Updates to Zenith + Retreat with cruise only rate

[mahdnc]

18 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We have a paid in full Suite on the 4/5 Edge sailing. 
I just heard from my TA who spoke to the a Zenith Concierge and she was told that the change does not apply to paid in full bookings. 😢

 

I was really afraid of that.  Sorry.

[paulh84]

32 minutes ago, RichYak said:

"Demand has been increasing" can be a nebulous phrase. It could simply mean they have more bookings year over year. They also have more capacity to fill with new ships, so if bookings were the same as last year, that would be really bad, and more bookings would not necessarily be good unless it was a LOT more.

 

I'm just not sure how RCG actually defines "demand".

 

They view demand largely as a result of net yield increase while increasing prices. You can also look at deposits. From 2022 to 2023 they jumped from 4.6 billion to 5.3 billion held. 2018 and 2019 were 3.1 and 3.4 billion. A 70% increase in deposits held compared to a 22% capacity increase from 2018 to now. 

 

Occupancy is represented as percentage to account for capacity changes. It took a hit in 2023. For 2017, 2018 and 2019 occupancy was in the 108% range. 2023 was 105.6%. There are a lot of variables there but 3% is not a small number on this scale which speaks to the push to fill more cabins with 3 and 4 people. They have under-realized capacity. 

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

Did anyone suggest to LHB that they should create a Zenith Plus level at 7500? Would be great since there are so many new Zeniths every day. Would be great if they honored every Z+ and some extra benefits like complementary Blu access for those in lower level cabins.

 

No but as you know that is a rather short list of guests.   Although we are only at 6,000 points, I doubt we would even strive for 7500 with you scenario, as we always travel in upper suites.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

We have a paid in full Suite on the 4/5 Edge sailing. 
I just heard from my TA who spoke to the a Zenith Concierge and she was told that the change does not apply to paid in full bookings. 😢

 

I guess they forgot to put that in the FAQ

 

[markeb]

1 hour ago, tfred said:

I wouldn't get too giddy until the Retreat cruise only rate is announced. Looking at the cruise only rates for other cabins levels, it is only $500-700 savings per person.  That is a nice number but Sky Suites are generally in the $10k range so a suite will still be potentially expensive   X isn't going to offer a suite at Veranda prices   

 

X (like every other company) isn't going to discount their best product.  I flew a lot (and I mean a lot) on Delta and it was exceedingly rare that anyone received an upgrade to business on an overseas flight (domestic was different)

 

The flyer actually says "re-price" even though it answers a bullet of adjustment...

 

Re-price at prevailing rates? I can see those posts already: They'll re-price my cruise at cruise only without those things I don't want to pay for. It'll only cost me $1000 a person more than my current booking.

 

Different going forward on new bookings, obviously.

[Texed]

Before you "reprice" your cruise, make sure you know everything you will change.  For example, if you booked when Celebrity was offering  a nice OBC and gratuities, you would lose them.  Just a FYI.  🙂

[bigbenboys]

I just booked a sky suite last week with my TA for Sept 2025. My TA asked if I wanted the cruise-only rate. I said no. I thought she might just got something wrong. We are 800 points away from Zenith.

[DaKahuna]

19 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Your clients Zenith membership just got better

 

If the audience of this flyer is TA’s then it should read:  Your clients’ Zenith memberships just got better…assuming the TA has more that one client. Or Your client’s Zenith membership just got better…assuming they only have one client. 
 

Typos are one thing…but published flyers?  
 

All that to say, good news for Zenith members!

 

Really?  I read it as TA has multiple clients and a client can really have only one Zenith membership.  

[Georgia_Peaches]

6 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Really?  I read it as TA has multiple clients and a client can really have only one Zenith membership.  

Yes, I can see that way as well.  But the apostrophe is still needed either way to show ownership.   Your Client's (or Clients' for multiple) Zenith Membership just got better...

 

 

 

[Texed]

19 hours ago, jelayne said:

The way I read the FAQs was they would have contacted all TA regarding adjustments by 4/17.  I have notified our TA  since we have a cruise on 4/5. Hoping they will reach out to X vs waiting to contaced.

 

Have you heard from your T.A. yet?  If not, I think you will be pleased.  😊

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, markeb said:

 

The flyer actually says "re-price" even though it answers a bullet of adjustment...

 

Re-price at prevailing rates? I can see those posts already: They'll re-price my cruise at cruise only without those things I don't want to pay for. It'll only cost me $1000 a person more than my current booking.

 

Different going forward on new bookings, obviously.

 

Same here.... I'm envisioning some cruises that we booked with Gratuities and a OBC for booking on board being repriced and eliminate both. 

 

Iain just said.   That's the reason we decided to jump ship.    They admit they have been screwing us and even with the new policy will continue to screw us until we make a new booking.  

[jelayne]

44 minutes ago, Texed said:

 

Have you heard from your T.A. yet?  If not, I think you will be pleased.  😊

I did and this does not apply to cruises already paid in full, so out of luck for our April B2B.

[phoenix_dream]

14 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Same here.... I'm envisioning some cruises that we booked with Gratuities and a OBC for booking on board being repriced and eliminate both. 

 

Iain just said.   That's the reason we decided to jump ship.    They admit they have been screwing us and even with the new policy will continue to screw us until we make a new booking.  

And even then, I have seen people reporting the cruise only rates on new cruises decreased by way less $$$ than the perks actually cost.  I can't personally vouch for this being true,  but if it is that will really cause a (justified) uproar.  I was really happy to see this change. But the more I hear about it now I'm not so sure.

[RichYak]

23 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I have seen people reporting the cruise only rates on new cruises decreased by way less $$$ than the perks actually cost.

Isn't this true of any Celebrity cruise only rate? Why would it be different for the Retreat?

[Jeremiah1212]

30 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

And even then, I have seen people reporting the cruise only rates on new cruises decreased by way less $$$ than the perks actually cost.  I can't personally vouch for this being true,  but if it is that will really cause a (justified) uproar.  I was really happy to see this change. But the more I hear about it now I'm not so sure.

Which would be expected. I haven’t actually seen factual rates yet but I would be extremely surprised if they simply reduced the fare by the retail (Cruise Planner) price of Premium drinks and Premium WiFi.
 

If anyone was expecting suite prices to suddenly be significantly reduced, I’m afraid they may be disappointed. 

[jelayne]

30 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

And even then, I have seen people reporting the cruise only rates on new cruises decreased by way less $$$ than the perks actually cost.  I can't personally vouch for this being true,  but if it is that will really cause a (justified) uproar.  I was really happy to see this change. But the more I hear about it now I'm not so sure.

I only looked at pricing on 1 sailing and the difference between the normal suite price on the cruise only price was $47 per person per day. Other sailing may be different.

[goofysmom99]

I just looked up next year's 13-night Eclipse TA and the difference for cruise-only  is ~$911 (~$70/day). For two, it was $1012 (~$39/day/person).  Didn't reflect my usual military discount, though.  I suppose including both the z and mil discounts automatically would overtax X's IT dept, but I'm actually impressed they were able to mesh the CC numbers (plus, I can do -$200 math in my head😅). 

[jelayne]

26 minutes ago, jelayne said:

I only looked at pricing on 1 sailing and the difference between the normal suite price on the cruise only price was $47 per person per day. Other sailing may be different.

Just checked out our 3 other booking and the cruise only price $43/44 pp per day  less on each of them. 

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

I just priced a 10 night Reflection cruise for Sep 2025 and S1 with perks $3874, S1 Zenith no perks $3436. The difference is $438 which is nowhere near cost of premium bev pkg + prem wifi for 10 nights. Also, the military savings does not apply, or it doesn't for this sailing. 

[jcpc]

I priced out a few sailings. An example of what I'm seeing is:  Royal Suite on June 2025 sailing on Silhouette - a reduction of $600 using the Zenith rate (priced reduced from $16.1K to $15.5K.)  A savings of $600 on a $16000 booking is not going to make me jump back to booking suites on Celebrity.

[tfred]

On 3/27/2024 at 10:21 AM, paulh84 said:

 

They view demand largely as a result of net yield increase while increasing prices. You can also look at deposits. From 2022 to 2023 they jumped from 4.6 billion to 5.3 billion held. 2018 and 2019 were 3.1 and 3.4 billion. A 70% increase in deposits held compared to a 22% capacity increase from 2018 to now. 

 

Occupancy is represented as percentage to account for capacity changes. It took a hit in 2023. For 2017, 2018 and 2019 occupancy was in the 108% range. 2023 was 105.6%. There are a lot of variables there but 3% is not a small number on this scale which speaks to the push to fill more cabins with 3 and 4 people. They have under-realized capacity. 

that occupancy number above 100% is basically pure profit

 

it also means is that the ships are not sailing with empty cabins - they are full - which is why there is minimal discounting. There are some cruises that are reduced for sure, but widespread discounts are not being done.  Discounts that historically included OBC and  tips are now gone  

[Ex-Airbalancer]

2 hours ago, LuvCruzn4Evr said:

I just priced a 10 night Reflection cruise for Sep 2025 and S1 with perks $3874, S1 Zenith no perks $3436. The difference is $438 which is nowhere near cost of premium bev pkg + prem wifi for 10 nights. Also, the military savings does not apply, or it doesn't for this sailing. 

How much do you think the drink package actual cost ? 

How much do you think the wifi actual cost ? 
$438 is probably the cost to Celebrity of the drink and wifi 
just like in the real world you discount the cost of the service/ product, you don’t take off the your profit or over head 
 

[PTC DAWG]

3 hours ago, RichYak said:

Isn't this true of any Celebrity cruise only rate? Why would it be different for the Retreat?

Agreed..

[paulh84]

17 minutes ago, tfred said:

that occupancy number above 100% is basically pure profit

 

it also means is that the ships are not sailing with empty cabins - they are full - which is why there is minimal discounting. There are some cruises that are reduced for sure, but widespread discounts are not being done.  Discounts that historically included OBC and  tips are now gone  

Mostly - but the three brands being rolled into one metric adds complexity. Royal Caribbean would be very likely to sail with 3 or more, Celebrity would occasionally (but rarely) sail with 3 or more and Silversea seems very unlikely to sail with 3 or more. Essentially the Royal Caribbean metric would inflate the metric in comparison to the other two brands. But ultimately I don’t think any Celebrity ships are sailing with many empty cabins, especially suites, due to MoveUp awards. 

[weregoingcruising]

On 3/26/2024 at 9:41 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

Your clients Zenith membership just got better

 

If the audience of this flyer is TA’s then it should read:  Your clients’ Zenith memberships just got better…assuming the TA has more that one client. Or Your client’s Zenith membership just got better…assuming they only have one client. 
 

Typos are one thing…but published flyers?  
 

All that to say, good news for Zenith members!

And your commisions will go down since there based on total price.