Unusual reason for upgrade denial

I am booked on an Alaskan cruise and am within the final payment date. I booked onboard for this specific cruise last December.

Yesterday I called to see what the cost would be to upgrade to an Aqua Class cabin. The TA contacted Celebrity and was informed that since the cruise will be an exciting deal this week, the only way to upgrade to another cabin is to pay the cancellation fee and rebook! The Celebrity computer system is not set up for any type of upgrades for my particular cruise this week. She suggested that I call back when the cruise is not an exciting deal and see what can be done.

I took it as a sign that I should be happy and not spend any more money ;)

I am booked on an Alaskan cruise and am within the final payment date. I booked onboard for this specific cruise last December.

 

Yesterday I called to see what the cost would be to upgrade to an Aqua Class cabin. The TA contacted Celebrity and was informed that since the cruise will be an exciting deal this week, the only way to upgrade to another cabin is to pay the cancellation fee and rebook! The Celebrity computer system is not set up for any type of upgrades for my particular cruise this week. She suggested that I call back when the cruise is not an exciting deal and see what can be done.

 

I took it as a sign that I should be happy and not spend any more money ;)

My guess is that the cabin is in the Tuesday specials and when they have them, they are for new bookings only.....Give a call at the end of the week, nothing to lose...

This sounds like the TA isn't doing their job....because celebrity policy is that after final payment, if the cabin you want is at least $1 more than you have already paid, they will give you the upgrade. They won't give you the Tuesday special price though...not sure about an "exciting deal" price....I'd have to read the fine print.

Call the TA back...and suggest that they contact someone else at celebrity to make this happen....and stay on the phone while they do it.

Tomorrows Xcitings are listed on X website. Yes, they are for new books only. Aquas show for 2 Solstices and one Millie.

This sounds like the TA isn't doing their job....because celebrity policy is that after final payment, if the cabin you want is at least $1 more than you have already paid, they will give you the upgrade. They won't give you the Tuesday special price though...not sure about an "exciting deal" price....I'd have to read the fine print.

 

Call the TA back...and suggest that they contact someone else at celebrity to make this happen....and stay on the phone while they do it.

The TA was doing her job. You cannot upgrade to a Tuesday special or Exciting special.

You are wrong.

The TA was doing her job. You cannot upgrade to a Tuesday special or Exciting special.

 

You are wrong.

While I agree with you, I have always been able to get a price without the deal. I.e if the cruise is $699 with the Tuesday special, etc. there should also be a price ( a higher price) without it. I think that is what the OP is looking for to determine the price of the upgrade. So, agreed the OP can't get the deal price, but still should be able to find out the price to upgrade to AQ (the regular price) and then decide if they want to pay the difference or not (maybe not if it is too much).

The TA was doing her job. You cannot upgrade to a Tuesday special or Exciting special.

 

You are wrong.

I'm sorry...but this is monday....and the xciting deals aren't available today. I don't know what the "non-xciting" aqua rate is....but the OP made a valid request and "the computer made us do it" is a catch all excuse by someone (at celebrity, most likely) who doesn't want to take the time to find out today's upgrade fare.

There is an upgrade fare today...different than the xciting deal one tomorrow.

If you are talking about the Millennium sailing on August 29, 2014 that is on the Exciting Deals for tomorrow:

The STANDARD rates for Aquaclass today are:

Aquaclass 1: $2399 (with an OBC offer)

Aquaclass 2: $2299 (with an OBC offer)

Aquaclass Guarantee: $1699

Exciting Deals

Aquaclass Guarantee: $1349

I'm sorry...but this is monday....and the xciting deals aren't available today. I don't know what the "non-xciting" aqua rate is....but the OP made a valid request and "the computer made us do it" is a catch all excuse by someone (at celebrity, most likely) who doesn't want to take the time to find out today's upgrade fare.

 

There is an upgrade fare today...different than the xciting deal one tomorrow.

I've found that once =X= programs the Tuesday Exciting Deals rates into their system, that you can book them (as opposed to waiting until Tuesday).

Example: Look at the first sailing up on tomorrow's Exciting deals (Century, Aug 24) and notice the category X for $1399.

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Exciting_Deals/XcitingDeals_cel_tues.pdf

Now, go to the Celebrity website and look up the sailing as if to do a dummy booking. You'll see category X for $1399 available to book now, even though its not yet Tuesday! And the description of the fare even says "Exciting deal".

The devil is always in the details. I went through something very similar, but not a Tuesday special...they mad it impossible for me to upgrade by making the price ridiculous...their game; their rules!

This sounds like the TA isn't doing their job....because celebrity policy is that after final payment, if the cabin you want is at least $1 more than you have already paid, they will give you the upgrade. They won't give you the Tuesday special price though...not sure about an "exciting deal" price....I'd have to read the fine print.

 

Call the TA back...and suggest that they contact someone else at celebrity to make this happen....and stay on the phone while they do it.

Actually, the price doesn't need to be at least $1 more to upgrade. We went from a regular balcony to an AQ1 which was actually priced less than what we had originally paid for the regular balcony. No refund, of course.

Actually, the price doesn't need to be at least $1 more to upgrade. We went from a regular balcony to an AQ1 which was actually priced less than what we had originally paid for the regular balcony. No refund, of course.

 

We once paid to move from a 1A to a FV after final payment date for a Solstice sailing. Over the weekend suite GTY became available at $500 less than what we just paid for the FV on the previous Friday. Celebrity would not move us into a suite even though we knew we were losing the price difference... it rankled... :(

If you are talking about the Millennium sailing on August 29, 2014 that is on the Exciting Deals for tomorrow:

 

 

The STANDARD rates for Aquaclass today are:

 

Aquaclass 1: $2399 (with an OBC offer)

 

Aquaclass 2: $2299 (with an OBC offer)

 

Aquaclass Guarantee: $1699

 

 

Exciting Deals

 

Aquaclass Guarantee: $1349

You would think it would be that easy. $2299 - the amount I paid = upgrade fee

However, it was explained to me that the computer can not do that math right now. The math it can do is: Amount paid - 50% (cancellation penalty) + new cruise fare = upgrade fee

I was aware that I could not get the exciting deal or Tuesday special applied to my cruise.

We once paid to move from a 1A to a FV after final payment date for a Solstice sailing. Over the weekend suite GTY became available at $500 less than what we just paid for the FV on the previous Friday. Celebrity would not move us into a suite even though we knew we were losing the price difference... it rankled... :(

Blessings and peace be upon Celebrity for being consistently inconsistent.

UPDATE:

The cruise is still an exciting deal with even better pricing than last week. The first response was the same as last week, but after about 20 minutes of "discussion" between myself, my TA and celebrity I was able to upgrade to an Aqua Class guarantee.

Thank you for encouraging me to try again and my husband will be surprised when we arrive at the cabin (I am not telling him.....shhhhh).

The TA was doing her job. You cannot upgrade to a Tuesday special or Exciting special.

 

You are wrong.

Thank you.

UPDATE:

 

The cruise is still an exciting deal with even better pricing than last week. The first response was the same as last week, but after about 20 minutes of "discussion" between myself, my TA and celebrity I was able to upgrade to an Aqua Class guarantee.

 

Thank you for encouraging me to try again and my husband will be surprised when we arrive at the cabin (I am not telling him.....shhhhh).

Congratulations and thanks for the follow-up post.

Can you pinpoint the "strategy" that convinced them to change their mind from last week? Or was it simply reaching the right people at the right time?