Any January changes?

[Redtravel]

I am booked on Silhouette. No changes have been posted. My first 2 stops are San Juan and St. Martin. Both ports are closed now. Has anyone been informed of any changes for JANUARY?

[Alakegirl]

Not yet. Too soon to know.

[Bo1953]

You may want to consider checking X's website, periodically, for this information, as they are posting ALL changes to itineraries there.

 

Currently, Caribbean sailings with itinerary changes through December are posted there.

 

bon voyage

[hcat]

Hope they decide and post soon...final payment is due in Nov for our Jan cruise on Silhouette..

 

Most of our ports are okay except St Martin....Hoping they pick something else...a similar itin now has St Kitts..that'd be a nice substitue.

 

our cruise already has 4 sea days...so we would not want another sea day...St Martin will still be in bad shape,...so not much ine could do there...

[casper106]

Anyone who has booked Caribbean cruises for the upcoming winter season is affected by the horrible events that have affected the area.

 

I'm sure all the cruise lines are doing their best to keep their customers up-to-date about any changes.

 

While I realize that people are concerned about making the final payments and any changes that might be made, do we really need daily questions on the topic? I would imagine we will all be informed as the situation becomes clearer.

 

At this time,we should be thinking about helping in any way we can those people who are struggling under such dire circumstances. JMO

[Newbie545]

I would imagine we will all be informed as the situation becomes clearer.

 

 

Maybe if you booked directly with the cruise line or a good TA you'll be informed - Booked through a smaller local TA an I called to ask about changing dates - They had NO IDEA ports were still changing in late December and "possibly" for our trip in January. Final payment due in October: the lady actually said "we expect the ports open and just some excursions cancelled which is why we didn't contact you." We don't have excursions booked so we're not kept in the loop? that's BS. Cancelled an booked with a bigger/better TA company. Very happy updates are talked about on here, wouldn't think to look at the company website until we've already paid an trying to get our final arrangements made which would be too late.

[ischeer]

Maybe if you booked directly with the cruise line or a good TA you'll be informed - Booked through a smaller local TA an I called to ask about changing dates - They had NO IDEA ports were still changing in late December and "possibly" for our trip in January. Final payment due in October: the lady actually said "we expect the ports open and just some excursions cancelled which is why we didn't contact you." We don't have excursions booked so we're not kept in the loop? that's BS. Cancelled an booked with a bigger/better TA company. Very happy updates are talked about on here, wouldn't think to look at the company website until we've already paid an trying to get our final arrangements made which would be too late.

 

Your best bet is to keep watching the Celebrity Website. There is a special section headed "Caribbean Itinerary Modification Alert" which details all of the changes. They are currently up to 12/31, which interestingly enough lists both San Juan,PR and St Thomas on the revised itinerary, but changes St. Maarten to St Kitts.

 

We also deal with a small local TA, but received the notification of our change (10/27 cruise) directly from Celebrity.

[RealBatman]

Anyone who has booked Caribbean cruises for the upcoming winter season is affected by the horrible events that have affected the area.

 

I'm sure all the cruise lines are doing their best to keep their customers up-to-date about any changes.

 

While I realize that people are concerned about making the final payments and any changes that might be made, do we really need daily questions on the topic? I would imagine we will all be informed as the situation becomes clearer.

 

At this time,we should be thinking about helping in any way we can those people who are struggling under such dire circumstances. JMO

 

 

EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING as I read some of these posts (not only in this thread, but other threads as well). I'm amazed that some people are upset to the point that they are planning to cancel their trips because the ports they want to go to are closed, and they aren't interested in going to the substitute ports. Either these same people lack compassion, or they are blind to the horrific scenario that has played out in the Caribbean.

 

While it might be unrealistic, I personally would like to see the itinerary stay the same, and offer an excursion option to put on some jeans, a pair of gloves, and go help move debris, or sweep floors, or paint walls - anything required to help restore the devastation. One day out of a cruise to help less fortunate. I realize it could be similar to herding cats, trying to get people to where they need to be to help, but I sure as hell wouldn't be complaining about a change in my itinerary!

[MEcruzr]

People can be concerned about their cruise vacation AND be helping in multiple ways, you have no way of knowing. And this is a cruise forum. What else is more relevant than a question about possible itinerary changes?

[Stumptowngal]

People can be concerned about their cruise vacation AND be helping in multiple ways, you have no way of knowing. And this is a cruise forum. What else is more relevant than a question about possible itinerary changes?

 

So, so true. I know I'm not the only one who has donated money to appropriate organizations to help with the hurricane devastation as well as to many other charities on a regular basis. We also give personal volunteer time at home for charities we have prioritized.

 

At the same time we save up hard-earned money during the year so my DH and I can take one week of vacation to relax and decompress from the daily grind and extended family responsibilities. I don't think anyone should be made to feel guilty for asking questions or seeking information to find out if they may want to make changes to preserve what's important to them for their one vacation a year.

 

I understand people's kind hearts when they say they would be glad to put on a pair of jeans and gloves to work for a day on a devastated island while on a cruise vacation. But I don't think that is realistic. Organizing and being responsible for volunteer groups takes a lot more organization than one might think. There are too many liability issues to take random groups of cruise ship passengers off a ship for part of a day and put them to work.

[eandj]

Maybe if you booked directly with the cruise line or a good TA you'll be informed - Cancelled an booked with a bigger/better TA company. Very happy updates are talked about on here, wouldn't think to look at the company website until we've already paid an trying to get our final arrangements made which would be too late.

 

 

I think you are a little rough on the T.A.s . They have no crystal ball. And unless Celebrity makes the changes official, the T.A.s don't know anything "for sure". January is far away. And all the cruise ships are trying to juggle in and out of their itineraries for the fall and holiday cruises.

I know for our January cruise that St Marten is out. It was destroyed. I don't have to ask anyone after seeing it on tv. What ever X decides to do with that port day is fine. St. Kitts isn't really able to handle all the ships that St. Martin could. So if we are getting another sea day, so be it. Blank happens....and I'm glad it didn't happen to my home.

[WonderMan3]

On a January cruise as well and will take the information as it comes. If we go to the islands on our original itinerary, great. If we are changed to different islands, fine. We hit 7 islands during our trip so I'm really not concerned even though 3 of them are out of commission at the moment (San Juan, Dominica, St. Maarten). Not sure why people are getting so worried and upset. If you look at the revised itineraries that have been coming out it's not like they are removing islands and replacing them with days at sea, they are replacing with other islands. And no offense to any of these islands but they are all pretty much interchangeable (beaches, cat sailings, zip-lining, snorkeling, etc.) with some variances in landscape scenery.

 

 

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[mgatc]

We just got an update for our Dec. 9th cruise. Going to San Juan, St. Croix, and St. Kitts as of today.

 

 

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[hcat]

Wow...what could you do in San Juan? .City has had some tough damage and areas beyond still have no water, power and gas shortage, or up and running med facilities.. Perhaps Cruise co needs to get there with relief supplies..Will be interesting to see if that decision sticks.

 

Hopefully St Kitts & St Croix will be good to go!

[mgatc]

I know, we wondered the same thing and thought they might be delivering supplies. Don't get in until 3:30 pm, so a night visit. Can't imagine they will be ready for tourists, and if power is still out, won't be getting off the boat. Don't mind though if they are delivering supplies.

 

 

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[shipshape sam]

I hope cruise lines are taking some supplies to various islands. I think I read that both Celebrity and Royal are already doing this and that is a great start by them! It is good for business, but I do think they are doing what is right in a time of need.

 

I think it might be a little early to start canceling January ports of call vs waiting another 30 days to get a status update. It is a doubled edge sword to have tourists come and spend money and at same time, all the still needed repairs/help needed.

 

I for sure wanted to go to the various ports of call on our January cruise, but then I don't want to go to an island that there is nothing to do or impose on residents to entertain us while their own homes, for example, are not restored. I do also understand that we can spend money, not sure how, to help provide a source of income/cash to help out.

 

We are hoping Celebrity and Royal will announce some ways passengers can help both Celebrity and Royal help the various islands/ports of call. Clearly money can be donated, but if you are sailing there, maybe something more you want/can do to help out. I think I would be up for a workcation day at a port of call. Maybe bring some supplies onboard to take off at effected ports of call. January may be a good time to have some, I am hoping the short term necessities taken care of way before then, longer term projects like Habitat does here in US as an example.

[Redtravel]

Still waiting for info. Nobody seems to know anything. The word seems to be wait and see. Luckily I haven't bought a plane ticket. I am wary of promises that everything will be ok. so many islands were devastated by the recent hurricanes.

I keep looking at Celebrity website for changes. Cruises thru December have posted changes. I was shocked to see that San Juan has not been changed. On tv today, they showed crowds of Puerto Ricans at the airport waiting to fly out. It looked bad. Certainly not a place that I would want to visit this year.

[marieps]

I'm amazed that some people are upset to the point that they are planning to cancel their trips because the ports they want to go to are closed, and they aren't interested in going to the substitute ports. Either these same people lack compassion, or they are blind to the horrific scenario that has played out in the Caribbean.

 

You assume facts not in evidence. You have no idea whether the poster speaking of cancelling a cruise has in fact already made a sizable donation to hurricane relief. I for one am not complaining about itinerary changes, but I am curious and check the X website daily. I have also already made a donation through the link at Royal Caribbean, with the thought the islands don't have near the resources as the US mainland. I do not lack compassion. I am not blind.

[JaniceB]

We just got an update for our Dec. 9th cruise. Going to San Juan, St. Croix, and St. Kitts as of today.

 

 

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I thought that St. Croix was hit pretty badly by Maria.

[richsea]

Celebrity seems to be in a no win situation here. On one hand, people are impatient that Celebrity has not decided on any changes to cruises that are 3 months plus in the future. On the other hand, if they decide to change an itinerary and a port subsequently opens, there will be hell to pay because they reacted too soon. Can't have it both ways.

 

I think that anyone that is so concerned about making final payment and then having their itinerary impacted, and are able to have their deposit refunded, should definitely cancel in order to avoid disappointment.

[Jade13]

Your best bet is to keep watching the Celebrity Website. There is a special section headed "Caribbean Itinerary Modification Alert" which details all of the changes. They are currently up to 12/31, which interestingly enough lists both San Juan,PR and St Thomas on the revised itinerary, but changes St. Maarten to St Kitts.

 

 

 

We also deal with a small local TA, but received the notification of our change (10/27 cruise) directly from Celebrity.

 

 

 

The website only shows changes on the Summit through 10/28.

 

 

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[cherburt]

People can be concerned about their cruise vacation AND be helping in multiple ways, you have no way of knowing. And this is a cruise forum. What else is more relevant than a question about possible itinerary changes?

You are so right, and everyone going on a cruise may not be in the physicle condition to put on a pair gloves and help out. People need to stop being self righteous and judging others who have concerns about their upcoming cruises. I for one do not care what Islands I go to but do not care for added sea days. Even if people have not donated or helped in some way that is up to them.

 

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[cherburt]

On a January cruise as well and will take the information as it comes. If we go to the islands on our original itinerary, great. If we are changed to different islands, fine. We hit 7 islands during our trip so I'm really not concerned even though 3 of them are out of commission at the moment (San Juan, Dominica, St. Maarten). Not sure why people are getting so worried and upset. If you look at the revised itineraries that have been coming out it's not like they are removing islands and replacing them with days at sea, they are replacing with other islands. And no offense to any of these islands but they are all pretty much interchangeable (beaches, cat sailings, zip-lining, snorkeling, etc.) with some variances in landscape scenery.

 

 

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We are on the Silouette for b2b leaving Jan 7th and the 14th. The 14th having 7 ports. I dont care what Islands I go to just prefer not to have additional sea days.

 

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[marieps]

Silhouette's Jan 14 sailing seems very similar to its 11/26 voyage, in which case SXM is switched to Antigua and Dominica is switched to Martinique. Interestingly, the revised November itinerary still includes an overnight in Puerto Rico just two months from now. I would have no complaints if these changes where made on the Jan 14 sailing as well. I'd also be okay with Labadee or Coco Kay if there were ever an opportunity to put an X ship in there.

[WonderMan3]

Silhouette's Jan 14 sailing seems very similar to its 11/26 voyage, in which case SXM is switched to Antigua and Dominica is switched to Martinique. Interestingly, the revised November itinerary still includes an overnight in Puerto Rico just two months from now. I would have no complaints if these changes where made on the Jan 14 sailing as well. I'd also be okay with Labadee or Coco Kay if there were ever an opportunity to put an X ship in there.

 

 

 

Yes, I'm betting that my cruise on 1/14 will change to match the 11/26 itinerary. If for some reason San Juan later gets pulled then that first evening in San Juan will likely become a full sea day and then the second day in San Juan will change to St. Croix. Antigua is not my favorite island but that's fine and Martinique changed from Dominica is fine as I haven't been to either island.

 

 

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