New to Celebrity-On-Hold Phone Hold Times?

[FinelyRetired]

Booked cruise with them recently.  Have cruised with 5 other lines. I'm Using: 1-888-533-7803.

 

Just need a few items clarified, but hold times the last 3 days have

been 1 hour, 40min, & just now 40minutes when I gave up. Each time the automated person has said

high volume, go online or hold on with expected 4 minutes wait time?

 

Do I have the wrong number?  

 

 

 

 

 

[FinelyRetired]

Correction: I'm using 1-888-751-7804.

[CaroleSS]

Good luck! I've experienced the same issue.....2 hour wait before I gave up, then 2 calls each 1 hour. None of them resulted in me speaking with a real person.

 

I don't think the number you call matters. I've tried calling the Captain's Club number as well as most of the "usual" numbers. They all go into a black hole never to be seen again.

 

I used the chat feature on their web site. The chat was answered quickly, but they people who you chat with aren't very knowledgeable. They suggest you call or send an email.

I understand that they are offering incentives to get people sailing again, but not staffing properly (onshore and onboard) only turns people away.

[snowballs mom]

I was on hold for over and hour yesterday and finally reached a person to do an upgrade since my cruise price had dropped. It took quite a while for them to transfer my FCC to the new pricing, since this required a supervisor. The person helping me said they were handling a very large volume of calls due to the sale.

[jelayne]

Try calling early in the morning or around 5:30 - 6:30 pm.

They just announced a new promotion so in addition to staffing shortages the call volume goes up when a new promotion is announced.

 

If you share the things you want clarified it is quite possible someone on here can help.

[Denny01]

I use a TA. No hold times. 

 

Den

[FinelyRetired]

10 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Try calling early in the morning or around 5:30 - 6:30 pm.

They just announced a new promotion so in addition to staffing shortages the call volume goes up when a new promotion is announced.

 

If you share the things you want clarified it is quite possible someone on here can help.

Thanks. Do you mean 5:30-6:30AM?

 

Yes. #1My booking number problem.... is now resolved. I had 2 & 2 cabins. I just called Celebrity Air      and got immediate response. I asked them to plug each in and had the rep plug in both, all set.

         #2  I included beverage and internet?  What I'd get? I don't drink, but use phone daily for pictures

                to grandson who follows me on cruise mapper. Can I cancel beverage and get $ off. ? 

                 I might have expresso (a specialty in afternoon) and do they keep on board non-alcoholic

                beer and wine?

            3.     How does the overnite in Ravenna work?  A true overnite or does ship anchor off Venice?

                   I haven't found any other Venice itineraries coming up that have this to check a Roll Call.

             4. How many days out does Celebrity post shore excursions so I remind myself to call about 

                 one listed in the general port destination area on the website that is low capcity I want to

                 be sure to get. 

          

       

       

[FinelyRetired]

3 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

I use a TA. No hold times. 

 

Den

I travel Solo, so hyper $$$ conscious. Unless your TA is your BFF or cousin, they wont check often

enough online to catch price drops or find a better deal like I'm prone to do. Did try one when a friend

booked thru a TA and I decided to use hers to book one. Happily, I found us both a price drop.

[jelayne]

13 minutes ago, FinelyRetired said:

Thanks. Do you mean 5:30-6:30AM?

 

Yes. #1My booking number problem.... is now resolved. I had 2 & 2 cabins. I just called Celebrity Air      and got immediate response. I asked them to plug each in and had the rep plug in both, all set.         #2  I included beverage and internet?  What I'd get? I don't drink, but use phone daily for pictures 

                to grandson who follows me on cruise mapper. Can I cancel beverage and get $ off. ? 

 the always included rate includes the Classic Alcohol Package and surf wi-fi and the daily gratuity.   The Classic package includes drinks up to $9, that not only includes alcoho, beer l & wine but also premium coffees ( expresso, latte's, etc)

teas, generic bottled water, soda and premium juices.  the wi-fi is the surf package and should be fine for sending photos unless you are trying to send a lot in one message.  There is no way to drop 1 of the things in the Always Included rate 

                 I might have expresso (a specialty in afternoon) and do they keep on board non-alcoholic

                beer and wine?  Yes they do have non-alcoholic beer and wine on board.

            3.     How does the overnite in Ravenna work?  A true overnite or does ship anchor off Venice?  All the overnights we have had we can come & go from the ship the entire time in port.  We have left the ship overnight to stay in the area.

                   I haven't found any other Venice itineraries coming up that have this to check a Roll Call.

             4. How many days out does Celebrity post shore excursions so I remind myself to call about 

                 one listed in the general port destination area on the website that is low capcity I want to

                 be sure to get.  I am not aware of any set time when shore excursions are published.  The Cruise Planner has some  many out from a sailing and add them  as more come available.  

          

       

       

No early am or 5:30 - 6:30 pm

Click on expand to see reply to your questions.

Edited June 3, 2022 by jelayne

[Kate45]

Have a bit of a problem with Celebrity right now. Have been trying to get it settled since May 11. I've been calling almost daily since then. Today called at 8 am. Got thru after 2 hrs and she hung up on me. Tried again. After 2hrs, call was disconnected. Does anyone have a direct line or email to customer service? I'm thinking my phone number has been red flagged or something. No cruising with Celebrity anymore unless this get resolved soon!

[Denny01]

15 minutes ago, FinelyRetired said:

I travel Solo, so hyper $$$ conscious. Unless your TA is your BFF or cousin, they wont check often

enough online to catch price drops or find a better deal like I'm prone to do. Did try one when a friend

booked thru a TA and I decided to use hers to book one. Happily, I found us both a price drop.

My TA is a professional local Travel Advisor who finds low prices that when I do check things on my own and see the ‘price drops’, the TA price is lower. And the TA has called and let me know they found a ‘better’ deal. 

 

I don’t use bigbox or online TA’s, I see them as Booking Agents, not TA’s. But that’s my experience. And yes, I booked on my own, through on-line and supposed good deal bookers in the past.

 

den

Edited June 3, 2022 by Denny01

[5waldos]

I use 844-418-6824 most successfully. When I really need to talk to someone I use that on landline and 800-647-2251 or 800-556-8209 on cell phone and go about life with them on speakerphone. Not that I get through that quickly but sometimes it works well. 

[FinelyRetired]

Update.  Pleased to say I called this AM around opening 9am.  Got the "4min approx wait time" message yet again and after 40 minutes a lady answered!  Very knowledgeable and she resolved the 2 reservations that had been set up. The confusing refundable/nonrefundable deposit explanation for a new Celebrity cruiser as well as the "perks all included" explanation takes time to consider, explain, compare etc. I'd never seen either sales approach on other lines. Rep was one patient soul, but the call about those and other questions took up a lot of her time.  I didn't go there about the new pricing promotion angle they started right after I booked.

 

Thanks for everybody's help.

[rabidstoat]

What's the earliest you can call, in what time zone, and does it differ on weekends?

[JuliaMS]

Big sale right now. Lots of people repricing or even just checking. 

[5waldos]

46 minutes ago, JuliaMS said:

Big sale right now. Lots of people repricing or even just checking. 

Have not noticed that there is any difference in how long it takes to get through to a person. Too long whenever

[Dancing Shoes]

I called Saturday.  Was on hold 1 hour and 50 mins. Got my cruise repriced from AI to Cruise Rate only.  Saved $764........

Edited June 5, 2022 by Dancing Shoes

[Kate45]

Why doesn't Celebrity have a customer service number for changes or discrepancies? I think it's ridiculous that I call a general number as if I am making a reservation or pricing a cruise, when I don't need that. And why am I getting disconnected after 2 hours of holding?

[ISABELLA]

I have 4 cruises booked - all with AL, 2 this year with Prem AL + OBC. After checking different variations, adding gratuity and refundable depost $$ - not much difference in price, 1 cruise is even cost more with 60% off. Go figure.

[Megabear2]

On 6/3/2022 at 6:28 PM, Denny01 said:

I use a TA. No hold times. 

 

Den

Yes, but your travel agent is also facing those long calls. Mine held for 2 hours 40 minutes the other day to get an answer on two contradictory emails I'd received in minutes of each other regarding testing procedures.  

 

All that time she was hindered in her work for other customers as her Skype and phone links were tied up with Celebrity.  Massive impact on her as a self employed businesswoman and totally unacceptable. 

 

Totally unacceptable for anyone to wait that long be it a direct guest or a travel agent.

[PRH]

2.5 hours on hold only to be disconnected while agent was “checking something.”  Called back.  Another 2 hours to finally reach someone who answered the question.

[Denny01]

13 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Yes, but your travel agent is also facing those long calls. Mine held for 2 hours 40 minutes the other day to get an answer on two contradictory emails I'd received in minutes of each other regarding testing procedures.  

 

All that time she was hindered in her work for other customers as her Skype and phone links were tied up with Celebrity.  Massive impact on her as a self employed businesswoman and totally unacceptable. 

 

Totally unacceptable for anyone to wait that long be it a direct guest or a travel agent.

I agree it is unacceptable for anyone, including TA’s to wait that long. But I’ll disagree that I’m ‘hindering a TA’s work’. I’ll not pretend to know all what and how a TA works, but I’d assume they are able to wait on line while they work so many other jobs and functions: multiple lines, computer in front of them, talking to a customer and ‘listening’ for a response and so on. And many TA’s have other options of how to contact Cruise Lines beyond what we have. 

 

That’s kind of their job. I hate to interfere with my TA with general questions I can get answered with a bit of personal checking, so I don’t bombard mine with questions I see people asking here sometimes. But there are important issues and that is what a TA is there for. 

 

Den

[Megabear2]

4 hours ago, Denny01 said:

I agree it is unacceptable for anyone, including TA’s to wait that long. But I’ll disagree that I’m ‘hindering a TA’s work’. I’ll not pretend to know all what and how a TA works, but I’d assume they are able to wait on line while they work so many other jobs and functions: multiple lines, computer in front of them, talking to a customer and ‘listening’ for a response and so on. And many TA’s have other options of how to contact Cruise Lines beyond what we have. 

 

That’s kind of their job. I hate to interfere with my TA with general questions I can get answered with a bit of personal checking, so I don’t bombard mine with questions I see people asking here sometimes. But there are important issues and that is what a TA is there for. 

 

Den

Just for clarification I wasn't suggesting you were the one hindering the T /A rather Celebrity.  There is however a belief amongst travellers that T/As have massive resources at their fingertips.  I cannot speak for North America but certainly in the UK many travel agents work with limited access, often from home. The model is such that they are set up with a telephone line (often singular), computer and Skype.  The agent pays a monthly fee for this access and in return earns a percentage of commission on a sale which forms their salary.  The monthly fee gives access to a head office accounting system and various computer links so that the individual "agent" can concentrate on the sale and maintenance post sale of the passenger's contract.  Any queries are handled by the T/A via their Skype or mobile telephone links.

 

This process has been the norm for the vast majority of specialist cruise agents for many years and is not as a result of the pandemic, rather a work pattern.  It became very popular with the agents themselves as it offered flexible working in the same way as for instance an Uber driver.

 

There are of course what appear to be termed in North America "big box" travel companies which I take to mean high street travel agents owned by big brands.  However many of these here in the UK also rely on people working a similar pattern.

 

I have close friends and family who are travel agents and they work this way, a couple are self employed but really are part of telephone and online companies whilst my niece is employed by a large European travel company as a tele-rep.  The one thing they have in common is that for the past 2 years they have effectively worked for free as unravelling and rebooking our travel arrangements due to covid has not been paid work. The commission paid as their salary was often reclaimed by the company on cancellation so rebooking entailed no recompense for the agent.  

 

 

[Mark_T]

2 hours on hold and then cut-off, back on hold again now...

 

The music/voice loop must constitute some form of 'cruel and unusual punishment' 🙂

 

They really do need a queue number announcement though as you really have no idea how fast the queue is moving if indeed it is actually moving at all...