3/23/18 Reflection Cruise thoughts and why goodby to Celebrity

This was our 14th cruise overall and 4th on Celebrity. These are going to be our(wife and I) thoughts and opinions on process from embarkation to disembarkation. Embarkation ,as usual in Fort Lauderdale, not very organized. Were not able to park close to area to drop off checked bags. After dragging two large bags a considerable distance, security and check in went smoothly. Wife needs wheel chair assistance to get up ramp to ship. We waited over 35 minutes and finally we walked on board. Was supposed to have a line for suite guests but we were sent to wrong area. Don't believe this can be blamed on Celebrity as I think most of people at terminal are port employees. Ship was in very good condition and staff was super. Every cruise the selection of food seems less appealing. Staff in Luminae and Blu and Ocean Vue were all super. Our orders In Luminae were wrong four different times, different waiter on orders so must have been kitchen goof ups. Ate one night in Tuscan Grille and food and service were extraordinary. Butler and cabin attendant were always asking what more they could do to make our cruise enjoyable. Dismbarkation went quite smoothly. Out of cabin by 8:30, hung out in Michael's till about 9:30 requested a wheelchair and off the ship picked up luggage went through customs and were dropped off by UBER pickup area in 15 minutes. All in all an enjoyable cruise. So why good bye to Celebrity? Feb/Mar 2017 we had to cancel a cruise on the Reflection (Sky suite deck 12) approx. 2 weeks prior to sailing. Our travel agent called and cancelled. We understood that we would not receive our fare refunded. At my request travel agent called later and asked if we would receive Captains Club points as we had paid and cancelled allowing Celebrity to resell the cabin. Celebrity rep said no, points are only awarded after cruise is completed. I didn't agree but let it go at the time. While we were on the 3/23/2018 cruise I visited the Captains Club hostess on Reflection and went through the whole scenario with her. She made a call and received the same answer that our travel agent received.The hostess said most of the reps on the phone are more or less reading from a script and suggested that when I got home to call and speak with a manager, which she was unable to do. I did as she suggested, had to go through the whole scenario with a script reader in order to talk to a manager. Got to a manager (?) and again went through the whole story again. His reply was hard fast rule no points. I again went through the process of paying and not using the four perks and Celebrity being able to resell the cabin. Again his reply no points. In hindsite I should have just been a noshow, then I don't believe they would have had the option to resell. In the end I'm sorry it ends this way, but it has now become matter of principle with me. I really like Celebrity but I just returned from my travel agent with brochures for Holland America and Viking Ocean Cruises.

Your position is totally wrong. It's been the policy for a very, very long time that you only receive points after you COMPLETE the cruise. If you want to leave, leave. My guess is that you will get absolutely no sympathy on this tread.

Let's look at it another way: You had cancellation for any reason insurance that refunded your money. Would you expect to receive your money and the points? Your choice to purchase or not purchase the insurance. If you lost money by not purchasing the insurance, your bad!

Here's an idea if they gave points just for booking: Book the PH for 15 day cruises and purchase insurance that would refund money if you cancelled your cruise. You cancel and would get your money back and would be Zenith without ever taking a cruise. You'd just be paying for the insurance.

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Most if not all of the other cruise lines have the same policy. Credit is for cruise taken. Just as in the airline and hotel industry, credit is given after flight taken or night stayed.

So if the reason for leaving is because of disagreement with published policy good luck finding a cruise line with a different one.

If the reason is that you could not find an employee that was willing to violate published policy, again good luck.

This is the travel industry rule. We had to cancel a trip with Backroads (not a cruise – hiking trip in the Italian Lakes) at the last minute last year. It was for health reasons so we got fully reimbursed by our Travel Insurance and Backroads got to keep the full payment. I asked our TA if we would get the loyalty benefit when we booked a different Backroads trip for next year and she said exactly that you were told: Despite the vendor receiving the payment, you aren't considered a past passenger until you actually take the trip. Suggest you verify this policy before you book another trip with any other cruise line.

Agree with the others; extremely foolish reason to no longer sail with Celebrity. That is their written policy and so far as I know the same policy of all/most other cruise lines, hotels and airlines. It is the industry standard - doesn't matter who/how much was paid, all that matters is who sailed-on-the-ship/stayed-at-the-hotel/flew-on-the-plane.

I’ve read a lot of reasons to not cruise on a particular LIne but this is a bit of an odd one, considering it’s how all Lines and other travel organizations do exactly the same thing. So if this is a matter of principle, and since all LInes does this, I guess cruising (or talking organized vacations) shouldn’t be an option due to principle.

I realize this sounds a bit nasty, after I re-read it, but just trying to put this into perspective. But I realize that any occurrence can turn people off and they won’t enjoy a vacation due to it. But you might rethink it since this would occur no matter what cruise line you move over to.

Den

Was supposed to have a line for suite guests but we were sent to wrong area.

The suite lines are clearly marked.

Too bad for you that you've drawn this line in the sand. I think you will find that all other cruiselines have the same policy and none of them have as good a suite program as Celebrity does. Good luck to you in your search for a cruiseline that meets your requirements!

I hope you don't ever have to cancel on Holland America or Viking Ocean Cruises. You won't be able to book with them anymore either.

This is akin to another poster leaving X due to the MDR having 'inedible food' and children aboard....

bon voyage

Your position is totally wrong. It's been the policy for a very, very long time that you only receive points after you COMPLETE the cruise. If you want to leave, leave. My guess is that you will get absolutely no sympathy on this tread.

Let's look at it another way: You had cancellation for any reason insurance that refunded your money. Would you expect to receive your money and the points? Your choice to purchase or not purchase the insurance. If you lost money by not purchasing the insurance, your bad!

Here's an idea if they gave points just for booking: Book the PH for 15 day cruises and purchase insurance that would refund money if you cancelled your cruise. You cancel and would get your money back and would be Zenith without ever taking a cruise. You'd just be paying for the insurance.

I never thought about this. I felt that if you paid for the cruise, you should get the points, even if you end up not going. Didn't factor in the 'cancel for any reason' insurance. Makes total sense now!

Celebrity's policy re cancellation and points is their policy, and from what I read is pretty standard industry wide. As far as being in a suite and directed to another line, this happened to us once or twice. I just said to the port agent, "excuse me, we are in a suite in addition to being Elite +, can you direct us to the suite's line?" Received a quick and unnecessary apology and directed to the suite line. Some times you need to be proactive and speak up. The port agents are busy and see one line on an express pass and that's what they focus on. Not a reason to get ticked off IMO.

You are most certainly within your rights to sail or not sail with Celebrity. As you have read here and heard on the phone and in person with Celebrity employees and management, the rule is the rule. Good luck with your future travels. I've personally never heard of loyalty points being awarded without a trip being taken, be it cruise, hotel or air travel.

Thanks for the report.

I missed a cruise and received the points. My flight was late due to weather.

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I missed a cruise and received the points. My flight was late due to weather.

 

 

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On X?

bon voyage

On X?

 

 

 

bon voyage

Yes Celebrity. I called Captains Club not expecting to get the points but thinking no harm in asking...and they gave me the points.

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Yes Celebrity. I called Captains Club not expecting to get the points but thinking no harm in asking...and they gave me the points.

 

 

 

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Your result proves that it does indeed never hurts to ask. Someone was just in a very good mood, or completely unaware of the policy. Did you have insurance that covered you loss?

Your result proves that it does indeed never hurts to ask. Someone was just in a very good mood, or completely unaware of the policy. Did you have insurance that covered you loss?

No insurance...just refunded taxes and port fees.

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Yep it's Celebrity's policy.

Yep it's pretty standard in the industry.

That said, it's still WRONG! Why do people defend Celebrity? Doesn't it seem fair to most that if you pay for a cruise you should receive CC points? It's a small consolation for someone who had to pay thousands of dollars for a cruise they didn't take. Celebrity comes out ahead as they received full payment and didn't incur any on-board costs. Isn't it only fair that they still award the CC points that were paid for? Defending Celebrity because it's their "policy" makes no sense to me. A bad policy is bad!

Yes Celebrity. I called Captains Club not expecting to get the points but thinking no harm in asking...and they gave me the points.

 

 

 

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I can understand that one as you did not make the decision to cancel the cruise, it was completely out of your control due to the airline.

Yep it's Celebrity's policy.

Yep it's pretty standard in the industry.

 

That said, it's still WRONG! Why do people defend Celebrity? Doesn't it seem fair to most that if you pay for a cruise you should receive CC points? It's a small consolation for someone who had to pay thousands of dollars for a cruise they didn't take. Celebrity comes out ahead as they received full payment and didn't incur any on-board costs. Isn't it only fair that they still award the CC points that were paid for? Defending Celebrity because it's their "policy" makes no sense to me. A bad policy is bad!

I am sure you realize that the cruise points one receives is not a direct function of how much it cost. I am not sure if under the current system of earning credits that it would ever be worth paying for a cruise that you have no intention of taking, but it would have been on the old system. The points are based and rewarded after you complete the cruise.

Airline flights work the same. If you do not fly, you do not get the miles or credit towards status for the flight. There are times when people actually take a round trip flight just to get the credit/miles.

I cannot think of any Frequent customer program that allows the earning of Frequent points when you do not actually use the service. Can you give us some examples?

In this example the OP made a decision to take a risk and not to buy insurance. I “self insure” frequently, as well. Not only does he lose his fare, but the rewards he would have received.

I do feel bad for the OP, but I think he is only hurting himself by not wanting to partake of any type of vacation function, that will not give him reward points when he cancels. IMO the options may not even exist.

After the emotion of the situation dissipate, they may feel different in the future. At least that is my wish for them even if they never cruise on Celebrity again.

The cruise line does not charge for membership in Captains Club and gives points and relating benefits for the levels achieved according to their rules. Like it or not they get to set the rules accordingly. They are not required to give anything. I find the argument of OP a bit perplexing. Although I understand the OP's point, it is irrelevant. The cruise purchase is not the issue. X has chosen to reward cruisers who complete their trips. They aren't required according to the cruise contract you signed to give points just for paying. Like it or not, it's their ballpark and they get to set the ground rules.

The cruise line does not charge for membership in Captains Club and gives points and relating benefits for the levels achieved according to their rules. Like it or not they get to set the rules accordingly. They are not required to give anything. I find the argument of OP a bit perplexing. Although I understand the OP's point, it is irrelevant. The cruise purchase is not the issue. X has chosen to reward cruisers who complete their trips. They aren't required according to the cruise contract you signed to give points just for paying. Like it or not, it's their ballpark and they get to set the ground rules.

We joined Captain’s Club when they did charge a fee. That was 1999. But there wasn’t the same point system at that time.

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Yep it's Celebrity's policy.

Yep it's pretty standard in the industry.

 

That said, it's still WRONG! Why do people defend Celebrity? Doesn't it seem fair to most that if you pay for a cruise you should receive CC points? It's a small consolation for someone who had to pay thousands of dollars for a cruise they didn't take. Celebrity comes out ahead as they received full payment and didn't incur any on-board costs. Isn't it only fair that they still award the CC points that were paid for? Defending Celebrity because it's their "policy" makes no sense to me. A bad policy is bad!

I agree.