I can't believe this !

[mathewsman]

This morning my wife got a fax at her office. The cruise line had given us a refund for five hundred dollars. When she called to inquire why they said we have changed your hotel location. We booked this cruise out of Barcelona over ten months ago. There is a formula one car race in town the weekend we leave. The hotel they changed us to is twelve miles out of town and mediocre at best. Then she said we are not in the hotel business we are in the cruise business. I could not believe this. I finally found a hotel after two hours of searching and had to pre pay at double the price. We have crusied on Celebrity six times and have never had this happen. We are going on this cruise and have a great time but this really shook me up this morning. Has this happened to anyone else?

[frchteaze]

I would call and speak to someone as high up as you can find. The second they make hotel arrangements for you they enter into the "hotel" business. If they don't want to be responsible for hotel decisions, they shouldn't be making reservations.

[cruising with marti]

We seldom have ever used the Cruise line hotel and transfer pkg. you can always find good hotel for less money, even the Hotels that the cruise line uses in thier packages, will go for less money.

 

 

Phil

[ocngypz]

Unfortunately, if the hotel takes back pre-blocked space from the cruiseline there isn't anything you can do about it.

 

And you did just what your one option was.. book your own.

 

This happens quite frequently. I've had it happen during various bowl games, large conventions. And not a darn thing you can do.. except find new space.

[infoprof56]

I don't think the issue here is that the hotel was changed. Even if you book directly with a hotel you might get what is known in the hotel business as walked to another property. However, the attitude of the Celebrity employee is way off. They are in fact in the hotel business. A cruise ship is nothing more than a floating a resort hotel and they offered the onshore booking. I would definately complain to the excutive offices in Florida were I teated so flipantly by a Celebrity employee.

[newmexicoNita]

This morning my wife got a fax at her office. The cruise line had given us a refund for five hundred dollars. When she called to inquire why they said we have changed your hotel location. We booked this cruise out of Barcelona over ten months ago. There is a formula one car race in town the weekend we leave. The hotel they changed us to is twelve miles out of town and mediocre at best. Then she said we are not in the hotel business we are in the cruise business. I could not believe this. I finally found a hotel after two hours of searching and had to pre pay at double the price. We have crusied on Celebrity six times and have never had this happen. We are going on this cruise and have a great time but this really shook me up this morning. Has this happened to anyone else?

Am I the only one that can't quite understand why you are so upset? Sure, it is a disappointment, but first you got a $500 refund and second, as a retired hotel management person before I became a travel agent, hotels do oversell. It isn't a good thing for customers, but it happens and this is not the fault of the cruise line. The attitude of the person you spoke with at Celebrity could have been a little different, but I don't think it would bother me all that much. You will enjoy your cruise like you said and that is the most important thing. Have a good one. NMNita

[cruisintwinsmom]

Am I the only one that can't quite understand why you are so upset?

 

Yes, I would be upset! If I had a "contract" with the cruiseline for a certain product, then that is what I would expect. When the hotel was chosen it was probably due to the location and the convenience of exploring Barcelona. To be 12 miles outside of town, would definitely make a difference. To make the change at this late date, makes it difficult to find another hotel at a reasonable price. Often people will make their reservations through the cruiseline to make things as simple as possible--it's not always about being the cheapest. It also goes back to Xs customer service policy--if they had been more sympathetic to the consumer, he probably wouldn't be as irrate.

 

Mathewsman: We stayed at the Gran Havana. It was excellent. We had booked through Celebrity, so if that is the one they backed out on, I would still try to book it on my own. Happy Sailing!

[weary traveler]

That's BS.

The hotel, the plane, the transfer... they're all part of the "package" If the cruise line offers to sell you this, then it's part of their responsibility, after all they're making a profit on the pre and post sells.. the cavalier attitude is probably the most reprehensible portion of it. "here's your money back" just doesnt cut it. I'd just keep pushing the attitude and non customer service portion of it.. you'd be surprised at the results you may produce.. never say never.. remember the Barcelona fiasco last year..... hundreds perhaps thousands stranded and feeling left out by the cruise lines affected. just my opinion..

[ocngypz]

Yes, I would be upset! If I had a "contract" with the cruiseline for a certain product, then that is what I would expect. When the hotel was chosen it was probably due to the location and the convenience of exploring Barcelona. To be 12 miles outside of town, would definitely make a difference. To make the change at this late date, makes it difficult to find another hotel at a reasonable price. Often people will make their reservations through the cruiseline to make things as simple as possible--it's not always about being the cheapest. It also goes back to Xs customer service policy--if they had been more sympathetic to the consumer, he probably wouldn't be as irrate.

 

Mathewsman: We stayed at the Gran Havana. It was excellent. We had booked through Celebrity, so if that is the one they backed out on, I would still try to book it on my own. Happy Sailing!

 

 

And the cruiseline had a space contract with the hotel..and the hotel pulled the space. Celebrity did follow through on their side and provided alternate hotel space. The client didn't like the new hotel.

 

Air and hotel package booking is provided as a convenience for cruiseline passengers. And more often than not, you pay more than marketrates (especially for the hotel).

 

Now, it would not surprise me in the least to hear of folks who have booked their own hotel in Barcelona for the same time period being "walked" once they arrive at their pre-booked hotel.

 

I deal with less than stellar cruiseline reps all day long. Even those at a luxury line.. no guarantee of proprer service decorum.

 

Needless to say, it's just another reason why people do not book directly with the cruiselines. Leave it to the agent to deal with the crabby, cantankerous phone reps.

[Gypsea]

All that said, the reason to book air and hotel on your own is twofold though I see that not everyone wants the hassle. In the end it isn't really a hassle because you get what you want.

Dealing with as few people as possible seems the most efficient way to handle any trip which is why OP did what he did...but as proven here you are in less control of your destiny. Ultimately I deal with as few people as possible in anything I do ( utilitiy companys, credit card companies, etc.)but when it comes to price I'm a saver and would have booked my own hotel and air. It is more unlikely that you would be moved. My issue with Celebrity is that the customer found out via a credit card transaction. A little service or consideration would be nice since they are in essence your agent (I'm assuming). Air is the same deal, allow the cruise line to book your air and you pay more, usually, and you could end up in who knows where on your way to the destination. Bulk air is really NOT the way to go. Not for me, anyway. While some may not see the need to be cranked up I understand completely. You count on something and you pay for it and it seems like it's supposed to happen but it doesn't.

[RodPat]

Ocngypz is right about being walked out of your hotel. Hotels overbook all the time. We went to Bermuda a number of years ago and booked 6 rooms at the Elbow Beach. A representative met us at the airport for pickup and informed us that there were no rooms available. He was told to take us to another hotel. Someone in our party was not going to take this so we all went to the Elbow Beach hotel and guess what. After alot of talking, we all got in cabs and went to the other hotel which was not on the beach. The next day we were allowed to go back to the Elbow Beach but our rooms were not ready until 4 pm. All this for a long weekend trip. It is a dissappointment and I still have a bad taste for Bermuda. Pat

[shofer]

We were on the 1/15/06 Hawaii sailing and had booked the Hyatt thru the cruiseline for a one day pre-cruise stay. When we boarded the Super Shuttle at the airport for Long Beach, we met 3 other couples who said that they had all been "bumped" from the Hyatt to the Marina San Pedro. Not knowing anything about this, we just continued on to the Hyatt and checked in.

 

We didn’t find out until after we got home that the Hyatt had wanted to bump us to another hotel because they had 3 conventions and needed the rooms. Our travel agent, Donna, refused to let them move us and talked to the hotel manager who finally relented and let us stay there. That explained the complimentary bottle of wine, the chocolate covered strawberries and the note from Hyatt in our ship cabins apologizing for the inconvenience. Apparently several people were moved to another facility and they still had our names on the list. I don't know if the others were compensated financially for the move as the other property was not as expensive.