I, too was on the cancelled fall transatlantic. It was my understanding that the $250/pp credit could be applied to a 2006 sailing as long as it is booked by 12/31/2005.
We're trying to decide what to do in light of the cancellation. We had chosen the Diamond, first and foremost because I prefer her intimacy to the larger Voyager. But also because of the earlier departure date. We return to Madeira in mid December and the later departure leaves little time in between the two trips. Plus the Voyager is a day shorter. Even 9 nights is too short for me, and we probably would have ended up booking the 4-day Caribbean extension like I did this year. 8 nights hardly seems worth the effort of packing the formal clothes. However, I would have considered the Voyager in spite of this, if RSSC had offered a positive incentive. Their no apologies, take it or leave it attitude leaves me cold. Don't get me wrong, I realize that the circumstances were beyond their control. But how they handled the cancellations was entirely in their control. I'd consider transfering the credit to the spring crossing, as I could drive to FLL with some artwork that I've been dying to take to Madeira, but that isn't even up on the website. Right now RSSC has agreed to refund the onboard booking deposit. I don't want to lose it by waiting too long to make a cancellation decision. Given that I am traveling to Madeira every other month, it's not likely that we'll find time for any non-crossing cruises in the near future.
As it stands, I'm looking at alternative crossings for the fall. However, since we will already be in Madeira the options don't look very bright. Seabourn does a crossing from Tenerife, but you just can't get between the two islands. Canarias airlines can't even give me a schedule that far into the future. We could always take a short hop back to Lisbon for a departure if the timing was right. So far nothing seems to fit.
So I suppose the spring crossing will be my farewell on the Diamond. I'll really miss her! I hope that her wonderful staff finds positions within RSSC or are welcomed onto other cruise lines.
