Celebrity ruined the surprise for my in laws

[james'mommy]

The other day I booked a sailing on the Summit for spring break for 2017. I was very specific with the agent in that this was a surprise for the in laws and all communication is to go through me. Mainly because I don't want to listen to them for the next year and a half telling us we should let them pay. Yesterday I got an email pimping out specialty dining and shore excursions. Turns out MIL got the same email because she texted DH asking why she has a cruise booked that she didn't know about. So now the surprise is ruined. Celebrity says it's not their fault because when we gave them the Captain's Club numbers it opted them into emails. Well I didn't give them the CC numbers. The reservations agent pulled them on her own. If they had told me there was a chance it would generate emails to the in laws I would have had them leave off the CC numbers until we had told them. I booked Royal Caribbean a couple of months ago for the same week and they managed to not spoil it and they linked their CAS numbers to the reservation. I'm so mad that I want to cancel both cruises and sail another line but DH wants to sail out of San Juan and no one else is in San Juan at that time.

[maggie.1008]

Sorry that your surprise was ruined. Stay with Celebrity. I sailed on the Summit out of San Juan in May and it was a wonderful trip. You will still have fun planning and cruising with your in laws.

[TeaBag]

Have you admitted to your in-laws that you booked a cruise for them? By the way, I think you are a fantastic DIL! If you haven't, you could make up some story about emails going astray and the email they got must have been meant for someone else. I'm sorry Celebrity ruined your surprise.

[Dick in Falls Church]

From the old folks point of view--

 

I think you paying for it is fine--even amazing. Hopefully they will accept if gracefully (and pay for all kinds of other things).

 

 

Our kids have learned that they darn well better clear it with us before they finalize the plan. Couple of times now they have announced they are coming here on a certain date--and are surprised to find out we aren't going to be home.

 

 

Enjoy the cruise, and don't get too angry at the messenger

[wallie5446]

Sad the surprise is outta da bag:(

 

But it sounds like you know the in's an out's being in C&A and the folks having CC #'s. Each individual has their preferences set in the profile area of CC, and emails are automatically generated when that number is tied to a booking. there is nothing you nor the agent could have done to stop the auto send without going into their profile and resetting it. ( except as you said, leaving off their #'s )

 

Don't be hard on the Rep nor yourself, they will have a wonderful time.

Edited October 22, 2015 by wallie5446

[chemmo]

...first of all I think you are great to plan a surprise cruise for you in laws. OK, they are not going to have the surprise you planned but now they can have all the pleasure of looking forward to and planning.

 

To me so much of the cruise is the pleasure of 'looking forward to', researching itinerary...

 

Can I suggest you now look at a much simpler surprise when on board, perhaps a speciality meal?

 

I sincerely wish you and the family a wonderful vacation, I think you deserve it!

[OCruisers]

Sorry the surprise was ruined.

 

When were you planning on telling them?

 

Not so sure I'd like our children giving us a very last minute "surprise cruise".

 

LuLu

[cheeseheads4ever]

Sorry to hear about the non suprise. But boy to keep that quite for a year and a half without slipping up and spilling the beans would be a miracle. I know I'd screw up if it was me Mr. No Secret.

Yeah just enjoy the trip. This will be exciting for them as well. Enjoy your cruise..

[Lois R]

Sorry the surprise was ruined.

 

When were you planning on telling them?

 

Not so sure I'd like our children giving us a very last minute "surprise cruise".

 

LuLu

 

Hi Lulu,:) I think it is really nice they were giving their parents a cruise

but I have to agree with you...my parents are both gone now but if I was

to have ever tried to plan something like that? They would have wanted

to know about it.....timing and stuff......

 

Hope the original poster won't stay too angry.......it is a wonderful thing

they are doing.:)

[fleckle]

From the old folks point of view--

 

I think you paying for it is fine--even amazing. Hopefully they will accept if gracefully (and pay for all kinds of other things).

 

 

Our kids have learned that they darn well better clear it with us before they finalize the plan. Couple of times now they have announced they are coming here on a certain date--and are surprised to find out we aren't going to be home.

 

 

Enjoy the cruise, and don't get too angry at the messenger

We feel the same way.

 

We would want to know in advance, as early as possible, not only because we may have other plans for those dates, but also so we can have the extra time up front to enjoy the pre-cruise planning and anticipation.

 

Maybe it will help ease the OP's disappointment to consider that in addition to giving the in-laws a cruise, they are now also giving them all that additional time to enjoy looking forward to the cruise, to read and participate in the forums for the cruise line and cruise ports on Cruise Critic, and to brag to their friends about what wonderful children they have. ;)

 

[eandj]

Tough with all the prep needed before cruising to keep something a secret for a year and a half.

Be happy they know and you can start planning together. Shop for excursions, clothes, flights,hotels etc. Why cancel? I don't see a reason for that.

[need2bespoiled]

Frankly, based on Celebrity's past IT record, I am shocked anyone got any emails, but I guess maybe this is an area where their improvement wasn't needed.

 

For the record, I do think you're an amazing DIL, if you're upset about the surprise not happening, you could book me on a cruise and surprise me and I'd be happy to sail. I would act surprised if I got an email telling me I was booked on a cruise I didn't know about, though I doubt I would have to act as I'd be surprised I got an email from Celebrity at all. :p

 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[ladylemondrop]

Frankly, based on Celebrity's past IT record, I am shocked anyone got any emails, but I guess maybe this is an area where their improvement wasn't needed.

 

For the record, I do think you're an amazing DIL, if you're upset about the surprise not happening, you could book me on a cruise and surprise me and I'd be happy to sail. I would act surprised if I got an email telling me I was booked on a cruise I didn't know about, though I doubt I would have to act as I'd be surprised I got an email from Celebrity at all. :p

 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

This made me laugh out loud!! I expect the OP is mostly disappointed that they were not the ones to break the news, I would be cross too. But, that said, now you can come clean, and your parents have longer to be excited! They will love you anyway..

[RiotAct]

UGH, OP, I feel your pain. Had the exact same thing happen to me with Carnival a few weeks ago..... booked a 7-day in January of 2017 for my wife's 29th birthday, and put myself as the primary contact and everything when filling out the Passenger Information form.

 

Well, they must have still had my wife's e-mail address from a previous sailing, because the next day, they emailed BOTH of us with the cabin booking confirmation. Granted, I didn't call anyone at Carnival to tell them I wanted it to be a surprise, but still...

[james'mommy]

We were planning on telling them sometime next year around the time we would need to book airfare. We must have really crappy surprise planning luck because Disney once ruined my birthday surprise cruise by sending info to the house when DH had asked for everything to be sent to his work. MIL figured out it was us because DH's sister hates cruises. Now if Beaches emailed her she would have figured out it was SIL planning a trip.

[Bo1953]

We were planning on telling them sometime next year around the time we would need to book airfare. We must have really crappy surprise planning luck because Disney once ruined my birthday surprise cruise by sending info to the house when DH had asked for everything to be sent to his work. MIL figured out it was us because DH's sister hates cruises. Now if Beaches emailed her she would have figured out it was SIL planning a trip.

 

Well, look at it this way, after the cruise and all had a great time you will be able to look back and laugh about it all....

 

Then, the next time you plan a surprise like this, you will have to figure out a better way, possibly adding a letter or dropping a letter in the name(s) so there is no trace back readily, then transferring to a TA and having them update at some point before final payment... that may work.

 

Go and enjoy and have fun above all...

[cormike1]

My surprise 60th birthday gift to my husband was ruined by something different that even our travel agent forgot about. I was planning a Russian River cruise for July. I was going to make a whole bunch of Russian Matryoshka Doll pictures on sticks and put them on our front lawn for Christmas to surprise him. I had taken out Cancellation/Trip Interruption insurance when I booked and didn't the policy get mailed to our house instead of the TA's office. Of course my husband got the mail that day and opened it up. I was so disappointed but he was so excited. Then we had fun planning everything. That is what you can do now with your in-laws, enjoy and plan together! Have fun and how nice of you to do that!

[seapointer]

Here is what you did wrong: you gave their email address. I have booked cruises for myself, wife, and another relative who is a computer denier, so I always put my email address for her. That way, all contact from the cruise line comes to me.

 

Don't let it bother you. They will get the "let us pay" out of their system, instead of bothering you about it during the cruise.

[james'mommy]

Here is what you did wrong: you gave their email address. I have booked cruises for myself, wife, and another relative who is a computer denier, so I always put my email address for her. That way, all contact from the cruise line comes to me.

 

Don't let it bother you. They will get the "let us pay" out of their system, instead of bothering you about it during the cruise.

 

I never gave the agent their email address. I specifically said all emails were to go to my email address. I don't even know FIL's email address and MIL's address is business related so I certainly wouldn't give that out.

[ShakeDaddy]

Well look at it this way. Not all surprises work out and remain a surprise. I really wouldn't let it get to the point of cancelling your cruise cause your so mad about all of it. Maybe venting here is your way of moving on if so vent away, it's OK !! :)

[SunnyAJ]

The other day I booked a sailing on the Summit for spring break for 2017. I was very specific with the agent in that this was a surprise for the in laws and all communication is to go through me. Mainly because I don't want to listen to them for the next year and a half telling us we should let them pay. Yesterday I got an email pimping out specialty dining and shore excursions. Turns out MIL got the same email because she texted DH asking why she has a cruise booked that she didn't know about. So now the surprise is ruined. Celebrity says it's not their fault because when we gave them the Captain's Club numbers it opted them into emails. Well I didn't give them the CC numbers. The reservations agent pulled them on her own. If they had told me there was a chance it would generate emails to the in laws I would have had them leave off the CC numbers until we had told them. I booked Royal Caribbean a couple of months ago for the same week and they managed to not spoil it and they linked their CAS numbers to the reservation. I'm so mad that I want to cancel both cruises and sail another line but DH wants to sail out of San Juan and no one else is in San Juan at that time.

 

 

Ugh - I know that must be frustrating! I booked a surprise cruise for my parents exactly the same way and they didn't receive any emails before we told them, so not sure what was different. My parents are CC members too, so I gave Celebrity everything. Now that we have told them, they do have access to their online account and can see everything. I don't mind so much because they can book their own excursions, etc. We don't leave until the spring but they are so excited already. It's a wonderful gift you gave your in-laws!

[keesar]

This once happened to us and we were on the receiving end of the 'surprise'. We kept the 'surprise' to ourselves and it was fun that way. We decided to keep it to ourselves as we knew it was a mix up. We did not want to ruin it for the generous people giving us so nice a gift. Actually, it gave us more time to prepare and do little things to show our appreciation!

 

Actually, it gave me time to get my Passport in order.

[ehfl]

If your happiness depends on the actions of a phone operator at Celebrity, then you're going to be pretty unhappy.

[ShawninFL]

I can see one being disappointed that the surprise was ruined so soon and far out, but in the scheme of life, it's really a pretty minor thing. Time to move on and enjoy the anticipation and planning together.

[Got2Cruise]

Your hubby should have played dumb when his mother asked. I don't know what you are talking about. Still scratching my head how they got MIL email if you didn't give it to them. Did you provide a past pax loyalty number