Celebrity downgraded and moved ONE of our three cabins!

[jelayne]

If someone approached me as I was coming or going from my cabin asking me about me how booked, got my cabin or something similar I would think they were prying and would probably say something like  That’s really none of your business and walk off.  

[Bo1953]

5 minutes ago, jelayne said:

If someone approached me as I was coming or going from my cabin asking me about me how booked, got my cabin or something similar I would think they were prying and would probably say something like  That’s really none of your business and walk off.  

Then you will have to call Security as they started stalking you until they got the info out of you!!!

 

By that time one would be more than happy to move cabins to get away.... or have them moved! LOL

 

bon voyage

[micruiser2002]

I am not suggesting stalking or anything invasive.  There are ways to start a normal friendly conversation and possibly get information.  I would love to see how many of you who have posted here would feel if this same thing happened to your booking. 

And I am sorry but to depend only on Celebrity for any information anymore is ridiculous.  It has been shown time and again they are not forthcoming with information, they are going to protect themselves at all costs.  

 

[helen haywood]

While I certainly would be as upset as the OP if this happened to me, conversations with the people in the cabin next to you are NOT the answer.  Celebrity made the change and they are the only entity to take the issue up with.  Even if the people in your old cabin told you the circumstances of their booking, it would do you no good…you would still need to contact Celebrity with any information you gleaned.

[phoenix_dream]

Just now, helen haywood said:

While I certainly would be as upset as the OP if this happened to me, conversations with the people in the cabin next to you are NOT the answer.  Celebrity made the change and they are the only entity to take the issue up with.  Even if the people in your old cabin told you the circumstances of their booking, it would do you no good…you would still need to contact Celebrity with any information you gleaned.

But the point is, you would have more information with which to contact Celebrity.  So I think there is some value to discreetly and politely try to gather some information about how the people booked that cabin

[helen haywood]

Ok, we’ll agree to disagree.

[jelayne]

29 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

But the point is, you would have more information with which to contact Celebrity.  So I think there is some value to discreetly and politely try to gather some information about how the people booked that cabin

Not sure how one discreetly and politely approaches a stranger and asks about how/when they booked their cabin.

 

The impacted brother is a TA and works for an agency who is reportedly in contact with X regarding this matter.  That’s probably the best way to resolve the situation and leave other passengers out of it.

[FriscoMo]

I forgot to add, they also changed my brother/TA to late dining.  Everyone else in our party is early dining!

 

[jelayne]

That’s an easy fix.  He can go to the MDR after boarding and asked to be changed to be seated with your group.

[SoloAlaska]

1 minute ago, jelayne said:

That’s an easy fix.  He can go to the MDR after boarding and asked to be changed to be seated with your group.

Hahaha easier said than done. I was a solo and tried to get early dining on a half empty ship and they refused. So I made friends and joined them at their table for dinner. Pissed off the maître d. I really hope he’s not on the ship when I return this year.

[tigervixxxen]

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

Not sure how one discreetly and politely approaches a stranger and asks about how/when they booked their cabin.

 

The impacted brother is a TA and works for an agency who is reportedly in contact with X regarding this matter.  That’s probably the best way to resolve the situation and leave other passengers out of it.

I don’t see it as very difficult. “Hey this is a lovely location on this cabin don't you think, did you have to book it early like we did or can you get these last minute?” Is not an inquisition. But I agree, the TA who made the booking is probably the source for this difficulty. 

[phoenix_dream]

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

Not sure how one discreetly and politely approaches a stranger and asks about how/when they booked their cabin.

 

The impacted brother is a TA and works for an agency who is reportedly in contact with X regarding this matter.  That’s probably the best way to resolve the situation and leave other passengers out of it.

I don't know about you, but I often get into conversations with the people next to us while on the balcony.  I certainly wouldn't just approach someone flat out and ask them stuff like that.  That would be nuts and that's clearly not what I meant.   But presuming I was able to get to talking with my neighbors would I be able to at some point work into the conversation when they booked?  Definitely.  All you have to say is something like - boy, I really love to cruise with Celebrity  I confess I am a big fan - I booked this cabin over a year ago - how about you.  And that's the key - when they booked.  If it was a last minute booking then obviously someone at Celebrity was giving them some kind of preferential treatment.  Would this approach always work?  Of course not.  But its worth a try IMHO to get more information before making that big complaint to Celebrity.  

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by phoenix_dream

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, tigervixxxen said:

I don’t see it as very difficult. “Hey this is a lovely location on this cabin don't you think, did you have to book it early like we did or can you get these last minute?” Is not an inquisition. But I agree, the TA who made the booking is probably the source for this difficulty. 

Sorry that wouldn’t get them much info from me.  My response, “We always book a year or 2 in advance. Have a nice day”

[JFontaine]

There's a chance that the cabin has/will be taken out of service, and hence the move. There's also a chance that whoever is in that cabin was assigned after other moves, and their info might not help. Finally, could the TA have entered into some rate shenanigans to secure that cabin - booking a cheap TA rate and then somehow getting assigned to a cabin they shouldn't have? There's a chance the OP (and maybe even the brother) doesn't know the full story. 

[ISABELLA]

Hopefully this is just an error on X part. 

We were considered to try for the first time  MSC Yacht Club. Before we booked I found out that in their contract they can change cabin without any notification and even more some people got downgraded from YC to a regular cabin. 

[FriscoMo]

2 hours ago, JFontaine said:

There's a chance that the cabin has/will be taken out of service, and hence the move. There's also a chance that whoever is in that cabin was assigned after other moves, and their info might not help. Finally, could the TA have entered into some rate shenanigans to secure that cabin - booking a cheap TA rate and then somehow getting assigned to a cabin they shouldn't have? There's a chance the OP (and maybe even the brother) doesn't know the full story. 

Oh I'm sure we don't know the full story.  And who knows if we ever will know the full story?  Celebrity needs to dig into the problem and determine if THEY have a problem.  Celebrity should be able to determine WHO made the change.  Question the employee and find out WHY they made the change.  My gut is telling me a Celebrity rep bumped him to book their friends or family. I'd be looking at the Celebrity employee's Facebook and Instagram to see if they have a connection to the person who booked the room!  But I'm sneaky like that!  lol  It really paid off back when I was an internal auditor for a Fortune 500 company!  🙂

 

Another idea, did the Celebrity employee receive a better commission if they booked a better room for whoever was on the phone?  OR the potential customer would only book the cruise if they had a "____" class cabin?  Who knows? 

 

If there's a reasonable reason to change his room (repairs that can't be repaired, etc) just tell him!

 

I've never heard of this happening on other cruise lines nor the 10+  cruises I've taken before.  Although I've only cruised on Celebrity once before this September cruise.

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by FriscoMo

[JFontaine]

To the OP: you might not know, and it shouldn't matter why. What should matter to your brother is that Celebrity show some acknowledgement of his inconvenience.   Maybe an onboard credit or a free specialty dinner?  Focus on what Celebrity CAN do, within reason, leave the who-done-it for something else, and just have a great cruise. 

[perakcruiser]

On 8/10/2023 at 5:21 AM, FriscoMo said:

Incidentally, my brother is a cruise travel agent and these reservations were made in August 2022

Not incidentally. The very cheap incentive price that is offered to TA comes with the condition that the operator can do whatever he wants. So your brother was actually lucky that he only got his cabin moved and not the whole trip cancelled as Celebrity could make a very good use of his cabin on a sold out ship. 

[FriscoMo]

2 hours ago, JFontaine said:

To the OP: you might not know, and it shouldn't matter why. What should matter to your brother is that Celebrity show some acknowledgement of his inconvenience.   Maybe an onboard credit or a free specialty dinner?  Focus on what Celebrity CAN do, within reason, leave the who-done-it for something else, and just have a great cruise. 

I agree we will probably never know but I’m just curious by nature!  Lol. And yes, it’s time for Celebrity to make up for their mistake/change/or whatever they want to call it.  It’s disappointing but this won’t affect our ability to have a good time!

[crusinthrough]

The top secret squireel responses of not engaging in small talk with someone about their booking are actually funny.  I haven't been on a cruise where someone wasn't actively trying to engage in conversation.  

[Mark_T]

8 hours ago, ISABELLA said:

Hopefully this is just an error on X part. 

We were considered to try for the first time  MSC Yacht Club. Before we booked I found out that in their contract they can change cabin without any notification and even more some people got downgraded from YC to a regular cabin. 

Celebrity has the same language in their contract, it really is quite normal to include these provisions in cruise contracts.

 

In the past few months Celebrity has unilaterally cancelled cruises, moved ships planned to be in one location to a different one, double-booked hundreds of cabins and had to cancel cruises and move people to the following year...

 

This stuff happens on pretty much every line.

 

In the grand scheme of things, having one cabin moved to a different sub-category is not actually a huge event.

 

Annoying for sure, but not the end of the world...

[gold1953]

7 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

Not incidentally. The very cheap incentive price that is offered to TA comes with the condition that the operator can do whatever he wants. So your brother was actually lucky that he only got his cabin moved and not the whole trip cancelled as Celebrity could make a very good use of his cabin on a sold out ship. 

He already stated that he did not book using this perk

[hcat]

At least it's all adults, not someone's elderly parents  who might need help from their relatives in  a nearby cabin,  Or parents/ grandparents travelling   with children who booked side by side.. with an adult in the room 

 

For us location matters,. We book a cabin we like, and do not want upgrades  or moves !  We would not be happy if we were bumped without notice,  consent or explanation, or an offer for OBC we could accept or reject!

[Mark_T]

23 minutes ago, hcat said:

At least it's all adults, not someone's elderly parents  who might need help from their relatives in  a nearby cabin,  Or parents/ grandparents travelling   with children who booked side by side.. with an adult in the room 

 

For us location matters,. We book a cabin we like, and do not want upgrades  or moves !  We would not be happy if we were bumped without notice,  consent or explanation, or an offer for OBC we could accept or reject!

I completely agree, it is always going to be undesirable to get moved from a cabin you've selected, especially with no notice.

 

Celebrity have previously not been a major offender with this sort of behavior, but this year seems to have been very different for a lot of people.

[CunucuMom]

7 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

The top secret squireel responses of not engaging in small talk with someone about their booking are actually funny.  I haven't been on a cruise where someone wasn't actively trying to engage in conversation.  

I was also amused by the pointed "stay away from me" retorts.  Maybe it's my age or my own reticence to engage with strangers but I think I have pretty good social awareness skills and the ability to sense when someone does or does not want to chat.  Generally speaking, folks like to talk about themselves and their experiences, especially in a vacation setting.  That said, I would never open a conversation with my new cabin neighbor by stating "Hello!  I'm Jane and this is my husband, Dick.  When did you book your cruise and how did you get this cabin?"  🤷‍♀️🤣  To the pax who don't want to have anything to do with me should we end up on the same cruise, not to worry - I will leave you alone.