Celebrity pricing like it's a seller's market

[twentyknots]

We had Relection April 12 cruise booked with a Sky Suite and the 4 perks added.  11 nights to ABC islands.  Too bad it had to be cancelled.  We were really loking forward  to it.  Our price for that cruise was $4254.  Now, same cruise, same cabin category with the 4 perks in March, 2021 is pricing at $11,500.  This doesnt seem like the way to get people back on board.

[phoenix_dream]

8 minutes ago, twentyknots said:

We had Relection April 12 cruise booked with a Sky Suite and the 4 perks added.  11 nights to ABC islands.  Too bad it had to be cancelled.  We were really loking forward  to it.  Our price for that cruise was $4254.  Now, same cruise, same cabin category with the 4 perks in March, 2021 is pricing at $11,500.  This doesnt seem like the way to get people back on board.

I think a lot of us are struggling with that.  It sounds nice to get 125% FCC but if the price is tripled that just doesn't cover it!  

[Loracpin2]

5 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I think a lot of us are struggling with that.  It sounds nice to get 125% FCC but if the price is tripled that just doesn't cover it!  

I think the cruise lines expected a lot more customers to take the 125% FCC as opposed to the refund. Most likely the only way they can recuperate the amount of cash they are refunding (with a the majority of the clients still waiting for that to happen) is to unrealistically raise the prices.

[miched]

Every cruise that I have previously booked have now increased, and some beyond reasonable.  Probably won’t be booking any more after we complete the last one in Mar 2022.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Bruin Steve]

We are booked on back to back cruises on Infinity in the Med this July...which have not been cancelled yet but which I fully expect to be.  The two cruises, combined are costing us $7789...With drink packages, free gratuities and $1300 in OBC between the two...In a concierge class cabin...So, netting out the OBC, it's a total of $6489...And, for us, $700 of that price was already FCC from a past year's cruise--so, no 125%...and the new 125% FCC is only on the amount after fees and taxes.

 

The same exact back-to-backs don't exist next summer, but we can get the same ports in by doing cruises on two different ships...it does make it slightly longer--20 nights vs.14...all ships involved are M-class.  The cost in a concierge cabin with two perks?  Close to $14,000!

 

So, the additional we'd have to pay AFTER the 125% FCC would be applied is still far in excess of what we were to have been paying for the entire cruise this year.

 

What Celebrity should have done, rather than this charade, would be to allow people to merely transfer the booking, at the same price and with the same perks, to another similar cruise in the same cabin category.  So, say, if they cancelled your 14 night cruise in a Concierge cabin with two perks, they should allow you to move the booking to a later 14 night cruise in a concierge cabin with two perks with no additional cost...and, THEN, they should add something of value to make up for the fact that you've paid them in full for that cruise a year in advance.

 

What they are doing is like if, say, you went to your local car dealer to buy a $40,000 car and paid in full, in cash for delivery next week...but, next week they told you "we can't deliver, but we'll apply your $40,000 toward your car--even make it a credit of $50,000...and, we'll deliver your car a year from now...but, it's going to cost you $100,000 for that same car...but, without the air conditioning and the leather seats.  Thank you for being a loyal customer and bearing with us."

[Dawg67]

Same with us.  We had our cruise out of Southampton canceled.  Took the 125% and tried to rebook the same cruise a year later.  Price jumped hundreds of dollars over the 125% plus loss of two perks.  Should have taken the refund and shopped around for another cruise.  Celebrity needs to rethink its policy to get loyal cruisers back.  We are elite but Norwegian is looking attractive at this point.

[Orator]

My cancelled cruise are available next year at more than double the prices. I suspect that they will come down as the cruises near, but I would accept the offer for the same category on the same cruise in a nano second.

[BigAl94]

I am of the opinion everyone should take a cash refund where possible then wait to see what cruise lines still exist in 12 months time.

[TeaBag]

That's what we did.  We already have bookings for 2021 and 2022 made when prices were reasonable. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 hour ago, Bruin Steve said:

What Celebrity should have done, rather than this charade, would be to allow people to merely transfer the booking, at the same price and with the same perks, to another similar cruise in the same cabin category.  So, say, if they cancelled your 14 night cruise in a Concierge cabin with two perks, they should allow you to move the booking to a later 14 night cruise in a concierge cabin with two perks with no additional cost...and, THEN, they should add something of value to make up for the fact that you've paid them in full for that cruise a year in advance.

 

 

That approach makes far too much sense.  Celebrity is not that good at customer relations.

[Pinboy]

15 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Celebrity is not that good at customer relations.

From my 30+ years in the Service Industry I might add that too many customers don't know how to complain in a proper manner and are treated accordingly.  

[drew69]

The cruise lines are desperate to hold onto cash and take more in.  They are luring people into taking 125% FCC instead of a refund but will price the future cruises to ensure you spend much more than that extra 25%.  They continue to sell cruises they know will never occur to get more cash.

 

Perhaps, more cruise lines should look to Disney for good customer service.  Disney is offering the 125% FCC instead of cash also, but the credit(s) can be applied to any currently booked or future cruise, cruise insurance, shore excursions, transfers, pre or post cruise stays, gratuities, and any remaining credit will then be converted into nonrefundable onboard credit to be used during your cruise.

[cheeseheads4ever]

The increased prices are very disheartening. We luckily didn’t have anything on the books with Celebrity when this virus came down so We lucked out that way. But we sure feel bad for all our fellow cruisers that got stuck waiting for their money or took the 125% FCC which sounds great but like everyone says seems like all the cruises at least the ones I looked at for early next year are super inflated. 
We wanted to do some mock bookings and can still do that but Wow every click on the booking process prices shoot up by the hundreds. Love Celebrity but wow they may be pricing us out. We will keep searching and cruising with Celebrity but it may ba a last minute one. You would think logically prices would drop to get people onboard but they have all the cruisers with 125% FCC booking so must be high..

Wish everyone the best on getting money back and their 125% FCC.

[paulh84]

I think it's way too early to be concerned about what prices in the next 6-12+ months may be...for many reasons. 

 

1. Most here seem to book very early. Comparing your price <12 months out to when you booked soon after itineraries were announced is never going to offer an even comparison. 

 

2. When cruising does resume, the fleet will most likely not be operating at full capacity. Even if you have a cruise booked after a time when cruises do resume, yours still may be cancelled or restricted. 

 

3. Ship capacity restrictions if mandated by the CDC. 

 

4. If a major line like NCL were to completely cease operations may have an impact on supply and demand that trickles over.

 

5. Routes and duration may be altered to accommodate port closures and fleet availability.

 

There are no guarantees moving forward and it will be quite some time before anyone has a definite picture of how that will play out. Once operations are allowed to start at a slow pace, you can count on the next round of changes will cause more commotion than a slow refund. 

 

[Vagabond Knight]

We booked our 2021 Alaskan cruisetour last November, right when the Alaskan itineraries were announced (which was before the virus stuff hit) and base fare for our cabin has not changed since we booked.  The perks were pretty basic with that booking ($300 in OBC and no other perks... and the $300 may have actually been only because we transferred the booking from a previous onboard booking).  However, we have managed to do two rebook/adjustments since November such that we're now paying $90 less, but have all four perks and $600 total in OBC due to various "deals" that Celebrity's been running.

 

Honestly, I believe that at least for some of the itineraries, it's more of a "help pay for the Edge/Apex" effect than something planned to make up for virus-related losses and the higher prices were already in place before all this chaos went down.  Also, you may have gotten your previous (now cancelled) cruise during one of the sales or during one of the price dip periods and don't realize how much that cruise was listed for at its highest point.  I've seen some pretty wide swings in prices between the time an itinerary comes online and when the cruise actually sails.

[deliver42]

They will adjust prices according to demand. There's an old saying in sales. You can always come down, but you can't go up. So if sales are slow, which I believe they are and will be, not counting the FCC's, the prices will come down to acceptable levels.

[tallnthensome]

They all seem to have this approach even as mind boggling as it is. They all must seem to think that the extra 25% FCC is camouflage to hike up cruises 50% on the ignorant and ill informed. All my cruises for 2021 and 2022 are up thousands since I booked.  

[Germancruiser]

Reading all posts on this thread I am glad have strechted final payment until X canceled on mee. I have just a minimum down pay - 125,- € ! I did expect such a scenario - which prices sky rocketing. That is why i refuse to book anything before " the dust " has a bit settled down. I wait and see how the bookings go after reopening.

The way X goes right now- not very cutsomer friendly and will probably anoy many loyal cruisers.

[Orator]

They often go up. However, go down more often after final payment. Lots of cruisers, including me will wait until the end before  booking. 

[Lastdance]

I feel fortunate to have booked quite a few cruises for 2021 and 2022 early on, even though my DH thought all my booking were a little strange, since we were out so much money holding our places.  He now believes that I had an epiphany, or something close...pricing has always seemed like a game to me, so I have tried to play it that way, not always getting the best deal, but being happy with the price.  That was until Edge and Apex appeared, sending those prices higher than expected; however, I am saving quite a bit this year to almost pay for my remaining cruises...but the wait is killing me!  You win some and lose some, but that is the theme of life...no FCC for me, as I want the bird in the hand!  I do feel sorry for many of you who feel priced out of your future cruises, but just keep looking and doing your homework.  That's what I continue to do all the time.

Edited May 6, 2020 by Lastdance

[K12Guy]

8 hours ago, Pinboy said:

From my 30+ years in the Service Industry I might add that too many customers don't know how to complain in a proper manner and are treated accordingly.  

 

That's an understatement. Too many people think they should be able to verbally beat the stuffing out of the person who has the misfortune of answering their call. And, once it's established that they are being verbally whipped, for something beyond their causation or control, the customer support person isn't real interested in customer support.

 

[Mojogurued]

Things are going through many shifts and changes over the next few years.  Who knows if Oceania and Viking Ocean will even be around.  What if X is planning to move more into the luxury market and these prices are just a reflection of that?

[timf2001]

My 125% credit managed to cover the cost of going from 7 to 9 days, 3 to 4 perks, C3 to C2, plus an extra $300 OBC.  The only trade off was going from Apex to Silhouette, although I'm sure some around here would consider that a plus as well.

[NantahalaCruiser]

Well, it is a seller's market - at least for FCC through early 2022!

[omeinv]

I think the situation is this:

 

Normally price is driven by supply and demand.  Typically if demand is low, the seller lowers the price, until demand improves. 

 

We're in a unique situation.  I suspect the thinking at the cruise lines is that to lower the price enough to spur demand would require veritable "fire sale" prices.  Now I realize many here think those are the prices they should be seeing; but I think the companies would prefer to wait for more clarity.  I (just me - hardly an expert) believe we'll see some great prices, but not yet. 

 

I was cruising during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, and there were some amazing deals then.  I think the cruise lines fear that if they dropped prices right now, there are too many people who wouldn't book; but would see those as the "correct" price for the cruises, damaging the marketability of cruising at a sustainable price.  I would expect the prices to drop once we see actual resumption of cruising; and both the cruise lines and customers have the picture of how the market is. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Edited May 6, 2020 by omeinv