We've been upgraded...BUT!!!

[Highly Sociable]

I'm on the Eastbound crossing on the QM2 on 24th October with my husband and two children. We picked our rooms carefully so that we were next door to each other and made sure that they were cross referenced on our booking.

Today we have been told by our TA that we have been upgraded from a B5 to a B3. That is one of the rooms has!

I phoned our TA straight away - not impressed with her, couldn't she see that this would cuase a problem. One half of the family is now one deck 4 and the other on deck 8.

She contacted Cunard and they are trying to get us back out original room, but this may be a problem as it may have already been re-allocated. Ok, we said, upgrade us both. That too may be difficult. We won't know were we are for at least another three days!

 

This is the second problem that we have had with Cunard administration. When our plane tickets arrived we had been booked on a Continental flight when we had been advised that it was going to be BA. When I checked the flight details on the internet I saw that the flight was almost full, so I asked if they had reserved our seats as we were a family and it was important that the children sat with us. They hadn't done this! They have now, but it annoys me that I had to ask for these things to be done, when it should have been part of the service.

 

Will keep you informed as to how our cabin allocation pans out.

 

Travel-to-go - if you are reading this - I am going to pour myself a stiff drink!

[Cleo245]

It seems that your problem is not with Cunard but with your travel agent, she should have told them that you were not interested in an upgrade. Good luck getting this worked out. I know it must be very frustrating.

[Iamboatman]

There is an auto-upgrade which is applied if not specifically told not to. Rule No. 1 when booking cabins next to each other is to disable the feature. And when the cabin is gone it is gone. As the fault is with the TA and not Cunard, hopefully someone (the TA?) can find you cabins next to each other.

 

As for the airline seats, having a family of 4, if you ask nicely (and possibly make a few attempts) some seats may be available. Also, check to see if the bulkheads are available. Finally, usually seats come free the closer you get to the day of departure.

[travel-to-go]

Travel-to-go - if you are reading this - I am going to pour myself a stiff drink!

 

I would join you, but I have a stiff shoulder! (Just had my sweetie rub Nen Gay into it..mmm)

I've been sent hither and yon by my bosses for the last three days. I got four hours of sleep last night, Had to be up at 4:30 and drive an hour and a half (plus time to pick up the company car) to meet a contractor in one office. The other boss wanted me an hour back upstate to pack up my desk (stuff from the former 8 people who shared the job, plus my own accumulations of 27 years in the company) for a temporary move (new carpet, paint and furniture- Our new corporate parent's colors- Justice department approved the merger today.) I think I wrenched my shoulder lifting a box full of heavy manuals.

 

As for your problem. Call Cunard every day until they straighten it out. And make them fax it (or email it) to you in writing. If they had the two associated with each other, and knew there were parents and children, there is no excuse for them to have split you up. Especially different decks! If they have to give you a suite, then so be it! Keep calling. You'll get different answers each time! Maybe you might even ask (Be nice to them and they will be more inclined to do something extra- I always say, Look, I know it isn't your fault, and I don't mean to take it out on you... or something like that. ) Anyway, maybe they will give you some onboard credit or something for your trouble. How old are the kids? Wth a ship like the Queen, even slightly mischievous kids are usually sufficently impressed with the ship and its passnegers to be on their better behavior. Perhaps if they can at least get you close, they might think it really neat to be trusted with a little leeway... or not! You would certainly know better, and some children get scared not being next door.

 

Stay on Cunard's case (nicely, but firmly, all the same!)

Good luck, and keep us apprised. (or is it appraised> Well, whatever!)

 

Karie,

Who wishes you "bottoms up!"

[Iamboatman]

The problem is that the bookings are "upgraded" by computer. There is no person making decisions. They probably should tweak the system, but...

[Highly Sociable]

Well. I contacted Cunard and spoke to a very nice young man. He at first would not give me any information, as I had booked through a TA. When I explained that I had lost faith in my TA as she hadn't noticed that there was a problem with the upgrade, he told me everything that I needed to know.

 

Yes - our cabins had been cross-referenced.

No - our TA hadn't specified that we didn't want an upgrade.

 

Hold on - we do want an upgrade. Why should we be penalised because we had booked two rooms together.

 

He couldn't answer that. Needless to say a fax has gone off to HQ asking why the upgrade has been taken off me, instead of just upgrading my second room as well.

 

Anyway, we are back to our original rooms, which is some consolation. Cunard have apparently already told my TA this, but she hasn't passed on the good news! to me yet.

 

I've also asked my TA to explain why she hadn't noticed that there was a problem with the upgrade and why I had to sort it out myself.

 

Travel-to-go - my children are 14 and 10, and whilst I don't mind them sharing a room when we are next door to each other (even though this is apparently breaking the rules) I don't think we would have gotten away with it, or that it would be wise, to have them on their own 4 decks apart from us. I mentioned it to my duaghter yesterday, and it wouldn't have bothered her in the least. Maybe it's just me being an over protective mother. Both kids are really good kids and they are really looking forward to the crossing.

[Bramcruiser]

Glad to hear everything was sorted out but I agree that it should have been your TA doing the follow up and not you. So I can understand your feelings through this whole situation.

 

Overprotective? Not really. Its just nice to know that the family doesn't haven't to be split up so far apart. A few cabins down I might live with but your move was a bit ridiculous.

 

Anyway, great to hear its been sorted out.

 

David

[kevankiki]

A similar issue has come up with our booking for August 07. Like you we have two cabins booked next to each other and I mentioned in an email to Cunard that 'in the unlikely chance that the upgrade fairy visited us' that I hoped our bookings would be cross referenced. Cunard phoned my husband and explained that only one cabin may get upgraded, but that we could opt out from any upgrade at this stage if we wished. Our situation is slightly different as our 'children' are 18 and 14 and would kill each other if they shared a cabin, so we have girls in one, boys in the other. Now, it wouldn't actually bother us if we were not next door to each other, BUT it would bother us if we were assigned to different restaurants. Cunard did say that we could turn down any upgrade though, so I hope that will be the case, should it happen.

 

I agree with you Highly Sociable - why should we be penalised just because we have two cabins booked? Why do we have to have two separate booking references anyway? Surely if they booked two cabins under one reference then the problem would not occur? When the time comes for the 'bargain prices' then who's to say there won't be a family who would welcome two cabins next door to each other - bump us up and give them what they want ;)

 

This is our third cruise with Cunard (technically our 4th since our last one was a back-to-back), and I'm sure that last time we missed out due to either being on two cruises, or having 3 occupants in a cabin :mad:

[travel-to-go]

Annette, you are most wise beyond your years. I am sure there is some reason why they would not do as you suggest (o+ne confirmation number or res number, two cabins) but most probably it is "This is the way we've always done it" (an excellent reason imho- NOT) or The system wasn't set up to do that! (Well, change it then. You certainly are able to change it when you raise the priices or created a "New" upgraded cabin by calling the same cabin a AA, putting you in the back corner of the dining room and saying it is an upgrade! Oh and letting you show up for dinner, whenever. In an area, that I believe doesn't not even have windows, should you want to open the curtains)

 

HS, I am glad you are back to your carefully chosen cabins, although it would be awfully nice to have the upgrade fairy smile upon you. While we're at it, it would be nice if cruise lines (And Disney) recognized the possibility of a family of more than 2 or even three, that might not want to share 1 tiny room (no privacy) and one bathroom, and created some sort of family suite without having to pay an arm and a leg. In fact, it would be nice to have a suite, with maybe two bedrooms, that a family could use and common spaces, such as a living room, dining area, they could share! RCCL does this, although they still are not particularly inexpensive.

I am still firmly a believer in nicely worded complaint letters, along the lines of, "So you can be aware, and perhaps improve service in the future on problems you may not be aware if. We do plan to book again in the future..." I usually find they are willing to grant, say, money off on the next cruise, which either assures them of a new booking they might not have otherwise gotten, or it costs them nothing, and when you book, they usually flag you for extra nice treatment. At least that''s been my experience, though I didn't do it for that reason.

 

Good luck, and maybe they will upgrade you both. Hmm, one boy, one girl, that age and they woudn't kill each other? You have obviously raised them well!)

 

Karie,

who has enough trouble with cats, never mind kids!

[pnhmrk]

It would be nice if cruise lines (And Disney) recognized the possibility of a family of more than 2 or even three, that might not want to share 1 tiny room (no privacy) and one bathroom, and created some sort of family suite without having to pay an arm and a leg. In fact, it would be nice to have a suite, with maybe two bedrooms, that a family could use and common spaces, such as a living room, dining area, they could share! RCCL does this, although they still are not particularly inexpensive.

 

Can't this happen already on the QE2? You can either book 2 or 3 cabins and have the adjoining doors opened between them or you can book two, three or four (is five a possibility?) cabins together and make the door onto the main corridor from the sub corridor the main door (I've not explained that very well, do you know what I mean?:confused: ). That way you can get a very large suite of rooms at any level of the ship - of course if you have four cabins you need to pay for four cabins but that doesn't seem unreasonable.