Another cancellation- Scarlett Lady Oct - Nov 2024

[HBCcruiser]

Ugh! Another VV cruise cancelled! We were booked on the Brilliant MerMaiden Voyage which was cancelled. We rebooked on the Scarlett Lady for the October 2024 Irresistible Med cruise because it was one of the only cruises with MRS suites still available and looked like a good itinerary that would fit into our work schedule. Now THIS cruise is canceled and the pickings are slim for a rebook. So disappointed. Any suggestions? Anyone else in this situation? Take the money and run?? 

Edited November 15, 2023 by HBCcruiser

[heatherbelle]

I’m sorry your cruise has been cancelled/changed again.  Not everyone can swop from a 7 night cruise to a longer one.

 

This doesn’t give me much confidence in booking VV cruises far out, with all of the cancellations that have gone on. 

In the U.K. we do not get any refunds for airline tickets and I doubt my insurance would cover the airfare loss. My flights in the summer cost more than the $500 they offered last time. They need to make their minds up and stick to the route, If they get the pricing right, the cruises will sell. At the moment people are struggling financially so probably won’t commit this early to a cruise in 12 months time.  People will book nearer the time.

Edited November 15, 2023 by heatherbelle

[jon81uk]

Can you move onto the 10 or 11 night cruises that are directly replacing the 3x seven night ones that are being

cancelled?

 

My guess is at the moment they have found  there is demand for longer itineraries so are switching up later in the season to offer some longer trips.

[CaptKirk1964]

I am in exactly the same situation, only last week booked the flights for Jet 2 and a hotel stay in Barcelona, all of which i cannot see my insurance covering.. really disappointing and stressful when you get that email that its cancelled. Never cruised  on Virgin before and was apprehensive about booking separate flights and now it seems for good reason..

The only upside is the potential (as I understand the email) of a slightly longer Holiday but with different start and end ports!! (looking at the two options provided in the same time frame)

[WanderingBrit]

Sorry to hear this, it seems to be an increasing factor in cruise scheduling. Some cancellations I can understand - the ship not being ready - but when it appears simply that the cruise line has determined there's more money to be made by using their inventory differently it's very tough to accept.

[HBCcruiser]

5 hours ago, jon81uk said:

Can you move onto the 10 or 11 night cruises that are directly replacing the 3x seven night ones that are being

cancelled?

 

My guess is at the moment they have found  there is demand for longer itineraries so are switching up later in the season to offer some longer trips.

We would except we are on a 12 day NCL cruise with the a very similar itinerary right before the VV cruise. If we swapped to the new VV cruise we’d be gone for a month plus would see the same stops.

[jon81uk]

1 hour ago, HBCcruiser said:

We would except we are on a 12 day NCL cruise with the a very similar itinerary right before the VV cruise. If we swapped to the new VV cruise we’d be gone for a month plus would see the same stops.

Aren’t half the stops the same as the normal Virgin Med itinerary? Or is the the new Greek stops that make it repetitive?

[HBCcruiser]

9 minutes ago, jon81uk said:

Aren’t half the stops the same as the normal Virgin Med itinerary? Or is the the new Greek stops that make it repetitive?

It’s the Greek stops that are the same. The NCL Epic Greek Isle cruise starts Oct. 6th - 17th out of Rome. The original VV was out of Barcelona on the 20th. Perfect timing between cruises IMO. 

[jon81uk]

47 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

It’s the Greek stops that are the same. The NCL Epic Greek Isle cruise starts Oct. 6th - 17th out of Rome. The original VV was out of Barcelona on the 20th. Perfect timing between cruises IMO. 

Oh I can see why that is frustrating then. On one hand a longer cruise for the same price (especially in a suite) might be nice, and could just stay on the ship at the repeat stops, but two long cruises after each other will be a lot.

[CruisingWalter]

Well the good news you do have a lot of advance notice unlike those poor folks when Valiant Lady was first released. Nothing like having a TV show swipe your ship just weeks away from boarding. If you don't have to book immediately perhaps wait until Brilliant Lady's schedule is released and book one of the Southern Caribbean cruises for 2025? 

 

Yeah it does suck when you have multiple cruises rebooked and there are only 3 ships to choose from vs. 15 to 27 from other cruise lines. Good luck with you future cruise and I really do hope you get to sail on VV soon. 

[CaptKirk1964]

Well, the good news is I am re booked on the 24th of October, but nearly lost that as well as just got the last Rockstar simply suite which is what i was previously booked on.. the thing is I rang them first thing and they said the department that deal with that is not open until 2pm UK time.. so rang then at 2pm and waited for ever, but all well that ends well although close!! also Virgin also offer a compensation scheme for flight booked before they cancelled so looks like, in effect, i have an extra 3 days holiday on the ship as booked for 7 days and this is 10!! 

[HBCcruiser]

Anyone know why the VV website and my account are messed up with this cancellation? It's like my account was deleted or something. I am new to Virgin (second cancellation) so I am unfamiliar with how things work with them. 

 

[crusinthrough]

On 11/17/2023 at 9:09 AM, HBCcruiser said:

Anyone know why the VV website and my account are messed up with this cancellation? It's like my account was deleted or something. I am new to Virgin (second cancellation) so I am unfamiliar with how things work with them. 

 

 

I was getting this when my sailing was cancelled.  After I changed ships and everything was sorted, I was able to access my account.  It may be Virgin's way of locking the account. 

[HBCcruiser]

On 11/16/2023 at 7:51 PM, CruisingWalter said:

If you don't have to book immediately perhaps wait until Brilliant Lady's schedule is released and book one of the Southern Caribbean cruises for 2025? 

Any idea when these itineraries will be released? 

[CruisingWalter]

11 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

Any idea when these itineraries will be released? 

When VV is good and ready to tell us. Since they already messed up the original launch, we will not hear a peep from VV until Brilliant Lady is absolutely good and ready to sail.