I think my ship got chartered!

[CruisingUS]

Where I worked, we had to pick our vacation by Jan1 each yr for the entire yr,,,...then other staff got to select based on seniority,,..,changes very hard to do unless someone swapped or for emergency,,, Staffing and Operations depended on this system,,....worked quite well. Guess that's why we are used to booking cruises way ahead.....

My system works like that too. Hence the booking so close to the departure date doesn't work for me as suggested by others.

[Fish Lover]

some (high paying) professions won't let you reschedule vacations.

 

I don't understand why this is so hard for people to empathize with those of us who work in fields where schedule changes just don't happen.

 

 

 

Thankfully, I am not booked out 20 months away.

 

 

But I can imagine some entrepreneurs are booked out 20 months away, especially if you do a convention that happens the same time every year and then plan on doing a vacation since you are in the same city. Someone I know does that. Doesn't seem weird to me at all

 

You cannot expect every vacation venue to accommodate every situation. If you choose to combine an out of town convention with vacation, that's your choice. If your company closes for everyone to take vacation the same week(s) every year, well then you are stuck with it. It's part of what you agreed to when you agreed to work with them. I don't feel bad. We live and work in a country where you have free will. Most charters happen well over a year away, before anyone has been inconvenienced. Is this disappointing? sure. Does it mean you don't get vacation? no. There are always alternatives. The less flexible you are, the fewer alternatives that are available to you.

 

If this happened less than within 9 months of sail date, well then I am much more likely to be in your camp. Flights and hotels are involved then.

[Fouremco]

1. If you pick a random week, you might not be able to fit cruise on that week.

2. booking a cruise so close to the disembarkation date will of course mean you pay more both in terms of the cruise, airplane ticket, and hotel

 

3. you might not be able to find a room that you like or fits your budget when you book closer to the sailing date.

 

 

C'mon now...common sense here people. We've all worked and booked cruises before. You know the game.

Lots of posters on these boards swear by last minute bookings, taking advantage of post-final payment price drops. Not my choice, but then I have lots of flexibility. Anyway, charters are a fact of life, so you just need to find the booking system that works best for you and your particular situation. That's using common sense. :halo:

[miched]

You should be fine, if it was chartered normally they'll just move you to the next available dates and give you same cabin at the booked price, and sometimes even throw in $100 in OBC. So guessing they'll offer you the 16th or 25th sailings since same itinerary

 

Not really. We had the Infinity booked for Oct 2016 with 1140 as our cabin. It was charterered. We were then offered to sail on one of the next two cruises with $100 OBC as our "compensation".

 

There is no way that they could have gave us that same cabin as it is the first to get booked. Do you think that they are going to displace those passengers? What are you drinking or smoking?

 

The prices were way more than what we paid and the cabins were very limited. Plus it wasn't the time that we wanted to sail. One being that it was out 50th.

 

We ended up booking another cruise line. Found that we really liked it and it has become our new go to. We have a few more booked on Celebrity but may end up canceling them because of our new found love. 😍😜

 

Things happen for a reason. Thanks Celebrity 👍🤗

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[CruisingUS]

You cannot expect every vacation venue to accommodate every situation. If you choose to combine an out of town convention with vacation, that's your choice. If your company closes for everyone to take vacation the same week(s) every year, well then you are stuck with it. It's part of what you agreed to when you agreed to work with them. I don't feel bad. We live and work in a country where you have free will. Most charters happen well over a year away, before anyone has been inconvenienced. Is this disappointing? sure. Does it mean you don't get vacation? no. There are always alternatives. The less flexible you are, the fewer alternatives that are available to you.

 

If this happened less than within 9 months of sail date, well then I am much more likely to be in your camp. Flights and hotels are involved then.

Again, this doesn't line up w/ reality.

 

 

X and RCI make a lot of money chartering their cruise ships to professionals with very tight schedules in the free world (I am specifically referring to the US). Although it is an interesting theory, it just isn't what's happening with the real world.

 

 

Also talk to a lot of modern day professionals in the States. It's not like what it use to be where you can just give your boss a list of demands and the finger. You will get fired and it will be harder to find a job. With all due respect, things have changed since you retired.

[Fish Lover]

Again, this doesn't line up w/ reality.

 

 

X and RCI make a lot of money chartering their cruise ships to professionals with very tight schedules in the free world (I am specifically referring to the US). Although it is an interesting theory, it just isn't what's happening with the real world.

 

 

Also talk to a lot of modern day professionals in the States. It's not like what it use to be where you can just give your boss a list of demands and the finger. You will get fired and it will be harder to find a job. With all due respect, things have changed since you retired.

 

I don't know what reality you are living in, but very few (if any) people have to choose their exct vacation 2 years in advance. If you are one of the very unfortunate view, well then you have the option of getting another job. In any event, no one is holding agun to your head.

 

Furthermore, nowhere does it say that you are entitled to a cruise for vacation. If you cannot accommodate a cruise, do something else. I fail to see why the world should stop spinning because you don't have the ability to change your vacation date. And there are many other cruise options for those same dates. You're disappointed, I get it. However, no sympathy beyond that. Celebrity tries to make it right, and if it isn't good enough, then its too bad. Try another cruise line. Hopefully it doesn't happen to you again. There is always an inherent risk with any kind of travel such as weather, mechanical breakdown, political unrest, changes in schedules and itineraries, disease, etc. If you want an absolute guarantee two years in advance, put in a pool and spend your vacation at home.

[CruisingUS]

I don't know what reality you are living in, but very few (if any) people have to choose their exct vacation 2 years in advance. If you are one of the very unfortunate view, well then you have the option of getting another job. In any event, no one is holding agun to your head.

 

Furthermore, nowhere does it say that you are entitled to a cruise for vacation. If you cannot accommodate a cruise, do something else. I fail to see why the world should stop spinning because you don't have the ability to change your vacation date. And there are many other cruise options for those same dates. You're disappointed, I get it. However, no sympathy beyond that. Celebrity tries to make it right, and if it isn't good enough, then its too bad. Try another cruise line. Hopefully it doesn't happen to you again. There is always an inherent risk with any kind of travel such as weather, mechanical breakdown, political unrest, changes in schedules and itineraries, disease, etc. If you want an absolute guarantee two years in advance, put in a pool and spend your vacation at home.

 

If they are chartering these cruises out 2 years out, then logically someone must be booking their vacation 2 years in advanced, either before or after it is chartered.

 

 

Think about it for a moment. Seriously, just use common sense to think about it.

 

 

And I didn't say that I book my vacations out 2 years out. Please don't put words into my mouth. Someone could be booking cruises 2 years out for their 10 year wedding anniversary or graduation or w/e. Just b/c you don't have sympathy for them, doesn't mean that those being inconvenienced don't have a right to be angry when they already made a reservation.

[Hawkstar33]

Gee whiz..Don't tell me..Not again...Another CHARTER??? Here we go again. Thought you all said this only happens once in a while...

[CruisingUS]

Gee whiz..Don't tell me..Not again...Another CHARTER??? Here we go again. Thought you all said this only happens once in a while...

:'):'):'):'):')

[WpgCruise]

You're disappointed, I get it. However, no sympathy beyond that. Celebrity tries to make it right, and if it isn't good enough, then its too bad. Try another cruise line. Hopefully it doesn't happen to you again.

 

Actually I don't believe CruisingUS has even set foot on a Celebrity ship, and has not had a cruise on any line cancelled. I understood their cruise experience was limited. But I could stand to be corrected.

 

If I recollect the past posts by CruisingUS they are concerned a future Celebrity cruise they are interested in booking might be cancelled for a charter.

[Hawkstar33]

Here's where they start teaming up on you. Nasty, sneaky, unsympathetic , realistic business minded comments, that are within the fragile posting guidelines. Try your best not to retaliate. Then again, don't listen to me. Took 5 days and they started to remove my retaliatory posts, one after the other, before finally being locked out completely.

[CruisingUS]

Actually I don't believe CruisingUS has even set foot on a Celebrity ship, and has not had a cruise on any line cancelled. I understood their cruise experience was limited. But I could stand to be corrected.

Partially true? IDK what is considered limited. Some people here have 25+ cruises under their belt. But I have been on more than 3 at the very least and am familiar to as to what cruising is.

 

 

 

If I recollect the past posts by CruisingUS they are concerned a future Celebrity cruise they are interested in booking might be cancelled for a charter.

True. There are talks of cancelling in my party b/c X charters so much.

[CruisingUS]

Here's where they start teaming up on you. Nasty, sneaky, unsympathetic , realistic business minded comments, that are within the fragile posting guidelines. Try your best not to retaliate. Then again, don't listen to me. Took 5 days and they started to remove my retaliatory posts, one after the other, before finally being locked out completely.

People's anonymous attacks honestly don't bother me. Hence I don't want to put how many cruises I've been on or what rewards level I am (as if reward levels really mean anything lol:')).

 

 

I don't say anything inflammatory. Just a waste of time.

[Fish Lover]

If you cannot relax and accept the fact that there is a remote possibility that your selected sailing may be chartered, then you should cancel. Clearly, your tolerance for unexpected change in this area is (for whatever reason) very low.

[CruisingUS]

If you cannot relax and accept the fact that there is a remote possibility that your selected sailing may be chartered, then you should cancel. Clearly, your tolerance for unexpected change in this area is (for whatever reason) very low.

:') A stranger telling me what to do.

 

BTW, we are thinking of cancelling. I've already mentioned this before

[richsea]

:') A stranger telling me what to do.

 

BTW, we are thinking of cancelling. I've already mentioned this before

 

A stranger? So who on these boards do you know? Only the ones who you agree with?

[CruisingUS]

A stranger? So who on these boards do you know? Only the ones who you agree with?

IDK anyone on here IRL

 

Until we meet IRL, you are an anonymous stranger. Fair assessment?

[Toofarfromthesea]

If someone is booking way in advance because of an occasion, wouldn't it make sense to book a backup cruise on those dates, and then cancel the backup if the primary is NOT chartered?

[awhcruiser]

Where is the like button?

If someone is booking way in advance because of an occasion, wouldn't it make sense to book a backup cruise on those dates, and then cancel the backup if the primary is NOT chartered?

[villauk]

If someone is booking way in advance because of an occasion, wouldn't it make sense to book a backup cruise on those dates, and then cancel the backup if the primary is NOT chartered?

 

 

Unless you book your backup cruise in another country where the policy is non refundable deposits ;).

[strachan01]

If someone is booking way in advance because of an occasion, wouldn't it make sense to book a backup cruise on those dates, and then cancel the backup if the primary is NOT chartered?

 

Not really, 15 months isn't that far out IMO. We have also booked the cruise for the Itinerary, something which other ships don't offer at the same time. If we were to book a 'backup' cruise in the UK, it would mean losing the deposit of say £150pp, not really pocket change when you compare it to the total cost of a cruise.

 

If the cruise is chartered so be it, as long as Celebrity give me sufficient time and a selection of dates to choose from I can cope. On the subject of dates, would it be unheard of for celebrity to offer a change of dates to say a month before or after our original date? This would be the only way I could make it work due to my work rotation.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Sorry, I guess I thought it was obvious I wasn't addressing situations where the deposit is nonrefundable, but not so, I guess.

[strachan01]

Considering all cruise deposits are nonrefundable in the UK its not that obvious, is it? There is a world outside of the USA too.

[lkneller]

Been down that road myself, and remember how stressful it was not knowing what was going on, and not being able to get any answers from Celebrity. Sorry to OP that you are feeling this stress right now. A cruise is supposed to be fun, not stressful.

 

Hopfully your situation will turn into something even better in the end! We are blessed to say that ours did.

 

When it happened to us, we had 4 couples involved and it was really a challenge for ALL 4 couples = 8 people, to sync vacation schedules. Approx 1 month after we all booked the Infinity our cruise was MIA. thankfully we had the support of our cruise critic roll call where everyone shared their experiences with calls to Celebrity. I practically lived on the roll call for about 5 weeks. Finally the news broke that our itinery was changed. (Our sailing was NOT chartered, just changed).

 

Long story short, we all sailed on the new itinery that none of us planned on doing, and had the time of our lives. It all worked out for the best.

 

I hope these stressfull days pass quickly for you and be open to finding something even better that you never planned on, and come back some day to share your story.

[villauk]

Sorry, I guess I thought it was obvious I wasn't addressing situations where the deposit is nonrefundable, but not so, I guess.

 

The deposit is always non refundable in some countries, but guess I thought that was obvious too.