My Sailing Has Disappeared for 2+ Weeks

[RealDeal]

Booked on the 2/2/14 Silhouette. It's been gone from the X site for over 2 weeks. I called a few times & was told each time they're doing inventory maintenance. The last time I called I expressed serious concern about whether the ship is being chartered because I'm about to book air. I was put on hold & the rep came back and said that the ship is not being chartered...they're just doing inventory maintenance. Anyone have experience with something like this??

[K.T.B.]

Booked on the 2/2/14 Silhouette. It's been gone from the X site for over 2 weeks. I called a few times & was told each time they're doing inventory maintenance. The last time I called I expressed serious concern about whether the ship is being chartered because I'm about to book air. I was put on hold & the rep came back and said that the ship is not being chartered...they're just doing inventory maintenance. Anyone have experience with something like this??

 

Not for 2 weeks. Over a weekend, but that's it.

 

And I just checked to see if there was a cruise for Feb. 2nd (Eastern Caribbean, correct?) and there is none listed. :(

[RealDeal]

Not for 2 weeks. Over a weekend, but that's it.

 

And I just checked to see if there was a cruise for Feb. 2nd (Eastern Caribbean, correct?) and there is none listed. :(

 

Yes, 2/2 Eastern...gone...

[richsea]

You would be wise to hold off on the air. Why would you book air this far out? So much can happen between now & then; like this.

Edited March 12, 2013 by richsea

[RealDeal]

You would be wise to hold off on the air. Why would you book air this far out? So much can happen between now & then; like this.

 

I hear you....I usually book early to get good rates (that is, if they're good when first published), or to use frequent flyer miles before those seats disappear. Obviously, in this case I have to hold off. I just find it really frustrating that they seem unwilling to give me any info whatsoever.

[BayStBoi]

While not officially released yet, apparently this sailing will be an Atlantis charter.

[RealDeal]

While not officially released yet, apparently this sailing will be an Atlantis charter.

 

Interesting...there was speculation about this on our roll call, but during one of my 3 or 4 calls to X, I was assured that this sailing would NOT be chartered. I have my TA looking into this now.

[RealDeal]

Well, it gets more interesting...TA called X & was given the exact same line that I was..."Inventory maintenance, might be a charter, we don't know." They told my TA that whoever is booked on it will be allowed to remain booked & will not have to switch to another sailing. I, for one, would want to switch to another sailing, as I just wouldn't want to be on a ship that is 90% overrun by a group...any group...(not trying to say I have a problem w/Atlantis). You guys ever hear of an organization like Atlantis chartering "most" of a ship?

[BayStBoi]

You guys ever hear of an organization like Atlantis chartering "most" of a ship?

 

No. If Atlantis charters it, it will be a full ship charter and all existing reservations will be bumped.

[cruizinEllen]

Well, it gets more interesting...TA called X & was given the exact same line that I was..."Inventory maintenance, might be a charter, we don't know." They told my TA that whoever is booked on it will be allowed to remain booked & will not have to switch to another sailing. I, for one, would want to switch to another sailing, as I just wouldn't want to be on a ship that is 90% overrun by a group...any group...(not trying to say I have a problem w/Atlantis). You guys ever hear of an organization like Atlantis chartering "most" of a ship?

I'm on that sailing too. Heard the same "inventory maintenance" as well. I don't believe that if a ship is charterred they allow passengers remain on the ship if not booked through the charter organization. I'm just going to sit tight and wait to see what happens. I've already made back up plans to switch to the Jan 12th sailing if it has been chartered.

[RealDeal]

No. If Atlantis charters it, it will be a full ship charter and all existing reservations will be bumped.

 

Thanks...I know I read that elsewhere & told this to my TA and she said, "Well, the person at X said that wouldn't happen." The lack of info is really frustrating. I actually called Atlantis to see if they know anything & they told me that they almost always do a cruise at the end of Jan/beginning of Feb and that if they do it in 2014 it would most likely be on X, so this is looking like a reality.

 

I appreciate your passing along your info.

[slp123]

I looked at two other very reliable cruise booking sites . . . ones that actually display deck plans indicating available cabins. When I searched for your sailing one site said the 2-2-14 sailing has been cancelled and on the other site it says the sale of cabins for the 2-2-14 sailing had been withdrawn and no wait listing was being accepted.

[ariawoman]

I checked the booking engine used by travel agents to book rcl/x - and the sailing is not available to be selected for anyone to book into. :(

 

That doesn't sound like a good sign to me.

 

Likely the rumors of charter are true.

[Chicago Boy]

Booked on the 2/2/14 Silhouette. It's been gone from the X site for over 2 weeks. I called a few times & was told each time they're doing inventory maintenance. The last time I called I expressed serious concern about whether the ship is being chartered because I'm about to book air. I was put on hold & the rep came back and said that the ship is not being chartered...they're just doing inventory maintenance. Anyone have experience with something like this??

 

 

I would suggest that you book your air through Celebrity's Choice Air program. If then cancel your cruise you get your money back. If you book your own and they cancel the cruise you get nothing. We have always found that we have gotten the best air fares through the Choice Air program. For example, we are doing a Trans Atlantic from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale in Nov of this year and our air fare was under $550.00 p.p. If we had bought that same ticket through the air line it would have been approximately $2,500.00 p.p. Just a suggestion. Enjoy your cruise!

[RealDeal]

Thanks for the tips. I really want to cruise on 2/2 & also have the Royal Princess booked. If X doesn't work out, I can always go with Princess. I would really prefer to book my own air. I'm not super knowledgeable about it, but it seems booking air thru the cruiseline might be more advantageous for international travel. Also, I have Delta credits & frequent flyer points I want to use up sooner than later.

 

I strongly suspect that they're in talks with Atlantis and are working out details, which is why the sailing is not available for booking. I suppose if it doesn't work out w/Atlantis, they'll just reopen it for new bookings. Unfortunately, the only other date in Feb I'd be interested in is 2/23 & the Silhouette does Western, which I'm already doing in Dec & May & don't want to do a 3rd time. FIGURES, the week I choose...LOL.

[ariawoman]

Thanks for the tips. I really want to cruise on 2/2 & also have the Royal Princess booked. If X doesn't work out, I can always go with Princess. I would really prefer to book my own air. I'm not super knowledgeable about it, but it seems booking air thru the cruiseline might be more advantageous for international travel. Also, I have Delta credits & frequent flyer points I want to use up sooner than later.

 

I strongly suspect that they're in talks with Atlantis and are working out details, which is why the sailing is not available for booking. I suppose if it doesn't work out w/Atlantis, they'll just reopen it for new bookings. Unfortunately, the only other date in Feb I'd be interested in is 2/23 & the Silhouette does Western, which I'm already doing in Dec & May & don't want to do a 3rd time. FIGURES, the week I choose...LOL.

 

Of all the problems to have, it's a good one though, right :-) (already doing West Carib 2 other times that is) :-)

[RealDeal]

Of all the problems to have, it's a good one though, right :-) (already doing West Carib 2 other times that is) :-)

 

TRUE....JUST decided to add a HAL cruise into the mix this Dec...Talk about variety...Princess in Feb, RCCL in May, X in Sept & HAL in Dec.

[BEAV]

Until Celebrity officially cancels the voyage, Call Center employees aren't going to be empowered with "inside info". About all they can confirm is that the sailing has been removed to prevent new bookings.

Edited March 13, 2013 by BEAV

[ariawoman]

TRUE....JUST decided to add a HAL cruise into the mix this Dec...Talk about variety...Princess in Feb, RCCL in May, X in Sept & HAL in Dec.

 

Which ship? I sailed on the Nieuw Amsterdam during her inaugural year in 2010, she was a beautiful ship.

[RealDeal]

That would be the ship....Nieuw Amsterdam...12/1/13! Never sailed on HAL before but looking forward to trying it!

[cshim]

I think it may have been chartered looking at the talk on this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1789821

[RealDeal]

Thx Chris.

[ariawoman]

That would be the ship....Nieuw Amsterdam...12/1/13! Never sailed on HAL before but looking forward to trying it!

 

I'm not sure who i'd pick if i put it against the S class of X - but Nieuw Amsterdam wins hands down for me on the look of the ship on the outside. I love the blue hulls, just look so pretty. :-)

 

One thing I did like on HAL was the retractable glass roof over the lido deck pool. So, if the weather is great, they open it up, if it's cloudy/raining, they close it up.

 

I also found the staff on that ship to be outstanding when I was on board. They were just so happy and so attentive. I've not seen staff like theirs on X, though X staff does a very good job - there was just something a little more with HAL staff.

 

I hope you have a great time!

[kitty9]

Interesting comments on HAL because we cruised on Eurodam to see if it compared to Celebrity and we were totally put off by so much on HAL. We found their ships to be dark and chopped up in the public areas, the smoking was not good as it permeated a lot of areas that weren't smoking, the crew we found to be surly and not friendly and the food in the MDR was not good. We were so totally excited to try HAL and we were so disappointed. In all my 72 cruises, I've never once said "I can't wait until this cruise is over", but I did say that after the third day on Eurodam.

[RealDeal]

Interesting comments on HAL because we cruised on Eurodam to see if it compared to Celebrity and we were totally put off by so much on HAL. We found their ships to be dark and chopped up in the public areas, the smoking was not good as it permeated a lot of areas that weren't smoking, the crew we found to be surly and not friendly and the food in the MDR was not good. We were so totally excited to try HAL and we were so disappointed. In all my 72 cruises, I've never once said "I can't wait until this cruise is over", but I did say that after the third day on Eurodam.

 

Wow...that's disconcerting! As a smoker, the smoking policy works in my favor. I've not really been all that impressed with food on any line, including Princess, X and RCCL, so I'm not sure HAL could really be a major disappointment to me in that area. Several people I know really like it, so I figure it's worth a shot...you really never know how you feel about something til you try it for yourself...everyone else is going to have a different opinion, right? Lastly, I like the itinerary, as it includes Key West & Cayman, where we've never been, so that's a big draw. The last part of my rationale is that it's an "extra" cruise for us, so the way I see it, if we don't love it, it's not as though it's our only trip for the year, which would really be disappointing.

 

Appreciate the input though!