Deposit made final payment date approaching

[dutchclogs]

2 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Not if you live in UK, we loose deposits if we cancel.

However, I phoned our TA yesterday and said I was not prepared to pay on 3rd. May for a cruise on a ship ( Silhouette TA cancelled 17th April) that might not be brought to Southampton. She rang Celebrity and they have extended the payment date to 5th June, which it would be if we had booked direct with Celebrity.

Good for you  that you were able to push back on this.

Were you able to glean any information at all re Silhouette's projected itineraries?

[upwarduk]

3 minutes ago, dutchclogs said:

Good for you  that you were able to push back on this.

Were you able to glean any information at all re Silhouette's projected itineraries?

No, unfortunately she kept saying it might be all over by then ( August 1st). They don’t want people cancelling, as they will loose their commission.

Also, I told her that as 70+ we are not allowed to cruise as per Gov . UK guidelines. She said ‘ that’s at the moment,’

[az_tchr]

25 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

No, unfortunately she kept saying it might be all over by then ( August 1st). They don’t want people cancelling, as they will loose their commission.

Also, I told her that as 70+ we are not allowed to cruise as per Gov . UK guidelines. She said ‘ that’s at the moment,’

The doctor's note will go away when cruising resumes.  The reason is about 40% of over 70 have high blood pressure, diabetes or some respiratory issue from Asthma to COPD.  Once COVID is gone. Totally gone as cruiselines cannot have another COVID issue.

When will cruises start?  The most optimistic opinion I heard was August so cruising might start in September.  Need several things to happen - No! COVID, ports and borders to open, airlines to fly regular schedules and crews to reassemble.  All that will take time.  My opinion is more towards Winter.

PS in the USA TA commissions are protected both under Cruise with Confidence and if X cancels. No idea there.

Edited March 26, 2020 by az_tchr
TA info

[Moby Jones]

3 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Not if you live in UK, we loose deposits if we cancel.

However, I phoned our TA yesterday and said I was not prepared to pay on 3rd. May for a cruise on a ship ( Silhouette TA cancelled 17th April) that might not be brought to Southampton. She rang Celebrity and they have extended the payment date to 5th June, which it would be if we had booked direct with Celebrity.

ARRRGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You mean not if you BOOK in the UK. 

Many live in the UK but book in the US when the deals are favourable to do so. 

[Bruin Steve]

I've got two (back-to-back) cruises July 5 and July 12...and the final payment dates are coming up almost immediately.  The cruises are Rome to Venice and Venice to Rome--so I am VERY skeptical that they actually happen...HOWEVER, as we stand now, pending some questions about how the FCC would work being answered, I am leaning toward making the payments, then waiting for that FCC...I have back to back cruises booked for April 2021...and would be able to use MOST of my FCC on those...

I just want to make sure that I don't lose the excess...and, if I can spread the FCC to a third cruise, I would just book another cruise for late 2020 or some other time in 2021...

With RCI's new bank deal, I'm feeling more comfortable with them surviving this thing...With a little over $7,000 invested, I'll basically be paying early, but getting about $9000 in FCC toward future cruises which I would be taking anyway...and paying for about 9 or 10 months from now...Not completely comfortable with the risk...but my other investments aren't doing nearly as well right now!

[NantahalaCruiser]

4 hours ago, az_tchr said:

As already said - if you booked with a NRD then you get your deposit back less $100pp if cancelled prior to final payment date. You do not lose your entire deposit unless it was $200.  Anything over $200 is refunded.  You are not using Cruise with Confidence. Just a straight cancellation. Nothing shady.

 

Depends on the date of your cruise - if it is before 7/31/20 the policy is cancel before final payment your get your full NRD converted to FCC without any reduction - post 7/31/20 its the standard rules

[rwdennis]

We just canceled our July 17th cruise out of Dublin before our final payment.  Thankfully, we had refundable deposits and had also booked our flights using Flights By Celebrity so are not out any money.  Really wasn't interested in letting Celebrity hold onto almost $19K hoping that our cruise still happened or tied up in FCC.

 

[Lane412000]

5 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I appreciate your optimism, but I'm not sure I understand making the final payment before the beginning of July.  I would just as soon not have Celebrity hold my money and I don't understand why you take the additional risk of things going really bad.  Then you may have difficulty getting your money back from Celebrity.

On my cruise invoice it indicates final payment due on March 25th so I had to make a decision: Make final payment or cancel the cruise. Not sure how if my cruise sails July 4th that I could make a final payment in July?  Also, think Celebrity put out statement that I could always cancel 48 hours in advance and receive 100% of my payment back?  If they cancel the cruise, then I am hoping for 125% in FCC.  Let me know if I am not thinking correctly on this.

[ipeeinthepool]

3 minutes ago, Lane412000 said:

On my cruise invoice it indicates final payment due on March 25th so I had to make a decision: Make final payment or cancel the cruise. Not sure how if my cruise sails July 4th that I could make a final payment in July?  Also, think Celebrity put out statement that I could always cancel 48 hours in advance and receive 100% of my payment back?  If they cancel the cruise, then I am hoping for 125% in FCC.  Let me know if I am not thinking correctly on this.

 

Sorry I mis-read you post, I thought you were telling us that you were making a final payment when it wasn't due until July.  My fault.  But having said that, I'm skeptical that any cruises will happen in July.  Even if the cruise lines want to sail, I'm not sure what ports will be open.  I probably would cancel now and get my money back.  If they actually cruise in July, I'll bet that you'll be able to book at a large discount before the cruise.  At this point I wouldn't be giving the cruise lines any more money hoping that they will give me a refund.  MSC's changing refund policy may be an example of what could happen with Celebrity.

[drakes2]

48 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

But having said that, I'm skeptical that any cruises will happen in July. 

No cruises will happen in July may not even be in 2020. Just being realistic. 

[ipeeinthepool]

17 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

No cruises will happen in July may not even be in 2020. Just being realistic. 

 

That wouldn't surprise me.  I have one booked for November, I still hoping that happens.  I'll be driving to that cruise, so the logistics and planning are a lot easier.  I may still cancel as we approach final payment.  If they are going to cancel, I hope they do it begore final payment.

[Pushka]

9 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Not if you live in UK, we loose deposits if we cancel.

However, I phoned our TA yesterday and said I was not prepared to pay on 3rd. May for a cruise on a ship ( Silhouette TA cancelled 17th April) that might not be brought to Southampton. She rang Celebrity and they have extended the payment date to 5th June, which it would be if we had booked direct with Celebrity.

Same in Australia. Our final payment date is mid May for a Med Cruise starting Rome through Italy. As if that's going to happen. Rather lose my deposit than pay any cruiseline any more money right now. I can get that Voucher for the refund but expect it's paper value. Not even that if it's emailed!

Edited March 26, 2020 by Pushka

[eyecantwait]

On 3/25/2020 at 12:42 PM, Wine-O said:

 

My final payment for a 27 August cruise is late May, 2 months from now.  I'm in the "wait and see" mode at the present time.  🍷

We are in the same spot. Waiting.

[Sam.Seattle]

On 3/25/2020 at 9:32 AM, Nw1030 said:

Are people making payments for July and August trips or just losing deposits 

Great question...  I appreciated reading the replies that actually answered the question. 

[crusinthrough]

9 hours ago, drakes2 said:

No cruises will happen in July may not even be in 2020. Just being realistic. 

 

Do you have a crystal ball?  Cruise lines are definitely expecting to operate again 2020.  

[ipeeinthepool]

3 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

 

Do you have a crystal ball?  Cruise lines are definitely expecting to operate again 2020.  

 

I’m sure they are, but the more important question is: What countries will open the ports to cruise ships this year?  As long as there are significant concentrations of the virus in Europe and North America, I don’t think many countries will open their ports to cruise ships.  The only place that I see opening any time soon are the private islands.

[yorky]

4 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

 

Do you have a crystal ball?  Cruise lines are definitely expecting to operate again 2020.  

To be fair cruise lines have no more of a crystal ball than the rest of us, they are just trying to have a positive outlook. It’s going to take months to get any type of control over the virus, Africa and India are two examples of areas of the world just starting the process and with their lack of infrastructure god knows how that will pan out.

[Fouremco]

7 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I’m sure they are, but the more important question is: What countries will open the ports to cruise ships this year?  As long as there are significant concentrations of the virus in Europe and North America, I don’t think many countries will open their ports to cruise ships.  The only place that I see opening any time soon are the private islands.

When I checked earlier this week, the Bahamas had shut its door to cruises from Italy, Spain and a number of other countries. Since then, the US has passed both Italy and China to become the world's leader in confirmed cases. I imagine that it won't be long before the US is added to the Bahamian list of countries from which cruises will be banned.

 

In the mean time, Celebrity has switched a number of its Canada-New England cruises to the Bahamas and Bermuda. These changed itineraries have a number of other problems, but the ever increasing spread of the coronavirus in the US may well upset Celebrity's revisions should either of these destinations close their doors.

 

So, yes, the cruise lines certainly intend to cruise this year, but the pool of possible destinations is drying up combined with the US becoming the global epicentre for the coronavirus are factors that may well thwart those intentions.