Ngaire, we are waitlisted on a Crystal cruise next May and I was just wondering if people actually cancel. What's your experience been with bookings out 6 months? If there isn't any chance, maybe I need to find something else.

Has anyone in the forum been on a waitlist of a sold out cruise and actually had success?

Thanks everyone!

KarenM

Usually (not sure about Crystal but for other cruise lines), there's a rash of cancellations right before final payment is due. There's probably still hope to get on the cruise though it might not be the stateroom that you wanted or the location that you wanted.

Masaki

Thanks Masaki, makes sense and I kind of thought that might be the case. I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed. I just hope it won't be too late to get flights at a reasonable price that close.

KarenM

I'm in your same boat, Karen (figuratively, not literally). I'll cross my fingers for us both! :)

Masaki

Masaki, what cruise are you waitlisted for??

Karen - we're thinking about trying Oceania this coming March on an Asia cruise. Beijing to Hong Kong, 14 nights. We'll see if the wait list opens up or not. :)

Masaki

Karen, as Masaki said, passengers or travel agents holding space on the ship release it when it is time for the final payment -- about three months prior to cruise time. If you are using Crystal's sea/air program on your reservation, that is the time also that they finalize air reservations. If you don't use their plan, you might consider using their transfer service either to and/or from the ship to the airport. Judith

Success! Yep, I was calling my TA late Thursday to ask her to add a category on the waitlist. I dialed the number, the phone rang and I got disconnected right away so called back again. She said she was just trying to call me. She said she had just received a fax from Crystal clearing us on the cruise. How wierd is that! So we are all set, we are going to cruise the Greek Isles, hallelujah!

Now all I need to do is get the airline siutation under control since we are doing a pre-cruise in Bavaria and will fly from Munich to Athens to pick up the cruise. Not sure how you pack for 2 totally different temp. zones though.

I am really surprised it cleared this quickly. I figured we would have to wait months and even then if the cruise was that popular we might not get cleared. Every TA I spoke to said that cruise is very popular.

Thanks everyone for your help, I really appreciate it. I've got lots of questions since this will be a first for us out of the US. Will the cruise line tell us when we can board and what time we can disembark? Judith, I think we will use their transfers, at least in Venice to the airport. We'll probably fly into Athens the day before the curise and stay at either the Intercontinental or Grande Bretagne so that I can show my Hubby the Parthenon.

KarenM

KarenM

Congrats, Karen!

Masaki

Congratulations. :) I have sent an email to your address listed here. If for some reason you don't get it, please email me. Lots to tell you about Crystal and also the Share the Experience Program. :D