Price drop - Cunard Fare

[Jimsgirl]

I am sorry axelskater, but to write first that you get "excellent" service when you call Cunard, then later write that you call "a few times per day" just makes me shake my "poor old white haired head"

 

You sit by the phone call after call trying to find someone good to answer you ! Then you write that Cunard service is "excellent"!

 

A caller should receive good knowledgeable service the first time they call not the 3rd,4th or 5th time in a day.

 

My long suffering Agent spent an HOUR on the phone and was passed through 4 different departments before finding someone who knew where to find the information that I (a passenger) had given the agent days before.

[Lady49Monet]

I am sorry axelskater, but to write first that you get "excellent" service when you call Cunard, then later write that you call "a few times per day" just makes me shake my "poor old white haired head"

 

You sit by the phone call after call trying to find someone good to answer you ! Then you write that Cunard service is "excellent"!

 

A caller should receive good knowledgeable service the first time they call not the 3rd,4th or 5th time in a day.

 

My long suffering Agent spent an HOUR on the phone and was passed through 4 different departments before finding someone who knew where to find the information that I (a passenger) had given the agent days before.

I am astonished that Cunard operate such a poor customer service, and your Travel Agent also has difficulty in contacting them. I have always booked direct with Cunard online, and I have contacted custom service to change certain aspects of my travel arrangements. I wouldn't say they were excellent, but I wouldn't describe them as poor either. I suppose I am puzzled as to know why you want to continue using this Cruise Line given the many problems you have had with Cunard? What also astonishes me is why you still continue to use the same TA? If I decide to use a Travel Agent I expect them to sort everything out without disturbing me about the in's and out's. If they couldn't do that, then frankly I would bin them and try a different TA.

 

If have a poor customer service from any company, I just don't use them again, and I let them know why. I certainly don't continue to use the company.

[fantasy51]

I used to book online with Cunard and then I was phoned by a Cunard 'personal voyage specialist' (fancy name for someone at the booking department;)). I now book through her when I can. She knows my budget. She helps me get good deals. She even phoned me 10 days ago to let me know there was a cruise reduced to my price frame (only had £200 single supplement). I notified all my single friends and the result is that 5 of us have booked through her. (For each of them she had to phone Inventory and get them to release more cabins into the sale, as prices had gone up.) Hopefully that will give her incentive to phone me again when next there is a good deal. I could not fault the service she gives. Whenever I return from a cruise she phones me to see how it goes.

[Lady49Monet]

I used to book online with Cunard and then I was phoned by a Cunard 'personal voyage specialist' (fancy name for someone at the booking department;)). I now book through her when I can. She knows my budget. She helps me get good deals. She even phoned me 10 days ago to let me know there was a cruise reduced to my price frame (only had £200 single supplement). I notified all my single friends and the result is that 5 of us have booked through her. (For each of them she had to phone Inventory and get them to release more cabins into the sale, as prices had gone up.) Hopefully that will give her incentive to phone me again when next there is a good deal. I could not fault the service she gives. Whenever I return from a cruise she phones me to see how it goes.

 

 

Now that is excellent service. I want one[emoji3]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[fantasy51]

Now that is excellent service. I want one[emoji3]

 

I will happily refer you to mine, as long as you mention my name. I'm sure she would be happy to accept on her list someone else who books cruises. Email me at one of my fake (i.e. for playing games) email addresses: mynadianeve@yahoo.co.uk. I will check it for the next 2 days to see if you are interested.

[Jimsgirl]

I have explained over and over again why I cruise Cunard, so will not answer this question, except to say it involves not being able to fly long distances and needing B2B cruises.

 

Phoning Cunard in California is over 9,000 miles away from phoning Southampton UK. so the experience of one is not the experience of the other. It is not unusual for writers to report they had a bad experience in getting correct information from California.

 

I do not think USA has a truth in advertising law, so often companies publish mis -leading ads, or engage in bait and switch. For the same cruise the ads in USA are often quite different from the ads used for the same itinerary in your local paper in UK.

 

A local agent in my area often advertises "new ship" when in fact it is a VERY OLD ship, now sailing under a new name. For instance when the Viking Sun became , "new ship" Seaborne Sun, then "new ship" Prinsendam (which is its present life under HAL)

 

Posters have to be careful that they compare Apples with Apples and Bananas with Bananas.

[Lady49Monet]

"I have explained over and over again why I cruise Cunard, so will not answer this question, except to say it involves not being able to fly long distances and needing B2B cruises.

 

 

 

Phoning Cunard in California is over 9,000 miles away from phoning Southampton UK. so the experience of one is not the experience of the other. It is not unusual for writers to report they had a bad experience in getting correct information from California."

 

You obviously have a vitriolic dislike of all things Cunard I was curious as to why you continue use this company and pay good money for a holiday that is not going to be enjoyable. I understand the flying aspect. I would have thought you could do b2b within America. Obviously if you want to go further you are limited but I would not use this Cruise line if I had the customer service problems you have experienced. If you are then I think you will have to accept that Cunard are not going to deliver the exemplary first class service that you require.

 

 

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Edited September 14, 2014 by Lady49Monet

[brigittetom]

[quote I would have thought you could do b2b within America.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums[/quote

 

 

Well, that would certainly limit our travel horizons. :)

[brigittetom]

I don't know but $799 + tax FLASH Rate seems pretty good for an Inside Cabin on a 12 night CA/NE cruise aboard the QM2 :rolleyes:

 

 

You are absolutely correct.....I was only looking at the balcony price.

[axelskater]

I am sorry axelskater, but to write first that you get "excellent" service when you call Cunard, then later write that you call "a few times per day" just makes me shake my "poor old white haired head"

 

You sit by the phone call after call trying to find someone good to answer you ! Then you write that Cunard service is "excellent"!

 

A caller should receive good knowledgeable service the first time they call not the 3rd,4th or 5th time in a day.

 

My long suffering Agent spent an HOUR on the phone and was passed through 4 different departments before finding someone who knew where to find the information that I (a passenger) had given the agent days before.

 

I have never sat by the phone & called 4 or 5 times in one day. I simply said that Cunard like any customer service department will always have a bad apple or two. I don't let it ruin my experience. The 20 seconds it takes me to call and get someone else is no big deal. and the fact is, I do not let the one person in 10 who had a shoddy attitude change my mind that the rest of the people I have dealt with have generally been great.

The lady who called me a few evenings ago and offered the upgrade could not have been better. I had to put her on hold for a moment to finish another office call, she waited for me to reboot my computer so I could pull up the deck plan, then helped me pick just the right cabin, all with a very cheerful and friendly attitude. So yes, I would say that was excellent. If for some reason I have to call tomorrow and I get someone a little um..."grumpy" - I'll just try again. That doesn't diminish what the other shore side staff has done. Maybe I don't expect enough out of customer service and I need to be more exacting. But for me, it's easier to just call back and get just the right fit - on the rare occasion I need to do so. It's just not a big deal to me.

 

1JazzyLady - I hope you have a wonderful voyage on the QM2, My first trip on her especially was the best trip of my life; but it sounds a little like you are going in convinced that you won't. As for being the right "demographic" for the ship, I am not sure what you mean. I've seen all different people and nationalities on board, single, married, etc.

[Jimsgirl]

Perhaps Jazzy lady meant "will QM2 be right for me". Not a stupid question at all.

 

QM2 is big, it is confusing in layout, the experience is different to most "cruise" ships. Sea days rather than port days. If Jazzy lady prefers the more "exciting buzz" of RCCC than she will not like QM2. Neither she or the ship is wrong per se, just they are not the "right demographic".

 

QM2 Transatlantic is for the passenger for whom the ship and being at sea is the aim. You can fill your day which ever way suits you, but you cannot get off and walk around the town.

 

Mix of passenger, all sizes, all races, all levels of society, those who behave well and those that do not. If you want the true Cunard Transatlantic experience then do not chose to go on QM2 for a 2-4 day trip to Hamburg and back.

 

My "rules" are :- It is no one other person's business which type of cabin I am in, how much I paid, how big or small my house or apartment is, how old my car is, did I go to college. etc

 

The only thing that matters on a cruise is:- Does this or that person behave in a civilized manner to me? Do I behave in a civilized manner to them?

 

Have a wonderful trip Jazzy lady. I hope that for you the QM2 is everything you wished for.

 

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