Chartered Cruise? Millennium 2016

[lovescarborough]

From reading the Connections posts the cruise is definitely chartered and emails are being sent to tell people they are cancelled. I haven't heard from my TA yet but they are now closed for new year. As a loyal Celebrity customer since the first British based cruise on the Eclipse in 2010 and many more since then ( elite now ) I feel badly let down. I still want a cruise in January 2016 but am waiting to hear what Celebrity intend to do to compensate all their disappointed customers. Does anyone know if they do this ?

[jveevers]

From reading the Connections posts the cruise is definitely chartered and emails are being sent to tell people they are cancelled. I haven't heard from my TA yet but they are now closed for new year. As a loyal Celebrity customer since the first British based cruise on the Eclipse in 2010 and many more since then ( elite now ) I feel badly let down. I still want a cruise in January 2016 but am waiting to hear what Celebrity intend to do to compensate all their disappointed customers. Does anyone know if they do this ?

 

I am hearing the same although not heard direct myself.

I agree with you, totally let down.

I paid the full amount up front (my choice due to declining AUD$)

So has cost me 3% currency conversion and same when I get it back plus the 4% Bank Interest I have foregone on the $6000- for a month. That little decision Mr Celebrity has cost me around $380- and how long will I have to wait for my $6000- back?

Up until 2 days ago Celebrity still saying that cruise will go on. . They stopped selling this cruise on their website in November so something was happening. But they didn't stop TA,s from selling the cruise during December. Borders on dishonesty.

[Christine Frances]

There are a lot more posts on this Calamity on the "Celebrity Connections Roll Call" section of CruiseCritic.

To the poster who said "too far out for Air to be impacted", not so, Air from Australia to Singapore in January 2016 are now being sold by at least 6 carriers. This is peak time here due to School Terms and we book ASAP to get dates at a reasonable cost. Same with Singapore Hotels for pre/post-cruise. Celebrity are going to have a lot of unhappy people if this cruise is cancelled. In my case I have paid out over $6000 already to secure a cabin on this cruise. I know this will be refunded but that is not the point.

Christine Frances.. Which cruise are you are referring to that has been sold out for a year ?

 

I misspoke:o I should have said "sold out a year in advance of the cruise". It is the 14nt Oct 25, 2015 Millennium sailing Tokyo to Hong Kong. It was sold out approx Oct/14. We booked it in Aug/14

[harz99]

From reading the Connections posts the cruise is definitely chartered and emails are being sent to tell people they are cancelled. I haven't heard from my TA yet but they are now closed for new year. As a loyal Celebrity customer since the first British based cruise on the Eclipse in 2010 and many more since then ( elite now ) I feel badly let down. I still want a cruise in January 2016 but am waiting to hear what Celebrity intend to do to compensate all their disappointed customers. Does anyone know if they do this ?

 

My experience is that UK guests will be offered a short window (10-14 days) to either cancel and be refunded cruise deposit, or cancel and rebook using current deposit (but at new cruise prevailing rate) and receive some future OBC for the new cruise. Nothing will be offered for other out of pocket expenses.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forums mobile app

[Project_gal]

My experience is that UK guests will be offered a short window (10-14 days) to either cancel and be refunded cruise deposit, or cancel and rebook using current deposit (but at new cruise prevailing rate) and receive some future OBC for the new cruise. Nothing will be offered for other out of pocket expenses.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forums mobile app

 

Precisely! However, the one [and only] positive is that at least the 2016/17 season cruises have only recently been opened.

[nijh]

We had 5 sweet 16s booked all next to each other, not much chance of getting those again on another cruise [emoji35]

[lovescarborough]

We rebooked this morning on the earlier 17/1/16 trip, same cabin and more importantly same price that we originally agreed with €200 OBC. they wouldn't give us anything more. I'm still annoyed because if I had booked this trip in the first place it would have cost less than the cancelled one as it didn't include Chinese New Year so still a win win for Celebrity. The only feasible alternatives cost wise were the Caribbean and we wanted a change. Off on the Eclipse in two weeks with a drinks package so maybe we'll make very good use of that !

[gosport11]

We have opted to cancel and get our deposit back,perhaps I shouldn't have booked our cruises so quickly all booked for 2015 and 1 for 2016

[Freemak2]

I have just experienced my first encounter with the redeployment and chartering of the cruise ship Celebrity Millenium sailing Jan 2016 for the Chineese New Year. Out of the blue I got an emai saying the booking I made was now not available because Celebrity chose to renege on the bookings that I and many others have made, for a quick buck from a rich corporation. I can't believe a cruise company can be allowed to get away with this. The fact that someone can blow the dreams of so many customers out the window unbelievable.

They also add insult to the whole episode by offering $200 compensation.

Celebrity you need a lesson in how to treat your customers.

[beentothere]

I have just experienced my first encounter with the redeployment and chartering of the cruise ship Celebrity Millenium sailing Jan 2016 for the Chineese New Year. Out of the blue I got an emai saying the booking I made was now not available because Celebrity chose to renege on the bookings that I and many others have made, for a quick buck from a rich corporation. I can't believe a cruise company can be allowed to get away with this. The fact that someone can blow the dreams of so many customers out the window unbelievable.

They also add insult to the whole episode by offering $200 compensation.

Celebrity you need a lesson in how to treat your customers.

 

As this old turkey said before....this is modern luxury!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I have just experienced my first encounter with the redeployment and chartering of the cruise ship Celebrity Millenium sailing Jan 2016 for the Chineese New Year. Out of the blue I got an emai saying the booking I made was now not available because Celebrity chose to renege on the bookings that I and many others have made, for a quick buck from a rich corporation. I can't believe a cruise company can be allowed to get away with this. The fact that someone can blow the dreams of so many customers out the window unbelievable.

They also add insult to the whole episode by offering $200 compensation.

Celebrity you need a lesson in how to treat your customers.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. If you search a bit, you'll find that cancellations for charters are not uncommon (and, if only because the internet allows more sharing, apparently increasing). Azamara has chartered out a ship for several months straight (and that represents 50% of their fleet).

[Aloha 1]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. If you search a bit, you'll find that cancellations for charters are not uncommon (and, if only because the internet allows more sharing, apparently increasing). Azamara has chartered out a ship for several months straight (and that represents 50% of their fleet).

 

Which leads me to think that a Passenger Bill of Rights is in order. No cruise line should be free to offer travel to the public then pull that trip because they got a charter offer. Float the itinerary first to the "usual suspects". If no takers by x date, then make it a public offer with NO cancellation. Every U.S. cruiser should call/write their Congressman/Senators to voice support for such an Act. Frankly, I suspect that this practice already runs afoul of the "bait and switch" laws.

[Aloha 1]

And for this who might comment that the ships are licensed ex USA, there is a legal term called nexus which certainly applies here.

[Project_gal]

And for this who might comment that the ships are licensed ex USA, there is a legal term called nexus which certainly applies here.

 

For those of us outside the USA, can you define "nexus" in your [legal] context. The dictionary definition is only "connection".

 

It may help[ me to understand why US law is always expected to trump the laws of any other country with a "connection".

 

In recent days, I have been advised on Cruise Critic that Celebrity may only source meat from the US for "legal" reasons even when the ship is in Europe for the season. There are examples of farming practices being legal and acceptable in the US but not in the UK.

 

I am curious. Clearly, I visit the US and sail on Celebrity and am willing to accept different food safety standards at least for limited periods of time!

Edited January 5, 2015 by Project_gal

[beentothere]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. If you search a bit, you'll find that cancellations for charters are not uncommon (and, if only because the internet allows more sharing, apparently increasing). Azamara has chartered out a ship for several months straight (and that represents 50% of their fleet).

 

For those of us who have seen, taken the inaugural of the Zenith, and been on so many cruises that they total in the hundreds, and have an uncle who worked for Ted and brought him Lox and Bagels on Sunday morning (you know Ted....of Carnival). I have seen.

 

Airlines do not fear as they have gates to establish control. Airlines do not charter out their flights as they have substitutes. Hotels have not yet cancelled

reservations due to a big party, but a specific restaurant might. But there are

more restaurants.

 

Seems to me that a clever lawyer will visualize the solution to this issue of making a promise for a specific service and then reneging on it whenever it pleases them with little satisfaction to the promised.

 

Celebrity wants to sell suites. Suite people may not appreciate cancellations without material cause. I personally do not and have begun to curtail my cruising as I travel air on award first class and availability is limited. And with

a date change often nonexistent. Their minimum cancel fees do not cover a fraction of the cost. Insurance does not kick in till near the final payment date.

Otherwise the insurance is not refundable and non-transferrable.

 

I am waiting to see if the luxury cruise lines are going to take a position on this as their suites are often no costlier than Celebrity, and the staff and other passengers are on par

 

Just a tired old man's opinion.

[lovescarborough]

Just wondering if the new 2017 Mardi Gras cruise might suffer the same fate ? It's yet another once a year event. Mmm

[hcat]

Ooooh..

friends are consisering the 2017 Mardi Gras cruise and asked us to join them...we declined but hope if they book it they won't be disappointed. It fits their limited required time slot and they want to return to X ...hmmmmm!

[nijh]

I won't be booking any special cruises with X again, not worth the risk and certainly not worth the upset in having to break the news of cancellation to excited friends and family.

[Aloha 1]

For those of us outside the USA, can you define "nexus" in your [legal] context. The dictionary definition is only "connection".

 

It may help[ me to understand why US law is always expected to trump the laws of any other country with a "connection".

 

In recent days, I have been advised on Cruise Critic that Celebrity may only source meat from the US for "legal" reasons even when the ship is in Europe for the season. There are examples of farming practices being legal and acceptable in the US but not in the UK.

 

I am curious. Clearly, I visit the US and sail on Celebrity and am willing to accept different food safety standards at least for limited periods of time!

 

The term "nexus" is used in the U.S. to imply that there is a "connection" or "standing" for legal and tax purposes. I used the term to show that even though the ships are licensed ex USA, the Company is for all intent and purpose considered to be a U.S. company in regard to advertising and trade practices.

 

I was not aware that X was not on boarding protein from Europe but my suspicion is that it is related to the general U.S. ban on beef imports from any European country due to fear of Mad Cow disease. Note that Ireland was just cleared for import and is the first and only EU country to receive that status.

 

I may be wrong, but I believe the fact that X posts offers on their website with the obvious intent to sell them would make them liable for unfair trade practices when they accept another offer after making said sale.

[Project_gal]

The term "nexus" is used in the U.S. to imply that there is a "connection" or "standing" for legal and tax purposes. I used the term to show that even though the ships are licensed ex USA, the Company is for all intent and purpose considered to be a U.S. company in regard to advertising and trade practices.

 

I was not aware that X was not on boarding protein from Europe but my suspicion is that it is related to the general U.S. ban on beef imports from any European country due to fear of Mad Cow disease. Note that Ireland was just cleared for import and is the first and only EU country to receive that status.

 

I may be wrong, but I believe the fact that X posts offers on their website with the obvious intent to sell them would make them liable for unfair trade practices when they accept another offer after making said sale.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

 

Strange that the concept of "nexus" only applies in certain areas of the law. I understood that the US had some minimum payment employment laws that are not enforced at sea. Again, it appears that European law trumps US law in the area of employment laws but not food regulations when sailing in Europe. I guess that the true and complete legal status of cruise ships at sea has never been tested in the courts.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Project_gal

[sixtiesgirl]

We booked the Millennium Chinese New Year cruise for January 2016 ,in October 2014 for our Golden Wedding and also our 70 birthdays.

 

Booked Aqua Class and business Class flight through our TA.

 

We were on Millennium Jan this year and there was no mention at all of the Cruise being cancelled. Our TA rang us the day after we got home on 19 January, to say it had been cancelled. There was no letter from Celebrity or reasons given. Today, 2 February, we received our refund of deposit paid from our TA, still no reasons.

 

We are absolutely disgusted with Celebrity, we are Elite Members and have been faithful customers for some time. We have another cruise booked in May

2016 and seriously thinking of cancelling it. We were also looking to book for this year, but this has left a nasty taste.

SHAME ON YOU CELEBRITY

[jveevers]

We booked the Millennium Chinese New Year cruise for January 2016 ,in October 2014 for our Golden Wedding and also our 70 birthdays.

 

Booked Aqua Class and business Class flight through our TA.

 

We were on Millennium Jan this year and there was no mention at all of the Cruise being cancelled. Our TA rang us the day after we got home on 19 January, to say it had been cancelled. There was no letter from Celebrity or reasons given. Today, 2 February, we received our refund of deposit paid from our TA, still no reasons.

 

We are absolutely disgusted with Celebrity, we are Elite Members and have been faithful customers for some time. We have another cruise booked in May

2016 and seriously thinking of cancelling it. We were also looking to book for this year, but this has left a nasty taste.

SHAME ON YOU CELEBRITY

 

That is terrible that you were not advised earlier.

Suspicions about this cruise began around mid December 2014

My TA finally advised me January 3rd of cancellation.

Subsequently I have learned that this is not uncommon.

[YESME]

Being a UK customer we now realise that Celebrity don't give a stuff about us. We paid our deposit for this cruise, we were never told it was chartered, we had to badger someone until they admitted it was chartered. we decided to accept our deposit back and book something else with some else.

 

We used a specialist cruise TA and we have still not received our deposit as celebrity only calibrate their accounts once a month! Unfortunately we have another cruise booked with X leaving at the end of the month,so we will not be adding to their coffers in the form of trips, upgraded packages of any kind, no photos or trips to the ships shops.

 

we are so cross with the whole situation. we shall enjoy the cruise from miami but X really need to look at the bigger picture.

[jveevers]

Being a UK customer we now realise that Celebrity don't give a stuff about us. We paid our deposit for this cruise, we were never told it was chartered, we had to badger someone until they admitted it was chartered. we decided to accept our deposit back and book something else with some else.

 

We used a specialist cruise TA and we have still not received our deposit as celebrity only calibrate their accounts once a month! Unfortunately we have another cruise booked with X leaving at the end of the month,so we will not be adding to their coffers in the form of trips, upgraded packages of any kind, no photos or trips to the ships shops.

 

we are so cross with the whole situation. we shall enjoy the cruise from miami but X really need to look at the bigger picture.

There are many people affected by this and we for one are very unhappy. We also have another X cruise booked, Equinox in September. YESME please dont let this spoil your next cruise, not having the memories of tours and photos will not change things. Will all due respect , dont " cut off your nose to spite your face" [emoji4]

[YESME]

thanks jveevers,

 

we will be enjoying our cruise, but we will be booking independent trips, taking our own selfies! etc just wont be adding to X coffers, we also have the classic drinks package, oh we shall enjoy all on offer.

 

as next years trip was for our 25th wedding anniversary and hubbys birthday we cannot change these dates, so we are looking at anthem with RCI, personally my favorite!

 

enjoy your trip in September, also to sixtiesgirl, congratulations on your anniversary next year and i hope find something equally as good to do for it.

 

oh and we still don't have a refund!!