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Celebrity Doesn't Seem To Care


FredZiffle
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There have been numerous posts regarding the problems with the Celebrity website as well as posts regarding the specific issues with registering for a Celebrity Connections Party. Our cruise is still 5 months off, but absolutely nothing has apparently been done to correct the problems.

 

People in our roll call have been trying to register for the Connections Party for over 6 months with limited success. We managed to get 22 people registered before the system crashed completely. Now, it either gives an error message or tells you that you're registered and that we now have 22 people registered. Since Celebrity requires 25 registrants in order to hold the Meet & Greet, we're on the outside looking in.

 

I have emailed CelebrityOneTouch@celebrity.com several times about the issue, but never even get a reply. That's the address provided on the Celebrity website, but perhaps someone has a better (ie. more effective) address to use? I have been perfectly polite in my emails asking if they are aware of the problem and if they can suggest another way of registering for the party. I've even offered to create a list myself and forward that to them. The response...crickets.

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I tend to agree with your conclusion that Celebrity doesn't seem to care. It's hard to believe that in this day and age any major company can have a website as bad as Celebrity's. Worse, it's been plagued with problems for years. One can only surmise that either senior management isn't aware of the problems or they don't see it as a priority (i.e. don't care). I find it hard to believe that they aren't aware of the situation after all of this time, so that leaves one disappointing conclusion - they don't care.

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Celebrity does not need to care - business is great - guests are using the current product so is there really a problem?

 

From a $ perspective, there is no problem at all.

 

Taking another perspective - if a company truly has Pride in their offerings - it increases the odds of innovation and problem solving. The Celebrity site would stand a higher chance of updating if Celebrity expressed corporate Pride and consideration of customers, neither of which I see evidence of.

 

In the end, Celebrity's Only goal is to part you from your money, they are doing a truly wonderful job at that - so their mission accomplished.

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n the end, Celebrity's Only goal is to part you from your money, they are doing a truly wonderful job at that - so their mission accomplished.

I used the UK site last week to book 4 excursions.

It worked well, BUT:

 

Instead of clicking on LOG IN in the top right corner, click on the link right by it that says CHECK IN. It takes you to the old style page and it all works from there.”

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Have you tried calling Captain's Club to have them register you, if in fact they can?

 

I would strongly suggest to you that the CelebrityOneTouch email address is not the one to use for something like this.

 

bon voyage

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About the 'numerous' posts concerning the website, there will always be numerous posts about it. Read them and weep or carry on and be determined to have fun on your sailing regardless.

 

In several other forums I regularly peruse, there are reports of issues with their websites as well, from pre-booking to embarkation. So X does not have the only claim on the 'website complaints' market.

 

bon voyage

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We are presently on Eclipse. Registering for the connections party was impossible and one person at least was informed by email that no party would be held because 25 did not sign up. There is a difference between Celebrity shoreside and the personelle on the ship. Eclipse was made aware of the problem and we had our connections party this morning. It helps if at least one suite or Zenith passenger is on the roll call since the shoreside concierge can contact the ship directly. The IT department should be Keelhauled and the onboard staff should be running the company. Smiles all around and a can do philosophy is experienced on board. Why is Miami such a PIA?

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I have emailed CelebrityOneTouch@celebrity.com several times about the issue, but never even get a reply. That's the address provided on the Celebrity website, but perhaps someone has a better (ie. more effective) address to use? I have been perfectly polite in my emails asking if they are aware of the problem and if they can suggest another way of registering for the party. I've even offered to create a list myself and forward that to them. The response...crickets.

 

There's your problem. You used the incorrect email address. It's CelebrityCountlessTouches@Celebrity.com

 

Or you can call the Captains Club, be placed on hold for two hours while every 30 seconds they tell you that you're important to them, please continue to hold.

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Clearly the web site is difficult and sometimes impossible and needs fixing.

 

In the order of importance the Connections gathering is probably way down the priority list compared the being unable to book cruises, make final payment, get a correct invoice, purchase shore excursions, beverage packages and complete on-line check in.

 

Over the years the Connections gathering has gone from being a fun gathering with lots of interaction between cruisers and with the officers to a disappointment. Our last 5-6 have been: CD shows up introduces the various officers who are there. If the Captain is there they speak for maybe 2 mins. Captain gives the mike back to CD who thanks us all for sailing with Celebrity and the CD and officers leave. Followed by most of the attendees.

 

We have found sail away after muster for the Roll Call is more fun and a better way to met others from the Roll Call.

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There's your problem. You used the incorrect email address. It's CelebrityCountlessTouches@Celebrity.com

 

Or you can call the Captains Club, be placed on hold for two hours while every 30 seconds they tell you that you're important to them, please continue to hold.

 

I used and received a response ( granted it took over a month) from

CelebrityOneTouch@celebrity.com

 

 

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There have been numerous posts regarding the problems with the Celebrity website as well as posts regarding the specific issues with registering for a Celebrity Connections Party. Our cruise is still 5 months off, but absolutely nothing has apparently been done to correct the problems.

 

People in our roll call have been trying to register for the Connections Party for over 6 months with limited success. We managed to get 22 people registered before the system crashed completely. Now, it either gives an error message or tells you that you're registered and that we now have 22 people registered. Since Celebrity requires 25 registrants in order to hold the Meet & Greet, we're on the outside looking in.

 

I have emailed CelebrityOneTouch@celebrity.com several times about the issue, but never even get a reply. That's the address provided on the Celebrity website, but perhaps someone has a better (ie. more effective) address to use? I have been perfectly polite in my emails asking if they are aware of the problem and if they can suggest another way of registering for the party. I've even offered to create a list myself and forward that to them. The response...crickets.

 

An email address I found is connections@celebrity.com, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

I expect that there will be a sign where they post things, announcing a Connections party, and whoever sees it will know to go, if the time is convenient.

 

Glad to see Arno is onboard now and confirming what most of us know: crew/staff/officers onboard care about us, or sure are good at pretending!

 

My last Celebrity was in January of '16 and several of us stayed at the party and enjoyed meeting each other. I remember vividly, b/c talk got political, a full ten months prior to the US presidential election.

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DW and I are regular Celebrity cruisers. We are looking into going on Viking Ocean for a Northern Lights cruise. If you want to see what a cruise line web site should look like take a moment and look at theirs.

 

I, for one, still enjoy the Connections party and I think it's inexplicable why the Home Office can't get this straightened out. They just reported record earnings and they can't spend 10 cents to get this fixed. I guess this is what happens when the bean counters start to take over.

 

Look what happened to GM when the accountants took charge - quality down the tubes. Are we seeing the same here now?

 

Enjoy your cruising days.

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An email address I found is connections@celebrity.com, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

I expect that there will be a sign where they post things, announcing a Connections party, and whoever sees it will know to go, if the time is convenient.

 

Glad to see Arno is onboard now and confirming what most of us know: crew/staff/officers onboard care about us, or sure are good at pretending!

 

My last Celebrity was in January of '16 and several of us stayed at the party and enjoyed meeting each other. I remember vividly, b/c talk got political, a full ten months prior to the US presidential election.

 

Thanks for the different email address. I'll give that a try if I don't hear anything from my latest attempt, which was to email the CEO directly and ask her to intervene.

 

I also expect Celebrity, if they do host a Connections Party, to do a lot more than just post a sign somewhere. One of the reasons they insist on doing everything themselves is that they say that invitations will be delivered to all registrants on board announcing time and place. I'd love to hear from someone who has cruised recently if this actually occurred. It's been a year since we were on Celebrity, and they were still letting roll calls handle all the logistics back then and just provide Celebrity with a head count.

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We are presently on Eclipse. Registering for the connections party was impossible and one person at least was informed by email that no party would be held because 25 did not sign up. There is a difference between Celebrity shoreside and the personelle on the ship. Eclipse was made aware of the problem and we had our connecticons party this morning. It helps if at least one suite or Zenith passenger is on the roll call since the shoreside concierge can contact the ship directly. The IT department should be Keelhauled and the onboard staff should be running the company. Smiles all around and a can do philosophy is experienced on board. Why is Miami such a PIA?

 

Arno,

We are on the Christmas/New Year Eclipse sailing and have notified X that many of us (approx 30+) have tried to register, but the count continues to remain at 9. Whilst you are onboard, we would be grateful if you would inform the person concerned that we too are experiencing problems registering but would welcome a Connections Party. X shoreside have replied to say there will be a party, irrespective of numbers, however it would just be nice to know that the ship personnel have definitely been notified ;). TIA.

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Thanks for the different email address. I'll give that a try if I don't hear anything from my latest attempt, which was to email the CEO directly and ask her to intervene.

 

Sorry Fred, I was being facetious. That's a bogus email addy playing on their email address that they are One Touch to get things done which is facetious in itself.

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We too have the same issue for our Christmas reflection cruise, we have 89 wishing to attend on the roll call but it won't go beyond 22 no matter how many register. I'm going to,try calling celebrity tomorrow to see what can be done.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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I agree with ABoatNerd, Celebrity does not need to care. Why on earth would they spend money to fix or create a website when the ships are sailing full at some of the highest prices on record ?

 

That would be a horrible waste of money, with no return on the investment.

 

Celebrity is a mass market cruise line, no better and no worse than the rest in the category. As long as they provide a product not significantly differentiated from their competition and can attract the prices needed to meet ROC, they will not be spending money that does not provide a return on that investment.

 

As long as they get heads in the beds at the price they want, there is no business case to spend money on things like IT that don't provide a return on investment.

 

Celebrity does not need to care - business is great - guests are using the current product so is there really a problem?

 

From a $ perspective, there is no problem at all.

 

Taking another perspective - if a company truly has Pride in their offerings - it increases the odds of innovation and problem solving. The Celebrity site would stand a higher chance of updating if Celebrity expressed corporate Pride and consideration of customers, neither of which I see evidence of.

 

In the end, Celebrity's Only goal is to part you from your money, they are doing a truly wonderful job at that - so their mission accomplished.

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We're on Silhouette in March, 2018, and can't try online check-in until December. I've been in IT since 1979 and seen a lot of poor designs but y'all are still scaring the you-know-what out of me.

 

 

 

Don’t worry. Much exaggeration and recycling of grievances from months ago. The Connections Party is totally disconnected but most other functionality is there. If you are used to the “ old” site, you might need to be a bit adaptive and an effective problem solver to find your way. If you are new, you should have few issues.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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I agree with ABoatNerd, Celebrity does not need to care. Why on earth would they spend money to fix or create a website when the ships are sailing full at some of the highest prices on record ?

 

That would be a horrible waste of money, with no return on the investment.

 

Celebrity is a mass market cruise line, no better and no worse than the rest in the category. As long as they provide a product not significantly differentiated from their competition and can attract the prices needed to meet ROC, they will not be spending money that does not provide a return on that investment.

 

As long as they get heads in the beds at the price they want, there is no business case to spend money on things like IT that don't provide a return on investment.

 

As I see it, the reason they would have to fix the website is to sell their ancillary products like flights, hotels, transfers, shore excursions, dining, beverage packages etc. We are sailing in less than 2 weeks, but the website will not let us do any of this. They've lost any additional income from us on this sailing, since we don't care to jump through hoops, listen to recordings while on hold telling us to "visit our award winning website" for the privilege of spending our money. There are multiple other sites available that make it easy to do so. Our reservation still tells us to "complete pending items prior to online check in" even though we're paid in full, checked in 100% complete, printed our Xpress pass and E-docs and received our luggage tags by mail. They may be making great strides with their stock prices, however they are losing income they could be having. We've been having these difficulties for 7 months. I couldn't believe last May that these problems would still be existing. Yes, the upper echelon of Celebrity is aware of the problem. I have spoken with the CEO's office multiple times, had conference calls with IT and top supervisory people at One Touch and IT. But they tolerate the inefficiency of the IT department for some inexplicable reason. Maybe IT have some unsavory pictures of someone? Can't see any other reason it's tolerated.

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