BOOK NOW OR WAIT

[elaineb]

Hello all.  My DH and I are booked on the Reflection for next November.  We got an amazing price and we had an FCC to use.  Fast forward to my son who has decided to get married this January (if possible with the current Covid situation).  I offered him that they could join us on our cruise and that would be our wedding gift.  The cruise is now $900 more than ours for a balcony.  My son is a recovering alcoholic, so the new pricing with all-inclusive would probably not benefit him too much.  So my question is should I book now at the existing structure price and then if the price is less, rebook or wait to see what the pricing looks like?  Does Celebrity allow you to reprice if the price goes down?

Thank you for your comments.

[gerelmx]

You can book today with the old system (last day), you can choose 2 perks or no perks, other option is wait until 90 days before sailing to book without perks in the new system. Yes you can reprice if the price goes down if you book now you can reprice until 48 hrs before sailing with cruise with confidence, when cwc ends you can reprice before final payment date.

Edited November 16, 2020 by gerelmx

[elaineb]

The prices already went up since this morning.  I will check again this evening...

[Arizona Wildcat]

26 minutes ago, elaineb said:

Hello all.  My DH and I are booked on the Reflection for next November.  We got an amazing price and we had an FCC to use.  Fast forward to my son who has decided to get married this January (if possible with the current Covid situation).  I offered him that they could join us on our cruise and that would be our wedding gift.  The cruise is now $900 more than ours for a balcony.  My son is a recovering alcoholic, so the new pricing with all-inclusive would probably not benefit him too much.  So my question is should I book now at the existing structure price and then if the price is less, rebook or wait to see what the pricing looks like?  Does Celebrity allow you to reprice if the price goes down?

Thank you for your comments.

If you are in the US call your TA and book with a REFUNDABLE deposit.  You can cancel or get price reduction up to final payment.  Nothing to lose.

[ECCruise]

19 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

You can book today with the old system (last day), you can choose 2 perks or no perks, other option is wait until 90 days before sailing to book without perks in the new system. Yes you can reprice if the price goes down if you book now you can reprice until 48 hrs before sailing with cruise with confidence, when cwc ends you can reprice before final payment date.

We only book group pricing (which never include perks) so we will have to see how this shakes out.  If group prices evaporate, so will our sailing with =X= after 30+ sailings.  No way we book with the inclusions that we have little or no use for, and since we generally plan 18-24 months out (we are currently booked well into 2022) not going to wait until 90 days out.

[wrk2cruise]

According to the press release it's only "select sailings" which will be offered without perks within 90 days of sailing.  The also mentioned it is replacing Xciting deals so I suspect it will be structured similar where it's mostly GTY without perks and only on a small subset of sailings.

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 hours ago, ECCruise said:

We only book group pricing (which never include perks) so we will have to see how this shakes out.  If group prices evaporate, so will our sailing with =X= after 30+ sailings.  No way we book with the inclusions that we have little or no use for, and since we generally plan 18-24 months out (we are currently booked well into 2022) not going to wait until 90 days out.

Interesting.  My group bookings have the option for about $100pp to receive perks including OBC and gratuities.

[ECCruise]

12 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Interesting.  My group bookings have the option for about $100pp to receive perks including OBC and gratuities.

No matter what the length of the cruise?  And $100 gets you all the perks?  Drinks/OBC/grats/wifi?

 

If that is the case then we've really missed the boat and the dozens of group bookings we've done.

[Gracie115]

It sure looks like the prices have increased already....the CS we had booked for January 2022 is $1500 more per person right now and we booked with all 4 perks.....ouch!!!

[beaveh]

Sorry to point out the obvious:

your son is a recovering alcoholic and you want to buy him a cruise as a wedding present???!!!!

The one place where you are guaranteed to be surrounded by free flowing alcohol and drinks packages! 
If he’s stopped drinking, why not show him your support and buy him something that him and his new wife can really enjoy with out temptation being constantly thrown in his face. I work with addicts and kicking a so called socially acceptable addiction is one of the hardest. 

[Cruise a holic]

As long as a small refundable deposit, book now.  You will get the cabin/suite of your choice and if the price goes down, you can have the fare lowered.  Just watch the fare.  

 

I had been sick on a cruise and wasn't allowed to drink alcohol because of medication I was taking- but paid for the package anyway.  Enjoyed the specialty coffees, soft drinks, special water and real OJ.  As far as alcoholics, they have on most cruises, meetings called friends of Bill W, which is an Alcoholics anonymous meeting- so apparently alcoholics do cruise.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Cruise a holic

[emmas gran]

Somebody has posted on All Inclusive thread that new deals on Celebrity Australian site only showing NRD - they are 8/11 hours ahead of UK

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I started keeping track and our category on our B2B Apex cruise increased $1000 pp pd yesterday.  This is for a suite which always included all 4 perks for quite a while now.

[elaineb]

3 hours ago, beaveh said:

Sorry to point out the obvious:

your son is a recovering alcoholic and you want to buy him a cruise as a wedding present???!!!!

The one place where you are guaranteed to be surrounded by free flowing alcohol and drinks packages! 
If he’s stopped drinking, why not show him your support and buy him something that him and his new wife can really enjoy with out temptation being constantly thrown in his face. I work with addicts and kicking a so called socially acceptable addiction is one of the hardest. 

He has been sober for over 2 years - will be 3 at the time of the cruise.  His fiancee does not drink.  He will be accompanying my husband and I and no, he will not be getting a drink package.  He does love to cruise.  Are you saying recovering alcoholics should not ever cruise?  Celebrity is probably the line that pushes drinks the least, IMHO.  Thanks for the not asked for advice.

I did give him a choice, by the way.  He has worked hard and has not had a vacation in years.

Edited November 17, 2020 by elaineb

[Arizona Wildcat]

4 hours ago, ECCruise said:

No matter what the length of the cruise?  And $100 gets you all the perks?  Drinks/OBC/grats/wifi?

 

If that is the case then we've really missed the boat and the dozens of group bookings we've done.

Where did I say anything about the length of my cruises.

On cruises booked in 2018 we had group space with 3 perks for less than regular rate on a TA.  Choice on a Norway 7 day was 1 perk for same price or $600 more for 3 perks.  We took 1 perk.  The third cruise another TA booked 2019 again 3 perks in a veranda for less than a non group OV cabin with 1 perk.  The last a 7 day to Bermuda booked last fall.  3 perks in a group Veranda cabin with 1 perk same price as OV.

The offers have greatly varied.  The group cabins are almost always only Verandas with 3 perks.  No changes in the group block.  My TA is responsive and has an independent office using a major travel app.  The blocks are set up when the cruise opens.  The large blocks often fill within days.

[hcat]

Why not treat the newly married  couple to a   resort vacation or cruise of their choice,  Cruising with  parents for a honeymoon.....?????

[elaineb]

11 hours ago, hcat said:

Why not treat the newly married  couple to a   resort vacation or cruise of their choice,  Cruising with  parents for a honeymoon.....?????

They have been living together for quite a while.  The wedding is in January, this cruise is in November.  Funny how people are weighing in on what I didn't ask opinions on.  Also we will be doing different excursions.  They are free to eat by themselves if they want.  Their room is 8 away from ours.  What is the issue???

Edited November 17, 2020 by elaineb

[elaineb]

Update - I booked the cruise last evening with 2 perks - WIFI & Tips.    I went back in this morning under the new program - same price but with drink package also included.  Guess I will call later and rebook under the new program.  It looks like they had changed their pricing yesterday mid morning already to the new pricing!  He will drink his weight in specialty coffee!

Edited November 17, 2020 by elaineb

[bouhunter]

12 hours ago, elaineb said:

He has been sober for over 2 years - will be 3 at the time of the cruise.  His fiancee does not drink.  He will be accompanying my husband and I and no, he will not be getting a drink package.  He does love to cruise.  Are you saying recovering alcoholics should not ever cruise?  Celebrity is probably the line that pushes drinks the least, IMHO.  Thanks for the not asked for advice.

I did give him a choice, by the way.  He has worked hard and has not had a vacation in years.

Good for you for responding to the ridiculous post that someone shouldn't cruise because they've successfully stopped drinking.  The post you replied to was a classic example of a cruise critic member offering unwanted, unnecessary, irrelevant advice.

[sandancer]

I hope you all have a great cruise together. In these dark days when we can’t get together with family it will be lovely for you have this to look forward to. 

[Pinboy]

1 hour ago, elaineb said:

Funny how people are weighing in on what I didn't ask opinions on

I'm on your side !!!  You don't have to apologize or explain your decisions to anyone on CC.

Remember, you are posting on a social media site where some folks love to hide behind their pin name ( ?? ) and stir xxxx on every subject. 

Whatever you and your family do --- All the best and sincere congratulations on the up-coming wedding and your son's recovery . Good for him !! 

[Lady Arwen]

18 hours ago, beaveh said:

Sorry to point out the obvious:

your son is a recovering alcoholic and you want to buy him a cruise as a wedding present???!!!!

The one place where you are guaranteed to be surrounded by free flowing alcohol and drinks packages! 
If he’s stopped drinking, why not show him your support and buy him something that him and his new wife can really enjoy with out temptation being constantly thrown in his face. I work with addicts and kicking a so called socially acceptable addiction is one of the hardest. 

I think your response is quite harsh and certainly not any of your business.  Temptation is literally everywhere and he’s entitled to live his life as he sees fit.  I think it’s just wonderful that his parents want to give the couple a vacation, cruise or otherwise.

[ECCruise]

16 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Where did I say anything about the length of my cruises.

 

The offers have greatly varied.  The group cabins are almost always only Verandas with 3 perks.  No changes in the group block.  My TA is responsive and has an independent office using a major travel app.  The blocks are set up when the cruise opens.  The large blocks often fill within days.

Yikes.

I simply asked if your deal was on all lengths of cruises.  Simple question.

There are different levels of group pricing.  In virtually all of ours, we had a choice of any cabin we wanted and were not restricted to blocks.  Any category.  And all without perks. 

There was only one group booking we did (with another agent) that fit the parameters you described.  Overall, though, the bookings we generally do were considerably less expensive.

[lv2cruisgrl]

20 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

It sure looks like the prices have increased already....the CS we had booked for January 2022 is $1500 more per person right now and we booked with all 4 perks.....ouch!!!

I just checked out our April 2021 cruise, the price we paid was $2400 (free drink pkg), its now $4141!  WOW.....:(