3 Week Response Time for Emails

[Tigrou]

I e-mailed Celebrity on 13th May.  Today I've received the following:

 

Thank you for reaching out to Celebrity Cruises,

`

Due to recent global, public health circumstances surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on our sailings, it is taking us longer than usual to respond to our guests. Currently, we are looking at three-week delay for any correspondence. Please rest assured we are doing everything we can to expedite your email as soon as possible. We will be reaching out in the next 3 weeks to assist with your email inquiry.

During this uncertain time, we understand that you may have an urgent matter. If you need assistance right away, please don't hesitate to call our Engagement Center at, U.S. and CAN: 844-418-6824 or outside of the U.S. and Canada: 1-316-554-5961.

Thank you again for your email. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

`

`

Celebrity Cruises

 

 

I know they are busy and it wasn't "an urgent matter", hence I e-mailed.  I didn't expect an immediate response but I also didn't expect it to take 3 weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

[pl281]

As someone who has worked in customer service (not a call center) - This doesn't surprise me and I give Celebrity kudos for at least giving an auto-reply and trying to set expectations.

 

What I can give as an example is if they get 1000 new "issues" per day (email and phone calls) but can only resolve 750 per day, there is going to be a backlog. Unfortunately I have found that it isn't just First In, First Out, that it is a mix of that as well as addressing new issues as they are happening depending on which  "channel" they are coming from. 

 

So of the 250 that were left over from day 1 they may only get to 50 of them on day 2 and so forth. Additionally Celebrity has publicly stated that they have reduced their shoreside staff as well which means fewer people to deal with these items. 

 

I'm guessing they are just getting caught up with all the FCC / refunds from the first batch of cancelations, I am guessing they will have another grouping to deal with in the next few weeks depending on if / when they cancel additional cruises.

[Lady Arwen]

31 minutes ago, Tigrou said:

I e-mailed Celebrity on 13th May.  Today I've received the following:

 

Thank you for reaching out to Celebrity Cruises,

`

Due to recent global, public health circumstances surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on our sailings, it is taking us longer than usual to respond to our guests. Currently, we are looking at three-week delay for any correspondence. Please rest assured we are doing everything we can to expedite your email as soon as possible. We will be reaching out in the next 3 weeks to assist with your email inquiry.

During this uncertain time, we understand that you may have an urgent matter. If you need assistance right away, please don't hesitate to call our Engagement Center at, U.S. and CAN: 844-418-6824 or outside of the U.S. and Canada: 1-316-554-5961.

Thank you again for your email. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

`

`

Celebrity Cruises

 

 

I know they are busy and it wasn't "an urgent matter", hence I e-mailed.  I didn't expect an immediate response but I also didn't expect it to take 3 weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of folks wanting to connect with Celebrity.  This is an extraordinarily busy time for them and I compliment them on at least acknowledging your email so quickly.  If you need your answer quickly just try to call them.  I called last Sunday at 9am and had no wait time at all.

[jelayne]

At to the equation  call center staff have been working from home since cruise lines aren’t an essential business.

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, pl281 said:

As someone who has worked in customer service (not a call center) - This doesn't surprise me and I give Celebrity kudos for at least giving an auto-reply and trying to set expectations.

2 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of folks wanting to connect with Celebrity.  This is an extraordinarily busy time for them and I compliment them on at least acknowledging your email so quickly.

In today's day and age, I'm not sure that an auto reply two or three days after receipt of an email should be considered quick. I commented on this yesterday:

 

 

The three week estimate in providing an actual response I have no problem with given the circumstances they are facing today.

 

[upwarduk]

Tigrou,

As you are in the UK try:

captainsclub.uk@celebritycruises.com

I used that email address and got a fairly rapid reply.

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by upwarduk

[Prost Seattle]

I wish Celebrity/RCL would publish how many employees in HQ they have working on these issues.  It would either be ‘come on, get your act together’. Or ‘OMG, that few amount of people are doing that much work?’ 

[phoenix_dream]

Besides the obvious, one of the major problems can be identified just by reading some of the postings on these boards.  People with issues (and isn't that most of us) talk about emailing (and calling) over and over and over and over, often daily.  This does NOT help anyone get help faster and it DOES slow down the entire process exponentially.   For the love of heaven, if you are one of these people, stop doing this!  It won't make them respond faster.  All it does is tie up their time as they have to read each and every one of these emails eventually.  One follow-up to make sure they got the first email?  Ok, perhaps that makes sense.  But doing it this way helps no one, including you!  Please stop.  I understand frustration - I've had 3 cruises cancelled so far, lifted and shifted one, and have 2 more to deal with this year.  But this process only makes things worse.