anniegb

13 minutes ago, clojacks said:

I don’t believe that is correct regarding the 3 cruises offered. If I remember correctly, those with fall 2023 cruises affected were offered fall 2024 cruises, and those with spring 2024 cruises affected were offered spring 2025 cruises I believe. More like 6 cruises offered than 3.

I know of one poster who had originally a 2023 booking.  They phoned Celebrity to transfer to Oct 2024 cruise and were advised that the cruise was sold out.

Cruises were made available but what we have not read how is many cabins were impacted in total and how many cabins were made available on the L&S dates.  I have my suspicions............

2 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

If I understand the situation correctly as you wrote, the family had nine (9) cruises booked and only three (3) cruises were on offer for L&S???

 

If that is the case, then this calls for their TA to spring into action to get it addressed correctly.

 

Now, if there were nine (9) cabins and only three (3) were offered L&S, there again their TA needs to spring into action to get it addressed correctly, especially if they booked a group or made it known to X they were traveling as a group.

 

I think there is a mis-connect in terms of communication on the situation here which requires special addressing.

 

Thank you and bon voyage

I think the family had a total of 6 cabins booked and it was a linked booking.

I am unsure if a TA was involved.

Thanks

Just now, Bo1953 said:

The comment is centering around a 'higher' cabin category and not same category cabin pricing.

 

As such, L & S remains in force and honoured.

 

bon voyage

Hello Bo again

L&S is not being applied in the normal manner.

An example

Family had 3 of their cabins cancelled.  If they became available later, they can purchase them at rate prevailing in 2023 and not 2021 (date of original booking)

9 cruises were impacted.  Only 3 cruises were available for L&S.

9 into 3 doesn't go.  

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

 

 

If you are a driver do you buy car insurance?  Why should you have to protect yourself from the incompetence of other drivers?

 

 

In the UK yes we buy car insurance. It is the law.

2 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

ag - I agree, yet I usually for short haul flights here in the US, purchase non-refundable tickets no worry as my travel insurance refund would be quick and easy...

 

For tickets which would cost me more than $750 p/p, I buy refundable and watch for lower pricing on non-refundable as the flight gets closer, if available, just in case.

 

But these days, it is a roll of the dice for sure on airline tickets... LOL

 

bon voyage

Thank you and I agree.

Alas the air ticket to Japan is in excess of USD1000 and the USD500 offered by Celebrity leaves a large shortfall for many especially family bookings.

However if the cruiser had purchased air tickets via Celebrity, the pain would be lessened.

Bottom line and JMO this debacle has not been Celebrity's finest hour but I suspect that senior management, mentally, has left the building.

18 minutes ago, southwestie said:

I wonder how many this has happened too that don't share on here

How many cruises were impacted in total : 9

Millie has a capacity of approx 2000 x 9 =18000 ?? 

Do the maths.  I suspect at least 10% but again that is speculation.

11 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Royal Caribbean overbooks Quantum of the Seas sailings, offers complimentary cruises — Singapore Cruise Society (sgcruisesociety.com)

 

If it was on Royal it would be a refund plus a future sailing on the ship.

 

I suspect that at some point in time the cruise lines will be regulated like the airlines by the government.  Too many overbookings...

Possibly a Singapore regulation, I don't know - just pondering.

I know UK Package Tour Regulations are not generous if the cancellation is made so far in advance.

My contract wth Celebrity is for Cruise Only.  If I was cancelled, I would not expect them to refund my air ticket.

11 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

I understand for sure... all of the situations during C-19 brought new policies to bear...

 

Not sure what the current policies covering air and cruise cancellations are, yet I do understand that they are returning towards pre-C19 ones.

 

bon voyage

One lesson I have learned from this whole debacle is NOT to purchase non-refundable air tickets esp for long haul destinations unless you are prepared to bear any losses.  If you have booked a package, different rules are applicable. The premium for a fully refundable air ticket may not be as much as you think. When a cruise line cancels a booking so far in advance, I am unsure, contractually, what their obligations are but I suspect they are not as generous as many of us think.

Someone posted on their roll call that Celebrity advised they are not allowing anyone to volunteer for cancellation unless they pay the cancellation penalty.

Just now, clojacks said:

I've never heard of "being required" to have travel insurance in Europe, and we have multiple Med cruises. Can you name who these cruise lines are??

I think Marella (European cruise line), part of the Tui group, may have introduced this policy post-covid.  I like it.

We had a medi-vac incident on my cruise.

1 minute ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

 I don’t think I have ever purchased travel insurance in the UK that gives you cancel for any reason.

Are you saying you can cancel a $10000 cruise because you change your mind and the insurance company will give you back the $10000?

If the cruise and flight was bought as a package I might get my flight costs back as well

But if I booked cruise and flight as different entities I don’t think my insurance would cover my flight costs,,,,why should they,my flight has not been cancelled.

 

Different market, different policies.

I have never purchased 'cancel for any reason' travel insurance in the U.K. I have never investigated the market to that extent.

I know 'cancel for any reason' policy is available from certain cruise lines but claims are restricted to 80%?? I checked the cost of a such a policy for a 2024 cruise I have booked and the premium exceeds the cost of my annual policy by 100%.

I agree if Celebrity cancelled my Japan cruise, my insurance policy would not pay any claim for my cancelled flight.  However the premium for my refundable flight is very modest and I would revert to a land trip.

2 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "different rules".  Are there countries where a cruise line cannot cancel a cruise?  Are you suggesting there are countries where travel insurance is either not available or not needed?

Apologies, I should have made it clearer.

I was referring to Travel Insurance.

You stated you had travelled previously without purchasing travel insurance.  In Europe, there are cruise lines that will not allow you to board without evidence of a travel policy.

22 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Are they new travelers who have never heard of trip insurance?  When I was younger, 30's and 40's I never bought travel insurance.  But when I started to pay $10,000 or more on a vacation I started buying $1,000 polices (more or less) with Cancel/Interrupt for any reason.

Different rules in different parts of the world.

I cruised January this year, from a European port, and had to produce evidence of travel insurance valid for the cruise. I overheard one agent advising a couple unless they produced evidence of a purchased policy, they were not allowed to board.  

The cruise line advised all guests beforehand that policies would be checked.

1 minute ago, Bo1953 said:

Most insurers permitted the policy to be transferred to a new sailing without additional charge unless the non-refundable costs went up (not down).

 

bon voyage

Thank you for that.

I suspect like many UK cruisers, I have a multi-trip travel policy  which is renewed annually.

1 minute ago, clojacks said:

It's very possible that is their way of phrasing that they do not have travel insurance...

Possible.

The cruiser is resident in North America.

However let us assume, they purchased travel insurance in 2018 at time of original booking.  Would it still be valid?? or would they have to renew the policy annually??

5 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

a - their air tickets are not covered by travel insurance???

 

Pray tell the reason or is it the cruise line insurance vs third party???

 

bon voyage

I don't know and have not/will not enquire. They are understandbly upset.  A trip booked 5 years ago is cancelled and they are upset.

I am unsure if my UK travel insurance would cover a non-refundable air ticket cancelled because a 3rd party cancelled onward travel plans. However I have a refundable air ticket.

Someone on the Oct 12 cruise has received the dreaded 'pink slip'.

They had originally booked in 2018 for a 2020 cruise which did not happen and has been subsequently L&S multiple times.

Revenue dept made the decision ?? Why ?? We can all speculate but fare paid was probably a factor.

They are left with non-refundable USD3000 air tickets which are not covered by travel insurance.

I picked this up from a roll call.

A contact within Celebrity has stated that all 'purged' letters have been sent.

I know we have thought that before but I thought I would share.

30 minutes ago, Belgian fry said:

Is the deadline still 1 May, I wonder? If so, it doesn't give the victims much chance to get organised. I'm not sure I could get leave approved that quickly

You beat me to it! I was thinking the same.

 The initial cancellations were sent circa 17th April therefore 2 weeks until 1st May.  Therefore 2 weeks is not an reasonable period and a case could be made.

Further we know of at least 1 cruiser who was not given a deadline date for responses.

1 minute ago, Bruin Steve said:

Wouldn't it be nice if Celebrity would just send the rest of us emails stating "Congratulations.  You have survived the purge.  Your booking is safe and confirmed.  You WILL be traveling with us to Asia in the cbin and on the dates you originally booked."???

Agreed. 

Made a similar statement on my roll call a few days ago.

If I followed my roll call correctly, one cruiser was moved from waiting list to confirmed booking 5th April 2003. 19th April  the TA had 200 cabins purged - same agency.

I hope the purging was done in order of sailing date.

Just now, wahwah1 said:

I got lift and shift to mid sept 2024 sailing (from mid oct 2023). The Oct 6 sailing only has obstructed balcony left (mine is unobstructed). I understand sept is super rainy season, but still better traveling in oceanview. 

Thanks for letting us know.

As long as you are happy - enjoy.

Annie

1 hour ago, southwestie said:

Hope it works out for you.

Thanks - I have escaped unscathed so far and I have a refundable air ticket.  Plans B and C are in place.

The cynic in me thinks they have treated the linked bookings in the manner they have hoping to release more cabins if the whole linked booking cancels.

I appeciate as a solo, I could not obtain my pricing in the current market place for Japan by cruise ship.

To end on a positive note, I know organising a land trip to Japan to make use of non-refundable air tickets is not difficult( I have done it)  and possibly more relaxing.  Just use the Ta-q-bin service.

1 minute ago, southwestie said:

4th march 2024. I did see that

 

OK different dates.  Thanks for respondin.

I know one of the linked bookings is definitely on my date - October 24th.

12 minutes ago, southwestie said:

Looking today from my TA. Only inside and OV. Available.   This might be correct or it might be a fluke. You can try and book now.

May I ask what is your sailing date??

I ask because of I know of at least 2 linked bookings (one with 2 cabins and another with 6 cabins) that have had inside and ov cabins cancelled for half of their party.

21 minutes ago, wahwah1 said:

That's a downgrade. Assigned balcony to GTY oceanview.

 

Thanks anniegb for responding.

No worries.

Good luck today - keep us posted.

Annie