Pitiful

[Oceangoer2]

I have never understood why people think birthdays are such a big deal. We all get born. Maybe moms should get something on their child's birthday...THEY did something worth commemorating!

 

Haha...yep!

[G.M.T.]

What I expect is for you to take what happened to me at face value. and with all due respect, you are not in a position to go into the issue of whether my complaints are justified as you were not there and your implication of "what goes around, comes around is truly insulting as you have no knowledge of what happened and you seem to simply be in defensive mode, are you a company employee? I was informed and you know nothing about what you are commenting on, Is this an attempt to get the thread closed?

 

You say your question is meant seriously then ask a stupid question. I have no expectation of what others will experience, I simply relate my experiences for others to be advised of. They are free to judge for themselves and hopefully the story will help them avoid what happened to me. The only thing you say that is true is that there is nothing you can do about it, so why are you commenting?

 

I could go on as more happened and frankly this was the worst cruise I have ever been on, I am not suggesting this will happen to others but unless these issues are aired, there would be every chance they would. The only way to prevent future issues is to shine a light on the current problems. However it is obvious you don't want that to happen, the question here is WHY?

 

Why are you being so aggressive?

 

You come on this forum, post "your" experiences to await responces from other CC members. "Miaminice" post is the only one sofar who posted a neutral message, not for or against, but you just attack that poster. Here there is more to it than meets the picture, how many times you have been asked about the celebration and if ordered / paid for who pid it then. Still no answer.

 

 

This is a general observation that I have made over the years here on CC in that if a cruise was all bad and the poster was complainin about everything (nit picking) then there is another reason behind it i.e. wanted a cabin upgrade onboard - but didn't get it. Also expecting every crew member to jump when they wanted something, being condesending using the term "boy" (have heard this several times).

 

I live by the motto "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

[smtcan]

I can understand disappointment when expected special services do not materialize. Our sons bought us a weekend at an up-market resort for our silver wedding. It was a less than stellar experience because there was a very large group who commandeered the dining venues for very noisy events. We didn't complain because the boys had organized it and we didn't want them to know that we were disappointed. When we got home they asked if we had enjoyed the flowers, champagne and cheese plate. We had had no sign of that and knew nothing about it.. They called the resort and the outcome was that we received a free weekend which was just perfect. Had we booked ourselves we would have mentioned the problems right away and I am sure some resolution would have been forthcoming.

 

I am sorry the OP did not enjoy the Celebrity experience and hope they will find a cruise line that will meet their expectations.

[George C]

The only question I have is since you have cruised before what line did not have a fee to get chips from cruise card?

[Bootstrap77]

I’m so sorry this happened on your cruise. What a disappointment.

 

We have never had to pay for our anniversary/birthday cake when we’ve asked for it. We did arrange it on the ship and not ahead of time.

 

Hope future cruises are better.

[johhnnyt]

Always difficult to hear a complaint when you only have one party to the story, maybe the dissatisfaction is warranted, maybe not. No one here will ever know. Hopefully this forum gave him some venting space.

 

Odds are great those that love Celebrity still will, and those that loathe will continue to do so. When I read a post like this, I try and figure what I can learn from it. In this case and others like it I've seen on different cruise line posts (doesn't matter the cruise line, the issues raised are universal).

 

1. When I have a celebration planned, I always tell the TA/Cruiseline beforehand, but also VERIFY once onboard that they received the message (time is one luxury you have plant of onboard)

2. If I am expecting something extra like a cash advance for the casino, I shouldn't be surprised that like the ATM in the casino, I'll pay a premium for that service

3. You usually give what you receive at guest relations 9/10 times. If you go there filled with anger & fire, odds are you'll accomplish nothing other than moving your blood pressure up. If you go down there with a summation of the problem, what they did wrong, and what is the fair thing to do to correct it, you'll usually get results

[hcat]

So having been assured by the TA that all was arranged, you think I should have then confirmed when I board, should I also have confirmed as I walked into the restaurant as they may not have told the kitchen? Heck where would the surprise be if I have to keep confirming left right and centre that the surprise is arranged? This is total BS,If they can't do their job as per what is booked then there is no hope, Should I have spent hours each day confirming the bookings for my excursions? How stupid can we get? If I am assured something is booked, I have every right to expect that it is going to happen, my TA was appalled that these things happened/didn't happen. Heck next you will be telling me I should have confirmed I was booked on the cruise the day before I boarded! Things were not put in writing because they were supposed to be a surprise and I didn't want my wife to have the surprise spoiled (I really wasted my time there didn't I)! We did not have these problems with Carnival Cruise line!

 

What did your TA actually order and pay for extra like Champagne? Sorry to say, those orders often do not get conveyed to the ship, which is why we check once we board...same with flowers, sailaway snacks etc.

 

All they really supply at no extra charge is a standard choc cake that says Happy B Day or Anniv...if u checked with maitre d while dining..( pretend trip to washroom to check on it) they could have had one ready for dessert..or substitued something, Shouldn't be that way but that's the curent state of " Celebrity Modern Luxury ".

 

Sorry also about room service...we have had mixed results. Current staff not like it used to be...that's for sure...More training needed in most areas of service.

 

we bring our own crackers,.,they are hard to come by on X and soggy most of the time,,,not a deal breaker by any means,,,we have enjoyed AQ for many years,,

[WpgCruise]

you have been asked about the celebration and if ordered / paid for who pid it then. Still no answer.

 

Would the O.P. please address this question ?

 

I suspect I am among many who are speculating that the O.P.'s expectation is that these "gifts" should have been provided for free.

 

If they were in fact paid for either by the O.P. or by the Travel Agent and not provided by Celebrity that would be good to know so that others are aware that it is important to follow up for receipt of "Paid" celebration packages.

[r4addz]

Would the O.P. please address this question ?

 

I suspect I am among many who are speculating that the O.P.'s expectation is that these "gifts" should have been provided for free.

 

If they were in fact paid for either by the O.P. or by the Travel Agent and not provided by Celebrity that would be good to know so that others are aware that it is important to follow up for receipt of "Paid" celebration packages.

 

In answer to the question, When someone tells me they have arranged a "surprise" for me, I don't demand to be told whether or not they have paid for that surprise. So I can't answer the question for you.

[r4addz]

Still waiting to hear about some of the things that you and your wife enjoyed about the ship and your cruise.

 

The ship was modern clean and the shows were excellent.

[Fouremco]

The ship was modern clean and the shows were excellent.

Glad to hear that it wasn't all bad. Cheers.

[r4addz]

Which is why I didn’t

 

No, I am not an employee. However, if you behaved on board the same way as you rant here, even as a guest I would been ashamed and sorry for the employees. All your answers paint the same picture.

 

You claim to be informed and yet you complain about a fee that is common knowledge to probably 90% here :confused:

 

If your sole mission was to make others aware of how bad Celebrity handled everything in your case... well, you did. Over and over... in more than one thread. We got it! You can now start another one...

 

But you raised it just the same.

 

My answers respond to the attacks I am receiving form someone who is not in a position to question the facts as they weren't there yet speak as if they were.

 

I didn't complain about the fee, I simply queried it and I complained about the response I got (there you are twisting the facts again).

 

I am relating my experiences here so that others are aware , I have sought nothing from Celebrity in relation to these issues (in fact I refused compensation as I have never been after a freebie but even that became an issue, not yet discussed).

[r4addz]

That was rude on the room service provider's part. If she saw the DND sign, she should not have called you. Did it happen again after that. If not, the person you spoke to addressed it with room service.

 

Did you complain to guest services every single time something went wrong? I'm starting to think, each time they saw you coming, they were thinking 'Here we go again.' Crew members should have responded politely, every single time, that you complained, as long as you weren't being loud and confrontational.

 

I only visited guest relations four times on the trip, the first being to arrange a powerboard for my Cpap machine (I need more than one outlet), second time was about the lack of birthday arrangements, third about the DND incident and the fourth about their response to the third visit but we haven't discussed that.

[WpgCruise]

In answer to the question, When someone tells me they have arranged a "surprise" for me, I don't demand to be told whether or not they have paid for that surprise. So I can't answer the question for you.

 

Thank you for the reply.

 

Would you share with us how you know the "surprise" for you, was a paid Celebration package that included cake and champagne given your reply?

 

I'm just speculating here, but perhaps your understanding of what the "surprise" was to be, and the person who said they would provide a "surprise" might be different ?

 

Is it perhaps easier to blame Celebrity given the other issues for disappointment when it is a misunderstanding between yourself and the person who said they were providing a "surprise"? Not assigning blame, or fault, just interested in the facts.

[r4addz]

Why are you being so aggressive?

 

You come on this forum, post "your" experiences to await responces from other CC members. "Miaminice" post is the only one sofar who posted a neutral message, not for or against, but you just attack that poster. Here there is more to it than meets the picture, how many times you have been asked about the celebration and if ordered / paid for who pid it then. Still no answer.

 

 

This is a general observation that I have made over the years here on CC in that if a cruise was all bad and the poster was complainin about everything (nit picking) then there is another reason behind it i.e. wanted a cabin upgrade onboard - but didn't get it. Also expecting every crew member to jump when they wanted something, being condesending using the term "boy" (have heard this several times).

 

I live by the motto "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

 

If I am coming over as aggressive, it is in response to the attacks I have been receiving here, Heck to hear some on here it is all my own fault when all I am doing is relating what happened to me so that they can make sure it doesn't happen to them. I am not Nit picking, if it had been the odd item, I wouldn't be here as things can go wrong. as for wanting an upgrade, I actually refused such things because I wasn't after any freebies and treated those who respected me with the respct they were entitled to.

 

The motto is good and yes I do, however on this occasion, it was not reciprocal.

[watchdiva]

Anytime we have been gifted with OBC from our children, we have always brought an amenities confirmation with us on the cruise. Our son told us he gifted us with significant OBC for Christmas. A few days before the cruise I called the Captains Club and after asking me a few questions they emailed us the amenity confirmation. Better to have documentation than not.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Luvcrusn]

Several years ago DH and I booked a cruise on Royal because we loved the itinerary. On that trip we were disappointed with many things, none of them minor. Our shower drain was so slow that the shower overflowed into the room and even though we called maintenance multiple times, they never were able to fix it properly. The divider on the verandah kept coming loose and banged into the balcony furniture waking us on multiple nights. We were unable to dock at one of the ports because of high winds. The winds were so high and the ship was rolling so much that sound asleep I rolled out of bed. The safe in the room didn't function and the battery needed replacement 3 times during a 2 week cruise. We were not once able to order a drink while at the theater even though we were there early every night because drink service was lacking. In the solarium, the roof leaked so badly that the crew placed buckets around. While dining in Chops, we waited for our reserved table for 20 minutes even though we clearly saw at least 15 empty tables, and then the service was inexplicably slow because "there was a group of 14 in the next room." (Over 3 hours for dinner most spent waiting for our server). We took a Royal Caribbean excursion. There were two busses. Both busses skipped a visit to an artisan center because they were closed for the season even though that was featured prominently in the tour description. Both busses stopped at a rest stop for refreshments. A tour guide entered each bus to give a talk. While the guide lectured, our bus filled with a white smoky fumes. The guide kept talking even when I asked to leave and have the guide continue outside. The guide continued in the smokier by the minute bus until I left, followed by the rest of the passengers. They had to send another bus for us to continue our tour, but we had to wait for 45 minutes for the bus to arrive. The first bus left. 45 minutes later, we left and returned at break-neck speed to the ship, skipping the second half of the excursion to arrive back to the ship directly behind the bus that had left 45 minutes before us. We went to the excursion deck and explained what had happened , that the first part of the excursion was skipped because it was closed, we were exposed to toxic fumes in the bus, waited for 45 minutes at a rest stop for a second bus, and then skipped the second part of the tour. We were refused a refund. After 3 visits to GR we were offered 25% refund. We returned and called and were issued a full refund for the excursion along with a genuine apology. However, over all, DH and I managed to laugh at the mishaps and have a great time on our vacation. It certainly could, and should have gone better, but I think it's all the way you look at life. We choose to make lemonade when life deals us lemons.

[WpgCruise]

Anytime we have been gifted with OBC from our children, we have always brought an amenities confirmation with us on the cruise. Our son told us he gifted us with significant OBC for Christmas. A few days before the cruise I called the Captains Club and after asking me a few questions they emailed us the amenity confirmation. Better to have documentation than not.Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

What a great suggestion. I'll keep it in mind for the future.

 

In a perfect world this level of follow up wouldn't be necessary, but alas we don't live in that perfect world, and neither does Celebrity or any other mass market cruise line.

[r4addz]

Thank you for the reply.

 

Would you share with us how you know the "surprise" for you, was a paid Celebration package that included cake and champagne given your reply?

 

I'm just speculating here, but perhaps your understanding of what the "surprise" was to be, and the person who said they would provide a "surprise" might be different ?

 

Is it perhaps easier to blame Celebrity given the other issues for disappointment when it is a misunderstanding between yourself and the person who said they were providing a "surprise"? Not assigning blame, or fault, just interested in the facts.

 

As I tried to point out, I don't know how it was arranged or paid for, however I have spoken to the TA and she was appalled at what happened. and I know what it should have been because she told me when I got back, what was supposed to have happened. I accept that things can go wrong but the level of indifference was what got to me.

[WpgCruise]

As I tried to point out, I don't know how it was arranged or paid for, however I have spoken to the TA and she was appalled at what happened. and I know what it should have been because she told me when I got back, what was supposed to have happened. I accept that things can go wrong but the level of indifference was what got to me.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I'm certainly no defender of Celebrity. I understand the disappointment of expectations not met, and the frustration resulting from lack of resolution. Celebrity in my opinion is an acceptable main stream cruise line when things go right. When things go wrong however, in my experience Celebrity is well below expectations at resolving issues.

 

Thanks for taking the time to bring your issues forward. While you've taken some shots I do appreciate your sharing so that others may be better prepared to avoid some of the same happening to them.

[Cairn Mom]

They should have preemptively looked at the names on the bags, looked up in what cabin "Mr. and Mrs. Cairn Mom" were in, and delivered them.

 

 

 

Agreed, but at the very least, they should have looked at the bags( sitting right in front of them!) when we called. Thank you for the validation.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Cairn Mom]

So having been assured by the TA that all was arranged, you think I should have then confirmed when I board, should I also have confirmed as I walked into the restaurant as they may not have told the kitchen? Heck where would the surprise be if I have to keep confirming left right and centre that the surprise is arranged? This is total BS,If they can't do their job as per what is booked then there is no hope, Should I have spent hours each day confirming the bookings for my excursions? How stupid can we get? If I am assured something is booked, I have every right to expect that it is going to happen, my TA was appalled that these things happened/didn't happen. Heck next you will be telling me I should have confirmed I was booked on the cruise the day before I boarded! Things were not put in writing because they were supposed to be a surprise and I didn't want my wife to have the surprise spoiled (I really wasted my time there didn't I)! We did not have these problems with Carnival Cruise line!

 

 

 

I totally agree with you. Who needs to travel on a cruise line that can’t be trusted to follow through with confirmed arrangements. There is no excuse for this and you should write a letter of complaint and so should your agent.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[CEOofVacation]

As I tried to point out, I don't know how it was arranged or paid for, however I have spoken to the TA and she was appalled at what happened. and I know what it should have been because she told me when I got back, what was supposed to have happened. I accept that things can go wrong but the level of indifference was what got to me.

 

This still does not tell us whether the TA actually paid for the cake etc. Because it costs a TA $ to pay for the celebration gifts, I highly suspect that the TA was relying on Celebrity to make it happen after the TA flagged in the system that there was a birthday.

 

On our last Celebrity cruise, our TA put into their system that we had an anniversary during our cruise. He did not pay for it.

 

We did receive a bottle of champagne in our room, compliments from Michael's concierge, which we gave to the stateroom attendant, together with the welcome bottle of sparkling wine that was in our room when we first embarked. At the end of our dinner we were getting ready to leave when our waiter and M'D said they had a whole cake for us, which I declined. I am gluten intolerant and I softly asked if it was a regular cake or a gluten-free cake and they said a regular cake. I politely said we were too full to have any more food and they asked us to take to our room and we said we were watching our diet. I was happy they made an effort but it was not something that I could consume. Could they have made an effort to ensure a gluten-free cake was presented, after all, every meal that the waiter and assistant waiters had been serving us was gluten-free? Sure, but we were not upset. We appreciated the thought/effort and thanked them. We went to Cafe Al Baco to get a piece of gluten-free cake and retreated to our room for the night.

 

We will be having our anniversary again onboard Celebrity and RCI respectively in 2018 and 2019 but we are not going to note it in the system. We want to avoid whatever they may do on that day for us. We don't do champagne or white wine, so that is wasted on us. We cannot have their regular cake, which is another thing that will be wasted, if they were to do the cake thing again. We will instead figure out what we will do for ourselves.

[bEwAbG]

Well, based on the thin-skinned responses of the OP to the "attacks" () here on Cruise Critic, I would lean to "there's more to the story than we're being told." I've had my fair share of service quibbles and have certainly voiced them. Plenty of people write about their negative opinions day-in and day-out, and most of the posters here generally don't reflexively defend the cruise line no matter what. Perhaps it's the poor writing and lack of detail that is making everyone doubt the severity of the issues.

[beentothere]

There are few cruises so bad that a good time cannot be had. Not every scene in my cousin's movies were enjoyable, but the sum effect was still a great experience.

 

With budget service there will be a more frequent experience with disappointments. Thank the good ones and let the bad ones slide.

 

But, when there are means by which events can be prevented and steps are not being taken, then we should let the anger rain down to the extent of the seriousness.

 

For example, we had an aqua class cabin. The cabin had no heat. We asked many many times for help. No help. We used hair dryers to keep the cabin comfortable. Aha, as it turns out the system was new (two years) and the heat would only work when the fan speed was set on high. Steward did not know, relations had no idea that the system was different. When we learned the facts I confronted the guest relations manager on the twenty plus requests and the solution and asked why there was not some note place on the all next to the controls to advise that for heat turn the fan speed to high? He could not take authority to add such a label and could not even advise the other similar cabins of the fan speed issue. He would have to wait for Miami to handle. A 10 cent label! Now that is an issue as the cabins were not habitable at 50 degrees (North Pacific).

 

Then one night the food choices were terrible in Blu. We tipped generously and ate in MDR. We always tip very generously and except for only one waiter have had positive responses even from recalcitrant staff.

 

More quality entertainment soothes the mind. Even a singing waiter can bring joy to overshadow a bad tasting meal.