Itinerary Change Solstice Feb 26, 2012

[bjtomko]

Just found out on roll call that the itinerary changed for the Solstice Feb 26, 2012 sailing. They swapped St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

So, I had booked excursions already through Celebrity. Given that the days and time we are on the islands now no longer work for what I signed up for and paid, what is Celebrity's policy?

Can I expect that they will just swap the dates and make the departure times work? The brochure under reservations for this sailing are not updated to reflect the change yet either.

Just looking for some guidance on what you may have experienced. I am a planner and when things change they make me very nervous! My character flaw #206

[Sloop-JohnB]

Just found out on roll call that the itinerary changed for the Solstice Feb 26, 2012 sailing. They swapped St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

 

So, I had booked excursions already through Celebrity. Given that the days and time we are on the islands now no longer work for what I signed up for and paid, what is Celebrity's policy?

 

Can I expect that they will just swap the dates and make the departure times work? The brochure under reservations for this sailing are not updated to reflect the change yet either.

 

Just looking for some guidance on what you may have experienced. I am a planner and when things change they make me very nervous! My character flaw #206

 

Hi Bjtomko,

 

Our ROLL CALL (Solstice - January 15, 2012) passengers received a similar notification this week from Celebrity.

 

Our 7 Night Cruise would now change from Ft Lauderdale - San Juan - St Thomas - St Maarten - Ft Lauderdale to an Itinerary of Ft Lauderdale - San Juan - St Maaten - St Thomas - Ft Lauderdale

 

Lol, wonder if it had anything to do with my posting at the beginning of December stating that I had recently done the math and figured out there would be close to 18,000 Passengers (7 HUGE Cruise Ships) in port in St Thomas at the same time on that particularly Itinerary (they do say that someone at Celebrity reads the CC Boards... and well with the Solstice just having arrived in North America ... it is possible that no one did the math previously)

 

TO THE BIG BOOPER,

 

Thanks for the amazing photo... as they say a pic is worth a 1000 words (or more)

 

So here is the riddle... ships on my arrival day include... in order of arrival...

 

7 AM = Disney Magic - Grand Princess

8 AM = Celebrity Solstice - HAL Eurodam - Norwegian Epic

10 AM = Carnival Glory

11 AM = RCL Freedom of the Seas

 

TOTAL PAX = 17,676 at capacity

 

Disney Magic is the first to depart at 3:45 PM... followed by The Epic at 4 PM

 

5 PM and The Solstice, The Eurodam, and The Grand Princess are due to leave

 

6 PM Carnival Glory... and at 7 PM the Freedom of the Seas

 

Guessing that due to her size and departure time that The Epic will tender... not sure of any of the others... any thoughts ?

 

Cheers!

 

After I posted that, THE BIG BOOPER went on to do some further research on my behalf and discovered that it was us... the Solstice who was due to tender... not an ideal situation (never mind the close to 18,000 other passengers on that small island that day)

 

Guessing, that Celebrity decided that there were just too many headaches with the current proposed Itinerary... so they've changed it around for those times when the dates coincide with all these ships... including yours in February (from my original posting... know of other similar dates when it happens in March as well)

 

As a "planner" it sucks to have your Itinerary change... but I promise you that it wouldn't have been much fun as a Destination if you had to tender in and share the island with 18,000+ Cruise Passengers as well.

 

From what research I've done and what I've read I think that Celebrity made the right call on this... means we'll have a much better vacation because of it.

 

I hadn't prebooked any Celebrity Ship Based Shore Excursions... so I don't know how they'll handle it (assume they'll be in contact with you)... and I don't know what went down on our ROLL CALL other than when the change was first announced that website bookings for further Shore Excursions was not available for a time (sorry, not up to date on what has happened in the last few days)... You could always drop by our ROLL CALL and ask.

 

Hope this info is helpful,

 

Cheers!

[bjtomko]

Thanks! No complaints on my part about the change. I don't question why they made the change...if they feel that is what needs to be done I am fine with that.

 

My roll call is pretty quite. I am sure the change is a common issue. Given that we won't be at the island in time for the excursion I booked I just hope they are reschedule the departure times.

 

Anyone know how they handle excursions booked throug X?

[TraceyP]

Wish they would change our stops--we have over 16,000 passengers expected for our stop in Grand Cayman (tendered) on January 10. Could get crazy.:eek:

[DuchessSophie]

Hi Bjtomko,

 

 

After I posted that, THE BIG BOOPER went on to do some further research on my behalf and discovered that it was us... the Solstice who was due to tender... not an ideal situation (never mind the close to 18,000 other passengers on that small island that day)

 

Sloop-JohnB-

 

We are on the February 26th cruise and received the updated itinerary. Unfortunately on our cruise they still have us tendering in St. Maarten. I hope that's not true and just a "carry-over" from the old itinerary. :confused:

[Sloop-JohnB]

We are on the February 26th cruise and received the updated itinerary. Unfortunately on our cruise they still have us tendering in St. Maarten. I hope that's not true and just a "carry-over" from the old itinerary. :confused:

 

TO DUCHESS SOPHIE,

 

Indeed with the change in Itinerary... Fort Lauderdale - San Juan - St Maarten - St Thomas - Fort Lauderdale... at least for my cruise on the Solstice (Jan 15, 2012) is NOW DUE TO TENDER at St Maarten (instead of St Thomas as was the "original" Itinerary)

 

It is my understanding that it will be the same case (most likely) for the other Solstice Cruises that have had their Intineraries changed as well... as I have said before, everyone should check in with their Roll Calls here on CC... and also contact Celebrity for more info.

 

Cheers!