Celebrity Canceled Our 2021 Cruise Without Notice

[ggo85]

Here's our story.  We were booked on a cruise for July 2020.  When that cruise canceled, we took the 125% credit and immediately booked the same cruise on the same ship in the same cabin class for summer of 2021.  Received a confirmation email.  This all happened in May 2020.  

 

Today I realized I hadn't transferred the reservation to our travel agent (yes, I now realize it was too late but that's not the issue).  When I went to look up our reservation on line, nothing was there.  I called Celebrity.  The first person claimed I'd canceled the cruise.  I adamantly denied that since we hadn't spoken to Celebrity since May.

 

After 3 more calls with 3 different people, Celebrity finally admitted that "their system" had canceled our reservation.  First, they claimed it was b/c we hadn't made a down payment.  I pointed out that they had our down payment from the canceled cruise which the and confirmation letter indicated was transferred.  They agreed.  They then said that they had failed to ask us to pay taxes and fees and, without those, the system had canceled our cruise.  No notice, no request for payment.  Nothing -- they acknowledged they should have requested payment at the time or later or should have notified us and that they didn't do either.  As an aside, had I not checked today purely by accident, it could easily have been March 2020, when final payment was due, when we first noticed this.

 

The same cruise/cabin category are no longer available.  They offered a downgraded cabin for prevailing prices and $200 pp onboard credit -- but we aren't interested in the lower category of cabin.    After talking to a supervisor, the next offer was $500 pp onboard credit.  Sounds great but not much use to us.  We book the higher suite class so already have the 4 perks and free specialty dining included.  AND, we already have $700 onboard credit from our canceled cruise.  More importantly, we don't want the downgraded cabin and the credit doesn't make up for the fact that prices on cruises have increased quite a bit since May as many more people have rebooked.  We can't get that cabin category on any similar cruise for anything close to what we paid in May.  So, we're losing money if we rebook -- again, needing to rebook solely b/c of X's mistake.  

 

What was disappointing is that Celebrity doesn't care.  While admitting the situation was entirely their fault, they essentially said that $500pp credit on a future cruise and being WL'ed for the cabin of our choice is their best offer -- take it or leave it.  While I fully realize that, on the vast scheme of things in the world today, this isn't a huge deal, it's still very disappointing and frustrating -- especially when you would think cruise lines would be doing all they could to keep loyal customers happy.  Apparently not X.  In any event,  we haven't decided what to do.  Probably take back our entire deposit and go back to Crystal (where we have been treated much better).  [For those who are thinking:  what more could X do?  I can offer quite a few ideas and did so to X.]

 

I realize we're just stuck.  Just wanted folks to know -- if you haven't checked on your cruise recently, better do so, lest you share our experience. 

 

 

 

[Covepointcruiser]

On all of our cruises cancelled by cruise lines we have had to place a new deposit to reserve another cruise even if they owe us many $’s for the cancelled cruise.   Our travel agent stated that the funds from the canceled cruise could take weeks to become available to use on a new booking.   If we really wanted a particular sailing it would be best to put a new deposit on it and wait for the credit to catch up.    There is going to be so much demand for cruises when they start sailing and so much FCC available, it would be difficult to get the suite or cabin we prefer if we waited until the funding was available.

[Fouremco]

It appears that the only solution that would satisfy you would be for Celebrity to give you the cabin that you had originally booked. As other passengers currently occupy that cabin, that's not going to happen. What were the other solutions that you proposed to Celebrity that they apparently rejected?

[WNcruiser]

I think $1000 obc is actually quite generous. I am sure the suite category you want would eventually open up being so far away and with so many people changing cruises right now. 
 

Be careful booking Crystal, their parent company filed for bankruptcy and the line may not survive. 

[julia]

$1000 OBC is NOT generous when there is NOTHING to spend it on! Shops, casino? No.  Excursions? Maybe. Everything else was already covered.

I find this situation appalling, and it's yet another example of Celebrity's lack of resolution. OP needs to cancel and walk away.  For good.

[jelayne]

There are plenty of things to spend OBC on that would blow  through $1,000 quickly.  Excursions, art, jewelry, fine wines, Apple products, teeth whitening, spa treatments, extra gratuity to staff,  casino come to mind.  Personally most are things I would spend money on but many do.

[ggo85]

Re putting down a new deposit, X’s agent told me the deposit would transfer.  I didn’t know differently.  They admitted the errors - and there were several - were theirs, not ours. Keep in mind, they never notified us, thus not giving us the opportunity to rebook or pay or do anything. They were never going to tell us - that too slipped through the cracks. 
 

What could they do - offer a comparable cruise in same cabin category at same price we paid.  Give us an upgraded cabin on our next cruise.  Give us additional credit toward our future cruise.  

 

We rarely use OBC.  Had $400 on a recent cruise and struggled to use it.  May be great for some, but not us.  
 

We’ve done 50+ cruises and I’m usually the first to defend cruise lines.   I just found their customer service and attitude to be appalling. 
 

 

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, jelayne said:

There are plenty of things to spend OBC on that would blow  through $1,000 quickly.  Excursions, art, jewelry, fine wines, Apple products, teeth whitening, spa treatments, extra gratuity to staff,  casino come to mind.  Personally most are things I would spend money on but many do.

OBC...I disagree...I could care less about OBC when I've booked a suite that comes with all the perks. I don't need or want any of your above suggestions....."Teeth Whitening"...come on 

[jelayne]

I don’t think it is a matter of them realizing your booking was cancelled and Intentionally not notifying you .  It sounds like with no deposit or no port fees/taxes paid your booking was in the computer similar to a courtesy hold which cancels automatically without any notification.    Our last courtesy hold which previously was only a day or 2 was for 31 days.  Late the night of day 31 the cabin appeared available, we were didn’t get any notification or a email if you don’t pay your booking will be cancelled emails.  We had actually booked another suite and there was no way for us to cancel the hold.

I hope this works out for you 
 

 

[jelayne]

2 minutes ago, Ashland said:

OBC...I disagree...I could care less about OBC when I've booked a suite that comes with all the perks. I don't need or want any of your above suggestions....."Teeth Whitening"...come on 

I was not suggesting you wanted OBC or suggesting these for you.  There are many who do spend $1000 or more in on board purchases, yes including teeth whitening.

 

[Shadow9612]

I feel for the OP. I also agree with the OP's suggested remedies to celebrity which would have been the right thing to do.

 

Interestingly, I've been searching for cruises before and have left the browser, and I will get an email saying something like don't let your sailing slip away. If they can program the technology to do that, why can't they automate an email anytime a booking is canceled for any reason to prevent this type of problem arising.

[Miaminice]

Mmmhh, the OP never mentioned the actual category of stateroom- - just suite.

What‘s the downgrade? S1 to S2 (oh horror 🤣)? 
Did the OP originally pay for it or was it a free one category upgrade anyway?
 

I‘d take the 1000$ and buy something like an Ipad or so. I could still give it to a friend or relative for less than the regular price. Two people happy... one has a cheap Ipad, the other cash in the pocket.

 

BTW: has anyone considered the possibility that between now and 2021 the category originally booked might become available again?

Edited September 4, 2020 by Miaminice

[chemmo]

OP,  firstly I do feel for you. We only book top suites and would not want to settle for a lower category room plus $$.

 

However, accidents do happen and in the present time it perhaps is more understandable that things can slip through the cracks. Generally, over many years, we have found Celebrity to be a good company, usually trying their best for customers. What is, is what is. Your preferred room on this cruise is not available. 

 

What would be acceptable to you? Is there not an alternative cruise with your preferred room you would consider? Whilst OBC isn’t cash back there are many ways (even in a top suite!) it can enhance your cruise. 

 

There are always things that can knock holiday plans off the rails as well as error.  Chartered cruises and  political unrest causing significant port changes are two that spring to mind...This goes for all cruise lines, not just Celebrity. In response, after immediate disappointment, you can either feel bitter or ‘let it go...’ and move on. If I was in your situation I would be looking at booking an alternative cruise to look forward to and thinking of some nice things to do with the OBC.

 

Again, totally understand your disappointment but move on...

 

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by chemmo

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, jelayne said:

I was not suggesting you wanted OBC or suggesting these for you.  There are many who do spend $1000 or more in on board purchases, yes including teeth whitening.

 

There are somethings even if it's using OBC for that shouldn't be done on a cruise ship and teeth whitening is one of them.

 

[RickT]

To the OP, I feel for you.  On one hand I can understand mistakes happen.  On the other hand when they do happen Celebrity should have the “power” to make it right.  As someone said, the cabin you want on the sailing you want is no longer available and it wouldn’t be right to kick the new customer out.  I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request to have Celebrity honour your original price/cabin category on a similar sailing.  To ask you to pay the current pricing IMHO makes no sense.

 

Good luck.

[Gracie115]

8 hours ago, jelayne said:

I don’t think it is a matter of them realizing your booking was cancelled and Intentionally not notifying you .  It sounds like with no deposit or no port fees/taxes paid your booking was in the computer similar to a courtesy hold which cancels automatically without any notification.    Our last courtesy hold which previously was only a day or 2 was for 31 days.  Late the night of day 31 the cabin appeared available, we were didn’t get any notification or a email if you don’t pay your booking will be cancelled emails.  We had actually booked another suite and there was no way for us to cancel the hold.

I hope this works out for you 
 

 

 

We have always been notified by email that our "Courtesy Hold" has "sailed away"  as a reminder that it's gone.  But before that we have also always received emails telling us to not "let your courtesy hold sailaway" so I don't understand why you don't receive the same notifications.  Are you booking direct with X when putting a cabin on hold?  We are.  Also a courtesy hold can be cancelled by calling X and telling them to cancel.  

[MEcruzr]

Two thoughts.... first, Celebrity can't give you what they don't have. Second, I would work with a trusted travel agent on this. Get someone who will have your back and can talk "behind the scenes" about a reasonable solution and can negotiate for you. I'd look at booking "something" on the cruise you want and ask to be placed at the top of the waitlist for the cabin category you want. I'd also insist on the same pricing as you had in May if one should become available. And understand that you may not actually get the cabin you want in the end (cancel before final if you have to). The situation stinks, for sure... and never should have happened. Your unfortunate experience is a lesson for ALL of us... thanks for sharing.

[jelayne]

3 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

 

We have always been notified by email that our "Courtesy Hold" has "sailed away"  as a reminder that it's gone.  But before that we have also always received emails telling us to not "let your courtesy hold sailaway" so I don't understand why you don't receive the same notifications.  Are you booking direct with X when putting a cabin on hold?  We are.  Also a courtesy hold can be cancelled by calling X and telling them to cancel.  

The hold was placed with Celebrity, not a TA.  We have gotten the “ don’t let your cruise sail away” emails in the past but didn’t for this hold; thankfully as it was a 31 day hold and that could have been a ton of emails.   I did ask the CVP when we booked the other suite to cancel the first hold which she said she would do and instead the hold changed from 5 days to 31. Called a second time to have it cancelled and again it wasn’t cancelled. 

 

Last week we did get a email about a hold that was expiring, it was for someone named Henry ( not our name) and not a hold we placed. 

[Gracie115]

28 minutes ago, jelayne said:

The hold was placed with Celebrity, not a TA.  We have gotten the “ don’t let your cruise sail away” emails in the past but didn’t for this hold; thankfully as it was a 31 day hold and that could have been a ton of emails.   I did ask the CVP when we booked the other suite to cancel the first hold which she said she would do and instead the hold changed from 5 days to 31. Called a second time to have it cancelled and again it wasn’t cancelled. 

 

Last week we did get a email about a hold that was expiring, it was for someone named Henry ( not our name) and not a hold we placed. 

 

How crazy!!  I've never heard of a 31 day hold...may have to ask the CVP we work with about that next time we decide to hold something!! 

 

Hopefully Henry didn't need a reminder about his hold!!!😁😁

[phoenix_dream]

This story doesn't sound at all like the Celebrity I know, thankfully. If anything, Celebrity bends over backwards for their suite customers in particular, and definitely their high level suite customers.   I would continue to pursue this.  Obviously it wouldn't be fair to kick another person out of their reservation because they messed up yours.  But at the least you should be able to get a comparable price on a similar sailing for the same cabin category.  You say you are a loyal customer.  Have you tried calling the Captains Club number?  Or emailing the CEO?  The fact that you have a confirmation email should really help your case.  

 

I'd also be curious to know what other options you proposed to them that they denied?

[phoenix_dream]

18 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

On all of our cruises cancelled by cruise lines we have had to place a new deposit to reserve another cruise even if they owe us many $’s for the cancelled cruise.   Our travel agent stated that the funds from the canceled cruise could take weeks to become available to use on a new booking.   If we really wanted a particular sailing it would be best to put a new deposit on it and wait for the credit to catch up.    There is going to be so much demand for cruises when they start sailing and so much FCC available, it would be difficult to get the suite or cabin we prefer if we waited until the funding was available.

Yes, I agree.  We did that for a couple cruises, and had to pay the new deposit and then wait for the FCC to come through to apply it to the new cruise.  I'm now starting to suspect this may have been the issue.  A confirmation letter, yes.  But only holding the reservation waiting for the deposit.  At first after reading the original post I was convinced Celebrity was the issue.  In thinking more about it, now I am not so sure that the OP just didn't handle it right, and perhaps didn't understand the appropriate way to use FCC.  Without a new deposit paid, it would be according to procedures for Celebrity to cancel the cruise after the original hold time (not sure what that is these days).  Don't know enough about what happened to say either way, but in thinking about it this seems to me a real possibility.  Using FCC works alot differently than doing a lift and shift.  I'm wondering if the OP wasn't confused between the two processes.

[The_Big_M]

10 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Using FCC works alot differently than doing a lift and shift.  I'm wondering if the OP wasn't confused between the two processes.

 

If Celebrity has admitted their error, and then even offered OBC on top, then it's not a mistake  on the OP's part.

 

If you make a mistake Celebrity is not going to offer those just to make you feel better.

[phoenix_dream]

5 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

If Celebrity has admitted their error, and then even offered OBC on top, then it's not a mistake  on the OP's part.

 

If you make a mistake Celebrity is not going to offer those just to make you feel better.

Considering these are people who are booking the highest level suites, I disagree.  Celebrity is all about the suites these days, and especially suites at that level.  If it were a different class of cabin, I would agree with you.  In this instance, not.  I think they in fact would go out of their way to make them happy because of the type of customers they are regardless of who was at fault.

[cruisequeen4ever]

That sucks! I hope you can still enjoy a fabulous cruise next year!

[TeaBag]

Just wondering, is the Penthouse available for your trip?  Maybe if it is, Celebrity could solve the dilemma by offering it to you?  Sorry for your misery and I hope you can resolve this to your satisfaction.