Celebrity cruises have messed up on my incoming flights

[RickT]

If you specifically told them that you wanted to arrive the day of the sailing, and they booked a different date, that is their fault.

 

Otherwise though, they (Celebrity) did the right thing, as the standard is to get you in a foreign city the day before a cruise to ensure you're there before the sailing, unless you tell them otherwise

 

Sorry, absolutely incorrect. Their job is to get to the cruise on the day of departure. It is the customers call if you want to come in early which is why they offer so many pre-cruise hotel tour packages. Unless you specifically request to arrive a day early their obligation is to get you there on the day of the cruise.

 

To test this... try a sample booking on Choice Air... you will arrive the day of departure! Not before unless you request it.

[Project_gal]

I think I'm probably confused. Didn't you have to book through Choice Air yourself? Did Celebrity do it for you?

 

Choice Air is not available in the UK. Here, Celebrity offer a package which includes flights.

 

OP, usually if Celebrity allocates flights a day before the cruise starts, a complimentary overnight hotel stay is usually included - it is one of the reasons flights through Celebrity are more expensive. Have to received a confirmation invoice and/or checked on My Celebrity to see if a hotel has been allocated to you? I know that you have spoken to Celebrity but there may have been confusion.

 

Having said that, flights are usually only arranged by Celebrity a day before the cruise starts when it is not possible to fly in early enough on departure day and I would not have expected that to have been the case of a Europen cruise.

 

If you find that Celebrity have made an error by allocating you a flight a day early and you did not ask for this, politely insist that this was their error and they need to resolve it either by providing a hotel or a different flight. If the person you speak to does no have the authority to do this, ask to speak to their superior and continue until to speak to someone who has the authority to resolve the issue.

 

Sue

[johhnnyt]

Choice Air is not available in the UK. Here, Celebrity offer a package which includes flights.

 

OP, usually if Celebrity allocates flights a day before the cruise starts, a complimentary overnight hotel stay is usually included - it is one of the reasons flights through Celebrity are more expensive. Have to received a confirmation invoice and/or checked on My Celebrity to see if a hotel has been allocated to you? I know that you have spoken to Celebrity but there may have been confusion.

 

Having said that, flights are usually only arranged by Celebrity a day before the cruise starts when it is not possible to fly in early enough on departure day and I would not have expected that to have been the case of a Europen cruise.

 

If you find that Celebrity have made an error by allocating you a flight a day early and you did not ask for this, politely insist that this was their error and they need to resolve it either by providing a hotel or a different flight. If the person you speak to does no have the authority to do this, ask to speak to their superior and continue until to speak to someone who has the authority to resolve the issue.

 

Sue

 

My guess is Sue is 100% right, One cruise we looked at that started in Venice, we later changed our mind on because of the limited flights going into Venice made it difficult to get in, in our case we would have had to arrive two days in advance.

 

"OP, usually if Celebrity allocates flights a day before the cruise starts, a complimentary overnight hotel stay is usually included "

 

Friends from the UK told me the same thing

[mawsmaw]

Been on several fly/cruise packages from the UK to Europe and never have we flown in a day early. Even when the cruise has been leaving port that day. If its a package and there are problems/delays with flights the cruise company need to get you to the ship. Guess that's part of the great protection us in the UK have.

 

We're with celebrity in September out of Rome and they wanted over £600 per person for a flight, and it was really expensive to go early and have nights in hotel with them. So we've booked our own flights (less than £190 pp including VIP lounge). Leaving 2 days early with apartment accommodation for another £35 pppn in the centre of Rome.

 

Good luck with this but I really don't think you should be expected to pay any more money than you have already.

[KaththeTaff]

OP, usually if Celebrity allocates flights a day before the cruise starts, a complimentary overnight hotel stay is usually included - it is one of the reasons flights through Celebrity are more expensive. Have to received a confirmation invoice and/or checked on My Celebrity to see if a hotel has been allocated to you? I know that you have spoken to Celebrity but there may have been confusion.

 

I agree. If X have assigned flights the day before and not included a hotel they have made an error. It still would have been nice for them to have informed you during the booking process though!

 

Having said that, flights are usually only arranged by Celebrity a day before the cruise starts when it is not possible to fly in early enough on departure day and I would not have expected that to have been the case of a Europen cruise.

 

Again, I agree. Iw ould also expect that when booking a package for a cruise dpearting on a specific date, it is reasonable to expect to fly on the same date unless told otherwise when booking.

 

If you find that Celebrity have made an error by allocating you a flight a day early and you did not ask for this, politely insist that this was their error and they need to resolve it either by providing a hotel or a different flight. If the person you speak to does no have the authority to do this, ask to speak to their superior and continue until to speak to someone who has the authority to resolve the issue.

 

Sue

 

Excellent advice Sue.

 

Been on several fly/cruise packages from the UK to Europe and never have we flown in a day early. Even when the cruise has been leaving port that day. If its a package and there are problems/delays with flights the cruise company need to get you to the ship. Guess that's part of the great protection us in the UK have.

 

Yes, and this is partly why booking flights with the cruise company as a package is usually more expensive than booking them yourself seperately.

 

We're with celebrity in September out of Rome and they wanted over £600 per person for a flight, and it was really expensive to go early and have nights in hotel with them. So we've booked our own flights (less than £190 pp including VIP lounge). Leaving 2 days early with apartment accommodation for another £35 pppn in the centre of Rome.

 

That's what we would have done too in your shoes. It's nice to have alternatives though! Much as I like the convenience and protection of booking the whole holiday as one, when there is such a huge price differential it can't really be justified...not until we win the lottery anyway!

 

Good luck with this but I really don't think you should be expected to pay any more money than you have already.

 

Absolutely not! OP, please don't let this drop!

[Starry Eyes]

sorry to hear the air booking is causing you headaches.

personally, I'd be thrilled to have an extra night in Venice. To me it would be fine arrive on the 14th, maybe tour a bit depending upon arrival time, sleep in a basic hotel, and enjoy a full day in Venice on the 15th plus a partial day before sailing on the 16th. I like that scenario better than a flight arriving late on the 15th then transferring to the ship with minimal time for so much an evening canal ride on the 15th.

I hope Celebrity will pick up the cost of a basic room. though they have a block of rooms at the nice Hilton, they do not owe you such a high end room, but rather a basic one. i'd make a cancellable booking at a reasonable rate (like the BW another poster mentioned...it is still available), and then negotiate with Celebrity. maybe they will pay for the room or one like it. Or maybe they can offer you OBC to roughtly match the price of a basic room. I hope you can turn this booking mix up into a positive.

[Project_gal]

sorry to hear the air booking is causing you headaches.

personally, I'd be thrilled to have an extra night in Venice. To me it would be fine arrive on the 14th, maybe tour a bit depending upon arrival time, sleep in a basic hotel, and enjoy a full day in Venice on the 15th plus a partial day before sailing on the 16th. I like that scenario better than a flight arriving late on the 15th then transferring to the ship with minimal time for so much an evening canal ride on the 15th.

I hope Celebrity will pick up the cost of a basic room. though they have a block of rooms at the nice Hilton, they do not owe you such a high end room, but rather a basic one. i'd make a cancellable booking at a reasonable rate (like the BW another poster mentioned...it is still available), and then negotiate with Celebrity. maybe they will pay for the room or one like it. Or maybe they can offer you OBC to roughtly match the price of a basic room. I hope you can turn this booking mix up into a positive.

 

You are clearly not based in the EU and I guess are a US resident. There are very many differences booking in the UK and the US. e.g.:- Many people in the UK would take a budget flight to any European city they wished to visit for longer rather than tagging it onto the start of a cruise. If you book in the UK, you cannot just cancel and rebook without losing your deposit. Booking a "fly/cruise package" is a very different concept to booking a cruise and then a flight through ChoiceAir [which is not available to UK residents]. With a package you are paying a premium to have everything nicely wrapped up for you.

 

Sue

[Lovemychoos]

If you book in the UK, you cannot just cancel and rebook without losing your deposit. Booking a "fly/cruise package" is a very different concept to booking a cruise and then a flight through ChoiceAir [which is not available to UK residents]. With a package you are paying a premium to have everything nicely wrapped up for you.

 

Sue

 

My point exactly too, Sue. There is no way the OP can be held responsible, and therefore out of pocket, for a mistake which has very clearly been made that was not their fault.

 

How can they market it as a fly/cruise package, and then say 'oh, by the way, we fly you in a day early, so you'll have to stump up for the hotel yourself'. I don't think so :mad:

 

I'm sure once it's realised what's happened, it will be sorted out.

 

Lou

[Spursgirl]

I agree with all posters who think that an extra night in Venice would be wonderful.

 

BUT this is not what the OP wanted particularly as the ship has an overnight in Venice before the cruise begins.

 

The error is Celebrity 's and they need to sort it out. You need to speak with a decision maker so I suggest you call the company and ask to speak to a team leader and take it from there.

 

I have just had a problem resolved relating to an Azamara cruise I booked for October (same company) . I was given erroneous information by the agent and booked on the basis of that. When I noticed the error and subsequently complained to a team leaded the issue was sorted in a few days.

 

Good luck.

[julia]

If it turns out that you must take the flight you are presently booked on, avoid the Celebrity overpriced hotels and consider staying in Mestre. It is a mere 15 minutes from the port and is directly on the train & bus route. The Hotel Plaza is nice, convenient, and fairly economical.