TeaBag

Thank you, thank you edrussel for your report and no apologies needed for the detail.  It was fantastic.  This is the first post I have read since last Sat when I cancelled our April cruise that has made me happy we did.

I'm glad you have found the world of cruising and enjoyed your first cruise so much as to book a second one.  It's a wonderful way to travel and I miss it so much.  Hoping we will not have to cancel our July plans.

I was hoping to get the 90 day FP date reduced to 60.  I phoned them on Jan 17 asking for this.  I got the run around and finally was told, after about an hour on the phone, to call back on Jan 22 or 23.  Jan 23 was FP date.  So I called again on Jan 22 and the rep had to call this one and that one while I held on again.  Finally got some generous soul who gave me 7 days!  What good is that?  I cancelled only to find out 2 days later that they were giving the 60 days to people booked with May FP dates.  Then I checked the roll call for our cruise and they were all being offered the 60 days out cancellation after the final payment date.  Many were upset as they had already paid in full.  And they have the audacity to thank you for your loyalty (28 years of it) on the phone.

I have written to air my frustration with them but I doubt I'll hear back.

4 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Norway all the way up and down the coast.   Also, Alaska all the way up and down the coast.

 

Still want to get to New Zealand if they EVER open up.  Still hoping to get to Iceland next  year as well as Greece.

 

toodles.

Glad to hear you say that, Oceansaway, as we are booked for Norway in July.  I hope it sails.  One of our best cruises still is Honolulu to Auckland to Sydney.  Iceland was cancelled on us last year but we still hope to get there some day.

Enjoy whatever you choose.

I am in the camp where 7 days is way too short.  You will be surprised by how fast the cruise will be over.  I would go with the 11 days.  Canada/New England is a wonderful itinerary. Do join the roll call for your cruise when you select it.  Often there are people organizing private excursions and those are much cheaper than the ship sponsored ones.

I predict you will love cruising and hopefully this will be the first of many.

Our first was a 14 day London (Southampton) to Athens and we have never looked back.

Please let us know what you decide.

You can book directly with the cruise company, then transfer to the on-line company you have chosen and get perks from both of them.

Another vote for the short ribs.  I really like the Lava cake too.

We do self disembarkation all the time.  I don't think you can do this and stay on the ship till 9:30.  As I recall, breakfast starts at 6:00 or 6:30.  We leave our suitcases in our cabin, go to the early breakfast, then retrieve them and line up with the others who are doing the same.  We've never found it to be a problem.

If you really want to stay till 9:30, then I think others have given good advice to put your suitcases out the night before.

Enjoy the Silhouette, it's a lovely ship.

I'm not 100% sure for cruises booked in the UK, but here, if we booked through a TA, we have to ask them to reprice.  hope you get this.  I checked my cruise and AQ class is sold out so I'm afraid I'm out of luck.  You should make sure these new lower prices are not Simply Sail.

I was going to say phone them, also, but you beat me to it.  Happy for you. Enjoy your cruise.  Silhouette is a lovely ship.

When is your cruise?  I read that for cruises in May, they are extending the FP to 60 days before the cruise instead of 90.  Mine was in April and I phoned twice looking for them to extend but got nowhere.  So I cancelled.  Celebrity would rather have an empty cabin, it seems, rather than help a loyal customer.

I hope you get your problem solved to your satisfaction.  Have you looked at the Cruise with Confidence rules?

Thanks for all the good info, people.  I think we need to make a change.  We have used Amex for about 40 years.  It was great when DH earned money in USD. 

I phoned Celebrity last Friday asking for an extension on FP date which was last Sunday.  Answer was no, so I told them to cancel the cruise.  You'd think they would rather have the cabin filled when they must be desperate for money.  I was also told I would receive a FCC in about 6 or 7 weeks.  I thought when you cancelled before FP was due you got your money back to the original form of payment.

Celebrity doesn't seem to know anything about good will.  Yesterday I cancelled an April cruise, FP due today, as they would not agree to give me another 30 days to make FP.  They would rather have an empty cabin.  Both HAL and Princess have changed to 60 days out for FP instead of the 90.  Good for them.

OP, I'm sorry that you had to cancel.  I know how you feel.  I hope you find another cruise and that things will be better by then.  I hate what this virus has done to us all and I'm not just talking about cruising.

On 1/19/2022 at 10:59 AM, shirley valentine said:

Looks like Holland America and Princess just announced changes in news today . My final payment date now 60 days not 90 before cruise. So it’s Feb 26 payment for Alaska April 27 cruise . I’m hanging in there 🙏👍

Well done, Princess and HAL.

After much deliberation, we have cancelled our Apr 23 Celebrity sailing to Honolulu (FP tomorrow).   It seems to be more important to Celebrity to keep to their unreasonable FP date of 90 days out, in these uncertain times, than give their loyalists a break and keep a cabin filled.  Since we had planned 10 days after the cruise in Honolulu and Lihue, it was too much of a worry about the scenario if we tested positive when flying to Lihue.  .

Yes, starboard will let you see the land view.  One of the jewels of the sailing from Vancouver is the inside passage.  this is very scenic.  I would secure a seat at the front of the lounge to enjoy this view from both sides.

Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you for bringing back this thread.

Could you move to a similar cabin on another deck just before you sail?  Then when you're on board, ask about the use of deck 6 and if it is not being used for quarantine, maybe your original cabin would still be available.  

3 hours ago, jwlane said:

Bless their hearts.  Today when I log in it says "Welcome Billie".  I don't know who "Billie" is....

But if you can get him to pay for your cruise it's all good.🤣

Jelaine is right.  These are lovely cabins.  We have sailed 3 times in them.  #1140 has the biggest balcony but it always goes quickly and is already gone for all the sailings in June.  I don't know which week you are going or which direction.  I looked at all 5 cruises in June and it seems there is more availability of the 5 aft cabins on the Seward to Vancouver direction.  However, I found maybe one or two available on the Vancouver to Seward itinerary.

We did hear loud music from the movie on deck 12, one day on Summit and asked Guest Relations to do something about it.  Never bothered us at night as we were not out on the balcony.

You say this is your first time on Millennium.  Is it your first time on Celebrity?  if you have sailed Celebrity before, you can get a one category upgrade.  You can pay the price of an A2 and get an A1 but you must request this when booking.

Have a great cruise and do spend a little time in our fair city!😀

We had very little shovelling to do except for one day when we got about 8" - 10".  Then the rain came and cleaned it all up for us.  Good old wet coast!

18 hours ago, manc said:

We booked a private trip to Petra when on Azamara. A taxi picked us up, we had a number of photo opportunities en route and a drinks break, once at Oeyra we had a guide and an electric golf cart and driver.We found it on a website offering private tours. We stopped on the way back to the ship too. 

Do you have the name of the tour company?  TIA.

Several times when I have gotten through, yes after a long wait, I have been asked for my phone number in case they need to call me back'

We, on the west coast are at a disadvantage because of the time difference.  No way am I going to get up at 5 AM to phone them.

We should follow each other around, Northern Aurora!  I would recommend the Marriott also Anthony's.  When we sailed from Seattle it was from Pier 91, so we needed help from Uber.

Lots of good ideas here.  Chihuly is worth a trip too.  if you make it to Pike Place Market, I hope they are throwing the fish as they sometimes do.  it is fun to watch.  Seattle is a lovely city, and I hope you build in some time to enjoy it.

Silhouette is our favourite ship.  Enjoy your cruise to the fullest.

Thanks Baynanno for answering the question better than I could.  I knew Petra would be an added trip after the cruise.  It's only 11 days also and ours is 23.  We've only sailed on one river cruise (AMA) and we really did like it.  We have yet to experience Azamara and we can't wait to sail on Quest to Norway in July.