Drink package disaster

[mrsz]

OMG you troublemakers!!!!!!!

 

 

Hope you had a great cruise!!!!

 

Tell Michael I said hi!!!!!

 

 

Your problem is simply that you decided to abandon "our normal cruises"....

 

 

When you stray from the pack these things happen:)

 

We are leaving in a week and will miss you this time around:)

 

Hope you have a great trip. We loved the Silhouette but thought service on the Summit was much better. Guess I have to join the group again for another cruise. Tell everyone we said hi. When is your next cruise. We are doing 14 night repo on Explorer of the Seas Nov 1. Check it out. Great itinerary. Leaves Bayonne and ends in Cape Canaveral

[mrsz]

We were recently on the Silhouette and had the Premium a Beverage a Package. The first day we went to The a Porch for lunch and when I checked my bill we were charged for our wine. I went to the guest relations desk and a very arrogant woman named Vera said we ordered water and wine too close together that is why we were charged. We were at the Porch for 2 hours for lunch.and they took our cards at the end. How was it charged too close.

 

At the end of our cruise we were charged $32 for wine which was all charged at the same time. We only ordered 2 glasses of wine. We had to go again to guest relations 3 times to get this resolved. This is not the way we planned on spending our cruise disputing charges that should have never been.

 

This is just a word of advice to check your bill everyday. I don't understand how they can charge for drinks when it clearly states on our cards that we have the drink package.

 

I am constantly amazed at the over statement of negatives on cruise critic. Why is this a " disaster " seems mire like a minor problem to me a[/

 

It is not a minor problem when we constantly had to go to guest relations to take care of the problem and they were rude on top of it. I have NEVER posted a negative post on cruise critic and have been on many cruises. I AM entitled to my opinion.! If you don't agree or like what I say that is fine.

[ghstudio]

I am constantly amazed at the over statement of negatives on cruise critic. Why is this a " disaster " seems mire like a minor problem to me a

 

Actually it should be a disaster to celebrity marketing because these types of mistakes aren't what those expecting modern luxury expect...they are just due to bad training and another poor computer system...not a surprise. If I go on a luxury cruise, I don't expect to have to spend time explaining errors to someone who doesn't really seem to want to help and who assumes you are gaming the system.

[alreadypacked]

Just curious - if you have more than one glass of wine over the course of dinner, is that a trigger for charging you? Sometimes a dinner in the MDR can last a couple hours, and I can easily have two glasses of wine over that period of time.

 

I would think no. DH and I got off the Silhouette on April 6th and I had the Classic Package and DH had the Premium Package. We each ordered glasses of wine at dinner and our sommelier refilled our glasses when they got low without us even requesting it. I wondered if seeing our ship cards on day one was enough as he wasn't asking for our cards for refills. We never signed a single receipt either.

[JetCruister]

I've always understood multi-drink purchases are not covered, like you can't get a bucket of beers, nor the 6-glass martini flight with the package. Nor will it work with the wine tastings or whiskey tastings that involve multiple beverages served at once.

 

We have been getting the drink package ever since they started offering them! We always get the premium package and was told the first cruise we had the package, that since we had the premium package we could pay the difference of Martini flights or glasses of wine. We are not beer drinkers, so I can't answer about the bucket of beers. As for the wine or whiskey tasting, yes we know that is not part of the drink package. And neither are the wine machines in the Wine Cellar. There were a couple of times they assumed I had the classic drink package and served me a smaller martini. But once they took my card and saw I had the premium the bartender apologized left and right. I told him no worries.

 

With the flights, I asked if the policy had changed from last year and they said no. And when they brought the bar manager to me (I did not ask them to) and asked him, he said you should only pay the difference as long as you have the premium package. The did change the policy with the classic, as you can only order 3 different Martinis. In the past you could order any martini and the would just bring a smaller one. I hope they stop offering this as a perk!

[cherylroslyn]

Hope you have a great trip. We loved the Silhouette but thought service on the Summit was much better. Guess I have to join the group again for another cruise. Tell everyone we said hi. When is your next cruise. We are doing 14 night repo on Explorer of the Seas Nov 1. Check it out. Great itinerary. Leaves Bayonne and ends in Cape Canaveral

Im booked on October 23!!!!!!!! 9 night, do not even tell me that we are booked on the same ship one week apart........that is crazy!!!!!

 

 

I will say hi for you, but we expect you back in 2015!!!!!

[mrsz]

Im booked on October 23!!!!!!!! 9 night, do not even tell me that we are booked on the same ship one week apart........that is crazy!!!!!

 

 

I will say hi for you, but we expect you back in 2015!!!!!

 

Just might be back. Had a blast with everyone. Keep in touch. I'll see you as you get off Explorer in Nov. Why didn't you do the repo. I know how much you like repositioning cruises.

[Cruise_me_Crazy]

Why do people feel the need to be so self righteous? :confused: who cares if it is a disaster or not. If the OP thinks it is, then so be it.

 

I for one would be rope-able that I had to mess about cleaning up someone else's mistake and then be spoken to rudely for my efforts. I get that people in customer service get spoken to rudely, but geez, that is in the job description. I have never been rude to a customer, & I have been spat on, screamed at, sworn at and ridiculed :(. Toughen up or get out of the industry. & this is from a worker without the tipping mentality.

 

It's a cruise ship. How bad can it be when the threat of the captain kicking you off the boat looms over every whinging customer? Not to mention if the OP was polite or even reasonable, Vera should be greatful SHE wasn't coping an earful. Her behaviour is unacceptable. I can imagine why the OP would be upset. It leaves a negative flavour about the cruise! :mad:

[ghstudio]

The martini mar offers a few package tastings of vodkas that run about $12. Would that be covered under the premium package? Seems like it certainly should be covered...

 

The most concerning part is that it's not documented anywhere...ships seem to make up the 10 minute rule, the martini flight rule....who knows what the next rule will be. This is not the way to run a billion dollar company.....

 

I'll follow any terms and conditions that are printed when I buy something....not something that's just made up after I've paid for it. That's why I'm asking where this stuff is documented.

Edited April 18, 2014 by ghstudio

[NLH Arizona]

Why do people feel the need to be so self righteous? :confused: who cares if it is a disaster or not. If the OP thinks it is, then so be it.

 

I for one would be rope-able that I had to mess about cleaning up someone else's mistake and then be spoken to rudely for my efforts. I get that people in customer service get spoken to rudely, but geez, that is in the job description. I have never been rude to a customer, & I have been spat on, screamed at, sworn at and ridiculed :(. Toughen up or get out of the industry. & this is from a worker without the tipping mentality.

 

It's a cruise ship. How bad can it be when the threat of the captain kicking you off the boat looms over every whinging customer? Not to mention if the OP was polite or even reasonable, Vera should be greatful SHE wasn't coping an earful. Her behaviour is unacceptable. I can imagine why the OP would be upset. It leaves a negative flavour about the cruise! :mad:

We have to remember that there are always three sides to a story and we are only hearing one side of the story.

[Cruise_me_Crazy]

We have to remember that there are always three sides to a story and we are only hearing one side of the story.

 

I agree! I just don't get all the self righteousness judging! Who cares if it it true, unlikely, or completely false?

 

It is real for the poster who is stating it. :) it is their reality.

[jagoffee]

I'm not CERTAIN that the drinks and their price and are posted automatically based on a card swipe.

 

I notice the staff when ringing in sales often look quite carefully at the card to tell the package type leading me to believe they have to apply manually a discount thru the POS system to close the tab as a beverage package sales. In fast serve low-light environments like MDR, I can see this causing issues.

 

As an operations guy, this makes further sense on how they have to charge for only the balance above for drinks that exceed the package allowance when under the premium package.

 

I've been able to get a drink and water at same time at several bars, (and sometimes told no only 1 at a time, YMMV) so know for that reason the system itself isn't using any logic to time out between transactions.

 

For this reason, I PREFER the sticker on my sea pass card to the pre-printed beverage plan, seems to make them see it much easier and process the charges more accurately.

 

I imagine that occasionally a drink order is entered manually as you witnessed, but from my observations they scan each card.

 

I check my account periodically for errors. I have noticed a charge and reversal several times. Therefore I think Celebrity sometimes catches errors.

 

The bottom line for me is that I like the process of not having to sign each time.

 

Of course I have never had a $33 charge on the last night that I was trying to correct. I certainly would not appreciate it, but I cannot imagine that it would not be fixed immediately.

 

I have ordered bottled water and wine at the same time in the MDR and I have never had a problem. Many times they do not even ask for my card until the end of the dinner, so I have a hard time buying the excuse given to the OP that they ordered too close together. There should not be a problem unless perhaps if everyone in the party did not have a package.

[cherylroslyn]

I imagine that occasionally a drink order is entered manually as you witnessed, but from my observations they scan each card.

 

I check my account periodically for errors. I have noticed a charge and reversal several times. Therefore I think Celebrity sometimes catches errors.

 

The bottom line for me is that I like the process of not having to sign each time.

 

Of course I have never had a $33 charge on the last night that I was trying to correct. I certainly would not appreciate it, but I cannot imagine that it would not be fixed immediately.

 

I have ordered bottled water and wine at the same time in the MDR and I have never had a problem. Many times they do not even ask for my card until the end of the dinner, so I have a hard time buying the excuse given to the OP that they ordered too close together. There should not be a problem unless perhaps if everyone in the party did not have a package.

You are totally right. I have ordered a cappachino, mimosa and a bottle of Pelligrino at the same time and no problem at the brunch. There is no truth to the idea that there is a two minute, five minute or ten minute rule.

 

As a matter of fact, I have sat at the bar drinking and then when I am leaving the bartender will run six drinks through at the same time.....I have looked at my bill the next day and thought to myself..."Cheryl did you really drink three martinis in 3 minutes?"

[maxsales]

Ok...so I now have two questions:

 

1) where is it documented that you can only order one drink at a time...eg a drink and a bottled water?

 

2) where is it documented that the package does not apply to a martini flight or a vodka tasting at the martini bar?

 

I guess since I'm paying for something, I should understand the terms and conditions...right?

 

for one thing the price of the martini flight exceeds the dollar limit for both packages. If you had the premium then maybe you would just have to pay the difference.

[ghstudio]

for one thing the price of the martini flight exceeds the dollar limit for both packages. If you had the premium then maybe you would just have to pay the difference.

 

I think we all know that... But we don't know if you just pay the difference or the full amount....and no one has pointed to where any of this is documented.

[Cruising89143]

for one thing the price of the martini flight exceeds the dollar limit for both packages. If you had the premium then maybe you would just have to pay the difference.

 

Last year on the Reflection they made us pay for the full amount and we had the Premium package. This year we only had to pay the difference. I think it comes down to the crew and which ones do not know the policy. The bartender told us this year that only those with the Classic package have to pay the entire amount.

Edited April 18, 2014 by cruisingator2

[Magellan321]

We were recently on the Silhouette and had the Premium a Beverage a Package. The first day we went to The a Porch for lunch and when I checked my bill we were charged for our wine. I went to the guest relations desk and a very arrogant woman named Vera said we ordered water and wine too close together that is why we were charged. We were at the Porch for 2 hours for lunch.and they took our cards at the end. How was it charged too close.

 

At the end of our cruise we were charged $32 for wine which was all charged at the same time. We only ordered 2 glasses of wine. We had to go again to guest relations 3 times to get this resolved. This is not the way we planned on spending our cruise disputing charges that should have never been.

 

This is just a word of advice to check your bill everyday. I don't understand how they can charge for drinks when it clearly states on our cards that we have the drink package.

 

Thank you for the heads up! I appreciate you passing this info along, we leave in three weeks on our first trip using the drink package.

[ghstudio]

Last year on the Reflection they made us pay for the full amount and we had the Premium package. This year we only had to pay the difference. I think it comes down to the crew and which ones do not know the policy. The bartender told us this year that only those with the Classic package have to pay the entire amount.

 

And what is the official policy the crew knows or doesn't know? Do you know the official policy....I can't find it.

[cle-guy]

I imagine that occasionally a drink order is entered manually as you witnessed, but from my observations they scan each card.

.

 

Yes I agree they do scan the card, but I imagine that's just to pull the folio number of the card to know whose bill it goes to.

 

I think that that swipe doesn't automatically calculate the prices, leaving the staff to press a button on the POS to "close the sale" at 100% discount. Probably done this way to help keep track of the cost of goods sold with the package so the bean counters can analyze and monitor cost of the program.

[cle-guy]

And what is the official policy the crew knows or doesn't know? Do you know the official policy....I can't find it.

 

True! I can't even see in writing anywhere official that you only have to pay the overage with premium package either.

[sasset]

The martini mar offers a few package tastings of vodkas that run about $12. Would that be covered under the premium package? Seems like it certainly should be covered...

 

The most concerning part is that it's not documented anywhere...ships seem to make up the 10 minute rule, the martini flight rule....who knows what the next rule will be. This is not the way to run a billion dollar company.....

 

I'll follow any terms and conditions that are printed when I buy something....not something that's just made up after I've paid for it. That's why I'm asking where this stuff is documented.

 

I agree, so I called Captain's Club and asked about the rules. He simply read what is posted on the website under 'Premium & Classic Package' in the 'Already Booked' drop down. When pressed he said that he has received zero negative feedback on the program.

 

The only clear 'rule' is the $13 cap per serving.

[ghstudio]

I agree, so I called Captain's Club and asked about the rules. He simply read what is posted on the website under 'Premium & Classic Package' in the 'Already Booked' drop down. When pressed he said that he has received zero negative feedback on the program.

 

The only clear 'rule' is the $13 cap per serving.

 

So it sounds like I'm right....the 'rules' are made up on the ship....what a way to run a company...the bean counters must not know :). The issue, of course, isn't whether there's negative or positive feedback...it's just understanding what we are paying for...so there is consistency. Oh well...it was worth poking at, even if we still don't (and celebrity apparently still doesn't know the rules because there aren't any that cover the martini flight or document that you only pay the difference if something is over the allowed limit if you have the premium package.

[jagoffee]

Yes I agree they do scan the card, but I imagine that's just to pull the folio number of the card to know whose bill it goes to.

 

I think that that swipe doesn't automatically calculate the prices, leaving the staff to press a button on the POS to "close the sale" at 100% discount. Probably done this way to help keep track of the cost of goods sold with the package so the bean counters can analyze and monitor cost of the program.

 

Perhaps.

Of course they scan the card to pull the name of the person getting the drink. It looks to me like they then punch the number for the drink. I have always gotten a list of all the scans at the end of the cruise. I think the decision on whether the drink is charged or not might be automated and not really determined by the staff.

[sdbmd]

Just curious - if you have more than one glass of wine over the course of dinner, is that a trigger for charging you? Sometimes a dinner in the MDR can last a couple hours, and I can easily have two glasses of wine over that period of time.

When I had the drink package on the Reflection, I had 3 glasses of wine with dinner the three times we at the MDR. One of the 3 times, the sommelier was there offering a refill before the glass was even empty. I didn't have issues with drink charges at any point, though that was the only time I drank rapidly enough to possibly raise a flag.

[YYC F/A]

Next time just dispute the charges with your CC later, X has to respond to denied charges or just take the loss. Either way it would save you time and a headache.

 

Your CC terms of use require that you take reasonable steps to raise the incorrect charge/dispute with the vendor in question and provide them the opportunity to respond and fix before you file a dispute.

 

CC fraud protection was never designed to be a substitution for resolving a simple billing discrepancy with a store or service provider. However, particularly in North America, abuse by consumers of the fraud protection process has been pretty high.

 

To the OP: I'm glad you got your $33 discrepancy resolved, and it's always unfortunate when a member of staff is abrupt or less than responsive. That said, I've sometimes seen the odd discrepancy on the bill and I wouldn't say it's necessarily a systemic problem or "disaster"

Edited April 20, 2014 by YYC F/A