No Transatlantic "Specials"!

[dmk]

My favorite cruise is a Transatlantic one. But sadly, there are no specials to entice one to book one. The new 1,2,3 Go offers are not applicable to TAs. Now, I understand why the beverage package is not offered...Too many sea days to take advantage of such a package. But, why can't they offer the other 2...paid gratuities or an onboard credit

Edited June 5, 2014 by dmk

[Orator]

My favorite cruise is a Transatlantic one. But sadly, there are no specials to entice one to book one. The new 1,2,3 Go offers are not applicable to TAs. Now, I understand why the beverage package is not offered...Too many sea days to take advantage of such a package. But, why can't they offer the other 2...paid gratuities or an onboard credit

 

The benefit is a very low per day fare. Only a few cabins left for my November TA. Why should they take from their bottom line when it's not required? It's Business 101.

[MR_T]

My favorite cruise is a Transatlantic one. But sadly, there are no specials to entice one to book one. The new 1,2,3 Go offers are not applicable to TAs. Now, I understand why the beverage package is not offered...Too many sea days to take advantage of such a package. But, why can't they offer the other 2...paid gratuities or an onboard credit

 

Would you rather have the low fares to start with or a fare increase of $200 so you can have $200 OBC... Surely everyone knows that's how it works!

 

I'd rather have the discount off the bottom line everyday of the week!

 

Our transatlantic on the exqinox in October has been sold out for over a month already and they always sell out without offering promotions so why would they!

[SPacificbound]

The transatlantic I have booked is BOGO right now.

[Orator]

The transatlantic I have booked is BOGO right now.

 

Which one is that?

[Ceeborne]

My favorite cruise is a Transatlantic one. But sadly, there are no specials to entice one to book one. The new 1,2,3 Go offers are not applicable to TAs. Now, I understand why the beverage package is not offered...Too many sea days to take advantage of such a package. But, why can't they offer the other 2...paid gratuities or an onboard credit

 

I have to say I agree with you. Lots of people take advantage of low cruise fares when available and still get the 123 Go package.

.

[harz99]

Which one is that?

 

Vision October '15 by the looks of it.

[Orator]

Vision October '15 by the looks of it.

 

Unless it has been sold to Celebrity, it is not a Celebrity ship. Of course it has not been sold and the point remains that Celebrity has very low prices and sells out without needing to offer too much extra. For the November TA on Connie the bonus is $75 OBC. Fortunately my TA has a group going and is offering gratuities and some OBC.

[SPacificbound]

OP didn't say it had to be Celebrity.

[Orator]

OP didn't say it had to be Celebrity.

 

They referred to the 123 promotion and that's Celebrity. This is the Celebrity board. I guess it's pretty safe to infer that the post was in relation to Celebrity.

[Honeybearhollow]

The transatlantic I have booked is BOGO right now.

 

 

Jeannie, I read your future cruises to see which transatlantic. WOW. I love it. You're going "around the world (sort of) in 80 days" plus the 7 in August. :D Have fun!!

[SPacificbound]

Jeannie, I read your future cruises to see which transatlantic. WOW. I love it. You're going "around the world (sort of) in 80 days" plus the 7 in August. :D Have fun!!

 

 

Thank you! :)

[ghstudio]

$100 a day per person per day for an aqua class cabin is a pretty good incentive.

[Orator]

The transatlantic I have booked is BOGO right now.

 

I see you are on the Infinity cruises in March. Great itineraries. They will probably be deeply discounted after final payment since they will require time and money. Have a wonderful series of cruises.

[wallie5446]

Very close to the same question last week here;

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2051541

[SPacificbound]

I see you are on the Infinity cruises in March. Great itineraries. They will probably be deeply discounted after final payment since they will require time and money. Have a wonderful series of cruises.

 

Thank you. :)

 

They are crazy expensive right now, over twice what we paid for them in May 2013.

[dani negreanu]

My favorite cruise is a Transatlantic one.

 

Why a TA is a favorite for a lot of people?

I hate flying, and arriving to NY without the 12 hours long flight is very appealing, but anyhow I need to get to at least one port from which the TA is departing (5 hours flight?) and I have to come back by plane from NY ...

Pls. "sell" me a TA ....:)

[cle-guy]

Why a TA is a favorite for a lot of people?

I hate flying, and arriving to NY without the 12 hours long flight is very appealing, but anyhow I need to get to at least one port from which the TA is departing (5 hours flight?) and I have to come back by plane from NY ...

Pls. "sell" me a TA ....:)

 

Well let me try. But I need to make a few assumptions...! :D

 

• You have plenty of flexible time
  
• You have friends/relatives/business in NYC or Fort Lauderdale
  
• You want to visit the USA for some reason

And here's my sell:

 

• You Fly to the USA as you would have flown anyway.
  
• You do your business in the USA
  
• You now board a ship for about the cost of a flight back, and instead of 14 hours in a plane, you get 14 days of pure luxury and indulgence.
  
• You arrive to Europe rested and relaxed, and have just a small flight home on arrival.
  

 

The reverse trip also works, take the ship TO NYC or Lauderdale then fly home, either way you get indulgence and luxury for one portion of your overall journey.

 

This is heaven for me.. :-)

[cruzsnooze]

Having read that X recently cut back the activity staff by 50% I'm thinking a TA might get a little boring. I hope some of you will come back with a review of your TA and let us know if they had activities that weren't revenue generating like Bingo.

[cle-guy]

I did a TA Spring 2013, and again this year. This year was a month after the alleged activities staff cutbacks.

 

Looking at my dailies last year to this year, both sailing Eclipse to Southampton, I really see no variance in the activities options cruise to cruise, they almost appear to be identical to each other.

 

I think what's actually happened, is they are just using staff more efficiently, and letting staff from other departments runs some things, and probably making the CD and her assistant do more of there actual work than just show up and introducing activities then scooting along letting someone run the show. I will say the passenger talent show was missing this year, but they still did the choir. Zumba is now run by the Spa staff (maybe it always was...?)

 

Seems more activities are department focused nowadays, wine tastings, whiskey tastings, kitchen tours etc, so department heads are more involved, leaving activities staff to run the trivia shows and newly wed type game shows.

 

Both of my TA's had the same Cruise Director, Sue Denning. This year I will say the musical entertainment in sky lounge was more varied, as they had Perry Grant in cellar masters nightly, not most nights upstairs.

Edited June 6, 2014 by cle-guy

[TeaBag]

Zumba is now run by the Spa staff (maybe it always was...?)

 

 

Zumba was run by the activities staff before and it was free. Now it is run by Canyon Ranch and it costs $13. On our TP I didn't see the Newlywed game or the crew talent show or passenger show but there was still lots to do.

[cle-guy]

Zumba was run by the activities staff before and it was free. Now it is run by Canyon Ranch and it costs $13. On our TP I didn't see the Newlywed game or the crew talent show or passenger show but there was still lots to do.

 

On the TA this year, they did 2 (maybe 3?) introductory zumba classes free first fees days of the cruise, then it became a fee based activity after that for those that wanted to continue participation. A member in our group was discussing this at dinner zone night.

 

This was April 19th sailing, and I think Canyon Ranch had just taken over a week prior, so they may have been experimenting with pricing and implementation, and may have changed or varied that pricing strategy since then.

[dani negreanu]

Well let me try. But I need to make a few assumptions...! :D

 

• You have plenty of flexible time
  
• You have friends/relatives/business in NYC or Fort Lauderdale
  
• You want to visit the USA for some reason
  

 

Thanks for trying....:)

Yes, I'm retired and have plenty of flexible time...

No to the other two - not your fault, though....

Been to USA many times, and lately only in transit to the Caribbean and Galapagos :)

I enjoy cruising as a means to see in comfort and a short time various places. 14 sea days seems a little daunting, but may be it is due to the fact that, as I've seen in past cruises, the activities are mostly geared to Americans, who are familiar to shows/talk shows/TV series which don't "travel across the pond" to Israel... and of course, even if my English is quite good, I don't see myself participating in Trivia.

Thanks again, and happy travels, Dani[ela]

[cle-guy]

Thanks for trying....:)

Yes, I'm retired and have plenty of flexible time...

No to the other two - not your fault, though....

Been to USA many times, and lately only in transit to the Caribbean and Galapagos :)

I enjoy cruising as a means to see in comfort and a short time various places. 14 sea days seems a little daunting, but may be it is due to the fact that, as I've seen in past cruises, the activities are mostly geared to Americans, who are familiar to shows/talk shows/TV series which don't "travel across the pond" to Israel... and of course, even if my English is quite good, I don't see myself participating in Trivia.

Thanks again, and happy travels, Dani[ela]

 

I have to agree with you, unless there is a reason to visit either the origination or destination of a TA, it's going to be a difficult sell to many. I justify it by having friends in London who I call a month out and say "I'm coming for lunch, see you in a month after 2 weeks at sea." Then fly home 3 days after docking. But I DOOOOO love the sea days and relaxation I have to say.

 

I'll be visiting Israel next year as part of the Dubai to Rome repositioning/final farewell the the ship Century. Maybe this one would be a good fit for you to have the experience of sea days and a less Americanized passenger profile (I can appreciate how being an international traveler on a highly American ship would be difficult to enjoy with language and custom barriers, I've experienced the same having spent lots of time in international cities like Cairo and Madrid myself). 10 days overall at sea, 7 of which are as we travel from Dubai around the peninsula and thru the Suez Canal. If you hate it, you can disembark at Ashdod after we pass thru the Suez Canal. :D

Edited June 6, 2014 by cle-guy

[blindrid]

Thanks for trying....:)

 

Yes, I'm retired and have plenty of flexible time...

No to the other two - not your fault, though....

Been to USA many times, and lately only in transit to the Caribbean and Galapagos :)

I enjoy cruising as a means to see in comfort and a short time various places. 14 sea days seems a little daunting, but may be it is due to the fact that, as I've seen in past cruises, the activities are mostly geared to Americans, who are familiar to shows/talk shows/TV series which don't "travel across the pond" to Israel... and of course, even if my English is quite good, I don't see myself participating in Trivia.

Thanks again, and happy travels, Dani[ela]

 

Dani: if it makes you feel any better, there are a lot of us in the US that don't care for the the activities either.

 

My sister did a TA and enjoyed it but they were ready for land after a few days. In my case, I like sea days but I believe a lot of them would be more than daunting to me :).