The Emergency Travel Team number on app is WRONG

[bEwAbG]

Both people had to stay to pay the bill?  One couldn't have returned to the meeting point to explain what was going on?  There's an announced meeting time for a reason.  Considering it was your fault that you were late, I think the shore excursion refund is more than generous. 

 

Not sure that your social media tirade is going to garner too much sympathy considering that your issue is with how to dial a phone.  Even if you had managed to contact someone, they would have likely advised you to get back to the ship on your own. 

[SalManila]

Wow, this is my first post on this website.  I regret joining and posting now.  My goal was to inform so that it doesn’t happen to someone else who may not have as much cash on hand like we happen to have that day, who may be 1st time cruisers (we are not, but this was our first with Celebrity), are young and/or not well travelled.  To answer someone’s question, yes, we were in danger of missing the ship and that’s why we were trying to call the emergency number.  And yes, I dialed the number AS IT IS WRITTEN ON THE APP.  However, when it became apparent that we were not going to miss the ship because the driver was speeding to get us back, we relaxed.  No need to google the country code and such.  And yes, in hindsight, one of us should have gone out front to tell our guide what was going on.  But, since we waited for others at the previous stops and he said he wasn’t going to leave us, we figured 5-10 minutes was not a big deal.  Hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it.  Those who were sympathetic, thank you.  It was an adventure and a learning experience.  To those who were not, I hope a mishap never happens to you or anyone you know.

 

Update: we received a call from Celebrity today. They admitted that the phone number, as it is written on their app, is wrong!  The rep that called said that there should be a “+” before the “1” and they are working to correct it.  Mission accomplished.  

 

Bye y’all.

[SalManila]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I think that the title of the thread is wrong, or at least, misleading. 

 

"We tried to call the emergency number listed on the Celebrity app, 1-305-982-2700, but got a recording in Spanish (see attachments)."

 

That number is correct.  

 

I hate to say, but the OP just didn't know how to use his/her phone when outside the US.  

 

 

 

Thanks for your response.  Please see mine above.  I think you missed my point - that the number, as it is written on their app, is wrong. They have acknowledged it and are working to correct it.

[cruiserchuck]

1 hour ago, SalManila said:

Update: we received a call from Celebrity today. They admitted that the phone number, as it is written on their app, is wrong!  The rep that called said that there should be a “+” before the “1” and they are working to correct it.  Mission accomplished.  

 

 

Celebrity is well known for its IT issues.  However, I do not think you can dial a plus on your phone, so I do not think adding it will clear up any confusion there is.  

 

We always seem to have difficulty with our phones when traveling out of the country, so we always try to be on time to avoid problems.

 

[SalManila]

42 minutes ago, cruiserchuck said:

 

Celebrity is well known for its IT issues.  However, I do not think you can dial a plus on your phone, so I do not think adding it will clear up any confusion there is.  

 

We always seem to have difficulty with our phones when traveling out of the country, so we always try to be on time to avoid problems.

 

 

You need to hold down the “0” to get a “+”.

 

We usually use tour companies that have gotten good reviews on TripAdvisor to avoid large groups and to make it more personalized.  We didn’t have much choice in Panama, however, because the ship was docked in Colon and most TA tours originated in Panama City.  Lesson learned.  Never again.

 

[Orator]

I found this thread to be very valuable and hope the the OP brings other questions and concerns to Cruise Critic. 

[Richard&JohnSTX]

33 minutes ago, Orator said:

I found this thread to be very valuable and hope the the OP brings other questions and concerns to Cruise Critic. 

I agree. 

[MarLieb]

OP,  thanks for bringing up this topic.  I've learned a lot of valuable lessons by reading through the threads.  Although I've traveled quite a bit, I am not well-versed in making calls back to the US from a foreign country and I probably would have done exactly what you did and simply dialed the number as it was listed on the app.  I now know I need to educate myself on how to do this.  I also had no idea what a port agent was and that I should call them in an emergency.  I will now take a photo of the daily before leaving the ship as well.  My son has an anxiety disorder and, even when we are on excursions booked through the ship and that the cruise line guarantees they won't leave without us, he gets nervous at times.  This just gives me an extra tool to assuage his fears and to let him know I have a good number to contact in case of emergency.  Thanks for the info!

[pd7277]

Thank you!!  Now have that number in my phone!

[Shadow9612]

2 hours ago, Orator said:

I found this thread to be very valuable and hope the the OP brings other questions and concerns to Cruise Critic. 

Agreed.

 

I learned a lot - and in fact, I just programmed the Celebrity emergency number in my cell phone contact list, with the + sign 

 

Thanks to the OP for bringing up this valuable content.

 

 

[ipeeinthepool]

Having the Port Agent’s number is probably good policy whenever you get off the ship.  

 

But I have more sympathy than most with the OP.  We can argue about why they were late or if it was their fault, but ultimately it’s the tour company’s responsibility to find them and get them back to the ship.  Maybe they were inconsiderate or maybe they were hurt, it is the tour operator’s responsibility to find them and get them back to the ship.

[Ross K]

9 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

Having the Port Agent’s number is probably good policy whenever you get off the ship.  

 

But I have more sympathy than most with the OP.  We can argue about why they were late or if it was their fault, but ultimately it’s the tour company’s responsibility to find them and get them back to the ship.  Maybe they were inconsiderate or maybe they were hurt, it is the tour operator’s responsibility to find them and get them back to the ship.

 

I think this is the crux of the problem and perhaps what causes these social media posts. It literally isn’t the tour company’s responsibility to get you back to the ship if you do not arrive at the rendezvous point at the time specified. Just like it isn’t the cruise company’s responsibility to get you home on the ship, if you do not turn up to the port at the right time. The tour company is only responsbile for you if you follow all the directions they provide and you arrive at the designated points on time. If you do not, you are on your own. 

[ipeeinthepool]

6 minutes ago, Ross K said:

 

I think this is the crux of the problem and perhaps what causes these social media posts. It literally isn’t the tour company’s responsibility to get you back to the ship if you do not arrive at the rendezvous point at the time specified. Just like it isn’t the cruise company’s responsibility to get you home on the ship, if you do not turn up to the port at the right time. The tour company is only responsbile for you if you follow all the directions they provide and you arrive at the designated points on time. If you do not, you are on your own. 

I’ll respectfully disagree 100%.  The tour company on a ship sponsored excursion has the duty to find you and get you back to the ship.  Unless they find you how do they know if you were hurt or robbed or lost due to bad directions.  A private tour is a completely different issue 

Edited February 12, 2019 by ipeeinthepool

[Ross K]

Just now, ipeeinthepool said:

I’ll respectfully disagree 100%.  The tour company on a ship sponsored excursion has the duty to find you and get you back to the ship.  Unless they find you how do they know if you were hurt or robbed or lost due to bad directions.  A private Toto’s a completely different issue 

 

You can disagree with me - but unless your contract with them states they have said responsibility, they do not. Whether they have a moral duty is a different matter. They have no contractual responsibility to do so if you fail to turn up on time.

[ipeeinthepool]

We can argue about if my contract is with the operator or Celebrity, but the guarantee is to get me back to the ship safely

[bEwAbG]

The cruise ticket contract specifically disclaims any liability related to shore excursions (who are independent contractors).  The shore excursion companies almost always have something in the fine print about having to follow the guide's instructions for their terms & conditions to apply.  They are not responsible for tracking you down if you don't show up.  I doubt any one of them routinely leaves people behind for sport, but there is a degree of personal responsibility involved in making sure you as a tourist are doing your part to be where you're supposed to be at the agreed-upon time.

[Ross K]

2 hours ago, bEwAbG said:

The cruise ticket contract specifically disclaims any liability related to shore excursions (who are independent contractors).  The shore excursion companies almost always have something in the fine print about having to follow the guide's instructions for their terms & conditions to apply.  They are not responsible for tracking you down if you don't show up.  I doubt any one of them routinely leaves people behind for sport, but there is a degree of personal responsibility involved in making sure you as a tourist are doing your part to be where you're supposed to be at the agreed-upon time.

 

Exactly right.

[Orator]

3 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

I’ll respectfully disagree 100%.  The tour company on a ship sponsored excursion has the duty to find you and get you back to the ship.  Unless they find you how do they know if you were hurt or robbed or lost due to bad directions.  A private tour is a completely different issue 

YOU know where you are. The tour operator has no idea! What are they to do? Should they ride around the streets trying to spot you? Should they go into every possible tourist site and check. See the passenger knows where they are and aware of the situation it is their responsibility to make contact. The OP tried that and had difficulty. What about the other passengers on the bus? Have you ever been on a bus that waited for a missing passenger? I have many times and often it's not nice.  

[Jim_Iain]

I would agree that the tour operators usually are pretty good at rounding up folks.   We were recently on a tour in Japan and one large group or Indian's were late back at each stop.   On the last stop 1/2 of the family didn't show up at the bus.  We ended up waiting 1 hour and finally the Tour guide called her supervisor and it was approved to leave them behind.   

 

We later found that one of them was not feeling well and took a cab back to the ship and never told even her family group.   End result was 30 of us were held up because of someone not following instructions. 

 

 

[Orator]

2 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I would agree that the tour operators usually are pretty good at rounding up folks.   We were recently on a tour in Japan and one large group or Indian's were late back at each stop.   On the last stop 1/2 of the family didn't show up at the bus.  We ended up waiting 1 hour and finally the Tour guide called her supervisor and it was approved to leave them behind.   

 

We later found that one of them was not feeling well and took a cab back to the ship and never told even her family group.   End result was 30 of us were held up because of someone not following instructions. 

 

 

You include a very important fact: The guide does not unilaterally make a decision to leave, they must get authorization from a Supervisor. Remember the thread where  passengers decided on their own to take a cab from Florence back to the Port?

They didn't tell anyone that they were leaving the tour. The bus was available and waiting for them. The kicker: They wanted Celebrity to pay for the cab that they chose to take. 

[Fogfog]

OK

So WHAT is the correct number that can be saved in a US based cell phone that will always work?

 

Honestly I would have expected it to be to the ship or port mgr... I didn't even know there was a number that rings in FL for emergencies..

 

I appreciate the OPs post. Learned something here. 

 

[ipeeinthepool]

24 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I would agree that the tour operators usually are pretty good at rounding up folks.   We were recently on a tour in Japan and one large group or Indian's were late back at each stop.   On the last stop 1/2 of the family didn't show up at the bus.  We ended up waiting 1 hour and finally the Tour guide called her supervisor and it was approved to leave them behind.   

 

We later found that one of them was not feeling well and took a cab back to the ship and never told even her family group.   End result was 30 of us were held up because of someone not following instructions. 

 

 

 

I’ve also been there waiting for someone that was late.  Your tour indicates how it should work.  What we don’t know is what did the supervisor do after you left.  I suspect that they had someone in the area looking for the guests until they wee notified the guests were back on the ship.  The tour operator and the cruise line need to work together in these situations.  If not, I think Jim Walker will get a new client.

[SalManila]

46 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

OK

So WHAT is the correct number that can be saved in a US based cell phone that will always work?

 

Honestly I would have expected it to be to the ship or port mgr... I didn't even know there was a number that rings in FL for emergencies..

 

I appreciate the OPs post. Learned something here. 

 

 

Thanks.  It is +1 305 982 2700.  It is what is written on the back of the SeaPass.  The "+" is what is missing on the app and what I was trying to bring to Celebrity's attention.  

Edited February 12, 2019 by SalManila

[SalManila]

17 hours ago, Orator said:

I found this thread to be very valuable and hope the the OP brings other questions and concerns to Cruise Critic. 

 

Thank you.

[Fogfog]

53 minutes ago, SalManila said:

 

Thanks.  It is +1 305 982 2700.  It is what is written on the back of the SeaPass.  The "+" is what is missing on the app and what I was trying to bring to Celebrity's attention.  

Thanks, Added it through google on my laptop contacts--which transferred into my phone with the +  which does appear. I would never have known how to make a + appear by holding down the 0

Hope to never need it

Edited February 12, 2019 by Fogfog