Celebrity, thanks for listening--Haifa shorexes

[Bruin Steve]

Here's where it is:

When you go to the top of their main page, there are some lines in the upper left hand corner...click there and you'll find a link to "New 2021-2022 Cruises"...Click and there's a list with a link that says "2021 Cruises from Athens"...Click on that and scroll to the very bottom...and there's a link that says "Learn more about Healthy at Sea".   Click there and scroll about halfway down and on the right side of the page, you'll find this:

 

"While Ashore

Initially, guests will only be allowed off the ship on one of our curated shore excursions. Most experiences are outdoors and guests will be encouraged to stay with their group. Buses will be at reduced capacity and will be sanitized frequently. Small Group Discoveries will be available and for those who would prefer to tour with their family or group, Private Journeys will be available."

 

The same language is repeated at the very end of the FAQs..

 

Pretty much hard to find...and extremely vague...starting with "Initially..."  What is "initially"?   They start up in Early June...We don't hit a port until August... To my thinking, we are not "initially"...but it does make it confusing and difficult to plan.

 

And they don't really make a point of it when you book.  Wasn't mentioned by myTA...at all.  Wasn't mentioned by the Celebrity representative we spoke to together while trying to straighten out my lift and shift bookings...and no warning or advisory comes up at any time when you try to make a booking via the Celebrity web page.  So, I'd think they'd have a tough time trying to enforce the policy...But, it is troublesome that it's there.

 

If you get a Celebrity representative to tell you that private tours or touring on your own are okay, I would try to ask them to put in writing in an email for you.   And I really think, at some point, they do remove that from the web page...I'm hoping they do it soon and make it clear.  I may be taking all Shorexes due to my high amount of OBC...but I am also arriving in Athens four days early--during which time I will be touring on my own AND taking private tours.  How is that any different?

[Lane412000]

On 5/7/2021 at 12:10 AM, Podie said:

When I asked Celebrity if you were required to book their excursions, they said no, it was up to the passenger. Where does it say otherwise?

On the Celebrity website under the travel alerts section:

While Ashore

Initially, guests will only be allowed off the ship on one of our curated shore excursions. Most experiences are outdoors and guests will be encouraged to stay with their group. Buses will be at reduced capacity and will be sanitized frequently. Small Group Discoveries will be available and for those who would prefer to tour with their family or group, Private Journeys will be available.

 

Also, when I called Celebrity I was told that the only way off the cruise ship while in port was while on a ship sponsored tour.

[Lane412000]

On 5/7/2021 at 1:23 AM, Bruin Steve said:

Here's where it is:

When you go to the top of their main page, there are some lines in the upper left hand corner...click there and you'll find a link to "New 2021-2022 Cruises"...Click and there's a list with a link that says "2021 Cruises from Athens"...Click on that and scroll to the very bottom...and there's a link that says "Learn more about Healthy at Sea".   Click there and scroll about halfway down and on the right side of the page, you'll find this:

 

"While Ashore

Initially, guests will only be allowed off the ship on one of our curated shore excursions. Most experiences are outdoors and guests will be encouraged to stay with their group. Buses will be at reduced capacity and will be sanitized frequently. Small Group Discoveries will be available and for those who would prefer to tour with their family or group, Private Journeys will be available."

 

The same language is repeated at the very end of the FAQs..

 

Pretty much hard to find...and extremely vague...starting with "Initially..."  What is "initially"?   They start up in Early June...We don't hit a port until August... To my thinking, we are not "initially"...but it does make it confusing and difficult to plan.

 

And they don't really make a point of it when you book.  Wasn't mentioned by myTA...at all.  Wasn't mentioned by the Celebrity representative we spoke to together while trying to straighten out my lift and shift bookings...and no warning or advisory comes up at any time when you try to make a booking via the Celebrity web page.  So, I'd think they'd have a tough time trying to enforce the policy...But, it is troublesome that it's there.

 

If you get a Celebrity representative to tell you that private tours or touring on your own are okay, I would try to ask them to put in writing in an email for you.   And I really think, at some point, they do remove that from the web page...I'm hoping they do it soon and make it clear.  I may be taking all Shorexes due to my high amount of OBC...but I am also arriving in Athens four days early--during which time I will be touring on my own AND taking private tours.  How is that any different?

Steve, adding to my confusion when I asked the TA about the tour policy, she told me that we can take private tours in countries like Greece that have completely opened up travel. I asked about Israel and she said yes, Israel is also completely opened up so you can take private tours in that country also.

 

Thankfully, we have a couple of months for them to figure it out.....lol