person. 😉

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, dutchclogs said:

 

jelayne, check again. I just did for our current booking in 2020 and found  that the pricing has now been adjusted .  I thought the lower pricing just couldn't be right!!

your correct that problems seems to be fixed.  
Now they need to look at their pricing😳 $8862. for a 15 night TA  CC2 with drinks and gratuties.  We booked this cruise  just under 5 months ago same CC2 with drinks, Gratuties & WiFi for $5,859 and there are plenty of cabins open. 

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, vtcruising said:

Yes, that's a good way to look at it. 🙂

 

One thing to keep in mind is that with this offer, you receive $200 OBC and can choose $300 OBC (which I would do), so even though OBC isn't the same as cash, it is for some people like me because we always book specialty dining, pay gratuities, buy a bottle of wine, often a shore excursion, photos, etc. and would have to pay for those things without the $500 OBC. I know the perks are built into the price, but the way I look at it, if I get 2 perks , including the BP and OBC, my upcharge from the basic, no perks price is $116 for a comprehensive beverage pkg. Works for us (again, this is how I view it and understand that everyone has to find value in it for them).

 

 

Unfortunately, that's an inaccurate way of looking at it. The $200 OBC is included all 4 rates I listed, so you're actually paying a net $316 above the net basic no perks price and you have to pay your own gratuities or internet.

[vtcruising]

A few tools to help do the math so you don't need to go looking:

 

Classic Beverage Package - $59/day + 20% gratuities = $70.80/day (plus $14/day will be added, if you choose as a perk)

 

Premium Beverage Package - $69/day + 20% gratuities = $82.80/day (the $14/day is not shown as an extra charge, but is built into the 4 perks price)

 

If upgrading from Classic to Premium = $12/day

 

Gratuities:

• $14.50 per person, per day in standard accommodations
• $15.00 per person, per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass^® staterooms
• $18.00 per person, per day in suites

WiFi:

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by vtcruising

[vtcruising]

10 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Unfortunately, that's an inaccurate way of looking at it. The $200 OBC is included all 4 rates I listed, so you're actually paying a net $316 above the net basic no perks price and you have to pay your own gratuities or internet.

That's true - thanks for pointing that out!  I said I was simple! 😉 

 

I do still find $316 a good price for 7 days of the beverage package (for me). I would certainly spend more than that, if no package.

Edited October 10, 2019 by vtcruising

[hulamoon]

We have done similar spreadsheets on multiple cruises before deciding what to book. I am over it, my husband got tired of it long before I did. I just want simple again.

 

A point I will add is that if you are looking at the same itinerary, as an example Alaska, and looking at multiple ships for seven day over a few weeks,  sometimes all the perks are super cheap and other times ridiculously overpriced. If a drink package pencils out to very little over paying grats and obc, I say yes. I don’t value internet as its free for us. 

 

I know for sure if you don’t like a price, wait, it will change.

[SkystheLimit]

Good grief!  It's supposed to be a vacation not a math quiz!  It's like trying to the pick where the nut is in a hand shuffle.  Have a Reflection cruise booked in March 2020.  Thank goodness the Reflection will not have been through a revolution!  Probably moving on after that unless some things change.  Sad as we have built up to a high level in the Celebrity "loyalty" program.  

 

[Davidc5412]

Just tried a booking with cruise only. Took me straight to option to add perks . I chose beverage package and obc. Got to finalises and there was no charge for the added perks and no upcharge for beverage package! Looks like a glitch at least for Aussie bookings

[villauk]

13 hours ago, vtcruising said:

I do still find $316 a good price for 7 days of the beverage package (for me). I would certainly spend more than that, if no package.

 

 

And that’s why everyone needs to look at their costing individually. By the time some pax have had their free HH drinks, possibly include Elite+ coffees, 2 bottles of wine they can bring on of their own choice and any extra OBC from their TA to use on drinks etc.on the sailing, will they be spending an additional $316 (the amount in your scenario) on drinks? Others may have a totally different price point and combination, so each sailing will have to be calculated separately.

 

As a side note, I do think the new programme for family and friends to use the suite offerings when travelling with friends in RS and PH for $59pp per day would be worth it, especially if you were considering paying the $14 up-charge on the Classic beverage package anyway - not much difference then.

[vtcruising]

4 hours ago, Davidc5412 said:

Just tried a booking with cruise only. Took me straight to option to add perks . I chose beverage package and obc. Got to finalises and there was no charge for the added perks and no upcharge for beverage package! Looks like a glitch at least for Aussie bookings

 

Yesterday morning people in the US were also found some glitches that were fixed later in the day. Must have been a busy day at Celebrity IT. 🙂

[vtcruising]

1 hour ago, villauk said:

 

 

And that’s why everyone needs to look at their costing individually. By the time some pax have had their free HH drinks, possibly include Elite+ coffees, 2 bottles of wine they can bring on of their own choice and any extra OBC from their TA to use on drinks etc.on the sailing, will they be spending an additional $316 (the amount in your scenario) on drinks? Others may have a totally different price point and combination, so each sailing will have to be calculated separately.

 

As a side note, I do think the new programme for family and friends to use the suite offerings when travelling with friends in RS and PH for $59pp per day would be worth it, especially if you were considering paying the $14 up-charge on the Classic beverage package anyway - not much difference then.

Agree, and have said as much. We are Elite + and bring 2 bottles of wine, but we like the choices and flexibility of the beverage package. I hardly touch alcohol year round, but when I'm on a cruise I enjoy pairing wines with each course at dinner, trying new drinks (and not drinking the ones I don't like), grabbing water for excursions or pool time, a cocktail in the theater or a frozen drink by the pool, seltzer with meals and the better juice with breakfast. As others spend their money on other things on a cruise that I never would, the beverage package enhances our experience, and we definitely feel it is worth $45/day as seen in this example. Doing the math is a pain, but will help people spend their money on the things that are important to them.

[villauk]

33 minutes ago, vtcruising said:

seltzer with meals

 

 

I thought that was for after meals (Alka-Seltzer) 🤣. Yes, one definitely needs to calculate if it’s worth it on the specific sailing being considered. I think it will be even more trickier if the ‘dynamic pricing’ evolves over to X from Royal, too.

[TeeRick]

9 hours ago, SkystheLimit said:

Good grief!  It's supposed to be a vacation not a math quiz!  It's like trying to the pick where the nut is in a hand shuffle.  Have a Reflection cruise booked in March 2020.  Thank goodness the Reflection will not have been through a revolution!  Probably moving on after that unless some things change.  Sad as we have built up to a high level in the Celebrity "loyalty" program.  

 

Yes you are right but Celebrity forces some of us all to go back and learn math all over again to figure out their overly complicated pricing schemes. 

[TeeRick]

New cars are are often sold with options in packages.  Like the sport package or luxury package or whatever.  Its funny but I did not buy my Toyota with "free" perks but instead I paid for the package I wanted which was clearly explained to me.  I could also buy options individually and add to base price.  I could see what was a better deal and decide.  I could also decide if I wanted the factory rebate (same as OBC) to apply to offset the cost of whatever I decided to include.   I just want Celebrity or any other cruise line to give me base sticker price and then a simple list of options which I could add based on what I desire.  No need to hide these in fancy schemes and call them free perks.

[vtcruising]

3 hours ago, villauk said:

 

 

I thought that was for after meals (Alka-Seltzer) 🤣. Yes, one definitely needs to calculate if it’s worth it on the specific sailing being considered. I think it will be even more trickier if the ‘dynamic pricing’ evolves over to X from Royal, too.

Alka -seltzer after the meals is often needed! 😀

[mnocket]

NRD = Non-Refundable Deposit or No Risk Deposit?

Talk about confusing.  Do they do this on purpose?

[kayehall]

Very confusing.  I have a simple question.  Is this $14/day for new bookings only?  Or will it pertain to a cruise I booked last Feb 2019?  TY

[vtcruising]

1 minute ago, kayehall said:

Very confusing.  I have a simple question.  Is this $14/day for new bookings only?  Or will it pertain to a cruise I booked last Feb 2019?  TY

New bookings only since 10/10/19, but changes to your reservation could result in the 14/day being added if you have the beverage pkg as a perk (if you take advantage of a price drop, for example), so always ask if it will add the $14/day before changing your reservations (though a nice price drop may still be more than the $14/day so worth it).

[MAHA]

We booked an Equinox cruise for the Fall of 202 before the new pricing went into effect.  With all 4 perks for 11 nights in a balcony cabin and refundable deposit, it was $5115.  After the raise in prices for beverage packages as a perk, it is now $6115.  There are a lot of cabins available, so it's not a supply and demand things.  The increase for the $14 per day per person should have been $308.  The cabins are still at the same prices as when we booked, so they effectively raised the cost of the premium drink package as a perk to about $1000.  Ridiculous!

 

[hcat]

On 10/10/2019 at 1:56 PM, billslowsky said:

Simpler is gooder.

 

ENOUGH SAID!

[billslowsky]

37 minutes ago, MAHA said:

The cabins are still at the same prices as when we booked, so they effectively raised the cost of the premium drink package as a perk to about $1000.  Ridiculous!

 

Going back to Econ 101, they are measuring the price elasticity of the drink package as an option.  

[killsport]

Being a nerd, I created a spreadsheet to calculate the "net" cost of the cabin, given a variety of options/perks. It takes into account the different configuration pieces that I'm aware of -- number of passengers, number of nights, cabin type, which perks/types, and your ability to determine what value the perk has to YOU.

 

I've attached it below. If people find any missing pieces (or corrections) please let me know. If you don't find it useful, don't use it. 🙂

If you do find it useful, buy me a drink on a cruise.... no wait, I'll have the beverage package on my only remaining X cruises.

X Price Comparison.xlsx