Cancelling a Cruise b/c not enough bookings?

[lawyergirl22]

I am just wondering if anyone is aware of this happening before. We are on the 1/31/09 sailing of the Summit out of San Juan that has just been shortened to a six day cruise and the cancellation of one of our ports.

 

I have spoken with customer service, the resolution department, and the captain's club, and all three said that the cruise was being reviewed by the "Revenue Department", and they would have no further information (including even a reason for the change) until monday.

 

My question--has anyone heard of a cruise being cancelled because of low bookings?:eek:

[warmwinds]

Sure, makes a lot of business sense to me...you can't fill a ship, so cancel the cruise, screwing up 2,000 people's hard earned vacations...oh, and while you're add it, add another 9,000 berths you won't be able to fill, either. :(

[FinelyCruising]

I am just wondering if anyone is aware of this happening before. We are on the 1/31/09 sailing of the Summit out of San Juan that has just been shortened to a six day cruise and the cancellation of one of our ports.

 

I have spoken with customer service, the resolution department, and the captain's club, and all three said that the cruise was being reviewed by the "Revenue Department", and they would have no further information (including even a reason for the change) until monday.

 

My question--has anyone heard of a cruise being cancelled because of low bookings?:eek:

 

Some cruises have been shortened in the past for a few reasons. Until it is disclosed that the abbreviated sailing is as a result of low bookings, I think we all have to wait and see.

 

I have been interested over the past few months to see if sailings would be cancelled as a result of bookings, but an abbreviated one might still be better than one that is cancelled entirely.

 

Now I know that might sound nutty but here is food for thought: In one particular company I am aware that a request was made of employees to volunteer to reduce to a 4 day work week for a 20% pay cut. Now I think a 20% pay cut is still better a loss of a job entirely.

 

So if it is true that this cruise is reduced in operational length in order to keep the cruise date itself on the charts, with a deep draw of breath I think it's something in the grand scheme of things that might turn out to be OK to rationalize under the current economic circumstances versus the alternative of cancellation in entirety.

 

Please keep us posted.

[Fblack]

Personally, I believe they will just keep lowering the price or adding incentives (like OBC or free or discounted air) until they start filling cabins.

[warmwinds]

But then they have to compensate all the passengers for an extra night's hotel, or airfare changes - plus ill will. Can the hotels in San Juan take all those passengers for another night? (Friday) - remember, most people are arriving that Friday to get on the next week's Saturday sailing. San Juan is one of the those ports that it is difficult to get too, and I'd venture to say a high percentage do come in the day before and stay overnight.

[FinelyCruising]

But then they have to compensate all the passengers for an extra night's hotel, or airfare changes - plus ill will. Can the hotels in San Juan take all those passengers for another night? (Friday) - remember, most people are arriving that Friday to get on the next week's Saturday sailing. San Juan is one of the those ports that it is difficult to get too, and I'd venture to say a high percentage do come in the day before and stay overnight.

 

They do not have to do one darn thing. Again, they can cancel the entire cruise of they can just dock one day early for an on board sleep stationary sleep over like while in Bermuda to solve the impact issue until they can get stabilized if it is a cost saving measure.

[TravelerThom]

I am just wondering if anyone is aware of this happening before. We are on the 1/31/09 sailing of the Summit out of San Juan that has just been shortened to a six day cruise and the cancellation of one of our ports.

 

I have spoken with customer service, the resolution department, and the captain's club, and all three said that the cruise was being reviewed by the "Revenue Department", and they would have no further information (including even a reason for the change) until monday.

 

My question--has anyone heard of a cruise being cancelled because of low bookings?:eek:

I just checked http://www.Celebrity.com and they are not currently showing ANY cruise between the 24-31 Jan one and the 6 Feb cruise. What is Celebrity doing here???

[swigso]

There are no cruises available from Jan 31st to Feb 14th,

 

Either Summit is going into dry dock or the ship has been chartered,

Wouldn't like to have a booking for those dates, anyone without cruise air and no insurance will lose the cost of flights, unless there is any other line sailing from SJ.

[lawyergirl22]

Another concern I have is that as of this morning, the 1/31/09 sailing was closed to new bookings, despite the fact that it is most definately NOT sold out. Why close the sailing to new bookings if you really plan to go for 6 nights, wouldn't you still want to fill the ship? I know this is just speculation, but this combined with the sailing being reviewed by the "Revenue Department" makes me very uneasy...

[jchitt]

Summit is scheduled to be docked Feb 7-14 in San Juan

http://www.cruisett.com/ships.php?ShipID=71&date=6

[chessbriar]

I would be concerned and work with your TA to find out what's going on. The cruise is gone from X's website and the Feb 7 sailing is closed to bookings.

 

Good Luck

[chessbriar]

Looks like they might go to a two week drydock

[chessbriar]

I'd call and see if they can move you to the Serenade or if you can adjust you vacation time and airline tix the Galaxy the day before through the 8th

 

Good luck

[CathyCruises]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the mechanical issues that caused us to miss Split, Croatia in November. . . when the captain announced that we were "adrift in the Adriatic Sea"! Or maybe it's to fix the broken wafflemaker?

 

Seriously, I would be SO upset if this were happening to me--you plan and dream and then to lose 1/7th of your long-awaited vacation. . .BUMMER!

 

Hopefully it will all be much ado about nothing--fingers crossed for all of you!

 

Cathy

[FinelyCruising]

Rather than be so upset, I'd let this day unfold and let the answers and directions come. ;)This is not the first time a ship has had to have been pulled with only a couple of weeks to go. I know from personal experience.

[wvufan]

I also know from FC's personal experience as we were on the same ship-or were supposed to be

 

Our cruise was altered from an 11 night southern caribbean to a 7 night Eastern Caribbean at the last minute due to mechanical problems (case of the pods). Celebrity offered a fantastic compensation package. We ended up on the original itinerary a month later on a different ship (still M class) and paid $935 for a balcony cabin-that's for two people!

 

So, please be assured that, at least from our experience, you will be well taken care of if the cruise is cancelled. Note that you may find out about it on these boards before your TA does, so be prepared to strike quickly at other options before they raise the price on those sailings.

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE :D:D Bob and Phyl

[Fblack]

Another thread says the Summit Jan 31 cruise has been canceled.

[hcat]

WOW! This is really short notice--esp for anyone that booked their own air & pre- & post cruise hotel in San Juan... Hope O/P can work this out & still have a good vacation..

 

Our Jan 25th Solstice cruise out of FLL is booked solid as per the X website except for inside cabins--maybe they pushed that ship over the others...

 

cruising used to be more simple!

[BurgerBits]

WOW! This is really short notice--esp for anyone that booked their own air & pre- & post cruise hotel in San Juan... Hope O/P can work this out & still have a good vacation..

 

Our Jan 25th Solstice cruise out of FLL is booked solid as per the X website except for inside cabins--maybe they pushed that ship over the others...

 

cruising used to be more simple!

 

Don't be so sure it's completely booked as yet... ours showed more than 90% booked 10 days ago (Solstice 2/22), but lots of cabins 'appeared' on the web site yesterday...

[FinelyCruising]

WOW! This is really short notice--esp for anyone that booked their own air & pre- & post cruise hotel in San Juan... Hope O/P can work this out & still have a good vacation..

 

Our Jan 25th Solstice cruise out of FLL is booked solid as per the X website except for inside cabins--maybe they pushed that ship over the others...

 

cruising used to be more simple!

 

Yes, for sure! I can add to what WVU Fan indicated....At that time air travel was an issue since we had our own flights booked, however the airlines did work with us as did our TA with the airlines if needed, and we did not lose our airfare with Continental, it was transferred to new flights for the later sailing.

 

I realize that these are rough times, but I am going to be optimistic that all travel partners will continue to work together if things go sideways.

 

I hope everyhting works out for all those on this sailing who are questioning what the heck is going on.

[TPKeller]

Have they been having pod problems? How long since Summit was in for a pod replacement? They seem to happen at fairly regular intervals.

 

Theron

[FinelyCruising]

My report was from 2005.