All I wanted was a bathtub

[GUT2407]

One reason I don't book guarantees on any line, anymore.

[Coli]

Sorry, just to be picky.... We are Bermudian, not Bermudan... Microsoft got it wrong in their spell check. Thank you from the 40,000 Bermudians [emoji12]

 

 

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[2specialkidsforme]

I'm not sure that there is anything that will alleviate your worries about the level of service you will receive. Perhaps Cunard will just let you cancel again with a full refund. If I were the person receiving the upcoming call prior to your sailing I would gladly offer that. This will save them from hearing from you after and having to give you another post cruise refund.

 

Just curious - for most services you purchase (i.e. Meals, vacations, etc), what percent of the time do you get a refund after?

Edited June 26, 2016 by 2specialkidsforme

[Underwatr]

Actually, putting a GTY booked passenger into an accessible stateroom makes perfect sense.

 

If anyone calls requesting the accessible stateroom the GTY passenger can be moved into any stateroom of grade equal to or higher than their booked category but until someone calls requesting an accessible stateroom all of the non-accessible staterooms can be shown as available for booking. If all staterooms are sold before someone requests the accessible stateroom the GTY passenger will remain there, but the accessible stateroom is always available for someone needing it until such time as all staterooms are sold.

 

What would violate 49 CFR 39 is if they sold the stateroom to someone specifically requesting it who did not need the accessible features and were therefore potentially unable to move that passenger to accommodate someone who needed the accessible stateroom.

 

The line's yield management software will tell them how likely it will be for them to need to move the GTY passenger out of the accessible stateroom so they can manage that likelihood.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Underwatr

[h3rjp]

Sorry, just to be picky.... We are Bermudian, not Bermudan... Microsoft got it wrong in their spell check. Thank you from the 40,000 Bermudians [emoji12]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

This is why I love cruise critic. I genuinely learnt something new today!

[Adammara]

We have around 95 days until we sail on QE, and need early dining, and recently booked the last available Princess P2 suite on a guarantee basis. As yet we have not been assigned a stateroom, but are hoping that we do get one of the 2 Princess disabled suites, as these have showers rather than shower/bath combination!

 

If it is a med cruise in 40 days, it would appear that it is on Queen Victoria sailing from Civitavecchia in early August. At 40 days out, I would assume that Cunard don't have a booking for a disabled room, and have placed an able bodied passenger in there, which they can do on a guarantee basis.

 

Legally, a nightmare! Normal laws don't seem to work well at sea. QV was built in Italy, now registered in Bermuda, home port in UK and OP cruise is Italian based, lives in USA and has Australian connections!

[Jacqueline]

Underwatr, your reply makes perfect sense. Anyone with a guarantee can be moved around. And like all other cruisers, even those needing accessible cabins, once a cruise is sold out, it's sold out. We all have to plan. (I am currently in a wheelchair part time and have been off my feet for the last couple months).

The OP did infortunately come off as being hard work, especially as they had a complaint with their first very brief cruise.

If one books a guarantee, the assigned cabin is what it is. And it can change up till the time of sailing.

[bananavan]

I have booked a Club balcony guarantee for the 2018 World cruise on Queen Elizabeth. .

If I get a handicapped cabin I would not complain. They are larger than the others in the same category. Of course, I am not expecting a bathtub anyway because this is a balcony cabin, as opposed to one of the Grills.

If there were something that would make or break a cruise for me, I would ensure that I booked it accordingly.

[M&PGermany]

Why are you sailing with Cunard in the first place?

 

You could book a cruise line (especially in the Med) which offers bathtubs in all categories and are similarly priced, eg. Seabourn, Silversea, Oceania (Marina/Riviera class), compared to Queens Grill.

 

Booking a guarantee cabin with a price reduction INCLUDES restricted flexibility and choice. There has to be some justification to those paying full-fare. You can't have both.

 

After all it's your holiday, you should be able to relax, not having to fight for your rights...

 

My advice: Change the brand and be happy.:cool:

[loubetti]

Still curious what the USDOT regulations have to do with a ship registered in Bermuda, especially considering the passenger booked a "guarantee" cabin, and is not handicapped. Many think that USA regulations follow them everywhere, they do not. It is not an American registered ship, if it were, you could double the price of the cruise. The reference to the USDOT was irrelevant to begin with.

[Underwatr]

Still curious what the USDOT regulations have to do with a ship registered in Bermuda, especially considering the passenger booked a "guarantee" cabin, and is not handicapped. Many think that USA regulations follow them everywhere, they do not. It is not an American registered ship, if it were, you could double the price of the cruise. The reference to the USDOT was irrelevant to begin with.

Presumably Cunard would like to have their ships call on US ports.

 

In the cited law:

(b) If you are the PVO of a foreign-flag passenger vessel, this Part applies to you only if your vessel picks up passengers at a port in the United States, its territories, possessions, or commonwealths

The same reason the ships receive USPHS inspections and makes reports of gastrointestinal illness to US authorities.

[bananavan]

So what happened to the fare charge for the 18month old daughter?

I gather that the handicapped issue is no longer, considering the OP found a Q3 in Australia for less than the Q6, but was charged $2300 for the 18month old child traveling with them. If that has been resolved, then enjoy the planning for your terrific cruise.

Or does OP still have both cabins booked?

[Coli]

This is why I love cruise critic. I genuinely learnt something new today!

 

Aww, so happy to know this. :) I also think if you want a bathtub, book a room with one in it.

 

People from Barbados aren't Barbadian/Barbadan - they are Bajan. :D

[loubetti]

Presumably Cunard would like to have their ships call on US ports.

 

In the cited law:

The same reason the ships receive USPHS inspections and makes reports of gastrointestinal illness to US authorities.

 

I'm well aware, but it's all irrelevant to the OP's post/complaint. Frankly, they do not have a leg to stand on with the argument. This is what I call "first world problems". No empathy or sympathy from me!

[Underwatr]

I agree that the OP doesn't have a leg to stand on (no standing wrt the law in question) but you asked how US law could possibly apply.

[JAGMAP]

Again, thanks for all the comments, opinions and feedback. Below are additional details.

 

(1) The Q6 GTY room was assigned at booking. OneSource/Polar forced my TA to select the room. It was not "potluck lottery." TA's follow-up email stated they would call the next day to move me. Cunard's agency desk denied the request despite being informed no one in my party had a disability.

 

(2) I recognize selecting a GTY was a gamble and I lost. I reviewed all the facts I had available and instructed my TA to book a GTY. I did not know receiving a handicap accessible room was a possibility. I should have known.

 

(3) Having grown up in the travel industry, I knew Cunard (and every other cruiseline) wouldn't move staterooms for wanting a bathtub. I explicitly went out of my way to find a reason not to be in this room. After reading USDOT regs and receiving negative, judgmental feedback for occupying a room designed for travelers with disabilities, I chose to increase my efforts in obtaining a different room. This strategy proved fruitless. And this wasn't my first rodeo with Cunard - they fight tough!

 

(4) CruiseCritic was the first place I didn't receive sympathy and I'm glad because you pointed out things I didn't know, flaws in my logic, were quick to respond and defended the brand.

 

(5) Though I've traveled on QM2 once before, I'm accustomed to RCCL and NCL where industry practice is followed in assigning GTY rooms no more than 72 hours in advance of departure. I booked Q6 because it was half the cost of Q5 and had originally planned to reserve a P1, but my TA saw for $800 more I could upgrade to Queens. I'm 33 years old and would never be able to afford QG accommodations. RCCL/NCL cruises I had been interested in were full and after my last Medit cruise on RCCL, am hopeful to spend a week with a cultured, polite, well-mannered demographic.

 

(6) This particular stateroom appears to have been named in a lawsuit with Cunard as the defendant. The plaintiff was assigned 7030. Reading the mainly negative brief, the guest's unsatisfactory experience, and comparing it to all other Q6 rooms (which appear to face aft) on the ship's deck plan, could see it had a different/less desirable floorplan, images differed from marketing materials and balcony size was a debateable 3X smaller (as is the Q3 :p) I did not want this room.

 

Read the complaint here

 

(7) The infant fee was adjusted the moment the Australia office opened Monday. And yes, I would have brought an inflatable swimming pool for our daughter and set it up in the bathroom. Better than bathing her in the spa, right? :p

 

(8) Rarely do I initiate disputes with merchants, ask for a refund or complain. I worked in hospitality for 4 years and am familiar with what can be done with guest requests in the service industry. As the child of an airline executive, I typically only flew up front. I also live in a hotel residence who's motto is "whatever/whenever (so long as it's not illegal)." My family has or has had ownership in several travel-related startups catering to the luxury segment and one parent sits on the board for the world's largest luxury travel association.

 

(9) Having selected a GTY room that was discounted doesn't make me or requests I may have any less important than that of a passenger paying significantly more.

 

When I worked front desk and had to apologize for assigning an accessible room, I felt badly because the room is undesirable. If I were working the following day, I'd ensure that guest was moved to accommodations that met or hopefully exceeded their expectations. Room changes are easy. Accommodating reasonable requests is easy. Doing the right thing takes effort and mismatched expectations/indifference is what caused me to want to cancel the trip. Since my TA was informed I would be moved if another passenger requested an accessible room, I called twice to verify whether any were available and both times were told NO.

 

American Express, Centurion Concierge, AX Platinum Travel Service and one of my parents, the travel industry veteran, were all surprised. I'm fairly knowledgeable on yield management since the company who pioneered the concept, also put dinner on my table every night. I'm aware travel suppliers utilize YM to maximize earnings. Even looking at the 7-day cruise I'm booked on, Q3 is sold out, but 4 are still available for the 14- and 21-day voyages.

 

Read USDOT's CFR here

 

(10) Lastly, OneSource/Polar's rule logic should be updated. The system should not have allowed my TA to assign a restricted room at booking. Handicap accessible hotel rooms, designated seats aboard commercial aircraft, stadium venue seating, etc. are controlled by the supplier. Polar should have recognized the Flash Fare and enforced the product's policy on not assigning staterooms.

 

I'm thankful the U.S. office blessed booking through its Australian channel and went as far as transferring personal information/preferences after making the reservation. Consulting with my parent, they said Cunard's exception management process is tight and that's how certain travel suppliers operate. And that's okay.

[Underwatr]

Thanks for the many clarifications.

 

If your TA was only able to select the accessible room when he/she had to select a room, doesn't that mean no other Q6 rooms were available at the time of selection? Isn't that precisely when the DOT regulation permits an operator to assign an accessible room to a non-handicapped customer?

 

I don't read where the operator is required to reassign the customer if another customer cancels making a non-accessible room available.

[JAGMAP]

Probably too many clarifications ;-)

 

Reassigning accessible rooms from non-disabled passengers is apparently a practice though when I rang and enquired about 7030, was told it was occupied and no other accessible rooms in QG were available. Room 7030 is the only one in QG.

 

"Ensure that accessible cabins are held for use by individuals with disabilities until all other cabins in that class of service have been rented"

 

Cruiselines may release accessible rooms when two requirements have been met but the statement below (like the CFR) can be interpreted in more than one way.

 

"You may release unsold accessible cabins to persons without disabilities for their own use when all other cabins in the same class of service and price for a voyage have been reserved."

 

Since there were 3 people in our cabin, I believe it required them to assign a cabin despite all QG rooms having a third birth. My belief is if the same "class

of service" = individual category Q6 being sold at the same price = $2,599, not all cabins have been reserved (and looking at this voyage's 14 and 21 day sailings, this holds true).

 

The term "class of service" is especially intriguing to Cunard since it still distinguishes/rebranded First Class (QG), Second Class (PG) and Third/Steerage (BC), right?

[Jacqueline]

Let me agree with you on one thing. Generally speaking, after fifteen years on these boards, and not just Cunard, you will not get sympathy for booking a guarantee and complaining about the cabin assignment, regardless of the case that you have behind it. Whether it's industry standard, what other cruiselines do, what you think is fair, prior lawsuits, US laws which dont apply,your experience in the hospitality business, are not to the point or even relevant.

It's much simpler than all that.. You made the upgrade for a great price. You rolled the dice. Your travel agent let you down, knowing that you wanted a bathtub. If you have a beef with anyone, it's them. If all you wanted was a bathroom, you TA should have made sure that you were assured one, rather than upselling you.

As an aside, just because the person has a disability, doesn't mean that they would expect to be able to book a cabin 72 hours before it departs. No one gets to do that! To repeat, I am currently disabled to to an accident, and I would not expect any cruiselines to hold a space for me. It's a vacation after all !

Edited June 29, 2016 by Jacqueline

[pepperrn]

... Generally speaking, after fifteen years on these boards, and not just Cunard, you will not get sympathy for booking a guarantee and complaining about the cabin assignment, regardless of the case that you have behind it. Whether it's industry standard, what other cruiselines do, what you think is fair, prior lawsuits, US laws which dont apply,your experience in the hospitality business, are not to the point or even relevant.

It's much simpler than all that.. You made the upgrade for a great price. You rolled the dice. Your travel agent let you down, knowing that you wanted a bathtub. If you have a beef with anyone, it's them.

Well said.

If all you wanted was a bathroom, you TA should have made sure that you were assured one, rather than upselling you. ...

Very well said.

[Bell Boy]

My goodness what a saga. .... and all over something simple as a booking! I've completely lost the will to live ,never mind reading through anymore of the OP's long posts.

 

I'm not too sure if they've now decided to go or not ? however, I pity the poor Butler, Room Steward, Table Waiter and ad hock Bar waiters who will be responsible to provide service to this guest ........Hell, I though I was High Maintenance ;)

[Chunky2219]

Well, as a disabled person, who declares this to Cunard and always books a QG, sometimes a gaurantee, I can't see the slightest thing wrong with what Cunard have done.

 

I prefer not to have a HC suite and leave it for someone who can't mange with a shower stool, but recognise that if I book GTY that's what I might end up with. Or might not.

 

On the other side of the equation, I've previously booked a Q7 GTY, been assigned a Q4, then was switched to a Q3 and finally got the call asking if for a modest sum we'd fancy a Q1. I suspect the OP won't be getting that particular call, nor will the upgrade fairy be making a visit.

 

I have learned something important from this thread though. I thought we in the UK got poorer prices and the best place to look was in the US. Now I know that Australia might be the best price. Who's have thought that?

 

 

.

Edited June 29, 2016 by Chunky2219
typo

[bananavan]

Bell Boy:

I love your comments. Thanks for the smile today.

I cannot imagine making something so good seem so stressful.

Maybe it is because I am old.

Edited June 29, 2016 by bananavan

[quandrea]

Bell Boy:

I love your comments. Thanks for the smile today.

I cannot imagine making something so good seem so stressful.

Maybe it is because I am old.

 

I did battle today with Cunard so I can see where the OP is coming from. They fight hard and it takes tenacity to fight until they do the right thing. I went to battle with them today over $113 in the end. Why? It's not a lot of money. Because it was money rightly owed to me, that's why. It did turn something wonderful into something stressful but it was worth it in principle. Had it not been resolved today u would have escalated up the chain of cmmand. Am I difficult? Perhaps. But in my case anyway, they were behaving dishonourably and I was not going to let it slide. I can't comment on the merits of the OP's complaint but I can say that sometimes it is right to complain. After my interactions with Cunsrd today I think they are very reluctant to accommodate the guest in many respects.

[JAGMAP]

Posts are long because I'm responding to everyone though now I feel like I'm re-reading what I've already disclosed. I'm not looking for sympathy. If I wanted to pull the DYKWIA card at the onset I could have.

 

As far as whoever my butler, concierge or anyone that waits on me, nothing sets expectations or says thank you than crisp currency. I am indeed booked on the sailing.

 

@Jaqueline: thanks for your feedback. Just as we all have professional connections that offer certain benefits, mine happens to be in travel. I never would have ended up in 7030. I learned my lesson on GTYs and can never make the same complaint again.