Booking in UK - Celebrity blocking off cabins !?

[chita]

Trying to book Equinox sailing for Europe 2024 here in the UK taking advantage of their latest offer (75% off 2nd fare etc)

In looking for a cabin I am searching for a balcony with the bed near the bath.

And strangely I am finding after an exhaustive search that ALL cabins with bed near the bath have been blocked off by Celebrity on their booking plan.

Can't find one !!

Can this be true, and if so why?

I am sure one of you experienced with the wiles of Celebrity management will be able to tell me.

[the penguins]

19 minutes ago, chita said:

Trying to book Equinox sailing for Europe 2024 here in the UK taking advantage of their latest offer (75% off 2nd fare etc)

In looking for a cabin I am searching for a balcony with the bed near the bath.

And strangely I am finding after an exhaustive search that ALL cabins with bed near the bath have been blocked off by Celebrity on their booking plan.

Can't find one !!

Can this be true, and if so why?

I am sure one of you experienced with the wiles of Celebrity management will be able to tell me.

Quick way to check - go to the Celebrity US site and  look at the same cruise.

[chemmo]

TAs sometimes block book a number of cabins. This could be the explanation. After final payment some may come back up as the TA releases them back to Celebrity. Alternatively it could simply be a glitch on the site and some may reappear tomorrow….

[chita]

Checked on the US site as advised.

Exactly the same . All cabins with a black square indicating convertible couch by the window have been blocked off.

Not one available through all decks.

Strange !

[Mark_T]

6 minutes ago, chita said:

Checked on the US site as advised.

Exactly the same . All cabins with a black square indicating convertible couch by the window have been blocked off.

Not one available through all decks.

Strange !

... or maybe they are just reserved already...?

 

[JBare]

6 minutes ago, chita said:

Checked on the US site as advised.

Exactly the same . All cabins with a black square indicating convertible couch by the window have been blocked off.

Not one available through all decks.

Strange !

Like you, many prefer that configuration, they are vastly more popular and get booked very quickly, that could be a reason.

[mahdnc]

I believe they are blocked off because those cabins can handle three passengers and the OP is searching for two passengers. 

 

This can be verified by changing the search from two passengers to three. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by mahdnc

[chita]

I know bed by bath are popular but none available AT ALL when general availability on this cruise is great seems very strange to me.

[Ramsgate23]

Possible that only the least desired cabins are in the sale? Once sale is over all the others will be available?

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by Ramsgate23

[mahdnc]

I just verified my theory. The cabins are being blocked because they are being reserved for triple and quad bookings. 
 

I ran into this problem with my most recent booking for a Christmas cruise. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by mahdnc

[chita]

Thanks a lot mahdnc

Searched for three passengers and loads of bed by bath cabins came up as being available.

Now how to nab one of those for 2 !!

Hmmmmmm

Any ideas folks🙃

[mahdnc]

4 minutes ago, chita said:

Thanks a lot mahdnc

Searched for three passengers and loads of bed by bath cabins came up as being available.

Now how to nab one of those for 2 !!

Hmmmmmm

Any ideas folks🙃

The work around is booking a fake third that you cancel later. This won’t work for non-refundable deposit bookings though unless you don’t mind eating lost money. 
 

Eventually, Celebrity removes this restriction so the other alternative is to wait. It could be a while. 
 

I don’t think anyone can get around this problem so it’s not like you can call Celebrity to make this booking with two passengers. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by mahdnc

[bookitdanno]

@chita

@mahdnc

I have found this to be an easier work around.

Start the booking process. 

When you get to the "CHOOSE YOUR ROOM" screen, look in the upper right corner.

You will see "lookup stateroom" click on this.

This will bring a popup that says "Enter your room number below"

Enter the room number you want in this space and press enter.

If the room is available, it will select it for you, and you may continue with the booking.

Good cruising!

Edited May 8, 2023 by bookitdanno

[mahdnc]

2 minutes ago, bookitdanno said:

@chita

I have found this to be an easier work around.

Start the booking process. 

When you get to the "CHOOSE YOUR ROOM" screen, look in the upper right corner.

You will see "lookup stateroom" click on this.

This will bring a popup that says "Enter your room number below"

Enter the room number you want in this space and press enter.

If the room is available, it will select it for you, and you may continue with the booking.

Good cruising!

Nice

[swigso]

Another way may be to book a cabin at the promo price and then just keep looking for Tha cabin you want and then just call and switch cabin. I have done this a few times tp move to a hump cabin. 

[mahdnc]

58 minutes ago, bookitdanno said:

@chita

@mahdnc

I have found this to be an easier work around.

Start the booking process. 

When you get to the "CHOOSE YOUR ROOM" screen, look in the upper right corner.

You will see "lookup stateroom" click on this.

This will bring a popup that says "Enter your room number below"

Enter the room number you want in this space and press enter.

If the room is available, it will select it for you, and you may continue with the booking.

Good cruising!

 

I just tried this work around and it doesn't work for me.  Example: Jul 11 2024 9 night Equinox.  Cabins 6218 and 9270 cannot be booked with two passengers, but it works if you specify three using the traditional method.  When I try the LOOKUP STATEROOM link, it still doesn't work if two passengers are specified, but does for three.

 

Am I missing something?   Anyone else try it?

Edited May 8, 2023 by mahdnc

[chita]

Also did the same mahdc  with the lookup stateroom link and it doesn't work for me either.

But amazingly the cruise example you choose is the VERY one I am trying to book. July 11th Equinox France and Italy.

How did you know!!! Don't think I mentioned a specific cruise here.

You must be a mind reader😄

[chita]

Think I might have to use  swigso's suggestion of  booking an available cabin at the promo price and then call and switch when they hopefully open them up for two.

Always looking for other tricks though🤪

[mahdnc]

8 minutes ago, chita said:

Also did the same mahdc  with the lookup stateroom link and it doesn't work for me either.

But amazingly the cruise example you choose is the VERY one I am trying to book. July 11th Equinox France and Italy.

How did you know!!! Don't think I mentioned a specific cruise here.

You must be a mind reader😄

 

I would love to tell you that I am just a smart person--but I am not smart enough to figure out a good answer to your problem!  Sometimes I will look at a person's posting history to see if they are on a roll call which is a very reliable clue but I didn't bother this time because it sounded like you hadn't booked the cruise yet.

 

I did my search for Equinox and and picked July simply because it is in the middle of the summer season.  My father's birthday is July 11, so my eyes latched onto that date when I scanned the list of cruises.  

 

BTW, it does look like a very nice itinerary.  If you have not been there before, I hope you invest some pre and post cruise time at Barcelona and Rome.

Edited May 8, 2023 by mahdnc

[jelayne]

33 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

I just tried this work around and it doesn't work for me.  Example: Jul 11 2024 9 night Equinox.  Cabins 6218 and 9270 cannot be booked with two passengers, but it works if you specify three using the traditional method.  When I try the LOOKUP STATEROOM link, it still doesn't work if two passengers are specified, but does for three.

 

Am I missing something?   Anyone else try it?

Easiest way I know is to have our TA handle the booking, they seem to be able to book a cabin with the bed by bath for 2.  

[mahdnc]

6 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Easiest way I know is to have our TA handle the booking, they seem to be able to book a cabin with the bed by bath for 2.  

 

Well it's worth a try.  TA or CVP?  I thought you book using the latter.

[bookitdanno]

@mahdnc

I do not know the reason it doesn't work.

I have used it a lot.

I used it this morning before I posted just to check it.

Sorry for any problems that caused.

[mahdnc]

10 minutes ago, bookitdanno said:

@mahdnc

I do not know the reason it doesn't work.

I have used it a lot.

I used it this morning before I posted just to check it.

Sorry for any problems that caused.

 

The apology is not necessary.  You were trying to be helpful and it was a good idea to try anyway.

 

Have you tried it on the July 11 2024 Equinox booking?

[bookitdanno]

I tried it on july 11... no luck

[chita]

No problems bookit.

 

Well mahdnc I think it is amazing you chose my intended cruise as an example.

I took it as an omen that I should definitely go ahead and book this cruise NOW.

What I did in the end is book 9215 which is a hump cabin but bed by the balcony

Seems a great cabin though with many good reviews.

I'll  continue to keep an eye to see if better humps open up and maybe change.

 

I'll certainly book a few nights in Rome at the end of the cruise mahdnc 

It's so long since I spent time there.

Barcelona I already know well from many years spent in Spain.

Thank you so much for your help with all of this,ant to all the others who made suggestions too