Keith1010

It is very similar to original Crystal. This means that in some ports there will be a shuttle. Sometimes it is the local area that doesn't allow a shuttle to be provided. A good source to find out if a shuttle will be offered is on board guest services. Keith

annlee, I wanted to add that the two letters from friends I saw went to their respective agents this past Friday morning via e-mail so if you are on an impacted sailing your agent should have an e-mail with your name that the agent should send to you. It will list your cruise, the options and the new itinerary. At least this is what I've seen for Serenity which has the majority of the impacted cruises as Symphony has the one cancelled cruise. Again, I would start with your TA. Keith

Thanks for all of your updates Whipsnade. Very much appreciate. Keith

Same information as the spreadsheet posted earlier but not in a PDF for those who had trouble opening it. Keith

From one of the two letters which two different friends sent to me. We thank you and your clients for choosing Crystal for their upcoming voyage. We have been closely monitoring the ongoing situation in and around the Red Sea and have been assessing all options. The number-one priority for us is the safety and security of our guests, and so we regret to tell you that we have made the unavoidable decision to cancel the upcoming voyage. We apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience this may cause, and would like to assure you that we are here to assist and to offer the following alternatives: Option 1 – Your client may move to the new voyage with the revised itinerary below and: Receive a refund for the adjustment of the length of voyage. Receive 15% off the cruise fare if your client wishes to add on an additional segment. Receive a reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses for travel*. Revised Itinerary: (It's in the letter but didn't copy and paste it here) Option 2 – Receive a credit of the booking fare to use towards another sailing in 2024 and receive 15% savings on the cruise fare, subject to availability (excluding Grand Journeys and World Cruise). If the alternative voyage cost is less than the credit received, this will be credited to the guest. Option 3 – Receive a credit of the booking fare to use towards another sailing in 2025 and receive 10% savings on the cruise fare, subject to availability (excluding Grand Journeys and World Cruise). If the alternative voyage cost is less than the credit received, this will be credited to the guest. Out-of-Pocket Expenses – Any reasonable non-refundable expenses directly impacted by the change will be processed within 30 days of receipt of request and proof. This does not include flight credit reimbursement, partially refundable flights, loyalty program point redemptions, and non-essential pre and post accommodations. These must be submitted to: guestrelations@crystalcruises.com for review and approval. We sincerely hope that your client will find a solution to their liking. Our Reservations Team is ready to assist when you and your client have made a decision. If no action is taken by March 22nd, 2024, the booking will be cancelled, and a Future Cruise Credit issued. Thank you for your continued loyalty to Crystal. We look forward to welcoming your guests aboard soon. Yours gratefully, Crystal Guest Relations

LeeAnne one I remember for sure was Celebrity. I remember it opened precisely at midnight and I do remember having a bit more cake than I should have. Keith

The only reason I saw the letters is two friends who are booked on impacted segments sent them to me. They were sent to their TA's who sent them to their clients, in this case my friends. If you are on not on board and have booked one of these cruises and booked through an agent I would contact your agent to ask them to send the letter to you. Keith

Dwight, the options are in letters that went out to Agents who have clients booked on segments of the World Cruise who are on the impacted itineraries who are not on board the ship right now. I have no idea about those who are on the full world cruise or who are on segments who are already on board. Keith

I read the terms and it appears doable but it is wise to have your TA check with Crystal to confirm this than for us to speculate. As you note in your example it would be for 2025 for the offer that involved paying in full. Keith

LeeAnne, You will get three complimentary reservations at each specialty restaurant based on availability. Not sure how many vintage room will be offered but you should have lots of opportunities. I believe two or three formals but as you get closer you can check with on board guest services. Looks like a great itinerary and a great time of the year to visit these ports. Keith

Maybe semantics but I think of someone who likes a product a fan of the product. I am a fan of Crystal. I feel I have a good sense of strengths and weaknesses. Full disclosure. I am a fan of Lexus since my first one around 1993. And no plans to change. I am a sports fan but I am not a cheerleader. When I think of cheerleaders I think of the girls who would cheer whenI I played on the JV and Varsity Basketball Games. I am a fan of sports but I don't do cheers. Only cheer I do is when we toast with a flute of champagne. Also I feel that most things are not perfect so I suspect most people know what it is they like about a product and those things that they don't. Cheers, Keith

Thank you Ivi. In our situation we didn't go with the promotion after carefully looking at each of our 2025 bookings. Keith

I have looked over the letter with the three options for the Serenity sailings and a full refund is not an option. A couple of the options involved getting a future cruise credit for the full fare which was paid that could be used for booking a new cruise in 2024 and 2025 and an additional savings beyond that depending on which year the new booking is for. I have not seen the letter for the one Symphony cruise that was canceled so can't speak to that one. Keith

Just my 2 cents and it's not about cheerleading. Never understand how that fits into most discussions other than one involving sports teams. 😂 We all don't use the same criteria when we make our purchasing decisions and that includes our choice when it comes to cruising. For example, for some they prefer not only one cruise line but the same ship. Others could care less. Yes, a reminder that choice is good and this applies to pretty much all products including which mayonnaise, mustard or ketchup you use. And the devil is in the details and that applies to each and every promotion whether that is one offered by Crystal or one in your grocery store. As to the current one, we looked at it for each of our bookings considering savings and balancing this with other factors including the cost of cancel for any reasons insurance for the 20% promotion, tying up money that could be used for investments and risks. So my only advice when a promotion comes along is not to jump to a conclusion but rather to look evaluate each one. And as we often see some promotions will work for some and not for others. Keith

Thank you so much for posting this. Keith

It may be the device you are using. I can view them on my computers. There are times on other devices certain PDF's I can't view. If it's on a device you usually can view a PDF then sometimes a reboot helps. Keith

All I can say is all TA's are not the same even at the same agency and I am not booked on any of the cruises that are impacted. Keith

I am not sure but glad that they got this out to the TA’s knowing if it was me I would want to know as soon as possible. If it was me, I would ask the TA why they didn’t get the word out to you. Others I know have heard from their TAs hours ago.

You are right. My mistake. I just reread it and it say cruise canceled but they have revised the itinerary to the one they show below What through me off was their statement below but as you say on the e-mail it says canceled. Keith Crystal to Cancel Cruise Affected by Red Sea Situation with Safety in Mind; 2024 Crystal Serenity World Cruise Re-Routed In light of the current situation in the Red Sea, Crystal remains committed to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our guests and crew. Due to the ongoing situation, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2024 Cruise from Mumbai to Piraeus (Athens) on Crystal Symphony March 27 to April 13. Additionally, we are re-routing several segments of the 2024 World Cruise on Crystal Serenity to avoid this area. However, this will not affect the overall voyage length, and the ship will arrive in Miami as originally scheduled on June 8, 2024. We are in the process of notifying all impacted guests on both ships. We greatly appreciate our guests and crew for their understanding and patience during this process.

Isn't there only one cancellation. I believe Serenity has not cancellations just revisions. Keith

From Crystal. Keith Crystal to Cancel Cruise Affected by Red Sea Situation with Safety in Mind; 2024 Crystal Serenity World Cruise Re-Routed In light of the current situation in the Red Sea, Crystal remains committed to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our guests and crew. Due to the ongoing situation, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2024 Cruise from Mumbai to Piraeus (Athens) on Crystal Symphony March 27 to April 13. Additionally, we are re-routing several segments of the 2024 World Cruise on Crystal Serenity to avoid this area. However, this will not affect the overall voyage length, and the ship will arrive in Miami as originally scheduled on June 8, 2024. We are in the process of notifying all impacted guests on both ships. We greatly appreciate our guests and crew for their understanding and patience during this process.

I know TA's are starting to get the changes for Serenity. Keith

Those on Serenity are also hearing about their cruises via their TA's. Keith

David Absolutely. Learned about this when we planned our daughters wedding. Leading up to the wedding we did watch Father Of The Bride. Keith

Let me add that there is a big difference between the Grand Gala Buffet and Market Place when it comes to wasted food. When they set up the Grand Gala Buffet all food is put out before it open. At Market Place a good number of items are put out a little at a time and then refilled throughout the hours of operation This means far less waste. Buffets are costly. If you are planning a wedding you will see that a buffet can be a lot more expensive than a plated meal.This is because they have to have extra of everything not knowing how much people will eat and what they will eat. Keith