What are Celebrity's "Perks Packages"?
Recently, Celebrity Cruises began offering several packages you can buy online before your cruise, which combine a variety of things you might be looking for anyway. The idea here is that purchasing them bundled may save some cruisers cash. There are several different levels which include different services, ranging from laundry, photos, internet access, specialty dining, and shore-excursion credit.
Below we'll show what is included in each of the packages, along with the package cost, and the value of the included services. Keep in mind that these prices (for the packages as well as the individual services) could vary from sailing to sailing, so we're proving this just as a guideline. The sailing we're looking at is Celebrity Equinox's Seven Night Eastern Caribbean cruise, leaving August 31st 2019.
Lastly, this new program isn't too clear on how the specialty dining option works with regard to the flexibility you'll get in scheduling. Some packages note that you can pick any specialty restaurant you want - others don't. We've reached out to Celebrity for clarification.
Perks Package
Price: $383
Celebrity's Description
Our new Perks Package is designed to make the most of your vacation. To save you time and money, purchase your package before you sail. By pre-planning with this package, once you step on board, you can spend every minute of your vacation relaxing. The Perks Package includes a world-class dining experience at the specialty restaurant of your choice. A credit to use toward incredible shore excursions where you’ll explore local history, culture, and cuisine. And unlimited internet access so you can stay connected with family and friends - share photos and videos (or check in with work, if you must). You can stay as connected or disconnect as much as you like.
The Perks Package includes everything here - for one set price:
- One dinner in a specialty restaurant
- $150 shore excursion credit
- Unlimited internet (one device)
Our Comparison to Pre-Sail Prices
- One dinner in a specialty restaurant - [up to] $55
- $150 shore excursion credit - $150
- Unlimited internet (one device) - $212.80
- Total value: $417.80
- Total Potential savings: $34.80
Perks Extra Package
Price: $449
Celebrity's Description
Purchase our new Perks Extra Package before you sail and take your vacation to new heights. Save time by planning ahead and save money by purchasing before you sail. The Perks Extra Package includes a world-class dining experience at one of the distinctive specialty restaurants on board (your choice). Experience the local history, culture, and cuisine shoreside with in-depth shore excursions. Stay connected with family, friends, and colleagues with unlimited internet access. Missed that one great photo? At the end of your vacation, select 12 digital photos or prints of your most memorable moments on board, taken by our professional photographers.
The Perks Extra Package includes all this for one set price:
- One dinner in a specialty restaurant
- $150 shore excursion credit
- Unlimited internet (one device)
- One photo package (12 digital or prints)
Our Comparison to Pre-Sail Prices
- One dinner in a specialty restaurant - [up to] $55
- $150 shore excursion credit - $150
- Unlimited internet (one device) - $212.80
- One photo package (12 digital or prints) - $140
- Total value: $557.80
- Total Potential savings: $108.80
Perks Ultra Package
Price: $815
Celebrity's Description
Our new Perks Ultra Package provides the ultimate vacation experiences. To save time and money, purchase your package before you sail. With this package, you’ll savor two dining experiences in the specialty restaurants of your choice. Enjoy shore excursions that immerse you in local culture, history, and flavors of the destination. You can share photos and videos with friends, family, and coworkers with unlimited internet access. You’ll stay looking your best (while traveling light) with onboard laundry service. And, at the end of your journey, you can select all the digital photos - your favorite onboard moments of you and your travel companions - taken by our professional photographers.
The Perks Ultra Package includes all this for one set price:
- Two dinners in a specialty restaurant
- $300 shore excursion credit
- Unlimited internet (two devices)
- Unlimited digital photos (one per stateroom)
- Two laundry bags per sailing
Our Comparison to Pre-Sail Prices
- Two dinners in a specialty restaurant - [up to] $110
- $300 shore excursion credit - $300
- Unlimited internet (two devices) - $318.40
- Unlimited digital photos (one per stateroom) - $200
- Two laundry bags per sailing - $100
- Total value: $1028.40
- Total Potential savings: $213.40
What is Celebrity's "Premier Pass"?
Celebrity also offers something called the Premier Pass, which also bundles a number of services, but also several experiences that you can't ordinarily buy, at least not in the same way you can simply purchase the other items without special arrangements. This option provides some unique options, so on one hand it's more about what you get than the bundling. Despite this, the potential savings might surprise you.
Premier Pass
Price: $535
Celebrity's Description
Introducing Premier Pass, our newest and most innovative vacation package for 2 guests. It offers a series of unique cruise experiences to elevate your vacation to the next luxurious level. Purchase the Premier Pass before you sail and enjoy VIP access to the ship, including priority boarding. You’ll have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting in your stateroom when you arrive - just our way of saying, “Welcome aboard.” Your pass includes our most popular Inside Access Tour where you’ll discover the inner workings of the ship from the bridge to the engine room. Your pass also includes a meal with one of the ship’s officers - complete with a photo of you and the captain. During your sailing, you’ll savor an exclusive food and wine pairing, keep in touch with unlimited internet access for two devices, and look your best in every port with personal laundry service on board.
The Premier Pass includes all this - for one set price:
- Priority embarkation and debarkation
- Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot
- Unlimited internet access (two devices)
- Inside Access tour (two guests)
- Officer’s lunch (two guests)
- Captain’s toast and photo
- Wine pairing with sommelier (two guests) - wine is complimentary
- Laundry service (one bag per stateroom)
Our Comparison to Pre-Sail Prices
As mentioned previously, some of the things included with Premier Pass can't simply be purchased online or at Guest Services, so this package really isn't as much about bundling. Still, we've included the cost of those things which are included and can be easily purchased.
- Priority embarkation and debarkation
- Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot - $131 (cost for onboard consumption, available to carry off for less)
- Unlimited internet access (two devices) - $318.40
- Inside Access tour (two guests) - $178.20
- Wine pairing with sommelier (two guests) - wine is complimentary - [if this is the same as the Food & Wine Pairing Workshop] $50
- Laundry service (one bag per stateroom) - $50
- Value of quantifiable items only (not including Captain's toast, officers lunch, and priority embarkation/debarkation) - $727.60
- Total Potential savings: $192.60+
Conclusion
These packages offer some interesting options. For the Perks Packages, it simply comes down to if you were already planning on the included expenses. If you were, and you don't have enough onboard credit to cover it all, you can save some money. The Premier Pass though is the real stand out item. The value prop, if you're already planning on making purchases associated with the Premier Pass (and again, you don't have the OBC to cover them), is pretty massive - and that's before even factoring in the other benefits: priority embarkation/debarkation, Captain's toast and photo, and the officer's lunch. The only big consideration here is that if you're brining your own bottle of Veuve Clicquot (about $55 in Florida), and/or you already have a drink package (frequently included in Celebrity fares), then the value prop significantly diminishes, though it might still be worth it for some.
Edit: Reader (and super awesome RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com message board contributor) JLMoran found these options for hi 14-night Iceland & Greenland sailing in Aug 2020. He points out that the shore excursion credit is a certificate that has to be redeemed once on board. This mean if the excursion you want is sold out before embarkation day, you won't be able to take advantage of it with these packages. It's definitely a considerion you should make when deciding whether or not these packages work for you.
Let us know if these packages are available online for your next Celebrity Cruise, and what the prices are like. If you're going to be trying out any of these options we'd love to hear your experience.