Millennium 3/15/09 Sailing Canceled (Several merged threads)

[hylasgirl]

Oh... I am sooooo sorry for your loss on this cruise! I really feel bad for all of you that were supposed to sail. I can't even imagine the disappointment that you feel.:( I do hope all of you can make new reservations and everything works out. Ugggg.... I just can't imagine.

 

Good luck on everything.

[wuntvor]

 

The compensation package is expected to be generous. I should have details on the compensation shortly. For those booked on this sailing, I hope you will be able to re-book on another Cruise soon !

 

I'm not quite sure I would call it "generous", particularly if you booked air on your own. $250/pp in change fees doesn't help much for those of us stateside, where Celebrity primarily markets their product. If you can change, you're restricted to the same airline, which likely means Quantas or Air New Zealand...

 

Has anyone had success with getting this more appropriately compensated in the past?

[Imagineer]

...after all the problems and 'situations' that have occurred with all the various lines regarding podded propulsion units, I would have to seriously think about whether or not I'd go on a ship that had pods. Me thinks the old fashioned way may be a lot more reliable even if it isn't quite as fuel efficient, the prices I've seen for what the pods cost initially and what they cost to repair or replace wipe out a lot of fuel savings...

 

cheers,

 

the Imagineer

 

 

 

 

[jackdiamond]

We were cancelled on the M in 06; and, Celebrity was very generous. We received a complete refund, a free cruise in the same category, within one year, and a dinner in the specialty restaurant. I would not mind be cancelled every other cruise.

[Shirley and Les]

A few years ago, we were on a 14 night "reduced speed" cruise on the Infinity due to a pod problem. Celebrity sailed the ship at reduced speed for three or four months before she went into drydock. If I remember correctly, the problem developed in January but the drydock wasn't scheduled until mid-May.

 

This immediate drydock for the Millie is curious since there is (was?) a scheduled drydock in about five weeks. The 3/15, 3/29 and two April sailings were the only ones left before the scheduled drydock. With damaged pod bearings, it seems the "M" class ships are capable of sailing for quite some time at reduced speed.

 

Since no one has reported any significant (reduced speed) issues with the Millie, the problem must have just developed during the current cruise. :confused: It will be interested to get feedback from passengers now on the Millie.

[MacThespian]

I'm not quite sure I would call it "generous", particularly if you booked air on your own. $250/pp in change fees doesn't help much for those of us stateside, where Celebrity primarily markets their product. If you can change, you're restricted to the same airline, which likely means Quantas or Air New Zealand...

 

Has anyone had success with getting this more appropriately compensated in the past?

 

"Appropriately compensated"? They're giving you your money back, you're getting a free cruise, they're paying toward an airline change fee.

 

I feel bad that it's happened to you. It happened to me, too--4 days before we were to leave for a Mediterranean cruise on Millennium. But there's a difference between appropriate compensation and greed.

[Crusinoars]

We were on this ship for the 10/17/08 Hawaii to NZ cruise. There were problems with the ship then. Our dining table was all the way aft by the windows and we could feel a trememdous vibration at various times during dinner.

 

There was also a day when we had a problem with the electric. A crewmember said her husband was in maintenance and that he along with others, worked on the system for 12-16 hours.

 

We were lucky in that we did not have to miss any ports.

 

I hope everything works out for those that are booked on this cruise.

[wuntvor]

"Appropriately compensated"? They're giving you your money back, you're getting a free cruise, they're paying toward an airline change fee.

 

I feel bad that it's happened to you. It happened to me, too--4 days before we were to leave for a Mediterranean cruise on Millennium. But there's a difference between appropriate compensation and greed.

 

Sorry, but the value of the cruise credit is less than the cost of the plane tickets. And, paying a change fee for me on an airline I can't really use except to go to New Zealand isn't exactly helpful.

 

I agree, there's a difference between greed and appropriate compensation. I'm not even asking for anything for my trouble (which is considerable). What I am asking is that the compensation they offer be at least equal to the sunk cost, and it isn't.

[MacThespian]

Sorry, but the value of the cruise credit is less than the cost of the plane tickets. And, paying a change fee for me on an airline I can't really use except to go to New Zealand isn't exactly helpful.

 

I agree, there's a difference between greed and appropriate compensation. I'm not even asking for anything for my trouble (which is considerable). What I am asking is that the compensation they offer be at least equal to the sunk cost, and it isn't.

 

Did you choose to book the air by yourself? Why should the cruise line be responsible for that? If you let X book your air, I agree they should compensate you. But it appears that you didn't do this. If you made a choice to book shore excursions independently ahead of time, should they compensate you for that "sunk cost" also? Did you purchase travel insurance that would cover the cost of the flight?

 

As far as I can tell, you made choices. Apparently, they turned out to be the wrong ones, and now you appear to want X to give you what you call "appropriate compensation." That's not the term I would use--and as I pointed out in my original post, I have been in the same situation myself.

[LuckiePuris]

Wouldn't travel insurance cover any bookings or reservations you have made, where you can't get your money back?

[hylasgirl]

Wouldn't travel insurance cover any bookings or reservations you have made, where you can't get your money back?

 

 

We always insure our air tickets when they are big money. It doesn't cost a whole lot more to insure your air portion and totally worth it if you are going across one pond or another.

[wuntvor]

Did you choose to book the air by yourself? Why should the cruise line be responsible for that? If you let X book your air, I agree they should compensate you. But it appears that you didn't do this. If you made a choice to book shore excursions independently ahead of time, should they compensate you for that "sunk cost" also? Did you purchase travel insurance that would cover the cost of the flight?

 

As far as I can tell, you made choices. Apparently, they turned out to be the wrong ones, and now you appear to want X to give you what you call "appropriate compensation." That's not the term I would use--and as I pointed out in my original post, I have been in the same situation myself.

 

I don't know, maybe because the cruise line is unable to deliver the product they sold me? And, to that end, any sort of compensation that fails to exceed the cost of getting to the port is certainly not "generous".

[celle]

We were on this ship for the 10/17/08 Hawaii to NZ cruise. There were problems with the ship then. Our dining table was all the way aft by the windows and we could feel a trememdous vibration at various times during dinner. . ........

 

I hope everything works out for those that are booked on this cruise.

 

Now, that's odd. We were on the 4th January 2009 cruise, and we were also seated right at the back of the main dining room. We also noticed the occasional large vibration, and the ship would do a strange "shimmy" at the same time. The seas were remarkably calm, so we could not see any reason for it.

 

At one stage, DH (who is an engineer) got up from the table and went to look out of the aft window, but could not see any reason for the vibration. He commented that there was something wrong with one of the engines/ pods as it seemed to be out of sync with the others.

 

We did sail slowly throughout the cruise, but thought nothing of it, because the ports were not far from each other.

 

Like you, I wish all the disappointed cruisers a swift and painless compensation process and smooth sailings in the future.

 

Celle

[MMDown Under]

I don't know, maybe because the cruise line is unable to deliver the product they sold me? And, to that end, any sort of compensation that fails to exceed the cost of getting to the port is certainly not "generous".

 

You must be so disappointed. I wouldn't like to be walking in your moccasins at present.

 

I agree that you shouldn't be "out of pocket".

 

Reading comments from fellow cruisers on recent prior cruises, it seems to me the cruiseline possibly knew of this major problem in advance, without sharing that knowledge with those about to travel long distances to the southern hemisphere to cruise. ? negligence.

[dkjretired]

Now, that's odd. We were on the 4th January 2009 cruise, and we were also seated right at the back of the main dining room. We also noticed the occasional large vibration, and the ship would do a strange "shimmy" at the same time. The seas were remarkably calm, so we could not see any reason for it.

 

At one stage, DH (who is an engineer) got up from the table and went to look out of the aft window, but could not see any reason for the vibration. He commented that there was something wrong with one of the engines/ pods as it seemed to be out of sync with the others.

 

We did sail slowly throughout the cruise, but thought nothing of it, because the ports were not far from each other.

 

Like you, I wish all the disappointed cruisers a swift and painless compensation process and smooth sailings in the future.

 

Celle

 

I don't know about the M class ships but I know on the C class ships the vibration is normal. Have felt it many times and it can be severe. It is caused when the pods are used leaving and coming into port.

[celle]

I don't know about the M class ships but I know on the C class ships the vibration is normal. Have felt it many times and it can be severe. It is caused when the pods are used leaving and coming into port.

 

Yes, but this wasn't anywhere near port - it was in the middle of the Tasman Sea. It wasn't constant, but was more like an occasional lurch. And no, it was not caused by waves or swell because (for once) the Tasman was as calm as the proverbial mill pond.

[sandravb79]

I understand it's a big disappointment for those booked on the cruise, but think of this: if something is wrong with the ship, it's better they cancel the deal instead of risking being trapped on sea with some major problem going on.

[dkjretired]

Yes, but this wasn't anywhere near port - it was in the middle of the Tasman Sea. It wasn't constant, but was more like an occasional lurch. And no, it was not caused by waves or swell because (for once) the Tasman was as calm as the proverbial mill pond.

 

Fine, just trying to get things clarified as some vibration is normal and people may not be aware of it. What you are saying is probably not normal..

[jerseyk]

Andy

Thank you for getting us this information.

Walter

[The_Big_M]

I don't know, maybe because the cruise line is unable to deliver the product they sold me?

 

And they're compensating for that and more, with a full refund, plus a credit (plus more).

 

And, to that end, any sort of compensation that fails to exceed the cost of getting to the port is certainly not "generous".

 

Having booked the components separately, that's what insurance is for. If you booked it as a package with Celebrity then they should address the package, but having booked the cruise alone that is the only thing they can deal with.

 

You can still successfully use your flights to NZ and Australia for any other travel; those flights are not dependant on the cruise itself. Some may independantly book flights that include other travel, tours and destinations (e.g. round the world tickets).

[lysolqn]

Just adding my two cents for whatever it's (not) worth but I think X is being quite generous with compensation. It seems to me X's ONLY contractual obligation is to refund the cruise fare paid by paid pax (or the cruise/airfare by paid by pax who booked air with X) to make pax "whole" again.

 

X is not obligated to throw in a future cruise credit but is doing so only as a matter of good will. Offering a flight change/cancellation credit for those who opted to book air on their own is extremely generous and way beyond obligation or good will - pax who chose to book their own air made a decision to assume responsibility for their travel because doing so was, in their minds, to their advantage. To expect X to assume that responsibility now because the gamble didn't pay off and what pax originally thought was to their advantage is now clearly to their detriment is unreasonable and rather audacious. Ir's called personal responsibility, a concept almost but not quite yet as extinct as the dinosaurs. Let the flames begin!

[ProudFossil]

And maybe those who are really upset by the compensation offered should call 911 at least three times.

[Cliffy]

I was booked on this cruise. I just got off the phone with X and they said the problem is with the starboard propulsion system.

 

BUMMED:(

[LeftcoastBC]

Having experienced some of the hardship involved in private arrangements and =X= pod problems I extend my sympathy's to those booked on this cruise.

My advice is to let everyone help as much as they can, roll with the punches. Deal calmly with your Independent air Companies, if not as successful as you think you should be enlist =X= to help when things cool down. They book a lot of air and have great contacts.

It may not all work out but there is a method to gaining some peace.

 

And as someone said it's way better to be canceled while on shore. We had the experience of being dropped in Acapulco mid cruise. Not fun at all. Can't imagine if it had been a smaller place say in Costa Ricco ........:(

 

It is also great that we have the ability these days to learn about things from sources such as Andy. There will be people that do not frequent here or other services that will not learn of this until they show up on the dock almost. Imagine their reaction. eg. booked with some internet agency or other and left on their own air already wow.

[Cruise Junky]

I feel awful for everyone that has been cancelled and I'm sure you're all in shock. But I do hope that some of you consider still going, use your air and do a land trip of one of the two fabulous countries.