What is going on with Scenic Cruises

[Host Jazzbeau]

36 minutes ago, jimmymac613 said:

 

We leave tomorrow and no backpacks yet- oh well!  Don't really need them anyways.

Only saw one person on our Scenic Normandy cruise using the Scenic backpack.  [Ours were waiting for us when we got home.  Very heavy – wouldn't have used them anyway.]

[Canal archive]

All have ours have been donated, one of my daughters and her husband work with kids doing their Duke of Edinburghs award so it’s those youngsters who are using them. Ideal for their short or overnight hikes.

[Mrs Miggins]

As noted on earlier threads our Manage my Booking has been locked saying Trip Personaliser locked for finalisation.  July 4th departure Spectacular South of France.

Wouldn't normally worry me BUT we have no idea how we arrive in Lyons.  We requested Eurostar, but no confirmation of anything.  Scenic had us returning from Lyons to Heathrow on a BA flight that had been cancelled some time ago.  We asked our TA to flag this up to Scenic and after an extremely long wait on the phone Scenic admitted that they hadn't actually picked this up.  We are now rebooked KLM via Amsterdam rather than on a direct flight.  Reported problems in Amsterdam so hope all goes well.

 

This thread is very worrying.  Our last Scenic Bordeaux cruise pre covid was first class.  

One problem appears to be actually contacting Scenic.  Long long waits on the phone.  

[jimmymac613]

Received this in official Scenic e-mail today:

 

Please be advised due to an earlier ship schedule change our guests will be joining Scenic Pearl in Amsterdam, June 8, not Scenic Jade as outlined in our guest's itinerary.

 

No mention of new cabin number or size discrepancy.

[CJANDH]

1 hour ago, jimmymac613 said:

Received this in official Scenic e-mail today:

 

Please be advised due to an earlier ship schedule change our guests will be joining Scenic Pearl in Amsterdam, June 8, not Scenic Jade as outlined in our guest's itinerary.

 

No mention of new cabin number or size discrepancy.

We received the same email. Plus our gift package arrived today. I am assuming that suite numbers are the same as booked on Jade.

[loriva]

42 minutes ago, CJANDH said:

I am assuming that suite numbers are the same as booked on Jade.

Glad you finally received confirmation from Scenic about what we’d presumed for a while based on availability on Scenic’s website and tracking the Jade.  I wonder what they will do to accommodate those who had been set to sail on the Pearl’s original itinerary?  Presumably there is some overlap between the cabins sold for the two itineraries.  Not to mention the differences in some suite categories.

 

[notamermaid]

4 hours ago, jimmymac613 said:

Please be advised due to an earlier ship schedule change our guests will be joining Scenic Pearl in Amsterdam, June 8, not Scenic Jade as outlined in our guest's itinerary.

Finally. At least it is confirmed now. I guess the cabins will not be that much different from the Jade, but it would be nice to know, wouldn't it? And a bit of "sorry about that, have an extra drink on us" or similar, would be nice.

 

Hope everything goes well from here and you have a splendid cruise.

 

@CJANDH for you, too.

 

notamermaid

 

[CJANDH]

3 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Finally. At least it is confirmed now. I guess the cabins will not be that much different from the Jade, but it would be nice to know, wouldn't it? And a bit of "sorry about that, have an extra drink on us" or similar, would be nice.

 

Hope everything goes well from here and you have a splendid cruise.

 

@CJANDH for you, too.

 

notamermaid

 

Thanks 😁

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Finally. At least it is confirmed now. I guess the cabins will not be that much different from the Jade, but it would be nice to know, wouldn't it? And a bit of "sorry about that, have an extra drink on us" or similar, would be nice.

Since Scenic is all-inclusive for drinks, that isn't really an option.  But Scenic was very very good to us last month, so I'm sure they will do right by these cruisers.

 

[I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I stupidly left my camera on the tour bus on the D-Day excursion and didn't notice until the next morning.  Our Scenic CD went above and beyond, calling the bus company every day for almost a month until they finally located my camera.  She has contacted me for return instructions, and I expect it back soon.  I couldn't be more positive about Scenic's onboard experience!]

[Canal archive]

Thank you Jazz over many years we have had the odd issue with Scenic land based office staff all overcome to our full satisfaction although not during similar to the recent trials and tribulations. The actual cruises have always been above and beyond the cruise staff have been superb. I still say that until I run out of itineraries I won’t be trying a new line in a hurry. Although I really would like to know what has been going on, is it just the fact of lack of staff plus to many new members of staff or some other I strongly suspect mundane challenge that they haven’t been able to sort out and which has then become not so mundane for their customers.

[notamermaid]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Since Scenic is all-inclusive for drinks, that isn't really an option.

I had forgotten about that. But as you say, the service stands out enough anyway. It would just be nice to have a bit more understanding from the offices as well.

 

Your camera mishap is a great example of what service can be like. I am so impressed. Happy for you that your camera will be home soon and ready to join you again on another trip.

 

notamermaid

 

[wellerjohn]

Looks as if Scenic Jade repairs are complete, ship is underway headed for Amsterdam! Hopefully we will be sailing July 27th - Amsterdam to Basel. https://www.marinevesseltraffic.com/vessels/SCENIC-JADE/CURRENT-POSITION/2335641e/229781000

[Canal archive]

Ooh exciting having been out of commission for a few weeks she may have that ‘new ship’ smell, bit like a new car but more of it. Have a great cruise.

[loriva]

9 hours ago, wellerjohn said:

Looks as if Scenic Jade repairs are complete, ship is underway headed for Amsterdam! Hopefully we will be sailing July 27th - Amsterdam to Basel. https://www.marinevesseltraffic.com/vessels/SCENIC-JADE/CURRENT-POSITION/2335641e/229781000

 

Scenic's map (http://www.anyoverip.de/scenic/index.php?ship=Jade) shows it still sitting in Duisburg.  So not sure what is going on with Cruisemapper and marinevessel positions.  All showed the Jade in Duisburg yesterday and not sure it could have made it to Amsterdam overnight.  Also, last Friday, Scenic notified those who were to sail with Jade tomorrow that it would be replaced by the Pearl.

 

Anyone set to sail tomorrow, please let us know what ship you actually board!

[aml379]

Just spotted as we left Amsterdam - the Jade is here!

We are currently on the Crystal, heading south, hope to report more as we go along…..

[notamermaid]

Well, hooray to that! vesselfinder has picked up her signal in Amsterdam as well now.

 

39 minutes ago, aml379 said:

We are currently on the Crystal, heading south, hope to report more as we go along…..

I see that vesselfinder has you on the Crystal sailing to Budapest with ETA 19 June, 8:00 hours. The grand journey through Europe.

 

Have a splendid cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[loriva]

Inquiring minds want to know--which ship did @CJANDHand @jimmymac613board?

 

The Scenic Pearl is docked in the same spot it did on its previous call in Amsterdam.  Cruisemapper shows the Scenic Jade docked on the opposite side of the harbor, not an easy spot for access to the central city.  (The anyoverip website still says the Jade is sitting in Duisburg, but we have photographic evidence it is not.  Guess that site is not always correct either.)

 

Whichever ship you board, have a fabulous cruise!

[wellerjohn]

1 hour ago, loriva said:

Inquiring minds want to know--which ship did @CJANDHand @jimmymac613board?

 

The Scenic Pearl is docked in the same spot it did on its previous call in Amsterdam.  Cruisemapper shows the Scenic Jade docked on the opposite side of the harbor, not an easy spot for access to the central city.  (The anyoverip website still says the Jade is sitting in Duisburg, but we have photographic evidence it is not.  Guess that site is not always correct either.)

 

Whichever ship you board, have a fabulous cruise!

This site shows current location and track as the ships move, was able to monitor the Jade as it traveled to Amsterdam.

https://www.marinevesseltraffic.com/vessels/SCENIC-JADE/CURRENT-POSITION/2335641e/229781000

[Canal archive]

Looks like Pearl is moored and Jade is on her way to Lelystad NL

[notamermaid]

Just now, Canal archive said:

Looks like Pearl is moored and Jade is on her way to Lelystad NL

Hmm, Lelystad has two functions for river cruise ships. A port for exploring and as a winter harbour. Hope it is the former for the Jade.

 

notamermaid

 

[jimmymac613]

3 hours ago, loriva said:

Inquiring minds want to know--which ship did @CJANDHand @jimmymac613board?

 

The Scenic Pearl is docked in the same spot it did on its previous call in Amsterdam.  Cruisemapper shows the Scenic Jade docked on the opposite side of the harbor, not an easy spot for access to the central city.  (The anyoverip website still says the Jade is sitting in Duisburg, but we have photographic evidence it is not.  Guess that site is not always correct either.)

 

Whichever ship you board, have a fabulous cruise!

We boarded the Pearl about 2 hours ago.  No go on the Jade!  We even met CJANDH already. They fooled me- I was expecting somewhat of a South Carolina drawl and they’re actually British!

[Canal archive]

I suspect it’s easier to moor Jade there until required. Have a great cruise jimmymac123 and CJANDH make sure the bar steward gets to know your favourite tipple tout suite.

[loriva]

4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Hmm, Lelystad has two functions for river cruise ships. A port for exploring and as a winter harbour. Hope it is the former for the Jade.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Hummm, very strange this move.  The Jade is supposed to be in Basel on 22 June--that itinerary is still showing for sale on Scenic's website.  Why move it from Duisburg where it has been sitting for weeks to Amsterdam and now Lelystad?  If they wanted a test cruise, wouldn't it be easier to go toward Basel?  Or maybe it was picking up some sort of supplies?  Or crew that should have been aboard the sailing that is now on the Pearl?

 

The Pearl also has an itinerary leaving from Basel on 22 June--the Romantic Rhine and Moselle.  So it would appear the Pearl is not available to substitute for the Jade on our itinerary.

[Canal archive]

Curiouser and curiouser said the Cheshire Cat as he disappeared leaving only his grin 😁 behind!

[loriva]

Here is a promised update:

 

We received the email with our final docs for our cruisetour starting in Vienna on 15 June on 03 June.  (Sorry for the delay in posting as we were away for a family wedding.)  Or rather, I should say, we received an email from Scenic with a link to their Express Booking system.  We, of course, cannot access that system as it is only for Scenic staff and TAs.  (Not sure if that is the fault of our TA or Scenic--putting us into the reservation system as a TA not clients through our TA, that is.  Our booking TA had a family emergency last month and left the agency--a very large one--and we've been bouncing between agents since then.)

 

So, had to call Scenic and after an hour and fifteen minute wait (I considered myself lucky given stories of much-longer wait times) reached a reservations agent at Scenic.  She emailed us all the final documents associated with our cruisetour.

 

In reviewing them, I understood why everyone who has sailed with Scenic was questioning why I wanted the final documents.  They provided little more information on the included tours than we had already, i.e., tour descriptions are still only a single sentence with no information on what will be seen on the tour or the duration (or start/stop times for the land portion, which should be information Scenic knows and could provide).  Very disappointing.  The only additional material was a transfer from the airport to the hotel (included since we are staying at the Scenic-designated hotel although we are flying in a day earlier than the tour start), meeting time with the Tour Director in Vienna (at a time we already have dinner reservations), and transfer time from the hotel in Zurich to the ship in Basel.  The latter is a three-hour block of time for a drive that should take about an hour, so not sure if it includes some sort of panoramic tour of Basel since the arrival time there--1600 hours--seems to leave little time for exploration on our own as there is a Welcome Briefing scheduled for 1700 hours.

 

In going back and forth with the reservations agent at Scenic, I did learn the length of the tours in Strasbourg and Baden-Baden are four hours each and the one in Heidelberg is five hours.  (I presume that includes transportation from the ship, which does not seem to provide much free time in cities that are some distance from where the ship will be docked.)  She could provide no information on the land portion of our cruisetour.

 

One final tidbit of information I learned from the Scenic agent.  If your TA is gifting you onboard credit for a Scenic cruise or cruisetour, they MUST request it at least 22 days in advance of your tour start date--in the case of a cruisetour this means the first date you come into contact with Scenic, not the start date of the cruise portion.  Otherwise, Scenic will not process the request or apply the OBC to the sailing.

 

Hope this helps and will report any other updates and when we join our tour.