Celebrity Cruises Cancels 18 Sailings As Ship is Redeployed

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Because of ongoing regional uncertainties and potential travel restrictions, Celebrity Cruises has decided to cancel the 2022-23 Asia deployment for Celebrity Solstice, including all sailings from September 16, 2022 through April 21, 2023.

Instead, the ship will be positioned elsewhere and impacted guests will have several compensation options.

Celebrity Solstice Will Not Sail in Asia

In an email sent to travel partners and booked guests, Celebrity Cruises has announced the decision to cancel Celebrity Solstice sailings in Asia and outlined what options are available for impacted guests.

“Due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding the restart of international operations in the Asia region, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Celebrity Solstice sailings in this part of the world,” the email reads. “As a result, we will be canceling all Celebrity Solstice Asia sailings currently scheduled to depart September 16, 2022 through April 21, 2023.”

Celebrity Solstice
Photo Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises

During the period in question, Celebrity Solstice was to have been sailing to a variety of destinations throughout Asia, including Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and The Philippines.

A total of 18 cruises have been canceled, ranging from 10-16 nights.

This is in line with other cruise lines’ recent cancelations, including Royal Caribbean International moving Voyager of the Seas from the Asia-Pacific region to North America and Europe, areas that have been faster to resume passenger cruise operations with fewer restrictions.

Options for Impacted Passengers

Guests whose cruises are now canceled have two options. Celebrity Cruises is offering a “Lift and Shift” alternative to rebook on a similar Asia sailing aboard Celebrity Solstice or Celebrity Millennium for the 2023-2024 season.

Only select sailings are available for this option, and any promotions associated with the now-canceled cruise will be protected and moved to the new sailing. All rebookings must be made no later than May 12, 2022.

Guests can also opt for a 100% refund of their cruise fare, with no penalties assessed. Refunds will be returned to the original form of payment, and may take 30 days to process.

Guests should note that cruise taxes and port fees will be refunded separately, and the different parts of the refund may process at slightly different times.

Docked Celebrity Cruises Ship
Photo Credit: JJava Designs / Shutterstock.com

Pre-booked shore excursions and onboard packages, including specialty dining, will also be fully refunded, as well hotel accommodations and flight arrangements made through Flights by Celebrity.

Guests who have made independent arrangements must contact their travel agents, airlines, or independent operators to arrange cancelations.

If guests used an existing Future Cruise Credit (FCC) to book Celebrity Solstice, that FCC will be reinstated on their account for use on another cruise.

No action is required for guests to receive a full refund, as this will be the default option for any passengers who do not contact the cruise line for an alternative sailing by May 12.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through these unique circumstances. We regret the impact to your vacation and hope that you will continue to explore the world with us,” the email concluded.

Where Will Celebrity Solstice Be?

Instead of sailing in Asia, Celebrity Solstice will instead be repositioned to the Mexican Riviera. In doing so, the Solstice-class cruise ship will replace the slightly smaller Millennium-class Celebrity Millennium, taking over that ship’s 7- and 8-night itineraries through December 11, 2022.

These cruises are visiting popular ports such as Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Ensenada, and it will be the first time Celebrity Solstice is sailing in this part of the world since 2014.

Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship
Photo Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises

Guests originally booked on Celebrity Millennium will have their reservation shifted to Celebrity Solstice automatically, preserving cruise fare rates and promotional offers. Passengers who prefer not to sail on Celebrity Solstice can also request a 100% refund, but must do so by May 12.

As with the Celebrity Solstice Asia cancelations, FCC credits will be returned to guests’ accounts if used to book the affected sailing.

With this replacement, Celebrity Millennium will reposition to the Caribbean for the popular winter season in that region, bringing more cruise options to guests eager for a warm weather getaway.

Details on the itineraries Celebrity Millennium will sail in the Caribbean are not yet available, nor are additional details for Celebrity Solstice after the December 11, 2022 departure.

It is possible Celebrity Solstice may continue to sail the Mexican Riviera with expanded itineraries, or may be repositioned again at that time.

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Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa has been offering her expertise on cruises since 2017 and reporting on cruise news since 2021. her work has been featured in newspapers, blogs, and websites on a wide range of subjects, but cruises remain her favorite topic to cover. She has been on more than 40 voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and more, and always has at least one more sailing booked on the horizon.

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