A question about compensation

[fantasy51]

This is really a question about a Celebrity ship but I am posting this on the Cunard boards (as well as the Celebrity one) because I feel I know so many of you people who travel Cunard and I respect your opinions.

 

I have just returned from the Equinox. Two issues occurred. I felt I was given too much compensation for one but not enough for the other. I would be interested in the views of other people.

 

On our first day we went to the Sunset Bar and by our third drink our waiter pointed out that we needed to head to Guest Relations to get them to fix our seapass as it did not have our Classic Package printed on it. I suppose that took me 10 minutes maximum. The next day we received a bottle of Merlot and a letter apologising for the problem we had experienced. I found it amusing as:

- we have a drinks package so don't need a bottle of wine;

- we don't drink red wine anyway.

However, I appreciated the gesture for what had been a minor inconvenience to me, one that the bar staff had handled well. We gave the bottle to a couple who did not have a drinks package.

 

A day or so later the lights went out in our room at about midnight. It was pitch black. In the process of checking what was happening to lights in the corridor, I walked into the bathroom door and cut my knee slightly, resulting in a small scab that lasted 10 days. (I phoned Guest Relations, who sent someone down who confirmed that there was a problem with 2 other rooms and so they would send an electrician.) We had to get ready for bed by the light of my wind-up torch. We had to take that to the bathroom during the night. I didn't sleep very well as I kept expecting it to be fixed and for the lights to come on and wake me up!

 

This continued the next day, with absolutely no light in the bathroom so I had to either use a torch or leave the door open - not really good when travelling with a male gay friend who would not want to see me showering! Finally the lights came on 18 hours later and we discovered it had been a problem with quite a lot of cabins - 'one particular line related to specific voltage was failing, that affected the stateroom lighting within the Fire Zone 5'. At that point I discovered that all the other rooms had emergency lighting, but ours had failed. As far as I know, we were the only room without any lights at all.

 

Two days later someone arrived at our door with a letter of apology and another bottle of Merlot! I took it back to Guest Relations with a 'thanks but no thanks' and laughed as I pointed out how silly it is to give this to someone with a drinks package who does not like red wine. The lady at the desk grinned along with me. She said she would see what she could do, especially as she knew we had been without emergency lighting as well. Two days later I was phoned again to say that Head Office would not budge, despite others complaining. She offered to exchange it for white wine to take home or share with friends in our room but I could not see the point. She was very helpful and asked if she could do anything else for us. I felt she did not agree with the decision of Head Office.

 

I certainly did not let it spoil my holiday but I wondered if I am being unreasonable in thinking that Celebrity should have acted more generously in a situation that put me in physical danger?

 

Diane

[Chunky2219]

The vagaries of how Celebrity deals with problems never ceases to amaze me. There's a constant stream of gripes over on that part of the forum.

 

Personally, I'd have been asking to swap the wine for a torch and claiming a free visit to the medical centre to have my injury dressed. Having said that, you're off the boat now so the best bet is to chalk it up to experience.

 

.

[Teddy123]

Of course, at the end of the day one has very little leverage in circumstances like this. However, if I had been without light in my cabin and bathroom for many hours, I would not accept a "superfluous" bottle of wine as adequate response. I would write/e-mail to the line's Head Office directly when I got home, also pointing out my disappointment with the proposed compensation.

 

All I can add is that when I complained about a shambolic flight back from the Med as part of a Cunard cruise, we got $75pp extra on board credit for an up-coming cruise. When I complained about issues on a Viking river cruise I got a very significant discount for another cruise, plus some cash. On the other hand, when I complained about serious issues on a Scenic river cruise, I got nowhere! (These were among a lot more cruises about which I didn't complain - I'm not a serial complainer!)

[Mid-Atlantic Ridge]

I'm struggling to see "physical danger" in this, l do understand there was a level of inconvenience but how you could measure that in terms of appropriate compensation l just don't know. You mentioned you still had a good time anyway which was the most important thing.

 

Personally, l would have been happy with a simple apology, l would move on, forget the whole thing and book another cruise.

 

M-AR

Edited September 8, 2016 by Mid-Atlantic Ridge

[fantasy51]

I'm struggling to see "physical danger" in this,

M-AR

 

Thank you for your comments. As I said, I started this thread just to see different reactions in order to help me sort out my own thoughts.

 

I personally think that being in a room in complete darkness is a physical danger. You don't know the obstacles when it's so close to the start of the cruise. You can walk into anything. Obviously the cruise line thinks so too, as it installs emergency lighting for just such situations. Unhappily, our emergency lighting did not operate. (I know it operated in other rooms as I was told some people complained because they could not sleep with the emergency lighting on.) We were therefore potentially in danger. I am glad I always pack a torch but imagine if I had been frail and without a torch.

[Teddy123]

Failed emergency lighting seems pretty serious and is perhaps getting near to contravening legislation (I don't know and am not an expert). Depending on how much fuss you want to make, this sounds like a "line of attack" to me.

[Host Hattie]

Failed emergency lighting seems pretty serious and is perhaps getting near to contravening legislation (I don't know and am not an expert). Depending on how much fuss you want to make, this sounds like a "line of attack" to me.

I agree, I wouldn't be worried about compensation but if there is supposed to be emergency lighting in the cabin, I would want to know why it hadn't worked as it should.

 

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Forums mobile app

[fantasy51]

Thank you Teddie and Hattie. I couldn't understand why no one seemed concerned that our emergency lighting did not work. Why did our room stewards not pick it up and report it? Why was no one concerned when I mentioned it? Admittedly I didn't know we should have had emergency lighting and did not report it during the blackout, but why was no concern shown afterwards? Why did they not come to our room to check that it was working now that power had been restored? (I did notice after the problem that we had a night light in our bathroom that had not been there before, so I hoped that meant that full emergency lighting had been restored.)

 

I'm not all that concerned about compensation but I did feel aggrieved that it was not taken seriously, which is what prompted all of this. Sometimes companies only take things seriously when they have to pay compensation. A genuine apology at the time is often better!

[LondonTowner]

fantasy51

 

If you weren't interested in compensation, why bother to put this on here? I think if you were expecting something you should have got something in writing at the time of events and followed up with a complaint in writing.

[Lanky Lad]

My first thought is why were they trying to off load the Merlot had they ordered too much?

 

On a more serious note, I am sure a lack of lighting of any kind would be against the SOLAS rules. Surely they could have provided you with some form of battery powered lights or better still moved you to another cabin. My understand is that cruise lines always leave a few cabins empty for emergencies.

[balf]

As always the time to complain is at the time. I have not found the Purser desk much help in this sort of situation and have at times asked for and had a meeting with, the hotel manager, or whatever the correct term is, and found him much more understanding of the problem.

 

It's simply not acceptable to have no lighting, and a temporary solution should obviously have been possible. Sometimes you do have to shout to be heard.

 

David.

[Underwatr]

For what it's worth when we travel via ship we put a small flashlight/torch in each bedside table against such an occurrence or something worse.

[Salacia]

As always the time to complain is at the time. I have not found the Purser desk much help in this sort of situation and have at times asked for and had a meeting with, the hotel manager, or whatever the correct term is, and found him much more understanding of the problem.

 

It's simply not acceptable to have no lighting, and a temporary solution should obviously have been possible. Sometimes you do have to shout to be heard.

 

David.

 

Yes.

[jimmybean]

Congratulations, fantasy51, on having the right attitude (not allowing this huge inconvenience ruin your voyage) and finding some humor in the ever-offered bottles of merlot.

 

DH and I also pack flashlights (torches), but have never been forced to use one (as yet). It was a good thing you were prepared!

 

What cabin number (or even deck number) was involved? I drink merlot and never buy drink packages AND am sailing on the Equinox in December. ;)

 

Jimmybean

[fantasy51]

What cabin number (or even deck number) was involved? I drink merlot and never buy drink packages AND am sailing on the Equinox in December. ;)

 

Jimmybean

 

Hi Jimmy. Aim for Deck 10, room 1122 and perhaps you too will receive bottle after bottle of Merlot.

 

Diane

[Nachosdelux]

I do not intend this as disrespectful, but cross-posting this is excessive.

 

You did what you did, and you feel what you feel.

 

Move on. Life is too short to dwell.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Nachosdelux

[fantasy51]

I do not intend this as disrespectful, but cross-posting this is excessive.

 

You did what you did, and you feel what you feel.

 

Move on. Life is too short to dwell.

 

Cross-posting this has been extremely interesting. I found some very helpful views on the Cunard site that I did not get on Celebrity. My first instinct was to only post on Cunard (as I feel I know and respect so many people on the Celebrity threads) but then I decided to add in Celebrity as well, as it was a Celebrity ship. I have found completely different answers on both sites, so cross-posting has given me a better cross-section of views.

 

Move on? I can't say it has been a big problem for me though the Celebrity posts have reacted as though it is! I decided earlier today that perhaps my problem there was being too polite and answering queries when they came up. It only seemed to prolong the situation. Oh well ...

 

I have written my letter to Guest Relations, suggesting what they could do in similar circumstances. I am happy in my mind to leave it there. Before that I had sent an email to the Celebrity UK agent who booked me on the cruise, someone who had laughed with me over the phone and had sent friendly emails. I thanked him for all his help and for the fantastic balcony we had and then told him what happened. Tonight I received an email back from him and he was upset at the way it was handled. He said he would pass my comments on to Customer Relations. It's good to hear that Celebrity agents also believe this was not right.

[jimmybean]

Hi Jimmy. Aim for Deck 10, room 1122 and perhaps you too will receive bottle after bottle of Merlot.

 

Diane

 

One can only hope ;) ….

 

Thanks, Diane. I, for one, enjoyed reading this thread. I sometimes cross-read other cruiseline boards, which has never made me cross-eyed (although sometimes snarky comments make me a little cross).

 

I believe feedback allows companies to fix problems and improve services. As someone who enjoys ship-travel, I am interested in general experiences as well as those specific to Cunard.

 

Thanks again,

 

Jimmybean