Refundable deposit pricing, what are they thinking?

[wrk2cruise]

i was checking pricing on my current reservations.  What are they thinking charging $920 to protect a $900 deposit?   Most of my other reservations were in the range of $350-400 which to me is still high considering you are only really risking $200 in admin fees and the rest in FCC.

 

 

 

 

[StolidCruiser]

If you want a fully refundable deposit, you’re going to pay for it - dearly.  

 

At least they spun it as an equivalent discount for taking non-refundable.

 

 

[Bo1953]

Confused on the point - if the deposit is refundable, what is the issue other than one may not want to pay more in deposit funds? Or is it that the discount is not deep enough to warrant taking advantage of?

 

It appears that a good discount is provided for NRD, it depends on how flexible one is OR if the sailing is cancelled what is next in the line up to take advantage of ....

 

bon voyage

[wrk2cruise]

The point is why would I pay $920 more for a refundable deposit to protect a $900 deposit.

 

If I take the RD and I take the cruise it's $920 out of my pocket.   If I take the NRD and I don't take the cruise it's only $200 out of my pocket and a $700 FCC.   Even if I assume the FCC is a total loss I'm only out $900.   If I take the NRD I'm at least $20 ahead of the game no matter how you slice it. 

 

Of course if you cancel prior to the penalty period because you just changed your mind NRD is never a good option and the RD becomes a zero interest loan to Celebrity.

 

I'm generally a supporter of Celebrity but some of the things I've been seeing them do lately just don't make sense.

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by wrk2cruise

[jelayne]

A number of things in the pricing don't make sense.

 

I looked at pricing  a 11N cruise in 2022 on the Silhouette.

 

Booking a Concierge cabin at the cost of $4,6648:

- the cost to add Elevate is $155 per person

-Adding a refundable deposit is an addition $350 

 

Booking a AQ cabin at  the cost of $6,960

- the cost to add Elevate is  $41 per pperson

- adding a refundable deposit is $578

 

This is crazy!  Elevate is the upgrade to Premium Beverage  and $200 OBC

no logical reason why the price to upgrade changes based on the cost of the cabin.  Nor is there any logic to the difference in the cost to have a refundable deposit.

We are going to need an advanced math degree to price a cruise now.

 

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by jelayne

[wrk2cruise]

2 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We are going to need an advanced math degree to price a cruise now.

 

Sorta goes against the justification of AI as simplification!

[wrk2cruise]

A bit off topic but does anyone know about the Indulge OBC?   Can the entire amount be used for anything onboard or is $200 restricted to shore excursions like Elevate supposedly is?

[jelayne]

I sure don't know - it may depend on whether the IT folks can get a separate OBC code for shore excursion only  OBC.

[gerelmx]

8 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

A bit off topic but does anyone know about the Indulge OBC?   Can the entire amount be used for anything onboard or is $200 restricted to shore excursions like Elevate supposedly is?

Indulge $200 PP shore excursion only

Elevate $200 PP shore excursion only and $200 PP not restricted 

[jelayne]

10 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

Indulge $200 PP shore excursion only

Elevate $200 PP shore excursion only and $200 PP not restricted 

I think you have the numbers reversed.  Elevate is the lower cost option and is $200 OBC and Prem Beverage. Indulge  has the $400 OBC

[gerelmx]

5 minutes ago, jelayne said:

I think you have the numbers reversed.  Elevate is the lower cost option and is $200 OBC and Prem Beverage. Indulge  has the $400 OBC

sorry

[Fouremco]

40 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We are going to need an advanced math degree to price a cruise now.

 

No, no, you must have it all wrong! Celebrity wrote today to tell me for the 978th time that this will SIMPLIFY booking:

 

We’ve taken the work out of planning with our best offer always included. Book a cruise in any of the following destinations and enjoy a stress-free vacation like no other, from start to finish. It’s that simple.

 

See? It's that simple!

 

[ORV]

48 minutes ago, jelayne said:

A number of things in the pricing don't make sense.

 

I looked at pricing  a 11N cruise in 2022 on the Silhouette.

 

Booking a Concierge cabin at the cost of $4,6648:

- the cost to add Elevate is $155 per person

-Adding a refundable deposit is an addition $350 

 

Booking a AQ cabin at  the cost of $6,960

- the cost to add Elevate is  $41 per pperson

- adding a refundable deposit is $578

 

This is crazy!  Elevate is the upgrade to Premium Beverage  and $200 OBC

no logical reason why the price to upgrade changes based on the cost of the cabin.  Nor is there any logic to the difference in the cost to have a refundable deposit.

We are going to need an advanced math degree to price a cruise now.

 

 

I was seeing the same kind of crazy thing the other day. For $108 for the two of us we were getting $400 of OBC and the upgrade to Premium, which on a 10 day cruise for two people would cost $240. Sounds like a great deal to me, but I was wondering what I was missing. 

[bigbenboys]

Yes the other day I was looking around as our South American cruise changed ships. So I pay $1274 to get a refundable option. See the people laughing at us in the photo. It tells me to book last minute. Book onboard and hope they dont charge $1274 for a refundable deposit. My glass is half full for I have 4 cruises booked that I can move around. Hoping to cruise in June 2021.

[Oceangoer2]

15 hours ago, Fouremco said:

No, no, you must have it all wrong! Celebrity wrote today to tell me for the 978th time that this will SIMPLIFY booking:

 

We’ve taken the work out of planning with our best offer always included. Book a cruise in any of the following destinations and enjoy a stress-free vacation like no other, from start to finish. It’s that simple.

 

See? It's that simple!

 

It's only simple if you simply take their word for it.  Figuring out hidden cost isn't simple.    🤑  😉

Edited November 24, 2020 by Oceangoer2

[Bo1953]

34 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

It's only simple if you simply take their word for it.  Figuring out hidden cost isn't simple.    🤑  😉

Hidden cost???

 

Heck, if one tries to figure out the hidden cost of everything, then nothing would be purchased.

 

One can use the most recent last known cost of the beverage packages and grats and wi-fi and whatever else is included to figure out 'roughly' what the current base fare might be.

 

Beyond that we can wipe the slate clean with the new pricing or not... and calculate from there.

 

bon voyage

[basenji56]

1 hour ago, Oceangoer2 said:

It's only simple if you simply take their word for it.  Figuring out hidden cost isn't simple.    🤑  😉

If they want simple, why do they add additional options for premium drinks and upgraded wifi to the new "simple" pricing?

 

[emmas gran]

I am sure you all know this, here in UK we do not have Refundable Deposits. We can move a deposit for a small fee depending on loyalty level — unless that has changed!!

[mickey89]

12 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

I am sure you all know this, here in UK we do not have Refundable Deposits. We can move a deposit for a small fee depending on loyalty level — unless that has changed!!

That's one of the reasons why I seldom book cruises in the UK.  Take advantage of the open market were choice is king.

[sandancer]

35 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

I am sure you all know this, here in UK we do not have Refundable Deposits. We can move a deposit for a small fee depending on loyalty level — unless that has changed!!

Does the Cruise with Confidence not over rule that?  We also have given up booking in the UK. 

[mickey89]

14 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Does the Cruise with Confidence not over rule that?  We also have given up booking in the UK. 

..........but you are still a reluctant creditor.  

[LuAnn]

I talked to an X rep a couple of days ago and she assured me that X was going to "do away with the non-refundable deposit as it is too confusing for everyone and there are multiple complaints ". Based on what you all are saying that doesn't sound like that's the case?

[wrk2cruise]

Through most of the summer they were only offering refundable deposits.  At least a month ago the NRD returned and is certainly there in the new Always Included pricing structure introduced last week.   If it was going away it would have gone away with the new pricing structure.   It wouldn't surprise me if the opposite were true that refundable deposits go away but I've not heard anything about that nor am I trying to start a rumor. 

Edited November 25, 2020 by wrk2cruise

[crusinthrough]

On 11/23/2020 at 3:45 PM, wrk2cruise said:

The point is why would I pay $920 more for a refundable deposit to protect a $900 deposit.

 

If I take the RD and I take the cruise it's $920 out of my pocket.   If I take the NRD and I don't take the cruise it's only $200 out of my pocket and a $700 FCC.   Even if I assume the FCC is a total loss I'm only out $900.   If I take the NRD I'm at least $20 ahead of the game no matter how you slice it. 

 

Of course if you cancel prior to the penalty period because you just changed your mind NRD is never a good option and the RD becomes a zero interest loan to Celebrity.

 

I'm generally a supporter of Celebrity but some of the things I've been seeing them do lately just don't make sense.

 

 I thought if you cancelled up to 48 hours before sailing you receive 100% in FCC.  There is no longer a $100 pp change/cancellation fee.