1-2-3 Promotion available to World with exception of UK

[JonAlone]

I really do think, from the messages and private emails I have been getting from other UK cruisers, that Celebrity have really fallen down here and a lot of people will vote with their feet and book via the US or use another cruiseline in the future.

 

I can't imagine booking through the usual channels again...

[Jenna109]

You are forgetting the Transatlantics! We both have the same distances to fly!

 

It is in the interest of Celebrity to sort this QUICKLY!

 

I was on the phone to the UK office today and staff are VERY sympathetic and very troubled at the number of calls!

They also are aware of the Cruise Critic discussions on this on several threads for several sailings.

 

I totally agree with you. I have been involved in this since January as I think it is extremely unfair that US cruisers were able to backdate the offer which was against the rules of the 123 offer - new bookings only. Yet British residents were excluded.

I am also pleased that Celebrity are troubled at the number of calls - not troubled enough though to reply to my emails sent on 25th January and 22nd February. Sent again today so fingers crossed.:rolleyes:

[JonAlone]

I totally agree with you. I have been involved in this since January as I think it is extremely unfair that US cruisers were able to backdate the offer which was against the rules of the 123 offer - new bookings only. Yet British residents were excluded.

I am also pleased that Celebrity are troubled at the number of calls - not troubled enough though to reply to my emails sent on 25th January and 22nd February. Sent again today so fingers crossed.:rolleyes:

 

Email Captains Club.. they seem more efficient.

 

Copy in US and UK offices.

 

Good luck

[Jenna109]

I'll let you decide:

 

To qualify for the 123go! Offer, the following requirements must be satisfied: Cruise must be booked Jan. 7-Feb. 18, 2013 (the "Offer Period") and must be a 3-night or longer cruise, excluding Celebrity Xpedition®, that departs between Feb. 2013 and April 2014. Offer excludes Feb. 2013 sailings booked on or after Jan. 28, 2013, and all Celebrity Xpedition sailings. Offer only available for Ocean View or higher staterooms and for cruises sold at a Fivestar or Group X price program rate and cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion or price program. Offer is applicable to new individual bookings and to staterooms in non-contracted group bookings which staterooms are named and fully deposited during the Extended Offer Period. Bookings that meet all of these requirements are "Qualifying Bookings." Qualifying Bookings for a European sailing may choose any two of the following options (all other Qualifying Bookings may choose any one of these options): Classic Beverage Package for Two, Free Gratuities, or Onboard Credit. Limit of one Offer per stateroom. You must notify Celebrity of the option(s) you chose by Jan. 27, 2013, for Feb. 2013 sailings, or by Feb. 18, 2013, for all other sailings. All guests in stateroom must select the same option. Residents of the United Kingdom are not eligible for this offer.

 

I did the bold highlighting - but the rest is straight off the Celebrity web page.

 

Just a reminder of why so many residents of the UK are angry. From my cruise site all those who booked through a US agent have been able to backdate their booking totally against the terms and conditions of the offer. They did lose any OBC they were awarded on their original booking but were, of course, very happy to do so against the 123 offer. They did not cancel and rebook according to postings - then it would not have been worth it as my cruise was not on offer.

 

I still feel residents of the United Kingdom are being discriminated against

noun. Discrimination

[mass noun]

1the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex:

[Ex-Airbalancer]

The problem is, Celebrity think all UK cruise are members of the Crawley family and do not need a break on the drink package :p

[Jenna109]

Email Captains Club.. they seem more efficient.

 

Copy in US and UK offices.

 

Good luck

 

Thank you. Do you have email ad. For US office and Captains club?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Drink package was not that great of a deal on all cruises, on our TA Silhouette

A1 without drink package best seniors rate was $1000, if you want the 123 it was $2200, to buy the drink package is about $800

So I think a lot got hosed buying the 123 promo

[jagoffee]

Just a reminder of why so many residents of the UK are angry. From my cruise site all those who booked through a US agent have been able to backdate their booking totally against the terms and conditions of the offer. They did lose any OBC they were awarded on their original booking but were, of course, very happy to do so against the 123 offer. They did not cancel and rebook according to postings - then it would not have been worth it as my cruise was not on offer.

 

I still feel residents of the United Kingdom are being discriminated against

noun. Discrimination

[mass noun]

1the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex:

Since you could book with a US based TA in some cases perhaps it does not fit your definition?

It certain seems that the UK based Celebrity company made a very poor decision. I am not sure if it is practical to have only a single global company with all the same rules and policies which would be fine with most of us. I still believe that the UK based TAs have a significant influence on the differences. I also understand that it is worse with Princess.

 

Good luck on getting the rules changed. Nothing like a significant program to highlight the differences and downside to their non global approach.

[Jenna109]

Since you could book with a US based TA in some cases perhaps it does not fit your definition?

It certain seems that the UK based Celebrity company made a very poor decision. I am not sure if it is practical to have only a single global company with all the same rules and policies which would be fine with most of us. I still believe that the UK based TAs have a significant influence on the differences. I also understand that it is worse with Princess.

 

Good luck on getting the rules changed. Nothing like a significant program to highlight the differences and downside to their non global approach.

 

Even if we tried to book through US agent if Celebrity applied their terms correctly we still would not be eligible as their terms state - not applicable to United Kingdom residents. :eek: therefore in my opinion,the discrimination does still apply.

Celebrity need to include all nationalities in their offers or they will discriminate against groups of people. Prices can be different, even offers at the time of booking, OBC, gratuities - these are what we expect. However, to introduce an offer and allow US bookings to backdate then specifically exclude and name a specific group can only be discrimination against that group. :eek:

[debtel007]

I asked the question in another thread. There is one way to show disgust, I will travel with another company from now on. This will be my only x cruise. I am 46 and will cruise dozens more times in my life so the anti UK stance will cost X dear. Of course I share my feelings with many potential cruisers. Tut Tut x

[alynn]

I really do think, from the messages and private emails I have been getting from other UK cruisers, that Celebrity have really fallen down here and a lot of people will vote with their feet and book via the US or use another cruiseline in the future.

 

 

Got to agree we have already voted with our feet....X were our favourite cruise line but rip off prices and discrimination against UK cruisers has forced our hand and dont tell me you get what you pay for they're not mega better than the other cruise lines just marginally in some instances

[JonAlone]

Thank you. Do you have email ad. For US office and Captains club?

 

captainsclub @ celebritycruises . com

 

and

 

.co . uk

[bengaltiger1]

Good luck with getting a reply from the Captains Club. I e-mailed them on 24.01.13 and I am still waiting for an answer!!

[ellie1145]

They never write to you. All the address is for is to register where you live. Just invent an address and 1-2-3 you've won the prize.

 

So what what about the cruise lines saying that you have to prove residency on embarkation, and if you can't then they will charge you the higher price or deny you boarding? How do you get round that one?

 

I totally agree that we Brits are being discriminated against. My UK Ta tells me that now Royal Caribbean will not allow them to discount cruises (apparently this was allowed until January of this year) but they do not allow UK TAs to offer all the benefits that Americans receive, such as being able to cancel cruises without losing deposits, getting OBC or upgrades if the price goes up. According to my TA it is RCI imposing these conditions.

[Jenna109]

So what what about the cruise lines saying that you have to prove residency on embarkation, and if you can't then they will charge you the higher price or deny you boarding? How do you get round that one?

 

I totally agree that we Brits are being discriminated against. My UK Ta tells me that now Royal Caribbean will not allow them to discount cruises (apparently this was allowed until January of this year) but they do not allow UK TAs to offer all the benefits that Americans receive, such as being able to cancel cruises without losing deposits, getting OBC or upgrades if the price goes up. According to my TA it is RCI imposing these conditions.

 

My TA has also told me that Celebrity have stopped all discounts. I was never given any OBC but they did give good discounts. Also Celebrity are now charging if you use a credit card - something which, until now, has been charge free.

I really feel sorry for UK travel agents as they are certainly losing customers and will continue to do so until Celebrity sort out this mess of discriminating against their British customers.

[Sparkle 123]

Jenna, the address for captains club in the UK is captainsclubuk@ rccl.com. you should get a reply if you use that one. I have found them to be very helpful especially Lesley although they are aware of the level of dissatisfaction amongst UK guests over the 123 promo the best they can do is pass your comments on to management. Hopefully the more feedback they get they may take notice for future offers. Good luck!

[Jenna109]

Thank you for email address. I really expected Celebrity to address our problems or at the very least give an explanation as to why they have excluded British residents from the offer. There must be a reason why they specifically stated residents of the UK were exempt:eek: whilst not following the terms of the offer to those who booked in the US by allowing them to backdate and take advantage of the offer.:rolleyes:

[jagoffee]

Even if we tried to book through US agent if Celebrity applied their terms correctly we still would not be eligible as their terms state - not applicable to United Kingdom residents. :eek: therefore in my opinion,the discrimination does still apply.

Celebrity need to include all nationalities in their offers or they will discriminate against groups of people. Prices can be different, even offers at the time of booking, OBC, gratuities - these are what we expect. However, to introduce an offer and allow US bookings to backdate then specifically exclude and name a specific group can only be discrimination against that group. :eek:

 

Perhaps it is related to booking with the UK company/TA and not really based on where you live. If a UK resident who booked with a US TA was denied the benefit because they were a UK resident it would be really bad.

[JonAlone]

Perhaps it is related to booking with the UK company/TA and not really based on where you live. If a UK resident who booked with a US TA was denied the benefit because they were a UK resident it would be really bad.

 

I get loads of emails from US travel agents offering cheap deals on cruises... When I email them for a quote or to make a booking 99% of them say they can not take a booking from a UK resident... Only one (VV) has offices in both US and UK and can do better deals, but not even they can match the 123 promotion and prices currently offered in the US for some cruises.

[Jenna109]

Perhaps it is related to booking with the UK company/TA and not really based on where you live. If a UK resident who booked with a US TA was denied the benefit because they were a UK resident it would be really bad.

 

As far as I know, if you have booked through a US travel agent then you were able to backdate your booking to take advantage of the offer.

Really what you are saying is that booking through a UK agent is the problem:eek: I can see why you feel this may be the case. What a kick in the teeth for UK agents - they are not selling on a level playing field if that is the case. No wonder so many are looking to the US to book:eek:

 

Time for Celebrity to state why and stop us all wondering and making assumptions:rolleyes:

[English Tim]

Let's face it. We are all small fish in a very big pond. I am still convinced that a large number of UK cruisers either withhold their tips or a proportion of them, leaving a shortfall, which the company has to make up.

 

They are probably not worried about a few who threaten to leave or book elsewhere, as we are such an insignificant figure - now if a National newspaper picked up on this, it might be completely different.

 

It is easy to book through a US TA, simply be having a US postal address. Everything is done online, so no worries there.

 

For my forthcoming cruise, I will not book in the UK, if the price is significantly higher than that in USA. However, I would always take account of any differences in perks - sometimes UK prices include taxes and fees, but not US ones.

 

Free, gratuities or free drinks are a different story.

[freenetharry]

Let's face it. We are all small fish in a very big pond. I am still convinced that a large number of UK cruisers either withhold their tips or a proportion of them, leaving a shortfall, which the company has to make up.

 

They are probably not worried about a few who threaten to leave or book elsewhere, as we are such an insignificant figure - now if a National newspaper picked up on this, it might be completely different.

 

It is easy to book through a US TA, simply be having a US postal address. Everything is done online, so no worries there.

 

For my forthcoming cruise, I will not book in the UK, if the price is significantly higher than that in USA. However, I would always take account of any differences in perks - sometimes UK prices include taxes and fees, but not US ones.

 

Free, gratuities or free drinks are a different story.

 

I understand that UK people are very angry about this and i is unfair but please don't punish the hard working staff, thats also unfair I thought english likes to fair play.

[English Tim]

I understand that UK people are very angry about this and i is unfair but please don't punish the hard working staff, thats also unfair I thought english likes to fair play.

 

Not likely to be those on here withholding tips, or at least we wouldn't admit it!;)

[bengaltiger1]

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/13033253_CEL_123Go_Again_Flyer.pdf

 

This has been posted on another thread. Now it doesn't mention excluding UK residents.................yet. Interesting to see how many will be posting to state that they have got the package on cruises past final payment etc.

[jagoffee]

RCCL and Celebrity US based TAs have not been able to discount cruises for some time. Of course they can give you an OBC, but not a discount. This must not have been previously implemented in the UK.