Don't Let Them Grind You Down

[Goofyisme]

I know from previous posts that you don't want to hear this but, the problem is your TA. I cannot imagine ever having to speak or correspond with a cruiseline, airline, hotel chain etc. My TA does all this for me. When one of the above makes an error he will not accept that they will not talk to him or any other excuse. I have had several issues with travel organizations over the life of my travels and my TA has always come up with a fair and equitable solution to the issue. All without me having to do anything more than call him, and I often don't even have to do that. He earns my business, and thus his commisions and fees, by providing me with this level of service. Seems to me the person being let off the hook here and who should be the object for obtaining satisfaction is the TA involved, or should I say not involved. Just my thoughts and once again thankfullness for the TA I have.

Hope all works out for you.

[2ladies]

Of course, you are right. But that's not really the point. Neither of them are looking after ME - and I am the customer!! Each backing the other.

 

As it happens, there are many ways to kill a goose. I am just hoping that Celebrity will get real, step up to the plate, do what is right and then all will be sweetness and light again!! However, I am not holding my breath waiting!! Someone there doesn't like me - sob sob!! However, my day will come!! Always does!!

 

They are lucky that I do not conform to the saying 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'!!! There are various ways of taking revenge on large Corporations - I am not going to enter into such a discussion as I don't want to give anyone any ideas!! I have worked on consumer affairs projects and it is hugely interesting.

 

This whole thing about the relationship between the cruiseline and TAs is fascinating. Similar to the relationship re Corporation franchises - the consumer is left in limbo if there is a problem.

 

However, in all fairness to my TA, the way Celebrity's customer don'tcare department operates would intimidate most people!!! I suppose not all TAs are forceful. She says she has written to the rep - no comment!!

 

Oh well, win some lose some!! But people shouldn't just buckle-under the pressure of the large Corporations - everyone should give them a hard time if they deserve it. I will be at their Miami HQ in December - they can look forward to that as their Christmas present!!:D

 

The TA should be fighting for me - but that's no excuse for Celebrity's failures.

[judyjbest]

That's exactly our point ... you shouldn't even know that Celebrity is difficult to work with ... that should be your TA's headache! You should be relaxing, planning your vacation, and your TA should be knocking on every Celebrity exec's door they know, their friends know, or their enemies know. It's the TA's job to deal with the cruise line and keep you happy before sailing. It's the cruise line's job to dazzle you on the cruise and make you a repeat guest for both them and the TA.

[trailercruiser]

When it comes to letter writing, you win some you lose some. I traveled on Southwest one time and had a problem in Denver. I wrote a letter and was refunded $600 by check (the cost of all three of my tickets). I continue to fly Southwest and probably would have even without the refund- but I still tell people how much I love Southwest and they no longer use the rude company that they subcontracted out of Denver. So maybe my letter helped future passengers as well.

I wrote another letter to Alamo's parent company in August -over a problem I had and have yet to hear anything. Maybe I will. If I don't- with all the car companies out there- I probably would pick another. If I do get a letter and/or some compensation- I probably would use them again.

Busniesses should care and respond to letters of complaint because it restores one's good feeling about the company.

LOL, southwest is a passenger cattle car, but if it works for you good riddance.:p To the OP , remember corporate is the reason you like celebrity, corporate hires its on board workers. Please talk to your travel agent and please don't blame big corporations as they are who hire most and have are economy at its best in 40 years.

[Goofyisme]

Oh well I tried.

Consider one passenger vs a TA with several hundred bookings a year. Who carries the most weight with any cruise line.

I am sorry you have such a bad TA but doubt you will get any satisfaction via your methods but keep tilting at those windmills every once in a blue moon it works.

[2ladies]

Well guys, I certainly respect everyone's opinions.

 

Did I pick the 'wrong' TA? Well, that's the point. Who knows? She may well have NOT made a mistake - maybe the cruiseline is covering up ITS mistake.

 

She should be fighting for me!! Of course!! I think she is probably worn down with fighting for her clients rights - as a poster pointed out, the cruise contract seems to have no favourable options for the customer!! If her company is not a favoured agent, they probably take no notice of her!!

 

What is not being disputed, is just how badly the cruiseline handled the entire episode of the redeployment!! There are pages on this site of worried passengers - and this went on for weeks!!

 

The dollars involved are secondary to the fact that I wasn't accorded the respect that a customer is entitled to after weeks of worry. I see absolutely no reason for the cruiseline not to tell me the date they sent the fax out - my TA gave permission for me to speak to them 'on all three levels'!!:confused: Unless, of course, they have something to hide.

 

Trailercruiser - These wonderful corporations are giving us cheap cruises out of the kindness of their hearts!!?? In your dreams!! They are earning big profits - and I am a shareholder in RCCL:D :D Your economy at its best for 40 years? Tell that to the cruisers who come to London - the dollar is almost at its lowest!!! Your property market is being hit by rising interest rates!! The amount of debt is colossal!! Hmm........ !! Not sure the UK is doing any better either in reality!!

 

I suggest some of you watch Judge Judy's face when the person who has welshed on a loan, accuses the plaintiff of harrassment 'cos she chases her money! Like the poster who suggests that I am 'pestering' the cruise line!! Hello - treat me right and I will stop!!?? Why shouldn't I keep on until I receive the proper answers. They are not denying anything about the price. Just refusing to discuss it!! The attitude is 'that's what you are receiving, don't care about the price on the computer, put up with it!! Well, NO!!!

 

We will wait and see what reply my reasonable letter elicits!! Hopefully, the right people will read it. As a matter of info - when I told my TA that their method of getting rid of me is to leave me holding for ages, she said 'oh, they always do that'!! Nice one Celebrity!!!

 

By the way, I have never threatened legal action or said that I would never travel with them again. As for employing the right staff on the ships - there are big changes taking place in the nationality of senior personnel on Celebrity's ships. Time will tell - I can only say that I shall miss Nickos B. on the Constellation. He was just exceptional!! Under his direction that ship was the one to beat for years!!

[tbelian]

By the way, I have never threatened legal action

 

However in an earlier post you typed:

 

TBelian - this is just one thing I am doing. At the moment I am e-mailing and snail-mailing! When I have enough, I will go down to their Miami office and see if I can get to see someone. I will also write to Conde Nast, Rita, Greta et al!!!! However, I do have to show that I have given them every chance to remedy the situation.

 

That's pretty much "SOP" when someone is considering a suit.

[rebeccalouise]

LOL, southwest is a passenger cattle car, but if it works for you good riddance.:p To the OP , remember corporate is the reason you like celebrity, corporate hires its on board workers. Please talk to your travel agent and please don't blame big corporations as they are who hire most and have are economy at its best in 40 years.

 

Certainly don't want to get off track with Southwest. I love Southwest- the reason I do is that you cancel and change your ticket endless times with no penalties. Some tickets are 100% refundable and the others there you can use them within a year with ZERO cancellation charges. I have found them to have a good track record for on time take off and departures, etc. They are cheap but the planes are in good shape. Of course there are more luxurious airlines but there are trade offs. From where I live there are so many daily Nonstops to great places at great times. I can live without assigned seats.

[templed]

well... the first thing is... stop thinking that Judge Judy is how the legal system works in the US.... ;)

 

Second... I do hope that you get satisfaction in this transaction... but like I've said... your TA is your problem... not X.

[Jimsgirl]

Many opinions aired in this thread, I have had difficulties recently not one of which was of my making, cancelled cruise, lack of info as to what was to happen etc , all matters that should have been dealt with by the cruiseline and my TA (who should have been my advocate -IMO) and so fired my ex TA.

 

One line she used as to why she had not dealt with a problem in five days was:-

 

"I am dealing with ***** at Celebrity, she cannot accept incoming calls so I have to wait until she contacts me and she has not done so yet"!!

 

Now has anyone ever heard of such a ridiculous notion?

 

The problem is of course compounded by the poor service given by HQ, and the fact that they "outsource" various functions to other states, so often if you call Customer Service the person is not in Miami but Kansas.

 

That person reads off the screen, and if the screen is incorrect you might as well be talking to the Man in the Moon.

Anyone calling this week would be told that Infinity is cruising Alaska, returning to SF Friday 7a.m and sails again at 5p.m that evening. Not so

 

Infinity is in Dry dock, and will not be at SF for boarding until Sunday , but the Celebrity staff do not seem to know this.

[cruiser2004]

It is appalling that in this day and age of computers that it would even be possible to have a problem such as yours continuing on for so long. The fact that Celebrity Customer Service still reports that the Infinity is cruising Alaska this week, while it is indeed sitting in dry dock for on-going pod repairs does tell an interesting tale. This along with all of the other various problems reported on these boards indicates to me that either Celebrity has a rather inept chain of command or Celebrity just does not think it is that important that their customers need to know what is really going on. I think it is quite refereshing to see some customers will not meekly accept whatever is dished out to them.

[Drew B]

I just don't get any of this from a PR perspective. This is a corporation that advertises itself as treating it's customers famously. This claim is belied by the repeated instances of disgruntled customers railing against the repeated horrible customer service they receive. Seriously, I rarely hear anything good about the corporate office and the customer service department, even from the staunchest loyalists on this board.

 

Now, I don't know if their ships are all sailing at 100% capacity at full cost with a lengthy waiting list. If so, then they really don't need to worry about negative PR. However, if they are sailing at reduced capacity or are having to lower prices to fill their ships, they really should look at this problem. Overhauling their customer service, even if it requires spending some money to make things right with disgruntled passengers, will pay off in the long run if it means that they can recapture their reputation for top-notch service.

[2ladies]

TBelian - a 'paper trail' does not necessarily mean legal action. In fact, if you read my post again, you will see that I was not referring to legal action.

 

I can assure you that this stupidity on the part of Celebrity is not worth legal action!! They should be ashamed to treat good customers with such disdain - but it is too small to be actionable as far as I am concerned!! But then, I am not American!! Sorry guys - couldn't resist that one!!!

 

I have been ripped-off before and no doubt will be again!! I will just add this to the list!! However, I don't have to sit back and accept it without a fight!! I can try to ensure that as many people as possible hear about what happens to the Celebrity Treatment when there is a problem.

 

Everybody I speak to thinks they must be lunatics to behave like this - or just arrogant!!

 

Now TBelian...... read mah lips...... there will be no legal action:D !! OK?

 

Its too interesting to be spoiling it with comments like that!!

[templed]

I suspect that at this point... you're not dealing with "celebrity" per se... you're dealing with Royal Caribbean International.... you're out of the brand...into the corporation.

 

Which... IMO... is where your problem lies... you're out of the realm of a "Valued Customer", into the realm of Triage Customer service...

 

You'll get the run around until 1) you get a helpful person... 2) you give up...

 

sad to say... but it's the truth.

[2ladies]

Templed - give up? Moi?:eek: No chance!!

 

Get a helpful person? All I can say is, where there is life, there is hope!! Not sure there is life there - maybe only zombies:D !! Or robots reading from a script!!

 

As I said previously, a nice gentleman did have the courtesy to 'phone me. I would hope to get something in writing from him eventually.

 

Unfortunately, my previous post today was removed!! Probably too inflamatory!! Was just replying to a certain lady whose post was removed and my answer to her is now:p !! Moderators, please don't pull this one!! Just trying to be a little amusing now!!

[templed]

Yeah... I think at this point, you are in the land of "outsourced" customer service...

 

Welcome to US cost cutting business strategy...

[2ladies]

Hi Templed - I am not good at business 'speak'. I am outsourced? How dare you!! What am I - chopped liver? Perhaps I should have booked my cruise with Publix (Florida Supermarket chain).

 

Celebrity owe me money and it ain't hay!! (Another fave American expression).

 

Doesn't sound like 'cost-cutting business strategy' - sounds like losing customers in plain English language!:D :D :D Bet you went to Business School!! Waste of dosh!! Just go out and earn some money by hard graft!! Hee hee!! Not so many long words, but more spondooliks!! And oh, the thrill of hard work - which is why I am now retired!! Couldn't do it soon enough really!! Now I just cruise!! And write nonsense on CruiseCritic.com!!

 

Seriously guys, I run to the post every morning in the hope that the personal letter from Richard Fain will have at last arrived. Oh, the daily disappointment is so hard to bear!! Would even welcome a letter from Dan Hanrahan if I was really pushed. But I would prefer the organ grinder natch. Captain must be better than stoker!!

 

I am interested in being outsourced - where do you think I am at present? Certainly didn't do very well as Valued Customer - maybe being triaged will be an improvement!! But which of the three sections will I be put in?

 

1. Clap her in irons when she boards the Voyager.

2. Call the police when she arrives at our Miami HQ.

3. Offer her 12 free cruises and see if that pacifies her.

 

When I get to Florida, I will take real advantage of their 1800 number!! I am still living in hope that someone sensible works at Celebrity/Royal Caribbean - beginning to doubt it though. But when I get to Florida, I will leave no stone (1800 number) unturned!! Bulldog British tenacity, that's me!!

 

And anyone who works for Celebrity/Royal Caribbean and is reading this - Yes, I mean you!!!!

[templed]

lol... by outsourced... I mean that you are probly talking to someone, somewhere in middle america that is working off a script, and has no real vested interest in making you, the customer, happy...

 

It costs the corporation less, because the people that work there aren't paid as highly as the people you will find in the corporate headquarters in Miami...

 

No... I didn't go to business school... but I do work for lawyers... so... I guess I've been around 'em too long...

[BocaRoo]

You are right - those workers in the Miami Office have to fund their South Beach lifestyles. I wonder if the rumour is true that breakfast is sent in to the RCCL offices from the News Cafe each morning? That's the sort of perk which would appeal to those sophisticated people in Miami. Is this what you mean in Ingerlish

 

I've been reading your posts on two threads now for many weeks. Yes, we all have the right to our opinions, and yes, I sympathize with the situation you encountered with the change in your sailing and your frustration with Celebrity's Customer Service Department: I, too, experienced similar frustration and problems with Customer Service when the 4/13/07 Constellation sailing was changed. I persevered and worked with X until I found appropriate solutions (no, I did not use a TA).

 

You have been using this board as your personal venue for venting and bashing Celebrity ad nauseum. I think what brings out the worst in those who respond to you (and whose posts have been removed) is your condescending tone, and with this last post, I feel you have hit the rudeness meter at an all time high. As a resident of the Miami Beach area, I find your quoted comment really snide and offensive. I will be tuning out of this thread from here on out.

 

It is a shame that when you come to Miami you will spend the day camped out at X headquarters on your soapbox instead of enjoying what our beautiful city has to offer you: gorgeous sandy beaches, blue skies, swaying palm trees and nice people!!!!

 

I wish you good luck as you seek to resolve your problems with Celebrity and I hope you enjoy your cruise!

 

 

[templed]

unfortunately my username is much more mundane... it's my old novel login from my first job...

[richsea]

Please let us know when this saga comes to an end. Until then.....................

[templed]

I think that the passenger contract is rather easy to read... I'd start there...

 

As far as the relationship between your TA and the cruiseline... I can't help ya there... I wouldn't even know where to look... aside from google...

 

I saw a little bit of history today... "Athena" sailed past my window today... take a look around the web... see if you can't figure out what her real name is... and what important day in cruising history she's linked to...

[templed]

yup... I guess ... c'est la vie

[HurricaneSally]

To be honest with you Drew, I haven't heard anything good about any cruiseline's customer service department on land. It seems they are just out of the loop and can't make any decisions. So, we all know that already, and don't expect much help from them.

[Drew B]

LOL! I didn't know that. I haven't done that much cruising (3 cruises total) and never had much to do with them. I just started reading avidly here last Spring, so I'm still learning.