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

[penelope42]

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.

 

 

I second that idea. If I were booked on this I know I would be trying to switch to a land based Aus or NZ vacation since I would already have the airfare booked and time off work. That said this really is a sad situation for those affected.

[dutchess43]

What a large disappointment & I feel bad for all of you. As I concur the compensation is wonderful but there is no monetary value to compensate for your disappointment. Hope it all works out for you all.

[Andy]

Andy

Thank you for getting us this information.

Walter

 

Hi Walter !

 

You (and everyone at Cruise Critic) are very welcome ! My thoughts are with the many Cruisers who were booked. I stayed at my PC until afer 3 am, to try and answer your questions. I realize this is a very difficult, and disappointing situation for the passengers and for Celebrity. I trust that my efforts were helpful.

 

While I truly dislike being the bearer of disappointing news, I strongly feel it's important to keep the flow of information as current as possible. This is one of the many benefits of the internet, and being a Cruise Critic Member.

 

I'd like to offer my best wishes to those who were booked. I sincerely hope everything works out to your satisfaction. I'd also like to say Thank You to Celebrity for making a very generous offer to their passengers.

[marylandcrab]

We too were scheduled to sail on March 15. We had air with Celebrity for this cruise so they apparently have cancelled the cruise and air as well, so don't think we could have still flown to NZ. We will get all our money back. We have tentatively booked a 14 day March 15, 2009 cruise on Infinity(hope no pod problems) from Santiago to Ft. Lauderdale. Celebrity has applied credit to this cruise for us and are trying to be helpful. We will use Celebrity for air again as right now it is imposssible to get good air rates at the last moment. This trip will cost us approximaatley $2200 for the two of us including air. We will learn the cabin number and air itinerary on Monday. Now going on CC board to see what we can find out. Thanks CC and all those on the boards for all your great work in keeping us informed and helping with suggestions. If anyone knows anything about this S . American cruise and ports by all means post your comments. Shocked, disappointed but working it through.:eek:Barbara

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I thought the poster who suggested substituting a land tour had a brilliant idea. Yes, it will be different, but you will get to see one or both of those countries in depth. I have a friend who just got back from this cruise and she said she can't wait to go back and spend some time in Sydney. You already have your air booked, time off from work arranged, some of you are already packed. Go for it! Sure, it's a major disappointment, but you could turn it into a new adventure. And you still get to plan another cruise which Celebrity will pay for. In addition to getting the money you paid for this one refunded, which you could now apply to hotels, rental cars, whatever strikes your fancy. In my opinion, Celebrity has been generous in their offer.

[hcat]

Oh my word..

I feel awful for those who have been cancelled.. All the planning that goes into a trip of this sort--And most will take a loss on the airfare...if not through X..I am so sorry !

 

Is this the same ship that hit the rock awhile ago?

 

We just booked a trip on Summit for 2010--hope that was not a bad idea! M class has always ben riskier tha others...well glad no one was injured..

 

 

 

If anyone knows:

Could someone elxplain how to insure airline tix sep from cruiseline Ins...I think we should do that for our Europe cruise.. as this could happen to anyone...do we do it thru the airline & does it insure you for a cancelled cruise? I will also ask on cruise air thread..

[marylandcrab]

Point well taken but Celebrity as cancelled our air fare as well as we booked the cruise and air through them as a package. But at least we get all our money back. :confused:

[celle]

I thought the poster who suggested substituting a land tour had a brilliant idea. Yes, it will be different, but you will get to see one or both of those countries in depth. I have a friend who just got back from this cruise and she said she can't wait to go back and spend some time in Sydney. You already have your air booked, time off from work arranged, some of you are already packed. Go for it!

 

If anyone does decide to continue with their flights to and from NZ and Australia, I recommend that you pack light. You will need to book a flight from NZ to OZ and the baggage allowance for this will be only 20Kg or 23Kg, depending on the air line.

 

Flights to and from the US follow the "piece" system, whereby you are allowed 2 pieces of checked baggage per person. But a separately booked flight between NZ and Australia will follow the "weight" system - one checked bag, 20 or 23 Kg (about 44 pounds).

 

Best wishes for speedy resolutions to your disappointment.

 

Celle

[MMDown Under]

We too were scheduled to sail on March 15. We had air with Celebrity for this cruise so they apparently have cancelled the cruise and air as well, so don't think we could have still flown to NZ. We will get all our money back. We have tentatively booked a 14 day March 15, 2009 cruise on Infinity(hope no pod problems) from Santiago to Ft. Lauderdale. :eek:Barbara

 

With all the cancelled flights by Celebrity, there should be plenty of flights available to Auckland, if you had your heart set on NZ.

 

I don't think it is a good deal if you end up cruising somewhere you didn't want to go.

[suzy5555]

 

Is this the same ship that hit the rock awhile ago?

 

Yes - it was July 2007 that Mille hit a submerged rock after an electrical failure in France on Med. cruise.

 

Cruises were canceled in 2003 when Mille went to drydock to replace a thrust-bearing unit port propulsion system

[wrp96]

For those of you that booked independent air and the change fees are more than the amount alloted by Celebrity, don't assume you won't get anything. Definitely claim it on your travel insurance as that is what it is for. But also keep all receipts and correspondence with your airline, and then write a letter to Celebrity requesting compensation for the additional reasonable change fees.

 

They typically put a cap on the airline change fees in their announcements because some people would take it as an opportunity to go for the most expensive route (i.e. upgrade from coach to first on their new flights, etc). But if you write a polite letter outlining your additional reasonable costs they will frequently step up and go beyond what they originally announced as compensation.

[MMDown Under]

If anyone does decide to continue with their flights to and from NZ and Australia, I recommend that you pack light. You will need to book a flight from NZ to OZ and the baggage allowance for this will be only 20Kg or 23Kg, depending on the air line.

 

Flights to and from the US follow the "piece" system, whereby you are allowed 2 pieces of checked baggage per person. But a separately booked flight between NZ and Australia will follow the "weight" system - one checked bag, 20 or 23 Kg (about 44 pounds).

 

Best wishes for speedy resolutions to your disappointment.

 

Celle

 

This is good advice. However, if you book flights US - NZ - Aus, with a stopover in NZ, the piece system will still apply for the whole journey.

[jenl31]

:eek:We're sailing on Millenium April 12th. If anyone hears anything about the problem kindly post as soon as possible. We have two couples sailing with us that are first time cruisers! Haven't said anything to them yet. Don't want to "spook" them!!

 

:(Sorry to everyone who's cruise was cancelled! Hope all works out for the best. Maybe we'll take flight insurance, we booked privately.

[celle]

This is good advice. However, if you book flights US - NZ - Aus, with a stopover in NZ, the piece system will still apply for the whole journey.

 

Correct, but if you have already booked flights US-NZ and Aus-US, an additional NZ-Aus flight (booked saparately) would have to comply with the one bag, weight system.

 

I was thinking in particular of people who had already booked flights for the cancelled cruise and who are now trying to pull together a land tour instead.

[EmsMom]

Qantas has some good airfares right now if anyone is looking for air due to the March 15 cancellation .

[mybagsarepacked]

We rebooked on the April 17th Sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to London (Harwich) UK. Celebrity and Crucon couldn't have been nicer.

 

I am more disappointed at not being able to meet all the fun and helpful cruisers we met via the roll call board.

 

We'll get to OZ and NZ someday, just not this year!

 

Safe Travels, one and all,

Stacy in Atlanta

[martodd]

I am so sorry for all of you on that sailing. I know how you feel. We were on the Mili when she hit the rock in France. We got to the next port (which was our 2nd on a 12 nighter) and never got any further. The heartbreak you feel for all the things you were planning on seeing and can't now is horrible.

We used our refund for a summer land trip the next month to make up for the lost trip. But then rebooked while still onboard for the same cruise the next year. Does Celebrity have any dates for there next year for you??

Once again, I am sooo sorry for you and good luck with whatever plans you end up making.

[MMDown Under]

Correct, but if you have already booked flights US-NZ and Aus-US, an additional NZ-Aus flight (booked saparately) would have to comply with the one bag, weight system.

 

I was thinking in particular of people who had already booked flights for the cancelled cruise and who are now trying to pull together a land tour instead.

 

Sorry, I realised that Celle.

 

My comments were for those who might be rebooking from the US because their Crucon flights were cancelled by Celebrity with their cruise.

 

There mightn't be many, but thought there might be some people, like me, who would still be wanting to go!! Should be some good airfares available at such short notice, with so many cancellations.

[MMDown Under]

Can someone please explain to me which Celebrity ships have the potential for podd ? problems?

[rebar-art]

I purchased TravelGuard insurance through my travel agent (Gold Policy with additional Umbrella Supp.) for a trip value of $4500. They told my agent this morning that this is NOT covered. My air is with Air New Zealand and I have little hope of going anywhere they fly. My agent said he would work on it on Monday.

Celebrity also won't give me the reduced 150% single supplement on the Summit sailings during this time (even though they offered it with their Tuesday specials this past week). They also said I had to use the entire credit on one sailing, that it would not carry over

I was never even contacted by Celebrity, I found out on here! When I called my travel agent--they didn't know.

I am so, so disappointed. Heartbroken.

[jannandjohn]

I think any ship with azipods has the potential..not just Celebrity.

We have been on the Sapphire Princess that had to "limp" home past the ports..it couldn't stop, in case it really stopped..and an NCL ship that had bad vibrations

[agabbymama]

Can someone please explain to me which Celebrity ships have the potential for podd ? problems?

 

They are the M-Class ships, Summit & Infinity seem to have had the most problems, then Millennium and Constellation with fewer problems. Back in 2005 & 2006 they were noted for their pod problems, but haven't heard much of anything in the last year. I googled to see if I could find anything on the lawsuit that RCI had against the maker, but nothing new shows up. People thought they weren't fixing the problem until the lawsuit settled. So maybe everything has been cleared up now.

[Karynanne]

I purchased TravelGuard insurance through my travel agent (Gold Policy with additional Umbrella Supp.) for a trip value of $4500. They told my agent this morning that this is NOT covered. My air is with Air New Zealand and I have little hope of going anywhere they fly. My agent said he would work on it on Monday.

Celebrity also won't give me the reduced 150% single supplement on the Summit sailings during this time (even though they offered it with their Tuesday specials this past week). They also said I had to use the entire credit on one sailing, that it would not carry over

I was never even contacted by Celebrity, I found out on here! When I called my travel agent--they didn't know.

I am so, so disappointed. Heartbroken.

 

You may want to check with Air New Zealand and see if they will allow you to use the ticket with one of their Alliance partners. I know United is one of the partners.

[celle]

Sorry, I realised that Celle.

 

My comments were for those who might be rebooking from the US because their Crucon flights were cancelled by Celebrity with their cruise.

 

There mightn't be many, but thought there might be some people, like me, who would still be wanting to go!! Should be some good airfares available at such short notice, with so many cancellations.

 

That's OK. :)

 

We're both trying to be helpful.

[suzy5555]

Does Celebrity have any dates for there next year for you??

 

That's one of the problems. Celebrity announced that it is canceling it's 2009-2010 Australia and New Zealand cruises on Celebrity Millennium. The line's final Australia cruise will take place in April 2009.

 

If I thought they would come back to this area, I wouldn't mind waiting a year to travel with them.