When is an Inaugural not an Inaugural?

[joelsmith101]

Solstice?

 

False Advertising?

 

Several web sites are advertising a 2 day weekend cruise on Solstice November 21. Does that mean that we should feel cheated if we are booked on the November 23 "Inaugural" voyage? Obviously money talks. Since they appear to be having trouble filling the "Inaugural", maybe they might get the message if we bailed.

[Denny01]

From my experince with other new ships (and ships in the Navy coming out of the 'yard'), there were 'shakedown' cruises that are short runs to check out the basics before the 'real' inaugural cruise. Not sure why you'd feel you are being cheated - kind of like when a restaurant opens, invites a number of people in at discount to allow the staff to get their 'legs'. I've seen it in many businesses, and don't think this is any different. Remember, this ship is being built in Germany and being sailed over, and I bet it won't be empty coming over (they won't have paying guests, but you know they will have company-related passengers), so there will be a number of times the ship sails before the 'Inaugural' you are on. You will be special since that IS designated the 'Inaugural' cruise.

 

Denny

[BurBunny]

The November 23 sailing will still be the inaugural - the ceremonies will take place prior to that sailing, that will be the date listed everywhere, etc. Almost all new ships have pre-inaugural sailings now to preview it for industry, press and muckety-mucks. In fact, the November 21 sailing isn't the first, either - there are several other closed preview sailings prior to that.

 

No longer do you launch a ship at the shipyard down the greased slipway and load her up there with the initial passengers for a maiden voyage. Shipbuilding and the industry have changed.

[Schplinky]

Anyone who thinks they are the first person to sail a ship because they booked an inaugural sailing would be disappointed to know that they are likely 6th or 7th to sleep in that fresh new bed, at least. There are press cruises, VIP sailings, etc. The pre-inaugural currently being sold is actually a full-ship charter by several agencies.

 

Really, nobody is going to bring you in front of a jury and prove one day that you really were not an inaugural passenger. Dates shift (the current inagural is actually three weeks before the old proposed inagural) and plans change. What you can be assured is that you will be on a pretty ship to the ports they promised you (weather permitting).

 

Of course money talks. These are businesses, not national trusts.

[chessbriar]

There are a slew of sailings before the inaugural. It's not uncommon. X will start their preview sailings November 9 and follow with one on the 12,14,16,17,19, and 21st. This is common practice. If you go over to the Royal Caribbean boards and go back to when the Freedom was released, you will find out they did the same thing.

 

It allows X to advertise the ship through the media, let their employees see it, let the TAs see it so they can sell it, allows their staff to get trained so things will run smoothly for the inaugural. They are doing two weeks of these sailings, likely running through the 2 weeks of their menus they are rolling out.

 

I have read in the past about inaugurals where parts of the ship were not open and work was still being done and service being way off. I'd rather be on a sailing with a ship and service in tip top shape

[tbelian]

This is common practice. If you go over to the Royal Caribbean boards and go back to when the Freedom was released, you will find out they did the same thing.

 

 

Same thing happened with Azamara Quest. We were fortunate enough to be on the 'invite' list for one of the 'pre-pre' sailings. Mostly travel agencies, corporate reps, and some selected captain's club members.

[lyradd]

I booked the inaugural cruise of RCCI's Independence of the Seas. It was supposed to be May 17, 2008 but the ship was finished two weeks early. I was disappointed but more so because RCCI never notified me and never gave me the chance to change to the earlier cruise.:mad:

[cruzmaven]

Regardless of the "merits" of being on an inaugural cruise, if you are paying a premium to be on what is advertised as the "inaugural" cruise, that sailing should be the first sailing with paying customers. Short "shakedown" sailings with TA's and invited guests are one thing. A sailing with paying customers is something else.

 

Those of us who booked the 12/14 sailing when it first became available, were later told it would not be the inaugural and were given the option of changing to the "new inaugural" 11/23. Those of us who couldn't make the change have been given no consideration for our disappointment.

 

Now the people who did change to 11/23 are finding out that other paying customers will be on the ship before them.

 

Had I made the change to 11/23, knowing I would have to rearrange my original plans, forego holiday family plans and deal with holiday travel hassles, only to now find paying customers will be leaving the ship as I'm boarding for the "inauguaral", I wouldn't be too happy.

[Schplinky]

It seems that you can't win for trying. Most people who do actually sail on inagurals sound disappointed, too. When Freedom went out, folks complained that there weren't fireworks, celebrities and non-stop festivities. Essentially, they complained that it was "just like any other cruise." It seems that booking an inaugural to feel like a VIP is rather a bad plan.

[tbelian]

I just don't think this one one of those things that ranks up there with solving world hunger, or for that matter, solving the dress code debate.

 

Sorry, I don't think you should be all that upset.

[cruzmaven]

Its not a problem to the degree world hunger is a problem. But it is a problem in that Celebrity advertised the cruise as an inaugural and charged prices for the cruise in line with an inaugural sailing. People who elected to change their bookings to 11/23, could have also changed to the non-inaugural 11/30 or 12/7 sailings at prices which, when they first came out, were much lower than the 11/23 prices. When it first came on line, an Aqua Class cabin for 12/7 was $1,049.00 pp. Aqua class on 11/23 is $1,599.00 pp. That's a $550.00 pp premium for sailing on what is supposed to be the inaugural.

 

So, whether this is a big problem or not, depends on if you're the one paying $1,100.00 per cabin more for the inaugural sailing now finding out there are paying customers on the ship before you.

[Schplinky]

Its not a problem to the degree world hunger is a problem.

 

Perspective is a good thing.

[jt1120]

Regardless of the "merits" of being on an inaugural cruise, if you are paying a premium to be on what is advertised as the "inaugural" cruise, that sailing should be the first sailing with paying customers. Short "shakedown" sailings with TA's and invited guests are one thing. A sailing with paying customers is something else.

 

Those of us who booked the 12/14 sailing when it first became available, were later told it would not be the inaugural and were given the option of changing to the "new inaugural" 11/23. Those of us who couldn't make the change have been given no consideration for our disappointment.

 

Now the people who did change to 11/23 are finding out that other paying customers will be on the ship before them.

 

Had I made the change to 11/23, knowing I would have to rearrange my original plans, forego holiday family plans and deal with holiday travel hassles, only to now find paying customers will be leaving the ship as I'm boarding for the "inauguaral", I wouldn't be too happy.

 

EXACTLY!!!

When I go to the website I usually book cruises from and find that the GENERAL PUBLIC can book the two-day cruise BEFORE my so-called inaugural, I have a problem. I'll admit I was a bit naive, not knowing all of the ins and outs of the cruise industry, and was mildly upset when I found that TA's and others get to go on some trial runs before the inaugural, but I chalked it up, thinking that they are TA's and I understand using the opportunity to market the new ship. But when I pay all this extra $$ for the chance to cruise on an "inaugural" sailing, and then find out there is one BEFORE mine for John Q., then I'm pissed. Someone posted that the definition of an inaugural cruise is the first one with PAYING customers (not TA's, bigshots, etc.). The way I see it, you might as well call ANY cruise the inaugural and say that the ones before were trial runs and an opportunity to make sure the ship floats or whatever. My next email is to Celebrity. Call me a squeaky wheel... :mad:

 

At the very least, wouldn't it have made sense to have =X= send an email telling ALL of their CC members about this opportunity? You know, add 2 days to your experience aboard the all-new Solstice. Heck, if I would have known this earlier, I would have booked the 2-day only and gone on some other cruise in December, saving me a BIG ton of money.

[jt1120]

My wife just got off the phone with =X= and was told that the 2-day was chartered out. HUH??? How in the world are you going to charter out your brand new ship before your LOYAL customers have the chance to cruise it? Gotta tell you, my friends, this is not sitting well with us. As the math goes, I could have done the 2-day AND the original 12/14 sailing for the same price as what I'm paying for the 11/23. Any way you cut it, this is poor PR on their part, and I may be in the market for a new cruise line. My wife is beside herself and me, I feel like I've been ripped off. By my favorite crruise line no less. Very sad.

[joelsmith101]

I am totally in favor of shakedown cruises with INVITED guests. But I agree with others that SELLING the Ship prior to the official Inaugural is an insult to those who paid extra for the announced Inaugural sailing. Please see definition from Websters' Online Dictionary (see below). The beginning or first in a series of paid voyages is not November 23.

 

Main Entry: 1in·au·gu·ral

Function: adjective

Date: 1689

1 : of or relating to an inauguration

2 : marking a beginning : first in a projected series

[Jessica&Ben]

Its not a problem to the degree world hunger is a problem. But it is a problem in that Celebrity advertised the cruise as an inaugural and charged prices for the cruise in line with an inaugural sailing. People who elected to change their bookings to 11/23, could have also changed to the non-inaugural 11/30 or 12/7 sailings at prices which, when they first came out, were much lower than the 11/23 prices. When it first came on line, an Aqua Class cabin for 12/7 was $1,049.00 pp. Aqua class on 11/23 is $1,599.00 pp. That's a $550.00 pp premium for sailing on what is supposed to be the inaugural.

 

So, whether this is a big problem or not, depends on if you're the one paying $1,100.00 per cabin more for the inaugural sailing now finding out there are paying customers on the ship before you.

 

I don't really think the prices are that out of line for a holiday sailing. If you checked pricing on any sailing on RCCL or Celebrity the week of Thanksgiving and then the week after you will see a pretty big difference in price. You will also have more children onboard your inaugural since school is out that week as well. Just so you know.....

[bar_20]

What are they going to do, put a bronze plack up with all of the names of the first passengers or better yet name the stateroom you stayed in after you. I would never pay a premium to be the first on anything. This just sounds like an ego thing to me.:(

[jt1120]

What are they going to do, put a bronze plack up with all of the names of the first passengers or better yet name the stateroom you stayed in after you. I would never pay a premium to be the first on anything. This just sounds like an ego thing to me.:(

 

That's a bit insulting. It's not an ego thing,. it's an experience thing. We have always wanted to experience an inaugural cruise. Don't know why, we just do. I'll wait to see how they answer my email, but I'm none too pleased by this move, and feel that I've been mislead. How can they charter out a cruise before their own first cruise? It just doesn't make any sense, and anyone who is a fan of this line should really question this move.

 

As for paying a premium, yes we are paying more to sail on the so-called inaugural cruise. Aside from the fact that the cruise will now take place during T-giving week, I'm paying FAR more than someone who is sailing on the 12/14 sailing, which was the original inaugural date. The fact that the inaugural was moved up and falls during T-giving week is irrelevant. [NOTE: I paid less for a 10-day on Princess last year during the same week than I'm paying for this cruise]

 

But face it, what recourse do we have? I could say, the heck with you Celebrity, I'll just cancel my cruise and get my money back and never sail with you again. OK, they'll say, and turn around and sell my cabin to someone else. In the meantime, we're out the one cruise we've looked forward to more than any of our 13 cruises. I know it sound petty to some and I understand how you might think that way, but my wife is truly beside herself over this. =X= is our favorite line, we've enjoyed our Xperiences more than any other line, we suggest =X= first when others ask about cruiselines, and now we get this. Maybe we should try HAL. We've been thinking about it and this might be the motivator we've needed. That's too bad.

[Friscorays]

I think Celebrity can't win.

 

They apparently had the opportunity to turn a two day shakedown cruise into a two day profit cruise and went for it. I can't really blame them with the current state of the economy.

 

Does it really matter if the people doing the "shakedown" are paying customers or not?

 

The 11-23 sailing is still an inaugural in this sense: it is the first SEVEN day cruise and Celebrity will be treating it as the official inaugural.

 

To those who are upset, I would suggest trying to forget about it (it seems a relatively minor quibble in the grand scheme of things) and enjoy your cruise. If you are so upset that it is not possible, speak with your wallet and cancel.

[blackerbys17]

That's a bit insulting. It's not an ego thing,. it's an experience thing. We have always wanted to experience an inaugural cruise. Don't know why, we just do. I'll wait to see how they answer my email, but I'm none too pleased by this move, and feel that I've been mislead. How can they charter out a cruise before their own first cruise? It just doesn't make any sense, and anyone who is a fan of this line should really question this move.

 

As for paying a premium, yes we are paying more to sail on the so-called inaugural cruise. Aside from the fact that the cruise will now take place during T-giving week, I'm paying FAR more than someone who is sailing on the 12/14 sailing, which was the original inaugural date. The fact that the inaugural was moved up and falls during T-giving week is irrelevant. [NOTE: I paid less for a 10-day on Princess last year during the same week than I'm paying for this cruise]

 

But face it, what recourse do we have? I could say, the heck with you Celebrity, I'll just cancel my cruise and get my money back and never sail with you again. OK, they'll say, and turn around and sell my cabin to someone else. In the meantime, we're out the one cruise we've looked forward to more than any of our 13 cruises. I know it sound petty to some and I understand how you might think that way, but my wife is truly beside herself over this. =X= is our favorite line, we've enjoyed our Xperiences more than any other line, we suggest =X= first when others ask about cruiselines, and now we get this. Maybe we should try HAL. We've been thinking about it and this might be the motivator we've needed. That's too bad.

 

I understand your disappointment. It is weird for us that have had pre-inaugural cruises that aren't really pre-inaugural anyways.

 

In Dec. 2006 I sailed on NCL's Pearl pre-inaugural cruise. It was a 1 night fund raiser to raise money for Rosie's Kids run by Rossie O'Donell. It was great and the drinks flowed all night free of charge! The REAl inaugural cruise left the day after. Even so, I later found out that the ship had sailed before our sailing with paying passengers, though it was a charter like us, the night before for travel agents and VIP. so neither my pre-inaugural or the "real" inaugural were actually the inaugural cruises, lol! :p Does that even make sense???

 

Then take NCL's Sky. I sailed on her "inaugural" Bahamas cruise last month but it wasn' really inaugural because the ship had sailed many times before as the Pride of Aloha, lol.

 

Back to the Solstice: I am about to book the pre-inaugural cruise on Nov. 21st but even though I am paying for my cruise, I assure you that another sailing will have taken place before mine with paying guests aboard the Solstice. There really isn't any way to guarantee you are on an inaugural cruise anymore. I guess we just have to consider ourselves lucky that we are some of the first to do these things and be happy with that. Enjoy your cruise!:)