Celebrity Customer Service - should I be worried?

[Arizona Wildcat]

An hour ago I called Celebrity about my upcoming cruises on Summit. 7/25 NY to Bermuda and 8/1 NY to Southampton.

I was informed that I could only cancel under CWC.  When I asked about the email I received about Canada's port closures; the agent informed me that the TA cruise was not effected by Canada closing its waters because "Halifax is in Nova Scotia, not Canada.  She would not escalate my call and hung up after I insisted Nova Scotia was part of Canada.

Right now too angry to call back.

 

[Fouremco]

Ah, the joys of dealing with Celebrity's onshore staff. Thank goodness their ships' crews aren't as clueless. I don't want to paint with too broad a brush, as some are excellent, but some are absolutely terrible. Refusing to escalate the call is atrocious.

 

Better luck with your next call!

[LGW59]

19 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

An hour ago I called Celebrity about my upcoming cruises on Summit. 7/25 NY to Bermuda and 8/1 NY to Southampton.

I was informed that I could only cancel under CWC.  When I asked about the email I received about Canada's port closures; the agent informed me that the TA cruise was not effected by Canada closing its waters because "Halifax is in Nova Scotia, not Canada.  She would not escalate my call and hung up after I insisted Nova Scotia was part of Canada.

Right now too angry to call back.

 

Often times I have better luck with the chat feature on their website, I start there and then I have always been able to get someone to call me directly to discuss further and generally with a good end result.

[ORV]

Gotta love having that control over your reservation. Just another reason we use a TA. 

[jelayne]

The 7/25 cruise should not be impacted by the action of Canada as there is no stop in Canada.

  Possibly the 8/1 cruise will be able to go with just a cancellation of the port stop in Halifax or substitution of another port.  

[Welland]

Definitely call back and speak with another agent.   If you get the same type of answer I would ask again to speak with a supervisor.   We all know that Halifax is in Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia IS in Canada.   Obviously the agents manning the phones have not been given the correct information.  I'm not sure that anyone will be able to answer your question yet.    I am not sure as to whether or not a TA crossing's requirements are for a port in Canada.  

 

Good luck.   Please come back and post the information you receive.

 

Thanks and happy cruising.

[Arizona Wildcat]

5 minutes ago, Welland said:

Definitely call back and speak with another agent.   If you get the same type of answer I would ask again to speak with a supervisor.   We all know that Halifax is in Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia IS in Canada.   Obviously the agents manning the phones have not been given the correct information.  I'm not sure that anyone will be able to answer your question yet.    I am not sure as to whether or not a TA crossing's requirements are for a port in Canada.  

 

Good luck.   Please come back and post the information you receive.

 

Thanks and happy cruising.

Was told this time that the cruise was still on and they were investigating new ports.  The new agent said they thought the 14 day limit did not apply as the ship was not returning to US waters on this cruise.  Was told I could hold for a supervisor - estimated 2+ hours.  A call back not possible.

In my original post I mentioned a 7/25 Bermuda cruise.  All I wanted to do there was cancel or clarify my FCCs.  Never got an opportunity to ask.

[wrk2cruise]

I believe that departing Boston for the TA would come under the jurisdiction of CDC.  The return certainly would.  I doubt they would sail over and return without passengers.   I really don't see the Summit TA sailing this year but of course nobody is going to be able to tell you anything until they announce a decision on it probably several months from now.   As far as Canada goes they could easily just drop those stops.

 

What I really am finding interesting is we know what the CDC and Canada are thinking regarding cruises.   What about the UK, Netherlands, Spain, Italy which all home port Celebrity ships this summer.  Are any of them being at all optimistic for a restart this summer?

[TeaBag]

2 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

An hour ago I called Celebrity about my upcoming cruises on Summit. 7/25 NY to Bermuda and 8/1 NY to Southampton.

I was informed that I could only cancel under CWC.  When I asked about the email I received about Canada's port closures; the agent informed me that the TA cruise was not effected by Canada closing its waters because "Halifax is in Nova Scotia, not Canada.  She would not escalate my call and hung up after I insisted Nova Scotia was part of Canada.

Right now too angry to call back.

 

Wow, just wow!  Working in the travel business and no concept whatever of geography.  No manners either, hanging up on a concerned cruiser already booked.  I hope you get this sorted and that you get to cruise.

[TeeRick]

17 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

An hour ago I called Celebrity about my upcoming cruises on Summit. 7/25 NY to Bermuda and 8/1 NY to Southampton.

I was informed that I could only cancel under CWC.  When I asked about the email I received about Canada's port closures; the agent informed me that the TA cruise was not effected by Canada closing its waters because "Halifax is in Nova Scotia, not Canada.  She would not escalate my call and hung up after I insisted Nova Scotia was part of Canada.

Right now too angry to call back.

 

OK there is also a Halifax in the UK.  My dw and I watch a BBC show on Netflix called Last Tango In Halifax.  Great show!  We were thinking initially that it was about Canada but actually the story centers around Halifax in the UK.   But no excuse for the agent who apparently did not even know that Nova Scotia is in Canada.  Sorry this is kind of a funny story to me anyway.  

[drakes2]

17 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Ah, the joys of dealing with Celebrity's onshore staff. Thank goodness their ships' crews aren't as clueless. I don't want to paint with too broad a brush, as some are excellent, but some are absolutely terrible. Refusing to escalate the call is atrocious.

 

Better luck with your next call!

Some of celebrity's reps are pretty useless. I get more correct information from these boards. How about Canada is not part of North America? Heard that too. 

[upwarduk]

35 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

OK there is also a Halifax in the UK.  My dw and I watch a BBC show on Netflix called Last Tango In Halifax.  Great show!  We were thinking initially that it was about Canada but actually the story centers around Halifax in the UK.   But no excuse for the agent who apparently did not even know that Nova Scotia is in Canada.  Sorry this is kind of a funny story to me anyway.  

Just love ‘Last Tango in Halifax,’ which I watch  mainly for the scenery, to see if I can identify where it is. It is filmed not too far from where we live, just outside Huddersfield. 
 

There are a number of towns in the continent of North America, which were named after towns in UK which the Pilgrim Fathers left: 

Birmingham AL

Boston MA

Halifax

London OH

Manchester NH

Rochester New York

(New) York 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locations_in_the_United_States_with_an_English_name

Edited February 16, 2021 by upwarduk

[TeeRick]

51 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

Just love ‘Last Tango in Halifax,’ which I watch  mainly for the scenery, to see if I can identify where it is. It is filmed not too far from where we live, just outside Huddersfield. 
 

There are a number of towns in the continent of North America, which were named after towns in UK which the Pilgrim Fathers left: 

Birmingham AL

Boston MA

Halifax

London OH

Manchester NH

Rochester New York

(New) York 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locations_in_the_United_States_with_an_English_name

You actually left out Plymouth, MA where the Pilgrim founders landed and stepped on Plymouth Rock.

[poffles]

17 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Was told this time that the cruise was still on and they were investigating new ports.  The new agent said they thought the 14 day limit did not apply as the ship was not returning to US waters on this cruise.  Was told I could hold for a supervisor - estimated 2+ hours.  A call back not possible.

In my original post I mentioned a 7/25 Bermuda cruise.  All I wanted to do there was cancel or clarify my FCCs.  Never got an opportunity to ask.

 

Maybe the port will be replaced by Charlottetown, PEI ... that's not in Canada *wink wink* 🙂

 

Oh my.  I suspect you might have some extra Sea Days.

 

[LGW59]

3 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Just love ‘Last Tango in Halifax,’ which I watch  mainly for the scenery, to see if I can identify where it is. It is filmed not too far from where we live, just outside Huddersfield. 
 

There are a number of towns in the continent of North America, which were named after towns in UK which the Pilgrim Fathers left: 

Birmingham AL

Boston MA

Halifax

London OH

Manchester NH

Rochester New York

(New) York 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locations_in_the_United_States_with_an_English_name

 

Cambridge, MA

Worcester, MA

Portsmouth, NH

New London, CT

New Britain, CT

Newport, RI

New England (a region of 6 states on the east coast)

 

There are many more but these easily come to my mind (which is not to easy to do these days).

[TeeRick]

19 hours ago, LGW59 said:

 

Cambridge, MA

Worcester, MA

Portsmouth, NH

New London, CT

New Britain, CT

Newport, RI

New England (a region of 6 states on the east coast)

 

There are many more but these easily come to my mind (which is not to easy to do these days).

I live in Worcester Township, PA but grew up in MA.  I had to get used to the pronunciation here (War-ses-ter).  In MA it is pronounced (Wooster or Wister).  Just like Gloucester in MA is Glawster.😀

[LGW59]

4 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I live in Worcester Township, PA but grew up in MA.  I had to get used to the pronunciation here (War-ses-ter).  In MA it is pronounced (Wooster or Wister).  Just like Gloucester in MA is Glawster.😀

Too funny, Wooster is the correct pronunciation, confuses the heck out of people.  Years ago I saw Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers at was then the Worcester Centrum, Dolly bounded on stage, and proudly said "well hello Warsester, I am so happy to be here"  the crowd went crazy.

[Ashland]

On 2/15/2021 at 3:06 PM, wrk2cruise said:

I believe that departing Boston for the TA would come under the jurisdiction of CDC.  The return certainly would.  I doubt they would sail over and return without passengers.   I really don't see the Summit TA sailing this year but of course nobody is going to be able to tell you anything until they announce a decision on it probably several months from now.   As far as Canada goes they could easily just drop those stops.

 

What I really am finding interesting is we know what the CDC and Canada are thinking regarding cruises.   What about the UK, Netherlands, Spain, Italy which all home port Celebrity ships this summer.  Are any of them being at all optimistic for a restart this summer?

Yes...What about the Netherlands itineraries? I'm hoping Celebrity cancels my July 26, 2021 instead of stringing us along until after final payment.

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Yes...What about the Netherlands itineraries? I'm hoping Celebrity cancels my July 26, 2021 instead of stringing us along until after final payment.

Ditto for my APEX Aug 28, 2021 Med cruise

[dkjretired]

I'd be more concerned about whether you're going to Bermuda or not.  

[ChucktownSteve]

On 2/15/2021 at 4:19 PM, ORV said:

Gotta love having that control over your reservation. Just another reason we use a TA. 

 

Yep.  Not to mention the OBC your TA gives you that XX doesn't

[drakes2]

27 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Yep.  Not to mention the OBC your TA gives you that XX doesn't

I've had lots of $$$ in OBC from X plus some great wines left in my cabin.

[wrk2cruise]

OBC from X has to be spent with X.  OBC from my TA can go home with me.  Since I usually do suites and sail mostly for relaxation in the Caribbean I generally have enough Celebrity OBC to take care of my onboard expenses and all my OBCR goes home with me.  More like a 10% discount on the cruise fare.