What Happens If Itinerary Changed from Booking

[SeasTheDay12]

I hope someone has information or experience. I have been to the Med many times and have booked the Nov 3 Silhouette cruise to the Holy Land.

Of course Celebrity has no advance knowledge of crisis management with ports that are having extreme problems - especially Egypt and to some extent Israel. It is day to day news of unrest.

 

I am taking the cruise specifically to see Egypt - went to Israel last year where the Silhouette stayed in Haifa rather than go to scheduled Ashdod due to border rocket fire. It worked out well though - just a longer ride to tours from Haifa instead.

 

I have noticed on roll calls some comments that people were booked on this year cruises for the Holy Land itinerary as a substitute cruise for changed cruises of last year.

 

Does anyone KNOW if Celebrity will advise changes in advance and allow the change of cruise?

 

Or at what point with known trouble do they make an itinerary change to safeguard the passengers and/or offer cruise changes due to the change in ports of call. Substitution of other ports (ie Greece, Turkey) have no interest to me having been there many times before.

 

 

THANKS SO MUCH for any information or guidance offered.:confused:

[Orator]

I hope someone has information or experience. I have been to the Med many times and have booked the Nov 3 Silhouette cruise to the Holy Land.

Of course Celebrity has no advance knowledge of crisis management with ports that are having extreme problems - especially Egypt and to some extent Israel. It is day to day news of unrest.

 

I am taking the cruise specifically to see Egypt - went to Israel last year where the Silhouette stayed in Haifa rather than go to scheduled Ashdod due to border rocket fire. It worked out well though - just a longer ride to tours from Haifa instead.

 

I have noticed on roll calls some comments that people were booked on this year cruises for the Holy Land itinerary as a substitute cruise for changed cruises of last year.

 

Does anyone KNOW if Celebrity will advise changes in advance and allow the change of cruise?

 

Or at what point with known trouble do they make an itinerary change to safeguard the passengers and/or offer cruise changes due to the change in ports of call. Substitution of other ports (ie Greece, Turkey) have no interest to me having been there many times before.

 

 

THANKS SO MUCH for any information or guidance offered.:confused:

 

I was on the Constellation Holy Land last year and we were the first ship to dock in Ashdod after the missle attack. The Captain kept us updated and said that the port authorities had cleared us for docking. Egypt was canceled and Athens and Marmaris were sunstituted. On the TA that followed a dock workers strke caused us to change a port the next day. Notice can be very, very short and I believe that Celebrity does what they can to protect their passengers, crew and property. I guess my answer is that you never really know when a change will be made. You could have ample advance notice to change plans or it might be last minute as we experienced. We are scheduled for another Holy Land on Nov. 17th. Que sera sera.

[SeasTheDay12]

Thank you for your experience. As I mentioned, I had similar last minute change when we were scheduled to sail from Haifa to Ashdod. The Captain explained his decision at the time we were due to sail by intercom during 2nd sitting dinner. Disappontment is one thing - SAFETY FIRST is another. :D

 

I was just trying to figure out how many people must have had advance notice OR some accommodation to take a replacement cruise for changes made in cruises last year.

 

I guess the smart thing to do is to book last minute, BUT then you miss out on great discounts and choice cabins that are happening now.

 

I will try to see what details are explained in the cruise contract for these changes when final payment is due.

 

But THANKS!

[Bruin Steve]

It's just one of those things they can't and won't guarantee...or even commit to a timeline...

What happens if a crisis breaks out in a specific port or country the day before you sail...or the day before you are scheduled to stop there? Of course, they would make a last minute detour or cancelation and you would have to live with it...

In those situations where they can know about a needed change far enough in advance, they are often good about letting you change ships--and such...buit, remember, that may not be easy the closer you are to your cruise--you may already be locked into air flights and hotel reservations and other things not easy to change at the last minute...

 

It is just one of the risks of cruising...and of traveling in general...

 

I have had ports changed or canceled for a variety of reasons--hurricanes, high winds, heavy fog and labor union strikes...You take your chances...

 

We've had two ports changed on our upcoming Northern Europe cruise for logistic reasons between the time of our booking and the cruise...Of course, they did this months ago--so for anyone who wanted to "abandon ship" there was plenty of time...But, with changes forced by political situations, you rarely get that much notice...

 

I remember when the revolutions were happening in Egypt and Tunesia and the cruise lines started skippiung the ports, many on here were angry...Some were actually demanding that, since the itinerary was sold with those ports, they should go there anyway...Of course, we all know that there is no way that any cruise line will bring a billion dollar ship into a turbulent situation and drop off 2,000 or more tourists into the midst of a violent riot or revolution...That would be negligence, perhaps even gross negligence...

 

The cruise lines really don't like to change their itineraries...but, sometimes they are forced to...They all use their judgment on this...and they have carefully disclaimed this in all of their literature...

[cruisestitch]

Assuming you are not from the UK, where there are different cancellation policies in place, I think that since you have stated that you are only cruising in order to see Egypt and would not be happy with any other ports, and since your cruise is for November, I would cancel it now before you get into the penalty period. There is just no way to know if you will get to see Egypt or not, and if you would be unhappy with alternate ports, which you might not know about even up to the day you are scheduled to dock in Egypt, the chance is too great that you will be disappointed.

 

IF Celebrity makes the decision to cancel Egypt well in advance, I think that you will find that there is no set policy as to what alternatives they will offer -- they might allow you to re-book to another cruise and keep whatever perks you had been eligible for, but it's doubtful that the offered cruise would include Egypt.

 

Sorry to be such a downer, but I just don't think your chances for a cruise to Egypt are looking good.....

[SeasTheDay12]

Thanks cruisestitch and Steve....

 

True there is just NO WAY of knowing.... and I feel like if I don't get to see Egypt soon - probably not looking better in the future either.... such a shame.

 

The reason I asked for info here is I could not understand how SO MANY had advance warnings on their cruises last year, and they were taking the Holy Land itinerary this year to make up for their missed ports.... I just haven't run into anyone that had an ADVANCE notice of port changes. Like most of us, you find out when you get there- or at least have already boarded the cruise.....

 

I either need to grin and bear it or look for a whole to place to see~:rolleyes:

 

The Silouette is a beautiful ship with great crew/service/ and good food, and the specialty restaurants are worth it! At least if I chance it - the ship and cruise will be great and I may find new things to see in other ports.

 

Thanks again~