Celebrity scraps some East Med cruises

[scarlett81]

Do they have to honor cancellations if they change the itinerary?

[zelker]

Do they have to honor cancellations if they change the itinerary?

 

They do not. Read the Contract - it says they reserve the right to change or cancel ports for any reason, even after the cruise has started. The only way you could cancel after final payment is due is if you have insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason.

[Gracie115]

Well we DO have plane tickets, of the NON refundable type...so would be very unhappy. I think it's just an anomaly...hopeing so anyway... I emailed X this morning and will advise what they advise (when they get around to it!!!)

[scarlett81]

Well we DO have plane tickets, of the NON refundable type...so would be very unhappy. I think it's just an anomaly...hopeing so anyway... I emailed X this morning and will advise what they advise (when they get around to it!!!)

 

Thanks, that would be appreciated! I think I will too. Perhaps if enough of us do we'll get an answer either way. If its pulled, I just want to know asap.

[lovestx]

Hi, sunshine nana. I'm with you (literally, since we're on the same cruise ;)) - if they are going to cancel Istanbul, we'll cancel. We've already been to Athens, Kusadasi, and Santorini. The whole point was to see Rome and Naples and do an overnight in Istanbul. Fortunately we have not booked plane tickets yet because we haven't been able to come up with frequent flyer seats yet.

 

lovestx - it is not comforting to hear that you don't find any excursions for Istanbul either. What's your sailing date?

 

I tried calling the Captain's Club today but they were closed because of the holiday. Will try tomorrow but of course we all know that sometimes X customer service knows less than we do. :(

 

Our sailing date is June 11 from Rome.

 

Anyone know what they might substitute instead?

[zelker]

Our sailing date is June 11 from Rome.

 

Anyone know what they might substitute instead?

 

So that's now three confirmed sailing dates that do not show excursions for Istanbul - Apr. 30, May 21, and June 11. These 3 dates are the first three of a total of 9 sailings for this itinerary between April and November. If I were a betting person, I'd bet that not one of the nine dates show excursions for Istanbul either.

 

I'm going to call X in another hour or so, too. Will be interesting to see what information all of us get, if any.

 

As for possible substitutions, it's anybody's guess but I think it's safe to say they will NOT substitute Israel or Egypt since they cancelled those ports for other cruises that were supposed to visit there this coming summer.

[magpie23]

Just checked on my sailing date of the 2nd July and checked shore excursions for Istanbul and guess what-they are not avaibile to book either!!!!Yet the ports of call haven't changed (is this going to change?).Shore excursions for all the other ports are able to be booked.I will be ringing my travel agent today as I will be cancelling if the ports of call are changed.They changed my ports of call on the 28th June sailing with celebrity solistice-and I changed to this one and now I am really not happy......

[zelker]

Now magpie23 has confirmed 4 dates in row not showing Istanbul excursions. Please post back after you talk to your TA.

 

And granted, there may be nothing to this and they just haven't gotten around to posting them yet -- and yet, based on the port changes they did on Sil, anything is possible.

[DebbieMacG]

It could be that the excursion programme has not been finalised for Istanbul, sometimes over the winter months the cruises lines change the agents who they dealt with the previous year.

 

I know this as I'm the manager of The Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition and we deal with bookings from several cruise agents.

 

Fingers crossed it will be this and not some other reason :)

[zelker]

It could be that the excursion programme has not been finalised for Istanbul, sometimes over the winter months the cruises lines change the agents who they dealt with the previous year.

 

Fingers crossed it will be this and not some other reason :)

 

Hi, Debbie. Thanks for posing that as a possible reason. :) I imagine our collective fingers are crossed that you are right.

 

(ok - spill the beans. DOES Nessie exist??!!??)

[zelker]

Just spoke to Jim w/the Captain's Club. As expected, they have not received any kind of notification saying that Istanbul will be changed. He also checked with the Resolutions Desk who said that to the best of their knowledge and based on current information, the Istanbul excursions should be posted in the near future. How's that for vague? :rolleyes:

 

Anybody else get different information?

[richsea]

It could be that the excursion programme has not been finalised for Istanbul, sometimes over the winter months the cruises lines change the agents who they dealt with the previous year.

 

I know this as I'm the manager of The Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition and we deal with bookings from several cruise agents.

 

Fingers crossed it will be this and not some other reason :)

 

We are on the May 21 sailing & the Istanbul excursions were listed on Celebrity's site in December; in fact, there were quite a few as I recall.

At this point, there is not much one can do but wait & see how this plays out.

[zelker]

We are on the May 21 sailing & the Istanbul excursions were listed on Celebrity's site in December; in fact, there were quite a few as I recall.

At this point, there is not much one can do but wait & see how this plays out.

 

But were they listed under your actual reservation? They do still show up if you search for Istanbul excursions - you can even put in the date - but when you do, you'll notice that excursions show up that have nothing to do with this itinerary, the main one being excursions that are a tour and then take you to the airport.

[richsea]

I'm almost positive that I checked through my reservation. I ususally don't care too much about excursions, & then go through our reservation, & at the time there were excrursions for all of the ports. But, as I said, at this time there's not much we can do about it. If fact, with air & hotel booked & paid for, whatever the results, we'll keep this cruise unless they cancel it altogether.

[lovestx]

Just spoke to Jim w/the Captain's Club. As expected, they have not received any kind of notification saying that Istanbul will be changed. He also checked with the Resolutions Desk who said that to the best of their knowledge and based on current information, the Istanbul excursions should be posted in the near future. How's that for vague? :rolleyes:

 

Anybody else get different information?

 

Thanks for giving us the update Zelker. But, yes, it sounds purposefully vague. Basically, Jim has no idea!

 

Let's keep talking and see what happens.

[letsgo39]

A member of our May 21 Roll Call who is also a TA tried to call today and the office she usually talks to is closed today so she will try again tomorrow. She is also concerned.:eek:

[sunshine nana]

I just spent time talking with Celebrity starting with the excursion desk and going up to a supervisor asking why there are no excursions listed for our April 30 cruise to Istabul. They said " No decision has been made to eliminate Istanbul" That is a non answer answer. The supervisor said if it is dangerous there, they will not stop. I asked why they are listing excursions for Athens where there really have been incidents and she then said to check back in a couple of weeks. I did ask her to relay our concern that they may be eliminating the stop without good reason at this point and delaying telling the passengers until it is too late for us to cancel.

[scarlett81]

Thanks for taking the time to post that sunshine nana.

Well, bottom line is if I don't get an answer well before final payment I will be rescheduling with another line. OR I'll shop for cancel for any reason insurance.

I really want to go on this X cruise, but I can't give $20G to a company if it looks like they're being shady. :(

[zelker]

That is a non answer answer.

 

Yep, same basic vagueries (is that a word?) I got yesterday.

[CruisinManiac]

Hey zelker! Are you still cruising on the 5/2 Brilliance? I posted a question over on the Roll Call yesterday and have received no answer. We are thinking of taking that cruise. Not much action over there. You seem to be the only person online, from that board, at the moment. We need to make a decision about that cruise this week. Thanks!

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1395908&page=2

 

BTW - We went to Istanbul last May on our Celebrity cruise. Very beautiful and interesting city, but I have to say that if it were not for one of the best guides in that city, we would have been very uneasy. It's not a city that we have a desire to visit again.

[zelker]

Hey zelker! Are you still cruising on the 5/2 Brilliance? I posted a question over on the Roll Call yesterday and have received no answer. We are thinking of taking that cruise. Not much action over there. You seem to be the only person online, from that board, at the moment. We need to make a decision about that cruise this week. Thanks!

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1395908&page=2

 

Sorry but we were never booked on that cruise. We looked at it earlier this year and I only posted once on that Roll Call. Don't know what to tell you but good luck in making your decision.

[cruisemom42]

BTW - We went to Istanbul last May on our Celebrity cruise. Very beautiful and interesting city, but I have to say that if it were not for one of the best guides in that city, we would have been very uneasy. It's not a city that we have a desire to visit again.

 

I have to say that my own experiences in Istanbul have been completely different. I've walked and taken public transportation all around the city on my own (female, mid-40s) and have also stayed there (on my own) for a total of almost a week on two different land visits. I've never found the Turkish people to be anything but friendly, kind, and helpful. In fact, Istanbul would have to be second only to Rome in terms of my favorite European cities.

 

Most recently, I was there on a HAL cruise (last year) that overnighted in Istanbul. I went on my own into the old town, did some sightseeing and shopping, ate dinner at a favorite restaurant, and took the tram then walked back to the ship on my own at around 10:30 at night -- no problem whatsoever. In fact, I even had a great conversation on the tram with a gentleman a bit older than me who struck up a conversation and was so proud to tell me about his son in college studying hotel management.

[zelker]

I have to say that my own experiences in Istanbul have been completely different. I've walked and taken public transportation all around the city on my own (female, mid-40s) and have also stayed there (on my own) for a total of almost a week on two different land visits. I've never found the Turkish people to be anything but friendly, kind, and helpful. In fact, Istanbul would have to be second only to Rome in terms of my favorite European cities.

 

Most recently, I was there on a HAL cruise (last year) that overnighted in Istanbul. I went on my own into the old town, did some sightseeing and shopping, ate dinner at a favorite restaurant, and took the tram then walked back to the ship on my own at around 10:30 at night -- no problem whatsoever. In fact, I even had a great conversation on the tram with a gentleman a bit older than me who struck up a conversation and was so proud to tell me about his son in college studying hotel management.

 

Which is why I will be SO disappointed if they cancel Istanbul.

[LeftcoastBC]

HMMMM ? Any word on the grape vine about how the plans are going for that ??

[letsgo39]

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1395908&page=2

 

BTW - We went to Istanbul last May on our Celebrity cruise. Very beautiful and interesting city, but I have to say that if it were not for one of the best guides in that city, we would have been very uneasy. It's not a city that we have a desire to visit again.

 

Really CruisinManiac. That is the first time I have ever heard anyone say that Istanbul made them uneasy.I have been told that it is a easy port to DIY and that the people were kind and helpful and very welcoming. I think since you made that statement you should tell us what it was that made you not feel comfortable so we can make a informed decision. I've traveled all over Europe taking public transportation in many cities and never felt threatened and I am a woman in my sixties so please elaborate on your comment.