Advice required - change of cabin 2 days before departure

[1160451]

Happened to us a few years ago on the Celebration in Carribean.

Changed us to the lowest deck and noisiest position on the ship 2 days before.

Booked thro Travel Agent who claimed to have sorted it.

Arrived on Ship to be given the cabin they had re allocated.

We went to Reception and refused to move until they moved us to a cabin on the deck we had booked.

They claimed they couldn’t so I said we would sleep on the couch next to Reception. 
After an hour and a few Managers intervention we were given a cabin on the deck we had booked but had to move again after first week.

After two days I was passing Reception and heard a couple complaining  bitterly about been reallocated a cabin, I am sure it was the one we were originally reallocated. The lady was almost in tears. 
If anybody remembers cruising on the Celebration they will remember how incredibly noisy and bad the vibration was on the lowest deck.

As somebody else has said I wouldn’t trust Marrella or TUI.

 

 

[andyS87]

Sorry to hear about all the trouble you’ve had with this. We had a very similar situation on the Discovery earlier this year. 

We had splashed out and booked an Executive Suite (8001) about 18 months in advance. Two days before we were due to fly to Barbados we got an email saying we’d been moved to 8004. They had the audacity to refund the room booking fee to ship credit meaning we needed to go to reception and ask for it to be refunded to our card. We complained but they were unmoving and generally very unhelpful.

 

The cabin itself was lovely however there was a lot of noise above the cabin very early every morning. Not sure if we would have experienced the same noise in the original cabin as it is only two along but it was the way they handled the whole thing that left a bad taste in my mouth about Marella.

 

We have just got back from a week long Med cruise on the Voyager (which was booked before the hassle with the Discovery) and they definitely redeemed themselves, it was a great cruise and ship. I won’t forget the bad experience we had though and it’s pushed us to try a different cruise line next year (P&O).

 

Hope they sort it out for you and that you have a fantastic time.

[andyS87]

Sorry to hear about all the trouble you’ve had with this. We had a very similar situation on the Discovery earlier this year. 

We had splashed out and booked an Executive Suite (8001) about 18 months in advance. Two days before we were due to fly to Barbados we got an email saying we’d been moved to 8004. They had the audacity to refund the room booking fee to ship credit meaning we needed to go to reception and ask for it to be refunded to our card. We complained but they were unmoving and generally very unhelpful.

 

The cabin itself was lovely however there was a lot of noise above the cabin very early every morning. Not sure if we would have experienced the same noise in the original cabin as it is only two along but it was the way they handled the whole thing that left a bad taste in my mouth about Marella.

 

We have just got back from a week long Med cruise on the Voyager (which was booked before the hassle with the Discovery) and they definitely redeemed themselves, it was a great cruise and ship. I won’t forget the bad experience we had though and it’s pushed us to try a different cruise line next year (P&O).

 

Hope they sort it out for you and that you have a fantastic time.

[w3ndi]

Hi everyone.  So we got back at 5am this morning.  The whole experience was awful.  When we got to Port CAnaveral we were asked for our cabin number, we explained we didn't know which cabin were were in so the agent called a man over from the customer service team on the ship.  He guaranteed us we weren't under the gym. 

We were! 

I complained again, explained what had happened in England, explained what the guy had said and was told they would email customer services.  We got a letter half way through the crusie to ask us to go to reception. When we got there, no-one knew why!? I complained again. A  few days later I went back to ask for another update.  The receptionist went away and came back with the man from Port Canaveral.  His response " I 'm very sorry, I made a mistake and I didn't realise when I told you, you weren't under the gym, I wasn't sure". I told him it had ruined the holiday for us and asked what he intended to do about the fact he'd mislead us, he responded "nothing".

We had pounding every day above us. Apart from the day we went through Ophelia when everyone was asked to avoid the higher decks. 

I do understand things happen and people make mistakes but what I don't like about this, is the lies (and I feel it was lying) from customer service staff who had no intention of ever helping. 

My husband met the couple who had been given our cabin.  They said it was becuase when they'd gone to their cabin and tried both cards, neither worked, they were just about to go to reception when a man came to the door and asked why they were trying to get into his room...

Everyone we've spoken to has been unhappy about something on the cruise.  People have been given refunds for trips which didn't deliver what was advertised (including us).

The cabin stewards, bar and waiting staff were phenomenal, so nice, helpful, friendly so there were some good points but on balance, we don't feel it lived up to our expectations for what we paid.  This cost us 10 times a P&O cruise which we loved.

The biggest bonus was we saw a Space X rocket launch the night before we came home. However even that doesn't swing it enough for me to say it was a good holiday. I will be taking this further with TUI and have an escalation route planned.  Watch this space!  

[w3ndi]

On 9/8/2023 at 2:42 PM, paulatsea said:

This is bizarre.

 

I find it hard to believe it was a spam email as they offered you compensation and seemed to know about the cabin change so therefore about the email - as you said.

 

More like a mistake and they are backtracking.

I think they are using the term “spam” incorrectly - deliberately - instead of being straight with you.

 

Perhaps email the whole story including the original email(with the sender email address included) to customer services and say how upset and stressed this has made you.
The sender email address in the “spam” email will show that it was sent by Marella and was not “spam”.

Ask for a full explanation and ask why the people you have dealt with appear to have been dishonest.

 

If they now say you are in your original cabin then I would be very confident that that is the case.

 

can you check your cabin details again on your checkin documents online to see if they have changed ? Did you notice the changed cabin number online at all after you got the email ?

 

Might be worth taking copies of emails to the ship to see if they can take this up as a complaint as well - I have found customer service on board to be much better than on land - if you can be bothered.

 

I hope it all works out ok - you have been very badly treated and deserve an apology and an explanation at the very least.

 

 

 

Hi, I've just posted an update before I read your message.  I did show the emails to the team, they weren't interested.  No one seems to be.  I have an email address I'm going to try and put the whole sorry issue down on there.  In the update I said I do understant that things happen but it's the lack of empathy and the blatant dishonesty that has upset me more than anything. I will not use TUI again. 

[paulatsea]

Thanks for the update - what a mess - sorry you didn’t have a good holiday. I hope you get somewhere with your complaint - don’t give up until you get compensation.

[w3ndi]

Hi Everyone - final update. 

I emailed the chief exec this weekend with full details of everything that has happened over the past weeks and years. 

Within 24 hours I received a phone call from his complaint team, promising a full investigation and with an offer of compensation.  Followed up by an email 

Whilst this has not restored my faith in TUI, and I shouldn't have had to escalate to this level, the apology did feel, at least, genuine and the offer of an investigation into failure seemed real. 

[paulatsea]

1 hour ago, w3ndi said:

Hi Everyone - final update. 

I emailed the chief exec this weekend with full details of everything that has happened over the past weeks and years. 

Within 24 hours I received a phone call from his complaint team, promising a full investigation and with an offer of compensation.  Followed up by an email 

Whilst this has not restored my faith in TUI, and I shouldn't have had to escalate to this level, the apology did feel, at least, genuine and the offer of an investigation into failure seemed real. 

Well done. Thanks for the update.