My June, 2015 cruise went up:(

[lovetotraveltx]

Was waiting for a promotion for our Alaska cruise on Millenium next year and it went up for our concierge cabin :(

 

Could things still change. Would be happy with just a perk without a price drop!

[gek]

Was waiting for a promotion for our Alaska cruise on Millenium next year and it went up for our concierge cabin :(

 

Could things still change. Would be happy with just a perk without a price drop!

 

Things could change but they are just as likely to get worse. My last two cruise booking (including one on the Millennium) were made well in advance, and I have watched the prices skyrocket after I booked. If I had waited I would have got some extra perks but they would in no way have covered the extra cost.

 

My advice always is just to find the cruise you want at a price you are willing to pay and book it. Waiting for deals is a lottery.

[lovetotraveltx]

It's for our 30th anniversary so I booked back in March to get the dates, cabin I wanted, etc.

 

I guess with what I save we can buy our own drink package!

[MisterBill99]

It's for our 30th anniversary so I booked back in March to get the dates, cabin I wanted, etc.

 

I guess with what I save we can buy our own drink package!

Why didn't you just book then (especially if there was a specific cabin you wanted), and if a new promotion came along you could have asked to switch, or worst case cancel and rebook? Does your agent charge a change or cancel fee?

Edited May 20, 2014 by MisterBill99

[April29]

Cruise fares increase when there is a promo...nothing is free.

[MisterBill99]

Cruise fares increase when there is a promo...nothing is free.

That's not really true, and certainly not in all cases. And given that Celebrity has been having non-stop promos I'm not sure when they would have increased. They had 123Go during March, which was arguably a better deal than they have now. Should fares have gone down? Edited May 20, 2014 by MisterBill99

[lexdisic]

That's not really true, and certainly not in all cases. And given that Celebrity has been having non-stop promos I'm not sure when they would have increased. They had 123Go during March, which was arguably a better deal than they have now. Should fares have gone down?

 

It will get paid for somehow. It is possible that the increased fares now are covering the cost of the 123. No business gives anything away unless its covered - loss leaders in the supermarket are paid for because you will buy something else while you're there to make up for it, or, it will only last so long for the publicity and then the price is hiked. All down to timing and shopping around to get the best deals, but someone will pay.

[bremenkat]

We are booked for August 2015. Last week I noticed the price had gone up by about £ 250 for our level cabin but it was back down again a few day later.

 

No promos on those cruises either but we wanted to make sure we got a room we wanted especially as there are 3 of us travelling. So hedged our bets instead :-)

[lexdisic]

Thats probably the only reason to book early now, and thats to get the cabin you want, otherwise it is a lottery. We tend to book early - up to 2 years out for our next one. We are very happy with the cabin location and was happy with the price I paid. If I want any perks, I will happily pay for them knowing that it was my choice and not what the marketing people bribe us into taking. I have been looking at a 2016 itinerary from X - the price is acceptable - no perks - but I am holding fire on it to see how all the changes are going on, are going to affect my cruise experience. I run the risk, of course, of losing my cabin choice and falling prey to the massive pricing/perk spikes that no doubt will occur - we will see over the next few months.

[lovetotraveltx]

Why didn't you just book then (especially if there was a specific cabin you wanted), and if a new promotion came along you could have asked to switch, or worst case cancel and rebook? Does your agent charge a change or cancel fee?

 

I did book! Back in March. Was just hoping for a perk, mainly drink package, and/or a price drop.

 

Still over a year to go!

[bigbenboys]

I did book! Back in March. Was just hoping for a perk, mainly drink package, and/or a price drop.

 

Still over a year to go!

 

I have heard that 123Go might be back June 2. We are planning to book our Aug 2015 cruise while on the Solstice leaving May 30 to Alaska.

[TeaBag]

I have heard that 123Go might be back June 2. We are planning to book our Aug 2015 cruise while on the Solstice leaving May 30 to Alaska.[/quote

 

The 123 go is always available when you book on board, I believe. We were offered it when we booked on Solstice about 3 weeks ago.

Edited May 20, 2014 by YVR cruiser

[RDC1]

I would expect Alaska cruises to be, in general, higher next year than this year. There are fewer total ships going there, with several cruise lines moving more ships into the Asian market. Ships that used to go to Australia in the Winter and come back to do Alaska in the summer are now shifting to Asia as well. In addition a number of ships on various lines have been permanently shifted to Asia. That will mean fewer total cabins for Alaska.

[MisterBill99]

I did book! Back in March. Was just hoping for a perk, mainly drink package, and/or a price drop.

 

Still over a year to go!

I thought 123 was available in March? Or did it not apply to cruises as far out as you were booking?

[bremenkat]

I thought 123 was available in March? Or did it not apply to cruises as far out as you were booking?

 

Wasn't available for any cruises after March/April 2015

[boogs]

We booked our next cruise about a year ago. When the 1-2-3 promo arrived we simply contacted our TA and she arranged to have the beverage package added to our booking. There was no need to cancel and and rebook. Now prices for our cabin category have gone up another $450pp WITHOUT any perks. It often pays to book early. And always ask for any promotions that come along. The worst that can happen is you get a "No" for an answer - which is no worse than if you hadn't asked in the first place.

[Earthworm Jim]

Wasn't available for any cruises after March/April 2015

 

Somewhere in there was a time after 123 ended and they had Pick Your Perk, which wasn't much different from 123. Maybe PYP had a 4th option of discounted flights?

[blindrid]

Cruise fares increase when there is a promo...nothing is free.

 

I pretty much agree. I booked during the 1-2-3 and took the bev package. Now the same cruise is $600 cheaper - about the value I put on the Bev Package for us so no big deal.

 

Of course, when I booked our 11 day, the promo was that the bev package was worth $1,000. I view it as that is how much they charge, historically our booze tab runs about $600 as we drink a lot on the islands we visit.

 

To me, book a cruise when you think the price is right and don't look back. It's a lot simpler and not worth the brain damage. :)

[BEAV]

Nobody can make a blanket across-the-board statement that prices increase when a promo is announced. Yes, it happens on some sailings, while on others it doesn't. I suspect the theory of supply and demand dictates in this case.

 

In 2012 we booked an Australia/New Zealand cruise for 2014. In 2013, the 123 GO promo was announced and we were able to add the promotion to our existing booking with no additional cost on our stateroom category. Had the price of our category increased when the promo was added, we would have had to make the decision to pay the additional fare in order to take advantage of the promotion. But the rate on our category didn't increase.

[floralscent]

We reserved our May trip in March during the 123 Go promo and were able to get a concierge class cabin for less than a verandah and oceanview. After the promo ended our category increased by $450 pp and it kept increasing. I disagree that prices are inflated for promos...this may be the case sometimes but certainly not all the time.

[lovetotraveltx]

I thought 123 was available in March? Or did it not apply to cruises as far out as you were booking?

 

When I booked, 123go had ended. Pick your perk started right after I booked, then that ended and now Take 2. But, both of these promos are for sailings through March 2015.

 

Maybe the next perk or two will extend past March, but now that my cabin went up, it will be a decision process!

 

Thank you for all of your replies

[Iamcruzin]

We reserved our May trip in March during the 123 Go promo and were able to get a concierge class cabin for less than a verandah and oceanview. After the promo ended our category increased by $450 pp and it kept increasing. I disagree that prices are inflated for promos...this may be the case sometimes but certainly not all the time.

I saw the same thing with Bermuda sailings. I think the drink package entices people to book and the price goes up on sailings just by the fact that there are now less rooms available. They also inflate the price of the lower entry level ocean views that you are required to book to qualify for the promotion so they can fill the slow selling higher categories.

[Christine Frances]

I saw the same thing with Bermuda sailings. I think the drink package entices people to book and the price goes up on sailings just by the fact that there are now less rooms available. They also inflate the price of the lower entry level ocean views that you are required to book to qualify for the promotion so they can fill the slow selling higher categories.

 

 

That does not apply for all sailings. The prices on our October TA kept going up and up and now the ship is sold out over 5 months from sailing. The last 123go or pick your perk did not apply on Transatlantic's so the promo had no effect on bookings or price.

 

 

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[lexdisic]

That does not apply for all sailings. The prices on our October TA kept going up and up and now the ship is sold out over 5 months from sailing. The last 123go or pick your perk did not apply on Transatlantic's so the promo had no effect on bookings or price.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

The higher prices on the T/A without the perk could have easily contributed to the costs of the packages on the other sailings. There is no free lunch - the package is paid for by someone somewhere. We will probably never know who, but one thing for sure is that it wont come out of X bottom line. There is not enough profit for them to give the stuff away to everyone

[Christine Frances]

The higher prices on the T/A without the perk could have easily contributed to the costs of the packages on the other sailings. There is no free lunch - the package is paid for by someone somewhere. We will probably never know who, but one thing for sure is that it wont come out of X bottom line. There is not enough profit for them to give the stuff away to everyone

 

But, thie cost to Celebrity is approximately the same for the pkg, OBC or free Grats. So if someone took the free gratuities they are subsidizing everyone else? All three perks are "loss leaders" to stimulate sales.