Guest Services Training & Updates?

[PinotBlanc]

Time for more training at the Guest Services desk.

Celebrity representatives should listen and calm the passenger by giving suggestions to resolve issues when a guest is having a problem.

 

 

 

A review should never have words such as these:

 

"..........Assistant Guest Relations Manager ....... he also seemed to have no intention to rectify the situation. As opposed to apologizing for the confusion and offering words of comfort, the way customer service agents usually do, he was fixated on where .... blame should be placed...."

 

 

 

We had a similar situation on a Celebrity ship. Guest Services could simply have told us where we might enjoy cocktails when our go to lounges were closed due to reservation for a group.

 

On another ship the Guest Relations manager rather abruptly stopped me from shaking hands in the receiving line at a party that was by invitation only (I had the invitation in my pocket).

 

The Guest Relations Manager said "are you aware this is a party for passengers with invitations?" Fortunately, an officer in the receiving line took over and walked me to the bar where a drink was ordered along with words of welcome.

 

Guest Relations may have some people properly trained, but there are others who need reminders that their job is to make changes/transitions to smooth out problems for passengers on vacation.

 

Penny

Edited July 24, 2014 by PinotBlanc

[dkjretired]

Time for more training at the Guest Services desk.

Celebrity representatives should listen and calm the passenger by giving suggestions to resolve issues when a guest is having a problem.

 

 

 

A review should never have words such as these:

 

"..........Assistant Guest Relations Manager ....... he also seemed to have no intention to rectify the situation. As opposed to apologizing for the confusion and offering words of comfort, the way customer service agents usually do, he was fixated on where .... blame should be placed...."

 

 

 

We had a similar situation on a Celebrity ship. Guest Services could simply have told us where we might enjoy cocktails when our go to lounges were closed due to reservation for a group.

 

On another ship the Guest Relations manager rather abruptly stopped me from shaking hands in the receiving line at a party that was by invitation only (I had the invitation in my pocket).

 

The Guest Relations Manager said "are you aware this is a party for passengers with invitations?" Fortunately, an officer in the receiving line took over and walked me to the bar where a drink was ordered along with words of welcome.

 

Guest Relations may have some people properly trained, but there are others who need reminders that their job is to make changes/transitions to smooth out problems for passengers on vacation.

 

Penny

 

The first quotes come from a review which was the subject of a thread yesterday. This comment is third party and was made by a woman who threatened on a phone call to shoot the person at the desk from customer service. I really have a problem with their credibility and I have no sympathy for that person which is a feeling expressed by most people on that thread. I would put a link to the thread but it appears to have disappeared.

Edited July 24, 2014 by dkjretired

[Jane2357]

Don is correct.

"..........Assistant Guest Relations Manager ....... he also seemed to have no intention to rectify the situation. As opposed to apologizing for the confusion and offering words of comfort, the way customer service agents usually do, he was fixated on where .... blame should be placed...."

 

This from a review where the person booked 1 Aqua cabin 1 non-Aqua and expected the people in the non cabin to have access to Blu. When it didn't happen - she pitched a fit and verbally made a comment that was threatening. I personally think customer service handled it as they should have - with security getting involved.

[cle-guy]

While I agree with the 2 prior posters the particular incident called out is not credible.

 

However one thing I think Guest Relations needs is EMPOWERMENT. Seems like anytime there is a billing dispute, they have to seek a 3rd party to handle situations, and somehow many go un resolved for days, for simple things like I have a drink package and was charged for bottled water in the MDR. It should be SIMPLE for the guest relations clerk to see their account and know they should not have been billed of he water and remove the charge right then and there and print out the folio with the revisions. But it seemed they always have to defer to beverage manager or some such and resolve it later.

 

Take the charges off as good service, and if there is a problem, have Guest Services Manager THEN contact guest to explain why charge was placed BACK on the bill.

 

I boarded summit as an Elite in May, arrived to cabin with no Captains club materials, no welcome, no schedule, no coupons. I went to guest relations (captains club desk closed) and they said they couldn't do anything and that captains club letters are not delivered until the evening (which on my 6 prior cruises is nonsense, it's ALWAYS been on the bed on arrival to the cabin and they would not even go get me just the schedule of events - I even told then I'd be happy to wait for the coupons, but really wanted the schedule. So I left.

 

Overnight, no coupons arrived, so back to guest relations the next day (captains club desk again closed) and this time the Guest Service staff was magically actually ABLE to get the schedule AND my coupons.

 

They also need some truing to avoid the Little Britain skit "Computer Say's No" when people arrive and have a printout or invoice or receipt, that says that have OBC, or drink package yet didn't get it on their folio. I watch clerks look at the computer and say sorry the computer doesn't show it, while someone is waiving the Celebrity printout form the website booking clearly showing such things. Of course the computer says no, if it said Yes, they wouldn't be there. Clerks seem to rarely pay any attention to the printouts in hand. Here again, allow the perk especially if the guest has some sort of printed verification of the perk, THEN do the research, letting guest know they have granted the perk subject to verification, and THEN have the manager contact guest later if they determine the perk was not appropriate and provide document printed verification of why it's not proper.

[Fouremco]

On our last cruise, we had two issues that needed to be dealt with, including abandoning the cruise at the end of the first week because of a medical problem experienced by my DW. I found the Guest Relations staff to be extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful. In a word, professional.

 

When attending a function requiring an invitation, you could make everyone's life a little bit easier by showing the invitation rather than hiding it in your pocket.

[PinotBlanc]

The first quotes come from a review which was the subject of a thread yesterday. This comment is third party and was made by a woman who threatened on a phone call to shoot the person at the desk from customer service. I really have a problem with their credibility and I have no sympathy for that person which is a feeling expressed by most people on that thread. I would put a link to the thread but it appears to have disappeared.

 

 

Yes, I saw the thread yesterday. Didn't have a chance to read the review.

The words "bully" and "followers" came to mind.

Overnight, I decided to visit the review.

 

My reason for starting this thread is to object to the way Guest Services handled the situation thus having the situation become frustrating for the passenger.

 

Penny

[cle-guy]

 

When attending a function requiring an invitation, you could make everyone's life a little bit easier by showing the invitation rather than hiding it in your pocket.

 

I have to agree here as well. Invitation only parties, you do need to expect them to challenge chests who do not have the unite, or who are not peronally known already to be on the invite list (perhaps others got in without presenting one, but had spent time with the Manager or other staff who had come to know them and their eligibility to attend such events).

 

It wouldn't be fair to those hosting a private gathering if they just let people in with out challenge.

 

Policing a door is always a difficult task, that those who are challenged will never appreciate this.

 

I always go to events keycard in hand or invite in hand, just to be sure.

[Jane2357]

Yes, I saw the thread yesterday. Didn't have a chance to read the review.

The words "bully" and "followers" came to mind.

Overnight, I decided to visit the review.

 

My reason for starting this thread is to object to the way Guest Services handled the situation thus having the situation become frustrating for the passenger.

 

Penny

When situations happen on the ship (or a hotel, restaurant, etc) we all expect that Guest Services will do their best to resolve them but in this case the answer to the problem was not want the mother wanted to hear - and nothing short of getting her way was going to make her happy according to the review that I read. Can you imagine the over crowding if they would let non Aqua class into Blu?

 

She could have eaten in Blu and met her adult children after dinner with them in the MDR - she could give up Blu and eat with them in the dining room (space permitting) or they could have gone to a specialty restaurant.

 

An adult should be able to control themselves and not threaten a crew member no matter how frustrated they are. Yes the word bully does come to mind and it appears that the mother tried to bully the staff. Sorry but no sympathy here.

[cle-guy]

Had that poster said what was said in line at an airport, they would STILL be sitting in a jail cell today.

[Janet524]

I dunno....I guess I must be living a charmed life. We've taken at least 15 cruises with Celebrity and more than three times that many on RCCL, and I have never had an issue with customer service. There have been occasions where I have had problems, but they were always resolved in a timely fashion and to my satisfaction and then some. I always wonder when reading comments about the terrible service and the awful staff what some people expect. I guess you just can't make some people happy.

[NLH Arizona]

Time for more training at the Guest Services desk.

Celebrity representatives should listen and calm the passenger by giving suggestions to resolve issues when a guest is having a problem.

 

 

 

A review should never have words such as these:

 

"..........Assistant Guest Relations Manager ....... he also seemed to have no intention to rectify the situation. As opposed to apologizing for the confusion and offering words of comfort, the way customer service agents usually do, he was fixated on where .... blame should be placed...."

 

 

 

Guest Relations may have some people properly trained, but there are others who need reminders that their job is to make changes/transitions to smooth out problems for passengers on vacation.

 

Penny

I'm guessing that this particular customer could have never been calmed down and would have only been happy if she got her way. No one that threatens to shoot someone and then plays the victim when security follows them, is, in my opinion, a little off hinged. No excuse for an adult to act this way, no matter what the issue is. My guess is that the passenger asked if her family could eat with her in the Aqua Cafe and was told yes, which was correct. If she would have said Blu, it would have been a whole different answer, but to go off like she did, not acceptable. Customer Service should not have fixed the problem or apologized, since the passenger was the one who made the mistake. Plus, we are only hearing how customer service didn't react, not how the passenger enteracted with customer service, other than she threatened to shoot someone.

 

BTW, on my cruises, I've never had an issue with Customer Service, but then again, it might be how you communicate with them.

Edited July 24, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[welshfamily]

We too, have always had excellent service from Guest relations but then we always have realistic expectations. If guest relations say I am sorry please let me investigate and get back to you......We don't see a problem, where are we going to go.....we are on a ship in the middle of a holiday ....if not an ocean. Occasionally a matter needs a second telephone call or visit but then nobody is perfect and usually if they have failed to follow up they are quick to apologise.

As for trusting the guest, sorry to say this but not everyone is honest. We will properly get flamed on this board but people often exaggerate and guest relations must have to check the facts out.

My daughter is 28 but looks 16 in shorts and a t-shirt, last year bar staff refused to serve her actually suggesting she had someone else's sea pass and confiscated it. We had to go to guest relations to resolve the situation, her card had to be found and returned and a note put on the computer. She had to have a "blue get into your stateroom only card " for a couple of hours. Did we get upset no, we'd rather they challenged underage drinking. The funny side to this story was everyone then knew her name .......bar staff rushed to serve her. She was infamous !

[Algebralovr]

We had excellent experiences at Customer Service on our Equinox trip in June. We did have to make a few trips there, but they always were pleasant and professional.

 

We originally booked four rooms during the early booking window using loyalty rates and two open passages that we had purchased 2 months prior to the schedule being released. We booked mom (previous cruiser on X) into a room with my sister, my DD (new cruiser) in with me, DS (new cruiser) in with DH, and a room for two others. Thus, we needed two open passage coupons, since we needed one more room. DH and I each had an open passage certificate. We ended up canceling the fourth room before final payment, but still needed three rooms. Plan was to move DS and DD into one room and DH and I into a room once on board. We had $100 in OBC from X and another $100 from our TA.

 

Once on board, we went to the rooms to see which would work best for DD, since she was using a wheelchair on board and was not in an accessible room. We needed to see which room had the bed by the balcony to allow space for the chair. Then we went down to customer service to switch keys around. Sigh....

 

There were issues. The agent worked and worked on it, and finally got it all straightened out. The agent didn't get mad, although we could see she was frustrated with something in the computer, but for whatever reason, we ended up with multiple keys being spit out by the system and yet the accounts not correct. Final result was that she had to split all the accounts apart and then put people in the correct room with separate charge accounts. The next day, three of the four of us get a letter from guest services that they need to come set up how they are paying for their charges. Even though everyone was supposed to be charged to one account, by her splitting up the accounts in order to move people into the correct room, it split the billing. OK, so I went down with the letters, spoke to the same agent, she apologized numerous times, and we got it all fixed.

 

Then, I go to get off the ship. Get the dreaded noise from the security computer. My card had been deactivated, even though I had just used it to buy drinks. Back to guest services. Same agent. Explained what happened, and she rapidly made me a new card.

 

I ended up with everyone's (all 6 of us) excursions on my bill, since I made the arrangements and paid for them at ShoreEX, so we needed to transfer OBC's from DD, DS, DH and Mom to me. Filled out a form the last day, taken care of, no problem.

 

We definitely did see a small issue at the Captain's Club Celebration one evening. DH and I are Select, Mom is Classic, and the other three were new cruisers. After dinner one evening, we decided to check out the Captain's Club Celebration. It was listed on the usual letter in the room. DH and I were invited to something else, but didn't make time to attend. From what I remember, Mom as classic was invited to the same time that one evening that DH and I were. So, we decided we'd check it out. I let my sister and DD know that they might be turned away at the door, and we'd address it when we got up there. We arrived about 1/2 way through.

 

We watched as a Select level cruiser, accompanied by 4 new cruisers, berated the CC Hostess because she said it was a private event limited to CC members and his friends were not members. He was quite rude. We were the only ones behind him, and we just watched the spectacle. I was privately glad to see that he was not obviously American, since I get tired of the stereotype Ugly American. His first language was some other language. Anyway, the poor CC Hostess finally just told them all to go in, that it wasn't worth calling security on him. Then we approached. DH and I approached, with our Select cards out. Sis was pushing DD's wheelchair. She glanced at our cards and didn't even ask to see everyone else's card. DD and Sis were quite prepared to go elsewhere, but since the Hostess waived us in, they joined us. I guess two more didn't matter? Plus, we had spoken to her earlier in the day to get DD's CC account set up - so she knew we were with at least one person that was a new cruiser. Maybe it was the WC?

 

Either way, we did experience very good service for our unusual issues, and we always have.

[cpj]

Sometimes guest services are very hard to communicate with. Some of them have attitudes. Some do not. I've had experenced with both. I do believe some of them need better training. Also I've seen customers in line asking the most stupid questions they could ask. I once had a clerk tell me when I question a thousand dollars of shore excursions on the same day tell me if i didnt book them they would not be on the account. i just looked at here and told to please get me someone else to talk to and in about 15 minutes they saw the mistake and took it off. Would not it had been easier for her to check then to make that stupid comment.

[Seabourn Pearls]

You catch more flies with honey. In my experience charm always has a better chance of success than threats of homicidal violence -- which tends to be the playbook of the person who has run out of ideas. The only place I've seen it fail repeatedly is with Delta Airlines. Now THAT is a customer service hell hole.

[wvufan]

We have been on over a half year of cruises and have always had great service from guest relations.

 

The only difficulty we ever have is trying to communicate over ambient noise which is often caused by entertainers and other activities nearby. I wish guest services was in a quiet area.

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE :D:D Bob and Phyl

[Project_gal]

I dislike having to visit Guest Relations on board because it is usually a problem .... because there is frequently an extremely impolite guest being demanding, rude or unreasonable. Not only is it unfair to the Guest Relations crew, it means that other, hopefully more reasonable guests, have to wait longer than necessary.

 

Having watched how Guest Relations handle these unpleasant situations, I can only believe that they are extremely well trained.

[PinotBlanc]

On our last cruise, we had two issues that needed to be dealt with, including abandoning the cruise at the end of the first week because of a medical problem experienced by my DW. I found the Guest Relations staff to be extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful. In a word, professional.

 

Kudos to Guest Relations in your Medical issue. _Penny

 

When attending a function requiring an invitation, you could make everyone's life a little bit easier by showing the invitation rather than hiding it in your pocket.

 

 

The consensus here is that Guest Relations handled the "possible situation" with a four time Celebrity cruiser properly. IMO Guest Relations was over reacting. With a little attention to the details they should have smoothed out the misunderstanding. Instead, they have lost at least four repeat passengers and those that agree with me.

 

Don't all passengers on Celebrity go through Security when boarding a ship?

Isn't all luggage checked? Isn't there security equipment available to check a cabin, even a passenger, for metal objects?

 

In the example I gave about the Guest Services Manager calling me out in a receiving line, I recall invitations are checked at the door to a special invitation affair rather than in the middle of shaking hands in a receiving line.

 

You may disagree. You may have walked through a receiving line with the invitation clearly in your left hand. Okay. Misunderstanding and misinterpretations happen.

 

I do not think Guest Relations did the best job in either example of my initial post to begin this thread.

 

Penny

Edited July 26, 2014 by PinotBlanc

[candycaramel]

When the person in front of you in guest services is throwing a fit, try to catch the guest services/ customer service person's eye and give them the I feel so sorry for you - I can't believe they're acting like that look.

 

When it's your turn explain your situation almost apologetically giving your I'm so sorry to bother you while your working look... and you'll get whatever you want.:p

 

The words "please", "thank you", "it's no hurry" and "I appreciate you" also help.

[cle-guy]

When the person in front of you in guest services is throwing a fit, try to catch the guest services/ customer service person's eye and give them the I feel so sorry for you - I can't believe they're acting like that look.

 

When it's your turn explain your situation almost apologetically giving your I'm so sorry to bother you while your working look... and you'll get whatever you want.:p

 

The words "please", "thank you", "it's no hurry" and "I appreciate you" also help.

 

This is a great tactic. I used it at a hotel in Miami Beach and the clerk was so thankful, upgraded me to a ocean front suite!

[Jane2357]

The consensus here is that Guest Relations handled the "possible situation" with a four time Celebrity cruiser properly. IMO Guest Relations was over reacting. With a little attention to the details they should have smoothed out the misunderstanding. Instead, they have lost at least four repeat passengers and those that agree with me.

 

Don't all passengers on Celebrity go through Security when boarding a ship?

Isn't all luggage checked? Isn't there security equipment available to check a cabin, even a passenger, for metal objects?

In the example I gave about the Guest Services Manager calling me out in a receiving line, I recall invitations are checked at the door to a special invitation affair rather than in the middle of shaking hands in a receiving line.

 

You may disagree. You may have walked through a receiving line with the invitation clearly in your left hand. Okay. Misunderstanding and misinterpretations happen.

 

I do not think Guest Relations did the best job in either example of my initial post to begin this thread.

 

Penny

 

So you are saying that because of the security measures when boarding a ship - that Celebrity should have realized that the woman could not have actually shot the crew member and so they are at fault for over reacting? That because she couldn't possibly have gotten a gun onboard that makes it o.k. to say that you'd like to shoot someone? Try saying that on an airplane and see what would happen. This woman behaved like a spoilt child when she didn't get her way and by her own actions caused security to become involved. Personally I think they should have immediately put her off the ship at the next port, never to let her back on X again.

 

I'd be interested to know what, in regards to Blu, would have made her happy - because my guess is nothing. She wanted that 2nd non Aqua cabin to have the same perks as the Aqua cabin and that was never going to happen - the precedent would have destroyed to entire concept.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Jane2357

[cle-guy]

The consensus here is that Guest Relations handled the "possible situation" with a four time Celebrity cruiser properly. IMO Guest Relations was over reacting. With a little attention to the details they should have smoothed out the misunderstanding. Instead, they have lost at least four repeat passengers and those that agree with me.

 

Don't all passengers on Celebrity go through Security when boarding a ship?

Isn't all luggage checked? Isn't there security equipment available to check a cabin, even a passenger, for metal objects?

 

In the

 

I just don't know how anyone can give the person who threatened to shoot someone any sympathy. In an airport, that would lead to jail time right then and there. Probably in the cruise terminal the same thing - off to the pokey. Anyone who can actually resort to using those words, suggesting they are going to kill somebody, is not right in their head, and should be considered dangerous.

 

Yes there is screening for weapons yet people can and do get thru screening for dangerous articles. Airports had metal detectors on 9/11/01 and look how that went, it led to even more enhanced screening policies. Ever look at he Security Checkpoints in airports, where screening is FAR MORE intense at the items they find, or read the reports where more times than not they fail to find banned items when doing internal testing of the systems? Scanning of baggage and personnel is but one point of protecting the ship and its passengers, another part is observing behavior, and behavior of someone saying "I'm gong to kill someone" is not appropriate behavior, and leads them to be suspect. They should have been happy to be simply followed, and not placed in a cabin for the duration of the voyage or disembarked at the next port. I imagine the Code of Conduct prohibits threading another individual while on board.

 

If someone says I'm going to kill myself, should the ship just let them wander freely or should they take precautions (they take precautions by the way, had it happen to someone on one of my TA cruses in the group I was traveling with - reassigned from veranda to inside cabin with security at the cabin door).

 

Words have meaning, if you choose to use certain words and combinations of words, be prepared for the consequences of the use of those words.

[judyfssw]

Was the lady who said this "older"? I remember my aunt saying that when she was upset with someone. Not saying this is a correct thing to say but maybe that was an expression used within the family?????

[AmberCascades]

Since 9/11 I believe everyone is aware that uttering threats of any kind is taken seriously by authorities. Who threatens to shoot someone because they don't get their own way??

 

Personally, I'm happy if Celebrity has lost these particular passengers. That means I have zero chances of running into them on my future cruises.

 

I've only had to deal with guest services once and they were so apologetic about the error and they more than made up for the error (all we really wanted was for the mistaken charge on our account to be reversed).

 

Whoever said some passengers need training in how to deal with guest services is right. :)

[wwcruisers]

Was the lady who said this "older"? I remember my aunt saying that when she was upset with someone. Not saying this is a correct thing to say but maybe that was an expression used within the family?????

 

Judy -- I read that review, and I remember thinking the same thing myself. My late aunt, who I never heard utter one swear word, would say things like "He made me so made, I could just .... shoot him!" And then she'd laugh at herself for getting so "aggravated". ;)

 

But, as most folks on here have noted, the world was a different place, back then. Now, just about everything you say is "on the record", somewhere. :eek: Especially when dealing with professionals (for whom English may or may not be a first language), it's probably wiser to leave colloquialisms and hyperbole out of the conversation. :cool: