Celebrity pre/post vs. own arrangements?

[Holly2]

We are booked on the Xpedition for 3/1/09. Wondering about the pros and cons are making our own arrangements vs. booking with Celebrity. Also thinking about trying to book our own air using Delta miles.

Would appreciate any suggestions.

[SoBaycruiser]

We were on Azamara's Journey (which was part of Celebrity when we booked the trip) this last January. We booked the pre-hotel through Celebrity because we then were not responsible for possibly missing the ship. We felt the price in Valparaiso was not too bad.

 

We did a post-trip to Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires and found Celebrity/Azamara's trip there was much more expensive than what we were able to book separately through WOWArgentina travel agency. They were terrific... took care of all the details and although not cheap (we wanted a view room in the Sheraton inside the park), it got 2 nights there instead of a day trip as offered by Celebrity.

 

We wanted business class seats with miles on Delta and they were impossible to get. We ended up buying upgradeable coach seats and booked the business class that way. Since the flight is very very long from the US, it was nice being able to stretch out.

[greatam]

We booked the pre-hotel through Celebrity because we then were not responsible for possibly missing the ship.

 

 

Please do not believe the cruise line is responsible for you any place OTHER than the ship. ALL cruise lines have wording in the cruise contract to the effect: "hotels, tours, AIRFARE, etc., etc are booked as a CONVENIENCE to the passenger. Cruise line assumes NO responsibility for third party vendors."

 

Check out Paragraphs 5 & 15. Totally absolves the cruise line of ANY responsibility whether you are late due to a cruise air ticket, non pickup at a hotel, the bus breaking down, etc. etc. etc. The cruise line MAY help you out get to another port or into another hotel. But they do not have to and they do not have to refund your money.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/pdf/CCI_Cruise_Ticket_contract.pdf

 

To the OP: Book your own hotels. The cruise line charges PER PERSON, not per hotel room. Hotels are very easy to book in South America and you will definitely get more for your dollars booking on your own. You can still book the transfers independently from the cruise line, IF needed.

[Wellesley46]

We are booked on Celebrity Xpedition to the Galapagos. When I go to My Reservations on the Celebrity web site, it lists "mandatory" pre- and post-tours, which consist of (I think) a hotel room the day before and the day after (maybe two days) in Quito, Ecuador. This looks like it is included in the cruise fare. When I try to find any other pre- or post-tours (like a trip to Macchu Picchu (sp?), no optional pre- or post-trip tours are listed. Are there any and, if so, why aren't they on Celebrity's web site? Also, is the hotel room in Quito optional

[greatam]

We are booked on Celebrity Xpedition to the Galapagos. When I go to My Reservations on the Celebrity web site, it lists "mandatory" pre- and post-tours, which consist of (I think) a hotel room the day before and the day after (maybe two days) in Quito, Ecuador. This looks like it is included in the cruise fare. When I try to find any other pre- or post-tours (like a trip to Macchu Picchu (sp?), no optional pre- or post-trip tours are listed. Are there any and, if so, why aren't they on Celebrity's web site? Also, is the hotel room in Quito optional

 

Your "mandatory" overnights are required due to airline schedules. Flights from the Galapagos arrive Quito about 5:00PM. Flights to the US from Quito all leave about 7:00PM. Same thing going TO the Galapagos-flights leave Quito for early morning. Flights FROM the US arrive generally in the evening. NOT enough time to make the connection either way in one day.

 

One reason it is better to fly into Guayaquil (unless you just want to see Quito). NO chance to get AMS (Guayaquil is sea level) and the planes from Quito connect through Guayaquil to/from the Galapagos

[greatam]

To the OP: Book your own hotels. The cruise line charges PER PERSON, not per hotel room. Hotels are very easy to book in South America and you will definitely get more for your dollars booking on your own. You can still book the transfers independently from the cruise line, IF needed.

 

I just realized the OP has no choice of hotels if they booked the Galapagos Xpedition cruise. They are included in the price of the package. Air is separate.

 

Any other cruise, cruise line booked hotels ARE charged per person, which generally makes them a VERY expensive hotel room.

[Wellesley46]

We are hearing conflicting reports from different travel agents as to whether we have to buy the cruise-land package or whether they can be purchased separately. The Celebrity web site describes the package as one-day, two-day or three-day, which further adds to the confusion.

 

Also, at least one travel agent is offering us a $350 shipboard credit. Since everything is included (except sundries from the on-ship store), what is this travel agent thinking?

[greatam]

We are hearing conflicting reports from different travel agents as to whether we have to buy the cruise-land package or whether they can be purchased separately. The Celebrity web site describes the package as one-day, two-day or three-day, which further adds to the confusion.

 

Also, at least one travel agent is offering us a $350 shipboard credit. Since everything is included (except sundries from the on-ship store), what is this travel agent thinking?

 

Wow!!! It appears that you can now board the Xpedition in Baltra (Galapagos). So you actually could make your own arrangements-Fly to Lima, go to Machu Pichu, then fly to Guayaquil (short flight), fly to Baltra (I think TAME-military contractor is the only airline), board the ship, and either fly back to Guayaquil and go home (AA has a nonstop flight to Miami daily) or fly on to Quito if you want to see Quito. The TAME flights absolutely postively have to be booked as EARLY as possible. Not a lot of flights (a couple a day) and lots of people now going to the Galapagos. And you MAY have to book the TAME flights through a TA. I booked the tickets for my brother and his buddies while I was on a business trip to South America. No one could get the website to work from the USA.

 

Price it out both ways-doing the package through X with 1-3 days pre/post and doing just the cruise and booking your own flights. And unless you live at a very high altitude, PLEASE be careful in Quito. Altitude sickness is a REAL possibility.

 

Here is the airline website so you can check out schedules and fares.

 

http://www3.tame.com.ec/eng/index.htm

[CRUISERTN]

We did the Galapagos cruise on the Xpedition a few years ago. I, too, had the same questions re- pre and post cruise hotels, doing the air on our own, etc....we were told that you did NOT have to book the pre and post cruise hotel package, but if you did not, you were responsible for getting your own flights from Quito to Baltra, and seats are controlled by the government (Ecuadorian airline, etc.) and hard to do on your own....we could have booked the Marriott in Quito for $100 a night (per room) on our own, but by booking the package with Celebrity we figured we were paying several hundred dollars a night more for the hotel - but we did not want to attempt to book our own flights from Quito to Baltra and have that get messed up.........we were also told that if we did our own round trip air to Quito and booked the pre and post cruise packages, they would STILL include transfers, etc. from the airport.....we ended up using miles to book our flights to Quito and did the 2 night pre and 1 night post cruise package.....it was truly a FIRST CLASS OPERATION and worth the extra few hundred dollars we spent - we were met at the airport and transferred to the hotel (flights arrive late at night - ) got checked in with a welcome cocktail waiting for us in the Celebrity hospitality room, even though it was very late at night....the package included EVERYTHING....all meals in Quito - breakfast at the hotel, city tour and tour to Equator Park and a very nice restaurant (also very high altitude!!) for lunch, dinner at the hotel, breakfast the next morning, transfers to the airport, the flight to Baltra, and by early afternoon we were onboard the Xpedition and on our way to our first excursion for the day. The plane also stopped at Guyaquil each way and several people got on in Guyaquil for our cruise....they booked the air on their own........don't know about any package hotels in Guyaquil that are booked through Celebrity......on the return, we were taken from the Quito airport back to the Marriott (luggage restrictions to 44 pounds and 1 small carry on (5-10 pounds) for the flights to Baltra - you can store your other luggage at the Marriott while you are gone and get it upon your return....arrival back at the Marriott was around 3:30PM on Sunday....we were then told there was an included tour to the weekend Market in Quito (close to our hotel) and if we wanted to go they would take us in an hour....most of us went and some said they were tired and wanted to rest at the hotel.....dinner that night was another choice....you could have dinner at the hotel (included in the price) or go out with the group to a local restaurant.....we went out and had a wonderful meal......the next morning, you have breakfast very early at the hotel (the staff serves the Celebrity group extra early) and then you are taken to the hotel........all of this was included in the pre and post cruise price - regardless of whether you booked your own round trip air on your own or not.........we were very impressed with how smoothly everything was run and thought it was well worth the extra money......we enjoyed it so much that we plan to do this trip again next year with friends.....we did get a bit of altitude sickness in Quito (bad headache and a bit of nausea but once we left Quito everything was OK)......next time we are going to look into the possibility of flying round trip to Guyaquil to avoid the altitude sickness........this is a trip of a lifetime....you will love every minute of it!!:rolleyes:

[CRUISERTN]

I have never heard of any TA offering any kind of credits for the Xpedition cruise...it is very much in demand and always runs full.....and the previous post was correct - EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED except purchases from the VERY SMALL gift shop on the ship....just a few hats, t-shirts, toiletries....I think we spent $20.00 on the ship and that was ALL.....have no idea what "shipboard credits" would be used for on the Xpedition!!

[rdowney]

Also, at least one travel agent is offering us a $350 shipboard credit. Since everything is included (except sundries from the on-ship store), what is this travel agent thinking?

 

Find an agent that will apply the credit to your final invoice rather than to shipboard credit. They exist, but naming one would violate the forum rules. We saved over $300 per person on our Xpedition package, which did not include international air, through a discount online agency.

[Wellesley46]

Wow!!! It appears that you can now board the Xpedition in Baltra (Galapagos). So you actually could make your own arrangements-Fly to Lima, go to Machu Pichu, then fly to Guayaquil (short flight), fly to Baltra (I think TAME-military contractor is the only airline), board the ship, and either fly back to Guayaquil and go home (AA has a nonstop flight to Miami daily) or fly on to Quito if you want to see Quito. The TAME flights absolutely postively have to be booked as EARLY as possible. Not a lot of flights (a couple a day) and lots of people now going to the Galapagos. And you MAY have to book the TAME flights through a TA. I booked the tickets for my brother and his buddies while I was on a business trip to South America. No one could get the website to work from the USA.

 

Price it out both ways-doing the package through X with 1-3 days pre/post and doing just the cruise and booking your own flights. And unless you live at a very high altitude, PLEASE be careful in Quito. Altitude sickness is a REAL possibility.

 

Here is the airline website so you can check out schedules and fares.

 

http://www3.tame.com.ec/eng/index.htm

We were considering flying to Guyaquil and then taking TAME to Baltra, but when I went on the TAME web site I could not find any flights from Guyaquil to Baltra, only flights from Quito to Baltra.

[Wellesley46]

We were considering flying to Guyaquil and then taking TAME to Baltra, but when I went on the TAME web site I could not find any flights from Guyaquil to Baltra, only flights from Quito to Baltra.

Sorry. When I now go to the TAME website, it shows two flights daily from Guyaquil to Baltra.

[Wellesley46]

Sorry. When I now go to the TAME website, it shows two flights daily from Guyaquil to Baltra.

OK--Let me try this one more time. Under "Itineraries", the TAME web site shows flights from Guyaquil to Baltra and return. Under "Fares", the TAME web site says there are no such flights. ...And TAME's on-line booking service is not working. Any thoughts?

[greatam]

OK--Let me try this one more time. Under "Itineraries", the TAME web site shows flights from Guyaquil to Baltra and return. Under "Fares", the TAME web site says there are no such flights. ...And TAME's on-line booking service is not working. Any thoughts?

 

As I stated in post 8, we had numerous problems trying to use TAME's website. I finally got tickets for my brother and his buddies on one of my South America trips. Just found a TA in Santiago when I was there on business and got everything booked. The TA in Santiago used the Spanish website and it worked very easily. That may be an option.

 

HOWEVER, we also found that some US TA's could book the flights. If your TA is a full service TA and does not just specialize in cruises, that may be a possibility.

 

Here is also a list of TA's that either run tours or sell tours to the Galapagos. Pick one or two close to you and give them a call.

 

http://www.igtoa.org/our_members/

 

You may also want to email the airline. They are owned by the Ecuadorian military, so you may or may not get a response.

 

Please let me know how this works out.

[Lair Bear]

Under "Itineraries", the TAME web site shows flights from Guyaquil to Baltra and return. Under "Fares", the TAME web site says there are no such flights. ...And TAME's on-line booking service is not working. Any thoughts?

 

Why take a chance of getting nowhere when you have booked a trip of a life time? The package including the Quito stay and city tour were marvelous. The transfers, hotel, flight arrangements, etc. were all done with expert guides and, although we usually do our own excursions, we found this one to be the best.

 

There is a good documented web site of the whole trip at:

http://www.*****.com/Galapagos.html

 

Again, I would not want to miss a questionable flight to the islands or arrive late for the transfer to the ship. There is no way to catch up unless you pay someone with a private boat big bucks. As was mentioned above, the cruise is all inclusive. I agree everything was top notch.

[greatam]

 

Again, I would not want to miss a questionable flight to the islands or arrive late for the transfer to the ship. There is no way to catch up unless you pay someone with a private boat big bucks. As was mentioned above, the cruise is all inclusive. I agree everything was top notch.

 

The "questionable" flight is the ONLY flight to the Galapagos-TAME-same one you went on. Run by the Ecuadorian military to keep the number of people in the Galapagos down to a manageable level.

 

If you have no desire to go to Quito, why would you pay the extra airfare and possibly suffer altitude sickness when you can fly into Guayaquil????

[PINEY10]

We just came back from the Xpedition in July. It is really worth it to do the pre or post cruise. I read on this board that those who booked flights to Baltra sometimes ran into difficulty. The tour in Quito was lovely and was a good introduction. It is included if you do the 10 day, the 11 day costs more obviously. The hotel in Quito was magnificent as were the touring arrangements that Celebrity provided there. Meals were included as well. It is a long flight from the states and the time before was a good time to get your sea legs ready for the trip of your lifetime.

[GoldieAZ]

We booked our cruise directly through Celebrity on the internet and provided our initial deposit. We then transferred our cruise (one faxed document) to Costco Travel. Although their is not an On-board credit (since everything ins included), we now have travel insurance included at no addl. charge.

Costco oft times cannot offer discounts but they can offer amenities. I have always found their travel insurance to be comprehensive, but very affordable.

[Crown Prince]

Please do not believe the cruise line is responsible for you any place OTHER than the ship. ALL cruise lines have wording in the cruise contract to the effect: "hotels, tours, AIRFARE, etc., etc are booked as a CONVENIENCE to the passenger. Cruise line assumes NO responsibility for third party vendors."

Check out Paragraphs 5 & 15. Totally absolves the cruise line of ANY responsibility whether you are late due to a cruise air ticket, non pickup at a hotel, the bus breaking down, etc. etc. etc. The cruise line MAY help you out get to another port or into another hotel. But they do not have to and they do not have to refund your money.

http://www.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/pdf/CCI_Cruise_Ticket_contract.pdf

To the OP: Book your own hotels. The cruise line charges PER PERSON, not per hotel room. Hotels are very easy to book in South America and you will definitely get more for your dollars booking on your own. You can still book the transfers independently from the cruise line, IF needed.

 

Right again: Where in the world do people get this idea?

Cruise lines frequently book impossible connections (unless you pay for the air deviation - and well worth it) and then you can pick out your own air itinerary.

The ship has to leave when the Captain & port agent says she leaves - too bad & your own fault if you are too late if you do not plan well for this. Ships are not like airlines. Airlines cancel flights, planes break down, and the pax gets to be mistreated. Leave plenty early & get a hotel & see your embarkation & debarkation ports. You'll not be sorry. ;)

[12B@C]

We are booked on the Xpedition for 3/1/09. Wondering about the pros and cons are making our own arrangements vs. booking with Celebrity. Also thinking about trying to book our own air using Delta miles.

 

I assume you are talking about the cruise to the Galapagos. If so, the whole trip normally includes two nights in Quito before the flight to the islands and one night in Quito upon return. The package includes all transfers, hotel. full day city tour, lunch and dinner, and flights to and fro the islands. Celebrity is completely in charge and fully responsible for details. A guide not only conducts the tours but one goes along on the airplane to make sure all is going smoothly. If the flight is late, cancelled, or what ever, they will rebook and the ship waits untill the tour group is aboard.

 

Most of the passengers on our flight (and it was not TAME) were for the cruise ship that was waiting for us.

I am sure what is said by some above can be true if you make your own hotel and flight arrangements to catch the ship in Galapagos, but not if you book for the whole package.

I agree with Lair Bear: Why take a chance.

 

To get to Quito can be on your own and you can, of course, use Delta. Just let the cruise line know what day and flight and they will pick you up to go to the hotel (Marriott). BTW no one on our cruise was affected by the altitude in Quito other than shortness of breath. Just don't go jogging.

 

Several people in our group went on to Macho Picchu (sp?) after the cruise rather than before. Personnally I think that is a better way to do it. We had been there before and elected to go home after a night in Quito.

[2serendip]

We've just returned from our trip to the Galapagos. We did it all independently through a large Ecuadorean travel agency. We flew on AA from LA to Miami to Quito. We had two nights in a Quito hotel (no altitude sickness for any of the six of us), another three days visiting the villages in the Andes, then returned to Quito and then flew to the Galapagos from Quito with a thirty minute stop in Guyalquil to pick up more passengers and on to Baltra. We had a marvelous seven-night, eight-day cruise on the Galapagos Legend and then returned to Quito (via Guyalquil) for one night and home the next day on American Airlines once again.

It was a truly memorable experience altogether. So I don't understand the confusion about how to get our to the islands or the problems with altitude. We're all in our sixties, and we had a fine time.

[12B@C]

We've just returned from our trip to the Galapagos. We did it all independently through a large Ecuadorean travel agency.

 

Good for you and I am glad it worked out for you. The point I was trying to make about the air travel was more in response to those who insisted on booking their own way to the islands and running into some dificulties. It is my understanding that bookings by travel agents (including Celebrity in our case) usually take priority as far as the airlines are concerned. Their rules are not as strict as ours in the US.

[greatam]

Good for you and I am glad it worked out for you. The point I was trying to make about the air travel was more in response to those who insisted on booking their own way to the islands and running into some dificulties. It is my understanding that bookings by travel agents (including Celebrity in our case) usually take priority as far as the airlines are concerned. Their rules are not as strict as ours in the US.

 

While this may be true occasionally, both airlines that fly to the Galapagos are regularly scheduled carriers. TAME flies through Guyaquil (which was the reason for the initial discussion-NOT having to go to Quito and throwing in a trip to MP) and Aerogal flies from Quito, and NOT through Guyaquil. Aerogal flies to both San Cristobal and Baltra.

 

I will admit it is difficult to book TAME from the USA website. But if you speak Spanish, or can figure it out, the Spanish version of the website works perfectly fine from the USA. Aerogal's website works perfectly fine for booking from the USA in English. Aerogal also flies internationally (to Columbia). TAME flies only within Ecuador. Space fills rapidly on both airlines, as the Ecuadorian military controls access to the Galapagos.

 

There are MANY, MANY options for cruises around the Galapagos. Some are VERY pricey (a private yacht) and some are really cheap (backpacker style). Some even have a share option, matching people up with others of the same age and gender. There truly is an option for everyone

 

When my brother and his buddies (all late 50's) went, they chartered a dive ship with Zodiacs. Not cheap, but they had a spectacular experience. They booked everything themselves, with the exception of the TAME flight from Guyaquil. As previously posted, I walked into a TA in Santiago and got their flights booked for them.

 

You don't need to go the cruise ship route or even use a TA to have a very special experience.

[2serendip]

Our air was with Aero Gal. The Ecuadorean travel agency had arranged it, and the flights were really very nice, with food and beverages included. We were on a flight with other tourists who were with an OAT tour. As I said before , we flew from Quito with a thirty minute stopover in Guyaquil. And then on to Baltro.