Celebrity Changed my Itinerary. Do I have options?

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I'm still confused how X allowing the OP to change cruises deals with their friends being on another ship.

 

Are the friends on another X ship that the OP now wants to change to? Why did they not book on the ship with the friends in the first place?

 

Are the friends on another line? How does the OP changing to another X cruise help the meet up matter? (And again, why did they just not book with friends to begin with?)

[mayleeman]

I always love it when someone comes on to ask if Celeb allows something,  and when many veteran cruisers say that in their experience the answer is "No" the OP complains about "negative Nellies".

 

Those Nellues took the time to try to help you. Why blame them?

 

One person had a contrary answer that said they had received some positive results by calling  Bottom line, call and find out. Seems like most people have found that to be a waste of time, but it is your time if you want to try 

 

But,,,a caution. Pay attention to the people who point out itineraries change a lot. Your new itinerary, if you get one, may be changed, too...

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

But,,,a caution. Pay attention to the people who point out itineraries change a lot. Your new itinerary, if you get one, may be changed, too...

 

Exactly! The only way to guarantee they can spend time with their friends on another ship (and line?) is to change their cruise to that ship (and line?).

[mayleeman]

2 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Exactly! The only way to guarantee they can spend time with their friends on another ship (and line?) is to change their cruise to that ship (and line?).

 

Or not do it via cruise. (Now THAT, I admit, was a Gloomy Gus!)

[bEwAbG]

Generally you cannot change for free unless the dates of the cruise change (or you have a refundable fare).  That's substantial enough that the cruise line has to be more flexible.  In this day of penny pinching on their part, I think they're being less flexible with everything else.  The point made about you having to pay the prevailing rate is also a big consideration; you may not get the same deal you currently have booked. 

 

I don't agree that calling and raising a "stink" is the proper thing to do.  Throwing a tantrum to get your way?  Not nice.  Escalating to a different person, asking for an exception?  Sure. 

 

The best point made by others is that you have no guarantee that they're not going to change the itinerary you move to as well.  If you really need to be in a specific place at a specific time, better to fly and stay there than rely on a cruise ship.  Or travel with your friends on their cruise so that at least you're all in it together. 

[DCPIV]

As mentioned, just give them a call. There are numerous reports of folks having that fee waived when simply making a change of dates (even if there is no itinerary change).

 

Indeed, many here need to have a nap or a cuppa before posting. 

[terrydtx]

Who ever you used to book the cruise should be your first call, if you want to change. My TA has been able to move some bookings to a different date without the $100pp penalty.  We moved our 2 2024 NZ/Australia cruises to different dates and she got the fees waived.

[Saab4444]

13 hours ago, the penguins said:

Exactly the same rules in Europe and indeed worldwide 

. Basically if the ship starts and ends at the ports advertised regardless of what happens in-between it's the same cruise. 

This is nor correct. According to European and UK travel law you can cancel without penalty and with a full refund in case of a significant (!) change in the itinerary. I was able to do that e.g. when they changed embarkation port from Venice to Ravenna and when thy canceled Geiranger Fjord and replaced it with Alesund on a 7 night so called Norwegian Fjord cruise that finally had no real Fjord stop left in the itinerary. This are all significant changes. To replace one Caribbean island with another or to just change the order of ports is not a significant change.

[the penguins]

8 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

This is nor correct. According to European and UK travel law you can cancel without penalty and with a full refund in case of a significant (!) change in the itinerary. I was able to do that e.g. when they changed embarkation port from Venice to Ravenna and when thy canceled Geiranger Fjord and replaced it with Alesund on a 7 night so called Norwegian Fjord cruise that finally had no real Fjord stop left in the itinerary. This are all significant changes. To replace one Caribbean island with another or to just change the order of ports is not a significant change.

Your first example is what I said a change of starting or finishing port which indeed qualifies as a "significant" change.

Your second would more debatable and probably was the result of "goodwill" on the part of the cruise line rather than your "rights" under the UK Law.

The debate over what is "significant " comes up frequently with airports and surprisingly changes between  London airports are not considered to be "significant".