Marella Cancellations - Customer Service up to scratch?

[Pensioncruiser]

25 minutes ago, Bertie Doe said:

pay the balance or lose deposit and book Norway thru a competitor, decisions, decisions 🤨

Don't forget its 70 days prior to departure before you have to cancel just ask for the an extension. Gives you a couple of weeks extra to make the decision. 

[Jayneykul]

Pensioncruiser, we were in a suite on Discovery 2 last September and that was fine some of our complaints were: 

1. There were definite staffing issues, we had to wait up to 2 hours most nights to get a seat in the dining room. one night we waited from 7pm to 8.45 and it was then 10pm when we got served our starters!

2. The food in the dining room was at times dreadful and at best akin to school dinners (it was fine in the other venues eg tapas buffet, paying restaurants etc) 

3. The entertainment in the theatre was not very good ........... it goes on

 

Have to say this was in complete contrast to our experiences on explorer 1 and 2 and the cruise we had booked was back on explorer. 

 

My husband much prefers Celebrity or Cunard (and before people jump in we dont find the price any different we get good offers on both as my husband is a senior) so this debacle has put an end to our relationship with TUI

Heres hoping we all see a resolution to our issues soon. I will give them one more week and will then issue a small claims online. it wont speed matters along but it will give me some personal satisfaction

 

[Bertie Doe]

56 minutes ago, Pensioncruiser said:

Don't forget its 70 days prior to departure before you have to cancel just ask for the an extension. Gives you a couple of weeks extra to make the decision. 

 

I didn't know that, thanks. The extra couple of weeks till say, 21st June could make a difference whether we go from Newcastle on 1st August. You never know, things could be back to normal.

 

[Pensioncruiser]

32 minutes ago, Jayneykul said:

My husband much prefers Celebrity or Cunard (and before people jump in we dont find the price any different we get good offers on both as my husband is a senior

Hi Janeykul we were in a JS centre stern we dine early so no problems with that but agree with all other comments and we did have some very disruptive passengers in the Live room so that became a no go area, we have only cruised Marella so can't compare but are now looking at Celebrity. We have been on most of the other ships in the fleet without any problems. They did however sort us out financially and my experience is that if you go down the court route they will not turn up. 

[Pensioncruiser]

1 hour ago, Bertie Doe said:

21st June could make a difference whether we go from Newcastle on 1st August.

Think that's a bit optimistic but hopefully I am wrong but I don't think anyone will be cruising this year or well into next, the cruise lines will try but which ports will accept us and can we get insurance, perhaps I should be more optimistic as we love cruising 😎 

[Bertie Doe]

1 hour ago, Pensioncruiser said:

Think that's a bit optimistic but hopefully I am wrong but I don't think anyone will be cruising this year or well into next, the cruise lines will try but which ports will accept us and can we get insurance, perhaps I should be more optimistic as we love cruising 😎 

 

We Brits are more vulnerable during a pandemic, than most nationalities because we're a nation of travelers, mostly due to our awful weather 😃 which might explain our high figures. You're probably correct about our 1st Aug trip, as most port authorities won't allow entry, while there are new infections.

 

We renew our annual insurance on 1st Jan every year. It includes cruise cover but I haven't studied the small print ...

[nancyneptune]

On 4/23/2020 at 4:24 PM, Pensioncruiser said:

That's our experience four weeks ago. They have sent us an email with the amount but still not in the bank😕

 

My brother also had an email on 18th March with amount of refund.  Still not in the bank despite being told it would be within the week.

 

Tui need to get more of their staff back to work to deal with this as the longer it goes on the more refunds and re- bookings they will have to deal with. 

 

The tax payer is footing the bill for their staff. They have less running costs for their ships. They have had a massive loan to help deal with this. The have probably had thousands of pounds from people who have cancelled and lost their deposits and thousands of pounds in admin. fees  from customers who have changed their cruises / holidays to next year. Not all re- bookings have had a free transfer. They are holding thousands of pounds of deposits for cruises / holidays booked many, many months ahead.

 

Before the pandemic Tui Marella were sailing at full capacity despite the fact that their standards had dropped considerably due to cut backs in staff and quality of food in the restaurants and more and more things customers had to pay for that were included before they became so called  " ALL INCLUSIVE "

 

It's time the big bosses took a pay cut and give more consideration to their customers and stopped giving excuses for delaying refunds.

 

People will remember how they were treated.

[Bertie Doe]

1 hour ago, nancyneptune said:

 

My brother also had an email on 18th March with amount of refund.  Still not in the bank despite being told it would be within the week.

 

Tui need to get more of their staff back to work to deal with this as the longer it goes on the more refunds and re- bookings they will have to deal with. 

 

The tax payer is footing the bill for their staff. They have less running costs for their ships. They have had a massive loan to help deal with this. The have probably had thousands of pounds from people who have cancelled and lost their deposits and thousands of pounds in admin. fees  from customers who have changed their cruises / holidays to next year. Not all re- bookings have had a free transfer. They are holding thousands of pounds of deposits for cruises / holidays booked many, many months ahead.

 

 

Go easy on CEO Fritz Joussen Nancy, the poor guy can't afford a tie :-

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-8212461/Bosses-travel-giant-Tui-pressure-cut-salaries-asking-taxpayer-pay-staff.html

 

 

 

[WeeCountyMan]

Does anybody follow Money Saving Expert ?

 

Martin Lewis's people regularly flag up useful information - this morning it's about the government's watchdog and how to submit a complaint in respect of travel refunds etc.

 

The main article leads on through links to where you can raise a complaint.

 

Article

 

Raise a complaint

[Brummijam]

Perhaps this snippet will alter the views of some of the TUI happy clappers when their dividends fail to turn up. 😳

 

Savers are also sharing the pain from the collapse of holiday bookings caused by the pandemic, as bosses signalled there would be no dividend until Tui has paid back the loan.

[nancyneptune]

2 hours ago, Bertie Doe said:

Go easy on CEO Fritz Joussen Nancy, the poor guy can't afford a tie :-

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-8212461/Bosses-travel-giant-Tui-pressure-cut-salaries-asking-taxpayer-pay-staff.html

 

 

 

 

My heart bleeds for him. 

 

[Pensioncruiser]

3 hours ago, WeeCountyMan said:

The main article leads on through links to where you can raise a complaint

Did this last week 😉

[WeeCountyMan]

I was slightly distracted then - big birthday !!!

 

We got our (May 21st) package holiday heads up email from Andrew Flintham at noon - to enlighten us on options.

 

No thanks Andrew - I'll take the cash refund please.

[Jayneykul]

Thank you for providing the link. I have submitted the complaint. I wanted to send an email today to say I was thinking of issuing proceedings. It says the email is at the bottom of the page (the refund confirm letter) guess what ..... no email! They really are a shower 

[nancyneptune]

Most people who have a Tesco Clubcard will have received an email from the CEO Dave Lewis this morning explaining the measures their stores are taking during the Coronavirus crisis. Apart from the safety measures they have taken in store to safeguard their customers, they have also taken on 12,000 new staff and 4,000 delivery drivers.  Keeping customers up to date with what's happening in the company.

 

I have also received a telephone call from Skipton Building Society this morning Informing me that they have set up a helpline for customers in the 70 and over and vulnerable groups to provide help where it is needed with assisting in delivering medicines and shopping. The lady on the phone chatted away and asked how we were coping. She also said the staff were working five days a week and were open three days a week with distancing measures in place for customers to call in person.

 

Tui.  All their stores closed and the majority of their staff having their salaries paid by the taxpayer, they won't answer the phone,  won't reply to emails and have broken their promises to thousands of customers by telling them their refunds would be paid within a certain time. 

 

Now that the Celebration has been decommissioned  the number of customers waiting for refunds will increase dramatically.  How are they ever going to get on top of this if they don't get their staff back to work, even if it is behind closed doors in their shops.

 

I can't believe they were encouraging new bookings and transfers to the Celebration from current bookings just days before announcing they were retiring the Celebration. 

 

Tui really need to take a long hard look a themselves if they are to gain the trust of their customers in the future.

 

PS. Will really miss the Celebration. We were booked on it later in the year.  A few days ago I was prepared to cancel and lose my deposit but will now wait till I receive " the call " and hopefully get my deposit back.

[Pensioncruiser]

41 minutes ago, nancyneptune said:

A few days ago I was prepared to cancel and lose my deposit but will now wait till I receive " the call " and hopefully get my deposit back.

This will be a very interesting one to follow, will they just class it as a major change and expect you to pay the balance or forfeit your deposit, could be another exceptional circumstances quote. Hope you get the outcome you require please keep us informed. 🤞🤞

[Brummijam]

Received today, This is the first correspondence since March eleventh.

It looks like they have decided it’s “accept refund credits or wait for them to answer their phones” If we ever decide to go with them again I will be trying to pay the balance with Tesco vouchers, I wonder how I will get on.🙄

Keep safe people.

 

Dear Mrs ####, I hope you and those you care about are keeping well during these uncertain times.  I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise for the delay in sending you your refund credit.  Two weeks ago, you received an email letting you know that we'd be sending you your refund credit by 1 May 2020.  The 1 May deadline was set so that we could make improvements to our IT and booking systems, meaning your refund credit could be used as soon as you receive it. We appreciate that you've already been very patient with us. Unfortunately, it's going to take a bit longer than we planned for us to send you your refund credit. Our team have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to get our systems ready for you, but we're not going to be able to meet the deadline we set.  I'm really sorry, and appreciate how frustrating this must be. I can assure you that we are in the final stages of testing and your refund credit will be with you by 15 May 2020. I would also like to reassure you that, if you are not able to accept the refund credit, you can call our contact centre team to discuss this. We have a full FAQ section on our website, where the correct phone numbers and opening hours are detailed. Once again, thank you for your patience and understanding. We look forward to taking you on holiday again soon. Kind regards,

Andrew Flintham Managing Director

 

[nancyneptune]

20 hours ago, Pensioncruiser said:

This will be a very interesting one to follow, will they just class it as a major change and expect you to pay the balance or forfeit your deposit, could be another exceptional circumstances quote. Hope you get the outcome you require please keep us informed. 🤞🤞

 

Will do but I 'm sure it will take a while going by Tui's record on communication.

[Jayneykul]

I hope you get a good outcome Nancy! Best of luck everyone I am 11 days beyond the deadline they gave me 😩

[WeeCountyMan]

On 4/29/2020 at 7:37 PM, Jayneykul said:

Thank you for providing the link. I have submitted the complaint. I wanted to send an email today to say I was thinking of issuing proceedings. It says the email is at the bottom of the page (the refund confirm letter) guess what ..... no email! They really are a shower 

 

Can I suggest a letter by recorded delivery to TUI ? Only costs £2.00 odds.

 

A copy to ABTA would not go amiss - ordinary second class mail would be sufficient.

 

Mind and keep the Certificate of Posting - you can confirm receipt by TUI via Royal Mail online tracker.

 

Also you must keep a copy of your letter - then you have irrefutable proof of having taken the proper action to support your claim, should it come to any lack of response, or similar inertia from TUI.

 

 

[vwgolf]

On ‎4‎/‎30‎/‎2020 at 2:49 PM, nancyneptune said:

Most people who have a Tesco Clubcard will have received an email from the CEO Dave Lewis this morning explaining the measures their stores are taking during the Coronavirus crisis. Apart from the safety measures they have taken in store to safeguard their customers, they have also taken on 12,000 new staff and 4,000 delivery drivers.  Keeping customers up to date with what's happening in the company.

 

.

 

A pity they don't put this into practice. My daughter went to Tesco last week and said it was hell on Earth with no evidence of social distancing and staff standing by as people pushed and shoved their way around the store. She went to Lidl this week and said it was heaven in comparison!

[nancyneptune]

3 hours ago, vwgolf said:

 

A pity they don't put this into practice. My daughter went to Tesco last week and said it was hell on Earth with no evidence of social distancing and staff standing by as people pushed and shoved their way around the store. She went to Lidl this week and said it was heaven in comparison!

 

Not the experience in my part of the country.  My family have said Tesco only allowing a few people in the store at one time. Hand sanitiser and trolley handles wiped down at entrance to store.  Many customers wearing masks.  Arrows on floor and one way system round the store.  Distancing at checkout.  Screens at checkout and customers advised to pay by contactless card where possible. 

 

These measures were also in place when I last visited my local Tesco Metro on March 17th. Had online orders since then .

 

Aldi and Lidl and Marks & Spencer also taking great care to protect their customers and staff. 

 

Which store did your daughter do her shopping in ?   She needs to make a complaint to the management.

 

[kyleshawney]

Maybe a reminder of the thread : Marella Cancellations - Customer Service up to scratch?

[nancyneptune]

2 hours ago, kyleshawney said:

Maybe a reminder of the thread : Marella Cancellations - Customer Service up to scratch?

 

2 hours ago, kyleshawney said:

Maybe a reminder of the thread : Marella Cancellations - Customer Service up to scratch?

 

If you read the posts above the comments were about comparing Tesco and Skipton's good customer service to Tui's absolutely pathetic customer service which many of us in the forum have experienced over the years

 

I was then replying to a comment by VWGOLF

 

We don't need a newbie to remind us what the thread was about. THANK YOU

[vwgolf]

14 hours ago, nancyneptune said:

 

 

 

Which store did your daughter do her shopping in ?   She needs to make a complaint to the management.

 

 

She did and received a very apologetic email back.

 

Best keep the conversation to TUI now before I'm arrested!