con_brio

We leave Friday on our Celebrity cruise of Alaska. Since I didn't have a clue about how to go about this (and was too late to book a cruise last year), we booked through an agent we met at a home show. We are paying full price (through the nose, actually) for a suite--are getting no shipboard credits, no upgrades, no discounts, no complimentary anything, actually nothing. Ahn but the service. It's not about the price, it is about the service. What service?

I finally went to the line's website and printed out their brochure of shore excursions. (Would have been nice to get some help from the agent with this.) Now I'm reading that one is better off booking independently...but how? Please save me from further rack rates!

It's been a difficult summer* and we can really use the r and r, so I will try to ditch the attitude. But it would be easier if I didn't feel taken advantage of. I'd hat to pay $240 for the two of us to take the train trip and then find out we could have done it for $100.
* Just last week: the plumber was out 4 times, my car needed 2 jumps, my 90 year old MIL fell in the new apartment (she's ok), my white blood cell count fell (I'm on chemo) and we got food poisoning from bad fish (ironically, it was SockEye Salmon). I am READY for a great trip! Please help!

Thanks so much.
Con_Brio

DebInTN

Wow - what a crappy week! I don't have much experience in cruising, and none with Celebrity, but maybe I can offer you a little reassurance that you haven't totally blown it!

My experience in cruising in Alaska has been with Princess. I, too, was kind of ticked after reading all kinds of reports of perks that others received. Then I realized that this was our very first cruise and the people who were receiving the on-board credits, etc, were repeat cruisers.

The other thing I found out was that, on Princess, the suites and balcony staterooms were premium and not discounted very often. Sounds like you got a suite, which you should expect to pay through the nose for. But I'd love to have a suite! I'm a little envious!!

Another thing that I have learned is that (again, on Princess - but I assume on other lines as well) if the rates go down you should call your agent (or call the cruiseline directly) and ask them to reduce your fare. I've never done this, but I have read that it's a fairly common practice among cruisers.

FYI: we used a AAA agent to book the cruise. I'm pretty savvy at booking vacations, but had no idea where to start regarding a cruise, so used a travel agent. I booked all the excursions independently of the cruiseline.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'll be glad to help all that I can. cruisecritic.com was a valuable source of info for me.

Shame on the agent for not taking care of you, but I would be pestering the heck out of him/her right now. There is no excuse for them not taking care of you and your plans.

I hope that you can relax and enjoy what is going to be a beautiful trip. We are returning in 2013 and can hardly wait.

Bon Voyage!

Sassafrass

If you have not signed up for your roll call on cruisecritic.com, do so asap. You might still be able to connect with other people to do some excursions. If not, you can read on there, tips for doing those particular excursions on your own.
You can also sign up for the "meet and mingle" for folks on the roll call. There you can meet people who might still need another couple to make a group for excursions.

dogster

Actually, you will get credits; but you have to sail first. Depending on the length of your cruise, you'll get up to three points. Next time you sail you'll get some free stuff.

It's no good winding yourself up about the fact you were uninformed, gullible and kinda stupid to do what you did. O.K. You're not Robinson Crusoe on doing a dud deal. Treat it as a learning curve.

Check your facts tho' - have you <i>seen</i> a way cheaper price for an equivalent suite on the same cruise, complete with credits and OBC? Have you logged in to the website and checked? How long ago did you book? Cruises do last minute deals. It doesn't mean you were ripped off, necessarily. Like airlines, a seat is worth what the market will pay. Surely you know all this?

Being a victim won't help - but I think you already know that. I'm guessing that some of your problems might just be a little more tied up in events at home than this cruise. Sometimes we get angry at the wrong person.

Well, a cruise will be perfect. But you really have to take control. As the others have said above - there is chapter and verse about excursions in Cruisecritic. Frankly, by the helpless sound of your post, you'd be better off just sticking with the ship's tours.

You get what you pay for. Quite how an agent is supposed to help with this, I really don't know. As a general rule, if you just fold and hand yourself over to someone, with no idea what you are getting into, wide eyes shut and a wider wallet open...

Caveat Emptor.

I also don't understand why it is such an outrage that you are forced to actually go into the website to look for tours. One click and it's all there, another click and it's printed and on your desk. Then you have all the fun of choosing. Same with on-line check-in - this ain't rocket science.

Ahhh... but it's the service. Where is the service? We paid through the nose!

Actually, that bit begins when you get on board.

Rhea58

Excellent suggestions above re cruisecritic. Definitely
join the meet & greet if one is posted. You will meet
seasoned cruisers who can answer your questions
& possibly take independent tours with them (Alaskan
cruise excursions can be quite expensive).

And do enjoy you suite - I have never had one so it sounds
lovely!

qwovadis

Sorry someone else has been getting the gold mine

and u have been getting the shaft of late.

Nest way you can save is to team up with a couple or 2

and self guide with a guide/driver from $50/half day

Do this world wide save hundreds on shore excursions.

Bring your own drink/booze in carry ons save hundreds more

Do not gamble and you will come out ahead of everyone

financially in the end...

The hooker on all the cheap rates is folks easily double

to triple their cost on booze shore excursions and gambling.

So relax have fun be a frugal cruiser to save.

cruisecritic.com ship reviews many helpful tips.

qwovadis

One other tip that will save you is to book your own

trip insurance independently.

quotewright.com get Comp Cover with Patriot usually from

$27 for 2 weeks per person includes everything

Amex global travel shield also is good.

Cruise ship insurance always a rip...

con_brio

Thanks to everyone. I didn't really mean to whine and I know we will have a great time. I compared the prices on the excursions with the listings in the Fodor's book about ports. We will definitely go on our own by cab or bus.

The only issue is Icy Strait (which is what we get instead of Glacier National Park since that is restricted access). If we can't find a tour we're in love with, we'll just hang in our suite.

Yes, I am LOVING that we have a beautiful suite. I was on one cruise 26 years ago -- an inside cabin on Carnival (the not so "fun" ship). It was horrible, which is why it's taken me over a 1/4 of a century to try again. It is a big splurge, but there are some advantages to having late stage cancer. One is that I am grabbing the moments and letting my retirement fund be damned!

I will register at Cruisecritic now (or after supper).

Thank you so much for this feedback (and you're right! It's been quite the month. But it doesn't help that I didn't get a bit more hand holding from the agency (for instance, I just tried to get in because they booked my airfare under my driver's license name, not my passport name (which includes my maiden name). Not a huge deal, but something that I shouldn't have to be dealing with....

Thanks again!

jacketwatch

Thats OK. I mean its not like you put 5K down on a fly by night pseudo time share offer. . You have a lovely suite and a great cruise coming up. Celebrity typically does not discount off the MSRP BUT you can get perks from the booking agent or at least a nice one. such as basically OBC, fruit basket, a bittle of wine and so on. You could have gotten something but really you did not lose the bank. Have a fun time and best of luck with all the other issues. Put em aside and have a fun! Larry

Aristotle

Most big deals are illusory. The way to save is to avoid the high cost nickle and dime stuff - lots of soft drinks, lattes, and cocktails- and shore excursions. Most ship's excursions are high cost, low value trips with loads of "shopping opportunities" built in. Usually that means 30-50% of your time spent in a T shirt shop or some such. Best bet is to plan ahead for private providers. If you can't, you can still ussually do better negotiating with a guy on the dock. Also find a good travel agent -asl around andf go with them.

con_brio

I am studying Fodor's "Alaska Ports of Call" and planning our own excursions. I've registered on Cruisecritic.com and there will be a party for us and have stopped feeling ripped off and will just enjoy. I'll post a trip report to let you know

Thanks so much for your input!

Eschew

What you will find in Alaska is that the shore excursion is expensive. You will get better deals, but not the drop from 240 to 100 for the train ride. 2 years ago, the train is 99 per person direct from the train station.

You will enjoy the suite. You can still call the ahe agent and ask for on board credits. You still have the option to "screw" your current agent by assigning your reservation to another agent (by signing a letter and send it to the crusie line) if the agent failed to respond and offer service.

Enjoy your R&R and forget about everything else. It is only money and you can't take it with you.

DebInTN

"The only issue is Icy Strait (which is what we get instead of Glacier National Park since that is restricted access). If we can't find a tour we're in love with, we'll just hang in our suite."

Great idea - that's the best perk of a balcony. Great view, don't have to look for a seat, bathroom is right there, room service can be delivered right to your room. Oh man, it's gonna be great!!!

Frank

Remember when you book your own tours you're responsible for getting back to the ship on time, it won't wait for you. Just make sure you keep that in mind, on a ship's tour the ship will wait if the bus breaks down or is late for other reasons like traffic, etc. Considering you're leaving on Friday you're pretty late for booking tours, many of the ship tours sellout out weeks before the cruise.

Best of luck and enjoy your cruise.

emalloy

con_brio,

Did you enjoy the cruise? If you left from Vancouver, we were on the ship with you. The Icy Strait stop was a bit strange, tendered to visit a place that had very little to offer IMHO, why not just go on to Juneau?

Do all cruise lines stretch to "non ports" to call the trip one day longer?

Eschew

I have been told that Icy Strait is a small developemnt done exculsively for RCL and Celebrity (samer owner). No other curise ships stop there. I guess it is their Alaskan version of the private island or beach in the Caribeban?

Cruise lines have to bid (nad pay dearly) for the Glacier National Park quotas. Most of the quotos went to Princess & HAL nut Disney and NCl also has some.

I'll pick Glacier National Park over Icy Strait any day.

SUSANATTRAVELSCENE

you may find as one reply advises, that the agents has booked a higher level cabin and being an agent I know we do not charge any more than the cruise company, any onboard credits are often not available for all cruises and discountsare usually offered to repeat clients. Avoid the cheapest cabins as they are usually pretty ordinary and the scenery in Alaska is spectacular so you can view this from your window or balcony. going to travel shows is not always best option as many of these are controlled by large chains, try using your local travel agent who will get to know you and look after you, especially if you are a repeat client and next time want something completely different, they will know your travel paramaters.

MiamiBeachMomma

Exercursions in Juneau....
We were in Juneau for a few days not on a cruise. We were at the salmon hatchery on our own. We meet people who were in the Disney tour. They paid a Fortune! Don't do it. It's soooo not worth the money!!! In Alaska the flight seeing via float plane IS totally worth it! There is one right buy the port called Taku. You fly out from there over glaciers and go to a salmon bake at their lodge which was a delicious! Check the price on their website vs the cruise line.
Also check the price of the Mt Roberts tram on your own vs the cruise. Again next to the port about a 5 second walk.
We also really liked Mendenhall glacier. We took a cab which ended up being pricey. Their is a shuttle that leaves from the docks that is much cheaper.
Hope this helps!! Alaska is gorgeous!!!! The salmon has spoiled me forever! I can't by the farm raised junk anymore!!

MiamiBeachMomma

Just realized the poster went on their cruise last month! Hope they had fun!