Celebrity Passages - onboard credit only good on full list price fares!

[PhD-iva]

In 2009 while on board a Celebrity Mediterranean cruise, I made a $200 advance deposit for my next booking, and was promised a Ship board credit in exchange.

Now after Celebrity has had the use of my money for 4 years and I am ready to book another cruise, they will not allow me to receive the $100 ship credit unless I purchase a full fare cruise!!!!!!

The sailing I want is offering the "Pick your Perk" promotion, which is not combinable with my Celebrity Passages on board credit.

 

DON'T give Celebrity the use of your money unless you like paying full fare! (I don't!):mad: Don't make an advance deposit while on board the ship. This will limit your ability to get the lowest price on your newt cruise!

 

Post a reply here voicing your disapproval so Celebrity will get the message!

[Orator]

In 2009 while on board a Celebrity Mediterranean cruise, I made a $200 advance deposit for my next booking, and was promised a Ship board credit in exchange.

Now after Celebrity has had the use of my money for 4 years and I am ready to book another cruise, they will not allow me to receive the $100 ship credit unless I purchase a full fare cruise!!!!!!

The sailing I want is offering the "Pick your Perk" promotion, which is not combinable with my Celebrity Passages on board credit.

 

DON'T give Celebrity the use of your money unless you like paying full fare! (I don't!):mad: Don't make an advance deposit while on board the ship. This will limit your ability to get the lowest price on your newt cruise!

 

Post a reply here voicing your disapproval so Celebrity will get the message!

 

Your post indicates the problem: Use of Passages is NOT combinable with "Pick a Perk Promotion". There have always been conditions on the use of Passages and they are not useful with many, but not all promotions. The fault is that either the conditions weren't explained to you are you didn't understand the conditions. You now need to decide if you want to use the Passages, take advantage of the special offer, find a different cruise, or not take the cruise you want.

[Azulann]

Your post indicates the problem: Use of Passages is NOT combinable with "Pick a Perk Promotion". There have always been conditions on the use of Passages and they are not useful with many, but not all promotions. The fault is that either the conditions weren't explained to you are you didn't understand the conditions. You now need to decide if you want to use the Passages, take advantage of the special offer, find a different cruise, or not take the cruise you want.

 

I used my open passage to book a cruise at the end of Aug. I got the best rate for the category that was advertized that day, this was after final payment and it was a great deal. I got the $200. OBC and no other promotion.

[shipshape sam]

The key is that you cannot combine promotions. Choose the best one and if not passages, the good news is you have an opportunity in future to get an OBC. As an aside, there are typically specials run during most of the year, so passages promotion may not be a good deal. We have used them in past, but I too am hesitate to get another one based on the restriction.

 

We currently have one on the books so we too are providing an interest free loan in return for an OBC in future.

[edgee]

I have encountered more confusion and stress than any possible benefit I have received from Passages' value. Unless I want to browse any new brochures on future cruises, I hurry past the future cruise consultant office when I am on a Celebrity cruise. Don't even want to be tempted to purchase a Passages certificate because in nearly all cases I can find a way to get equal or better value from another promotion which is not combinable with Passages. I know that some find the advantage of reduced deposit appealing, as you get to hold onto your money for many months prior to a cruise instead of giving it to Celebrity at time of booking, but, all in all, I do not think it is worth the hassle.

[PhD-iva]

So true, edgee - not worth the hassle. And, some folks will never redeem the payment, or will lose the information.

 

We always look for a sale before booking, so I will likely never benefit from the advance deposit.

 

Keep posting! Celebrity needs to hear our voices!

[shipshape sam]

I have encountered more confusion and stress than any possible benefit I have received from Passages' value. Unless I want to browse any new brochures on future cruises, I hurry past the future cruise consultant office when I am on a Celebrity cruise. Don't even want to be tempted to purchase a Passages certificate because in nearly all cases I can find a way to get equal or better value from another promotion which is not combinable with Passages. I know that some find the advantage of reduced deposit appealing, as you get to hold onto your money for many months prior to a cruise instead of giving it to Celebrity at time of booking, but, all in all, I do not think it is worth the hassle.

 

 

Agree that it can be hard to use. We did use one of our Passage advance deposit bookings, we got 2 of them, when we booked 18 months ahead, so the reduced deposit was a benefit to us in addition to OBC.

[gimletgal]

In 2009 while on board a Celebrity Mediterranean cruise, I made a $200 advance deposit for my next booking, and was promised a Ship board credit in exchange.

Now after Celebrity has had the use of my money for 4 years and I am ready to book another cruise, they will not allow me to receive the $100 ship credit unless I purchase a full fare cruise!!!!!!

The sailing I want is offering the "Pick your Perk" promotion, which is not combinable with my Celebrity Passages on board credit.

 

DON'T give Celebrity the use of your money unless you like paying full fare! (I don't!):mad: Don't make an advance deposit while on board the ship. This will limit your ability to get the lowest price on your newt cruise!

 

Post a reply here voicing your disapproval so Celebrity will get the message!

 

It's a well known fact that open passages are not combinable with the majority of promotions. One needs to do their homework and read the fine print. This has been a very successful program and I don't think Celebrity will get a "message" from a bunch of negative posts on CC. This is really counter productive IMO. I personally have enjoyed the OBC on my cruises and have also done well on pricing. Here again, one needs to do their homework.

 

Sorry you are so unhappy.

[Shake]

Blame yourself not Celebrity. :D

 

It's right there big as day, "Not Combinable". :cool:

[SandyR5]

Was on Eclipse for Iceland/Norway cruise 8/3. A "NEW" passages is now available. You do not get as much OBC as we used to get, but it now is combinable with 1 promotion. We used to get $300 OBC for a 14 day cruise. Now you get $200, but you can combine it. I booked when I got home and now will have just $200 OBC but I have a $600 discount because I used Choice Air which was one of the perks. When my agent called Celebrity to book, the agent didn't know about the "new" passages. I had to quote it and then the Celebrity agent checked it out. So...old passages give you more onboard credit, but the new ones are ones you can combine with offers. Whew!

[DebbieMacG]

I've never had a problem using them, my last cruise was a gty and at half the price it had previously been when I booked it five weeks out, so it's certainly not true that you can only use them on full price fares

[Shake]

Was on Eclipse for Iceland/Norway cruise 8/3. A "NEW" passages is now available. You do not get as much OBC as we used to get, but it now is combinable with 1 promotion. We used to get $300 OBC for a 14 day cruise. Now you get $200, but you can combine it. I booked when I got home and now will have just $200 OBC but I have a $600 discount because I used Choice Air which was one of the perks. When my agent called Celebrity to book, the agent didn't know about the "new" passages. I had to quote it and then the Celebrity agent checked it out. So...old passages give you more onboard credit, but the new ones are ones you can combine with offers. Whew!

 

I like the "New" passage with the 1 combinable promo feature. Maybe I've missed it but this is the first time I have heard about this new passage. Great move Celebrity!

[Solution]

When I ordered my Passage in March, I was clearly informed the restrictions. I guess I went early in the cruise so there were no one lining up so the rep can spend more time explaining the rules to me.

 

I would take the drink package when it is offered. But there are certain routes that will never get the drink package.... like TA. This is where I plan to use my passage credit.

 

Plan ahead, and you will reap the benefits.

[C 2 C]

I believe that the passage can be used for the deposit value on any booking but it is not combinable for the implied OBC and any other perk.

 

You might also be able to book a future cruise with the certificate and cancel in order to get the deposit value back.

 

The wording has changed over the years and in some cases is not refundable when cancelled.

 

Every time a cruiser believes a program has been initiated for the benefit of the cruiser P. T. Barnum laughs. :cool:

[coldbird]

So true, edgee - not worth the hassle. And, some folks will never redeem the payment, or will lose the information.

 

We always look for a sale before booking, so I will likely never benefit from the advance deposit.

 

Keep posting! Celebrity needs to hear our voices!

 

We were able to use our passages booking with a great military rate. You just have to shop around!!

 

The only thing I will do differently next time if we purchase one of these is to leave my travel agents name off the booking.

 

Easier to book and will switch over to them later to get more OBC:D

[royalcruz]

PhD-iva, you have been given misinformation and now you are posting misinformation. While you can't combine Pick Your Perk with Passages, you can combine Passages with many different rates. Just in the last couple of months, I have combined Passages with a senior rate and with a balcony-for-the-inside-price rate. I have also combined it with price drops and with resident rates. Call back Celebrity and ask your question again.

[robtulipe]

I've never had a problem using them, my last cruise was a gty and at half the price it had previously been when I booked it five weeks out, so it's certainly not true that you can only use them on full price fares

We also just used an old Open Passage deposit, done Jan/12, to book a XC guarantee for our next cruise. Saved $800 over what we would have paid at a senior rate for the C1 cabin we were assigned and have $300 OBC also. The gty we got would have save us $1200 over the regular C1 price if we didn't qualify for for a senior rate.

[gimletgal]

I like the "New" passage with the 1 combinable promo feature. Maybe I've missed it but this is the first time I have heard about this new passage. Great move Celebrity!

 

Here is a copy of the form (effective 8/1/13) you will receive on board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=283787&d=1377335844

[robtulipe]

We were able to use our passages booking with a great military rate. You just have to shop around!!

 

The only thing I will do differently next time if we purchase one of these is to leave my travel agents name off the booking.

 

Easier to book and will switch over to them later to get more OBC:D

The only problem with not having your open passage assigned to a TA is if you booked your cruise after the final payment date,when full payment is due immediately you then can't transfer it to a agency to get perks such as OBC.

You can transfer an open passage currently with X to a TA before you book and then book through the agency but that takes a few days to do and the pricing could increase if a special disappears.

We typically have several open passage deposits with a least one assigned to our TA and another direct with X. We tend to book close to, usually after the final payment date so we can replace a used open passage fairly quickly onboard that next cruise.

[Shake]

Here is a copy of the form (effective 8/1/13) you will receive on board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=283787&d=1377335844

 

Nice. Thanks for the Passage. :)

 

I'll be buying one of these on our upcoming November 1 Reflection Transatlantic.

[Wine-O]

We used our Open Passages to book a cruise to Bermuda in June 2014. The perk was $100 OBC (same as shareholder but not combinable) and only had to put an additional $100 deposit this far out.

 

Since then, Celebrity has come out with the pick your perk. To convert it, I had to give up the $100 OBC (Open Passages), but in return I received $616 Classic Beverage Package for the both of us. It didn't take me long to make the decision to give up the $100 for $616, plus I still only have the $200 deposit for this cruise. I can't complain.

[Iamcruzin]

I have purchased Future Cruise Certificates from Princess. While they don't offer as much OBC as Celebrity they are refundable and can be combined with special promotions. I think they are great to have if you want to book a cruise when a great deal is comes along and you don't have the extra cash at the time for a full deposit but that's all they are good for. I would never purchase one from Celebrity because they are not refundable and after reading threads on this board they seem to be more trouble than they are worth. Celebrity seems to have better promotions than what they are giving you with the open passage OBC. The one thing that Princess has over Celebrity and Royal Caribbean is that you can combine as many OBC's that you qualify for and still receive any promo that they are offering at the time.