Help-Would like to cancel cruise in 10 days

I have just received some very bad news (best friend/inoperable cancer). I really don't want to go on our cruise in 10 days. any ideas on how to cancel or reschedule cruise? We have insurance through Visa but need to be sick or something bad happen to family member. Thx.

I'm sorry to hear about the situation. Unfortunately there's probably nothing that would cover this short of "cancel for any reason".

At this point I'm guessing it's too late but it never hurts to call and ask. While Celebrity is under no obligation to help it's always possible that they'll do something. Best case scenario would probably be a portion of your cruise fare towards a future cruise.

If you are a captain's club member, start with them.

Please call and report back. My condolences to you and your friend.

First, condolences. It's hard to lose anyone we know and love. You should contact Celebrity, or the insurance carrier if it is 3rd party. I've got a feeling though that you will be stuck with your fares. An option might be to find someone willing to go in your place, you should have time to change names.

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They are not obligated to do anything, but call and ask. They might allow you to reschedule. I've had a client that they allowed me to reschedule.

I have just received some very bad news (best friend/inoperable cancer). I really don't want to go on our cruise in 10 days. any ideas on how to cancel or reschedule cruise? We have insurance through Visa but need to be sick or something bad happen to family member. Thx.

If your friend was just diagnosed, I would think about taking the cruise. At a future time you will be needed to care for and support your friend. Lost mother and father to cancer and DH has been batteling it for 2 years. We are cruising next week and we will do what we can do. It is a terrible thing to go thru but your friend will need you much more later. Bless you all.

elapel01 - I so feel your pain! One of my dearest friends, who was with me on my first Celebrity cruise ever - at age 54 - just diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer. My heart is breaking and I know that yours is also.

Losing someone you love forever puts things into perspective. Maybe the buffet isn't all it could be, the wait to embark was too long but dear God how blessed we all are!!!!! Hugs to you and prayers for your friend! xoxo

You just need to hold on...your friend may not be in dire need yet.....and may not want you to change your life for them....put yourself in their place...what would you want THEM to do? You need more info before you decide to cancel.

I'm so very sorry...

I agree with the others. Call and ask. You never know unless you try.

So sorry that your friend is dying. I know this isn't what you asked, but if you can't cancel without losing your money, how about a last minute deal on the sailing for your friend to come along?

As others have said, best to contact Celebrity today.

Keith

I have a different out look on life. If she is still able to walk/travel, why not go and enjoy what time she has left. I know for many this might be unusual, but it is a idea.

I have a different out look on life. If she is still able to walk/travel, why not go and enjoy what time she has left. I know for many this might be unusual, but it is a idea.

This was my thought as well.

Hi

Talk to celebrity, tell them the facts and they might let you transfer

To another cruise without penalty

That was what happened to me , Captains Club are very good,

I paid the extra but kept the 123 thingies,

Sorry about your friend

elapel01 - Any updates? Have you made a decision?

Why not both go and have the time of your lives and make some great memories?

Just keep in mind that rescheduling might put you at a time when it is even more important to be with your friend. Go now, recharge your batteries and return ready to be there for the long haul.

If you feel it's best to cancel, I would call Celebrity. I agree with some of the others who have mentioned going on the cruise. You received some very sad news about your friend. It serves as a reminder that none of us know how long we have. Enjoy the cruise as best you can. Recharge to help your friend when you return.

While everyone is well meaning and supportive - the question the OP is asking is not whether to go on the cruise or not, it seems they have decided not to gogiven the circumstances. The advice they are looking for is how to cancel without penalty....

While everyone is well meaning and supportive - the question the OP is asking is not whether to go on the cruise or not, it seems they have decided not to gogiven the circumstances. The advice they are looking for is how to cancel without penalty....

Cassi, none of us are blind, and pretty much everyone has explained to the OP that there is nothing in the contract that requires Celebrity to help, but that Celebrity should be contacted to see what options are available.

We are also offering alternative options because there's a chance Celebrity won't help and then OP will be back. Some of us are cancer survivors (myself included) who have their opinions as to what we'd feel if our friend skipped their vacation for us. Others (again, myself included) have lost close friends and family to cancer and know what survivor's guilt feels like.

If the OP doesn't like our advice, they are free to ignore it. If you don't like our advice, you are free to ignore it.

Cassi, none of us are blind, and pretty much everyone has explained to the OP that there is nothing in the contract that requires Celebrity to help, but that Celebrity should be contacted to see what options are available.

 

We are also offering alternative options because there's a chance Celebrity won't help and then OP will be back. Some of us are cancer survivors (myself included) who have their opinions as to what we'd feel if our friend skipped their vacation for us. Others (again, myself included) have lost close friends and family to cancer and know what survivor's guilt feels like.

 

If the OP doesn't like our advice, they are free to ignore it. If you don't like our advice, you are free to ignore it.

I'm aware of that. Just saying no one knows the specific circumstances of the OP and their friend, and it's lovely that people are being supportive, but that doesn't give them the exact answer they're looking for. Perhaps others have been in the same situation and can shed some light on how they handled it from a practical perspective.

Firstly, sincere sympathy at your situation. Secondly, your OP doesn't say where you are and as we know well from the many threads here, conditions vary widely from country to country.

I can only offer two experiences of my own.

Last year I woke up in intensive care, after a week ventilated and sedated and so I'm told, having dodged a pretty good chance of meeting my maker. I recovered with some ongoing issues but we had a cruise booked for October and final payment date was looming. We investigated the option to give the cruise away to friends, but the rules prohibited it. We could cruise or lose. Our tremendous TA managed to get us the option to transfer our booking and deposit to any other cruise in the next 12 months. We also got a short extension on the final payment date to allow us to make up our minds after taking further medical advice. My consultant told me I was okay to holiday so long as I was within helicopter distance of a coast, but "don't go transatlantic". It didn't sound too encouraging.

In the end, we booked something for October this year but took last year's planned cruise as well. Full marks to Cunard, they got a second booking out of showing a bit of flexibility. Maybe Celebrity has similar good customer service and hopefully you have a TA as good as mine.

My second story is much closer to yours. In 2011 for 2013 we planned the holiday of a lifetime - 4 weeks in New Zealand and Australia with a voyage in a suite on Solstice between the two countries. My wife's father had been constantly ill for several years and the very act of booking over a year in advance was a leap in the dark. Before we went away, he was okay(ish) and my wife went to see him to effectively say goodbye, just in case. I stayed at home, not wishing to take a horrible cold into a care home. If she had said she wanted to back out at the last minute I would have cheerfully written off the cruise, the expensive flights, all of it.

He passed away after a two day illness as we were heading to the airport in Sydney for our flight home. He was surrounded by family but DW and I were a world away. For us, it was the right decision to go and not for one minute have we regretted it. His passing was a shock and it was a difficult time, but it would have been so whatever the circumstances.

Your own circumstances, your relationship, your values and how you look at life are all completely different to mine. But I'm sure you'll make the right decision if you are able to stand back, take a look a the bigger picture, take a deep breath and follow both your heart and your head.

Whatever you decide, good luck and best wishes.

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Thank you everyone for your suggestions and kind words. The shock has worn off plus my friend would be so upset if we cancelled. So while I will still think of her I guess it just reinforces that everyone needs to enjoy every day as much as they can.

Thanks again💗