St. Kitts & Grenada Eliminated $$$

[CrusingJoe]

Itinerary change on Constellation 19NOV2005.

 

Without any reason or refund of our port charges is not good customer service.

 

What we all should do, when we board the ship in San Juan, go to the purser's desk, complain and ask for a shipboard credit or some type of compensation. This will show our discontent.

 

If Celebrity dosn't care about their customers, why should we care about Celebrity. We might also want to complain at The Captain's Club desk. We can, call, call, & call, the purser's desk and The Captain's Club desk to complain should we not get any compensation. Remember we have 7 days to complain.........

 

Let show our support for our rights and each other and maybe we will be heard.

[usha]

St. Kitts is back on the itinerary. Now you only have Grenada to flip out about.

[dkjretired]

Itinerary change on Constellation 19NOV2005.

 

Without any reason or refund of our port charges is not good customer service.

 

What we all should do, when we board the ship in San Juan, go to the purser's desk, complain and ask for a shipboard credit or some type of compensation. This will show our discontent.

 

If Celebrity dosn't care about their customers, why should we care about Celebrity. We might also want to complain at The Captain's Club desk. We can, call, call, & call, the purser's desk and The Captain's Club desk to complain should we not get any compensation. Remember we have 7 days to complain.........

 

Let show our support for our rights and each other and maybe we will be heard.

 

Although I can agree with your disappointment I am curious as to why you think you deserve compensation. Suggest you read your cruise contract or any documents pertaining to the cruise.

[Seabee]

or...we could just go and enjoy our vacation!

[tbelian]

or...we could just go and enjoy our vacation!

 

Personally, IMHO, this is a much better use of your time.

 

The key word is 'vacation'. Beats a day at the salt mine most any way you slice it.

[garykool81]

It might not be worth "flipping out" about as previous posters have commented, but it does seem suspect that cruise lines *choose* to not refund port charges/taxes when a specific port is eliminated from a voyage.

 

Either these are upfront, non-refundable fees charged to the cruise line in advance (unlikely), or they are fees that are essentially charged upon docking at a particular port of call.

 

If a cruise line does not refund port charges for an eliminated port, that stinks of fraud to me. Pocketing customer monies specifically allocated for government/local taxes is NOT standard business practice in ANY country.

[Longboysfan]

Itinerary change on Constellation 19NOV2005.

 

Without any reason or refund of our port charges is not good customer service.

 

What we all should do, when we board the ship in San Juan, go to the purser's desk, complain and ask for a shipboard credit or some type of compensation. This will show our discontent.

 

If Celebrity dosn't care about their customers, why should we care about Celebrity. We might also want to complain at The Captain's Club desk. We can, call, call, & call, the purser's desk and The Captain's Club desk to complain should we not get any compensation. Remember we have 7 days to complain.........

 

Let show our support for our rights and each other and maybe we will be heard.

 

I agree with the statement below. Read your cruise contract.

 

Stupid question. Did you ever think????? :confused:

The ports may have taken a hit from one of the recent Hurricanes and did not want ships docking there.

The port is full that day.

The line knows there may be a peoblem with the port and is trying to avoid making your vacation worse.

 

Get a grip.

[dkjretired]

It might not be worth "flipping out" about as previous posters have commented, but it does seem suspect that cruise lines *choose* to not refund port charges/taxes when a specific port is eliminated from a voyage.

 

Either these are upfront, non-refundable fees charged to the cruise line in advance (unlikely), or they are fees that are essentially charged upon docking at a particular port of call.

 

If a cruise line does not refund port charges for an eliminated port, that stinks of fraud to me. Pocketing customer monies specifically allocated for government/local taxes is NOT standard business practice in ANY country.

 

They have to pay port charges in the new locations, probably a wash or pretty close to it.

[garykool81]

They have to pay port charges in the new locations, probably a wash or pretty close to it.

 

 

Correct, however, I've seen a NUMBER of situations where cruise lines (not simply Celebrity) eliminate ports of call with NO replacement -- only sea days -- and they still do not refund the port charges.

 

That is more of the situation I was referring to in the earlier post :-)

[tbelian]

I've seen a NUMBER of situations where cruise lines (not simply Celebrity) eliminate ports of call with NO replacement -- only sea days -- and they still do not refund the port charges.

 

 

Yup. Not just a 'Celebrity thing', and having said that, if it was an inappropriate use of money, illegal or otherwise fraudulent, dontcha think the cruise lines would have been called on it by now?

[CrusingJoe]

We paid a port charge for Granda and now we are not going. A few years ago the same thing happen when I cruised on Costa and there was a civil suit and we all receive monies. If I remember right, is was $50.00.

[CrusingJoe]

We paid a port charge for Granda and now we are not going. The replacemet Island is the cruise ships privet island and should have NO port tax. A few years ago the same thing happen when I cruised on Costa and there was a civil suit and we all receive monies. If I remember right, is was $50.00.

[Andy]

We paid a port charge for Granda and now we are not going. The replacemet Island is the cruise ships privet island and should have NO port tax. A few years ago the same thing happen when I cruised on Costa and there was a civil suit and we all receive monies. If I remember right, is was $50.00.

 

Hi Joe !

 

If you are talking about Casa De Campo, it is Not a Private Island. There would be port charges for Casa De Campo.

 

I totally understand your disappointment, but there can be 1,000,000 reasons for the change. It may not be about money. I would want to know the facts before I made that comment.

 

Please dont get too upset about it. It's a Cruise, and that is a great thing. I have had MANY port changes over the years, and while it does sting a bit, I would still take a Cruise over sitting in my office ANY day :)

 

Please try to enjoy your Cruise !

[ingrid295]

Host Andy,

 

Wouldn't it be nice if Celebrity issued a statement regarding the changes to our itinerary? As you said, I'm sure there are a million reasons for the change -- so what gives?

 

It goes beyond disappointment - many of us would not have chosen this particular cruise if we knew in advance that we would be parked in Dominican Republic for 3 days of a 7 day cruise.

 

We had other options & chose this itinerary. It's the way Celebrity has opted to enact the change that is irritating.

 

Doesn't leave a positive feeling about Celebrity. I will definitely think twice when booking my next cruise.

 

Ingrid.

[Andy]

Host Andy,

 

Wouldn't it be nice if Celebrity issued a statement regarding the changes to our itinerary? As you said, I'm sure there are a million reasons for the change -- so what gives?

 

It goes beyond disappointment - many of us would not have chosen this particular cruise if we knew in advance that we would be parked in Dominican Republic for 3 days of a 7 day cruise.

 

We had other options & chose this itinerary. It's the way Celebrity has opted to enact the change that is irritating.

 

Doesn't leave a positive feeling about Celebrity. I will definitely think twice when booking my next cruise.

 

Ingrid.

 

Hi Ingrid !

 

Believe me, I totally understand why you are disappointed. Would it be nice if Celebrity issued a statement ? Yes, it would. However, as they (to the best of my knowledge) never have done such things in the past, I would think it is unlikely.

 

I feel the best thing to do, is keep communicating with Captain's Club, and possibly send letters to Celebrity Management, and let them know you are unhappy. On page 2 of the new Captain's Club Magazine, the person in charge of Itinerary Planning is featured, so perhaps you should write to him.

 

I do feel that Celebrity is significantly more responsive to passengers comments and concerns, then they have been in some time. So, make sure you let them know you are unhappy. Hopefully, they will do something about it.

 

As for booking on another line ? Sure, you can do that, but the overall Cruise experience probably will not be as good as Celebrity.

 

For all of you that are affected, I hope it somehow improves. Be persistant. I wish you all the best !

[CrusingJoe]

Hi Joe !

 

If you are talking about Casa De Campo, it is Not a Private Island. There would be port charges for Casa De Campo.

 

I totally understand your disappointment, but there can be 1,000,000 reasons for the change. It may not be about money. I would want to know the facts before I made that comment.

 

Please dont get too upset about it. It's a Cruise, and that is a great thing. I have had MANY port changes over the years, and while it does sting a bit, I would still take a Cruise over sitting in my office ANY day :)

 

Please try to enjoy your Cruise !

 

Hi Andy, I am talking about Catalina Island. It's one of the new ports, from my understanding. Joe

[garykool81]

...if it was an inappropriate use of money, illegal or otherwise fraudulent, dontcha think the cruise lines would have been called on it by now?

 

The question is not IF. We know that it IS illegal to charge customers a fee under the guise of a federal, state or local tax, and then not pass those funds on to the appropriate agencies that were charging them in the first place. If the taxes are not necessary, they need to be refunded immediately.

 

Unfortunately, corporate America routinely breaks international and federal laws knowingly. Why? Because they are well versed with the fact that it is rare that an individual or group will be so outraged as to move forward with the headache of a lawsuit or other legal action.

 

For years, cruise lines deliberately violated international environmental laws by dumping waste into the ocean. Did they care about breaking the law or the environment then? Nope. Only did they begin to care and become “environmentally friendly” when they were caught by the authorities and slammed with a heavy fine.

 

The bottom line here is that cruise lines will continue to charge and keep taxes that perhaps aren't passed on to the proper agencies when a port is cancelled until they are regularly caught and reprimanded for doing so. Otherwise, it is just that much more cash in their pockets and inflated earnings for their investors.

[ingrid295]

I feel the best thing to do, is keep communicating with Captain's Club, and possibly send letters to Celebrity Management, and let them know you are unhappy. On page 2 of the new Captain's Club Magazine, the person in charge of Itinerary Planning is featured, so perhaps you should write to him.

 

I did write to Celebrity. My letter is posted on the Constellation Roll Call - Thanksgiving 2005 board. I'll let you know if I hear anything.

 

Ingrid.

[hermang]

Surprise Surprise - just as quickly as they took off St. Kitts on the Constellation it is suddenly back. And if I am not mistaken Barbados is there as a replacement for Grenada or was it there all the time?

 

Maybe the thing to do is vote with your wallet as some people have sugggested. Instead of giving up your vacation or raising your blood pressure - Don't book a suite, or Concierge Class, don't book a specialty restaurant, book your own shorex and when the passenger comment cards show up tell them why you didin't. If they see how much revenue they lose by p*****g off the pax Maybe they will at least give us some answers.

 

Ok Celebrity management - you want a passenger advisory council - there you go -

[anniew74]

Hi All

I'm from the UK and only found out about the itinerary change by accident the other day. I am so disappointed. I have called Celebrity several times but they are very disinterested in my concerns - they say it's just a minor change so they don't have to offer refunds or compensation. I'd say 2 out of 7 days is quite major and as my mother is disabled we will not be able to get to Catalina island at all. I'd say the value of this cruise has decreased and it will not be the vacation I'd planned or hope for so to this end I will keep hassling Celebrity until I get somewhere! I hope others will do the same!

[anniew74]

Hi All

I'm from the UK and only found out about the itinerary change by accident the other day. I am so disappointed. I have called Celebrity several times but they are very disinterested in my concerns - they say it's just a minor change so they don't have to offer refunds or compensation. I'd say 2 out of 7 days is quite major and as my mother is disabled we will not be able to get to Catalina island at all. I'd say the value of this cruise has decreased and it will not be the vacation I'd planned or hope for so to this end I will keep hassling Celebrity until I get somewhere! I hope others will do the same!