Celebrity cancelled my Alaska cruise!

[RTShaker]

14 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

...  Will we hear back with details?

[SoCalTraveler]

We had a Celebrity cruise cancelled when the ship ran aground and was damaged.  On Monday night first reports of the grounding surfaced on Cruise Critic.  On Tuesday Celebrity notified us and was trying to figure out what it was going to do.  On Wednesday, while I was in my car with the luggage in the trunk (and friends in England were on the bus from the car park to Terminal 5 at LHR) Celebrity cancelled us; it found alternate arrangements for a few of the passengers.  We got a credit and cash back.  On Wednesday night we booked a different Celebrity Cruise using the credit.  On Thursday we flew to Miami.  On Friday we boarded the replacement cruise.

 

We you have too many lemons, make lemonade.  Adding a little vodka helps as well.

[Fly and Sail]

I think the cruise industry needs to be regulated with penalties similar to the airline industry in Europe.

If they cancel a customers travel for reasons within the companies influence then significant compensation will be due in CASH, not vouchers.

 

The way that cruise companies are allowed this free wheeling with their reservations is crazy.

 

I wonder as far as the OP's case is concerned if it makes any difference if the customer has status, has paid the cruise fully or just a deposit and when that cruise was actually going to sail.

[jelayne]

Was the entire cruise cancelled or maybe only the pre/post cruise land tour?  
It seems that staffing issues in some of the land tour  portion have had to be cancelled as the hotels do not have sufficient staffing and are cancelling the books from the cruise lines.  If that is the case nothing Celebrity has any control over but they get the blackeye.

Edited April 17, 2023 by jelayne
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[Northern Aurora]

Really wish the OP would return to provide more information, but I suspect they will not.  Hope I am wrong.

[Alakegirl]

I fear we have been had

[Sigyn]

10 hours ago, WestLakeGirl said:

The OP is making it look like the cruise was paid in full 204 days ahead of time but that seems very wrong, so I am guessing that was when the deposit was made.  We really need more information and hope that OP comes back soon

They only said they paid the deposit, not the cruise in full. So they must still be at least 90 days out, or more, from the cruise itself. Still plenty of time to book a new cruise. 

 

Edited to say I did a news search, and absolutely nothing comes up on this. I don't think it's true. 

Edited April 17, 2023 by njsmom

[Gia2cats]

Sure wish the OP would return with more details. Said the refund is slowly being processed. Did this just occur? I know my TA would be all over this since she doesn’t get paid unless we actually take the cruise. 

[Sigyn]

In my research I saw that Celebrity had to cancel four cruises on the Millennium last year due to a propulsion issue. They gave full refunds and future cruise credit. Something isn't sounding right here. Celebrity doesn't just cancel without giving any extras, plus a refund, to the customer. Their other cruise line, Royal, just cancelled the Mariner of the Seas cruise due to it not coming out of dry dock on time and they gave those passengers a full refund and a free cruise on another ship and OBC. 

 

 

[purpleally]

12 hours ago, JayBird7 said:

Celebrity unilaterally cancelled my Alaska cruise 204 days after I paid the initial deposit. Claims to have oversold. Oversold? 204 days after receipt of payment? Smells like rotten salmon or worse. Lost bucket list. Lost dream. Horrible Celebrity PR. Travel agent tried everything, Explored everything. Could never get to the basis of cancellation. Celebrity of course referred me back to agent who was dumbstruck by it all. Refund is slowly being processed. Wife and myself still in state of shock and depression. All faith in Celebrity destroyed. Never able to see ship, see cabins, taste foods, drink libations, go on excursions or anything else. This is a nightmare.

Forget Celebrity. There are much better cruise lines to see Alaska

[JayBird7]

What a tsunami of responses!  Celebrity remains on my cluster**** list, but to allay your concerns and answer your questions: Alaska Millenium cruise and cruisetour in middle May.  Cancellation in April was 204 days since initial deposit; full payment was in February.  Yes, offers of rebooking but none of the dates were acceptable.  Also, Flights by Celebrity airfare for new booking would have increased cost by $500+ with no offer of assistance in payment of higher costs.  Yes, Celebrity did refund all costs except for costs of lost dreams, lost bucket list, lost adventures, and extremely poor PR.  I have taken cruises on other lines but never on Celebrity.  Su at Celebrity claims to be looking into this sometime today.

[calicakes]

12 hours ago, Stem to Stern said:

What would be worse???😂😂😂

a dead body. 

[TeeRick]

12 hours ago, davekathy said:

Any cruise Celebrity cancelled on us was with full disclosure, alternate sail dates and intinaries, stateroom guarantee, including additional OBC for the inconvenience. 

One would think if an Alaska cruise was cancelled, others here that were affected would be posting about it too.  Wonder what is going on?  The Millennium sailings May 12, May 19 and May 26 are all on the website as open.  Solstice sailings also open.

Edited April 17, 2023 by TeeRick

[cw2go]

35 minutes ago, JayBird7 said:

What a tsunami of responses!  Celebrity remains on my cluster**** list, but to allay your concerns and answer your questions: Alaska Millenium cruise and cruisetour in middle May.  Cancellation in April was 204 days since initial deposit; full payment was in February.  Yes, offers of rebooking but none of the dates were acceptable.  Also, Flights by Celebrity airfare for new booking would have increased cost by $500+ with no offer of assistance in payment of higher costs.  Yes, Celebrity did refund all costs except for costs of lost dreams, lost bucket list, lost adventures, and extremely poor PR.  I have taken cruises on other lines but never on Celebrity.  Su at Celebrity claims to be looking into this sometime today.

I understand your disappointment! I believe this real issue is the Land Portion not the cruise itself. Was the cruise only option not offered? When you first posted you didn't mention and "Cruisetour" so many posters went on the cruise cancelled portion of your post which caused many questions/doubts. 

 

I would look into a cruise only replacement, Denali is limited and many hotels/tour operators in Alaska are still struggling. 

 

Hope you find a way to get your dream trip, 

 

Patty 

[Georgia_Peaches]

38 minutes ago, JayBird7 said:

Yes, Celebrity did refund all costs except for costs of lost dreams, lost bucket list, lost adventures, and extremely poor PR.

Again, I ask why not book with another line and recoup those lost dreams, adventures, and bucket list items?  Have your TA find you an awesome deal....they are out there, my friend.

[horseymike]

if you got your money back , perhaps it is time to move on.

[GottaKnowWhen]

1 hour ago, JayBird7 said:

What a tsunami of responses!  Celebrity remains on my cluster**** list, but to allay your concerns and answer your questions: Alaska Millenium cruise and cruisetour in middle May.  Cancellation in April was 204 days since initial deposit; full payment was in February.  Yes, offers of rebooking but none of the dates were acceptable.  Also, Flights by Celebrity airfare for new booking would have increased cost by $500+ with no offer of assistance in payment of higher costs.  Yes, Celebrity did refund all costs except for costs of lost dreams, lost bucket list, lost adventures, and extremely poor PR.  I have taken cruises on other lines but never on Celebrity.  Su at Celebrity claims to be looking into this sometime today.

So, Cruise Tour, not a Cruise.

Stuff happens with shore excursions all the time. If you book a Shore Excursion through the cruise line, they may get cancelled (been there, had that happen) and you'll get a refund. They cannot control natural events and local conditions and local providers. A Cruise Tour is nothing more than a cruise plus additional 3± days of shore excursion. Stuff happens.

On your own or through an agent it is possible (quite easy in fact) to rent a car and drive. It is possible, quite easy, to book a train ticket and travel. It is possible, quite easy to book helicopter flights to see bears or glaciers or whatever. It is possible, very easy, to book hotel rooms. It is possible, quite easy, to book air travel. It is even possible to book a 7-day cruise. It might be easier for you or your agent to go the low-effort way and just buy a package, e.g. through Celebrity, with ship and air and hotel and sightseeing but then you are stuck when stuff happens. 

Now that stuff happened to the Tour portion of your Cruise Tour, I cannot imagine any reason why you couldn't just reassemble a similar package and get on with all of your dream trip.

Stan

Edited April 17, 2023 by GottaKnowWhen

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, JayBird7 said:

costs of lost dreams, lost bucket list, lost adventures, 

Since the cruise is still available, it seems you have deprived yourself of those things.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, JayBird7 said:

What a tsunami of responses!  Celebrity remains on my cluster**** list, but to allay your concerns and answer your questions: Alaska Millenium cruise and cruisetour in middle May.  Cancellation in April was 204 days since initial deposit; full payment was in February.  Yes, offers of rebooking but none of the dates were acceptable.  Also, Flights by Celebrity airfare for new booking would have increased cost by $500+ with no offer of assistance in payment of higher costs.  Yes, Celebrity did refund all costs except for costs of lost dreams, lost bucket list, lost adventures, and extremely poor PR.  I have taken cruises on other lines but never on Celebrity.  Su at Celebrity claims to be looking into this sometime today.

You possible wouldn't have received the tsunami of responses if you would have provided these details in your first post. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

28 minutes ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

So, Cruise Tour, not a Cruise.

The way I'm reading it, OP is saying the cruise was cancelled.  Now it seems we are discussing a cancelled cruise tour.  I'm so confused.  If it is in fact a cancelled cruise tour, this seems like much ado about nothing because other tours exist.  If this is about a cancelled cruise, I say again...much ado about nothing because other lines sail to Alaska.  I'm really struggling to understand but I sincerely hope OP finds a viable option for both cruising and tours.  I would be disappointed by both but I absolutely love the thrill of the cruise hunt so I would shake it off and get back to the hunt.

[JayBird7]

Sorry for being a novice.  I bought into the cruise/cruisetour as a single package - price, excursions, packaging and flights.  It was all Celebrity.  All payments to Celebrity.  Cancellation by Celebrity.  If you want to parse out the cruise and cruisetour, so be it.  The stain and pain persists.  Comment all you want but I am trying to put this behind me but I will continue to cast all blame on Celebrity.

[WestLakeGirl]

Any good Travel agent would have been able to come up with all the options that Cruise Critic posters are offering, alternate cruise tours, independent tours, alternate Celebrity cruises, alternate cruise companies.

 

If the Travel agent is “mystified” something is lacking there

[Essiesmom]

cruise lines are limiting or cancelling the tour portions of cruise tours because the facilities in Alaska are having trouble getting staff for the hotels.  Last year Princess had to not open two hotels, and it seems the problems are still there this year.  EM

Edited April 17, 2023 by Essiesmom

[SoCalTraveler]

18 minutes ago, JayBird7 said:

Sorry for being a novice.  I bought into the cruise/cruisetour as a single package - price, excursions, packaging and flights.  It was all Celebrity.  All payments to Celebrity.  Cancellation by Celebrity.  If you want to parse out the cruise and cruisetour, so be it.  The stain and pain persists.  Comment all you want but I am trying to put this behind me but I will continue to cast all blame on Celebrity.

See my comment above for our cruise which was cancelled with our luggage in the trunk. (By the way, Celebrity also paid something towards our new higher fare to Miami.)   Don't let this land tour cancellation ruin your vacation.  There are other cruises and other land tours; in Alaska particularly with Holland America and with Princess. 

[cruisestitch]

2 hours ago, JayBird7 said:

What a tsunami of responses!  Celebrity remains on my cluster**** list, but to allay your concerns and answer your questions: Alaska Millenium cruise and cruisetour in middle May.  Cancellation in April was 204 days since initial deposit; full payment was in February.  Yes, offers of rebooking but none of the dates were acceptable.  Also, Flights by Celebrity airfare for new booking would have increased cost by $500+ with no offer of assistance in payment of higher costs.  Yes, Celebrity did refund all costs except for costs of lost dreams, lost bucket list, lost adventures, and extremely poor PR.  I have taken cruises on other lines but never on Celebrity.  Su at Celebrity claims to be looking into this sometime today.

It seems to me that you should be directing some of your anger away from Celebrity and toward your travel agent who is not handling this well for you. First of all, the agent should have searched for good alternatives for you, and there are plenty out there. Secondly, if there were no acceptable substitutions for the land portion, the travel agent should be the one advocating with Celebrity to have you getting the correct refunds and/or assistance with bookings, flights by Celebrity, etc.  

 

If one of Celebrity’s vendors, in this case whoever is operating the land portion of the cruisetour, oversold, the cruise portion would still remain intact.  It should not have been difficult to find an option for the days you would be on land so you could continue to enjoy the cruise.  Again, the travel agent hasn’t stepped up.

Edited April 17, 2023 by cruisestitch