More changes ( email from Celebrity)

[mahdnc]

10 minutes ago, someguyfl said:

Wow, brutal ... I dont think they actually enforce that rule that way currently, many people will be very upset if they actually start to.

 

I agree that they it may not be rigorously enforced--perhaps they are reserving the right to do this in certain situations.

 

We have an overnight shorex to Halong Bay set for Dec 31 and I still have the cancellation button active for the booking.  Of course this is subject to the current policy and I don't know what the specific cancellation wording is for this shorex that is not covered by the current 24 hr rule.

 

[prmssk]

21 minutes ago, someguyfl said:

For places like Alaska, this can exclude many excursions since many involve helicopters (flights) or tourist trains... And they don't provide specific language on cancellation for those excursions?

In my experience, those excursions that are an exception (and they always have been an exception) have specific language in the excursion description regarding the cancellation policy.

[mahdnc]

5 minutes ago, prmssk said:

In my experience, those excursions that are an exception (and they always have been an exception) have specific language in the excursion description regarding the cancellation policy.

 

For our upcoming cruise, there is no cancellation language for our Halong Bay overnight trip.  None in the tour description for uber expensive Bangkok Overnight trip either. 

 

[prmssk]

7 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

For our upcoming cruise, there is no cancellation language for our Halong Bay overnight trip.  None in the tour description for uber expensive Bangkok Overnight trip either. 

 

Interesting.  I remember seeing language in the past.

[realnice46]

They just keep taking away, what will be next? I think totally unfair to people who have already have booked excursions! They used to be a step above they’re getting closer to NCL which nickel and dime you.

[mahdnc]

17 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Interesting.  I remember seeing language in the past.

 

Your memory may be quite correct.  I am only showing two examples that suggest at a minimum that the disclosure is hit or miss.  

[SusieAV8R]

4 hours ago, bikerunner said:

Makes sense.  I figure if i book it ill keep it.  Very hard to fill things on a just 24hr cxl policy.  Im gurssing the shore venders where also pushing for this    

Extending the cancellation time from 24 to 48 hours makes it tough if one becomes ill.  My position on receiving this email today was to cancel any and all excursions I had booked  for my cruises into 2025 and make independent  (not cruise ship affiliated) arrangements.

[Bullswood]

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

For our upcoming cruise, there is no cancellation language for our Halong Bay overnight trip.  None in the tour description for uber expensive Bangkok Overnight trip either. 

 

 

I have to agree with your description of that excursion at sticker price as "uber expensive" considering that Celebrity was last week selling transfer to/from Bangkok at US$50 pp and our January B&B double room rate at the Peninsula hotel is US$180pp plus tax...

Edited December 9, 2023 by Bullswood

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, realnice46 said:

They just keep taking away, what will be next? I think totally unfair to people who have already have booked excursions! They used to be a step above they’re getting closer to NCL which nickel and dime you.

Sorry I don’t see this as a take away.  If you have booked excursions for after 1/1/24 and don’t like the cancellation clause then cancel the excursions now and you will be refunded your money.  
We have been on the other side of this where we were booked on a small group excursion and the day before a party of 6 cancelled their booking, leaving just 5 of us.  The tour operator had a minimum of 7 so our tour was cancelled.  We got our money back but not enough time to find another tour.  Maybe had there been 48 hours they could have filled 2 to meet the minimum. 

[Bullswood]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

 If you have booked excursions for after 1/1/24 and don’t like the cancellation clause then cancel the excursions now and you will be refunded your money.  
 

...except that I haven't received any notification of a change to our excursion cancellation conditions for our departure in the first week of January. 

 

As with other recent Celebrity changes, there may be a justification (usually cost saving) but the implementation is clumsy. A clear statement of what is changing (i.e. excursion cancellation conditions before and after for existing bookings) together with a brief "if this gives our existing customers a problem, please contact us" would be so much nicer.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Bullswood

[realnice46]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

Sorry I don’t see this as a take away.  If you have booked excursions for after 1/1/24 and don’t like the cancellation clause then cancel the excursions now and you will be refunded your money.  
We have been on the other side of this where we were booked on a small group excursion and the day before a party of 6 cancelled their booking, leaving just 5 of us.  The tour operator had a minimum of 7 so our tour was cancelled.  We got our money back but not enough time to find another tour.  Maybe had there been 48 hours they could have filled 2 to meet the minimum. 

You missed the point I agree that they can change rules but not to things booked prior to the change. Obviously I know I can cancel. How would you feel if you prepaid drinks or tips etc. and then they raised the price and you had to pay higher price?

[Bullswood]

By the way, I hope this isn't the start of a trend in Celebrity amending our contracts even if their small print says they can (and I haven't looked).

Certainly here in Australia, and possibly elsewhere, the courts might take a dim view of unilateral adverse post-contract changes and there's a question as to whether allowing the consumer to cancel is acceptable as a remedy for refusal to perform under the original terms: 

 

A term that allows one party (but not another party) to vary the terms of the contract

A contract term that allows the business to
alter the terms of the contract after it has been agreed may be unfair....

For example, if a term could require a consumer to accept increased costs or penalties, new requirements or reduced benefits, it may be considered unfair.

ACL reference: section 25(1)(d)
ASIC Act reference: section 12BH(1)(d)

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by Bullswood

[DieselkW]

I was recently sickened from a bad shrimp in the Oceanview Cafe and missed a ship sponsored $450 excursion. To get reimbursed, I had to go to medical and endure isolation in my cabin, causing me to miss a $150 Viator excursion. 

Viator cheerfully canceled and refunded. 
This change in policy means once you are onboard, Celebrity will keep your money if something changes. 
This should result in a drastic reduction of ship sponsored excursions. 

[jean87510]

I absolutely agree.  No reason to do it.  Circumstances can change.  It has nothing to do with a headcount for 3rd party vendors as Viator, Shore excursions group and others can successfully do this.  I definitely now in the future will not book any excursions with the ship.  What if more excursions are added and you want to change?  

[jean87510]

My issue is Celebrity doesn't always release all of their excursions.  What if you book and something comes along that looks more inviting?  I think I will stick with 3rd party vendors like Viator who give you the option of reserve now. pay later up to close to the booking or Shoreexcursioneer or others.  I have one stop in CocoCay that I had booked Hideaway and I think I may cancel now and then wait for reviews.  If it looks great and something different, I will rebook closer to my sailing.  If not, I was wise to cancel prior.  

[paulh84]

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

My issue is Celebrity doesn't always release all of their excursions.  What if you book and something comes along that looks more inviting?  I think I will stick with 3rd party vendors like Viator who give you the option of reserve now. pay later up to close to the booking or Shoreexcursioneer or others.  I have one stop in CocoCay that I had booked Hideaway and I think I may cancel now and then wait for reviews.  If it looks great and something different, I will rebook closer to my sailing.  If not, I was wise to cancel prior.  

 

If you are within the cancelation window this says they will try to work with you to book a different excursion. 

 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/FAQ/CEL_Shore_Excursions_FAQs.pdf

[Oceangoer2]

11 hours ago, SusieAV8R said:

Extending the cancellation time from 24 to 48 hours makes it tough if one becomes ill.  My position on receiving this email today was to cancel any and all excursions I had booked  for my cruises into 2025 and make independent  (not cruise ship affiliated) arrangements.

We cruised 2 weeks ago. I visited ship's doctor on the 2nd day, rec'd antibiotics and had to cancel next 2 excursions with full refund.  Is this 48 hrs policy new?  I agree if they don't consider legitimate illness a refund factor there will be a mutiny around GS desk...LOL.

[prmssk]

22 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

We cruised 2 weeks ago. I visited ship's doctor on the 2nd day, rec'd antibiotics and had to cancel next 2 excursions with full refund.  Is this 48 hrs policy new?  I agree if they don't consider legitimate illness a refund factor there will be a mutiny around GS desk...LOL.

Yes, it will be new starting the first of the year.  The previous policy was 24 hours.  

 

Does your travel insurance cover missed excursions if you are sick?  (I haven't looked that closely at mine but in my opinion, this is what I would expect to handle cancellations due to illness after the deadline.) 

[DieselkW]

Think it through. 24 hours before excursion vs. 48 hours before arriving in port. 
 

Day 2 6am arrival with a noon excursion means 54 hours before excursion is now policy on 1/1/24. 
 

Anyone got plans for 6am on embarkation day? Traveling? Waking up in a hotel? Don’t yet know it’s going to rain somewhere you’re going to be in two days?

 

We will simply cancel now, and find a better tour provider to share a chunk of our vacation dollars. 

[jean87510]

1 hour ago, paulh84 said:

 

If you are within the cancelation window this says they will try to work with you to book a different excursion. 

 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/FAQ/CEL_Shore_Excursions_FAQs.pdf

For mine it wouldn't work personally as it's cococay, but maybe others it may be successful.  Even so, not the way I like to arrange my tours.

[Cruise till you drop]

People seem pretty passionate about this but in this really such a big change and such a big deal ?

 

Is this really an item being taken away from passengers ?

 

Not seeing this

[Homosassa]

3 hours ago, DieselkW said:

I was recently sickened from a bad shrimp in the Oceanview Cafe and missed a ship sponsored $450 excursion. To get reimbursed, I had to go to medical and endure isolation in my cabin, causing me to miss a $150 Viator excursion. 

Viator cheerfully canceled and refunded. 
This change in policy means once you are onboard, Celebrity will keep your money if something changes. 
This should result in a drastic reduction of ship sponsored excursions. 

Going to pass by the assumption that it was "bad shrimp" in the Oceanview Cafe (really doubt this was the cause).

 

If you went to medical and the doctor put you in quarantine in your cabin, the doctor could have notified the excursion desk and provided you with a medical justification to cancel your ship's excursion and a refund would have been given.

 

Did you tell the doctor that you had a ship's excursion booked?

[jelayne]

9 hours ago, realnice46 said:

You missed the point I agree that they can change rules but not to things booked prior to the change. Obviously I know I can cancel. How would you feel if you prepaid drinks or tips etc. and then they raised the price and you had to pay higher price?

They and other cruise lines make changes to what they deliver frequently, some recent examples are changing the liquors on the Classic beverage package, increasing the price on popular wines putting them above the Premium package, eliminating Butlers for Sky Suites, changing arrival or departure times in ports or changing ports.  When those things are packaged in the cruise fare one can’t unbundle them and get a partial refund

 

In this case you are not being asked to pay a higher price and you have the option to cancel any booked excursions and get a refund.  

[mahdnc]

For us, this increase with the cancellation window does not make Celebrity shore excursions less attractive. We usually book independently anyway but will get one through Celebrity on occasion. 

[Salt Lifer]

3 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I absolutely agree.  No reason to do it.  Circumstances can change.  It has nothing to do with a headcount for 3rd party vendors as Viator, Shore excursions group and others can successfully do this.  I definitely now in the future will not book any excursions with the ship.  What if more excursions are added and you want to change?  

 

They don't add excursions 2 days before the port.  You will still have plenty of time to cancel and change if things are added farther out.

 

If you buy advance tickets for anything else in life (zoo tickets, theatre, sports events) do you have the right to cancel for a refund, especially less than 48 hours before the event?  Excursions are really no different.  I don't think this change in policy will change anything for Celebrity or most guests.