Solstice 2025 Asia cruise canceled

[cruisestitch]

On 1/12/2023 at 1:14 PM, FLCruiser97 said:

Just a question...if they change any part of the cruise, i.e., itinerary, ports of call, can you cancel and get a full deposit refund?

No, The ticket contract clearly states that they have the right to change any aspect of the cruise including departure point, ports, and arrival point

[Mercruiser]

I booked online, direct with Celebrity on this one (unusual for me). Anyone have an email or other instructions on how to rebook, "at protected rates", to the new sailings?

 

If you find out, please post here.

 

Otherwise, I'll just call and hope I get an agent that can figure this out.

Part of why I'm asking is that I've received no information from X on any of this - just the "Cancelled" notice when I login

 

Edited January 14, 2023 by Mercruiser

[prairie girl]

18 minutes ago, Mercruiser said:

I booked online, direct with Celebrity on this one (unusual for me). Anyone have an email or other instructions on how to rebook, "at protected rates", to the new sailings?

 

If you find out, please post here.

 

Otherwise, I'll just call and hope I get an agent that can figure this out.

Part of why I'm asking is that I've received no information from X on any of this - just the "Cancelled" notice when I login

 

This is what I have…Hope it helps you out!

 

To assist you with any changes or to rebook your guest, a special desk has been established to help you. The desk will open on Friday, January 13, 2023, and will remain open until Friday, January 27, 2023. The re-accommodation offer for your clients will be available during this time.

For Individual Reservations: 1-888-281-9343 ext. 48846

For Group Reservations: 1-888-281-9343 ext. 48923

For Consumer Outreach: 1-800-556-8209 ext. 18881

[GroveGuy]

16 hours ago, prairie girl said:

Looks like Celebrity is starting to inform us of the changes!

This is what I received from my TA…looks like there were scheduling conflicts in Singapore.

Naturally, these changes have yet to appear on the website!

Happy planning everyone!

 

Guests currently booked on the January 2, 2025 - March 3, 2025 sailings may cancel without penalty or rebook on the below alternate sailings.

Celebrity Solstice: (at pro-rated rates)
11-Night Vietnam & Thailand Cruise departing January 2, 2025
13-Night Thailand & Vietnam Cruise departing March 2, 2025

Celebrity Solstice: (at protected rates)
12-Night Thailand & Vietnam Cruise departing January 13, 2025
12-Night Vietnam & Thailand Cruise departing January 25, 2025
12-Night Thailand & Vietnam Cruise departing February 6, 2025
12-Night Vietnam & Thailand Cruise departing February 18, 2025

Brand promotions will be protected for named and deposited bookings only.

Air reimbursement is not being offered.

A full refund for amounts paid will be processed to the original form of payment; however, if a guest chooses not to rebook, the above offer of compensation is no longer valid.

 

Thank you for posting this Prairie Girl.  While I never received a notification of my cruise cancelation from Celebrity, I was able to call the Redeployment phone number this morning and move my canceled 12-night Mar 3, 2025 Thailand & Vietnam cruise to the 13-night March 2, 2025 cruise, keeping the same discounts, perks and cabin that I had on the original booking.  It is great to have this resolved!

[prairie girl]

1 minute ago, GroveGuy said:

Thank you for posting this Prairie Girl.  While I never received a notification of my cruise cancelation from Celebrity, I was able to call the Redeployment phone number this morning and move my canceled 12-night Mar 3, 2025 Thailand & Vietnam cruise to the 13-night March 2, 2025 cruise, keeping the same discounts, perks and cabin that I had on the original booking.  It is great to have this resolved!

You are most welcome!

We are joining you on this sailing!  Welcome aboard!

 

 

[Mercruiser]

3 hours ago, prairie girl said:

This is what I have…Hope it helps you out!

 

To assist you with any changes or to rebook your guest, a special desk has been established to help you. The desk will open on Friday, January 13, 2023, and will remain open until Friday, January 27, 2023. The re-accommodation offer for your clients will be available during this time.

For Individual Reservations: 1-888-281-9343 ext. 48846

For Group Reservations: 1-888-281-9343 ext. 48923

For Consumer Outreach: 1-800-556-8209 ext. 18881

Thanks for posting this. I assume that X will eventually send me an email notice, but it sure is nice to take care of this before everyone else when all the cabins are still available.

[Mercruiser]

Be Sure to Check the Refundability of Your New Confirmation

 

I just finished a 75 minute call with X. They answered within 4 minutes, but it took a long, long time to get this booking converted over to the new cruise.

 

After 45 minutes, the agent has the new booking made and emails a confirmation for me to review. My original booking has a REFUNDABLE deposit for 3 passengers in 1 cabin. I'm looking at the new booking and see this text about a non-fundable deposit (red emphasis mine):

 

"The minimum deposit for this reservation is Non-Refundable. A change fee of 100 USD per guest will apply for ship or sail date changes.

...

 The booking is currently subject to USD 1350.00 cancellation penalties at time of this booking invoice 14 JAN 2023."

 

I question this and the agent tells me that it really is refundable, it just doesn't say that on my confirmation. But any X agent will see that it really is refundable on their screen.

 

I'm thinking, I have nothing in writing to show that this is refundable. The fact that I have verbal assurance today is going to do me no good a year from now. So I ask is there any way they can get this in writing now. The agent offers to recreate the booking with a new confirmation number. Apparently this is the only way he can solve the problem. I say yes. 30 minutes later I have my new confirmation and booking number with the original cabin, price, and refundable deposit.

 

Let me be clear, the phone agent was very, very helpful. But for some reason, the X booking system made this a very long, drawn out process.

 

Lessons learned: 1) Be sure to carefully compare your original and the revised confirmation to make sure they have not changed the terms. 2) Use a TA next time so that I don't have to spend all this time on the phone.

Edited January 14, 2023 by Mercruiser

[UKLloyd]

My good god. This is first ever booking with Celebrity, So far, It is terrible.

 

I still have not heard anything from Celebrity regarding this, So I called them again. 

 

"sir your solstice sailing on the 19th is going ahead as planned"

I insisted she look at the website where the sailing for the 19th does not even exist. 

It's an error apparently, Sailings are going ahead as normal. Not to worry.

 

Asked if she can open my booking then as it just shows as cancelled. She advised cannot. Went away to investigate further. Came back only to say, Sailing on the 19th is going ahead. 

 

Not convinced I've ever had anything like this before, Guess I just rock up to the port on the 19th Feb. 😅

[mahdnc]

On 1/14/2023 at 1:28 PM, Mercruiser said:

Be Sure to Check the Refundability of Your New Confirmation

 

I just finished a 75 minute call with X. They answered within 4 minutes, but it took a long, long time to get this booking converted over to the new cruise.

 

After 45 minutes, the agent has the new booking made and emails a confirmation for me to review. My original booking has a REFUNDABLE deposit for 3 passengers in 1 cabin. I'm looking at the new booking and see this text about a non-fundable deposit (red emphasis mine):

 

"The minimum deposit for this reservation is Non-Refundable. A change fee of 100 USD per guest will apply for ship or sail date changes.

...

 The booking is currently subject to USD 1350.00 cancellation penalties at time of this booking invoice 14 JAN 2023."

 

I question this and the agent tells me that it really is refundable, it just doesn't say that on my confirmation. But any X agent will see that it really is refundable on their screen.

 

I'm thinking, I have nothing in writing to show that this is refundable. The fact that I have verbal assurance today is going to do me no good a year from now. So I ask is there any way they can get this in writing now. The agent offers to recreate the booking with a new confirmation number. Apparently this is the only way he can solve the problem. I say yes. 30 minutes later I have my new confirmation and booking number with the original cabin, price, and refundable deposit.

 

Let me be clear, the phone agent was very, very helpful. But for some reason, the X booking system made this a very long, drawn out process.

 

Lessons learned: 1) Be sure to carefully compare your original and the revised confirmation to make sure they have not changed the terms. 2) Use a TA next time so that I don't have to spend all this time on the phone.

 Nice PSA.  I could have sworn that I have read other instances of this in the past.

[prairie girl]

3 hours ago, UKLloyd said:

My good god. This is first ever booking with Celebrity, So far, It is terrible.

 

I still have not heard anything from Celebrity regarding this, So I called them again. 

 

"sir your solstice sailing on the 19th is going ahead as planned"

I insisted she look at the website where the sailing for the 19th does not even exist. 

It's an error apparently, Sailings are going ahead as normal. Not to worry.

 

Asked if she can open my booking then as it just shows as cancelled. She advised cannot. Went away to investigate further. Came back only to say, Sailing on the 19th is going ahead. 

 

Not convinced I've ever had anything like this before, Guess I just rock up to the port on the 19th Feb. 😅

Looks like the correct sailings are now showing on the UK site for you now…might be worth another “chat” with someone.

I’m so sorry that you have had such a complicated first experience with your first Celebrity sailing.

 

[UKLloyd]

18 hours ago, prairie girl said:

Looks like the correct sailings are now showing on the UK site for you now…might be worth another “chat” with someone.

I’m so sorry that you have had such a complicated first experience with your first Celebrity sailing.

 

Have tried a few times to do mock bookings, However once you select a room and try to continue, get an error message every time. So can’t actually book these yet. 
 

So still not sure what’s going on, 

 

 

[prairie girl]

1 hour ago, UKLloyd said:

Have tried a few times to do mock bookings, However once you select a room and try to continue, get an error message every time. So can’t actually book these yet. 
 

So still not sure what’s going on, 

 

 

Seems to be a UK web issue…both the US and Canadian website are working.

The good news…the sailing date is now correct for you! 🤷🏻‍♀️

[UKLloyd]

Ok, so called and spoke to celebrity after receiving an email from them advising of the changes.

 

Was speaking with an agent who advised no changes to sailing even after I read out the email I had received. Just after that the line was cut off. 

 

Called back and was on the phone for 45 minutes, Finally it is all sorted and our booking has been transferred over. 

 

Whilst I was on the phone I asked the very helpful agent how much would it cost for us to upgrade our booking to a veranda from an oceanview, She advised it would cost over £6,500. 
 

I politely declined the upgrade. That surely has to be a mistake? £6,500 on top of what we have paid for the oceanview, I couldnt believe it. 
 

 

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, UKLloyd said:

Ok, so called and spoke to celebrity after receiving an email from them advising of the changes.

 

Was speaking with an agent who advised no changes to sailing even after I read out the email I had received. Just after that the line was cut off. 

 

Called back and was on the phone for 45 minutes, Finally it is all sorted and our booking has been transferred over. 

 

Whilst I was on the phone I asked the very helpful agent how much would it cost for us to upgrade our booking to a veranda from an oceanview, She advised it would cost over £6,500. 
 

I politely declined the upgrade. That surely has to be a mistake? £6,500 on top of what we have paid for the oceanview, I couldnt believe it. 
 

 

 

I guess Celebrity is not doing a good job of making a good first impression on you (or second, third, fourth, etc).  Hopefully you will be more favorably impressed when you actually take your first Celebrity cruise.  Hang in there.

[Buckcruise]

So glad most of you have been sorted. We received a voice mail saying cruise cancelled while we were on a Celebrity ship. No email! the app still showed it as an upcoming cruise….was it a mistake, a scam?

on our return home after a month, we find the deposit refunded to the credit card. Still nothing in writing. Called celebrity… no lift and shift? No, because you didn’t respond and have now received a full refund of the deposit, and by the way the cruise wasn’t cancelled, it just had a date change!

unfortunately, we have a cruise booked on the Millie from Bali, arriving in Singapore on the 7th Feb, so no can do. Now we need to cancel that too. Guess we wont be getting that deposit back?

Not destined to do Hong Kong/Singapore. 3rd time cancelled now.

[mahdnc]

17 minutes ago, Buckcruise said:

So glad most of you have been sorted. We received a voice mail saying cruise cancelled while we were on a Celebrity ship. No email! the app still showed it as an upcoming cruise….was it a mistake, a scam?

on our return home after a month, we find the deposit refunded to the credit card. Still nothing in writing. Called celebrity… no lift and shift? No, because you didn’t respond and have now received a full refund of the deposit, and by the way the cruise wasn’t cancelled, it just had a date change!

unfortunately, we have a cruise booked on the Millie from Bali, arriving in Singapore on the 7th Feb, so no can do. Now we need to cancel that too. Guess we wont be getting that deposit back?

Not destined to do Hong Kong/Singapore. 3rd time cancelled now.

 

That would be irritating to miss out on an important cancellation phone call because you were on a cruise.

[edgee]

On 1/10/2023 at 3:41 AM, gold1953 said:

Your TA is responsible to notify you, not Celebrity

IME..In every case where I have had changes in port times, ports cancelled or full cruises cancelled I gave gotten an email directly from the cruise line. This has happened to me in recent years on Carnival Corp, NCL and RCCL owned companies including Celebrity, HAL, Regent and Oceania. May also hear from my TA, but in this age of email, first word always comes from the cruise line.

[Buckcruise]

16 hours ago, edgee said:

IME..In every case where I have had changes in port times, ports cancelled or full cruises cancelled I gave gotten an email directly from the cruise line. This has happened to me in recent years on Carnival Corp, NCL and RCCL owned companies including Celebrity, HAL, Regent and Oceania. May also hear from my TA, but in this age of email, first word always comes from the cruise line.

And so it should be. We booked direct with them. They called the house 3 times apparently. We only picked up the one voice mail remotely, and there was no deadline on it, just said call them back. We had no TA for this one…booked direct with a darn good deal!