Itinerary change - Reflection August '18

[UKPete71]

We received notification from our travel agent yesterday that our 5 night cruise on Reflection next August (15th) was increasing to 6 nights due to it being chartered from 21st August.

 

More details have been received today and for us to stay on the the cruise for an additional day we will have to pay nearly $500 for us to keep our Go Better package, as they state that is priced per day and the cruise fare is not protected by the lengthened cruise.

 

What was a 3 port call and a sea day, now becomes a 5 port call with no sea day.

 

We have been offered 2 alternative cruises on Constellation in July instead "in like accommodations, at your current rate or at the lowest available rate", to rebook on any other cruise at the prevailing rate and receive $100 OBC, or to cancel and receive a refund of all amounts paid so far.

 

The quandary we have is it's the MiL's 75th birthday during the August cruise. If we move to one of the others it obviously won't be over her birthday, which was the original plan.

 

We have until 14th September to decide what to do.

[jelayne]

Not sure I understand is that $500 for the extra day's fare for 2 with Go Better or is the $500 for just for the extra night of Go Better?

 

You didn't starve what cabin category you have booked, but if the extra $500 includes the extra day the category of cabin comes into play.

 

How much were you paying per night with Go Better for the 5 nights and how does that per night rate compare to the extra charge? If your rate for 2 was $325 per night with Go Better when it was 5 nights I would say that you should try and get them to add the extra day at the original per night rate.

Good luck.

[UKPete71]

We're in a C2 cabin. The nightly rate is $235pp, plus they'll be additional port fees. And then there's an extra night's grats to add too. The issue we have is we probably wouldn't have booked a 6 night cruise at that price point, but did for a 5 night due to the MiL's birthday. The $100 OBC compensation feels like a kick in the teeth. It's "give us $500 and we'll give you $100 back to spend on the ship".

 

What is interesting is the cruise has been "off sale" for a while. After the notification of the itinerary change came out there are now quite a few cabins available. I wonder if (a) lots of people have cancelled, or (b) Celebrity stopped selling the cruise whilst they were in discussions with whoever has chartered it?

 

Initial discussions with my DW could see us switch to Constellation. I'd just want reassurance that we'd get the Go Better in the same category cabin with the same OBC at our current rate, which is what the email we've received states. The confusing thing is both of the cruises we've been offered as alternatives are 7 night cruises! :confused: Having looked at both of them the same cabin category gives limited availability right at the back of the ship.

[jelayne]

Looks like since the $500 is what you are paying per night not

to much to negotiate. The decision seems to revolve around do you want to go for 6 nights on the Reflection or 7 on the Constellation, and the cost of the 7 night. Is the price protection the per day rate you are booked at ($235pp) X 7 nights? If so that would be $1000 for the extra 2 nights.

 

 

If it were me & I could afford the extra $ and time I would do the 7 day, however I do prefer the Reflection over the Constellation. Tough decision when you have found what you want and then it changes.

[chemmo]

So frustrating when a birthday is involved....To take your MIL on a cruise for her birthday is a great idea and a lovely thing to do. Will she be disappointed if she is not at sea on the special day? Would you need to organise something special at home on the actual day if you were not at sea? It isn't just rescheduling a family cruise....

 

I would consider the whole picture before making a choice. With the option to cancel I would also look at other itineraries and possibly even other cruise lines before making a decision. Gather as much information as you can....If the birthday date isn't a deciding factor and you can travel outside peak times you may find something better (and cheaper) in June or September....if you are stuck to school holidays it makes life harder...

 

I sincerely hope you find something to suit.

[riclop]

Not fair what they do.

[villauk]

Having been on Reflection this past August in the Med and experiencing how crowded the ship gets, if your MIL isn't too bothered about the date, then I'd move to another ship. TBH, X have been swapping and changing those dates for a while - obviously because of accommodating the charter ;). We much preferred both of our sailings on Connie to Reflection in August.

[hcat]

I'd look for another option/ cruiseline for the birthday week if you can't spend the extra funds for what you have booked.. Sticking with it seems easiest..other than the money! You will have time to save up the extra and maybe get some more OBC from X.

 

.Agree with post saying Reflection can be crowded...no idea if many children would be on board for a short cruise anyhow...but OP did select Ref initially so must have considered all that.

[toptoff]

Really confused by this as we are due to leave Rome (on Reflection) on August 20th 2018 on 11 night western med cruise. We suspected something was not right as our cruise has been unavailable to book for a couple of months now, we were told it was sold out at the time we checked if everything was okay but this is now starting to look a bit suspicious?:o:o

[Tiggertastic]

I understood that the 5 night had been a charter and it was showing as sold out for a long time,maybe they now chartered from 21st instead.

 

 

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[UKPete71]

I understood that the 5 night had been a charter and it was showing as sold out for a long time,maybe they now chartered from 21st instead.

I think there's a 5 night charter from 10th, as the original cruise on the 10th was a 10 night cruise. The charter then meant they cancelled the 10 and put on a 5 as a gap filler. Now the 5 has become a 6. I'd be a bit put out if I was on the cruise from the 20th and hadn't been notified about the ship being chartered instead.

[Darren267]

We are also on this cruise but have been given different information than you, it might be worth checking with your TA that the information is correct.

 

Our options were to stay on the cruise at the same rate we'd paid and receive $100 OBC (essentially being paid $100 to have an extra night), or to move to a new booking and take the perks with us, or go on either of the two Constellation sailings you mentioned at the same rate as what we had paid for the five day sailing. The concierge cost on either CS sailing is much more than what we paid so it would be a steal to swap.

 

The other thing I've noticed is the current pricing for the six day sailing is pretty much the same as when we booked it as a five day, so I'm surprised to see the $500 increase in cost in any event.

 

I definitely advice you to check the information you've got because we have stayed on board at no additional cost and received $100.

 

Hope yo can work it out!

[UKPete71]

We are also on this cruise but have been given different information than you, it might be worth checking with your TA that the information is correct.

 

Our options were to stay on the cruise at the same rate we'd paid and receive $100 OBC (essentially being paid $100 to have an extra night), or to move to a new booking and take the perks with us, or go on either of the two Constellation sailings you mentioned at the same rate as what we had paid for the five day sailing. The concierge cost on either CS sailing is much more than what we paid so it would be a steal to swap.

 

The other thing I've noticed is the current pricing for the six day sailing is pretty much the same as when we booked it as a five day, so I'm surprised to see the $500 increase in cost in any event.

 

I definitely advice you to check the information you've got because we have stayed on board at no additional cost and received $100.

 

Hope yo can work it out!

Where are you Darren? Although we're in the UK we booked with a US agent and they are saying it's pay extra, although their original email suggested not. An extra night for no cost and $100 OBC would have been a no brainer. When I checked with them they then said they had checked with Celebrity and were told it's been repriced.

 

I've had a discussion with someone who has booked with Celebrity UK and they have been told (unofficially) that Celebrity will absorb the increase.

 

I'm going to call my travel agent tomorrow night to discuss the options available. Like you say if you swap to one of the 7 night Constellation cruises without paying extra then it's a bargain. It's not so much if, as jelayne points out, the price protection is applied to the per night rate, rather than the whole cruise rate.

[Darren267]

We are also in the U.K. and booked through a US TA.

 

We definitely had the option of moving to either CS sailing at the same rate, so no increase at all. The only reason we didn't is we had a reason to stay on the original shorter cruise, like you.

 

 

The only thing I can suggest if your TA refuses to accept this is to phone Celebrity US and clarify with them on a general basis and then get them to make a note on the system for when your TA calls, or ask them if they will call your TA.

 

 

Good luck!

[UKPete71]

After further discussion with my DW I've been told my MiL is on a cruise with P&O that covers the two Constellation cruises Celebrity have offered as alternatives, so that discards that option for us. :(

[UKPete71]

We are also in the U.K. and booked through a US TA.

 

We definitely had the option of moving to either CS sailing at the same rate, so no increase at all. The only reason we didn't is we had a reason to stay on the original shorter cruise, like you.

 

The only thing I can suggest if your TA refuses to accept this is to phone Celebrity US and clarify with them on a general basis and then get them to make a note on the system for when your TA calls, or ask them if they will call your TA.

 

Good luck!

Thanks. I cant say my TA has been great of late. We're on a cruise in October and when I tried to get an assigned veranda moved within the same category they said it wasn't possible. It took three calls to them, one after I had spoken to Celebrity, to tell them it was possible. They then spoke to Celebrity and the stateroom was changed.

 

If you can email details of your TA for future reference it'd be appreciate.

ukpete071 @ gmail.com (without the spaces)

[Darren267]

Unless you leave h...... only joking

 

Let us know how you get on with your TA!

[UKPete71]

Unless you leave h...... only joking ����

 

Let us know how you get on with your TA!

Will do. I've tweeted Celebrity in the meantime. It'll be good if they reply before I get a chance to call my TA tomorrow.

[Darren267]

I'll send you an email.

 

What cruise are you on in October?

[UKPete71]

I'll send you an email.

 

What cruise are you on in October?

Ta. We're on the Reflection transatlantic.

[TheTwoWinnys]

I've just had a call from management at Celebrity UK as I rang and complained this morning that's no info had been provided to myself and apparently the US team haven't given the Uk team any information on the package/deal/compo for UK guests. Apparantly a decision maybe made tomorrow. Very disappointing in there commutation skills.

[toptoff]

Had it confirmed today that the sailing on 20th August 2018 from Rome on Reflection has been cancelled. They have charted the ship out?:mad:

[CanuckCFAN]

Could I ask which of the Constellation cruises in July were they offering to you?

 

Toptoff, have they offered you a replacement cruise for the August 20th cancellation or are they just providing a refund of your deposit?

 

Thank you,

[toptoff]

At the moment they have offered a choice of two other cruises which are price protected so if it's dearer they will honour the price and if it's cheaper you pay the lower fare. $200.00 per cabin as well. We have until the 15th to decide.

[CanuckCFAN]

At the moment they have offered a choice of two other cruises which are price protected so if it's dearer they will honour the price and if it's cheaper you pay the lower fare. $200.00 per cabin as well. We have until the 15th to decide.

 

Thank you Toptoff for your reply.

 

I am sorry your cruise has been affected. Would you mind if I asked if the July 7th sailing on the Constellation was one your two alternate cruise choices?

 

We had originally booked the Reflection August 20th sailing, but changed course back in April and booked the Connie's July 7th, sailing instead.

 

Friends of ours had been considering joining us, however, recently there has been a significant price increase and only guaranty cabins are available in most categories.

 

I was just wondering if Celebrity was holding back cabins in anticipation of this change.

 

Again, I am sorry your cruise has been canceled, hopefully, you will be able to find a suitable replacement.