Crystal Symphony, Mumbai to Athens - or is it?

[TER777]

Both versions of the Chairmen's cruise, Jeddah to Athens and Jeddah to Rhodes have gone to "Join the Waitlist" recently. 

Edited February 4 by TER777

[Whipsnade]

On board Symphony now in Bali. No announcement yet about any itinerary changes. 
Hard to believe those cruises are “waitlist”. Senior staff have told me less than 80 booked Mumbai to Athens. 

[Stickman1990]

28 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

Hard to believe those cruises are “waitlist”. Senior staff have told me less than 80 booked Mumbai to Athens. 

“Waitlist” is a well known Crystal euphemism for “pending a decision/annpuncement” - it’s been used many times on that manner in the past 

 

Yes occasionally it does actually mean a category is actually full - but the alternate use is just as often the case 

Edited February 4 by Stickman1990

[TER777]

22 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

On board Symphony now in Bali. No announcement yet about any itinerary changes. 
Hard to believe those cruises are “waitlist”. Senior staff have told me less than 80 booked Mumbai to Athens. 

“Waitlisted” as a proxy for no longer for sale one would expect. 

[Whipsnade]

Exactly right. Never fails to amaze me that no cruise company ever tells it like it is. M

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, TER777 said:

“Waitlisted” as a proxy for no longer for sale one would expect. 

+1.

 

My first reaction is a revised itinerary is coming soon and no point in selling more if you know it's subject to change.  

 

Keith

[Dog-man]

Or more like; how long do they keep guests waiting for the shoe to drop?

[Critically Cruising]

Take a look over at the Silversea forum.  You'll see folks that are "fuming" over the SS delay in announcing changes, including a long-time Crystal cruiser who left for greener pastures.

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, Critically Cruising said:

Take a look over at the Silversea forum.  You'll see folks that are "fuming" over the SS delay in announcing changes, including a long-time Crystal cruiser who left for greener pastures.

Yes those green pastures that one thinks are there until things go wrong. One correction . Not a long term Crystal Cruiser.  

[nancygp]

7 hours ago, Worldtraveler22 said:

Could also be a voyage that is chartered.  

One of the cruises is the holiday cruise and it’s fully booked

 

Nancy

[Stickman1990]

15 minutes ago, nancygp said:

One of the cruises is the holiday cruise and it’s fully booked

 

Nancy

At the moment….but final payment deadline is yet to come. That’s always a telling time, and that’s the case for any cruise line 

 

Nevertheless it’s good to see it’s currently waitlisted across the board. I can’t figure out why the Symphony cruise is unless it’s turned into a charter maybe? 

[nancygp]

5 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

At the moment….but final payment deadline is yet to come. That’s always a telling time, and that’s the case for any cruise line 

Obviously it’s at the moment

 

nancy

[Stickman1990]

2 minutes ago, nancygp said:

Obviously it’s at the moment

Yes - time will tell

[TER777]

36 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

At the moment….but final payment deadline is yet to come. That’s always a telling time, and that’s the case for any cruise line 

 

Nevertheless it’s good to see it’s currently waitlisted across the board. I can’t figure out why the Symphony cruise is unless it’s turned into a charter maybe? 

Might have something to do with America’s Cup in Barcelona in October. 

[Critically Cruising]

1 hour ago, Keith1010 said:

Yes those green pastures that one thinks are there until things go wrong. One correction . Not a long term Crystal Cruiser.  

 

Sure seemed that way from the posts complaining about refunds.  

[May B]

8 minutes ago, Critically Cruising said:

 

Sure seemed that way from the posts complaining about refunds.  

Perhaps looks can be deceiving. But I guess now I know who it is, without looking.

 

 

[Stickman1990]

36 minutes ago, Critically Cruising said:

 

Sure seemed that way from the posts complaining about refunds.  

Yes you have to wonder how another guest can know whether someone else is a “long term Crystal cruiser” or not - seems a little presumptuous to me

[Whipsnade]

19 hours ago, McCheese Off. Tester said:

 

If logic had anything to do with it, then the euphemistic usage of wait-listing would result in itineraries that are 100% wait-listed. But there are only two 100% wait-listed itineraries, and neither is in troubled waters. These are the two 100% wait-listed cruises as of this writing:

 

https://crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-csy-007-241007

 

https://crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-cse-009-241229

 

I can attest that these cruises are in fact fully booked and we will be on board for both. 

[Roland4]

3 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

Yes you have to wonder how another guest can know whether someone else is a “long term Crystal cruiser” or not - seems a little presumptuous to me

Just had a look, and while not sure about "a long time", is someone we know, who has been around a while, and been very opinionated, and somewhat negative, about New Crystal. So yes, the grass is not always greener!

[Whipsnade]

We can attest that the grass on New Crystal is even greener than on Old Crystal. 

[Keith1010]

7 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

Yes you have to wonder how another guest can know whether someone else is a “long term Crystal cruiser” or not - seems a little presumptuous to me

Pretty easy if you were on their first Crystal Cruise. We were. 

 

[Keith1010]

As Nancy mentioned one of the cruises is the Holiday Cruise.

I have been looking at the categories for the two cruises (it's split this year)  for several months now.  The pattern is very similar to the 2023 Holiday Cruise. Only difference is the other day all categories were waitlisted and this is earlier than the 2023 Holiday Cruise was mostly waitlisted. Makes sense because by the time itinaries came out some had commitments for 2024 and this provides those who want a shorter cruise or to sail over a portion of the holiday to book one over Christmas or one over New Years or for those who want a longer cruise to book both.

 

But this will go back and forth. For example, several hours ago all categroes were booked and now on one of those cruise the Sapphire category shows request a quote.

 

With 10 months to go there will be people who cancel, people who are waitlisted who get cleared and people who will book new.  

 

I have learned over the years every year is different. Many years ago the Holiday Cruise sold like hotcakes and the premium was even greater compared to other cruises. Then it his a point where it sold well but not like it did and prices were adjusted to refelct less of a premum.  And the 2023 and 2024 Holiday Cruises look to be in great demand again.  

 

Keith

[Jayayeff]

On 2/4/2024 at 7:48 AM, TER777 said:

Both versions of the Chairmen's cruise, Jeddah to Athens and Jeddah to Rhodes have gone to "Join the Waitlist" recently. 

 

Meanwhile, back to April, the Mumbai to Athens cruise and the now Waitlisted Chairmen's Cruises - just my luck as these were the first itineraries of real interest to me since the Symphony returned to service.   However, I think it's highly unlikely they were ever going to happen considering they weren't even announced until the region, and now the Red Sea in particular, was already a hotbed of activity!!! 

[Dog-man]

2 hours ago, Jayayeff said:

 

Meanwhile, back to April, the Mumbai to Athens cruise and the now Waitlisted Chairmen's Cruises - just my luck as these were the first itineraries of real interest to me since the Symphony returned to service.   However, I think it's highly unlikely they were ever going to happen considering they weren't even announced until the region, and now the Red Sea in particular, was already a hotbed of activity!!! 

Considering the Red Sea situation I found it amazing they even offered them when other lines had already cancelled cruises. 
 

With only a few weeks to go before Symphony is due to sail from Mumbai we are still waiting to find out what Crystal intends to do. Many years ago I was taught the 7 P’s of planning, at the moment only the last 3 apply!

Edited February 6 by Dog-man

[Worldtraveler22]

40 minutes ago, Dog-man said:

Considering the Red Sea situation I found it amazing they even offered them when other lines had already cancelled cruises. 
 

With only a few weeks to go before Symphony is due to sail from Mumbai we are still waiting to find out what Crystal intends to do. Many years ago I was taught the 7 P’s of planning, at the moment only the last 3 apply!

It’s not a good look for them.  It makes them look out of touch.

Edited February 6 by Worldtraveler22
typo