Cancelation of Celebrity Question

[SwimLeigh]

Hi!  We are going with my family of five and my parents.  We had 2 sky suites right beside each other for my immediate family.  I got an email in April when I originally signed up for the cruise with cancellation polity, etc. I usually pay in full at the beginning but didn't this tine for some reason.  Anyway, I know that this is ultimately my fault, but I never got an email to say final payment was due.  So I just went on with my busy May with my kids and thought my credit card would be charged or whatever.  I woke up at 6:30 am on Saturday morning.  Both my suites were canceled at 3:30 am.  And all my excursions.  So I called, panicked, and they reinstated one of the suites.  But said the other suite I could not book.  So now my husband and boys are in the concierge suite and on wait list for sky suites.  I have spent hours on the phone (3 hours on Saturday morning - got my room back but not theirs) and then had to wait until Monday for them to talk to the revenue department.  Anyway, now we are on the wait list for sky suites.  I am so mad at myself for not paying in full.  But also mad that no reminder email came - I had 2 guys helping me yesterday that they always send reminders and It looks like I never got one.  I am so sad and mad!  Anyway, what are the chances that my boys get into a sky suite?  And I think that their old room - do you think there is like a hold with no one in it?  Just hasn't cleared? I can't imagine someone taking it by 7:30am and making a payment?  Anyway, thanks for the advice!  Always pay in full!!  Lesson learned!!!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Pay in full OR put reminders on your calendar OR use a Travel Agent who will remind you anyway.

 

Sorry this happened, but ultimately it is on you to remember when your final payment is due. NOT on the cruiseline to remind you.

 

Good luck.

[leaveitallbehind]

The only reminder we have ever received directly from the cruise line came with the original booking confirmation which indicated the amount paid to date, the final payment date, and the cancelation penalty policy.  Or if we booked through one, our travel agent would send us their reminder, usually a week ahead of the due date to assure our timely payment through them. Otherwise final payment is on the customer and is always due by 5:00 PM (EST in the US) on the date to be paid or cancelation can follow.

 

As to your chances of getting another suite, that is hard to say as, since suites are limited in availability and always book fast, it very well could have been booked soon after the cancelation was posted. 

 

Your choice, but it is not necessary to pay in full when booking.  You just need to note the final payment date on your calendars (ours is always noted in our phones) or work through a TA who will monitor that for you.  In 32 years of cruising we have never paid in full with our original booking as we don't want the cruise line to have our money in their account that far in advance of our sailing. JMO.

 

I hope things work out for you.

Edited May 21 by leaveitallbehind

[Georgia_Peaches]

Agree with @leaveitallbehind that there is really no reason to pay in full before the final due date…for a myriad of reasons but the down side is you have to remember to pay. The best option if you want to book it and forget it is to use a travel agent. They usually require final payment a few days in advance of the actual date set by the cruise line to allow for any payment hiccups to be worked out. A few weeks ago my final payment for our July cruise came due and the card on file with my TA had expired. Fortunately, the booking remained in tact bc we had a couple days to get it sorted. 
 

As for the suites, if the idea is to have rooms together, I recommend you forego the suite and get 2 rooms in the same category so that all rooms have the same amenities. 

[Liao]

1 hour ago, SwimLeigh said:

Hi!  We are going with my family of five and my parents.  We had 2 sky suites right beside each other for my immediate family.  I got an email in April when I originally signed up for the cruise with cancellation polity, etc. I usually pay in full at the beginning but didn't this tine for some reason.  Anyway, I know that this is ultimately my fault, but I never got an email to say final payment was due.  So I just went on with my busy May with my kids and thought my credit card would be charged or whatever.  I woke up at 6:30 am on Saturday morning.  Both my suites were canceled at 3:30 am.  And all my excursions.  So I called, panicked, and they reinstated one of the suites.  But said the other suite I could not book.  So now my husband and boys are in the concierge suite and on wait list for sky suites.  I have spent hours on the phone (3 hours on Saturday morning - got my room back but not theirs) and then had to wait until Monday for them to talk to the revenue department.  Anyway, now we are on the wait list for sky suites.  I am so mad at myself for not paying in full.  But also mad that no reminder email came - I had 2 guys helping me yesterday that they always send reminders and It looks like I never got one.  I am so sad and mad!  Anyway, what are the chances that my boys get into a sky suite?  And I think that their old room - do you think there is like a hold with no one in it?  Just hasn't cleared? I can't imagine someone taking it by 7:30am and making a payment?  Anyway, thanks for the advice!  Always pay in full!!  Lesson learned!!!

Did you look at new bookings to see sky suite availability or try a mock booking?  You may be able to get another but perhaps not next to each other.  Good luck, I’m sure you’ll get this sorted!

[ScottC4746]

6 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Pay in full OR put reminders on your calendar OR use a Travel Agent who will remind you anyway.

 

Sorry this happened, but ultimately it is on you to remember when your final payment is due. NOT on the cruiseline to remind you.

 

Good luck.

I always read dates on my paperwork from my TA and bump it back by a week so I have a week cushion.

[Purplsmurf]

I would never pay in full unless final payment was due. We do use a TA, but I always put the final payment date on the calendar in my phone and am usually ready to pay it before my TA even says anything. Also, I often go into my account on the website to check prices, sales, shore excursions, etc, and it states on the account when the due date is. 

[baw53]

6 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

I would never pay in full unless final payment was due. We do use a TA, but I always put the final payment date on the calendar in my phone and am usually ready to pay it before my TA even says anything. Also, I often go into my account on the website to check prices, sales, shore excursions, etc, and it states on the account when the due date is. 

I set reminders on my iPad calendar and phone 1 day before and then for 9am day final payment due…can’t possibly forget if you do that .( belt and braces approach , never fails😀)

[Jim_Iain]

An alternative you may pursue is the Suite Guest Program.  They have a limited number of participants.   You basically pay $100 pp per day and they get Suite Benefits including Luminae and retreat.

 

Your experience is one of the many reasons I use a TA.    Mine usually starts sending me reminders 15 days prior to final  payment date.  

[leaveitallbehind]

36 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Mine usually starts sending me reminders 15 days prior to final  payment date.  

Common practice among TA's and a good one IMO.  They always want to process final payment early in case there is a system or credit card issue to have ample time to be resolved without jeopardizing your cruise.  We have also gotten into the same practice on the occasion when we don't use a TA and typically process final payment a couple of days ahead of the due date on our own.

Edited May 21 by leaveitallbehind

[coolrider71]

Question, what if I pay for 2 people and only 1 shows up for the cruise? How do they refund the port fees and taxes for the one? Anyone ever experience this? My husband may not be able to get off work at the last minute, I'm still going. 

[leaveitallbehind]

If only one person of a double occupancy stateroom checks in to the cruise, they will refund the port fees and taxes for the second person to the credit card that was used to pay for the cruise fare.  But there will be no refund of the base cruise fare paid for the second person.

Edited May 21 by leaveitallbehind

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Common practice among TA's and a good one IMO.  They always want to process final payment early in case there is a system or credit card issue to have ample time to be resolved without jeopardizing your cruise.  We have also gotten into the same practice on the occasion when we don't use a TA and typically process final payment a couple of days ahead of the due date on our own.

 

When we get in striking range I often schedule the payment right after my credit card billing cycle. 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

5 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

I always read dates on my paperwork from my TA and bump it back by a week so I have a week cushion.

Yep! My TA automatically sets it a week early, but I pay even before that. Not all at once, but enough in advance there is no chance of me "forgetting" or something going wrong (like my card needing to be replaced).

[leaveitallbehind]

2 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Yep! My TA automatically sets it a week early, but I pay even before that. Not all at once, but enough in advance there is no chance of me "forgetting" or something going wrong (like my card needing to be replaced).

I'd rather be a week early than a day late!

[Lena11033]

I check the documents when it comes in and set a reminder 2 weeks early (in case anything happens and I need to call to have anything resolved). However, I've so far never had a reminder from Celebrity about payment date coming up

[SwimLeigh]

Yes. I’ve learned my lesson!

 

Hoping a sky suite comes up. And hoping that some are just on hold and not really taken. 
 

thanks everyone. I will use a travel agent from now on I think. I have 3 kids and May is just crazy. And I am just sad about it!

[cruisetonowhere10]

12 hours ago, SwimLeigh said:

Hi!  We are going with my family of five and my parents.  We had 2 sky suites right beside each other for my immediate family.  I got an email in April when I originally signed up for the cruise with cancellation polity, etc. I usually pay in full at the beginning but didn't this tine for some reason.  Anyway, I know that this is ultimately my fault, but I never got an email to say final payment was due.  So I just went on with my busy May with my kids and thought my credit card would be charged or whatever.  I woke up at 6:30 am on Saturday morning.  Both my suites were canceled at 3:30 am.  And all my excursions.  So I called, panicked, and they reinstated one of the suites.  But said the other suite I could not book.  So now my husband and boys are in the concierge suite and on wait list for sky suites.  I have spent hours on the phone (3 hours on Saturday morning - got my room back but not theirs) and then had to wait until Monday for them to talk to the revenue department.  Anyway, now we are on the wait list for sky suites.  I am so mad at myself for not paying in full.  But also mad that no reminder email came - I had 2 guys helping me yesterday that they always send reminders and It looks like I never got one.  I am so sad and mad!  Anyway, what are the chances that my boys get into a sky suite?  And I think that their old room - do you think there is like a hold with no one in it?  Just hasn't cleared? I can't imagine someone taking it by 7:30am and making a payment?  Anyway, thanks for the advice!  Always pay in full!!  Lesson learned!!!

I have no idea on the chance of getting a sky suite, but hopefully they can find you something that works.  I’m sorry this happened….as a busy working mom I totally get it, sometimes stuff slips accidentally despite all good intentions/strategies/calendar updates/etc.  I would keep calling regularly to see what can be done.  One time you might luck out at just the time something is opening up.  Stuff happens and when I screw things up I’m mad at myself but always try to remember that it could be worse, it’s not life or death, etc.  Hang in there!

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, SwimLeigh said:

Yes. I’ve learned my lesson!.....I will use a travel agent from now on I think. I have 3 kids and May is just crazy.

Along with doing all the legwork, assisting with the planning, and managing the booking details, a TA will also have access to group based and other special pricing not available on the website or for direct bookings.  They are strong partners with the cruise lines and there is a lot of good reasons why 75% of all bookings are made through them.

[Liao]

3 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

If only one person of a double occupancy stateroom checks in to the cruise, they will refund the port fees and taxes for the second person to the credit card that was used to pay for the cruise fare.  But there will be no refund of the base cruise fare paid for the second person.

That’s ok because many solo are booking double because of the ridiculous 2x+ they are charging solo cruisers.

[leaveitallbehind]

11 minutes ago, Liao said:

That’s ok because many solo are booking double because of the ridiculous 2x+ they are charging solo cruisers.

Can't argue the point but that's a whole other discussion.  Other than those with staterooms dedicated to solo travelers or specific solo fares (which can be attractive), the cruise lines have historically based their stateroom fares on double occupancy, with solo fares being that, or close to that, less the second port fees and taxes. Not defending the practice but it is a long running argument that unfortunately IMO likely is not going to change anytime soon.

[Liao]

14 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Can't argue the point but that's a whole other discussion.  Other than those with staterooms dedicated to solo travelers or specific solo fares (which can be attractive), the cruise lines have historically based their stateroom fares on double occupancy, with solo fares being that, or close to that, less the second port fees and taxes. Not defending the practice but it is a long running argument that unfortunately IMO likely is not going to change anytime soon.

I don’t disagree and if the solo fare was just the same as a double I would totally understand and accept that.  Unfortunately that is not the case, it’s almost always the cost for two and then a few thousand dollars additional on top of that.  I know from whence I speak because I just booked a TA for two but I’ll be sailing solo.

[hiccups]

2 hours ago, SwimLeigh said:

Yes. I’ve learned my lesson!

 

Hoping a sky suite comes up. And hoping that some are just on hold and not really taken. 
 

thanks everyone. I will use a travel agent from now on I think. I have 3 kids and May is just crazy. And I am just sad about it!

I hope you have luck getting another suite!

 

Using a TA will also get you OBC for your booking, so that’s an advantage, too!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

28 minutes ago, hiccups said:

Using a TA will also get you OBC for your booking, so that’s an advantage, too!

Might.

 

Not all TAs give OBC. Some give other things.

 

The OBC they give comes out of their commission - which is how they are making their living. So anything they are giving you, they are essentially taking out of their own pocket.

Edited May 22 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[NMTraveller]

Use a TA…