Apex moving to Athens for 7 night cruises for summer 2021

[kittywife77]

3 minutes ago, VitaminSea53 said:

Does anyone have any idea of pricing?

I'm curious too!

[Sweatcruiser]

We are booked on June 26 Barcelona to Rome on Apex, so what's up now? We haven't received anything from Celebrity yet.  Does it mean our original cruise is cancelled? 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Sweatcruiser

[drarill]

1 hour ago, Love2cruise77 said:

 

 

Thanks!!

[Miaminice]

6 minutes ago, Sweatcruiser said:

We are booked on June 26 Barcelona to Rome on Apex, so what's up now? We haven't received anything from Celebrity yet.  Does it mean our original cruise is cancelled? 

Yes! 

[C-Dragons]

35 minutes ago, Sally12345 said:

Hi! Has anyone had their reservation shifted to one these new itineraries yet? I called Celebrity and they said they are not listed yet so they can’t shift to them. Also, they were not sure that the price would be protected.

 

The new itineraries don’t open for booking until March 30th, so call back then. 

[LGW59]

20 minutes ago, Sweatcruiser said:

We are booked on June 26 Barcelona to Rome on Apex, so what's up now? We haven't received anything from Celebrity yet.  Does it mean our original cruise is cancelled? 

I don't know where you are from, US here, but even if I wanted to do this cruise from Greece (I do not), as it stands right now, I could not fly into Greece.  The email did say they have been working with the Greek govt, so maybe by then...good luck all!

[Stu UK]

Seems they have dealt first with the ones that go on one of the original departure dates for Apex. 

[little britain]

[Jeremiah1212]

Interesting choice in light of Greece's COVID numbers and low vaccination rate. 

[PaulMCO]

Also Israel is closed to all visitors and requires consular approval to travel there .   I think this is wishful thinking...

[steamboats]

Still wondering whom they will get as passengers...

 

So far neither UK nor US will be allowed to travel to Greece. US is not allowed to enter EU. UK is still not allowed to travel internationally. We still don´t know how the situation in June may be.

 

Most EU can´t go as we don´t get the vaccine... With AstraZeneca I must have gotten my first jab today as the second isn´t until another 12 weeks. Add 2 weeks after the second jab and you are right at the date of the first cruise of the Apex. But I won´t get my first jab not even within the next few months. I´d be happy if I get it in May or June but then still 3 months til I´m fully vaccinated. We´re still vaccinating the 80+ age group!

 

I can´t chose the vaccine... with Biontec/Pfizer I get my second jab within 3 weeks. But as I said we don´t have a choice.

 

So no way to book until I´m really safe to go.

 

steamboats

[voyager1964]

Does anybody know or have past experience with Celebrity moving the flights to a new itinerary? I wonder if they can keep same dates and class of services.

Thanks!

[Ashland]

Does anyone know if any of this will help Celebrity to make the decision to finally cancel our July British Isles out of Amsterdam?

[Miaminice]

1 hour ago, steamboats said:

Still wondering whom they will get as passengers...

 

So far neither UK nor US will be allowed to travel to Greece. US is not allowed to enter EU. UK is still not allowed to travel internationally. We still don´t know how the situation in June may be.

 

Most EU can´t go as we don´t get the vaccine... With AstraZeneca I must have gotten my first jab today as the second isn´t until another 12 weeks. Add 2 weeks after the second jab and you are right at the date of the first cruise of the Apex. But I won´t get my first jab not even within the next few months. I´d be happy if I get it in May or June but then still 3 months til I´m fully vaccinated. We´re still vaccinating the 80+ age group!

 

I can´t chose the vaccine... with Biontec/Pfizer I get my second jab within 3 weeks. But as I said we don´t have a choice.

 

So no way to book until I´m really safe to go.

 

steamboats

You might get Johnson... no second shot required. Never know... 😉

[Bruin Steve]

Well, we ARE ready to go.  Both my wife and I are fully vaccinated (two doses of Pfizer).  I assume that, by the time we would be sailing, they will have worked out entry into both Greece and Israel with local authorities (I've seen reports of Greece already okaying entry as early as May)...and I am assuming these countries may allow entry--WITH RESTRICTIONS--like with proof of vaccination...or Celebrity would not be as certain as to their ability to do these cruises.  Why announce this and go through all of the work to make the arrangements if you don't have good assurances that they will happen?

 

The big problem for us now is that, though they've made the announcements and notifications, Celebrity isn't really yet prepared to update the bookings.  I spent a good time this morning on the phone with my TA and with Celebrity...as did my TA with Celebrity...and the bottom line is that they are unprepared to do the work yet...

 

We have two bookings to move around...Our July 10 Apex date doesn't work with a distinct back-to-back (There actually isn't even a July 10 date now) and we need to move our cruises to July 24 and 31...And Celebrity says they can't even do it yet.  And we want it all done and confirmed (including confirmation of our current terms etc.) so we can get to booking flights, pre- and post-cruise hotels, tours and shorexes, etc...and canceling all our previous bookings in Barcelona, et al.  We had 16 hotel nights and prepaid rental car booked...and we are loathe to undo all of that until we have confirmation in writing...

 

But, YES, we plan on going!!!  

Edited March 25, 2021 by Bruin Steve

[Sally12345]

Agreed, overall not pleased with how Celebrity is handling this, our rep has actually been really helpful, but even they don’t have the information. We too are on the July 10th sailing and are also trying to figure out how to shift our cruise to July 9th. Hopefully we can get this straightened out soon because we have a bunch of other things to consider as well.  Still want to go!!!

[Miaminice]

20 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

.  I assume that, by the time we would be sailing, they will have worked out entry into both Greece and Israel with local authorities (I've seen reports of Greece already okaying entry as early as May)...and I am assuming these countries may allow entry--WITH RESTRICTIONS--like with proof of vaccination...or Celebrity would not be as certain as to their ability to do these cruises. 

Greece can‘t decide on lifting entry restrictions alone... it‘s a European decision. And as long as Europeans are banned from the US, not much will change in Europe.

[HxFx]

4 hours ago, Love2cruise77 said:

 

 

Thanks, these look great! I would love the 8 day Greece and Cyprus. I lived in Souda Bay Crete for a year and would love to revisit and see what has changed. Israel is great too but I was fortunate enough to go there for a few weeks for work a while back. I highly recommend it!

[cruiserchuck]

37 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

Well, we ARE ready to go.  Both my wife and I are fully vaccinated (two doses of Pfizer).  I assume that, by the time we would be sailing, they will have worked out entry into both Greece and Israel with local authorities (I've seen reports of Greece already okaying entry as early as May)...and I am assuming these countries may allow entry--WITH RESTRICTIONS--like with proof of vaccination...or Celebrity would not be as certain as to their ability to do these cruises.  Why announce this and go through all of the work to make the arrangements if you don't have good assurances that they will happen?

 

 

I believe they will go with EU citizens only if necessary.   I read that as of two days ago, COVID cases were rising in 27 states.  

 

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210323/report-says-daily-covid-19-cases-on-rise-in-27-states

 

If this trend continues, it might be awhile before we are allowed to travel to  EU

Countries.  

Edited March 25, 2021 by cruiserchuck

[steamboats]

12 hours ago, Miaminice said:

You might get Johnson... no second shot required. Never know... 😉

 

As you know it´s still not available in Germany...

 

steamboats

[Bruin Steve]

Here in California, it was announced today that EVERYONE over the age of 16 will be able to get vaccinated as of April 15...and they will have enough doses of vaccine to cover...

New Covid cases here in California are down to less than 2,500 per day...Down from a high in late December of around 65,000....

Edited March 26, 2021 by Bruin Steve

[Miaminice]

50 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

As you know it´s still not available in Germany...

 

steamboats

sure, however, by the time it‘s your turn it might be.

As I said, currently we never know... nobody seems to know 😂😉

[Germancruiser]

We can argue back and forth- first we need the vaccine. Without vaccine no booking from whatever country one may orgin, what  ever route one wishes to take.

[ipeeinthepool]

Does the EU provide any evidence to people that they have been vaccinated?  Does it vary by country?

[Miaminice]

26 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

Does the EU provide any evidence to people that they have been vaccinated?  Does it vary by country?

 

There´s talk about a EU vaccination passport. Some are in favor, some are against it.
However, most have always had official (WHO) vaccination booklets for regular vaccinations like flu, hepatitis, tetanus etc.

I had my first shot two days ago and the small AstraZeneca sticker was added and it was stamped. 
Additional to that I received a confirmation of my first vaccination by the vaccination center.