Celebrity Rip Off

[lucky white heather]

I have found every experience with US travel agency far superior to the less than " cruise clued up" so called TA's in the UK who seem to try and push P&O,Ocean Village, Island Cruises and Thomson at extremely inflated prices.

US TA's are "open" 7 days a week and at more convenient times for someone who works in the UK

 

 

 

Strange, I have never had problems with organising my own flights to any cruise,no matter where.

 

I don't let a cruise line organise flights, they organise cruises!

I plan my flights to suit me and with Celebrity I get them to adopt my flights under their custom-air arrangement or make my own arrangements.

 

I don't live anywhere near London or any major hubs....I use airport about 45mins drive form me called Edinburgh.

 

 

 

 

Actually RCCL /Celebrity have "HOT DEALS" regularly and exclusively on their UK website

 

 

 

I agree booking in the UK is far more expensive, and since when would a UK TA phone you up to tell you that price has gone down and that they have rebooked you at the lower price saving $1200 and are applying a $150 OBC...which happened to me a few weeks ago. I really don't see the sense in persisting with booking in the UK.?

 

 

 

 

The custom-air deals with this.

 

 

 

 

Some lines allow UK passengers to benefit either with OBC or low deposit fees which are transferable...maybe you should try HAL

 

 

 

Well if can't beat them? ...that's why I book in the USA with no problems and I no longer get annoyed with the system in UK, perhaps you should be lobbying for the same treatment as US/Canada not the other way round.?

 

:)

I also fly from EDI ( 15 mins) and have done my own flights many times aa well as taking Cruise Air and have now enough loyalty with X not to have to pay for custom air although this depends on which airline you want to use and if X can get cheap consolidated seats on them!otherwise you get what they say you can get...believe me. We recently tried to get seats from Auckland to Melbourne with X air...not possible on the airline we wanted.

 

IT isn't that strange for me to hear you have no problem getting to the places you want to get to since you seem to be completely ambulant and have no problems travelling.Some others are not so fortunate.

 

I have benefited from deals......over 55's prices ....and sometiimes I get emails from X telling me about other deals...as you mention... but I prefer Celebrity ships to the "excessive choice...more children orientated/ climbing walls / ice rinks " ships RCCL have on many of their asterisked "hot deals".

I know the flights Celebrity offers are only a convenience for their clients.... we are sometimes of the persuasion they get better prices than we can get personally ...viz an openjaw ticket starting in EDI via London (as a general rule) to MIA , transfer included to your overnight hotel before joining ship in FLL,sail to BCN before flying back home. Just try getting that for the price the cruiseline gets it for and you will see you cannot match it! We know when they cancelled us from a B2B which had this very similar, regular itinerary and would not offer air to the alternative cruises .....no wonder , the overall air price we tried to purchase personally, so we could join the alternative cruises was more than the 2 cruises put together!!!!

 

I don' t believe every US /TA tells you about price drops either!IT is not in their interests do so... but there are exceptions ....I know of one US TA personally who does inform her clients , but she is exceptional to the norm.It is common knowledge on CC that you have generally to be eagle eyed with the prices day to day and ask for it otherwise forget it!

 

I prefer to keep my booking over where I can control it more easily if problems arise ..for example like the cancellation by the cruiseline we had to contend with.What if your email goes off.. are you then not forced to have to attempt to resolve your problem more expensively and less timeously some other way???What if you have no other option to reach your TA in a hurry/.. like stay up all night to phone them in their opening hours.... get real!

 

As far as knowing about price drops applied in the UK goes .... I know more about that than anyone..we were charged a fee by Celebrity to have ours applied..and only after getting to the top of the tree and arguing about it did they admit they were making an error and refunded it... so I know a lot more about cruising than the average agency but our TA had his hands tied by Celebrity and had to pass the levy on..even although they knew it was wrong as well.

 

We have lots of cruise experience ( particularly with Celebrity) and I would not dream of telling everyone how great I was at getting things organised or how I did this or that to get the best deal , or how to avoid being upset with a system that is in place over here and you need to move to do your booking in another country to avoid it....common sense told me that years ago by the way !!!!!!..it still wrankles with me that I would have to do it your way when it should be able to be done here.

 

I am lobbying for the systems to have parity in a way ....by letting people who are not aware of the discrepancies between the systems know about it in advance..not after it has happened to them.

[MMDown Under]

The cruise industry needs to appreciate that no nation likes to be discriminated against.

 

Prior to the internet, the industry got away with it, now an increasing number of cruisers know of the policy discrimination. It leaves a bag taste in your mouth.

[lucky white heather]

The cruise industry needs to appreciate that no nation likes to be discriminated against.

 

Prior to the internet, the industry got away with it, now an increasing number of cruisers know of the policy discrimination. It leaves a bag taste in your mouth.

 

 

I know my cousin (resident of Melbourne) is just as annoyed as we Brits are about the differences in policy which affect her cruise bookings too!She feels just as discriminated against as I do..and with less chance of redress over there as well since Celebrity has no local HQ to appeal to for clarification/ solution of problems which come up...like it or not, that is the

reality!

[JCDeck]

fuel surcharge.. the cruise lines are not "refunding a great deal of money" they are giving OBC's. big differebce. $70.00 in cash is $70.00. $70.00 in OBC is worth about $30/$35 dollars in cost.

 

I received a full refund of the fuel surcharge direct to my AMEX without asking.

[Alan2504]

I also fly from EDI ( 15 mins) and have done my own flights many times aa well as taking Cruise Air and have now enough loyalty with X not to have to pay for custom air although this depends on which airline you want to use and if X can get cheap consolidated seats on them!otherwise you get what they say you can get...believe me. We recently tried to get seats from Auckland to Melbourne with X air...not possible on the airline we wanted.

 

IT isn't that strange for me to hear you have no problem getting to the places you want to get to since you seem to be completely ambulant and have no problems travelling.Some others are not so fortunate.

 

I do have specfic requirements of my flight and where I have found suitable flights and presented them to Celebrity, they have graciously accepted my selection through the custom-air arrangement...no doubt because the can get a commision from the airlines.

 

I have benefited from deals......over 55's prices ....and sometiimes I get emails from X telling me about other deals...as you mention... but I prefer Celebrity ships to the "excessive choice...more children orientated/ climbing walls / ice rinks " ships RCCL have on many of their asterisked "hot deals".

 

For balance, I was merely pointing out there are occasionally deals on offer in the UK...though never at a time that is suitable for me :)

 

I know the flights Celebrity offers are only a convenience for their clients.... we are sometimes of the persuasion they get better prices than we can get personally ...viz an openjaw ticket starting in EDI via London (as a general rule) to MIA , transfer included to your overnight hotel before joining ship in FLL,sail to BCN before flying back home. Just try getting that for the price the cruiseline gets it for and you will see you cannot match it! We know when they cancelled us from a B2B which had this very similar, regular itinerary and would not offer air to the alternative cruises .....no wonder , the overall air price we tried to purchase personally, so we could join the alternative cruises was more than the 2 cruises put together!!!!

 

Some websites are much better than others for "open-jaw" ticketing, sometimes it is cheaper to buy 2 returns and just use one leg.....or if you enjoy TA's and can take advantage of some of the good offers...you can book your outward in April time and your return in November :)

 

I don' t believe every US /TA tells you about price drops either!IT is not in their interests do so... but there are exceptions ....I know of one US TA personally who does inform her clients , but she is exceptional to the norm.It is common knowledge on CC that you have generally to be eagle eyed with the prices day to day and ask for it otherwise forget it!

 

I guess I have been lucky so far, but it is one of the first questions I ask of a TA

 

I prefer to keep my booking over where I can control it more easily if problems arise ..for example like the cancellation by the cruiseline we had to contend with.What if your email goes off.. are you then not forced to have to attempt to resolve your problem more expensively and less timeously some other way???What if you have no other option to reach your TA in a hurry/.. like stay up all night to phone them in their opening hours.... get real!

 

If the cruise is cancelled, then my insurance covers it,if I need to contact them first thing no too much of a problem the time works in my favour...and realistically 24/48hrs probably won't make that much of a difference ,the speed that cruiselines respond! :)

 

As far as knowing about price drops applied in the UK goes .... I know more about that than anyone..we were charged a fee by Celebrity to have ours applied..and only after getting to the top of the tree and arguing about it did they admit they were making an error and refunded it... so I know a lot more about cruising than the average agency but our TA had his hands tied by Celebrity and had to pass the levy on..even although they knew it was wrong as well.

 

We have lots of cruise experience ( particularly with Celebrity) and I would not dream of telling everyone how great I was at getting things organised or how I did this or that to get the best deal , or how to avoid being upset with a system that is in place over here and you need to move to do your booking in another country to avoid it....common sense told me that years ago by the way !!!!!!..it still wrankles with me that I would have to do it your way when it should be able to be done here.

 

I was NOT trying to tell you how great I was at organising things...or suggesting that you adopt a similar approach...you seem well versed in getting round Celebrity UK....just merely pointing out that not all people in the UK have share your experiences, frustration and get wrankled by it.

Just the pain, anguish and perceived unfairness is not something I like to "beat myself up" about!

 

I am lobbying for the systems to have parity in a way ....by letting people who are not aware of the discrepancies between the systems know about it in advance..not after it has happened to them.

 

I'm sure there will lots of new UK cc's who will appreciate that!

[Jade13]

I have found every experience with US travel agency far superior to the less than " cruise clued up" so called TA's in the UK who seem to try and push P&O,Ocean Village, Island Cruises and Thomson at extremely inflated prices.

US TA's are "open" 7 days a week and at more convenient times for someone who works in the UK

 

 

 

Strange, I have never had problems with organising my own flights to any cruise,no matter where.

 

I don't let a cruise line organise flights, they organise cruises!

I plan my flights to suit me and with Celebrity I get them to adopt my flights under their custom-air arrangement or make my own arrangements.

 

I don't live anywhere near London or any major hubs....I use airport about 45mins drive form me called Edinburgh.

 

 

 

 

Actually RCCL /Celebrity have "HOT DEALS" regularly and exclusively on their UK website

 

 

 

I agree booking in the UK is far more expensive, and since when would a UK TA phone you up to tell you that price has gone down and that they have rebooked you at the lower price saving $1200 and are applying a $150 OBC...which happened to me a few weeks ago. I really don't see the sense in persisting with booking in the UK.?

 

 

 

 

The custom-air deals with this.

 

 

 

 

Some lines allow UK passengers to benefit either with OBC or low deposit fees which are transferable...maybe you should try HAL

 

 

 

Well if can't beat them? ...that's why I book in the USA with no problems and I no longer get annoyed with the system in UK, perhaps you should be lobbying for the same treatment as US/Canada not the other way round.?

 

:)

 

Hi Alan! I am glad you posted because I was thinking of you when I stated some passengers in the UK and Europe booked with an online US TA and with no problems.

 

I tried to use Celebritys custom air because they were showing lower than what I could get in Feb to Miami. Of course when I called many months in advance they said they had no custom air. It is easier to book flights on your own and if I was in Europe I would do this and use a TA for the cruise.

[KevinNYC]

I received a full refund of the fuel surcharge direct to my AMEX without asking.

 

Jenn -- Rox and I are getting it in OBC -- or so we're led to believe. I guess that remains to be seen once we're on our way. Nothing credited back to our AMEX(es) -- I wonder if that's because we transferred the rezzy from Celebrity to a TA after booking (and also received another hefty OBC in doing so, thank you very much)........

 

In any event, our UK and Aussie friends have my utmost sympathy and support. The policy on refunds to them (or lack thereof!) is ridiculous, unacceptable and needs to be changed! I've never heard of anything so outrageous!! :mad:

[JCDeck]

Jenn -- Rox and I are getting it in OBC -- or so we're led to believe. I guess that remains to be seen once we're on our way. Nothing credited back to our AMEX(es) -- I wonder if that's because we transferred the rezzy from Celebrity to a TA after booking (and also received another hefty OBC in doing so, thank you very much)........

 

In any event, our UK and Aussie friends have my utmost sympathy and support. The policy on refunds to them (or lack thereof!) is ridiculous, unacceptable and needs to be changed! I've never heard of anything so outrageous!! :mad:

 

I did book directly through my guy at Celebrity (I'll keep his name out of it) this maybe why. They pulled the thread where the woman from the UK posted that this was a UK law and not Celebrity but who KNOWS? Where is Claude925 she hasn't posted in a while?

[lucky white heather]

I do have specfic requirements of my flight and where I have found suitable flights and presented them to Celebrity, they have graciously accepted my selection through the custom-air arrangement...no doubt because the can get a commision from the airlines.

 

 

 

For balance, I was merely pointing out there are occasionally deals on offer in the UK...though never at a time that is suitable for me :)

 

 

 

Some websites are much better than others for "open-jaw" ticketing, sometimes it is cheaper to buy 2 returns and just use one leg.....or if you enjoy TA's and can take advantage of some of the good offers...you can book your outward in April time and your return in November :)

 

 

 

I guess I have been lucky so far, but it is one of the first questions I ask of a TA

 

 

 

If the cruise is cancelled, then my insurance covers it,if I need to contact them first thing no too much of a problem the time works in my favour...and realistically 24/48hrs probably won't make that much of a difference ,the speed that cruiselines respond! :)

 

 

 

I was NOT trying to tell you how great I was at organising things...or suggesting that you adopt a similar approach...you seem well versed in getting round Celebrity UK....just merely pointing out that not all people in the UK have share your experiences, frustration and get wrankled by it.

Just the pain, anguish and perceived unfairness is not something I like to "beat myself up" about!

 

 

 

I'm sure there will lots of new UK cc's who will appreciate that!

 

What do you do about booking your cruise with your own air and they cancel the cruise...does your personal insurance cover that...your ticket is still valid so don't you just have to use it or forget using it altogether or use it anyway but have no cruise to go to ?

 

The cruiseline gets consolidated air seats for you... they have no real interest in getting to your destination..it's a matter of convenience they arrange your travel for you...no commission ....they pay cheaper than you can get it yourself on reasonable air lines...usually not budget ....and even custom air is under the same deal... they have no real interest in you if your air booking Via X lets you down...they might help you as a gesture of goodwill.... see CRUISE AIR..... old post.

Deals are available.... if they appeal....agreed...but depends on your interests, budget , age group and time available.

 

In days of internet air bookings you might find yourself penalised by your airline for throwing away the unused portion of your return ticket which you purchased because it was cheaper than buying one way..check it out!

My TA actually worked for X at one time , knew the system , but never offered me any info on price reductions, never gave me OBC despite having over 30 cruises booked with them ,asked them to apply for one on our behalf, ( we were eligible) they did not want to do it because they lost commission on our booking....they don't offer.... what is in that for them?You have to know about them yourself generally .

 

if you have cruise air they have to refund you of course for cancelling your cruise with air ...but if you have purchased your own air...eg, our cruise starting in Ensenada, meant buying air to LAX, sail with the ship to Auckland and get home from there if you don't want to deviate...we did ... if the ship did not go for any reason....we would have been stuck with air to LAX and home from Auckland (or wherever) with nothing in between ...what good was that...that is where open jaw air cruise air is a better deal in most circumstances because it is a more complicated trip and cruise open jaw air is generally much cheaper !

 

I don't believe your insurance would cover you in these circumstances either....

....X is on the end of a phone here if you book direct..even through a local TA you can get an answer pretty quick ...why would I want to stress over trying to get answers via a TA overseas ...... they still have to contact MIA or wherever to get an answer since MIA won't deal with me directly just like X UK HQ wont! I don't know why I don't want to go through all that...but I just don't feel I should have to.

 

I think it is important to consider all the relevant 'fors and againsts' but to save twopence it just isn't worth it to me ....I would like the two systems to offer the same thing..... equality . If they did , would you be bothering to book with a US TA yourself?

Most people in the UK have no idea of the differences in the systems..if they were aware..they would be just as wrankled as I am possibly and beating themselves up over it like I am....but it is acceptably correct surely to bring it to their attention as long as it is accurate accounting.....many US cruisers have no idea of the unfairness that exists in the system either , and willingly say they are appalled we are discriminated against when they find out the facts.

 

You are lucky not to be affected by a loss of confidence in coping with world wide travel.... some people are just not confident enough to go it alone, we're not them ....but we feel for them and maybe a little information given sometime could have helped them more. Maybe the fact that things can and do go wrong whether you have planned meticulously or not... being outwith your personal control... impinges on our beliefs.

[Alan2504]

What do you do about booking your cruise with your own air and they cancel the cruise...does your personal insurance cover that...your ticket is still valid so don't you just have to use it or forget using it altogether or use it anyway but have no cruise to go to ?

 

The cruiseline gets consolidated air seats for you... they have no real interest in getting to your destination..it's a matter of convenience they arrange your travel for you...no commission ....they pay cheaper than you can get it yourself on reasonable air lines...usually not budget ....and even custom air is under the same deal... they have no real interest in you if your air booking Via X lets you down...they might help you as a gesture of goodwill.... see CRUISE AIR..... old post.

Deals are available.... if they appeal....agreed...but depends on your interests, budget , age group and time available.

 

In days of internet air bookings you might find yourself penalised by your airline for throwing away the unused portion of your return ticket which you purchased because it was cheaper than buying one way..check it out!

My TA actually worked for X at one time , knew the system , but never offered me any info on price reductions, never gave me OBC despite having over 30 cruises booked with them ,asked them to apply for one on our behalf, ( we were eligible) they did not want to do it because they lost commission on our booking....they don't offer.... what is in that for them?You have to know about them yourself generally .

 

if you have cruise air they have to refund you of course for cancelling your cruise with air ...but if you have purchased your own air...eg, our cruise starting in Ensenada, meant buying air to LAX, sail with the ship to Auckland and get home from there if you don't want to deviate...we did ... if the ship did not go for any reason....we would have been stuck with air to LAX and home from Auckland (or wherever) with nothing in between ...what good was that...that is where open jaw air cruise air is a better deal in most circumstances because it is a more complicated trip and cruise open jaw air is generally much cheaper !

 

I don't believe your insurance would cover you in these circumstances either....

....X is on the end of a phone here if you book direct..even through a local TA you can get an answer pretty quick ...why would I want to stress over trying to get answers via a TA overseas ...... they still have to contact MIA or wherever to get an answer since MIA won't deal with me directly just like X UK HQ wont! I don't know why I don't want to go through all that...but I just don't feel I should have to.

 

I think it is important to consider all the relevant 'fors and againsts' but to save twopence it just isn't worth it to me ....I would like the two systems to offer the same thing..... equality . If they did , would you be bothering to book with a US TA yourself?

Most people in the UK have no idea of the differences in the systems..if they were aware..they would be just as wrankled as I am possibly and beating themselves up over it like I am....but it is acceptably correct surely to bring it to their attention as long as it is accurate accounting.....many US cruisers have no idea of the unfairness that exists in the system either , and willingly say they are appalled we are discriminated against when they find out the facts.

 

You are lucky not to be affected by a loss of confidence in coping with world wide travel.... some people are just not confident enough to go it alone, we're not them ....but we feel for them and maybe a little information given sometime could have helped them more. Maybe the fact that things can and do go wrong whether you have planned meticulously or not... being outwith your personal control... impinges on our beliefs.

 

With all respect, if things are so bad why put yourself through this?

 

I book fully refundable air tickets,so no problem there. My insurance covers everything else!

 

I thought cruising was about enjoying yourself?

 

Despite all your criticsms of Celebrity I have had nothing but excellent service when I've booked direct, through UK TAs, US TA's.......guess I'm a glass half -full rather half-empty kinda guy

 

I hope your next cruise goes smoothly and to plan and is enjoyable for you both!

 

Perhaps we could leave it at that please?

 

I would hate for our friends across "the pond" think us a bunch of "moaners and whinegers" :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Jade13!

 

Hope you and Michael are doing well? you hitting the Med again this year?

 

We set off from Venice this year what about you guys?

 

 

All the best

 

Alan

[chasetf]

:mad: Does anyone out there know how I should handle this? I booked and paid for my cruise on Sunday April 13th. On Monday they lowered the price for a 3 day special? I called to get the lower price and was informed that the lower price was only for new bookings only. I wrote letters and spoke to resolution specialists but I am getting nowhere.

And.... of course if they had raised the price you would have been more than willing to send in the difference.

 

You win so and you lose some and some are rained out. ;)

[Deeliteful]

Lucky White Heather - whilst I agree with you that non US passengers are treated unfairly regarding deposits, you can book with a US TA and get the same deal as US passengers.

 

This can include your air travel and the one I use also has a free phone number to the US which has UK opening hours.

 

So it's either keep complaining and just stress yourself out or use a US TA and get all the benefits - a no brainer as far as I'm concerned.

 

Pat

[BuyYourWineHere!!]

Be aware the full refund if you cancel before final payment only applies if you book in the US /Canada...the rest of us have no refund if you cancel the day after you booked ....unless you can supply X with a doctor's certificate saying you will be unable to travel and even then you might not get a total refund!!

 

So think yourselves lucky you can hold onto cabins you might never use on maybe more than one ship, one sail date.... and cancel all of them with a complete refund......but in the meantime others who might want to travel can't get the cabin(S) you might be holding until a few weeks before sail date...and you get all your money back for wasting everyone's time!

I'm a disgruntled Brit cruiser who has to book under very different booking conditions from the ones that you guys enjoy and grumble about! Try booking over here if you want to feel second rate!

 

Flame away!

 

 

 

Here Here!

Lucky White Heather is absolutely spot-on! I can't add any more to what was stated above. Different booking conditions is an Understatement!

Anyway, maybe when we move to US we can join you guys with your luxury booking procedures!?!??!

 

Regards. R

[lucky white heather]

Lucky White Heather - whilst I agree with you that non US passengers are treated unfairly regarding deposits, you can book with a US TA and get the same deal as US passengers.

 

This can include your air travel and the one I use also has a free phone number to the US which has UK opening hours.

 

So it's either keep complaining and just stress yourself out or use a US TA and get all the benefits - a no brainer as far as I'm concerned.

 

Pat

 

Thanks to both PATand Alan...I am not THAT stressed out...just pointing out I COMPLETELY understand all the vagaries of using either a UK TA or a US TA quite well....it's really the principle we have been discussing, not the benefits and how you get more your way. Horses for courses comes to mind.

 

I DO enjoy my cruises on Celebrity (and on other cruiselines) every time .....whether I consider I am treated unfairly or not..it doesn't seem to make me stop cruising and facts are facts.

The inequality of treatment was part of the thread you (and I) responded to.

 

By the way Alan, I always knew EDI had an airport..even as far back as when it was just called Turnhouse.....

[Jade13]

Hi Jade13!

 

you hitting the Med again this year?

 

We set off from Venice this year what about you guys?

 

 

All the best

 

Alan

 

Yes, we are doing the other 10 days "Roman Empire" this year on the Noordam as we can not/could not get off work for 3 weeks and do the 20 day btb's. Please remind me if you did the 10 day or 20 day last year?

 

We have been to Venice (I've actually been 3 times but the first 2 were in the 1980's). It was 1.5 hour train from Slovenia in 2000. I am really looking forward to going back to Greece - was on an Archeological dig back in the 1980's and also really looking forward to Malta (last year they went to Athens instead) and Dubrovnik. Hope you are both well and thanks for asking! Have a great time in Venice.

 

Regarding the thread, we also sometimes book direct and sometimes not. My stepdaughters inside was direct with Celebrity in February while our Verandah was transfered to a TA to a get a (small, it was a 5 night) pre-paid gratuites. The inside was a great deal and Celebrity refunded money twice when the price went down after final. On HAL we have one this year with an Outside TA (the transfer saved $1,600.00), and another 3 night direct with HAL (category cabin sold out and transfer would have saved under $100.00 but additional cancelation risks etc)

[Jade13]

many US cruisers have no idea of the unfairness that exists in the system either , and willingly say they are appalled we are discriminated against when they find out the facts.

 

quote]

 

Is the only "unfairness" loss of a deposit prior to 90 days? How much is this 1/3rd etc.?

 

Regarding air booked on your own, the cruiselines have been picking this up if the cruise is canceled because of a charter. They normally pay the $100.00 or so change fee, but go on a case by case basis if the fare is totally non-refundable. In this day and age it is really easy to use a TA "Overseas". It just isn't the big deal it was years ago.

[keela1eva2]

I support LWH in what she says. I also don't want to book with an agent in the US. It should not be necessary and travelling alone I need to be sure that all is in order for me.

I also have a very good TA that I trust and I know I can get her on the telephone whenever I need to. She is also very fair in that I have just taken the Air element out of my Millennium booking for NZ/OZ later in the year.

She said that it would be better if I booked my flight myself as she would have to charge me a fee to do so.

I did discuss prices with her but she could not match anywhere near the price that I got.

Price to me is not everything it is much more that that. However I do agree that we should have the same conditions as those who book in the US.

 

Someone else from Harrogate I see. On the origional question I can't believe that someone is so aggrieved that they paid a price and then when a new booking offer came along she expected it to apply to her booking.

Just be content that you have a wonderful holiday to look forward to.

 

Sue

[lucky white heather]

many US cruisers have no idea of the unfairness that exists in the system either , and willingly say they are appalled we are discriminated against when they find out the facts.

 

quote]

 

Is the only "unfairness" loss of a deposit prior to 90 days? How much is this 1/3rd etc.?

 

Regarding air booked on your own, the cruiselines have been picking this up if the cruise is canceled because of a charter. They normally pay the $100.00 or so change fee, but go on a case by case basis if the fare is totally non-refundable. In this day and age it is really easy to use a TA "Overseas". It just isn't the big deal it was years ago.

 

 

I'll try to answer your query concisely...the first part is easy...yes ..if I buy the same product as you from the same retailer who sells the same thing in both countries we live in....with a deposit to hold it ....OK so far? now you are allowed to hold your cabin without paying more than the deposit for 90days and you decide to cancel for WHATEVER reason in that time... so you phone them and request to let your cabin go and ask for your deposit back. It is allowed. No loss to you.

Now I decide I am not going to go either. I try to cancel my "hold" the day after you have....I look at the booking conditions UK Celebrity enforces.... in the brochure it states...no deposit will be refunded up to 56 days which means you get 34 days more than we get but we also lose our deposit.

 

If we can get a physician to say we have developed something in the interim since we booked..or perhaps the other travelling person in your booking has , and you will therefore be unable to travel... Celebrity UK might look at your reason for cancelling as valid and give you your deposit back.

 

If it is not death or something serious health wise I think you might not get anything back.

I think that is unfair...we bought from the same retailer, same item, etc etc but we get lesser consideration and penalised monetarily because of where we live.It is discriminatory treatment..

 

I don't get the next part of your question...what third?

 

As far as the cruise being cancelled because of a charter... it has never happened to us.

Our B2B cruise was totally cancelled...the air portion ( not the very expensive fully flexible air some cruisers can afford to book) was also refunded by the cruiseline as were the cruise costs because we had booked (economy) air inclusive as many do.They made it impossible to take up their alternative option (seeing as how they cancelled us!) by refusing to offer air to the alternative cruise we were prepared to take in order to have any cruise at all.

 

Contrary to some opinions voiced here, I don't spend my life moaning about this inequitable state of affairs either to other cruisers on ships or on this forum... however the chance to say what I feel about the unfair differences we are subject to, arose with this thread.

 

I hear all the story about booking with a US TA..but the bottom line is I really don't want to .... I want to have an easier connection to my booking than that offers...and anyway why should I be forced to do that simply to get parity with US bookers....is my money not as good or something? Am I not valued like you are?

Our upcoming cruise price direct with Celebrity UK has actually worked out considerably cheaper than getting it from three US /TA's I got to quote .... I checked it out, and X UK are open when/ if I need them in my waking hours.

[MMDown Under]

Not only are we discriminated against re non-refundable deposits, we are discriminated against on the cost of the cruise.

 

Via the internet, we can see the advertised cost of the cruise, which is restricted to US/Canadians residents. In addition, we are aware that US/Canadians often pay less than the advertised prices, and receive OBCs, etc.

 

We pay the higher locally advertised cost (for the same cruise) either through the Cruise Company direct or TA.

 

With cruiselines advertising cruises so far in advance, it is impossible to make airline bookings, as airlines only book up to a year in advance. So we take a real risk making a non-refundable deposit in advance.

 

To solve this problem, we have decided in future to only make last minute bookings.

[keela1eva2]

Yvonne

 

Actually if we have to cancel due to illness we still lose our deposit and what we need to do is claim this back via our travel insurance. With this we then have an excess £35 in my case. Some policies it is £50 or even a £100 as insurance companies try to compete with their prices.

 

I had to cancel a cruise 4 years ago when my nephew had a brain haemorrhage aged 32. The total cost of the holiday less excess had to come from the Insurance Company. Only paid out when a letter was written by the Neurosurgeon in California. I was travelling with my Sister and she was still out in San Francisco for some 3 months and finally got him back to the UK.

 

This is why we are always harping about the necessity of holiday insurance. What Yvonne says is that we have to give our tour operator or Cruise Company details of our Insurance Company as well as the telephone emergency no of that company.

 

I would never dream of travelling without insurance even if this situation didn't exist.

 

Sue

[lucky white heather]

Yvonne

 

Actually if we have to cancel due to illness we still lose our deposit and what we need to do is claim this back via our travel insurance. With this we then have an excess £35 in my case. Some policies it is £50 or even a £100 as insurance companies try to compete with their prices.

 

I had to cancel a cruise 4 years ago when my nephew had a brain haemorrhage aged 32. The total cost of the holiday less excess had to come from the Insurance Company. Only paid out when a letter was written by the Neurosurgeon in California. I was travelling with my Sister and she was still out in San Francisco for some 3 months and finally got him back to the UK.

 

This is why we are always harping about the necessity of holiday insurance. What Yvonne says is that we have to give our tour operator or Cruise Company details of our Insurance Company as well as the telephone emergency no of that company.

 

I would never dream of travelling without insurance even if this situation didn't exist.

 

Sue

 

Hi Sue,

I'm fortunate I suppose I have never had to test Celebrity out regarding cancellation by us (the client) yet... I am appalled they would not consider death/serious illness for example as a good enough reason to give you your measly £200 deposit back without the need for a doctor's certificate to confirm it.Obviously I credited them with more integrity than they deserve!

It speaks for itself why we are obliged to have travel insurance then!