paid in full, now price went down

[vegaslola]

So we made final payment last week for a celebrity cruise and today the price dropped $200 per person!! TA says I can pay some more, $260 pp, and go to a sky suite, or I can have A1 aqua class which they consider an upgrade. Well, we booked C1 specifically to have an aft balcony cabin which aqua doesn't offer plus aqua is actually less expensive than C1, and I don't want to pay extra for a sky suite which also isn't aft. I'm not too pleased now, I would prefer a shipboard credit. Any solutions or suggestions would be appreciated.

[CathyCruises]

Welcome to the world of Celebrity! If it is past final payment, your only option is to upgrade as your TA has stated. They no longer offer OBC for lower-priced cabins.

[ghstudio]

It's a bit like buying a car and then finding out towards the end of the model year, the price is reduced to get rid of inventory. Celebrity wants to sail with a full ship so they offer remaining cabins (their inventory) at a lower price. Seems fair to me...

[Pushka]

That happens.

[Ma Bell]

So we made final payment last week for a celebrity cruise and today the price dropped $200 per person!! TA says I can pay some more, $260 pp, and go to a sky suite, or I can have A1 aqua class which they consider an upgrade. Well, we booked C1 specifically to have an aft balcony cabin which aqua doesn't offer plus aqua is actually less expensive than C1, and I don't want to pay extra for a sky suite which also isn't aft. I'm not too pleased now, I would prefer a shipboard credit. Any solutions or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

The solutions were what they offered you, if you don't want those you're out of luck.

[RickT]

Price drops and increases are common on all cruise lines. Prices fluctuate based on demand/inventory and dates. Any price drop prior to the final payment date is easy to obtain. Price drops after the final payment date are tough and usually limited to the choices given to you by your TA.

 

So, if your final payment was at the final payment date you are out of luck. If the sailings official final payment date has not yet come, you have more options.

 

Just my 2 cents, but if you were happy with your cabin (sounds like you are) and the price you originally agreed to... move on. Enjoy your cruise.

Edited September 17, 2014 by RickT

[H2OH!]

If I am happy with my cabin choice and would not upgrade if the price drops, I never look at the cabin price after final payment....too maddening. sorry you are experiencing this.

 

Now, if I am looking to upgrade into a suite, i keep checking each day hoping those prices drop and I can upgrade fairly cheaply.

[bajathree]

So we made final payment last week for a celebrity cruise and today the price dropped $200 per person!! TA says I can pay some more, $260 pp, and go to a sky suite, or I can have A1 aqua class which they consider an upgrade. Well, we booked C1 specifically to have an aft balcony cabin which aqua doesn't offer plus aqua is actually less expensive than C1, and I don't want to pay extra for a sky suite which also isn't aft. I'm not too pleased now, I would prefer a shipboard credit. Any solutions or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

The BIG question is....ARE YOU PAST FINAL DUE DATE?

Just because you made final doesn't mean you are past final due date....TA's usually look for final a couple weeks in advance of the actual cruise line due date.

[Lsimon]

The BIG question is....ARE YOU PAST FINAL DUE DATE?

Just because you made final doesn't mean you are past final due date....TA's usually look for final a couple weeks in advance of the actual cruise line due date.

 

FYI, the actual final payment date that determines if you can get a price adjustment is 75 days prior to the sailing date for most cruises (60 days for sailings of 5 nights or less and 90 days for holiday cruises).

 

Sorry this is upsetting you but it happens from time to time, but sometimes the prices go up too. They very seldom stay exactly the same. The benefit of booking early (as opposed to waiting to see if price goes down) is cabin selection (like that nice aft C1), the ability to make advance plans such as airfare and vacation scheduling, and locking in a price to avoid a potential price increase as that does happen as well.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Lsimon

[dioxide45]

If the price went up, would you offer to pay more? It seems that cruises are like the airlines, though more flexible since airlines don't have final payment dates.

[bajathree]

FYI, the actual final payment date that determines if you can get a price adjustment is 75 days prior to the sailing date for most cruises (60 days for sailings of 5 nights or less and 90 days for holiday cruises).

 

Sorry this is upsetting you but it happens from time to time, but sometimes the prices go up too. They very seldom stay exactly the same. The benefit of booking early (as opposed to waiting to see if price goes down) is cabin selection (like that nice aft C1), the ability to make advance plans such as airfare and vacation scheduling, and locking in a price to avoid a potential price increase as that does happen as well.

 

You just told me nothing. I am very aware of the terms....but that didn't answer the question if the OP's sailing is beyond final due date.

[Lsimon]

You just told me nothing. I am very aware of the terms....but that didn't answer the question if the OP's sailing is beyond final due date.

I posted that so the OP would know how to find out his actual final payment date in case they didn't know or if someone else reading this thread didn't know. It was meant as an addition to what you said, not as a reply to you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

[Jetswdo]

With Celebrity if the price you get works for you at the time and you are picky (which I am) with cabin selection then don't waste your time looking at price drops especially within the 75 day limit. You will only get frustrated and yeah, feel riped-off! The same thing happened to me for Reflection sailing June 2013. Price dropped $200 per person 1 week after I booked and was told we could upgrade from Aqua to sky suite, which we did not want to do. Yes it did irritate me, but that is how Celebrity works. I was on the Royal Princess (which I did not care for that ship for a few reasons) but price dropped 4 times, made a quick phone call and immediately received the lower rate. But if Celebrity overall works for you then you need to put up with their policy. Because I am very picky with cabin selection, I went ahead for Celebrity Summit booking for June 2015, as there are only 3 aqua cabins that would work for me on that sailing. So before final payment, of course I will try to get lower rate if offered. But won't expect it and won't have sour grapes like I did the last time with the Reflection, since I know now what to expect.

[vegaslola]

thanks everyone for the information. It's not a deal breaker or a heart breaker, it's 73 days. I was unaware of the policy for after final payment with Celebrity or as others said I would not have even been looking. Thought I had read about others getting sbc in situations like this, maybe different cruise line or from days gone by. Happy cruising.

[Ma Bell]

thanks everyone for the information. It's not a deal breaker or a heart breaker, it's 73 days. I was unaware of the policy for after final payment with Celebrity or as others said I would not have even been looking. Thought I had read about others getting sbc in situations like this, maybe different cruise line or from days gone by. Happy cruising.

 

Yes, it is from days gone by. It stopped about two years ago.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

Same thing happened on my last 3 airline trips. Price went down after the tickets were purchased. You buy early and get the cabin you want and hope you got a good price or you wait and risk the price being higher and/or your cabin choice being not available. If you are flexible as to cabins/dates you can always find good deals but alas most people cannot travel without prior planning. Just saw a 7 day balcony cruise for $295 leaving in 1 week, think how the early bookers felt there.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[miataman19]

This is a common practice with pretty much all lines. My last 8 sailings I've booked an inside with every intention of upgrading to a higher cat cabin after final payment. Every single time the price for my intended cabin has dropped after final payment an avg. of $400. Play the game...lol

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Forums mobile app

[boogs]

It's a bit like buying a car and then finding out towards the end of the model year, the price is reduced to get rid of inventory. Celebrity wants to sail with a full ship so they offer remaining cabins (their inventory) at a lower price. Seems fair to me...

 

It is the same with virtually all retail products. When the model year or seasonal style is near it's end and excess inventory still exists, prices are lowered to liquidate this excess. Happens with food products in your grocery based on "best by" dates, with clothing at the end of the season, with electronics when a newer version is released, even with the remaining homes in a new housing development when the developer needs to move on. Not sure why people feel that purchasing a cruise is any different.

Edited September 18, 2014 by boogs

[cardcrafter]

So we made final payment last week for a celebrity cruise and today the price dropped $200 per person!! TA says I can pay some more, $260 pp, and go to a sky suite, or I can have A1 aqua class which they consider an upgrade. Well, we booked C1 specifically to have an aft balcony cabin which aqua doesn't offer plus aqua is actually less expensive than C1, and I don't want to pay extra for a sky suite which also isn't aft. I'm not too pleased now, I would prefer a shipboard credit. Any solutions or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Get your TA to ring celebrity. We did when it happened to us and they refunded the difference. (We hadn't made final payment not sure if that will make a difference,,,)

[fortinweb]

Sorry this is upsetting you but it happens from time to time, but sometimes the prices go up too. They very seldom stay exactly the same. The benefit of booking early (as opposed to waiting to see if price goes down) is cabin selection (like that nice aft C1), the ability to make advance plans such as airfare and vacation scheduling, and locking in a price to avoid a potential price increase as that does happen as well.

 

If the price went up, would you offer to pay more? It seems that cruises are like the airlines, though more flexible since airlines don't have final payment dates.

 

Many experienced cruisers will book early for selection and security against price increases, and then watch for prices drops and contact their TA or the cruise line and ask for the adjustment. I have never heard of such a request being refused.

 

I typically book 12 to 18 months in advance and then use a third party price monitoring service which for less than a dollar will monitor all stateroom categories for each cruise I want to monitor. I receive an email whenever a change occurs for those monitored categories.

 

On my previous three cruises prices dropped, saving me over $4,000 total for all three. But, the next cruise has seen prices go UP, with my category now almost $1,400 more PER PERSON. This cruise is still over two months until final payment, but has been sold out for months already. Any stateroom that becomes available due to a cancellation is much more expensive than our locked in price.

 

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Be thankful that when the prices go UP you aren't required to pay more than you already agreed to.

Edited September 18, 2014 by fortinweb

[EGG]

Get your TA to ring celebrity. We did when it happened to us and they refunded the difference. (We hadn't made final payment not sure if that will make a difference,,,)

 

Yes final payment makes a difference as many people have posted, as the above posters all wrote. It is frustrating to make a call just to be told no and it is also frustrating to the TA and cruise lines who have to have extra staff to field all the calls asking for a price reduction.

 

Hopefully this saves some frustration.

[jgreenwo17]

You scored an AFT balcony! Be happy.

[villauk]

If you decide to upgrade after final payment because of the rates falling, do you get to keep your PYP option tied to the booking or is it lost?

[lysolqn]

Until just a few years ago, Celebrity guaranteed price drops right up to sail date in the form of refunds up to final payment date and OBC after final payment date. As much as we enjoyed being the beneficiaries of X's generosity on many a cruise, X was literally giving away the store. Now the guarantee extends up to final payment date - IMHO, a policy that is fair to both the cruise line and pax, who always have the option to wait until after final payment date to book a cruise in the hopes of landing the deal of their dreams, assuming, of course, that great deal isn't negated by the ship being sold out, favored accommodations being unavailable and/or having to pay higher airfare or having to make six connections to get to the port as a result of booking air closer to sail date.

[wallie5446]

So we made final payment last week for a celebrity cruise and today the price dropped $200 per person!! TA says I can pay some more, $260 pp, and go to a sky suite, or I can have A1 aqua class which they consider an upgrade. Well, we booked C1 specifically to have an aft balcony cabin which aqua doesn't offer plus aqua is actually less expensive than C1, and I don't want to pay extra for a sky suite which also isn't aft. I'm not too pleased now, I would prefer a shipboard credit. Any solutions or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

What and how would your responce be if there was an increase and they called and asked for more money?

 

Our next cruise has risen over $900 per person since final!:eek: