Should I Be Worried? "Code Red" for VOS May 21

[sloshel]

Several months ago we booked a 7 day crusie from Venice on VOS on a new itinerary to lesser-known ports (Ravenna, Bari, Koper, Dubrovnik) for May 21, 2011. Noticed recently that cabins were not selling, and we were able to take advantage of a great price drop. Now the RCCL website has shown the cruise as "Not Available" for about a week, though it still shows up in my reservations. When I called RCCL they told me the cruise had a "Code Red" tag. That didn't sound good. When I asked what that meant, I was told it meant it has been taken out of the system for "Inventory Maintenance." The rep said the ship may have been chartered. Has anyone had a similar experience, or any info? We already bought nonrefundable air tickets from California to Venice and are a bit worried. If the ship has been chartered, will we still be able to sail? Thanks!

[twinnie2]

Maybe this is what they are talking about when they said that VOS is experiencing a "code Red"- hope it helps!

 

(This is an exerpt I found on-line in "Medical News Today"):

 

According to the Celebrity Cruise Line procedure manual, this describes the process that is followed for a Norovirus infection on a cruise ship:

 

Their system works on three codes: green is standard procedures, with routine cleaning twice a day of frequently touched areas such as lift buttons and handrails. If 0.5 per cent of guests get sick, the code goes to yellow, with cleaning frequency and intensity going up to 4 times a day, and they step up announcements and advice to passengers.

 

A code red would be triggered if 1.5 per cent of passengers got sick, and then there is a marked change in ship procedures:

 

"We stop the self-service food, sanitation teams clean between sittings and we aim to clean the public areas every half hour."

 

During code red, passengers are shown a ten minute video on hygiene and medical facilities that runs continuously on a loop in the public areas, hand shaking is discouraged, and the captain also makes a daily announcement.

[senrab]

Maybe this is what they are talking about when they said that VOS is experiencing a "code Red"- hope it helps!

 

(This is an exerpt I found on-line in "Medical News Today"):

 

According to the Celebrity Cruise Line procedure manual, this describes the process that is followed for a Norovirus infection on a cruise ship:

 

Their system works on three codes: green is standard procedures, with routine cleaning twice a day of frequently touched areas such as lift buttons and handrails. If 0.5 per cent of guests get sick, the code goes to yellow, with cleaning frequency and intensity going up to 4 times a day, and they step up announcements and advice to passengers.

 

A code red would be triggered if 1.5 per cent of passengers got sick, and then there is a marked change in ship procedures:

 

"We stop the self-service food, sanitation teams clean between sittings and we aim to clean the public areas every half hour."

 

During code red, passengers are shown a ten minute video on hygiene and medical facilities that runs continuously on a loop in the public areas, hand shaking is discouraged, and the captain also makes a daily announcement.

Probably not, given that the OP's sailing isn't until May, 2011. I wouldn't think that any current Noro issues would affect sales of a cruise that far out...

[jackdiamond]

My guess is simply that this reservation will not be honored; and, the fare will probably be refunded, and the cruiser may be given an option of another cruise with some additional goodies, such as an OBC etc,

[Albert Ross]

Code Red simply means it is not for sale at the moment. Reasons usually are: prepricing, being chartered, changing the itinerary, or going into dry dock.

[tahqa]

Sounds like you need to get Lt Kaffee to find out who ordered the Code Red! :D

[MikeNJ1109]

Sounds like you need to get Lt Kaffee to find out who ordered the Code Red! :D

 

Can we all handle the truth?

[Scoobydobe7]

Code Red simply means it is not for sale at the moment. Reasons usually are: prepricing, being chartered, changing the itinerary, or going into dry dock.

 

 

 

It happened to me on the Jewel out of Boston in 2008 - Ship needed repairs to one of the engines - We were given a 7 night cruise two weeks earlier (our's was 5 nights) and a 200.00 on board credit. GOOD LUCK

[COMBOY]

Several months ago we booked a 7 day crusie from Venice on VOS on a new itinerary to lesser-known ports (Ravenna, Bari, Koper, Dubrovnik) for May 21, 2011. Noticed recently that cabins were not selling, and we were able to take advantage of a great price drop. Now the RCCL website has shown the cruise as "Not Available" for about a week, though it still shows up in my reservations. When I called RCCL they told me the cruise had a "Code Red" tag. That didn't sound good. When I asked what that meant, I was told it meant it has been taken out of the system for "Inventory Maintenance." The rep said the ship may have been chartered. Has anyone had a similar experience, or any info? We already bought nonrefundable air tickets from California to Venice and are a bit worried. If the ship has been chartered, will we still be able to sail? Thanks!

 

Well, two things might be happening either the ship is being chartered or a dry dock for maintenance is being planned. I see the sailing prior and after May 21 is available for sale. So probably either the charter or dry dock hasn't been finalized yet so they aren't going to sell it to the general public anymore and have flagged the sailing as "Code Red." Sounds strange...but whatever the situation someone from RCCL will contact you or your travel agent to make alternative plans if that is the case. Although your airline ticket are non refundable they are probably transferable to other dates/flights and I will assume RCCL will cover any changed fees that you might incur. If you can't rebook the value of your airline tickets are usually good for up to a year after purchase on that carrier. Although you might be able to rebook on that charter through the charter company directly...who knows what that charter group might be...christian, gay, singles, doctors, country/western, etc. or a corporate incentive cruise and I'm not sure if RCCL would have to give out that information to you.

[thelion]

She was most likely chartered.

[seaofwonder]

This same thing happened about a month ago on the Navigator sailings in Europe next summer. We called and were told "Code red inventory management, it's sold out, it's being chartered" and on and on. RCCL customer service (including C&A) didn't know anything.

 

We also noticed that the cruise had been interported (pax were being able to board midway through the cruise). It is possible that this is happening to your cruise as well.

 

Hang tight....things might return to normal in a week.

 

If not, and it is cancelled/chartered, they will rebook you on another cruise and give you some OBC....not sure about the flights though.

 

I know how stressful this is. The same thing happened to me on my Alaska cruise and that did end up being cancelled.

[jackdiamond]

We were booked in AQ on the Equinox in early December 2011; and, our cruise became a code red. We were transferred to a January 13, 2012, cruise in the same cabin with a $200.00, OBC, with no change in fare. Since, we are retired, and live in SWFL, for us it was no problem.

[AlanAllyn]

We were booked in AQ on the Equinox in early December 2011; and, our cruise became a code red. We were transferred to a January 13, 2012, cruise in the same cabin with a $200.00, OBC, with no change in fare. Since, we are retired, and live in SWFL, for us it was no problem.

That was an itinerary change.

[sloshel]

I called RCCL again today and they told me to call again in a week. The gal today said that it did not look like a charter, but that she was not allowed to tell me anything. We can live with a reschedule as long as they will pay our rebooking fees for the air tickets. Just hard to be in limbo! Thanks for all of your comments.

[JandD Mom]

I agree, hang tight and you might get a nice incentive to switch sailings.

 

It happened to us once on the new Celebrity Solstice. As it turns out, the ship was chartered. I wouldnt be interested in a charter because that means all activities etc will be taken over by a group you do not belong to.

 

In our case, the ship was rented out to a company that specializes in gay group cruises. Since we don't belong to that group, and since we were traveling with our children, we decided to take a pass.

[Alexis]

Sounds like you need to get Lt Kaffee to find out who ordered the Code Red!

 

Can we all handle the truth?

 

You can't handle the truth. :D

 

 

As for the Voyager, I am asking on the DryDock schedule if anyone hears anything also. :confused:

[ChiLuvs2Trav]

Yikes! We're booked on the May 28 sailing. I hope that sailing doesn't get the "code red" too. The rest of our vacation has been worked around this cruise. I'll be monitoring this thread to see what will happen. Maybe they'll transfer all of you to the May 28 sailing!

 

Chiqui

[04denali]

Just courious,

What is a ruff quesstimate of what it costs to charter one of these ships?

[chef_christoph]

Just courious,

What is a ruff quesstimate of what it costs to charter one of these ships?

 

There is an article about chartering a cruise ship that was published right here at cruise critic... http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=760

 

They use Freedom of the Seas as an example and say it could cost between eight hundred thousand and nine hundred thousand dollars to charter Freedom for a three day sailing and, depending on the length of the sailing or itinerary, could go as high as six million dollars.

[holidaysaregood]

We have just heard from Royal Caribbean that the cruise is cancelled, and a letter is in the post to us today. We have booked our flights and not transferable, meeting people in Venice after the cruise, and only offering £125 per person for the flight!!! Have never yet and will never ever think of using Royal Caribbean again. Plenty more boats on the sea.:mad:

[Darkwolfe]

We have just heard from Royal Caribbean that the cruise is cancelled, and a letter is in the post to us today. We have booked our flights and not transferable, meeting people in Venice after the cruise, and only offering £125 per person for the flight!!! Have never yet and will never ever think of using Royal Caribbean again. Plenty more boats on the sea.:mad:

 

Good luck with that since EVERY company does the same thing.

 

BTW.. Coming in here to do a drive by negative will usually get you flamed (especially as post #1!). Just a friendly heads up.

[thelion]

Eh, see? Chartered.

 

And to the poster that says they will never sail with RCI again...every line charters ships. It is a guaranteed money maker. The company pays all of the compensation costs + enough to cover all the lost revenue.

[holidaysaregood]

I dont care what you say, its not good customer service and they are not covering our costs, its going to cost us over £200 each to change our flights and they only offer £125 and we have lost all our holiday plans for my husbands big birthday, slate away if you like but we had no trouble like this with Ocean Village, P & O or NCL or Thomson, seems on the threads that Royal Caribbean are the ones that do it most and dont defend them, they should not advertise something for sale that they later withdraw. We are trapped by school holidays and cannot change the dates.

[jlajla]

What a huge disappointment! I would be upset, too. I hope you are able to come to some sort of arrangement that works for you. :(

[thelion]

I dont care what you say, its not good customer service and they are not covering our costs, its going to cost us over £200 each to change our flights and they only offer £125 and we have lost all our holiday plans for my husbands big birthday, slate away if you like but we had no trouble like this with Ocean Village, P & O or NCL or Thomson, seems on the threads that Royal Caribbean are the ones that do it most and dont defend them, they should not advertise something for sale that they later withdraw. We are trapped by school holidays and cannot change the dates.

 

I have worked with all the cruise lines. RCI does it far less than some of the others.

 

For those that are stock holders...RCI does this for you. It is a good business move.

 

I'm sorry it caught you in a lurch but this is SOP for all lines.