DAP2

Ya, if I read more post implying I should have used a TA... As your experience shows, that's not the answer either. I read one post on FB where an agent asked customers who felt comfortable to handle the rebooking/cancelations on their own, because the TA was so overwhelmed with the number they needed to process. I don't think I noticed the "don't worry" in the email in the emails before. Sure, sure, I'll just turn off the worry center in my brain...lol.

@Giraffes I, too, am getting discouraged. It's time for Virgin Voyages to send an update email. We are seasoned cruisers with eighteen prior cruises under our belt. Our canceled cruise is our first experience with VV (unfortunate luck, I know). We've experienced a lot of incidents during our time cruising, including itinerary changes, mechanical failures, delayed sailings, wind causing us to miss the 'main attraction' port, skipped ports due to med evacs, etc. Some before the cruise and some while on the cruise. From the passenger end, there is one common thread that makes these scenarios go well, and it's communicate, communicate, communicate. I just don't think you can over-communicate in this type of scenario, and IMO, VV just isn't hitting the mark. There is a lot that cruise lines can't control, and we've afforded VV that same grace through this entire situation. We've been optimistic with a positive attitude since the cancelation news broke that "Option 1" for rebooking would work out in our favor. The agents I've talked to have told me how much they appreciate my kindness and understanding on the phone because not all callers have the same attitude and understanding that the agent isn't at fault. BUT, I'm getting discouraged. If you've done the math on the sheer number of canceled cruises times the number of cabins, it's daunting. Even if we say half take the straight credit option, I don't see how VV will even get to all of us in a month, let alone 7 days. Don't tell your customers seven days if you haven't put the systems in place to meet the timeframe you as a company established. Every morning, I check my email, app, and account in anticipation of something happening overnight. This morning, that something is the app crashing again after spending a significant amount of time on the phone with VV tech support yesterday getting it working. I'm answering every phone call that comes in while I'm at work, yet there's been no new news and no updates from VV. Airfare keeps climbing, time-off requests are due, etc. At this point, I'm not sure the $600 is comp enough for the hours of time and angst related to rebooking. From a customer service standpoint, I think an update email around this time would go a long way. "It's been a week since the news; here's what we've done, here's what we're doing..." Did they hire more agents? How many passengers have they successfully rebooked? If you've requested a refund, how soon can you expect that to hit your account? Who is this mysterious "displacement team," and where did they come from (managers, execs, senior call agents, etc.)? Are requests being handled by the time stamp on the form, call center case creation date, or departure date of the requested cruise? Are employees being offered overtime to get these forms and cases processed? Why haven't the call center hours been expanded? Are we 'all hands on deck' until this is resolved...lol, see what I did there? Have we empowered the call center agents to make things right (if you've called, you know this is a NO). I'd be happy with even an email of FAQ's and answers. For example, are they honoring downgraded cabin category requests? How are they calculating the charges for an upgraded cabin category request? Why are the app and online accounts a disaster right now, and what's being done to get us back into our accounts? I feel so bad for people who can't book their dining and experiences right now. Sigh...back to the waiting game.

Can sailor loot be used in the spa?

TL;DR Call Virgin and make sure your rebooked cruise is still active and didn't expire. Hi, all. I rebooked my canceled cruise on Saturday. I received the booking number, cabin number, and email that said it was 24-hour hold. The agent assured me it would not cancel but was awaiting the displacement team to apply the sailor loot, credits, etc. Our friends did the same and got the cabin next to ours and the same assurances. I have not been able to access my account on a computer or via the app since the cancelations were announced. I read something on another site that made me decide to call this morning and make sure my hold was still active. It was not. The hold expired at 24 hours. I gave the agent my friend's booking number, and their hold from Saturday was still active. Their agent on Saturday put in the correct code to make the hold seven days, not 24 hours (although the generic email always says 24 hours). The agent reactivated my booking and assured me my place in line was still with the Saturday bunch as it was based on the case being created, not the cruise itself being on hold. I received my new re-booking email with the same new booking number and cabin as Saturday. Next, I called back and selected tech support. They were able to get my phone app working so that I can at least check in now and see my rebooked sailing. She checked the booking and reported that the agent this morning STILL hadn't put the correct code in to keep the hold for seven days!! She assured me that she had entered the code and that I should see it now in my app until I get the final confirmation with credits. The desktop still isn't working, so they put a ticket in for that. I'm going to feel a lot better over the next few days logging in and seeing that cruise. I'm starting to wonder if $600 credit isn't adequate for the time/effort/energy this process is taking 😏. Here's to hoping we all get final confirmations soon.

I called VV on Saturday morning. Rang right through, and the agent took care of it. She waited on the phone to make sure I received my email with the booking and cabin number. My friends did theirs after me; they had the same result and were even able to select the cabin right next to ours. Their agent assured them that the hold would not expire in 24 hours and that the price showing "owed" on the email would be corrected by the cancellations team.

I'm in several Virgin groups on social media and the threads here. The closest I've heard of are the five or six of us I've read about who, as the result of phone calls to VV, have email confirmations with new booking numbers and new cabin numbers, but essentially hold status while the team sorts out refunds, loot, and bar tabs. I haven't heard of any TAs getting any closer. I haven't heard of anyone who submitted the request form getting anywhere.

It's the October 2024 sailing. Inside cabins are less than $2,000.

Yes, Dubai to Athens Sping 2024. Current price is over $7,000 for the same cabin and itinerary that's going the opposite direction in Fall 2024 for under $3,000. Main take away from this whole process for me is to book sailings the day the come out (more than a year in advance) and then watch for price drops....lol.

I was able to rebook via phone on Saturday morning. I went from a 6 day ($2,800ish) Carribean to a 14 day Dubai ($7500ish). The agent held to make sure I received my confirmation email with booking number and I was surprised to see it also had my new cabin assigned. I voluntarily downgraded from a central sea terrace to limited-view sea terrace. She said it had to go to the displacement team next to apply my sailor loot and partial-refund (which I couldn't see why they'd give me money back). As the fall Dubai repositioning cruise was released this morning, I now see why I'd be getting a refund along with my rebooking. A limited-view sea terrace when booked this far out, is $2,745. So, I'm expecting a small refund and my $600 in new loot. I keep my $300 bar tab too. Even with no additional refund, we'll be paying $70/person/night on the (at the moment) newest ship. Still very pleased.

Thanks!

Are they on deck 7? I've found several deck plans, but none show the lifeboats. Videos and pictures of obstructed view terraces that I've seen on deck 8 appear to be mainly looking over the top of the lifeboats and mechanics. But most of these are pictures/videos from the sister ships. Bonus points if you have a good recommendation for an obstructed view terrace that falls in between two boats.

I told them I was ready to rebook and gave them the exact itinerary. They came back and said there were no central sea terraces. I replied that I was willing to book a downgrade. She said she could process it, but it would have to go to the displacement team to determine the amount of refund for taking the downgrade and to apply the sailor loot. They said if I had found a booking that already had the exact class available, they would have had it all done, including the sailor loot. They could only do it for itineraries already on the website. She had me stay on the line to make sure my new booking came via email, and I was happy to see it already had the cabin number too.

We are also time/date limited due to working at a university. We were three couples with three cabins booked over my spring break. Here is the approach we're taking: 1) While it's disappointing that we won't be traveling together, we realize finding dates and an itinerary that will now work for everyone in the group is unlikely. No one is out any money. Those who can go together or want to maximize their value and go alone can do so. Others can take the refund option. We'll return to the drawing board on a group vacation at another time. I know you couldn't go, but how cool would it be if your sister could take one of the 14- or 15-day options? Or the more expensive Christmas or New Year's option! 2) I've looked at all the cruise dates that will be released on Monday. The only option that works for me in 2024 is the April 25th Dubai to Athens, which is already posted. We booked that over the phone yesterday. (We took a downgrade in the cabin as ours wasn't available.) I have a booking number and a cabin number already assigned. All we are awaiting is the call to sort out the possible "refund" and sailor loot. (Yes, I kid you not, they are saying they may refund us some of our original fare due to dropping from the central sea terrace to the obstructed view sea terrace. I'm not holding my breath on that.) It turns out one other couple in our party can also make that cruise, and it was their #1 choice as well, so they booked yesterday, too, and were assigned the cabin next to ours. (And again, they were given info on a pending refund.) 3) Let's say Monday rolls around, and they don't honor our booking. (It seems unlikely since I already have the email and a cabin #.) I'm going to wait to use our credit until more of the 2025 cruises come out. We were told those will be released at the beginning of December, and we need to be rebooked by December 28th. I'd rather maximize my value and chances of getting a longer cruise with only $300 in loot than be pressured into booking a cruise that doesn't fit my wants. So my advice is to wait patiently. Don't let the appeal of $600 in sailor loot drive your decision to book by October 11th. More cruises will/should be released before the December deadline. Maybe you can all find a sailing that will work once those cruises are released, maximize your rebooking, and still get another $300 loot. Good luck!

Via phone this morning, I was also able to get a confirmed booking number, including an assigned cabin number in the confirmation email. I'm doing a one cat downgrade in cabin category on an already posted itinerary. She said the only thing I'm waiting on is the team to call me next week with the refund amount I'll be receiving or an option to upgrade the cabin. Moving from a 6 night to a 14 night.

I've reviewed the cruise contract and can't find my answer. "...as long as it's in the same cabin category". Regarding cancellations, what does Virgin consider a "cabin category." Is it exactly like for like i.e. Central Sea Terrace for Central Sea Terrace. Or, is the cabin category the broader cabin category "Sea Terrace," and you could rebook at Central Sea Terrace or the cheaper cabins The Sea Terrace or Sea Terrace Obstructed view.