Catch -22 with Celebrity

[NantahalaCruiser]

4 minutes ago, omeinv said:

You're right.  It is unfair. 

 

The cruise line is going to do all they can to salvage revenue from each booking.  THis means reviewing each sailing in that light.

 

You want to be treated the same, but you won't be.  That is unfair. 

 

Again, contracts aren't required to be fair.  You entered the agreement without any inkling there would be a pandemic.  So did the cruise line.  The pandemic is not fair.  The contract isn't "fair" but it lays out what each party's obligations are.  The cruise line sees altering an itinerary as a way to salvage something from their unfair predicament.  You have several options, none of which appeal to you as much as the original cruise itinerary.  The original itinerary is no longer an option,a nd cancellation is not an option - at least at this moment. 

 

Which of the options that exist - not the options you wish existed - do you find the least distasteful?  None of them are fair.  Not to you and not to the cruise line.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

And as you are correctly implying, Celebrity had limited options, none of which appealed to them as much as the original cruise itinerary without the virus

[az_tchr]

2 hours ago, hcat said:

 

  A May 28th cruise from Port Liberty may or may not be a go.  Our Summit Mother's day cruise was recently  added to the cancelled list. If you feel it will be cancelled you can hang in for awhile like many on our roll call did,  They were rewarded with a refund!

 

 Much depends on how things are going in New Jersey which right now is under very strict rules...maybe X knows something we don't b/c I wonder why they would go to all this trouble to shift around ports???

 

Nassau is one of our least fav  ports but not the worst,..

Let's forget the total change in ports - does anyone think Covid19 will be gone - not just a decrease in cases - but gone by May or even June?  Until this over planes will mostly not fly, borders and pots will be closed and ships will not sail.

Am sure Fouremco and I would be interested in how you think that possible?  China with 3 months of basically hose arrest in a police state still has Covid.  Do you think that would work in Canada or the USA?

[helen haywood]

Just on the topic of the new restrictions on over 70 cruisers...surely Celebrity would have to agree to refund your cruise if they implemented new restrictions after you had paid in full?!

[julia]

Honestly??  In light of the worldwide crisis that we are facing now... take whatever compensation you have, even if it means some losses, and FORGET ABOUT IT!  Yes, your itinerary was drastically changed. That is not good. However, there are thousands of people who no longer have an itinerary because they've lost their lives.  Get some perspective here...

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

4 hours ago, az_tchr said:

Suggest that you take your FCC and a 50% refund if the stress of uncertainty is too much.  Plan on booking a cruise next year when things have returned to normal.  If you cancel today you lose nothing.

The doctor's certification is that you are healthy enough to cruise.  The doctor's note is almost certainly going to be dropped when X resumes cruising.  Seems like a catch 22 but long term what do you think?  If everyone with asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes etc was not allowed to cruise then Celebrity would have ships half full.  Celebrity right now is not likely to cruise anywhere until COVID is done!  When that happens a doctor would sign a note saying you are healthy enough to cruise.  You should be able to cruise without a note by 2021.

  As to resuming cruises?  Do you think that can happen by May?  Not likely.

I think you are taking the policies of today as permanent.  They are not.  Cruiseline all have similar contracts and passengers have few rights.  The terms are similar for all CLIA members. 

 

 

Celebrity has declared that anyone with underlying conditions will be denied boarding.  With or without doctor's note.

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, Bo1953 said:

As much as we like to exclaim that this is not what I paid for by contract, it is, as X and all other cruise lines in N.A. reserve the right to change, cancel or modify ports without notice or compensation, unfortunately.

 

After all, as much as one may not like it when it happens and it does, it is allowed and forms a part of the 'disclosed' COC and T&C's which we agree to upon sending in that initial and final payment....

 

bon voyage

I see that Celebrity continues to advertise this as a Maine and Canada Cruise. Is this because changing the name to Maine and Caribbean Cruise would be an overt admission that they are now offering a different cruise? 

 

No intelligent person would consider this to be the same cruise anymore than a "Hawaiian" cruise with a changed destination of Anchorage. Do you really think that it would be OK to sell a transatlantic cruise and later change the destination to Buenos Aires and hide behind the "we can change ports" wording of the contract?

 

If this is viewed as a perfectly acceptable business practice, then some moral compasses need to be reset.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Fouremco

[omeinv]

49 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I see that Celebrity continues to advertise this as a Maine and Canada Cruise. Is this because changing the name to Maine and Caribbean Cruise would be an overt admission that they are now offering a different cruise? 

 

No intelligent person would consider this to be the same cruise anymore than a "Hawaiian" cruise with a changed destination of Anchorage. Do you really think that it would be OK to sell a transatlantic cruise and later change the destination to Buenos Aires and hide behind the "we can change ports" wording of the contract?

 

If this is viewed as a perfectly acceptable business practice, then some moral compasses need to be reset.

Again, it's important to use reason and common sense.  While the cruise is still titled "Maine and Canada Cruise" on the web site, it shows the correct (updated) itinerary. 

 

The fact that they haven't changed the title of this one is hardly surprising, and it's hardly likely someone today would see the title, and pay for the cruise, without looking at the itinerary. 

 

I suspect pretty much everyone would rather have Celebrity focus on having accurate information, than having an accurate title that was designed only for advertising generally, rather than a specific description of the itinerary. 

 

You reference what "no intelligent person" would do.  I would assert said intelligent person would not book a cruise without finding out what the itinerary is. All one need do is click the "View Ports and Map" link, and they would see Nassau. 

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/itinerary-search?dates=2020-05&destinations=ATLCO

 

Now, the original poster's concern, that they aren't getting the cruise they signed up for has merit, and I have a lot of empathy for their concerns.  Unfortunately, I don't think they have much chance of getting better options than they've been presented thus far.  Your argument, that Celebrity lacks a moral compass, because of a lack of a title change is simply specious.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by omeinv

[twodox]

1 hour ago, julia said:

Honestly??  In light of the worldwide crisis that we are facing now... take whatever compensation you have, even if it means some losses, and FORGET ABOUT IT!  Yes, your itinerary was drastically changed. That is not good. However, there are thousands of people who no longer have an itinerary because they've lost their lives.  Get some perspective here...

Julia,

I agree that this is a First World problem, but I believe that a crisis is not an excuse to throw logic and fairness to the wind.  They are not offering the cruise I purchased and will prevent me from taking it even if I agreed to the change.  They owe me a full refund.

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by twodox

[Bo1953]

8 hours ago, Fouremco said:

I see that Celebrity continues to advertise this as a Maine and Canada Cruise. Is this because changing the name to Maine and Caribbean Cruise would be an overt admission that they are now offering a different cruise? 

 

No intelligent person would consider this to be the same cruise anymore than a "Hawaiian" cruise with a changed destination of Anchorage. Do you really think that it would be OK to sell a transatlantic cruise and later change the destination to Buenos Aires and hide behind the "we can change ports" wording of the contract?

 

If this is viewed as a perfectly acceptable business practice, then some moral compasses need to be reset.

I understand your point of view and respectfully disagree.

 

X and other cruise lines are offering a cabin on their vessels and just happen to be visiting certain ports, COC and T&C's.

 

It is not only the name/title of the sailing but the details of them, which if one clicks through will automatically see that the name does not match up to the title and wonder about it.

 

I would also argue that no intelligent person would not understand the situation we are facing currently is anyway or remotely 'normal circumstances' and expect all to be substantially the same or similar. Changes in the industry is happening hourly.

 

While I would not be happy with the changes you cite, I would understand and seek out what my options were and make decisions accordingly. Knowing that any decision made could be 20/20...

 

I do think that moral compasses need to be reset on both sides, but expectations and understanding of what is going on in the world around us need to be considered as well. All cruise lines took actions they felt were appropriate, some as it turns out were not, then we have our 'living room' Corporate CEO's and VP's of the cruise lines dictating what they want and when they want it without thinking of the total implications of any decision being made given the 'current' information available

 

On a few other boards I have read where posters are savaging corporations for what they did or did not do and they (the poster) knew it and was not pro-active in canceling their sailing. Makes me wonder.

 

If one chooses to plunk down the type of money we plunk down to sail and expect it to be 100% and without problems, need to rethink taking these types of vacations.

 

I have friends who cancelled their sailings when the first reports out of China were announced. They had foresight and concern (20/20), the rest of us took a wait and see attitude.

 

Just think of those who went to the DR and Mexico and got alcohol poisoning, many did not have travel insurance because nothing happened in their past travels... as many who are posting do not have travel insurance, or so I posit if they are fighting hard to be re-imbursed 100%.

 

At any rate, thank you for your thoughts.

 

In health and bon voyage

[Bo1953]

7 hours ago, twodox said:

Julia,

I agree that this is a First World problem, but I believe that a crisis is not an excuse to throw logic and fairness to the wind.  They are not offering the cruise I purchased and will prevent me from taking it even if I agreed to the change.  They owe me a full refund.

 

They owe you a refund within the 'standard' guidelines, yet there is no shame in trying to fight to get a cruise line to make an exception....

 

bon voyage

[az_tchr]

11 hours ago, twodox said:

Julia,

I agree that this is a First World problem, but I believe that a crisis is not an excuse to throw logic and fairness to the wind.  They are not offering the cruise I purchased and will prevent me from taking it even if I agreed to the change.  They owe me a full refund.

 

At this point would suggest again you take a pause.  I agree on the cruise change and feel once this chaos settles down that X would allow you to change your cruise.

You say you could not cruise because you have several health problems. Once Covid19 is gone am absolutely positive X will no longer require a doctor's letter.  Why? Because over 40% of cruisers on X have some sort of issue covered by the letter.  It only came into existence as a way to try to continue cruising.  It was not well thought out and will disappear along (likely) with your cruise since until Covid19 is GONE there cannot be any cruising.  After it is gone will take a couple weeks to reassemble ships and full crews, have ports open and borders to open.

Your situation is similar to my Southampton to Norway cruise with Norway ports closed. Obviously was not going to happen.  DW said to take a chill pill and wait.  It is now cancelled along with others. We have taken a combo.of FCC and refunds.  Do give a dang about the doctor's letter or does my DW who has asthma. When Covid19 is over we will again cruise. Not until.

Also think after the dust settles X will have time to reflect on what they did well and what needs to be fixed.  Unprecedented situation and management on the fly was never perfect.

[twodox]

I am pausing, and am stopping my notification of future comments.  Thank you all for your help.

[pasta1]

We are on this cruise.Will wait to just before to cancel but by some miracle this virus does   disburse we will go.  My thought is no way this will sail, Portland & Bar Harbor will be closed. By the way the May 19 Summit cruise is no longer on  Celebrity's web site!

[az_tchr]

Think the article on Cruise Critic answers your question. If you call X and state you cannot obtain a clearance from your doctor they will issue a FCC.  They continued to say the FCC can be used after coronavirus is no longer present.

This certainly implies that age restrictions will go away.

Again you can wait till closer to see if they cancel.

[twodox]

The situation has been resolved satisfactorily and I had no problem requesting my 100% refund rather than the cruise credit.

 

All's well that ends well. 😀