May B

Good points. Thank you!

Thank you for your full explanation, and I agree you would have had friends who were very disappointed if you had opted out. I understand your sentiment, too, about wishing you had never gotten the offer! And Zalusky, thank you for your explanation as well. I looked at some cruises to see how many are sold out, and they ALL are! Just a small sample, but every single one! I actually never noticed a guarantee category offered, so mine may not fall into the oversold category, but now we are full of info, thanks to you both. And perhaps I wouldn’t get the offer anyway, since I’ve had my stateroom assigned from the beginning. My cruise is June 22nd (our 55th anniversary). How far in advance did you get your offers? Bon voyage to you, and all!

The part that I don’t understand is that I was totally unaware of you, here on CC, at the time. I thought I would remember a CC poster with such obvious charm, to use your own term. I certainly remember meeting Terry and Kerry, and actually everybody in the photo. Philip I knew from a previous cruise, and Carol, I think this was the cruise where we volunteered at Ronald MacDonald House in Charleston! Editing to say that Terry and Kerry won most of the trivias!

Do you have any idea what complimentary cruise fare on your new sailing means? I are there parameters for the new sailing? Have a blast next week!

So my memory was partially right! Terry is in the shadows. Drib captured it and posted! Thank you, Drib, wherever you are! Good question about the numbering, Roy. Except I think 8218 was SFO to NYC. And GREAT job, posting the photo AND knowing to whom we could attribute it, Roy. I actually suspected you’d be able to find it. Thank you for meeting my expectations. 😁

Sheesh, I was on 8218 but I don’t remember any air problem. Sadly, we did not meet Texas Tillie or KenzSailing! Luckily, we DID enjoy Patty’s company on a future cruise, and we did trivia together. i think that was the sailing where quite a nice group of us went into the computer room to show up on the web cam. Which cruise was that? That was a wonderful group photo.

I thought I might learn something I didn’t know. Perhaps not.

Keith also posts on Facebook, where there are more participants. If you don’t like the way Crystal runs its business, by all means support a cruise line that is more closely alligned to your expectations.

I have not done it yet, but … soon! Very soon! To begin to answer your question, the included tour is just the round trip train. Somebody else told you the timing. There are quite a few optional tours you can purchase that include sightseeing while you’re in Berlin. I think you’ll find a nice variety from which to choose. Have fun deciding!

Why would they not be “agreeable” to that?

Wow!

$1000 is $1000, whether you’re flying internationally, or just going on a puddle-jumper from Tampa to Miami. In the latter case, you’d take the $500 pp off the cruise fare. In the former you might, also. Especially if you’re using miles to buy your int’l. biz class. Of course it’s offered when sailings aren’t sold out. Why would it be offered when a ship is heavily booked or sold out?

The passenger on Crystal had what seemed to be an obvious disability, and had her dog(s) for at least a decade. Perhaps the second dog she owned was in case the first one died. When she traveled (extensively) for bridge tournaments, I guess she had both of them with her, one in hotel room, other on her lap at the bridge table. She was a professional bridge player.

Actually, when I looked back at the menu, I saw Dover sole, which I like very much. I hope it isn’t overpoweringly lemon-y. Does anybody know? Plus, at the Grill, I think there was Ahi tuna that I had one night.

I know that a cruiser had two support dogs, both the same breed. Crystal allowed her to take one but not both. Other guests were not happy about the dog at the pool. I can’t remember … could the guest have allowed the dog to actually go INTO the pool? I have to say yuck to that.

THAT is NOT FUNNY. Since FL’s a big state, I guess you don’t live close enough for us to meet in person. It was just a thought.

I agree that the $25 could easily evaporate, but I’m less confident that the cruise fare will go up by $750. I absolutely agree that the 1st of any month is almost always when you’ll see a new offer replace an old offer.

To answer a question about how do you know, the front line agents who answer the phones at reservations are (perhaps all) working from home, and I heartily endorse that. That’s already been mentioned. When you feel as though you’re up against a brick wall, and that there’s nothing logical about the responses you’re getting, then you might choose to escalate your request. Eventually, or even sooner, evidently the top of the line is in the LA office … for US and Canadian cruisers, anyway.

I think it’s safe to say many of us are watching for that. Some with high hopes, some with sadness.

How do you know the cruise fare will go up $750?

Why? The NY strip is definitely not the only thing on the menu. Actually, I think I saw a post with a photo of the osso bucco, which looks great. That’s what I’ll probably have, unless there’s a fish that is one of my faves.

We had been hoping to try a Tomahawk steak at the Grill on Octantis, but they didn’t actually have it, despite its being listed. Neither of us would order a NY strip, but we would’ve tried a ribeye, which they also didn’t have. It’s ok, we found plenty of things to enjoy. I can’t even believe that we actually “dined” at the World Cafe a few times. A lesson to me: never say never.

Darlin’ Darlene! Where in FL are you? I’d love to meet you for lunch some day.

I fail to see how this could possibly be construed as being a “more positive light”. In fact, it almost reminds me of an insurance company that fights paying a valid claim, as if there will be some insured folks who will give up before getting the proper compensation.

I agree with the OP: he was entitled to a refund, but had to hunt it down. It’s insulting to imply that HE was at fault.