Worried about Constellation

[NYCcruiser86]

Hi All,

 

I'm doing the New Years cruise on the Constellation and I'm getting more than a little worried. We all know that recently she had some engine problems that kept her in Key West overnight (not a big deal, I actually wouldn't mind that!) but she was "fixed up" and sent on her way.

 

It appears from searching Marine Traffic that she's been having some more problems though that Celebrity isn't telling us. She departed on the 19th for her usual itinerary only to return to PE the next day and depart again.... (screenshot below) Further more its 3 days in and they still haven't made it to Key West, they've just been sailing around aimlessly it appears (another screenshot below).

 

Should I be worried that my cruise will be cancelled (a la Millennium this summer). I know Celebrity won't care but this is the only vacation my boyfriend and I had planned all year. Even though I'd get my money back it would still not be a great situation to be in.

 

Any thoughts or news updates from Celebrity/passengers currently on board would be very much appreciated.

[C 2 C]

From a friend with family on board:

 

This is the 4 night cruise.

Yesterday was in Nassau, today is the sea day and tomorrow in Key West.

Since they have 36 hours to go from Nassau to Key West they could probably do it with just the diesel engine, not even using the gas turbines !!!

[cle-guy]

Should I be worried that my cruise will be cancelled

 

No.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

I believe there was some kind of problem with the data. It showed Emerald Princess still in Lauderdale when she was well on her way to Antigua. And yesterday it showed Equinox traveling at 8 knots going near US 1 towards the airport. When the data was showing Connie still in Lauderdale, the cameras showed a freighter in her berth. I would not be too worried.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[Holly2]

We are on the Christmas sailing and expect it to leave on schedule.

[DesertPesce7751]

I don't think you need to worry. When we were on Connie last week, the crew handled the detour incredibly well and we were sailing smooth both to and from the Bahamas. Guest relations was incredibly patient with those passengers who needed to vent their frustrations and they were very polished in how they dealt with the last minute change. There were even free drinks on the night we left Key West for the Bahamas!

 

When we were on the Infinity almost a decade ago, we stayed in Montevideo overnight instead of going to Punta Del Este due to two cargo ships colliding up river from us. They handled that one very smoothly as well.

 

In speaking to staff, they made it clear that they will absolutely never set sail without full backup measures functioning properly. They saw how disastrous another line's situation was when a ship lost power and people were stranded for multiple nights.

 

Celebrity has shown it can be trusted and knows how to roll with the surprises very well.

[Orator]

On Connie now and everything appears to be perfect. No cause for worry.

[cruiseacecat]

Hi Charles,

 

Will you be posting an update on officers when you return? I would be very interested also in the entertainers. Thanks so much.

Enjoy your cruise.

[Andy]

On Connie now and everything appears to be perfect. No cause for worry.

 

Thanks for your update Orator. Have a great time, and Happy Holidays !

[Andy]

Greetings

 

I believe there was some kind of problem with the data. It showed Emerald Princess still in Lauderdale when she was well on her way to Antigua. And yesterday it showed Equinox traveling at 8 knots going near US 1 towards the airport. When the data was showing Connie still in Lauderdale, the cameras showed a freighter in her berth. I would not be too worried.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

 

Thanks for posting. I believe you are absolutely correct. From what I'm hearing, the data on the website was inaccurate for a period of time. I've heard nothing that suggests Connie's itinerary was altered on her current sailing.

 

To the OP : As the repairs were completed, I think the odds are excellent that things should be ok. Please try not to worry, and have a wonderful cruise !

[The Rowdys]

only be concerned if you end up in one port for 37 EXTRA hours, miss a much anticipated port of call/shore excursion, cannot get off the ship unless you take a tender to shore, not being able to purchase anything (even sunscreen) on the ship for those 37 hours, or have 217 nautical miles taken off your anticipated cruise (still had to pay the full amount).... and receive only a "pool party/barbq/one hour of free punch/beer (which means NOTHING if you have paid $310 for a premier beverage package)" ... and expect them to make it right....

[Oville]

only be concerned if you end up in one port for 37 EXTRA hours, miss a much anticipated port of call/shore excursion, cannot get off the ship unless you take a tender to shore, not being able to purchase anything (even sunscreen) on the ship for those 37 hours, or have 217 nautical miles taken off your anticipated cruise (still had to pay the full amount).... and receive only a "pool party/barbq/one hour of free punch/beer (which means NOTHING if you have paid $310 for a premier beverage package)" ... and expect them to make it right....

 

Please, I was on the same cruise and felt Celebrity did a great job under the circumstances.

 

We paid top dollar for this cruise as we booked it last winter. The price did a nose dive recentlly and many on board paid signicantly less for a suite compared to what we paid for a C1.

 

Whining about 37 hours in Key West and having to tender I simple don't get. We all ended up with 3 port days not 2. As others have said, not a bad place to be.

 

Sorry you were disappointed, but not sure what you wanted Celebrity to give you. We passed on the free drinks and never felt we were owed anything more.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Oville

[The Rowdys]

from a previous post on another thread: "we were in port for 37 EXTRA hours! if my family and/or I were able to leisurely take cruises or planned to stay on the ship the whole trip, I wouldn't have a problem! BUT I was charged for 4 days of work (approximately $800) to go on this Western Caribbean Cruise to Key West AND Cozumel! Since that trip didn't come to pass, as was "contracted", do you think I could be reimbursed for my missed days? My husband, son and I have been planning this cruise (my son's 1st cruise AND his High School Graduation gift) for YEARS! he has been interested in geography and history since he was little... we had planned AND PAID to visit the Coba Ruins (the ones you can actually touch/climb AND the ones they are supposed to stop people from touching within the next few months).... we can't just drop everything and (on a teacher's salary) sign up for a replacement trip! you're damn right we are entitled to some sort of compensation! in fact, we have an adult trip planned with 20+ of our friends next year... my husband and I are the ones that SUGGESTED that we cruise Celebrity.... we have been loyal customers since 2005... if they don't make this right, next year's cruise will be our LAST with them! we're not asking for a free cruise or anything, but leaving it like this is unheard of!"

 

we paid full price and reserved as soon as the cruise became available! we didn't get the last-minute bargain either! I'm not debating that Key West is beautiful and fun and exciting! I agree that every staff member we had contact with was helpful and friendly... before AND after the incident! I don't expect ANYthing for myself! I could be left on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean for weeks and be perfectly happy... I think some who have "been there, done that" forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for others! at least provide some sort of opportunity for them to experience the FULL cruise that they signed up for! in my line of work (teaching young children), when a field trip is rained out, we bend over backwards to make it as fun for the kids as possible (which the Celebrity staff did)... THEN we reschedule the field trip for another day! sometimes it costs the teacher a little extra $ and a LOT of extra time and effort to fulfill the promise to the kids...

[DesertPesce7751]

from a previous post on another thread: "we were in port for 37 EXTRA hours! if my family and/or I were able to leisurely take cruises or planned to stay on the ship the whole trip, I wouldn't have a problem! BUT I was charged for 4 days of work (approximately $800) to go on this Western Caribbean Cruise to Key West AND Cozumel! Since that trip didn't come to pass, as was "contracted", do you think I could be reimbursed for my missed days? My husband, son and I have been planning this cruise (my son's 1st cruise AND his High School Graduation gift) for YEARS! he has been interested in geography and history since he was little... we had planned AND PAID to visit the Coba Ruins (the ones you can actually touch/climb AND the ones they are supposed to stop people from touching within the next few months).... we can't just drop everything and (on a teacher's salary) sign up for a replacement trip! you're damn right we are entitled to some sort of compensation! in fact, we have an adult trip planned with 20+ of our friends next year... my husband and I are the ones that SUGGESTED that we cruise Celebrity.... we have been loyal customers since 2005... if they don't make this right, next year's cruise will be our LAST with them! we're not asking for a free cruise or anything, but leaving it like this is unheard of!"

 

we paid full price and reserved as soon as the cruise became available! we didn't get the last-minute bargain either! I'm not debating that Key West is beautiful and fun and exciting! I agree that every staff member we had contact with was helpful and friendly... before AND after the incident! I don't expect ANYthing for myself! I could be left on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean for weeks and be perfectly happy... I think some who have "been there, done that" forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for others! at least provide some sort of opportunity for them to experience the FULL cruise that they signed up for! in my line of work (teaching young children), when a field trip is rained out, we bend over backwards to make it as fun for the kids as possible (which the Celebrity staff did)... THEN we reschedule the field trip for another day! sometimes it costs the teacher a little extra $ and a LOT of extra time and effort to fulfill the promise to the kids...

 

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

As seasoned cruisers, this family really should have thought about the gamble they were taking. I know someone whose entire Asia cruise's port itinerary was pretty much scratched because of typhoons. I wish that poster were here on this particular thread because I'd have a ton of suggestions to help make it better. If there's a specific port or attraction you REALLY want to see, it's best not to gamble with it and bank on the cruise ship being able to get you there. That family likely wouldn't have seen much of Cozumel or the ruins they chose anyway because it was raining and ruins can be dangerous in the rain (actually, they pose injury liability all the time--that's why many have been constricting what visitors can and can't touch, climb, and explore).

 

There are a ton of Mayan ruins throughout Central/Meso-America. As a student of Anthropology here in the Southwest, I had a ton of exposure to just how vast the ruins are in Mexico, Guatemala, and the rest of our little quadrant of the world. Lodging is EXTREMELY cheap on Lake Atitlan and they could have gone to Tikal to see some incredible ruins. Heck, you could go to Cancun and see Chichen Itza, the Mayan pyramid where you clap by the pyramid and it echoes back to you (very cool stuff).

 

The fact is that teachers have students for a contracted period of 185 (give or take) school days per year while a cruise ship only has you for the tenure of the given cruise. They state all of their terms up front and, between the countless moving pieces of the ship, the chance that a selfish cruiser will lie on the disease form and board with a contagious illness, the variable weather in the Caribbean and everywhere else, etc, there's a reason the contract and terms are listed the way they are.

 

My mother (and frequent cruise partner), a 40-year-veteran (now retired) public school employee (special education teacher and then school & clinical psychologist), always had a tighter salary than she deserved for all the work she did but I resent this poster's implication that it should warrant Celebrity employees (many of whom, on ship, make far less money than an entry-level classroom teacher's aid) bending over backwards to compensate her for an event whose dealings-with were totally reasonable.

 

She teaches young children? Here's one beautiful thing about young kids--when they fall, they often just jump back up with resiliency. Many times, when they get upset, it's because they're following an "adult's" lead. Let's take a play out of the toddler playbook here and roll with the punches. If you express your real disappointment about missing out on ruins but then are an optimist and enjoy the Bahamas, your son's present wouldn't have been ruined.

 

If her school district works like most, she shouldn't have been docked any pay because she'd have both her personal days and her sick days to grab from. However, the $800 a day that she took a hit on would have been spent really well on accommodations ON LAND near the ruins she desired to see.

 

In fact, I myself was bummed about missing the ruins (remember, anthropology major back in school) but we took the opportunity, with all the free access to our data-plan from having more time ashore, to research Nassau. We had a great time at the beach, got to know local wood carvers, paid our respects to the slaves who suffered during that terrible time of our history, and even learned from our cab driver all about the alarming process by which the Chinese are buying the Island and its government.

 

If you're really that upset at what happens on a ship, your best bet is to approach Guest Relations calmly and thoughtfully with a REASONABLE suggestion of what could make it right. If I could play armchair quarterback for a moment, here's what I'd have done: Go go guest relations without your son. Explain that he's really crushed about missing Mexico but he's still passionate about it. Ask if the mexico lecturer on board might be available to meet up with your family and help keep your son engaged and give him more information about ruins he might want to see in college. Usually, if something like this is possible, the ship will arrange it. Since he's underage, in lieu of drink vouchers, they'd probably set you up with gelato vouchers or Bistro on 5 vouchers for the arranged get together. This type of accommodation, when solicited with poise and respect, is one of the places where Celebrity ALWAYS shines. If you talk AT them and not TO them and all you're doing is demanding money, don't expect much.

 

They're there to make your holiday memorable--let them know how they can do that with the resources they've got. If you just saunter up to guest relations and talk at them about how devastated you are and convey that nothing will make this cruise positive in your book but that monetary compensation might make it a little less bad, they really can't do much. Lots of people run to guest relations looking for money so you have to understand that it isn't their policy to go handing it out.

 

Sorry for the rant here but I think I know who this was and I didn't like the way they talked to the nice guest relations staff.

[The Rowdys]

"She teaches young children? Here's one beautiful thing about young kids--when they fall, they often just jump back up with resiliency. Many times, when they get upset, it's because they're following an "adult's" lead. Let's take a play out of the toddler playbook here and roll with the punches."

 

I teach my school children AND my own children to keep promises and to right wrongs!

 

"If you express your real disappointment about missing out on ruins but then are an optimist and enjoy the Bahamas, your son's present wouldn't have been ruined."

 

I did not say that we didn't enjoy the Bahamas. I did not say the gift was ruined. Just not what we signed up for. It is a contract. I fulfilled my end of the contract by paying...

 

"If her school district works like most, she shouldn't have been docked any pay because she'd have both her personal days and her sick days to grab from. "

 

Incorrect... you obviously don't know anything about how my "school district works" or docking pay for personal and/or sick days in

my school district. I don't have the time or patience to explain it to you.

 

"However, the $800 a day that she took a hit on would have been spent really well on accommodations ON LAND near the ruins she desired to see."

 

I did not say it was $800 per day-I said 4 days for a total of $800. That may not be a lot to some, but it is a good portion of my salary... get your facts straight if you are going to analyze me!

 

If I had booked an ON LAND trip and the airport took us to a different location, that would be just as unacceptable.

 

"Sorry for the rant here but I think I know who this was and I didn't like the way they talked to the nice guest relations staff."

 

this just confirms everything I was thinking about your reply: you don't know jack! you are operating on pure speculation! you OBVIOUSLY don't know who I am, as I did not even approach the guest relations staff! my family treated each staff member as we always do: with respect and full gratitude! even exchanged names and "friended" some on FBook... left excellent reviews on each and every one we had contact with BY NAME!

 

I didn't intend for this to be a slam-fest! I attempted to contact Celebrity via email, phone and through my travel agent when we returned to FL...NOTE!!! NOT while on the ship... !!! All attempts were met with rudeness... I posted on here in an attempt to get some sort of acknowledgement & resolution. Look around, there are many others that feel the same! I am a consumer, just like you, I have a right to express my satisfaction or disappointment in a product/service that I paid for.

[DesertPesce7751]

I did not say that we didn't enjoy the Bahamas. I did not say the gift was ruined. Just not what we signed up for. It is a contract. I fulfilled my end of the contract by paying...

 

Generally, you should read the contract before asserting that it's been violated.

 

I'm glad your trip wasn't ruined :) but it seems like you're having a great deal of anguish over it nonetheless, as evidenced by your posting about it both here and on facebook. I wish you healing on that front.

 

Since you aren't the person berating guest relations like I'd assumed, I wish to extend a sincere apology. Her behavior was way over the top and I'm glad that you and she aren't one in the same.

 

Perhaps your next cruise will be wonderful, just like all the past ones that sparked your choice to encourage your group to choose Celebrity. I certainly hope it goes as planned. :D

[Cruising89143]

I just tried to read the two posts by the same poster and was totally confused. Looks like several conversations going on within the same post.

 

Any time an itinerary has to be changed or reduced there are going to be some who are not happy. That's why if the port of call is that important then you need to fly to the destination as sometimes things happen that can affect your cruise. This was one of those things. Also when this happens the cruise line has the right to make the change. We all agree to that when we pay for the cruise like it or not.

[JLSPOOL]

Hi All,

 

I'm doing the New Years cruise on the Constellation and I'm getting more than a little worried. We all know that recently she had some engine problems that kept her in Key West overnight (not a big deal, I actually wouldn't mind that!) but she was "fixed up" and sent on her way.

 

It appears from searching Marine Traffic that she's been having some more problems though that Celebrity isn't telling us. She departed on the 19th for her usual itinerary only to return to PE the next day and depart again.... (screenshot below) Further more its 3 days in and they still haven't made it to Key West, they've just been sailing around aimlessly it appears (another screenshot below).

 

Should I be worried that my cruise will be cancelled (a la Millennium this summer). I know Celebrity won't care but this is the only vacation my boyfriend and I had planned all year. Even though I'd get my money back it would still not be a great situation to be in.

 

Any thoughts or news updates from Celebrity/passengers currently on board would be very much appreciated.

 

Take insurance on your cruise insuremytrip.com

 

Get to the ship, get on, and make the most of it.

The negatives will be the part to laugh about later.

The positives will make you cruise again.

Don't worry about a cruise ship running out of drinks as they are the best for profits.

 

Remember what you like and dislike to educate yourself for the next vacation.

 

A cruise is NOT everything but it's an experience you'll remember.

Make the most of the time together.

 

jls

[DesertPesce7751]

i just tried to read the two posts by the same poster and was totally confused. Looks like several conversations going on within the same post.

 

Any time an itinerary has to be changed or reduced there are going to be some who are not happy. That's why if the port of call is that important then you need to fly to the destination as sometimes things happen that can affect your cruise. This was one of those things. Also when this happens the cruise line has the right to make the change. We all agree to that when we pay for the cruise like it or not.

 

exactly!

[gerig]

"She teaches young children? Here's one beautiful thing about young kids--when they fall, they often just jump back up with resiliency. Many times, when they get upset, it's because they're following an "adult's" lead. Let's take a play out of the toddler playbook here and roll with the punches."

 

I teach my school children AND my own children to keep promises and to right wrongs!

 

"If you express your real disappointment about missing out on ruins but then are an optimist and enjoy the Bahamas, your son's present wouldn't have been ruined."

 

I did not say that we didn't enjoy the Bahamas. I did not say the gift was ruined. Just not what we signed up for. It is a contract. I fulfilled my end of the contract by paying...

 

"If her school district works like most, she shouldn't have been docked any pay because she'd have both her personal days and her sick days to grab from. "

 

Incorrect... you obviously don't know anything about how my "school district works" or docking pay for personal and/or sick days in

my school district. I don't have the time or patience to explain it to you.

 

"However, the $800 a day that she took a hit on would have been spent really well on accommodations ON LAND near the ruins she desired to see."

 

I did not say it was $800 per day-I said 4 days for a total of $800. That may not be a lot to some, but it is a good portion of my salary... get your facts straight if you are going to analyze me!

 

If I had booked an ON LAND trip and the airport took us to a different location, that would be just as unacceptable.

 

"Sorry for the rant here but I think I know who this was and I didn't like the way they talked to the nice guest relations staff."

 

this just confirms everything I was thinking about your reply: you don't know jack! you are operating on pure speculation! you OBVIOUSLY don't know who I am, as I did not even approach the guest relations staff! my family treated each staff member as we always do: with respect and full gratitude! even exchanged names and "friended" some on FBook... left excellent reviews on each and every one we had contact with BY NAME!

 

I didn't intend for this to be a slam-fest! I attempted to contact Celebrity via email, phone and through my travel agent when we returned to FL...NOTE!!! NOT while on the ship... !!! All attempts were met with rudeness... I posted on here in an attempt to get some sort of acknowledgement & resolution. Look around, there are many others that feel the same! I am a consumer, just like you, I have a right to express my satisfaction or disappointment in a product/service that I paid for.

 

If you approached Celebrity and your travel agent with the same hostility indicated in this post, I'm not surprised you were met with rudeness, but that again may be your interpretation of not getting the resolution you wanted.

[Bfson]

If you've been on CC for any length of time you learn that missing a port is an inherent risk of cruising. If there is a place you cannot bear to skip, don't try to go there on a cruise.

[Fouremco]

Take insurance on your cruise insuremytrip.com

 

Get to the ship, get on, and make the most of it.

The negatives will be the part to laugh about later.

The positives will make you cruise again.

Don't worry about a cruise ship running out of drinks as they are the best for profits.

 

Remember what you like and dislike to educate yourself for the next vacation.

 

A cruise is NOT everything but it's an experience you'll remember.

Make the most of the time together.

 

jls

As Celebrity met its contractual obligations, I'm not sure that normal travel insurance would make any difference. Of course, if you are willing to pay enough, you can get insurance to cover just about anything, including a cruise without a day of rain or any change in itinerary.

[deise17311]

Just curious, what would be the appropriate compensation...let's be real, everyone wants money or OBC...it's BS when people say, "I just want an apology" so please share what would be the correct amount to make you happy...when our Alaska cruise was recently canceled after a year of planning, 24 hours before departure, I knew what I wanted and Celebrity accommodated all of us...

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Oville]

Just curious, what would be the appropriate compensation...let's be real, everyone wants money or OBC...it's BS when people say, "I just want an apology" so please share what would be the correct amount to make you happy...when our Alaska cruise was recently canceled after a year of planning, 24 hours before departure, I knew what I wanted and Celebrity accommodated all of us...

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I think she wants $800 reimbursement for 4 vacation days.

[deise17311]

I think she wants $800 reimbursement for 4 vacation days.

 

Wow, that's not going to happen...even though Cozumel was missed, a completed cruise was taken...maybe they will reimburse port charges and taxes from the missed port...granted I understand the disappointment of missing a port, however, a vacation was still had...and probably a nice one at that!