Thank you for calling Disney Cruise Line Your Wait Time will be 600 minutes (no joke)

[BeachBoat&breaks]

Since last weeks "system upgrade" DCL website and phone lines have been a HOT mess. Since Wednesday the phone lines haven't had wait times under 100 minutes if you don't simply get a busy signal.  The recording to get the wait time is 5-6 minutes into an automated menu and recording about COVID vaccine requirements.  I woke up early (6 am on a Sunday morning) to call when they open right at 6.  The first 5 calls gave an error recording before the 100+ minute recording. Costco travel put up a banner on their website on Saturday saying they can't book Disney Cruises on their website AND their call center.  The DCL website is also glitching, so uh... good luck for clarification on things like Kids Club reservations or a cabin change.  

[BeachBoat&breaks]

After holding on the quoted 100 minute time for 82 minutes a second recording just gave me a hold time of 428 minutes!!!!  

[BeachBoat&breaks]

Update: hold time update 256 min. Now I am already 154 min in, so what's another 100 min at this point. 

[BeachBoat&breaks]

DCL phone lines now has a recording on new calls saying "We cannot take your call right now".  So that's progress... 

[BeachBoat&breaks]

Passing the 3 hour mark...  No update message on wait time. 

[BeachBoat&breaks]

216 minutes so far, also no update on "expected wait time" but I'm closing in on that 256 min quoted time (now that we blew past that original 100 minutes quoted when I called at center opening time!)

[BeachBoat&breaks]

Shortly after last posting I did reach an agent, and we are unraveling the mess of a couple of duplicate reservations caused by recent system glitches and confirming everyone has the right cabin, right reservation assigned (24 hour hold reservations were not deleting and also not allowing final payments blocking cabins w the other family members) on a trip less than 30 days out. 

[BeachBoat&breaks]

Couple of thoughts. These are all management/IT related issues and I hope people are not taking it out on the agents they speak with. DCL needs to post WHICH voyages do not have to book youth club, for instance, so that there is clarity.  It's also still sailing at reduced capacity, but they don't make that clear or what that is.  Now I realize that we never knew HOW booked a ship is in "the before times" short of looking at availability etc. The agents are still doing a beautiful job and really keeping it all together. It sounds like they're dealing with some very rude callers. 

[avlski]

No need to be efficient! Making enough money! 

 

[Oceansaway17]

still bad.  I called at 3:15 today and it is 5:45 and they said I still have 131 minutes.

 

This is bad business.  Why can't they find folks within the company to answer phones for a few days and keep the lines open 24 hours for a week to catch up.

so annoyed.  After I take the cruise I want to adjust from Wish to Dream, then I am done

[Shmoo here]

8 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

still bad.  I called at 3:15 today and it is 5:45 and they said I still have 131 minutes.

 

This is bad business.  Why can't they find folks within the company to answer phones for a few days and keep the lines open 24 hours for a week to catch up.

so annoyed.  After I take the cruise I want to adjust from Wish to Dream, then I am done

The issue is the recent "upgrade".  When it was implemented a whole lot of reservations got messed up.  People started calling to get things straightened out and that's a lot of phone calls to cover.  Each error was taking upwards of 2-3 hours to process.

 

You can't just "find folks within the company to answer phones for a few days" as they need to be able to actually do something.  Training would be involved.

[Oceansaway17]

1 minute ago, Shmoo here said:

The issue is the recent "upgrade".  When it was implemented a whole lot of reservations got messed up.  People started calling to get things straightened out and that's a lot of phone calls to cover.  Each error was taking upwards of 2-3 hours to process.

 

You can't just "find folks within the company to answer phones for a few days" as they need to be able to actually do something.  Training would be involved.

I do not know of very many business for a week or so that say sorry we are too busy to help you.

 

I am sure some office workers could with a couple of hours work the computer and answer questions.

 

[somechic]

I'm on hold this morning.  I was told 99 minutes....we will see.  

[BeachBoat&breaks]

I sent an email and received a response 3 days later, so for non-urgent matters, that would work.  That being said, a follow-up question I have about the kids club bookings (still required on my voyage according to the agent I spoke with - again an April 13 sailing), still has not been answered which I sent 5 days ago. I will update as to the answer and response time.  

 

[kimmy624]

Last time I had to call, I was on hold for nearly 8 hours.

[FANC6]

Has anyone had any success getting through by phone? I have been trying for 3 days and still have not been able to get through! I have sent 2 emails and no response there either. Is there any other phone number to call? I am very frustrated with this cruiseline! Their incompetence is colossal for a company like Disney! Hopefully they get this mess straightened out soon!😠

[FANC6]

How ironic! Right after I posted this Disney finally answered and I was able to get my reservations straightened out. Maybe somebody is reading these boards!lol😄

[elisejk]

I was on hold  for 5 hours and 35 minutes before someone picked up. I'm going to need to call again as I have follow up questions. 🙃

Edited March 26, 2022 by elisejk