All inclusive

[goofysmom99]

I was able to book a CO suite on Azamara (RS equivalent), for same price as a CS on X.  I'm thinking good thoughts for the vaccine to make it possible in a year.

[wrk2cruise]

3 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

Something I can add here is, there are many 'things' that are included in the passenger fare which I do not use and I have yet to complain about being charged for something which I did not avail myself of.

 

Our sailing, currently scheduled for October 2021 is essentially (within 5%) the same price I paid originally without any inclusions, now I have four (4).

 

Will I use them all? To one degree or another yes...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

Then I can understand why you are not frustrated.  My situation is a bit different.  The difference between my booked price and current pricing.   Granted some of these were L&S from this year and early 2021.

 

Ship	Nights	Date	Sub Category	Increase
Sillouette	14	12-Jun-21	1A	136%
Equinox	12	5-Sep-21	C2	172%
Equinox	9	17-Sep-21	C2	221%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	S1	231%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	C1	157%
Constellation	10	14-Jan-22	C1	148%
Reflection	7	19-Mar-22	S1	241%
Constellation	11	28-Mar-22	C1	189%
Constellation	10	8-Apr-22	C1	213%
		Avg Increase		190%

 

[Bo1953]

4 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

Then I can understand why you are not frustrated.  My situation is a bit different.  The difference between my booked price and current pricing.   Granted some of these were L&S from this year and early 2021.

 

Ship	Nights	Date	Sub Category	Increase
Sillouette	14	12-Jun-21	1A	136%
Equinox	12	5-Sep-21	C2	172%
Equinox	9	17-Sep-21	C2	221%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	S1	231%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	C1	157%
Constellation	10	14-Jan-22	C1	148%
Reflection	7	19-Mar-22	S1	241%
Constellation	11	28-Mar-22	C1	189%
Constellation	10	8-Apr-22	C1	213%
		Avg Increase		190%

 

YIKES!!!!

 

I can understand how you might be frustrated, without question.

 

My next question would be, have you tried working with your TA or X to figure out a happy medium or resolution to this, if one in fact exists?

 

bon voyage

[TeaBag]

1 hour ago, wrk2cruise said:

Then I can understand why you are not frustrated.  My situation is a bit different.  The difference between my booked price and current pricing.   Granted some of these were L&S from this year and early 2021.

 

Ship	Nights	Date	Sub Category	Increase
Sillouette	14	12-Jun-21	1A	136%
Equinox	12	5-Sep-21	C2	172%
Equinox	9	17-Sep-21	C2	221%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	S1	231%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	C1	157%
Constellation	10	14-Jan-22	C1	148%
Reflection	7	19-Mar-22	S1	241%
Constellation	11	28-Mar-22	C1	189%
Constellation	10	8-Apr-22	C1	213%
		Avg Increase		190%

 

wow just wow!

[wrk2cruise]

To be clear the "increase" quoted above was not really % increase.   It was the percentage of the new price to the old.    If my original cruise was $1000 the average new price is $1900.     The 12 night Equinox is the only group rate involved.  The real gross ones were things I had snagged a good deal on for this season and happily were able to L&S to 2022.   But even things like the Jan 2022 C1 cabins were booked in Dec 2019 and are now 1/2 again higher than the original booking.

 

In addition most of these were booked with 2 perks Tips and OBC as at time of booking I took into account Loyalty premium drink package and Wifi.

 

So the overall value to me is deflated even more as under the new AI pricing I wouldn't get the $300 OBC.

 

Hopefully I will be able to sail some of these reservations as they represent a value I'm comfortable with.   Hopefully I will be able to find fares in the next year to year and a half where I will still find suitable value for the product.

 

[ABoatNerd]

On 11/22/2020 at 11:10 AM, ChucktownSteve said:

But now aren't all their school loans going to be forgiven and upper education will be free?

 

Love it. Well that may be, may be, in the future, but living is expensive and especially with children.

Just like X designed their new ships to appeal to the younger set - was not exactly a success.

And time will tell all things about their continued fixation of the younger set.

 

In the end X and any business can make any decision or course correction they want - the point of capitalism and competition is to have many consumer choices. When consumer choices are restricted is when I get real involved.

 

For now, X is not being considered. The old X of earlier than 2015, yes.

[verizon]

21 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

Then I can understand why you are not frustrated.  My situation is a bit different.  The difference between my booked price and current pricing.   Granted some of these were L&S from this year and early 2021.

 

Ship	Nights	Date	Sub Category	Increase
Sillouette	14	12-Jun-21	1A	136%
Equinox	12	5-Sep-21	C2	172%
Equinox	9	17-Sep-21	C2	221%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	S1	231%
Constellation	11	3-Jan-22	C1	157%
Constellation	10	14-Jan-22	C1	148%
Reflection	7	19-Mar-22	S1	241%
Constellation	11	28-Mar-22	C1	189%
Constellation	10	8-Apr-22	C1	213%
		Avg Increase		190%

 

Only GEN-X could will pay for these pricing I guess.

[LGW59]

On 11/17/2020 at 4:21 PM, jg51 said:

.

Please excuse our anger, but ...

 

Why in the world is the title of this thread, "All Inclusive"?

Why are there some other threads, on this board/forum, that have "All Inclusive" in their titles?

 

Celebrity has NOT started anything named "All Inclusive."  Have we forgotten (or never learned) the meaning of the word, "all"?  That word means EVERYTHING, so every formerly optional item would have to be included in the new cruise fare for it to be "All-Inclusive."  Will every formerly optional item be included in the future?  HECK, NO!!!  Almost nothing that was formerly optional will be included -- not Spa/Salon services, not Specialty Restaurants, not Excursions, not Laundry, not "Premium" beverages, not Photographs, not [etc., etc., etc.] !!!

 

In fact, only TWO genuine things that were formerly optional will be included (the lower level of Internet service ... and ... the lower level of beverage package).  That is why Celebrity is just using the term "ALWAYS Included" -- not "ALL-INCLUSIVE" !!!

 

Someone may object by saying that there is a third item now included in the cruise fare -- namely, something that Celebrity now labels, "Tips" (formerly known widely as "Gratuities").  At least four comments must be made about this:

 

(1) For most people in the past, this was NOT a "formerly optional" expense that they sometimes or often bypassed (as if it were something like a spa charge)!  It was automatically added to a passenger's account, each day, without being explicitly requested by the passenger!  Only a very small percentage of passengers went to "Guest Relations" and had the daily "Gratuities" removed.  A smaller number of guests tried to decrease the amount of Gratuities (because the service they received was not good enough), but they were told, "Sorry, pal, it's all or nothing!"

 

(2)  Now, by lumping the inaccurately labeled item ("Tips") into the pre-paid cruise fare, Celebrity is REFUSING to allow guests to remove the amount (as they could in the past) once they are aboard the ship.  

 

(3)  In the English language, the words, "tip" and "gratuity," refer to something that is given by a consumer AFTER a service is rendered (not before) AND in accordance with the consumer's FREE-WILL desire to REWARD a job well done.  If a charge is FORCED upon a consumer/guest in advance -- and is therefore not a free-will act, and cannot be reduced (or "backed out" fully) -- then that charge is NOT a "tip" or "gratuity"!!!   The very word, "gratuity," comes from the Latin word, "gratis," which means "free" (as in "free-will").  

 

(4)  Therefore, there will be NO genuine "tips/gratuities," in the future, except whatever a guest may give in cash (in person) to crew members.  And so, what is now being forced on guests, in advance, is the pre-payment of a SERVICE CHARGE.  This is NOT a "perk" nor an "optional expense," but just a phony way to increase the cruise fare itself.  Let us not be naive about this!  The "X" corps are lying to us, expecting us to fall for it like a bunch of "suckers"!

 

Celebrity has messed up this whole "Always Included" thing big-time, and it must make a "course correction" [no pun intended] as soon as possible.  Otherwise, MANY people (including "guess who" and other formerly loyal Elite-plus and Elite folks -- who are the most cheated of all, because of the inclusion of the beverage package) will abandon them.

 

Stepping down off soapbox (with partial apologies to the OP, who had to feel a bit too much of our wrath).

.

Call me crazy, but I am kind of guessing you won't be sailing with Celebrity again?  

[Bo1953]

19 hours ago, verizon said:

Only GEN-X could will pay for these pricing I guess.

As a boomer, if it is an itinerary or sailing we want, I would pay for it, quite possibly.

 

I would not have a historical perspective of the sailings pricing history, as such, would need to evaluate if the sailing(s) are of value to us. Then watch pricing as time progresses.

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

On 11/20/2020 at 8:53 AM, basenji56 said:

For fun, check out some equivalent itineraries on Celebrity and Royal.  The price difference will astound you.  If you are Elite and above and if you don't drink or need a Wifi package, you may find that Royal is a better value.

I can agree that in terms of $$$'s Royal may be a better value, yet IME, the Royal experience is not of value to us.

 

$ value vs Experience value, that is where one needs to make the choice... just like stepping up in line ratings vs $ value vs experience.

 

I cannot fault anyone on the value(s) used to make their cruising decisions and do appreciate them though, even if not for me.

 

bon voyage

[Pinboy]

On 11/22/2020 at 12:24 PM, Bo1953 said:

there are many 'things' that are included in the passenger fare which I do not use and I have yet to complain about being charged for something which I did not avail myself of.

(  Disclaimer---- This post is for a little humor  )

LOL--- I like that !  Now, you reminded me .

I am guilty of complaining ( ?? ) about the AI pricing which includes  " Drink till you're sick and check your emails every hour " , both of which we don't use. 

Now that I think of it, I don't attend the " Complimentary " lectures on " How to look 20 yrs younger in 40 minutes by using this $ 200 miracle cream " , " Get fit without exercising ",  or " Zumba at the pool Sr Officers " --- also included in the price of the cruise.

LOL-- That AI pricing is worse than I thought !! 

But, but, we always have a great time on Celebrity, so, to get back at 'em , next cruise I'm going to eat more --- although, how many shrimp cocktails can I guy eat ??? 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bo1953]

3 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

(  Disclaimer---- This post is for a little humor  )

LOL--- I like that !  Now, you reminded me .

I am guilty of complaining ( ?? ) about the AI pricing which includes  " Drink till you're sick and check your emails every hour " , both of which we don't use. 

Now that I think of it, I don't attend the " Complimentary " lectures on " How to look 20 yrs younger in 40 minutes by using this $ 200 miracle cream " , " Get fit without exercising ",  or " Zumba at the pool Sr Officers " --- also included in the price of the cruise.

LOL-- That AI pricing is worse than I thought !! 

But, but, we always have a great time on Celebrity, so, to get back at 'em , next cruise I'm going to eat more --- although, how many shrimp cocktails can I guy eat ???

It is not the # of containers vs the actual number of shrimp!!!

 

Next sailing request that the number of shrimp be doubled in one cup vs increasing the number of cups you ask for???

 

bon appetite and bon voyage

[ChucktownSteve]

16 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

But, but, we always have a great time on Celebrity, so, to get back at 'em , next cruise I'm going to eat more --- although, how many shrimp cocktails can I guy eat ???

 

Thirty Six but not all at the same time.

[NutsAboutGolf]

21 hours ago, verizon said:

Only GEN-X could will pay for these pricing I guess.

 

The elephant in the room is, Gen-X is going to hate cruising on X unless they have reliable wifi.  Despite some initial reduced capacity, now the large majority will have access to internet and feel entitled to use it bogging it down.

[verizon]

4 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

The elephant in the room is, Gen-X is going to hate cruising on X unless they have reliable wifi.  Despite some initial reduced capacity, now the large majority will have access to internet and feel entitled to use it bogging it down.

Remind me one of the spring breaks cruise where there are a lot of teenagers.

The internet hardly get connected.

[Pinboy]

48 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Next sailing request that the number of shrimp be doubled in one cup vs increasing the number of cups you ask for???

GEE. I never thought of that ---- until our 2nd cruise out of the over 50 we have taken.

Bye the way, a filet mignon goes well with a side order of 8 lamb chops , followed by 2 crème brule .

 

37 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Thirty Six but not all at the same time.

Must have been on a 3 day cruise ??

[ChucktownSteve]

41 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

GEE. I never thought of that ---- until our 2nd cruise out of the over 50 we have taken.

Bye the way, a filet mignon goes well with a side order of 8 lamb chops , followed by 2 crème brule

 

Don't they feed you in Canada?  OMG. 🤢  Talk about always included.....

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

The elephant in the room is, Gen-X is going to hate cruising on X unless they have reliable wifi.  Despite some initial reduced capacity, now the large majority will have access to internet and feel entitled to use it bogging it down.

Just wondering how it is "entitled" to use the wifi one has paid for?  Just like drink package, included dining etc

[ChucktownSteve]

23 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Just wondering how it is "entitled" to use the wifi one has paid for?  Just like drink package, included dining etc

 

Yes but even Carnival had to start limiting the number of drinks per day that the younguns felt they were entitled to.

[Pinboy]

50 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Don't they feed you in Canada? 

LOL--- Did you just say you never enjoyed any of our French Canadian cuisine ? 

" Try it, You'll like it " ( Remember that one ?? )

 

 

 

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, Pinboy said:

GEE. I never thought of that ---- until our 2nd cruise out of the over 50 we have taken.

Bye the way, a filet mignon goes well with a side order of 8 lamb chops , followed by 2 crème brule .

Be careful when you point your finger at others (some of your past posts concerning those that over eat. Remember those, I do.) and then you post you own personal experiences. Own it! 🤣

[Baron Barracuda]

Have seen 25+ years of X marketing gimmicks come and go.

 

In near term with fewer ships and reduced loads AI makes business sense.  Increases revenue pp/pd and soaks up a lot of fcc's.

 

In a year or too though, once business normalizes, tough competition will return to the cruise industry and X will need to adjust in order to remain competitive.  

 

 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Yes but even Carnival had to start limiting the number of drinks per day that the younguns felt they were entitled to.

Carnival has had a limit for a number of years.  

Edited November 24, 2020 by jelayne

[Orator]

9 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

Have seen 25+ years of X marketing gimmicks come and go.

 

In near term with fewer ships and reduced loads AI makes business sense.  Increases revenue pp/pd and soaks up a lot of fcc's.

 

In a year or too though, once business normalizes, tough competition will return to the cruise industry and X will need to adjust in order to remain competitive.  

 

 

Sorry to disagree with your position, but I see this move driving away those who have been their core passengers for many years as evidenced from much of the discussion on these boards. They could probably get away with given a few extra perks to suite passengers and substantially raising prices for suites. They have been in great demand before the  suspension of cruising and most likely would continue to be in demand. Those who want "the suite life" will pay almost anything to meet their wants. However the AI pricing, I believe will impact the non suite passenger's decision to cruise with Celebrity. Many of the posters have claimed that the new price structure would price them out of Celebrity. What I would suggest is that Celebrity develop a two tier pricing structure for non suites. On would give passengers an opportunity to purchase a AI cruise at a very good price; the other would be a cruise only option with addons available. Passengers feeling that they have a choice will increase business. I have said for years that Celebrity really lacks PR savvy and I think that the current marketing approach combined with the perception that they don't really care about loyal customers serves to prove what I've been saying. 

[TeaBag]

3 hours ago, Pinboy said:

 

Now that I think of it, I don't attend the " Complimentary " lectures on " How to look 20 yrs younger in 40 minutes by using this $ 200 miracle cream " , " Get fit without exercising ",  or " Zumba at the pool Sr Officers " --- also included in the price of the cruise.

Good advice.  I attended the "Look 10 years younger" seminars 7 times and I ended up having to buy Pampers!😀🤣.