Summit Alaskan cruise disappointment (MERGER OF 5 THREADS ON THIS TOPIC)

[Hondu]

If California has a similar Consumer Fraud Act, RCI(Summit) can be taken to task just like in NJ.

"But Bayonne Councilman Maria Karczewski, a passenger on the cruise, countered: "If a consumer pays for a product or service and does not receive what is expected, then the seller must fully refund the consumer's money or, alternatively, provide a product or service that is comparable to the price paid.

"Royal Caribbean did not do that. They refunded . the $42.50 difference in port taxes and offered a $300 discount voucher for a future cruise that I will, in all likelihood, not take advantage of."

[url]http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-1/115044983121270.xml&coll=3[/url]

[Lotsacruising]

Thought you all might find this very interesting.
My sister and her family were on the Mariner of the Seas the same time we were on this cruise from hell. Granted she booked the largest suite and 2 other balcony cabins and spent about $20,000. SHe had some complaints, silly ones, like she always does. I sent in a letter for her and today got a $1,000 cruise gift certificate for her and another one for her husband. Now granted this is Royal Caribbean but it is the sister company to the Summitt. My husband would be pretty happy with $2000 to spend on another cruise for all the ports we missed, shortened port times etc.
Janet:confused:

[griswalds]

While I fully support better compensation for those on the Summit cruise, I do not feel that any cruise line should be held responsible for the weather.

Griswalds


[quote name='Hondu']If California has a similar Consumer Fraud Act, RCI(Summit) can be taken to task just like in NJ.

"But Bayonne Councilman Maria Karczewski, a passenger on the cruise, countered: "If a consumer pays for a product or service and does not receive what is expected, then the seller must fully refund the consumer's money or, alternatively, provide a product or service that is comparable to the price paid.

"Royal Caribbean did not do that. They refunded . the $42.50 difference in port taxes and offered a $300 discount voucher for a future cruise that I will, in all likelihood, not take advantage of."

[url]http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-1/115044983121270.xml&coll=3[/url][/QUOTE]

[aaerobear]

I think here-in lies the problem

"But Bayonne Councilman Maria Karczewski, a passenger on the cruise, countered: "If a consumer pays for a product or service and [COLOR=red]does not receive what is expected,[/COLOR] then the seller must fully refund the consumer's money or, alternatively, provide a product or service that is comparable to the price paid.

OK, we all know that some people expect a lot more than they actually paid for ( as in anybody who listens to TV ads or Magazine ads) When you read the fine print on your cruise contract you have to sign. You have agreed to a lot less than you think.

[suitedreams]

[quote name='Lotsacruising']Thought you all might find this very interesting.
My sister and her family were on the Mariner of the Seas the same time we were on this cruise from hell. Granted she booked the largest suite and 2 other balcony cabins and spent about $20,000. SHe had some complaints, silly ones, like she always does. I sent in a letter for her and today got a $1,000 cruise gift certificate for her and another one for her husband. Now granted this is Royal Caribbean but it is the sister company to the Summitt. My husband would be pretty happy with $2000 to spend on another cruise for all the ports we missed, shortened port times etc.
Janet:confused:[/quote]


Your sister got 10% ($2000/$20000) for a future cruise. You will be getting 30% credit for a future cruise. I believe you were in a sky suite, which was quoted at $6100 at the time I booked my cabin for the same cruise, 30% would be $1830. When you add the $233 onboard credit we all received that's more than $2000. Should I assume your husband is happy?:D

[Lotsacruising]

how nasty, I was just making an observation. I do not appreciate your remarks

[tbelian]

how nasty, I was just making an observation. I do not appreciate your remarks

 

Actually, I think you were taking a stab at making a comparison ("Now granted this is Royal Caribbean but it is the sister company to the Summitt"), but the comparison falls apart when it is pointed out that you were actually given about the same as the royal caribbean situation you have described?

 

I dont think it was nasty at all.

[Lotsacruising]

No I was just passing on some information about someone that received a compensation for something that was alot less serious then what happened to the Summitt on the May 7 cruise.

[carolmacey]

Perhaps not...providing X followed the refund/free cruise route they offered to the pax on the cancelled May 20 cruise. :)

.......Oui

 

I haven't read all the way to the end, but I was on this cruise. If X had cancelled our 13 day cruise, they would have lost twice the income as from the following 7 day cruise. That may have been their thought.

[carolmacey]

This reminds me of being in college during the sixties :)

 

On a more serious note, if everyone who felt this way complained to their travel agent after they got home, and these travel agents in turn related this feedback to Celebrity, it would have probably been just as effective.

 

That is exactly what we did. We even went so far as to cancel our next cruise. It was with RCCL. When we arrived hope from Alaska, we found out they had changed the port and times, and we felt this was all too familiar to risk another 13 day cruise in Europe. Our TA was shocked but didn't say anything about contacting Celebrity.

[Cuizer2]

I haven't read all the way to the end, but I was on this cruise. If X had cancelled our 13 day cruise, they would have lost twice the income as from the following 7 day cruise. That may have been their thought.

 

The rates for the one week cruise are about 80 - 90% of the rate for the two week cruise. You pay less per day on the two week cruise because it is a repositioning cruise. Nonetheless, the two week cruise does cost more overall.

[OuiOnboard]

That is exactly what we did. We even went so far as to cancel our next cruise. It was with RCCL. When we arrived hope from Alaska, we found out they had changed the port and times, and we felt this was all too familiar to risk another 13 day cruise in Europe. Our TA was shocked but didn't say anything about contacting Celebrity.

The cruiselines protect their bottomline while providing cruises...you must protect your bottomline while availing yourself of their cruise services...you have an obligation to yourself to shop wisely, as you are evidently doing.

...........Money talks....cruise well.....Oui :)

[NotAanofCelebrity]

My Infinity cruise was cancelled several years because of this (about one week before departure). All passengers got refunds and it wasn't until our TA harassed them that we got a free cruise for the same week. Went on the Voyager. Had to downgrade to inside cabins and pay for airfare. I would have been fine just rebooking on a different ship, but they went out of their way.

 

I go on any cruise knowing that the itinerary could change and do not expect anything in return. I recently sailed on the Dawn Princess when it was having mechanical issues and had 2 ports cancelled and 2 others shortened on a southern Caribbean itinerary. We got $200 OBC and everyone was pleased.

 

I think that the people on the QM2 set a bad precedence. Now anytime anything goes wrong, people are going to expect a full refund. This case, as in their case, I do not see why this is merited. As a stockholder, I would be upset if they had given a full refund. You might argue that the people who missed their cruise got a full refund, but they truly are the ones who get screwed. They get nothing. You guys still had you 13 or 14 night cruise. That has got to count for something.

 

:confused: I guess that you didn't own your stock when you got your free cruise for "not taking a cruise". Our cruise was RUINED because of a known problem and we got a $200/cabin shipboard credit which at the inflated prices on the ship cost Celebrity only a fraction of that amount and a 30% FCC which I dare say VERY few of the people who were upset about the lies and disappointments will ever use. I understand the refund of the fares of people who didnt get to cruise (Actually it is mandated my The Federal Maritime Commission) but rewarding people who had their cruises cancelled with a free cruise nakes little sense to me. I would recommend that noone ever Cruise on a Millenium class ship as there is the risk that you cruise will be ruined by a thrust bearing problem. The exception to this is for people who don't care how many days they spend at see and are content to shop, drink, play bingo at $30 dollars a session and eat tepid bland food.:eek:

[cruiser2004]

:confused: I guess that you didn't own your stock when you got your free cruise for "not taking a cruise". Our cruise was RUINED because of a known problem and we got a $200/cabin shipboard credit which at the inflated prices on the ship cost Celebrity only a fraction of that amount and a 30% FCC which I dare say VERY few of the people who were upset about the lies and disappointments will ever use. I understand the refund of the fares of people who didnt get to cruise (Actually it is mandated my The Federal Maritime Commission) but rewarding people who had their cruises cancelled with a free cruise nakes little sense to me. I would recommend that noone ever Cruise on a Millenium class ship as there is the risk that you cruise will be ruined by a thrust bearing problem. The exception to this is for people who don't care how many days they spend at see and are content to shop, drink, play bingo at $30 dollars a session and eat tepid bland food.:eek:

Great point!

The biggest problem with this ill fated cruise has been Celebrity Corporate's

erratic decision making ability about compensation and continuing to sail with known pod problems on their M-Class ships. Had I known before the cruise, what I know now, I would not have been on the Summit in the first place.

Celebrity just seems to shoot from the hip whenever problems come up.

Sometimes over compensating and sometimes under compensating for cruise interruptions.

[Drew B]

:confused: I guess that you didn't own your stock when you got your free cruise for "not taking a cruise". Our cruise was RUINED because of a known problem and we got a $200/cabin shipboard credit which at the inflated prices on the ship cost Celebrity only a fraction of that amount and a 30% FCC which I dare say VERY few of the people who were upset about the lies and disappointments will ever use. I understand the refund of the fares of people who didnt get to cruise (Actually it is mandated my The Federal Maritime Commission) but rewarding people who had their cruises cancelled with a free cruise nakes little sense to me. I would recommend that noone ever Cruise on a Millenium class ship as there is the risk that you cruise will be ruined by a thrust bearing problem. The exception to this is for people who don't care how many days they spend at see and are content to shop, drink, play bingo at $30 dollars a session and eat tepid bland food.:eek:

 

 

I continue to take exception to people who claim that the bearing problem RUINED the cruise. We had wonderful days with gorgeous weather in San Francisco, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria. Life on the ship was very nice and the food was a heck of a lot better than "tepid" and "bland". It was still one of the best vacations I've ever had. Was it as good as it could have been? No. Did it merit better corporate response? Absolutely.

[Host Anne]

Folks, this is the last time that I'm going to post this reminder. If it's required again, the thread will be closed. It is fine to state your opinions about the cruise being discussed. It is NOT fine to respond with a personal attack of any kind towards other members.

 

Let's all agree that there are many varying opinions when it comes to this cruise and refrain from posts attacking one another.

[cruiser2004]

Drew, I know that you have been kind of in the middle on some of the issues with this cruise and that is a good thing, but I have to differ with you on one point. The things that ruined this vacation for most of the people onboard were the things that we paid for and did not receive such as: stopping in Seattle, stopping in Sitka, seeing Hubbard Glacier, cruising the Inside Passage in the daytime, not being lied to by Celebrity and being treated fairly. Other than those "small complaints" it would been a good cruise for me too!

[Drew B]

I would have loved to have gotten to do those things, too, and the cruise would have been better and more in line with our expectations if we had gotten all of those things. However, I firmly believe that what we expected and what we "paid for" are two different things.

 

The term "paid for" implies a contractual relationship, and as everybody who cruises knows, the flip side of that is that their contractual language allows them to change the itinerary. For ANY reason. Now, I am in full support of anybody who decides that that is not a reasonable contract and refuses to enter into it. However, once you do enter into it, you simply have to cross your fingers and hope that nothing goes wrong. If something does go wrong, all you can do is hope that the company CHOOSES to try to do something for the customers to provide them with satisfaction. It is their choice, though. It is not something they are obligated to do, legally or morally.

[fleckle]

Celebrity just seems to shoot from the hip whenever problems come up.

Sometimes over compensating and sometimes under compensating for cruise interruptions.

Good observation, Cruiser2004! You are so right. That is certainly what they have done here. There were two cruises affected by the Summit's recent problems.

 

The Cruise A passengers are the ones whose cruise was ruined. Yet they are the ones who were charged full price and given no refund.

 

In stark contrast, the Cruise B passengers are receiving their cruise absolutely free, and in all probability they will endure none of the problems that Cruise A experienced. Celebrity not only refunded their money in full, but also reimbursed them for additional costs incurred in changing their travel reservations.

 

 

 

Bottom line:

Cruise A passengers end up paying full fare to receive a seriously defective cruise.

 

Cruise B passengers end up paying nothing at all to receive a wonderful, trouble-free cruise.

 

 

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which passengers were treated very well by Celebrity and which passengers got the shaft.

[sirgonealot]

Just curious, has anyone received their 30% off coupon? Maybe they do not want us to rebook again!!

[NotAanofCelebrity]

Just curious, has anyone received their 30% off coupon? Maybe they do not want us to rebook again!!

 

I have not received my FCC nor have I heard of anyone else who got one. I do of one person from this deligthful cruise who was told he was not on the list to receive one. Maybe because he was one of the lucky people who got to talk to the Celebrity representative who came aboard to give the famous Celebrity "Customer Service".

[CaliforniaDreamin]

This was their free cruise for the cancelled July 2005 Summit Alaska cruise. I don't know if they received the $100 + $16 shipboard credit each or not or if they are getting the 30% off coupon. I suspect they did and will.

[cruiser2004]

Just curious, has anyone received their 30% off coupon? Maybe they do not want us to rebook again!!

 

The 30% off a future cruise coupon has arrived in the UK. It is not a 30 % off coupon, but a cash amount certicificate, less taxes, based on the price paid for the May 7 Summit cruise. It also includes a ton of restrictions.

In a letter from Captain, of the Summit, Dimitrios Kafetzis dated May 18, 2006 it states;

"it is our pleasure to inform you that we will be providing you with a certificate for 30 percent off a future Celebrity cruise, redeemable anytime within the next 18 months".

I guess I did not understand what "30% off a future cruise" meant or that "redeemable anytime" meant not including Holidays, reunion cruises, etc.

[sandy1020]

Hi. So how did you hear about the British 30% coupon? I think that a cash value coupon is better than 30% off your next cruise particularly if !)you can sell it in case you never cruise with Celebrity again and 2) if you paid a lot for your cruise and can use it (if you sail with Celebriy again) on a cheaper cabin (book an inside for yourself or the kids instead of the balcony) Personally a cabin with balcony is a must for Alaska but on a winter Caribbean cruise when night falls at 6:00 , inside is great for the teenagers who never see the light of day anyway!!!

[NotAanofCelebrity]

Hi. So how did you hear about the British 30% coupon? I think that a cash value coupon is better than 30% off your next cruise particularly if !)you can sell it in case you never cruise with Celebrity again and 2) if you paid a lot for your cruise and can use it (if you sail with Celebriy again) on a cheaper cabin (book an inside for yourself or the kids instead of the balcony) Personally a cabin with balcony is a must for Alaska but on a winter Caribbean cruise when night falls at 6:00 , inside is great for the teenagers who never see the light of day anyway!!!

 

What Cruiser2004 forgot to mention was that the FCCs are non-Tranferable and as to your second point I have communicate with quite a number of passengers on the "Cruise of Cruises" and almost to a person they have said they would NEVER cruise on Celebrity again. Those 2 things make the FCCs not worth the paper they are printed on.

I guess you missed the part where the captain's letter said 30% off of a future cruise good anytime in the next 18 months. TWO more boldface lies told to the people lucky enough have been on this cruise.

I just wish I was booked on the following cruise and had gotten my money back and a free cruise not to go on the Summit.