Celebrity scraps some East Med cruises

[cruiseacecat]

First to Anne: Elvis enjoyed his hug from you and purred.

 

Well, we are running out of European ports that Celebrity goes where we haven't been. So dh and I decided Antarctica! We haven't been to Argentina and Antarctica, so we transfered our Sept. 5 booking to Antarctica for February 2013 on the Infinity. We should get our $300 Passages credit and the $200 Celebrity-incentive credit, which probably won't be refundable but. . .I expect shore excursions will gobble up a lot of those credits.

 

We are getting into doing TAs where we can get to some of the same Europe ports on the Constellation "Wine" cruise.

 

Our TA just called us back. She isn't positive about combinability, transferability, and refundability of shipboard credits but this is what she stated as our options and what she thinks as far as the "abilities." So please confirm this information with your TAs.

 

Option 1: Cancel the cruise and get back our deposit. (Confirm what to do if you have a Passage certificate).

 

Option 2: Go on the 12-night cruise on September 7th at the same price and get a $200 (more for suites) obc. If the price is less, then you can take the lower price and still get the $200 obc. Also, for the September 7th cruise, we could add the preceding 2-day "re-positioning" cruise free of charge except for taxes, port charges, & gratuities, since we were booked for our cruise beginning September 5th. If you weren't on the September 5th cruise, then you would get the same deal without the preceding 2-day cruise by going on the cruise in the same timeframe as your cancelled cruise.

 

Option 3: Move the booking (in our case with the Passages certificate) to any other Celebrity sailing and get $200 obc for that cruise.

 

Regarding combinability, transferability, and refundability, this is what she thinks based on past cancellations of cruises; please confirm all this with your TA though or with Celebrity because she wasn't positive and doesn't have it in writing.

 

Combinability: The $200 (more for suites) obc for Celebrity's cancellation of the cruise is probably combinable with the Passages obc, shareholder obc, or other X credits. It is also combinable with an obc given by the TA. Usually you cannot combine credits granted by Celebrity/RCI (except with TA's credit) but because they canceled the cruise, it is probably combinable.

 

Transferability: The $200 obc most likely is not transferable. What I mean by that is if you park/transfer this booking on a cruise say in April 2012 but you change your mind later and want to move it to an earlier or later cruise, you would probably lose the $200 obc that Celebrity is giving you as an incentive to re-book.

 

Refundability: The $200 is probably non-refundable. If you do not spend the credit on the ship, you will lose the remaining balance.

 

We just moved our September 5th booking to Buenos Aires roundtrip/Antarctica on the Infinity for February 17-March 3. Not many outside cabins available. Must be a popular one.

 

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

 

Your post makes me realize that a good travel agent in invaluable. Thank you so much for posting all this information. Your Antarctica choice sounds so good. Maybe someday for me.

 

Miss Kitty and Benjamin said to say hello to Elvis. :)

 

Anne

[TourDeCruise]

I forgot to mention that our TA also said that we had until October 25th to make up our minds what we are doing or we will lose the deposit made with our Passage certificates. In our case, I will be out of town for a memorial service for 5 days leaving fewer days for us to get our act together. I'm hoping my cousin has wifi or lets me use her pc as being without Internet for 5 days could be torture. It didn't take much to convince ourselves on Antarctica. Jack didn't know Celebrity was going there, or he would have been mentioning it over and over as a possibility well before today.

 

Anne: Antarctica will be a thrill. It was one of those "someday" cruises for us too, especially given the long flight which will probably take longer than going to Europe. I gave the hellos to Elvis and Freddy from Miss Kitty and Benjamin and they send their hellos too. Hugs from me to your kitties too. I did not give Freddy a hug from you because he isn't particularly fond of hugs. Elvis has his chin on my laptop making it a little difficult to type (that will be my excuse for any misspellings. lol.). Sure you don't want to go to Antarctica?

 

Kathy

[LunaSeaRetreat]

I forgot to mention that our TA also said that we had until October 25th to make up our minds what we are doing or we will lose the deposit.

Kathy

 

I could understand them refunding our deposit by a certain date, but keeping it after they cancelled the cruise is unheard of.

Cynthia

[TourDeCruise]

Cynthia,

 

Thank you for mentioning that so I could clarify. I needed to add "Passages certificates" to my post. I just went back and added it because this may only apply for Passages certificates which have to be transfered or forfeited.

 

You can get a deposit refund; I'm just not sure about refunds versus transfers of the Passages certificates which we have.

 

I can only go by what our TA said, but sometimes TAs get confused on some fine points. Make sure to check with your TA on all the points I mentioned in case our TA doesn't have something right -- or I'm confused. Maybe dh and I would lose our deposits because we have Passages bookings if we didn't do anything, but deposit refunds default for everyone else who has a regular deposit? That makes more sense. Please check with your TA to be sure.

 

Please, everyone, if you are hearing something different from your TAs, please post. I'm trying to help with what I am hearing and understanding but I don't have all the answers and our TA could be incorrect on some points and told us what she assumes based on other X cruise cancellations or heard from Celebrity, all of which she clarified that she does not have in writing.

 

Kathy

[dzcruisers]

Thanks,

I hope the other cruises that have changed will reappear. Venice and Istanbul are both on my bucket list. If I can't get that September 4 round trip Venice, I think I'll just scrap the cruise and rent an apartment in Venice or Istanbul in September or October.

 

I certainly agree that I'd like to know the real reason Celebrity thought that after all my planning , that I'd rather do a wine cruise!

Cynthia

 

We stayed in Istanbul for 4 days after our cruise from Amsterdam in Sept. Loved our hotel! Loved the city! It was one of the most fascinating cities I've ever been in. I would love to go back for a week or two. You do need to buy Turkish Lira.

Things were strange in Athens when we were there last month. It was our first time traveling not to feel completely safe. After that I'm not surprised X changed it's itineraries.

[Aloha 1]

Just got a phone call from X. Major changes to 2012 Holy Land itineraries. We were booked on the 8/22 Holy Land trip and were told that this will now be a Venice departure to the Greek Islands and will not be going to Israel. A major bummer and makes any other Holy Land cruise 2012 suspect. Supposedly, new itineraries will be posted tomorrow. please check them if you were booked for one of these cruises. As for us, they just lost a Celebrity Suite and two Aqua Class cabin bookings.

[LunaSeaRetreat]

Cynthia,

 

Thank you for mentioning that so I could clarify. I needed to add "Passages certificates" to my post. I just went back and added it because this may only apply for Passages certificates which have to be transfered or forfeited.

 

 

Kathy

 

Thanks, that makes more sense. My TA didn't get back to me about the Venice Sept 4 cruise. Hopefully I'll hear something tomorrow. I'll be sure to post what I find out.

Cynthia

[Fblack]

How can they have a "Holy Land" cruise and bypass Israel. Are they planning to go to Egypt?

[magpie23]

Hi!We are a family of five that was booking THE MEDITTEREAN departing from Barcelona on 28th june that has also disappeared.It was a 12 night going around the greek islands.I emailed X to get a quote and received a reply that it was sold out yesterday!!!Then I read on their website that it is going to be replaced with other ports of call.We are now looking at THE EASTERN MEDITTEREAN from Rome on 13th july going around the greek islands as well.Considering the unrest going on in Greece,my question what are the chances that X will cancel this one as well?As others have pointed out,its not only the cruise but the other airfares that one has to book(not refundable).Maybe I will have a look at holland america.Wonder what their like.........

[LunaSeaRetreat]

They are replacing them with a wine cruise in France and England! There is already a thread about this.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1499471

 

Cynthia

[shoreham01]

Although we have not yet travelled on Celebrity, I can understand the predicament they are probably having with the itinararies. Possibly the same will happen with the other lines.

 

We have seen a lot of violence and unrest on TV and although the Greek islands are probably ok, I would not fancy Athens at the moment. As for the Holy Land, unfortunately there is often unrest there, most recently Cairo has not been good. I have just read the foreign office advice, it does make interesting reading. Hopefully all cruise lines only have their customers safety at heart.

[cruiseacecat]

OK, I am up early, for me, and I do not yet see the new schedules. Am I just missing them? Anyone else looking? I would love to see them before I get my phone call. :rolleyes:

 

Anne

[LunaSeaRetreat]

OK, I am up early, for me, and I do not yet see the new schedules. Am I just missing them? Anyone else looking? I would love to see them before I get my phone call. :rolleyes:

 

Anne

I'm up and no they are not there. I haven't heard back from my TA so just sent her an email. I'm sure Celebrity still hasn't told her anything.

Cynthia

[greatexpectations]

I am not sure if Celebrity's action is due to the danger of travel in the Middle East or just supply and demand; this is our 2nd failed attempt to visit Turkey, Egypt and Israel on X. My wife and I were booked on the Nov 6 Connie 14 night cruise this year from Istanbul to Barcelona via Egypt and Israel, but cancelled when X, understandably, dropped Egypt from the itinerary after the unrest this past summer. We then re-booked on the now cancelled Oct 25 Connie 12 night cruise next year Istanbul roundtrip with scheduled stops again in Egypt and Israel despite a 25% increase in the cost.

 

We have decided that a $200 OBC is not sufficient incentive to book another cruise on X for 2012 and will wait until the 2013 schedule comes out next spring to try again for Turkey, Egypt and Israel. Maybe Celebrity found there was not sufficient interest in 'the Holy Land', but that may be due more to their decrease from 14 nights to 12 nights coupled with a substantial price increase. I hope X re-thinks their marketing; if not X, we will try Princess in 2013.

[iancal]

We are jinxed. Did the 11 day San Juan cruise on the Millenium last December and had a wonderful time. It has now been eliminated from the schedule. Just got off the Istanbul-Istanbul cruise on the Constellation and had a wonderful time. It too is getting deep sixed. Nothing booked yet but we have a short list and are patiently waiting for the right deal.

[captain bob]

better safe than sorry

[NelleS]

Has anyone tried to book one of the Wine Region cruises, or know anything about pricing? I went on X's site, and while there is news about these cruises, I'm not able to find any specific info.

 

Ellen

[ivori]

Yes it is true to be better safe than sorry but most of the talk about the unrest in Israel is media hype. Have many relatives living in different parts and they all say they feel very safe. I myself and my children have gone there a few times and never felt threatened. A matter of fact felt very safe. Too bad Celebrity is doing this. Forget the cruise and do a land tour. This country is amazing. Went to Egypt as well and I loved it, but DH didn't. That country is at unrest now according to my friend who lives there and is a travel guide and said to stay away for now.

[Whitechapel girl]

We have just come off (1st Oct) the Connie from Istanbul and all I can say is that it was a wonderful cruise, fantastic itinerary. Istanbul is brilliant, you definitely need the overnight there and more. When you see the new itinerary it is not exactly appealing, seems there will be a lot of stops in not exactly "pretty" ports overnight and lots of extras, line the wine pairing etc. Such a shame for everyone who had booked to go. I would be bitterly disappointed.

[ondeckatsea]

We are booked on the Sept. 5th 2012 Connie cruise and are not getting any information from Celebrity. As a matter of fact, I hear more from my cruisecritic friends. Our travel agent heard about it from me, via cruisecritic and the information is very vague. I'm disappointed in my favorite cruiseline.

[ghstudio]

We are booked on the Sept. 5th 2012 Connie cruise and are not getting any information from Celebrity. As a matter of fact, I hear more from my cruisecritic friends. Our travel agent heard about it from me, via cruisecritic and the information is very vague. I'm disappointed in my favorite cruiseline.

 

I think we have to be a little patient. Celebrity certainly doesn't want to publish a schedule and then find that they can't use a port that day amd have to change a schedule again; they have to figure out pricing and they have to figure out how to handle those who were already booked on one of the cruises effected. That's not just something you do in a couple of days.

 

They had to make the announcements when they did....otherwise folks would have booked airline tickets creating a bigger (compensation) problem. Airlines were just opening up their flights for the cruises in Sept. (you can only buy an airline ticket so many days in advance).

 

I am hopeful that Celebrity meets their commitment to publish the new schedules (with fares) today, as their press release said....that is today, not this morning.

[Andy]

Has anyone tried to book one of the Wine Region cruises, or know anything about pricing? I went on X's site, and while there is news about these cruises, I'm not able to find any specific info.

 

Ellen

 

Hi Ellen,

 

Just spoke with Celebrity - they should be on the website at some point today, and I believe they are open for booking. I suggest calling your TA or Celebrity, and I'm sure they can assist. Enjoy your Cruise !

[Andy]

Hi Everyone,

 

I totally understand the disappointment of those who booked, but I feel that Celebrity made the right decision to redeploy Constellation. I cannot fault a Cruiseline for making prudent decisions for their Guests safety. I feel that's the bottom line here.

 

I hope those who are affected will consider one of Constellation's new itineraries, or any of Celebrity's other options. Good Luck !

[uktog]

We have just heard we are affected - our booking is direct with X - I think there should have been a few days grace for those of us who are displaced to make new arrangements (actually the letter says we have until 28th Oct) before others are allowed to book. After all, someone might want to stay with the ship they were booked on and keep the room they had carefully chosen

[Andy]

We have just heard we are affected - our booking is direct with X - I think there should have been a few days grace for those of us who are displaced to make new arrangements (actually the letter says we have until 28th Oct) before others are allowed to book. After all, someone might want to stay with the ship they were booked on and keep the room they had carefully chosen

 

Hi Uktog,

 

Im not certain how Celebrity is handling this specific situation, but in the past, they've held previously booked cabins until the stated deadline. I will see if I can find out for you.