Booking on board the ship?

I know there is a reduced deposit for future Celebrity cruises booked on board the ship.

Does anyone know if there are any additional perks ? I seem to remember there was OBC given on the current cruise - when one booked a future cruise. Is that still on?

Yes it is

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There is almost always OBC, but often something else depending on where you are going. We received free gratuities plus OBC for a TA we booked on board. The OBC can usually be applied to either your current, the future cruise or spread between them. Need to ask on board.

I was recently on the Summit. I wasn't impressed with Future Cruise dept. All they would offer was $200 OBC and reduced deposit. There was a promotion on the Celebrity web site they refused to honor saying they don't accept the internet offers.

I didn't book with them, but booked with my TA once I got home and had time to research the cruise. The Future Cruise people didn't want to really help me find a cruise. They wanted me to know what to book. I tried to use the free web site internet on board but it took three minutes for each celebrity.com web page to load. I gave up.

I can't wait for the free internet under the go best program to kick in so more will be frustrated trying to connect with lousy infrastructure.

We were recently on Constellation and was very impressed by the future sales department and staff (especially Ana).

As Brits we haven't got reduced deposit offers on previous sailings with RCI, but we did on Celebrity. The reduced deposit has only ever been for US residents.

We got a reduced deposit of £89 for the 2 of us with $150 OBC for immediate use on board Constellation.

We got a free classic beverage package and the chance to change to any sailing in future for no fee.

If we wanted the OBC for the future sailing we would have had to pay the normal full UK deposit of £150 per person.

Ana was excellent giving us a 1 category balcony upgrade to enable us to get a great cabin on the 'hump' on the port side of Silhouette near to the Hideaway.

We were given a very nice deal for signing on board, but because we were in a suite our deposit was regular price.:cool:

Thank you ALL for your answers. I knew I could rely on the CC forums for an updated information! :):):)

This may help:http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/CEL_FutureCruise_Cruise_Now_Overview.pdf

We booked on board and were happy with the service and information that we got. I do have to agree that because there can often be a line of passengers waiting to speak to the future Consultants, they might not want to take a lot of time if you do not have a specific type of cruise or date in mind. Everyone waiting for a Consultant is on vacation so the On Board Consultant's have to process people faster.

We had not explored the Big Better Best promotion before we spoke to the consultant. She automatically put us into the Best category and explained the benefits. She did not tell us that it was an additional $315 charge per person. When we got home we researched the cruise that we had booked and realized we were charged for the Best package. We further researched and found that the Free gratuities, Premium Beverage Package, $150 OBC and unlimited Internet would have cost far more than $315. So we are satisfied with that plan selection.

I just feel that the Consultant should have advised us of the charge and not assumed that we wanted the Best deal. But, people were starting to line up and she needed to finish and move to the next person.

On our march cruise we booked a future cruise for 2016.

We had a reduced deposit of $100 per person which was transferable or refundable at home if we were unable to get the time off work.

Booking concierge class we also received $500 onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, and classic beverage package.

With the $500 onboard credit, we could choose to use $200 on the current cruise and $300 on the next cruise, or keep it all for the next cruise.

It was also very easy for them to send the booking to our travel agent at home, which happens to be myself as I'm a TA!

We booked a 12 day British Isle cruise in a concierge cabin for 7/2016 while we were onboard our South American cruise in January and got;

$300 OBC for BI cruise

Paid gratuities

Classic drink pkg

Plus a $300 credit on our account on the cruise we were on at the time. If you're thinking of looking into it you may want to decide which cruise is on your next time list. That's what we'll be doing.

All those perks y'all got on board prior to Celebrity instituting the Go Big, Better, Best were the same ones I received at that time booking on land with a TA except for some extra OBC you received.

The future cruise department used to honor the internet promotions but two weeks ago on Summit, they wouldn't honor the extra $100 OBC Celebrity website promotion. For an AQ all they offered me was the Go BBB price/perks plus an extra $250 OBC for a 14 night.

Has anyone recently been offered more than the $250 OBC and the Go BBB perks?

Chuck - What you received is the standard onboard offerings. They offer extra OBC per your stateroom category and the number of days of your future cruise. The OBC can be used on the cruise you are booking, or on the cruise you are currently on. Additionally, you get whatever standard promo that Celebrity is offering at the time. Currently, the BBB. Not sure what the extra $100 was about, but sounds like it was a temporary offering. ;)

We booked on board and were happy with the service and information that we got. I do have to agree that because there can often be a line of passengers waiting to speak to the future Consultants, they might not want to take a lot of time if you do not have a specific type of cruise or date in mind. Everyone waiting for a Consultant is on vacation so the On Board Consultant's have to process people faster.

 

We had not explored the Big Better Best promotion before we spoke to the consultant. She automatically put us into the Best category and explained the benefits. She did not tell us that it was an additional $315 charge per person. When we got home we researched the cruise that we had booked and realized we were charged for the Best package. We further researched and found that the Free gratuities, Premium Beverage Package, $150 OBC and unlimited Internet would have cost far more than $315. So we are satisfied with that plan selection.

 

I just feel that the Consultant should have advised us of the charge and not assumed that we wanted the Best deal. But, people were starting to line up and she needed to finish and move to the next person.

JMG - Are you aware that the Drink Package (or what ever one chooses to take out of the 4 incentives) was already included in the standard fare - BIG? Two incentives are currently included if your cruise is to Europe. Then with the BETTER offering, you would get 3 incentives for upgrading. So, by going BEST, unless you REALLY use the Internet a lot, I am not sure that you did come out ahead. For us personally, we already receive 90 Free Internet minutes pp for being Elite members. So going to Best is not the best option. ;)

Additionally, you get whatever standard promo that Celebrity is offering at the time. Currently, the BBB. Not sure what the extra $100 was about, but sounds like it was a temporary offering. ;)

 

Yes it was a few days, (I don't remember if it was 3 or 5 day), temporary $100 additional bonus offering posted on celebritycruises.com which was valid on the day I tried to book a future cruise that they would not honor.

 

I understood about the sliding scale category booking OBC.

All those perks y'all got on board prior to Celebrity instituting the Go Big, Better, Best were the same ones I received at that time booking on land with a TA except for some extra OBC you received.

 

The future cruise department used to honor the internet promotions but two weeks ago on Summit, they wouldn't honor the extra $100 OBC Celebrity website promotion. For an AQ all they offered me was the Go BBB price/perks plus an extra $250 OBC for a 14 night.

 

Has anyone recently been offered more than the $250 OBC and the Go BBB perks?

I just got off solstice on the 2nd Oct and booked on board. We received $225 OBC for booking a 15 night Panama Canal cruise in an OV category plus we were given an additional $50 OBC which I believe was an additional 5 day offer. If I remember correctly it was an extra $25 for an inside, $50 for OV and $100 for balcony/AQ/CC, and maybe $200 for suites (sorry didn't take much notice as there was only inside and OV available for the cruise we booked) This was on top of the BBB promotion.

I'm assuming this is what you were referring too??

I just got off solstice on the 2nd Oct and booked on board. We received $225 OBC for booking a 15 night Panama Canal cruise in an OV category plus we were given an additional $50 OBC which I believe was an additional 5 day offer. If I remember correctly it was an extra $25 for an inside, $50 for OV and $100 for balcony/AQ/CC, and maybe $200 for suites (sorry didn't take much notice as there was only inside and OV available for the cruise we booked) This was on top of the BBB promotion.

I'm assuming this is what you were referring too??

Exactly. But on the Summit when I sailed in Sept, they wouldn't honor that bonus. So good for you! Had they honored it, I would have booked on board.

Just checked my invoice booked on the 29th September on board, the extra $50 onboard credit is listed as extra sale.

So I'm assuming this is exactly the same as what you were referring to, i did go online while onboard and saw the promotion as well.

The most common perks:

* Reduced deposit ($100 for standard cabins).

* Up to $500 of OBC (500 for suites, the lower the category, the lower the OBC).

* Gratuities.

* Lowest price guarantee (price match).

Last January 2015 a group of us booked another cruise for January 2016. This was during the 123GO! promotion.

We got 1/2 deposit privilege, $125 OBC for the cruise we were on, plus our choice of Drink Pkg, prepaid grats, or $200 OBC per cabin on the next cruise.

Unfortunately, I chose poorly. Since my wife doesn't like alcohol, I took the OBC. After getting home, I figured out how poor that decision was. I alone would fly past $200 worth of drinks, sodas, and water.

I asked my TA to fix my choice, if he could. He did take care of it.

I was recently on the Summit. I wasn't impressed with Future Cruise dept. All they would offer was $200 OBC and reduced deposit. There was a promotion on the Celebrity web site they refused to honor saying they don't accept the internet offers.

 

I didn't book with them, but booked with my TA once I got home and had time to research the cruise. The Future Cruise people didn't want to really help me find a cruise. They wanted me to know what to book. I tried to use the free web site internet on board but it took three minutes for each celebrity.com web page to load. I gave up.

 

I can't wait for the free internet under the go best program to kick in so more will be frustrated trying to connect with lousy infrastructure.

We booked onboard last November and I went to go change our sailing date and was told I would lose all the perks we gotten when we booked (bev pkg, obc, gratuities) because they no longer offer that promotion. I specifically asked if this would happen and they told us no, we would be okay if we changed. Needless to say, I cancelled the cruise that was booked and will never book onboard again.

There was no money lost to us because we cashed out the obc they gave us on the cruise we were on, so the deposit was a wash.

My experience was also a positive one on board the Summit in Nov of 2014. What I did was wait for the last day and visited the future sales dept. I was able to book a Concierge Class under the 123 go! Promo, got reduced deposits, pre-paid gratuities, classic drink package and $500 OBC. I couldn't go wrong! When I got home, I transferred it over to my TA and got an additional $250 OBC.

When I got home, the pricing I got for my CC was below listed prices so I felt that I have done very well and plan to do the same on my next cruise in January.

We booked on board last December and were offered $600 OBC.

The website keeps lowering that amount. I call and get it corrected. The website has lowered it by the next time I check, and the dance goes on.

I have the invoice kindly emailed me by the Captain's Club, but I have no idea what will occur when we board this December 5.

We know what we will be booking when we visit the ship's consultant. We get whatever OBC and additional perks for the onboard booking. Once home we call the agent we have been using since I stopped selling cruises (about 15 years now) and after a few hours of research she ALWAYS comes back with a really good deal.

bosco