Would you take cruise rate only?

[gordylad]

looking at future cruises and if I'm correct if you are Elite you can still take advantage of the free drinks perks between 5-7pm [if the times are still the same] therefore wondering if it might be best just to take a cruise only?

 

Any thoughts?

 

tx

[dani negreanu]

I'll gladly take this option. We don't drink, don't need the wifi during our vacation, and our travel agent always gave us the free grats perk.

 

As of now, we're paying a lot for amenities we don't use.

 

I'd like to have the option of cruise only.

[verizon]

Just wonder they try to fill the ship or now they know the loyalty program can not be ignored.

I made 5 CRUISE ONLY FARE yesterday.

[sgmn]

Yes, and have done so .   Always pre pay gratuities. 

On Med port intensive cruises we're off ship most days , all day. On board happy with included free drinks, iced water, tea etc

We'll have a couple of drinks during Elite happy hour and pay as we go if we have a drink later in the evening. 

Our UK based WiFi works in most European countries, so we'll just check text etc in port.

[basenji56]

Since I don't drink, I don't need the drinks package.  It is nice to get free specialty coffees and some non-alcoholic drinks but it's not worth the extra money I am paying.  As an Elite member who is Diamond on Royal, I greatly prefer the Royal perk--you get four drinks loaded to your card every day.  To me, that is the best balance.  I can get a few coffees or non-alcoholic drinks and am not limited to the cocktail hour period.

[verizon]

10 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

Since I don't drink, I don't need the drinks package.  It is nice to get free specialty coffees and some non-alcoholic drinks but it's not worth the extra money I am paying.  As an Elite member who is Diamond on Royal, I greatly prefer the Royal perk--you get four drinks loaded to your card every day.  To me, that is the best balance.  I can get a few coffees or non-alcoholic drinks and am not limited to the cocktail hour period.

I am trying to book Royal and I will be Diamond.

Do they use coupons at the Diamond lounge?

[TMLAalum]

If the Cruise Only Fare plus gratuities is less than the all-inclusive rate, we will take it! Elite happy hour and included Wi-Fi will suffice for us along with our one bottle of wine allowed each, even better if as some posts here have indicated it is now two per person!

[drakes2]

11 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

Since I don't drink, I don't need the drinks package.  It is nice to get free specialty coffees and some non-alcoholic drinks but it's not worth the extra money I am paying.  As an Elite member who is Diamond on Royal, I greatly prefer the Royal perk--you get four drinks loaded to your card every day.  To me, that is the best balance.  I can get a few coffees or non-alcoholic drinks and am not limited to the cocktail hour period.

Had a bad experience with AI on celebrity recently as paid for premium beverage package and they run out of good cabernets as well as other wines so push wines from basic package on you. This is robbery as we pay a lot of money for these packages but they do not care. I plan on a fall cruise and looking for cruise only rate if I can't find one I just won't do a cruise.  Shame on Celebrity. 

[4774Papa]

1 hour ago, gordylad said:

looking at future cruises and if I'm correct if you are Elite you can still take advantage of the free drinks perks between 5-7pm [if the times are still the same] therefore wondering if it might be best just to take a cruise only?

 

Any thoughts?

 

tx

Of course, we have never booked a cruise that included the expensive perks (except the Galapagos cruise when that was the only option).

Celebrity for a while didn't give  you the option to book without perks, now they do, however, the pricing is still too high.  So much for loyalty benefits.

[cruisestitch]

21 minutes ago, verizon said:

I am trying to book Royal and I will be Diamond.

Do they use coupons at the Diamond lounge?

They load your drinks onto your card and they do count the drinks ordered in the Diamond lounge against your allotment.   Go or more info, check out the Royal board 

[cruisestitch]

20 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

Had a bad experience with AI on celebrity recently as paid for premium beverage package and they run out of good cabernets as well as other wines so push wines from basic package on you. This is robbery as we pay a lot of money for these packages but they do not care. I plan on a fall cruise and looking for cruise only rate if I can't find one I just won't do a cruise.  Shame on Celebrity. 

I don’t agree that Celebrity do not care.  But with supply chain issues they can’t get the wines they order.  The same happens at my local store.  No one wants unhappy customers but sometimes they have no choice and the substitutes aren’t as desirable as they could be.

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, gordylad said:

looking at future cruises and if I'm correct if you are Elite you can still take advantage of the free drinks perks between 5-7pm [if the times are still the same] therefore wondering if it might be best just to take a cruise only?

 

Any thoughts?

 

tx

 

We would take cruise-only fares whenever possible.

[drakes2]

7 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

I don’t agree that Celebrity do not care.  But with supply chain issues they can’t get the wines they order.  The same happens at my local store.  No one wants unhappy customers but sometimes they have no choice and the substitutes aren’t as desirable as they could be.

I know this has been discussed several times on these boards but why substitute a wine priced at $9 per glass when a guest has already paid an upcharge? I realize they do have other wines on the premium package so if my favorite cab is not available they can offer something else at the same price point.  If  the guest doesn't care for a white or sauvignon blanc on that particular night thats not their issue. They certainly won't give you a better wine at no additional charge.  They have done this in the past but it appears its no longer the case.  The same applies to any land restaurant. 

[TeeRick]

2 hours ago, gordylad said:

looking at future cruises and if I'm correct if you are Elite you can still take advantage of the free drinks perks between 5-7pm [if the times are still the same] therefore wondering if it might be best just to take a cruise only?

 

Any thoughts?

 

tx

It really depends on your cruise style and what you need.  Price out both options.  Cruise only vs All Included.  For Elite you get Happy Hour drinks, the breakfast and a bag of laundry.  And a Wifi package discount and a premium drinks package discount.  So that is all in your Cruise-only option and price if Elite.  If you drink a lot more (outside Happy hour) and want unlimited Wifi, gratuities, OBC, then it might be a much better deal for you to do All-included.  I think it is straight forward for most to decide.

[PTC DAWG]

No..and that even gives me WiFi I don’t need,  0 complaints here. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by PTC DAWG

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, drakes2 said:

Had a bad experience with AI on celebrity recently as paid for premium beverage package and they run out of good cabernets as well as other wines so push wines from basic package on you. This is robbery as we pay a lot of money for these packages but they do not care. I plan on a fall cruise and looking for cruise only rate if I can't find one I just won't do a cruise.  Shame on Celebrity. 

Not sure why you had to settle for Classic package wines.  We have done 5 cruises since the restart and on each there been some out of stock wines and liquors but we have always gotten a equivalent or better substituted. 

[paulh84]

Probably not. Lately for us it makes more sense to go all in and upgrade to the Elevate package. 

[gold1953]

I would book basic fare as an Elite. We don't drink enough and an happy with my free wifi.  

[The_Big_M]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I don’t agree that Celebrity do not care.  But with supply chain issues they can’t get the wines they order.  The same happens at my local store.  No one wants unhappy customers but sometimes they have no choice and the substitutes aren’t as desirable as they could be.

 

If they can't get the wines they order, they can get substitutes. It's not as though there are no wines at all in the world! While running out of a single thing is understandable, to have run out of every high grade wine over the course of a cruise falls in the don't care category. If things were really that bad (somehow) then they could stock up exceptionally at another port.

[prmssk]

3 hours ago, gordylad said:

looking at future cruises and if I'm correct if you are Elite you can still take advantage of the free drinks perks between 5-7pm [if the times are still the same] therefore wondering if it might be best just to take a cruise only?

 

Any thoughts?

 

tx

It's really just about the math.  The difference I'm seeing between the cruise only and AI looks to be $50 per person per day (although it may vary based on the specific sailing).  Gratuities are about $16 per persons per day (suites higher).  So the question then is will we as a couple spend $68 a day on wi-fi and drinks?  We both like having the wi-fi and although my husband doesn't drink, I usually can make up the small remaining difference between specialty coffees and drinks (with the flexibility to enjoy a larger variety of drinks at any time of day).  At a $50/person/day difference, I think we would always take the AI rate.

[islabahia]

2 hours ago, drakes2 said:

Had a bad experience with AI on celebrity recently as paid for premium beverage package and they run out of good cabernets as well as other wines so push wines from basic package on you. This is robbery as we pay a lot of money for these packages but they do not care. I plan on a fall cruise and looking for cruise only rate if I can't find one I just won't do a cruise.  Shame on Celebrity. 

I see you are still unhappy with the wine choices on your previous cruise.  You do have the option to bring your preferred wine onboard with you.

[Silkroad]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

Not sure why you had to settle for Classic package wines.  We have done 5 cruises since the restart and on each there been some out of stock wines and liquors but we have always gotten a equivalent or better substituted. 

Wish I could say the same. We have done only two cruises since restart. On Edge (October) we did generally receive equivalent or better wines or spirits. On Equinox (April) we were offered equivalent or better spirits, but this was most emphatically not the case with wines. Premium beers and still waters were also difficult to obtain. Hopefully, we’ll have a better experience on Apex in December.

[jelayne]

Every time we have done the math the AI price is better for us.  We prefer the liquors and wines on the Premium package and we need at least 1 stream & I surf internet package.  
 

In 2018 we booked a B2B, both legs 14 N, and in a Suite.  The 1st leg we had the Premium beverage package & wi-fi.  We had a great time beginning with a morning visit to Cafe Al Bacio, for premium juice and macchiato, afternoon Pina coladas at the pool, visited the Martini bar nightly, late evenings in the lounge drinking and dancing, etc.  

 

2nd leg no drink package so carried a drink from Michael’s to the theater, back to Michael’s to get a glass of wine to take to Luminae, the glass was always empty long before dinner so ended up buying  2  wine bottle packages for dinner.    Cut my Carmel macchiato’s from 2 to 1, same with pool side Pina coladas,  rarely visited the Martini Bar or Sky Lounge and went back to a often empty Michael’s for a nightcap.  Between the wine packages and the cost of purchased drinks we saved about $300 over the 14 nights.  Decided it wasn’t worth it.  

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, drakes2 said:

I know this has been discussed several times on these boards but why substitute a wine priced at $9 per glass when a guest has already paid an upcharge? I realize they do have other wines on the premium package so if my favorite cab is not available they can offer something else at the same price point.  If  the guest doesn't care for a white or sauvignon blanc on that particular night thats not their issue. They certainly won't give you a better wine at no additional charge.  They have done this in the past but it appears its no longer the case.  The same applies to any land restaurant. 

Think maybe some are simply having a winge.   If out of one wine they have always offered a similar or better wine at the same price.  X has offered an upgrade if out of stock.  

[Denny01]

I prefer the AI. I’m E+ but enjoy a nice glass of wine at dinner, and a drink afterwards. The Elite HR is fine, but we usually dine around 6ish so I don’t really enjoy trying to get my drinks downed in a hr or less. 

 

I do use WiFi and we all use the Gratuities, so its a better deal for me. I don’t sit and calculate ‘break even’ costs, I enjoy getting a drink when I want one, and  having WiFi available when I want it instead of watching how much time I have left. 

 

Fully understand those that don’t drink or use WiFI, but I’m on vacation and not into limiting myself on when I can drink and watching my on-line time. 

 

Den