Not fair customer service

[inforem]

First time poster who demands more compensation. Enough said.

 

Remember at one time we were ALL first time posters

[Orator]

Remember at one time we were ALL first time posters

 

Yes! Most of us asked a question, or asked for advice. Most of us returned and responded to what others said. Most of us love to cruise and continue to try to do what we can to assist the new cruiser in gaining the most from their cruising experience.

But, then there is the one issue complainer who posts and runs. They contribute little of value to our community, in fact they breed negativity. Fortunately, they are a very small minority.

I've been wanting to say this for quite some time. Thank you for the opportunity.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Orator

[bayonnejoe]

I feel I have to put my 2 cents in on this one. Or is it $200 as the original poster has complained about? First and foremost, having someone smoking on the next balcony, for me at least, would be a serious problem, because it involves my health. Second, and far less important, it's against Celebrity's rules. (If someone was smoking on a hotel balcony, and their room was not non-smoking, I would have no case.) First, I would go to guest services and ask that they handle this matter quickly, as I do consider it a personal health risk. If it was not handled in a timely fashion, and it happened again, I would contact the hotel manager. Having said all this, I would not want or ask for compensation of any kind, let alone $200 which I would consider far and above anything to expected.

Edited August 12, 2014 by bayonnejoe

[Honor]

I, too, would have politely but firmly complained to Guest Services about the smoking. However, I would not ask for nor would I expect any compensation, even if it took the cruise line several days to solve the problem. Smoking in non-smoking areas is not a problem unique to Celebrity or even unique to cruise lines. So good luck on patronizing other cruise lines and expecting a different experience. Your demands from Celebrity were overreaching and not appropriate.

[blindrid]

First time poster who demands more compensation. Enough said.

 

I'm with you. That and aren't you supposed to keep your door closed? I'm not buying the "choking" aspect either. Psychosomatic?

[dkjretired]

Yes! Most of us asked a question, or asked for advice. Most of us returned and responded to what others said. Most of us love to cruise and continue to try to do what we can to assist the new cruiser in gaining the most from their cruising experience.

But, then there is the one issue complainer who posts and runs. They contribute little of value to our community, in fact they breed negativity. Fortunately, they are a very small minority.

I've been wanting to say this for quite some time. Thank you for the opportunity.

 

Agree completely...

[gek]

You are all being terribly cruel to the OP. I had a similar problem on one of my cruises when I couldn't find a deck chair due to chair-hogs. This went on for the whole cruise despite my complaints and when I demanded compensation they ignored me. I told them I didn't want money, I just wanted to take one of the deckchairs home with me so I could use it there in peace. Initially I also asked that they install a pool for me at home but after some negotiation I lowered my demands to a more reasonable level.

 

Despite this I was still refused any compensation. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I chose a fairly average deckchair, not too shabby but nor was it brand new, and tried to take it ashore with me when I disembarked. Frustratingly I was accosted by security and refused even this minimal level of compensation.

 

In the end I just went up on deck and threw it overboard, then after disembarking I waited alongside the dock until it floated close enough for me to snare with a fishing line I borrowed from a nearby angler. The crew watching just shrugged their shoulders and clearly decided that my claim for compensation had been valid all along.

 

The deckchair now sits proudly in my backyard and I consider it adequate compensation for the agony I suffered onboard. I will cruise with X again because they honoured my compensation claim but next time I hope I don't have to fight so hard to get what is rightfully mine.

 

 

Now all I have to do is get my Rottweiler to stop being such a chair-hog.

Edited August 13, 2014 by gek

[Sloop-JohnB]

To GEK

 

Lol, guessing you are Canadian, British or Austalian...

 

As I recognize you are familiar with "the art" of sarcasm and dry (dead pan) humour

 

Good on ya mate :D:cool:

 

Cheers!

[WestLakeGirl]

Since his post states he's from Australia, good guess:):):)

[Sloop-JohnB]

Since his post states he's from Australia, good guess:):):)

 

Lol, honest that wasn't there when I commented... Which is WHY I took a stab at it.

 

Location was blank. He's updated his profile.

 

Cheers!

Edited August 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[NLH Arizona]

NLH -- I agree, from the aspect that a stiffer fine might act as a more effective deterrent -- some folks think nothing of dropping $250 at the casino, or the bar. However, I think the cruise line has to justify the charge as a reasonable "cleaning fee". Unless they had to replace carpet/draperies, I think $1,000 would be a little steep for that. :eek:

BTW -- I've noticed more and more non-smoking hotels placing warning notices that violators will be assessed a cleaning fee (usually in the $200-$300 range). :cool:

The reason I say raise the fee, is because another line announced that their balconies will be non-smoking on November 1st and some posters have already said that they will just budget in $250, so they can smoke. If the fee is large enough some will really think twice before they break the rule.

[gek]

Lol, honest that wasn't there when I commented... Which is WHY I took a stab at it.

 

Location was blank. He's updated his profile.

 

Cheers!

 

Yes I changed so I wouldn't be confused for Brit or Canadian. How degrading that would be :)

[Sloop-JohnB]

Yes I changed so I wouldn't be confused for Brit or Canadian. How degrading that would be :)

 

Lol, again with the wit. Love it.

 

Cheers!

[beentothere]

Just for a moment though, can we speak to why Celebrity guest services did not take immediate and decisive action when the OP first complained? I'd be very unhappy if I could not use my balcony that I paid for and expected to enjoy without being bothered by smoke. It's why I don't choose a balcony over the designated smoking area.

 

What is the recommended course of action if a passenger has a legitimate complaint and is not getting the appropriate and timely response from Guest Services?

 

Course of action: complain again to another agent who equally often also does nothing except write it in their log. Few cruise lines take complaints with the degree of response deserved.

 

I have not experienced good response to important complaints and I am sure its because I have freckles.

 

If, mind you, if Celebrity was serious about the smoking, they would institute a fine as the hotels do of as much as $500.00 for an offense. Then the punishment would begin to fit the crime. If the hotels can do it, why not the cruise lines? Now that's a positive direction as opposed to all these other hot wind complaints. All complain to Celebrity about not having a fine!

[Sloop-JohnB]

Course of action: complain again to another agent who equally often also does nothing except write it in their log. Few cruise lines take complaints with the degree of response deserved.

 

I have not experienced good response to important complaints and I am sure its because I have freckles.

 

If, mind you, if Celebrity was serious about the smoking, they would institute a fine as the hotels do of as much as $500.00 for an offense. Then the punishment would begin to fit the crime. If the hotels can do it, why not the cruise lines? Now that's a positive direction as opposed to all these other hot wind complaints. All complain to Celebrity about not having a fine

 

Celebrity DOES have a fine... It just is $ 250 (same rate as many Hotels in my experience)

 

Thing is some Travellers just don't care and blatently choose to ignore take the risk (seems to be particularly so on cruise ships... Having seen it more than once with my own eyes)

 

Some people are just beyond arrogant

 

Thing is tho... Legally those applying the fine are stuck between a rock and a hard spot... Cause in this age of "sue you"... Someone's complaint / word is not enough... Hard evidence must be gathered (be that butts or photographs)

 

And therein lies part of the problem in faster action not always being taken.

 

Cheers!

Edited August 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[JKHawaii]

What is silly about it. We are not smokers and cannot tolerate any kind of cigarette or cigar smoking. Frankly I do not blame the OP for his complaint.

 

Just for the record, I cannot tolerate smoke either.

 

What I find silly is yet another post where someone vows never to sail on XYZ cruise line because of the actions of one or two people. The statement that Celebrity does not care about retaining its loyal customers is even sillier.

 

Celebrity offered the OP compensation. Many here agree that it was adequate, if not generous. Just how much did the OP want to "buy" his loyalty?

 

This wasn't a case of a transgression by Celebrity or an employee .................. this was a problem caused by another passenger.

 

The OP jumps to the conclusion that ship employees did nothing about the smoking problem. How does he know? Perhaps the reason that they "somehow managed" to stop the smoking was that the offenders were kicked off the ship for being 3rd time offenders after being previously fined or warned.

 

It appears that many posters here find the OP's comments a bit silly as well, so I'll stick to my original comments.

 

By the way, if anyone finds a cruise line where everyone follows the rules, let me know and I'll try them out; however, I doubt they'll have S-Class ships!

 

Have a nice day!

[QE2_Fan]

I cannot believe Celebrity did do little in compensation here...it's obvious the OP expected 'fair' customer service to result in a n annual cruise in the penthouse Suite for life.

 

I hope I get a cabin next to a person that dries their intimates out on the balcony....I won't stand for it and will demand a minimum of a royal suite for all future cruises to help us ensure we won't see such sights again [emoji15][emoji13]

[jomf]

Yes I changed so I wouldn't be confused for Brit or Canadian. How degrading that would be :)

 

For You or Us?? :)

[bplazo]

Big deal if someone was smoking on a balcony, rules are not always followed and they should have offered you zilch for compensation.

[herbanrenewal]

My wife and I decided to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary on the Baltic / Northern Europe cruise.

We were looking forward to it with great anticipation, especially because we had a great experience with Celebrity Cruises last year on the “Reflection”. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case this time. From day one we suffered from cigarette smoke from the stateroom/balcony next door and on a ship where smoking is prohibited everywhere except for the designated area. Our complaints to “Guest Services” were met with promises to fix this problem. This continued for 5 days. We even had a night shift supervisor in our cabin in the middle of the night because my wife was choking from smoke and he caught our neighbor smoking on the balcony at 1:30 in the morning. Only on the sixth day of the cruise they somehow managed to stop our neighbor from smoking on the veranda. When I demanded compensation for the suffering and discomfort we experienced, “Guest Services” offered us a $75.00 per person compensation. I expressed my shock to such a low value they put on the discomfort of the passengers and they “graciously” increased this compensation to $100.00 ($20.00 per day).

I said that we are not satisfied with this amount and that I would raise this issue with the corporate office after we get home. I did write an email and after about 10 days I got a call from Celebrity and they said that the “Guest Services” on the ship were very generous and that they would not offer us any additional compensation. To which I responded that in this case this was our last cruise on Celebrity and that we’ll also avoid their sister company Royal Caribbean in the future.

Looks like Celebrity doesn’t care about the comfort of their passengers and retaining a loyal customer base isn’t something they care about.

 

obvious troll first post entering "controversial" subject

[Tudorcruisers]

I would hate some-one smoking on balcony beside me and would expect GS to sort it out earlier than 5 days. I would not have expected any compensation and feel that Celebrity were very generous in what they offered. I have had excellent customer service from Celebrity in the past.

[cle-guy]

Exactly how does X sort it while being fair and impartial?

 

They take the passengers word the neighbor is smoking and reprimand that customer.

 

That customer then gets back at you by having their buddy in another cabin call and say YOU were smoking and X reprimands you because another passenger told them, even though you didn't smoke and there was no evidence it happened.

 

Absent physical evidence, it's a catch-22 situation.

 

Should X punish customers based only on the word of another passenger?

 

But of course with physical proof, they should (and very much DO, as even evidenced in the OP's narrative) take the 1-2-3 and you're off the boat approach. In the OP's analysis, X clearly got to 1-2 and never got to 3.

Edited August 13, 2014 by cle-guy

[blindrid]

I, too, would have politely but firmly complained to Guest Services about the smoking. However, I would not ask for nor would I expect any compensation, even if it took the cruise line several days to solve the problem. Smoking in non-smoking areas is not a problem unique to Celebrity or even unique to cruise lines. So good luck on patronizing other cruise lines and expecting a different experience. Your demands from Celebrity were overreaching and not appropriate.

 

I agree totally.

 

Now that I'm thinking of it, should one get compensation for the fat guy in a Speedo?

 

Too many people get way too hung up on the compensation. The passenger contract we agree to is pretty specific and my contention, in this case, you were owed nothing and received more than that.

 

Unfortunately these days people are spoiled, expecting the world.

[Starry Eyes]

Exactly how does X sort it while being fair and impartial?

 

They take the passengers word the neighbor is smoking and reprimand that customer.

 

That customer then gets back at you by having their buddy in another cabin call and say YOU were smoking and X reprimands you because another passenger told them, even though you didn't smoke and there was no evidence it happened.

 

Absent physical evidence, it's a catch-22 situation.

 

Should X punish customers based only on the word of another passenger?

 

But of course with physical proof, they should (and very much DO, as even evidenced in the OP's narrative) take the 1-2-3 and you're off the boat approach. In the OP's analysis, X clearly got to 1-2 and never got to 3.

Oh, that is diabolical. So if ever we sail together remind me not to upset you;).

 

On Oasis, I snapped a pic across boardwalk of a repeat smoker on nonsmoking boardwalk balcony and took the photo to guest services. The smoking was bad enough, but the ash flicking over a public area was too much for me. The photo kept it from being my word against his.

 

Celebrity balconies are not as exposed as that, but if the smoker were in full view (like at rail), my camera might catch the image along with the seascape.

[gek]

For You or Us?? :)

 

Touché