Sailing from Singapore in April

[MadamG2U]

We are currently book to sail out of Singapore in April and I'm starting to stress.  I know all of March has been cancelled,  When will Royal talk about April.  On top of that we have non refundable tickets would the airline allow me to change those tickets.  What to do I just don't know

[SpeedNoodles]

9 hours ago, MadamG2U said:

We are currently book to sail out of Singapore in April and I'm starting to stress.  I know all of March has been cancelled,  When will Royal talk about April.  On top of that we have non refundable tickets would the airline allow me to change those tickets.  What to do I just don't know

Your airline tickets may be covered by your travel insurance. Sometimes the credit card you used will cover things like that, too. Check your policies. 

[DaiC01]

16 hours ago, MadamG2U said:

We are currently book to sail out of Singapore in April and I'm starting to stress.  I know all of March has been cancelled,  When will Royal talk about April.  On top of that we have non refundable tickets would the airline allow me to change those tickets.  What to do I just don't know

The Word is we should know about our sailing out of Singapore on the 30th by 4th March  We're  in the same position, didn't use a travel agent and all elements booked separately including hotels. Credit card and insurance should cover all eventualities I hope.

My view is no point in worrying about it, whatever will be will be its only a holiday. I ours is sailing I going.  

[Tigertown]

Hi

we are booked to sail on the 4th April, first timers, we are also booked for a week in Singapore prior to sailing, our hotel is non refundable. The earlier the decision is made to clearer our plan b will become.

Our travel insurance will not cover hotel or airfares we have been told

[bretts173]

Reports are there is a high level meeting happening today discussing the next few months of cruises in the Asia and south pacific region regarding cancelling, redeployment and re-routing. Hopefully more information soon.

 

[Tigertown]

Hi All

any news further news on the April sailings after the meetings yesterday?

[DaiC01]

This update was posted on the RC web site on the week end:

 Mandatory, specialized health screenings will be performed on:

a. Any guest who has travelled from, to or through Japan, Singapore, and Thailand in the past 15 days.

b. Guests who are uncertain about contact with individuals who have travelled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and Italy in the past 15 days.

c. Guests presenting with fever or low blood oximetry in the specialized health screenings will be denied boarding.

All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive full refunds.

 

This will make boarding interesting for cruises starting in Singapore.

Update: The "Singapore" has now been removed from the policy and is no longer included in either UK or US press releases.

[Siung6]

On 3/3/2020 at 5:17 AM, Tigertown said:

Hi All

any news further news on the April sailings after the meetings yesterday?

Me too, i am interested on May sailings from Singapore. Where can we find out about whether or not the Voyager of the Seas will still be coming to asia or have extended cruising in Australia. 

[lalaB]

Sure you guys already saw the option to rebook / take a cruise credit - I'm honestly not sure what to do!!

 

[Darryl L]

It seems that RC are holding on until the very last minute to advise of cancelled cruises. Obviously this makes it very difficult for cruisers, especially one way cruises. I am booked on the Voyager from Sydney to Singapore in mid April, 2020. Do I book Motel Rooms in Singapore or flights back home??? If I do and RC cancels the cruise, I am out of pocket to the tune of several thousand dollars. Obviously they do not care. Surely they already know. They would have a contingency plan in place already. They will just be holding out long enough to secure future bookings with there new "Travel with confidence" policy before they announce cancellations. That way they secure future income and don't have to refund an entire ship load of passengers.

 

 

[Jachar]

Yes totally agree. 

I am booked on 4th April, one of the planned ports has already announced no entry to cruise ships of which RC must be aware but they are have not passed this info on to any customer that I am aware of. Just over 2 weeks to go and not a clue if or where we will be sailing. 

It's OK other members saying get a future credit etc but it's not that simple when I have other bookings prior to and after the cruise element. 

A bit more customer contact would be appreciated from RC. 

 

[321birdy]

Jachar - is it the spice of east Asia from Singapore 4thApril? If so, were on the same cruse and awaiting updates

6 hours ago, Jachar said:

Yes totally agree. 

I am booked on 4th April, one of the planned ports has already announced no entry to cruise ships of which RC must be aware but they are have not passed this info on to any customer that I am aware of. Just over 2 weeks to go and not a clue if or where we will be sailing. 

It's OK other members saying get a future credit etc but it's not that simple when I have other bookings prior to and after the cruise element. 

A bit more customer contact would be appreciated from RC. 

 

 

[Jachar]

Yep that's the one it's an uncomfortable wait, travel agent keeps saying just hang on a few more days... 

[4monks]

I believe Malaysia has banned all Cruises to all ports so that would be two ports for this cruise?

[321birdy]

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/03/08/malaysia-bans-cruise-ships

[4monks]

Our 30th Anniversary Asia dream tour....  London to Singapore, 2 days in Singapore, 5 night cruise (this), 1 more day in Singapore, fly to Tokyo, 9 nights in Japan, back to Singapore, few mores nights there, Fly to Bali, 5 nights in Bali, back to Singapore, couple more nights - return to London. Pretty much all cancelled now... except the cruise. Just waiting on a) cruise cancel or b) FCC. I contacted customer service and they said we would get "at least one weeks notice" if they cancel. So... immediately after 1 week before departure - go for FCC. Refund on already paid for excursions and credit for future, most likely, inflated cruise prices. We need the cruise industry to survive to be able to enjoy it, but more importantly, we need to be as safe as we can be in these scary times.

[WAAAYTOOO]

6 minutes ago, 4monks said:

Our 30th Anniversary Asia dream tour....  London to Singapore, 2 days in Singapore, 5 night cruise (this), 1 more day in Singapore, fly to Tokyo, 9 nights in Japan, back to Singapore, few mores nights there, Fly to Bali, 5 nights in Bali, back to Singapore, couple more nights - return to London. Pretty much all cancelled now... except the cruise. Just waiting on a) cruise cancel or b) FCC. I contacted customer service and they said we would get "at least one weeks notice" if they cancel. So... immediately after 1 week before departure - go for FCC. Refund on already paid for excursions and credit for future, most likely, inflated cruise prices. We need the cruise industry to survive to be able to enjoy it, but more importantly, we need to be as safe as we can be in these scary times.

Oh what a disaster and such a shame.  What an incredible adventure it would have been.  I don't even have to ask how many hours and hours of planning this all took.  So sorry for you both.

[4monks]

Yes indeed. Just pray we are well for the replacement "Asia tour v2". Germany are saying they expect 58 million to get this in their country alone. If the stats are right... that's 580k deaths. As bleak as it all seems, thank goodness it's as "low" as it it. This nasty turn of events puts everything into perspective. As long as we can look back on this, I'll be happy

[4monks]

As a BTW...as 2 of the three stops are changed / cancelled - this constitutes as "significant change" and (in Uk law) makes it eligible for a refund.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Just now, 4monks said:

As a BTW...as 2 of the three stops are changed / cancelled - this constitutes as "significant change" and (in Uk law) makes it eligible for a refund.

One bright spot, I suppose...

[Jachar]

5 minutes ago, 4monks said:

As a BTW...as 2 of the three stops are changed / cancelled - this constitutes as "significant change" and (in Uk law) makes it eligible for a refund.

Good to know I will contact the TA with this, thanks! 

[Darryl L]

You will also notice that if you are thinking of taking advantage of the “Cruise with confidence” cancelation, any cruise you book after the deadline of July 31, 2020 is priced at around 50-80% more expensive than the similar Royal Caribbean cruises in 2019. That way your cruise credit is worth a lot less if you want to use it for a like cruise later in the year or next year. For example the cruise I am booked on next month, should I take a cruise credit and book the same cruise next year, the price for the 2022 cruise is almost double. Once again, another example of Corporate greed. They must know today that they will need to cancel the April cruises in Asia. Just tell us.

[4monks]

Good point and absolutely agree ... borrowing $1/2Bn requires a plan to recoup the money. They are still a business not a charity  If we go FCC we will, for sure, we will be out of pocket, but at least not empty pocket. This would still be my plan B.

[Darryl L]

Yes. Better a half bottle of wine than an empty one. My feeling is that they will be cancelled. With the WHO announcing a Pandemic overnight and the numbers exploding all over the world, it's not going to clear up in a couple of weeks. Good luck.

[bretts173]

just received email. April 17 from Singapore cancelled.

 

[4monks]

Not seen anything for 4th April yet. Was that TA or RCI communication?

[DaiC01]

Just heard on Facebook that cancelled emails are out for the April 30th Singapore , not received one myself.

[4monks]

Just had the email from RC - 4th April 2020 Quantum of the Seas sailing from Singapore is cancelled.

[lalaB]

yep 

 

Dear Guest,

At Royal Caribbean International, the safety and well-being of our guests and crew is top priority. So, in light of current regional travel conditions, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel our Quantum of the Seas April 4, 2020 cruise.

While these circumstances are beyond our control, we know how much time and effort go into planning your vacation. We’re terribly sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience. Please know, we explored all options, before taking this measure.

As a result, we’re providing you with the following:

A full refund of any paid portion of your cruise fare to the original form of payment, including any non-refundable deposits. 

A refund for any pre-paid amenities and packages – like internet, beverage, and dining. And know, if you purchased a RoyalUp Upgrade, that too will be refunded to you. 

We’ll begin processing all refunds immediately, and depending on your banking institution or method of payment, you should start seeing these refunds by March 25th, 2020, but most likely sooner. Please note, that if you paid via a wire transfer or check, your refund will take at least a week longer.   

If you purchased air or hotel… 

via Royal Caribbean, these will also be automatically refunded to you. 

on your own, we will assist you with air change or cancellation fees. We will cover $200 USD per person for domestic flights or $400 USD per person for international flights. Please send your receipts to RoyalGuestRelations@rccl.com for reimbursement. Please reach out to your hotel provider for reimbursement. 

[321birdy]

On 3/11/2020 at 6:49 PM, 4monks said:

Our 30th Anniversary Asia dream tour....  London to Singapore, 2 days in Singapore, 5 night cruise (this), 1 more day in Singapore, fly to Tokyo, 9 nights in Japan, back to Singapore, few mores nights there, Fly to Bali, 5 nights in Bali, back to Singapore, couple more nights - return to London. Pretty much all cancelled now... except the cruise. Just waiting on a) cruise cancel or b) FCC. I contacted customer service and they said we would get "at least one weeks notice" if they cancel. So... immediately after 1 week before departure - go for FCC. Refund on already paid for excursions and credit for future, most likely, inflated cruise prices. We need the cruise industry to survive to be able to enjoy it, but more importantly, we need to be as safe as we can be in these scary times.

We decided to cancel the cruise but then Rc cancelled it anyway. Still going Singapore, then onto Bali, Lombok, Gilli islands.   Total change of itinerary and also paid an extra £250 booking an additional flight, but Opodo wanted £425 for the same 3 seats just changing a date... cheeky sods!     Best of luck sorting something else out. 

[4monks]

All very strange communications under what must be very confusing times for RCI.... anyone experienced the same as below, particularly the "cancellation invoice" and 75% fee?

 

12th March 2020.

Receive an email from RCI (noreply@rccl.com) notifying me the 4th April 2020 Singapore Quantum of the Seas cruise is cancelled and I will be fully refunded.

 

16th March 2020

Receive a more generic email from RCI (royalcustomerserviceuk@rccl.com) notifying me all cancellations will receive a 125% FCC unless you opt out and want a full refund - fill in a form to opt out.

Spoke to customer services a day or two later and they confirmed about 30 days for refund but they could refund my shore trips immediately.

 

20th March 2020

Received the below email from Royal Caribbean Cruise Docs (documentation@rccl.com) and a "Cancellation invoice" pdf showing a 75% cancellation fee for the main cruise fee??

20-Mar-2020

Dear Guest

Please find the documents you requested below

This is an automated email, so please do not reply as responses to this address are not monitored.
To view and print these documents, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader - click on the link below to download this software free of charge:
http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/

If you have any medical/accessibility special requirements that you need to make us aware of, then it is very important that you please use the Guest Special Needs form attached to your very first invoice, to provide us with the details as soon as possible after booking your cruise. If you need a new copy of the form, please visit www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/why-cruise/accessibility/ ,www.celebritycruises.co.uk/life-onboard/accessibility/  or www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/onboard-experience/accessibility/ 

The links below will help with any general queries about your booking.

Royal Caribbean Bookings - www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/
Celebrity Cruises Bookings - www.celebritycruises.co.uk/already-booked/frequently-asked-questions/
Azamara Club Cruise Bookings - www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan-your-voyage/before-your-voyage

Alternatively call us via the following numbers
Royal Caribbean - (UK) 0844 4934070 (EIRE) 1800 939 490
Celebrity Cruises - (UK) 0844 4932092 (EIRE) 1800 932 611
Azamara Club Cruises - (UK) 0844 4932077 (EIRE) 1800 939 490

(*Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)

Thank you for Booking with us

 

Cancellation invoice:

<<snip

snip>>

 

[AshleyDillo]

12 hours ago, 4monks said:

Received the below email from Royal Caribbean Cruise Docs (documentation@rccl.com) and a "Cancellation invoice" pdf showing a 75% cancellation fee for the main cruise fee??

I interpret that as you were in the 75% cancellation penalty phase and normal circumstances you would have been expected to give up that 75%

The end of the email says :

Quote

Please refer to "Total Charge" for full cancellation amount

I would expect that total figure of $1858.00 will be refunded to you.  It may come in two pieces if they refund the port expenses portion separately.

[4monks]

Many thanks.