"Free Perks" are not free

[Mynki]

Our TA currently has a deal on a 10 day non Celebrity ship. The suite price is $1035 per person.

 

'Free' perks include :-

 

Book select categories by July 31 and receive a FREE $240 per cabin onboard credit plus ALL of the following offers:

1. A beverage package for two, which includes select alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages onboard (service charges not included)

2. A dining package for two, which includes 4 meals at select specialty restaurants onboard (service charges not included)

3. 250 minutes of Internet access

4. A $50 per cabin shore excursion credit per port (Starting ports not included)

5. Pay only taxes and fees for 3rd and 4th passengers sharing the same cabin with two adults paying full cruisefare.

 

There are 6 ports on this itinerary.

 

Balcony and OV prices are both $812 per person but only include $50 OBC on each category. Add the total cost of those perks bought individually, including the very expensive beverage package and it would come to more than the cost of the suite.

 

Free or not free, I wouldn't really care tbh. But I'm sure the cost to this particular line will be more than the difference between the suite fare and that of an OV or balcony room.

[pixey]

Competition and price war is HIGH in cruising.Hopefully uou get the price you so desire.

[Mythbuster]

You are correct that is the price for a Celebrity Suite no matter which option you pick. So I am thinking on that particular cruise you cannot book a suite without getting all four perks.

 

It's not just that cruise, I tried 6 different dates and itineraries with the same result. By the way, the prices increased about 20-25% for all cruise dates on the Summit after the February renovations. I am not surprised to see the prices you saw. As much as we love the Summit those prices are just too high. We also like leaving from NJ since there is not flight involved for us so we will switch to the Adventure of the Seas for awhile at about half the rates.

[pixey]

After renovations no matter WHERE, there are increases!!!.Going to another line s good option. Maybe more flexibility on type of room. Suites are nice but we have had them with finer dining and no big shakes.Sleep in the room, maybe beverage on balcony, but not confined to room.You need to get what fits your style. We do not do interior becauuse I am claustrophobic.BEST WISHES n getting your dream room!!!

[cjmayes51]

Maybe free, last March we took a 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Equinox. We sat at a table for 10 and it turned out we were all in A1 or A2 balcony cabins on different decks. What was interesting was the wife and I were the only couple that booked with a travel agent, the other four couples had gone direct. We had the perk of free classic drinks, which we upgraded to premium, 1 couple had free internet and the other three had not gotten a single ‘ perk’ direct from Celebrity. We all had paid different prices with us being the high by $ 178 per couple compared to the next highest and about $ 310 from the low. This is all based on us telling the truth so I take that with a grain of salt, but a classic drink package for 2 people or 14 days was about free to us. We are going again on another 14 day in December on Reflection, I booked 18 months go and have checked pricing frequently, pricing changes by a few hundred dollars almost monthly, so it may be hard to really tell if these perks are ever free. But I have seen different travel agents this year offer a A1 balcony with 1, 2 & 3 perks at different times. Charlie

[pixey]

great reply CJ! Cruise prices can change daily sometime.The room price changes NOT the perk.With price changes often perk promotion also change.They are still FREE

[MCazer]

Our TA currently has a deal on a 10 day non Celebrity ship. The suite price is $1035 per person.

 

'Free' perks include :-

 

Book select categories by July 31 and receive a FREE $240 per cabin onboard credit plus ALL of the following offers:

1. A beverage package for two, which includes select alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages onboard (service charges not included)

2. A dining package for two, which includes 4 meals at select specialty restaurants onboard (service charges not included)

3. 250 minutes of Internet access

4. A $50 per cabin shore excursion credit per port (Starting ports not included)

5. Pay only taxes and fees for 3rd and 4th passengers sharing the same cabin with two adults paying full cruisefare.

 

There are 6 ports on this itinerary.

 

Balcony and OV prices are both $812 per person but only include $50 OBC on each category. Add the total cost of those perks bought individually, including the very expensive beverage package and it would come to more than the cost of the suite.

 

Free or not free, I wouldn't really care tbh. But I'm sure the cost to this particular line will be more than the difference between the suite fare and that of an OV or balcony room.

 

What ships and sailing dates?

[varoo]

For suites I've gotten resident discounts and senior discounts without the perks. Actually in these cases I believe the discount IS the price of the perks.

 

That is often the case.

We see this time after time when checking out different categories of discounted prices for which we qualify.

Looking at the discounted price without any perks, and then adding the perks that are of interest to us, we find it very interesting to see that the price of the exact same perk will vary from one discount category to another.

 

For example, if the senior discount price for a stateroom is lower than the military discount price, then the exact same perk will cost more to add with the senior discount than with the military discount.

 

Someone would have to be quite naive to believe that the perks we receive from the cruise line are really free.

[pixey]

A 'perk' is FREE,They are PROMOTIONAL.Choosing a cruise without is one thing and depending on BOOKING agency via web or personal TA vary greatly.EX! A cruise we took to Carribean awhile back gave us 3 free perks when booking which was embarking OFF season. The SAME cruise and same ports BUT different frame which considered PRIME season had NO perks and 800 more.There is a rhyme or reason for everything.We live in FL so we always see massive fluctuations!

 

Varoo you don't add perks they accompany the discount.Seniors may get more than military and vice versa.You dont pay for them!

[villauk]

 

Someone would have to be quite naive to believe that the perks we receive from the cruise line are really free.

 

I concur. I find it quite amusing that people don’t understand that X have already incorporated the cost, to them, of those ‘free’ perks before they release any pricing :rolleyes:. Everyone has already paid for them in the total expenditure before they put any mark-up on each sailing. X know how much it costs them per head - that’s what the money-crunchers are for. Do some people really think that even when you get a lower rate such as military, OAP etc. that X is still not making a profit on those prices too? Believe it or not, folks, that’s exactly what they are in business for :rolleyes:.

[varoo]

........Varoo you don't add perks they accompany the discount.Seniors may get more than military and vice versa.You dont pay for them!

 

Have you actually booked cruises from Celebrity using senior and military discounts?

 

It is hard to believe that anyone who has really done so would make such a statement, (unless you are just trying to pull someone's leg).

It is certainly easy enough for those of us who book cruises from Celebrity at senior or military discount prices (or for that matter, at other eligible discount price categories), to find out how much extra we need to pay if we want to add perks to the booking.

 

It is also certainly easy enough for someone who wants to believe that the perks are free to go right on believing that.

[JBare]

To me, free means included in the price, or no extra charge when on board. The idea that X would give away millions of $ worth of drinks without someone paying .... well keep believing if it makes you happy.

[TeeRick]

To me, free means included in the price, or no extra charge when on board. The idea that X would give away millions of $ worth of drinks without someone paying .... well keep believing if it makes you happy.

 

Yes agree that this is the best way to define this. Instead of "free" substitute the word "included". Included Perks are not Free Perks!

[Mynki]

What ships and sailing dates?

 

Norwegian Epic 05/12/2018

[pixey]

To Tee Rick. you capsulized exactly what this whole thread has been debating. The word included is great. I still think some people I using the word perk by saying things they had to add on. Add-on is not a perk add-on is something that you add on. Promotional offers are those things that are included thanks tirek

[fleckle]

The semantics really make no difference, whether using the terms "free" or "included", "perks" or "gifts."

 

The passengers are the ones who pay for them, regardless of what anyone chooses to call them.

Those perks, or gifts, are not free.

Holland America always gives us "gifts" that we don't want.

Their "gifts" are included in the price of the cruise, just as Celebrity's "perks" are included in the price, whether or not we want them.

(It especially bugs me when Celebrity initially offers suites with "Go Best" and no other option.)

But as the sailing date gets closer, Celebrity frequently does offer lower pricing without perks to limited passenger categories.

 

By doing it this way they don't need to lower the prices advertised to the general public, and they don't need to give price drops to most of the passengers who are already booked at the higher prices, paying for perks they may or may not really want.

Edited July 27, 2018 by fleckle

[pixey]

My friend is a PA and sometime they can go in and get better rates depending on the number of people they can get for any cruising! The promotion may be offered by the cruise line along with something the TA Ed on and onboard ship credit. When you buy a car you can get the basic car of the basic price but you have to buy the extra special add-ons you want. They might been give you a better price for cash or a you pay off your Finance before the period that you agreed on. We have always gotten extremely Fair bargain with celebrity which only 2 3 or 4 perks. We generally sit with 8 people at the table or maybe 10 and we buy far get the lowest rates. I am not allowed to mention DTA agency with whom we deal but I can say it rhymes with people who work the ship spelled differently and the opposite of pro is. Been very lucky with them we are very happy and I also signed up Ernie and myself for the meet and greet

[jimzgoldfinch]

By doing it this way they don't need to lower the prices advertised to the general public, and they don't need to give price drops to most of the passengers who are already booked at the higher prices, paying for perks they may or may not really want.

 

Agreed. In U.K. we don’t get go best or go better deal. The current deal is “free” classic drinks package and unlimited wi-fi. The only time you have an idea of the cost to include those “free” perks is when Guarantee cabins without perks are being offered.

[pixey]

Freckle

You would turn down free gratuities for the length of the cruise? That is one you don't have a choice you use them everyday and you are charged per person per day. If you are given a drink package the drink package even if it's just the regular includes juice soda water and regular coffee I assume you have liquid during the day correct?

[JBare]

Freckle

You would turn down free gratuities for the length of the cruise? That is one you don't have a choice you use them everyday and you are charged per person per day. If you are given a drink package the drink package even if it's just the regular includes juice soda water and regular coffee I assume you have liquid during the day correct?

Pixey, I'm not sure how you make some of your assumptions. Fleckle stated whether or not you want them, he didn't say he didn't and you've picked two which no one would turn down but in any event are still "included" ie you are paying for them. Currently there is an offer (at least in the UK) for free internet access, whether or not you want it but as an Elite Plus member who gets 480 minutes (with partners) anyway, to me that is no offer at all. That is a better example of a so called perk that means nothing to me at all.

[pixey]

I believe the issue might be that some of the people posting RNA sweet category Elite category or on the category above that where these things are already built in automatically for the category so the perks they get mean absolutely nothing to them. Just like you mention you are part of an elite status or whatever status you are and you get 480 minutes so getting more minutes really wouldn't make really beans of a difference. It doesn't matter either way to me all I know is what we got with an ocean view and we've been in a sweet we've had balconies I'm perfectly happy. I use a Rollator so I have a handicap room and I may have a scooter so who cares. All I'm saying is it's going to work out

[whitshel]

It's not just that cruise, I tried 6 different dates and itineraries with the same result. By the way, the prices increased about 20-25% for all cruise dates on the Summit after the February renovations. I am not surprised to see the prices you saw. As much as we love the Summit those prices are just too high. We also like leaving from NJ since there is not flight involved for us so we will switch to the Adventure of the Seas for awhile at about half the rates.

 

I think the only way to find a Celebrity price without the perks is booking within a group. Some groups do include the perks but many do not.

 

Celebrity really has their pricing down, far out you must book with the perk(s) but like others have said once the sailing gets close they open them up to seniors, residents etc as well as exciting deals and opaque rates which I think you have to call to get those.

[pixey]

Many groups book. Ernie and I go independently and booked this a month ago.We just upgraded to balcony deck 6 for a few dollars more as a handicap became available, Again we got as promotion 2 classic drink packages, ALL paid gratuities and a $250.00 shipboard credit and this was for OV only. Upgrade adds nothing.This is our 25th cruise.Love and use the perks from which we can select!

[pixey]

Our price was LOWER than Celebrity Direct with 3 promotions which we do use. Who would refuse PAID GRATUITIES UNLESS you were in an elte status and the status already had that in description!

[youwash]

In the case of the cruise I am pricing the FREE perk that is advertised would actually be free in my way of thinking. I have done two bookings one with the “ FREE” included PERK and without. When booking -the perk automatically comes up but at the very bottom you can click “no thanks” and get the booking without. The price comes up exactly the same.

 

So, yes they may raise every cruise, every cabin to make up for that perk but if I take it it’s not costing me anymore

 

 

 

 

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