Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises Merging Accounts Into One

[icsys]

Michael Bayley finally made an official statement, in a letter posted on the FB C&A page. The root cause is partially the customer's fault because many had more than one online account. But RCI takes some blame too. And apparently they purposely are removing the online ability to adjust C&A perks. You know how that works. Fewer changes to make if everyone has to call C&A instead of making a few clicks on a screen.

I read the Michael Bayley letter to mean one of the root causes was the elimination of being able to select amenities and preferences online, not that they are purposely removing them.

 

...The root cause of everyone’s frustration is a combination of many guests having created multiple accounts over the years, the elimination of being able to select amenities and preferences online for our loyal Crown & Anchor members, and mistakes we made in developing and implementing the first release of this new capability. Long story short, we simply did not deliver on this implementation despite our best intentions...

 

...

[CruisingNole]

Nice to read it here. I guess they assume we all do Facebook. I’m still a hold out and do not. Perhaps a notice directly on the site we are complaining about would help along with a link to that email.

 

 

 

About 85% of internet users are on Facebook. So you might want to join. I wouldn't expect a corporation to cater to such a small segment of the population. Not trying to be rude, just realistic.

 

 

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[Nick-1000]

Yes I am

 

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[netheadred]

I should have resisted looking. I show only one upcoming cruise and no previous cruises. Should be 4 and 16. I need to call Crown and Anchor today anyway, I need to see if my OBC from my credit card is there.

 

Keep us posted as to if C&A can fix yours. I called yesterday and they were not able to fix mine yet. I'm sure it will take time for the new site to work out the kinks.

[CruiseKeeper]

About 85% of internet users are on Facebook. So you might want to join. I wouldn't expect a corporation to cater to such a small segment of the population. Not trying to be rude, just realistic.

 

 

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Thanks, but no, not interested. :) This small segment of complainers is already on their website at 100% making it a brilliant place to post messages to all involved. I hope this doesn’t come off as rude, also am being realistic.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I agree with the post #12- this letter, while well written, should have been sent to all C&A members- as an email! I do NOT do Facebook or use other social media, and I am not alone in my choices. Mr. Bayley- send this apology letter to ALL C&A members!

 

I do Facebook, but I'm not going to every single page of who or what I follow every day. If it's not in the first bit of my news feed I'm not going to see it.

 

So I agree. Something like this needs to be emailed!

 

I only knew there were issues from reading it on here - then I went to see and got stuck in the cycle from h-e-double-hockey-sticks trying to get to my cruise planner.

[cruisinfanatic]

I follow him on the Site That Cannot Be Named Here and I cannot see this letter......? The last post I see from him is about Symphony.

 

I too think it should have been mailed to all C&A members.

Unless it's a travel agent site there aren't many you can't post

[Starry Eyes]

I think it should be emailed to C&A members who have contacted them with problems, those who registered on the new site and those with upcoming cruises. They are the ones with concerns. Frankly there are loads of dormant C&A members who are not using the website right now so are not impacted by the changes. No point filling there inbox with an apology; getting those dormant members angry or motivated to hit the troubled website will only exacerbate the websites issues and customer service delays.

[TC1957]

Nice token but sorry, I say "Duh!"

 

Of course they are working hard to fix the problems...if they weren't he would be answering some very difficult questions from the BOD (which he may have to answer anyway).

 

I didn't need for him to tell anyone he is sorry. Really, no sh*t. They company comes off looking like a bunch of incompetent fools and senior management comes off looking like they are completely out of touch. Does anyone really think they are popping the corks on champagne bottles in Miami because of that.

 

He could have made the letter much shorter...

 

"We really screwed this up. Even though we look incompetent, don't go spend you money elsewhere. We will have another "sale" real soon and make you think we care."

[Paulxyz2004]

I agree with the post #12- this letter, while well written, should have been sent to all C&A members- as an email! I do NOT do Facebook or use other social media, and I am not alone in my choices. Mr. Bayley- send this apology letter to ALL C&A members!

 

While I agree with you that it should have been mailed to all C&A members, as well as all those being currently booked on a cruise and not a C&A member, I do think this would have been a little overwhelming task for their IT department;p:confused::rolleyes:

[vacationlover_mn]

In a previous life I used to do UAT testing.

We had scripts for every eventuality to test and test again before it went live.

I think someone didn't even bother with the basic 'Log In' script.

Perhaps I can offer them my services...?

 

 

 

So- I am a tech person, I guess :) I posted about my issues on the FB site, and they asked me for steps to recreate my issues. My heart said yes (UAT is my thang), but my head said no. If they want me to do extensive user testing, shouldn’t they be paying me? Don’t they have testers? WTH!!! My company doesn’t make the public test our site? We hire people to do that!

 

 

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[Mr. Click]

If you want to fine the letter and leave a comment it is under Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor's page. It is no different than what red devil was kind enough to post here. The problems are real and at least Mr. Bayley has publicly admitted to them. Is that really going to help? Remains to be seen. I am every going to book another Royal Caribbean cruise? Highly unlikely......only because I never say never..

[CruisingNole]

They company comes off looking like a bunch of incompetent fools and senior management comes off looking like they are completely out of touch.

 

 

Anyone that had ever used the website prior to this debacle would already know this. The website has always been a complete joke.

 

 

 

 

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[Paulxyz2004]

About 85% of internet users are on Facebook. So you might want to join. I wouldn't expect a corporation to cater to such a small segment of the population. Not trying to be rude, just realistic.

 

 

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I´m a very proud member of those 15%:cool: and thanks for the offer, but I have no desire to ever join in to such a nonsense, I value my privacy.

 

As to corporations catering to a small segment of the population, it´t not so much a question about how many internet users are on FB. It´s more a matter about how many of their customers and their target group are on the internet, on FB or other social media sites and more importantly how many of them follow them there.

 

I wouldn´t be so sure that 85% of the RCI customers follow them on FB, but even if they did it would still be a dumb idea to ignore 15% of their customers.

[Biker19]

If they want me to do extensive user testing, shouldn’t they be paying me? Don’t they have testers? WTH!!! My company doesn’t make the public test our site? We hire people to do that!

Beta testing by regular customers is not unusual.

 

Biker, who is a Quicken beta tester and does not get paid to do so.

[RetiredCruiser2015]

That’s nice that it’s being acknowledged and that there’s a plan to fix it and not leave it the way it is.

 

I never got this letter though, and I’ve been a Crown and Anchor member for 14 years and my email address has never changed.

 

I guess that part of their system is just as flawed as the website.

 

 

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Agree...never got the email either.

[CruisingNole]

I´m a very proud member of those 15%:cool: and thanks for the offer, but I have no desire to ever join in to such a nonsense, I value my privacy.

 

 

 

As to corporations catering to a small segment of the population, it´t not so much a question about how many internet users are on FB. It´s more a matter about how many of their customers and their target group are on the internet, on FB or other social media sites and more importantly how many of them follow them there.

 

 

 

I wouldn´t be so sure that 85% of the RCI customers follow them on FB, but even if they did it would still be a dumb idea to ignore 15% of their customers.

 

 

 

Their entire target market is on the internet and Facebook. In case you haven't noticed, senior citizens are not their bread and butter of the future. Hence why they continue to cutback traditional amenities and do not care whether or not their "loyal" followers like it or not.

 

Megaships and theme park islands like the envisioned CoCo Cay are the direction the company is headed. Welcome, millennial generation. Boomers are on their way to the retirement home.

 

 

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[RetiredCruiser2015]

While I agree with you that it should have been mailed to all C&A members, as well as all those being currently booked on a cruise and not a C&A member, I do think this would have been a little overwhelming task for their IT department;p:confused::rolleyes:

 

At the very least, they should have emailed it to everyone with a current reservation.

[Paulxyz2004]

Their entire target market is on the internet and Facebook. In case you haven't noticed, senior citizens are not their bread and butter of the future. Hence why they continue to cutback traditional amenities and do not care whether or not their "loyal" followers like it or not.

 

Megaships and theme park islands like the envisioned CoCo Cay are the direction the company is headed. Welcome, millennial generation. Boomers are on their way to the retirement home.

 

 

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Who´s talking about senior citizens???

[ONECRUISER]

Their entire target market is on the internet and Facebook. In case you haven't noticed, senior citizens are not their bread and butter of the future. Hence why they continue to cutback traditional amenities and do not care whether or not their "loyal" followers like it or not.

 

Megaships and theme park islands like the envisioned CoCo Cay are the direction the company is headed. Welcome, millennial generation. Boomers are on their way to the retirement home.

 

 

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Well said. I started cruising 30 years ago, was very expensive then, lot cheaper now. Sovereign was biggest cruise ship in the world and most others were less then half her size, like the Love Boat. Back then there was no kids and no families sailing. It was said then only ones sailing were, "The Newlywed and Almost Dead"...

[CarpeCerevisi]

What they really should do, and something they probably will never do, is put a link on their new logon screen titled “A message from Michael Bayley”. Better yet, “An apology from Michael Bayley”.

 

 

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[rdsxgrl28]

I went in for the heck of just because I am bored at work & trying navigate the website:o

 

Glad I did when everything switched over they failed to import my SO C&A number. They also got his last name wrong. Changed the spelling & dropped his III. :eek::eek: If I hadn't bothered to check it would not match his passport or his SetSail pass I had printed before the site changed.

 

So I would recommend maybe a quick check, we may be an aberration hopefully.

[ONECRUISER]

I read the Michael Bayley letter to mean one of the root causes was the elimination of being able to select amenities and preferences online, not that they are purposely removing them.

 

...The root cause of everyone’s frustration is a combination of many guests having created multiple accounts over the years, the elimination of being able to select amenities and preferences online for our loyal Crown & Anchor members, and mistakes we made in developing and implementing the first release of this new capability. Long story short, we simply did not deliver on this implementation despite our best intentions...

 

...

Agree, that's the way I read it...

[Rbullenut]

Anyone else think that is interesting that it is very hard to find this letter on their FB page, but every five posts I get a sponsored post announcing how they plan to turn Cocoa Cay into a theme park?

[CarpeCerevisi]

Beta testing by regular customers is not unusual.

 

 

 

Biker, who is a Quicken beta tester and does not get paid to do so.

 

 

 

That is quite true, but this is not beta testing, it’s their live system that is being debugged.

 

 

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