Heartfelt Plea to CEO from Loyal Celebrity Cruiser

[ECCruise]

Oh come on, the website is a disaster. I've spent nearly 20 years developing, producing and monitoring multi-million user sites. No way that users should relay problems they are having. It is a Hindenburg to anyone using it whether a corporate suit or a developer or a coder.

 

And the stock has been in this range before this year. It then got about a 35% haircut in a couple of weeks. Don't count those chickens quite yet...

 

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[Sealegs0604]

My husband and I thoroughly enjoy sailing on Celebrity. It is our line of choice, and we have recommended Celebrity to many friends and acquaintances who now feel the same. Please pay attention to the disastrous rollout of the new Celebrity website. It has become impossible to efficiently shop for new cruises for several months. It is slow. It doesn't give the complete itineraries at a glance. It doesn't maintain search information so that you can look at a cruise and then go back to the original search results, but instead makes you start over repeatedly. It gives inaccurate information. It is cumbersome and slow to accomplish even simple things that the old site, although flawed, made easy. On line check in is problematic. Updating profile information is error ridden. Even logging in is sometimes impossible, or takes multiple tries. It continually locks us out of our reservations. It has made a simple call to Captains Club a trial because since its inception the call volume has increased exponentially. Wait times, which never happened prior to the rollout, now often are in excess of 15 minutes. Things like booking shore excursions, dining, and new bookings, as well as service on existing bookings that could previously be accomplished with a website visit, now require calls to Captains Club. The website drives your business. Although the picture of you on Instagram visiting the Edge build site was nice, and necessary, please pay attention to the website problems. If you want to fill your lovely ships with passengers your website needs to function properly. This new one, although beautiful does not do the function that passengers need.

Send the this right to the office of the Ceo.

[Luvcrusn]

Send the this right to the office of the Ceo.

I would if I had the email address or snail mail address but alas I only have the telephone number.

 

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[AnOnymously]

I would if I had the email address or snail mail address but alas I only have the telephone number.

 

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Google CEO Celebrity Cruises surprising what you find. The last time the email was posted it was removed.

[vickykay]

I may have been one of the few who had no difficulties with the old website. I agree, the new one is awful.

[NLH Arizona]

I may have been one of the few who had no difficulties with the old website. I agree, the new one is awful.

I didn't have any issues with the old one, but the new one is a different story.

[Luvcrusn]

Google CEO Celebrity Cruises surprising what you find. The last time the email was posted it was removed.

 

Thanks. I found it by googling and sent it.

[mnocket]

I'm afraid there are only three explanations.....

 

1) The CIO and other senior management are not aware of how bad it is.

2) They are aware, but aren't willing to invest in improving it.

3) They are willing to invest, but the IT staff is not up to the task

 

I hate to say it, but I think it's a sign of poor management and I'm not expecting that to change anytime soon.

[TFLG]

Have you emailed Celebrity to complain about it? I did and actually got a reply. They said call them and they will help me navigate it. I don't need help navigating it. It's a horrible website and frustrating to use. But the more people that contact them to complain the better. If they get enough bad feedback they will probably attempt to correct it. I fear the fix will be worse based on their track record.

[caribill]

The software used internally must be different.

 

Otherwise, how could the Captain's Club reps be able to do on their screens what we mortals cannot do on ours?

[Luvcrusn]

Have you emailed Celebrity to complain about it? I did and actually got a reply. They said call them and they will help me navigate it. I don't need help navigating it. It's a horrible website and frustrating to use. But the more people that contact them to complain the better. If they get enough bad feedback they will probably attempt to correct it. I fear the fix will be worse based on their track record.

I have called the CEO'so office and spoken with her executive assistant who put me in touch with ÌT manager. I have spoken with IT several times and had promises that site would be functional by the end of May, then June, now August 15th. I've pointed out a lot of problems that they thought they'd already solved, but showed them that they haven't. You are right, the more people who contact them directly (above captains club level) the better.

[fshagan]

I have called the CEO'so office and spoken with her executive assistant who put me in touch with ÌT manager. I have spoken with IT several times and had promises that site would be functional by the end of May, then June, now August 15th. I've pointed out a lot of problems that they thought they'd already solved, but showed them that they haven't. You are right, the more people who contact them directly (above captains club level) the better.

 

That's very helpful to them, because you have taken the time to spend with them showing how it isn't working on your side of the screen. I work for a software company and there are times our application works fine for one segment of our audience, and not for another segment. The more specific information they have the better they can isolate the problems and get them fixed. But, not everyone will do that either because of time or patience.

 

I have had very few actual problems with the site. I'm able to search for cruises, find the right excursions, sign in for our upcoming cruise, input our information (including my wife's info), and print out everything. All of those issues are reported as broken for many of the people here. I believe they are having trouble, but it might not be entirely the site's fault. That's heresy here, and the environment is pretty hostile to differing views about the site.

 

The interface is extremely frustrating because it is 1) not accessible due to light type on a white background; 2) uses "frictionless" updating via JavaScript that doesn't give much indication the page has changed during log in, etc.; 3) is slow due to animations and very large "hero" images, even on my 50 mbps cable internet that renders most web sites very quickly and 4) may be subject to certain elements being blocked by common browser extensions such as ad blockers, script blockers, privacy features, etc. Those are design issues that they should change, but won't because they are the "modern" way.

[AnOnymously]

That's very helpful to them, because you have taken the time to spend with them showing how it isn't working on your side of the screen. I work for a software company and there are times our application works fine for one segment of our audience, and not for another segment. The more specific information they have the better they can isolate the problems and get them fixed. But, not everyone will do that either because of time or patience.

 

I have had very few actual problems with the site. I'm able to search for cruises, find the right excursions, sign in for our upcoming cruise, input our information (including my wife's info), and print out everything. All of those issues are reported as broken for many of the people here. I believe they are having trouble, but it might not be entirely the site's fault. That's heresy here, and the environment is pretty hostile to differing views about the site.

 

The interface is extremely frustrating because it is 1) not accessible due to light type on a white background; 2) uses "frictionless" updating via JavaScript that doesn't give much indication the page has changed during log in, etc.; 3) is slow due to animations and very large "hero" images, even on my 50 mbps cable internet that renders most web sites very quickly and 4) may be subject to certain elements being blocked by common browser extensions such as ad blockers, script blockers, privacy features, etc. Those are design issues that they should change, but won't because they are the "modern" way.

There are also problems for UK users, because we have to 'slip' from .co.uk to .com and several browse rs will just not do that anymore.

[hmorrow]

It took me an hour and a half, yesterday, to book a beverage package for my upcoming cruise. It was supposed to be 50% off. Some places it was, and some it wasn't?, It Kept locking me out while I was trying to find it. FINALLY got it, but VERY frustrating for sure.

Helaine

[Oceangoer2]

My specific problem is 2 excursions booked. One paid in full with OBC and the other half OBC, half Visa. I've now received two notices from X that I'm in arrears for the OBC amount and it's due to be paid by 7/27. Sent a note to my PVP but no answer yet. This is obviously a website problem interfacing with their accounting or financial depts. My reservation page showed my OBC as nil AFTER I booked and paid so I know it went through at my end. Otherwise the site has worked fine for me and better in some respects than the old one. I use Firefox browser.

[DYKWIA]

Unable to book using Google Chrome on UK website (Windows 10) . Get as far as picking cabin type (Balcony, Suite etc) and nothing happens. Tried clearing cache, cookies etc still same problem. This is the only commercial website that I knowingly have these issues.

 

On the US site (.com) again using Google Chrome when I press the "accept cookies" key - nothing happens - again the only commercial website I have this issue with

 

I can only conclude this is an issue at your end not mine, sort it please

[ghstudio]

So after i found and selected to manage my Caribbean cruise (FLL to FLL), I was offered the following excursions at the bottom of the manage page. I guess visits to Los Angeles, San Diego and Astoria will be offered during my cruise......

 

Excursions You Might Like

 

VIEW ALL ULTIMATE CARIBBEAN CRUISE EXCURSIONS

 

 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Beachfront Santa Monica, Malibu & Beverly Hills with airport drop-off

VIEW EXCURSION

 

 

 

 

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

San Diego & La Jolla Highlights with Airport Drop Off

VIEW EXCURSION

 

 

 

 

ASTORIA, OREGON

Panoramic Astoria

VIEW EXCURSION

[Straughn]

The one I keep getting is when researching Caribbean Cruises, the results include several options for Japan-hummm!

[Luvcrusn]

Here's some of my problems. I have the same problems on IE, Edge, Chrome and Firefox. I delete cookies and cache prior to visiting the site, and most times use an incognito window using Windows 10. I do not have to do this with any other site.

1. I search a cruise and refine to a specific ship. If ì look at an itinerary under the search results then click the back button it does not take me back to my search results.

 

2. It shows Grand Cayman as docked not tendered which is incorrect.

 

3. It shows the check in time for my Caribbean Cruise from Ft.Lauderdale

as 830 AM PST.

 

4. When I log in on the home page and enter my username and password it takes me to a a log in page. It does this sometimes 3 or 4 times in a row.

5. I cannot update my insurance policy number in My Profile because it contains letters as well as numbers and it will allow numbers only. The

old policy shown is formatted the same way.

6. In my profile there is a box asking for my middle name that is grayed out and won't allow me to enter it.

7. Under FAQ it tells you to go to My Celebrity which doesn't exist on the new site.

8. When searching for a cruise there is nothing other than the map that shows all the ports at a glance. To see the actual listing you need to scroll through 5 days at a time.

9. The specialty dining restaurant menus are no longer listed in full.

10. When doing a search you need to enter date criteria and or destination and departure port, search for cruises, then refine, then offers, then senior, then state, then Alabama shows up, then pick your state if you don't live in Alabama, then number of passenger before you can get what you want.

11. If you select a specific ship while searching for a cruise but then want to change the ship it's very difficult to change your selection and choose a different ship to search

12. It tells me how many days until online check in opens, but doesn't give the actual date. I have to count on the calendar if I want to know.

These are just a few of the problems I've encountered. More to come.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Luvcrusn

[Hlitner]

Yes, if the web site is an example of good management, LLP should be walking the plank. For example, we have back to back cruises booked for this coming Nov Dec. We were able to check in for the 2nd cruise but the earlier first cruise says we cannot even access the check in screens until the end of August. And then when we looked at excursions for a Caribbean cruise it says that we may "be interested in" excursions in Los Angeles, San Diego and Astoria, Oregon! What a mess.

 

As a stockholder, I am appalled that any large corporation could bring up a web site which is so full of major errors. If we did this at my old work place, many would have been tossed out the door and the sub-contractors would have been sued..and terminated. Celebrity should have shut down this new web site immediately....and brought back their previous software which may not have looked nice...but at least it worked (sometimes. But it would seem that LLP is busy doing tasks like taking cheap bottled water away from Aqua Class...rather then dealing with a software problem that is likely costing Celebrity a lot of lost revenue. If folks cannot book cruises they will look elsewhere. Those who cannot book excursions will not take excursions...or book private tours. etc etc. How sad. Obviously Celebrity broke a very basic rule of creating new web sites which is: Test, Test, Test...and then Test again...before going live.

 

Hank

[CCruiser1234]

My husband and I thoroughly enjoy sailing on Celebrity. It is our line of choice, and we have recommended Celebrity to many friends and acquaintances who now feel the same. Please pay attention to the disastrous rollout of the new Celebrity website. It has become impossible to efficiently shop for new cruises for several months. It is slow. It doesn't give the complete itineraries at a glance. It doesn't maintain search information so that you can look at a cruise and then go back to the original search results, but instead makes you start over repeatedly. It gives inaccurate information. It is cumbersome and slow to accomplish even simple things that the old site, although flawed, made easy. On line check in is problematic. Updating profile information is error ridden. Even logging in is sometimes impossible, or takes multiple tries. It continually locks us out of our reservations. It has made a simple call to Captains Club a trial because since its inception the call volume has increased exponentially. Wait times, which never happened prior to the rollout, now often are in excess of 15 minutes. Things like booking shore excursions, dining, and new bookings, as well as service on existing bookings that could previously be accomplished with a website visit, now require calls to Captains Club. The website drives your business. Although the picture of you on Instagram visiting the Edge build site was nice, and necessary, please pay attention to the website problems. If you want to fill your lovely ships with passengers your website needs to function properly. This new one, although beautiful does not do the function that passengers need.

 

 

Perfectly stated. X do not focus on tech as they should (IMO); rather- esthetics (of which they do an outstanding job) seemingly are allowed to consume their attention.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fshagan]

So after i found and selected to manage my Caribbean cruise (FLL to FLL), I was offered the following excursions at the bottom of the manage page. I guess visits to Los Angeles, San Diego and Astoria will be offered during my cruise......

 

Those are evidently "placeholders" because I get the same three at the bottom of the page for my Alaskan cruise. Click the "Explore Your Itinerary" link and you'll see the horizontal date / day menu with the excursions listed for each port.

 

[ciana]

I totally agree with comments posted here! The new website is an absolute disaster -- and the developers were probably paid a lot of dollars to create it! The old website was easy to navigate -- but this one is totally not user friendly!! I hope someone at Celebrity is reading this thread. The website is a mess!(n)

[Alakegirl]

I hope someone who is sailing on the President's cruise next month will take a printout of this and the other thread with similar comments and hand them to LLP in person!

[awhcruiser]

Maybe a post on Celebrity's social media page would do the trick.