Dodged a bullet

[Mattingly23]

Hi all.

 

Made a last minute decision to book the silhouette for the March 31 sailing. We're hardly veterans, this being our third cruise. Our first cruise was our honeymoon on the Galaxy 14 years ago. This will be kind of a second honeymoon with the addition of our 11 & 13 year olds.

 

We booked a balcony guarantee just getting in on the 123 promo. I had a long nice conversation with the booking agent (Celebrity direct via the 800#) and we discussed my 2 kids (boy & girl) and how different this would be than our last Celebrity cruise 14 years ago.

 

We were assigned cabin 8116 (1C!!!!) and I was looking over the deck plans last night and noticed only a sofa bed but no upper. I called Celebrity to ask why there was no upper and was informed it was one double sofa bed.....uh oh! I was shocked that this was even a possibility, and I asked the agent if he had a sister. When he replied he did, I asked him how he would have reacted if he had to sleep in the same bed as his 13 year old sister when he was 11.

 

We had a great pleasant chat and he ended up changing my cabin to one on 7 mid ship with an upper. I was calm and pleasant, he was as well and we have a resolution that works for everyone. Thanks Celebrity for such great customer service!

 

Two questions:

-Should the original agent that booked the cruise have warned me that there was a possibility that my kids would have to sleep in the same bed? If she had, I would not have booked a guarantee but opted for something else instead.

-Celebrity has no record of my wife or myself from our honeymoon. I understand this was a long time ago. Is it feasible to get this on my record just in case we become frequent cruisers?

 

Thanks for you comments. Looking forward to our second Celebrity cruise!

[cruisestitch]

Don't know about your first question, but as to the second one, do you have any proof from that sailing? Things like receipts, key cards, souvenir embarkation photo with the date of the cruise on it, anything that you saved that can prove you were there.

[Mattingly23]

Don't know about your first question, but as to the second one, do you have any proof from that sailing? Things like receipts, key cards, souvenir embarkation photo with the date of the cruise on it, anything that you saved that can prove you were there.

 

I'd have to dig them out, but yes...every morning "newspaper", every piece of paperwork, a comp bottle of wine sent to us by another ships captain, and even a picture of us having dinner at the captains table.

[The_Big_M]

I agree with your first point, but it doesn't seem to be standard practice.

 

Unfortunately I'm disappointed with the 3/4 accommodation on the Solstice class ships, they were a step down from previous and other builds and it seems to have been built with twins only really in mind. We tried a concierge cabin which is of course one of their higher grades, yet they don't have any bunk arrangements, only sofa and floor beds - and uncomfortable ones that take up all the space at that. Far from 'modern luxury...'

[jerseygirl3]

Technically 8116 is considered a quad cabin but th agent should have noticed on the deck plan that it was a cabin with just a double sofabed. Unfortunately most of the agents are not hat knowledgeable. Once in awhile you get a great one.

 

As far as credit for your previous cruise I think you may need to provide something that shows you were actually the ones on that cruise. I don't think daily papers will do. By if you have the invoice that would work.

[fredflint]

Agents just don't get the commissions they used to and only a few really know there ships, so not surprised at all. With cruises it is important to always do your research, many "discounts" really aren't.

[germanyboy]

I was able to find a dozen 16 year old pics of my wife and her adult sisters on the Century, them on the dock with ship in background, and several other pictures that showed the ship--even a guy with a t shirt of the ships itinerary on it.. I scanned them and sent them to Captain's Club, and they got her signed up and gave her credit.

 

That was so long ago, there were no credit card receipts and CC company couldn't/wouldn't find them for us.

[hansolosmom]

I'm actually surprised that if you were talking to the agent they didn't mention the quad configuration. Of course now I can't remember when I booked if I asked about the beds or if the agent mentioned it. I think I noticed because of a notation on the deck plan. I said for my teenage sons the bed wouldn't work, I needed a Pullman.

 

As someone else said, I too was very disappointed in the quad bed configurations. I think I ended up with 4 cabin choices because of not wanting the double bed. I personally think its a ploy to get you to book 2 cabins!

[Cruise Arizona]

We are going to be on the Silhouette for the prior two sailings, and when ever I am booking I get out a deck plan and look for the cabins that have both a square and a triangle in them. That seems to be the best configuration for two teens. A garantee is not usually a good idea when you have four.

 

You are right that compared to other lines, they have a smaller percentage of these rooms. That actually is a nice thing, in that even when the ship is fully booked, it doesn't feel as crowded as others with more true quad cabins.

 

After being in one quad cabin for a while, we did break down and move to two adjoining cabins. Probably mostly for two bath rooms and a little bit more privacy for my teenage girl.

 

Celebrity does try to provide great service, so I am so glad that the land side agent helped you move to another room, and that there was another available.

[BEAV]

-Celebrity has no record of my wife or myself from our honeymoon. I understand this was a long time ago. Is it feasible to get this on my record just in case we become frequent cruisers?

 

 

When we first sailed Celebrity back in 2000, you had to pay $35 (per couple) to join the Captain's Club after your first voyage. Enrollment was voluntary, not required. Not too many years later, Celebrity dropped the charge and anyone completing their first cruise was automatically enrolled into the club. What I don't know is if they grandfathered previous cruisers into the club when they dropped the enrollment fee. So definitely contact the Captain's Club and inquire. Here's a link that may be helpful.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/footer/faqResults.do?faqSubjectName=Captain's+Club+Loyalty+Rewards&faqId=4536&faqSubjectId=64

 

Congrats on how you handled the kid's sleeping arrangements. You obviously knew just the right question to ask the Agent on the phone in order to get some action!

 

For others reading, I'm surprised =X= would even allow a party of 4 to book a guarantee? Do they still not allow a single traveler to book a guarantee, but yet accept a quad? Huh? :confused:

[BEAV]

As someone else said, I too was very disappointed in the quad bed configurations. I think I ended up with 4 cabin choices because of not wanting the double bed. I personally think its a ploy to get you to book 2 cabins!

 

Either that, or do they tend to market more family-oriented cruisers over to RCCL, trying to keep =X= a little more "adult"???? :confused:

[pearliemae]

I'd have to dig them out, but yes...every morning "newspaper", every piece of paperwork, a comp bottle of wine sent to us by another ships captain, and even a picture of us having dinner at the captains table.

We had the ships picture of us dining at the Captains Table on a long ago Horizon or Zenith cruise that we sent in when updating our file and that did the trick, no problem.

[CathyCruises]

I had the same problem with Galaxy; we were on the maiden voyage over Xmas back in 1995. They did not want to credit me for the voyage. In the meantime I had gotten divorced and 'lost custody' of all the family photos. Then I happened on a pic of my two boys, then about 8 and 10, thinking they were real smart 'flipping the bird' at the camera--little brats! But I scanned in the photo and pointed out the wrapped gifts on the shelves, and eventually they gave me credit for the cruise!!! Of course I was totally embarrassed at the photo but sent it anyway. :rolleyes:

[jhans24]

I think you need to do better research. It's not the cruise line's or TA's job to make sure you are ok with the 3rd and 4th sleepers arrangement. If you book a guaranty, you are saying, I am ok with what ever I get. Would it be nice if they asked, sure. But I think it's reasonable to expect the consumer to have looked into the differences in rooms.

 

Always ask questions, and do your research. Informed decisions help eliminate the need to "dodge bullets."

 

We are cruising when our boys will be three and six. We limited our rooms to the double sofa only, because we didn't want one of them on an upper berth. Therefore we didn't consider a guaranty.

[gelo7]

Glad that you were able to get it sorted out.

[believer33323]

Mattingly23 Don't forget to sign up for the "Celebrity Connection Roll Call"

for the March 31st. Sailing.

Our (Yours too) Board is at

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1675688

 

Here is the link to Register with Celebrity Cruise lines for the Connection party.

https://secure.celebritycruises.com/cruisecritic/home.do