Customer Service - The lost art

[huenix]

Yesterday, I spent over an hour on the phone with RCCL's vacation planners trying to find a connecting pair of rooms for 5 total (2 adult, 3 kids). Finally the sales rep found one, and took all of our info, and was at the point of asking for payment when she had a "Computer problem"

 

She took our number and said she would call right back.

 

Five hours later my wife called back. Turns out the rooms were not connecting. Nor were either one for 3 people. As a matter of fact they had no connecting OV's left at all. And had not for a while. There was also no record of the reservation from the previous call. The new sales guy tried to convince my wife that side by side cabins (non connecting) would be fine for the kids, but my wife was having none of that.

 

She hung up and wrote a rather tense email to C&A explaining all of the above and more. I doubt that even C&A can change the laws of physics (No connecting rooms and I can't imagine them cutting some bulkheads...) but its so frustrating to deal with this crap. If the first person had just said "oops, my bad, these are not the cabins you are looking for!" <waves Jedi hand> we probably could have found something else without problems.

 

The bad part is that we are extremely limited in weeks we can go this year and that specific cruise/itinerary was perfect for us.

 

Any guess on whether C&A will even bother to respond? Any thoughts? There is a similar Celebrity sailing that same week (western Caribbean with similar stops) but I don't get a good feel that Celebrity has the same level of kids programs.

[cruisenfever]

I am so sorry to hear about your bad experience with Customer Service. It's unfortunate that not all reps are on the same page.

 

Here is the telephone number to the Offices of Executive Customer Service 1-888-767-4644. Just stay on the line and ignore when the automated voice will ask to put your party's extension number in......you will be connected to the next available rep.

 

IMHO, I think the kids would enjoy an RCI ship more than a Celebrity ship.;)

[PH8]

With the new website program,you can check for connecting cabins yourself on http://www.rccl.com.

 

Good luck!:)

[huenix]

With the new website program,you can check for connecting cabins yourself on www.rccl.com.

 

Good luck!:)

 

You can look but you cant book it with more than 4 guests. I understand why but being this frustrated is certainly not the way to start out a vacation.

[dcgrumpy]

You can look but you cant book it with more than 4 guests. I understand why but being this frustrated is certainly not the way to start out a vacation.

Are you sure? I tried it a few days ago for 5 of us and it let me get as far as the screen where you enter guests names. I didn't go any further but it appeared as though I would be able to book both cabins.

[huenix]

Are you sure? I tried it a few days ago for 5 of us and it let me get as far as the screen where you enter guests names. I didn't go any further but it appeared as though I would be able to book both cabins.

 

On the thing where you select number of guests (Adults and kids) I get:

 

The total number of guests per reservation may not exceed four.

 

I'm pretty sure I could do two reservations this way, but thats not really my point.

[PH8]

But you wont have 5 in one cabin..........do a mock booking for 3(and then it will show connecting cabins for the other 2).........

[PH8]

Read your other posts to figure out when you want to go.LB on June 20th,right??

 

there are no available OVs or INs for 3...but there is one set of connecting balconies......cabins 9616 and 9618

 

thats your only choice for connecting cabins right now........so if you really want them,you need to call now,

[dcgrumpy]

On the thing where you select number of guests (Adults and kids) I get:

 

The total number of guests per reservation may not exceed four.

 

I'm pretty sure I could do two reservations this way, but thats not really my point.

 

Right, but all you have to do is select 3 pick "connecting cabins" book the first and then it will let you book the second cabin. Reading your OP I thought you were saying that connecting cabins can't be booked online.

[huenix]

I get the "howto" on the connecting rooms now. Dang. I wish I had realized that before, things woudl have been much better.

[twoputt.plusone]

I don't get a good feel that Celebrity has the same level of kids programs.

 

Don't be so quick to discount Celebrity's children's programs. Depending on the ship and the ages of your kids, IMO they have some of the best programs out there. As in all things this subjective, YMMV. ;)

[huenix]

Read your other posts to figure out when you want to go.LB on June 20th,right??

 

there are no available OVs or INs for 3...but there is one set of connecting balconies......cabins 9616 and 9618

 

thats your only choice for connecting cabins right now........so if you really want them,you need to call now,

 

 

Thank You!!! I'm waiting on my wife to get home to agree.

[dcgrumpy]

Thank You!!! I'm waiting on my wife to get home to agree.

 

 

Can you put a courtesy hold on it?

[bluegirlum]

I've always received a quick response from C&A, but they're been minor details, not something like this. I hope it works out!

[PH8]

Thank You!!! I'm waiting on my wife to get home to agree.

 

Can you put a courtesy hold on it?

Good idea............OP........it wont cost you a dime to put a courtesy hold on them but only if you do it online.......

[cruisenfever]

Good idea............OP........it wont cost you a dime to put a courtesy hold on them but only if you do it online.......

You mean you can't put a courtesy hold on a specific cabin when calling in and speaking to a rep? Our TA can do it for us........and she get's a courtesy hold for up to a week......and then can renew for another week.

[akcruz]

You mean you can't put a courtesy hold on a specific cabin when calling in and speaking to a rep? Our TA can do it for us........and she get's a courtesy hold for up to a week......and then can renew for another week.

 

Yep, I've tried calling in the past to see what cabins were available, then asked to put them on hold. Was told no can do. The only way to put a hold on a cabin without applying $$ is to do it on-line or through your TA. Not sure how the TAs do it but they seem to be able to. One advantage to a TA!

[PH8]

You mean you can't put a courtesy hold on a specific cabin when calling in and speaking to a rep? Our TA can do it for us........and she get's a courtesy hold for up to a week......and then can renew for another week.

Nope,when you call,you pay...............guess someone has to pay that helpful :rolleyes: reps salary..:p

[cruisenfever]

Yep, I've tried calling in the past to see what cabins were available, then asked to put them on hold. Was told no can do. The only way to put a hold on a cabin without applying $$ is to do it on-line or through your TA. Not sure how the TAs do it but they seem to be able to. One advantage to a TA!

OK, that makes sense when dealing with a TA.

 

Nope,when you call,you pay...............guess someone has to pay that helpful :rolleyes: reps salary..:p

Yeah right.........when hired they must all get a copy of the "Inconsistency Policy" to read.:D

[PH8]

OK, that makes sense when dealing with a TA.

 

 

Yeah right.........when hired they must all get a copy of the "Inconsistency Policy" to read.:D

such cynicism:p