The saga of the Celebrity Century continues to play out on message boards like CruiseCritic.
After being told their cruise was over just two days after departing due to (incredibly) - two broken rudders - it seems passengers have all gone separate ways. Some have flown back home, while others have turned an aborted cruise into an unexpected land vacation. Others still were able to secure replacement voyages on other ships, thereby salvaging their vacations.
In all cases, it seems confusion was rampant, both about what to do and what Celebrity was prepared to offer. Celebrity Century ended her voyage near the city of Nice, France - just about as expensive as European destinations get. Complicating matters? Strikes in France have shut down most modes of transportation, including the Eurostar. Even Charles De Gaulle airport has stated it only has fuel to last a few more days - making connections through CDG a very unlikely possibility, and necessitating a ten-hour bus ride back to Barcelona for most passengers.
In short: a major headache for those with money to spend, and an absolute nightmare for those who hadn't imagined needing the kind of cash they'd need to shell out to get home.
However unfortunate for those passengers aboard the canceled sailing, this incident serves as a timely reminder for all cruisers. While Celebrity seems to have provided phone and internet access for passengers to make arrangements, with two-thousand-plus people all vying for a crack at it, access was understandably scarce.
So what can you do to ensure you're ahead of the pack when something goes awry? Below are a few helpful - and timely - tips.
Purchase Trip Interruption / Cancellation Insurance - While it's not a fail-safe by any means, having decent interruption and cancellation insurance will reimburse you for any expenses occurred when your trip hits the rocks. But it's not immediate - in most cases, receipts have to be submitted in order to be reimbursed, meaning any expenses must be paid for up front - by you. Which makes our next item all the more important. Most of all, a good insurance company will work with you to make arrangements with the least financial impact.
Carry a Backup Credit Card - having a credit card with no balance on it (or at least one with some headroom) can save the day. While hotels can be expensive, unexpected return flights - booked last minute - can be a nightmare. Having a credit card for emergencies can remove that initial panic and allow you to get home, where you can deal with your insurance company for reimbursement.
Bring a Laptop or GSM-Enabled Phone - Sure, the cruise line made internet access free. There's just one problem: the entire ship is jockeying for position on one of a dozen computer stations. Chances are by the time you get your turn, the most affordable hotels and transportation options will be long gone. So don't wait for that to happen: carrying a laptop with WiFi capabilities allows you to tap into any free access point, research flights, book hotels - all without queuing up. Additionally, having a GSM-enabled phone allows you to make calls almost anywhere in the world - again without enduring long lineups. Eliminating any unnecessary stress can be a huge lifesaver in situations like this, allowing you to get in touch with your travel agent or family and friends back home.
Know Your Airline - Work With Them - Take a look at who you booked your flights with. Chances are they're part of an airline "alliance" - a group of airlines who code-share flights. Star Alliance and OneWorld are the two largest alliances. If you find yourself stranded in an area not served by the airline you originally booked your flights with, call up one of their partners. It's a long shot, but if anyone will be able to help you out or cut you some slack, it's an airline within the same alliance as your original booking. You'll still have to pay change fees, and you might even get hit with a fare difference increase, but it could be cheaper than booking new flights outright.
Get All the Facts - In Writing - Once you leave your ship, the cruise line no longer has any responsibility for you. So make sure you get as much in writing as possible, and gather all the facts before setting off on your own. Make sure you exhaust every avenue of assistance offered by the cruise line before taking matters into your own hands.
1 comments:
Yes we were part of the Celebrity Century and we did have trip insurance, but we seemed to have a place to stay in Barcelona arranged by the cruse ship but we did not know where until we arrived in Barcelona, and yes the lines for phone and internet were jammed it took 12 plus hrs. before we could reach anybody. The cruse ship was just interested in was getting the passangers off ship so they could get the ship repaired for its next cruse out of Barcelona on the 25th of Octeber which they did make. What happened to the passangers that could not make arrangement back to there home base I sure there were some that are still possibly stranded at there own expense. Celebrity was looking to make ther next cruis at any expense the traveler had to contend with becaus by vacating the ship it releved them of any liability. On a one to ten scale ten being the highest I give Celebrity a 3 they could of done better than giving a one night hotel and 250.00 dollars for flight arangements.
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