What is happening when a cruise is "not available for booking at this time"?

[firsttimer2018]

I booked on Infinity for March 31, 2019 when it was first listed as available on the celebrity website a few months ago. A few days later when friends tried to book, that sailing did not show on the website. Several call to celebrity spaced a few weeks apart get the same response, "that cruise is not available for booking at this time." The phone people could not tell me if it was chartered or planned dry dock or itinerary change. My booking still shows as active on the celebrity website when I sign in.

 

Any ideas what is happening or likely to happen?

[jelayne]

I can find a March 30, 2019 sailing on the Infinity on TA websites. It is a 5 night Caribbean, is this the one?

 

It looks to have limited availability. It could be off the Celebrity site for a number of reasons

-pulled for inventory management

-pulled be because negotiating a large group or charter

-not showing because Celebritys IT function is dysfunctional at best.

 

We had a cruise we booked for earlier this year pulled for about 6-8 weeks, there were rumors of it being chartered but ultimately it reappeared. If it is a potential charter you won't be advised until it is a done deal. This cruise is still 19 months away so don't panic yet.

 

Your friends could try and book through a on-lineTA (sorry can't name any on here).

[Cruise Raider]

I just checked and see exactly what you do ... Waitlisted! It's also showing the same for the March 2nd and Feb 25th and Jan 28th sailings. I think your suspicions cover exactly what is happening. They are looking into contracts either for a charter or dry dock and seeing which date works out the best. The other thing that might be happening is that they are looking into making it into a longer itinerary. They don't want a lot of bookings to settle so they close it down for bookings until they have determined all the details and which dates are going to work. They won't notify you until they have made a decision and their contracts is set in stone. Your booking will still show as active, though. I've had this happen to me a couple of times with Celebrity.

My suspicions tell me, that because these waitlisted cruises are throughout those months, they are looking into changing up the itineraries to schedule these for longer cruises ... maybe put some 9 day cruises in there. This happened to us on the Mercury ... they called to tell us our 7 night sailing was turned into an 11 night sailing and we could keep our room for the same price plus a little OBC for the inconvenience. Inconvenience, you say?? I jumped on that one. I knew people on the next sailing and they weren't quite as happy as we were.

Maybe opening up Cuba has something to do with it, too. I just recently had a cruise for late next year canceled by NCL, as they were redeploying her to visit Cuba instead of Alaska. So, they might just be looking into adding that port of call.

I have a cruise booked that is over a year away that is all of a sudden showing as sold out, too, however, it is on Princess. I booked this when they canceled my NCL cruise. 2 out of 2?? Wow, what are the odds? I am surmising ... but am asking these same questions.

[firsttimer2018]

I can find a March 30, 2019 sailing on the Infinity on TA websites. It is a 5 night Caribbean, is this the one?

 

It looks to have limited availability. It could be off the Celebrity site for a number of reasons

-pulled for inventory management

-pulled be because negotiating a large group or charter

-not showing because Celebritys IT function is dysfunctional at best.

 

We had a cruise we booked for earlier this year pulled for about 6-8 weeks, there were rumors of it being chartered but ultimately it reappeared. If it is a potential charter you won't be advised until it is a done deal. This cruise is still 19 months away so don't panic yet.

 

Your friends could try and book through a on-lineTA (sorry can't name any on here).

 

Yes that is the one. Sorry missed the date by one day.

[firsttimer2018]

I just checked and see exactly what you do ... Waitlisted! It's also showing the same for the March 2nd and Feb 25th and Jan 28th sailings. I think your suspicions cover exactly what is happening. They are looking into contracts either for a charter or dry dock and seeing which date works out the best. The other thing that might be happening is that they are looking into making it into a longer itinerary. They don't want a lot of bookings to settle so they close it down for bookings until they have determined all the details and which dates are going to work. They won't notify you until they have made a decision and their contracts is set in stone. Your booking will still show as active, though. I've had this happen to me a couple of times with Celebrity.

My suspicions tell me, that because these waitlisted cruises are throughout those months, they are looking into changing up the itineraries to schedule these for longer cruises ... maybe put some 9 day cruises in there. This happened to us on the Mercury ... they called to tell us our 7 night sailing was turned into an 11 night sailing and we could keep our room for the same price plus a little OBC for the inconvenience. Inconvenience, you say?? I jumped on that one. I knew people on the next sailing and they weren't quite as happy as we were.

Maybe opening up Cuba has something to do with it, too. I just recently had a cruise for late next year canceled by NCL, as they were redeploying her to visit Cuba instead of Alaska. So, they might just be looking into adding that port of call.

I have a cruise booked that is over a year away that is all of a sudden showing as sold out, too, however, it is on Princess. I booked this when they canceled my NCL cruise. 2 out of 2?? Wow, what are the odds? I am surmising ... but am asking these same questions.

 

I'm new to cruising but figured it must be something like this. Since this is 20 months out I figured there is no way it could be sold out already.

[firsttimer2018]

I booked on Infinity for March 31, 2019 when it was first listed as available on the celebrity website a few months ago. A few days later when friends tried to book, that sailing did not show on the website. Several call to celebrity spaced a few weeks apart get the same response, "that cruise is not available for booking at this time." The phone people could not tell me if it was chartered or planned dry dock or itinerary change. My booking still shows as active on the celebrity website when I sign in.

 

Any ideas what is happening or likely to happen?

 

 

Correct sailing date is March 30, 2019. 5 night Ft Lauderdale, Key West & Cozumel.

[Cruise Raider]

I'm new to cruising but figured it must be something like this. Since this is 20 months out I figured there is no way it could be sold out already.

 

It's very unlikely! Plus, all those other ones in the general time frame, makes me really think that they are looking to combine some of the sailings. And yes, still 20 months away so hopefully, they will figure it all out and notify you if something has happened so you can plan out your vacation.

[Beanb41]

It is not uncommon for a cruise "to be booked out or full" prior to final payment. Travel Agents mostly those in the USA and on line pre book large numbers of cabins often at a reduced rate with the intention of offering discounted cruises to their customers. Come final payment day all unsold cabins are returned and the cruise reappears on the X website.