Military Rates on Celebrity

[judyjbest]

Celebrity just announced ... military rates available effective 10/2/06 through your TA!

[Nibby1]

Is this something new? Previously you could get a military discount on selected cruises if you were active, reserve, or retired military. And you had to reserve through a SATO travel agency.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

judyjbest,

 

Could you refer us to where this information is posted? The rates usually are for specified cruises through certain TA's and not directly with Celebrity as Nibby1 posted.

 

Thanks

[judyjbest]

This information was issued to travel agents yesterday from both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. Military rates will be available through all travel agents now. I like the news for two reasons. It makes the discounts more widely available to those who deserve it. And, travel agents can serve their clients better if they have access to every discounted fare available.

 

Requires one qualified guest per stateroom. To qualify, an individual must be classified as one of the following:

*Active personnel serving in the US Army, Navy, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves, or Canadian National Defencse. Id requires WHITE ID card for US military and WHITE N.D. 21 ID Card with Red Canadian Flag for Canadian personnel.

*Retired from the above. A) minimum of 20 years of service, B) medically retired, or C) 100% disabled. ID for A or B BLUE ID card. C is TAN ID card.

*Honorably discharged with a minimum of 20 years of service from above. Blue ID card.

 

All guests traveling in the same stateroom are eligible to receive the military rate. Discount only available to those sharing the same room with the qualified military person.

[englishmum]

Does this apply to the UK Military? After all we are fighting in the same wars.

[judyjbest]

I understand, UKMum. Unfortunately, the rules I typed are what was included in the release.

[Igggy]

Someone please post with specific details or a web link. Much appreciated.:cool:

[judyjbest]

Hi, Igggy: The actual announcement came to travel agents, like myself, in a PDF that couldn't be cut and pasted, and I was just trying to give the essential details. Another TA retyped it for the Royal Caribbean forum, so I'm cutting and pasting his work. The announcement will probably go to the general public and on the cruise websites closer to or on the effective date:

 

Celebrity and Royal Caribbean's New Military Rate Program:

 

A new rate program that any travel agency can book beginning Oct. 2, 2006. Military Rates will be available on select dates throughout the year. Be sure to ask for Promotion Codes beginning with (MIL).

 

Price Program Restrictions:

 

- At least one qualified guest per stateroom

 

- To qualify for the military rate, an individual must be classified as one of the following:

 

-Active personnel currently serving in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves or Canadian National Defense. Proper identification in the form of a U.S. Uniformed Services WHITE Identification card for U.S. military personnel, and a WHITE N.D.21 Identification Card with a Red Canadian flag displayed for Canadian National Defense personnel must be presented at time of check-in.

 

-Retired from any of the divisions listed above. "Retired" is defined as A) enlisted personnel or officers with a minimum of 20 yrs of service, B) medically retired, or C) 100% disabled. Proper identification for those classified in category A, or B must be in the form of a U.S. Uniformed BLUE Identification card. Proper identification for those classified in category C is a U.S. Uniformed TAN Identification card. Retired Canadian National Defense personnel are eligible and must possess the same white card as described above for active personnel. All forms of identification must be presented at time of check in.

 

-Honorably Discharged with a minimum of 20 yrs of service from any of the U.S. service divisions listed above. Proper identification in the form of a U.S. Uniformed BLUE identification card must be presented at time of check in.

 

Please note, non-compliance of the restricted price program terms will result in the reservation being re-priced to the lowest available fare for that particular day. Price difference will have to be paid immediately or boarding rights will be denied.

 

All guest traveling in the same stateroom are eligible to receive the military rate. No additional staterooms, other than the one that is occupied by the military person is eligible for the military rate. Spouse, parents, in-laws, children or other family members or friends are not eligible for the military rate without the eligible military personnel occupying the stateroom.

[Igggy]

Thanks Judy,

 

If effective date is October 2, if you sail in December, will there be any consideration, or is it only for new bookings?

[USNDiver]

I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth but was there any mention about what the savings would actuallly be?

 

Thanks for the info (guess I need to start planning again)

 

Dave

[MajorsWife]

can i get a woot woot!

havent been on CC in awhile..its been almost a year since our last and first cruise...just started looking for the second.

great news!!:D

[NanD]

Have to admit I was surprised judybest sees this change as positive...at least based on information we received from MOAA. It's a decrease in benefits. I know nothing more than I've read in the following email and here, however. Maybe I'm missing something. The MOAA email follows.

Nan

 

Your Last Chance to share Military Rate

 

Discounts with Friends and Family on your

 

Royal Caribbean or Celebrity cruise.

 

endif]>

 

 

 

Please be advised as of October 2, 2006, the Military Rate Policy will be changing for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.

 

 

 

The most critical changes are as follows:

 

 

 

Only 1 stateroom will now be available at the military rate. Currently you can purchase up to 3 cabins at the reduced military rates, giving your friends and family the opportunity to travel with you and save hundreds of dollars as well.

 

 

 

With the change, spouse, parent or children are not eligible for the military rate unless the eligible military person accompanies them in the same stateroom.

 

 

 

Also beginning October 2, 2006, military rates will increase slightly. Currently Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Military Rates are the lowest rates offered by the two cruise lines. The rates for military personnel are currently the same as the rates charged airline employees, what are called Interline Rates. Starting next week Military rates will be slightly higher then Interline Rates.

 

 

 

You can see the current list of available military rates at http://www.militaryrates.net. You can call and speak to a MOAA Vacations cruise specialist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just dial 1-800-211-5107.

 

 

 

As a reminder, we do now have military rates on Princess cruises, as well as NCL, Carnival and MSC cruises.

 

 

 

Thank you for your Patronage.

 

 

 

Jon E Brenneman

 

President, MOAA Vacations

[judyjbest]

Nan D:

 

I saw it as a positive change, because, as a travel agent, it allows me to service all my customers with the rates they deserve. I do not believe that Royal Caribbean or Celebrity will lessen their military rates, and I believe they will continue to have periods of time where they will allow military personnel eligible for this program to book multiple rooms just as other cruise lines do so.

 

Looks like Jon Brenneman wants to cast this in a negative light, because he now has to share this business with many agents, while I cast it in a positive light, because I get to now take care of my clients. If I'm wrong, I apologize, because I've sent my clients to these other places in the past to get their benefits ... and I'm simply looking forward to serving them fully! I truly hope this is a better benefit and not a diminished benefit as Jon predicts.

 

I expected the military rates would be about the same, but just available to many more folks through the TA they regularly use.

 

Since we haven't hit 10/2/06 yet, I can't answer the other questions. I suspect RCL and CEL will both try to make this change very beneficial for everyone involved.

[NanD]

judybest~ I understand your positive perspective based on the changes it brings personally to serve your clients. Guess folks will just have to wait a couple of days to be able to see any differences between the new "benefit" compared to the Interline level benefit currently enjoyed. I hope your take on the new plan is correct.

Nan

[PKB]

I am also interested in this new rate. Judy Best - I would like some info about this.

[judyjbest]

Okay, PKB, I actually checked the rates this morning, so I could give you a little more information. The Military rate will not apply to all sailings, and it will be much like the senior rate.

 

I checked the Century 5-night sailing 11/13, inside cabin 11, including cruise fare, port charges, and taxes:

 

Best Fare: $407.91/$815.82

Military & Senior: $347.91/$695.82

 

That should give you an idea. On this sailing, the military and senior rates are the same.

[PKB]

Thanks, Judy. Appreciate the info. Unfortunately our Med cruise is not eligible for military discount. But it's nice to wish....

 

Checked out your pictures on webshots. Fabulous!

[Come RCSC]

Hi. Are military discounts available on Celebrity for Australian veterans?

[WestLakeGirl]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.... You may win a prize for re-opening the oldest thread! But still a valid question. AFAIK the answer is no.

[shot2bits]

I was just about to reset my iPad thinking it had screwed up the date!!!

[florisdekort]

Wow - a thread from 2006 lol :)