What do you think about compensation?

[warmwinds]

What are the emergency lights? Are they strips on the floor in your cabin leading to the door like on an airplane, or what? I've never noticed any.

 

You must have been in at least an OV or maybe a balcony to have light when you opened the bathroom door, imagine the poor people in insides! Total darkness!

 

Whether your companion was gay, straight, blue or green, it is difficult to travel with someone who is not your SO and maintain complete privacy. How did you jockey around when getting dressed? Could he not have gone for a walk/out on the balcony while you showered? Why was he staring at you through the bathroom door - THAT'S the question I'd be asking him. Just because you can see "part" of the room, he should have stayed in the other part where you can't see into the bathroom. He must like to be nauseated :).

[mollyeilis]

I thought about it at the time and decided that there were many things Celebrity could have done that would have cost the line very little. I thought a bottle of wine was a gift with little thought attached and very little value. I also think it would have been good if someone had been dispatched to talk individually with us to check that everything was okay. At that point they would have realised that our emergency lighting did not work - and that we did not realise we should have had any. I understand that can't be done if it's the whole ship, but if it is only one zone then it should be possible. I'm also surprised that our cabin stewards did not pick up the fact that there was no emergency light in our room.

 

I came up with a range of ideas and thought how nice it would have been if we had been presented with several ideas and allowed the one that best suited us:

 

- an offer to dine for free for one or two nights at a specialty restaurant;

- a basic or Classic drinks package for X number of days;

- for those who already had a drinks package, an upgrade to Premium for X number of days - and that would have been good advertising for the Premium package;

- a certain amount of free internet time.

 

I'm with you. The wine, when given to someone with a drinks package, shows no thought being put into it. If they gave me something I couldn't use I wouldn't take it either. What's the point?

 

I agree with the idea of being presented with ideas.

 

Corporations are so afraid to say "sorry". To a part of the population, "sorry" is a admittance of fault. To another part it's a way of saying, you know, "I'm sorry", which can go a LONG way. Since I'm part of the latter group, I think we're the bigger, saner group.

 

But I bet they lose more money to the former group.

 

If it didn't bother you enough to tell them there was a problem at the time, why would you expect that they would have done anything more than they did? If I had to shower in the dark I most certainly would have called to report the situation.

 

They knew there was a problem and reported it. But they didn't know there was supposed to be emergency lighting. You can't report something you don't know is supposed to exist. :)

 

 

 

OP, the compensation was weird. Yes it was too much for the card issue. And then they themselves laid the groundwork for the second compensation to be considered too little. If only one had happened, the comparison couldn't have been made and you would have likely been fine with the second situation's compensation.

 

They need another form of apology and need to look at the customer's account to see if their one form has already been used. Also, to see if the customer has a drinks package.

[Ma Bell]

I'm with you. The wine, when given to someone with a drinks package, shows no thought being put into it. If they gave me something I couldn't use I wouldn't take it either. What's the point?

 

I agree with the idea of being presented with ideas.

 

Corporations are so afraid to say "sorry". To a part of the population, "sorry" is a admittance of fault. To another part it's a way of saying, you know, "I'm sorry", which can go a LONG way. Since I'm part of the latter group, I think we're the bigger, saner group.

 

But I bet they lose more money to the former

 

They knew there was a problem and reported it. But they didn't know there was supposed to be emergency lighting. You can't report something you don't know is supposed to exist. :)

 

 

 

OP, the compensation was weird. Yes it was too much for the card issue. And then they themselves laid the groundwork for the second compensation to be considered too little. If only one had happened, the comparison couldn't have been made and you would have likely been fine with the second situation's compensation.

 

They need another form of apology and need to look at the customer's account to see if their one form has already been used. Also, to see if the customer has a drinks package.

 

Number one, it wouldn't be unusual for people with a drink package to purchase a bottle of wine for their cabin, rather than trying to carry glasses of wine to their cabin from a bar. Bottles are not covered by drink packages and I'm sure many people would appreciate it.

 

Number two, although they reported the outage in the beginning they most certainly should have called if they couldn't use the bathroom with the door open to provide light. There was no way for the Celebrity staff to know about the situation with the cabin mate or the door unless someone told them.

 

Number 3, the OP said they received a "letter of apology" with the bottle of wine. Do you think a visit from the Hotel Director was called for?

 

A little common sense please.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Ma Bell

[fantasy51]

What are the emergency lights? Are they strips on the floor in your cabin leading to the door like on an airplane, or what? I've never noticed any.

 

You must have been in at least an OV or maybe a balcony to have light when you opened the bathroom door, imagine the poor people in insides! Total darkness!

 

Whether your companion was gay, straight, blue or green, it is difficult to travel with someone who is not your SO and maintain complete privacy. How did you jockey around when getting dressed? Could he not have gone for a walk/out on the balcony while you showered? Why was he staring at you through the bathroom door - THAT'S the question I'd be asking him. Just because you can see "part" of the room, he should have stayed in the other part where you can't see into the bathroom. He must like to be nauseated :).

 

Hi Warmwinds. Seeing we didn't have emergency lights, I'm not sure what they are. I gather they are reddish lights on the ceiling that are on another 'line' and come on permanently while the main lights are off, e.g. night and day. After everything was fixed, I discovered that there was a dim light in our bathroom that was on during the night, and was very useful. It hadn't been on before so I assume it was connected to the emergency system rather than to the lights we could control. That's a very good safety system seeing the bathroom lights are on the outside of the door. There would always be some level of light in the bathroom - but that hadn't worked at first (and we didn't know it should).

 

As far as I could gather from what I was told, the people in Inside rooms had working emergency lights. We didn't.

 

I have never said my friend stared at me through the bathroom door. I said it made for a difficult situation when all I had to light the bathroom was a wind-up torch. (Actually, that was failing and needed to be wound up every minute, so not much use when showering.)

[fantasy51]

Hi Molly.

 

Thanks for your support. I'm glad you can see what I meant by my post.

 

Diane

[Cindy]

I don't see the wine as compensation, I see it a gesture recognizing that things hadn't gone as you or Celebrity would have wished. Do I think you should receive true compensation for the lights incident? No, not really. Yes, you were inconvenienced, but part of it was of your own choosing. If your roommate would be repulsed by a glimpse of a female body, he could either a) make sure not to look in the direction of the bathroom while you were showering or b) respect you enough to take a 15 minute walk while you showered. You claim the two of you treat each other with respect, but in my opinion if that was true he would have removed himself long enough for you to bathe. Respect runs both ways, and he needed to respect your right to have some light in the bathroom just as much as you tried to respect his nausea at a glimpse of a naked female body.:(

 

I can understand not liking the wine, but I'm just floored thatt you thought it was a good idea to return it to guest services. As for your list of suggestions, it sounds like you expected a compensation buffet! If you wanted something different from Celebrity's wine and apology, you needed to make that known on the ship.

[richstowe]

It never even occurred to me to ask for compensation of any sort.

And it would never occur to me to take a gift back to the gift giver and comment at all about it in any fashion.

 

I agree with you! Really bad form to return a gift to the sender! .

What is a wind up torch?

 

I think returning the second bottle was, hate to say it, rude. It's the thought that counts.

 

I either pass the bottle to someone I've met or simply take it home. I believe it's impolite to give it back to the sender.

 

I would not have expected compensation in either instance and agree that returning the wine was poor form.

These posts are hilarious . As you people serious ? Do you understand that OP wasn't refusing a bottle of wine presented to her by a dinner guest . She was justifiably demonstrating that this corporations attempt to mollify her was borderline insulting - not the other way around .

 

fantasy51 , I would push the issue with customer service. You were inconvenienced and the fact that the emergency light weren't working was dangerous and unacceptable . I'm also sorry you are getting multiple "You're lucky to be cruising on a great cruiseline" responses .

Edited September 9, 2016 by richstowe

[Wine-O]

 

fantasy51 , I would push the issue with customer service. You were inconvenienced and the fact that the emergency light weren't working was dangerous and unacceptable . I'm also sorry you are getting multiple "You're lucky to be cruising on a great cruiseline" responses .

 

Yes, get out the "slip & fall" lawyers and go for the juggler. :eek:

 

Maybe some chocolate covered strawberries would have compensated you for your inconvenience instead of a bottle of red wine. :rolleyes:

[Orator]

These posts are hilarious .

 

fantasy51 , I would push the issue with customer service. You were inconvenienced and the fact that the emergency light weren't working was dangerous and unacceptable . I'm also sorry you are getting multiple "You're lucky to be cruising on a great cruiseline" responses .

 

Glad I helped provide you with a good laugh.

"Inconvenience" doesn't equate to "damages." Was there a potential for damages? Yes, and that's why the staff needed to respond. Was there actual damages? No! Inconvenience, yes, but actual damages, no. I could afford the PH on every cruise if I was compensated for every inconvenience I've suffered.

I asked the OP if they have contacted Celebrity and suggested who they might contact. I wait for the answer. They should absolutely pursue the matter if they believe they have a case. Maybe they get some satisfaction, maybe not, but they will have at least tried. I'm just glad that they enjoyed the cruise and did not suffer any real harm as a result of the mechanical failure.

[chamima]

Once on a Princess cruise years ago our doorwall stopped sliding.

Maintenance came and said they had no replacement parts so we just wouldn't be able to use our balcony for the rest of the cruise (this was in Tahiti !!! :( ).

A nicely worded letter to the Hotel General Manager ( not sure of his exact title ) got the problem fixed the next day.

That day and every day after that a plate of chocolate covered strawberries arrived about 5 pm.!!! :D

We were only looking to get our doorwall fixed but those strawberries sure were a wonderful "compensation". (And obviously something that we still remember)

[theborders]

My issue is why did the emergency lighting not work. Surely this is an important aspect for H&S.

[fantasy51]

Good morning to you all.

 

Richstowe, thank you for your understanding response. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who feels this way. I was bemused by many of the responses I received.

 

The Borders, I agree completely with you about the H&S. If the ship had addressed that issue, and told me what was happening, I would have felt much happier.

 

Chamina, what a great response from the cruise line. It cost them virtually nothing but it turned a nasty situation into a pleasant memory. That's what a little bit of thought can do. That's where I felt Celebrity failed. I thought of several things that would have cost them nothing but would have made everyone happier.

 

Orator, I am only just back from the cruise and still trying to unpack suitcases and catch up with important mail. If you look back at my original post you will see that I asked people for opinions -and have certainly received them. This was so that I could make up my mind about whether or not to take it further. I think I will definitely send Celebrity a letter pointing out the Health and Safety issue involved.

 

For those of you who are fixating on the issue of my shower, please don't! You are reading far too much into what I said. My half a sentence has been blown out of all proportion. That was a minor part of my original post.

 

Yesterday, just for fun, I googled what happens if you pay for a hotel and it loses power. Evidently in most cases you are 'walked' to another hotel. In other words, this is considered serious enough for you to not be expected to stay in that room. Obviously Celebrity couldn't move all of us for the 18 hours and I would not expect them to. However, in light of what I read of that situation, I think Celebrity was less than generous to send around a bottle of wine with no thought involved. As I have said numerous times, I also think the lack of attention to Health and Safety over the matter of the emergency lighting is the most troubling issue.

[waterbug123]

At that point they would have realised that our emergency lighting did not work - and that we did not realise we should have had any. I understand that can't be done if it's the whole ship, but if it is only one zone then it should be possible. I'm also surprised that our cabin stewards did not pick up the fact that there was no emergency light in our room.

 

 

I have to wonder if the emergency lights are maybe on a sensor that only activates in total darkness when the regular lights don't work. If that was the case, they might not normally come on if the cabin door is open, and light from the hallway is coming in; thus the cabin attendants might not realize those aren't working either. Long shot, but it does make me wonder. Then again, if the cabin attendants are never in the room in the dark, (which they aren't) they too might be unaware that there are supposed to be emergency lights.

 

If my cabin mate had been my partner or a female friend there would have been no problems having the bathroom door open so I could see to shower.

 

You book a cabin, which is notoriously small, and you choose to share it with someone. I think it's reaching to expect the cruise line to give the lights issue more weight because of who you chose to cruise with. On a more practical note, it seems like if your friend is so disgusted by the sight of a naked female body, he would have been more than happy to sit on the balcony or go get a drink at the bar while you shower with the door open. Doesn't mean it's ok for the lights not to work, but when a situation can't be immediately fixed, you could find an alternate solution to make the best of it.

[waterbug123]

 

You speak as though all I am thinking of is compensation.

 

Um, it's in the title of your post?? So yeah, it's logical to assume that's your main concern.

 

If your real concern was your safety, I would think you'd title the post, "Celebrity unresponsive to safety issue" or something along those lines.

 

 

For those of you who are fixating on the issue of my shower, please don't! You are reading far too much into what I said. My half a sentence has been blown out of all proportion. That was a minor part of my original post.

 

 

To characterize your friend's reaction as nauseated at the sight of accidentally seeing you naked? Sorry, it sounded like it was indeed a pretty big deal to you.

[chamima]

My issue is why did the emergency lighting not work. Surely this is an important aspect for H&S.

 

I agree that this is the main issue and I also got the impression from the OP's original post that it was the main issue for her.

 

For the safety of the rest of us in the future this should be brought to corporate's attention.

[casper106]

Please let us know if and when you get a response to the letter you are going to send.

 

I'm not sure why your travel companion didn't leave the room while you were in the shower. It seems like the polite thing to do based on your comments. Even if the problem hadn't occurred,it would have been nice for him to give you some "space" while you showered.

Edited September 9, 2016 by casper106

[fantasy51]

I agree that this is the main issue and I also got the impression from the OP's original post that it was the main issue for her.

 

For the safety of the rest of us in the future this should be brought to corporate's attention.

 

Thank you Karen. I will certainly be writing to Celebrity about this when I can. I agree with you that it is a safety issue for all of you.

 

I'm sure you know what it's like when you get home from a cruise, so it may take a few days before I can do this. Add in 2 lots of visitors and debilitating health issues and I have to pace myself carefully.

[Redtravel]

Everyone loves a perfect vacation when everything goes well. It can happen. When it does, it is fabulous. However, things can and do go wrong. Be flexible and you will enjoy your vacation. When things happen, give the cruise line/tour co./hotel some time to correct the problem. Nobody's perfect. Do not think in terms of compensation! I have met people who look for ways to find fault with everything. They are miserable. I try not to be with that kind of person. Relax and enjoy!

[fantasy51]

I'm not sure why your travel companion didn't leave the room while you were in the shower. It seems like the polite thing to do based on your comments. Even if the problem hadn't occurred,it would have been nice for him to give you some "space" while you showered.

 

Nowhere have I said what we actually arranged when I showered. There have been a lot of assumptions on this thread. I have answered questions about the set-up of the room but I don't actually think it's anyone's business how we settle such things between us.

 

I simply pointed out that the lack of light in the bathroom presented difficulties that would not normally occur. I have not said how we solved them. My original post pointed out that I had a choice of showering by torchlight or leaving the door open. Everyone has assumed that I did the latter.

 

This excessive interest in my showering arrangements leaves me somewhat uneasy.

 

However, I will certainly let you know what Celebrity's response is.

[Orator]

I know how stressful packing and unpacking can be and sorry to hear that you have some health issues, but would suggest that you contact Celebrity as quickly as possible. You don't want to provide them with an opportunity to respond that if if was so serious to you, why did you take so much time in contacting them. A letter will take time for response, perhaps lots of time. They have a small team of people who read and screen letters and they then direct the letters to the proper department. All of this takes time. If possible,a call would bring immediate attention. I hope this helps.

[Julma]

I have to agree with OP. You're not a guest in someone's home, you are a paying customer who has the right to the experience what was promised in the glossy pictures and literature that Celebrity puts out. Don't get me wrong, I love cruising and love Celebrity and have had mostly great experiences, but when something goes wrong, it's a business and needs to be rectified in a business manner. Not having lights for that amount of time is a not small blip. Returning the wine was not in bad taste, it was not a gift, and frankly an ignorant gesture. As soon as you returned the wine, someone should have been in touch with you to see what could be done and if they were unable to satisfy you, then they should have given you the information needed to take it further. I give OP credit for taking it further. It will provide a better product for everyone.

[NLH Arizona]

What is a wind up torch?

 

I think returning the second bottle was, hate to say it, rude. It's the thought that counts. Why not just give it to another person you knew who did not have a drink package? To return it with the admonition that "you don't like red, and we have a drink package" - you say the staff was grinning, but I bet that's not what they were thinking.

 

If you were seriously injured that is a different matter and should have been dealt with, but we've had stopped up toilets, broken doors and tvs and other issues that we never dreamed should be compensated for, just fixed.

I agree, I would have taken the wine and given it to someone if I didn't want it.

 

Not sure what you wanted from Celebrity, but to me an apology would have been enough, as I think the cruise lines are too willing to give out items as an apology, when a simple "we are sorry" should work. Seems like it is a game to some on how much they can get from their issues/complaints.

Edited September 9, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[NLH Arizona]

 

You speak as though all I am thinking of is compensation.

I think you were. First, you posted saying that you didn't feel you got enough compensation for one of the issues: I felt I was given too much compensation for one but not enough for the other. and you also took the wine down to Guest Services requesting different compensation.

 

Please update us if you get any additional compensation from Celebrity after you write your letter and also let us know if you feel it was enough this time.

Edited September 9, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[bitob]

Why do people think they should get compensation for minor inconveniences? Stuff happens. The op was offered wine. Nice gesture. The ship didn't sink. The cruise was not cut short. There were no serious problems that ruined all or part of the cruise

 

Sorry, but I don't think this is the way to view the world. Next there will be a lawsuit. Lol

 

We need to learn to take these things in stride. This is small stuff. Anyone who has suffered serious health issues or other problems will understand where I am coming from

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Nowhere have I said what we actually arranged when I showered. There have been a lot of assumptions on this thread. I have answered questions about the set-up of the room but I don't actually think it's anyone's business how we settle such things between us.

 

I simply pointed out that the lack of light in the bathroom presented difficulties that would not normally occur. I have not said how we solved them. My original post pointed out that I had a choice of showering by torchlight or leaving the door open. Everyone has assumed that I did the latter.

 

This excessive interest in my showering arrangements leaves me somewhat uneasy.

 

..................

 

Then perhaps you should not have posted on an internet forum about your showering problem if it makes you uneasy when people reply.

 

I understand the issue with no lights and I would have been annoyed too but I would be concentrating on dealing with Celebrity not leaving myself open for opinions I didn't like to hear.