We have perk questions on Equinox before we book

[MaryTiller]

We are finalizing our booking onboard Equinox but because of the hurricane, I can't speak with my cruise sales person. we have been offered 2 of 4 perks.  The easy one is $300.00 on board ship credit. 

Here are our questions on the other three choices:

If we take the Classic drink package as one of our two perks, may we upgrade it for $$ to premium?

What does a 7 day internet package with the fastest service cost?

What are the daily gratuities for Veranda stateroom?

T

[CharlieCharlieCharlie]

You would likely find exact answers on the celebrity website or just do an internet search for celebrity perks prices. I’ve even seen some great write ups showing price value comparisons here on cruise critic. That way you can decide which you’d use most. Here are some things I’ve found. I do know you are able to upgrade your classic package and will have many offers to do so when you are onboard. If it seems you will use it, ask your favorite waiter or bartender to upgrade that for you. You can find the price on the celebrity website and I believe you can sometimes get a discount price. 

I believe the gratuities are $14.50 US per day per person for a standard veranda stateroom - I think it is adjustable onboard to the amount you see fit. Many give more, some give less, it’s your choice. We always add more by giving cash directly to the cabin steward, waiter, etc. when we have great service.

Also, I think you can get a small discount on an internet package if you book before you sail.

 

C

Edited September 1, 2019 by CharlieCharlieCharlie
Correction

[oneputt18]

8 hours ago, MaryTiller said:

 

Here are our questions on the other three choices:

If we take the Classic drink package as one of our two perks, may we upgrade it for $$ to premium?

What does a 7 day internet package with the fastest service cost?

What are the daily gratuities for Veranda stateroom?

T

Upgrade to premium is $10 per day plus 20% gratuity+ $12

7 day internet package is @ $200 

Daily gratuities for a veranda are $14.50 per person

[helen haywood]

Also if you wish to upgrade to the Premium Package one of you can do so....it is not required that both buy it.  Sometimes it makes sense to wait until you are onboard and see if you really need/want to upgrade.  You can always do so up to the last three days prorated.

 

And you are correct that for a 7 night cruise the OBC makes sense....on a longer cruise sometimes the pre-paid gratuities makes better sense.  Unless you absolutely need the internet some people manage fine on vacation by only connecting when in port and off the ship.  Lots of places have free wi-fi or free if you are eating or drinking somewhere.  Ask a crew member; they know where free internet is in port.

[calicakes]

Which sailing? 

 

When we booked our Equinox room, we got 4 perks.  Unlimited internet, classic bev package, pre-paid grats and 300 OBC. 

[billslowsky]

You can count the dollars on this.  We took the drink package and the gratuities.  Trying to stay off the internet except maybe to check in when we get to ports, we can generally get a drink for a few bucks if wi-fi isn't free there.

 

Gratuity per person on a 7 night cruise is about $100 which you will have to pay if you don't select it.  Up to you which is worth more - the $150 OBC or the drink package.  If I value the drink package at $150, that's $22 per day and i'll take it over the OBC.  If you don't, then go for the OBC. 

 

If you are going to use the OBC, take it over the gratuity.

 

Not wanting the internet, I didn't consider paying for all 4.  Just count the dollars.

[Oxo]

On 9/1/2019 at 11:18 AM, calicakes said:

Which sailing? 

 

When we booked our Equinox room, we got 4 perks.  Unlimited internet, classic bev package, pre-paid grats and 300 OBC. 

The additional cost from the Basic cabin price,  too the 2 perk upgrade, or to the four perk upgrade:

is the price the same on all ships? 

Or does it vary based on ship and cruise? 

Mine worked out to almost $1,000 USD to get 4 perks.

Had a real math problem to go from Basic, to 2 or 4 perks.

 

 

[calicakes]

I always wait for a "sale".  We booked last year for The Sept 13th Equinox cruise.  We paid 300.00 for the 4 perks. 

[Oxo]

26 minutes ago, calicakes said:

I always wait for a "sale".  We booked last year for The Sept 13th Equinox cruise.  We paid 300.00 for the 4 perks. 

Glad to hear someone got a deal. Those are fast and few between. 

Enjoy! 

[calicakes]

4 hours ago, Oxo said:

Glad to hear someone got a deal. Those are fast and few between. 

Enjoy! 

Do you book thru X or the travel agent?  We use a travel agent.  They get group rates.  We got all 4 perks on a sailing next year.  No extra $$ either.  I started a thread " Do you book without perks" last week. Check out my posts there for details on the deal we got. 

[hiccups]

On 9/1/2019 at 12:08 AM, MaryTiller said:

We are finalizing our booking onboard Equinox but because of the hurricane, I can't speak with my cruise sales person. we have been offered 2 of 4 perks.  The easy one is $300.00 on board ship credit. 

Here are our questions on the other three choices:

If we take the Classic drink package as one of our two perks, may we upgrade it for $$ to premium?

What does a 7 day internet package with the fastest service cost?

What are the daily gratuities for Veranda stateroom?

 

 
For our upcoming Summit 7 night cruise, unlimited internet for two devices, which is what the perk is, is $358 if you book before boarding (10% discount).  One device is $239.

The $300 OBC is good because you can use it to pay for your gratuities and have $97 left.  That would cover upgrading one of your drink packages to premium.

[Oxo]

38 minutes ago, calicakes said:

Do you book thru X or the travel agent?  We use a travel agent.  They get group rates.  We got all 4 perks on a sailing next year.  No extra $$ either.  I started a thread " Do you book without perks" last week. Check out my posts there for details on the deal we got. 

Book through a major TA. I also check 4 other agencies to see what they can do, too. All the same. Will check out your posts. Thanks!!!!

[Oxo]

25 minutes ago, Oxo said:

Book through a major TA. I also check 4 other agencies to see what they can do, too. All the same. Will check out your posts. Thanks!!!!

Just tried a booking to see the perks and extra cost. I used an Inside Cabin on the Edge Feb 23, 2020. The price per passenger for Inside Cabin (Does not include Taxes:)

1. Without perks  $899

2. With 2 perks: $1235  + $336

3. With 4 perks: $1354  + $455

This price was what I found after researching 3 TAs within the past 10 minutes.

I did not check out other categories. Just used this as an example. 

If you purchase Trip Insurance that will also increase or should because of cost increase. I have even found that cabin location could increase this difference, too. 

Edited September 2, 2019 by Oxo

[billslowsky]

1 hour ago, hiccups said:

 
For our upcoming Summit 7 night cruise, unlimited internet for two devices, which is what the perk is, is $358 if you book before boarding (10% discount).  One device is $239.

The $300 OBC is good because you can use it to pay for your gratuities and have $97 left.  That would cover upgrading one of your drink packages to premium.

I was told that the OBC is to be used after you set sail.  When you go to pay, the OBC isn't available to you to cover the gratuity and gets added to the invoice which must be paid.  Interested if you have had a different result.

Edited September 2, 2019 by billslowsky

[MamaFej]

2 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

I was told that the OBC is to be used after you set sail.  When you go to pay, the OBC isn't available to you to cover the gratuity and gets added to the invoice which must be paid.  Interested if you have had a different result.

Whoever told you this was utterly misinformed.

You can use your OBC ahead of time in your Cruise Planner. Log on and you'll see the things you can purchase with it (tours, excursions, specialty dining, packages, etc.). You can also use it to cover gratuities onboard. 

[hiccups]

5 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

I was told that the OBC is to be used after you set sail.  When you go to pay, the OBC isn't available to you to cover the gratuity and gets added to the invoice which must be paid.  Interested if you have had a different result.

The OBC is in your account as soon as you make the booking--you can use it before you sail.  You can also use it for gratuities.  The information you received is incorrect.

[calicakes]

20 minutes ago, hiccups said:

The OBC is in your account as soon as you make the booking--you can use it before you sail.  You can also use it for gratuities.  The information you received is incorrect.

Last summer we cruised with friends on NCL( Never again).  I was NOT allowed to use the OBC until we were on board.  When I inquired why, I was told "ON BOARD" credit.  You have to wait until you're ON Board.  

[Oxo]

8 minutes ago, calicakes said:

Last summer we cruised with friends on NCL( Never again).  I was NOT allowed to use the OBC until we were on board.  When I inquired why, I was told "ON BOARD" credit.  You have to wait until you're ON Board.  

Cruise NCL and even so, you can use OBC to pay gratuities when they pay your account the last night of the cruise. Why the big deal that you cannot use OBC until your on-board? Most cruise lines were that way before. 

[billslowsky]

19 hours ago, MamaFej said:

Whoever told you this was utterly misinformed.

You can use your OBC ahead of time in your Cruise Planner. Log on and you'll see the things you can purchase with it (tours, excursions, specialty dining, packages, etc.). You can also use it to cover gratuities onboard. 

Thank you (both) for the information.  I discussed with Celebrity and changed my perks!

[billslowsky]

19 hours ago, calicakes said:

Last summer we cruised with friends on NCL( Never again).  I was NOT allowed to use the OBC until we were on board.  When I inquired why, I was told "ON BOARD" credit.  You have to wait until you're ON Board.  

Yeah, that was exactly the message I got - couldn't get a discounted drink package ahead of time - but Celebrity has different rules.

[calicakes]

Just received an email today from X about a sale. 

[debbie2000]

On 9/2/2019 at 7:49 PM, billslowsky said:

I was told that the OBC is to be used after you set sail.  When you go to pay, the OBC isn't available to you to cover the gratuity and gets added to the invoice which must be paid.  Interested if you have had a different result.

Nope, we used our OBC to book shore excursions in advance.  Also had a special that gave us 20% off shore excursions, when we booked them. 

We too booked our cruise when all 4 perks were included. Just recently our travel agency moved us into a group, so we got a bit more OBC. Not bad!