Booted Off The EDGE

[rakes5]

We had a March 17 & 24 B2B.

 

We were able to rebook the cancelled March 17th sailing for the March 31st sailing, so we still have our B2B.

 

The only cabins, in the same category, available both weeks. were right before or after a bump out, so we decided to move up one category, and pay only $100 more total, for both weeks, since we got the $350 OBC.

 

Our TA did confirm March 24, 2019 is an Eastern Itinerary, that was just a typo in the email that was sent to all the TA's.

 

Thank to CC we found out soon enough to be able to make this change. Not many rooms still available both weeks.

[britsbest]

We did a dummy booking for week March 3. Several concierges available. Hopefully they will sort this out so we don't need to move!

[stephenjp]

Just had a very similar experience, received an email to tell me that the first week of my back to back had been cancelled, but have thankfully been able to shift the whole thing back a week. I do understand that Celebrity are running a business, but surely there should be some consideration for guests who booked early - I booked on the day that the sailing was released - and whilst the decision to charter a cruise which already had guests booked on may be sensible in terms of business, it seems morally and ethically dubious.

[Ma Bell]

You 2 belong together. When I choose a cruise and book it, I have no intention of cancelling, so your point is moot. I do in fact shake my head when I get the screws put to me. And I will never understand a business that preaches outstanding customer relations, offers a Capts Club reward program for loyalty, and then somehow thinks it's perfectly fine to do this to people. Wrong is wrong. We currently have 5 cruises booked with X in the next 1 1/2 yrs. So you can see where my concern lays. Now I know the deal. Hope this post helped some people.

c.

 

It isn't wrong, it's business. It's happened to me more than once. This cruise is almost two years out. In your way of thinking no cruise line could ever sell a charter because businesses that do group sailings probably don't even normally plan that far ahead.

 

My loyalty has nothing to do with their business decision and all the other cruise lines are the same. I understand this and although it's disappointing when it happens, it's really naive to think it's something that shouldn't be done.

 

By the way, I'm a really loyal cruiser. One of those obnoxious Zeniths who took 25 years to get there.

[CruisingUS]

Does X bump people who are not on chartered cruises?

[Gonzo70]

c.

 

It isn't wrong, it's business. It's happened to me more than once. This cruise is almost two years out. In your way of thinking no cruise line could ever sell a charter because businesses that do group sailings probably don't even normally plan that far ahead.

 

My loyalty has nothing to do with their business decision and all the other cruise lines are the same. I understand this and although it's disappointing when it happens, it's really naive to think it's something that shouldn't be done.

 

By the way, I'm a really loyal cruiser. One of those obnoxious Zeniths who took 25 years to get there.

 

Totally agree with Ma Bell. Cruise lines would have to only release itineraries for booking a year or so out if they were to guarantee the ship would not be chartered. It is frustrating when a booked cruise is chartered (happened to me once on Millennium), but is understandable and nothing to become too disturbed about.

[Gonzo70]

Does X bump people who are not on chartered cruises?

 

I wouldn't quite go so far as to say never, but it is extremely, extremely, extremely rare. So rare it is not something worth worrying about.

[Love2cruise77]

Like the OP, I am on the 3/17/19 sailing on the Edge and was informed of the charter. While I am disappointed, I am glad that they inform us early so we can change plans without having to worry about flights (since we can't book them yet).

 

They offer two alternate sailings and they will protect the rate we paid, but neither dates would work for me since I can only sail during this particular week in March. I did re-book the cruise to another sailing that I would have sailed anyway and got some OBC for my trouble. So I am not too upset about this charter.

[CruisingUS]

I wouldn't quite go so far as to say never, but it is extremely, extremely, extremely rare. So rare it is not something worth worrying about.

Ok. If they were to boot me for other reasons, I would be mad.

 

 

I had issues with a "computer error" on another CL....it was a headache to get back reservation at the rate we paid.

[cazzi]

Here is one I saw on another post

I know this has come up quite often, but did some research and found this site that lists all the known full ship charters of the major cruise lines. I never realized how many of them, and the diversity there was

Cruise Ship Charters

[Fish Lover]

Like the OP, I am on the 3/17/19 sailing on the Edge and was informed of the charter. While I am disappointed, I am glad that they inform us early so we can change plans without having to worry about flights (since we can't book them yet).

 

They offer two alternate sailings and they will protect the rate we paid, but neither dates would work for me since I can only sail during this particular week in March. I did re-book the cruise to another sailing that I would have sailed anyway and got some OBC for my trouble. So I am not too upset about this charter.

 

I am very glad to hear that they protected the rate you originally booked with on alternative dates and gave you some OBC. That's exactly what I would have expected of a company that cares about treating their customers fairly.

[hubofhockey]

You 2 belong together. When I choose a cruise and book it, I have no intention of cancelling, so your point is moot. I do in fact shake my head when I get the screws put to me. And I will never understand a business that preaches outstanding customer relations, offers a Capts Club reward program for loyalty, and then somehow thinks it's perfectly fine to do this to people. Wrong is wrong. We currently have 5 cruises booked with X in the next 1 1/2 yrs. So you can see where my concern lays. Now I know the deal. Hope this post helped some people.

 

After reading your posts, I hope you realize how lucky you are and that this is nothing more than a minor inconvenience. If you don't, then you have bigger problems than having a cruise 20 months away cancelled. Do you think it's more unfair to YOU that your cruise got canceled than to anyone else because you are elite? With five cruises lined up in the next 18 months, it sounds like you will have several opportunities to pound sand.

 

Azamara changed an itinerary on us and increased the price for 6 less days. We looked around for another vacation and are leaving on our first Celebrity cruise on Thursday in the Adriatic. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to take such a great vacation. Despite some bumps along the road, life is good.

[britsbest]

We got the dates altered to 3rd and 10th Upgraded to C1 Price remains as before (not the £600 increase in fare) and $350 obc.

 

Date makes no real difference to us in reality.

 

Apparently they were difficult about giving us the obc as it was not their choice of week. They only wanted to give obc to those who moved from 17 to 10th. We are already on 10th so they said no to obc. Colin sorted them out !!!

 

Happy days

[Slugsta]

I had never heard of this happening before, didn't realise that cruise lines do charter a whole ship! Looking at the website linked, the lines I have used previously don't seem to be included, so maybe that is why I hadn't heard of it. I must say that, all other things being equal, I would chose a line that does not usually accept charters over one that did.

[Markers333]

READ THE CONTRACT !!! Celebrity did not violate their contract, its all written down in one long contract you can download online !

[Markers333]

Type " Cruise contract " in search section of Celebrity web page. You will find that many other things can happen and change on your trip as well, before during and after.

[Gonzo70]

The most amusing portion of the contract is where it indicates the company does not guarantee that the ship is seaworthy. :cool::eek::D

[harz99]

From the responses clearly there are a lot more than 2 that share this opinion, but as Celebrity isn't running a democracy votes don't really count now do they ? They are running a business not a social club.

 

To your second point, no where in the Captains Club Rewards Program is there anything about the Company not having the option to cancel a cruise 18 months out. The Loyalty perks are clearly detailed and cancelling for a charter has nothing, to do with Loyalty, it's all about the money.

 

Get over the indignation, the self righteous outrage, and instead make the effort to understand Business is Business, Celebrity has every right to cancel a cruise 18 months out, we as the customer have that same option at 90 days. Weather you take advantage of that option isn't really germane, it is an option.

You do know that not every passenger on a Celebrity ship resides in North America and enjoys no cost cancellation , don't you?

 

I usually book a long way out, and have previously taken some comfort from charters seemingly only resulting in cancellation of a cruise over 12 months before sailing so no other hotel/airfare expenses have been incurred. Something a lot of posters here have referred to favourably to excuse the cruise line.

 

However, one month ago my 24th March 18 cruise on Summit was chartered, well under 12 months away and after non refundable air/hotel/ground transportation costs had been incurred.

 

The offer from Celebrity was a protected price on either two Summit cruises months later, or on the one day shorter 29th March departure (which we were already booked on B2B to make a 9 day cruise), plus $100 OBC.

 

The only other cruise that fitted our flights etc. is an Equinox 7 night also on 24th March, so 29th March Summit had to go as well. Different departure port but no real problem there, except the unprotected price of the 7 night was higher than 9 on Summit, and still 2 nights hotel and food to find on top. OBC dropped from $750 over 9 nights to total $400 over 7 nights so less benefit there. All in all the episode has cost us an extra $800 in total, plus a loss of $350 OBC.

 

You will understand me being unhappy at Celebrity, cruise contract or not, this is totally unfair.

 

And no I couldn't just cancel as that would have cost even more without any holiday to show for it.

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Forums mobile app

[revruss]

So I discovered who chartered the Edge for March 17th. The company is Continuing Education, Inc. Credits while you Cruise, it's a Medical continuing education cruise, sponsored by the American Medical Association for Physicians, Attorneys, Psychologists, Doctors of Pharmacy, Dentists, Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners...........so basically BIG PHARMA is hosting a wonderful week on the Edge. Here is the website with the info www dot continuingeducation dot net

[Ma Bell]

So I discovered who chartered the Edge for March 17th. The company is Continuing Education, Inc. Credits while you Cruise, it's a Medical continuing education cruise, sponsored by the American Medical Association for Physicians, Attorneys, Psychologists, Doctors of Pharmacy, Dentists, Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners...........so basically BIG PHARMA is hosting a wonderful week on the Edge. Here is the website with the info www dot continuingeducation dot net

 

Since when is the American Medical Association BIG PHARMA?

[ChucktownSteve]

Since when is the American Medical Association BIG PHARMA?

 

So you mean BIG PHARMA actually stands for pharmaceuticals? Imagine that. :D

 

I suspect the AMA is using the Continuing Education courses as an excuse for the attendees to take a tax deductible vacation while generating profits for not only Celebrity but the AMA. Regular Continuing Education courses are mandatory to keep licenses current. I

 

f you had to take CE courses, where would you want to take them? I know I'd rather it be on a cruise ship. And selecting a brand new ship is sure to attract a lot of attendees.

[Fish Lover]

You do know that not every passenger on a Celebrity ship resides in North America and enjoys no cost cancellation , don't you?

 

I usually book a long way out, and have previously taken some comfort from charters seemingly only resulting in cancellation of a cruise over 12 months before sailing so no other hotel/airfare expenses have been incurred. Something a lot of posters here have referred to favourably to excuse the cruise line.

 

However, one month ago my 24th March 18 cruise on Summit was chartered, well under 12 months away and after non refundable air/hotel/ground transportation costs had been incurred.

 

The offer from Celebrity was a protected price on either two Summit cruises months later, or on the one day shorter 29th March departure (which we were already booked on B2B to make a 9 day cruise), plus $100 OBC.

 

The only other cruise that fitted our flights etc. is an Equinox 7 night also on 24th March, so 29th March Summit had to go as well. Different departure port but no real problem there, except the unprotected price of the 7 night was higher than 9 on Summit, and still 2 nights hotel and food to find on top. OBC dropped from $750 over 9 nights to total $400 over 7 nights so less benefit there. All in all the episode has cost us an extra $800 in total, plus a loss of $350 OBC.

 

You will understand me being unhappy at Celebrity, cruise contract or not, this is totally unfair.

 

And no I couldn't just cancel as that would have cost even more without any holiday to show for it.

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Forums mobile app

 

No, it is not unfair. What is unfair is your country's policy regarding deposits. Further, knowing this ahead of time you risked making a reservation almost 2 years ahead of time! That most certainly is not Celebrity's fault, it's yours.

[Fish Lover]

So you mean BIG PHARMA actually stands for pharmaceuticals? Imagine that. :D

 

I suspect the AMA is using the Continuing Education courses as an excuse for the attendees to take a tax deductible vacation while generating profits for not only Celebrity but the AMA. Regular Continuing Education courses are mandatory to keep licenses current. I

 

f you had to take CE courses, where would you want to take them? I know I'd rather it be on a cruise ship. And selecting a brand new ship is sure to attract a lot of attendees.

 

All I can say is that I wish the BAR Association would schedule CLE's on a ship!

[Stumptowngal]

So I discovered who chartered the Edge for March 17th. The company is Continuing Education, Inc. Credits while you Cruise, it's a Medical continuing education cruise, sponsored by the American Medical Association for Physicians, Attorneys, Psychologists, Doctors of Pharmacy, Dentists, Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners...........so basically BIG PHARMA is hosting a wonderful week on the Edge. Here is the website with the info www dot continuingeducation dot net

 

It is not a free trip for those who register for the course. Physicians would pay $895 for the sessions plus the cost of their cruise accomodations. Attendees only receive 14 credit hours for attending which actually isn't very many for a whole week's trip. Some people in the medical field don't consider the Continuing Education offerings (of which there are many) for physicians to be among the more serious or valuable for the time spent.

[MizDemeanor]

There are airlines that now apologize for bumping passengers out of seats so the tide is turning on companies that take the passenger for granted. While I realize that this is not occuring on day of sailing as it is on day of flight, the indifference to the affect that this practice is having on paying passengers is humbling. Celebrity constantly cancels for charters. It might be better to reconsider the approach and open a particular date off market and to the charter partners only on a first first and let the charter partners take the risk to fill the ship or have a time period escape date when that sailing/back out comes back to open to the public if they can't fill it.