Classic international cruises - help

[fishtaco]

Originally Posted by NSWP

No David, we sent the Fosters to NZ, USA, Canada and UK. Awful stuff. They make it in the UK and Canada these days.

On Carnival USA The only OZ beer they sold was Fosters! when I told people that I have never seen people in Australia drink Fosters they couldnt believe it!

They all thought it was the most popular beer in OZ

I have drank it in England and USA but in my 31 years in Perth I have never seen it sold anywhere! Mind you I have never bothered looking for it even if it was sold here


Den

[dizzy1948]

Fosters wasn't around long - then they tried to load us up with Fosters Light (had friends that drank that - YUK) That disappeared - thankfully.........no...perhaps we should say......."we enjoyed it that much we felt we had to share it with the world !!!!!!!!!!!! and no - we don't want it back.

[Flipper133]

I thought everyone knew that in Australia, the spelling for Beer is XXXX

[wildweston]

Originally Posted by Flipper133

I thought everyone knew that in Australia, the spelling for Beer is XXXX

hee hee

[NSWP]

Originally Posted by Flipper133

I thought everyone knew that in Australia, the spelling for Beer is XXXX

Yes Flipper we know you Queenslanders cannot spell. LOL. I cannot drink beer these days but I remember Castelmaine XXXX or Fourex, barbed wire, tasted like that.

[JakeRego]

Originally Posted by Jo Jo Zep

If you can believe everything you read in the newspaper Saturdays west Australian travel section has a small article. We are travelling on the Delphin. Thank you for everyone's concern and prayers and I am over the moon ... Going on a big cruise! Will I meet any of you on board? Off to see what the Delphin is like but from the article similar to Athena !

Does anyone know how much truth is in this statement? My travel agent was going to get back to me today with the latest updates from CIC Aust but nothing has happened yet. Will this saga ever end!!!!!

DELPHIN replacing ATHENA to Australia: well I hate to rain on any ones parade, but according to Passat Kreuzfahrten Manager Mr. Hey jr., their vessel is sticking to her advertised schedule for 2012/2013 and that means she is going to sail in the Antarctic this winter. However it is true that some one came knocking on their doors for a potential charter, but they where not coninced that said some one woulc pay for the vessel. Also, their advance bookings were too good to let go, as hey were not able to offer the booked pax adequate alternatives.
Godday
CruiseFan
Cruisefan, 4 minutes ago #65

[JakeRego]

Originally Posted by Jo Jo Zep

If you can believe everything you read in the newspaper Saturdays west Australian travel section has a small article. We are travelling on the Delphin. Thank you for everyone's concern and prayers and I am over the moon ... Going on a big cruise! Will I meet any of you on board? Off to see what the Delphin is like but from the article similar to Athena !

Does anyone know how much truth is in this statement? My travel agent was going to get back to me today with the latest updates from CIC Aust but nothing has happened yet. Will this saga ever end!!!!!

DELPHIN replacing ATHENA to Australia: well I hate to rain on any ones parade, but according to Passat Kreuzfahrten Manager Mr. Hey jr., their vessel is sticking to her advertised schedule for 2012/2013 and that means she is going to sail in the Antarctic this winter. However it is true that some one came knocking on their doors for a potential charter, but they where not coninced that said some one woulc pay for the vessel. Also, their advance bookings were too good to let go, as hey were not able to offer the booked pax adequate alternatives.
Godday
CruiseFan
Cruisefan, 4 minutes ago #65

[JakeRego]

Originally Posted by JakeRego

Does anyone know how much truth is in this statement? My travel agent was going to get back to me today with the latest updates from CIC Aust but nothing has happened yet. Will this saga ever end!!!!!

DELPHIN replacing ATHENA to Australia: well I hate to rain on any ones parade, but according to Passat Kreuzfahrten Manager Mr. Hey jr., their vessel is sticking to her advertised schedule for 2012/2013 and that means she is going to sail in the Antarctic this winter. However it is true that some one came knocking on their doors for a potential charter, but they where not coninced that said some one woulc pay for the vessel. Also, their advance bookings were too good to let go, as hey were not able to offer the booked pax adequate alternatives.
Godday
CruiseFan
Cruisefan, 4 minutes ago #65

Latest from travel agent. CIC Aust have their phones turned off (only recorded message) however, they are saying that they are furiously trying to transfer everyone over to the Delphin. I would like to know what is happening with the passengers who are booked to sail on Delphin over the next 6 months if we are going to use their ship?????? I also asked agent if I would need new ticket for new ship but she couldn't answer that question as CIC are not talking with anyone. They will advise when they know - hopefully before I fly out next Tuesday.

[Flipper133]

This is latest from the CIC Aust Web site....

MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 2012
With the news that Delphin will be replacing Athena's Australian 2012/13 Season some of the information on this web site is no longer factually correct. This web site will now be undergoing a period of reconstruction . CIC Australia is currently loading the reservations system and commencing reberthing of the 7000 bookings for the 2012/13 season. Because of the work load we will be communicating via email and not via our normal reservation telephone system. Additional staff are in the office to handle your enquiry and answer all emails. Our contact details are: NEW RESERVATIONS - res@classicintcruises.com GROUP RESERVATIONS - info@classicintcruises.com CUSTOMER SERVICE - admin@classicintcruises.com PAYMENTS - sales@classicintcruises.com We sincerely appreciate the support being received from our loyal customers and Australian travel agents. This message will be updated every 24 hours.
CIC Australian Team

[Jo Jo Zep]

Originally Posted by JakeRego

Latest from travel agent. CIC Aust have their phones turned off (only recorded message) however, they are saying that they are furiously trying to transfer everyone over to the Delphin. I would like to know what is happening with the passengers who are booked to sail on Delphin over the next 6 months if we are going to use their ship?????? I also asked agent if I would need new ticket for new ship but she couldn't answer that question as CIC are not talking with anyone. They will advise when they know - hopefully before I fly out next Tuesday.

I can send you scanned copy of article if I had your email address. CIC have a message on their web site. Explains that there are no phones today. And a little more info. Our agent contacted us today...said we should have reissued papers before we go. Interesting times indeed. The A.Anon Serenity prayer comes to mind as well as that Que. Sera Sera song...normie Rowe style! If we get on it I am going to enjoy every moment of our first big cruise ......it is a worry but worry or being angry wont change the situation..$&@@ happens ...and as it happens quite a lot to me so I am used to dealing. Fingers crossed everyone

[Jo Jo Zep]

Thanks flipper ....and because I mentioned the A A prayer does not mean that I don't enjoy a tipple or two. Definitely not Fosters or XXXX though....something a little mor civilised!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

A sorry saga indeed.

I ask myself ...How do you provision a ship to cater for the 500 plus passengers , for the 30 plus days of the voyage at such short notice.?
Also , all this extra running around must be costing a lot of money.....on top of the money that's already owed...
Where is that coming from ?

[JakeRego]

Originally Posted by Jo Jo Zep

I can send you scanned copy of article if I had your email address. CIC have a message on their web site. Explains that there are no phones today. And a little more info. Our agent contacted us today...said we should have reissued papers before we go. Interesting times indeed. The A.Anon Serenity prayer comes to mind as well as that Que. Sera Sera song...normie Rowe style! If we get on it I am going to enjoy every moment of our first big cruise ......it is a worry but worry or being angry wont change the situation..$&@@ happens ...and as it happens quite a lot to me so I am used to dealing. Fingers crossed everyone

Thanks Jo Jo Zep. Have just seen post on CIC site. Not before time! Hope I catch up with you on a ship (ha ha).

[Flipper133]

Originally Posted by Jo Jo Zep

Thanks flipper ....and because I mentioned the A A prayer does not mean that I don't enjoy a tipple or two. Definitely not Fosters or XXXX though....something a little mor civilised!

Absolutely... a drop of Houghtons or anything from the Margaret river goes down well with me.

BTW...you would be hard pressed to find anyone selling Fosters in OZ nowadays... marvellous export campaign... its now brewed all over the world except Aust. !!

I hope all goes well for the 7000 people that are supposed to be booked with CIC this season... deposits and final payments would exceed $10million...and I hope that money is held in a trust account somewhere...but somehow I have my doubts. Not sure how the Travel Agents indemnity scheme works with the Cruise Line direct... I feel for everyone..including the Staff of CIC Aust.

cheers

[dizzy1948]

Here is a copy of my email from the Travel Editor in the West Asustralian - which I received today:
I know it is a change of ships, and many cruisers are very loyal to the original, but I do believe they are trying to look after the customers and “avoid a bigger mess later on”.

But we will be sticking with the story and making sure it all follows through.

So - anyone who can buy the West can keep up todate.

At least it's not as bad as in 2004 when a cruise company took all the money - collapsed - and literally "ran off in the dead of night" to Singapore. That's when CIC stepped in to the breach - providing cruises from Fremantle.

All enjoy your cruises - you deserve the best after all this hassle.

[The_Big_M]

Originally Posted by Kiwi Kruzer

A sorry saga indeed.

I ask myself ...How do you provision a ship to cater for the 500 plus passengers , for the 30 plus days of the voyage at such short notice.?

That doesn't change - they had to provision a ship anyway. Now, instead of Athena they provision Delphin. (In fact, it's slightly easier, as the new ship is slightly smaller.)

Also , all this extra running around must be costing a lot of money.....on top of the money that's already owed...
Where is that coming from ?

There's extra person effort, but it shoudn't individually be much cost _except_ for any extra costs for dislocating the existing charter. Basically one cost is being substituted by another, not added.

The money already owed is not owed by the Australian office, so that's a separate matter and doesn't affect this arrangement. It's not the first time particularly since the GFC a Euro/American head office has had financial problems, yet the Australian office is doing well. There's a reason many ships have been sent here the past few years.

[Jo Jo Zep]

Originally Posted by The_Big_M

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That doesn't change - they had to provision a ship anyway. Now, instead of Athena they provision Delphin. (In fact, it's slightly easier, as the new ship is slightly smaller.)

[size=4][color=#0000ff]

There's extra person effort, but it shoudn't individually be much cost _except_ for any extra costs for dislocating the existing charter. Basically one cost is being substituted by another, not added.

The money already owed is not owed by the Australian office, so that's a separate matter and doesn't affect this arrangement. It's not the first time particularly since the GFC a Euro/American head office has had financial problems, yet the Australian office is doing well. There's a reason many ships have been sent here the past few years.

I am packing regardless! All will be good!
Jo Jo

[dumelow]

Hi Jo Jo Zep. I got here in the end. All is going well. Never mind the missing balconies.

Loading provisions, stores and 300 gallons of 4X is easy-peasy. Particularly in Marseille.
Ships Suppliers will all be vying to supply Delphin, no problemo.
Can be achieved in 36 hours. No delivery charges.

Alan

[MMDown Under]

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=5054

News article about the swap of ships.

[Adam Coulter]

Originally Posted by MMDown Under

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=5054

News article about the swap of ships.

We're really sorry to report that following yesterday's story, it seems that discussions between CIC Australia and CMV have since broken down. Where this leaves passengers we're not sure; we are still trying to get hold of CIC Australia. Please let us know if you hear anything more. Here is a link to our updated story: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5054