Today's Prime Day Kids Sail Free Sale

[paulh84]

I'm surprised there hasn't been an uproar about this yet. Piggybacking off of Prime Day I received an email with the usual 40% of the first two guests, then the surprising second part was "additional guests sail free!" on select sailings. That sure smells like a kids sail free promotion to me. Are there many Celebrity cruisers really putting three and fours adults in a cabin? I'm probably more understanding than most when it comes to food cost cutting, efficiency cutting and those type of changes, but if this becomes a standard offer in the rotation of sales and incentives, that's one that will quickly have this DINK household looking at other options. 

 

 

[hcat]

Other than some suites and family staterooms, How many cabins can support 4 in  room..the daybed is bad enough for 1!  No idea about  overhead bunks.

Edited October 10, 2023 by hcat

[Whinenowine]

15 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

I saw this, took a look and found it to be utter crap--typical overpromise/underdeliver advertising. We'll book the four of us in a medium/upper suite when it makes financial sense.  So I checked a few of the included cruises that worked for us and each of them charged a few thousand more for my two teenagers. I tried it a few times and never got the same price for the two of us as I did for the 4 of us.  So...maybe I did it wrong (repeatedly) or maybe it was already sold out (doubtful as I looked immediately after getting the email), or maybe it's not for the Retreat.  Or maybe it's more marketing nonsense.  

 

[Jeremiah1212]

19 minutes ago, hcat said:

Other than some suites and family staterooms, How many cabins can support 4 in  room..the daybed is bad enough for 1!  No idea about  overhead bunks.

 

More than you would think. True max capacity is around 115% on E and S class. On Beyond max double capacity at 100% is 3,260 but the ship can reach 117.7% which is 3,836 passengers or 576 passengers additional passengers above 100%. 

[hcat]

wow.... maybe cramped conditions. two in a reg stateroom is sometimes rough when getting ready for dinner!

 

 

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

wow.... maybe cramped conditions. two in a reg stateroom is sometimes rough when getting ready for dinner!

 

 

Nothing maybe about cramped with 4.  Many regular veranda cabins can "accommodate " 4 people.  2 on either the fold out couch or a "lovely" bed that drops down from the ceiling.

Created for real togetherness!

[wrk2cruise]

It didn't sound like it was limited to kids.  On the surface it looked like additional passengers in the cabin sail free.

[paulh84]

16 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

It didn't sound like it was limited to kids.  On the surface it looked like additional passengers in the cabin sail free.

It wasn’t called Kids Sail Free but that is what it is. I would find it difficult to believe there is a large number of adults looking to put three and four people in a cabin. Who puts three and four people in a cabin? People with kids. 

[Mark_K]

37 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

It wasn’t called Kids Sail Free but that is what it is. I would find it difficult to believe there is a large number of adults looking to put three and four people in a cabin. Who puts three and four people in a cabin? People with kids. 

Anyone that’s value conscious, especially if sailing with three.  

[bookitdanno]

@Jeremiah1212

Any idea how I can find which are the "selected sailings?.

Never got this email.

Thanks

[Jeremiah1212]

9 minutes ago, bookitdanno said:

@Jeremiah1212

Any idea how I can find which are the "selected sailings?.

Never got this email.

Thanks

 

It said yesterday only but the link and rates still work today. I can't find more specific terms. Would have to agree that this is just a KSF promo in disguise...

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/us/promo-controller?contentPromotionId=promotion-289

[Mark_K]

 

FREE CRUISE FARE FOR 3rd/4th/5th GUEST

Select Alaska, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Caribbean and Repositioning sailings departing October 8, 2023 – April 20, 2025 *Not combinable with All Included rates or Retreat Staterooms

 

Free 3rd/4th/5th Guests applies to new, individual bookings at standard rates during the Offer Period and provides free cruise fares for any additional guests in the same stateroom past the first and second guest. Applicable to select Alaska, Asia, Australia, Bahamas and Caribbean and Transatlantic sailings departing between 10/8/23 and 04/20/25. All other charges, including but not limited to taxes, fees and port expenses are additional and apply to all guests.

[hcat]

3 hours ago, paulh84 said:

It wasn’t called Kids Sail Free but that is what it is. I would find it difficult to believe there is a large number of adults looking to put three and four people in a cabin. Who puts three and four people in a cabin? People with kids. 

or 5 as shown in ad...

[truckswain]

On 10/10/2023 at 1:32 PM, paulh84 said:

I'm surprised there hasn't been an uproar about this yet. Piggybacking off of Prime Day I received an email with the usual 40% of the first two guests, then the surprising second part was "additional guests sail free!" on select sailings. That sure smells like a kids sail free promotion to me. Are there many Celebrity cruisers really putting three and fours adults in a cabin? I'm probably more understanding than most when it comes to food cost cutting, efficiency cutting and those type of changes, but if this becomes a standard offer in the rotation of sales and incentives, that's one that will quickly have this DINK household looking at other options. 

 

 

No uproar becasue it is not Kids Sail Free.  We regularly sail with our adult daughter in a verandah cabin.  Just becasue you would never do it or think it could work, many others do it all the time.

 

And this offer will make you look at other cruise lines?

 

Really grasping at straws to ways be pissed with Celebrity.

[dino1037]

We booked Beyond for May 18th sailing last week ..,prior to All included being changed to remove gratuities.

I was happy with price we paid last week with $300 OBC from booking deposit onboard a few weeks ago..

I was even happier today when Celebrity cruise agent phoned me to tell me “I needed to check that I had paid the best price”… I was busy at work and told her I couldn’t speak to her…. Then realised by her tone that I NEEDED to check the price I paid last week…😂

So I told her to go ahead…she then told me she had repriced cruise and saved me £50 and an additional $200 OBC!! With todays Prime Day savings

I am so impressed that she bothered to call me and was very insistent but polite that I needed to speak to her today!!

Made my day… have never booked a future cruise deposit on all my cruises previously…. But certainly will from now on!

 

[paulh84]

18 minutes ago, truckswain said:

No uproar becasue it is not Kids Sail Free.  We regularly sail with our adult daughter in a verandah cabin.  Just becasue you would never do it or think it could work, many others do it all the time.

 

And this offer will make you look at other cruise lines?

 

Really grasping at straws to ways be pissed with Celebrity.

If you read my post I said if this becomes a regular occurrence that is something that would make me look at other options. We largely choose Celebrity for the lack of kids onboard. People often mention Celebrity becoming more and more like RCI. This is another step in that direction. 

[truckswain]

17 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

If you read my post I said if this becomes a regular occurrence that is something that would make me look at other options. We largely choose Celebrity for the lack of kids onboard. People often mention Celebrity becoming more and more like RCI. This is another step in that direction. 

It is unfortunate you believe a promotion some how makes Celebrity more like RC.  

 

And those people that "often" mention that Celebrity beoming more like RC, their posts usually start with " I have not sailed with with Celebrity since (insert any year prior to 2022) but all the changes are sure making Celebrity like RC......."    Zero credibilty.

[hcat]

We have sailed X recently  ..and  our last Royal  cruise was on Oasis a few yrs ago. It is a  large ship  which was overcrowded in many areas indoors and outdoors.. with lines  to get into even pre booked events. etc. Just not our style!  Seems good for families with children and teens  with zip lines, ice shows, carousel etc 

 

The point made is that by encouraging 4 and 5 into a cabin  it will crowd  the ship..and  quite possibly change  the demographics.  Most reg X cabins work well for 2 in terms of space and  storage..maybe a plus one but tight!

 

 Packing them in is not a plus! 

 

[Jeremiah1212]

There is some chatter in a TA group about this. I think everyone agrees it’s a KSF program without calling it that. The only time Celebrity has done one was spring of 2019 that I’m aware of. The T&C’s are a little strange. Insulate the Retreat and only offer it on Cruise Only to bolster the onboard spend (?). 
 

There have been a lot of leadership changes from RCG all the way down the chain including Sales so testing these things may just be the new reality. 
 

3 hours ago, truckswain said:

Just becasue you would never do it or think it could work, many others do it all the time.

 

 

That’s the strange thing. They don’t. It’s been a while since I’ve heard numbers but cabins with 3+ even during holidays and summer didn’t breach even 10%. Normal rate was something like 3%. If this is a new tactic it’s certainly abnormal. I would not be shocked at all to eventually see this promoted with Coco Cay plus 3/4 sail free. 

[truckswain]

31 minutes ago, hcat said:

We have sailed X recently  ..and  our last Royal  cruise was on Oasis a few yrs ago. It is a  large ship  which was overcrowded in many areas indoors and outdoors.. with lines  to get into even pre booked events. etc. Just not our style!  Seems good for families with children and teens  with zip lines, ice shows, carousel etc 

 

The point made is that by encouraging 4 and 5 into a cabin  it will crowd  the ship..and  quite possibly change  the demographics.  Most reg X cabins work well for 2 in terms of space and  storage..maybe a plus one but tight!

 

 Packing them in is not a plus! 

 

On your last Celebrity Cruise how many cabins that can accommodate four had four occupants?  Was the ship crowded?  Were the demographics different?

 

I would suspect you have no idea how many 3rd and 4th berths were used on your cruise.

 

Sorry, I don't get the logic that this promotion will lead to over crowded ships and a different dynamic.  That is a stretch.

 

As far as sailing on an Oasis class, they are large ships with lots of people.  Knowing this going in can manage expectations.  We have sailed Oasis, Allure and Symphony and quite enjoy them.

[truckswain]

4 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

There is some chatter in a TA group about this. I think everyone agrees it’s a KSF program without calling it that. The only time Celebrity has done one was spring of 2019 that I’m aware of. The T&C’s are a little strange. Insulate the Retreat and only offer it on Cruise Only to bolster the onboard spend (?). 
 

There have been a lot of leadership changes from RCG all the way down the chain including Sales so testing these things may just be the new reality. 
 

 

 

That’s the strange thing. but cabins with 3+ even during holidays and summer didn’t breach even 10%. Normal rate was something like 3%. If this is a new tactic it’s certainly abnormal. I would not be shocked at all to eventually see this promoted with Coco Cay plus 3/4 sail free. 

Celebrity had this promotion in 2022.

 

"It’s been a while since I’ve heard numbers"  So you have no clue and unless you work for Celebrity and have direct knowledge your simply making assumptions.

 

My point in all of this is being upset over rising prices, and changes in the product offered are legitimate concerns.  Complaining about Celebrity offering a promotion is a little much.  And it is not Kids Sail Free.

 

[wrk2cruise]

I agree that a 1 or 2 day promotion is not going to really change things probably on any sailing.

 

We did have one sailing over Thanksgiving sailing out of San Juan on Summit where there were 400-500 children onboard. 

 

The kids weren't a problem but the ship was noticeably more crowded.  I'm sure the majority of the children were 3rd&4th in the stateroom.

 

Of course most sailings we are on there are < 10 children.

 

For 5 in a room there are only a handful of rooms that support 5.

Edited October 11, 2023 by wrk2cruise

[hcat]

55 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

There is some chatter in a TA group about this. I think everyone agrees it’s a KSF program without calling it that. The only time Celebrity has done one was spring of 2019 that I’m aware of. The T&C’s are a little strange. Insulate the Retreat and only offer it on Cruise Only to bolster the onboard spend (?). 
 

There have been a lot of leadership changes from RCG all the way down the chain including Sales so testing these things may just be the new reality. 
 

 

 

That’s the strange thing. They don’t. It’s been a while since I’ve heard numbers but cabins with 3+ even during holidays and summer didn’t breach even 10%. Normal rate was something like 3%. If this is a new tactic it’s certainly abnormal. I would not be shocked at all to eventually see this promoted with Coco Cay plus 3/4 sail free. 

BINGO..  like a ferry to Coco Cay

[hcat]

54 minutes ago, truckswain said:

On your last Celebrity Cruise how many cabins that can accommodate four had four occupants?  Was the ship crowded?  Were the demographics different?

 

I would suspect you have no idea how many 3rd and 4th berths were used on your cruise.

 

Sorry, I don't get the logic that this promotion will lead to over crowded ships and a different dynamic.  That is a stretch.

 

As far as sailing on an Oasis class, they are large ships with lots of people.  Knowing this going in can manage expectations.  We have sailed Oasis, Allure and Symphony and quite enjoy them.

We usually sail in AQ Class..limit is two per stateroom.. quiet corridors..limits BLU numbers.Children there well dressed and well behaved

 

  Last cruise was BEYOND, Sky Suite..so no idea of capacity. Very few children observed.  We had a nice large closet.. compared to much  less storage space for 2 in other cabins..

 

We sailed once yrs ago  on a holiday week on Jewel..Royal C.. many children.. .unsupervised..damaging property,  playing in elevators causing havoc.. Never again!  Jamming  them in not desireable !

[Jeremiah1212]

46 minutes ago, truckswain said:

 

 

"It’s been a while since I’ve heard numbers"  So you have no clue and unless you work for Celebrity and have direct knowledge your simply making assumptions.

 

I do have a clue and they do send me nice little (sometimes big!) commission checks. 
 

Right now there is valid question over the direction (or lack thereof) the Celebrity product in general. A lot of people will tell you they pick Celebrity because of the generally adult-oriented/kid-free experience. When you bring back Labadee, introduce CoCo Cay, sales like this, etc. it’s potentially representative of a big shift. Or just spitballing to see what may work.