Management response to serious onboard complaints?

[Harry Peterson]

Are there any views on this? I hear suggestions on other forums that even serious complaints are ignored.

[shipgeeks]

We've never had any onboard complaints, so can't answer that.

However, the one or two times we had a question for Guest Services, if there were several people in line, an additional staff member would work down the line taking care of issues rather than making people wait for a desk person.

[Homosassa]

I have witnessed the reaction to a complaint that started "On Carnival..." 

 

The response was "You are not on Carnival. Next in line."

 

As I was next in line, I had to stop laughing to be able to ask my question.

[Rotterdam]

Always know your source...after dozens of cruises on many lines since the mid 1970's & several on MSC...  . I've been quite happy w MSC & it's product...it's not the RITZ in Paris.

The best l ever heard was a man coming out if the buffet on the MERAVIGLIA one afternoon complaint all they had was hamburgers & hotdogs.,..oiy.

People are expecting a RITZ Carlton experience at a HAL cost......lol

[GOLDENBONNY]

On 8/15/2021 at 9:53 AM, Homosassa said:

I have witnessed the reaction to a complaint that started "On Carnival..." 

 

The response was "You are not on Carnival. Next in line."

 

As I was next in line, I had to stop laughing to be able to ask my question.

lol love it!! 

[sfaaa]

Serious complaint to some may be minor inconvenience or nuisance to others. It all depends on how you define the term "serious'.

[Harry Peterson]

33 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

Serious complaint to some may be minor inconvenience or nuisance to others. It all depends on how you define the term "serious'.

I was thinking more in terms of a complaint against an employee for inappropriate behaviour which would breach company rules - would it be investigated, or swept under the carpet?

[gtaylor]

20 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I was thinking more in terms of a complaint against an employee for inappropriate behaviour which would breach company rules - would it be investigated, or swept under the carpet?

Wow, why didn't you include that little tidbit in your original post?

 

Sets sort of a different tone to the discussion.

 

gary

[shipgeeks]

6 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

I was thinking more in terms of a complaint against an employee for inappropriate behaviour which would breach company rules - would it be investigated, or swept under the carpet?

I've been reading CC for a number of years, and I know that people have no problem airing a complaint. ("Overcharged for drinks!"  "They changed my cabin!"  "Worst cruise ever!")

But I've never seen a complaint along those lines.  

Is there some reason you think it might not be investigated, if that happened?

[Essiesmom]

7 hours ago, gtaylor said:

Wow, why didn't you include that little tidbit in your original post?

 

Sets sort of a different tone to the discussion.

 

gary

This is the third thread on this board about a particular incident.  The other two went poof.  I think the OP is trying again…. EM

[Harry Peterson]

9 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

This is the third thread on this board about a particular incident.  The other two went poof.  I think the OP is trying again…. EM

Hardly. I’ve never posted in the MSC forums, and I’ve not yet sailed with MSC, but I do take an interest in all potential cruise holidays, and the reputation of companies in handling any problems that might arise.

 

It’s a fair question, I think, and a relevant one.  Reputations matter, which is why I would avoid a certain unnamed British hotel operator - because I know how they handle perfectly reasonable complaints.

[KeepSailing]

If it is truly a serious complaint, I think the first question is whether the customer is willing to put it in writing - so a credible investigation can be conducted.  If they will not put it in writing, is it really serious?

 

I have seen lots of examples of service shortfall issues in these various forums that the posters say the cruise line tried to make their best to fix. 

 

But, if the complaint is really "serious", often times we will never hear of the final resolution due to legal or privacy concerns (except for those few instances we all see in the trade press where the allegations were substantiated and action was taken).

 

As to prior posts going "poof", unfortunately when they contain unsubstantiated, third party (I heard from someone who heard from someone else) and also cross the line as to what is allowed in the forums under the CC guidelines, I suppose it is to be expected that they are removed?

[sojodave]

I bet someone working the complaint desk on any cruise line could write a pretty funny book about the complaints from cruisers. When we were on the Oasis, we were walking down the hall and a person was screaming at their cabin steward that they found a hair in the shower and the hair didn't belong to anyone that was in their party and he wanted a DNA test to find out whose hair it was.  bwhahahahahah.

[Stockjock]

I have had them reply to concerns, but I think they ignore most of them.  Here's a message I sent 3 times with no response.  I'm sure someone or other will criticize over this, but that's par for the course.

 

We sailed on MSC Seaside recently.  While we had a good time overall, there were some issues.

 

1. Booked this cruise on Seaside. Package showed to be free drinks, but for some reason my sailing only included drinks at dinner. Later, a better promotion including "drinks anytime" appeared. Was told I could change to the new promotion and keep the same nice midship balcony cabin. Moved to the new promo and they moved the cabin to a far less desirable room, very front of the ship, so less desirable location, smaller cabin, with a steel balcony (rather than the usual glass), and obviously it's hard to see through steel. Took many months, calls, e-mails, and nearly an Act of God to get the problem fixed.

 

2. We were ultimately assigned to a cabin which was directly below the buffet.  There was considerable noise from chairs above being moved about, which was annoying.

 

3.  In the main dining room (Ipanema) the menus were often stained with oily food stains, which was not so great.  Offers a poor impression to sit down to a nice dinner only to be handed dirty menus with oily food stains.

 

4. There was a very heavy gasoline smell that permeated the Ipanema restaurant which I found to be quite foul. In fact, it made me nauseous.   I asked the staff about it. They said the smell came from a "diesel compressor" and it was the 2nd week that they'd had the problem. Not good.  This occurred each evening.

 

5. Engine failure out of St. Maarten.  Wasn’t a long delay, but we were dead in the water for a time.

 

6. We did the "Sweet St. Maarten, Maho and Marigot” shore excursion. While I did enjoy the tour, our bus broke down in middle of the road in heavy humidity and sweltering heat. So we were stuck, sitting diagonally in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes of traffic on the main road. No air conditioner either. And if that wasn't bad enough, everyone was honking their horns at us and police had to be called to direct traffic around our disabled bus. They did eventually get us another bus, but it was an uncomfortable experience and limited my ability to shop in the ports. In fact, I lost a dress I purchased for my girlfriend, in part, because I was rushed due to the bus' mechanical failure issue.

 

7. We vacated the room so that it was available to be cleaned each night in a timely manner, but was it not cleaned or made up on 2 nights.  They also used the same shampoo and body soap in the dispensers as they ran out, rather than the usual separate body soap and shampoo.  It was extremely watery, as if cut by water, and often ran through my fingers because it was so runny.  They only added different products at the end.  Somewhere, I think I have a photo of their cart showing only one product.  Also, the shower did not drain properly and would overflow onto the floor.

 

8. Overall, the ship was in nice shape, but the room’s upholstery was stained.

 

We did have a good time overall, and I think they did a great job on the Halloween party, but thought I’d share some of these issues with you.

Edited August 17, 2021 by Stockjock