Seabourn just cancelled our Sailing with less then 24 hr notice!

[Westiesheepie]

Very very disappointed in Seabourn to have us come all this way to Singapore and cancel last minute! They could have cancelled last week instead of sending us the ammended itinerary. We are left to refigure our flights and hotels on our own.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Westiesheepie

[florisdekort]

I hear you and feel your pain but the situation is very fluid. Singapore was fine until a few days ago. Now there are more corona cases as a % of the total population in Singapore than anywhere else in the world. RCI, Celebrity, Azamara all did the same the past 24 hours. Cruise lines are afraid Singapore will get banned soon, and then they have ships at sea again that aren’t allowed to dock anywhere. Celebrity even cancelled its entire Asia season yesterday, stranding thousands and thousands, and is sailing Millennium empty from Singapore to Honolulu... It’s a mess but nobody at Seabourn is deliberately out to screw you. 
 

[Westiesheepie]

I didnt say Seabourn deliberately screwed us but they did not handle this properly. We have been in Singapore for three days and it is very safe here. I know someone on Ovation now that boarded Feb 1 from HKG and doing back to back cruise meeting up with us tomorrow. I was just texting her about what to see in Singapore at 12noon local time. She had just received their through sticker on their cabin card. One hour later, they were informed by the Captain the cruise is cancelled. This last minute decision is what I have issue with. The situation did not change in one hour.

[rols]

41 minutes ago, florisdekort said:

I hear you and feel your pain but the situation is very fluid. Singapore was fine until a few days ago. Now there are more corona cases as a % of the total population in Singapore than anywhere else in the world. 

Actually the situation here has been pretty much the same for the past week, Singapore has consistently had the greatest number of cases outside China and the percentage per capita has been higher than anywhere else for most of this outbreak. So actually nothing changed here at all in terms of the virus. We have on the other thread about this been discussing whether Singapore is going to go off limits for days, ever since the Westerdam started to be refused entry everywhere. So I have to agree with everyone, this was bound to happen (I wrote about this this morning) as a result of other countries in the region being more aggressive about cruise liners than they are about air travellers but I also think Seabourn could have taken this decision a few days earlier and saved people travelling here. 

[D999]

That’s  dreadful westiesheepie! Are they offering you any help at all?  
We are supposed to be boarding in four weeks from Singapore and some very expensive upgrade offers just came through which seems a bit odd if Singapore is now  too risky for them...

D

[Westiesheepie]

Nothing if you made your own air and hotel arrangements. We were lucky to be able to change our flights home tomorrow. Just got to Singapore yesterday morning after flying for 20 hrs only to turn right back around tomorrow. On a positive note, we loved Singapore. So clean and friendly. Amazing food.

[D999]

That’s appalling.  Seabourn may lose some loyal customers by acting so inconsiderately. What a disappointment for you and everyone in the same situation
Glad you’ve been able to change flights and that Singapore didn’t disappoint but that’s probably cold comfort.

Safe travels. I can’t even think what your jet lag will be like.

D

[rols]

34 minutes ago, Westiesheepie said:

Nothing if you made your own air and hotel arrangements. We were lucky to be able to change our flights home tomorrow. Just got to Singapore yesterday morning after flying for 20 hrs only to turn right back around tomorrow. On a positive note, we loved Singapore. So clean and friendly. Amazing food.

Really sorry to hear this. And especially sorry that Seabourn has entirely left people to fend for themselves. This is not how they used to behave when they made changes and it's not a good sign. 

Pleased you enjoyed Singapore and hope you'll be back some time, although not perhaps with Seabourn. Safe travels. 

[Flamin_June]

Just woke up to this news. So sorry for you Westiesheepie, and appalled also at SB lack of empathy for their passengers. after reading this went to check for emails from SB and or our TA about status our 14th March cruise. Nothing yet. Imagine if you were ona back to back! To be told you have to disembark at SGP with a day's notice - need to reschedule flights, possibly book hotels + other arrangements thrown into disarray.

Seems a bit of a knee-jerk last minute decision, as SGP probably as safe as anywhere in Asia. Statistics about % of population are misleading, as SGP is a city state with a relatively small population. More meaningfull would be to look at % of population infected across the whole of the Malay Peninsula.

Oh well.... Waiting to hear from someone about our situation. We booked a Business-Lite fare with Singapore airlines back in October - seemed a bargain at the time, but No Cancellations allowed, so we stand to lose c. £4,200 ( $5,500). At least our flight back from Dubai is recoverable.

[rols]

1 hour ago, Flamin_June said:

Just woke up to this news. So sorry for you Westiesheepie, and appalled also at SB lack of empathy for their passengers. after reading this went to check for emails from SB and or our TA about status our 14th March cruise. Nothing yet. Imagine if you were ona back to back! To be told you have to disembark at SGP with a day's notice - need to reschedule flights, possibly book hotels + other arrangements thrown into disarray.

Seems a bit of a knee-jerk last minute decision, as SGP probably as safe as anywhere in Asia. Statistics about % of population are misleading, as SGP is a city state with a relatively small population. More meaningfull would be to look at % of population infected across the whole of the Malay Peninsula.

Oh well.... Waiting to hear from someone about our situation. We booked a Business-Lite fare with Singapore airlines back in October - seemed a bargain at the time, but No Cancellations allowed, so we stand to lose c. £4,200 ( $5,500). At least our flight back from Dubai is recoverable.

I've been living your upcoming cruise with you the last two weeks and I'm desperately disappointed this has happened. That said there have been 9 new cases today and the government has activated a clinic system they last used back during the SARS outbreak and as much as I want to look on the bright side here, it feels increasingly likely that the virus is out in the population and it won't be that long before we move from containment to triage for the most affected cases and it may soon be time to shut the doors before we export cases abroad. I could most certainly be overreacting but the whole place feels a bit different today and the trend has not been good and I wouldn't blame any nation for refusing visitors from Singapore until this is over. 

I've been toying with booking a Business Lite ticket on SIA for an upcoming trip to NY (if that even happens) and have been bothered by the non-cancellability of it. Perhaps you might be better to sit on it and wait to see if Singapore becomes a no-go zone and see if they will waive the non-cancel. Worst result if you get there, they'll let you rebook a year out without penalty and you can probably take this year's cruise next year. 

I sincerely hope you find a way not to be financially worse off because of this. I hope that if Singapore becomes a pariah, our national carrier will do the right thing.

[Flamin_June]

Thanks for the kind words, rols!

Business Lite was a really good deal, and if it is a trip you are definitely going to take, may be worth the risk  as one would expect Travel Insurance to cover in the event of a 'normal' cancellation. In this case  am not so sure - I won't check with my Insurer until I have a more definitive set of circumstances. Yes, sensible to see if SGP becomes a no-go zone - as you say, it feels like it will only be a matter of time now...

However, we still don't know what SB plan to do with our cruise. Rang our well known and often mentioned UK TA and they had no info - we have even discussed taking our flight to Singapore and having our five days there anyway. We were both soooo looking forward to returning. 5 nights booked at Hotel Fort Canning (that's on a no refunds basis as well 😬). We have really enjoyed the lovely pool there, walks to and from the Colonial District across the park.Had plans to dine at Candlenut and Peking Duck Imperial Treasure (not having to worry about making reservations!) both for first time.....the old Botanical Gardens.....A was planning to get a cheongsam made up.... some tropical warmth to banish the cold icy winds that have penetrated to our bones these last few weeks.... revisit the Asian Civilisations Museum ( one of my favourite museums in the world)....lunch at Empress.

Sigh.... SGP has so much to offer.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Flamin_June

[ab21au]

5 hours ago, D999 said:
We are supposed to be boarding in four weeks from Singapore and some very expensive upgrade offers just came through which seems a bit odd if Singapore is now  too risky for them...

D

I think the upgrade offers are automatic. We also got upgrade offers for our cruise departing HK the 29th even though we had cancelled. 

[Cantara24]

This is strange. When I first saw florisdekort post on other thread I went to our Sojourn booking and the revised itinerary has now been just posted, still embarking SGP. Also see Ovation is still heading to SGP. Have to wonder what the ship is going to do if the 15th cruise is cancelled.

Flamin Jane thanks for the link to worldometers, the accompanying case info makes for a much more informative site.

[Chairsin]

Westiesheepie, 

I am so sorry you find yourself in such a difficult situation. I certainly understand how difficult it is to fly half way across the world only to have to turn around and fly back home as we landed in Egypt a day before the Arab Spring erupted in Cairo in January 2011 and then spent two days camping out at the chaotic airport hoping flights would start operating so we could get out of there. In your situation while I obviously don’t have first information from what I have been reading from credible news sources and posters here with a dog in the fight such as yourself at a minimum it would appear Seabourn’s communication efforts have been woefully inadequate and their response to the ever unfolding situation has been slow. I agree that while in normal circumstances Seabourn would not be responsible for changing flights you made on your own these are not normal circumstances and they could have made some effort to assist you. 
 

And Flamin June sorry you are also in a difficult spot. As we found with our Egypt “adventure” most travel insurance policies, short of cancel for any reason, have many loopholes that substantially restrict coverage rendering them pretty useless in circumstances such as this. My wish for you is that Seabourn make a decision quickly and that if they cancel the cruise your airline and hotel allow you to cancel without penalty. ( And BTW, we also love the Hotel Fort Canning with its sense of history and oasis like location while still in the middle of the city - we stayed there for the second time this past December). 

[Flamin_June]

Thanks Chairsin

We first booked HFC after reading your mention of going to try it 18 months or so ago - Glad you liked it also.

This trip was going to involve staying at 'heritage' hotels at all our overnight stops - Governor's Residence in Yangon, Galle Face in Sri Lanka, Taj Palace in Mumbai + meeting up with local friends and acquaintances. We are going to have a platefull of cancellation emails to send out if it is a dead duck.

[Chairsin]

Oh Flamin June that sounds just like something we would enjoy - fingers and toers crossed that it all comes to pass as you planned. We also find “ heritage” hotels to be our cup of tea. When we did our private tour in Rajasthan for two weeks before we embarked on the Ovation in Dubai this past December we we stayed in many charming haveli. It really gives you a true sense of place. 
 

And as to the current cancellation does anyone know what exactly the Ovation is doing. Are they going to a port such as Sihanoukville that seems will to allow cruise passengers to disembark or are they going to Singapore and disembarking passengers and then heading somewhere else?
 

I guess one of the troubling factors has been the not surprising recent confirmation that this virus can be transmitted by asymptomatic carriers. So just screening passengers for a temperature when boarding is not a fail safe measure. And this is on top of the pronouncement in a report out of China earlier this week that while the median time for the appearance of symptoms is three days they are saying that instead of a 14 day incubation period it could be up to 24 days. Granted this study has not been verified by peer review but if it is true it is just another troubling complication. 

[Flamin_June]

They are disembarking in Singapore, then it's wait and see. Plenty of discussion and speculation on the Seabourn Sailors page on FB

[Chairsin]

Thank you for the update - I’m not on FB. 
 

I can’t just imagine how doubly frustrating it will be for those in Singapore who had hoped to board tomorrow to see the ship there and not be able to board. 

[SLSD]

4 hours ago, rols said:

 I wouldn't blame any nation for refusing visitors from Singapore until this is over. 

I've been toying with booking a Business Lite ticket on SIA for an upcoming trip to NY (if that even happens) and have been bothered by the non-cancellability of it.

rols, do you think that fact that the Ovation is going to disembark passengers in Singapore will jeopardize the ship being able to dock in other ports for the next (at least) fourteen days?  What a domino effect this epidemic could be causing!  

[Flamin_June]

There are at least two or three sperate parties who have just or recently flown in and are now having to get flights back out. A lot of annoyance that if one did not book with Seabourn Air/Flight Ease there is no help or support  in arranging return flights or accommodation.

What a mess. We just have to wait and see what the plans are for Feb 29th and March 14th sailings. I get that SB have their hands full just sorting out the disembark. There are people on board who had back to backs booked for another two weeks....

I'm half packed ( well... underwear and socks ) and do'nt know what to do, meanwhile the cat has taken up residence in my suitcase. At least at the moment it appears Seabourn are offering full refunds + 100% credit on a future cruise, which I think is a generous offer.

[claudiaYVR]

Meanwhile it appears that Crystal Symphony is sailing from Singapore with 160-180 guests today.

[Chairsin]

Wow - that must feel Ike a ghost ship. 
 

Our first Seabourn Cruise was on the 208 passenger capacity Spirit out Istanbul a week after  9/11. There were less than 100 passengers and that felt strange!

[Flamin_June]

When Ovation docked in Phuket yesterday, Bangkok Times reported 495 passengers and 470 crew onboard...

[Mark56]

I'm so sorry for everyone that is going through this. 

 

Am I crazy to be concerned about leaving from Athens in May? 

[SLSD]

2 minutes ago, Mark56 said:

I'm so sorry for everyone that is going through this. 

 

Am I crazy to be concerned about leaving from Athens in May? 

I think many here and elsewhere would say yes--you are crazy to be concerned about an Athen embarkation in May.  On the other hand, my husband has asked me not to book another cruise until we know how this epidemic plays out--worldwide.  The truth is simple--we have other choices in leisure time travel.  Right now, we are thinking about a car trip from Dallas to San Francisco and beyond.  No airplane travel, no ship travel.  Color us ridiculously cautious.