HELP! Booked cruise with Airmiles!

I am in desperate need of help here. I booked a cruise using Airmiles (Canadian loyalty points) and now I am trying to upgrade my cabin (of course I would pay the difference), because my elderly father needs more space. On the email it says "no changes"....we are not even in final payment yet as the cruise isn't until end of May. Does anyone know if I can change the stateroom or category?

I have tried to get ahold of them and they are off for the next three days for Canadian holiday. I am super stressed about it all and really regret using them to book this cruise. They are really hard to get ahold of and make you wait on hold forever only to hang up.

I called Celebrity and they said they can't do anything since its not their booking.

Has anyone had any luck changing anything on the cruise booked with Airmiles.ca?

I have no direct experience with this, but you will have to continue to reach out to Airmiles for assistance as they are the originators of your booking. As you indicated, Celebrity will not be able to make any changes to that reservation. The concern I would have is with the email indicating "no changes", which may mean that the booking carries certain restrictions. But until final payment is due I would continue to reach out to them to see what - if anything - can be done. Good luck.

Can you cancel this cruise and then rebook it without a cost to you? Have you called Airmiles and ask if you can upgrade? I would think they would do this as it would give them a bigger commission for the cruise.

Let us know what happens.

Can you cancel this cruise and then rebook it without a cost to you? Have you called Airmiles and ask if you can upgrade? I would think they would do this as it would give them a bigger commission for the cruise.

Let us know what happens.

OP indicates that they have tried to reach Airmiles but they are off for a three day Canadian holiday and also referenced that they received an email from them indicating no changes,

I am in desperate need of help here. I booked a cruise using Airmiles (Canadian loyalty points) and now I am trying to upgrade my cabin (of course I would pay the difference), because my elderly father needs more space. On the email it says "no changes"....we are not even in final payment yet as the cruise isn't until end of May. Does anyone know if I can change the stateroom or category?

 

I have tried to get ahold of them and they are off for the next three days for Canadian holiday. I am super stressed about it all and really regret using them to book this cruise. They are really hard to get ahold of and make you wait on hold forever only to hang up.

 

I called Celebrity and they said they can't do anything since its not their booking.

 

Has anyone had any luck changing anything on the cruise booked with Airmiles.ca?

What do you mean that your "elderly father needs more space?" Is he handicapped in some way or on a scooter or wheelchair? If so, then all you need to do is call Airmiles and request a handicapped accessible cabin for him. These cabins are always larger and will have room for this sort of equipment, plus a larger bathroom. Airmiles may be able to change your cabin to a handicap accessible one without changing the price or category.

What do you mean that your "elderly father needs more space?" Is he handicapped in some way or on a scooter or wheelchair? If so, then all you need to do is call Airmiles and request a handicapped accessible cabin for him. These cabins are always larger and will have room for this sort of equipment, plus a larger bathroom. Airmiles may be able to change your cabin to a handicap accessible one without changing the price or category.

Yes he does have a walker, but there were no handicap cabins available, either when I booked or now. But the other cat I am hoping for is a family room which would work better. I really hope they will understand and let us move. It's their 50th anniversary and I am pretty sure this is one of his last trips. I have called Celeb and they have the cabin on hold until Tuesday when I will try to get through to airmiles and plead my case.

If you can cancel & get the miles back I would do that then book direct with the cruise line or a TA

Airmiles is notorious for their lack of service

we cut up our card

Use the miles for shopping/ restaurant coupons or something you can use right away

Yes he does have a walker, but there were no handicap cabins available, either when I booked or now. But the other cat I am hoping for is a family room which would work better. I really hope they will understand and let us move. It's their 50th anniversary and I am pretty sure this is one of his last trips. I have called Celeb and they have the cabin on hold until Tuesday when I will try to get through to airmiles and plead my case.

Very good that Celebrity is holding the stateroom and taking it out of their available inventory. Hopefully Airmiles will respond accordingly. If not that does leave the option of cancelling the booking (hopefully without penalty) and booking directly with Celebrity. I realize that would negate the value of the Airmiles and add to your cost, but maybe with the significance of the cruise and the circumstances you indicate, it would be an option for you to to pursue. Again, good luck.

I guess you don't have any choice but to keep on calling Airmiles if you want to upgrade your cabin. But if you want to upgrade since you and your father are sharing the cabin with others, you may want to consider getting an adjacent cabin instead paying for an upgrade.

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Did you check where the family verandah cabin is? Not sure what ship you are going on, but on the Solstice class ships it is all the way forward which makes for one heck of a long, long, long, long walk to the elevator which might be too much for your dad. The other issue is that you must step up into the bathroom. This is JMO, but with your dad on a walker, I would either get a second cabin that is near the elevators OR get a Royal Suite - which is more midship and very close to the stairs and elevator and has the advantage of a separate tub and walk in shower.

You might buy a second cabin directly from Celebrity as things WILL change as you get closer to the sailing date and as soon as a handicapped cabin comes available, you should be able to grab it and change to it on the reservation with Celebrity - call every day to do this until a cabin comes available - they have cancellations nearly every single day, so the likelihood of this is very, very high. Then if you are stuck with the original cabin, it won't really matter.

Try sending them a message on Facebook, or Twitter. You might get a response from them that way before the long weekend is over. Good luck - they aren't easy to deal with, especially when you're in a holding pattern for them. Please let us know of the outcome.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Hey Great news! I just wanted to give you guys the update, after a bunch of pleading, they put me through to the right person who was able to help me. And its all changed! Everything is great and I am so grateful. I did have to shed a few tears before they would help me, they kept saying that the people who would do it weren't in today!!! I don't usually resort to tears but I was so frustrated after having already waited three days. Anyway, all's well that ends well. Thanks for you support and encouragement!!

Hey Great news! I just wanted to give you guys the update, after a bunch of pleading, they put me through to the right person who was able to help me. And its all changed! Everything is great and I am so grateful. I did have to shed a few tears before they would help me, they kept saying that the people who would do it weren't in today!!! I don't usually resort to tears but I was so frustrated after having already waited three days. Anyway, all's well that ends well. Thanks for you support and encouragement!!

Hopefully, a lesson learned: Airline points are best used to upgrade paid economy flights to business class on international flights. Using only points for an air ticket has many possible pitfalls when changes are needed. Using "points only" for associated travel (e.g., a cruise) is the most challenging for fixes since there are multiple pieces to the puzzle.

Bottom line: you get what you pay for.

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Since you booked via this company's reward program, they are, in effect, acting as your travel agent and operate under whatever rules and policies they have in place. I wish you luck in pleading your case, but I suspect from their previous answers that you have little recourse. Cancelation and change penalties seem to apply.

Good news

Glad it is all sorted

I would never book travel with them

we used our points for other things that we could get right away

enjoy the cruise

Since you booked via this company's reward program, they are, in effect, acting as your travel agent and operate under whatever rules and policies they have in place. I wish you luck in pleading your case, but I suspect from their previous answers that you have little recourse. Cancelation and change penalties seem to apply.

Good grief, did you bother to read the second post before yours? The OP came back and said all was worked out.:rolleyes:

I'm glad you were able to have the issue resolved. They aren't easy to deal with; I've had issues with them before.

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

Hopefully, a lesson learned: Airline points are best used to upgrade paid economy flights to business class on international flights. Using only points for an air ticket has many possible pitfalls when changes are needed. Using "points only" for associated travel (e.g., a cruise) is the most challenging for fixes since there are multiple pieces to the puzzle.

Bottom line: you get what you pay for.

Just as an FYI - "Airmiles" is a Canadian loyalty program that is not associated with any airline. They merely latched onto the name many years back. The points can be used for many different products and is quite different than a traditional USA-based airline program.

Hey Great news! I just wanted to give you guys the update, after a bunch of pleading, they put me through to the right person who was able to help me. And its all changed! Everything is great and I am so grateful. I did have to shed a few tears before they would help me, they kept saying that the people who would do it weren't in today!!! I don't usually resort to tears but I was so frustrated after having already waited three days. Anyway, all's well that ends well. Thanks for you support and encouragement!!

Nice to know it's now resolved. Enjoy your cruise!

Good grief, did you bother to read the second post before yours? The OP came back and said all was worked out.:rolleyes: