Beware of Celebrity false advertising

[Begete]

This is the letter I just wrote to Alan Fox, CEO of Celebrity which is hopefully rushing to Miami via Express Mail and and will be considered before our cruise February 17:

 

"My husband and I are booked in a Sky Suite leaving San Diego for Hawaii on February 17, 2013. We have been on over a dozen cruises, paid for others for our son and daughter-in-law, but never before felt that a cruise line, even Celebrity on which we sailed to the Baltic about a dozen years ago on the Constellation, was dishonest about its advertising.

 

We are furious about our situation on this Celebrity cruise on The Century.

 

You advertise your 1, 2 3 offer on one of your very first website pages:

 

“Simply book your next Celebrity Cruises vacation January 7- February 18, 2013, choose your offer, and start planning a vacation that will transport you far from the ordinary. With as many as 450 cruises sailing from February 2013 to April 2014, you're sure to find the perfect vacation and the perfect offer to go with it.”

 

Indeed, the website tells you to first book your cruise and then call the number to select which of the 1, 2 3 options you prefer. We booked our suite on February 3, paid in full February 4, and then, as per the instructions, called the number provided February 5. We were transferred to Eric in Customer Enhancements. He informed us that unfortunately, we booked our particular cruise between offers, regardless of what the advertising said, and walked me through several sections of the web site on which in very small print it did say this offer was not available for this particular cruise on this particular date...in very tiny print which I could never find again.

 

Not only is this false and misleading advertising, but a serious and stupid business error or your part. Not only are we fairly frequent cruisers, but we live in what has become a retirement community of fairly affluent former professionals such as ourselves. If we are angry enough that we are writing this letter less than 24 hours before we fly to San Diego, you can be absolutely certain that we will share this experience with everyone we know, who will share it with everyone they know, and so on.

 

I hope when we arrive on board February 17, you will have received this letter, and taken appropriate and fair action to resolve this matter."

[PinotBlanc]

Beware of small print and misprints.

 

Better resend that letter. I forgot who is CEO of Celebrity, something like handinhands, but his name is definitely not Alan Fox.

 

I don't expect to write to the CEO or Celebity. IMHO it would waste time and postage.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Penny

[Ex-Airbalancer]

small print on a website , that is why there is a zoom function lol

 

Maybe you should done more research before booking

[Gracie115]

This is the letter I just wrote to Alan Fox, CEO of Celebrity which is hopefully rushing to Miami via Express Mail and and will be considered before our cruise February 17:

 

"My husband and I are booked in a Sky Suite leaving San Diego for Hawaii on February 17, 2013. We have been on over a dozen cruises, paid for others for our son and daughter-in-law, but never before felt that a cruise line, even Celebrity on which we sailed to the Baltic about a dozen years ago on the Constellation, was dishonest about its advertising.

 

We are furious about our situation on this Celebrity cruise on The Century.

 

You advertise your 1, 2 3 offer on one of your very first website pages:

 

“Simply book your next Celebrity Cruises vacation January 7- February 18, 2013, choose your offer, and start planning a vacation that will transport you far from the ordinary. With as many as 450 cruises sailing from February 2013 to April 2014, you're sure to find the perfect vacation and the perfect offer to go with it.”

 

Indeed, the website tells you to first book your cruise and then call the number to select which of the 1, 2 3 options you prefer. We booked our suite on February 3, paid in full February 4, and then, as per the instructions, called the number provided February 5. We were transferred to Eric in Customer Enhancements. He informed us that unfortunately, we booked our particular cruise between offers, regardless of what the advertising said, and walked me through several sections of the web site on which in very small print it did say this offer was not available for this particular cruise on this particular date...in very tiny print which I could never find again.

 

Not only is this false and misleading advertising, but a serious and stupid business error or your part. Not only are we fairly frequent cruisers, but we live in what has become a retirement community of fairly affluent former professionals such as ourselves. If we are angry enough that we are writing this letter less than 24 hours before we fly to San Diego, you can be absolutely certain that we will share this experience with everyone we know, who will share it with everyone they know, and so on.

 

I hope when we arrive on board February 17, you will have received this letter, and taken appropriate and fair action to resolve this matter."

 

 

It also tells you on the 123 page at the website to "SEE THE OFFERS" and if you click there you will see there are no Hawaii cruises offered.....

[A Sixth?]

I feel your pain OP, it's one of the reasons I now book using an online TA that has served me well in the past.

 

FWIW I found the exclusion near the top of the fine print:

 

Offer excludes Feb. 2013 sailings booked on or after Jan. 28, 2013, and all Celebrity Xpedition sailings

 

Would you have not booked the cruise without the 123 thingy? I see that it looks like it's sold out now.

[dkjretired]

Michael Bayley is the President and CEO of Celebrity cruise lines. This is definitely not a case of false advertising but a case of not reading the offer's particulars. No sympathy here, you made the mistake.

[phoenix_dream]

On that same website, it also very clearly states "Applicable sailings for this offer" and then includes links to the sailings the deal applies to. It is very clear, and directly under the instructions you mention. It takes up a good amount of space (on my computer 3 1/2" by 4" of the page on the screen). I'm sorry you are so upset, but based on what I am seeing, it would certainly seem that you did not bother to read the whole page, unless I am missing something?

[TeaBag]

It's called "read the fine print".

[Lsimon]

This is the letter I just wrote to Alan Fox, CEO of Celebrity ...

 

President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises is Michael Bayley, appointed last August.

 

The prior President and CEO was Dan Hanrahan who was in that position for something like 7 years. I don't know who Alan Fox is.

[Crazy Cruzer]

Alan Fox is the head of a travel agency located in Texas.

[miched]

As another poster noted there are no Hawian cruises that are included, but I could see how it could happen especially with hardly any planning or time to investigate.

 

I like your planning. Booking a cruise to Hawaii on Feb 3 for Feb 14.

 

Hopefully that isn't what enticed you to book it. I could imagine telling my wife to start packing we are going on a Hawian cruise in 2 weeks because they are giving away free drinks. :D

 

Enjoy the cruise and forget about the package.

 

.

[Big_G]

Now I'm curious. Seeing as how you sent the letter to the CEO of a travel agency, did you book directly with Celebrity or the travel agency?

[A Sixth?]

Now I'm curious. Seeing as how you sent the letter to the CEO of a travel agency, did you book directly with Celebrity or the travel agency?

 

Ya, that does look odd.

 

Maybe the squabble isn't with Celebrity but with the TA

 

Also since the OP book so late was it a last minute "deal"? What price did the OP pay for the CC cabin?

[Gonzo70]

Too much drama. :rolleyes:

 

Not sure why you have the need to blame others for what is clearly your mistake. This is absolutely NOT a case of false advertising, but poor research by the consumer.

 

Wonder who the OP will blame for writing to the wrong person about how great they are and trying to intimidate Celebrity into giving them something they are not entitled to.

 

Sad that someone books a long cruise in a suite and now is doing nothing but making petty complaints in multiple threads. I am expecting a beyond dramatic review when they return.

[Orator]

Anyone have "An Attention to Detail" Card?

 

The OP didn't read or understanding the booking rules for the offer.The OP sends a letter to someone who is not employed by Celebrity. The OP doesn't take the time to discover the name of the Celebrity CEO.

Naturally it's Celebrity's fault.

[Gonzo70]

Anyone have "An Attention to Detail" Card?

 

The OP didn't read or understanding the booking rules for the offer.The OP sends a letter to someone who is not employed by Celebrity. The OP doesn't take the time to discover the name of the Celebrity CEO.

Naturally it's Celebrity's fault.

 

Hopefully the OP flies to the correct city for the start of the cruise!

[Lois R]

Alan Fox? CEO of Celebrity?:confused: You have your CEO's AND your companies

totally mixed up:eek:

Alax Fox is the CEO of a company we are not allowed to name on here.

[Tennant]

I'm a little bummed because it seems like lately a lot of the posts on the celebrity board are just complaints. Not as much useful information or helpful tips, just complaining. Not even sure why the OP posted this letter on the boards. It clearly states the cruise isn't eligible for the promotion which the OP admits. I also think it is funny OP thinks a strongly worded letter will be delivered directly to the CEO of an international company who will in return address issue immediately and automatically before the OP boards in a matter of a day or so.

[Big_G]

 

Not only is this false and misleading advertising, but a serious and stupid business error or your part. Not only are we fairly frequent cruisers, but we live in what has become a retirement community of fairly affluent former professionals such as ourselves. If we are angry enough that we are writing this letter less than 24 hours before we fly to San Diego, you can be absolutely certain that we will share this experience with everyone we know, who will share it with everyone they know, and so on.

 

I hope when we arrive on board February 17, you will have received this letter, and taken appropriate and fair action to resolve this matter."

 

I really hate when people bloviate their importance to the company.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Orator]

I really hate when people bloviate their importance to the company.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Of course threatening is a great way to gain a sympathetic ear.

[Big_G]

Of course threatening is a great way to gain a sympathetic ear.

 

Some people just don't get that part...obviously. :D

[Kamloops50]

Very simple , your responsible to read the fine print . No sympathy from this person . Not Celebrities problem but yours for not reading the fine print.

Note: All offers come with fine print and conditions.

[Redtravel]

It happened to me too. I was told that I had booked a happy hour price. Not a term that I was ever told while booking the cruise last week. I was also told that my price was too good to get the extras.

[FamilyCruiseDiva]

I really hate when people bloviate their importance to the company.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

"Bloviate", huh? Now there's a word-of-the-day I have to use!

 

 

PS~ I had to look that one up! :p

 

blo·vi·ate [bloh-vee-eyt] verb (used without object), blo·vi·at·ed, blo·vi·at·ing.

to speak pompously.

[Bundles917]

I hope you read traffic signs far better than you do advertisements and CEO names.