Cruise retailer in Australia

[GladstoneTim]

Hi,
Considering a Celebrity cruise for the family ex-HKG or SIN in Dec 15/Jan16. Any collective wisdom here as to where to get the best deals?

 

[bobe]

Get a least three prices from different agents( in the same catorgary ) then go to Cruisabout who will match any other price, done 10 Celebrity cruises and they can't be faulted,done 20 odd altogether with different cruise lines and Celebrity will take some beating, good luck and enjoy .

 

[straitman]

Hi,
Considering a Celebrity cruise for the family ex-HKG or SIN in Dec 15/Jan16. Any collective wisdom here as to where to get the best deals?

Another option is to try the Qantas Cruise or Cruise Pilot (VA) options if you want FF points. I have used Qantas but have used VA and they happily price matched plus I got points.

 

[GladstoneTim]

Thanks for the replies. Will also have to investigate the QF and VA connections.

 

[sinophile888]

Bicton Travel and their parent company Cruiseco encourage you to use Amex and also give bonus QFF points. We have had some good deals through them.

I use seascanner, ozcruising, ecruising and vacationstogo for research and sometimes for booking.

 

[YSSY]

All superb advice, just keep trying everywhere, you can often find the cruise cheaper and with extras. We have had some amazing deals,

 

[GladstoneTim]

Thank you. Ended up with the best price and deals with Flight Centre. Only reason I went with them was a family member became our consultant. She wouldn't dare muck-up this booking or try and charge outrageous fees. Best price $$$ wise and two beverage packages and $200 land credit per cabin, x 2 cabins .

 

[Fifa]

Best price $$$ wise and two beverage packages and $200 land credit per cabin, x 2 cabins ��.

Thanks for the update.

We usually book through US travel agents as, in the past, they have given the best deals and lots of OBC.
For our March cruise this year from Singapore to Dubai we booked through Cruise Centre and they were the cheapest out of over a dozen companies I researched.
The free Classic Drinks Package that Celebrity (and other cruise lines) offers from time to time is a real winner . I'm going to work my way through the coughtail list and liqueurs and see how far I get :shock: in 14 days.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Pushka]

I love the Celebrity 123promo and with the U.S. OBC we upgraded to Premium. The drinks during the day on our cruise went like this:

Cappuccino for breakfast.
Fresh OJ for breakfast
Grab large Evian leaving breakfast buffet
Mid morning - soft drink or coffee
Lunch - beer, wine or both
Another coffee
Another Evian
Mid afternoon - alcoholic smoothie or baileys on ice
Pre dinner drink - white wine or beer outside on deck near buffet
Pre dinner coughtail - coughtail or two at Martini bar
Dinner wine - puilly fume - a couple
Coffee or tea
Post dinner - mixer Grey Goose vodka or baileys or both.

ALL FREE!

We drank our way round Europe.

And doing it all over again this August on Celebrity.

We use Vacations to go.

 

[GladstoneTim]

Wow, that sounds great Pushka. Do they provide a clear explanation onboard of what's included in the beverage package?

 

[Pushka]

Wow, that sounds great Pushka. Do they provide a clear explanation onboard of what's included in the beverage package?

This is the classic package.



The premium package is an extra $11.50 a day but OBC from the TA paid for that.

 

[stoneman]

Are planning a short trip on the QE2 through Asia next year and have used a company called Cruise Compete in the past, but will definitely check out some of the above mentioned companies, thanks aff'ers

 

[Pushka]

Are planning a short trip on the QE2 through Asia next year and have used a company called Cruise Compete in the past, but will definitely check out some of the above mentioned companies, thanks aff'ers

Just check the exchange rate these days. One huge advantage is that US travel agents refund the deposit if cancelled.

 

[Pushka]

Today I ended up cancelling our July cruise with the U.S. Travel agent and rebooked a better cabin for around $1000 less direct through Celebrity with same perks ($300 OBC and free drinks package). I'll get the deposit back plus around $200 extra because of the fall of the AUD. Good days work!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

\The free Classic Drinks Package that Celebrity (and other cruise lines) offers from time to time is a real winner . I'm going to work my way through the coughtail list and liqueurs and see how far I get :shock: in 14 days.

How can you tell before you booking which cruises offer the FOC classic drinks package? Is it something the cruise company offers no matter who you book with eg Cruise Centre, Vacations to Go etc?

I love the Celebrity 123promo and with the U.S. OBC we upgraded to Premium. The drinks during the day on our cruise went like this:

Cappuccino for breakfast.
Fresh OJ for breakfast
Grab large Evian leaving breakfast buffet
Mid morning - soft drink or coffee
Lunch - beer, wine or both
Another coffee
Another Evian
Mid afternoon - alcoholic smoothie or baileys on ice
Pre dinner drink - white wine or beer outside on deck near buffet
Pre dinner coughtail - coughtail or two at Martini bar
Dinner wine - puilly fume - a couple
Coffee or tea
Post dinner - mixer Grey Goose vodka or baileys or both.

ALL FREE!

We drank our way round Europe.

And doing it all over again this August on Celebrity.

We use Vacations to go.

OMG what a menu! Is the Celebrity 123 promo something Vacations to Go can offer as well as direct through the cruise company? Is there a difference in price upgrading to the premium package ie at the time of booking vs doing it onboard or did you do the latter so you could offset the OBC?

 

[Pushka]

I think we drank our way around the med.

Yes, VTG will offer the same 123 promo. The current one ends at end of Feb. They usually throw in OBC. If you upgrade to premium on the cruise then the cost of that is offset by the OBC. We upgraded within a couple of hours of boarding. While eating lunch at the buffet. The attendant asked if I wanted a drink and if I wanted to upgrade. Yes to both. He took our cards away, returned in a couple of minutes with both drink and upgraded card.

We will do exactly the same on a 13 night med cruise.

A caveat. The exchange rate. Currently you can book a great 123 promo on celebrity website which has OBC, the Classic package and gratuities all paid up.

 

[Pushka]

Look for 123promo.

If you upgrade then it's really good quality spirits (grey goose for example); pouilly fume by the glass for 50c; amazing coughtails etc. Evian water and so on.

They actually let you taste wines ordered by the glass before you "buy".

 

[straitman]

I just booked another Princess cruise with CruisePilot (VA). They were the cheapest upfront by a couple of hundred $$$.

When it was all put together we suddenly had $715 of onboard credits for a 14 night cruise. :shock::shock:

$220 that Princess were offering at the moment, $200 for having prepaid $200 deposit, $250 as ex military and some more that I have no idea about.


I also use Vacationstogo but there are some cruise lines that you cannot book via them if you are not US based. They are still great for research.

 

[Pushka]

Vacationstogo can't book Princess cruises so thankyou for that recommendation. I'm waiting for 2016 Alaska cruises in a few days so will check it out.

 

[UP4014]

Wow, that sounds great Pushka. Do they provide a clear explanation onboard of what's included in the beverage package?

It becomes clearer as the night progresses.