simplygq

Hi,

I just checked my sailing for this weekend and there are a lot of rooms available? Do you think there is a minimum required to sail?

Thank

• Ship:  Constellation
• Length of Cruise: 15 nights 
• Cruise Sail Date: 18 Dec
• Date email offer received: mid Nov (emailed to request as I could not access on my own)
• Captain’s Club Tier - Select
• Booked through Celebrity Direct OR via TA: direct through blue chios
• Current Cabin: inside
• Bid?  Yes/No: Yes 

If YES -  Bidding Details:

• Cabin Category: place winning category, if accepted (all category offers, can be mentioned in comments)
• Bid Offer:
• Notification Date:
• Accepted / Rejected

General Comments 

Ocean view $100 /person

Veranda $250 / person

Family Veranda $250/ person

bit slightly more the minium with exception of the family veranda. Recieved email that all bids rejected 2 days before cruise.

when I first bid, probably 2 weeks in the bids were not able to be adjusted. The family veranda and ocean view were expired and the veranda was pending. About 5 days before logged into the moveup and noticed all bid options were open again. Increased bids on all options but appears today that offers were rejected. When I check the sailing appears they still have some room open.

Did anyone get on Hilton brand amex?

On 11/29/2019 at 2:31 PM, NMTraveller said:

I cannot see the offer either.  I am looking for a link to add it if it exists.

Any luck finding a link?

Previously when I sailed on RCL, they had discounts in the cruise planner but for Celebrity I didn't notice anything special. Is this normal?

On 11/21/2019 at 12:43 PM, MamaFej said:

 

This did not work for me, but mine is a Delta-affiliated card. It did work for others on the Princess board. Good luck.

http://americanexpress.com/wlcl

I was able to add this even though it did not show up in offers. Is there a link like this for Celebrity?

Thanks in advance

Sorry posted this in the wrong forum. Is it possible to delete or move to celebrity forum

Hi

We have our first upcoming cruise with celebrity. 

On port days if kids want to stay at kids club, are parents okay to exit ship?

We have had mixed feedback from 2 customer services folks. One agent said yes the other said 1 parents needs to stay on the ship. On royal Carribean we were okay to leave kids on ship and we could exit.

Is it possible to book a casino rate with blue chips. I have been denied by blue chips. Just curious as travel agent maybe able to provide additional perks.

18 hours ago, suekay said:

We sailed from Singapore to Dubai via Sri Lanka and India on Royal Caribbean.  There were multiple people without Indian visas. They were allowed to board but couldnt go ashore in India.  But as a previous poster suggests, it would be best to email the cruise company for their advice

Thanks for your input. When was this sailing?

22 hours ago, sddsddean said:

There were a couple of people I met on board who couldn’t get India visas, so as you say, they had to stay on the ship.

 

Simon

This makes me feel better. I called celebrity if they could give me something in writing they promises I will be able to board but they refused. Like I said in previous post just neverous going across the world to find out that we  cant board.

17 hours ago, tring said:

 

To clarify my position.  We had a tour/stay holiday in Sri Lanka a couple of years ago (self planned) and are doing the same next January, with our own flights booked, and board a cruise ship there on the 6th February (Fred Olsen's Boudicca) to Dubai.  Fred has let it be known that all passengers embarking or disembarking the vessel in Sri Lanka will need to be in possession of a 30 day tourist visa, though passengers getting straight on/off the ship from/to their flights they will be there for less than 48 hours and should be OK with a transit visa.  It is presumed Fred is covering his back in case of problems with the ship or his flights and it is not going down well as the charge for tourist visa's is due to be re introduced on 1st Feb.  The application is much the same for both visas from what I understand though.  It is understandable that Fred wants to make sure people have ETA's to prevent what could be large scale problems at the port or the airport when his flights land there.  As the ship will be docked there for 3 days in total (a day for each cruise + change over day), I assume the people staying on the ship for the next cruise cannot use transit visas anyway and obviously we will have to have tourist visas.

 

As we have planned our own Sri Lankan holidays and especially since the bombings at Easter, which caused a big hiccup for us as well as a lot of suffering by the local people, I have kept a close eye on the Trip Advisor forum regularly (daily since Easter apart from when we have been away).  Hence I am well aware of things like visa queries etc. and there is also a very good guide to the visa process linked to that forum which we have used in the past.  I have also gained a lot of very useful advice re many things Sri Lankan from the regular posters over a long time, especially a destination expert, ErikandSandya (a husband and wife,) who are particularly reliable.  I also recognise other reliable posters on the forum, though, of course, some details picked up from forums should be treated carefully as there are scammers out there or others who do not have the correct info.

 

Points mentioned recently on that forum is that the official site for applying for ETA's has some problems.  It still says there is a charge for the tourist visa, but when the application is completed, money is not requested and visa's come through without charge.  Also there is strange wording on the transit visa as it says you cannot enter the country, which is thought to be a bad translation (or just careless wording).  It seems that if in the country for less than 48 hours (and travelling on to a different place from where you came), the Sri Lankan authorities consider you to be in transit and not having entered the country, even though you are physically there - yes weird..........

 

I suggest you click through from the FCO site to apply for an ETA to make sure you are on the correct site as there are other sites out there, (like there are with all visa applications), which will charge you, or even ones were the visa never turns up anyway.  The application is easy and far better than having problems on arrival or perhaps even being denied boarding of a ship/plane.  As previously mentioned, the visa's can only be applied for 3 months before travel. 

 

Happy travels and enjoy Sri Lanka, it is a wonderful country,

 

Barbara

Hi Barbara,

Did you have an experience or hear about folks not having visa and not being allowed on board the ship? I am nervous going half way across the world to find out I cant board?

Thank you

48 minutes ago, tring said:

 

I can see why you are worried as I believe there are some problems with Indian visa's if you have Pakistan nationality or ancestry.  Hence all I can do is wish you good luck.

 

Regards Sri Lanka I have seen reports on the Sri Lankan Trip Advisor board from people with Pakistan Nationality and they have had to wait a lot longer for their Sri Lankan ETA to come through, and I am not sure if everyone gets them eventually, whilst for UK nationals and other western nationals, they come through within a couple of days. 

 

I suggest it may be worth you trying to get help from the Trip Advisor forums for the relevant countries you wish to visit (mainly India), though I am not sure you will be able to get help there.  Perhaps worth a try though. 

I probably apply for the Sri Lankan visa closer to the date just incase I have to cancel. If I change to another cruise I probably loose about 1300 in visa and changing flights.

5 hours ago, sddsddean said:

We did Dubai - Singapore on Connie in January. I think most of us on the roll call applied for Indian visas about 2 months out and though someone had a bit of a panic as her visa took 72 hrs to be approved, I don't think anyone else had any problems. You could always try e mailing the visa website and see if they have any info. (Not a stupid question...you did use the official site?).

Just a heads up...this might apply in Singapore too, but when we boarded in Dubai you must have at check in a copy of your passport (take 2 copies before you leave home, as Celeb will take your passport away too), 2 copies of the Indian visa and 1 copy of the Sri Lanka transit visa (though you say you don't need this anymore...its free; I'd probably get it anyway!). Several people had packed their visas etc, so that led to hold ups at check in. You will get a 'landing card' for India the night before your first Indian port. DO NOT LOSE IT!!!!! It MUST be stamped at each Indian port (India is far more officious than UK!). It will be checked at least twice and probably three times on each exit and each entry to the port, so be prepared for queues. Our worst one was Goa (about 30 mins as only 2 agents), best was Cochin(30 seconds as about 30 agents).

Anything else you have questions about, feel free to ask.

 

Simon

Were people allowed to board if they didn't have Visa's? I'm would like to check out India but if I am not able to get the visa or denied I am okay staying on the ship those days. 

2 hours ago, PatEv said:

Not sure where you live?  For the UK, the Sri Lanka trip no longer needs a visa.  The application form online for the Indian visa is a bit of a pain, but it was turned around in 24 hours and approved.  Did you apply online or otherwise?

 

We're on Connie doing the reverse of your trip.

I am think I will be fine for Sri Lanka just nervous about India visa

5 hours ago, tring said:

 

For Sri Lanka the transit ETA and also the 30 day ETA, (which you should will not need unless there for more than 48 hours), cannot be applied for until 3 months before your visit now (a recent change).  If you wait in hope of getting a visa on arrival it will cost more and will likely mean delays at the port.

 

I would have thought you also have plenty of time for the Indian visa, though I am not sure how early it can be applied for, or if you have unusual circumstances.  What nationality are you?  It is best to look up the requirements from your government website.  I am from the UK and many other countries have the similar requirements to us.

I am located in Canada. My wife, I and the kids are all born in Canada however my parents were born in Pakistan as a result I have to go through the India consulate. I applied 6 weeks and they said my case was only hold. They didn't give me an ETA. I am nervous that I will get denied or they will have me on hold at time of sailing. I was confused if I still be able to embark the ship?

Hi,

My next cruise is on celebrity constellation in Dec 2019. The cruise is going from Singapore to Dubia with stops in India and Sri Lanka. We applied for visa for India approx 6 weeks ago and received an email this week that our Visa application has been put on hold with no ETA on decision. I contacted Celebrity and they said they would allow us to board the ship however potential the port authority could turn us away. They also said they could not provide us this information in writing. 

I have already booked flights and quite a bit money to obtain the India visa with no promise of approvals. Does anyone have any feedback if we will be denied boarding? should I considering cancelling?

Thank you for your input!

GQ