Is Celebrity giving value for money?

[gordylad]

I don't think any cruise line can justify inflated prices. I have been looking at a European June cruise 12 night in a C3 stateroom and even with the 15% reduction the cost in UK Pounds is 3,286 = £273 per night.

 

On our last cruise we received the free drinks package which softened the blow but personally £273 pounds per night is ludicrous.

[Theologator]

That's a rather wide-open question!

 

When booking our January 2014 cruise, a friend volunteered to search deals for us. I had already decided the itinerary I wanted, room (balcony) and thought I had found the best deal. Wrong!

 

He came back to me a few days later. He had worked through several TAs and watched for promotions. He presented 3 options. As it turned out, with the 123 promotion, Celebrity was less than Holland America AND Carnival despite "points" we could convert to OBC on Carnival.

 

So, in our limited experience we snagged a great value with Celebrity. I realize they market to Europe differently, but I'd spend some time comparing equivalent cruises and watching for specials. When price equals or is less than your perception of value, grab it and go.

 

Then put one toe on board until the rest can follow. :-)

 

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[dkjretired]

I don't think any cruise line can justify inflated prices. I have been looking at a European June cruise 12 night in a C3 stateroom and even with the 15% reduction the cost in UK Pounds is 3,286 = £273 per night.

 

On our last cruise we received the free drinks package which softened the blow but personally £273 pounds per night is ludicrous.

 

The beauty of it is that you don't have to book it. That's the way the system works.

[Lovemychoos]

I don't think any cruise line can justify inflated prices. I have been looking at a European June cruise 12 night in a C3 stateroom and even with the 15% reduction the cost in UK Pounds is 3,286 = £273 per night.

 

On our last cruise we received the free drinks package which softened the blow but personally £273 pounds per night is ludicrous.

 

Which 12 night June cruise are you looking at? Is that per person, or for a couple? Don't know where you are based, but I'm assuming it's not the UK, as I can't find any cruise on their website which is costing that much, unless it is per couple, so sorry, I don't really understand the meaning behind your post.

 

We've always found Celebrity to be very good value for the product you get - as another poster said, easy answer is if you are ever unhappy with the price of a cruise, just don't book it :-)

 

Lou

Edited November 4, 2013 by Lovemychoos

[spookwife]

I don't think any cruise line can justify inflated prices. I have been looking at a European June cruise 12 night in a C3 stateroom and even with the 15% reduction the cost in UK Pounds is 3,286 = £273 per night.

 

On our last cruise we received the free drinks package which softened the blow but personally £273 pounds per night is ludicrous.

 

are you really factoring EVERYTHING though?

 

in the interest in being lazy, I am convert Pounds Sterling to American dollars at par. so for $273 dollars a night: you get a hotel room. figure bare minimum.. $100 a night.

 

that leaves you with $173 to cover 3 meals a day( plus at least one trip to the soft serve machine). at $10 for breakfast and lunch( a bit on the low side, )and $20 for dinner plus say $5 for the snack that's another $45.

 

now you are left with $128 to cover entertainment: say $50 each for show tickets, another $10 for the cover charge to the piano bar and I dunno about you guys but a pass at my local pool runs $50 minimum. (and the daily charge when you break it down is more.. $10 a day so a week long pass is $70)

 

you will notice I do not even mention for fee drinks like alcohol or that after dinner latte. or transportation to each port.

 

I do not consider cruise prices to be inflated at all. in fact it is costing us almost $2k MORE to do a trip to Disney next year than a suite on Royal( our usual choice) for the same number of days.. and no that does NOT count the plane fare.

[nijh]

In black and white that kind if £££ looks a lot.

 

But try to book a 4/5 star hotel on land with full board, all snacks and entertainment for a similar price.

 

Not to mention waking in a different country each day....

 

There's always a cheaper option, but you get what you pay for.

[robsmom]

are you really factoring EVERYTHING though?

 

in the interest in being lazy, I am convert Pounds Sterling to American dollars at par. so for $273 dollars a night: you get a hotel room. figure bare minimum.. $100 a night.

 

that leaves you with $173 to cover 3 meals a day( plus at least one trip to the soft serve machine). at $10 for breakfast and lunch( a bit on the low side, )and $20 for dinner plus say $5 for the snack that's another $45.

 

now you are left with $128 to cover entertainment: say $50 each for show tickets, another $10 for the cover charge to the piano bar and I dunno about you guys but a pass at my local pool runs $50 minimum. (and the daily charge when you break it down is more.. $10 a day so a week long pass is $70)

 

you will notice I do not even mention for fee drinks like alcohol or that after dinner latte. or transportation to each port.

 

I do not consider cruise prices to be inflated at all. in fact it is costing us almost $2k MORE to do a trip to Disney next year than a suite on Royal( our usual choice) for the same number of days.. and no that does NOT count the plane fare.

 

I don't think the even conversion is really a fair comparison for the OP's concern. You need to analyze $435 per night. I also don't think the entertainment is worth $50 per person, but that is my opinion. That said, we cruise because I do think it is a good value. Sometimes it is a better value than others.

[gordylad]

The conversion is $450 per night. If you think that's reasonable then that's find but for me that's an awful lot of bucks for a room, meals and a half decent show.

[cle-guy]

I think X provides great value. A LUXURY line, I would expect to pay about $400 a night for a LUXURY hotel room (Ritz, Four Seasons, Fairmont etc., especially resorts on the water).

 

I'd expect to pay half that on a more tourist oriented line like Carnival.

 

Then I'd pay probably $100 or more a day (more with booze!) to eat at the luxury resorts, and then pay for excursions and entertainment.

 

I think for $500 or so a day in s standard cabin, it's good value. Certainly better value than if I were to purchase and operate my own line if I think the established cruise lines are a rip off.

 

If I get a cruise fare better than that on X, then I get happy for the good deal.

[lucinjo]

I don't think any cruise line can justify inflated prices. I have been looking at a European June cruise 12 night in a C3 stateroom and even with the 15% reduction the cost in UK Pounds is 3,286 = £273 per night.

 

On our last cruise we received the free drinks package which softened the blow but personally £273 pounds per night is ludicrous.

 

I assume you are talking about a Baltic cruise. These tend to be about the most expensive per day, partially because of the popularity, and also because of higher port taxes. Even with the higher prices, they tend to sell well.

If you do not think the value is there you have a few options. You can find another cruise line offering lower prices, you can wait and hope the price drops closer to sailing (not a bad option for someone in the UK, since reasonable airfare is more available), or look at lower level cabins, hoping to upgrade later.

Value is in the eye of the beholder. We have always felt our cruises on Celebrity have been good values, but we pick them carefully.

[spookwife]

The conversion is $450 per night. If you think that's reasonable then that's find but for me that's an awful lot of bucks for a room, meals and a half decent show.

 

even at $450 I just adjust my expectations.. from a Raddison to a Marriott.. from a 2 star hotel to a 4 star one. so double the hotel cost to $200

 

normally, I consider myself lucky to stay at a land based hotel for under $200 a night when I look for one that has on site amenities such as a workout room , pool or included buffet breakfast..

 

I am paying that next spring the night before our Century cruise.. and that includes transportation form the airport to the hotel and then again to the pier the next morning.

[Redtravel]

Booking a cruise is your choice. Prices are determined by costs..and supply of cabins versus demand. In busy seasons on popular routes, the prices are usually high. They may change as you get closer to the sail date. If there are lots of unsold cabins, prices drop. If there are a few unsold cabins, prices rise. It is economics. Nobody must book a cruise. It is a choice that you make. If you think that the price is too high, do not book. Stay home, book something different. If you insist on a specific cruise, you can pay the fare. I usually watch fares. If the ship is booking well, I know that the prices will go up. To get a good deal, cruise in the off season. Christmas week is expensive. The following week after New Year is usually less. The weather is the same. Do not beat up on whether the fares are good or bad. European cruises are higher than others because food prices in Europe are high. 3 meals a day in many European cities will easily cost you $100+pp/day.

[Orator]

I don't think any cruise line can justify inflated prices. I have been looking at a European June cruise 12 night in a C3 stateroom and even with the 15% reduction the cost in UK Pounds is 3,286 = £273 per night.

 

On our last cruise we received the free drinks package which softened the blow but personally £273 pounds per night is ludicrous.

 

A cruiseline can justify any price that the market will pay.

Is Celebrity giving a fair value? Absolutely not! That's why so many book with Celebrity over and over again. We just love paying a high cost for so little value.

[aquaclass]

I have excellent news for you!

 

A quick search for European Cruises for June 2014 of 12-14 nights shows over 80 cruises to choose from dozens of cruise lines. Surely you can find something in your price range.

[Dr65]

Me thinks Celebrity prices have increased substantially in the last year or two. Maybe up to 50%. I remember taking a Med cruise on the Equinox 2 summers ago and paying about $1250 each for aqua class. We tried Oceania recently and believe it or not was cheaper than Celebrity when you factored in the included airfare( from LAX ). My 2 cents.

[swsfrail]

"Is Celebrity giving value for money?"

 

Nope. Every penny is a total waste. The cruise line claims it has to make a profit, and that is deplorable. In a perfect world, they should be giving us money to cruise on their ships. What a bunch of arrogant corporate scam artists to make us pay to take a cruise. They should all be thrown in jail.

 

I take a cruise every year just to see if their greedy policies have changed. After many cruises, I haven't seen a change yet. Perhaps in my next dozen or so cruises I will finally see improvements. I am willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of humanity.

Edited November 4, 2013 by swsfrail

[trk_koa]

Sorry that some need to reply snarkily

 

We looked at a cruise this year 2013 and decided it would be better for our schedules to do next year 2014. Same cruise line, same ship, same itinerary (almost since they have dropped a port in favor of another sea day), same cabin category, same month of the year. The 2014 cruise is $2000 USD more per person. That is over double.

 

I admit we were looking at fairly close in pricing vs far out.

 

So no. We are not going.

Edited November 4, 2013 by trk_koa

[Smiles3usa]

Some cruises are priced above what one might anticipate. Others are practically given away in last minute fire sale pricing. The trick is to determine what you believe is a fair/reasonable price and find a cruise that meets that price and has an itinerary that you would like to enjoy. I think Celebrity has quite a few fair/reasonable priced cruises. Generally, cruising in the high season (summer and over the holidays) is more costly because there is higher demand for such cruises. Baltic and Black Sea cruises, which have newer itineraries seem to be in more demand, I think, because they offer new places to visit for those who have experienced multiple cruises. Most folks, I think, enjoy visiting new and exciting places. The great part is that, generally, there is a cruise to meet almost most budgets. Unless you have your heart set on a particular cruise--then you must either pony up the monies, or change your heart's desire.

[Fouremco]

Our 14 day February 2014 cruise with Celebrity will cost us $22 more per person per day than our 21 day February cruise this year with HAL. Given inflation, that's not an unreasonable increase, particularly when considering that we will be in a higher category cabin. If you factor in the free promotional classic beverage package we receive, then we are really getting more for less. So for this particular cruise and this particular set of circumstance, I do believe that we are getting value for our money from Celebrity.

 

For the particular cruise and cabin category that you are considering, maybe you aren't getting quite the same value. Perhaps you might have, had you booked earlier. Or maybe not. Depending on how important you view concierge services when evaluating value, you might want to consider a lower category of cabin, as others have suggested. You'll have the same ship, the same itinerary and the same restaurants, bars and other facilities for a reduced price. In a general sense (and please, no flames), I feel that those in inside cabins get by far the best value for their money.

 

I hope that you can find something that provides you the value you are seeking at a price you are willing to pay. Happy cruising!

 

[wallie5446]

It looks like thoes are some type of popular sailings you are looking at. there are 4, 12 day sailings showing for next June, with a rate for a C3 begining at US$, $2339.00 and topping out at $3059.00 pp But alass it must be that there are quite a few that feel that rate is well spent for the sailing, or they would not have that high of a beginning bench mark set.

[bighairtexan]

I'm also sorry that some folks feel the need to be sarcastic or snarky, but your question is kind of difficult to answer. One person's "value" is another person's "rip off." I guess the true value is whatever the general public is willing to pay. If it's overpriced, people just aren't going to pay the tariff. Then the vendor will have to adjust the price. But only you can really decide what price is acceptable to you for whatever you're buying… cruise, other vacation, car, house. If you don't think the value is there, then it's best to look elsewhere for your purchases. The cruise line sets the price. The consumer sets their own value, I think.

[The_Big_M]

I'm also sorry that some folks feel the need to be sarcastic or snarky,

 

 

I'm a bit surprised by that myself.

 

It's apparent that Celebrity's cruises have increased in price substantially the past couple of years. (Plus sadly have reduced food quality, and reduced amenities and increased occupancy on the Millennium class ships.)

 

Where that sits on the value scale is individual to each person, and their own perceptions will change over time, as the market and their situation and experiences change.

 

Personally, I agree that $450/night in your scenario is too pricey for what they offer. But as with all ship sales they'll keep it there and hope demand warrants it, and if not, lower the price til people buy. And if people still buy at that price, then there are enough people that do still see value at that point.

[We're The Groupnors]

We tend to travel not at peak times (Christmas, etc.), so yes, we think we get good deals. For luxury lines or exotic destinations we expect to pay more, but in the grand scheme of things we're paying about the same today for a cruise as we did 10 years ago. We enjoy Celebrity, and frankly wouldn't book them if we didn't think they provided good value.

[fortinweb]

Sorry that some need to reply snarkily

 

I'm also sorry that some folks feel the need to be sarcastic or snarky

 

I'm a bit surprised by that myself.

 

I guess I'm not as thin skinned as some people are because I thought the posts so far were either informative or humorous. Which ones were sarcastic or snarky? I read them again and did not find any that matched that description.

Edited November 5, 2013 by fortinweb

[bighairtexan]

I guess I'm not as thin skinned as some people are because I thought the posts so far were either informative or humorous. Which ones were sarcastic or snarky? I read them again and did not find any that matched that description.

 

According to Miriam Webster:

 

sarcasm: the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny.

 

I'd guess that posts 13 and 16 were meaning the opposite of what they said.

 

I'm guessing that the DON'T actually mean that " we just love paying a high cost for so little value"

or that

 

"every penny is a total waste."

 

The problem in print is that it's difficult to determine if people are showing irritation, insulting or trying to be funny.

 

Perhaps people do book cruises that they think cost a lot for little value and are a total waste of every penny, but I kind of doubt that. In which case it qualifies as sarcasm. Saying the opposite of what they mean for whatever the end targeted end result.