Yorkeys Knob March 2015 on Solstice no possibility to see GBR

[spookwife]

Prey tell why a cruise line would come to the Great Barrier Reef and not provide for its customers to visit what is one of the natural wonders of the world. They do however on this cruise visit mining and coal ports like Port Hedland and Newcastle which have little to no tourist attractions at all. Go figure

 

if seeing the Reef is of that great importance then you arrange to do so on your own by booking a trip that allows for it. I fail to see why it is the cruise industry's responsibility to give you easy access. they cannot go everywhere, and I bet the docking fees are a lot less expensive for those so called' no tourist attraction' ports/

 

there are many things that dictate the feasibility and length of stay anywhere. any one who is truly a snorkeler/diver and has the Reef on their Bucket List will design a trip specifically around the Reef and not try and squeeze it in as an afterthought while on a totally different vacation.

 

since I can't seem to find a ship or excursion that hits Rottnest, I am going to have get my quokka fix some other way.

[saracenman]

amazing amount of emails have come into me expressing their unhappiness with Celebrity and the hope that with 1 year's notice Celebrity can change the itinerary. Keep them coming in to me as I will then forward on a ass received basis.

[WestLakeGirl]

Agree with LSimon. It's highly unlikely that any number of emails will change the schedule. You don't even know why the schedule is the way it is. If its a matter of tides, there nothing you can do to change that. If its a decision dictated by the port, your emails are going to the wrong people. If you absolutely must see that, either find a different cruise, leave the ship there and rejoin it later, or plan a land vacation

[Gracie115]

amazing amount of emails have come into me expressing their unhappiness with Celebrity and the hope that with 1 year's notice Celebrity can change the itinerary. Keep them coming in to me as I will then forward on a ass received basis.

 

What constitutes an "amazing number of emails?' Remember the ship holds 3000 or so passengers.....

[baldercash]

Really amazed by the posters that tell the OP to take a different cruise.

Sounds to me like X has organized a poor cruise and yes the OP can cruise elsewhere but that does not excuse X.

I assume people post their thoughts without reading other posters comments.

 

The OP wants to cruise Australia and wants to do it on X as the line of preference and while on the cruise they would like to see the GBR.

Seems like a reasonable request that X should plan for as it does not seem an outlandish request to me and that many cruisers would have similar expectations.

It is a ship they are on and they want to see the GBR not Ayers Rock!

 

I guess you could do a circumnavigation cruise of Australia and never go ashore and enjoy yourself which sounds like those who are telling the OP to go elsewhere cruise that way.

 

On our Millie cruise the Captain gave a seminar at which he explained the cruise route is planned and approved about 2 years out. It is not an easy thing to change as there are many things that need to be taken into account.

[WestLakeGirl]

Precisely! two years out and not likely to be changed. That's what we are saying. The OP is just spinning his wheels. celebrity isn't going to change, so if the OP absolutely has to see that, he needs to find a cruise that will take him the, not wage effort trying to change this one

[LunaSeaRetreat]

amazing amount of emails have come into me expressing their unhappiness with Celebrity and the hope that with 1 year's notice Celebrity can change the itinerary. Keep them coming in to me as I will then forward on a ass received basis.

 

Anthony,

Thanks again for looking into this. When I first booked, I checked the general brochure and the GBR was listed. I read reviews of the ship's tour and they were good. I realized because of time restraints I would need to book a ship's tour. I never thought they wouldn't go. I've written emails to both the excursion department and the Captain's Club two months ago and have only received and automated replies. My airfare and hotels are booked along with several private tours so cancelling is not an option.

 

Cruise Critic members have been very helpful to me in the past. I can't understand why so many here have been unhelpful and unkind to you.

 

Telling someone to cancel their cruise is not helpful.

 

Thanks to those who suggested other possibilities, we may be looking into them if Celebrity doesn't come through.

 

Cynthia

[saracenman]

Thanks Cynthia

 

When I booked the cruise in January NO shore excursions were available yet the blurb specifically stated GBR so surely it is a fair assumption to assume X would offer GBR.

 

Its very glib of people to tell me to book another cruise as flights were critical and frankly to circumnavigate Australia and not see the GBR is like going to Egypt and not seeing the Pyramids!

 

It frankly is ridiculous especially when X promoted GBR in advance- it really is unacceptable especially when you are paying top dollar for back to back cruises.

 

I live in the UK and I will not be coming to Australia again in my lifetime!"

[NLH Arizona]

Really amazed by the posters that tell the OP to take a different cruise.

Sounds to me like X has organized a poor cruise and yes the OP can cruise elsewhere but that does not excuse X.

I assume people post their thoughts without reading other posters comments.

 

The OP wants to cruise Australia and wants to do it on X as the line of preference and while on the cruise they would like to see the GBR.

Seems like a reasonable request that X should plan for as it does not seem an outlandish request to me and that many cruisers would have similar expectations.

It is a ship they are on and they want to see the GBR not Ayers Rock!

 

I guess you could do a circumnavigation cruise of Australia and never go ashore and enjoy yourself which sounds like those who are telling the OP to go elsewhere cruise that way.

 

On our Millie cruise the Captain gave a seminar at which he explained the cruise route is planned and approved about 2 years out. It is not an easy thing to change as there are many things that need to be taken into account.

didnt the cruise info have the times in port, I know every time I book, there are ports listed and the times in port. The Op should not have booked the cruise, if there wasn't enough time to do what he wanted.

[saracenman]

no it didnt! ok

[harz99]

I have a lot of sympathy for the OP; the reef is surely a must see for many, many people who are going to take Australia cruises.

 

I often don't understand how the itineraries are selected, for instance why do the top end cruises go out of their way to stop at Bali? Nice as Bali is, it isn't Australia. The time taken could be more useful in other places, say the reef or overnight in Darwin to enable tours go further into that area.

 

Bottom line is, it's easy to just keep on doing the same old itinerary year after year.

[baldercash]

didnt the cruise info have the times in port, I know every time I book, there are ports listed and the times in port. The Op should not have booked the cruise, if there wasn't enough time to do what he wanted.

 

I just stated people post without bothering to read and .......

[Gracie115]

I just stated people post without bothering to read and .......

 

Not being mean or harsh to the OP when I suggest booking either a different cruise or a land trip. I understand their frustration with wanting to see the GBR, but to think that some emails are going to change the itinerary I think is very unrealistic, unless those emails, at the very least, total into the 100's if not more, and even then the possibility of an itinerary change is remote, at best.

 

If seeing this is that important to the OP then finding a trip that will go where he wants it to is imperative and there is plenty of time to do so now, I do not believe X will change their itinerary and waiting will only make the possibility of finding the cruise or land trip to fit within his flight plans more and more difficult.

[Lsimon]

Thanks Cynthia

 

When I booked the cruise in January NO shore excursions were available yet the blurb specifically stated GBR so surely it is a fair assumption to assume X would offer GBR.

 

Its very glib of people to tell me to book another cruise as flights were critical and frankly to circumnavigate Australia and not see the GBR is like going to Egypt and not seeing the Pyramids!

 

It frankly is ridiculous especially when X promoted GBR in advance- it really is unacceptable especially when you are paying top dollar for back to back cruises.

 

I live in the UK and I will not be coming to Australia again in my lifetime!"

 

Well, if Celebrity had promoted the cruise as including the GBR then that does put a different spin on it. But I wouldn't be too optimistic about the chances of them changing the times. You'd have better luck getting them to add a ship sponsored GBR excursion, if that is at all possible within the times listed.

 

As for not seeing the pyramids - there was a lot of discussion on these boards about people booked on cruises that were to go to Egypt and who were disappointed when the stop was cancelled due to unrest. Likewise I've read comments from people who were very upset about their Antarctica cruises not being able to make certain stops due to weather conditions. I realize these situations are different as they involved situations out of the cruise line's control but it still makes the point that you can never count on one particular port.

[Beanb41]

Well, if Celebrity had promoted the cruise as including the GBR then that does put a different spin on it. But I wouldn't be too optimistic about the chances of them changing the times. You'd have better luck getting them to add a ship sponsored GBR excursion, if that is at all possible within the times listed.

 

As for not seeing the pyramids - there was a lot of discussion on these boards about people booked on cruises that were to go to Egypt and who were disappointed when the stop was cancelled due to unrest. Likewise I've read comments from people who were very upset about their Antarctica cruises not being able to make certain stops due to weather conditions. I realize these situations are different as they involved situations out of the cruise line's control but it still makes the point that you can never count on one particular port.

 

If after one has booked for this cruise and then attempts to arrange shore excursions via the X website a trip out to the GBR is listed as one of the excursions available, but when trying to book this excursion it is not possible.

 

Why is it not possible because it cant be done within the time frame and it appears that the excursion is a generic one should it be available on a future cruise. One of course cannot find this out until one has already booked so those who are blaming those who having booked this cruise on the belief that the GBR excursion is available please refrain from doing so until one is aware of the facts

[Gracie115]

As for not seeing the pyramids - there was a lot of discussion on these boards about people booked on cruises that were to go to Egypt and who were disappointed when the stop was cancelled due to unrest. .

 

We were one of those who booked to go to Egypt and the Pyramids....it was to be our "trip of a lifetime" but the stop was cancelled and we wound up with 4 days in Israel.....which also wound up being the most amazing 4 days on any vacation we've ever had....so while we missed the Pyramids, and now fear we will never see them we still had the most amazing trip.....sometimes you really do have make the best of it and good things happen....

 

I hope the OP finds a way to do what they want at the GBR....

[Beanb41]

Not sure what the pyramids have to do with the GBR but I think its fair to say that one accepts that changes to an itinerary can and are changed at short notice due to a number of factors. Weather and political unrest are but two. At least as far as the Pyramids were concerned there was an original intention of being able to see them

[Christine Frances]

If after one has booked for this cruise and then attempts to arrange shore excursions via the X website a trip out to the GBR is listed as one of the excursions available, but when trying to book this excursion it is not possible.

 

Why is it not possible because it cant be done within the time frame and it appears that the excursion is a generic one should it be available on a future cruise. One of course cannot find this out until one has already booked so those who are blaming those who having booked this cruise on the belief that the GBR excursion is available please refrain from doing so until one is aware of the facts

 

I have found the Celebrity starts loading the excursions onto the website for a specific sailing about 6 months out (ie available for booking). That is when they usually have all their tour operators lined up and finalized.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Christine Frances

[Gracie115]

Not sure what the pyramids have to do with the GBR but I think its fair to say that one accepts that changes to an itinerary can and are changed at short notice due to a number of factors. Weather and political unrest are but two. At least as far as the Pyramids were concerned there was an original intention of being able to see them

 

It was a comparison to the OP who booked the cruise, in part to see the GBR and now may not be able to.....we also booked to see the Pyramids....and wound not being able to....we only found out about two months out, after final payment, we had no options....the trip wound up wonderful anyway....at least the OP still has options.....

[boogs]

I have found the Celebrity starts loading the excursions onto the website for a specific sailing about 6 months out (ie available for booking). That is when they usually have all their tour operators lined up and finalized.

 

Thanks! I was just about to write the same thing. Looking for excursions 10 months out is not going to result in much success. I have a cruise coming up in early 2015 and some of the excursions offered for the same time frame in 2014 aren't yet listed for my cruise. I expect that they will in the next couple of months, at which time I will look them over. The OP needs to relax and give Celebrity time to arrange the excursions for his trip. He is being unreasonable if he thinks everything should be available almost a year in advance.

Edited May 13, 2014 by boogs

[baldercash]

I have found the Celebrity starts loading the excursions onto the website for a specific sailing about 6 months out (ie available for booking). That is when they usually have all their tour operators lined up and finalized.

 

Helpful info for all the "why did you book it then" crowd.

We encountered the same last year when we booked our 35 day Hawaii to Singapore cruise on Millie.

We spent countless hours researching and planning what we would do in the various ports and the ship excursions where not listed.

When eventually X posted the port and tender times we were depressed that most of our plans needed to be adjusted. We quickly booked the GBR excursion offered as that was the only option due to a 9:00am anchor time. There were many who were disappointed as it sold out quickly.

 

Seeing the GBR was near the top of our list of sights to see on this trip missing it due to weather or political unrest is totally different to scheduling port times that do not allow it.

 

At Arlie Beach we had to sign up 20 CC members to book a Zodiac to get us to White Haven beach as the ship left at 5pm and the tours ran longer and were not offered by the ship.

 

In Bali we booked a private guide and driver to see the Unesco Heritage site Jatiluwih Rice Terraces no tour was offered by the ship it was to far we were told but we had no problems and saw so much on route.

 

Yes it is a cruise but why stop at ports with times that are not conducive to see seeing the sites offered.

[Flipper133]

As I mentioned a little earlier, I have compared the itinerary for the March 2015 cruise to the very similar one we did last year.

 

On both cruises the Solstice departs Darwin at 4.00pm

Both then spend two sea days transiting across the top and down the East coast.

Our cruise was originally scheduled to arrive at Cairns (Yorkeys) at 7.00am ... plenty of time for tours to get to and back from the GBR...before departure at 7.00pm.

 

As I mentioned before, we were delayed by a Sea Evac and the captain had to put his foot to the metal to enable us to at least arrive mid morning.

 

The 2015 cruise however, is scheduled to arrive at noon :confused:

I have sometimes been accused of being cynical, but one can't help wonder if a part of Celebrity's current cost cutting program has limited the speed at which the ships should travel...thus reducing fuel consumption.

 

By my very rough calculations, if the ship's average speed was reduced by just 6.5% (say for example 18 knts to 16.8 knts) then this would add another 5hrs to the transit time Darwin to Cairns - exactly the added hours from our scheduled 7.00am arrival to the 2015 cruises Noon arrival.

 

I don't know the data to determine what that would mean in fuel savings, but from all reports it would not be insignificant.

 

I'm sure there are other reasons however

[Christine Frances]

Has anyone checked to see if there are any other ships in port the same day? How big is the anchorage? Most port changes are due to problems at that specific port. We had an overnight at Saigon changed to one port day and one sea day because there was "no room at the inn" for the second day

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited May 14, 2014 by Christine Frances

[Pushka]

Has anyone checked to see if there are any other ships in port the same day? How big is the anchorage? Most port changes are due to problems at that specific port. We had an overnight at Saigon changed to one port day and one sea day because there was "no room at the inn" for the second day

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I've just checked this. On 8th March (presuming I have the correct date) it's just the Celebrity Solstice arriving at 12 noon departing at 8pm.

 

The next day is Cunard's QE arriving at 7am and departing at 7am. That is perfect timing for GBR tours.

 

We were berthed in Yorkeys Knob in March this year. It tenders a fair way from Cairns and it was quite rough. I wouldn't want to be on a tender much past 5pm as it gets dark very quickly. It is still the wet season and when we were there a huge storm swept through at about 4pm and the ship had to be turned to leeside in order to get the tenders back on the ship. They took three goes at it before they made it back onto the ship.

 

The Cat picked us up from the ship directly at around 8.30am. The queue for tenders to get to Cairns was very long. There is not enough time to do a GBR reef tour arriving at 12 noon. It should not have been advertised as Reef tour option as you wont have enough time to get off the tender, get to the private tour, go to the reef (at least 2 hours away), snorkel, get back, tender back before dark.

 

I take it there is no ship's excursion? That might give a small window. A tiny one.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Pushka

[Wastegirl]

As an Australian it really concerns me about the expectations US visitors have of this cruise due to the following:

• It is the wet season, hot, humid and stormy
  
• It is also cyclone season - strong possibility that anywhere on the northern route there will be a cyclone that will prevent at least one port being cancelled if not them all
  
• Ports - Not that interesting IMO - we are doing it for the ship and a getaway not the Ports as we can do land tours 'any ol time'
  

 

Now this cruise would be fine for visitors who are combining it with land tours or are just wanting a taste of Australia but you would need to do a combination of smaller ships more in the middle of the year to really appreciate this area. They are on my bucket list but don't come cheap. Alternatively HAL's Volendam does a circumnavigation that is more interesting but again, costly due to it being a small ship with fewer verandahs and a longer trip.

 

It is something discussed extensively by Aussies, why do the big cruise companies insist on bringing their ships into northern Australian waters and the South Pacific in cyclone season.