What did you wish you knew before you booked?

[thebutlerdidit]

I wish I’d known how easy it was to do the research, choose the cruise and cabin category I wanted and comparative shop the large online agencies. I had no idea that there were agencies that offered on board credit and freebies. 

[mkcurran]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

Suspect that the poster is suggesting that not having access to your connection to Celebrity for an extended period can be a real liability, especially during peak season, and prefers to work directly with Celebrity. 

 

Then again, some of us do have a TA without that issue.  Mine was on a Tauck cruise last week and was available for contact by phone during any hours that sorta matched up between the U.S. and Europe, and by email the entire time. 

 

And I can assure you that Celebrity won't be calling you to tell you that your cruise was repriced the day after final payment, and that you can cash in on the difference as onboard credit.  Just had that conversation with my TA this morning.  $1,748 will take care of gratuities for our two cabins and a few bottles of nice wine to boot.

 

Lol...

I'm waiting because a good bit of my annual bills hit in July. Gotta give the credit card time to cool off. 

That and today is my TA's birthday and she's drunk celebrating with a Scarlet night party on Virgin in the Mediterranean right now.  

[zitsky]

Cruse prices go up and down.  Don’t be in a hurry to book unless you see a really good deal that YOU like.  I booked my second Sky Suite then watched as prices for Aqua went down quite a bit.  So not sure if I will do it again.  Maybe.  Aqua is quite nice actually.

[Shadow9612]

4 hours ago, zitsky said:

Cruse prices go up and down.  Don’t be in a hurry to book unless you see a really good deal that YOU like.  I booked my second Sky Suite then watched as prices for Aqua went down quite a bit.  So not sure if I will do it again.  Maybe.  Aqua is quite nice actually.

If it was before final payment, could you not have switched the suite to the awua class if you liked the aqua pricing better? 

[canderson]

3 minutes ago, Shadow9612 said:

If it was before final payment, could you not have switched the suite to the awua class if you liked the aqua pricing better? 

Because to cancel/rebook to a lower category would likely cost the NRD of 10% of the suite fare (the current going rate for suite deposits!), even before final payment.

 

[Iamcruzin]

8 hours ago, canderson said:

 

And I can assure you that Celebrity won't be calling you to tell you that your cruise was repriced the day after final payment, and that you can cash in on the difference as onboard credit.  Just had that conversation with my TA this morning.  $1,748 will take care of gratuities for our two cabins and a few bottles of nice wine to boot.

 

That is a rare and unusual circumstance. The last time I used a TA which was a local business she never called me to collect final payment.  I had a reminder pop up in my calendar and called her. I basically did all of the leg work and gave her the booking.  I wasn't offered OBC and I wasn't even gifted a cheap bottle of wine.  Since then I book myself and watch for my own price drops and have been very successful. 

[xfer]

The drink package and the Internet cost more onboard. All onboard experience prices will likely go up after final payment as well as before the new year, so book the spa/excursions etc now, it will not get cheaper.

 

 

[canderson]

48 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

That is a rare and unusual circumstance. The last time I used a TA which was a local business she never called me to collect final payment.  I had a reminder pop up in my calendar and called her. I basically did all of the leg work and gave her the booking.  I wasn't offered OBC and I wasn't even gifted a cheap bottle of wine.  Since then I book myself and watch for my own price drops and have been very successful. 

Geez.  Lousy TA.  With that kind of service, you might as well book direct with Celebrity.  But just because you think it's 'rare and unusual' and had a really crappy experience (forgot final?!?  Wow!) doesn't mean some of us aren't working with some real gems.

[zitsky]

8 hours ago, canderson said:

Because to cancel/rebook to a lower category would likely cost the NRD of 10% of the suite fare (the current going rate for suite deposits!), even before final payment.

 

Yes.  We would lose our NRD *and* all OBC.  This was before the change to no OBC on bookings.  
 

It’s just something for me to think about next time.  Because of Move Up, it can be cheaper to book Aqua *first* then do Move Up to Sky Suite.  It might be less expensive than booking Sky Suite directly.

[chemmo]

3 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Yes.  We would lose our NRD *and* all OBC.  This was before the change to no OBC on bookings.  
 

It’s just something for me to think about next time.  Because of Move Up, it can be cheaper to book Aqua *first* then do Move Up to Sky Suite.  It might be less expensive than booking Sky Suite directly.

Suite prices and availability seem all over the show at the moment. Having recently booked a cruise where ‘we weren’t that bothered where we went from’ we literally looked at all options. Some cruises seeming to have little availability and others booked up well before cruise dates…
 

If you would be happy with an Aqua room then you have nothing to loose by booking that first then it is simply a bonus if you get a good deal on a Sky Suite. However, if you book ‘wanting’ a move up then don’t get one you start a cruise disappointed…

 

 

[zitsky]

9 minutes ago, chemmo said:

Suite prices and availability seem all over the show at the moment. Having recently booked a cruise where ‘we weren’t that bothered where we went from’ we literally looked at all options. Some cruises seeming to have little availability and others booked up well before cruise dates…
 

If you would be happy with an Aqua room then you have nothing to loose by booking that first then it is simply a bonus if you get a good deal on a Sky Suite. However, if you book ‘wanting’ a move up then don’t get one you start a cruise disappointed…

 

 

I only book suites to get the banana split in Luminae….    🙂

Edited August 9 by zitsky

[Shadow9612]

9 hours ago, canderson said:

Because to cancel/rebook to a lower category would likely cost the NRD of 10% of the suite fare (the current going rate for suite deposits!), even before final payment.

 

Oh gosh, I didn't realize this.  I thought the deposit was just applied to the new stateroom booking.  I thought the loss of NRD was only if you cancelled the sailing all together.   Ugh.

[NMTraveller]

8 hours ago, canderson said:

Geez.  Lousy TA.  With that kind of service, you might as well book direct with Celebrity.  But just because you think it's 'rare and unusual' and had a really crappy experience (forgot final?!?  Wow!) doesn't mean some of us aren't working with some real gems.

What?  Book with Celebrity and not get the group rates and TA onboard credit?  Booking with Celebrity seems like a conflict of interest.  Is Celebrity going to go to bat for me when they make a mistake?

 

Anyways when you hire a bad mechanic do you stop maintaining your car OR go find a good mechanic?

 

Never had a problem with my TA gone missing.  I booked a cruise while I was out of country and she was out of country.  She handed it over to another TA while she was on vacation.

 

We also had our TA help with the insurance claim when we had to cancel a group of us going on a cruise due to medical.

 

I don't get why one would not want all of the numerous benefits?

Edited August 9 by NMTraveller

[PelicanLvr]

Book during a big holiday sale at one of the big cruise agencies..  And look, LABOR DAY is almost here. (😢).

 

Also, check out available staterooms on the pasted spreadsheet.  Remember not all staterooms are created equally! ...even insides.

[Team Stag]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

I only book suites to get the banana split in Luminae….    🙂

There is a banana split in Luminae?

 

[canderson]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

What?  Book with Celebrity and not get the group rates and TA onboard credit?  Booking with Celebrity seems like a conflict of interest.

Agreed.  Read post again, understanding that the "gem" IS a TA!

 

Just commenting that the OP probably was better off dealing direct with Celebrity than with an unavailable TA that forgot final payment was due!

[zitsky]

7 hours ago, Team Stag said:

There is a banana split in Luminae?

 

Yes there is.  

[Iamcruzin]

17 hours ago, canderson said:

Geez.  Lousy TA.  With that kind of service, you might as well book direct with Celebrity.  But just because you think it's 'rare and unusual' and had a really crappy experience (forgot final?!?  Wow!) doesn't mean some of us aren't working with some real gems.

Yes but gems are rare and I haven't even found a diamond in the rough.

[Iamcruzin]

On 8/8/2024 at 3:05 PM, thebutlerdidit said:

I wish I’d known how easy it was to do the research, choose the cruise and cabin category I wanted and comparative shop the large online agencies. I had no idea that there were agencies that offered on board credit and freebies. 

I went through my big box warehouse store. At the time which was wave season they were offering a large OBC and No deposit required if you paid a $25 fee.  However don't expect them to hold your hand or know about the cruise line. Every time you call to make a change or inquire about a price drop you will get a different agent. I am experienced enough to know what I want and what to look for. If I see a price drop I call. However, it's much easier to deal with the cruise line directly than to call a middle man.

Edited August 9 by Iamcruzin

[barbeyg]

That a great travel agent with group rates could get me a balcony cabin for less than the cruise line offers, with shipboard credit, AND is refundable.  We booked for years on our own, but have an excellent agent now who has saved us thousands in a few years. 

[canderson]

24 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Yes but gems are rare and I haven't even found a diamond in the rough.

You can't discuss them here, but I'd encourage you to talk with fellow cruisers the next time you're on the water.  Come up with a list of things that are important to you in a TA, and see how people respond.  We got lucky in that we hit on a winner on our 2nd try, and have stuck with them for many years.

[NMTraveller]

58 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

I went through my big box warehouse store. At the time which was wave season they were offering a large OBC and No deposit required if you paid a $25 fee.  However don't expect them to hold your hand or know about the cruise line. Every time you call to make a change or inquire about a price drop you will get a different agent. I am experienced enough to know what I want and what to look for. If I see a price drop I call. However, it's much easier to deal with the cruise line directly than to call a middle man.

I would not count a big box TA as a TA.  They lack the personalization and service that a good TA has.  Plus you can spend time waiting for an available TA on the phone.  You don't get the same person every time.  Not the same ...

[catspaw1]

We have a TA & glad we did. We were booked on the Xploration for next year going to the Galapagos when Celebrity sold the ship. We were offered to move to the Flora without any price increase so decided to take it. I called my TA immediately as were were in WY driving back to CO after 2 1/2 weeks touring SD & WY. So little cell phone service on the drive. Anyway she was able to rebook us quickly & we got a cabin. However, I read here on CC that many people were on hold with Celebrity for more than 2 hours & they ran out of the cabins they were giving to us & wanted them to pay more. So I'm glad we used a TA& will never book directly with Celebrity. Since we were in transit that day with little cell phone coverage, we could not have been on hold for 2 hours. We are looking at booking another cruise with the TA now.

[Knights on the Beach]

On 8/8/2024 at 5:41 PM, mkcurran said:

Lol...

I'm waiting because a good bit of my annual bills hit in July. Gotta give the credit card time to cool off. 

That and today is my TA's birthday and she's drunk celebrating with a Scarlet night party on Virgin in the Mediterranean right now.  

 

Ahhhhh I forgot about that and it's almost over now! 🤦‍♀️

[Iamcruzin]

13 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I would not count a big box TA as a TA.  They lack the personalization and service that a good TA has.  Plus you can spend time waiting for an available TA on the phone.  You don't get the same person every time.  Not the same ...

They are order takers but if you are not needy you can take advantage of their offers which is still better than what a cruise line offers. The prices are the same as the cruise line. There is another online Travel agent that actually lead me to Cruise Critic years ago. They quote the an inflated brochure price that doesn't exist and discount off of that to bring it down to what you can get with the cruise line. They advertise big discounts 87% off. It's like shopping a Kohl's with their MSRP sales.