Keys Kathy

We have what we call the condo crawl. People don't know what complex will suite them. We show on unit in several complexes. If they then want to see more, I will accomodate them. As I said, you cut commission, you loose your TA's. The more an agency books, the better commissions they get. Commission is an incentive to book the line. You would think they would at least fix the travel agent back end to save them time and save the Company money since the phone agents wouldn't have to spend so much time with them.

But that is just it, I choose all in. The $1500 price pp.

I was purchasing a sunset veranda on April 6, 2025 on the Ascent. I chose a Sunset Veranda, which was priced at $899. When I got to the choose your stateroom, before I did anything the price was showing at $999. That was why I need help, because of the price change. The really screwy part was, after you chose a room at $999, on the next page it went back down to $899. again. They would save a TON of money if they just updated their website...... I am thinking Southwest Airlines......

As a Realtor, I work on commission. If there are two similar units and one is at 3% and the other at 2.5%, which one do you think I am going to show? This is the reason the new "Ideal Agent" philosophy is not working. Agents won't show the cut rate commission. If they were to cut commission, they would be cutting off their nose to spite their face. Agents would look to the higher commission lines and sell those instead. Yes, over 50% iof their bookings come from TA's. When it comes to TA commission, keep in mind commission is not paid on the first $400 of the fare, nor on taxes etc. Under normal circumstances, that is at least $800 less than the actual fare. The $3500 fare will pay approx $400 in commission, and with any commission agreement, part goes to the agency and part to the actual TA. So say they get 75%. $300. (which is high) pays for their time searching, answering questions, using their knowledge and sitting on hold. They are not getting rich and the customer is getting service.

The problem is, the system forces you to call in. If you want to upgrade your beverage package from classic to premium and get you Captain's Club discount, you HAVE to call in. Then the agent will try and give me Elite discount vs the Elite Plus. If you want to upgrade you internet with your discount, you HAVE to call in. Since my Elite status appears on my reservation, you would think it would be easy for a programer to write an "if=then" statement to apply the correct discount. Heck, I learned how to write one of those 40 plus years ago and never went into programming. If you want to change your stateroom, even in the same category, you HAVE to call in. If you want to know if you share holder credit has been applied, you HAVE to call in. If their online system were better, their calls would be cut back drastically. Believe me, waiting on hold for an hour is not my idea of fun. Especially when you have to hear them drone on for almost 3 minutes giving you information try to send you to their usless website.They waste 3 minutes of my time regardless of whether my call is picked up immediately.

That's funny! Mine was only good on refundable deposits. I guess it morphs into whatever you are not buying.

I worked at a booking and did not complete it. I recieved a text from X offering $100 OBC using "all aboard 100". I went back to the website, had some problems with the same rate moving from point a to point b and had to call in. They managed to fix the error. When I asked for the "all aboard 100" you would think I was asking them to sign over the ship. She had to get her supervisor who stated it was on good for "refundable deposits". No where could I find that working but they gave it to me "as a courtesy" Has anyone else had this experience? Why would it be on Non refundable only? To basically make you pay for it? I have pretty much stopped reading the Celebrity advertised specials as "the boy that called wolf" They jack up the prices and then discount them to the point that they are higher than BEFORE the sale. Is it just me?

Did she miss sail away because she was taking a nap?

That is why I use a TA, she would check the prices on different lines and make suggestions. If SilverSeas is offering a better product and a better price, why not try them out? That is the great thing about TA's they are not beholden to any one line and is working for me, not them. She'll get her commission from the line that gives the best value for what is recieved. Calling X, often they don't know what they are talking about and they are selling you only one product and that product seems to be changing drastically. Now that they are back in the call centers, you have that endless background chatter that you didn't hear when they worked from home. I enjoyed the occasional barking dog. It made them more human.

The way I found Celebrity was due to a travel agent. We had been on Royal and I was calling about a Royal cruise. My agent suggested for that point in our life, X may be a better fit. The kids were grown, we were better educated and had an appreciation for fine food. 40 cruises later, we are still here. I think they should consider us a good revenue source, don't you? We watch for good deals and get suites when they are affordable. We always upgrade our drink packages to get better wine and we usually eat in a specialty restaurant at least once each trip. The best thing is at our age, we can't eat that much so we always ask for the smallest portion we can get.

I remember when the Edge first came out. It was on Exciting Deals within 3 months. They didn't drop the prices much, but that was an indicator that it was not full. I will never understand them ordering 5 of those ships until they found out how the IV would go over. It is a window, not a veranda. I do like the public spaces and the specialty restaurants, but the cabins suck. Maybe if they offered a prime rib dinner (which is now off the MDR menu) to all the IV passengers, they might be able to fill those cabins! And please stop having the "non-sales". We have already caught on to that. You raise the price so you can lower it. No savings there, why bother? It turns into the boy who cried wolf, you just start igorning the "sales".

I also agree. I went to look for some makeup on the Summit and the Millie. Both only had perfumes, moisterizers and the like. No eye shadow. I had $125. OBC to spend and couldn't find anything to spend it on. I ended up buying booze for company. They didn't have anything we would drink. They used to carry Barbara Rihl bags, now they don't. I budgetted my spending to buy a bag whenever I was on board. I may be looking at an Apple watch if they sell them onboard, but I know they didn't when we were on the Apex.

I believe this thread is asking people for suggestion on how they can make cuts that don't hurt. They can make several things "on request" Bread, butter, snacks delivered to the room. A tote bag. Turn down service. BUT it has to made clear these items are available.

Yes, 14% AFTER they remove $125 pp and non commissionable fare, then there are all the discounts. A TA ends up getting $150 on a $4000 fare. For that they are the ones spending 90 minutes on hold to get you a reduced fare. They spend another 90 minutes getting you the discounted upgrade on your drink package. If the Military discount is missing, guess who makes that call and throws in part of the commission to you as OBC. TA's earn their money. Oh, and most of the time the TA's know more about what is going on than the people on the phone. I love it when they tell me a reservation has to be repriced because of a cabin change in the same category. I know enough to ask for a supervisor or hang up and call back to get someone who actually knows something. THAT is why people use a TA. It is called customer service, of which we all know the X website has absolutely none.

Watch the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves.

The flowers are nice and I have to believe they reuse them, if not, they save the $$$. I DO want my qtips, preferrably without all the packaging. Just a small container with a couple of dozen in it. They have already cut back on lotion, shampoo and conditioner by using the large sizes in the shower. I don't know how to they can cut back further. As far as the daily paper is concerned, it should be optional. Most people use the app, so they can save on paper. They already cut back on the "newspaper" a few years back. I really don't need all the advertisements, but perhaps the vendors are paying for them. Was there a study done during covid regarding whether there was more or less waste when staff served the guests in the Buffet? Offer full or half portions in the MDR. Older guest simply cannot eat that much any more, but they still would like to try things. Perhaps "child" portions of the entrees AND apps etc. This is all I can think of right now. Maybe something else will occur to me when we are on the Millie Feb 3rd. Oh, the 3rd is my birthday, I love the cake, but only make it to serve 2 OR just put a candle in whatever dessert I order.

Exactly! That is why I don't understand why anyone would eat them! The quality is just not there.

We had a suite on the Apex last Jan and window on Edge and again on the Apex for the transatlantic last spring. We were in a Suite on the Summit in Dec. What we paid for our suites back then for TWO of us was 30% less than what they get now for a Sky 3. Since they are getting so much for suites, perhaps they will retrofit the Edge class with more suites. I liked it because of Eden. I didn't like the location of Lumenae and wasn't thrilled with the Lumenae menu. The lounge was nice, but I felt bad that those ladies had to stand all the time. You had to look to find it. I really liked the jogging track. We were back on the Millie in a veranda, our first X ship over 10 years ago, and she looks great. We will be back on her on Feb 3. The staff was exceptional. Be sure to stop by Cellar Masters. They have a complete bar and great staff, especially Marren. Being on the smaller ship was nice for a change, but I wish the would replace La Pettit Chef with a real restaurant. I understand they want newbies because they buy the photos and T-shirts etc, but the return customers spend their money on quality products such as decent specialty restaurants, but have you seen the prices on those????

We used to buy Rib Eye and slice thin on an electric slicer. Then take it tailgating to a Dolphins game. Toss it on the grill, flip it and serve it on a fresh baguette. Sauce it you want. Served with some Goombay Mashes or Sangria. THAT was tailgating (back in the Marino Days). The perfect day? On the golf course at sunrise, finish up by 10:15, go home and shower and pack for the game. Get to the game by 1130. After the game, go home & shower, jump on the boat and go out to dinner. Get to Ruth's Chris and see your drinks waiting on the table because they saw the boat pull up.

Maybe I am a picky eater, but the Wellington is not as good as I can make it, the crab cakes are made from Blue Swimming crab, not Maryland or Virgina crab and have filling in them, (VS G & M Seafood in Md. They ship) we have better prime rib at our club on Saturday nights, now the souffle? There is a treat.

We were at an all inclusive in Jamaca once. They had goat races with young boys running with the goats. Of course we all bet on our favorite. That night there was curried goat for dinner. I always wondered if it was a goat from the race and, if so, was it was the winner or the looser. The looser because he didn't work so hard and therefore may be more tender? Or the winner because all the other goats were tired of looking at his butt?

After we pay these exorbant prices, we are the poor.

I never cared for thier prime rib. It is sliced to thin, which I understand on a ship. Once we tried to ask for a double thick cut to share. That didn't work out. DH and I go out to dinner and share the prime rib. I eat a bit, he eats some and we bring the rest home for sandwiches.

Ah! A new term "foodflation" It will be in Webster's next year.

With the currect pricing we are foregoing a Suite and getting a Sunset Veranda. We say enough $$ to eat in specialty restaurants if there is nothing in the MDR.