Wilma C

Celebrity Solstice Dawes Glacier Cruise 25 August to 1 September 2023

In February 2023 we booked a cruise on Celebrity Cruises to do an Alaskan Glacier Cruise in August 2023 to celebrate my cousins 60th birthday. We got our USA visa's quickly and when we tried to get a Canadian Visa we discovered that Canada was refusing Visa's to South African based on the perceived support for Russia during the Ukrainian war. We tried everything to get a visa but to no avail. We called Celebrity Cruises and hung on for over an hour only to be referred to the Canadian Government. There we had even less success. On both websites it was indicated that if it was a closed loop cruise (starting and ending in the USA we would be allowed to board but we could not get off in Canada. No communication from Celebrity was sent to us stating that the situation had changed this season and that Canada would not let us board without visas. This was only told to us when we were on the pier and our baggage had already been sent onto the ship. We had to wait 3 hours for our luggage on the pier and then we were escorted off like ********s. This happened to several people and Celebrity have refused to refund us anything for the cruise or even to give us a voucher for another cruise. We spent a fortune getting to Seattle from South Africa and then had to find very expensive accommodation and rent a car while my cousin and her husband were on the cruise. It spoiled her 60th birthday completely. The treatment we received from Celebrity Cruises was so appalling we believe that they don't care for their guests at all. and are only interested in taking the guests money. I would not recommend them to my worst enemy!