Live from Millie 6/30-7/12- Damage

[BikerAl]

This has been terrible for the people missing out on great destinations and for anyone missing the next cruise. I really feel for them as I did this cruise last year. However, it is far too soon to jump to conclusions on who is to blame and who should be dismissed. Until a full investigation is made and the cause known it is unfair to blame anyone yet.

 

While I do not know the results of the investigation's that are on going, what really bothers me about this is the fact that I own a 23 foot runabout with a $350 GPS on it, and if I set it, it sounds an alarm when I drift at anchor. And it works, used it over the weekend and it woke me up when the tide changed, and repositioned my boat by the length of my anchor rope. How does a ship that has an officer on watch drift into rocks?

[hajekfam]

Biker-

According to the first press release, there was an electircal malfunction. Someone on that cruise posted that there was a short blackout.

From the press release dated 7/6/07:

 

On July 2, while anchored off Villefranche, France, the ship's propellers struck a submerged rock, following an electrical malfunction. Three of the four blades on the starboard propeller and one on the port propeller needed replacement.

[DaveFr]

WE did not ask about a refund for our airfare, since we were due to fly out of Rome anyway, we were very upset though at the announcement that we were not getting any kind of future cruise credit when we had already flown here and used the airfare, used the vacation days, and only seen two ports in the 9 port itinerary. WE were able to get a refund for our train to Rome from Venice and all of our transers through the providers, though.

I don't understand the announcement that you would not get a future cruise credit. According to the travel alert posted on Celebrity's web site: "Guests from the June 30 sailing have received an onboard credit and other compensation that is equal to their full cruise fare, and a future cruise credit worth 50 percent of the value of their current cruise fare." I'd advise following up on this to ensure you get the future cruise credit to which you're entitled.

 

Good luck.

[bella1979]

Not saying they are sorry MIGHT be a legal thing that their lawyers told them not to do...it sounds strange, but true. I was once in a car accident that was SO totally the other person's fault, they paid my expenses, gave me money (not a lot, it was minor) but they insisted in the wording "we admit no liability on either our or our client's behalf, blah, blah", so that might be what that is all about.

 

well I guess that would make sense. I still feel as though the huffing and puffing we received when we asked questions was totally not necessary. And no we were not yelling, being rude, or being unreasonable. I think it made the customer service people mad that we knew more then they did about the situation.

[larronry]

Speaking about their customer service when I asked how to get their certificate to them from my "free cruise credit" mine from the 12/10/06 cruise no one could tell me how to turn it in. Only through repeated call backs did someone transfer me to the wrong department for reservations but the guy did tell me to contact accounting. Seems a little odd that a cruiseline that has given away so many of these due to pod problems can't tell someone how to turn them in.

 

I have since found out you can fax them (so others from this cruise are aware) before the final payment deadline since you want to make sure it gets processed. But haven't yet found out a number. My husband works almost across the street from the Miami port and I'm almost thinking he needs to go there and hand it over. LOL:eek:

[adaemma]

While on the Millie Med cruise leaving Venice 11/10/06, we learned through another cruise critic passenger that he had read on the internet that the ship had pod problems and would be cancelling the port of Naples on the 11/24/06 sailing. We went to customer relations and they knew nothing about it, they asked us to wait until they climbed up the ladder somebody calling somebody, calling somebody, and received the news from Miami. They said it is true but not to tell anyone until they made an official anouncement. We were doing a b2b, the first time we stopped in Naples we were going to Capri on our own, the second time in Naples we had planned and made arrangements with a private driver for the Amalfi drive plus Positano and Ravello. We had to switch our plans around in a jiffy, they let us make a courtesy call to our driver in Naples which we were lucky to make contact with and was able to take us at that different date, I think it was a Sunday and that's why he was free and we were able to take the tour with him. I think we were officially notified that night with a note under our door also stating some monetary credit which means nothing because after 10 months of planning, reading, searching, we didn't get to go to Capri which I really had my heart set on doing and had all plans made. If we hadn't been notified by the cc passenger and only learned of the port cancelation that evening, we wouldn't have been able to make that call and contact our driver. This was our 25th wedding celebration, my husband's health isn't that great and with the decline of our US dollar, I think we will not be traveling that far again. My heart goes out to all those involved with the cruise ending unexpectedly in Rome and those who were leaving on 7/12. We disembarked in FLL on 12/10/06 and that same day the ship was going to drydock in Bahamas for about a week. Those passengers that were to sail that day also had their trip cancelled. End of Dec. 2006 they also had to cancel one port again in Casa de Campo because of pod problems. We are scheduled to cruise the Millie again on 12/16/07 for the Caribbean, are we pushing our luck?

 

Ada

[larronry]

While on the Millie Med cruise leaving Venice 11/10/06, we learned through another cruise critic passenger that he had read on the internet that the ship had pod problems and would be cancelling the port of Naples on the 11/24/06 sailing. We went to customer relations and they knew nothing about it, they asked us to wait until they climbed up the ladder somebody calling somebody, calling somebody, and received the news from Miami. They said it is true but not to tell anyone until they made an official anouncement. We were doing a b2b, the first time we stopped in Naples we were going to Capri on our own, the second time in Naples we had planned and made arrangements with a private driver for the Amalfi drive plus Positano and Ravello. We had to switch our plans around in a jiffy, they let us make a courtesy call to our driver in Naples which we were lucky to make contact with and was able to take us at that different date, I think it was a Sunday and that's why he was free and we were able to take the tour with him. I think we were officially notified that night with a note under our door also stating some monetary credit which means nothing because after 10 months of planning, reading, searching, we didn't get to go to Capri which I really had my heart set on doing and had all plans made. If we hadn't been notified by the cc passenger and only learned of the port cancelation that evening, we wouldn't have been able to make that call and contact our driver. This was our 25th wedding celebration, my husband's health isn't that great and with the decline of our US dollar, I think we will not be traveling that far again. My heart goes out to all those involved with the cruise ending unexpectedly in Rome and those who were leaving on 7/12. We disembarked in FLL on 12/10/06 and that same day the ship was going to drydock in Bahamas for about a week. Those passengers that were to sail that day also had their trip cancelled. End of Dec. 2006 they also had to cancel one port again in Casa de Campo because of pod problems. We are scheduled to cruise the Millie again on 12/16/07 for the Caribbean, are we pushing our luck?

 

Ada

I hope not. I was one of those schedule on that 12/10 canceled cruise along with my husband and friends of ours and all 4 of us are scheduled for that 12/16 cruise. By my calculations Pod problems will not be due do occur, the ship has had a tune up this year, it's had it's mishap for the year and we should be good to go. Notice how I say should be.

[Muushka]

I hope not. I was one of those schedule on that 12/10 canceled cruise along with my husband and friends of ours and all 4 of us are scheduled for that 12/16 cruise. By my calculations Pod problems will not be due do occur, the ship has had a tune up this year, it's had it's mishap for the year and we should be good to go. Notice how I say should be.

 

I hope you are right! We were in "the same boat" as you and will be again on 12/16.

 

Question: The 12/16 is a replacement cruise for our 12/10 cruise. Read: free. If something happens that the 12/16 cruise is canceled (God forbid!), how do they compensate a free cruise? 2 free cruises?

[BurBunny]

Speaking about their customer service when I asked how to get their certificate to them from my "free cruise credit" mine from the 12/10/06 cruise no one could tell me how to turn it in. Only through repeated call backs did someone transfer me to the wrong department for reservations but the guy did tell me to contact accounting. Seems a little odd that a cruiseline that has given away so many of these due to pod problems can't tell someone how to turn them in.

 

I have since found out you can fax them (so others from this cruise are aware) before the final payment deadline since you want to make sure it gets processed. But haven't yet found out a number. My husband works almost across the street from the Miami port and I'm almost thinking he needs to go there and hand it over. LOL:eek:

 

Those FCC (Future Cruise Certificates) have to be sent into Reservation Accounting at Celebrity. Usually Customer Service can give you that info in a heartbeat... but there are some agents who are truly clueless there. If you get one of those, very politely hang up and call back. If you booked through an independant agent, they can submit them online and save all the hassle.

[cruisinelsewhere]

While on the Millie Med cruise leaving Venice 11/10/06, we learned through another cruise critic passenger that he had read on the internet that the ship had pod problems and would be cancelling the port of Naples on the 11/24/06 sailing. We went to customer relations and they knew nothing about it, they asked us to wait until they climbed up the ladder somebody calling somebody, calling somebody, and received the news from Miami. They said it is true but not to tell anyone until they made an official anouncement. We were doing a b2b, the first time we stopped in Naples we were going to Capri on our own, the second time in Naples we had planned and made arrangements with a private driver for the Amalfi drive plus Positano and Ravello. We had to switch our plans around in a jiffy, they let us make a courtesy call to our driver in Naples which we were lucky to make contact with and was able to take us at that different date, I think it was a Sunday and that's why he was free and we were able to take the tour with him. I think we were officially notified that night with a note under our door also stating some monetary credit which means nothing because after 10 months of planning, reading, searching, we didn't get to go to Capri which I really had my heart set on doing and had all plans made. If we hadn't been notified by the cc passenger and only learned of the port cancelation that evening, we wouldn't have been able to make that call and contact our driver. This was our 25th wedding celebration, my husband's health isn't that great and with the decline of our US dollar, I think we will not be traveling that far again. My heart goes out to all those involved with the cruise ending unexpectedly in Rome and those who were leaving on 7/12. We disembarked in FLL on 12/10/06 and that same day the ship was going to drydock in Bahamas for about a week. Those passengers that were to sail that day also had their trip cancelled. End of Dec. 2006 they also had to cancel one port again in Casa de Campo because of pod problems. We are scheduled to cruise the Millie again on 12/16/07 for the Caribbean, are we pushing our luck?

 

Ada

 

Pushing your luck or going for the Celebrity lottery? I was also booked to sail 12/10/06 on Millie...I am currently scheduled to sail on the Celebrity Solstice inaugural 12/14/08...certainly hope it goes!!

[bepsf]

I truly hope the management at Celebrity learns something from this experience. PLEASE KEEP YOUR PAX INFORMED.

 

RCCl/X hasn't learned this simple lesson from the past umpteen times they've been forced to suddenly change itineraries or cancel cruises for one reason or another.

 

Why should they do any different now?

:cool:

[celebrity]

To all of the July 12th cruisers....you are all AMAZING!!

 

I would be CRUSHED if this happened to me and you are handling the news so well.

 

I hope that your trips to Mexico and Aruba (and anywhere else folks go) are WONDERFUL, RELAXING and MEMORABLE!!!! :D :D

Ditto! Have a great time whatever you do and hopefully your dream cruise is just around the corner.

[BlackPear]

The ship will remain in Civitavecchia until the night of July 11, while the company assists guests in flying home from Rome and Venice. Guests from the June 30 sailing have received an onboard credit and other compensation that is equal to their full cruise fare, and a future cruise credit worth 50 percent of the value of their current cruise fare.

Guests booked on the July 12 sailing will receive a full refund of all monies paid to Celebrity Cruises and a future cruise credit worth 100 percent of the value of their cancelled sailing.

The company has established a special Help Desk to assist guests or travel agents who might have questions about this matter. That toll-free phone number is 1-888-281-9343.

I have been following this thread since the beginning of this saga and have not posted until now. I am concerned that the general negativity towards Celebrity means that the debate on this thread is one sided and that the tone of some of the posts just feed even more moaning and complaints directed towards the cruise company.

The events that unfolded are very unfortunate for those involved and I can understand the huge disappointment and anger generated when holiday’s plans go horribly wrong. It is only human nature to look forward over a long period of time to the anticipation of a holiday where you have worked hard to pay considerable sums of money for a well-earned vacation.

Celebrity has paid dearly for this incident and you can be sure that a full internal review and enquiry will be underway. The company is answerable to shareholders and they will want to know why their investment has been compromised.

I agree that parts of the customer service response appears to be poor and Celebrity need to look long and hard about improving communications in future especially as they do not seem to have learned the lessons from past incidents. This applies both to the delay in informing passengers on the ship and to the information given (or not) to passengers on the sailing of 12 July.

However, and this is my main purpose for posting, Celebrity have done some things right too.

1. They flew a team from corporate head office to co-ordinate events onboard ship.

2. They offered very generous refunds and cruise credits to current and future sailings.

3. They charted aircraft to get passengers back home.

I can only conclude that this is excellent customer service from Celebrity even if it was a bit late in coming. I can think of few other companies who would be so generous to customers. After all, once things have gone wrong, financial recompense and compensation is what people want.

I can think of lots of other situations in my own life where I have received lousy service or goods and would have been astounded and delighted if this sort of offer had been made.

I'm not an employee of Celebrity or a particularly strong supporter of the company.

All I'm saying is give credit where credit is due and thank your lucky stars that you have been dealing with a company who clearly care about their customers.

Please try to keep a sense of perspective, it could have been a whole lot worse.

[Muushka]

Question: The 12/16 is a replacement cruise for our 12/10 cruise. Read: free. If something happens that the 12/16 cruise is canceled (God forbid!), how do they compensate a free cruise? 2 free cruises?

 

Anybody??

[enigma99]

We are among the last people still onboard...it seems most of the original passengers (particularly those from the US) have already left, taking advantage of the charters to JFK that Celebrity arranged.

 

We are taking a bus late tonight to Venice. The ship sails at midnight to drydock in Palermo.

 

Just a few minutes ago, the announcement was made that Celebrity will now increase their previously announced 50% credit for a future cruise to 100%!

 

The mood among us die hards sticking it out to the end has brightened considerably.

 

Overall, the mood aboard the last day or two has been rather strange. Service levels have dropped a bit, but in general the ship has done a good job of maintaining the food service, entertainment etc, even as people are loading luggage in the elevators and leaving.

 

Certainly a trip to remember....

[GaryfmCol]

We are among the last people still onboard...it seems most of the original passengers (particularly those from the US) have already left, taking advantage of the charters to JFK that Celebrity arranged.

 

We are taking a bus late tonight to Venice. The ship sails at midnight to drydock in Palermo.

 

Just a few minutes ago, the announcement was made that Celebrity will now increase their previously announced 50% credit for a future cruise to 100%!

 

The mood among us die hards sticking it out to the end has brightened considerably.

 

Overall, the mood aboard the last day or two has been rather strange. Service levels have dropped a bit, but in general the ship has done a good job of maintaining the food service, entertainment etc, even as people are loading luggage in the elevators and leaving.

 

Certainly a trip to remember....

 

Thank you very much, Enigma99.

I check on here every morning to see an up-date.

Good Luck on the rest of your trip.

 

Good post..Thanks.:)

[thomasadv]

A few years ago, there was a train problem on my cruise and many didn't make it back to the ship from Florence. The ship left right on time. That night I asked the captain about it...

He said, "They will buy some t-shirts, meet new people and have something to talk about for the rest of their lives!"

Sounded cold but it's true. We travel (cruse) for adventure (and the great people and food). When something goes wrong and we survive, that's a life experience.

[larronry]

Those FCC (Future Cruise Certificates) have to be sent into Reservation Accounting at Celebrity. Usually Customer Service can give you that info in a heartbeat... but there are some agents who are truly clueless there. If you get one of those, very politely hang up and call back. If you booked through an independant agent, they can submit them online and save all the hassle.

I have already spoken to 3 agents who had no clue. I decided not to book through an independent TA because they can only make their commission on the difference of the certificate and the cost of the cruise which means very little money and I just didn't think that was fair. Also, it said that you have to mail it to the agent and I just can picture it getting lost. I have a feeling I should have done this through a local travel agency. We have a local cruise travel agency near us maybe I should check them out and just have them take over. However, our friends agent told them they just have to fax them so we might be able to get the info from them.

 

I hope you are right! We were in "the same boat" as you and will be again on 12/16.

 

Question: The 12/16 is a replacement cruise for our 12/10 cruise. Read: free. If something happens that the 12/16 cruise is canceled (God forbid!), how do they compensate a free cruise? 2 free cruises?

 

I don't think we would get a 2nd free cruise. Did you have to pay more money for this cruise? If so they might give 1 free cruise with the increase extending the deadline. If you paid the same amount they would just extend the deadline. Just my guess.

 

 

A few years ago, there was a train problem on my cruise and many didn't make it back to the ship from Florence. The ship left right on time. That night I asked the captain about it...

He said, "They will buy some t-shirts, meet new people and have something to talk about for the rest of their lives!"

Sounded cold but it's true. We travel (cruse) for adventure (and the great people and food). When something goes wrong and we survive, that's a life experience.

Was this an excursion and if so a Celebrity excursion?

[pgh]

Just a few minutes ago, the announcement was made that Celebrity will now increase their previously announced 50% credit for a future cruise to 100%!

 

I am so happy to hear that!

 

enigma99: Have you heard of any plumbing problems on the ship? I heard they were moving those on the first and second passenger decks to the seventh deck because of a back up.

[Lsimon]

A few years ago, there was a train problem on my cruise and many didn't make it back to the ship from Florence. The ship left right on time. That night I asked the captain about it...

He said, "They will buy some t-shirts, meet new people and have something to talk about for the rest of their lives!"

Sounded cold but it's true. We travel (cruse) for adventure (and the great people and food). When something goes wrong and we survive, that's a life experience.

 

...Was this an excursion and if so a Celebrity excursion?

 

I'd guess that this was not a ship excursion. I've never heard of one that included train transportation, unless the train itself was the excursion like the scenic train in Skagway or Panama, so I'd guess that these were people who just wanted to tour Florence on their own and used the local trains for transportation from port to Florence and back.

[BurgerBits]

Just finished reading the entire thread.

 

I am a seasoned past cruiser (Crystal and Seabourn) but was booked for my first Celebrity cruise on - you guessed it - the July 12 sailing. My brothers' family (wife and 3 boys ages 12 and under) were going to be joining me; it was to be their first visit to the Med.

 

My TA in California received the cancellation notice Fax from Celebrity at about 1:30 pm PDT and was blown away. She called me (I had just finished packing), and I had to call my brother in Michigan and inform them. For the children, it was like cancelling Christmas.

 

Now, my TA is a wonder (I truly believe she changes clothes in a phone booth), and has managed to get us on another ship leaving July 18 out of Rome; similar itinerary. Sadly, I will not be in the Concierge Class single verandah cabin I had booked months and months ago, nor will my family be in nice cabins. We were very fortunate to get very small cabins on a not-as-nice ship, no verandahs available (shock, eh? LOL) at this late date.

 

Of course, it would also have been better if I had joined this forum on July 1st instead of today, July 11... sigh.

 

Getting refunded the $ we gave to Celebrity is the very least I would expect; of course, Celebrity will not refund our self-arranged air & hotels, nor reimburse us for the thousands and THOUSANDS of extra dollars we needed to spend for new air tickets. For many, many people, my family included, it is extremely difficult to carry the cost of new arrangements on their credit cards until the refund comes through. It is extremely difficult to arrange more and/or other time away from work or other commitments, or school.

 

I feel just awful for all of you who were aboard when this accident happened, and had your wonderful holiday so changed and abbreviated; it was absolutely correct for Celebrity to give you a 100% future cruise credit!! It doesn't come close to replacing what you lost, but it's a start. I also want to thank you all so very much for reporting everything that went on.

 

Okay, I'm done venting. Nothing I can do on these boards, but you can be sure I will be having serious conversations with Dan Hanrahan's office and will report anything that comes of them.

 

GOOD CRUISING to all!!!!

[larronry]

I'd guess that this was not a ship excursion. I've never heard of one that included train transportation, unless the train itself was the excursion like the scenic train in Skagway or Panama, so I'd guess that these were people who just wanted to tour Florence on their own and used the local trains for transportation from port to Florence and back.

I just get nervous hearing this stuff because I experienced a broken down bus in Cozumel on an NCL excursion and upon running down the pier discovered that the gangway was being pulled off the pier. We asked and they said they had no idea any passengers weren't back from one of their excursions. Cozumel is not a place I would like to be left overnight especially when you pay extra for a ship tour thinking it is not possible. We don't do ship tours their anymore even though on the Century they assured us it couldn't happen we took a cab.

[rebeccalouise]

Just finished reading the entire thread.

 

I am a seasoned past cruiser (Crystal and Seabourn) but was booked for my first Celebrity cruise on - you guessed it - the July 12 sailing. My brothers' family (wife and 3 boys ages 12 and under) were going to be joining me; it was to be their first visit to the Med.

 

My TA in California received the cancellation notice Fax from Celebrity at about 1:30 pm PDT and was blown away. She called me (I had just finished packing), and I had to call my brother in Michigan and inform them. For the children, it was like cancelling Christmas.

 

Now, my TA is a wonder (I truly believe she changes clothes in a phone booth), and has managed to get us on another ship leaving July 18 out of Rome; similar itinerary. Sadly, I will not be in the Concierge Class single verandah cabin I had booked months and months ago, nor will my family be in nice cabins. We were very fortunate to get very small cabins on a not-as-nice ship, no verandahs available (shock, eh? LOL) at this late date.

 

Of course, it would also have been better if I had joined this forum on July 1st instead of today, July 11... sigh.

 

Getting refunded the $ we gave to Celebrity is the very least I would expect; of course, Celebrity will not refund our self-arranged air & hotels, nor reimburse us for the thousands and THOUSANDS of extra dollars we needed to spend for new air tickets. For many, many people, my family included, it is extremely difficult to carry the cost of new arrangements on their credit cards until the refund comes through. It is extremely difficult to arrange more and/or other time away from work or other commitments, or school.

 

I feel just awful for all of you who were aboard when this accident happened, and had your wonderful holiday so changed and abbreviated; it was absolutely correct for Celebrity to give you a 100% future cruise credit!! It doesn't come close to replacing what you lost, but it's a start. I also want to thank you all so very much for reporting everything that went on.

 

Okay, I'm done venting. Nothing I can do on these boards, but you can be sure I will be having serious conversations with Dan Hanrahan's office and will report anything that comes of them.

 

GOOD CRUISING to all!!!!

 

Have a wonderful cruise. It sounds like a less expensive cruise and maybe you will have just as much fun. Sorry that your airfare wasn't easily changeable. That's a bummer but at least the kids will get to go on their vacation and I bet it will be great!:)

[Fblack]

If Celebrity provided some charter flights to get people to JFK, did they accommodate passengers who booked their own airfare?

[BurgerBits]

Have a wonderful cruise. It sounds like a less expensive cruise and maybe you will have just as much fun. Sorry that your airfare wasn't easily changeable. That's a bummer but at least the kids will get to go on their vacation and I bet it will be great!:)

 

Thank you very much, RebeccaLouise! The boys are in no way spoiled - this trip was a HUGE, HUGE treat for them for which they had waited so long - and they have managed their disappointment very well. Yes, the new trip is not as nice - unfortunately, it's on an older RCCL ship, and I'm not crazy about throwing good money after bad to the same company!! - but as I said, it's amazing that my TA could find ANYTHING when she did.

 

Again, I really appreciate all the support everyone here offers each other!!!