Where do you get your deal for a cruise on Celebrity

[wineoclock]

5 hours ago, Casanova02 said:

First, thank you all for the precious informations

 

I'm with the same TA for over 25-30 years and first, I do my research (company, ship, cabin, date etc.) and tell them without the price I found and most of the time, they have the same price I have and sometimes higher.... Never came lower than mine.... And never had OBC from them

 

Well, I wondering why I stay with them......  

U.K. our go to travel agent we have stopped using the last couple of years as it generally was a bit higher. Crux one year we booked an expensive land tour & didn’t use another agent we know (personally) as I thought the deal wouldn’t be as good. Turns out they were the main agent in the first place. Lesson learnt.  Now we book direct with cruise line as I also can’t no longer be bothered to hunt around. 

[Oceangoer2]

9 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

What is a newspaper 🤔😁😉

Sad but true.

[hawkesbaynz]

I booked a Princess cruise directly thru a cashback site when I found the discount thru TAs was the same as via Quidco (Topcashback an alternative and am sure Canada has similar)

[miched]

Call a few TA and those associated with the airlines, and wholesale clubs.   Some auto insurance companies provide travel.  
 

You will probably find that they are all within a few dollars.   I booked with one TA and regretted it after.  They charged $50 for any change.  If I wanted to move to another cabin $50.  Upgrade $50.   Price adjustment $50.   One airline  charged $50 as a booking fee 
 

Find out about any fees they charge.  It also helps if they are available 7 days a week.  I was on a cruise that started on Sunday.   I had a problem with my perks when I boarded, my cruise card showed that I didn’t have any.   I booked with all 4 perks.  I was happy that the TA was available on Sunday to correct the situation. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

[Basketball wife]

On 7/17/2023 at 4:17 PM, KellyCz said:

How do you find the various TAs? Google search? Referrals?

I do always start with the Celebrity website when I am interested in a specific cruise. This gives me a baseline price and any other amenities Celebrity is offering and then I post a request on a site that “bids” for my business (I don’t think I can mention it🤷🏻‍♀️). And then I check about 4/5 different agencies that I have booked with previously to see if they have group rates and/or if they are offering any bonuses (additional OBC which is refundable/specialty dining/spa pass, etc.); their “deals” always make them more attractive than booking directly with Celebrity — I can’t remember the last time I booked directly with any cruiseline.

I also subscribe to TA mailing lists so that I get emails about upcoming promotions or “special” cruises. Fortunately, we have been retired for several years so we can always easily adjust our plans🤗.

[Dreamer68]

Canadienne ici aussi. 🙂 

GREAT question @Casanova02. I have been wondering as well. Thankful to everyone who chimed in.

 

The last cruise I did, I booked directly with Celebrity, including my flights, partially because our departure date was in the middle of winter and and I just felt better about all my travel files in one place in case of weather problems. The price I was quoted for cruise and air separately were about the same as my research online from other travel providers.

The one before, I booked through a US-based TA, price was slightly better even with the exchange rate (our rate is not so good now) but only a bit better.

I think for my next trip, based on some input here about what TAs can do due to their possible group rate bookings, I will check with a TA specializing in cruises, especially if I manage to round up a party of 6 to travel.

All the best! Bon voyage et bonne vacances!

[WhiteSoxFan]

My last two cruises I selected using the Celebrity site and then contacted my online TA to confirm pricing.  On both sailings she was able to offer a group rate.  We saved about $400 on a 7-night Beyond Infinite Veranda in January and the latest, a 4-night on the Summit, I saved over $600 on a Prime Concierge Veranda.

[Lastdance]

On 7/17/2023 at 8:01 PM, VitaminSea53 said:

Right - I have not ever booked into a Group rate with Celebrity.  Travel Agent or Big Box is what I have used.

Big Box😬  One just awful and horrible experience that Celebrity helped me with!

[peanut head]

I use a big box store.  I research and contact Celebrity directly for the price and perks and then transfer to the big box store travel agency.  I am then rewarded by the big box store with a very generous shop card to spend in the future.  If a certain amount of people sign up with the big box store for the same cruise I am also given an additional OBC.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

55 minutes ago, peanut head said:

I use a big box store.  I research and contact Celebrity directly for the price and perks and then transfer to the big box store travel agency.  I am then rewarded by the big box store with a very generous shop card to spend in the future.  If a certain amount of people sign up with the big box store for the same cruise I am also given an additional OBC.

With the big box store , you are not permitted to enroll in the Move up bid This was in 2019 

[ChucktownSteve]

On 7/17/2023 at 9:59 PM, Ex-Airbalancer said:

What is a newspaper 🤔😁😉

 

It's what some people place on the bottom of their bird cage while others use it to wrap the fish they caught.

[peanut head]

1 hour ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

With the big box store , you are not permitted to enroll in the Move up bid This was in 2019 

This is true.

[debfed65]

I agree with the general consensus on this thread to phone Celebrity first and then reach out to Agents who would have group space.  Contacting Celebrity first to get all the rates and specials and OBC is a definite must before contacting anyone else, so you can see what value you are getting. 

 

I used to book with a US based agent pre-covid who always gave extra OBC over and above what Celebrity offered.   Post-covid, his prices were no longer competitive. 

 

I found a local agent with a blue, white & red cruise ship logo in the name, and when she has group rates they are very good and much cheaper than booking with Celebrity direct.  You can still book your air with Celebrity by going this route, but you secure a better group rate on the cabin with additional OBC.

 

The greatest thing about booking your air with Celebrity, is that you don't have to pay for it until your final payment is due on your cruise.  

 

We have just used the vacation website with our national airline in Canada, who also offered a group rate on our upcoming TransPacific and because they own the airline, the combined group rate with  the airfare was very good.  This is our first experience doing it this way, so hopefully it all works out.  Our local cruise agent was still able to book it this way with her travel agent portal to secure the group rate with air.    

 

We are realizing that the further you book out for longer trips with unique itineraries, you can secure a group rate at a good price.

 

Hope this helps!  

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

On 7/17/2023 at 1:17 PM, KellyCz said:

@Basketball wife How do you find the various TAs? Google search? Referrals?

While we are not permitted to mention travel agent's by name some targeted Googling will work.  A good starting point is to to search for words -   Cruise, Fare, Compete   or Last Minute Cruise Deals

[upwarduk]

For the first time for a long while I booked direct with CelebrityCruises, because I saw one of the bigger balconies was available( 1st off the hump). I was afraid that it might be gone if I wasted time ringing round Travel Agents.

Today I had to pay. I was told I would get an email ( like you do when ordering on line).

NO EMAIL so panic mode set in.

 I spent the next 2 hours trying to get into my Celebrity account, but I was locked out. 
Eventually, after 2 hours, my husband looked at our credit card account and found that the payment was pending.

Another hour went by and I was able to see that the payment had been paid.

Why couldn’t Celebrity have just sent the email, as stated at the end of the payment transaction?

Edited July 21, 2023 by upwarduk

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, upwarduk said:

For the first time for a long while I booked direct with CelebrityCruises, because I saw one of the bigger balconies was available( 1st off the hump). I was afraid that it might be gone if I wasted time ringing round Travel Agents.

Today I had to pay. I was told I would get an email ( like you do when ordering on line).

NO EMAIL so panic mode set in.

 I spent the next 2 hours trying to get into my Celebrity account, but I was locked out. 
Eventually, after 2 hours, my husband looked at our credit card account and found that the payment was pending.

Another hour went by and I was able to see that the payment had been paid.

Why couldn’t Celebrity have just sent the email, as stated at the end of the payment transaction?

Unfortunately that is more the norm than the exception.   Even when booking onboard I usually get a confirmation and told I would receive one via e-mail also but nothing ever arrived.

 

I usually book on my own and then transfer it to an agent within the allowable time frame to get additional OBC and have them control the booking.    To me it's a win-win.

 

Whenever there's a reduction my agent always is able to apply the price matching.