Elite sailing history - my first real complaint

[atlantabri2]

Well, it's happened. In any relationship, sooner or later, you hit a pothole. We are sailing on back to back Equinox cruises, June 20 and 27. My DW and I are elite history customers and have influenced six other family members to join us. My brother-in-law has, for a month, been trying to arrange a surprise renewal of vows for he and his wife during the first week when their kids would also be on board.

 

First, the wedding department stated that there was no sea day during the cruise and therefore they could not arrange this. When we pointed out that in fact June 23 is a sea day and only looks like a Mykonos port day because we depart at 3am, they have ceased to communicate at all.

 

I have contacted the captains club as well as customer service to NO avail. It seems odd that my complaint would be, "We want to spend an extra $650 with you for a half hour ceremony (nothing elaborate, only the eight of us and a photographer) and you seem defiant in wanting to take our money.

 

This is NOT what I have come to expect and I am greatly disappointed in the lack of response or assistance.

 

I am asking the forum to please help me assist my brother-in-law in declaring he would marry her again by identifying any effective means of communicating our problem and/or suggesting any effective solutions. I have lurked on these boards for years with very few posts, but I am confident there is experience and knowledge here to help. Thanks in advance..

[ghstudio]

Well, it's happened. In any relationship, sooner or later, you hit a pothole. We are sailing on back to back Equinox cruises, June 20 and 27. My DW and I are elite history customers and have influenced six other family members to join us. My brother-in-law has, for a month, been trying to arrange a surprise renewal of vows for he and his wife during the first week when their kids would also be on board.

 

First, the wedding department stated that there was no sea day during the cruise and therefore they could not arrange this. When we pointed out that in fact June 23 is a sea day and only looks like a Mykonos port day because we depart at 3am, they have ceased to communicate at all.

 

I have contacted the captains club as well as customer service to NO avail. It seems odd that my complaint would be, "We want to spend an extra $650 with you for a half hour ceremony (nothing elaborate, only the eight of us and a photographer) and you seem defiant in wanting to take our money.

 

This is NOT what I have come to expect and I am greatly disappointed in the lack of response or assistance.

 

I am asking the forum to please help me assist my brother-in-law in declaring he would marry her again by identifying any effective means of communicating our problem and/or suggesting any effective solutions. I have lurked on these boards for years with very few posts, but I am confident there is experience and knowledge here to help. Thanks in advance..

 

send your post without the last paragraph to "concerns@celebrity.com"

[micmacmissy]

I wonder if you could just do this yourself? Since it's only 8 of you, it wouldn't be that hard to find a quiet spot onboard. Maybe their kids (assuming they're older) could write a little speech and your brother in law can prepare his own vows? One of you could be the unofficial photographer. I think it can be done, and would be more personal, and would save you some cash!

 

The only other advice I have for you is to contact the Captains Club at 1-800-760-0654...maybe they can help!

[chemmo]

Totally agree with the last post. Email Celebrity and captains club.

 

As I just I case I would also look at a plan B. Look at your ports of call, look at trip advisor and see what could be organised as a 'just in case'.

 

I really hope following your emails you can share a wonderful family celebration.

[atlantabri2]

Thanks so much for the input - I have, in fact already contacted the captains club and customer service with no assistance forthcoming. This is why I am hopeful that someone here has a contact or that Celebrity (wishful thinking) might lurk here and help. I have followed up with an email to concerns@celebrity.com and hope that gets a response. The back up ideas are appreciated, though I think he really hoped to have the captain (asst. capt?) perform it on the ship. While I was surprised there was a $650 fee for this, he is willing to pay that. Just mystified it is proving so hard to give Celebrity his money. Would anyone have the captain club host's email for the Equinox? Again, thanks for reading and responding - would really like to help him make this happen....

[cb at sea]

I, too, am befuddled when a business won't readily take my money....but for this...I'd go it alone. A Vow renewal isn't "legally" necessary, so they can find a nice spot, say they are still in love with each other, and use that $650 for something else! You can buy an awful lot of cake and champagne for that!!

[tangerinebunny]

My standard tactic is to call again and hope to get a more helpful CS rep.

 

I was given incorrect information by the Captain's Club rep I dealt with recently, so I assumed that she was a trainee. A later call straightened things out.

[hcat]

Would be nice to have an ofcr do it...as an alternate, you could apply the $650 to a dinner in the wine room at Murano...and they could do their own renewal vows with family present...there are great suggested vows/outlines on line

 

good luck...hope concerns at celeb comes thru for you

[ghstudio]

I, too, am befuddled when a business won't readily take my money....

 

We recently flew to Barcelona on American Airlines with economy tickets purchased with air miles. Business Class had 20 empty seats. I offered to pay for a "load factor upgrade" which is a gate upgrade for a fixed price ($500 per person) to business class....essentially offering American $1000 pure profit to move us up to empty seats. (we've done this before on economy seats we've paid for...it's not an unusual request). Response was no...we won't offer you that upgrade...we won't let you give us $1000 because you bought your economy ticket with air miles. The plane flew with 20 empty business class seats....and American left $1000 in my pocket instead of on their books.

 

Sometimes it's just hard to give money to companies...the very same companies that will nickle and dime you for the little things.

 

 

Back on topic....please let us know if Concerns@celebrity.com helps. That's the ID of the official Celebrity Cruises representative on cruise critic who has stepped in to help in unusual situations/confusions.

Edited June 5, 2015 by ghstudio

[LuAnn]

Elizabeth Hernandez, Supervisor Special Services Dept. 305-982-2245 ehernandez@celebritycruises.com I have had her help me in the past with arranging CC luncheons on T/As and T/Ps. You usually have to "bug" here several times...eg several messages and emails...it is rare I get her actually "on the line"...but she has always helped me eventually. I have not contacted her in awhile so not sure she is still there..but give that a try! Good luck!! LuAnn

[atlantabri2]

Greatly appreciated, folks. i knew I could count on cruisecritic for support and information - I will keep you apprised of the response (or lack of). THANKS!

[ORV]

Perhaps they just want to discourage these types of activities with the new slant toward Modern luxury.

[jwattle]

When I surprised my husband with a vow renewal on a B2B, which started as just us, and ended up with 40 of our Roll Call friends (hubby was not on roll call), it was an amazing and special ceremony. The Captain performed it in Michaels Club, they had a great cake and champagne, as well as a bouquet and boutinerre. They have us a copy of the ceremony and we had pictures from the ceremony and then all around the ship afterward. Also unknown to us, our friends from on here, Sally and Ray had planned a reception in their suite and everyone had done something special. We will never forget it, that Captain, or or amazing new friends. It was more than worth the money, believe me

[jwattle]

When I surprised my husband with a vow renewal on a B2B, which started as just us, and ended up with 40 of our Roll Call friends (hubby was not on roll call), it was an amazing and special ceremony. The Captain performed it in Michaels Club, they had a great cake and champagne, as well as a bouquet and boutinerre. They have us a copy of the ceremony and we had pictures from the ceremony and then all around the ship afterward. Also unknown to us, our friends from on here, Sally and Ray had planned a reception in their suite and everyone had done something special. We will never forget it, that Captain, or or amazing new friends. It was more than worth the money, believe me

[atlantabri2]

Just wondering if you worked with the wedding experience department or did you arrange this after boarding??

[jwattle]

I worked with the wedding experience department. They also didn't make us do it on a sea day.we left one port at two pm, and we did the ceremony at four.

[atlantabri2]

Good news - i just got recreived a call from Celebrity. More typical in my experience, she was apologetic and enthusiastic in wanting make this experience wonderful for my family. Still a work in progress, but I am once again confident in my selection of Celebrity to provide my family a memorable experience.

 

Thank you all for your interest, support and information. I knew my cruise critic friends would come through!

[CYNSport]

We recently flew to Barcelona on American Airlines with economy tickets purchased with air miles. Business Class had 20 empty seats. I offered to pay for a "load factor upgrade" which is a gate upgrade for a fixed price ($500 per person) to business class....essentially offering American $1000 pure profit to move us up to empty seats. (we've done this before on economy seats we've paid for...it's not an unusual request). Response was no...we won't offer you that upgrade...we won't let you give us $1000 because you bought your economy ticket with air miles. The plane flew with 20 empty business class seats....and American left $1000 in my pocket instead of on their books.

 

Sometimes it's just hard to give money to companies...the very same companies that will nickle and dime you for the little things.

 

 

Back on topic....please let us know if Concerns@celebrity.com helps. That's the ID of the official Celebrity Cruises representative on cruise critic who has stepped in to help in unusual situations/confusions.

 

Not to hijack the tread, but we have had this happen also with attempted upgrades, and on different airlines. For many carriers, there are no gate upgrades for mileage users. They want us to use higher miles to get business class at the time of booking and to prevent creative ways of getting in business class, even when seats are vacant. I've even been denied the gate puchase of a load factor upgrade when I had purchased tickets (which were so well-priced that they weren't eligible for puchased upgrades either). A little like the "no big discount on vacant cabins on cruises policy" that Celebrity seeks to implement.

[Ma Bell]

Good news - i just got recreived a call from Celebrity. More typical in my experience, she was apologetic and enthusiastic in wanting make this experience wonderful for my family. Still a work in progress, but I am once again confident in my selection of Celebrity to provide my family a memorable experience.

 

Thank you all for your interest, support and information. I knew my cruise critic friends would come through!

 

Glad to hear you got a response and hopefully they will make it a wonderful experience.

[chemmo]

Just to echo Ma Bell, have a wonderful, unforgettable time!

[PartyAllDaTyme]

I found it odd that they initially refused to do it on anything but a sea day. In 2014, we had a wonderful renewal of vows ceremony on Summit while in port at St. Lucia on our 30th anniversary, the captain officiating. They even let us (briefly) light our anniversary candle. There was never any question about doing it on a port day, and by luck of the draw most such anniversaries will not happen to occur on a sea day, so not sure what the issue would have been.