Infinity Overbooked on May 7th Sailing

[rpv2sail]

I was notified by my travel agent on Saturday that through some 'glitch' Celebrity had overbooked the balcony cabins on the May 7th repositioning cruise and were offering various options: (1) an oceanview cabin with a refund of one persons fare, with the exception of port charges (2) taking the return 13 day cruise in September with a $200 shipboard credit (3) refusing both and hoping for a cabin. I'm having a hard time believing that Celebrity overbooked due to a 'glitch'. Has anyone else had this problem with Celebrity on this or other cruises?

[ocngypz]

All the time with other cruiselines. This is the first overbooking I recall by Celebrity. Generally speaking, the yield management system Celebrity uses doesn't allow for overbooking. However, it looks like in this case there was a glitch.

 

Now, if you had said HAL or Princess... I would have said,,, so what else is new? Happens all the time. But not on Celebrity.

[leoandhugh]

there are times when all cruise lines so call "overbook" particularly on longer cruises. Experience shows them that when it comes time for final payment, they will have a certain percentage of cancellations and they count on that. When that percentage does not materialize, they end up with what some would can an overbooked cruise - they have down payments and/or final payments for more people than they have actual cabins available in certain categories. Same thing applies to airlines; they count on a certain percentage of cancellations or no shows:)

[sailorbill]

Those options by Celebrity do not look particularly generous, especially the paltry $200 to completely change plans. I'll bet the offers get a lot more generous as sailing date approaches and no one takes these puny Celebrity offers. It will cost them much more if they have to cancel someone's booking.

[DC2OC]

200 bucks for changing dates seem puny.1000 bucks I might jump at.The switch to outside might be an option if the full fare was lowered to outside rate except Alaska is one of those cruises where a balcony is fantastic........................Frank

[richsea]

I thought that I saw that sailing on the happy hour specials for last Tuesday; including balconies. Today tje ship is listed as sold out. I guess they really screwed up!

[C 2 C]

Last in; First out. :cool:

[dkjretired]

Below is a link to an article by cruise critic on overbooking and being bumped.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/features/articles.cfm?ID=340

[debkaysmith]

We're booked on the September Infinity Cruise, you should come on over! We'd love to have a few more friendly cruisers join us.

[BEAV]

I thought that I saw that sailing on the happy hour specials for last Tuesday; including balconies. Today tje ship is listed as sold out. I guess they really screwed up!

 

Kinda makes you wonder why they put the sailing up on a Happy Hour in the first place. Or did the overbooking occur as a result of the Happy Hour??? :confused:

 

The offer to refund one passenger fare and downgrade to oceanview isn't too generous when you consider the port charges and gov't taxes come to nearly $450 per person on this particular sailing.

[Andy]

I was notified by my travel agent on Saturday that through some 'glitch' Celebrity had overbooked the balcony cabins on the May 7th repositioning cruise and were offering various options: (1) an oceanview cabin with a refund of one persons fare, with the exception of port charges (2) taking the return 13 day cruise in September with a $200 shipboard credit (3) refusing both and hoping for a cabin. I'm having a hard time believing that Celebrity overbooked due to a 'glitch'. Has anyone else had this problem with Celebrity on this or other cruises?

 

Hi Rpv2sail !

 

I do not like Option 2 as it stands, as (IMHO) 200.00 in compensation is not nearly enough. Option 3 is way too dangerous. Of the three choices, I would only take Option 1, if you do not mind the downgrade in cabin.

 

If you are flexible, and can change your date to September, you may wish to let Celebrity know that you would be open to Option 2, but only if they upped the Ante and give you a larger Onboard Credit, or perhaps an upgrade to a Suite. I feel that 200.00 is simply not enough for you to change your plans dramatically.

 

Good luck, and let us know what happens !

[karlsselindh]

I thought I had heard that Infinity was dropping a port or two, and cutting times in other ports short on this cruise because of reduced speeds due to pod problems. Doesn't Infinity go into drydock after the May 7 cruise? That's what deterred me from signing up during last week's happy hour. If you care about the ports, you may be better off with the September cruise.

 

Karlsseindh

[movie buff]

If celebrity is really in a over booked situation, they would be very smart to just offer some fantastic options to fix the problem and get it resolved now. With still a month to go before the cruise there are quite a few people who would be willing to make changes for the right price. Everyday that goes by, less and less will be willing to want to change at any option. It reminds me of the time I was at the vancouver airport and my flight was way over booked and they started with offering $100 flight coupon to be bumped and kept raising the limit until it took $500 before people were willing. Its such a game!!

[Cruise Raider]

I would definitely consider moving to an oceanview for the refund of the fare of one passenger. We are one of those that booked early but upgraded to a balcony cabin during the happy hour sale. We moved from an inside cabin to a balcony for a song and were placed in a cabin next door to our travel mates...against all odds...the room was available. Since we have been to Alaska a couple of times before, I would consider moving for the right price. Heck, I would move back to the midship inside cabin for the right compensation. It is all about the deal on the room!! Am I right??? Actually, a nice quiet room...midship!!

[Donnaluv2cruise]

Where are the happy hour prices listed?

[BEAV]

Where are the happy hour prices listed?

 

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/happy_hour/XcitingDeals_CEL_tues.pdf

[Cruise Raider]

I called my TA and she contacted Celebrity and they hadn't heard anything of this sort. I was looking into the compensation available for downgrading to an oceanview room...they didn't jump at this so maybe they are not overbooked afterall. Or...maybe it was a couple of cabins and they already found takers.

Anyhow, just looking so forward to this cruise. I just read in another post that Celebrity was offering shipboard credits for cancellation of the Icy Straits port. They didn't mention this yesterday when my TA called to check on the balcony overbooking issue. hmmm? I am just going along for the ride...no stress!! Cannot wait.

[rpv2sail]

Thanks for all the info--this is the first times I've used this (or any) message board. I've learned so much from reading the various postings I'm hooked. Regarding my cabin, I refused the offers from my TA to downgrade cabins or move to another cruise. I guess enough people did except the offers because I now have a confirmed balcony.

[Andy]

Thanks for all the info--this is the first times I've used this (or any) message board. I've learned so much from reading the various postings I'm hooked. Regarding my cabin, I refused the offers from my TA to downgrade cabins or move to another cruise. I guess enough people did except the offers because I now have a confirmed balcony.

 

Hi Rpv2sail !

 

I am glad it worked out for you. Enjoy your Cruise !

[4123934]

P&O rang last night at about 4.30pm to tell us that our cruise booking - due to depart today - had been bumped. They've offered us compensation: a free cruise plus a refund of this one. Generous compared to some of the others mentioned here, but when you consider the time frame it's the very least they could do.

 

I understand the logic behind overbooking, but I would assume that overbooking is to prevent lost income for the cruise company. If so, then why do they ALSO charge a cancellation fee equivalent to forfeiture of the fare? Surely this is illegal: they're receiving two individual payments for providing only one service. Also, how can they possibly not realise that they're overbooked before the day before departure??

[arabrab]

I'd be ticked -- one night notice and just, "here it is." I thought they made offers and kept increasing them until someone said, "I'll take it." I guess not.

[nikless]

In 2/06, Constellation, our TA called us about three weeks prior to curise date and said that Celebrity had overbooked the CC class and were offering us: 1) upgrade to a sky suite w/200 credit, same cruise itinerary but two weeks later, or 2)for this cruise, oceanview room in front of ship and refund of 800 per person.

We chose neither...we had booked the cruise and the flights almost one year earlier and were so looking forward to the cruise on the week we had originally scheduled...in a room with a balcony. We also thought that it would be better to not tempt fate; Philly airport in the winter is always a crap shoot, we have been fortunate for the past few years, and with our luck, a snowstorm would have nailed us for getting greedy...

 

We thought the offer was fair - but we were not interested. By the way, it was a "reunion" cruise.

[movie buff]

:confused: Not sure what is going on with cabin assignments, we booked a happy hour special three weeks ago in a balcony guarantee and still no assignment a week before sailing. Hope that doesn't mean a possible bump because of over booking. I guess it could end of being a good thing if they end up giving us some perks because of a last minute bump.

[miami mama]

This overbooking occur when people sign up for guaranteed space (not a confirmed cabin number) and then enough people don't cancel prior to final payment. I have a confirmed aft balcony on a later cruise and would hate to think I could ever be bumped.

[movie buff]

Well we just recieved a cabin assignment.....a upgrade from a 2A to a CC. But its interesting, after that happened my TA talked with Celebrity and they wanted to know if we would be willing to downgrade to a 2B with $100. cash refund and a $200 shipboard credit. By the time our TA got the message to us and we returned a reply someone else had taken the offer. So lots of interesting stuff still going on with this overbooked ship!!:confused: