Asia 2024 - Something Interesting at Play....

[Belgian fry]

My theory is that the "red" cruises are those that have been scheduled from the start. They are full because they have the people who originally booked for 2024 + the people from the cancelled spring 2023 sailings (some of whom were previously booked on 2022/21/20 sailings). Since then, Celebrity has added a bunch of new sailings, which are not sold out

[cruisestitch]

However the March cruises which were booked from the start are not showing red.  They are simply grayed out.  Only this one cruise on April 9 is showing “red” so what is different about it?

[cruisestitch]

18 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

I really hope this post was "tongue-in-cheek"...

 

They are NOT chartered...

NO cruiseline would take a sailing that is already sold out and make a deal to charter it...There is ZERO financial value in doing that...and they would have an incredible number of headaches having to reschedule and otherwise deal with a large number of customers.  You only do a charter deal early in the process--when few (or no) cabins have yet to be booked...

No it was nor tongue-in-cheek.  That is really what the onboard booking agent told me. I agree that it doesn’t make much sense. But there is something different about the March Cruises and the April 9 cruise.

[Bruin Steve]

21 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

However the March cruises which were booked from the start are not showing red.  They are simply grayed out.  Only this one cruise on April 9 is showing “red” so what is different about it?

 

18 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

No it was nor tongue-in-cheek.  That is really what the onboard booking agent told me. I agree that it doesn’t make much sense. But there is something different about the March Cruises and the April 9 cruise.

The April 9 cruise has ALWAYS been the most "sold-out" of the lot.  Originally, that was the cruise prior to the Tranpacific scheduled for all of those prior (canceled) years.  Many of us had planned to do the B2B combining it with the Transpacific so as to end up in Vancouver rather than flying home from Tokyo.  Plus, it's more of an "around Japan" itinerary than the one prior--the March 28--which goes far south down to Okinawa...and those two cruises make up the heart of Cherry Blossom time. April 9 was the first date to be sold out...for every year including 2024.

 

Therefore, extremely likely that the "oversell" on this cruise is greater than the March cruises...So, it may be possible that the March cruises, from time to time, cross over into a gray zone, the April 9 cruise is likely to stay in the area where Celebrity won't even take on additional guarantee bookings...hence it is completely off-the-board.  NOT CANCELED, just not available for booking...or even consideration of booking.

 

I am booked on BOTH the March 28 and April 9 sailings...and I am fairly certain that if either were in jeopardy, I would have heard.

 

Most likely, the onboard future cruises agent is fairly clueless.  It has always amazed me what those agents DON'T know.  Same with most of the telephone reps.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Bruin Steve

[jeremybe]

3 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

 

The April 9 cruise has ALWAYS been the most "sold-out" of the lot.  Originally, that was the cruise prior to the Tranpacific scheduled for all of those prior (canceled) years.  Many of us had planned to do the B2B combining it with the Transpacific so as to end up in Vancouver rather than flying home from Tokyo.  Plus, it's more of an "around Japan" itinerary than the one prior--the March 28--which goes far south down to Okinawa...and those two cruises make up the heart of Cherry Blossom time. April 9 was the first date to be sold out...for every year including 2024.

 

Therefore, extremely likely that the "oversell" on this cruise is greater than the March cruises...So, it may be possible that the March cruises, from time to time, cross over into a gray zone, the April 9 cruise is likely to stay in the area where Celebrity won't even take on additional guarantee bookings...hence it is completely off-the-board.  NOT CANCELED, just not available for booking...or even consideration of booking.

 

I am booked on BOTH the March 28 and April 9 sailings...and I am fairly certain that if either were in jeopardy, I would have heard.

 

Most likely, the onboard future cruises agent is fairly clueless.  It has always amazed me what those agents DON'T know.  Same with most of the telephone reps.

 

Totally agree with this - When I was on the Apex a few weeks ago and inquired about the March sailings, he said that they (the onboard sales crew) had noticed them being locked in the system but had no idea why - They HAD NOT received any communications about them

[cruisestitch]

I am bringing this thread forward because the info in it is still relevant.  Celebrity is not being transparent, in my opinion, when it domes to these cruises, especially the 9 April cruise.

 

if they are rearranging the itinerary or doing “inventory maintenance” they have had months to do it.

 

 

[Bruin Steve]

3 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I am bringing this thread forward because the info in it is still relevant.  Celebrity is not being transparent, in my opinion, when it domes to these cruises, especially the 9 April cruise.

 

if they are rearranging the itinerary or doing “inventory maintenance” they have had months to do it.

 

 

They are NOT REARRANGING IT, CANCELING IT, DOING ANY "INVENTORY MAINTENANCE".or anything else.  They have merely sold as many cabins as they have and as many "guarantee" bookings as they are willing to gamble on having enough existing bookings cancel to open up.  DONE. There is NO "transparency" issue because there is nothing going on here.

 

If you are booked on this cruise, just sit back relax and wait.  If you are NOT boooked on this cruise but want to be on it, keep checking ...and pray...but, maybe, pick another date when they actually have a vilable bookings and book one of those.

 

Don't be paranoid!!!

[Bruin Steve]

4 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I am bringing this thread forward because the info in it is still relevant.  

And let's address this statement directly.

The "info" in this thread is NOT "still relevant".  Most of what is in this thread is SPECULATION, RUMOR, CONJECTURE...Most of tis speculation came at a time BEFORE Celebrity came out with its plans for the 2024-5 season...before it announced the Millenium would REMAIN in Asia...before it posted cruises continuing on AFTER the April 9, 2024 cruise.  There are posts about what some crew member on a ship told someone about the Millenium going to Cape Liberty (FALSE)...tgere are posts claiming 2024 Japan was canceled due to Covid (FALSE).  Lots of MISINFORATION.  Rather than bringing this back to the top of the board, it might better for CruiseCritic to lock it or delete it.

[Jim_Iain]

On 11/6/2022 at 12:06 PM, NMTraveller said:

What happens if Celebrity cancels my cruise and I have a nonrefundable deposit?  Do I get a refund?

Yes.   You will also usually be offered a different similar cruise with no charge to move the booking.

[viperfoth]

1 hour ago, Bruin Steve said:

And let's address this statement directly.

The "info" in this thread is NOT "still relevant".  Most of what is in this thread is SPECULATION, RUMOR, CONJECTURE...Most of tis speculation came at a time BEFORE Celebrity came out with its plans for the 2024-5 season...before it announced the Millenium would REMAIN in Asia...before it posted cruises continuing on AFTER the April 9, 2024 cruise.  There are posts about what some crew member on a ship told someone about the Millenium going to Cape Liberty (FALSE)...tgere are posts claiming 2024 Japan was canceled due to Covid (FALSE).  Lots of MISINFORATION.  Rather than bringing this back to the top of the board, it might better for CruiseCritic to lock it or delete it.

Agreed.  Lock

[Northern Aurora]

We are also booked for the March 24,2024 and April 9, 2024 cruises.  There is a well known a travel site, which we are not allowed to mention on Cruise Critic, which I have found to be reliable.  When a cruise is sold out that travel site lists the cruise but every stateroom category is waitlisted.  As last minute cancelations happen you can signup to be contacted.  I just checked a few minutes ago and both of these cruises are missing in action so to speak.  Simply not listed on that site.
 

The exact situation happened to us on a b2b  pair of Japan itineraries several years ago.  Turned out they were full ship charters for the Chinese market.  This is starting to smell like a similar situation.

 

@Bruin Steve:  Are you a travel agent?
 

 

[Bruin Steve]

2 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

We are also booked for the March 24,2024 and April 9, 2024 cruises.  There is a well known a travel site, which we are not allowed to mention on Cruise Critic, which I have found to be reliable.  When a cruise is sold out that travel site lists the cruise but every stateroom category is waitlisted.  As last minute cancelations happen you can signup to be contacted.  I just checked a few minutes ago and both of these cruises are missing in action so to speak.  Simply not listed on that site.
 

The exact situation happened to us on a b2b  pair of Japan itineraries several years ago.  Turned out they were full ship charters for the Chinese market.  This is starting to smell like a similar situation.

 

@Bruin Steve:  Are you a travel agent?
 

 

No, not a travel agent...but I am a long-time cruiser who knows a lot of cruise line executives and former cruise line execs and who also spent a portion of my career in the hospitality industry.  

 

But, interestingly enough, reading what you just posted, I just tried running through a few travel agency websites...and actually came across one tonight that was offering bookings on this very sailing!  It came with this note:

 

"Limited Inventory.

This is an exclusive, negotiated price for a limited number of cabins in this room category. Act quickly. This rate is time sensitive and can sell out at any time."

 

And, following through, I input what was asked to go through a dummy booking and it offered me three different balcony cabins--one on Deck 7 and two on Deck 8.  Actual cabin numbers, apparently currently available through their specific agency.  Often, cruise lines will block off cabins for group bookings and, until those are required to be released by the agency, they do not show up on the cruise line website...and the cruise line may show the cruise as sold out.  Either this agency will sell those cabins...or...at some set date, they will turn them back to Celebrity...and Celebrity will either assign them to current guarantee booking holders or they will post the cruise back on the market.  BUT--a clear sign that this cruise is still "on".

[sfaaa]

I guess we will know more about these cruises when flights are scheduled to show up for booking through X in a few weeks. 

[Alakegirl]

Was that for the March 24 or April 9 itinerary?

[Homestyle]

We had our South American repositioning cruise cancelled for next April, as the Eclipse is being sent over to Europe I think. Instead of the Chili to Los Angeles trip, they shortened it and are going Chile to Argentina direction and the crossing the Atlantic into Europe. So if Milli is being re-deployed, things could change on the last trip. 

[Cruise Gopher]

I commented on the other thread to explain so here is a link to that thread/comment. 
 

 

[cruisestitch]

9 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

No, not a travel agent...but I am a long-time cruiser who knows a lot of cruise line executives and former cruise line execs and who also spent a portion of my career in the hospitality industry.  

 

But, interestingly enough, reading what you just posted, I just tried running through a few travel agency websites...and actually came across one tonight that was offering bookings on this very sailing!  It came with this note:

 

"Limited Inventory.

This is an exclusive, negotiated price for a limited number of cabins in this room category. Act quickly. This rate is time sensitive and can sell out at any time."

 

And, following through, I input what was asked to go through a dummy booking and it offered me three different balcony cabins--one on Deck 7 and two on Deck 8.  Actual cabin numbers, apparently currently available through their specific agency.  Often, cruise lines will block off cabins for group bookings and, until those are required to be released by the agency, they do not show up on the cruise line website...and the cruise line may show the cruise as sold out.  Either this agency will sell those cabins...or...at some set date, they will turn them back to Celebrity...and Celebrity will either assign them to current guarantee booking holders or they will post the cruise back on the market.  BUT--a clear sign that this cruise is still "on".

Which cruise was that?  
 

I am most concerned with April 9.  

[cruiserchuck]

A similar thing happened on one of the Japan cruises in April 2018 that we were booked on.  The cruise disappeared from booking sites, and people were worried that the ship had been chartered.  It actually was just sold out, although there were a few cabins available through big travel agents who had blocked off rooms with group bookings.  The cruise eventually started showing up again on booking sites, and took place as scheduled.

[Bruin Steve]

13 hours ago, Alakegirl said:

Was that for the March 24 or April 9 itinerary?

April 9

[Bruin Steve]

13 hours ago, Homestyle said:

We had our South American repositioning cruise cancelled for next April, as the Eclipse is being sent over to Europe I think. Instead of the Chili to Los Angeles trip, they shortened it and are going Chile to Argentina direction and the crossing the Atlantic into Europe. So if Milli is being re-deployed, things could change on the last trip. 

NOPE.  Celebrity already made that decision regarding the Millennium back in December.  In previous years, the April 9 cruise WAS the last Japan cruise of the season (I know, I've been booked on it four years running).  They always followed it with a Transpacific--taking the ship back to Vancouver for the Alaska season.  BUT, when they announced the Spring 2024 schedule, they stopped the schedule at the end of this cruise.  It stayed that way for several months.  Finally, in December, they announced the cruises from April 21 on.  No Transpacific this time.  They scheduled the next several months' cruises with Millie continuing in Asia.  END OF STORY. DECISION MADE. NOT BEING REDEPLOYED.

Edited April 1, 2023 by Bruin Steve

[NMTraveller]

On 3/31/2023 at 5:26 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Yes.   You will also usually be offered a different similar cruise with no charge to move the booking.

While I was a bit skeptical back in November that the Asia cruises would go , I am more confident at this point.  The cruises are adding excursions that can be purchased for the ports and it seems like normal.

[WestLakeGirl]

And now?

[russianmom]

On 11/6/2022 at 1:56 PM, Arizona Wildcat said:

Celebrity said Asia cancelled until things are clear as to covid.  Galveston certainly has capacity.

I just booked January 4, 2024 on Millie Bali -> Singapore 2 days ago onboard Solstice. Not a word about all of Asia being cancelled... guess we will wait and see

[mahdnc]

40 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

And now?

 

We are on the Dec 22 2023 Solstice (Singapore to Hong Kong) sailing.  After 3 consecutive years of cancellations, I feel confident about this one actually sailing as long as the geopolitical situation doesn't significantly worsen.  We have our flights, hotels, and some tours lined up.  We are ready to go.

[Alakegirl]

Something is definitely afoot with Japan cruises 2023-2024.

 

hoping for the best for all who are booked🤞