[UK] Celebrity - Price Drop before Final Payment - Celebrity not honoring.

[Lolou127]

On 6/5/2024 at 4:42 PM, wrk2cruise said:

 

They really don't "take away our OBC".  It's really that you are paying the prevailing rate including the current promo conditions.  Most rates today don't include OBC.

Well today the promo has changed to $200 OBC, so I contacted our TA to ask if we could upgrade and get the $200 OBC and the answer is no, I’m a bit annoyed a bit baffled especially as the OP managed to secure a little extra OBC when the price of his cruise came down, maybe my TA isn’t really arguing my case? and I can’t contact them myself sadly they won’t talk to me 🥲🥲

[Liao]

3 hours ago, Lolou127 said:

Well today the promo has changed to $200 OBC, so I contacted our TA to ask if we could upgrade and get the $200 OBC and the answer is no, I’m a bit annoyed a bit baffled especially as the OP managed to secure a little extra OBC when the price of his cruise came down, maybe my TA isn’t really arguing my case? and I can’t contact them myself sadly they won’t talk to me 🥲🥲

Are you past final payment?

[Liao]

On 6/5/2024 at 11:38 PM, hawkesbaynz said:

Before I started cruising and reading these forums I would never have thought you could reprice a holiday. Considered it a reasonable gamble. Ever tried to reprice a holiday to Spain with TUI or a ski trip with Inghams!!

 

Also from reading these forums and booking about a dozen cruises I now have an intelligent guess of when to book the cruise for the best price i.e the week it comes out, or just before sailing after final payment. Saying that I cannot fathom Princess’s pricing and have lost out with a booking.
 

I have cancelled an X cruise with the British office loosing the £300 but whilst the rep was sorting out the paperwork on the phone I booked for a considerable discount on the US site (no US address for us). Fortunately the currency did not go against us.

 

Recently on an X cruise and a couple recommended their contact at X who will honour price drops. Booked our next cruise with her! Mind it was using Future Cruise Certificate purchased on the ship.

That is the only way I will book my cruises now.  Nice low deposit and fairly decent amount of OBC.

[Lolou127]

6 minutes ago, Liao said:

Are you past final payment?

No, not yet 

[Liao]

1 minute ago, Lolou127 said:

No, not yet 

Then I would call and plead my case, very nicely, with just a tinge of frustration thrown in.  And don’t take no from someone who can’t say yes, climb the ladder so to speak.

[Lolou127]

25 minutes ago, Liao said:

Then I would call and plead my case, very nicely, with just a tinge of frustration thrown in.  And don’t take no from someone who can’t say yes, climb the ladder so to speak.

Unfortunately I don’t think they’ll speak to me as I booked via a TA here in the U.K. 😢

[Liao]

6 minutes ago, Lolou127 said:

Unfortunately I don’t think they’ll speak to me as I booked via a TA here in the U.K. 😢

Perhaps ask the TA to do a three way call with them?  Even if the answer ends up being no, the TA should show you some good faith as their customer with YOUR money!

[chemmo]

12 hours ago, Lolou127 said:

Unfortunately I don’t think they’ll speak to me as I booked via a TA here in the U.K. 😢

No, Celebrity is unlikely to communicate directly with you as the booking ‘belongs’ to the TA. We find UK TAs often unwilling or unable to make any changes to bookings. Whilst some of this may be laziness a good portion is probably because they have a group booking agreement with X which probably does not have flexibility.

 

After booking through a TA once or twice initially because their prices were slightly better or they offered a little more OBC we have found we prefer to book directly with X. 

Edited June 8 by chemmo

[Lolou127]

2 hours ago, chemmo said:

No, Celebrity is unlikely to communicate directly with you as the booking ‘belongs’ to the TA. We find UK TAs often unwilling or unable to make any changes to bookings. Whilst some of this may be laziness a good portion is probably because they have a group booking agreement with X which probably does not have flexibility.

 

After booking through a TA once or twice initially because their prices were slightly better or they offered a little more OBC we have found we prefer to book directly with X. 

Thanks chemmo, I don’t think it’s a group booking as our TA isn’t from one of the larger companies and generally she’s very good, but I’m getting frustrated about this particular issue to the degree I’m actively looking at other cruise lines that have a similar itinerary, however if I find something I think I’d book direct this time x

[ChutChut]

Because of the more "onerous" consumer protection laws in the UK, it costs Celebrity, etc. more money to operate. As such, cruisers (most times) don't have the kind of "benefits" afforded to US cruisers. It never hurts to ask, but it's really not unfair to treat different countries differently because of how different laws affect business. 

[Lolou127]

3 hours ago, ChutChut said:

Because of the more "onerous" consumer protection laws in the UK, it costs Celebrity, etc. more money to operate. As such, cruisers (most times) don't have the kind of "benefits" afforded to US cruisers. It never hurts to ask, but it's really not unfair to treat different countries differently because of how different laws affect business. 

Yes I completely understand what you say, I’ve been looking this afternoon and Princess have a similar itinerary, dates are different but that’s ok, Princess Premier Plus in an equivalent stateroom with £200 OBC would be over £700 less even taking into account loosing our deposit with X they really are pushing us into the arms of another!!

[abzee]

7 hours ago, chemmo said:

No, Celebrity is unlikely to communicate directly with you as the booking ‘belongs’ to the TA. We find UK TAs often unwilling or unable to make any changes to bookings. Whilst some of this may be laziness a good portion is probably because they have a group booking agreement with X which probably does not have flexibility.

 

After booking through a TA once or twice initially because their prices were slightly better or they offered a little more OBC we have found we prefer to book directly with X. 

Booking directly always helps as you can speak to them and also raise any concerns. Also they offer BLC discount which others don't.  As in my case they realised there was a good difference and   offered the OBC. See if possible you can differ the cruise such that you can have this as credit for future and choose the Princess cruise. 

Edited June 8 by abzee

[the penguins]

21 hours ago, Liao said:

Perhaps ask the TA to do a three way call with them?  Even if the answer ends up being no, the TA should show you some good faith as their customer with YOUR money!

The simple truth is that X has different rules in different markets.

Book in the UK and the base price has to include all port fees and taxes. Deposits are now back to being non-refundable

Book in Australia/New Zealand and the base price includes port fees, taxes and tips.

Book in the US and port fees, taxes and tips are extras

Now wherever you book the conditions that apply are based on your country of residence.

In our experience X has always honoured it's "Price Drop" Guarantee it's just that this was not offered on the booking the OP made.

Also in the UK any money you have paid to a Travel Agent is not yours (or the Travel Agent's)  it is Celebrity's - that is from the moment you pay it is held by the TA for the cruise line. 

We have a foot in  both camps as our son is an American citizen living in Texas whereas we are English.

[swigso]

On 6/8/2024 at 4:41 PM, Lolou127 said:

Yes I completely understand what you say, I’ve been looking this afternoon and Princess have a similar itinerary, dates are different but that’s ok, Princess Premier Plus in an equivalent stateroom with £200 OBC would be over £700 less even taking into account loosing our deposit with X they really are pushing us into the arms of another!!

We looked at Princess but their smoking policy is a NoNo for us. They allow smoking inside the ship in the casino 😷

 

[Lolou127]

On 6/5/2024 at 1:53 PM, abzee said:

I had to plead.

I mentioned that I do know the UK and US policy differences, but it's unfair and discriminatory if the difference is high. You ask them to escalate as the agents have lesser powers.

Hi abzee, I’ve tried reaching out directly to them, but they won’t budge at all, so far it’s been via email but they are supposed to be calling me this afternoon to explain further 

[Lolou127]

On 6/4/2024 at 7:49 AM, chemmo said:

I don’t know what room category you are in but worth looking at the cost of higher levels of room. If you upgrade to a room at least £1 more than you have paid I think they will upgrade you. Hence, you won’t get any money back but you may get a better room. Worth a try…

Hi again chemmo, they won’t do this for us and allow us to either keep our existing OBC or have the OBC that is currently being offered, it’s only for new bookings apparently 😢😢

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, Lolou127 said:

Hi again chemmo, they won’t do this for us and allow us to either keep our existing OBC or have the OBC that is currently being offered, it’s only for new bookings apparently 😢😢

Yes, to be honest sometimes things change easily and on other occasions you do have to simply make choices…..

[Lolou127]

Thanks to everyone who offered advice and assistance, X did actually speak to me this afternoon and they agreed as a gesture of goodwill to let us have the $200 OBC, I’m happy with that and our TA has upgraded our booking to Aqua Class for £87pp which I think is a real bargain, I think the moral of mine and abzees story is don’t give up and you might get a compromise from X