Another Unannounced Change??

[NutsAboutGolf]

13 hours ago, MamaFej said:

At this point, I'm hoping they won't start charging extra for using the tenders. 

 

In Belize the tender crew requests tips over the PA system

[terrydtx]

As someone who books Sky Suites and since we are losing our personal butlers to be replaced by a team, I will be saving on the extra tips I normally pay for them, so I can now afford the new 20%. I see no way to tip a team of 8 to 10 pseudo butlers.

[terrydtx]

Just now, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

In Belize the tender crew requests tips over the PA system

Is that a tender run by the port or a tender from the ship crewed by Celebrity?

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

Is that a tender run by the port or a tender from the ship crewed by Celebrity?

 

The port

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

The port

I saw the same last year in Greece when the tenders were run by the port.

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I saw the same last year in Greece when the tenders were run by the port.

 

If we can't beat 'em, join them right?  We should add our Venmo QR code to our CC signatures. "Like our posts?  Don't be a freeloader, show your appreciation!"  (I'm totally kidding)

 

I promise this QR code doesn't go to Venmo or any other pay site, but for those willing to scan the code, it will probably put a smile on this Tuesday morning

 

[Julma]

14 hours ago, MamaFej said:

At this point, I'm hoping they won't start charging extra for using the tenders. 

or worse, lifeboats

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, Julma said:

or worse, lifeboats

The Retreat guests get priority disembarkation which counts for lifeboats too.

Edited August 1, 2023 by terrydtx

[horseymike]

death by 1000 cuts......

[NMTraveller]

Just now, horseymike said:

death by 1000 cuts......

And if Celebrity announced all of them it would be an endless parade of e-mails.

[Julma]

12 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

The Retreat guests get priority disembarkation which counts for lifeboats too.

only Celebrity Suites and above.  Better stop this before it becomes a rumor.  

[RichYak]

6 hours ago, agape01 said:

Thanks for letting me know about this.

I have a upcoming cruise in November and I have contacted my TA whether would I incur the difference in gratuity charges/PD as I have fully paid for my cruise.

It doesn't matter if you paid for your cruise. What matters is if you paid your gratuities already. If not, you'll pay the higher rate.

[NMTraveller]

5 minutes ago, RichYak said:

It doesn't matter if you paid for your cruise. What matters is if you paid your gratuities already. If not, you'll pay the higher rate.

I was actually lucky in this matter.  I paid at the 18%.  However I feel that these changes should be grandfathered in based upon cruise booking date.  You book a cruise with one financial set of charges and it changes if you book it far enough in advance.  I just do not see myself booking a cruise very far out anymore.

 

The big added charge for my cruise is the room service fee.

Edited August 1, 2023 by NMTraveller

[terrydtx]

6 hours ago, agape01 said:

Thanks for letting me know about this.

I have a upcoming cruise in November and I have contacted my TA whether would I incur the difference in gratuity charges/PD as I have fully paid for my cruise.

If you pre-paid your gratuities before the change, you will not be charged the increase. If you booked AI or are in the Retreat with included gratuity, you will not be charged the difference. Otherwise you will pay the increase in your daily charge. 

[wrk2cruise]

10 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I would also suspect to see this 20% gravitate towards drink packages and drinks...

 

 

 

Actually beverage gratuities have been 20% for a long time.  I think before the shutdown.

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I was actually lucky in this matter.  I paid at the 18%.  However I feel that these changes should be grandfathered in based upon cruise booking date.  You book a cruise with one financial set of charges and it changes if you book it far enough in advance.  I just do not see myself booking a cruise very far out anymore.

 

The big added charge for my cruise is the room service fee.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Celebrity and other cruise lines go to a booking system where if the rate increases, after you book, they will charge you the going rate at time of final payment. They already have added non refundable deposits and this would be a way of getting people to make final payment at time of booking. They would then have your money to work with for months before you cruise. This is why we do not cruise, so far, with Viking Ocean, if you book less than 12 months out payment is due within 30 days of booking, If you book more than12 months out payment is due at the 12 month out point. 

[agape01]

10 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

If you pre-paid your gratuities before the change, you will not be charged the increase. If you booked AI or are in the Retreat with included gratuity, you will not be charged the difference. Otherwise you will pay the increase in your daily charge. 

 

 

Thanks for the assurance. In in a SS, so I should be ok.

[wrk2cruise]

4 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Celebrity and other cruise lines go to a booking system where if the rate increases, after you book, they will charge you the going rate at time of final payment. They already have added non refundable deposits and this would be a way of getting people to make final payment at time of booking. They would then have your money to work with for months before you cruise. This is why we do not cruise, so far, with Viking Ocean, if you book less than 12 months out payment is due within 30 days of booking, If you book more than12 months out payment is due at the 12 month out point. 

 

They do like holding your money.  From their latest earnings report

 

As of June 30, 2023, the Group's customer deposit balance was at a record-high $5.7 billion

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, agape01 said:

 

 

Thanks for the assurance. In in a SS, so I should be ok.

Yes as the gratuities are included in your SS cost, the only exception is for anyone who gets a SS with a move up offer from a lower category, they will pay the difference in daily gratuity.

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

They do like holding your money.  From their latest earnings report

 

As of June 30, 2023, the Group's customer deposit balance was at a record-high $5.7 billion

And if final payment was required at time of booking it would be 10 times or more that amount. With the change to Non refundable deposits they can spend that money without worries of returning them.

Edited August 1, 2023 by terrydtx

[NMTraveller]

17 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Celebrity and other cruise lines go to a booking system where if the rate increases, after you book, they will charge you the going rate at time of final payment. They already have added non refundable deposits and this would be a way of getting people to make final payment at time of booking. They would then have your money to work with for months before you cruise. This is why we do not cruise, so far, with Viking Ocean, if you book less than 12 months out payment is due within 30 days of booking, If you book more than12 months out payment is due at the 12 month out point. 

I would not mind paying 12 months out if the product and fees stayed consistent.

 

My issues with Celebrity are:

 

1.  I do not know what the Celebrity product is going to be.  There have been so many cuts.

2.  I do not know how much added in fees I will be paying.  The fees have gone up by quite a bit, especially room service.

 

If I do not know what the product is going to be at sailing time and I do not know how much it is going to cost then why book early?

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I would not mind paying 12 months out if the product and fees stayed consistent.

 

My issues with Celebrity are:

 

1.  I do not know what the Celebrity product is going to be.  There have been so many cuts.

2.  I do not know how much added in fees I will be paying.  The fees have gone up by quite a bit, especially room service.

 

If I do not know what the product is going to be at sailing time and I do not know how much it is going to cost then why book early?

We booked our Edge Sky Suite B2B Aus/NZ cruise for next January back in January 2022. After the huge price increases since we booked in suites, our cabin now costs for both cruises about $4000 more than when we booked. Currently an Aqua Class cabin is going for more than the cost of our Sky Suites. That is one reason to book early that is hard to argue with. Up to now with the change in Butler services, none of the Celebrity previous changes had any effect our on bookings.

Edited August 1, 2023 by terrydtx

[TeeRick]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

As someone who books Sky Suites and since we are losing our personal butlers to be replaced by a team, I will be saving on the extra tips I normally pay for them, so I can now afford the new 20%. I see no way to tip a team of 8 to 10 pseudo butlers.

Do you leave a group tip for the Luminae team?  If so, same concept I think.  But if you are not satisfied with the service you receive from the Retreat Team, then obviously tipping is up to you.  

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Do you leave a group tip for the Luminae team?  If so, same concept I think.  But if you are not satisfied with the service you receive from the Retreat Team, then obviously tipping is up to you.  

Since Covid we have always had the same waiter for the whole cruise in Luminae, so we do tip him or her. Also the same for the sommelier and we leave them extra. I also tip the bartenders in the Retreat Lounge,

[TeeRick]

4 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Since Covid we have always had the same waiter for the whole cruise in Luminae, so we do tip him or her. Also the same for the sommelier and we leave them extra. I also tip the bartenders in the Retreat Lounge,

Yes we usually get the same Luminae waiter and assistant waiter for the entire cruise.  I have been told multiple times that the tips are pooled and split with the entire Luminae Team.  No matter if you tip them individually.  Same for the Retreat Lounge bar staff.  Everything pooled.  But I believe the sommelier is not considered part of the Luminae team so tip separately.