New Policy for Suite Bookings

[ggo85]

As of yesterday, if you book a suite, you must put down 10% of the cruise fare that is non-refundable.  Per X, if you can't take that cruise on that date, you CANNOT use that deposit or any portion thereof for another cruise.  It's just gone.  The amount used to be $500 -- now it can be thousands.   Yes, you can get insurance at booking, but my TA said the cost can be as much as the deposit.  So, for example, if the deposit is $2,000 and insurance costs $2000, you're out $2000 either way if you need to cancel.  (Obviously, insurance helps after final payment.)

 

I fully understand that they want passengers to have some money at stake so folks don't just book up all the suites and then cancel late in the process.  Still, that's a lot of money that could be lost -- and when you book a cruise many months (or more than a year) out, it's hard to know what will happen between now and then.  

 

Rethinking a booking we were going to make today.  Almost certainly will choose another line with a more reasonable policy.  SS has a similar cruise -- 3 extra days, same price, better cancellation / rebooking policy.

[lv2cruisgrl]

10 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

As of yesterday, if you book a suite, you must put down 10% of the cruise fare that is non-refundable.  Per X, if you can't take that cruise on that date, you CANNOT use that deposit or any portion thereof for another cruise.  It's just gone.  The amount used to be $500 -- now it can be thousands.   Yes, you can get insurance at booking, but my TA said the cost can be as much as the deposit.  So, for example, if the deposit is $2,000 and insurance costs $2000, you're out $2000 either way if you need to cancel.  (Obviously, insurance helps after final payment.)

 

I fully understand that they want passengers to have some money at stake so folks don't just book up all the suites and then cancel late in the process.  Still, that's a lot of money that could be lost -- and when you book a cruise many months (or more than a year) out, it's hard to know what will happen between now and then.  

 

Rethinking a booking we were going to make today.  Almost certainly will choose another line with a more reasonable policy.  SS has a similar cruise -- 3 extra days, same price, better cancellation / rebooking policy.

Seems crazy to me!  Just another way for them to makeup lost $$.

[Asmyforu]

Yikes

[ggo85]

I could not believe it.  My TA confirmed and reconfirmed -- the X person was on the phone at the same time I was.  

 

To be clear, this ONLY applies to suites, not to all bookings.

[wrk2cruise]

I'm not sure the TA is totally correct.  The new suite deposit FAQ's don't address moving the reservation to another sailing but the FAQ's for the updated NRD policy does and it states you can move the reservation to another sailing for a $100 pp fee.  I don't see any reason that wouldn't apply to a suite reservation.

 

Of course cancelling any NRD reservation booked after March 2 will result in the loss of any deposit paid.

 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_2_23_23_FLY_Non-Refundable_FAQs_Trade.pdf

 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/5_15_23_Suite_Percentage_Deposit_FAQs.pdf

 

Also for insurance with 3rd party insurance companies you generally just have to open the policy within 14-21 days of the booking to maintain things like pre-existing conditions waivers.  You can open the policy with only the amount of the deposit as that's your total non-refundable exposure at the time.  Then as subsequent non-refundable payments are made you have to increase your policy within a couple of weeks of that payment.   This allows you to open the policy with a much lower premium, increasing as you make more payments.

Edited June 2, 2023 by wrk2cruise

[ggo85]

^^^^

 

That's how it was before -- you could move your booking for a fee.  Not anymore.  That's the problem.  If you don't take that cruise, you lose your entire deposit.  I reconfirmed just now with my TA who just spoke to a supervisor at X.  (And my TA has been doing this forever!)

 

If someone else gets a different answer for SUITES, let us all know.  

Edited June 2, 2023 by ggo85

[swigso]

What happens if you book a future cruise on board 😎

[wrk2cruise]

3 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

^^^^

 

That's how it was before -- you could move your booking for a fee.  Not anymore.  That's the problem.  If you don't take that cruise, you lose your entire deposit.  I reconfirmed just now with my TA who just spoke to a supervisor at X.  (And my TA has been doing this forever!)

 

If someone else gets a different answer for SUITES, let us all know.  

 

Then they need to update their FAQs.   The NRD FAQ doesn't disqualify suites.   The way I read it the new suite deposit policy addresses deposit amount only.  The NRD policy covers cancellation or ship/sail date changes.

 

I guess I need to go find the T&C for a new booking.

[wrk2cruise]

3 minutes ago, swigso said:

What happens if you book a future cruise on board 😎

 

It's still going to be 10% deposit on any suite.   

 

I haven't really looked.   Are they not allowing refundable deposits on suites anymore?

 

Edit:  Ok just looked.  Yes you can get a refundable deposit but the one I looked at was about 20% of the base fare.  $2100+ on a $11000 fare.

 

I think there's going to be a lot of suite availability for far out future cruises.

Edited June 2, 2023 by wrk2cruise

[swigso]

I have a friend going on a cruise in 10 days I will ask and report back 

[wrk2cruise]

9 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I guess I need to go find the T&C for a new booking.

 

Interesting.   T&C for the current promotion have removed all mention of changing ship/sail date from the NRD text.

 

But the NRD FAQ's clearly address it.

What is a change fee and when will it be charged?
A change fee of $100.00 USD per person will be charged on all bookings made if booked under a non-refundable deposit fare at
the time of changing ship/sail date. Please ensure your clients are aware of the non-refundable deposit terms prior to booking.

[mahasamatman]

There's already a long thread on this.

 

 

[ggo85]

This new policy only went into effect yesterday, JUNE 1, 2023.  Any changes made before that would have been under the old system.  The old system was fine until May 31.

 

Since people seem to be confused . . . my TA who was on the phone with X said that, as of June 1, suite non-refundable deposits are just that.  Not refundable.  Not transferrable even with a fee.  No OBC for a future cruise.  The ONLY option is to buy insurance, which may cost close to the amount of the deposit. This applies to new bookings made after June 1.  

 

If you booked your cruise prior to June 1, you're probably grandfathered under the old policy in terms of being able to change for a small fee.  However, that's only a guess because ours was a new booking so TA didn't ask the question.

[RosieRoo]

There were multiple threads on both the Royal and Celebrity boards about this earlier this week. One TA said that on Royal they are charging the non refundable deposits on suites, but allowing the changes for $100 pp fee. Not sure if Celebrity will follow suit or not. 

[RichYak]

31 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

Since people seem to be confused

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not confused. I just don't agree that all the information you've been given is accurate.

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

2 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

It's still going to be 10% deposit on any suite.   

 

I haven't really looked.   Are they not allowing refundable deposits on suites anymore?

 

Edit:  Ok just looked.  Yes you can get a refundable deposit but the one I looked at was about 20% of the base fare.  $2100+ on a $11000 fare.

 

I think there's going to be a lot of suite availability for far out future cruises.

For the ones who plan well, this is great.

 

I recently booked two different westbound crossings on Cunard's QM2 and the deposit for their top two suite levels (Q1 and Q2) is 25%. Very happy to pay it, as the total price is no more/no less.

 

IMO, I think Cunard's (and Celebrity's new) process is fair and reasonable and will prompt only the most serious to book.

 

This gives ample time for the serious takers to have access all along.

 

I had an EV booked on Beyond for an 11-night Mediterranean this summer. Just days before final payment was recently due, an Iconic suite opened up. I bought it. But, had that Iconic been open sooner, I'd have bought it sooner.

 

Sounds like a good business (and customer) strategy for Celebrity.* 

 

*not looking for arguments, anger, or rage.

 

Peace to all

Edited June 2, 2023 by 4-2-N-8

[RosieRoo]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not confused. I just don't agree that all the information you've been given is accurate.

It doesn’t seem that the promotional material for this new suite deposit program even addresses “change of sail date”. Just because a travel agent spoke to “someone at Celebrity” doesn’t mean they got the correct information. 

Edited June 2, 2023 by RosieRoo

[prmssk]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not confused. I just don't agree that all the information you've been given is accurate.

Do you have more reliable information you can share?  It appears written materials aren't very clear, unless you can point us to something that is more clear.  So we are left with what Celebrity reps are saying, which I agree is not always reliable, but until someone has actual experience or they clarify written materials, we really don't have anything else to go on.

[RichYak]

10 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Do you have more reliable information you can share?  It appears written materials aren't very clear, unless you can point us to something that is more clear.  So we are left with what Celebrity reps are saying, which I agree is not always reliable, but until someone has actual experience or they clarify written materials, we really don't have anything else to go on.

Yes. The most recent Celebrity NRD faq. If it changes, so will my opinion. 
 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_2_23_23_FLY_Non-Refundable_FAQs_Trade.pdf

[prmssk]

18 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Yes. The most recent Celebrity NRD faq. If it changes, so will my opinion. 
 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_2_23_23_FLY_Non-Refundable_FAQs_Trade.pdf

Considering at least one of those FAQ is already out-dated, I'm not sure it is any more reliable than Celebrity reps.

[RosieRoo]

Here is the new one. 
 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/5_15_23_Suite_Percentage_Deposit_FAQs.pdf

 

I can’t see anywhere where it addresses moving the deposit to another sailing. It only talks about cancelling. 

Edited June 2, 2023 by RosieRoo

[wrk2cruise]

8 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Considering at least one of those FAQ is already out-dated, I'm not sure it is any more reliable than Celebrity reps.

 

Which FAQ # is outdated?  Do you have a copy of the updated document?   I'll take anything posted in writing on their information site as more reliable than a Celebrity rep.

[Bo1953]

4 hours ago, ggo85 said:

As of yesterday, if you book a suite, you must put down 10% of the cruise fare that is non-refundable.  Per X, if you can't take that cruise on that date, you CANNOT use that deposit or any portion thereof for another cruise.  It's just gone.  The amount used to be $500 -- now it can be thousands.   Yes, you can get insurance at booking, but my TA said the cost can be as much as the deposit.  So, for example, if the deposit is $2,000 and insurance costs $2000, you're out $2000 either way if you need to cancel.  (Obviously, insurance helps after final payment.)

 

I fully understand that they want passengers to have some money at stake so folks don't just book up all the suites and then cancel late in the process.  Still, that's a lot of money that could be lost -- and when you book a cruise many months (or more than a year) out, it's hard to know what will happen between now and then.  

 

Rethinking a booking we were going to make today.  Almost certainly will choose another line with a more reasonable policy.  SS has a similar cruise -- 3 extra days, same price, better cancellation / rebooking policy.

Viking has a policy of full payment in at least nine (9) months before sailing in any cabin...

 

bon voyage

[prmssk]

1 minute ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Which FAQ # is outdated?  Do you have a copy of the updated document?   I'll take anything posted in writing on their information site as more reliable than a Celebrity rep.

Number 7 still talks about Suites have double deposits which has been replaced by the link @RosieRoo posted however, there isn't even a mention of whether you can move the deposit so it doesn't give us clarity.

 

The point of my comment is that I don't think anyone on this thread has reliable information as to whether you can move a suite deposit booking made after June 1.  Written materials are silent and Celebrity reps are contradicting the old written materials.

[RosieRoo]

10 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Number 7 still talks about Suites have double deposits which has been replaced by the link @RosieRoo posted however, there isn't even a mention of whether you can move the deposit so it doesn't give us clarity.

 

The point of my comment is that I don't think anyone on this thread has reliable information as to whether you can move a suite deposit booking made after June 1.  Written materials are silent and Celebrity reps are contradicting the old written materials.

Totally agree with you. Celebrity needs to make things more clear in writing before people start spreading incorrect information based on someone talking to some Celebrity rep. We all know you can talk to three reps and get three different answers.