Captain's Club Benefits when sailing on a chartered cruise?

[chrismch]

We're booked on a chartered Jazz Cruise on Celebrity next year. I've been able to confirm that I will get my day points for Captain's Club, but can't get a straight answer on the other perks. Celebrity tells us to get that answer from the booking company and they tell us to check with Celebrity.

 

We're Elite and would love to make use of those extra perks. Has anyone booked a charter and received the normal perks?

 

[Nachosdelux]

It is all in the contract between the company that charters the cruise, and Celebrity.

 

So the answer is...it depends.  Generally companies will not pay extra, so there will be no Elite benefits.

 

 

[DCPIV]

7 hours ago, Nachosdelux said:

It is all in the contract between the company that charters the cruise, and Celebrity.

 

That's really the case.  The ones chartering are the ones that you need the answer from.  I can't imagine Celebrity would disclose contract terms to someone booking.

 

I've heard stories go either way and in between.  You -might- get some of the perks like laundry and discounts, but I wouldn't bet on the Elite breakfast or cocktail hour.  Of course, the charter may have something else in place for either or both of those.  I'd be prepared for no perks to be there and then be pleasantly surprised if any were.

 

 

[CruisinNole]

We were on a charter on Royal Carribean and received our Diamond perks. I tried to find out ahead of time but got the same responses as the OP.

[cruisestitch]

Is it a full ship charter or just a group cruise?

[chrismch]

Ours is a full charter for the Jazz Cruise. We are paying a premium for the 100 musicians, singers, and entertainers. But Celebrity is still staffing it for room stewards, food, beverages, wait staff, etc.

 

The only benefit that's been confirmed from the charter company is paid gratuities. Do you think the cruise line gives a bill to the charter at the end of the cruise for drinks and use of the specialty restaurants for breakfast?

[gold1953]

13 hours ago, chrismch said:

Ours is a full charter for the Jazz Cruise. We are paying a premium for the 100 musicians, singers, and entertainers. But Celebrity is still staffing it for room stewards, food, beverages, wait staff, etc.

 

The only benefit that's been confirmed from the charter company is paid gratuities. Do you think the cruise line gives a bill to the charter at the end of the cruise for drinks and use of the specialty restaurants for breakfast?

What is included in your cost will be told to you before you cruise. Very likely that you will pay your own specialty restaurants and drinks. You will be asked for a credit card on file  for all your expenses.

[cujimmy]

Our experience with these charters on Celebrity is that no drinks are included, not even for Elite members. They will offer you the usual drinks package, which is purchased through Celebrity. One thing we did notice is that we were able to use the 90 minute free internet minutes that we usually get as Elite. Everything else that we normally get under Captains Club program was a no go. We just recently did the Ultimate Disco Cruise which was a private charter on Celebrity.

[cruiseerf]

Charters make a large portion of their $$ from all the extras.  99% of the time Captains club benefits do not apply.  Therefore you must pay for everything as a regular passenger.   FYI.  

[chrismch]

8 hours ago, cujimmy said:

Our experience with these charters on Celebrity is that no drinks are included, not even for Elite members. They will offer you the usual drinks package, which is purchased through Celebrity. One thing we did notice is that we were able to use the 90 minute free internet minutes that we usually get as Elite. Everything else that we normally get under Captains Club program was a no go. We just recently did the Ultimate Disco Cruise which was a private charter on Celebrity.

Thanks for giving me the details of your experience with a chartered cruise. Would appreciated the perks I've earned sailing, but I guess both the cruise line and the charter need to profit the best they can. I've booked a Celebrity cruise with an inside cabin whose total cost for the both of us is equal to the cost for one day on the charter cruise an oceanview. Those entertainers don't come cheap - but well worth it.

[cujimmy]

9 hours ago, chrismch said:

Thanks for giving me the details of your experience with a chartered cruise. Would appreciated the perks I've earned sailing, but I guess both the cruise line and the charter need to profit the best they can. I've booked a Celebrity cruise with an inside cabin whose total cost for the both of us is equal to the cost for one day on the charter cruise an oceanview. Those entertainers don't come cheap - but well worth it.

I agree about the cost. The overall experience is well worth it though, if you go on one of these charter cruises. It seems a lot of money, but for the experience of being around music legends for example, you can't put a cost on it. All of these types of cruises, in our case - music themed ones, it was great just walking around the ship and bumping into musical geniuses from bygone days, who all took the time to stop and chat. Well worth it.

[chrismch]

13 hours ago, cujimmy said:

All of these types of cruises, in our case - music themed ones, it was great just walking around the ship and bumping into musical geniuses from bygone days, who all took the time to stop and chat. Well worth it.

Yes, I agree with you! I've been to a lot of small venues where you can get photos of your faves and thank them for their music. As my DH is a drummer, he loves chatting music with them. 

[Honolulu Blue]

On 5/26/2022 at 4:08 PM, cujimmy said:

We just recently did the Ultimate Disco Cruise which was a private charter on Celebrity.

 

I was on that cruise!  I'll be back next year!!  I agree with what you and @chrismch said - it's a wonderful experience, but oh so pricey. 🤑

[cujimmy]

10 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

 

I was on that cruise!  I'll be back next year!!  I agree with what you and @chrismch said - it's a wonderful experience, but oh so pricey. 🤑

It is indeed pricey! on top of the cruise price, we had the Premium Drinks package! I guess our Martini consumption numbed the pain of what we paid for the cruise!!😂 It wore off quickly though...... we booked again for next year as well!! Great lineup and a great onboard crowd from all over the world. It certainly is an experience worth paying for at the end of the day.

[Fly and Sail]

Never been on a charter. Is the ship operation the same as you'd usually see when being on a regular cruise including all outlets open (retail, f&b, future cruises, casino)?

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, Fly and Sail said:

Never been on a charter. Is the ship operation the same as you'd usually see when being on a regular cruise including all outlets open (retail, f&b, future cruises, casino)?

Having been on a couple of charters recently, the ship experience is mostly the same, but the charter company will modify some things - like venue names, hours of operation, menus, and items sold.

[chrismch]

On 5/28/2022 at 1:20 PM, Honolulu Blue said:

Having been on a couple of charters recently, the ship experience is mostly the same, but the charter company will modify some things - like venue names, hours of operation, menus, and items sold.

Menus? Are they better or worse? Guess there are t-shirts to buy for the cruise theme as well.

[Cruising Is Bliss]

3 hours ago, chrismch said:

Menus? Are they better or worse? Guess there are t-shirts to buy for the cruise theme as well.

All food and entertainment, what it is, where it happens, when it happens, is up to the charter company. All of that is negotiated in the agreement. If a charter wants to pay a cruise line for full hot breakfast served in the lido from midnight to 2am? As long as they're willing to pay for it and the cruise line can manage the staffing to do it, that would go into the contract.

Edited May 30, 2022 by Cruising Is Bliss

[chrismch]

On 5/30/2022 at 3:20 AM, Cruising Is Bliss said:

All food and entertainment, what it is, where it happens, when it happens, is up to the charter company. All of that is negotiated in the agreement. If a charter wants to pay a cruise line for full hot breakfast served in the lido from midnight to 2am? As long as they're willing to pay for it and the cruise line can manage the staffing to do it, that would go into the contract.

Cruise staffing is the real problem now. They can't process new staff in their home country quickly as they are overrun with visa requests.

[gold1953]

19 minutes ago, chrismch said:

Cruise staffing is the real problem now. They can't process new staff in their home country quickly as they are overrun with visa requests.

Also need to get these people vaccinated, takes time for 2 doses

[zodiac1]

We have been on the last 5 Smooth Jazz Cruises, before Covid hit.  We'll be on the rescheduled cruise in January.  We are Elite and on our first cruise we received the 90 minutes of free internet and we also received 3 drink vouchers each night for the Happy Hour.  The next year, I was very disappointed to NOT receive any of the Elite benefits and it has been that way ever since.  These cruises are expensive but very well organized.

[chrismch]

The only benefit that's noted and not part of the loyalty program is that gratuities are pre-paid.  Guess we'll be buying our own drinks and waiting to do laundry until we get home!