Getaway | B2B Experience

[smillerholmes]

I had been planning to do a trip report for my B2B on the Getaway, but @cruiseny4life and @Seas2mountains both did a pretty thorough job so I didn’t think I could provide anything new to the experience, but I did have a few oddities that I thought I should share.

 

Background - (09/03 - 09/12) Booked late April - Studio under the triple points promo.  I paid for the Premium Plus beverage package and was happy with my choice.  Then along came Free at Sea Plus a no brainer for me so I added it to my reservation mid July.  I was kind of looking forward to trying out the Studio, but thought maybe my PCC could finagle something once prices had dropped.  A straight upgrade would have gotten me some FCC and an upgraded cabin, but I wanted to make Sapphire this year so no changes to original reservation or I would lose the triple point promo.  However, while on the phone with my PCC he notes there is a “coupon” on my account and attempts to apply it.  He runs into problems and has to call me back.  On the call back it turns out that it wasn't a coupon, but I had “won a free cruise” from Casinos at Sea.  Apparently my last cruise in February on the Bliss generated this offer and I never knew about it.  The Offer:  10 days or less, no Hawaii and must be completed by 12/31/2022.  I already have another cruise booked in December so I didn’t have a lot of options and once my “free” cruise fees were explained to me it was not going to be worth it unless I could somehow reduce travel costs.  I don’t live near a port so I was pretty happy to find there was a 10 day on the Getaway directly after the cruise I already had booked (09/12 - 09/22)  I paid for an OV and Free at Sea Plus.  I wasn’t sure if CAS participated in the Upgrade Advantage program, but was content with my choice.

 

 

I went ahead and bid $105 *2 for a balcony for 09/03.  A few days later I received an offer to upgrade for 09/12 and bid $50 *2 for a balcony.  

I got the email for 09/03 on 08/31 and an updated reservation with my confirmation about 30 minutes later.  I was able to print my new luggage tags at home and check in was smooth and easy.  Once onboard the only issue I had was the wifi was not set up properly - it showed the 150 minute plan so I did have to wait in line to have the Internet Manager fix it.  

 

I had read a lot about the B2B process so I was pretty happy when two days before that cruise was scheduled to end I got a packet with the expected info including: new luggage tags to my OV cabin, an “in transit” sticker along with customs/border/immigration info.  

 

I still had not heard about my upgrade for 09/12, but I checked with guest services and the anticipated guest count was less than 1000.  I asked if I could keep my current balcony if awarded the upgrade and they said it was already booked.  

 

I got the email for 09/12 on 09/11, but no confirmation email.  I thought that was odd, but then I remembered it was a CAS booking and maybe they don’t do that.  No big deal - I informed my cabin steward that I had won the upgrade and provided him with the cabin number which I got from the app since I had not received the normal guest confirmation.  I saw him later that evening and he told me that he had been told to still move my things to my OV room because they had not received the download from Miami yet.  Hmmm… 

 

Fast forward to the morning of 09/12.  All told there were about 30 of us waiting in the Bliss lounge.  It took about an hour, but once the ship was cleared a Customs/Border agent met us in Cagney’s for a peek at our documents.  It took about 10 minutes for all of us. By 9am we were free to roam the ship.  

I had not been given a new key card which I specifically asked about when I went to Guest Services on 09/10 and they told me/showed me that my current card expired on 09/22.  I had not noticed that.  I walked over to Starbucks and my card did not work - I was instructed to go to Guest Services where they printed me a new key card.  While I waited I asked if it would be keyed to my new room once they received the upgrade info from Miami “of course it will”.  I had been working in the Internet Cafe and by 2:00 I was ready to unpack and relax.  I got to my balcony room and the key did not work.  I go to the OV room and I see my luggage sitting outside and my key opens that door.  I put my luggage inside and headed to Guest Services.  I still haven’t received a confirmation and now since my cruise has started I can no longer see my room number in the app - I thought that was weird, but who needs to look for their room number once the cruise has started???  

 

The line at Guest Services is what it is on embarkation day - it takes me about 35 minutes to get to a young lady who tells me that “the system” still shows me in the OV and since I have no proof except the “you’ve been awarded email” which does not list the cabin number she can’t move me yet.  She tells me to wait in my OV and as soon as she gets the information from her contact in Miami she will contact me.  Since I don’t want to unpack, I decided to keep working while I wait.  

I get distracted and lose track of time. It is 7:00 and the horn starts blaring! Pissed does not begin to touch how mad I am. I head to Guest Services where I have to wait another 30 minutes.  Same girl tells me she “just now” got the info and she can now move me.  I ask her if she is aware it’s been 5 hours since we last spoke. She says yes, but she “just got” the information.  I decided to focus on getting moved.  She actually follows me to my OV and while there calls for a cabin steward to come move my things.  I don’t want to raise my voice, but the look on my face must have terrified her because she asked if I would rather just get going. I nod because I literally don’t trust myself to speak and we each roll a suitcase to my new room (which is lovely by the way!) She is apologetic and I accept her apology, but ask that once she returns to her area that she request escalation for my issue.  She states that she will.  I am tired and hungry and figure I will deal with it tomorrow. 

 

Fast forward - of course I cannot login to wifi because my 150 minutes are up because I should not have to log out because I have unlimited.  Grrrr….so I have to stand in line again at the Internet Cafe and of course there’s 10 people in front of me because they forgot to log out.  Sigh…I get to him about 20 minutes later only to hear him say to the person he is training “Remember yesterday I told you to watch out for this account? This is her account” as he points to me.  

 

At no time did Guest Services Management contact me with regard to my delayed cabin assignment.  I went to the M&G during the first leg of my cruise. I have the names of the people I could have called, but I wanted to see what would happen if I didn’t initiate the request.   Other than those events I enjoyed my cruise(s) immensely.  I just wanted to share what happened on my B2B.  

 

Side note #1 - for those that purchase the Premium Plus plan - Apparently, Miami has decided that Veuve Clicquot will only be available in “restaurant bars”.  When I complained that was not the case in February on the Bliss, they sent the Head Wine Steward to me and he explained it was a recent change. He offered his card and said he would “follow me around”. He appeared at the Atrium Bar a couple of times to pour for me.  By day 3 - Atrium Bar was able to give it to me without him being around.  I never found it in another bar that wasn’t a restaurant.

 

Side note #2 - Bermuda.  We missed it on leg 1 due to the hurricane.  I never heard whether the $40 would be reimbursed.  Also, I did have to have a separate TA for each cruise.  So $80 total.  

 

I know all “issues” should be resolved while on the ship.  I am not looking for a bottle of wine or an additional Specialty dinner or even OBC.  They had/have a breakdown in their process, so I will report it as such and we will see what happens from there.

 

HTH

[cruiseinfoseeker]

Thank you for posting your experience.

[n4w]

4 hours ago, smillerholmes said:

Bermuda.  We missed it on leg 1 due to the hurricane.  I never heard whether the $40 would be reimbursed.  Also, I did have to have a separate TA for each cruise.  So $80 total.

I have seen "TA" used for Transatlantic, travel agent, and Trip Advisor.  none seem to fit here, what is "TA" here? tax applied?

[shof515]

47 minutes ago, n4w said:

I have seen "TA" used for Transatlantic, travel agent, and Trip Advisor.  none seem to fit here, what is "TA" here? tax applied?

Its the Bermuda Travel Authorization form. More information here: https://www.gov.bm/applying-bermuda-travel-authorisation

 

its a required document that everyone needs to sail to Bermuda