Great stuff!! We are Elite + with Celebrity (33 cruises) and have always gotten the basic all inclusibe package. We have a cruise scheduled for Nov. and chose not to include the drink/wifi/gratuity package. We receive 240 minutes of wifi and will have "free" drinks in the Capt. Club each evening. The cruise is for 9 nights and the cost difference between pay-as-you-go and the all inclusive is $1400. We will have $650 OBC total from Celebrity and our travel agency. I should have analyzed the costs for previous cruises although I am not sure Celebrity has always offered the choice as they do now.
We just turned Elite so now get the happy hour free drinks as well. With that much OBC, I think you made a very wise decision. Before the All Included was launched there was an option to "elevate" which included the upgrades. Then the all included was default for all categories. Now after some obvious customer pushback, Celebrity only begins to default to All Included at Aqua Class. The rest of the stateroom categories default to cruise only fares. We sail next week on Equinox and have done the same thing. We picked the cruise only fare and added Wi-Fi but it still is much lower than if we went with All Included. Thanks so much for watching!
Not sure why Americans are so keen to pre pay gratuities. Gratuities or tips are for services rendered. That means you pay after the service not before. Makes you wonder why this happens when P&O Australia do NOT include gratuities or makes you pay gratuities at all, and they are NOT included in the fare. Why does Australia have this and New Zealand with P&O Australia and not in the USA etc? Maybe it's because Carnival owners of P&O Australia know what Australians will tell them to do with their gratuities.
Thanks, Michael! I've noticed with the Edge Class ships, the price levels are much higher and the break even points are much tighter but the all included still seems to work as compared to adding them on after booking. Thanks for watching!
I hope this helps you decide. Only one of us enjoys the drinks package but we both want the internet. In most cases, if one or both of you want either of the services, normally the $$ work out in your favor with the all included but NOT always. The Edge class ships, being much more expensive sometimes are not as clear of a choice if both guests are not all in on each perk. Good Luck and thanks so much for watching! Let me know if you need any details on the ship that you are considering.
Solo traveler. As “Elite” free drinks 5-7 pm. I use my on board credit for tips and extra drinks. Classic package means when you want a higher end wine, you simply pay a small charge!!!
We just turned Elite so I'll keep that in mind on our next cruise! I agree that it is smart to just upgrade your drink when necessary since you only have to pay the difference. There are a few lines that make you pay full price if you are outside of your drink package per drink maximum price. MSC is one of those - I just did a solo on MSC. Thanks so much for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Also download videos to stream. I used to always have full pkg and veranda, but I want more cruising, so now, first time opting for Cruise only and Oceanview. We’ll see. (LOVE ARUBA! Marriott’s Flamingo Island!!! Get a day pass or book massage to get on the island.)
I have to admit that we never order a beverage and we do NOT want WIFI so we will stick with the ala carte pricing. I did like your analysis as it was helpful.
We have begun to do ala carte on all cruises. We get one WiFi package for two devices to save money. Also if you have any onboard credit, it can be used to pay the bar tab. Remember to prepay your gratuities - it just makes it easier to budget ahead of time. Thanks so much for the comment and for watching!
Good info, thanks. I see that in Oct '23 they stopped including pre-paid gratuities with the all-included plan so that added another ~$325 to my total for a nine night cruise.
Yes, that is a major update for Celebrity's All Included. It also seems that the price of the package has significantly increased too. Celebrity has also changed what is included in the Classic Drink Package according to many subscribers. The drink prices have increased and are no longer covered under the Classic without the difference in price upcharge. Butler service for entry level Sky Suites has also been removed. They are still filling up the ships so folks are paying these prices. We now only sail at the Cruise Only rates having three Celebrity Cruises booked this year. We purchase the Premium Internet for two devices instead of the very expensive All Included. I will also note that you seem to not be able to easily purchase the Classic Drink Package or Surf Wi-Fi separately. Only the premium versions appear as options if booking outside of the All Included. You can find them but you really have to dig. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 for our 9 nite cruise the all-included added $1,260 to the total, then the $325 on top of that for pre-paid gratuities. But at $70/day pp it still beats buying the classic drink package and wifi separately .... but not by a lot.
Thanks for explaining this ! Doug ! Was lost when see their sight was think would be cheaper to add stuff separately. At price all inclusive push on Virgian prices. Think seen royal you change packages. What room up grades cheaper i looked at equinox in from inside to balcony is only like 20 up grade a person vs ocean view.
Depending on the sailing and length of cruise, the pricing can be all over the place. The All Included package has been getting more and more expensive and finding the right combination can be a challenge. I normally will price out all levels of staterooms before selecting one. Depending on your needs, you can normally find a cruise only rate that is pretty good. If you just want the classic wi-fi and classic drink packages, the All Included might be a good option. Adding just a wi-fi package to a cruise only fare sometimes is a smart move if you do not drink much. One wi-fi package for two devices is also a good way to cut costs.
I love your channel. Very informative.. I have booked a cruise from Venice (Ravenna) on Celebrity. Does the cruise line provide transport to the port or do you find your own way to the port.
Thank you so much Barney! That is a very good question. I do not think that for a Venice origination cruise, that X provides transportation. On some special packages transfers are provided and if you select air travel with Celebrity there is an option to include transfers to the port. Best of luck and enjoy the cruise! As I stated on my recent Bucket List video, Italy is still on my list to experience along with the Greek Isles.
Great video! Can you upgrade the Wi-Fi and drink package? I only drink miller Lite but my girlfriend loves wine. For me the Classic makes sense, but can she upgrade her package or by the glass?
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. You can upgrade both packages online prior to your cruise. We have upgraded only one Wi-Fi to premium before or went with the Wi-Fi Premium for two devices instead on separate Wi-Fi accounts. A two device option would be buying this outside of the All Included but it has been my experience that you can upgrade the Wi-Fi to premium individually.The drink package upgrade must be for both adults in the stateroom. If your girlfriend wants more expensive wines, then you will have to also upgrade to premium. One nice thing with Celebrity is that if her wine is more than the $12 amount contained within the classic package, she will just pay the difference. This can be done per glass. The $12 wines on Celebrity are pretty good. I also like wine and I might go with higher level at dinner but other times, the classic package selections work just fine. The premium package really is beneficial when you are selecting premium alcohols and premium wines. I hope that helps! Make sure that you do all of these upgrades before you sail and not onboard. You can normally dig into each section of the cruise planner and find the upgrade options.
I will work on that specifically for Celebrity. The normal baseline rule though is about 6 - 7 drinks per day. This all depends though on if you are going for the $15 glasses of wine or the $9 cocktails or beers. If you plan on having 6 drinks per day, it would most likely be cheaper going with the basic package. Remember that soda, specialty coffee from Cafe al bacio or the MDR, and bottled waters are an additional charge which are included in both the classic and premium packages.
Very informative thank you. We are deciding rather or not to cruise on Celebrity for our honeymoon but neither of us drink. Thank you again for spelling it out clearly which package would make sense for us. New subscriber:)
Good choice! If you can swing it, do an Edge Class ship and upgrade to the Retreat if possible. They will spoil you for sure! A veranda stateroom will be just as special. There is no need to go to the "all included" fare if you do not drink and no reason for wifi either! You are on your honeymoon so focus on each other and not back home or social media. Bless you both and thank you for subscribing. If I can be of any assistance in your planning, please let me know. My email is in the description!
Something i learned yesterday..if u book w a casino offer, u can't get all-inclusive..i had to pay tips,classic alcohol pkg separately..i skipped wifi since can only order premium pkg..its only a 4 nighter.. also, For those not booking casino offers as of October 1st 2023 tips and gratuities will not be included in the all inclusive package! Guess it's not so all inclusive anymore..😢
I'm not a casino person so thanks for adding the details! Celebrity has changed it's "all included" to now not include gratuities. They are having some pushback from guests and travel advisors but I don't think they are going to step it back. Time will tell if the prices show the change of now having to pay for gratuities separately. The difference between cruise only and all included are substantial. We seem to now just prepay the tips and buy one premium internet package for two devices. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Goug, I am confused about the all include package. We are 4 people ( 2 adults and 2 children, 16 years old and 9 years old). when I added all include package into my booking. The system added the package for everyone, but the age of my two children are not allowed to drink alcohol. Also can I book the all include package only for my wife and I, thanks.
The all included can only be purchased for everyone staying in the same stateroom. The underage children will have the non-alcoholic package. You can contact Celebrity or your travel advisor and see if there is any way to reduce the costs associated with them not ordering alcohol. They most likely will not provide you any discounts but it is worth a try. They will also get the surf wi-fi packages. If they are staying in a connecting stateroom you can order the cruise only fare for the kids and the all included for you and your wife. The nice thing about that is that you have two bathrooms to use and a double balcony.
Hi perhaps you can explain something for me. When you get drinks or buy anything on board a ship you pay 18% tax on top of the price. Can you explain why this is so, and who does the tax go to? The cruise lines are foreign registered so they do not pay tax so how can they charge a tax on everything bought onboard?
This is a tough one because the cruise lines hold this information very tightly. The 18% is actually a gratuity charge and not a tax. The cruise lines have to pay taxes on port fees and several other things no matter where they are flagged. The gratuities are supposed to go to the service crew who are associated with your service or supporting the bar. This is how the cruise lines supplement the crew pay. We all have complained for years regarding this practice but from a US perspective, this is the model. In other countries (UK for example) the gratuities are treated in a very different way with most of them being added into your total bill no matter what your fare type is or the package that you purchase. In the US, if you buy a drink package the 18% is included and nothing additional is charged to you when you order a drink. If you have to pay more for a drink outside of your drink package the 18% is only calculated on that overage amount. It is always a good idea when calculating what you spend on drinks deciding if to get the drink package, to add in that 18% from your pay as you go calculation. I hope this helps but the gratuity formula and who it goes to is always a mystery in the cruise industry. The common line is that it is split up to the crew appropriately depending on the customer facing aspects of their roles. Good or bad, that is what we have always been told. I do like that many (Virgin Voyages) is beginning to include gratuities of all types in the base fare. They also charge a gratuity for each drink since they do not have a drink package but it comes out of your onboard bar tab promotion most times. Probably not the answer you were looking for but that is the current status of gratuities on the drinks onboard Celebrity.
We’ve just booked our first cruise. Still not sure how the tips package works. If you have pre bought a drinks package for example, do the bar staff charge you for a tip? Same with meals ?
Congratulations on booking your first cruise! If you have the "All Included" package, all of your tips are paid for in advance. When you purchase a cocktail, soda or specialty coffee with the drink package, the 18% tip is included. This includes all bars and dining venues. Gratuities are also prepaid for your Main Dining Room servers, Cabin Attendants and all other service crew members onboard. If you did not get the "All Included" fare but did select the option for prepaid gratuities all service crew member's tips mentioned above have been prepaid. If you have a drink package of any kind (purchased separately or as part of the "All Included" fare) you will NOT be charged for an extra gratuity at bars or dining venues. If NO drink package is purchased and you will be purchasing drinks as you go, then an 18% tip will be added for each cocktail or drink. Water, ice tea, fruit juices and coffee at the buffet and dining rooms are fully complimentary. With any type of drink package, all tips are included in the package. You may have to sign for the drink at the bar or at a dining venue but look closely at the page - it will ask if you want to add an additional gratuity or tip. I place a line through that section and just total it and sign. Do NOT add an additional tip if you do not want to. If the bar tender or server did something above and beyond, then of course feel free to provide them an additional tip. The 18% has already been added when you have the "All Include" fare or either drink packages. As a side note, I normally leave at least $20 in cash for my room attendant if they have provided me with good service. They don't make very much and they work very hard and long hours. This also goes for any other crew member who you want to thank. Enjoy your cruise and let me know if you have any additional questions!
We sail on constalation in a few weeks! Excited. Need premium wifi for 4 days...is is cheaper to pre-book/package for entire cruise for $300/1 device or is it cheaper to book onboard/buy 4 days? (Dont have all inclusive fare) Cheers
It is always cheaper to purchase it before you board. If you have any onboard credit, sometimes you can apply that to your purchase at checkout. Have a great cruise & thanks for watching!
Most of the Luxury lines like Oceania, Seabourn and others include everything (mostly) and Celebrity is inching it's way towards that concept. I do think that some of the Celebrity Galapagos packages include airfare, hotel and transfers.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 I understand...But I don't think they can ever been looked at as a Luxury line... Maybe if they build a much smaller class of ships like 1,200 passengers or less then that type of class of ships can be named as a Luxury line.
@@butalina I completely agree! I don't think that they really want to get to the luxury segment but to just pull away from other premium lines enough for marketing purposes.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Agreed, I have been sailing with them ever since I separated from the Army in 1992...My wife and I did over 30 cruises with them..we are now focusing on Europe. We just did the Eastern Mediterranean now in Sept we will be doing the Western Mediterranean...Then Norway...
We are about to book a 10 day cruise in Celebrity Reflection (we are a family of 4) and the all inclusive package costs around 3500 extra dollars… I think it is just too much, we have 800 credit dollars to spend on-ship, we are considering to get the speciality restaurants package tho. Great video.
I'd be honored to research this for you further but I think you have it in order. If there are 4 adults, requiring Wi-Fi, drink packages and gratuities, the $800 though sizable will go fast. Best is to determine what is it that you really want and then price it out per day. We just went for the cruise only fare for a 6 Night on Equinox but added the premium Wi-fi at $249 each. The drinks will be minimal, however we have $150 OBC to offset that. Remember that you will have to add prepaid gratuities to the cruise only fare. That should not be a huge impact to your total amount. See More Seas Travel, LLC is now able to fully book cruises so if you are not currently represented, again, I would be honored. Make sure that you can book the time and date for your specialty dining package PRE-CRUISE! The most desirable times and dates will fill up quickly if you have to wait until onboard.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Hi! The prepaid tips cost 720… I think it is worth to pay, we hate to worry about how much cash should we carry for tips. We are from Mexico and we are currently talking to another traveling agency from our city, I’m sorry! But I’m doing the research to see which are the best options, since the lady that is assisting us just tells us the prices with/without the inclusive. Our trip is to the Greek Islands and Malta if i’m not mistaken. My brother is 15 so he can’t drink alcohol and neither do I, since I’m still 20, I think I need to be 21 to be able to order these drinks. With respect to wifi, I have seen that the basic package is just too simple, you can barely text, so if we get internet it will be the 35 dollar option. The all inclusive costs exactly $3325 dollars more, that is around $83 per person per day! I think we will be spending less since we don’t drink a lot. I have a question tho, if we choose the dining package, do we only have included the base drinks inside the restaurants? Or with this dining package we have other drinks to choose from
Hi I’m booked on the Silhouette in September, just want to know what All included perks with BOGO75 PCT NPD mean, excuses my ignorance first time cruise
Not to worry - on your confirmations Celebrity will give you the promotions that they applied to your booking. It looks like you were under the buy one get one 75% off with a non-refundable deposit. There are several combinations of promotions but the web site normally defaults to the best offer at that given time. You might also have been eligible for some on board credit if you see that on your confirmation as well. IF this was under the All Included, then you should have Basic Wi-Fi and Classic Beverage packages listed there as well.
@@mariastuart2311 Enjoy the Silhouette! I love that ship. We have sailed her 4 times. Check out the Lawn Club Grill for dinner one night if weather is good and I highly recommend Tuscan Grill and then Murano for a very special occasion. The Ensemble Lounge before those specialty dinners or after dinner in the MDR is always great for a cocktail and some live classical music presented with modern songs.
Thanks for the great info. I do have one question and it is probably stupid! I am going to be a solo traveler. I am already going to have to pay double for a room (just don’t think I would be happy with a solo suite). If I upgrade to premium drink package I wouldn’t have to pay for two packages since their is only one person in the room…correct?
I have never traveled solo on Celebrity but while on Royal Caribbean (Celebrity Sister Brand) I was able to just upgrade my classic package at the single rate, not for two passengers in the cabin. If you are going on an Edge Class ship, the solo cabins are very large and similar to a standard balcony. Enjoy your cruise!
Absolutely - we do this often. You should do it in the cruise planner before the cruise. It will be slightly less expensive than waiting to do it onboard. If you have OBC as part of your package, you should be able to apply it to the upgrade online prior to your cruise.
That questions is one for the record books since it has been asked for decades. Those that work on ships have said that it is distributed evenly based upon role and they greatly appreciate it. I believe that they do get a small percentage of the gratuity however, if there is anyone onboard who deserves your added tip it is the room steward.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 , yeah, I smell a rat there; we would always give our steward between 50 and $100 cash, depending on the cruise and the service. I’m just afraid that if people pay the inclusive tip, they will not feel obligated to tip the steward or room service
I thought wifi wouldn't work out at sea, only close to port. If I'm close to Port, I want to see the sights, not play on my phone. Also, how will servers and other staff know I bought the tips package and not being cheap? BTW, I'm planning a cruise to Alaska, and I've never cruised before. I'd genuinely appreciate your feedback on my comment. Your videos seem informative and trustworthy, so I'm basing a significant part of my plans on your feedback.
Wifi is a great way to stay in touch & post to social media. It is satellite internet designed for cruise ships. You never want to use your phone data service at sea. I am on a ship right now and it’s nice to check in now & then. If you prepay your gratuities, all crew that provide you service will know. Otherwise the daily gratuity will be added to your onboard account which you set up before your cruise online through the check-in process. You’ll register a valid credit card for onboard purchases, gratuity & any specialty dining or excursions you add once onboard. The ship is a cashless environment. I tend to bring cash with me in order to further tip personally upon exceptional service at the end of the cruise. I would be happy to assist you in planning an Alaska cruise! We have been and I am very familiar with the options. Email me at contact@seemoresea.com. Thanks for watching!
For non-drinkers, I doubt that you will get your money's worth out of the basic beverage. For a fair comparison, the cost should be calculated based on the essentials (i.e. tips) and pay as you go. The cruise lines jack up their beverage package price so to make people feel that they get a good deal. I never buy beverage package since I only need wine in MDR for dinner. Calculating the savings based on something which you don't use is meaningless.
You are absolutely correct! That is exactly why there is a cruise only fare which I mentioned. It saves you money by not having to purchase items you’ll never use. You pay as you go. Thanks for watching
Thank you for your video! In our upcoming cruise, I was interested in getting the Basic Wifi but was wondering if to buy 1 device for each passenger $237.86 or 2 device for 1 passenger $174.93. Would the latter work on both phones?
I have never tried that actually. I'll looked into it more for you. If you have two devices, you would have to use the same log on user name and password. This would allow you to both use a different device under the same user name at the same time. This was via a cruise critic board discussion from Dec, 2021. Multiple confirmations for this configuration were confirmed. I'll continue to find additional confirmations.
I drink one bottle of cheapest wine at dinner time ($50) per day and my wife drinks nothing ($0). We don't have to have wifi ($0). We have to pay tips ($35) for two per day. As my wife doesn't drink and I don't want to drink extra to cover my wife's deserved portion, I am always wondering if I should have a basic drink package or all-inclusive package? What I did in the past is to pay 7 bottles of wines only package ($50 per bottle). Please advise. Thanks.
That is a great question. If I did my math correctly, you are paying about $350 per cruise ($50 per day) on your wine at dinner. The basic drink package normally lists (without promotions) for $89 per day. If you get a basic drink package or the "All Included" NOT "All Inclusive" BOTH of you must purchase that package. If your wife does not drink, Celebrity normally will downgrade one to a soda or coffee package. If that is all your extras, I think you are making a wise choice to just pay as you go. I am assuming that the $50 includes the 18% - 20% gratuity they place on drinks outside of either of the packages. If the added costs for the All included are less than $350, then you should go with that since you will be getting Wi-Fi for both, sodas and specialty coffee for both as well as gratuities for all of those beverages as part of the package. Without the packages, you will have a gratuity added for each beverage that has an added cost.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 thank you for your prompt reply. It is quite clear that in my case the drink package is not good for me. However, i don't know how much portion ($) in the all-included price is for the drinking cost. This must be much less than the drinking package cost. But i am not sure how much. thanks.
@@manfat7051 Oh yes, I completely get that. It is hard to determine since they bundle all of that together. I hold a reservation then do a ghost booking to see what the options would be to add or subtract the various add on packages. Keep getting those bottles of wine at dinner! Love a good bottle of Pinot Noir or Cabernet.
I did the same kind of comparison with another cruise line and concluded that there was nothing really free, i.e. I only broke even. Nice job explaining how to do the comparison, though!
Thank you! It is tough to get inside their pricing game and get the real breakdown but it normally is a break even. The nice thing is not having to worry too much about transaction by transaction. That is the way they sell it and I admit, that I behave differently when having a package compared to pay as you go. Thanks for watching!
Exactly nothing is free you pay for it all. Some people on here keep referring to complimentary not even knowing complimentary means free and there is nothing free on any cruise ship you pay for it all one way or another.
We already booked a package with drinks and basic wifi, but I'm considering a "Premium Wifi Upgrade Voucher" that costs half of the Premium Wifi package. The voucher is "per device per day" and the package is "Per guest per day", but do you know what other differences there might be?
oh man that is a new one. The word "Voucher" leads me to believe that it is a promo of some sort and gives you $$ towards the upgrade. That can be a marketing term though, so I would highly recommend to check what the upgrade price would be from basic internet to premium (streaming) internet and then compare it to what this Voucher would be. This is a new term for me so sorry that I can not provide more guidance for you. My evolution of this channel is to become a premier travel advisor and this channel is in the beginning stages of that process so without your reservation details, it is difficult to determine how to advise you. Sounds like you are well on your way to a fantastic vacation so best of luck to you and the family!
I haven't upgraded from Basic to Premium in a while but I remembered that it was not too significant. I do agree, though that they should make it reasonable. Thanks for watching!
You're most welcome! The only change from when this was recorded is that the tips (crew gratuities) are no longer part of the package. You will prepay those separately before you sail or while onboard having the daily rate added to your onboard account. If you are going to get the drink package or wifi, this is normally a better deal. One thing to note is that the upgrade from the classic to the premium drink package must be done by both individuals in the stateroom but the premium wifi upgrade can be done separately per person. Thanks for watching!
What I find interesting is I’m new to Celebrity (usually sail Princess) on your example it appeared that the deposit protection was the same for cruise only or all inclusive. However, on my sailing 10/1/23 California Coastal, the deposit protection is $2xx for cruise only but $7xx for all inclusive. Celebrity has a high deposit requirement compared to Princess ($250 versus $100 or even $50). Can you add the all inclusive after final payment?
That is an interesting one. It has been my experience that the deposits are based upon refundable and non-refundable. The deposit for the All Included (not all inclusive since there are still items not included onboard such as upgraded drink package, upgraded Wi-Fi and specialty dining) may have been a refundable deposit which is normally more. The only times I have seen differences in deposits was for this and not based upon cruise fare. I may be wrong about that. Adding all included after final payment normally requires a reprice of the total cruise fare. If you are just adding a drink package only or a Wi-Fi package only, those are available after final payment. I would ask your travel advisor or a Celebrity rep (if you are booking directly) what the cost of both the internet, Wi-Fi and gratuities would be as an add on. There used to be an "elevate" option that could be added prior to this All Included. That could also be added after FP. I would bet that the All Included will be a better deal upfront even with the larger deposit. It has been many years where we did not include drinks and Wi-Fi from a promo at the time of booking. I hope that helps and thanks for watching!
That was a $500 increase to make the all included be fully refundable. Since I am usually a single cup of coffee and single beverage in the evening person (while my husband may have 1 cup of coffee and 2-3 beverages in the evening) I can’t see us drinking enough to pay for this delta, (let alone the $1000 more that the all included package was). It’s a 5 ports in 6 days cruise, mostly CA ports so I don’t care about wi-fi. We would have booked it for the $1000 delta, but the $500 penalty for refundable deposit made it a no-go.
@@patpaxton8602 There are indeed some price hikes happening and for your scenario, I do not think that All Included would have been worth it either. The refundable deposit issue has been a point of contention for several people. I hope that they adjust that in the near future.
It all boils down to if you are going to drink on your cruise, it makes sense to go with the "All Included" fare. This is not all inclusive since there are several other items that you can spend money on. You'll get your fill of beer, wine or cocktails as well as have internet and your tips prepaid. It works out in the end.
That is correct. All crew gratuities are no longer included with the All Included fare or with suites. Only drink gratuities are included in the drink packages unless the drink exceeds the amount covered by the package where the guest pays the difference and the 20% gratuity for the price of the drink. They find a way to earn money from us every day.
booked all in august med cruise on silhouette from england. what kind of drink might i get for 9 dollars. also can you exhaust your package for drinks tips etc
There is currently no limit on the amount of drinks with the Celebrity drink packages. They can refuse to serve if intoxicated. The classic package ($10.00) will have most of your name brand house liquors with mixers and basic wines. Most of the frozen drinks will be available with the Classic package, they will just use lower quality alcohol. If you want higher quality wines, they normally are around $12 each. You do only have to pay the difference in price currently unlike other lines. Remember that both packages allow you to order specialty coffees as well. The comparison of the drink packages can be found at www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/onboard-packages/beverage-packages/compare-packages We cruised on the Silhouette several times. It is a great ship! Enjoy your cruise and thanks for watching!
@@grindle1234 yes, with the "all included" you get the basic wifi, tips and drinks. The drink package which comes with "all included" is the CLASSIC drink package. You can upgrade to the Premium drink package if you want. The link I provided you will show what comes with the Classic Package. I hope that helps.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 hello again mate, just to remind on celebrity silhouette in august in a prime concierge room all included. Which dining / eateries are available to me without an upgrade and forinstance tha american steak house looks a must but how much extra would it be roughly? sorry to ask so much this is another world to me,thanks and love the channel
The basic internet is classified as "surfing" which would be social media posts and email. If you truly want to stream something, you need the premium package which can handle streaming in most situations.
I can not watch any longer. You are missing the point. Leave out the wifi. People have to tip anyway. So you are essentially talking about alcholic drink packages. 😢
Sorry you did not enjoy the video. All included from Celebrity is basic WiFi, Gratuities and the Classic Drink Package - adding that is a lot of money. You do not have to get any of them and pay the gratuities either before or end of the cruise is the point. We no longer do the all included.
Great stuff!! We are Elite + with Celebrity (33 cruises) and have always gotten the basic all inclusibe package. We have a cruise scheduled for Nov. and chose not to include the drink/wifi/gratuity package. We receive 240 minutes of wifi and will have "free" drinks in the Capt. Club each evening. The cruise is for 9 nights and the cost difference between pay-as-you-go and the all inclusive is $1400. We will have $650 OBC total from Celebrity and our travel agency. I should have analyzed the costs for previous cruises although I am not sure Celebrity has always offered the choice as they do now.
We just turned Elite so now get the happy hour free drinks as well. With that much OBC, I think you made a very wise decision. Before the All Included was launched there was an option to "elevate" which included the upgrades. Then the all included was default for all categories. Now after some obvious customer pushback, Celebrity only begins to default to All Included at Aqua Class. The rest of the stateroom categories default to cruise only fares. We sail next week on Equinox and have done the same thing. We picked the cruise only fare and added Wi-Fi but it still is much lower than if we went with All Included. Thanks so much for watching!
Not sure why Americans are so keen to pre pay gratuities. Gratuities or tips are for services rendered. That means you pay after the service not before. Makes you wonder why this happens when P&O Australia do NOT include gratuities or makes you pay gratuities at all, and they are NOT included in the fare. Why does Australia have this and New Zealand with P&O Australia and not in the USA etc? Maybe it's because Carnival owners of P&O Australia know what Australians will tell them to do with their gratuities.
Great info, especially for those of us who will be first-time cruisers!
Thank you! Enjoy your cruise and welcome to the party!
Thanks for confirming what we had thought regarding the all inclusive pricing. Enjoy your channel!
Thanks, Michael! I've noticed with the Edge Class ships, the price levels are much higher and the break even points are much tighter but the all included still seems to work as compared to adding them on after booking. Thanks for watching!
Very helpful video, the price and math comparison is very clear
Thank you so much! I'm happy that you found it helpful.
This was very helpful to my husband and I. Thanks for explaining it so well 👍🏻
Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much for watching!
Very good information! Thanks for your precious time.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks Doug! This is so very helpful. Still trying to decide which route to go.
I hope this helps you decide. Only one of us enjoys the drinks package but we both want the internet. In most cases, if one or both of you want either of the services, normally the $$ work out in your favor with the all included but NOT always. The Edge class ships, being much more expensive sometimes are not as clear of a choice if both guests are not all in on each perk. Good Luck and thanks so much for watching! Let me know if you need any details on the ship that you are considering.
Solo traveler. As “Elite” free drinks 5-7 pm. I use my on board credit for tips and extra drinks. Classic package means when you want a higher end wine, you simply pay a small charge!!!
We just turned Elite so I'll keep that in mind on our next cruise! I agree that it is smart to just upgrade your drink when necessary since you only have to pay the difference. There are a few lines that make you pay full price if you are outside of your drink package per drink maximum price. MSC is one of those - I just did a solo on MSC. Thanks so much for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Also download videos to stream. I used to always have full pkg and veranda, but I want more cruising, so now, first time opting for Cruise only and Oceanview. We’ll see. (LOVE ARUBA! Marriott’s Flamingo Island!!! Get a day pass or book massage to get on the island.)
Thank you for this analysis
You are very welcome! Check out some of my other Celebrity Cruises reviews! Thanks for watching!
I have to admit that we never order a beverage and we do NOT want WIFI so we will stick with the ala carte pricing. I did like your analysis as it was helpful.
We have begun to do ala carte on all cruises. We get one WiFi package for two devices to save money. Also if you have any onboard credit, it can be used to pay the bar tab. Remember to prepay your gratuities - it just makes it easier to budget ahead of time. Thanks so much for the comment and for watching!
Good info, thanks. I see that in Oct '23 they stopped including pre-paid gratuities with the all-included plan so that added another ~$325 to my total for a nine night cruise.
Yes, that is a major update for Celebrity's All Included. It also seems that the price of the package has significantly increased too. Celebrity has also changed what is included in the Classic Drink Package according to many subscribers. The drink prices have increased and are no longer covered under the Classic without the difference in price upcharge. Butler service for entry level Sky Suites has also been removed. They are still filling up the ships so folks are paying these prices. We now only sail at the Cruise Only rates having three Celebrity Cruises booked this year. We purchase the Premium Internet for two devices instead of the very expensive All Included. I will also note that you seem to not be able to easily purchase the Classic Drink Package or Surf Wi-Fi separately. Only the premium versions appear as options if booking outside of the All Included. You can find them but you really have to dig. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 for our 9 nite cruise the all-included added $1,260 to the total, then the $325 on top of that for pre-paid gratuities. But at $70/day pp it still beats buying the classic drink package and wifi separately .... but not by a lot.
Thanks for explaining this ! Doug ! Was lost when see their sight was think would be cheaper to add stuff separately. At price all inclusive push on Virgian prices. Think seen royal you change packages.
What room up grades cheaper i looked at equinox in from inside to balcony is only like 20 up grade a person vs ocean view.
Depending on the sailing and length of cruise, the pricing can be all over the place. The All Included package has been getting more and more expensive and finding the right combination can be a challenge. I normally will price out all levels of staterooms before selecting one. Depending on your needs, you can normally find a cruise only rate that is pretty good. If you just want the classic wi-fi and classic drink packages, the All Included might be a good option. Adding just a wi-fi package to a cruise only fare sometimes is a smart move if you do not drink much. One wi-fi package for two devices is also a good way to cut costs.
Very nice comparison. Thank you!
Thanks, Kevin! Thanks for watching!
I love your channel. Very informative.. I have booked a cruise from Venice (Ravenna) on Celebrity.
Does the cruise line provide transport to the port or do you find your own way to the port.
Thank you so much Barney! That is a very good question. I do not think that for a Venice origination cruise, that X provides transportation. On some special packages transfers are provided and if you select air travel with Celebrity there is an option to include transfers to the port. Best of luck and enjoy the cruise! As I stated on my recent Bucket List video, Italy is still on my list to experience along with the Greek Isles.
Great video!
Can you upgrade the Wi-Fi and drink package? I only drink miller Lite but my girlfriend loves wine. For me the Classic makes sense, but can she upgrade her package or by the glass?
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. You can upgrade both packages online prior to your cruise. We have upgraded only one Wi-Fi to premium before or went with the Wi-Fi Premium for two devices instead on separate Wi-Fi accounts. A two device option would be buying this outside of the All Included but it has been my experience that you can upgrade the Wi-Fi to premium individually.The drink package upgrade must be for both adults in the stateroom. If your girlfriend wants more expensive wines, then you will have to also upgrade to premium. One nice thing with Celebrity is that if her wine is more than the $12 amount contained within the classic package, she will just pay the difference. This can be done per glass. The $12 wines on Celebrity are pretty good. I also like wine and I might go with higher level at dinner but other times, the classic package selections work just fine. The premium package really is beneficial when you are selecting premium alcohols and premium wines. I hope that helps! Make sure that you do all of these upgrades before you sail and not onboard. You can normally dig into each section of the cruise planner and find the upgrade options.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Thank you so much!
Can you compare a drink package vs pay as you go? How many drinks do you need to have to make a drink package worth it?
I will work on that specifically for Celebrity. The normal baseline rule though is about 6 - 7 drinks per day. This all depends though on if you are going for the $15 glasses of wine or the $9 cocktails or beers. If you plan on having 6 drinks per day, it would most likely be cheaper going with the basic package. Remember that soda, specialty coffee from Cafe al bacio or the MDR, and bottled waters are an additional charge which are included in both the classic and premium packages.
Very informative thank you. We are deciding rather or not to cruise on Celebrity for our honeymoon but neither of us drink. Thank you again for spelling it out clearly which package would make sense for us. New subscriber:)
Good choice! If you can swing it, do an Edge Class ship and upgrade to the Retreat if possible. They will spoil you for sure! A veranda stateroom will be just as special. There is no need to go to the "all included" fare if you do not drink and no reason for wifi either! You are on your honeymoon so focus on each other and not back home or social media. Bless you both and thank you for subscribing. If I can be of any assistance in your planning, please let me know. My email is in the description!
Something i learned yesterday..if u book w a casino offer, u can't get all-inclusive..i had to pay tips,classic alcohol pkg separately..i skipped wifi since can only order premium pkg..its only a 4 nighter.. also, For those not booking casino offers as of October 1st 2023 tips and gratuities will not be included in the all inclusive package!
Guess it's not so all inclusive anymore..😢
I'm not a casino person so thanks for adding the details! Celebrity has changed it's "all included" to now not include gratuities. They are having some pushback from guests and travel advisors but I don't think they are going to step it back. Time will tell if the prices show the change of now having to pay for gratuities separately. The difference between cruise only and all included are substantial. We seem to now just prepay the tips and buy one premium internet package for two devices. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Goug, I am confused about the all include package. We are 4 people ( 2 adults and 2 children, 16 years old and 9 years old). when I added all include package into my booking. The system added the package for everyone, but the age of my two children are not allowed to drink alcohol. Also can I book the all include package only for my wife and I, thanks.
The all included can only be purchased for everyone staying in the same stateroom. The underage children will have the non-alcoholic package. You can contact Celebrity or your travel advisor and see if there is any way to reduce the costs associated with them not ordering alcohol. They most likely will not provide you any discounts but it is worth a try. They will also get the surf wi-fi packages. If they are staying in a connecting stateroom you can order the cruise only fare for the kids and the all included for you and your wife. The nice thing about that is that you have two bathrooms to use and a double balcony.
Hi perhaps you can explain something for me. When you get drinks or buy anything on board a ship you pay 18% tax on top of the price. Can you explain why this is so, and who does the tax go to? The cruise lines are foreign registered so they do not pay tax so how can they charge a tax on everything bought onboard?
This is a tough one because the cruise lines hold this information very tightly. The 18% is actually a gratuity charge and not a tax. The cruise lines have to pay taxes on port fees and several other things no matter where they are flagged. The gratuities are supposed to go to the service crew who are associated with your service or supporting the bar. This is how the cruise lines supplement the crew pay. We all have complained for years regarding this practice but from a US perspective, this is the model. In other countries (UK for example) the gratuities are treated in a very different way with most of them being added into your total bill no matter what your fare type is or the package that you purchase. In the US, if you buy a drink package the 18% is included and nothing additional is charged to you when you order a drink. If you have to pay more for a drink outside of your drink package the 18% is only calculated on that overage amount. It is always a good idea when calculating what you spend on drinks deciding if to get the drink package, to add in that 18% from your pay as you go calculation. I hope this helps but the gratuity formula and who it goes to is always a mystery in the cruise industry. The common line is that it is split up to the crew appropriately depending on the customer facing aspects of their roles. Good or bad, that is what we have always been told. I do like that many (Virgin Voyages) is beginning to include gratuities of all types in the base fare. They also charge a gratuity for each drink since they do not have a drink package but it comes out of your onboard bar tab promotion most times. Probably not the answer you were looking for but that is the current status of gratuities on the drinks onboard Celebrity.
We’ve just booked our first cruise. Still not sure how the tips package works. If you have pre bought a drinks package for example, do the bar staff charge you for a tip? Same with meals ?
Congratulations on booking your first cruise! If you have the "All Included" package, all of your tips are paid for in advance. When you purchase a cocktail, soda or specialty coffee with the drink package, the 18% tip is included. This includes all bars and dining venues. Gratuities are also prepaid for your Main Dining Room servers, Cabin Attendants and all other service crew members onboard. If you did not get the "All Included" fare but did select the option for prepaid gratuities all service crew member's tips mentioned above have been prepaid. If you have a drink package of any kind (purchased separately or as part of the "All Included" fare) you will NOT be charged for an extra gratuity at bars or dining venues. If NO drink package is purchased and you will be purchasing drinks as you go, then an 18% tip will be added for each cocktail or drink. Water, ice tea, fruit juices and coffee at the buffet and dining rooms are fully complimentary.
With any type of drink package, all tips are included in the package. You may have to sign for the drink at the bar or at a dining venue but look closely at the page - it will ask if you want to add an additional gratuity or tip. I place a line through that section and just total it and sign. Do NOT add an additional tip if you do not want to. If the bar tender or server did something above and beyond, then of course feel free to provide them an additional tip. The 18% has already been added when you have the "All Include" fare or either drink packages.
As a side note, I normally leave at least $20 in cash for my room attendant if they have provided me with good service. They don't make very much and they work very hard and long hours. This also goes for any other crew member who you want to thank. Enjoy your cruise and let me know if you have any additional questions!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 thanks for your explanation. It all makes sense now. Going next June, can’t wait
We sail on constalation in a few weeks! Excited. Need premium wifi for 4 days...is is cheaper to pre-book/package for entire cruise for $300/1 device or is it cheaper to book onboard/buy 4 days? (Dont have all inclusive fare) Cheers
It is always cheaper to purchase it before you board. If you have any onboard credit, sometimes you can apply that to your purchase at checkout. Have a great cruise & thanks for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 thanks a million 😀
This is something like what Oceania does...CELEBRITY should look into including airfare with the drinks wifi and tips
Most of the Luxury lines like Oceania, Seabourn and others include everything (mostly) and Celebrity is inching it's way towards that concept. I do think that some of the Celebrity Galapagos packages include airfare, hotel and transfers.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 I understand...But I don't think they can ever been looked at as a Luxury line...
Maybe if they build a much smaller class of ships like 1,200 passengers or less then that type of class of ships can be named as a Luxury line.
@@butalina I completely agree! I don't think that they really want to get to the luxury segment but to just pull away from other premium lines enough for marketing purposes.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Agreed, I have been sailing with them ever since I separated from the Army in 1992...My wife and I did over 30 cruises with them..we are now focusing on Europe.
We just did the Eastern Mediterranean now in Sept we will be doing the Western Mediterranean...Then Norway...
We are about to book a 10 day cruise in Celebrity Reflection (we are a family of 4) and the all inclusive package costs around 3500 extra dollars… I think it is just too much, we have 800 credit dollars to spend on-ship, we are considering to get the speciality restaurants package tho. Great video.
I'd be honored to research this for you further but I think you have it in order. If there are 4 adults, requiring Wi-Fi, drink packages and gratuities, the $800 though sizable will go fast. Best is to determine what is it that you really want and then price it out per day. We just went for the cruise only fare for a 6 Night on Equinox but added the premium Wi-fi at $249 each. The drinks will be minimal, however we have $150 OBC to offset that. Remember that you will have to add prepaid gratuities to the cruise only fare. That should not be a huge impact to your total amount. See More Seas Travel, LLC is now able to fully book cruises so if you are not currently represented, again, I would be honored. Make sure that you can book the time and date for your specialty dining package PRE-CRUISE! The most desirable times and dates will fill up quickly if you have to wait until onboard.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 Hi! The prepaid tips cost 720… I think it is worth to pay, we hate to worry about how much cash should we carry for tips. We are from Mexico and we are currently talking to another traveling agency from our city, I’m sorry! But I’m doing the research to see which are the best options, since the lady that is assisting us just tells us the prices with/without the inclusive. Our trip is to the Greek Islands and Malta if i’m not mistaken. My brother is 15 so he can’t drink alcohol and neither do I, since I’m still 20, I think I need to be 21 to be able to order these drinks. With respect to wifi, I have seen that the basic package is just too simple, you can barely text, so if we get internet it will be the 35 dollar option. The all inclusive costs exactly $3325 dollars more, that is around $83 per person per day! I think we will be spending less since we don’t drink a lot. I have a question tho, if we choose the dining package, do we only have included the base drinks inside the restaurants? Or with this dining package we have other drinks to choose from
Hi
I’m booked on the Silhouette in September, just want to know what All included perks with BOGO75 PCT NPD mean, excuses my ignorance first time cruise
Not to worry - on your confirmations Celebrity will give you the promotions that they applied to your booking. It looks like you were under the buy one get one 75% off with a non-refundable deposit. There are several combinations of promotions but the web site normally defaults to the best offer at that given time. You might also have been eligible for some on board credit if you see that on your confirmation as well. IF this was under the All Included, then you should have Basic Wi-Fi and Classic Beverage packages listed there as well.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 thank you so much for clarifying this for me. 😊
@@mariastuart2311 Enjoy the Silhouette! I love that ship. We have sailed her 4 times. Check out the Lawn Club Grill for dinner one night if weather is good and I highly recommend Tuscan Grill and then Murano for a very special occasion. The Ensemble Lounge before those specialty dinners or after dinner in the MDR is always great for a cocktail and some live classical music presented with modern songs.
Thanks for the great info. I do have one question and it is probably stupid! I am going to be a solo traveler. I am already going to have to pay double for a room (just don’t think I would be happy with a solo suite). If I upgrade to premium drink package I wouldn’t have to pay for two packages since their is only one person in the room…correct?
I have never traveled solo on Celebrity but while on Royal Caribbean (Celebrity Sister Brand) I was able to just upgrade my classic package at the single rate, not for two passengers in the cabin. If you are going on an Edge Class ship, the solo cabins are very large and similar to a standard balcony. Enjoy your cruise!
Do you know if there is the option to upgrade to the premium drinks package if I book the all included cruise?
Absolutely - we do this often. You should do it in the cruise planner before the cruise. It will be slightly less expensive than waiting to do it onboard. If you have OBC as part of your package, you should be able to apply it to the upgrade online prior to your cruise.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 8:00
Perhaps this has been asked before, but how do you know that your room steward actually received anything and I’m just wondering how much it is?
That questions is one for the record books since it has been asked for decades. Those that work on ships have said that it is distributed evenly based upon role and they greatly appreciate it. I believe that they do get a small percentage of the gratuity however, if there is anyone onboard who deserves your added tip it is the room steward.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 , yeah, I smell a rat there; we would always give our steward between 50 and $100 cash, depending on the cruise and the service.
I’m just afraid that if people pay the inclusive tip, they will not feel obligated to tip the steward or room service
Tito’s is my favorite
I like Tito's too! It is also available in the classic package so don't need to upgrade! Thanks for watching!
I thought wifi wouldn't work out at sea, only close to port. If I'm close to Port, I want to see the sights, not play on my phone.
Also, how will servers and other staff know I bought the tips package and not being cheap? BTW, I'm planning a cruise to Alaska, and I've never cruised before. I'd genuinely appreciate your feedback on my comment. Your videos seem informative and trustworthy, so I'm basing a significant part of my plans on your feedback.
Wifi is a great way to stay in touch & post to social media. It is satellite internet designed for cruise ships. You never want to use your phone data service at sea. I am on a ship right now and it’s nice to check in now & then. If you prepay your gratuities, all crew that provide you service will know. Otherwise the daily gratuity will be added to your onboard account which you set up before your cruise online through the check-in process. You’ll register a valid credit card for onboard purchases, gratuity & any specialty dining or excursions you add once onboard. The ship is a cashless environment. I tend to bring cash with me in order to further tip personally upon exceptional service at the end of the cruise.
I would be happy to assist you in planning an Alaska cruise! We have been and I am very familiar with the options. Email me at contact@seemoresea.com. Thanks for watching!
For non-drinkers, I doubt that you will get your money's worth out of the basic beverage. For a fair comparison, the cost should be calculated based on the essentials (i.e. tips) and pay as you go. The cruise lines jack up their beverage package price so to make people feel that they get a good deal. I never buy beverage package since I only need wine in MDR for dinner. Calculating the savings based on something which you don't use is meaningless.
You are absolutely correct! That is exactly why there is a cruise only fare which I mentioned. It saves you money by not having to purchase items you’ll never use. You pay as you go. Thanks for watching
Thank you for your video! In our upcoming cruise, I was interested in getting the Basic Wifi but was wondering if to buy 1 device for each passenger $237.86 or 2 device for 1 passenger $174.93. Would the latter work on both phones?
I have never tried that actually. I'll looked into it more for you. If you have two devices, you would have to use the same log on user name and password. This would allow you to both use a different device under the same user name at the same time. This was via a cruise critic board discussion from Dec, 2021. Multiple confirmations for this configuration were confirmed. I'll continue to find additional confirmations.
I drink one bottle of cheapest wine at dinner time ($50) per day and my wife drinks nothing ($0). We don't have to have wifi ($0). We have to pay tips ($35) for two per day. As my wife doesn't drink and I don't want to drink extra to cover my wife's deserved portion, I am always wondering if I should have a basic drink package or all-inclusive package? What I did in the past is to pay 7 bottles of wines only package ($50 per bottle). Please advise. Thanks.
That is a great question. If I did my math correctly, you are paying about $350 per cruise ($50 per day) on your wine at dinner. The basic drink package normally lists (without promotions) for $89 per day. If you get a basic drink package or the "All Included" NOT "All Inclusive" BOTH of you must purchase that package. If your wife does not drink, Celebrity normally will downgrade one to a soda or coffee package. If that is all your extras, I think you are making a wise choice to just pay as you go. I am assuming that the $50 includes the 18% - 20% gratuity they place on drinks outside of either of the packages. If the added costs for the All included are less than $350, then you should go with that since you will be getting Wi-Fi for both, sodas and specialty coffee for both as well as gratuities for all of those beverages as part of the package. Without the packages, you will have a gratuity added for each beverage that has an added cost.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 thank you for your prompt reply. It is quite clear that in my case the drink package is not good for me. However, i don't know how much portion ($) in the all-included price is for the drinking cost. This must be much less than the drinking package cost. But i am not sure how much. thanks.
@@manfat7051 Oh yes, I completely get that. It is hard to determine since they bundle all of that together. I hold a reservation then do a ghost booking to see what the options would be to add or subtract the various add on packages. Keep getting those bottles of wine at dinner! Love a good bottle of Pinot Noir or Cabernet.
I did the same kind of comparison with another cruise line and concluded that there was nothing really free, i.e. I only broke even. Nice job explaining how to do the comparison, though!
Thank you! It is tough to get inside their pricing game and get the real breakdown but it normally is a break even. The nice thing is not having to worry too much about transaction by transaction. That is the way they sell it and I admit, that I behave differently when having a package compared to pay as you go. Thanks for watching!
Exactly nothing is free you pay for it all. Some people on here keep referring to complimentary not even knowing complimentary means free and there is nothing free on any cruise ship you pay for it all one way or another.
We already booked a package with drinks and basic wifi, but I'm considering a "Premium Wifi Upgrade Voucher" that costs half of the Premium Wifi package. The voucher is "per device per day" and the package is "Per guest per day", but do you know what other differences there might be?
oh man that is a new one. The word "Voucher" leads me to believe that it is a promo of some sort and gives you $$ towards the upgrade. That can be a marketing term though, so I would highly recommend to check what the upgrade price would be from basic internet to premium (streaming) internet and then compare it to what this Voucher would be. This is a new term for me so sorry that I can not provide more guidance for you. My evolution of this channel is to become a premier travel advisor and this channel is in the beginning stages of that process so without your reservation details, it is difficult to determine how to advise you. Sounds like you are well on your way to a fantastic vacation so best of luck to you and the family!
As I understand it, if you purchase all included there isn’t a discount on upgrading to the premium package, I feel this is unfair
I haven't upgraded from Basic to Premium in a while but I remembered that it was not too significant. I do agree, though that they should make it reasonable. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much
You're most welcome! The only change from when this was recorded is that the tips (crew gratuities) are no longer part of the package. You will prepay those separately before you sail or while onboard having the daily rate added to your onboard account. If you are going to get the drink package or wifi, this is normally a better deal. One thing to note is that the upgrade from the classic to the premium drink package must be done by both individuals in the stateroom but the premium wifi upgrade can be done separately per person. Thanks for watching!
What I find interesting is I’m new to Celebrity (usually sail Princess) on your example it appeared that the deposit protection was the same for cruise only or all inclusive. However, on my sailing 10/1/23 California Coastal, the deposit protection is $2xx for cruise only but $7xx for all inclusive. Celebrity has a high deposit requirement compared to Princess ($250 versus $100 or even $50). Can you add the all inclusive after final payment?
That is an interesting one. It has been my experience that the deposits are based upon refundable and non-refundable. The deposit for the All Included (not all inclusive since there are still items not included onboard such as upgraded drink package, upgraded Wi-Fi and specialty dining) may have been a refundable deposit which is normally more. The only times I have seen differences in deposits was for this and not based upon cruise fare. I may be wrong about that. Adding all included after final payment normally requires a reprice of the total cruise fare. If you are just adding a drink package only or a Wi-Fi package only, those are available after final payment. I would ask your travel advisor or a Celebrity rep (if you are booking directly) what the cost of both the internet, Wi-Fi and gratuities would be as an add on. There used to be an "elevate" option that could be added prior to this All Included. That could also be added after FP. I would bet that the All Included will be a better deal upfront even with the larger deposit. It has been many years where we did not include drinks and Wi-Fi from a promo at the time of booking. I hope that helps and thanks for watching!
That was a $500 increase to make the all included be fully refundable. Since I am usually a single cup of coffee and single beverage in the evening person (while my husband may have 1 cup of coffee and 2-3 beverages in the evening) I can’t see us drinking enough to pay for this delta, (let alone the $1000 more that the all included package was). It’s a 5 ports in 6 days cruise, mostly CA ports so I don’t care about wi-fi. We would have booked it for the $1000 delta, but the $500 penalty for refundable deposit made it a no-go.
@@patpaxton8602 There are indeed some price hikes happening and for your scenario, I do not think that All Included would have been worth it either. The refundable deposit issue has been a point of contention for several people. I hope that they adjust that in the near future.
Oh my goodness 😅I am super confused! I need a synopsis
It all boils down to if you are going to drink on your cruise, it makes sense to go with the "All Included" fare. This is not all inclusive since there are several other items that you can spend money on. You'll get your fill of beer, wine or cocktails as well as have internet and your tips prepaid. It works out in the end.
Doesn’t seem to include tips now?
That is correct. All crew gratuities are no longer included with the All Included fare or with suites. Only drink gratuities are included in the drink packages unless the drink exceeds the amount covered by the package where the guest pays the difference and the 20% gratuity for the price of the drink. They find a way to earn money from us every day.
booked all in august med cruise on silhouette from england. what kind of drink might i get for 9 dollars. also can you exhaust your package for drinks tips etc
There is currently no limit on the amount of drinks with the Celebrity drink packages. They can refuse to serve if intoxicated. The classic package ($10.00) will have most of your name brand house liquors with mixers and basic wines. Most of the frozen drinks will be available with the Classic package, they will just use lower quality alcohol. If you want higher quality wines, they normally are around $12 each. You do only have to pay the difference in price currently unlike other lines. Remember that both packages allow you to order specialty coffees as well. The comparison of the drink packages can be found at www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/onboard-packages/beverage-packages/compare-packages
We cruised on the Silhouette several times. It is a great ship! Enjoy your cruise and thanks for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 sorry im still a bit confused. I chose all in with tips and basic wi fi is this the same drinks wise as the drinks package
@@grindle1234 yes, with the "all included" you get the basic wifi, tips and drinks. The drink package which comes with "all included" is the CLASSIC drink package. You can upgrade to the Premium drink package if you want. The link I provided you will show what comes with the Classic Package. I hope that helps.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 thank you ever so much my friend, it may be bread and butter to yourself but very complicated to me
Respect
@@seemoreseascruises3791 hello again mate, just to remind on celebrity silhouette in august in a prime concierge room all included. Which dining / eateries are available to me without an upgrade and forinstance tha american steak house looks a must but how much extra would it be roughly? sorry to ask so much this is another world to me,thanks and love the channel
there al inclusive is well worth iy ,,best cruise line
If you are interested in the drink package and Wi-Fi it is a great deal. We enjoy Celebrity too! Thanks for watching!
Is basic internet capable of streaming music?
The basic internet is classified as "surfing" which would be social media posts and email. If you truly want to stream something, you need the premium package which can handle streaming in most situations.
I can not watch any longer. You are missing the point. Leave out the wifi. People have to tip anyway. So you are essentially talking about alcholic drink packages. 😢
Sorry you did not enjoy the video. All included from Celebrity is basic WiFi, Gratuities and the Classic Drink Package - adding that is a lot of money. You do not have to get any of them and pay the gratuities either before or end of the cruise is the point. We no longer do the all included.
You are way to long getting to a point. And not very entertaining. I was sucked in on the math as many will be. Keep it simple.
Thanks for the advise.
Fantastic 👌!!! Get the following you deserve = *Promo sm* .
Thank you!