What can you do?

[tomboyy]

I have a question. If your on a cruise and have a problem... who do you talk to? I've read enough responses to know that you go to the pursers desk and I've read enough responses to know that sometimes they do nothing but tell you to talk or write to Carnival AFTER the cruise. There has to be enough CHEIFS on this cruise to talk to.. isn't there? Some of the stuff that I've read on here would be absolutly not something that I would let go to just write customer relations about later. O.K .... that being said I'm not going on this cruise looking for trouble to show it's face and won't be picking everything apart AND if there is a problem I'll overlook it ( if it's small ) or hopefully take take of it. Soooo what to do ???:)

 

Tom

[Kurbanfan]

I have a question. If your on a cruise and have a problem... who do you talk to?

 

Tom

 

Why cruise critic of course! We know all the answers:p

[momofzeke]

As far as I know, you would go to the Purser's desk if you had a problem. But, you already answered your own question, so I guess I can't add anything further.

 

Of course, if it was a problem with the dining room, you would speak to the Maitre D. Problem with your cabin, you would begin with your steward.

 

Beyond that, I don't know what to tell you......

[tomboyy]

O.K understandable... let me give ya'll an example.. this was posted by another CC member ....Although he and his wife were staying in the same cabin ( duuhh) they had seperate seatings and when he went to talk to the M'tard dee ( I know i spelled it wrong .. On purpose as I didn't want to look it up :D ) he told him he couldn't talk to him because he was still dressed in shorts and that wasn't proper dress for the dining room. I would have a BIG problem with this additude. Thats what I'm talking about... what to do in a case like this and what to do if the Pursers desk won't help you ?

[bcs819]

I read this post, too, and was shocked. We will be on our 7th cruise in September and only 1, has our dining seating been what we asked for it to be. We are always in the first batch of people to board because I want to be first to the Maitre D'. If memory serves, the maitre d opens at 1 pm. I have always been dressed casually and been waiting when they open the door to me, and the line of folks behind me in shorts, t-shirts, etc. The only thing I can guess is if that post was accurate, they did not go early, but rather waited until the dinner time to fix the problem. In that case, I could see being refused service since they were dressed inappropriately for the dining room during the dinner hour. You will see all during your cruise (especially on the first and last days) people going thru the dining rooms at all hours taking pictures, checking table locations, etc, and they are dressed in sweats, PJs, etc.

As someone who deals with customers, here's my suggestion. Complain nicely to the person who made the error. Give them the opportunity to apologize/correct. If that doesn't work, ask NICELY to speak to their supervisor. Do not be put off, but being nice is key. I will always try to help someone who is polite and respectful. Someone who screams or curses at me gets nothing. If they try to put you off, say NICELY, "I would rather deal with this now, I'll wait for them". Wait patiently, look at your watch a few times. If you wait for what you feel is too long, ask to borrow a pen. "I just want to jot down some names and times for the review I will be writing after my trip". This will usually result in another phone call. If you continue to be put off, ask how else you can resolve it now. Who can you call at Carnival right now? When will the Chief Purser be available? Tying up a spot at the counter and refusing to move usually works.

 

But, and I can't stress this enough, do not get loud, or curse or question the intelligence of the person helping you.

[GoinCruisin]

I think someone is pulling your leg or not telling the whole story... That is hard to believe... but I would personally go to the hotel director or head purser if anything like that happened, I just think it smells fishy.

[tomboyy]

Lucy,

 

I'm not saying this poster was right or even honest.. I was just asking " If this happened to me what should I do ":)

 

Tom

[GoinCruisin]

Lucy,

 

I'm not saying this poster was right or even honest.. I was just asking " If this happened to me what should I do ":)

 

Tom

 

What should you do? Look around the room for Alan Fudd, because chances are you are on Candid Camera :p LOL!

 

Seriously, see the head purser or the hotel director.

[mamaskittles]

I totally agree with Bernie.

Patience and perseverance is the key. A show of intelligence will get everyone a lot further than screaming and making a scene.

If for some reason you cannot resolve the problem on board your only alternative is to call Carnival from the ship and complain right then and there in front of the pursors desk or wait til the end of he cruise. I wouldn't let it ruin my good time. If Carnival made an error and wouldn't let me sit with DH at dinner I would eventually pull up a chair and sit with him anyway I am sure the maitre-d would call the hotel manager and then problem would be solved. I would be dressed appropriately of course:) and speaking intelligently.

[tomboyy]

I totally agree with Bernie.

Patience and perseverance is the key. A show of intelligence will get everyone a lot further than screaming and making a scene.

If for some reason you cannot resolve the problem on board your only alternative is to call Carnival from the ship and complain right then and there in front of the pursors desk or wait til the end of he cruise. I wouldn't let it ruin my good time. If Carnival made an error and wouldn't let me sit with DH at dinner I would eventually pull up a chair and sit with him anyway I am sure the maitre-d would call the hotel manager and then problem would be solved. I would be dressed appropriately of course:) and speaking intelligently.

Thanks

Tom

[bubbles1209]

The only problem we ever had (so far) was on our last cruise in Feb. on Liberty. We took advantage of the all the laundry you can fit into a bag done & returned to your stateroom by 7pm deal for $15.00. DH put all of our laundry into a bag, sent it off, and come 7pm, no laundry. Trick was, he didn't realize it was formal night (he thought it was the nexy night) and he put his dress shirt in the bag. We had the 8:30 seating, so there was plenty of time for him to get ready. Well, come 7pm, no laundry. DH called the purser's desk asking about the laundry, they informed us we needed to speak to the purser, but offered to relay the message for us. Within 5 minutes, our steward, Iputu was knocking at our door. We asked where our laundry was, he said he would find out. 10 minutes later, he was back saying it would be ready for us :eek: the next morning, because they weren't quite done with all of it. (most was ready, just not all of it) We told him that wasn't gonna work because DH's dress shirt was in the laundry and he needed it for formal night. Bless his heart, this guy goes back down to the laundry gets DH's shirt and presses it himself, and brings it back so DH will have something to wear. Yes he was tipped nicely before we left, and commended well on our comment card;) Later that night, we noticed that the charge for the laundry service had been billed to our S&S account. I went to the purser's desk and told them that we wanted it removed, because we did not receive the service they had advertised, and if we had known it was going to take that long that we would have gone to the laundry room and done it cheaper ourselves. (Yes, we were trying to be lazy about it...who wants to do laundry on vacation?) The young lady at the purser's desk made a call, told them of the problem and that we had not received our laundry back, and wouldn't get it back until the next morning. Naturally, they told her they would call her back and let her know something and she told us she would call us in our stateroom within the hour to let us know something. Never got that call from her, however, the charge was removed from our S&S bill within 30 minutes. So our steward, and the purser's desk helped us out quite nicely, hopefully, should anything ever come up that's as far as you'll need to go.

[caribbean dreams]

I think someone is pulling your leg or not telling the whole story... That is hard to believe... but I would personally go to the hotel director or head purser if anything like that happened, I just think it smells fishy.

 

Sorry Lucy, it's the whole truth, nothing was left out. We went to the dining room at the time it was stated the maitre'd would be there. (no it was not dinner time & well before it started).

Would not let DH in to talk to him until he changed.

he changed & came back, Maitre'd said there was nothing he could do.

We even asked if we could put a few more chairs at the table, he said that was against the rules.

I know it's not and we did argue with him for quite a while but in the end could do nothing.

 

And i did write a letter to Carnival when i got home,

this is what the reply said:

 

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience

>> you experienced. Regarding your dining room seating assignment, our

>> Reservations Department

>> records each guest's preference at the time of booking. Then, in

>> preparation for each cruise, our Food & Beverage management staff works

>> diligently to accommodate those preferences. However, circumstances do

>> not always allow for a perfect match. We understand your disappointment

>> in this regard and extend our sincere apologies for any inconvenience you experienced.

 

 

Now does it sound like i am trying to pull everyones leg??

We chose not to let it ruin our vacation and we handled it when we got home.

[momofzeke]

Sorry Lucy, it's the whole truth, nothing was left out. We went to the dining room at the time it was stated the maitre'd would be there. (no it was not dinner time & well before it started).

Would not let DH in to talk to him until he changed.

he changed & came back, Maitre'd said there was nothing he could do.

We even asked if we could put a few more chairs at the table, he said that was against the rules.

I know it's not and we did argue with him for quite a while but in the end could do nothing.

 

That is the weirdest thing I've ever heard. Were there other people there to talk to the Maitre D when you were there? If so, how were they dressed? I never imagined that a couple travelling together in the same cabin would not be assigned the same table in the dining room. :confused:

[EydieG]

Okay, I'm shocked. What ship were you on and did you ever get it resolved during your cruise? After six cruises we've only had very minor problems which were fixed quickly and this is very surprising to me. I'm afraid I would have made a giant fuss if my DH and I weren't seated together. I mean like the OP said "DUH".

 

Eydie

[Kurbanfan]

Ditto on the shock!

That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard......but somehow it does not surprise me:cool:

[caribbean dreams]

That is the weirdest thing I've ever heard. Were there other people there to talk to the Maitre D when you were there? If so, how were they dressed? I never imagined that a couple travelling together in the same cabin would not be assigned the same table in the dining room. :confused:

 

No, we were the only people in the dining room to talk to him, except for a woman which i am assuming was the assistant.

It was 2 cabins that had the problem.

I did not talk to anyone else, just decided to eat other places on the ship.

We did eat in the dining room on formal night.

Watching the Maitre'd, during dinner that formal night, he was inforcing the dress code and was quite rude to the people he would not let inter the dining room. I am sure, i am not the only one that complained about him on that cruise. It was on the Valor last July.

 

I had never head of this happening before either, i think it was just some kind of rare computer glitch fueled by a rude maitre'd.

I have never complained about anything on my cruises before, this was a first.

[born2bacruiser]

We have had a weird experience...On our last cruise we had 8:00 seating and the first 3 days were fine. On the 4th day we did the supper club thing and went to have dinner on the 5th night and our seats were assigned to someone else. We went to the powers that be and they told us they had no other seats available and that we would have to wait until the 8:30 seating. We didn't want to wait until 8:30 so the rest of the cruise we ended up eating in the buffet. It was disappointing and not fair that we lost our table seating for missing 1 night. We didn't let it ruin our fun but thought it could have been handled better.

[momofzeke]

Watching the Maitre'd, during dinner that formal night, he was inforcing the dress code and was quite rude to the people he would not let inter the dining room. I am sure, i am not the only one that complained about him on that cruise. It was on the Valor last July.

 

Wow, I have a friend who is on the Valor right now. I wonder if it is the same Maitre D? I'll be interested to see what she has to say about him when she gets back. He sounds like a total nightmare. Hope I never have to cruise on a ship he's working on. :(

[bcs819]

No, we were the only people in the dining room to talk to him, except for a woman which i am assuming was the assistant..

 

I just don't understand that. I am always in line waiting when the Maitre D opens and by the time he arrives/opens the doors, there is always a long line of people behind me. On one cruise, it looked like the good old days when people would sleep out for concert tix, people were propped up on duffel bags, etc.

[caribbean dreams]

Wow, I have a friend who is on the Valor right now. I wonder if it is the same Maitre D? I'll be interested to see what she has to say about him when she gets back. He sounds like a total nightmare. Hope I never have to cruise on a ship he's working on. :(

 

I talked to some people who were on the ship 2 sailing after us and they said, there was no inforcement of the dress code on any night.

I just wonder if so many people complained, they had a little talk with him.

 

Besides the fact that no one was in the dining room at the time, It was the first night of the cruise and casual clothing has always been excepted.

Like i said, it didn't ruin my cruise.

[caribbean dreams]

I just don't understand that. I am always in line waiting when the Maitre D opens and by the time he arrives/opens the doors, there is always a long line of people behind me. On one cruise, it looked like the good old days when people would sleep out for concert tix, people were propped up on duffel bags, etc.

 

No one else was in the dining room.

LKike i just said in the post above, it shouldn't have mattered anyway, it was the first night, casual clothes can be worn.

But not on his watch!

[feistytigger]

Wow, I have a friend who is on the Valor right now. I wonder if it is the same Maitre D? I'll be interested to see what she has to say about him when she gets back. He sounds like a total nightmare. Hope I never have to cruise on a ship he's working on. :(

 

ooh - i bet it was the same guy we had in august. he was kind of rude about getting our group fixed. he did do it though.

[GoinCruisin]

Sorry Lucy, it's the whole truth, nothing was left out. We went to the dining room at the time it was stated the maitre'd would be there. (no it was not dinner time & well before it started).

Would not let DH in to talk to him until he changed.

he changed & came back, Maitre'd said there was nothing he could do.

We even asked if we could put a few more chairs at the table, he said that was against the rules.

I know it's not and we did argue with him for quite a while but in the end could do nothing.

 

And i did write a letter to Carnival when i got home,

this is what the reply said:

 

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience

>> you experienced. Regarding your dining room seating assignment, our

>> Reservations Department

>> records each guest's preference at the time of booking. Then, in

>> preparation for each cruise, our Food & Beverage management staff works

>> diligently to accommodate those preferences. However, circumstances do

>> not always allow for a perfect match. We understand your disappointment

>> in this regard and extend our sincere apologies for any inconvenience you experienced.

 

 

Now does it sound like i am trying to pull everyones leg??

We chose not to let it ruin our vacation and we handled it when we got home.

 

Never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life!!! Who was the Maitre'D???

[Kurbanfan]

ooh - i bet it was the same guy we had in august. he was kind of rude about getting our group fixed. he did do it though.

 

Maybe they got rid of him. We had no problem on the Valor this last Dec.

[tribbs1]

Needless to say, you did not tip that particular Maitre'D, did you ?