I don't understand why people sail Celebrity

[Fouremco]

Oh and I will add, a good TA is relative and not so easy to find depending on where you live. Countries tend to work different in this arena. Any I have had knew less than I did.

As a Haligonian currently living in Ottawa, I know that finding a good TA can be a struggle, and that very few Canadian TA's offer much in the way of perks compared to their US counterparts. Like you, I used to take a hands on approach most of the time. However, when the Canadian branch of a large American box store was given access to the latter's TA system, I tried them and found them to be excellent. For our cruise next month, we received a $500 cash card for the store, and when the prices dropped after final payment, they secured an upgrade from an SV to a C1 cabin at no extra cost and we kept our Celebrity perks from the initial booking. I still monitor prices closely, and I did call the TA to initiate the upgrade, but they took care of it with no fuss or muss. You might want to look into what they have to offer when booking your next cruise.

[richsea]

Ok, rant coming. I think our upcoming first cruise with Celebrity may be our last and we haven't even set foot on the ship. We have been on many cruises on about 8 different cruiselines and never, never have we had so much trouble just trying to get it set up! What the heck is up with their website. Really??? In 2018 they don't have any tech people that can make a website that consistently works? There are probably high school kids that could do a better job. I can get into the website about 30% of the time.

 

We booked a Panama Canal tour over a year and a half ago. In November of 2016 we booked the one shore excursion we really wanted to do, the dome car train ride. A couple of months ago they cancelled it with no explanation. On the phone they said they just weren't doing it anymore. It is still available on other cruiselines. Major disappointment.

 

Then of course, they cancelled the whole cruise. I do understand that these things happen but how they have handled it is the biggest disappointment. The lack of informed employees and the total lack of follow up is driving me crazy. The only official notification was a phone call where the woman told me we would receive a refund and a 50% future cruise credit. Also offered was $250 towards airline change fees. Sounds good, right? She also said the future cruise credit would not have an expiration date, wrong. It must be used within a year. Not a biggie, but the people calling should have the correct information.

 

The refund eventually came thru and we booked a new cruise for the same time. We were told when the future cruise credit certificate came, we would be refunded the 50% we had to pay upfront because it was past final payment. It came, I called and a week later, no refund. I have actually called 3 times.

 

As far as the $250 for airline cancellation fees (even though our cost is $400 ea), they keep promising they will take care of it, but I have called and emailed 3 times and each time nothing. They promise they will let me know that they got my emails, but they don't.

 

I really don't think taking a cruise should be this frustrating. I do know this is an unusual circumstance, but when someone tells me they will follow up, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect that they do so. Rant over.

If you have never cruised with Celebrity before, and already have negative vibes to the point that you have to “rant”, as you put it, you are setting yourself up for a miserable cruise with your present mindset, and if possible, you should cancel the cruise and move on. It makes bo sense to waste your vacation dollars on a trip that will disappoint you. Not a flame; just advice.

[diesel1973]

I also agree with finding a good TA. We book most of our cruises when on a cruise and then turn them over to a TA. If not I book cruise over phone then to TA. Never had a problem with RCCL or X. I have never experienced a cruise being cancelled but I understand your concern. We just did a cruise on MSC Seaside and they have problems with customer service off and on the ship. You would think your problems would be over when boarding ship but they just begin. We have done our fair share of cruising and this was by far the worst cruise ever with problems too numerous to list. We followed the MSC cruise with a cruise on the Oasis and it was a great relief to be able to ENJOY a real cruise!!!

[johno1234]

Again, I have to ask why you don't get a good TA? They don't cost anything to work with. The price is the same whether you use a TA or book directly with X and they will sometimes have access to fares and cabins you can't even see.

I would say *always*, not sometimes, if they are hooked in with the cruise line. In particular, it seems you can never find interconnecting cabins with the online sites but if you go through a TA they can access them.

And they seem to be able to add in discounts and perks not available online.

[cltnccruisers]

There's a link on the X site to Find a Travel Agent. Does X vet these in any way?

[coloradocruiselover88]

Interesting rant. When it comes to Celebrity's web site we agree with the OP....and one might consider that the web site now is working a lot better than a year ago :(. Unfortunately, we think the obvious management incompetence (reflected by paying a small fortune for a web site that is not very user friendly) has also carried through to many changes (cut-backs) on the Celebrity ships. This has gradually been driving us away from the line for the past 3 years....and now we have finally reached the point where we have no future Celebrity cruises booked (or contemplated) even though we still cruise 70-100 days a year.

 

But I am actually an optimist and do believe that "the worm turns" .....so we look forward to the future. On the other hand, as a stockholder...given the opportunity we would vote to replace many of the top Celebrity management team...starting at the very top!

 

Hank

 

I agree that the website experience is awful (both the customer facing one and the TA one). Even when you call Celebrity and complain about their website they tell it is their worst experience for clients! The chief technology officer and the chief marketing officer better suck it up buttercup and fix it or this will be both my first and last cruise with them. Way to many other cruise lines out there......that being said, if they wow me with the actual cruise experience, I may be more forgiving.....

 

17 more days, we shall see. Cheers!

[johno1234]

I bet after the cruise you won't care about the website issues! ;-)

 

Personally I'm not bothered - I don't feel the need to use the website as the TA is accessible and emailable. Why use the website when I have a TA "servant" to sort stuff out for me?

[bigbenboys]

We enjoy Celebrity cruise line very much. I just cant use the words here how bad Celebrity website is. We cruised on Azamara once. Website is or was the worst. The Azamara cruise was fine. The website was so bad, I still have a bitter taste in my mouth. I'm not sure if I will ever book with Azamara again. A good TA can really help. If this was my 1st cruise with Celebrity I would run. The question is where to run.

[iSailor]

If you have never cruised with Celebrity before, and already have negative vibes to the point that you have to “rant”, as you put it, you are setting yourself up for a miserable cruise with your present mindset, and if possible, you should cancel the cruise and move on. It makes bo sense to waste your vacation dollars on a trip that will disappoint you. Not a flame; just advice.

It is funny if you don't like it and you still go for it.Guess its human nature.;p

[RickT]

I also find the competency of your Celebrity Cruise Consultant can affect things. I'm on my third consultant. The first one was excellent as is the current one. The 2nd one was "meh" and if he hadn't moved on I would have requested a change.

 

As far as a TA, as Fouremco says that a good TA is tough to find (BTW, also a Haligonian living in Ottawa) and so far I haven't found one that I trust as much as me (and yes, I am aware of the big store that now sells cruises).

 

As frustrating as the website may be and as misleading as the phone staff can sometimes be, I'm glad to say that the quality of the product still makes it worthwhile. I recently completed a HAL cruise and it convinced me I like X better and they provide a better product.

[poffles]

I also find the competency of your Celebrity Cruise Consultant can affect things. I'm on my third consultant. The first one was excellent as is the current one. The 2nd one was "meh" and if he hadn't moved on I would have requested a change.

 

As far as a TA, as Fouremco says that a good TA is tough to find (BTW, also a Haligonian living in Ottawa) and so far I haven't found one that I trust as much as me (and yes, I am aware of the big store that now sells cruises).

 

As frustrating as the website may be and as misleading as the phone staff can sometimes be, I'm glad to say that the quality of the product still makes it worthwhile. I recently completed a HAL cruise and it convinced me I like X better and they provide a better product.

 

Funny, as many times as I've called Celebrity to do changes, I have never bothered to go through 'my' Consultant, whoever answers is the lucky winner :) And I still can't complain about service over the phone, some definitely more knowledgeable than others but all great because just like you, I trust myself most LOL

 

Fellow Halgonian here still living in Halifax :)

[Fouremco]

Funny, as many times as I've called Celebrity to do changes, I have never bothered to go through 'my' Consultant, whoever answers is the lucky winner :) And I still can't complain about service over the phone, some definitely more knowledgeable than others but all great because just like you, I trust myself most LOL

 

Fellow Halgonian here still living in Halifax :)

When using a TA, I'm a firm believer in the Russian adage "trust, but verify"! :halo:

[AZ Ocean Lover]

Whenever I hear of a complaint about X website I think of the review that Bimmer wrote a couple of years ago. He said he was at a presentation in the theater and the Captain was explaining certain aspects of the ship and quite proud of the way X disposes of their garbage. He asked the crowd if they knew what X does with all of its garbage and a voice in the crowd yelled back "Make a website out of it."

 

If you have followed Bimmer it might have either been tongue in cheek or he was the one yelling the comment.

[bEwAbG]

I am quite capable of planning and booking the cruise myself and often do so directly with Celebrity. But, I transfer it to a TA for the added perks that usually come with that as well as the service a TA can provide if something unusual starts happening. Much easier to send an email to your TA and have them contact Celebrity to sort it out than to be frustrated with dealing with it yourself.

[The Mommy]

I accept the poor web site and communication.

I love everything else about Celebrity ;)

[RickT]

 

Fellow Halgonian here still living in Halifax :)

Was "home" last summer for a month. Enjoyed it so much I didn't even miss not being on a cruise :cool:

[Bo1953]

Was "home" last summer for a month. Enjoyed it so much I didn't even miss not being on a cruise :cool:

 

r - the withdrawals must have put you into a coma, if you did not miss being on a cruise! :p

 

bon voyage

[AKCabinDude]

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[RickT]

r - the withdrawals must have put you into a coma, if you did not miss being on a cruise! :p

 

bon voyage

Bo, if you've ever been to Halifax you'll know it's as good or better than a cruise. We had a condo on the waterfront and when I got up each morning I could look out at the ocean (kind of like a nice verandah). Making up for it this year with 3 cruises though.

[Fouremco]

Bo, if you've ever been to Halifax you'll know it's as good or better than a cruise. We had a condo on the waterfront and when I got up each morning I could look out at the ocean (kind of like a nice verandah). Making up for it this year with 3 cruises though.

Of course, a cruise that stops in Halifax is the best of all worlds! :hearteyes:

[4774Papa]

When using a TA, I'm a firm believer in the Russian adage "trust, but verify"! :halo:

That was Ronald Reagan

[zonacruiser25]

It is not usually good to own the best house in a bad neighborhood, first impressions matter. Enough has been said about the lousy web presence for Celebrity. They have virtually no end user support for web issues. It would also seem they have no interest in fixing the problems. Case in point the Celebrity Connections. I have sent 3 e-mails since January with questions and they remain in-answered. I know we will have an amazing experience on our next cruise. I just is terrible that you sometimes need to travel to hell to get to heaven!

[Silkroad]

Of course, a cruise that stops in Halifax is the best of all worlds! :hearteyes:

 

It is a very beautiful and welcoming city, and the inhabitants we met were lovely as well:)

[Fouremco]

That was Ronald Reagan

No, it's a Russian saying that Regan liked and adopted. To quote a Washington Post article from 2016:

 

“Trust, but verify” entered American usage when Reagan’s adviser on Russian affairs, Suzanne Massie, was preparing the president for talks with Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986. Perhaps Reagan ought to learn a few Russian proverbs, Massie suggested, and the one he liked best was “Doveryai no proveryai” — trust, but verify.

[Bo1953]

Bo, if you've ever been to Halifax you'll know it's as good or better than a cruise. We had a condo on the waterfront and when I got up each morning I could look out at the ocean (kind of like a nice verandah). Making up for it this year with 3 cruises though.

Very good!

 

Bon voyage

 

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