Is Celebrity chartering out the Summit AGAIN in 2018?

Was turned down cold when we ried to book Eclipse or RCI Adventure to replace cancelled b2b Feb. 10 Summit! Super disappointed! Wanted Southern Caribbean again. (Done eastern and western Caribbean many times already). Read here others were more successful. Any tips appreciated. TIA

Was turned down cold when we ried to book Eclipse or RCI Adventure to replace cancelled b2b Feb. 10 Summit! Super disappointed! Wanted Southern Caribbean again. (Done eastern and western Caribbean many times already). Read here others were more successful. Any tips appreciated. TIA

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I understand your disappointment. I also asked about other options other than listed on the Email from Celebrity and was told if I wanted the inconvenience OBC then I would need to pick a ship and sail date listed on the Email. I didn't think to ask if I would have also lost my perks we received when we originally booked the Summit (24 March and 31 March 2018). So we booked the Equinox for 24 March and 31 March 2018. I guess you can look at it this way. You now an incentive to book another Cruise to do the Southern Caribbean.

Was turned down cold when we ried to book Eclipse or RCI Adventure to replace cancelled b2b Feb. 10 Summit! Super disappointed! Wanted Southern Caribbean again. (Done eastern and western Caribbean many times already). Read here others were more successful. Any tips appreciated. TIA

So sorry to hear that you were turned down in your request to book Eclipse or AOS. Our travel agent phoned the "special agent" cited in her communication as the person to call regarding rebooking. She explained that this was the second time that Summit had been chartered impacting sailings in 2017 and 2018. She asked for the change to AOS. After contacting a "supervisor", the phone representative from Celebrity came back on line indicating that we could indeed move our bookings from Summit to AOS maintaining perks and also getting the additional $200 OBC per sailing. I would tell my travel agent that we were able to make the changes to AOS and ask him/her to contact Celebrity again.

We had B2B sailing (week of 2/10/18 & 2/17/18) and received $400 per cruise Goodwill OBC because we were in a suite. Otherwise, it's $200 per cruise. We rebooked B2B sailings on the Equinox that they were offering and got to keep the rate we had for our Summit sailings.

We received the same offer and move to the 2/17 Equinox as well.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise has been going on for years, is a popular cruise, and one can assume there is a decent chance they will take over the entire ship (never know until they see how it sells). Even if there were to be some non-group space available on that cruise, the large group will take over much of the public and entertainment venues. A fabulous cruise for those who love jazz (they really do get some excellent musicians and groups) and not so good for those that want a normal cruise.

Hank

The Smooth Jazz Cruise has been going on for years, is a popular cruise, and one can assume there is a decent chance they will take over the entire ship (never know until they see how it sells). Even if there were to be some non-group space available on that cruise, the large group will take over much of the public and entertainment venues. A fabulous cruise for those who love jazz (they really do get some excellent musicians and groups) and not so good for those that want a normal cruise.

 

Hank

We aren't jazz fans at all. Glad we were thrown overboard and given the opportunity to book another ship keeping all perks and getting the additional OBC.

Thanks for the additional info. Will do. Thanks again!

The Smooth Jazz Cruise has been going on for years, is a popular cruise, and one can assume there is a decent chance they will take over the entire ship (never know until they see how it sells). Even if there were to be some non-group space available on that cruise, the large group will take over much of the public and entertainment venues. A fabulous cruise for those who love jazz (they really do get some excellent musicians and groups) and not so good for those that want a normal cruise.

 

Hank

Hi Hank --

We are 'pre-booked' for the 2018 Smooth Jazz Cruise. From the information we've received, it's my understanding that both the Feb 10 and March 10 dates will indeed be full charters. At this point, some folks with previous SJC status have been given priority booking. The rest of us should get our turn, later this month. We have been told that we will have our choice of either date -- depending on cabin availability. Looking forward to our first 'jazz cruise'! :cool:

The Smooth Jazz Cruise has been going on for years, is a popular cruise, and one can assume there is a decent chance they will take over the entire ship (never know until they see how it sells).

We are 'pre-booked' for the 2018 Smooth Jazz Cruise. From the information we've received, it's my understanding that both the Feb 10 and March 10 dates will indeed be full charters.

wwcruisers - welcome to the SJC family. You will be amazed. Cabin accessability should be fine. We booked yesterday for the Feb. trip. It is an unbelievable party and you will never look at cruising the same. :)

wwcruisers - welcome to the SJC family. You will be amazed. Cabin accessability should be fine. We booked yesterday for the Feb. trip. It is an unbelievable party and you will never look at cruising the same. :)

Thank you, Mimi312! :) Looking forward to our first SJC! Still not sure which date we'll book, when our turn comes up, next week. A big factor may be cabin availability, on the respective cruise dates. We have sailed Summit before, and already have a list of cabins that we'd like to book (if possible). Of course, I realize that we will be spending VERY little time in our cabin, on this one! ;)

WWCruisers If you can't exactly what you want, don't be too disappointed. It won't really matter; as you guessed, very little time is spent in the room. We had a Veranda several years ago - what a waste. :) This is not your typical relaxing vacation... If you end up taking the Feb trip look for the Roll Call in the future - I usually put up a post.

WWCruisers If you can't exactly what you want, don't be too disappointed. It won't really matter; as you guessed, very little time is spent in the room. We had a Veranda several years ago - what a waste. :) This is not your typical relaxing vacation... If you end up taking the Feb trip look for the Roll Call in the future - I usually put up a post.

Mimi -- I was just going to suggest that someone start a r/c for the SJC's. Seems that there are several of us CC'ers who are going to be booked on them. I'll definitely look for you on the Feb r/c, if we book that one. If we end up on the March cruise instead, maybe I'll start an r/c for that one (unless someone beats me to it!;)). I've also been trying to generate a little interest in these two charters, over on the "Theme Cruises" board, if anyone wants to check it out. :cool:

once you have done your first full charter Smooth Jazz Cruise, you will never be satisfied with a "normal" boring regular cruise ever again...everyone onboard have one thing in common, the music and the artists...one does not pay that amount of $$$ over the normal rack rate, to "rest" and sit on your balcony during full days at sea...you will be fully immersed in the music and will make tons of new friends that you will look forward seeing year after year...your Celebrity ship is really like a brick & mortar Jazz Club at sea

once you have done your first full charter Smooth Jazz Cruise, you will never be satisfied with a "normal" boring regular cruise ever again...everyone onboard have one thing in common, the music and the artists...one does not pay that amount of $$$ over the normal rack rate, to "rest" and sit on your balcony during full days at sea...you will be fully immersed in the music and will make tons of new friends that you will look forward seeing year after year...your Celebrity ship is really like a brick & mortar Jazz Club at sea

We just booked the March 10, 2018 Smooth Jazz Cruise. Today was the first day that we could actually reserve a cabin (we've been "pre-booked" for over a month). We had our choice of this date or the Feb. 10 sailing -- but they both appear to be filling up fast! If anyone else here has booked (or is thinking about it), I'm planning to start a roll-call thread for this cruise, over on the Summit r/c board. :cool:

If you end up taking the Feb trip look for the Roll Call in the future - I usually put up a post.

Mimi312 -- this is for you (if you are still around), or for anyone who's booked either of the 2018 Smooth Jazz Cruises. Someone just started a Summit r/c thread for your Feb. 10 sailing (see link). I also started a thread for the March 10 SJC (part deux), if anyone is interested. :cool:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2400055

Still here, hattack - right on! If there's more fun to be had anywhere, I've yet to find it... it's worth every penny.

once you have done your first full charter Smooth Jazz Cruise, you will never be satisfied with a "normal" boring regular cruise ever again...everyone onboard have one thing in common, the music and the artists...one does not pay that amount of $$$ over the normal rack rate, to "rest" and sit on your balcony during full days at sea...you will be fully immersed in the music and will make tons of new friends that you will look forward seeing year after year...your Celebrity ship is really like a brick & mortar Jazz Club at sea

I'd rather stick needles in my ears than listen to someone else's music taste that I hate for even a short cruise.

Have a nice cruise and please charter earlier so you don't screw up other peoples " "normal" boring regular cruise".

I'd rather stick needles in my ears than listen to someone else's music taste that I hate for even a short cruise.

 

Have a nice cruise and please charter earlier so you don't screw up other peoples " "normal" boring regular cruise".

LOL Don -- it's OK, really!:cool: We're just trying to justify spending all of this $$ for a great music cruise. And, hopefully, X will figure out the "charter demographic" soon, so that no one in the future has to be inconvenienced. So sorry that you were ...please be happy for the rest of us?:o

FWIW -- what genre of music cruise would you be willing to pay charter prices for? :cool:

My friends and I are some of the displaced guests that were looking forward to this itinerary, and now have been forced to change cruise lines or go to a more boring Celebrity itinerary (none appeal). I hope you enjoy your cruise, as we have no idea what to do now. :(

I'd rather stick needles in my ears than listen to someone else's music taste that I hate for even a short cruise.

 

Have a nice cruise and please charter earlier so you don't screw up other peoples " "normal" boring regular cruise".

I agree. We were really upset over this!

FWIW -- what genre of music cruise would you be willing to pay charter prices for?

None, actually! Cruise lines play a mix which we listen and dance to. One type of music for a whole week would drive me batty!

LOL Don -- it's OK, really!:cool: We're just trying to justify spending all of this $$ for a great music cruise. And, hopefully, X will figure out the "charter demographic" soon, so that no one in the future has to be inconvenienced. So sorry that you were ...please be happy for the rest of us?:o

 

FWIW -- what genre of music cruise would you be willing to pay charter prices for? :cool:

I know you will have a great cruise, and I can tell you are a wonderful person (and from my neck of the woods). ;) But my friends started fighting over this, as some wanted one replacement cruise and others wanted another. It caused rifts in friendships, to be honest. :( Nothing is settled yet. Our choices are Eastern and Western Caribbean now. We have all done those multiple times, and no one wants to do one of those again. That is why we chose Southern.

The Summit had to change itineraries from January to April to accommodate two Jazz cruises (they have now thrown in short Caribbean cruises too, which we would never do). Two cruises disrupted the January to April 7 night cruises out of San Juan. So please, it would be great if these could be chartered out before thousands of people booked in a Jan -April time frame have to be displaced. I know this is not personally your fault. But the powers that be need to get together when itineraries are first released to figure this out. We booked last November.

the challenge of filling an ever increasing number of berths due to the building of mega ships during the traditional seasonal "slow periods" (January thru Spring Break & Easter)has in part been accomplished by some cruise lines aggressively pursuing charters (of different affinities) which is extremely lucrative for the cruise lines with the lagniappe of not having to deeply discount cabins fleet wide to fill berths)..cruise lines also know thru booking history that the majority of bookings for NA ports occur at about 12 months out so cruise lines pursue charter contracts at about 15 months out in an attempt to displace as few guests as possible and give them the most options for an alternative cruise vacation while staying on the same cruise line..the uncertain terror threat in Europe and Zitka in North America has required cruise lines to move assets (ships) in shorter time spans to meet increase demands (i.e. Alaska) by the consumer..it is upsetting for cruisers who have made plans 15 months out thru no fault of their own, to have their plans changed due to the cruise lines, but most are appreciative of being advised earlier(rather than later), so they can make alternative plans with the most options...cruise lines are faced with a delicate balancing act of remaining profitable (filling berths) and meeting consumer needs..the reality is that on almost every ship there are large affinity groups that may impact the overall experience for the balance of guests..the good news is the larger the ship, the smaller the impact .charters enables a guest to have the best of both worlds, immersed in their passion while enjoying a cruise experience..there are enough cruise line options in today's market that can meet everyone's needs

I know you will have a great cruise, and I can tell you are a wonderful person (and from my neck of the woods). ;) But my friends started fighting over this, as some wanted one replacement cruise and others wanted another. It caused rifts in friendships, to be honest. :( Nothing is settled yet. Our choices are Eastern and Western Caribbean now. We have all done those multiple times, and no one wants to do one of those again. That is why we chose Southern.

 

The Summit had to change itineraries from January to April to accommodate two Jazz cruises (they have now thrown in short Caribbean cruises too, which we would never do). Two cruises disrupted the January to April 7 night cruises out of San Juan. So please, it would be great if these could be chartered out before thousands of people booked in a Jan -April time frame have to be displaced. I know this is not personally your fault. But the powers that be need to get together when itineraries are first released to figure this out. We booked last November.

This happened to us with our ABC Island cruise...Celeb kept us hanging in limbo for a long time while it negotiated using Infinity as a hotel for a convention, then disrupted alot of people's plans when it re-did the cruise scehdules...We switched over to our present ABC date before they pulled the rug out...We heard the convention contract did not materialize...what a waste. And next year we may go through the same thing for our Pacific

Coastal cruise...but we have 2 dates booked...just in case..

Sorry for folks who were cancelled out...hope something else will work out! When it happens it makes you feel like you are not valued as a customer!

perhaps there is another way at looking at this...the cancellation, may be in fact a Blessing because it present the opportunity to pursue an experience outside of one's comfort zone...you might invite a really good travel agent to your home for a Saturday night potluck with your cruising buddies..give the travel agent your working budget and wish list of what you expect for a vacation and your TA could present 2-3 options that you probably had not even thought about...sometimes, one becomes locked into one specific objective and miss out on the bigger picture...in the mid 90's my TA came up with a package that I would have never dreamed of..we flew to Seattle, took the hydroplane from Seattle to Victoria BC...took the Canadian Trans Pacific to Banff National Park..spent 2 nights in the Park (incredible)..rented a car to drive to St Louis, then took an American Paddle Wheel Steamboat from St Louis home to New Orleans with a stop in Memphis (yes it was a music theme cruise featuring Mississippi Blues & Memphis Elvis & NO Jazz)...you might also consider looking at a River or Barge or Windjammer Cruise alternative...I would be remiss if I did not suggest googling Theme Music Cruises and you would be surprise at the options available

"what one cruiser would find being bored out of their mind...another cruiser would find it heaven"...sometimes a cruise cancellation with over a year before your trip, is an invitation to create a new bucket list

good luck