What is going on with Scenic Cruises

[notamermaid]

10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Not so easy – tour guides are heavily regulated in Europe, with specialized educational programs and exams.  'Influencers' don't need any of that.

Yes and no. You can do long training or short seminars, have a certificate or no certificate. It depends on who employs you and how outwardly good you want to present yourself (badges, certificate). You can join the association but for the more sporadically working guides this is difficult because the association wants you to do a certain amount of tours in a certain time frame. In Germany that is. Many German and European cities only allow their own guides, so you may have your guide travelling with you but he or she will then say in city X "your guide Y will show you around". Sticking to my own river, I could do some training and negotiating. For other areas, yes, not much of an option. But I could join a group of passengers... Would love to try out Scenic - alas - above my budget. That is why I jumped on the idea of free food and lodgings for writing and blogging. 😁

 

You are right, influencers just write. Never want to be that. Still, I tell you how lovely the Rhine is. I guess that makes me influence all of you!

 

notamermaid

 

Edited July 26, 2022 by notamermaid

[isnowman]

Here is the letter:

 

I wanted to personally write to you regarding the recent challenges we've had with our pre-travel documentation and customer service in general.

 

But firstly, I want to acknowledge the inconvenience our service levels have caused you, our most important guests and assure you we take your comments seriously and we will be back to "normal" soon.

 

So what happened?

 

On the 20th of February this year our computer screens globally went blank, except for a simple message advising all our core operating systems and data had been encrypted. We'd been "cyber-attacked" and after a few messages from the hackers a ransom demand was made.

 

I took the decision not to pay as I believe it just incentivises these criminals to keep hacking other businesses.

 

What should have been a relatively short but painful nonetheless re-boot over 2 to 3 weeks, became a total system rebuild which took over nine weeks and we still have the odd "bug" to sort. However, very importantly all guest data was secure with no leaks.

 

During this time it was almost impossible to communicate as normal with our guests and industry partners. Timely cruise cancellations, document and flight issuance, as well as Call Centre response times were all impacted very significantly.

 

Since that time we've been dealing with a huge backlog, whilst trying to employ additional staff to cope with the return to full operations... with the added challenge of COVID related absenteeism.

 

Over and above this, some regions have experienced an unprecedented level of flight rescheduling and late flight cancellations - even on the day of departure - which once again adds a significant volume of urgent calls to the customer contact centre.

 

The two years of COVID pandemic caused cessation of operations and numerous other challenges, and in my 36 years since founding this business I can honestly say the last five months have been by far the most stressful.

 

I understand none of the above is your problem but I did want to share the reasons behind the challenges you face when dealing with us at present.

 

So what have we done about it?

 

Clearly we've restructured our IT department with a much stronger focus on security and recovery protocols.

 

We've employed a large number of additional reservations staff globally, which of course takes time with proper training etc. We've also set up a dedicated support team to handle the administrative tasks for each reservation, so our contact centre staff are more efficient.

 

Our document issuance pre-departure is now nearing pre-cyber event timing. Our average wait times for the customer contact centre have improved dramatically, however we still have occasional blow outs when we get numerous flight schedule changes or large numbers of staff on sick leave. For example, one office recently had 183 flight reschedules in one day, at a time when 13 staff members were on sick leave due to either the flu or COVID.

 

Despite all these challenges we've been heartened with the very positive guest response to Emerald Azzurra and indeed Scenic Eclipse’s inaugural Mediterranean season, as well as return to operations for our European river cruise fleet.

 

We as always are totally committed to overcoming these latest challenges, as we have done so over the many years. Once again I apologise for the inconvenience we've caused and assure you we will soon be back to normal.

 

Best Regards,

 

Glen Moroney,

Company Founder and Executive Chairman

Scenic Group (Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises)

[CPT Trips]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

You are right, influencers just write. Never want to be that. Still, I tell you how lovely the Rhine is. I guess that makes me influence all of you!

I think you will need to add shameless self promotion to your repertoire in order to qualify as an “influencer”. 😉😱

[notamermaid]

32 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

I think you will need to add shameless self promotion to your repertoire in order to qualify as an “influencer”. 😉😱

Okay, that rules me out as an influencer. I am uninteresting, not going to tell anyone about my latest pair of shoes . I will leave that to the young blonde river maidens.

 

So good to get a letter from Scenic. What a nightmare to have all screens going blank. And I am well aware of staff shortages still going on everywhere. Have had to deal with the fallout of that and covid sick colleagues recently myself.

 

Hope things further progress for the better for the company.

 

notamermaid

 

[CJANDH]

Thank you @isnowman for posting the Scenic explanation letter. I wish the company had issued something like this months ago. We all might have been a bit more understanding if they had. I agree this should be on their web site.

[flviking]

First time on Scenic in September. Received the email this am. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

I got 2 today:  one from Scenic [which I have sailed on] and one from Emerald [which I have not, but I am on their email list].

[wandering_aimlessly]

New to River cruising but stumbling across this thread.  It explains a lot of what we have been through with Emerald.  The highlights: Post cruise excursion was cancelled in Jan 2022 - 3 months before the cruise and while we were promised an "expedited" refund, the company went radio silent (likely the IT Hack).  When I finally reached a rep a week before the cruise on April 16th (3 days before we were to fly to Germany) they told us the cruise was cancelled, not sure when they would have told us if I didn't call.  Other cruise options offered were more than a week later - some were months later, and were just applying the amount we already paid.  We found out later some people on our cruise were offered a replacement cruise leaving from the same port just one day different - it left only partially full.  Both refunds were 4-6 month waits but received repeated assurances to "expedite".  Finally as the first cancellation from January hit the 6 month mark I reached out to a global executive located in the UK (I am in the US) and gave him the full story and timeline.  I received the check for both refunds within a week.  Will be interesting if I get some kind of letter from them as others here have - would be more communication than I received from them total, so I won't hold my breath.  Sounds like the parent (Scenic) has many of the same issues so sticking with other well known river cruise companies will be best for us. 

[Canal archive]

isnowman thanks for publishing have just got home and had I think worked out how to do it. They most probably had other things on their corporate minds as they’ve only just got a fully functioning website up and running. Well the letter seems to be doing the rounds and people are still wingging well you cannot please everyone and obviously not that many on these boards. I wonder what would have happened if they had paid the ransome! If I remember correctly it was reported on these boards that other cruise companies had hiccups around this time. Just because it’s not a North American company doesn’t mean it’s any lesser.
I think that finally ensures that I could never be an influencer. 

[loriva]

One of the surveys we filled out for Scenic after our Rhine cruise in June 2022 included the following email address that I do not recall seeing for Scenic anywhere.  Perhaps it is another option if people are still having trouble reaching Scenic.

 

customercare@scenic.com.au

[loriva]

My review of the Scenic Jade has been published for those looking for information on one sailing in 2022:  http://click.email.cruisecritic.com/?qs=a87331feb516c1812ba85f7cd4a2393fe11c74b4b0e628dab91a9e7a7f316c561cc6219fc5388ad0433fbc03b5989cf7a9c22ef435183556e6f48b7954763477

 

It is largely based on my "semi-live" thread, but with a few things added from perspective.  Offered in hopes it helps someone in planning a river cruise with Scenic.

[3Shelaghs]

My best advice to contact Scenic is to use their email. 

None of their websites have been working for me, and huge waits for telephones to be answered.

I have written a letter of concern, and had a prompt service call from rep re those concerns,  who answered all questions in a friendly and articulate manner.

I have used email with much better success. Hopefully when final payment is due, I will have a quicker experience to pay the bill????

FYI- the above posted telephone # for the Opal is still as stated.

[pontac]

On 6/26/2022 at 5:24 PM, English Tim said:

Those of you in the UK taking advantage of the complimentary chauffeur pick up to the airport, have you always had a Mercedes and have they always been on time?

 

Have just returned from our first Scenic trip. 

 

Transfer to/from Heathrow was by Addison Lee in a VW Sharan modern black people carrier, the driver was quiet and professional and was outside our door before scheduled time, and he took our cases and loaded them in the car.

 

Pickup from Heathrow, I was in baggage hall and read text from AL with the make (VW Sharan) and number of the car and that it was on its way. There was a link to track it. That was was followed by text to say it had arrived, and where driver would be and drivers mobile number. Then driver phoned me.

 

He was at arrivals but didn't have my name on his card, just Addison Lee. He wheeled one suitcase to car. 

 

Pick up was 05:00 arriving at hotel in Bordeaux at 17:00 and we got home at 23:50 after departing ship at 14:00. Long journey times down to indirect flights booked by Scenic

 

Cars on time, but not Mercedes.

Edited August 30, 2022 by pontac

[Canal archive]

The original company Scenic used which always used Mercedes was bought by Addison Lee.

[English Tim]

We have just returned from Budapest and we had a Mercedes on both legs and both drivers were on time and excellent.

[Canal archive]

It is definitely the way to start and end your experience I’m now researching having our main suitcases collected and delivered to our cruise ship and returned.

[terry&mike]

12 hours ago, Canal archive said:

It is definitely the way to start and end your experience I’m now researching having our main suitcases collected and delivered to our cruise ship and returned.

I just want to mention a possibility to keep in mind with the luggage service option.  The luggage services use airlines and air transport companies to get the luggage from you to the ship, and with the chaos of late with airlines and luggage, this can be problematic. We sailed the Queen Mary 2 NY to Southampton on August 5, and several of the guests who had used Cunard's White Glove Luggage Service did not receive their bags due to carrier delays. Unfortunately, a luggage delay in a transatlantic cruise is a major issue, so there were some unhappy people. With a river cruise, it can always catch you at an upcoming town, so maybe a better bet, but I felt it worth mentioning. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

I was tempted by the idea of these luggage services, until people started posting the restrictions on what you can pack with them.  It basically comes down to clothes only.  If I only put clothes in my big suitcase, I can easily handle the weight myself!

[Canal archive]

I see I have some more in depth research to do.

[flviking]

On 8/31/2022 at 3:58 PM, English Tim said:

We have just returned from Budapest and we had a Mercedes on both legs and both drivers were on time and excellent.

Is the chauffeur drive a perk for UK cruisers? We are in a Royal Panorama Suite. Couldn’t get Scenic to pick us up at our hotel in Budapest for the drive to the ship. They told our TA they would only transport us from the airport. As our hotel is right at Chain Bridge the distance for the driver would be much less than from the airport. Not a good taste on our first Scenic cruise. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

9 minutes ago, flviking said:

Is the chauffeur drive a perk for UK cruisers? We are in a Royal Panorama Suite. Couldn’t get Scenic to pick us up at our hotel in Budapest for the drive to the ship. They told our TA they would only transport us from the airport. As our hotel is right at Chain Bridge the distance for the driver would be much less than from the airport. Not a good taste on our first Scenic cruise. 

Limousine transfers are a benefit starting at the Platinum level:

https://www.scenicusa.com/why-scenic/scenic-club

[pontac]

15 hours ago, flviking said:

Is the chauffeur drive a perk for UK cruisers?

 

Chauffer travel from/to your house to/from airport/railway station is included (up to 50 miles each way) for all Scenic UK customers. If Scenic arrange a hotel at the destination they also include transport from/to boat.

 

But that foreign travel connection could be a coach, depending on how many passengers there are. We stayed at a hotel on arrival abroad and were taken to boat by coach, but on departure from boat were taken to airport by Mercedes people mover as only one other couple were departing at that time.

 

If you make your own hotel arrangements abroad - I didn't with Scenic but I have done with Viking - you have to make your own travel arrangements between hotel and boat.

 

The cruise companies have different offerings in their different markets.

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by pontac

[flviking]

1 hour ago, pontac said:

 

Chauffer travel from/to your house to/from airport/railway station is included (up to 50 miles each way) for all Scenic UK customers. If Scenic arrange a hotel at the destination they also include transport from/to boat.

 

But that foreign travel connection could be a coach, depending on how many passengers there are. We stayed at a hotel on arrival abroad and were taken to boat by coach, but on departure from boat were taken to airport by Mercedes people mover as only one other couple were departing at that time.

 

If you make your own hotel arrangements abroad - I didn't with Scenic but I have done with Viking - you have to make your own travel arrangements between hotel and boat.

 

The cruise companies have different offerings in their different markets.

 

Thanks for that explanation. We booked our own flights from the US. We arranged our own hotel in Budapest. Our suite includes private transfers. We are disappointed that the private transfer is so inflexible. It seems having a private car from the hotel would cost Scenic no more than from the airport as it is a much shorter distance. 

[franski]

3 hours ago, flviking said:

Thanks for that explanation. We booked our own flights from the US. We arranged our own hotel in Budapest. Our suite includes private transfers. We are disappointed that the private transfer is so inflexible. It seems having a private car from the hotel would cost Scenic no more than from the airport as it is a much shorter distance. 

If you stay in what they consider a "host hotel" for a pre-stay, they will include airport transfers - even if you are outside the tour dates.  They often have a hotel identified as a meeting point so they can get the boat cleaned before the next group arrives.  If you were staying there - or could get there - transfers would most likely be included. But - at that point - it might be a group transfer.

 

We are going in 3 days ahead of our Scenic cruise (eastern Europe). The tour starts with one night at the Marriott - so we booked there.  Transfers are now included - even though we are outside the tour dates. 

 

On a positive note, unless your hotel is way outside the downtown Buda/Pest area, a taxi will be really reasonable.

 

Fran

Edited September 16, 2022 by franski

[Canal archive]

With Scenic in the U.K.  your loyalty level determines your transfer distance and type the cabin type helps as well.