Don't let this happen to you

[LooseMoose]

With many years of experience with Celebrity and Flight's by Celebrity, I've had a very distressing event happen today.

Firstly,  I booked several months ago a stateroom , which was in a dream location, next I booked airfare through FBC. The cabin and port fees were paid in full, the airfare was No Risk. I admit that with this time of year certain things get forgotten, like final payment for airfare. Well, I contacted Celebrity to complete the payment only to be informed that the entire booking had been cancelled. Again I admit that I missed the deadline for the airfare, but everything on the booking was erased, which included the cruise itself . With Zero notification. 

The reason given was, I had added airfare to the booking and that constitutes a full cancellation if Final Payment date is missed, just not the airfare. 

Of course, they stated I could rebook at today's prices both the cabin and airfare, which as you can guess are both astronomical. Lastly, I was informed in a cheery voice that my payment for the cruise will be returned to my method of payment.

So take my experience as a caution.

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, LooseMoose said:

With many years of experience with Celebrity and Flight's by Celebrity, I've had a very distressing event happen today.

Firstly,  I booked several months ago a stateroom , which was in a dream location, next I booked airfare through FBC. The cabin and port fees were paid in full, the airfare was No Risk. I admit that with this time of year certain things get forgotten, like final payment for airfare. Well, I contacted Celebrity to complete the payment only to be informed that the entire booking had been cancelled. Again I admit that I missed the deadline for the airfare, but everything on the booking was erased, which included the cruise itself . With Zero notification. 

The reason given was, I had added airfare to the booking and that constitutes a full cancellation if Final Payment date is missed, just not the airfare. 

Of course, they stated I could rebook at today's prices both the cabin and airfare, which as you can guess are both astronomical. Lastly, I was informed in a cheery voice that my payment for the cruise will be returned to my method of payment.

So take my experience as a caution.

Didn’t you receive any reminders? 
 

On a couple of occasions an extra (minimal) charge has appeared on our account after final payment and we have received quite assertive mails clearly stating ‘unless payment is made your cruise will be cancelled’…Certainly not messages you would ignore!

 

Sorry for your predicament and thank you for highlighting it, especially if no ‘chasing’ of payment is made.

 

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

I hope you phone back to take with a supervisor 

[563toM]

@LooseMoose I am so sorry about your missed trip with what would of been in the perfect room.  I thank you for sharing your story because it has made me make up a "pay this" sheet with our cruises listed by order of when they are due for final payment.  By you telling your story it will help others to get used to having to track the payments and not rely on any company or person to remind us.

[CruiseRQA]

Another reason to use a trusted travel agent

[Georgia_Peaches]

Oh boy!  I literally gasped when I read your post.  I'm so sorry!  Thank you for the warning.  I'm sure lots of people have great luck and smooth sailing with FBC but you've hi-lighted once again why I think I will steer clear...Planning travel is stressful enough and if it means one more thing to remember, I think I'll pass.  I'm surprised you didn't get any reminders about payment but if your rate was much lower than the going rate now, I guess they figured they could rebook the room at current rates and make more money.

I hope you find an alternative cruise!

[billc23]

Sorry to hear this and hopefully it will be resolved to your satisfaction. The TA I use - a big box store that gives me 11% of the cruise fare back - wants payment 2 to 3 weeks before the cruise line deadline and I guess that is to protect me. I never used FBC. Is the airfare payment date different than the cruise line payment date. 

Edited December 15, 2023 by billc23

[jelayne]

I’m sorry about you losing out on your cruise.  
When we have used FBC the air fare has been added to our invoice and the total is due at final payment.  I’m confused as to how you had 2 payments due. 

Did you ask about the possibility of reinstating your cruise since was paid in full and letting the air portion remain cancelled?

[mrgabriel]

This would be so distressing and disappointing! 
 

I check our reservations- cruise and flight - constantly, concerned that something could be missed. 
 

Can Celebrity tell you when they sent you reminders of payment due? Given that so many of us get notices of payment due when none is owing, I would be asking that they tell you when reminders were sent and to which email address. 

[LooseMoose]

Good Day,

Thank You everyone for your kind words and thoughts.

Yesterday, I spent approximately ninety minutes with various departments and supervisors in hopes of reinstatement, the reply was the same " complete cancellation, rebook at today's prices".

Again, we received zero notification through any means, no one seemed to be able answer this shortcoming,,, happily though receiving the five times daily sales flyers remains unaffected!!!!

I have also sent a letter outlining the issue of notification or lack of, either before or after  the cancellation was processed.

If this posting is able to help the CC community, then we are pleased that a little bit of brightness has lightened the gloom.

 

 

 

[billc23]

 Is the airfare payment date different than the cruise line payment date? 

 

[jelayne]

I think the morale to this unfortunate story is Do Not reply on anyone to remind you of a payment due date, be that for a cruise, hotel, car, or any other purchase that is not paid in full when booked. 

[Mangrove Snapper]

54 minutes ago, billc23 said:

 Is the airfare payment date different than the cruise line payment date? 

 

It’s never been for me in all the times I’ve used FBC. And I’ve always received multiple emails prior to the date.

 

But I’m not discounting OP. I’m just giving a friendly reminder to check junk mail folders on a regular basis. I’ve had confirmations come in from noreply@celebritycruises.com, documentation@rccl.com, and most recently noreply%RCLCOEX@rccl.com.  They also have used everbridge.net for some notifications.

 

I’m absolutely not saying that’s what happened here but I’ve found some of mine in junk mail, including my most recent shore excursion receipts from the Black Friday sale.

[Cruise till you drop]

I suppose the cruise line action is predictable if one misses a final payment.

 

I would hope they would have given you a reminder but in this day and age, they could cancel and resell the room at a higher price.  It’s a shame but a fact.

 

I use my calendar to give myself notices of upcoming deadlines such as a final payment so if I missed it, it’s all on me.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

I wonder why they had paid the cruise in full before final payment date? 
 

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

26 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

I wonder why they had paid the cruise in full before final payment date? 
 

Probably to avoid forgetting to make payment by the final payment date.

[Cruise a holic]

We book with Celebrity air some times.  When you pay the final bill the airfare is due.  They do send reminders- we typically pay a few days before the payment is due.  Never had a problem.  If we use a TA and he/she knows we have celebrity air, when we pay we also get notification at least a week in advance-  Never had a cruise cancelled.

[billc23]

I find it terrible that Celebrity would cancel a paid in full cabin because the airfare deadline was missed. I suppose it is their policy but seems totally unfair. Why not just cancel the airline part? Is the cruise fare lower if one uses FBC?? So sorry to see Celebrity treating passengers this way.

[Mangrove Snapper]

14 minutes ago, billc23 said:

Is the cruise fare lower if one uses FBC?? 

No, the cruise price has nothing to do with FBC. You can book flights with them at the time of booking or afterwards.  Any time I’ve used them I’m given the option to pay for the flight now or at the time the final cruise payment is due.  If that option is chosen, it’s added to the total due.  

 

Just speaking for myself, since we book online or onboard directly with Celebrity, I always add the final payment date to two calendars, with reminders set two weeks in advance.  Everyone gets busy and has a lot going on so I like to have this reminder set.

[Lena11033]

I'm sorry that happened.

 

I don't have air booked with celebrity but my due date was recent for a cruise coming up and I never got reminders (yes I checked spam folder). I had it in my calendar when it was due thankfully and paid it before that date, but I think best thing is not to depend on reminders and when booking put them in your own calendar.

[Lastdance]

I find quite a few issues when dealing with Celebrity and all the newbies, their total lack of accurate information, along with not even getting call-backs from them when promised.  Recently, when trying to get a price-drop after just booking a cruise onboard, I was told that my TA was the only one I could talk with, even though I had just booked the cruise and it was within 24 hours.  The real kicker was that both my cruises were never even emailed to my TA; I had to give her the numbers.  Of course, when all of this was said and done, both prices had moved higher and I had wasted my time on a cruise pursuing something that was a lie from the getgo!  When trying to get accurate information from Celebrity when I returned(yes, my TA did this also)we were both told that the cruises were emailed on the same day, so she had them! To add insult to injury, I was told that receiving a price-drop was not a problem while onboard by the individual who booked both cruises.  She was so eager to take my money...I needed to find this in writing before I booked, but really, in retrospect, it would not have made any difference at all.  In the end, Celebrity had my money and anything after that was not going to be fulfilled.  I won’t even go into the individual who was rude to me after standing in line for 15 minutes.  No worries, as I will never do that again...book onboard or.....

 

 I did talk with an individual whose name I will not mention, but she has not called me back regarding my situation.  However, my TA was told that it was the fault of both of us for not acting quickly enough...you know those rules are there for a reason.  Nowadays, it is always the fault of the person who does not have any say in the matter.  The best part was that I could just cancel and leave Celebrity with My 1,200 + dollars; it was as easy as that...really, this is how you treat long-time Celebrity customers?  You can’t make these things up!  Also, I was told a screen shot might help and also told that a screen shot would not help!  The crew onboard in dining, along with the cabin attendant are set to such high expectations, but the others, not so much!  All I wanted was to find out the rules, where these were in writing and be able to allow others to not have this happen to them.  Well, I will be calling this individual and sharing my feeling about how she mishandled this situation by not returning my second call...you have to teach people how to treat you and that takes time.  My total respect goes out to all those crew members on Beyond who are exemplary and are held to such high standards needing all 10’s!  

 

FBC can be a real hassle too, so I understand your situation.  Life is difficult and sometimes things happen; however, customer service is not what it used to be...pick your battles!  I have had so many wonderful cruises without any hiccups at all...even Mother Nature gets angry a lot more nowadays.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Lastdance

[hasentreelake]

As the OP suggests... Don't let this ^^^^^ happen to you!  
Exhausting.

 

[cruisestitch]

OP I am sure you have done this already, but double check your junk mail file to see if by any chance there’s an email in there from Celebrity.  

[hcat]

sad story.. hope it helps others to not let things slip by!

[dateacher]

On 12/15/2023 at 8:31 AM, CruiseRQA said:

Another reason to use a trusted travel agent

Doesn't always guarantee no issues although it does help.  My TA paid my final bill but it didn't go through and neither the TA or I were notified.  Also didn't get a notice from AmEX.  The whole cruise was cancelled.  Fortunately, she was able to get everything straightened out at no additional cost.