Should Celebrity stop taking reservations?

[Sam.Seattle]

Disney Resorts have ceased taking new reservations until June 1, 2020.  

 

I can imagine there are some folks who will book with Celebrity in hope of a cancelation and getting a 125% FCC just making the financial situation worse for Celebrity. 

I also understand the need to collect deposits and create bookings for the balance sheet. It just seems like the Cruise Lines are premature allowing new bookings as early as May 13, 2020.

 

What do you think?

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, Sam.Seattle said:

Disney Resorts have ceased taking new reservations until June 1, 2020.  

 

I can imagine there are some folks who will book with Celebrity in hope of a cancelation and getting a 125% FCC just making the financial situation worse for Celebrity. 

I also understand the need to collect deposits and create bookings for the balance sheet. It just seems like the Cruise Lines are premature allowing new bookings as early as May 13, 2020.

 

What do you think?

You do not mention anything about 'Final Payment Date' which does make a difference when one is within the penalty period.

 

As such, keep making reservations and then cancel or move to another date/sailing if not abated by each FPD for each sailing.

 

bon voyage

[davekathy]

IMO Celebrity or whatever cruise line should not stop taking reservations. If I was a TA I'd feel the same way. Regardless of how long it takes, and no one knows how long things will last. There are some overly optimistic people that keep thinking they will be cruising soon and are booking cruises. I haven't cancelled any of our future cruises (2020 and 2021) and have been looking at 2022 cruises. No cruise line wants to get caught with months worth of no bookings on their ships when cruising resumes. What does it matter what the cruise lines do?

 

[hcat]

I think they should take res for cruises that sail after Sept 1st..depending on location.

They could do a few before that  with guests who have previously booked, but why add more res that may realistically have to be cancelled.  

 

If things improve sooner, they can always adjust.

[Jeremiah1212]

I think anyone currently booking is well aware of the fluid situation. They are either being overly optimistic or trying to play the system and come out ahead with additional compensation from a cancelled cruise. I do think it would be short-sighted to simply stop taking reservations all together.

 

Even with a successful booking and cruises resuming at some point, I would hope everyone is prepared and understanding of more cancelations, itinerary adjustments, ship redeployments, etc. as the cruise lines have to adjust and right size the operation in an effort to recover. 

 

The first wave of Edge crew goes home today from Fort Lauderdale. I'm not sure about the other ships, but that speaks a lot to their outlook on a return to service...

Edited March 30, 2020 by Jeremiah1212

[Fouremco]

Celebrity continues to take booking - and deposits - for cruises that they know perfectly well will never sail. This creates unnecessary work for themselves, unpaid work for TA's and frustration for would be passengers. There's little sense IMO to carry on as if it's business as usual when it clearly isn't. Personally, I'd opt for a further choice, when WHO declares the pandemic over, not the CDC, because every single cruise offered by Celebrity is dependant upon other countries opening their ports.  

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

IMO Celebrity or whatever cruise line should not stop taking reservations. If I was a TA I'd feel the same way. Regardless of how long it takes, and no one knows how long things will last. There are some overly optimistic people that keep thinking they will be cruising soon and are booking cruises. I haven't cancelled any of our future cruises (2020 and 2021) and have been looking at 2022 cruises. No cruise line wants to get caught with months worth of no bookings on their ships when cruising resumes. What does it matter what the cruise lines do?

 

I hope that they continue to take deposits and final payments from the optimists so that they can more quickly refund my money on cancelled sailings.

[davekathy]

9 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

I hope that they continue to take deposits and final payments from the optimists so that they can more quickly refund my money on cancelled sailings.

Now that's funny. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by davekathy

[PTC DAWG]

No, next question.

[GeorgesGal]

I just made a new reservation - another line - with the FCC I received from them for our cancelled cruise (3-18).  I purposely didn't pick a cruise until December 3.  Hopefully all will be clear by then.

 

I'm also reserved on ~X~ Millennium 9-11-2020.  Still hopeful for that one, but could be doubtful.  Such a shame if it is, my first TP to Asia!

[Denny01]

I understand the point of the survey, but first, the CDC didn’t make the announcement, it was the WHO on 11 March. And not sure how they would then not label it as not a pandemic, it would probably become ‘endemic’ meaning its going to be always ‘there’ and a vaccine will control it, but it will always ‘be’. And somehow downgrading will take a very extended time - probably after a vaccine is available and being universally used. 

 

So waiting for that type of decision for an industry to act is, I think, not a choice that should be set as a decision point. I chose continuing as is. Taking reservations doesn’t impact us, or be an issue except the ‘I want my refund back immediately!’. Only commit funds you can handle (as you should for vacationing anyway) and be ready to accept a refund won’t be returned immediately.  

 

Den

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

I believe cruise lines should continue to function with as much normalcy as they possibly can for as long as they possibly can.  That means continuing to take reservations even if they end up cancelling and refunding.  Even if the cruise is eventually cancelled, the lines can still gather valuable data by the number of bookings they receive.  Data like:

1.  Are people still willing to cruise?

2.  How has the virus impacted the age demographic of those  who are still booking?

3.  What are people willing to pay for a cruise under/as a result of these circumstances?

4.  How many bookings are coming from return customers vs. new customers?

5.  What geographic demographic are booking cruises?

 

This type of information and so much more can be helpful to the cruise line in making projections for the future as well as formulating a marketing plan...which all the lines will need.  My two cents...

Edited March 30, 2020 by Georgia_Peaches

[Fouremco]

There are some interesting differences in response depending on whether you answer from the perspective of Celebrity or that of a passenger.

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

There are some interesting differences in response depending on whether you answer from the perspective of Celebrity or that of a passenger.

Only speaking for myself. 

[Fouremco]

3 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Only speaking for myself. 

👍

[Bill Miller]

Booked for Alaska 9/4 Solstice. If they cancel, I will look for something else.  We will get through this. Called Celebrity on Sunday 9/29. Ashley the agent that spoke with me was most helpful. She didn't rush and she helped me check 2 other bookings that were cancelled by the cruise line.

This experience is new for all of us, including Celebrity. I'm so grateful we are working with a quality company. I look forward to seeing you all, and raising our champagne glasses in a toast to the future aboard our next Celebrity cruise.

Capt. Bill, Retired Merchant Mariner

 

[bouhunter]

4 hours ago, Fouremco said:

This creates unnecessary work for themselves, unpaid work for TA's and frustration for would be passengers. 

Only if people are stupid enough to book any sailings in the next 3-4 months.  They aren't going to be sailing.  And doing if for a 125% FCC makes no sense either.  Who knows when they actually sail again, or what prices will be.  Just a bad investment in so many ways.

Edited March 30, 2020 by bouhunter

[Bo1953]

13 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

Only if people are stupid enough to book any sailings in the next 3-4 months.  They aren't going to be sailing.  And doing if for a 125% FCC makes no sense either.  Who knows when they actually sail again, or what prices will be.  Just a bad investment in so many ways.

We can book anytime within the next three (3) to four (4) months without any doubt, it is predicated on when the sailing is.

 

Like the stock market, either you can ride it out, with a FCC or cash in early to stem any perceived losses.

 

bon voyage

[Wolf 8]

I vote for Celebrity to be nimble enough to gradually calibrate it's entire operation (bookings, sailings, pricing, excursions, etc.) while the world defeats this virus.  If Celebrity misjudges the appetites of the customers they are trying to woo then they and their shareholders will be severely punished.

 

The actual vote on this question will be cast by you and I, the people who decide if they'll accept or reject the terms of whatever offers Celebrity makes in the future.  By definition, everyone who elects to sail on a cruise ship is a capitalist, after all.

[dani negreanu]

1 hour ago, Bill Miller said:

Called Celebrity on Sunday 9/29.

 

You mean yesterday?

[Pushka]

Australia is going to be in lockdown for 6 months. Cruises brought over 20% of our positive infections here. I can't see any Australian based cruises starting until December at the very earliest. Overseas? I wouldn't be booking anything until October. But those cruises could be bookable now. Along with 2021 cruises. That's why I think the question and the poll isn't quite right. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Pushka

[Wolf 8]

2 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Australia is going to be in lockdown for 6 months. Cruises brought over 20% of our positive infections here. I can't see any Australian based cruises starting until December at the very earliest. Overseas? I wouldn't be booking anything until October. But those cruises could be bookable now. Along with 2021 cruises. That's why I think the question isn't quite right. 

 

My wife and I have long loved the Aussies and still have plans to take a long, long visit to the land down under (no cruise ship involved, just trains, planes and automobiles).  You folks stay safe and God willing we'll see you sooner rather than later.

[Pushka]

12 minutes ago, Wolf 8 said:

 

My wife and I have long loved the Aussies and still have plans to take a long, long visit to the land down under (no cruise ship involved, just trains, planes and automobiles).  You folks stay safe and God willing we'll see you sooner rather than later.

Fingers crossed we so far seem to be on track to flatten the curve. Will take some time and the world just needs a vaccine! 2021 looking good. We will be ready for tourists then to come and enjoy. 

[Ken the cruiser]

You bet they should continue to take reservations as "this too shall pass" and we plan on cruising for quite some time to come. In fact we recently booked a B2B earlier this month for Apr 2022 on the Millennium and just refared it this morning saving $1,600!

 

We also just bought 100 shares of RCCL stock so we can now take advantage of their shareholder benefit perks as well!

Edited March 31, 2020 by Ken the cruiser

[TommyD3]

They should wait until they resume sailing to restart taking reservations.

Tomorrow's Exciting Deals have MANY MANY sailings in May and June.

VERY likely they will not happen and Celebrity will have to offer 125% FCC !!!

Stupid marketing plan !!!

Edited March 31, 2020 by TommyD3