Denied boarding

[erllje]

4 of us were denied boarding the Celebrity Millennium February 1st because celebrity decided to deny anyone who transited though Hong Kong. We arrived in Singapore Thursday afternoon and received an email Friday from Celebrity saying we were not allow to board Saturday. We were booted out of our hotel and headed back to the airport for our 36 hour trip home. Everything was booked though our TA, so when we contacted them today they said we would receive only what the cruise cost. We have over $8000 tied up in this trip including airfare and hotel, they said since we took the flight and the stay in the hotel we would not get that money back. We have insurance so my thinking is they would pay but I don’t know.

So my question is if anyone else has experienced this can you let me know how it came out.

[cruiseryyc]

I doubt anyone has been in that exact position and could comment.

 

You probably won't know how it turns out until you make a claim on your insurance.

[Kartgv]

I'd guess that even the insurance companies haven't quite decided yet how to handle your situation.  If it does deny the claim, try the credit card company you used to pay for the trip.   It's a long shot, but worth a try.    Sorry your trip was ruined like this, but I do understand any cruise line doing everything in its power to keep passengers safe and to prevent the spread of this disease.    

[George C]

Got a email yesterday from celebrity saying that they would not let anyone board if they went through Hong Kong or China in last 15 days . 

[AF-1]

Boy that stinks.  You fly all the way there and because you went thru Hong Kong(which is part of China now); you couldn't get on the ship in Singapore.  That would ruin anyone's day.

[CPT Trips]

Flights and a hotel stay that OP would not have used if Celebrity gave adequate notice should be reimbursed by X, not the insurance. 
 

OP might want to look at the insurance for trip interruption if X doesn’t do the right thing.

Edited February 3, 2020 by CPT Trips

[Cruzaholic41]

Sometimes it’s most appropriate to just keep your opinions to yourself and simply show some sympathy to the OP. This is one of those times. 

[navybankerteacher]

1 minute ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

Sometimes it’s most appropriate to just keep your opinions to yourself and simply show some sympathy to the OP. This is one of those times. 

“sympathy” is always a nice thing to show, but when there is a request for opinion, opinion is more appropriate than a heartfelt “there-there”.

 

Of course insurance MIGHT cover OP’s out-of-pocket costs — but it will depend upon the terms of the coverage.  “Cancel for any reason” is more likely to cover it - lowest cost coverage, with a number of terms and conditions, is less likely.

 

Certainly worth pursuing.  

 

And, of course, I feel for OP - I would hate for that to happen to me.

[ducklite]

If the airfare was purchased through X, you might have a valid claim, as they chose the routing.

 

Personally I think X is responsible.  They should have made this announcement with enough time for people to change their plans.  It's not like the ship got rear-ended by another ship in port.  This Corona Virus thing has been in the news for two weeks now.

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, ducklite said:

If the airfare was purchased through X, you might have a valid claim, as they chose the routing.

 

That is not correct.  Celebrity does not choose the routing for air purchased through them.  They provide options of regularly scheduled flights through numerous carriers and facilitate the booking of the schedule - and fare class - you choose. The rates by class are the same as, or less than, the published air fares by the carriers. They also provide the benefit of that airfare being fully refundable and the schedule flexible at your option to change if desired up until the date of final cruise payment, which is also the date payment is due for the flights as they are tied together. 

 

This is the same with flights booked through RCI as well as they both use the same flight booking system.  Princess also offers the same program through their own system.  Done this many times.

 

NCL is one cruise line the selects the flights for you at a stated fare, which is not desirable IMO.

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[OzKiwiJJ]

Princess Cruises have just cancelled the next voyage on Diamond Princess. She is in Yokohama at present in quarantine as a passenger from Hong Kong who was on a recent cruise on her has been diagnosed with Coronavirus. Very disappointing to all the passengers waiting to embark but it sounds like Princess are being far more generous than Celebrity. The following letter was received by a TA and posted on another forum.

[ilikeanswers]

7 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Princess Cruises have just cancelled the next voyage on Diamond Princess. She is in Yokohama at present in quarantine as a passenger from Hong Kong who was on a recent cruise on her has been diagnosed with Coronavirus. Very disappointing to all the passengers waiting to embark but it sounds like Princess are being far more generous than Celebrity. The following letter was received by a TA and posted on another forum.

 

To me the key wording is cancelled within 24hrs of departure. I think any cruise line that cancels with such short notice should give some compensation because most passengers within 24hrs of departure will have already put in time and resources that cannot be taken back or rearranged especially if you are expected to fly to Singapore. Celebrity have known about the epidemic for months and it was their own perogative to make the decision to not allow passengers who transit through Hong Kong. They should have been aware that the date they implemented that decision would immediately affect certain cruise passengers and those passengers should be compensated for the last minute decision making of Celebrity.

 

Anyone with travel isurance should check if pandemics won't invalidate your insurance.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Insurance policies frequently have 'force majeure' or 'Act of God' exclusions that may come into play.

[Cruiser_1977]

@erllje could you please post a copy of the e-mail you received? I'd assume you would receive refunds for the cruise fare, port fees, taxes, cost of prepaid excursions, drink packages, etc. I am surprised there was no FCC offered.

 

You said you were "booted" from your hotel? I am not sure what that means. Didn't you only have two nights booked (Thursday and Friday)? 

Edited February 4, 2020 by JennyB1977

[erllje]

43 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

@erllje could you please post a copy of the e-mail you received? I'd assume you would receive refunds for the cruise fare, port fees, taxes, cost of prepaid excursions, drink packages, etc. I am surprised there was no FCC offered.

 

You said you were "booted" from your hotel? I am not sure what that means. Didn't you only have two nights booked (Thursday and Friday)? 

What I meant about being booted from our hotel was our flight out was not till 6:30PM we asked for a late check out but didn’t receive. We will get a refund from Celebrity for the cruise but we will not be reimbursed for airfare which was $2498.13. I feel since they waited to the last minute to deny us boarding they should reimburse us for flights.

[KnowTheScore]

and so it begins . . . .

 

the great ping pong of "no it's not our liability it's someone else's" as Coronavirus spreads across the globe, no-one willing to foot the massive bills for loss of revenues that are sure to occur.

[mom says]

9 minutes ago, KnowTheScore said:

and so it begins . . . .

 

the great ping pong of "no it's not our liability it's someone else's" as Coronavirus spreads across the globe, no-one willing to foot the massive bills for loss of revenues that are sure to occur.

I suggest you familiarize yourself with the concept and consequences of force majeur.

[KnowTheScore]

It's not force majeur if a cruise line already knows that there is going to be disruption to a cruise because of ordinary bouts of cold/flu illness.  It's wilful ignoring of that fact and selling people a cruise experience that they know will be compromised due to the protocol mandates currently in operation.

[mom says]

Your assumptions all seem to stem from the thought that medical providers won't be able to tell the difference between a flu ( which would still quarantine the individual to their cabin or deny boarding), and coronavirus. While that may be true today, since the actual test takes a day to get results, they think they will have a reliable rapid test in the very near future. Once that is available your argument falls apart.

[RocketMan275]

Did you book your air through celebrity?

 

[KnowTheScore]

Not really.  How many people develop cold/flu during the course of a cruise.  Say a 3000 pax ship?

 

I would guess it's a few hundred over the course of 2 weeks or more.   Some walk on board with it.  Others catch it along the way.   Medical protocols don't worry about colds and ILIs they just leave people to get on with it and it happily spreads around the ship.   Coronavirus is being treated differently, different protocols resulting in the impacts we have been discussing.

Everything comes down to how long it takes to test a person showing symptoms.    If there is a rapid test of say minutes or even an hour or so then things would certainly be better.  Until then, my concerns stand.  I can see ports being missed which of course plays into the cruise line's hands.   Missed port = no berthing fees.  Profits.

[mom says]

4 minutes ago, KnowTheScore said:

Missed port = no berthing fees.  Profits.

Missed port= increased fuel costs, loss of revenue from shore excursions, increased costs for food and other consumables, possible supply problems. Loss of profits.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, mom says said:

Missed port= increased fuel costs, loss of revenue from shore excursions, increased costs for food and other consumables, possible supply problems. Loss of profits.

 

While I agree, just consider the source.  It's just feeding their agenda.

[ducklite]

1 hour ago, erllje said:

What I meant about being booted from our hotel was our flight out was not till 6:30PM we asked for a late check out but didn’t receive. We will get a refund from Celebrity for the cruise but we will not be reimbursed for airfare which was $2498.13. I feel since they waited to the last minute to deny us boarding they should reimburse us for flights.

I'm not seeing where you were denied boarding.  Just a revised itinerary.

[ducklite]

22 minutes ago, mom says said:

Your assumptions all seem to stem from the thought that medical providers won't be able to tell the difference between a flu ( which would still quarantine the individual to their cabin or deny boarding), and coronavirus. While that may be true today, since the actual test takes a day to get results, they think they will have a reliable rapid test in the very near future. Once that is available your argument falls apart.

Where's Elizabeth Homes to the rescue when we need her?

 

#SnarkOff