What is the standard deposit?

[JLMoran]

OK, I've looked through the FAQs, help pages, and other things I could think of; and I can't find a single page anywhere that documents the deposit policy for Celebrity. Apparently this has been an issue for a long time, as the only thing I found was a CruiseCritic post from 2013 that asked this exact same question.

Now, that page did give an answer, and it said at the time that the deposits were $250 pp ($500 per cabin) for 7-night sailings, and $450 pp ($900 per cabin) for "longer cruises". So both an incomplete answer and possibly out of date, although it sounds like the policy is in sync with Royal.

Can anyone here confirm if that's the case? So a sailing 9 nights or longer is where the $900 per cabin deposit is triggered, and 8 nights or less is still $500? I also saw that every so often Celebrity has a $25 deposit event; is that something that happens regularly in certain months, or if it's just luck of the draw to catch it? I assume that is offered separately from the other promo I've seen that includes the beverage package in the booking, but it would be beyond awesome to get the two combined!

Asking because I found a 14-night TA cruise through Canada, Greenland, and Iceland before ending in Dublin, which departs in August 2020. I might end up booking it if I can convince the rest of my family to buy into it. My wife has family in Ireland, and had previously expressed an interest in the CA/NE sailing on Adventure, so I'm hoping this could end up being my 50th birthday trip. It would have to be in a pair of inside cabins to have any hope of staying in the budget I can afford, but I imagine it's the same kind of sailing as an Alaska cruise, where having a balcony really isn't a must.

[JLMoran]

Never mind. I just did a mock booking and confirmed that this sailing would be a $900 deposit per cabin.

[Boston Babe]

23 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Now, that page did give an answer, and it said at the time that the deposits were $250 pp ($500 per cabin) for 7-night sailings, and $450 pp ($900 per cabin) for "longer cruises".

HI Joe, I can give you my cruise planners information if you'd like to call her.  She did so a booking for me and only charged my $250, as she put the booking in just my name as I am not sure about it.  One good thing with Celebrity, their deposits are refundable. 

[KathyC]

We scored one of the $25 deposits Thanksgiving weekend for the 6 night Summit repo from Bayonne to San Juan in October 2019.  @JLMoran - Dude, the NJ resident rates for this sailing were so cheap I can't even tell you!  $409 pp Aquaclass (before port charges & taxes)!!!  Yeah, we grabbed that one quick!  Unfortunately we missed out of the super deal of $34.50 p/dy premium drink package.  Just didn't have the extra money to charge it at the time, so hoping that it comes back again.  I'm logging onto the Cruise Planner each day to see if I can spot it that low again.  So kicking myself for just not doing it. 

[TickledBlue]

I also scored the $25 deposits on 2 cruises for 2019.  One for a Silhouette Ireland & Iceland and a Summit ABC island cruise.

Celebrity is starting to ease into non-refundable deposits by offering 2 perks for non-refundable and only 1 perk for refundable.  So unfortunately, the are going the way of their parent company.   Got 1 perk each for my cruises with the $25 deposit.

That's a great deal for Summit Aqua class -- I scored a similar one on a Dec. 2018 West Caribbean on the Infinity.   We loved the ship and Aqua class.  Unfortunately, Aqua is too expensive for my upcoming cruises.

[JLMoran]

On 12/31/2018 at 4:56 PM, KathyC said:

@JLMoran - Dude, the NJ resident rates for this sailing were so cheap I can't even tell you!  $409 pp Aquaclass (before port charges & taxes)!!!  Yeah, we grabbed that one quick! 

I wish I was seeing prices like that! I’m waiting for my new billing cycle in 10 days to book, and for three weeks the prices have been rock steady. Doesn’t matter if I log in or manually enter the NJ resident location. Interior will be all I can afford unless a miracle promo comes out this Thursday after the Season of Savings one ends.

Did you do a late booking or something else real close to sail date? I’d have thought this sailing would get that kind of promo, but maybe the exotic ports are keeping interest high.

[KathyC]

10 hours ago, JLMoran said:

I wish I was seeing prices like that! I’m waiting for my new billing cycle in 10 days to book, and for three weeks the prices have been rock steady. Doesn’t matter if I log in or manually enter the NJ resident location. Interior will be all I can afford unless a miracle promo comes out this Thursday after the Season of Savings one ends.

Did you do a late booking or something else real close to sail date? I’d have thought this sailing would get that kind of promo, but maybe the exotic ports are keeping interest high.

I booked Thanksgiving weekend for October 2019.  Since I'm new to Celebrity I decided to head over to CC and join the roll call for the sailing, so I'd have a place to ask questions.  A couple weeks ago someone there posted that there was a resident rate for PA, and that others nearby should check their prices.  We originally booked at $849 for the 6 night, which for Aquaclass is still considered a steal, and with the NJ resident rate got a pre-price to $409!  The price stayed at that rate for two days, then bumped to $509.  I'm still seeing the $509 when I look today. 

I'm thinking the price is so low because it's a repo.  These sailings are not eligible for any of the free perk offers, either.  

[JLMoran]

Just now, KathyC said:

I booked Thanksgiving weekend for October 2019.  A couple weeks ago someone [at CC] posted that there was a resident rate for PA, and that others nearby should check their prices.  We originally booked at $849 for the 6 night, which for Aquaclass is still considered a steal, and with the NJ resident rate got a pre-price to $409!  The price stayed at that rate for two days, then bumped to $509.  I'm still seeing the $509 when I look today. 

  I'm thinking the price is so low because it's a repo.  These sailings are not eligible for any of the free perk offers, either.  

Pricing for your 6-night to San Jan is way better than this 14-night Transatlantic to Dublin. It's kind of insane, really. Pricing per person that I'm getting from both reps / agents I've spoken to so far is in line with site pricing, based on getting two Interior / Verandah cabins, or one suite with all four of us:

• $2,239.90 per person ($160/night) for a mid-ship Inside cabin after taxes and fees – This is what I can afford right now
• $3,739.90 per person ($267/night) for a mid-ship Verandah – Thank goodness the Celebrity rep I spoke with said that we'd be spending so little time on the ship that an inside is totally fine!
• $6,038.90 per person ($431.35/night) for a Celebrity Suite – This is the first available suite class that can sleep four in one cabin, as all Sky Suites that can sleep 4 are already booked; there is no way on Earth I can afford that, considering I'm probably going to need a hefty excursion budget, plus funds for laundry mid-cruise, drinks (won't get a package), etc.

I always thought Transatlantic sailings had comparatively lower rates than "regular" ones due to generally lower interest, whether because of large number of sea days, difficulty getting that much time off, or whatever; but this itinerary is unique for a Transatlantic in three ways:

• It's being offered during peak season (August), rather than shoulder
• It's not actually a repositioning cruise -- Summit will be turning back the next day and doing the same itinerary in reverse, just ending in Boston rather than NJ; I guess it's a two-leg "repo"?
• The itinerary is very port-intensive for a Transatlantic, with only 6 sea days over the two weeks

I'm guessing this makes the trip so unique, especially with the stops in Greenland and Iceland, that it makes this much more of a "bucket list" trip for a lot of people and is bucking the usual TA interest trend. I suppose I can hope for some NJ resident rates down the line, but I won't bet on it.

[Boston Babe]

24 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

26 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

as all Sky Suites that can sleep 4 are

 

  I would think about booking when you can on the new cycle and perhaps waitlist the Sky Suite if the price suits your budget.  Regardless, I think this is a fabulous trip for you and your family, certainly an education you can't get in any classroom too! So happy for you! 

[JLMoran]

Just now, Boston Babe said:

perhaps waitlist the Sky Suite if the price suits your budget.

I wasn't able to get a quote on a Sky Suite since they were already all booked, but given the (for me) sky-high price of just a Verandah stateroom (at least with only two per cabin; shoving all four of us into one Verandah gets the per-person price in line with Inside pricing, but with two older teen girls there is no way I'm going to try that), I don't see it happening unless someone cancels their booking and Celebrity suddenly offers it up for a relative song.

[monctonguy]

Does Royal ever have those cheap deposit sales..I don't ever remember seeing one...NCL and Celebrity have them often.

[KathyC]

6 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Pricing for your 6-night to San Jan is way better than this 14-night Transatlantic to Dublin. It's kind of insane, really. Pricing per person that I'm getting from both reps / agents I've spoken to so far is in line with site pricing, based on getting two Interior / Verandah cabins, or one suite with all four of us:

• $2,239.90 per person ($160/night) for a mid-ship Inside cabin after taxes and fees – This is what I can afford right now
• $3,739.90 per person ($267/night) for a mid-ship Verandah – Thank goodness the Celebrity rep I spoke with said that we'd be spending so little time on the ship that an inside is totally fine!
• $6,038.90 per person ($431.35/night) for a Celebrity Suite – This is the first available suite class that can sleep four in one cabin, as all Sky Suites that can sleep 4 are already booked; there is no way on Earth I can afford that, considering I'm probably going to need a hefty excursion budget, plus funds for laundry mid-cruise, drinks (won't get a package), etc.

I always thought Transatlantic sailings had comparatively lower rates than "regular" ones due to generally lower interest, whether because of large number of sea days, difficulty getting that much time off, or whatever; but this itinerary is unique for a Transatlantic in three ways:

• It's being offered during peak season (August), rather than shoulder
• It's not actually a repositioning cruise -- Summit will be turning back the next day and doing the same itinerary in reverse, just ending in Boston rather than NJ; I guess it's a two-leg "repo"?
• The itinerary is very port-intensive for a Transatlantic, with only 6 sea days over the two weeks

I'm guessing this makes the trip so unique, especially with the stops in Greenland and Iceland, that it makes this much more of a "bucket list" trip for a lot of people and is bucking the usual TA interest trend. I suppose I can hope for some NJ resident rates down the line, but I won't bet on it.

Sent you a DM.