Exchanging "included" drink package for OBC?

[Arizona Wildcat]

11 hours ago, the penguins said:

What nightmare?

Currently after you have selected your cabin and pushed book you get:

1) want a refundable deposit - tick the box

2) want insurance - tick the box

3) upgrade your drinks package - tick the box.

4) upgrade your internet package - tick the box.

The options go on and on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you forget something?  X has not been able to provide a fully functioning website, successfully generate booking confirmations that show correct information (whether reservation made direct or with TA).  Or even have a system that can generate luggage tags on line with one attempt.

[goofysmom99]

What's particularly irritating is that X does not allow solos to book simply sail fares.  Period.  We MUST book AI; really stings if you're zenith.  Soooo, I intend to book for two knowing that one will not be able to make it (and for whom they will refund taxes).  

Edited January 14, 2022 by goofysmom99

[weregoingcruising]

6 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Very funny--- 

One time once the Captain walked by and asked whether we were having a good time.

When I told him " Yes, except that our waiter forgot to bring etc etc, and our room steward didn't etc, etc, and the questions at trivia were etc etc, and 2 days ago at the pool I saw someone take 5 towels, and , and, ---- He said " Pinboy,  I'll be back in a minute-- I'm going to get a chair " !!!

 

 

Did he ask  if you wanted cheese with your whine?

Edited January 14, 2022 by weregoingcruising
correction

[Dancing Shoes]

16 hours ago, the penguins said:

Only if you accept a guarantee cabin and only on a select number of cruises.

I want to choose my cabin.  I will go along with the All Inclusive.  They make money on me for booze.

[the penguins]

9 hours ago, goofysmom99 said:

What's particularly irritating is that X does not allow solos to book simply sail fares.  Period.  We MUST book AI; really stings if you're zenith.  Soooo, I intend to book for two knowing that one will not be able to make it (and for whom they will refund taxes).  

Hi Ruth, now that is thinking out of the box, we like it. Geoff and the boss (Anita).

[sanger727]

My husband doesn’t drink and they wouldn’t even let us switch from the classic  alcohol to premium non-alcohol; even though it’s worth less. I can’t imagine them exchanging it for OBC. But as others said, the additional you might have paid for AI covered you getting to pick your cabin, tips, and wifi. Trying to sort out a small percentage of it to say that that was the price of the drink package would be difficult. It takes very little to get your ‘moneys worth’. A few coffees, waters, soda, and a drink here or there would do it.

[Guindalf]

While you’re waiting for an answer, look out the window for those flying pigs!

[Birdnutty]

Ah yes, flying pigs I know them well.   
After some thought, I realized that I was approaching this from the wrong angle. I was looking at it from a paying passenger point of view.  If I were to have say, 10 drinks a day (EEK!, says my liver), at an average of $10 per drink, times 7 days, yes, it looks like I’d be paying $700 a week. But of course, looking at it from the other side of the bar, that’s not what it COSTS Celebrity to serve me that amount.  It probably costs less than $1 per drink (just a guesstimate, on non-premium booze) so of course, it would not make sense to offer me anything over $50 OBC, and that’s more bother than it’s worth.  
So I’ll just have to exercise some self control.  Yeah, right.  🙄

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, Birdnutty said:

Ah yes, flying pigs I know them well.   
After some thought, I realized that I was approaching this from the wrong angle. I was looking at it from a paying passenger point of view.  If I were to have say, 10 drinks a day (EEK!, says my liver), at an average of $10 per drink, times 7 days, yes, it looks like I’d be paying $700 a week. But of course, looking at it from the other side of the bar, that’s not what it COSTS Celebrity to serve me that amount.  It probably costs less than $1 per drink (just a guesstimate, on non-premium booze) so of course, it would not make sense to offer me anything over $50 OBC, and that’s more bother than it’s worth.  
So I’ll just have to exercise some self control.  Yeah, right.  🙄

You are doing the math the way X wants you to.

The reality is X has accepted that to cover the drinks and Internet prices were increased by $100 per person per day - cancel an AI booking and the figures are clearly shown on the cancellation invoice. When booking Simply Sail anything less than a reduction of a $100 per person per day leaves X with a huge profit.

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

When booking Simply Sail anything less than a reduction of a $100 per person per day leaves X with a huge profit.

Which is the goal of a for profit business.

[PTC DAWG]

The way I’ve seen Celebrity pour,  probably less than 25 drinks in a liter…so the booze is around a Buck + a drink…you have to have servers, ice, glasses, glass washers, mixers, garnishes etc…cost them more than a Buck a drink for sure. 

Edited January 15, 2022 by PTC DAWG

[sanger727]

8 hours ago, Birdnutty said:

Ah yes, flying pigs I know them well.   
After some thought, I realized that I was approaching this from the wrong angle. I was looking at it from a paying passenger point of view.  If I were to have say, 10 drinks a day (EEK!, says my liver), at an average of $10 per drink, times 7 days, yes, it looks like I’d be paying $700 a week. But of course, looking at it from the other side of the bar, that’s not what it COSTS Celebrity to serve me that amount.  It probably costs less than $1 per drink (just a guesstimate, on non-premium booze) so of course, it would not make sense to offer me anything over $50 OBC, and that’s more bother than it’s worth.  
So I’ll just have to exercise some self control.  Yeah, right.  🙄

is the price of your cruise so high to be covering the cost of the cruise + gratuities + wifi + $700 in drinks pp?? Why would celebrity owe you for all that you ‘could’ drink? The all included package was always meant to be a set price that included the most common extra costs offered a price where you weren’t paying for each thing. When doing price comparisons between cruise only and always included rate, I’m not seeing that large of an upcharge for it. Certainly not enough of one to have to drink yourself silly to get the ‘value’ out of it.

[the penguins]

17 hours ago, jelayne said:

Which is the goal of a for profit business.

Reasonable profit is good and indeed essential.

X's AI prices, which were clearly calculated to give them the profit they wanted, includes $100 per person per day to cover drinks and WiFi. As Simply Sail removes the drinks and WiFi when the price isn't reduced accordingly X is making an excess profit out of those passengers.  

Clearly what an increasing number of passengers are requesting is a fairer system for all - when drinks and/ or WiFi are not wanted credit the true difference as an OBC.

[JJCas]

  I recently booked a comped casino rate cabin while on board the Equinox.  They told me it would be better to book my kids in an inside across the hall on my own (rather than add them to my room, or have the casino book them).  This will mean my underage (18 and 20) kids will have the drink package and my wife and I will not (no AI on the casino rate).