Goodbye Celebrity

[SD Cruiser]

CDR, sorry you are in the "same boat" for your cruise. Today thru Friday, they are having another like "fire sale" with half price deposits, full price first passenger, and half price second passenger for amost all Jan. and Feb. sailings excluding the new Solstice class. Maybe you can do what I just did to amortize the early booking fiasco a bit. It turns out we have to be in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area for a March 1 wedding. I just booked the Century five day sailing out of Miami leaving Feb. 23. It gets us back Feb. 28, the day before the wedding.

Still angry about the Dec. 5, and firm in my decision to only book late with Celebrity, but I decided not to ruin my cruise by going with a chip on my shouder, and to just put the price fiasco behind me.
Ellie

[CDR]

I will be sending a letter to corporate regarding my feelings on the fire sale announced on my final payment date. That should be enough to exorcise the bad feelings this has left with me so that I can enjoy the cruise with my parents in January. At the same time, Celebrity is conditioning there customers to wait until the last minute (or at least 2 to 3 months before) to book a cruise at reduced rates. I booked October 11 and I should have taken my parents advice. They predicted a mass exodus of cruise customers given the state of the economy and the no penalty deposit refunds. My guess is that this came true as this Celebrity seems desperate with their buy one get the second passenger at 50% off sale on right now. I expected a price drop but not a 25% incentive for new customers. In marketing it is said that it takes ten times the effort to attract a new customer than it is to keep an existing customer. I am not saying I will no longer sail with Celebrity anymore, but last week they were the only cruise line I would sail with given my good experiences. I guess you could consider that loyalty. After talking with the resolutions department yesterday, I am open to cruising on other premier lines as they all sail to the same places anyway. Celebrity either has desperate executives or first year marketing students running these specials as they are killing their loyal customer base. To anyone considering a cruise in January - February, take advantage of the sale today through Friday. The cruising is excellent and first class.