How Are You Treated By The Staff At Cunard In Valencia, Ca?????

[Terrence Richards]

I am curious how other Cunard Cruise Critic members feel about the service they receive when dealing with the Cunard staff in Valencia, CA.

 

When Cunard's office was once located in New York City on Fifth Avenue, the staff at that time was always very professional, polite, and extremely helpful. That service continued somewhat when Cunard moved to Miami, Florida, but it was not the same quality of service that we received from the New York City office.

 

Now that Cunard is located in Valencia, CA, and of course the state has nothing to do with it, I have found that the Cunard staff does not have the same quality of customer service.

 

I now find the Cunard staff very impolite, impatient, and sometimes discourteous. I have even been on the phone with them with my AAA travel counselor on conference calls and witnessed the same type of poor service and attitude. Even my travel counselor has mentioned several times that the service is no longer the same as it was in the past when Cunard was just strictly Cunard.

 

Now some of you may feel that I may create the problem with poor manners with a Cunard staff member. Believe me, I am one of those very polite people with others who are assisting me!

 

So, how have you been treated with the Cunard staff in Valenica, CA?

 

I will be on my 13th cruise with Cunard on the Queen Mary 2 from November 10-20, 2007. My first cruise with Cunard was on the Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1993.

 

Terrence

[highcbob]

Hello Terrence, ever since the Valencia office took over and then the 'Princessification' which soon followed , I too have found the service sliding. It's either hit or miss with the rez staff. If I ask a question there is usually a brief pause where I feel they are thinking "o-oh, a Cunard question". I don't think I've ever had anyone there respond with a quick, direct and accurate answer without them having to place me on hold to ask someone else. They will either come back and say "that information has not been released yet" ( when you know it darn well that it has ) or they will give you an answer in a way that you feel as if this agent is just making it up. When my friend called on the very first day that the Q.V. bookings opened the conversation was: "yes, I'd like to book Queen Victoria please" "that ship is not open for booking yet sir" "yes it is' "no, not yet sir" "yes it is, let me speak to a supervisor" "oh, please hold " ... ... ... "sorry you are correct sir, now let me see if I can find the fares"...

 

Also on QM2 many of the PG staff have been taken over by crew from Princess including the head waiter and Maitre d'. Several times I had requested something only to be told we don't have that, or even getting a look of confusion resembling 'why are you even asking me that?' ( when I know over many years what Cunard has, does, and doesn't do in a dining room ). It's amazing how, when one presses the issue that all of a sudden the situation is immediately resolved and I'm once again a happy camper - but why does one need to go through that? If they were probably trained in the Cunard fashion then this would not be happening. I think many times they ran over to the QG Maitre d' to ask "do we do that here?" Let's hope after QE2 has 'moved on' that many of the wonderful dining room crew will stay with Cunard.

 

Anyway, back to Valencia, yes the service is slipping. The land staff need a good shaking up and pull their head out of the Princess books for a while and also take a good lesson in customer service. Now I'm not saying that they are all inexperienced, but when you do call the odds are pretty high that you will receive someone that would prefer to be booking something else other then Cunard. Yes, some are nice and polite, but that does make up for their inexperience.

 

Bob.

[ocngypz]

AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

I have to coach the rez agents on how to select the proper world segments so they can price for me.

 

They turn my hair white... they cause me sleepness nights.

 

And to think.. I'm a top producer.

 

Oh well...................about par for the course in the entire industry.

[travel-to-go]

Honestly,

I must be the exception to the rule, but I have NEVER had a problem with the res agents in California since the change. And when I called to inquire about the April 12th crossing availability (last leg of the World) which I think can only be booked through them, the gent I spoke to was helpful, informative, and delighted for me. When I got my details, he had even given me the amenities one would get from the segment. I have been re-fared with absolutely no questions asked when there has been a fare drop, and had them work with me to the best of their abilities when booking a family moving back to the states.

And honestly, I have not had the trouble with inconsistent answers that others have had, now that I really think about it. Of course, Babette books a lot more and has a lot more to do with them than I do, but I have had enough contact with them to form an opinion, and so far have NEVER (really!) had a problem. Some have even given me little extra tidbits of information, and even been forthcoming with answers (real ones, not the PR fluff) on things like the inaugural at the LA Port and the horror of the overbooking and how some of that happened.

 

I'm not denying you and others have had a problem. Just saying that the above has been my unfailing experience. Always gotten my docs on time, also. And gotten upgrades, surprisingly!

 

Not saying all is Perfect in Cunardland! Just that has been my experience so far.

(So I guess I can't join any class-action lawsuits! <LOL>)

 

Kairie,

who has been pleased thus far

[patwell]

I have to say that I have mixed reactions here. I've found the staff I've spoken with to be very poilte and curteous and very willing to help....however...I'm not ever quite sure if the answer they give me is really correct!! There are time's I think some of us know more and that gives me pause.

 

A minor item....waiting for my docs for Nov 10th...my TA calls...every day for about 5 days. She gets a different person...AND a different answer each time as to the status of my docs. Yes they've been issued...or sent...or not issued...and the best one was, sent to the wrong address (which it wasn't). So I call and get a totally different answer than she did. Each time a pleasant person but no one seems to be able to give you an accurate answer. On the other hand when I booked the 4 of us while our TA was gone, I had THE most helpful person you could ever ask for...and she knew what she was talking about.

 

Have any of you encountered the brief questionairre that the gal asked me to take the other day> Ms Marlow on a recording asking 4 questions to assist them in improving customer service or something like that. One question had to do with res agents knowing the product...I did not give them high marks on that.

 

And Terrance...do stop over at our Roll Call for Nov 10th...there are quite a few of us on there. Would love to have you join us.

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[imacruizer]

I will be on my 13th cruise with Cunard on the Queen Mary 2 from November 10-20, 2007.

 

Terrence

 

Terrence, let me join Penny in inviting you to join our roll call for this cruise. Delighted to see that you are on the November 10th cruise.

 

Beth

[Sirwinston]

Hello All:

I have found the res staff to vary a lot. Most are good. I have had extremely helpful and polite to apathetic... And I do think one kind male agent did upgrade me on my Jan 06 QE2 crossing from an outside gaurentee to a C-2 because I mentioned I worked on the Queen Mary..

The thing that really gets me is that the land staff seems to get the dress codes etc. ( number of each kind of night) wrong in the docs.

 

Tom in Long Beach...

[2moose]

after 4 cruises with cunard we have never been treated better then we have with the folks in california. We book directly with customer relations after 4 bookings we know some of the folks on a first name basis and the service is magnificent.

[Namvet4]

My first experience with the QM2/Cunard staff... pleasant, knowledgeable and more than willing to research . . .right on the spot . . . and provide an answer and information.(Anniversary celebration questions and concerns). However, being in the "customer service" (IT) field for over 15 yrs I have learned that "perception is reality" for most... Be a good listener and respond with appropriate information and inquiries and you will get what you are looking for, in most cases :)

. . . just my 2 cents

[Terrence Richards]

Hi Beth,

 

Thanks for the invitiation. I did place my name on the Roll Call for the Queen Mary 2 November 10-20, 2007, Caribbean cruise.

 

Do you know if any get together for the Cruise Critic members has been planned while on board? The usual meeting place is in the Commodore Club after lunch while we are at sea. It is nice to meet with those who help each other on these boards.

 

Meanwhile, everyone else, thanks for the response to my question about the quality of service with Cunard reps. in Valencia. I hope there are more responses to come.

 

Can anyone help......I did everything I was supposed to do to activate the "Countdown Clock" and nothing appears. I have done all the copying and pasting in the "Signature" area and even checked off the radio button that appears in the " Additonal Options" to "show your signature".

 

Maybe I need to call Valencia, CA, for some help!

 

Terrence

[patwell]

Hi Beth,

 

Thanks for the invitiation. I did place my name on the Roll Call for the Queen Mary 2 November 10-20, 2007, Caribbean cruise.

 

Do you know if any get together for the Cruise Critic members has been planned while on board? The usual meeting place is in the Commodore Club after lunch while we are at sea. It is nice to meet with those who help each other on these boards.

 

Meanwhile, everyone else, thanks for the response to my question about the quality of service with Cunard reps. in Valencia. I hope there are more responses to come.

 

Can anyone help......I did everything I was supposed to do to activate the "Countdown Clock" and nothing appears. I have done all the copying and pasting in the "Signature" area and even checked off the radio button that appears in the " Additonal Options" to "show your signature".

 

Maybe I need to call Valencia, CA, for some help!

 

Terrence

 

Hi Terrance...Penny here, one of your fellow Nov 10th cruisers. If you go to this link, you will find our very active Roll Call. Apparently you signed on to just a list of people sailing on that date. The actual roll call has been going on for several months and there's a pretty good size grou...some who chat and others who don't. here's the link to get you right there to the beginning, or just go to the last page and say hello...love to have you join us.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=519175

 

As to a get together...nothing firm yet altho Beth and I have suggested the first sea day around 2PM as that allows for lunch and also tea for those so inclined. I'm guessing we'll firm that up as we see how many are interested in coming.

 

I had the same trouble with my clock...I finally had to email Laura for assistance as for some reason my Mac and the system didn't cooperate. She took care of it for me.

 

Hope to see you stopping by soon...

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[imacruizer]

Hi Beth,

 

Thanks for the invitiation. I did place my name on the Roll Call for the Queen Mary 2 November 10-20, 2007, Caribbean cruise.

 

Do you know if any get together for the Cruise Critic members has been planned while on board? The usual meeting place is in the Commodore Club after lunch while we are at sea. It is nice to meet with those who help each other on these boards.

 

Terrence

 

Hi Terrence,

 

Here is a link to the roll call for the November 10th cruise: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=519175

 

I think you probably signed the link at the top of the roll call page which is a list of those going on a particular sailing. I think that link is confusing. It seems there should be some coordination between the roll calls and those lists. In looking at that link I see there are others who have signed that list who are not participants in the roll call.

 

As you will see when you check out the roll call, we have a good group of Cruise Critic folks who will be on that sailing. We will definitely plan a meet and greet closer to sailing date. I look forward to meeting you on the ship.

 

Beth

[imacruizer]

Looks like Penny and I were posting at the same time!!! So you now have two links to the roll call. Hope to see you there soon!!

 

Beth

[Terrence Richards]

I went to the Roll Call website you gave me an left a response.

 

Thanks!

 

Terrence (Terry)

[mikedw]

I'm a former TA and it seems like the last several years the customer service staff on land has gone down hill with all the lines. Being a res agent with either a cruise line, hotel, airline or car rental company was once considered a pretty good job in the travel industry before the internet took over most of the basic inquires and I'm afraid that those doing the job now are probably making a little over minimum wage and you don't attract the brightest people when you pay that.

[pnhmrk]

Being a res agent with either a cruise line, hotel, airline or car rental company was once considered a pretty good job in the travel industry before the internet took over most of the basic inquires and I'm afraid that those doing the job now are probably making a little over minimum wage and you don't attract the brightest people when you pay that.

 

I think that agents in the US are generally better than those in the UK, although I have got to wonder why people switched to the internet rather than using a travel agent unless the service they were getting was so poor it just wasn't worth paying for.

[KarenR_UK]

When my friend called on the very first day that the Q.V. bookings opened the conversation was: "yes, I'd like to book Queen Victoria please" "that ship is not open for booking yet sir" "yes it is' "no, not yet sir" "yes it is, let me speak to a supervisor" "oh, please hold " ... ... ... "sorry you are correct sir, now let me see if I can find the fares"...

 

I had the same experience yesterday, but with the man at the rail station when I wanted to renew a rail pass - I have been travelling to work for 14 years so I know abit about how the system works - he apparently does not: Me "Can I renew a pass, to start tomorrow please"

Him"you can't buy it in advance",

Me "you can buy it up to 7 days in advance, I do it all the time",

he goes off to his machine & starts processing it.... Ticket purchased, I notice he has taken the old one out and put it on his desk -

me "Can I have my ticket back"

Him "No, we take them"

(I have 2 years supply in my wallet - sometimes you get money back on them)

Me : "no you don't, I need it for when they announce one of those days" (couldn't remember the name:rolleyes: ) -

Him "No, we take them"

Me : "no you don't, I need it to claim the refunds...."

two or three more repeats & he suddenly realises what I mean (void days - if the trains are cancelled or very late too many times in a period, you can claim a partial refund) and gives it back:rolleyes:

 

And adding insult to injury the train is cancelled anyway!

 

Karen

(a bit off topic I know, but somehow still linked:) more than many posts elsewhere anyway)

[pnhmrk]

Karen - I'm almost totally off the topic of this thread but, as I can't remember where the original or followup posts were, I suppose it does tie in vaguely with Cunard Reservations!

 

I got that DVD from Cunard today:) I had to request it again but I've got a copy now.

[spongerob]

I have booked directly through Princess three times. Each time I have dealt with someone who was friendly and knowledgeable. I have yet to have a complaint. That's just my experience.

 

Those of you who work in customer service, no matter the industry, probably have your "bad customer" stories. My profession is not immune. The thing is, when you are on the CSR end of the phone or the equivalent for your business, you don't really get the opportunity to complain because the customer is always right. Even when they're wrong.

 

I agree that CS might be slipping, but I also believe that the C is slipping, too. Present company excepted, that is.

[KarenR_UK]

Karen - I'm almost totally off the topic of this thread but, as I can't remember where the original or followup posts were, I suppose it does tie in vaguely with Cunard Reservations!

 

I got that DVD from Cunard today:) I had to request it again but I've got a copy now.

 

No - no DVD yet :( - I'm still in shock at actually getting a pre-voyage package though - at 58 days or thereabouts without any TA or personal intervention :eek: - last time it was 9 days including multiple requests:rolleyes: - some to America (by TA so don't know if it was Valencia (see, almost back on topic, LOL ) ) one to a nice lady in Southampton who agreed it was bit late and popped a copy in the post to arrive 2 days later:)

(Though given the number of apparent mistakes in the new excursion booklet - perhaps I should have stuck to the website)

 

Must get around to reordering the dvd else I'll be reduced to buying the on board one! - still waiting for a 2008 brochure too:rolleyes:

 

Karen

[KarenR_UK]

Karen - I'm almost totally off the topic of this thread but, as I can't remember where the original or followup posts were, I suppose it does tie in vaguely with Cunard Reservations!

 

I got that DVD from Cunard today:) I had to request it again but I've got a copy now.

 

cut from the now duplicate post that I have now deleted

Well don't know what happened to my previous reply - I guess it will turn up somewhere (hit submit, I thought, & it disappears - doesn't even appear on the browser back button)

 

and turn up it did:rolleyes:

[pnhmrk]

still waiting for a 2008 brochure too:rolleyes:

 

Cunard are looking up:) I got one of those too:) (It does seem to be printed on much thinner paper though)

[Terrence Richards]

Thanks for all the responses. This type of information is important to those who deal directly with the Cunard reps. in Valencia.

 

Maybe there will be more responses from others.

 

Thanks again........Terrence

[DKNYC]

My travel Agent and I were treated very well by Cunard Rep last week. The TA asked a lot of questions ( as he was not as Cunard savvy as I)and we even threw a couple of curves. She was very patient and gave accurate info. We gave her good marks on the survey

[Terrence Richards]

Thanks eveyone once again for your responses to my inquiry of the quailtiy of service we receive from the Cunard staff in Valencia, CA.

 

If I may give a summary of all the responses above, I would say that the quality of services received either by phone, mail, or in print are not of the high quality that once was what you received from Cunard before in was brought into the Carnival Corp. and now being handled by Princess Cruise Line in Valencia, CA.

 

What do you think of my summary?

 

Terrence (QM2 November 10-20, 2007=cruise number 13 with Cunard since

1993)