Customer Service Answers: Night& Day

[Azulann]

I call the Celebrity number for Emergency Services had a question about embarkation day, and late arrival for the first day of an overnight of the Constellation at the beginning of our cruise Oct 31. in Istanbul.

 

First, I got a CS person named Fantasy( I kid you not:confused:). I asked my question. She said that it was up to the customs folks who work for the Turkish government if they will allow us in. They will be on duty till 8pm. I said I want to know if the Celebrity personal will be at the pier if we are maybe 15 minutes beyond their 6pm cutoff time for check in.

She repeated that it was beyond Celebrity's control, and the customs agents might make us wait till next morning. I went round and round with her that she was not answering my question about the Celebrity personal leaving at 6pm from dockside.

Finally, I thanked Fantasy for her time and hung up.

 

Waited twenty minutes.

Called again and got Mr. Alexander.

Asked him the same question. He quickly replied that if we missed the 6pm check in all that meant is that there would not be any porters available to handle our luggage. we would have to carry them ourselves. If we , then one again ,and tell them we are on our way. Celebrity will have someone check us in at the pier and then we carry our own bags on board. Never a mention about Turkish customs agents at the pier.

 

I am not calling a third time.

I do not want my press my luck.

I will take answer number two.:D

[Rick-cruiser]

By not getting a definite answer to your question, you ARE pressing your luck.... :rolleyes:

 

- Rick

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[Azulann]

The consensus from many experienced cruisers on other threads confirm the answer #2.

And my experience this morning also confirms many posters remarks that customer service gives different answers depending upon who answers the phone on the other end.

[ghstudio]

You are far better to follow information here. The celebrity folks you reach on the phone have no clue what happens...they just guess at an answer.

[alcpa1]

Another approach would be a call or e mail, if possible, the ship's Istanbul agent.

That would resolve Fantasy's approach.

As far as taking your luggage onboard, you would need to send it through the ship's security and if I am reading your post correctly the ship is overnighting in Istanbul. If that is the case, the security will be available all night.

The issue is check in, and I can't help at all there.

Good luck

[Azulann]

Alcpa1,

I did ask Fantasy for the name of the Istanbul port agent for Celebrity she said that she could not give me that name. it was against the rules!!!

Tha was when I decided to end the conversation.

 

yes, the ship will overnight and leave the following evening at 8pm.

 

It was my question about check in with Celebrity that she could not answer for me if I got there after 6pm. We should be fine, but if traffic from airport to ship is really bad we might get there right at 6. I am hoping to be there by 5:30 Our plane lands at 3:50pm. We have our visa already, and private car service arranged.

 

I do think answer #2 was more informative and he was very helpful and did not seem to be reading from a script.He said to call this 800 number if we will miss the 6pm tme, and Celebrity wil be sure to have a check in peroson waiting for us but no porter.

this was the first time I have ever called Celebrity with a question.