Quest first sailing 10/19 closed for bookings, 'code red'

[florisdekort]

Celebrity has stopped taking reservations for Quest's scheduled first sailing, on October 19. I assume they are evaluating the problems they encountered with the launch of Journey, and may consider cancelling the 10/19 Quest sailing in favor of an extended dry dock...

 

Best Regards,

Floris

[cruiseyguy]

Or it's a sell-out, with pax hoping for a free cruise.

[florisdekort]

Or it's a sell-out, with pax hoping for a free cruise.

 

Interesting point. Just a few days ago there were cabins available in every category, but you might be right!

[Janiefrmde]

And we saw the red flags too. I have called Celebrity on two different occasions when I noticed it was sold out the day after Journey came back from it's first cruise. The first time they said they were sold out because of a large group had made reservations and news reporters were supposed to be on board.

 

The second time they said it was a "reservation maintenance". The Celebrity agent said there might be more rooms available but right now they were shut down and not accepting reservations. That was about 10 days ago and I haven't called back.

 

I thought maybe the people on the May 5th Journey cruise came back and booked on the Quest in hopes of getting another free cruise. But my husband thinks Azamara might cancel this sailing because they have less than a month to refurbish and set sail.

 

We are staying with our reservation. This is a twelve day cruise and hopefully they will have time to get out all the glitches and make this cruise enjoyable. Most of the people on Journey still had a good time and mentioned how good the service and food has been. I will be on vacation for 13 days...which is better than being at work. I am still excited being on the Quest's maiden voyage.

 

Janie

[Andy]

Celebrity has stopped taking reservations for Quest's scheduled first sailing, on October 19. I assume they are evaluating the problems they encountered with the launch of Journey, and may consider cancelling the 10/19 Quest sailing in favor of an extended dry dock...

 

Best Regards,

Floris

 

Hi Floris !

 

Be careful what you say about this topic :). I made this comment last week and got yelled at... saying it was nothing but speculation. While it may be speculation, there is some logic to this, and that is why I mentioned it. For those who have read my posts over the years, I am sure they can tell you that folks like Floris and myself, have made some excellent observations, and commented on them.... long before they became reality.

 

Others have been told this sailing is officially sold out. I certainly hope it is. But, this sailing showed as "Sold Out" only a few days after Journey's first sailing. Coincidence ? Probably not. At the very least, Azamara may be having meetings to decide how to proceed. I am certain they do not want to have a repeat of Journey's first sailing. For that reason, they may not wish to take any new bookings right now.

 

As I said in my previous post, for those on the 10/19 sailing.... I surely would not be concerned at this point. I am sure Azamara will do the right thing, and keep you posted if there are to be any changes.

[Andy]

And we saw the red flags too. I have called Celebrity on two different occasions when I noticed it was sold out the day after Journey came back from it's first cruise. The first time they said they were sold out because of a large group had made reservations and news reporters were supposed to be on board.

 

The second time they said it was a "reservation maintenance". The Celebrity agent said there might be more rooms available but right now they were shut down and not accepting reservations. That was about 10 days ago and I haven't called back.

 

I thought maybe the people on the May 5th Journey cruise came back and booked on the Quest in hopes of getting another free cruise. But my husband thinks Azamara might cancel this sailing because they have less than a month to refurbish and set sail.

 

We are staying with our reservation. This is a twelve day cruise and hopefully they will have time to get out all the glitches and make this cruise enjoyable. Most of the people on Journey still had a good time and mentioned how good the service and food has been. I will be on vacation for 13 days...which is better than being at work. I am still excited being on the Quest's maiden voyage.

 

Janie

 

Hi Janie !

 

A quick message to those booked on the 10/19 Quest sailing.....

 

Whatever you do, DONT cancel now !!! If the sailing gets canceled at some point, there may be some sort of compensation.... You might as well stay booked, and see what happens. We will just have to wait and see. Stay tuned !

[Janiefrmde]

Hi Andy,

We are definitely not cancelling. Our final payment is due on June 23rd. We have already purchased our airfare and hotel to Miami.

 

I am still hoping for the best that we will be able to board and I am optimistic we will have a great time. Small glitches won't ruin my vacation. And we are at sea only 3 of the 12 days....the rest of the time we are in 8 fabulous ports. How bad can that be?

 

Janie

[DaveFr]

Hi Andy,

We are definitely not cancelling. Our final payment is due on June 23rd. We have already purchased our airfare and hotel to Miami.

 

Janie

Janie,

 

Are you sure about the final payment date? June 23rd is 118 days before October 19th. I know some TAs set a final payment date about a week before the official final payment date but I've never seen so much time before the official final payment date. For example, the final payment date for our September 2nd Alaska cruise is June 24th.

[Janiefrmde]

I thought this was early too. We are using a new TA and so far, I haven't been impressed.

[Andy]

I thought this was early too. We are using a new TA and so far, I haven't been impressed.

 

Hi Janie !

 

I would definitely call Azamara and double check that. It seems way too soon to be worrying about final payment. Assuming Azamara confirms this, I would ask to speak with a supervisor at your TA's office.

 

I can certainly understand making final payment a week or 2 before its due (many TA's insist on this) but you are probably much earlier than you need to be.

 

Please let us know what happens. Good luck !

[nlvc12]

I agree with Andy. Don't cancel yet, in order to take advangtage of any special compensation.

 

However...

 

Do some homework now - check out what other sailings, particularly Celebrity's, are booked at the same time. If Celebrity offers for you to switch to another sailing, you'll be prepared. You might also keep an eye on the 90 day ticker at ***** (for all companies) and snap up a bargain leaving at the same time & place, once notified of cancellation. Thus not wasting your airfare and scheduled vacation time.

 

Just some ideas for you to peruse...

 

nlvc12

[hcat]

Another reason not to cancel is that the early rates may be the best ever offered. Looking over the prices on this "line" for future cruises shows some hefty tariffs.

MY DH commented that eventually this will line may become what the Celebrity experience used to be; Celebrity will be what Royal was & Royal will be the "new" Carnival. We have seen this development already taking place but hope some cruises on Azamara (hate the name) will be more affordable.

I'd suggest you hol on to booking with a good rate because if they cancel they may honor it on a furture cruise...(a good investment!)

[happycat Bainbridge Is]

From what I can gather reading the Pullmantur site, the Blue Moon (soon to become Quest) is scheduled to sail an 8 day itinerary of the grand capitals of Europe on Sept. 16th.

 

That would leave less than a month for repositioning/refurbishment. A month in dry dock was clearly not enough time to prep the Journey. Hopefully many lessons were learned from that, but ....

 

I'm not speculating, but I agree if I were booked on the October 19 sailing, I would be thinking about a plan B just in case ...

 

We booked the Nov. 12 sailing on the Quest and are hoping that by scheduled cruise #3 things will be well in order.

[Host Karen]

We booked the Nov. 12 sailing on the Quest and are hoping that by scheduled cruise #3 things will be well in order.

 

And as someone booked on the Nov. 24 sailing, I'm hopeful that whatever isn't finished by the start of cruise #3 will be taken care of before cruise #4 sets sail! :)

[houstontx]

We were booked on a Southern Carribean cruise on Celebrity last spring and our T/A called and told me our ship was "chartered" for our cruise time and therefore we didn't get to go. Yep!! We did not get to go on that cruise.

But, the point here is as I posted the info on the board that that cruise was chartered and we would not be on that cruise any longer, several people called their T/A's and Celebrity and were told "no, the cruise is still scheduled" and "you're still confirmed on it". Well, within a few days, the message started coming out.

So, if upper management at X knows that the 10/19 trip may be (or is) canceled, the employees further down the command chain may not know that yet.

So, if I were booked on the 10/19 I'd have a plan B and a plan C ;)

Better safe (prepared) than sorry.....

Alan & Regina