Customer Service wait times!!

[dasmith21]

Ive currently been on hold with Celebrity Customer Service for just about an hour now. For me, i think this is appalling. I have a genuine question to ask and called just after 9am. 

Is this something others are finding when trying to contact CS. I'm calling from the UK.

[gold1953]

Many people wait over an hour!

[NC State]

Yes, I have been on hold for an hour get someone on the phone and then they tell to hold. They transfer me to someone else for another hour.  Yes, it's a pain. 

[laslomas]

1 hour ago, dasmith21 said:

Ive currently been on hold with Celebrity Customer Service for just about an hour now. For me, i think this is appalling. I have a genuine question to ask and called just after 9am. 

Is this something others are finding when trying to contact CS. I'm calling from the UK.

 

I was a bit nervous to phone Celebrity UK this morning to upgrade my beverage package after reading your post. But I got through and completed it within 10 minutes. Possibly it is to do with the number called and the choices made at the beginning of the call, some lines must be busier than others. I think I must have been lucky. The number I called was 0344 493 2043. I hope you manage to get through and get your question answered. I agree, an hour to wait for Customer Services is ridiculous! Enough to put anyone off 😕

 

 

[doktor71]

I have been told my someone in the know the following: They layoff or let go seasoned workers during Covid.  They now are hiring green horns with no experience and very little training.  When anyone calls often the new hire does no know answer so then you go on hold until the new hire can find a supervisor who may or may not know the correct answer.  I am cruising with a group of 13 over NYE  and one of are group has spent over five hours trying  to sort out dinner reservations with still no resolution.  I was told the best thing is to be accept the situation and be nice to the Celebrity rep no matter how stressed you are.

Edited July 25, 2022 by doktor71

[KurtMo]

In the US, but I waited only about 7-8 minutes yesterday afternoon.  Seems like it is a crapshoot based on incoming call volume.

[Chemgoddess1]

Waited last week for 20 minutes, person who answered was having issues with the headset and disconnected me, called back and waited over an hour before someone picked up. 

[Lena11033]

Longest I've waited has been an hour, but considering I waited over two hours on hold for Air Canada the one hour didn't feel so bad.

[jelayne]

Mid day last week I had a 11 minute weight time for a rep when calling to upgrade beverage packages & wi-fi.  Most things are taken care of by the TA we use so I very rarely call X.

[Spif Barwunkel]

As we all know, there has not been a centralized customer service call center for quite a while. The Celebrity number you dial is routed to the private mobile phone of the next available service rep. That rep can be located anywhere and is probably working out of their home. I have talked to reps on several of the Caribbean islands and background noises have included crying children, construction noises, and sirens. Despite hold times, disconnects and difficulty understanding accents, my issues have always been resolved.

 

It can be frustrating, and this thread is the same as several hundred gone before it. At least It seems like that many. Don't know how much longer the problems will continue but obviously another customer service thread every two weeks is not making a difference. Is patience really a virtue? Right now, that is your only saving grace. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Spif Barwunkel

[AndyCapn]

As someone who worked in a call centre for eight years, I can tell you that Monday is always the busiest day of the week. Unless absolutely necessary, I never call earlier than Wednesday.

 

Basically, once the lines are backed up, it will never get better the rest of the day, because every call thereafter will start with "Do you know how long I've been waiting?" Which just means more time spent not dealing with the reason they called.

[Snit13]

8 hours ago, doktor71 said:

I have been told my someone in the know the following: They layoff or let go seasoned workers during Covid.  They now are hiring green horns with no experience and very little training.  When anyone calls often the new hire does no know answer so then you go on hold until the new hire can find a supervisor who may or may not know the correct answer.  I am cruising with a group of 13 over NYE  and one of are group has spent over five hours trying  to sort out dinner reservations with still no resolution.  I was told the best thing is to be accept the situation and be nice to the Celebrity rep no matter how stressed you are.

Most that I have finally spoken with were working from home and most were not in the USA.  

[Oceangoer2]

6 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

I have talked to reps on several of the Caribbean islands and background noises have included crying children, construction noises, and sirens.

And.....roosters crowing and dogs barking...LOL.  At least they answered the phone.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Pretty much all call centers have long wait times now.

 

And pretty sure most of the people who are calling have "genuine questions" and aren't just calling for s&gs.

[keesar]

I called to change a reservation last Friday.  I was shocked that someone picked up in less than 3 minutes.    Call it the luck of the draw.  

[Jim_Iain]

39 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Pretty much all call centers have long wait times now.

 

And pretty sure most of the people who are calling have "genuine questions" and aren't just calling for s&gs.

I've experienced the same recently but today I had to call Chase and the call was answered on the first ring.   I was shocked and not completely ready expecting a long wait.

[julia]

8 hours ago, jelayne said:

Mid day last week I had a 11 minute weight time for a rep when calling to upgrade beverage packages & wi-fi.  Most things are taken care of by the TA we use so I very rarely call X.

Aaaaand.....  there's absolutely NO reason why these two simple requests cannot be completed online!  Even with the 10% Elite discount, it's a straightforward transaction that should NOT require a phone call!

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 hours ago, Snit13 said:

Most that I have finally spoken with were working from home and most were not in the USA.  

Yup, some are from the Philippines; often the problem/issue requires them to place me on hold.  Several times there seems to be a very long lag as in 10 seconds.

[NutsAboutGolf]

They can greatly their, let's go with RETREAT experience by doing the following:

1)  Allow simple things to be done online, Casino bookings (like other cruise lines), CC discounts for internet, etc

2)  Offer the option to call you back vs waiting on hold

 

  

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I've experienced the same recently but today I had to call Chase and the call was answered on the first ring.   I was shocked and not completely ready expecting a long wait.

 

Had to call United Airlines last week twice, same experience.  Also, most major corporations now have the option where they can call you back.

 

I received a casino/blue chip offer and for the first time noticed you can now schedule an appt.  At the moment you cannot book a "comped" X cruise online like you can with other lines, a BCC/casino rep has to book it; there are some online forms where you "request" your 1st-3rd itinerary but the rep is still booking your sailing.

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, julia said:

Aaaaand.....  there's absolutely NO reason why these two simple requests cannot be completed online!  Even with the 10% Elite discount, it's a straightforward transaction that should NOT require a phone call!

 

Certainly feels like a money grab not allowing you to do so online

[ronmar22]

I was on hold for 2 hours and 31 minutes to speak to someone about upgrading WiFi on a September cruise.   I do not remember what day of the week it was or what time of day.  As I had nothing going on at that time, I decided to let it go as long as it took.  Once finally connected, had the upgrade done in 2 or 3 minutes.  When the upgrade was completed I did mention to the person I was speaking to about my wait.  He said that the word he got was that they are in the process of training many more people and that very soon it’s going get much better.  Believe that if you will.  

[NutsAboutGolf]

10 minutes ago, ronmar22 said:

I was on hold for 2 hours and 31 minutes to speak to someone about upgrading WiFi on a September cruise.   I do not remember what day of the week it was or what time of day.  As I had nothing going on at that time, I decided to let it go as long as it took.  Once finally connected, had the upgrade done in 2 or 3 minutes.  When the upgrade was completed I did mention to the person I was speaking to about my wait.  He said that the word he got was that they are in the process of training many more people and that very soon it’s going get much better.  Believe that if you will.  

 

Been hearing this hiring spree hearsay since Omicron 🙃

[AndyCapn]

3 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Certainly feels like a money grab not allowing you to do so online

Quite the opposite. Companies would divert all their customer traffic from the phones to online if they could, as it's much cheaper (after the initial costs).

[NutsAboutGolf]

8 minutes ago, AndyCapn said:

Quite the opposite. Companies would divert all their customer traffic from the phones to online if they could, as it's much cheaper (after the initial costs).

 

X's website has the capability to discount the internet packages/upgrades and the drink packages/upgrade as they usually offer a pre-cruise discount and occasionally offer a holiday discount

[Bobsgonecoastal]

We’ve sailed Celebrity for years, and enjoyed our Elite plus status until the current CEO started tinkering with every everything their long term customers enjoyed.

I won’t go into the lengthy list of attempts she has made to pull back, eliminate or otherwise piss off customers, but will simply say she’s not on my Christmas card list.  As for post pandemic changes, it appears all booking service calls are shipped overseas (I believe the Philippines) with approximately a one hour wait time, that I recently experienced this twice in one week.  But, if you’re calling to book a new cruise (think sales) you get a very nice sales agent in a domestic call center with knowledge of the cruises and ships. Celebrity use to be known as a cruise line that put customers first, but 

over time Lisa Lutoff-Perlo has been busy running the brand into the ground.

we used a wonderful Celebrity cruise consultant for years who took care of our new and booked cruise services.  He was fabulous, but Celebrity eliminated the TAs and now have shipped service to call centers with little knowledge of the cruise line.  IMHO, there is no value in using their in house people since they won’t be servicing your booked cruises.

It’s sad, but money drives the race to the bottom.