Ugly Truth About Celebrity Cruises Move Up Program
Vložit
- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- ☑️ HELP ME REACH 10,000 SUBSCRIBERS!
/ @tomsunday
Have you ever dreamt of cruising in the lap of luxury aboard a magnificent cruise ship? Well, today, we're immersing ourselves in the world of Celebrity's Move Up Program. This program promises to elevate your cabin to a higher class simply by bidding on it with your hard-earned money. So, fasten your seatbelts, my friends because today I will provide you with all the information you need to know, and hopefully help you save some money.
Imagine this: you've already booked your cruise, and anticipation is surging through your veins like a rip tide. You've carefully selected your cabin, envisioning it as a cozy haven where you can relax and unwind. However, whispers of the Move Up Program start circulating, offering you a golden opportunity to secure an upgrade and take your cruise experience to new heights. The allure is undeniably strong, but the question remains: Is it too good to be true?
Let's dive into how the Move Up Program operates. It functions like an auction, where you place a bid to upgrade your cabin. You have the freedom to choose the amount you're willing to spend, and if your bid is successful, you'll find yourself sailing in a higher-class stateroom. Sounds exhilarating, doesn't it? However, here's where the waters can become a bit choppy.
⭐Become a channel Member:
/ @tomsunday
⭐Check out my Website:
www.tomsunday.com/
► SOCIAL MEDIAS
🐦 Twitter: / iamtomsunday
📷 Instagram: / iamtomsunday
Hello Friend! My name is Tom Sunday. I live in New York and love finding the best of everything! This Channel is all about my adventures in life. I hope you subscribe and join me on this journey!
Video Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:25 - What is the Move Up Program?
01:30 - Is there a catch?
02:45 - How does it work?
03:30 - Worst case scenario
05:00 - Important things to consider
07:18 - Pro tips
08:18 - Will I use the Move Up?
#celebritycruises #cruise #cruiseship
📷 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/iamtomsunday
I was just about to pull the trigger on the move-up program and somehow came across your video. Thanks so much for this information!👍
You are most welcome! I am glad you found the video helpful.
Great advice on trying for an upgrade once you board. Our daughter had a solo cabin on Edge, which would have been fine. However, she got on and went straight to guest services requesting an upgrade. She got a double (standard) cabin for no extra charge.
That is great to hear! Free upgrades are always the best. I hope your daughter enjoyed her vacation. Edge is an amazing ship!
We have used Move-Up twice successfully (about 50% of the time) and been very pleased. Your drink package and WiFi are what you had in the original booking. So, if your Veranda Cabin booking included WiFi and the Classic Beverage Package and your MoveUp to a Magic Carpet Suite was accepted the drink package and WiFi transfer. We will use Move-Up to bid for upgrades from a Magic Carpet Suite and an Infinite Veranda on our next two cruises. I will warn that do not bid too early. If there is little activity Celebrity has been known to accept outstanding bids and then lower the minimum bid amount to get more interest... I will also warn you that not all bookings are eligible to participate in MoveUp. For example bookings through Costco and other big box stores cannot participate which is why I will not book Celebrity Cruises through Costco in the future.
Thanks for sharing Bill. Great tips. I appreciate your insight!
I book through Costco for one reason. 10% cash card back at the end. So I just got a Costco cash card for $1800. I book Sky Suites and the suites that are nicer are typically sold out. So no real chance of Moving Up. I guess what works for each person depends on their individual circumstances.
@@brunkerj 10% cash back on Costo cards? I didn't know that.
Hi, Bill! Do you still get access to the retreat and luminae if your cabin is upgraded from a brand to a suite?
@@krazymeza Yes, you do. Not the extra loyalty points. as stated, you keep whatever drink and wifi package you already have
I looked at the price of an Aqua Class cabin for an upcoming cruise and decided to book a Concierge Class instead because it was only $100 more than a Verandah but we’ll get more points. The Aqua Class cabin was $1,100 more than Concierge so I put in a bid that would come out to about half of that and then some minimum bids on a couple suite options. If I get one, cool, but I always book at least a room that I’ll be happy with and never count on being able to upgrade.
When you said you have to purchase the wifi and drink packages again, that’s not true. You keep what you have. But if you go to a suite, you don’t get bumped up to premium drink package or premium wifi. No extra onboard credit. But I learned that I can get premium drinks in the retreat so I didn’t need to upgrade. And I had already upgraded wifi before boarding at a discount. One thing I do before bidding, I check what cabins are available to see what I might end up with. Concierge is always an unknown as I don’t like the deck below the pools/activities, so I usually don’t bid on those. But I usually book Aqua and try for Sky Suite or in some cases, Magic Carpet Sky Suite where you know you’ll be almost center. If I win, I can eat in Blu still but Luminae is exceptional.
Thank you. I think your advice is better. People with average intelligence can sniff out his pessimism and arrive at a different conclusion.
P &O are also running this scheme and it is fraught with the same issues....
Stay clear....very useful advice on this video.
Thanks for letting us know about P&O. I'm doing more research on this now. It seems there are several companies that are opting into this scheme. Sounds like I need to take a deep dive into this subject. I'm glad you found the video useful, Neil. 👍
Thanks for this advice. I actually booked a suite, but then wanted to check out the options for moveup to a different suite. I found they were asking $1000 pp minimum. Instead of using the moveup program, I set up a price tracking alert. Once the price of my cruise dropped significantly, I logged into my account and just changed rooms (to a higher suite) for no cost.
You are very welcome. Pro move right there. Nice work!
what price tracking app did you use?
Depends on the level of upgrade. We are attempting to upgrade to either the penthouse or reflection suite; there is only one of each so we know where we would be and still get the suite perks.
Good luck with the upgrade. I hope you get it! Those suites look amazing. The pricing is quite high but they do come with a lot of perks. Unlimited drink packages and etc. You can always get free drinks at the Retreat but unless you have a drink package already, other bars will not be free. Correct me if I am wrong here. For example, if you dont have the premium package purchased and move up to the suite, you will will not be able to get premium drinks at any bar (except the retreat). Same goes for the loyalty points. Those high end suites can get you 20-25 points per night. You will not get them via the Move Up. Please let me know if things changed. Either way, I hope you have a fantastic cruise. Cheers!
Hi Tom ,if you bid up to a Suite ALL drinks our free in the retreat lounge .So you can go in get what you want and take it out. Not as convenient as a drink package but better then paying and the drinks our all premium in the retreat. Also if you upgrade to aqua class you get to go to Blu like you said but you cannot use the beds in the thermal suite.
Hi John! Thank you for the information. I didn't realize the lounge had premium drinks. That does make things a bit better. However, I am shocked that you can't visit the thermal suites when you bid up into Aqua. Wow, that is extra unfair. I didn't know this. Thank you for sharing. I'm never bidding on Aqua. It just doesn't make any sense!
Just a correction on that. I just received a MoveUp offer for a sailing on Edge. The bid for an AquaClass Infinite Verandah (and suite) very specifically says unlimited access to SEA Thermal suite, as you'd expect. @@tomsunday
I do not believe this to be true, I just got a move up from deluxe ocean view fwd to prime aquaclass for a 10 day for $400pp so $800 which I think is a great deal. I would be shocked if what you are seeing is true, that would be like getting a sky suite but you cant use the retreat.
@@chadh1854actually yeah that basically true, you do get luminae if you bid up but for example no premium drink or WiFi package or reserved seating at theatre I believe (could be wrong on that last one). Also bidding up to a suite is expensive it’s honestly better to just track the price and upgrade the room when it drops in price
Can you upgrade if you get Blue Chip Offers?
aqua class no longer comes with the classic beverage package or wifi unless you order it with the reservation at an additional cost with the all-included-package. That changed last summer (2023).
ah that sucks
With respect to cabin location and pricing, this should be obvious to anyone, but is also covered in the fine print. Location is like booking a guarantee cabin. With respect to pricing and inclusivites, it is in the fine print, and that it is only the room, and onboard accesses, and not the fare amenities. Ppl need to start reading the offers available to them.
No one ever reads the fine print. People assume everything is the same and then are very surprised when they find out its not. I think Cruise lines should make it more obvious but they are making more money this way. The screeshot I included in the video speaks to that. So while I agree with you, people should read the fine print, I think cruise lines need to stop hiding really important facts that everyone should know before signing up for this "program".
So nervous - we just ‘won’t an upgrade on Silhouette in Nov 2023, from Veranda to AQ SkySuite (directly under the Oceanview cafe! Oh goody!)… Now - it’s coming to light, that we won’t receive the premium drink package and premium Wi-Fi package… Sadly - our bid is actually MORE than what we paid for the entire 4 night cruise, including the drinks and Wi-Fi…. Live & Learn - but this was a costly learning experience
I hope you have a great cruise. Underneath ocean view cafe can be very troublesome. I just stepped off the Summit a few months ago. I had a Sunset Veranda underneath Oceanview Cafe. It was a nightmare. I made a whole video about it. Bring earplugs.
Hi Tom,
Great video! Would appreciate your help if you can tell me is it better for a couple and a friend (3 pax total) to book 2 inside cabins or the couple should book one inside cabin, wait for an upgrade, bid for a larger veranda room then make it a triple adding the friend. Do you see feasible? Would it cost less?
Actually the single cabin is the same price as a double so we are thinking it might be a money saver.
Hello! I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed the video. My advice would be not to solely rely on the move-up program, as it's never a guarantee. This means you could end up in an inside cabin with all three of you. Instead, I suggest initially booking a veranda for the three of you and then considering bidding to move up to a larger room, if your budget allows.
Additionally, it's worth comparing the prices of two inside cabins versus a veranda. Sometimes, during sales, you might find that two inside cabins, when split among three people, could be more economical than booking one veranda split into three.
I hope this helps in making the best choice for your cruise accommodation. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
@@tomsunday Thanks so much for your reply. In fact yes, two inside cabins are more than a 1000 dollars cheaper than a larger Veranda. So most probably we'll go for the two cabins where we'll not only pay less but also get an extra bathroom.
Smart move! I love it. I hope you enjoy your cruise!
I booked a Celebrity Apex cruise. I got an ultimate veranda cabin for $1400 pp that includes the classic drink package, $350 obc, $20 per person per day wifi, prepaid gratuities of $17.50 per person per day and a $100 post cruise gift card. That's $2500 in bonuses for a $2800 cruise.
Wow did you get all of those things as part or a package or some sort of a sale? Thats really good for a regualr veranda room!
@@tomsunday It was a promotion that was on Travelzoos weekly top 20 deals.
I have 2 rooms on hold: the last interior cabin and a guarantee Verandah. I am thinking, since interior is sold out, don’t I have a very good chance of winning my bid for a balcony at a lower price than $1200 I’d be paying to select the gty verandah?
To be honest its a very tough question to answer. The only way you would have a very good chance to win your MoveUp bid is if there are many rooms left in the category you are trying to win. In this case, if there are many verandas left by the end then yes. Interior rooms being sold out will not affect your MoveUp bid for the verandas.
If you are already in The Retreat and move up, you keep the perks of the premium drinks and wifi - so is there a downside to upgrading within the Retreat category? Thank you, Tom!
Hi Kristina! Thanks for your comment. Upgrading within the retreat category is not a bad idea. The problem is that the lowest category in Retreat is a Sky Suite. Almost 90% of the suites are in the Sky configuration. It only leaves a handful of other rooms available to move up to. Most of those rooms are sold out. So it will be hard to get your bid accepted. It's still worth a try, but you have to get lucky. You won't get the number of loyalty points that those higher suites get. I see no other issues with it! I hope this helped. Cheers!
Are you sure that a move up to a retreat class would include access to Luminae and retreat lounges? I thought that you would not get those perks on a move up.
I am 99 percent sure that Luminae and Lounge is available if you move up. I will double check that. Whats not available are the loyalty points and the free packages that come with suites. However, someone pointed out, they don't need the packages because they can get a free drinks in the Retreat lounge whenever they want.
What happens if you've already paid for the all-in package for your original room, that extra cost for wifi and drinks? I would assume that stays and you get your upgrade as well as you've actually paid for those things as an all in package on the original room?
yes you would keep those
You get all the benefits of the Retreat including premium bev and wifi if you move up to a Royal Suite or above.
Thank you for the info!
Yes, that’s true. We just got moved up from a Sky Suite to a Royal Suite on our Ascent sailing in December (17). Although we already had premium beverages and WiFi, we were contacted by our shore-side concierge yesterday to set up speciality dining requests and in-room mini bar preferences (all included for Royal suites). Additionally, our premium WiFi was extended from 1 device pp to 4. We were sent via email a special placard to the place in the driver’s windshield for entrance to a location for Royal Suites and higher at the port. Our concierge also told us that the other benefits (laundry, butler, etc., in-room dining options, etc.) are also included for us. It was a nice surprise as we bid the minimum.
Congratulations! That sounds amazing!
Mon the Celebrity Move Up offers, what is Ultra Concierge Class? The offer starts at $50 pp.
Concierge class gets you 1 bottle of bubbly, daily canopes delivered to your room, special welcome lunch, your own customer desk and a few other little things. It's really not worth it imo
Thank you for this, I’m definitely cancelling my bid 🤣
You are very welcome!
What did you bid for? On what ship
@@datkinegaming8292 celebrity for an aqua class grade…I have a solo room and wanted the room with a couch so I bid for aqua class, but I see my sailing is sold out anyways so I probably wouldn’t have got it.
@@rrriiiccceee is this for edge? I made a bid for aqua class as well.
@@rrriiiccceee may sailing is may 24
ima going to bid for a aqua and sunset room I'm going for aqua for the 7 day spa and blu restaurant plus a slightly better room and susnet because it look like a cool room and after watching this video i cancelled my concierge bid idk if im doing the right thing but hoping for the best
Concierge is a waste of your money. You get 1 welcome lunch on the first day, as well as canopes for a daily afternoon snack. Its not worth it at all. However sunset and aqua are both good upgrades. I hope you get it!
@@tomsunday may I ask for you expertise min bid for a sunset is 200$ and I went 300$ and min bid for aqua is 350$ so I did 380$ is that good? Just need some expert tip new to this cruise thing and I did it for 2 room. Same bids.
If you want to increase your chances of getting the room, then going above the min bid is a good strategy. A lot of people are of the mindset that only min bids are worth it. However going above minimum may not be worth it. It depends on the going rate of the room you are trying to get at that time. It may be a better option just to book the room you are going for, instead of trying to "MoveUp" to it.
@@tomsunday ok thanks. ATM I believe our ship is sold out too I believe. But I’m on the celebrity edge and I book a PO room. We’ll see thanks
@@tomsunday yea it was the sunset balcony run that on back of the ship.
We won a bid on aqua class on edge & were thrilled to get the use of blu ..!
That is great to hear! I love Blu! Make sure to visit it for breakfast as well. They have an amazing selection in the mornings! Enjoy your trip and if you have any questions, I'm here to help.
Also, is VTG eligible for move-up program?
What is VTG?
VTG is Vacations To Go. It is a travel agency.
I know that you do get to upgrade if you book your cruise VTG. I have won 2 upgrade bids over the years and I only book with VTG.
Happy cruising 😊
Thank you for the clarification! Happy cruising!
Yes you do!
I say bid the lowest. If you get it great you spent a lot less on that upgrade if not no harm done.
Not a bad idea, actually!
When I called Celebrity today, they told me if the bid is rejected, you don't receive your money back. I feel like this didn't sound right. Can anyone please confirm?
They are wrong. You don't get charged for your bid until it's accepted. Once you win, your bid will be automatically charged to your payment method. Otherwise, you do not pay anything.
@tomsunday thanks so much! I was so confused, I repeated it back to her 2x and she confirmed both times I heard correctly. I've done upgrade before on another line, Virgin, but they were more up front about wat happened if you got rejected.
All the move up programs are run by the same outside company. I don't remember the name.
Yep. Agreed. It's ran by an outside company. I included a screenshot in the video if you wanted to follow up.
Move up program is a disaster, I have been sailing with Celebrity since 1991...I cannot tell you all the amenities that since have been eliminated specially in the AQUA Class category. BUT, this move up program is one of the worst ever promoted by Celebrity, This reminds me of the candy sold at the check out in a supermarket...It is impulse buying the thrill of winning a bid...And in the end, Celebrity win and you lose...
Thank you for sharing your experience! I appreciate your insight. Agreed!
@@tomsunday let me know if you want a list of Amenities that were once a part of Celebrity and has since been downgraded or simply removed...you would be shocked.
@U.S. ARMY COMBAT MEDIC absolutely! If you have time, please share. Either here or email if it's easier for you. I am working on a few videos and can definitely use this info in them. Thank you! My email is tomsundayyt@gmail.com
@@tomsunday I will send you my story of the ups and downs of Celebrity.
@@butalina I look forward to it. Thank you! 👍
Do you have a massive anti on Celebrity. We have watched several of your diatribes (I hesitate to call them videos or informative) and have come to the conclusion that 1. You are looking for freebies from Celebrity to shut up, or 2. You have some other axe to grind with them.
Your diatribes are neither fair or rationale and bare no resemblance to our experience
Colin, your conclusion is extremely flawed and lacks rationale. Why would I talk badly about a company if I am "looking for freebies"? If I were seeking sponsorships or complimentary cruises, I'd likely avoid any critique that could/would potentially upset those companies. I am doing quite the opposite here. So your point makes absolutely no sense.
I'm not sponsored, I’m not a travel agent, and I’m not here to sell anything. I share my genuine experiences from my vacations as an independent cruiser. I personally pay for all my cruises and use my own vacation time to create content for this channel. My loyalty is with my subscribers and our community. Thats why I always tell the truth. This may be one of the reasons why I will, most likely, never be sponsored or get free cruises.
Contrary to your uninformed opinion, I actually love Celebrity. Which is why I've chosen to sail with them over eight times in the last two years alone. My critical approach comes from a place of love and high expectations-I want to see my favorite brand succeed. The MoveUp program isn't even managed by Celebrity Cruises; it’s operated by an independent company designed to maximize their profits through a bidding war. Their goal it to extract as much money as possible from cruisers like yourself. Celebrity Cruises only gets a fraction of your move up bid.
If you find my perspectives don't align with "your experiences", there are many other content creators who might match your expectations. My goal isn’t to echo your personal experiences but to provide an honest overview, whether that’s highlighting the good (there is plenty of that on this channel) or pointing out the bad/ugly. So thanks for sharing your opinion but if you are going to comment again, please get clarity and come back with something that actually makes sense!
@@tomsundayTom, Thanks for the reply. We have also cruised on many lines, so can openly and objectively compare lines, but also compare current standards and offerings and see whether indeed corners have been cut. We are off on another Celebrity cruise in 4 weeks. I will honestly and hopefully openly re-review your comments (its 2 years since we last went with celebrity) post this cruise.
I would still comment that your move up statements are a bit unfair as I have again reviewed what celebrity state in emails etc. But also in there videos and other material. IMO, they make it abundantly clear what you are bidding for and what happens if successful. (And no we have never bid as I don't personally see the value)
7,641 messages in your in-box? Worse than my mother.
I was hoping noone would notice. 😅😅😅