Celebrity future cruise question about moving reservations. Please help very lost.

Hi all,

I have a dilema. I booked an Eastern Carribean cruise with a sailing date of Dec 2017 last year (dec 2016) while on our yearly cruise. as we have done previously. The payment came do over last weekend. Unfortunately due to the hurricanes we felt like we wanted to forgo travelling this year and move our booking to 2018. Originally when we booked on board this was not an issue and we would retain all perks etc. I called in during a power outage locally so didn't have my notes but was told that this was indeed the case and they moved my booking out a year. Which seemed fine at the time. They informed me that there is a price difference between the two bookings and I would have to pay the difference. Fine they are two itineraries I get that. I could keep the same room even so that's a plus.

When I recieved the paperwork email the next day I was shocked to find out there was a huge price variation between the bookings.

My orignial booking had

Fare

Savings category of 252.00CAD

YHH3-GBE FREE FCR -780CAD

450CAD OBC

promotions:

OB- Sale 6t09N

GO better BEVOBC

SAVINGS

New booking now has:

FARE

450CAD OBC

promotions:

OB- Sale 6t09N

GO better BEVOBC

here is the kicker. The newer cruse has a lower base fare, butt I am missing the YHH30GBE FREE FCR and savings line items making the cruise way more expensive. Should this be intact or can they remove certain promotions when you move bookings in this way? I was not informed this at time I changed my itinerary. I am confused and I feel misled because if I knew these line items would save me almost 1000CAD I would have kept the original cruise.

How should I go about handling this? I have another booking for an Australian cruise at same time and this would be a 3rd time return customer. Do i have any standing to complain and see if they can make it right or was I confused and should expect to have these items removed? It just seemed counter to what I have been told by celebrity in past although never actually changed a booking before.

Any help would be appreciated, planning on phoning soon to complain.

I would call them and explain what is going on.They might have made a mistake.

Compare the Booking Number of the 2017 cruise with the booking number of the 2018 cruise. You need to keep the original booking number to keep the perks.

I will add....we booked a Bermuda cruise on board in 2016. When we were on that cruise in 2017, we noticed that our OBC was wrong. We did not think to take our booking confirmation with us that had the correct information. When we went to Guest Relations, they printed out our booking confirmation and the OBC was not there? There was nothing we could do to prove anything at that point. They said they would call main office but that did not happen. Once home we looked at or copy of the confirmation and we were indeed correct. We called Celebrity, they pulled our documents, confirmed that we were indeed due to get that OBC. They compared that with our ship account. Confirmed that they had made a mistake. They have applied that missing OBC to our next cruise.

CALL CELEBRITY....if your booking number was changed...it could be difficult to resolve...but it could also be a case where Celebrity IT lost that information somewhere in their system.

Maybe a good Trvl agent could sirt this out for you

does anyone know what line item: YHH3-GBE FREE FCR is, this seems to be the only line item missing? My OBC carried over just it seems the savings from booking on board did not.

If that line item was a promotion happening for your original booking that is not available on your new booking, I don't think it will carry over.

So, we've learned that when you book a future cruise while onboard, you will indeed keep any promotions and savings features that were offered to you for that SPECIFIC sailing.

Anytime you transfer your onboard booking to a different sailing, you will retain the Future Cruise onboard credit, which is not applicable to all sailings, but most. However, here is the kicker that explains why Celebrity was right in how they booked and charged for your next cruise. This is not very clearly spelled out by some agents onboard but there are some that are excellent and they will explain it to you ... it helps if you ask them the right question very specifically to get the real answer. But we don't always know what those specific questions are that we need to ask while making our booking. Because we've done this a number of times, I think we have a handle on it now.

When you transfer a booking made while onboard to another itinerary, you can only take advantage of the current promotions that are being offered at the time of the transfer. For instance, I booked a sailing onboard that gave me the go best package ... so all very valuable perks. Plus, I got the additional onboard credit because of booking it while onboard in addition to some other savings. Now, let's say that Celebrity is now offering 2 free perks with any new booking at the time I want to transfer my reservation. When I make the transfer, I get the 2 free perks ...I am not able to keep my Go Best perks or any others savings I might have received with the original booking. I will also get the onboard credit because of the future cruise deposit made while onboard. Same goes for if I want to upgrade my cabin category, even if on the original booking. I would lose my perks even if staying on the same sailing ... my only real benefit is the onboard credit. I know they've made exceptions to this at times but it is not the norm. I also know that one time, a future cruise deposit did not give me any additional onboard credit as I booked within a 'group sailing' offered by my TA and they already had used the allowable 2 promos (not to be confused with 2 perks). Celebrity has a limitation on how many promos can be combined on a booking. Last I checked, it was 2.

With that being said, the last booking I made while onboard only came with one free perk plus the additional onboard credit that is inherent to a future cruise deposit. When I transferred it, there were 2 free perks being offered to the general public at that time, so I was able to take advantage of getting an extra perk even though only one was offered at the time of my initial booking.

So, I think they did booked your transfer properly. You will still be able to take advantage of any future offerings befor final payment if you find something more advantageous. The only other restriction is that if you find an agency that will give you a better deal, there is a time limit on when you can transfer your deposit (and booking number) to that agency and I think that is 60 or 90 days. At that point, you'd have to weigh which one would save you more money .... usually, it is canceling the initial booking for a refund of that deposit and starting from scratch to book with the agnecy that gives you more perks or better pricing.

So, we've learned that when you book a future cruise while onboard, you will indeed keep any promotions and savings features that were offered to you for that SPECIFIC sailing.

 

Anytime you transfer your onboard booking to a different sailing, you will retain the Future Cruise onboard credit, which is not applicable to all sailings, but most. However, here is the kicker that explains why Celebrity was right in how they booked and charged for your next cruise. This is not very clearly spelled out by some agents onboard but there are some that are excellent and they will explain it to you ... it helps if you ask them the right question very specifically to get the real answer. But we don't always know what those specific questions are that we need to ask while making our booking. Because we've done this a number of times, I think we have a handle on it now.

 

When you transfer a booking made while onboard to another itinerary, you can only take advantage of the current promotions that are being offered at the time of the transfer. For instance, I booked a sailing onboard that gave me the go best package ... so all very valuable perks. Plus, I got the additional onboard credit because of booking it while onboard in addition to some other savings. Now, let's say that Celebrity is now offering 2 free perks with any new booking at the time I want to transfer my reservation. When I make the transfer, I get the 2 free perks ...I am not able to keep my Go Best perks or any others savings I might have received with the original booking. I will also get the onboard credit because of the future cruise deposit made while onboard. Same goes for if I want to upgrade my cabin category, even if on the original booking. I would lose my perks even if staying on the same sailing ... my only real benefit is the onboard credit. I know they've made exceptions to this at times but it is not the norm. I also know that one time, a future cruise deposit did not give me any additional onboard credit as I booked within a 'group sailing' offered by my TA and they already had used the allowable 2 promos (not to be confused with 2 perks). Celebrity has a limitation on how many promos can be combined on a booking. Last I checked, it was 2.

With that being said, the last booking I made while onboard only came with one free perk plus the additional onboard credit that is inherent to a future cruise deposit. When I transferred it, there were 2 free perks being offered to the general public at that time, so I was able to take advantage of getting an extra perk even though only one was offered at the time of my initial booking.

So, I think they did booked your transfer properly. You will still be able to take advantage of any future offerings befor final payment if you find something more advantageous. The only other restriction is that if you find an agency that will give you a better deal, there is a time limit on when you can transfer your deposit (and booking number) to that agency and I think that is 60 or 90 days. At that point, you'd have to weigh which one would save you more money .... usually, it is canceling the initial booking for a refund of that deposit and starting from scratch to book with the agnecy that gives you more perks or better pricing.

There has been a lot of confusion about this subject because some passengers were able to keep all their original perks when they switched to a different sailing, while others were not.

When we asked why this happens, the way it was explained is that as long as you keep the same reservation number, you get to keep the extra bonus for booking on board.

But whether or not you also get to keep the additional perks just depends on which promotion is in effect at the time that you transfer the booking.

As long as the same promotion is still running, you can keep the same perks.

However, if the promotion has changed, you get the perks from the new promotion instead of the perks from your original booking.

Good explanation. That is our understanding as well.

 

There has been a lot of confusion about this subject because some passengers were able to keep all their original perks when they switched to a different sailing, while others were not.

When we asked why this happens, the way it was explained is that as long as you keep the same reservation number, you get to keep the extra bonus for booking on board.

But whether or not you also get to keep the additional perks just depends on which promotion is in effect at the time that you transfer the booking.

As long as the same promotion is still running, you can keep the same perks.

However, if the promotion has changed, you get the perks from the new promotion instead of the perks from your original booking.

That was a much more succinct and understandable way of explaining it. :)

As explained well by others, the advantage to booking onboard is the book on board OBC. There is a lower deposit also but you will have to pay the full deposit if you move your booking to an outside agents group booking.

Also, if you switch cabin categories and/or cruise length the amount of that book on board credit will change.

As also explained, you need to transfer your booking and keep the same booking number, so the agent can't cancel your cruise and give you a new booking number if you want to keep your booking on board OBC.

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As explained well by others, the advantage to booking onboard is the book on board OBC. There is a lower deposit also but you will have to pay the full deposit if you move your booking to an outside agents group booking.

 

Also, if you switch cabin categories and/or cruise length the amount of that book on board credit will change.

 

As also explained, you need to transfer your booking and keep the same booking number, so the agent can't cancel your cruise and give you a new booking number if you want to keep your booking on board OBC.

 

 

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And just to add, not every country gets the lower deposit when booking onboard.

Upper level suites, Celebrity and above, do not get reduced deposits. Also, we were told on board that you cannot book a suite as a place holder if the agent knows that is why you are booking.

Upper level suites, Celebrity and above, do not get reduced deposits. Also, we were told on board that you cannot book a suite as a place holder if the agent knows that is why you are booking.

Are you sure the higher deposit does not apply to Sky Suites?

Good explanation. That is our understanding as well.

 

There has been a lot of confusion about this subject because some passengers were able to keep all their original perks when they switched to a different sailing, while others were not.

When we asked why this happens, the way it was explained is that as long as you keep the same reservation number, you get to keep the extra bonus for booking on board.

But whether or not you also get to keep the additional perks just depends on which promotion is in effect at the time that you transfer the booking.

As long as the same promotion is still running, you can keep the same perks.

However, if the promotion has changed, you get the perks from the new promotion instead of the perks from your original booking.

I agree that you have explained the process. People are often confused especially with the BBB pricing.

Thanks for the great infomation. It seems I had a discount applyed when I booked the conceige class room. It seems that we had a cash discount on previous cruise but not this one. all other perks carried over. The agent over phone was useless. I am going to a TA this weekend. If the ship is running a Book on board promotion at the time, would the cash discount carry over? I am going to go through my documentation and see, I believe I have the flyer stating this.

I am a litle miffed, as I have 3 more cruises booked with great discounts, this starts hurting my loyalty

Are you sure the higher deposit does not apply to Sky Suites?

Sky suites are normal deposit.Anything higher than Sky, deposit doubles.

Thanks for this discussion - it confirms and clarifies my understanding of the process. In my case, I booked a cabin (direct with Celebrity via my usual guy) on a b2b repositioning cruise, got it the same day the itinerary was published. Some months later on board another cruise I asked them to do a cancel-and-rebook of that future repositioning booking. So I could get the OBC for booking onboard. No way, no how. So I booked a second cabin for the same b2b. Got back home, called my guy at Celebrity. Explained that I had twice as many cabins as I needed, please would he cancel the first, then move the second reservation to the first preferred cabin. After much discussion, we agreed that I didn’t understand the system, that he didn’t totally understand what I was trying to do, and that he thought I couldn’t do what he thought I wanted to do. But we also agreed to let it sit for a few months and worry about it next year.

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Thanks for the great infomation. It seems I had a discount applyed when I booked the conceige class room. It seems that we had a cash discount on previous cruise but not this one. all other perks carried over. The agent over phone was useless. I am going to a TA this weekend. If the ship is running a Book on board promotion at the time, would the cash discount carry over? I am going to go through my documentation and see, I believe I have the flyer stating this.

 

I am a litle miffed, as I have 3 more cruises booked with great discounts, this starts hurting my loyalty

Your situation really has little to do with on-board-booking other than the carry forward of the on-board-booking bonus OBC. When you transfer a reservation to a new booking, whatever pricing and perks you had with the old booking are gone and your new price and perks are the current price and offers that anyone making a brand new booking would receive. This is true whether it is a different cabin category on the same cruise or an entirely different cruise.

So I fail to see why you are miffed! If you have 3 more cruises with terrific prices and perks, then enjoy them. But do not expect to have the old pricing be applied to a different cruise.

Think about it - if this were possible, then I could book a cruise at current prices and continue to roll it over to new cruises at the same current price for say 15 years when the new prices could easily be more than twice today's price. The whole concept would be contrary to a sound business practice.

She's miffed because she was not informed. Have a bit of understanding.

She's miffed because she was not informed. Have a bit of understanding.

OP acknowledged that she was informed there would be a price difference. Apparently she did not ask what the difference in total price would be.

"As long as the same promotion is still running, you can keep the same perks.

However, if the promotion has changed, you get the perks from the new promotion instead of the perks from your original booking."

When you state "same promotion is still running" do you mean the same promotion for the "booking on board" promotion or the promotion running to those who book not on board?

"As long as the same promotion is still running, you can keep the same perks.

However, if the promotion has changed, you get the perks from the new promotion instead of the perks from your original booking."

When you state "same promotion is still running" do you mean the same promotion for the "booking on board" promotion or the promotion running to those who book not on board?

They mean the same promotion/perks for those who book not on board. For instance the Better (2 perks) for the Big (1 perk) price. This confuses a lot of people. The On Board booking benefit is the low deposit and associated OBC that can be transferred.