26th July 2014 sailing on the Equinox ....Chartered Insurance question.

[welshfamily]

Having already lost the second half of a back to back cruise on the Equinox due to a charter we decided yesterday to ask Celebrity to find us late evening flights for the 18th of July thus enabling us to go on the 19 th of July and the 26th of July sailings. School only breaks for summer holidays on the 18th for us and as teachers we obviously cannot alter these dates and Celebrity are flying guests out the day before due to direct flight times. Today we have been informed that the presidential sailing on the 26th of July has also been cancelled due to another charter.

No harm done to us as all our flights etc would have been with Celebrity but as we quite often add days to the beginning of our cruises and therefore book flights independently we wondered if anyone has insurance which covers this sort of event.

We are now looking at the 12th of August from Barcelona and would usually book flights taking us out a few days before hand only we would now like to be insured as to lose 8 flights would be extremely expensive.

Can anyone help?

Thank you

[sweettweety]

Where did you get the information that this cruise was chartered? Did Celebrity contact you or your travel agent?

I just phoned Celebrity cruises and the rep checked with the resolution department and assured me that this is indeed still the president's cruise. So it seems that there are conflicting information.

[welshfamily]

Held two cabins with Celebrity UK whilst flight was sorted out as explained. The PCS who was dealing with me had to get the flight department to arrange flights with Lufthansa departing at 5.15 pm on the 18th of July at additional cost. At about 4.15 pm the lady who was dealing with me at Celebrity Uk told me that the system was now code Red for the 26th July Equinox sailing ...this means the cruise is no longer for sale and usually indicates a charter. She did know it was the Presidential cruise and at my request spoke with her supervisor. She then apologised to me and said she could not continue with my booking for the 26th of July. As I wish to cruise for more than 7 days I did not want to proceed with the 19th of July sailing and our conversation ended. She has promised to ring me tomorrow as I am now considering two other cruises.

I don't know who you spoke to at Celebrity and in which county but I would be very interested to know.

[welshfamily]

Sorry I should also add that I was dealing with Captains club UK. A young Norwegian lady who had spent a lot of time sorting out the flight to Istanbul.

I don't know if the sales staff work on commission as she lost a booking for 2 cabins for 2,7 day cruises. I can see no other reason why she would tell me the cruise was no longer for sale.

[Project_gal]

I am pretty certain that you will not find UK insurance for this kind of risk because the cruise line has cancelled the cruise due to a commercial decision. We have not had the issue that you describe but had a different problem with cruise cancellation.

 

Our travel insurance is extremely expensive [almost £2000] because of our pre-existing medical conditions and this is also an uninsurable loss when a cruise is cancelled. Celebrity compensation in no way covered this loss. Luckily, our insurers refunded most of the premium as a goodwill gesture to a good customer. It is a shame than Celebrity [with whom we have spent much more money] does not feel the same.

 

I know that the contract gives the cruise line to cancel any cruise for any reason but I would love to see this tested in the courts. I am no expert but it seems to me that a company who cancels a contract for a commercial reason should be expected to include it that commercial calculation the refund of their customers' uninsurable losses.

 

Sue

[welshfamily]

Thanks for your reply. That is disappointing news, I had expected to pay a premium for such insurance but did hope it was out there. I hadn't considered the insurance side very much at all until this happened. We too have medical insurance but our lossess have been slight compared to yours.

All this is making the Eclipse from Southampton look better and better.

[Carinthalas]

Having just returned from the Eclipse out of Southampton, I can vouch for the ease with which Celebrity handle turn around at embarkation is out standing.

 

The added benefit is the return journey means you get home at a sensible time of day.

 

As to the Eclipse, all I can say is wow. She was beautiful and the senior management onboard where attentive and always seemed to be out and about on the ship. My partner described the atmosphere on board as being a very happy ship as the staff and crew where happy in their roles.

[welshfamily]

Agreed, but we have been on her 3 times in two years and the August cruise has only 6 ports in 14 days. We do enjoy sea days but like the sun hence our thoughts were turning to the Equniox out of Barcelona.