Near riot on Silhouette on 5/27

I'm presently on Celebrity Silhouette and VERY disappointed in Celebrity's behavior yesterday at St Petersburg Russia. Their behavior nearly caused a riot several times as we were going through Russian immigration. We all knew to expect an hour or longer wait to get through immigration so most people with private tours got up early and got in line early. The lines were incredibly long but everyone was fine with that. We were all excited about our 3 days in SPB. All of a sudden you start hearing people yelling NOOOO and getting very agitated and pushing and shoving. Well what happened was that Celebrity decided to take people on the ships tours and put them in the front of the lines going into immigration. So all these people who didn't have to wait in line at all were put in front of those of us who planned and got up early to get in line. I had a man who pushed in front of me at the direction of someone from Celebrity-I told him he was not going to go before me and I pushed around him. This was totally inappropriate and uncalled for on Celebrity's part. If they want to treat their ships tours people special then they should have had a seperate line for their ships tours people to go through immigration. I plan to put this on Facebook and then of course tell Celebrity when I get my survey. Shame on you Celebrity-your have been my favorite cruise line but now I will rethink that.

Teanne

Aboard Silihouette

How can this come as a surprise to you? Of course they let the people on their excursions off first. This is a risk you take booking your own.

How can this come as a surprise to you? Of course they let the people on their excursions off first. This is a risk you take booking your own.

What a load of tosh! That is no excuse to push in front of an existing line.... I agree with the previous posting, Celebrity excursions should have their own passport control to expedite their customers.

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never said it was good, just that if you didn't think it was gonna happen i want some of what your smoking.

How can this come as a surprise to you? Of course they let the people on their excursions off first. This is a risk you take booking your own.

Exactly as you stated! Anyone that has cruised in the past knows that the people on ship's tours are always have priority to get off the ship first. This should really not come as a surprise to anyone. Next, Zenith and Suite passengers, followed by Aqua Class, Concierge Class, Elite Plus and then Elite passengers are allowed off next if they choose to do so.

So sad that this almost started a riot! It usually begins with expectations that are based on emotion instead of a knowledge of the protocols that are set in place.

Sounds like with your pushing you were contributing to the "riot".....

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never said it was good, just that if you didn't think it was gonna happen i want some of what your smoking.

Nearly 70 cruises and this has never happened before so you are badly misinformed.

It is different if, for example, Celebrity tours meet in the theater and are first off the ship, usually at a separate gangway. Not unusual. It is different if the Celebrity tours get the first tenders. Not unusual.

It is totally unusual, and uncalled for, to shove their overpriced-paying pax in front of a line that had been formed well before they got there. I would be not be happy as well.

Exactly as you stated! Anyone that has cruised in the past knows that the people on ship's tours are always have priority to get off the ship first. This should really not come as a surprise to anyone. Next, Zenith and Suite passengers, followed by Aqua Class, Concierge Class, Elite Plus and then Elite passengers are allowed off next if they choose to do so.

So sad that this almost started a riot! It usually begins with expectations that are based on emotion instead of a knowledge of the protocols that are set in place.

NOT true on HAL which is exactly why we went on the Baltic Sea cruise with them and not Celebrity. I had heard this about Celebrity before in St. Petersburg.

On HAL we took a two day private tour. We lined up shortly after docking and were the 3rd and 4th persons to walk off the ship after it had been cleared. Went straight through immigration and met our driver and guide. No problems at all. So glad our choice was Holland America!

3 days at a port and you isn't have a tour scheduled thru Celebrity. What is the rush?

It is always published in the paper and many other places that those with tours booked thru them will get off first.

We had to go thru customs while stopping at Key West. We were issued times to show up. It went rather smoothly and took us about 10 minutes to go thru.

Don't know why people were standing in line in Russia as they should have been given a time or number.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

Exactly as you stated! Anyone that has cruised in the past knows that the people on ship's tours are always have priority to get off the ship first. This should really not come as a surprise to anyone. Next, Zenith and Suite passengers, followed by Aqua Class, Concierge Class, Elite Plus and then Elite passengers are allowed off next if they choose to do so.

So sad that this almost started a riot! It usually begins with expectations that are based on emotion instead of a knowledge of the protocols that are set in place.

I totally understand about getting off the ship first. But that doesn't give them the right to take those who were late (for whatever reason) and put them in front of those who got off the ship at the appropriate time. They had no right to do that.

Again-I don't have a problem with Celebrity tours getting off the ship first-thats fine. But not an hour late and then put in front of everyone in the immigration line. Thats the issue-the immigration line. Our private tour was due to leave at 8:30 am so we were in line at 7:30-ships tours were already off the ship by the time we got off. It was people who were late-sorry but thats not my problem and I shouldn't be penalized for it.

It is customary to have ship's tour disembark first. It doesn't matter whether you were in line before them. This should always be understood if you book a private tour. Patience...

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3 days at a port and you isn't have a tour scheduled thru Celebrity. What is the rush?

 

It is always published in the paper and many other places that those with tours booked thru them will get off first.

 

We had to go thru customs while stopping at Key West. We were issued times to show up. It went rather smoothly and took us about 10 minutes to go thru.

 

Don't know why people were standing in line in Russia as they should have been given a time or number.

 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

No times or numbers given. Ship docked at 7 am and everyone could get off then. There was a mad dash to get off because there were lots of private tours starting at 8:30.

Nearly 70 cruises and this has never happened before so you are badly misinformed.

 

It is different if, for example, Celebrity tours meet in the theater and are first off the ship, usually at a separate gangway. Not unusual. It is different if the Celebrity tours get the first tenders. Not unusual.

 

It is totally unusual, and uncalled for, to shove their overpriced-paying pax in front of a line that had been formed well before they got there. I would be not be happy as well.

Thank you-someone finally understands what I mean.

Teanne

Thank you-someone finally understands what I mean.

 

Teanne

I understood[emoji1417]

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I had a man who pushed in front of me at the direction of someone from Celebrity-I told him he was not going to go before me and I pushed around him.

Interesting. Waiting for the upcoming Cruise Critic thread saying "I was on the Silhouette, and waiting to go through customs when the Celebrity rep told me to move to the front of the line because I was on a ship excursion. Then some rude lady had some choice words for me and pushed me around...."

Ship's tours leave first. You pushed? You caused the problem.

Again-I don't have a problem with Celebrity tours getting off the ship first-thats fine. But not an hour late and then put in front of everyone in the immigration line. Thats the issue-the immigration line. Our private tour was due to leave at 8:30 am so we were in line at 7:30-ships tours were already off the ship by the time we got off. It was people who were late-sorry but thats not my problem and I shouldn't be penalized for it.

It is well publicized and well known that passengers with cruise sponsored shore excursions are given priority tendering and disembarkation.

Also, you said it yourself, everyone expected a very long wait to get through immigration. In order to organize things, the tour participants were given a place on board to meet and then be escorted through immigration.

You have no reason whatever to complain. You also, by your own admission, contributed to the problem. Even after you received an explanation, you refused to comply.

When traveling in some ports, especially in those countries that do not have easy reciprocal immigration processes and in these political times, you will be inconvenienced. That's the nature of travel.

If you don't expect such things to happen, travel to the Caribbean where everyone can just walk off the ship and meet their tours on the pier.

It's your behavior that needs adjusting.

I totally understand about getting off the ship first. But that doesn't give them the right to take those who were late (for whatever reason) and put them in front of those who got off the ship at the appropriate time. They had no right to do that.

It was just a late group? You made it sound like they allowed busloads of pax to cut in front

What did you expect ? They did what was needed to get those pax to the bus

Are we talking 10/20/50 pax?

Exactly how many in your estimation?

Oh and did you actually miss your private tour?

If so you have a right to be angry

If not? Not a big deal

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Nearly 70 cruises and this has never happened before so you are badly misinformed.

 

It is different if, for example, Celebrity tours meet in the theater and are first off the ship, usually at a separate gangway. Not unusual. It is different if the Celebrity tours get the first tenders. Not unusual.

 

It is totally unusual, and uncalled for, to shove their overpriced-paying pax in front of a line that had been formed well before they got there. I would be not be happy as well.

First of all, you are alluding to suite passengers which are given priority tendering and disembarkation. That is a known perk, whether you agree with it or not. They pay for the convenience.

Second that is not what the OP is complaining about, even though she seems to have been grateful that you sided with her. Those that book with ship sponsored excursions also get priority disembarkation and if the tour runs late, the ship will wait for them to return. Again, this is part of what people pay for when they choose a ship[ sponsored trip over self-touring or a privately arranged tour.

Third, that's the way it works, You generally get what you pay for. The fact that you have not been previously inconvenienced is not a testament to anything except the fact that you have chosen itineraries with ports that are not an issue.

I totally understand about getting off the ship first. But that doesn't give them the right to take those who were late (for whatever reason) and put them in front of those who got off the ship at the appropriate time. They had no right to do that.

Where is this bill of rights you are saying exist?

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I'm presently on Celebrity Silhouette and VERY disappointed in Celebrity's behavior yesterday at St Petersburg Russia. Their behavior nearly caused a riot several times as we were going through Russian immigration. We all knew to expect an hour or longer wait to get through immigration so most people with private tours got up early and got in line early. The lines were incredibly long but everyone was fine with that. We were all excited about our 3 days in SPB. All of a sudden you start hearing people yelling NOOOO and getting very agitated and pushing and shoving. Well what happened was that Celebrity decided to take people on the ships tours and put them in the front of the lines going into immigration. So all these people who didn't have to wait in line at all were put in front of those of us who planned and got up early to get in line. I had a man who pushed in front of me at the direction of someone from Celebrity-I told him he was not going to go before me and I pushed around him. This was totally inappropriate and uncalled for on Celebrity's part. If they want to treat their ships tours people special then they should have had a seperate line for their ships tours people to go through immigration. I plan to put this on Facebook and then of course tell Celebrity when I get my survey. Shame on you Celebrity-your have been my favorite cruise line but now I will rethink that.

 

Teanne

Aboard Silihouette

I am NO sympathy for you.

Every body know Cruise tour go first.

Be smart next time join the ship tour.:rolleyes:

I have always been aware that there was priority tendering and disembarking for ship tours - about the immigration line - I would have also been surprised. Now I know.

Don't hold your breath waiting for X to respond to your questionnaire input.

I was in Moscow and Leningrad back in march 1988 and oh boy we couldn't even think of doing anything on our own. I actually appreciated seeing Russia under communist rule and that has stayed with me forever...and has made me a very patriotic capitalist.

But I digress

Ok so in 2017 my 1st thought would be a ships tour based on my experience back in 1988 and more recently in Istanbul when I researched and found that the ships tour offered more at a better price per person than my previously booked private tour did

Such as entry into the topkapi on a Tuesday when it's closed to the public

That said....I'm wondering just how much you saved or think you saved by taking a private tour?

You certainly gave yourself loads of aggravation and actually risked being put either in the ships brig or put off the ship (not that the Russians would be overly pleased with choice # 2) so I think you dodged a bullet by not being penalized by the ship

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