Celebrity to Offer Year-Round Caribbean in Summer 2017

[dd likes to cruise]

Have been eyeing Celebrity and thanks to Andy posting this thread, I'm now booked Sept 25, 2017 - 11 nights Southern Caribbean. 4 of the 6 ports I've never been to either. Time fit good with our schedule, good itinerary, and what feels like a great price with the perks. And chance to experience Celebrity too!

 

Learning to LOVE Cruise Critic!

[downundermatt]

Personally am disappointed - we are loyal to Celebrity, and enjoy Transatlantics and cruising Europe - have now lost another X option - still could have been worse if we had lost money ..... looks like our dollars will be redirected elsewhere !

I dare say less Celebrity capacity in Europe and on Transatlantic will only inflate prices ......

Edited July 20, 2016 by downundermatt
Incomplete

[mickey89]

I dont understand the attraction of being in the Carib in the summer. Very hot, very humid. Am I missing something?

 

Poor bookings this year in the Med has probably dictated the change, as many Americans prefer to dodge the bullets at home than venture overseas. Agree that summer in the Caribbean is for the broiler birds and avoiding the hurricanes will be interesting. We spend a holiday in July/August in Barbados many years ago, never again the humidity saps all the energy and turned the holiday into a nightmare.

[dodger1964]

Maybe it is to just rub salt in the wound, but I just received my "Captain's Club News...Summer 2016" mailing and the Equinox is on the cover sailing in Santorini.

 

[CRUISEBOY305]

Maybe it is to just rub salt in the wound, but I just received my "Captain's Club News...Summer 2016" mailing and the Equinox is on the cover sailing in Santorini.

 

 

 

I received it also, it was probably printed long before this was decided.

 

 

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[dkjretired]

For now, I agree Beav. However, I think the chances of at least some West Coast sailings increases, when the Edge class ships come online. That should certainly give Celebrity some additional itinerary flexibility - as long as they do not start to eliminate the M-Class.

 

I sincerely hope that Celebrity will allow it's fleet to grow this time around.

 

Hi Andy

 

We just booked the 15th of September, when is yours.

[dkjretired]

Hi Jewliana,

 

I'm curious - what is NCL offering in "goodies". Would be nice to make an apples to apples comparison.

 

Today, we paid 1249 for an Oceanview on Equinox, 7 nights, with all 4 perks, including 300.00 in OBC, Drink Package, Gratuities and Internet. IMO, that's a very good deal.

 

Nothing against NCL whatsoever, but I'd rather pay more, and sail with X. Besides, if they don't fill the ship, the pricing might come down.

 

Same here and just to make a point, the TA was busy all day, I was called way past their closing time and for a period of time their computer was acting up, so this sail at least for yesterday was going over big.

[dkjretired]

It wouldn't surprise me that Cuba is on the list. I have heard that Azamara have plans to go there. If you want to see it, go soon before it's spoiled!

 

Phil

 

It's my understanding that there are still special conditions to go to Cuba, something about learning that has to be done. At this point, again, from what I understand and have read it would take an act of Congress for unfettered cruising to Cuba. That is not going to happen at least until after our Election in November.

Edited July 20, 2016 by dkjretired

[Arzeena]

That I can see, there's something close. If you can sail on 5/15/17, 9/4/17, 9/25/17, or 10/16/17, Equinox offers an excellent 11 night sailing, which calls on St Thomas, Tortola, St Johns Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, and St Maarten, and 4 sea days.

 

Hope this helps !

 

Thanks Andy. I got sold on Bonaire (and Key West) on the Oct 27 one.:D

[ISABELLA]

 

I think is a generous offer.You get $200.00 plus the OBC that you have at when you first made the booking with Celebrity.

 

X do not offer anything generous for TA sailings anymore and our price for 2017 TA is 30 % higher than 2015 TA for the same AQ cabin to begin with. $200 OBC would not even cover the price different between our price for AQ and current prices for AQ, so to me any change is worth it. I travel SOLO, and anything that is offered at this time has no interest or incentives to book.

Will all changes X impose, my next March cruise on Equinox might be the last for awhile. Like anything in life - sometimes change is good. I might check out Princess, Azamara or Oceania. It is all good.

[GordonJasmine]

Our favorite time to cruise has always been May, and our favorite destination has always been the Caribbean. So this suits us just fine!

[vplsh]

I'm so glad this has occurred- we, too, like to sail the Caribbean in the summer. This year we stuck to the Summit from Bayonne, which is our home port, but that itinerary it boring to us more than once every few years. Looking forward to booking Equinox while on board in a couple of weeks.

 

And count us in for an X ship out of California! Love that itinerary and there are so few choices!

[Viva_la_Vida]

Happy for you!

I read your reviews and loved them!

 

Thank you, Arzeena! I do feel bad for people that this impacts negatively, but as a theatre director, I know better than most that you cannot please everyone! Someone will always be disappointed with your decisions, but I'm happy they're taking a risk and changing it up!

[kevinyork]

3 years ago, we had 2 ships sailing from UK in the summer, Eclipse from Southampton and Infinity from Harwich. Infinity was taken away, I was on her last TA in 2013.

 

Eclipse does mainly northern sailings and only one Med sailing- we were told Equinox sailed the Med, so Eclipse wasn't going there from Southampton.

 

If I wanted to sail around Britain, I need to fly to Amsterdam for the privilege- yes really!!!

 

Could we at least have sailings out of Southampton to warmer ports?

 

 

 

I totally agree. Only one med cruise from Southampton this year (and last year if I remember correctly). It seems to attract a bit of a premium too so I don't understand why there are not more. Eclipse does mainly Baltic cruises which Silhouette also does from Amsterdam. P&O fill there ships going to the Med from Southampton so I don't understand why X don't give us more choice. They might think, oh we can fly to the med and board a cruise but the convenience of a UK departure is huge.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

Au contraire...

 

If the inaugural sailing of the Edge class ship is scheduled for Fall of 2018, X will begin accepting reservations probably sometime in 2017.

 

Also, port stops have to be scheduled in advance. All of this requires pre-planning.

 

 

 

But that still means the removal of one Med ship for the summer of 2017 is not going to being replaced by the Edge class which arrives at the end of that season and will probably go to the US for winter so no direct link between the launch of the edge class and removal of this ship.

 

 

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[minidonuts85]

I just cancelled my Jan 7, 7-night Reflection cruise and booked for the Equinox 11 nights for $200 more total, same AQ cabin, all 4 perks and all brand new Southern Caribbean ports (new to us).

[stevec999]

We were looking for something in May and I just happened to look at Celebrity's site. I saw the Celebrity Equinox sailing from Miami. They have a nice 11 itinerary in the middle of May which works out great for us since we have to wait until or daughter is done with finals.

 

With the perks and pricing they are offering it looks like a great deal. Having the TA work up pricing for us. Maybe taking our first cruise on Celebrity next may. :)

 

I do feel bad for all the folks that got their cruises canceled because of the repositioning of the ship.

 

 

[Andy]

Hi Andy

 

We just booked the 15th of September, when is yours.

 

Hi Don,

 

Yay. Sept 15th also. So glad that we'll be sailing together. As it gets closer, let's make plans to have lunch or dinner (or a drink) onboard. Looking forward to seeing you and your DW !

[gordylad]

11 nights booked 25th sept.......good deal with the 4 perks and TA OBC and noticed its the premium bev package happy days.....

[Andy]

Au contraire...

If the inaugural sailing of the Edge class ship is scheduled for Fall of 2018, X will begin accepting reservations probably sometime in 2017.

Also, port stops have to be scheduled in advance. All of this requires pre-planning.

 

Hi C-Dragons,

 

How are you ? I hope all is well. Always enjoy your posts.

 

As I mentioned earlier, and I agree with you, in that I "hope" the first Edge class ship will make her debut around Late Summer or, I think it's more likely in the Fall of 2018. Assuming Celebrity feels comfortable with Summer or Fall 2018, I'd suspect we'll be hearing more about her deployments and booking opening, when the 2018/2019 schedule begins rolling out.... possibly this December - assuming Celebrity stays on the same rollout schedule.

 

Did I just say 2018/2019 ? Yikes :)

[firemanjacko]

Not so great for those of us who booked the transatlantic to Barcelona. Especially B2B. No word from our TA on what our alternatives will be.

 

We just found out about this, all our excursions were cancelled yesterday !

Wondered what was going on, so this is bad news... Looking at the Reflection as the best alternative. It departs from Rome. Oh, and we received a $200 credit for our inconvenience. Still not impressed...

[MandB]

We just booked the May 5th Equinox 10 night sailing. Category 2D with all 4 perks and an additional $200 OBC....$2700 total for 2. I think this is my best deal in the last few years.

 

We also booked the 5 May cruise yesterday with all 4 perks. Not sure what we will do with the $600 OBC. We are also from Fort Myers area.

[eel]

 

None of TA itineraries that available for Fall 2017 I want to do. Otherwise I would have booked them. I wanted to sail from Barcelona.

The only $200 OBC X is offering is not enticing me to book anything with X. At least they could offer that we will pay the same pricing for a category and a region.

 

If you are willing to consider Royal Caribbean there is a nice TA on Freedom (not too expensive) departing Barcelona on Oct. 22, 2017. We actually just booked the 11/06 Equinox cruise as a follow-on to the Freedom TA.

Edited July 20, 2016 by eel

[eel]

We also booked the 5 May cruise yesterday with all 4 perks. Not sure what we will do with the $600 OBC. We are also from Fort Myers area.

 

The portion of the OBC from the travel agent should be refundable so you will get a refund on your credit card if you don't spend it. I am sure you can find a way to spend the portion from Celebrity! :)

[Rob the Cruiser]

We also booked the 5 May cruise yesterday with all 4 perks. Not sure what we will do with the $600 OBC. We are also from Fort Myers area.

 

We will be on that cruise also. I would be delighted to help you spend your $600 OBC. No problem.