Future Cruise Deposit - CAVEAT EMPTOR!

[whystayhome]

Here are excerpts [identifying information deleted] of a letter I sent to Richard Meadows and copied to Seabourn Club about inaccurate information I was given on board about future cruise deposits:

 

"Dear Mr. Meadows,

 

"Thank you so much for heading up a company that has given so much pleasure to me, my husband, our children, and our friends over the years. 

 

"I am writing to express disappointment about misinformation I was given on board about the terms of the  future cruise deposit, which led me to purchase two additional [unnecessary] future cruise deposits when I was on the Odyssey May 28 - June 9, 2018.

 

"When I was sailing on the Odyssey in May 2018, I purchased future cruise deposits for me and my husband and mentioned to the future cruise consultant  that I would like to bring my children on board in the future. She told me I could purchase additional deposits in my name and use them in the future for my children so long as they sailed with us.  I was delighted and did so.

 

"My husband and I booked another cruise on the Odyssey October 20 - November 7, 2018. In August 2018, I decided to bring one of  my daughters and her husband on the first week of the cruise with us, October 20 - October 27, 2018. 

 

"When I called Seabourn to book, I was told I could NOT use my extra future cruise deposits for them. I tried the old thank you-hang up-call back strategy and was again told by a different agent that I could not apply the future cruise deposit to their booking. I asked the agent I spoke with to consult a supervisor, she did, and the answer was the same. I was mildly irritated, but the sums involved were not that significant, so I moved on and paid full fare for the cruise for the children.

 

"Here is why I am truly annoyed and why I am writing to you.

 

"When I was on board the Odyssey this past month, I spoke to the future cruise consultant [Chanel] about itineraries of interest. Although I already had two future cruise deposits on file that I could not use for my children, we discussed whether I should purchase additional ones, in case I wanted to book two separate cruises before sailing again.  One of the first things Chanel mentioned as an advantage of that strategy was that I could apply the future cruise deposit to family members if they were sailing with us, as she knew our children were on board.  She was very surprised that I had not been allowed to apply the deposit to my children's fare as that information was what she had been trained to impart to clients.  She said that she had told at least 100 passengers that they could use the future cruise deposit for family members sailing with them.

 

"I have absolutely no criticism of Chanel or the previous future cruise consultant that I worked with, as obviously both of them had been told the same thing during their training. They were both pleasant, personable, and professional and seemed truly motivated to provide a high level of service to passengers. Chanel tried to resolve this matter with the home office for me while I was on board but to no avail.

 

"Here is what I would like: consistency.

 

"If Seabourn's policy is that passengers cannot apply future cruise deposits to family members who are traveling with them, please do not train the future cruise consultants to tell us that we can. If we can apply future cruise deposits to family members, then I believe I am entitled to compensation in the amount of a refund for 5% of my children's fare plus the $1000 I already had on deposit.

 

"I appreciate your looking into this matter.  We will of course continue to sail on Seabourn no matter what the outcome.  And again, thank you for providing such a wonderful cruise experience."

 

I will let you know what Mr. Meadows and/or the Club respond, but I was rather irked about what seemed like bait-and-switch to me.  Anyone else had this experience?

 

Linda

[markham]

Whystayathome,

 

No, I have not experienced the same thing. But I am chiming in to say that you are doing a great service to Seabourn and for that reason Seabourn should do something very special for you!

 

Your letter was clear and your delivery patient. Well done!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[margbem]

We did the same thing. We took both our sons and their wives with us, having paid future cruise deposits on a previous cruise. WE paid for all six of us but were not allowed to apply the deposits to the bookings for our sons. We never took it any further. Maybe we should have.

[galeforce9]

Hi Linda.  Hope you had a decent journey home.

 

We did this a couple of years ago on Sojourn.  I believe but can’t fully remember that the deposits had to be in their name (brother and father).  It was made easier in that we bought the deposits on a Sojourn cruise then applied them immediately at the future cruise desk to a booking on Sojourn six weeks later.  We transferred the booking to our ta when we got home. 

Edited November 16, 2018 by galeforce9

[MalbecWine]

Using a Travel Agent might have sorted this all out

[whystayhome]

20 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Hi Linda.  Hope you had a decent journey home.

 

We did this a couple of years ago on Sojourn.  I believe but can’t fully remember that the deposits had to be in their name (brother and father).  It was made easier in that we bought the deposits on a Sojourn cruise then applied them immediately at the future cruise desk to a booking on Sojourn six weeks later.  We transferred the booking to our ta when we got home. 

 

Hi Eleanor

 

Overall, it was a wonderful trip, wasn’t it?  I still can’t believe the intensity of the rain in Provence.  

 

When I did Antarctica in Jan 2017 with my SIL, she was able to buy a future cruise deposit in her husband’s name, even though he was not with us.  When I bought the FCD in May 2018, I was told one could no longer purchase them in other people’s names, but was assured that there would be no problem applying it to my children’s fare so long as they sailed with us. We’ll see what Seabourn mission control says.

 

On to new drama.  We were planning to have the whole family in the San Francisco Bay Area for Thanksgiving, but my daughter (the one who was sailing with us for the first portion of the cruise) told us the press is not exaggerating; the air is so bad we should not come.  Very disappointed and sad for the people in Northern California.

 

Our best to your family

 

Linda