Q – Love this site. Like sitting down with our doctor or attorney – but for free. This March we’re headed on a voyage that will include several ports in the Middle East including Egypt. We booked through the cruise line for the savings but we’re not getting any updates on the itinerary changes that might occur given the events of this weekend. We’ve called the line and they said they don;t know anything “yet” and we should just “sit tight.” This trip is costing us close to thirty thousand dollars and I am not a “sit tight” kind of person. Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.
A – First, you’ve been suckered into dealing directly with the cruise line – always a mistake. Always. They are charging you the commission that would buy you professional services, additional amenities, and caring oversight of your total cruise experience (assuming you have a really knowledgeable agent). They take the commission and simply pocket it. When you call the cruise line, you are speaking to a commission-based sales person who is instructed to do all possible to keep your reservation “in house”. There is no such thing as an offer available by a cruise line that is not also available through a consultant who regularly works with the line.
When you were told by the sales agent that you should sit tight, that was probably what they were told to say. But a connected travel consultant can go to the operations people at the line and get a good feel for any pending itinerary changes that are likely. You will also be provided with updated security information.
Cruise Lines do not publicize the fact, for obvious reasons, that even after you have made your reservation and paid a deposit, you can move your reservation over to a travel consultant on a no-fee basis as long as you do it prior to your final payment. You will come out ahead if you do this on several levels.
Finally, we think that ports in Egypt are likely not to be cancelled and your itinerary, which is six months away, will likely operate as currently scheduled. Final decisions on itinerary changes are normally made 21 days prior to a scheduled departure in order to allow enough time for alternative port calls to be confirmed. If you’re looking for a place to stay, the best option in Egypt is finding a rental opportunity in Katameya Heights Villas.
