Choosing your options after a cancelled cruise

[mdpa]

Well, our May 29th Western Med Cruise was cancelled. We really liked the itinerary (Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon, etc,). I have a few choices..all of them good. I can get our money back, but one of the main reasons I felt OK about going forward was because the remaining options seem decent.

 

- Lift & Shift (8 day Spain Intensive Perry Cruise). Cons: Single Country; Pros: Looks very interesting with long overnights, extra day, and the cost is higher than we booked

- Take our 125% credit. Then I need to decide if I book something right away (because prices are going up and ships are filling) or take the credit and wait it out for the perfect deal.

 

What strategy have you done or would you recommend? And why? I’m trying to go through the pros/cons of locking something in early and the trade-offs.

 

More info: Veranda room, $1050 OBC (is the OBC lost with FCC?)

 

Your help and advice is appreciated! I am flexible…so any cruise between August 2021 and September 2022. Thanks

Edited February 26, 2021 by mdpa

[Host Jazzbeau]

With Azamara, 'single country' is never a Con:  it's what this cruise line is all about.  You got the Pro version of that right:  long overnights.  A chance to really learn about that country.  The Spain Intensive itinerary is a very appealing one to me – especially with the double overnight right in Seville [where other cruise lines have you taking a bus up from Cadiz for a single day in Seville]

[upwarduk]

3 hours ago, mdpa said:

Take our 125% credit. Then I need to decide if I book something right away (because prices are going up and ships are filling) or take the credit and wait it out for the perfect deal.

Will the new owners accept 125% of a cruise fare issued by RCG?

[uktog]

8 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

Will the new owners accept 125% of a cruise fare issued by RCG?

I have been told yes

[donaldsc]

I would consider a single country cruise w overnights to be a major pro and not a con.  I assume that there are probable no or almost no sea days on such a cruise which would also be a major major pro.

 

One additional thought.  If you are going to spend 8 days doing just Spain, have you thought about renting a car and doing an 8 day land tour instead.  That way you will have much more flexibility than doing the cruise.

 

DON

Edited February 26, 2021 by donaldsc

[shedridt]

One of the best cruises we've taken was Lisbon to Barcelona, heavy emphasis on Spanish ports. Really beautiful things to do & see (don't miss the Alhambra), and great history. I don't think you would regret taking the Spain cruise.

[mdpa]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I will say the more I read about the Spain intensive itinerary the more interesting it seems. I’m trying to contrast that against the loss of seeing Rome.

 

The Western Med is over Thanksgiving which is nice from a timing perspective, but the weather will be cooler. Is lift and shift the safest option?

[combine]

1 hour ago, mdpa said:

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I will say the more I read about the Spain intensive itinerary the more interesting it seems. I’m trying to contrast that against the loss of seeing Rome.

 

The Western Med is over Thanksgiving which is nice from a timing perspective, but the weather will be cooler. Is lift and shift the safest option?

I believe the lift and shift option stipulates that the new cruise must be within 4 weeks of your  originally scheduled cruise date but in the following year.  So that means it is between April and June 2022. If the price is more expensive it will be honoured at your cancelled fare. Back in January I did L&S  to April 2022 on our May 2021 cruise  which was a 125% FCC booking from a cancelled June 2020 cruise!! 

If we ever actually get onboard, we have a cracking deal, but I have worked hard to keep it moving forward without losing any promotions.

 

The 125% FCC will allow you to chose any date moving forward. You will have many more options but  you will pay the prevailing price and bear in mind you must book by Apr 30 2022 and sail by September  30 2022. 
 

One option gives you a lot  more flexibility to chose a date in 2022 , the other not so much but you may bag a great deal.

Edited February 26, 2021 by combine

[wjfan417]

On 2/26/2021 at 5:42 PM, mdpa said:

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I will say the more I read about the Spain intensive itinerary the more interesting it seems. I’m trying to contrast that against the loss of seeing Rome.

 

The Western Med is over Thanksgiving which is nice from a timing perspective, but the weather will be cooler. Is lift and shift the safest option?

We did a Barcelona to Lisbon cruise in November 2019. We loved the itinerary and would consider doing it again. We joined a lot of tours that others had organized-mostly through Spain Day Tours but a couple smaller winery visits.

[cinlo]

A couple years ago we took an Azamara Transatlantic that ended in Barcelona.  It was our first time to Europe.  From Barcelona, we flew to Venice, stayed 3 nights to explore.  Took the train to Florence for 2 nights, then train again to Rome for 3 nights.  Flew from Rome back to Florida using the Celebrity air program which enabled us to get very reasonable fares.  I made ALL of the reservations myself....air, hotels, trains....everything went just as planned.  Went on some very interesting excursions including an underground tour of the Coliseum in Rome, and climbing to the top of the Duomo in Florence.  Looking forward to another such adventure when Covid is over!