barry.lori

Thanks for the wonderful review. We leave for our first river cruise in a few weeks. Amsterdam to Budapest with Tauck. We know that everything will be first class. Just found out that my wife is allergic to all seafood, called Tauck and they will look after everything and keep the information on file for future travels.

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Has the twice daily room cleaning gone by the wayside? We don't need the bed made and the vacuuming, but having clean towels is a nice touch.

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The Celebrity website still says that twice daily service is provided in all room categories. They say "makeup and turndown". Now we all know how reliable the website is, but perhaps someone on a current cruise can confirm.

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Yes, the crew works very hard so then why doesn't the cruise line pay them a fare salary and just include it in the price?

 

 

 

They just raised the gratuities last July (2015) from 12.00 to 12.95 and now less than a year later another .55 so thats $1.50 pp per day in just under 12 months. It does start to add up.

I makes little difference to me whether the tips/service charge is included in the cruise price or is a separate line item. But, I suspect if the gratuities were included in the fare, the cruise lines would round up.

But for us, the additional gratuity does not mean we will have any fewer drinks, or buy any fewer T shirts or enjoy ourselves any less. It is about perspective.

Barry

As I read the announcement, it looks like the increase is about 55 cents per day. On a 14 day cruise that means you will have to pay an additional $8 per person. Maybe I am in the minority but for the hardworking staff an extra 55 cents per day seems like a bargain. And why wouldn't they expect to get a raise every year. If you are still working, don't you expect it? Maybe, you don't get that yearly salary adjustment but you expect it none the less.

If I choose to continue to cruise, then I am prepared to pay the cruise fare as well as pay for any additional features that I may want.

Barry

Vivian, we have NOT found anything to replace the 2 cruises we had.....yet. Crossing our fingers that something catches our eye tomorrow, as our TA is having a Memorial Day sale we would like to take advantage of. Losing both Amsterdam and Brugges, which were THE 2 ports that drove our decision to book those, was tough. There isn't currently anything with both of those in the same cruise, and we can't find much with even just one of them.

 

Barry, what is the process for booking them as placeholders? It sounds like something we should look at.

I just called my CVP at Celebrity and had her move my 2 cruises to anything for 2018. So I have 2 Caribbean cruises booked for spring 2018. Once the fall of 2018 itineraries are offered (probably late this year), then we will move these "placeholders" to the new dates.

Hope this helps.

Barry

Barry, Clojacks, Were you able to find another cruise? I hope so!

We have moved our cruises to 2018. As the fall is not available yet we have booked placeholders so we can retain our perks. Once the 2018 fall is available, we will rebook.

Barry

I'm very curious to see what they are offering Barry. I talked to our TA yesterday after you posted and they hadn't heard anything yet. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to go through them since I booked on board and then transferred it to my US based TA.

I still have not received the email from Celebrity. But I was told that we would get $200 for inconvenience if we were to rebook one of the options. The offer is fine for us but the choices of alternate cruises are not acceptable. They have delayed telling us what the situation is and now we are under a time constraint to make a decision. Why not offer us the OBC on any cruise that we would take in the next 12 months (from the cruise date).

Barry

Just had a phone call from my Celebrity CVP. The September 4, 2017 cruise has been chartered. Apparently, there is an official email that will be sent outlining options. But decisions will have to be made by end of May or Celebrity will cancel the booking. Will post the email once I get it.

Barry

You must know more about running a cruise line than I do. I don't know that ships sail 100% full, and I don't know when charters pay. But since all cruise lines are hustling for charter business, there must be something in it for them.

You are wrong. I know nothing about running a cruise line. But, I do know about the proper way to treat customers.

I will agree to disagree with you on this point. And end my participation in this discussion as It appears that you are on the verge of making it personal.

Barry

They get a guaranteed payment, no marketing expenses, all the risk is on the charter group -- plus a good percentage of the regular passengers who can't sail on that cruise will shift to a different one, so their money isn't "lost" after all.

Sorry, I can't buy that argument. The cruise line gets guaranteed payment before the ship leaves. We have to pay in full 60 plus days before sailing. As for marketing expense, the on line marketing is basically at no cost. Celebrity must send me 4 or 5 emails a week. All electronic. I will give you the point that a good percentage will find other cruises. But what if they find another line and like it. They may be lost forever.

I have a b2b booked for Sept. 2017. And the first cruise has disappeared. Some friends want us to do a land based trip with them in July. We can't do both. And Celebrity does not seem able to confirm this cruise. So, what to do? Cancel Celebrity and travel with friends or wait till the land based trip is sold out and Celebrity cancels and then we are left with nothing.

This is a situation that is not easily solved.

Barry

I have always been surprised how many charters Celevrity does with its small fleet of ships.

If, as we all believe that cruise ships sail nearly 100% full, why then do they charter and not be more forthcoming to those that have booked? Do they get a premium for these charters? I am not talking about the charters that may have to have everything hosed down, but normal charters.

Barry

These bookings that "disappear" off the website, are you folks already booked?

 

If so, are your bookings being cancelled?

 

If you are booked, have you called Celebrity to find out why it is off the website?

 

If you are not booked, well, perhaps you waited to long to make the booking?

 

We were on a cruise where there were (we found out once inboard) 900 religious retreat participants. We did not know this until we were on board. We felt OK about it because we were God Bless You'd at every turn and the Martini Bar was never too full :)

Hi Pete

We are all booked on these disappearing cruises or we would not be worried. Our bookings have not been cancelled, so we are in cruise limbo. Many of us have booked back to back cruises and now find that one leg is gone.

We have called Celebrity and our travel agents to find out an answer. The answer is always the same. "We are looking into it and will get back to you when we know something"

This is all well and good but as the Canadian dollar weakens and the cruise prices go up our alternative for another cruise is in jeopardy.

I know that we are 500 days out but we want to plan.

Barry

The people in the REVENUE department do know, but won't tell. The only reason for this kind of delay has to be because they are waiting for a contract to be executed. If it's the whole ship we'll be cancelled; if it's partial they won't divulge that for fear of existing passenger cancellations. So very frustrating!!

We are also booked on this cruise as well as the next one making it a back 2 back. But, as they are about 500 days away, I am content to just wait and see how it plays out. If Celebrity cancels this cruise then we will cancel the 8 day cruise that follows and will have to find something else. We did look and did not find anything at this time that interests us, so will just wait and see. Maybe, Celebrity will offer us some sort of perk or compensation for our troubles.

Hope to hear something within the next few weeks.

Barry

Has anyone else noticed an increase of advertising on threads?

I noticed this today. Not pleased. It is also showing up in "favourites". When did this start?

I have noticed that cruisers of all ages show a complete disregard for the appropriate clothing. What is it with torn jeans and ball caps and sunglasses propped on their head? But that being said, it is their vacation and what they wear is of little concern to me. I would rather sit next to these people than a table filled with properly dressed cruisers that are so loud a conversation can't be carried on.

What are the plans for dry dock in Oct. 2016? We have booked b2b from Vancouver to Hawaii and then the next leg to Sydney. In reading threads about ships going into dry dock, it appears that there may be some service failures prior to the dry dock. Should we be concerned?

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We remember her very well. She is from Slovenia. She was unbelievable. By far the most perfect wait person you could ever ask for. She was also a very lovely person as well. If she is not on any cruise line now, we only wish her the very best.

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