Go Best vs $25 Deposit

[timf2001]

I managed to reserve a 7 day Norwegian Fjords cruise on Celebrity Apex last night with a $50 deposit, but it only offered me a $300 OBC and did not allow me to select any other perks.  This is my first time on Celebrity, but on Royal Caribbean I usually buy the drinks & internet package so I likely would have selected Go Best had it been offered.  Today, the deposit has gone up to $500 but now it is giving the option to Go Best for a total of $420 more than I am currently paying just for the OBC and prepaid tips.

 

I'm trying to figure out if the savings from Go Best are worth paying $450 more now.  This far out it's maybe 50/50 whether I actually take the cruise, so it's nice having a minimal financial commitment at this time.  Does Celebrity require all adults in a cabin to buy the same drink package, or can I buy it just for one?  Roughly how much would I expect to pay for drinks & internet on the Cruise Planner?  So far nothing is showing up for this sailing.

[cruisestitch]

Pre-cruise all adults must buy the same drink package.

Once you are on board, one can buy the package, the other not, knowing that there is no sharing of the packages allowed.

I don't think anyone can tell you what your bar bill might be 

[jelayne]

If you are buying the drink package everyone in the cabin does NOT need to purchase a package but only the person who purchase it can get drinks- no sharing. If you are selecting the beverage package as a booking perk then both people in the cabin must. have the same perk.

 

The Celebrity site seems to pre-select a perk when you book with go Big (1 perk).  It can be changed while booking but you must remove the pre-selected perk and then add the one you want. If you have already booked an ended up with a perk you don’t want I would suggest you call X or your TA and request to change the perk to the beverage package.  If that doesn’t work you can cancel (if booked with X) and rebook- but call to book don’t book on-line that way you can get exactly what you want.

 

Prices for beverages are in the range of :

specially coffees & teas -$5, fresh squeezed juice $4, bottled water $3, glass of wine $7 to a lot, cocktail with decent liquor $8-9,  beer $5 and up. Add 18% gratuity to each.   The Classic beverage package which is what is offered as a booking perk covers most speciality coffee/teas, bottled water (still not sparkling) wine and cocktails up to $9 and fresh squeezed juice , and beers up to $6 plus the 18% gratuity is covered.

Hope this helps, run the numbers and depending upon how much you would use the beverage package it may be a better option but if you don’t drink alcohol, are fine with the included juices, coffee, teas and water from the tap then the OBC could be a better choice.

[TickledBlue]

I also took advantage of the $25pp deposit on 2 different cruises.   On one of the bookings, the website allowed me to pick the perk and the other it just auto-selected the $300 OBC without giving me a choice.  It just so happened that I wanted that perk anyway.

 

Even though right now you only have $50 invested, you are going to end up paying for the entire cruise anyway (presuming you actually go).   If you re-book with the Go Best promotion and now have $500 invested, you'll get 100% of that back if you decide to cancel before the final payment date.

 

The cost of the Go Best promotion varies from sailing-to-sailing and if you really want all of those perks, it may be worth it.   Be sure to compare it with Go Big and Go Better costs.

Edited November 28, 2018 by TickledBlue

[timf2001]

As it turns out, I didn't have to decide between the two.  I was able to call up and add Go Best without paying any additional deposit.

[digital_curator]

11 minutes ago, timf2001 said:

As it turns out, I didn't have to decide between the two.  I was able to call up and add Go Best without paying any additional deposit.

 

You made a good choice. The premium drink package is $69/pp/night  ($966) for your cruise, tips will be $14.50 pp/night ($203) or more if you are in a room above a regular balcony class, and internet will probably be $150 or more for one device (and you will get it for two). Now you don't have to worry about any outstanding costs and have $300 to spend at the spa, casino, or on shore excursions! 

[DrKoob]

This sale was the perfect time to use a TA. Costs you nothing and they can find out the answer to all your questions, get you the best deal and even go back and fix problems. Start today to find a good TA. Stop by some local agencies and talk travel. Find someone who knows cruising and that you can trust. Then work closely with them to get what you want. The cruise industry is a crazy business. The airlines are difficult but there so many variables in a cruise, find someone to help. It's free. Why not do it?

 

Jim

[NantahalaCruiser]

6 hours ago, timf2001 said:

As it turns out, I didn't have to decide between the two.  I was able to call up and add Go Best without paying any additional deposit.

Your original post mentioned prepaid tips - so I assume that your initial reservation included the cost of prepaid tips.

 

With Go Best, the tips are now included - so the cost of prepaid tips should have been removed from your reservation. Probably were, but I would check with Celebrity to make sure they were removed.

[timf2001]

12 hours ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

Your original post mentioned prepaid tips - so I assume that your initial reservation included the cost of prepaid tips.

 

With Go Best, the tips are now included - so the cost of prepaid tips should have been removed from your reservation. Probably were, but I would check with Celebrity to make sure they were removed.

 

Yes, all the math adds up correctly.  I had originally checked the box to prepay tips, so my math was based on the difference between having paid the $210 and having them "included" with Go Best.

[kkmiausa]

Always if possible use a TA. You don't have to go visit them, 

the best choices are available on the site with compete instead of critic like this site and put in what cruise you want and wait for offers. Your identity is protected so you don't get crazy marketing calls.

[Jim_Iain]

On 11/27/2018 at 6:39 PM, cruisestitch said:

Pre-cruise all adults must buy the same drink package.

Once you are on board, one can buy the package, the other not, knowing that there is no sharing of the packages allowed.

I don't think anyone can tell you what your bar bill might be 

With all due respect,  I would have to disagree with the statement that you have to buy the same drink package.   I don't drink so never buy a package and have been able to purchases a single package for my spouse.      I just tried doing it in Cruise Planner and you are given the opportunity to select the guest to buy the package for and doesn't require them to both purchase. 

 

I also just tired purchasing a Classic and a Premium and had no problem doing so.

 

[DrKoob]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

With all due respect,  I would have to disagree with the statement that you have to buy the same drink package.   I don't drink so never buy a package and have been able to purchases a single package for my spouse.      I just tried doing it in Cruise Planner and you are given the opportunity to select the guest to buy the package for and doesn't require them to both purchase. 

 

I also just tired purchasing a Classic and a Premium and had no problem doing so.

 

 

I think what cruisestitch was trying to say was that if you purchase your cruise with a Go Better or Go Best offer that includes an alcohol package then you have to do that for everyone in the stateroom. For instance, I can't choose Go Better for the cabin I have with my wife and I choose free gratuities and a classic beverage package as my two and she choose internet and OBC as hers. That can't be done.