Celebrity: What's up with Infinity September-October 2016

[hcat]

Take it with a grain of salt is good advice...but folks are paying with hard earned dollars and deserve better treatment...esp those that have to put in for vacation leave way in advance..,

[milesfromu]

Glad that others are expressing their feelings about this issue. We wrote X and received a call in return. We communicated the concern with our two bookings on Infinity that are off the radar. Formal response is that nothing can be communicated until plans are final. They expect an announcement this week but cannot offer insight on what options we may or may not get if canceled or the itinerary is changed. Communicated our frustration about the new overnight program altering the original itinerary on our Eclipse sailing (dropping Antigua and adding sea time). Response was that ports and itineraries are always subject to change. Communicated our frustration over the lack of follow-up to a communication we sent concerning an excursion gone bad following disembarkation at Cape Liberty on 5/3. Basic issue was the tour was far short of what was advertised and sold. The response was that X is not responsible for actions or performance failure of its contracted tour operators.

 

In short, our frustrations were piling up and we realized that all of them hinged around a common theme: We no longer have faith in what we think we have booked coming through as advertised at time of sale, or coming through at all.

 

After a month of trying to get answers, we feel no better today. So much for brand loyalty.

 

We sure hope all of you find successful resolution with your bookings. We are leaning towards other alternatives at this point.

[norwegianwood57]

Candie, thank you for your comments. All input is appreciated.

 

Hopefully our collective disappointment with Celebrity is noticed by those that are making these decisions.

 

Every time I have called this week for answers, all representatives at Celebrity knew immediately what I was talking about. What is happening with the Infinity has created a loud buzz.

 

Lets get this buzz to reach very annoying proportions. Keep calling, keep demanding answers. They have our deposits!!!

[Driftwoodgal]

I normally do not book with a a TA. This is a first with the TA and first with Celebrity. We are Diamond Plus with Royal looking forward to my third crystal block. I was so pumped with my aft C1 cabin I talked a friend in joining us. I looked at other sailings...the after are gone. It isn't just putting in for vacation it is my aft cabin. I book my cruises around an aft cabin. Feeling really bummed.

If I understand things correctly they won't talk to me since I booked with a TA.

[Northern Aurora]

I've been reading this thread with great interest as we were impacted by a Millennium charter sale.

 

We had originally booked a Vancouver to Tokyo TP in September 2015 to be followed by a second cruise around Japan (great itinerary). Suddenly the TP and the next two following cruises were no longer listed on the Celebrity website. Members of the small but active roll calls for both of the cruises we were booked on posted the answers provided to both their travel agents and themselves when pressing Celebrity for any answers. Finally the answer was what we had expected -- the TP itinerary was being changed (Vancouver to a Chinese port) and the two subsequent cruises had been chartered to a Chinese company.

 

Given how we were treated I really wonder if the suits in Miami have any understanding regarding customer relations.

[miched]

I have 5 cruises including this one booked with Celebrity. This cruise was actually a transfer of a reservation from a cruise that was for March. I just wasn't in the mood to take another cruise 4 months after completing one. It is getting to be where all of the cruises are like the movie "Ground Hog Day" where every cruise is just a repeat of everything we did on the previous cruises. I don't know how people can constantly cruise.

 

This fiasco is really swaying me away from cruises and I am seriously thinking of seeing if I can get all of my Future Cruise Certificates deposits refunded if I cancel those five booked cruises.

 

Unhappy Cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[Driftwoodgal]

I guess the magic number is 5. I have 4 with Royal and one with Celebrity. Back to planning Transatlantic with Royal.

[Surrey_Pirates]

Candie, thank you for your comments. All input is appreciated.

 

Hopefully our collective disappointment with Celebrity is noticed by those that are making these decisions.

 

Every time I have called this week for answers, all representatives at Celebrity knew immediately what I was talking about. What is happening with the Infinity has created a loud buzz.

 

Lets get this buzz to reach very annoying proportions. Keep calling, keep demanding answers. They have our deposits!!!

 

You are right. We need to keep being vocal so Celebrity not only get the message but actually respond.

 

I am sure we all understand the commercial pressures as well as the logistical issues but this is about very basic customer service. If you do not value that it will come back and bite you on your bottom-line!

[rugbypopsie]

What's posdibly even more annoying is the dismissive way we are treated. If you try to talk directly to Celebrity they say "we can't discuss that with you talk to your agent" but they are not telling our agents snything either.. So basically they are simply telling us to go away. They may get their wish...permanently!

 

Sue

[Surrey_Pirates]

What's posdibly even more annoying is the dismissive way we are treated. If you try to talk directly to Celebrity they say "we can't discuss that with you talk to your agent" but they are not telling our agents snything either.. So basically they are simply telling us to go away. They may get their wish...permanently!

 

Sue

 

Too true!

[norwegianwood57]

We are booked with a TA as well but I tell them that I need information and it has nothing to do with a TA. Also I ask to speak to their supervisor, amazing how some tell me they ARE the supervisor. All this takes a ton of time. While I have it, I am keeping the pressure on them. Also letting them know that if we are cancelled, this will create all kinds of domino effects for us and be very costly. They need to know that just refunding a deposit is not dealing in good faith.

 

We gave a deposit, entering into a contract situation, now they wish to break this contract. That needs to cost them.

[miched]

We are booked with a TA as well but I tell them that I need information and it has nothing to do with a TA. Also I ask to speak to their supervisor, amazing how some tell me they ARE the supervisor. All this takes a ton of time. While I have it, I am keeping the pressure on them. Also letting them know that if we are cancelled, this will create all kinds of domino effects for us and be very costly. They need to know that just refunding a deposit is not dealing in good faith.

 

We gave a deposit, entering into a contract situation, now they wish to break this contract. That needs to cost them.

 

The problem is if you read the contract it favors Celebrity, plus there is also the provisions to cancel with a refund of the deposit before final payment and many do, so many break the contract.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[norwegianwood57]

Of course the contract favors Celebrity. But I am sure they wish to be seen as a Company that values its clients and wants to keep them. They can only do that by appeasing us and maybe it is too late for that already as some have already switched to other lines and who can blame them.

 

Lets keep the pressure on. We all intended to be on this cruise. Celebrity decided they can make more money by booking a charter ( I am assuming here).

 

It will cost them more in the long run to anger so many loyal clients.

[alinnj]

Of course the contract favors Celebrity. But I am sure they wish to be seen as a Company that values its clients and wants to keep them. They can only do that by appeasing us and maybe it is too late for that already as some have already switched to other lines and who can blame them.

 

Lets keep the pressure on. We all intended to be on this cruise. Celebrity decided they can make more money by booking a charter ( I am assuming here).

 

It will cost them more in the long run to anger so many loyal clients.

 

There aren't enough of us here on the boards compared to the thousands to make a difference! IMO they could care less, on to the new charter customers!

[lkneller]

When I booked this cruise (Oct 7) I thought it was priced very high for ship of this age. I was informed that the unique itinerary was the reason this cruise was so expensive.

 

Every passing day we are more disappointed in Celebrity. I think Celebrity is showing what they are made of, and what they really think of us. What will stop them from doing this again next year when the sailing is only 6 months away and we have purchased our non-fundable air? I don't know if I am going to be comfortable booking air after seeing how little we mean to Celebrity, and feeling that at any time they can pull the cruise out from under us.

 

 

We have had some issues with Princess in the past. We were treated like VALUED customers both times. Customer service means so much. We could have easily been done with Princess after our problems, but instead their Customer service made us feel like they really cared if we had a great experience with their brand, and tried to do what they could to make up for our problems. Happy to report we gave them another try and had an Excellent cruise.

 

 

Keeping all eyes and ears open and can't wait to see where this ends up.

[texkan]

What's posdibly even more annoying is the dismissive way we are treated. If you try to talk directly to Celebrity they say "we can't discuss that with you talk to your agent" but they are not telling our agents snything either.. So basically they are simply telling us to go away. They may get their wish...permanently!

 

Sue

 

I agree!!!

[islandgirlejfan]

We are trying to hold tight and hoping for the best.....this is the second time that this sort of thing has happened to us on Celebrity. We cruised Norwegian before and never had a cruise canceled. The lack of concern for the customer is going to make me think long and hard of who I'm going to book with next time if this happens again. Voting with our hard earned money will be a start for me in handling this.

[norwegianwood57]

There aren't enough of us here on the boards compared to the thousands to make a difference! IMO they could care less, on to the new charter customers!

 

I agree with you completely. There is a very small percentage of cruisers on CC. The rest are probably still unaware that anything has gone awry with their infinity booking. At least we are preparing ourselves for the inevitable, the rest will be very surprised when Celebrity finally chooses to tell us whats up.

[norwegianwood57]

I received an email today from Celebrity that they have a Concierge Desk to help us deal with all kinds of issues. I have not known of this "desk" before. So I called. Got the standard answer, "Maintenance" and we may get information by the end of the month. Incredible that Celebrity would keep us all waiting for that long.

 

here is the number for this Concierge Desk

 

1-877-284-3969

[ghstudio]

Celebrity continues to demonstrate an apparent lack of caring about their passengers. I keep getting the feeling we're numbers not people and the fact that folks book non-refundable air tickets and make other plans around a cruise just don't resonate with Celebrity because their T&C's don't require that they care....financially. Companies have a choice...the customer comes first or the $ comes first. Some do better than others at balancing the two....Celebrity is not, IMHO, one of those....

 

Cruise insurance can be purchased to cover cancel for any reason...but that's expensive, I'm not sure it would cover 100% of the non-refundable costs and if I'm not mistaken, I don't think the policy sold by celebrity would cover all the non cruise expenses if Celebrity cancels the cruise (someone correct me if I'm wrong on this).

 

Common sense would suggest that if Celebrity cancels a cruise for business reasons (eg charter), they should cover any non refundable costs incurred by the effected passengers plus they should compensate them for the inconvenience of planning time off at work, etc...with a credit towards a future cruise. As far as I've seen here, that's not what Celebrity offers.

 

The cruise "bill of rights" is pretty much a sham....it's all show with no recourse if it's not followed. Perhaps it's time to think about supporting or even advocating further legal controls of cruise lines that operate cruises from the United States....similar to those in the UK.

 

BTW...if a cruise is cancelled due to an unforseen mechanical or safety/medical issues, that's a different situation...the key is "unforseen". I'm only focused on the case where the ship is still revenue producing...eg. a charter instead of running the cruise that was originally sold.

Edited June 1, 2015 by ghstudio

[Semi Retired]

When I book a room at a hotel and give my cc or pay in advance, I do expect them to have that room for me. Its a reservation and unless I cancel it or don't show up, they can't "give up" my room to someone else. This is basically what Celebrity will be doing if it is given to another for a "floating hotel" convenience.

[Northern Aurora]

While reading these posts I have to wonder if the suits in Miami really understand that in most cases it is more expensive to replace an alienated former customer than to keep a repeat customer satisfied.

[alinnj]

Maybe Face book is a good place to post how unhappy you are with things! A lot of people read there and maybe some answers?

[Jane2357]

I once worked for a Fortune 500 company that DEMANDED - yes demanded loyalty from it's employees, but then showed none back to them. Mass firings where the "meeting room" was on the far side of the main cafeteria - so those let go had to be walked to the door through the throngs of fellow employees. Oh there were some H.R. people that lost their jobs over that snafu.

 

I don't have a dog in this hunt but I can so feel for the rest of you. What I find totally unacceptable is that the Celebrity person on these boards isn't here saying "we think it is going to be charted, we'll let you know as soon as we can, we'll do what we can to make it right". I've got $21,000 right now tied up in Celebrity cruises - if this is how they treat people - it makes me very uncomfortable.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Jane2357

[hcat]

I once worked for a Fortune 500 company that DEMANDED - yes demanded loyalty from it's employees, but then showed none back to them. Mass firings where the "meeting room" was on the far side of the main cafeteria - so those let go had to be walked to the door through the throngs of fellow employees. Oh there were some H.R. people that lost their jobs over that snafu.

 

I don't have a dog in this hunt but I can so feel for the rest of you. What I find totally unacceptable is that the Celebrity person on these boards isn't here saying "we think it is going to be charted, we'll let you know as soon as we can, we'll do what we can to make it right". I've got $21,000 right now tied up in Celebrity cruises - if this is how they treat people - it makes me very uncomfortable.

 

Great post....wish Celebrity would get it!

we actually changed our dates out of impatience and disgust.

We have 3 booked in AQ at present...but it seems to us that while Celeb used to feel like a congenial club ....it is now just a big uncaring business that is not performing well in important areas...including.customer relations and website functionality...