Elite Plus verse Always included.

[WAVTAM]

Having earn benefits under Elite Plus, it doesn't pay for us to do Always Included. Short of tips, I'm assuming we still get 240 minutes on internet free, we get access to laundry and Bacio. How are drinks determine if one doesn't need to go to Sky lounge for drinks. Can one go any bar . Is there a set time limit like before (5-7)or is it all day. Is the drink menu different or is it still the Elite menu that has been posted for years.

[jelayne]

It is drinks between 5-7 at most bars, think that on S c;lass the World Class bar would be excluded.

Drinks are from the Elite CC menu.  I haven't seen any reports that the menu has changed.  

 

Depending upon the cruise there are times the non AI pricing is significantly less than the AI price and on other cruises the difference can be under $25 pp pd.  When you figure that AI includes gratuities ($15 pp pd) the difference to get the beverage package is sometimes very little.

 

[miched]

There are also days/nights that the  HH doesn’t exist.  Embarkation day, caption club reception, and Captain reception.   The same drinks are offered at those events and you have to fight the crowd trying to get a drink.   Passengers will line up 30 to 45 minutes early to get in and then it is a mad rush.    
 

We no longer go as we have the drink pack and don’t need  to meet the officers plus listening to how grateful they are for us sailing with them or seeing the same passengers get the award for sailing the most on Celebrity 

 

you can still get unlimited Bloody Mary’s, sparkling wine, mimosas and bellinis at the breakfast for elite and above every morning except the last day and embarkation 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🌅🇺🇸

 

 

    

 

Edited July 20, 2021 by miched

[TMLAalum]

Looking at the + versus just the elite benefits, the only perk of value to us would be the additional bag of laundry. We have done fine with 90 minutes @ of internet on cruises as long as 15 nights, but now with all included we can surf to our heart’s content.

[SingBill]

52 minutes ago, WAVTAM said:

Having earn benefits under Elite Plus, it doesn't pay for us to do Always Included. Short of tips, I'm assuming we still get 240 minutes on internet free, we get access to laundry and Bacio. How are drinks determine if one doesn't need to go to Sky lounge for drinks. Can one go any bar . Is there a set time limit like before (5-7)or is it all day. Is the drink menu different or is it still the Elite menu that has been posted for years.

Currently on Celebrity Edge and we received the following

[jg51]

3 hours ago, SingBill said:

Currently on Celebrity Edge and we received the following

Thanks, "SingBill."

It was very kind of you to interrupt your vacation in order to post the above photos.

 

Since the fine print is a bit "fuzzy" on our computer's monitor, may we ask this:

Regarding the discount for specialty-restaurant dining (15%), what does the footnote say?  (Is it something about packages?)

Thanks again.

[TMLAalum]

1 minute ago, jg51 said:

Thanks, "SingBill."

It was very kind of you to interrupt your vacation in order to post the above photos.

 

Since the fine print is a bit "fuzzy" on our computer's monitor, may we ask this:

Regarding the discount for specialty-restaurant dining (15%), what does the footnote say?  (Is it something about packages?)

Thanks again.

Keep in mind that depending on how many bookings specialty restaurants have, you can often score better than the discount.

[jg51]

52 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

Keep in mind that depending on how many bookings specialty restaurants have, you can often score better than the discount.

.

Oh, how well we know!  By purchasing multi-day packages, we have been able to get 25% to 40% off the total.  We doubt that we could combine that kind of multi-day discount with an additional E+ discount, but we want to hear that "from the horse's mouth" (i.e., SingBill).  We would like to know what the tiny footnote says.

 

[The reason we hold out a smidgen of hope is that, several days ago, a CruiseCritic member reported having purchased a Premium Beverage Package with a 20% discount -- by combining a 10% discount offer from "X" with a 10% Elite discount.]

[SingBill]

3 hours ago, jg51 said:

Thanks, "SingBill."

It was very kind of you to interrupt your vacation in order to post the above photos.

 

Since the fine print is a bit "fuzzy" on our computer's monitor, may we ask this:

Regarding the discount for specialty-restaurant dining (15%), what does the footnote say?  (Is it something about packages?)

Thanks again.

You’re welcome. Hopefully this is better

[jg51]

15 hours ago, SingBill said:

You’re welcome. Hopefully this is better

.

Thanks, "SingBill."

We can now read the "TERMS AND CONDITIONS," but we don't know which one of them is a footnote to the "Specialty Dining" section above (because the number up there is too tiny! 

 

Is it #5 ("Cover charge discount applies to the Elite Plus member only")?  If so, it appears that -- shocking as it may seem -- there may be a 15% discount even on a Specialty Dining Package (for E+ members).

.

[kathynorth]

Yes, footnote #5 relates to specialty dining.

[jg51]

16 hours ago, kathynorth said:

Yes, footnote #5 relates to specialty dining.

Thanks much, "kathynorth."

[wrk2cruise]

Yes.   If you dine with a group of 8 and only you are Elite+ the discount is only for you, not the whole table.

[Denny01]

Been Elite+ for a while and have enjoyed it. But we dine early, 6pm main dining,  so usually had 1 or 2 drinks prior. AI is fine with us because I can order a drink at any time; I can get a nice glass of wine at dinner; I don’t worry about accidentally leaving my wifi open and on and running out of time; and just the ease of using AI. 

 

And yes I know, the price. But I’ve been getting my bene’s on everyone else’s dime so it doesn’t bother me that ‘they’ are getting drinks and Wi-Fi and so on and I’m paying a bit of it. And I never booked some X itinerary over some other Line because of those bene’s, I did and do because X provides the experience I’m looking for at this time of my life, and I’m Elite+ because of that, not the other way around. 

 

I saw a few prices that were without AI and it wasnt worth it, for me. I fully understand those that don’t drink, dont use the Wi-Fi being upset, but because I’m Elite/Elite+?? Up to you. I’ll have my drinks as part of AI anytime and certainly more extensive drinks offerings. 

 

With all that said, I have a booking next year and went Suite for the experience on a TA, and guess what? Some of those bene’s I get being Elite+ are kind of washed out doing that! Life. 

 

Den

[4774Papa]

On 7/20/2021 at 2:06 PM, WAVTAM said:

Having earn benefits under Elite Plus, it doesn't pay for us to do Always Included. Short of tips, I'm assuming we still get 240 minutes on internet free, we get access to laundry and Bacio. How are drinks determine if one doesn't need to go to Sky lounge for drinks. Can one go any bar . Is there a set time limit like before (5-7)or is it all day. Is the drink menu different or is it still the Elite menu that has been posted for years.

We don't care at all for the Always Included.  We are moderate drinkers and do the Elite happy hour then drink a little wine with dinner.

We find X prices now for the cruises that we look at are way out of sight and not competitive with Royal or Princess.

I understand that a few cruises offer the option of not doing AI, but the cruises I look at never offer that option.  We like long cruises and transatlantics.

[Oxo]

19 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

We don't care at all for the Always Included.  We are moderate drinkers and do the Elite happy hour then drink a little wine with dinner.

We find X prices now for the cruises that we look at are way out of sight and not competitive with Royal or Princess.

I understand that a few cruises offer the option of not doing AI, but the cruises I look at never offer that option.  We like long cruises and transatlantics.

I thought all ships offered Sail Only rates. Even cabin categories. 

[HskrCrsr]

32 minutes ago, Oxo said:

I thought all ships offered Sail Only rates. Even cabin categories. 

Celebrity initially said that "Simply Sail will offer a cruise-only rate for select sailings within 90 days of departure." However, right now I find 82 itineraries listed for Simply Sail - well beyond 90 days, may or may not include all ships, and the cabins I find offered are Guarantee cabins.

 

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

We don't care at all for the Always Included.  We are moderate drinkers and do the Elite happy hour then drink a little wine with dinner.

We find X prices now for the cruises that we look at are way out of sight and not competitive with Royal or Princess.

I understand that a few cruises offer the option of not doing AI, but the cruises I look at never offer that option.  We like long cruises and transatlantics.

Simply Sail does include long cruises and transatlantics. I think you have to look at Simply Sail and see what cruises are offered rather than looking at the cruise first, then hoping for Simply Sail.

 

To tie this nicely to the thread topic, if one uses Simply Sail, most of the old Captain's Club benefits still apply. For the most part, the ones that do not apply were removed due to COVID and may return at the appropriate time. That's my understanding, anyway. I could trust X too much on this.

[kathynorth]

Simply Sail for these later dates must have some tie in with occupancy rates. I'm booked on 3 cruises and none of them are listed under Simply Sail and all 3 seem to be popular based on current cabin rates.

[4774Papa]

I like to book early, like as soon as a cruise is offered.    I never find simply sail for cruises that I am interested in booking.   

[the penguins]

On 7/22/2021 at 10:29 PM, 4774Papa said:

We don't care at all for the Always Included.  We are moderate drinkers and do the Elite happy hour then drink a little wine with dinner.

We find X prices now for the cruises that we look at are way out of sight and not competitive with Royal or Princess.

I understand that a few cruises offer the option of not doing AI, but the cruises I look at never offer that option.  We like long cruises and transatlantics.

I had a long conversation with Celebrity Captains Club on these issues last week. Currently you can only avoid the Always Included by booking guarantee cabins which are not avaliable on many cruises. The reductions offered are tiny as little as $4 a day but usually on 7 nights it's around $170 when you factor in the tips. All this is under review so now is the time to make your opinions known to the Captains Club.