All-included like Celebrity

[jean87510]

8 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Tips, wifi & drinks????

wifi for 2 devices pp, premium drinks.  Tips not included.  This is for YC.

[twangster]

Celebrity's Always Included is why I rarely sail Celebrity.  They are Always priced higher than other options.  This is doubly true for a solo since you effectively pay for the perks of two guests but don't get double perks.  

 

Only when Celebrity has there NOPERKS rates does Celebrity have rates that are in the ballpark.

 

I have sailed Princess and took advantage of their bundles which are better IMO because the internet they bundle is their full internet, not the Celebrity basic Surf (slowest) internet that's included with Always Included.

 

Bundling only works for the cruiser that buys those extras all the time.  If you are not a drinker it doesn't make sense.  If you don't use internet on a cruise it doesn't make sense.  Celebrity saw a reduction in demand when they went AI which is why they offer NOPERKS rates on select cruises when they need help filling the ship.  

 

At the end of the day it's not like you are getting something for nothing.  For years NCL has offered their fake free beverage package (free sorry not free) yet most of the time when you put them and others including Royal in a spreadsheet and truly compared the total price including NCL's charges for their "free" stuff, NCL rarely was the least cost option.  Something is never free, it's "included". 

 

We are all different.  Some drink a little, some drink a lot.  Some use internet, some use a lot of internet, some never do.  Put it all in a spreadsheet and compare all the cruise lines for a specific ships and sail date.  Find whatever works best for the way you cruise.  Just don't be fooled by bundles.  

[LadyBerard]

Besides Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, and NCL also have packages that you can book which include drinks, wifi, etc.

[ILCTCRUISER]

@twangster certainly knows how to hit the nail on the head!

 

“We are all different.  Some drink a little, some drink a lot.  Some use internet, some use a lot of internet, some never do.  Put it all in a spreadsheet and compare all the cruise lines for a specific ships and sail date.  Find whatever works best for the way you cruise.  Just don't be fooled by bundles.”

 

There is NO “free” lunch.  The fact that something doesn’t appear as a line item on your invoice doesn’t mean it’s free.

Edited April 4, 2023 by ILCTCRUISER

[Tatka]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Celebrity's Always Included is why I rarely sail Celebrity.  They are Always priced higher than other options.  This is doubly true for a solo since you effectively pay for the perks of two guests but don't get double perks.  

 

Only when Celebrity has there NOPERKS rates does Celebrity have rates that are in the ballpark.

 

I have sailed Princess and took advantage of their bundles which are better IMO because the internet they bundle is their full internet, not the Celebrity basic Surf (slowest) internet that's included with Always Included.

 

Bundling only works for the cruiser that buys those extras all the time.  If you are not a drinker it doesn't make sense.  If you don't use internet on a cruise it doesn't make sense.  Celebrity saw a reduction in demand when they went AI which is why they offer NOPERKS rates on select cruises when they need help filling the ship.  

 

At the end of the day it's not like you are getting something for nothing.  For years NCL has offered their fake free beverage package (free sorry not free) yet most of the time when you put them and others including Royal in a spreadsheet and truly compared the total price including NCL's charges for their "free" stuff, NCL rarely was the least cost option.  Something is never free, it's "included". 

 

We are all different.  Some drink a little, some drink a lot.  Some use internet, some use a lot of internet, some never do.  Put it all in a spreadsheet and compare all the cruise lines for a specific ships and sail date.  Find whatever works best for the way you cruise.  Just don't be fooled by bundles.  

 

I expect Celebrity to move to a full wifi like RCI did.  There is no "surf" anymore with a Starlink

[alfaeric]

Seems that not many know about that itinerary- we had that ship for a few days until we changed it to two weeks later for an easier cruise.  The more important cruise, to us, is the one immediately after the odd repo- the Grandeur goes to Greenland for 3 stops.  Something to really be excited about.

 

OP, I, too, am confused why you will not put together the same package if it's an itinerary you really want.  RCI is a line that tries to keep a budget tight for those people who don't want all of those features on a cruse- with the room being cheaper than Celebrity.

 

I guess people have their limits.

[Big_G]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

Celebrity's Always Included is why I rarely sail Celebrity.  They are Always priced higher than other options.  This is doubly true for a solo since you effectively pay for the perks of two guests but don't get double perks.  

 

Doesn't Celebrity offer a 'Cruise Only' option now? Suites are AI but I thought they made the change after too many complaints.

[Big_G]

11 hours ago, Kelownadon said:

Check out the sailing for Grandeur of the Seas on 25 August 2024, 13 night cruise Tampa to Boston. 

 

Thanks for the heads-up. 

[twangster]

22 minutes ago, Big_G said:

 

Doesn't Celebrity offer a 'Cruise Only' option now? Suites are AI but I thought they made the change after too many complaints.

 

Their verbiage was to effect " on select sailings".    If the NOPEKS rate is widely available that's a pretty good indicaction of the success or failure of moving to AI. 

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

Only when Celebrity has there NOPERKS rates does Celebrity have rates that are in the ballpark.

When was the last time you checked for a Celebrity cruise? Celebrity gives you the option when booking to choose between cruise only or all included. 

[orville99]

15 hours ago, Tlbecker1 said:

There isn’t one.  Royal is à la carte. 

unless you book a Star Suite

[DaKahuna]

11 hours ago, Kelownadon said:

Thanks for pointing that out. I discussed it with my wife and for a number of reasons it looks like we will now start looking at Celebrity for a Panama Canal type of itinerary. 

 

I have been told by others transiting the Panama Canal is a wonderful experience.  We are doing the Panama Canal East to West transit on Celebrity Millennium April 21 - May 6, 2023.  17 days until we sail!

 

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, davekathy said:

When was the last time you checked for a Celebrity cruise? Celebrity gives you the option when booking to choose between cruise only or all included. 

 

This morning and everyday for the last several days. 

 

The cheapest cruises within the RCG family for ports near me right now are all on X with NOPERKS rates.  RCI has priced themselves out of my nearby cruise ports for me.  

 

When X introduced cruise only they initially stated it was select cruises only and only on short notice.  Indeed during the restart it was hard to find cruise only rates although I managed to get on Edge with one.

 

Since that time cruise only fares have been a tool to fill the ship but they are not a permanent offer.  Their desire to return to AI exclusively but with slower than desired sales trends they are keeping cruise only fares around, for now.  Even now they are a limited time offer... but I suspect there will be a new promotion that includes cruise only fares when this one expires, sort of like Royal's perpetual "sales".

 

But hurry, these cruise only rates will only be around for one week and expire promptly at 11:59 p.m. EDT, on Monday, April 10, 2023.

 

There is another reason I am looking towards X.  Right now I'm aligned to get a crystal block on Icon when she debuts.  If I cruise more RCI it will bring the block forward and no Icon block.  With Icon prices I'm not looking to sail her again very soon.

[orville99]

9 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

I have been told by others transiting the Panama Canal is a wonderful experience.  We are doing the Panama Canal East to West transit on Celebrity Millennium April 21 - May 6, 2023.  17 days until we sail!

 

We are doing a 28 night Panama Canal crossing round trip Miami-LA-Miami on Serenade this November - booked it as soon as we saw it.😇

[orville99]

13 hours ago, Kelownadon said:

What had me interested in a Royal Caribbean cruise was a Caribbean itinerary that started in Florida, went to Grand Cayman, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Haiti, Bermuda and finished in Boston. However, without the all included package, it is definitely a no-go. Thanks for the comments. 

Not sure what type of cabin you prefer, but to add the three things you want, you are looking at adding~$1,500 -$2,000 on to the cost (about the same as the difference between the cost of a Celebrity no perks and a Celebrity AI in the same category.

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

I have been told by others transiting the Panama Canal is a wonderful experience.  We are doing the Panama Canal East to West transit on Celebrity Millennium April 21 - May 6, 2023.  17 days until we sail!

 

 

I'm on Radiance these dates doing the canal but we will transit a few days after you.  Looks like we are PV together though.  I almost went with X for this cruise but I needed some points so I'll get a block on Icon next year.  Dollar for dollar Millie was a better deal (better food too) but I get 6 drinks and free wifi on Royal so Royal won. 

[DaKahuna]

2 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

I'm on Radiance these dates doing the canal but we will transit a few days after you.  Looks like we are PV together though.  I almost went with X for this cruise but I needed some points so I'll get a block on Icon next year.  Dollar for dollar Millie was a better deal (better food too) but I get 6 drinks and free wifi on Royal so Royal won. 

 

I understand do not disagree with your choices. You have to do what is best for you. 

 

Celebrity now as cruise fare only for any stateroom below Aqua class.  Aqua class now comes with the Classic Beverage Package, pre-paid gratuities, and Basic WiFi.  Suites of course are still all included with Premium Beverage Package, pre-paid gratuities, Premium WiFi, and OBC.  

 

 

[davekathy]

25 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

This morning and everyday for the last several days. 

 

The cheapest cruises within the RCG family for ports near me right now are all on X with NOPERKS rates.  RCI has priced themselves out of my nearby cruise ports for me.  

 

When X introduced cruise only they initially stated it was select cruises only and only on short notice.  Indeed during the restart it was hard to find cruise only rates although I managed to get on Edge with one.

 

Since that time cruise only fares have been a tool to fill the ship but they are not a permanent offer.  Their desire to return to AI exclusively but with slower than desired sales trends they are keeping cruise only fares around, for now.  Even now they are a limited time offer... but I suspect there will be a new promotion that includes cruise only fares when this one expires, sort of like Royal's perpetual "sales".

 

But hurry, these cruise only rates will only be around for one week and expire promptly at 11:59 p.m. EDT, on Monday, April 10, 2023.

 

There is another reason I am looking towards X.  Right now I'm aligned to get a crystal block on Icon when she debuts.  If I cruise more RCI it will bring the block forward and no Icon block.  With Icon prices I'm not looking to sail her again very soon.

I do too and always see both options. I've been seeing both rates with no expiration for the last few months. Might be cruise and stateroom specific (?). 

Booked the Edge for September 2024 and picked the all included while on the Apex in March and and the all included for that cruise. That cruise we didn't have the choice. Booked it when AI first was introduced.  Nothing about limited time offer.  Same with our upcoming October cruise on the Eclipse when I booked it while on the, Summit September 2022. No limited time offer, picked all included. Looking at March 2025 to get back on RC. We like the differences and similarities between Celebrity and RC. March 2024 we are booked with Princess on the Enchanted and picked their AI package. Still had the choice to go cruise only or AI. 

Edited April 4, 2023 by davekathy

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I do too and always see both options. I've been seeing both rates with no expiration for the last few months. Might be cruise and stateroom specific (?). 

Booked the Edge for September 2024 and picked the all included while on the Apex in March and and the all included for that cruise. Nothing about limited time offer.  Same with our upcoming October cruise on the Eclipse when I booked it while on the, Summit September 2022. No limited time offer, picked all included. Looking at March 2025 to get back on RC. We like the differences and similarities between Celebrity and RC. 

 

Well that's the thing - they can stop offering cruise only fares at any time.  That doesn't mean people who booked cruise only will lose their booking, it just means that someone else booking the same cruise 6 months later may not find any cruise only fares.  

 

The fact that cruise only fares are so prevalent on X now is a pretty solid indication that forcing AI across the fleet was a failure.  Princess introducing bundles while maintaining a no-bundle fare probably help to reverse the AI requirement on X.

[George C]

I like celebrity having everything included, we do get free WiFi on rccl since we cruise grand suites and oasis class . Rccl also gives us 5 free drinks because of diamond plus. I think one of the huge difference is suite lounges rccl gives free mixed drinks for 3 hours celebrity all day and celebrity suite restaurants are on all ships not just oasis and quantum.

[alfaeric]

We are interested in Celebrity, but it's hard to figure out the booking.  

 

First, the whole AI thing is not appealing compared to RCI, as we are far enough into RCI cruises that it's essentially AI as it is.  Second, what is the equivalent to JS?   Is that Aquaclass?  For similar cheap cruises, it's about $100/nt-pp more than a cheap JS.  What more are you getting for that $100?

[davekathy]

13 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Well that's the thing - they can stop offering cruise only fares at any time.  That doesn't mean people who booked cruise only will lose their booking, it just means that someone else booking the same cruise 6 months later may not find any cruise only fares.  

 

The fact that cruise only fares are so prevalent on X now is a pretty solid indication that forcing AI across the fleet was a failure.  Princess introducing bundles while maintaining a no-bundle fare probably help to reverse the AI requirement on X.

Agree. The change to making AI an option was a lot better. Celebrity was getting a lot of bad rap on the CC Celebrity forum when AI was first introduced and no choice. We like the AI option.

[orville99]

10 minutes ago, George C said:

we do get free WiFi on rccl since we cruise grand suites and oasis class .

The problem is that if you sail in a GS or better on any of the older classes of RCL ship, you don't get free WiFi, and there is no dedicated suite restaurant.

[Tudy]

7 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

We are interested in Celebrity, but it's hard to figure out the booking.  

 

First, the whole AI thing is not appealing compared to RCI, as we are far enough into RCI cruises that it's essentially AI as it is.  Second, what is the equivalent to JS?   Is that Aquaclass?  For similar cheap cruises, it's about $100/nt-pp more than a cheap JS.  What more are you getting for that $100?

We cruise both Celebrity and Royal. I would say that there is no equivalent cabin on to a JS on Celebrity. The Sky suites on Celebrity are the same size as the JS, but come with many more perks, Premium drinks, gratuities, Premium WiFi, retreat lounge and pool,  Lumanae and a butler.

Aqua class has spa perks and Blu restaurant. When I am shopping for a cruise I usually book verandas and look for a price of about $100-150/pp/pd without perks and @200-250/pp/pd with perks. A good price for a Sky suite is about @300/pp/pd. Just my thoughts.

[George C]

2 minutes ago, orville99 said:

The problem is that if you sail in a GS or better on any of the older classes of RCL ship, you don't get free WiFi, and there is no dedicated suite restaurant.

Agree that’s why in general we now prefer celebrity, I doubt we will sail older rccl ships , we like oasis for the entertainment that doesn’t exist on older smaller ships. Also like MSc yacht club which gives you drink package, suite restaurants.