Celebrity will be restarting cruising out of St. Maarten on June 5th with Millennium

[terrydtx]

42 minutes ago, hcat said:

How can  non customers sign up? ... we are CVS customers generally for Rx  purchases but received our shots elsewhere?

Go to CVS.com and follow the link to get an appointment for Covid shots. Not all states have CVS availability but the link will show which states and cities are in the CVS system. You do not have to be a CVS customer. Here is the link: COVID Vaccine (COVID-19 Immunization Updates) | CVS Pharmacy

 

Good luck, I did see New York is in the CVS network

Edited March 19, 2021 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I had been looking at flights from NYC or Miami to a few Caribbean islands where small-ship cruises homeport, and I was surprised at how few flights are available and how high the prices are.  So I was glad to read that Celebrity has already thought of this and reserved lots of seats for their new homeport in St. Martin.

Southwest Airlines also flies to San Juan and there are a lot of short connection flights on American Eagle to St Marteen. and a couple other small airlines. Not sure which gateway city SW flies to San Juan.

[PTC DAWG]

Honestly, this thread has mainly been a breath of fresh air...I hope to see some of y’all onboard somewhere sooner than later...

 

Sail on.

[drakes2]

29 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

For those of you interested in staying in a hotel prior to your cruise, I have two suggestions.......stayed at both.  First is Holland House Boutique Hotel right on the beach in Phillipsberg, and just around the corner, a short walk, from the yellow building that will be the terminal. Nice hotel close to everything you could want.  The restaurant is lovely and looks out onto the beach.  Room was quite nice.  Was not all inclusive property.  The other is Maho beach Sonesta Resort.  All inclusive property on the beach, and right beside the airport runway....really.  Short cab ride into Phillipsberg.  Food was good at all the on-site restaurants and a small casino and shopping right across the street.  Both would be great choices, depending on what you’re needs are.

We stayed at Great Bay Beach resort many years ago right across from the terminal in St. Phillpsburg. Beautiful pool,  beach and shopping a few minutes walk. 

[york survey]

Unless I’ve missed something Millenium’s Alaska season is still “on hold” as celebrity is discussing options with Canada!

 

Also LLP talks in her letter about other ships starting later

 

My point is it’s time they were more honest with cancellation plans

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, york survey said:

Unless I’ve missed something Millenium’s Alaska season is still “on hold” as celebrity is discussing options with Canada!

 

Also LLP talks in her letter about other ships starting later

 

My point is it’s time they were more honest with cancellation plans

Understood but this post is about cruises restarting on June 5, NOTHING about Alaska, there are plenty of posts about that.  

[Texed]

3 minutes ago, york survey said:

Unless I’ve missed something Millenium’s Alaska season is still “on hold” as celebrity is discussing options with Canada!

 

Millennium Alaska cruises according to the webinar will be cancelled.   The Alaska cruises on other ships will not be cancelled, yet.

[Arizona Wildcat]

12 minutes ago, Texed said:

 

Millennium Alaska cruises according to the webinar will be cancelled.   The Alaska cruises on other ships will not be cancelled, yet.

And Celebrity is still showing their 14 day August TA from NY to Southampton.  I called was told Halifax was not in Canada - but Nova Scotia.  Would not count on anything much yet.

[Tigrou]

2 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

This looks really bad for my October 27 Panama Canal cruise on the Millennium out of San Diego.    I doubt they will sail the Millennium back to San Diego, so I can sail east bound through the canal.  I wonder when they will cancel.

 

Even though the last of the new itineraries returns to St Maarten on 28th August, Celebrity have today cancelled the 19th September California Coastal and the 26th September Panama.

 

[terrydtx]

45 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Honestly, this thread has mainly been a breath of fresh air...I hope to see some of y’all onboard somewhere sooner than later...

 

Sail on.

yes sir hope to see a lot of us sailing by this summer.

[ipeeinthepool]

49 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Honestly, this thread has mainly been a breath of fresh air...I hope to see some of y’all onboard somewhere sooner than later...

 

Sail on.

 

Sounds good.  See you in the pool

[ipeeinthepool]

55 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Southwest Airlines also flies to San Juan and there are a lot of short connection flights on American Eagle to St Marteen. and a couple other small airlines. Not sure which gateway city SW flies to San Juan.

 

I hope the smaller American Eagle aircraft can handle all of the heavy luggage from many cruisers.

[Baron Barracuda]

Really curious how X (and Royal) expect to get 100% of crew vaccinated by June.  Believe all 2021 vaccine production has been contracted for by govt's so none available for corporate purchase.  Doubt St Maarten would take from their own residents to benefit crew.

[cruiserchuck]

11 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

Really curious how X (and Royal) expect to get 100% of crew vaccinated by June.  Believe all 2021 vaccine production has been contracted for by govt's so none available for corporate purchase.  Doubt St Maarten would take from their own residents to benefit crew.

Good point.  Since the crew is generally young, they probably would have difficulty getting vaccinated in their home country.  Maybe X and Royal are able to purchase Russian or Chinese made vaccines.  China has approved 5 different vaccines made by Chinese companies.

Edited March 19, 2021 by cruiserchuck

[weregoingcruising]

4 minutes ago, cruiserchuck said:

Good point.  Since the crew is generally young, they probably would have difficulty getting vaccinated in their home country.  Maybe X and Royal are able to purchase Russian or Chinese made vaccines.  China has approved 5 different vaccines made by Chinese companies.

That idea makes me feel safe😉.

[phoenix_dream]

I am very disappointed in their allowing children under 18 to board unvaccinated.  Getting a test 72 hours before cruising proves next to nothing.  In those 72 hours people will be on airplanes, in taxis, in hotels, in restaurants and on and on.  There is little doubt that at least some of the little kiddos will bring some virus onboard.

 

So then what actually happens if someone tests positive?  Are you dumped in the nearest port and left to somehow recover and then fly home on your own??  Putting aside the serious concern about the perhaps less sophisticated medical care for a minute, what are the logistics going to be?  You could conceivably be out tens of thousands of dollars in travel costs, even if you are lucky enough to be asymptomatic.  And while onboard, if a few people test positive, does everyone in contact with them then need to quarantine, even if vaccinated?  And how many people onboard testing positive would result in the entire ship potentially being quarantined?  

 

These are all serious questions that need to be addressed in detail.  I am very much looking forward to cruising again, but I need satisfactory answers to these questions before I board.  It is interesting that so many people seem to focus on whether they need to wear a mask, or whether they need to take ship sponsored excursions, but don't seem to be concerned about these much, more more serious potential issues.

[LGW59]

7 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I am very disappointed in their allowing children under 18 to board unvaccinated.  Getting a test 72 hours before cruising proves next to nothing.  In those 72 hours people will be on airplanes, in taxis, in hotels, in restaurants and on and on.  There is little doubt that at least some of the little kiddos will bring some virus onboard.

 

So then what actually happens if someone tests positive?  Are you dumped in the nearest port and left to somehow recover and then fly home on your own??  Putting aside the serious concern about the perhaps less sophisticated medical care for a minute, what are the logistics going to be?  You could conceivably be out tens of thousands of dollars in travel costs, even if you are lucky enough to be asymptomatic.  And while onboard, if a few people test positive, does everyone in contact with them then need to quarantine, even if vaccinated?  And how many people onboard testing positive would result in the entire ship potentially being quarantined?  

 

These are all serious questions that need to be addressed in detail.  I am very much looking forward to cruising again, but I need satisfactory answers to these questions before I board.  It is interesting that so many people seem to focus on whether they need to wear a mask, or whether they need to take ship sponsored excursions, but don't seem to be concerned about these much, more more serious potential issues.

very sell stated and agree 100%!

[cluso]

28 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I am very disappointed in their allowing children under 18 to board unvaccinated.  Getting a test 72 hours before cruising proves next to nothing.

 

We have 2 grandkids (ages 10 and 17) in different states on ice hockey teams.  Both teams have had kids test positive.  The games were cancelled and everyone tested.  A few more positives...😳

[middlehaitch]

@phoenix_dream Aren't those questions that you are asking just the ones that the cruise lines are avoiding by moving the cruises to outside the USA?

To sail out of the USA the CDC need these kind of questions resolved before permission to sail is granted (at this point in time). 

 

I have no answers, but if I chose to sail I would make sure I had all encompassing insurance.

 

Cheers, h.

Edited March 19, 2021 by middlehaitch

[RD64]

12 minutes ago, middlehaitch said:

 

I have no answers, but if I chose to sail I would make sure I had all encompassing insurance.

agreed - good insurance would be necessary. P&O in the UK are making travel insurance necessary. However, based on previous posts regarding insurance - it seems that many in North America are reluctant to spend the extra $$$.

12 minutes ago, middlehaitch said:

 

 

[KKB]

Boy DH & I are chomping at the bit on this one...

SWA flights won't work (DARNIT--we have companion) as the only outbounds from OMA are on Saturday. About $630pp RT on AA.

Curious how much this cruise will be...high demand or low? I see both possibilities. 

We are both vaccinated. 

So which itinerary?

We have done Aruba & Curacao & LOVE them, but have not done Tortola, St. Lucia or Barbados.

[mahdnc]

Just now, KKB said:

 

Curious how much this cruise will be...high demand or low? I see both possibilities. 

 

 

Let's just say that I am not expecting Millennium's sailings to appear on Celebrity's weekly Xciting Deals...

[wrk2cruise]

What about each countries rules for visiting.   I had looked at Aruba recently and they were requiring travel insurance with covid coverage along with other testing etc requirements.

 

https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements?gclid=Cj0KCQjwl9GCBhDvARIsAFunhsnMGUSE9tQaXZHdeHoOVtjvcYSnVZ3ztGhFQLdXI4OINysG7GKWLOEaAsg-EALw_wcB

[TXU2]

The Sept 26 Millennium Panama Canal cruisers are offer a with to Oct 12 or 27, 2021 Panama Canal which are still offered for sail. However, they still need CDC blessing. Detail in the followoing:

 

Dear Valued Travel Partner, 

We are reaching out to provide an update on the status of your client's 2021 cruise vacation. As the world continues to work towards a new normal, our primary goal continues to be a healthy return to service for our guests, crew and the communities we visit. While working with health and government authorities towards this shared goal, we are evaluating all current itineraries. The determination has been made that we can safely sail in the Caribbean this Summer and, due to the high demand for Caribbean cruise travel, the Celebrity Millennium® will be relocated from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest to the homeport of St. Maarten. Celebrity Cruises will therefore be suspending all Alaska, Pacific Coastal, Canal and Transatlantic sailings, departing June through September 2021, aboard Celebrity Millennium®. 

Unfortunately, this suspension will require cancellation of your client's upcoming cruise vacation. We apologize for the inconvenience this causes as we value your client's vacation time and want to ensure they have the best experience possible on a Celebrity cruise. At this time, we would like to offer your clients the opportunity to be re-accommodated on another Celebrity Cruises vacation or to receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) or a 100% Refund. 

Provided below, please find a summary of compensation options for guests who have not previously canceled under our "Cruise With Confidence" program.

		OPTION #1		OPTION #2		OPTION #3
		LIFT & SHIFT		BEST VALUE		LOWER VALUE
Offer		Lift & Shift an existing booking to the following sailing year. The original cruise fare price and promotion will be protected when selecting an alternative sailing to the same destination, itinerary type and stateroom category within 4 weeks of the original sailing date. Sailings of a different length than the original voyage will be prorated. Take advantage of this offer before it expires on April 2, 2021.		125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for use by April 30, 2022 on sailings departing on-or-before September 30, 2022.		100% Refund of amount paid, option open through June 30, 2021.
Action Items		Contact Celebrity Cruises at 1-844-418-6824 in North America or (316) 554-5961 worldwide.		No Action Needed. FCC is Automatically issued to all impacted guests		To request a refund on your client's behalf, submit the request via the "Cruise with Confidence" tab on CruisingPower.com under "Brand Programs & News."
Commission Protection		Commission will be protected on reservations paid-in-full, prior to the suspension announcement.		Commission Protected - on both ends, when booking paid in full, prior to suspension announcement, including the cancelled reservation AND the future booking where the correlating FCC is applied.		Commission will be protected on cancelled reservations paid-in-full, prior to the suspension announcement.
Cruise Planner Purchases				Opt-in to convert all Cruise Planner purchases into an Onboard Credit valued at 125% of the total amount paid. Take advantage of this offer before it expires on April 2, 2021.

From now through April 2, your clients will have the option of keeping their cruise vacation plans to the same destination and rescheduling for next year on a date within four weeks of their originally scheduled departure. Guests booked on the Celebrity Millennium sailing of September 26, 2021 will also have the opportunity to Lift and Shift to the October 12 or 27 Panama Canal sailing in 2021. Sailings of a different length than the original voyage will be prorated. Please contact Celebrity Cruises at 1-844-418-6824 in North America or 1-316-554-5961 worldwide to and we'll shift the reservation at the same daily rate including any promotion currently on the booking. 

If your clients are unable to rebook by April 2, they will automatically receive a 125% FCC valid until for use by April 30, 2022 on sailings departing on or before September 30, 2022. The value of the FCC will be calculated based on the amounts paid toward their cruise and will be processed by April 21, 2021 via email. Cruise taxes and fees will be refunded separately to the original form of payment within 30 days of cancellation. No action is required to receive this FCC. 

Should your clients prefer a 100% refund to their original method of payment, as opposed to the FCC, you may contact us anytime up until June 30, 2021. To request a refund on your client's behalf, submit the request via the "Cruise with Confidence" tab on CruisingPower.com under "Brand Programs & News." Refunds will be received at least 30 days after the request is submitted, cruise taxes and fees will be refunded separately. Please note, if your clients had already cancelled their sailing by taking advantage of our Cruise With Confidence program and rebooked on a sailing that has now been cancelled by Celebrity Cruises, they will not be eligible to cancel for a refund, however, their FCC can be reinstated. 

Additionally, should your clients choose to accept a Future Cruise Credit and have pre-booked any shore excursions, beverage, internet, specialty dining or other onboard packages, through Celebrity Cruises, they will have the option of receiving 125% Onboard Credit (OBC) to be used on their next sailing, or they may choose a 100% refund. In order to select the 125% Onboard Credit please click here to submit the request. If we have not received your client's choice of compensation for these pre-booked items by April 2, these charges will automatically be refunded in full to their original method of payment and will show up as a separate transaction. Guests with independent shore excursion arrangements should contact their tour operators as soon as possible.

Guests with air travel and hotel booked through Flights by Celebrity will be refunded automatically. You will not need to call in to initiate the process. Guests with independent air arrangements need to contact their air carriers directly to make all required cancellations.

. 


Sincerely, 

Celebrity Cruises

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Sounds good.  See you in the pool

 

Not if you're on board.  I prefer my pool water au natural.  Just sayin'