Breaking news in the UK Eclipse on the way to Spain

[BMT]

Lovely piccie of the Eclipse on the front page of Sur in English - a free expat newspaper here on the Costas detailing her rescue effort.

[Project_gal]

... and it appears that they did not wreak the ships despite free drinks what some people thought. http://news.aol.co.uk/britons-return-as-cruise-ship-docks/article/20100423130117613189449?icid=main|uk-ws-bb|dl1|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.co.uk%2Fbritons-return-as-cruise-ship-docks%2Farticle%2F20100423130117613189449

[Chia Chonga]

Speaking to a crew member on Eclipse this morning, generally most passengers behaved well, but they had quite a few reports from cabin staff of passengers smoking in rooms and on balconies after being asked to follow the no smoking policy, nice to see they were grateful for the free lift home!:mad:

[CruisinGerman]

Personally, I feel this was all a media publicity stunt. We are not talking about 2,000 Brits stranded in Somalia, so to speak.

 

The EU Airline passenger rights directive provides that the airlines, while re-routing the stranded passengers, must provide them with meals, hotel, telephone calls, etc. while they are waiting for the next flight.

 

So now Celebrity comes along to ferry 2,000 of them across the channel, while at the same time neither Celebrity nor RCCL provided refunds or future cruise credits to passengers who booked cruise only with the cruise line but booked their own air.

 

So I don't see the logic in Celebrity rescuing the 2,000 Brits, when these unfortunate passengers were already covered, under the law and their rights, by both the airlines and the tour companies they booked their travel with, while at the same time, it and its parent company caused hardship to their own passengers who were scheduled to sail on immediately-departing cruises but could not get to the ship.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Presto2]

This is a real good news story for Celebrity and a nice gensture, but I am sure they knew what good publicity it would bring them --- and future bookings I'm sure. Who can blame them.

 

Have to 'laugh' at some of the comments on here about the passengers and if they would / wouldn't behave etc. The passengers weren't cave dwellers and I'd bet that that all of Celebrity's fare paying passengers don't always behave perfectly and abide by every rule. Rather than dwell on the odd one or two who may have broken some rules think about those really genuine people who may never have the chance to go on a cruise ship like the Eclipse again - it must have made a few dreams come true!

 

Anyway, off to make our dream come true now and book our first Celebrity Cruise for next year .......... we're only in a 4 star Riu this year in Fuerteventura though, but promise not to break anything / any rules next year ---;)

[excitedofharpenden]

From my own personal perspective there are mostly upsides to this story and very few if any downsides. It's easy to a be a bit cynical about why it was done, but in the end it got a lot of people home (in some style), got some tour operators out of a situation and was good publicity for the cruise line. I'm pleased they did it.

 

Phil

[CruisinGerman]

.......if you were scheduled to fly to Miami to catch your Celebrity or RCCL cruise, could not got there, didn't take your cruise, and were merely told, "Sorry, we're keeping all your money and you're out of luck".

 

At least Cunard and some other cruise lines were sympathetic and let people re-schedule the missed cruise without penalty or loss.

 

Seems to me there is a contradiction in values going on here.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther

[keela1eva2]

I was booked on the Equinox for the T/A 19th April sailing. Obviously I didn't make the cruise.

Word that I could book another cruise I paid the difference to book 2 7 Night BTB on Solstice in the Caribbean. leaving late May.

While some of you here don't think that X should have done this if you had a child or someone out there would you not be delighted just to get them home.

For those on the Royal Naval Ship I am sure that most Boys and Men who were on it the memory will live with them for ever. Bunk beds!! Who cares I'm sure that 99 out a 100 would choose the RN vessel maybe except we women who want to get their done etc.

Again I am appauled at the comments that these people would thrash the Ship. How much do they know about there people. If you are from the UK then it an insult to your Nation and from the US just listen to the people who have been interviewed and you will know that they are not lager louts or whatever. This above all has made me so angry. You simply can't tar them all with the same brush.

This was the Easter vacation and so families are travelling.

I have just heard Nick Clegg talking about being happy to have his children back so they were obviously away( Lib/Dem leader Election May6th)

On a more personal note my 12 year Granddaughter was in Italy with her school on a 4 day break.

After moving them from Rome to Venice and when that flight was cancelled they left Venice last on Friday night to travel all the way by coach to Harrogate. They arrived around 10pm on Saturday night.Tired but safe and well.

What a great job the 4 Teacher who were travelling with this group 41 in total. all 12=13 year olds (with one crying before they left their school on the Monday am.)

!

Flame me if you like!! ! This is a great PR exercise for X but so what they did get over 2 thousand people home.

 

Sue

[jocap]

[quote name=CruisinGerman; .

 

So I don't see the logic in Celebrity rescuing the 2' date='000 Brits, when these unfortunate passengers were already covered, under the law and their rights, by both the airlines and the tour companies they booked their travel with, while at the same time, it and its parent company caused hardship to their own passengers who were scheduled to sail on immediately-departing cruises but could not get to the ship.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta[/quote]

It was "the tour companies they booked their travel with" who chartered this ship to rescue the people who had been travelling with them. Celebrity also made 50 cabins available to Brits identified by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as needing immediate repatriation. According to Thomson's advert in the Times today, "We redirected 3 cruise ships to help bring back 4,000 passengers." Who paid what is uncertain, although we know that Tui, Thomson etc paid for the fuel.

Well done, these firms, and well done Celebrity.

Jo.

[CruisinGerman]

I applaud the tour companies for chartering the ship, since at the end of the day by law the tour companies are responsible for getting their passengers home.

 

If Celebrity was merely the chartered form of transportation, I don't see where all of the publicity and credit should go to Celebrity.

 

And in my opinion Celebrity and RCCL should learn a lesson from the European tour companies that chartered the ship to bring the people home, because they didn't treat their own paying passengers with the same concern and courtesy.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[CrabbyHarper]

I just started to read this thread and it seems that there are more folks who applaud Celebrity for bringing the stranded travelers home, than the others who cavil.

 

I, too, am an RCL stockholder, and I am proud of Celebrity!

 

Sorry, Brits - you folks are as responsible as us Yanks are: there are always some people of whatever nationality who don't know how to behave, but the majority of folks do!

 

I sure hope I am never in the shoes of all the affected travelers, but if I am, I hope Celebrity will be there.;)

[Project_gal]

I applaud the tour companies for chartering the ship, since at the end of the day by law the tour companies are responsible for getting their passengers home.

 

If Celebrity was merely the chartered form of transportation, I don't see where all of the publicity and credit should go to Celebrity.

 

And in my opinion Celebrity and RCCL should learn a lesson from the European tour companies that chartered the ship to bring the people home, because they didn't treat their own paying passengers with the same concern and courtesy.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

Gunther and Uta

 

The Tour Operators only paid for the fuel. Celebrity provided all the food and entertainment and, for the final few hours, free alcohol.

 

Sue

[Albert Ross]

Gunther and Uta

 

The Tour Operators only paid for the fuel. Celebrity provided all the food and entertainment and, for the final few hours, free alcohol.

 

Sue

The ship was already stocked with food etc as she was meant to be doing a 2-day non revenue earning, travel industry freebie.

I personally would prefer the food and drink to go to those who perhaps had not had a proper hot meal for days, instead of a load of drunk travel agents!!!

[Presto2]

I was booked on the Equinox for the T/A 19th April sailing. Obviously I didn't make the cruise.

Word that I could book another cruise I paid the difference to book 2 7 Night BTB on Solstice in the Caribbean. leaving late May.

While some of you here don't think that X should have done this if you had a child or someone out there would you not be delighted just to get them home.

For those on the Royal Naval Ship I am sure that most Boys and Men who were on it the memory will live with them for ever. Bunk beds!! Who cares I'm sure that 99 out a 100 would choose the RN vessel maybe except we women who want to get their done etc.

Again I am appauled at the comments that these people would thrash the Ship. How much do they know about there people. If you are from the UK then it an insult to your Nation and from the US just listen to the people who have been interviewed and you will know that they are not lager louts or whatever. This above all has made me so angry. You simply can't tar them all with the same brush.

This was the Easter vacation and so families are travelling.

I have just heard Nick Clegg talking about being happy to have his children back so they were obviously away( Lib/Dem leader Election May6th)

On a more personal note my 12 year Granddaughter was in Italy with her school on a 4 day break.

After moving them from Rome to Venice and when that flight was cancelled they left Venice last on Friday night to travel all the way by coach to Harrogate. They arrived around 10pm on Saturday night.Tired but safe and well.

What a great job the 4 Teacher who were travelling with this group 41 in total. all 12=13 year olds (with one crying before they left their school on the Monday am.)

!

Flame me if you like!! ! This is a great PR exercise for X but so what they did get over 2 thousand people home.

 

Sue

 

 

Spot on :):):)

[BMT]

The ship was already stocked with food etc as she was meant to be doing a 2-day non revenue earning, travel industry freebie.

I personally would prefer the food and drink to go to those who perhaps had not had a proper hot meal for days, instead of a load of drunk travel agents!!!

 

ROTFL - love it!! Well said.

[Lobbylin]

The ship was already stocked with food etc as she was meant to be doing a 2-day non revenue earning, travel industry freebie.

I personally would prefer the food and drink to go to those who perhaps had not had a proper hot meal for days, instead of a load of drunk travel agents!!![/QUOTE]

 

 

Having just got off the Eclipse this morning, this comment did make me smile, and in some cases was not too far from the truth!! (speaking as a Captains Club invitee as opposed to a travel agent!!):)

 

The Eclipse really is a beautiful ship, so it was lovely to be able to experience all that she has to offer and so see all the stateroom types...

 

In a slight contradiction to the post above about the standed Brits, a member of staff who said goodbye to the Brits as they left said that many said how much they had enjoyed the ship and that they would consider cruising, in as much as they had avoided it before as they felt it was not for children. Some said the cruise home was the best part of their whole holiday! So lots of praise indeed for Celebrity and the 3 travel companies....

[mari10]

The ship was already stocked with food etc as she was meant to be doing a 2-day non revenue earning, travel industry freebie.

I personally would prefer the food and drink to go to those who perhaps had not had a proper hot meal for days, instead of a load of drunk travel agents!!![/QUOTE]

 

 

Having just got off the Eclipse this morning, this comment did make me smile, and in some cases was not too far from the truth!! (speaking as a Captains Club invitee as opposed to a travel agent!!):)

 

The Eclipse really is a beautiful ship, so it was lovely to be able to experience all that she has to offer and so see all the stateroom types...

 

In a slight contradiction to the post above about the standed Brits, a member of staff who said goodbye to the Brits as they left said that many said how much they had enjoyed the ship and that they would consider cruising, in as much as they had avoided it before as they felt it was not for children. Some said the cruise home was the best part of their whole holiday! So lots of praise indeed for Celebrity and the 3 travel companies....

 

Glad to hear that you enjoyed!:D

Did you get to check out Qsine?

 

Mari:)

[boogs]

Having just got off the Eclipse this morning, this comment did make me smile, and in some cases was not too far from the truth!! (speaking as a Captains Club invitee as opposed to a travel agent!!):)

 

The Eclipse really is a beautiful ship, so it was lovely to be able to experience all that she has to offer and so see all the stateroom types...

 

In a slight contradiction to the post above about the standed Brits, a member of staff who said goodbye to the Brits as they left said that many said how much they had enjoyed the ship and that they would consider cruising, in as much as they had avoided it before as they felt it was not for children. Some said the cruise home was the best part of their whole holiday! So lots of praise indeed for Celebrity and the 3 travel companies....

 

Some posters with a severe lack of compassion had claimed that the ship would be ruined by the damage these travelers would cause. I'm willing to bet that the ship was in great shape, even after the rescued people made it home. Please tell me my faith in humanity has survived this event!

[terrierjohn]

.......if you were scheduled to fly to Miami to catch your Celebrity or RCCL cruise, could not got there, didn't take your cruise, and were merely told, "Sorry, we're keeping all your money and you're out of luck".

 

At least Cunard and some other cruise lines were sympathetic and let people re-schedule the missed cruise without penalty or loss.

 

Seems to me there is a contradiction in values going on here.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther

Gunther,

This Bilbao cruise only replaced a 2 day pre launch tour industry freebie, so no fare paying passengers were inconvenienced in any way. In addition it was arranged, and at least the fuel paid for, by 3 tour companies, 2 of them German owned, TUI and Thomas Cook, to bring back holidaymakers that these tour companies were already looking after and paying their hotel and food bills. So I assume they considered it was worthwhile and probably less expensive than waiting for extra flights to be arranged.

[Lobbylin]

 

Glad to hear that you enjoyed!:D

Did you get to check out Qsine?

 

Mari:)

 

I will write a review on Wed evening, as I am working away until then. I have photos & menu etc. Qsine looked wonderful. It's very modern with a computer "touch screen" menu that diners are given, and is all about sharing and tasting different foods, so you should try to go with a group of people.

 

We did not get to eat there are lots of media people were invited. I do have a "menu" picture and will post on Wed.:)

 

This has to be one of the nicest ships I have been on - the decor and planning really is wonderful!:)

[Lobbylin]

Some posters with a severe lack of compassion had claimed that the ship would be ruined by the damage these travelers would cause. I'm willing to bet that the ship was in great shape, even after the rescued people made it home. Please tell me my faith in humanity has survived this event!

 

I was in a 4 berth stateroom and short of one "small" handprint on the veranda glass door I would never have known who has been "sleeping in my bed" the night before...

 

She's a beautiful ship and completely "in tact". Enjoy and look forward to any future cruises you may have booked on her without hesitation.;)

[fann1sh]

I'm a HAL cruiser who's late to this party. Sorry that I didn't stop to read every post, but -

 

I'm hugely impressed with this act of kindness. Yes, yes, it's great PR - but whoever thought of it and sold it to management has a both a great heart along with their shrewd head.

 

HAL is going through some shakeups I'm not happy with. I think they're losing focus on their core business. I've been nudged by several things towards =X= ....and here's yet another nudge.

[uktog]

Thank you to all cc posters who kindly enquired after my son and offered help. I am delighted to say he finally managed to extract a seat from Delta yesterday (on a plane that after all their huffing and puffing about doing beig favours was not even half full) and I was able to get him from the airport here last night.

He looked good despite all they had been through and he is off to try and catch up the lost 10 days towards his masters deadline

Thanks to those of you who posted so kindly here

[excitedofharpenden]

Ann, glad you got him back. I hope it works out for his Masters degree.

 

Phil

[Albert Ross]

Thank you to all cc posters who kindly enquired after my son and offered help. I am delighted to say he finally managed to extract a seat from Delta yesterday (on a plane that after all their huffing and puffing about doing beig favours was not even half full) and I was able to get him from the airport here last night.

He looked good despite all they had been through and he is off to try and catch up the lost 10 days towards his masters deadline

Thanks to those of you who posted so kindly here

Glad to hear he is home at last - but am truly surprised it has taken this long -I really thought everyone was home by now, and it wasn't as if he was stuck in the back of beyond! I guess the news here is just all election, election, election and they have forgotton those who are still abroad. That is just terrible and thumbs down to Delta for flying half empty planes if this is the case.