Is Celebrity overpricing TA's

So I just looked out of curiosity the price of a 1A cabin on Celebrity Eclipse October 2017 Transatlantic sailing.

 

Cost is $4100 = Almost £2,900

 

I always thought booking early was the way to go but when you see this kind of price I wonder?:eek:

That pricing is terrible. WAIT !! Especially on TA's

For example, realize it's 2 years ago (only 2 years ago October 2013), I paid for a 15 night Celebrity Reflection Transatlantic Balcony $1049 which also included $425 on board credit. Was not in final payment, it was 90 days out.

Of course the naysayers will say.....!! "yes but you paid through the nose on airfare". Booked through Choice Air, ....... Phoenix to Rome, $560 :) :cool:

TA's new deployments coming out December 8. We will board our cruise on Monday, how does a FCC work for a cruise that has not be released yet? You gets perks for booking onboard for the TA but have no idea how much the future cruise costs for a 2017 reservation booking? Please explain being I have never done this before, thank-you.

Usually I never book as FCC- I always book a specific cruise while on board, getting all appropriate perks.

I this case, since TA booking was not open yet, X was offering FCC for 2017 TA only- OBC and prepaid gratuity with $100pp deposit. We can pick and book at home a specific TA, using that FCC between 12/8 and 12/30. After 12/30 - that FCC become a regular FCC without prepaid gratuity added.

I was advised that deposit is refundable if I book any 2017 TA cruise, but decided to cancel at a later date.

I looked again and got in the area of $1600USD pp. Significant change from yesterday. Maybe X heard you! LOL. Seems about correct. Agree if UK agents keep deposit to find an agent in the USA and book there. X certainly would not be happy if a large number cancelled just before final payment date.

Interesting. I have been tracking the TA I'm booked on next April in the faint hope of a price drop. It was at $1849CAD for a Concierge Guarantee for weeks, possible months, and then one day it popped up to $2399CAD. Two days later it fell again to $1849CAD.

One might also consider that there are an awful lot of ships from many cruise lines that must do "repo" cruises at least twice a year. If one gets "hung up" on a single cruise line then you might have to pay the price. But keeping your flexibility as to dates, ships and cruise lines almost always yields a very good TA bargain. Folks should also consider checking out offerings on the more upscale luxury lines (i.e. Crystal, Seabourn, Silverseas, Regent, etc) and the somewhat more upscale lines like Azamara and Oceania. These lines are often somewhat more expensive, but many offer a lot of extras such as larger cabins, all-inclusive drinks, tips, etc.

 

Hank

Excellent advice.

Usually I never book as FCC- I always book a specific cruise while on board, getting all appropriate perks.

I this case, since TA booking was not open yet, X was offering FCC for 2017 TA only- OBC and prepaid gratuity with $100pp deposit. We can pick and book at home a specific TA, using that FCC between 12/8 and 12/30. After 12/30 - that FCC become a regular FCC without prepaid gratuity added.

I was advised that deposit is refundable if I book any 2017 TA cruise, but decided to cancel at a later date.

I will give the FCC a try, have you ever heard of Celebrity not honoring FCC's on certain cruises? Every day the rules seem to change, it is a challenge trying to keep up. I assume it is $100.00 p.p. deposit for a FCC?

I will give the FCC a try, have you ever heard of Celebrity not honoring FCC's on certain cruises? Every day the rules seem to change, it is a challenge trying to keep up. I assume it is $100.00 p.p. deposit for a FCC?

Our problem with X is that they do not generally allow the "stacking of credits." So if we pay for a FCC while on a cruise, we will get a reduced deposit and an OBC. But they will then not allow us to have our Stockholder OBC....which in essence means there is no advantage of doing that onboard booking other then a possible reduced deposit. The only time we did an onboard booking was 3 years ago when we wanted to book a specific "hump" cabin which was available for the cruise we wanted the following year. We booked onboard and immediately had the booking transferred to one of our favored cruise agencies who immediately agreed to prepay our gratuities and add a few hundred dollars more of OBC.

Hank

So I just looked out of curiosity the price of a 1A cabin on Celebrity Eclipse October 2017 Transatlantic sailing.

 

 

 

Cost is $4100 = Almost £2,900

 

 

 

I always thought booking early was the way to go but when you see this kind of price I wonder?:eek:

Booked a C1 aft concierge cabin for this sailing for £929 pp including taxes. £1858 for the cabin. This was booked with a UK agent.

I looked again and got in the area of $1600USD pp. Significant change from yesterday. Maybe X heard you! LOL. Seems about correct. Agree if UK agents keep deposit to find an agent in the USA and book there. X certainly would not be happy if a large number cancelled just before final payment date.

Can I just point out that it is not the agent who retains the deposit. It is the cruise line. I looked into booking with a USA based agent and it was around $800 more. We decided to book with our usual UK agent who offers excellent service.

I watched the Eclipse TA last year and it was much higher in the past, even considering the extra days it had.

Prices held fairly steady and didn't get the big drop as usual and she sailed full at the end.

I ended up doing Connie to Rome, it had far better pricing, but more open cabins along the way, but also ended up full.

Re........Booked a C1 aft concierge cabin for this sailing for £929 pp including taxes. £1858 for the cabin. This was booked with a UK agent.

This is the cost if booking direct with Celebrity [excluding gratuities].....I think its a very good price and if you booked it they will have to honour it but I think they have miss-priced the C1 cabin as it is cheaper than a SV or C2/C3 cabin.

If you look at a US TA site converted to pounds the cost would be $4281 = £2799

Well done.

Booked a C1 aft concierge cabin for this sailing for £929 pp including taxes. £1858 for the cabin. This was booked with a UK agent.

Ouch, that is also very average at best pricing. Never fall in love with the dancer. :cool:

As others have stated, shop a Transatlantic like no other. If you must have one date, one ship or one cruise, you are on YOUR OWN. Buyer Beware. :rolleyes:

Last fall, I did a 23 night transpacific on Century for $799pp in an inside cabin with $250 OBC, booked through an online site, seven weeks before departure... :eek:

...just today, I disembarked from the 15 night Constellation transatlantic, paid $799pp for an ocean view cabin, and got $500 OBC, booked through an online site during their 4th of July sale... :)

...will be doing a 24 night transpacific on Explorer OTS in April for $1049pp, once again booked through an online site, but 11 months prior to departure. :D

Different cabins have different prices, but timely shopping through online sites seems to make for some great deals. ;)

Can I just point out that it is not the agent who retains the deposit. It is the cruise line. I looked into booking with a USA based agent and it was around $800 more. We decided to book with our usual UK agent who offers excellent service.

When it comes to departures from the UK, it is almost always cheaper to book through a UK TA or Celebrity Uk direct than using a US TA. The recent buy one, buy the second half price offer from Celebrity UK was a very good deal!

However for sailings from elsewhere we use US travel agents due to their added flexibility. US prices are only very slightly better though.

Last fall, I did a 23 night transpacific on Century for $799pp in an inside cabin with $250 OBC, booked through an online site, seven weeks before departure... :eek:

 

...just today, I disembarked from the 15 night Constellation transatlantic, paid $799pp for an ocean view cabin, and got $500 OBC, booked through an online site during their 4th of July sale... :)

 

...will be doing a 24 night transpacific on Explorer OTS in April for $1049pp, once again booked through an online site, but 11 months prior to departure. :D

 

Different cabins have different prices, but timely shopping through online sites seems to make for some great deals. ;)

Op was writing about future cruising on TAs, and pricing has really gone up in the last couple of months

As Canadians our dollar has dropped by 25% in the last couple of years

In 2013 we booked the Silly April TA @ $999 cad with $300 obc, the equinox fall 2013 TA $1,075 cad with $75 obc and classic drink package

The 2016 Fall Reflection is $1699 cad for an inside cabin at the moment :eek:

Big thing to remember the Conny is not doing a fall TA in 2016 which means that is 2,000 cabins they do not have to fill up which drives the price up on the rest of their ships

I will look at other cruise lines to find a price that I find are good bang for my dollar

For the Oct 16 Eclipse TA, the C1 is £3058 per cabin so what we paid for the 2017 cruise is quite acceptable.

My Silhouette TA that ended Sunday was $880 pp in an inside and I had a $300 OBC because future cruise sales used to have a good OBC. 3 years ago my 16 night RCCL TA was $509 pp and I had a $250 stockholder OBC. My upcoming Constellation 13 night TA is $739 pp and I will have a stockholder $200 OBC.

I am awaiting the 2017 TA I want but the one they have on their site now is more expensive than expected for sure.

Can I just point out that it is not the agent who retains the deposit. It is the cruise line. I looked into booking with a USA based agent and it was around $800 more. We decided to book with our usual UK agent who offers excellent service.

Obviously I have no idea of UK rules. Thank you for telling be the practice in the UK. Interesting the fares on this cruise vary so much even from country to country. Just got back from Australia and different rules and fares again down there.

Think Curt said it bast - fares will go up and go down until the ship is filled. If fares are too high people will either not book or cancel unitl the fares are reduced. The current state of world affairs is going to have an interesting effect on fares if tensions continue.

10-27-24 TA on Equinox from Barcelona to FT Lauderdale:

We paid $1317 each including tax/fees for a 1B, 14 nights

Excellent itinerary along the southern coast of Spain and Canary Islands.

The weather was perfect for our taste.

We don't care for the seven sea days required to cross the Atlantic.:(

The cruise is 13 nights in 2016. X has dropped ports. Price is about $350 more per person.

Still, if purchased through an agent in the US who has a group booking I would expect that the price would end up fairly similar to what we paid last year.

I know there are people who love TAs, but some people book them because they are frugal,:o and TAs have been cheap, at least during the last decade. I suspect X will have to lower prices on most TAs before the cruise to sell all cabins, and attract those frugal people.

My Silhouette TA that ended Sunday was $880 pp in an inside and I had a $300 OBC because future cruise sales used to have a good OBC. 3 years ago my 16 night RCCL TA was $509 pp and I had a $250 stockholder OBC. My upcoming Constellation 13 night TA is $739 pp and I will have a stockholder $200 OBC.

I am awaiting the 2017 TA I want but the one they have on their site now is more expensive than expected for sure.

Yes, the 2017 Eclipse TA is definitely more than we expected! :eek:

Yes, the 2017 Eclipse TA is definitely more than we expected! :eek:

Price will have to drop if they expect to sell cabins!

When price is the most important factor when brooking, it will drive down prices, and services to go along with it. Laws of economics, or more simple addition and subtraction.

With prices for lots of things (everything except fuel, which is obviously a HUGE savings for the cruise lines) going up, it is hard to be upset when they cut services while we all search for deals.

Happy sailing

Jenna

Price will have to drop if they expect to sell cabins!

Not if you book in the UK. Our C1 is almost half the price of the same cabin, same cruise in 2016.

A 1A for 2 people is $4101.22. Unless you're going by yourself, I don't find that unreasonable at all.

Edited to add, I book cheap insides for Transatlantic cruises, then watch for price drops. The better the itinerary, the higher the price.

This Price is a joke

We have the Equinox TA 15th April 2016

C3 cabin for Euro 1436 each

incl. Tips, Drinks and 150 Dollars OBC each.

booked in April 2015 in Germany

Happy cruising

Stephen:mad::mad:

This Price is a joke

 

We have the Equinox TA 15th April 2016

 

 

 

C3 cabin for Euro 1436 each

 

incl. Tips, Drinks and 150 Dollars OBC each.

 

 

 

booked in April 2015 in Germany

 

 

 

Happy cruising

 

 

 

Stephen:mad::mad:

In the US we are unable to book a free beverage package included on a TA as far as I know. I guess this is a wake up call for all of those people that say the Americans get all of the good deals. If any in the US are able to get a free beverage package on a TA, please correct me. If so, I'd love to know your TA!