Celebrity at it again, I guess the new CEO can’t seem to tell the truth!

[TGfromTX]

1 minute ago, the penguins said:

Basically you seem to have done what I suggested someone with a "dummy friend" should do. That is tell check in about the other passenger being delayed.

Sort of the same, but we had booked flights and insurance with our trip.  Insurance flew her to the next destination to catch the cruise.  She didn't get any money back from the cruise.  We did get around a $50 charge after the cruise, but I think it's because we did some 4 shot flights of whiskey one night and that probably broke the beverage package rules.  It was low enough, I didn't ask questions since we didn't review our onboard bill before leaving the boat.  I think it'd work, but you are still paying double fare and waiting for refunds on taxes and gratuity post cruise.  I'd read the conditions of the '50% off 2nd passenger' deal, if I were considering a 'dummy account' for the second passenger no show.  

This cruise, my cabin mate backed out before the cruise - I called them to get options because I wasn't sure of policy.  They aren't charging me anything extra to go on the cruise - they actually sweetened the deal if I'd switch to a different cruise.  The agent did have to speak to a supervisor to get approval to make this change - I feel like they had to remove fees, but it wasn't clear what the supervisor had to sign off on.  But I might be more willing to try this again & see if it works out twice for me.  If someone else is willing to try it with a similar dummy account - this is something that actually has worked with a real account.  And you can always cancel the cruise since there are 2 on the booking if it doesn't work out.  I just don't know what/if any fees are to completely cancel a booked cruise.

[TGfromTX]

21 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Never ever fly in on the day of a cruise.

After the experience, I'd try to fly in a day early & I'd never go on another cruise without comprehensive travel insurance.  The insurance is more important than the flight in my opinion since it covers so much more that could happen. Costco is the highest value for cost in travel insurance I could find on my next trip (I found recommendation in another thread).  If you have membership, I'd price it out through them - you don't have to buy the cruise through them and it was significantly cheaper - be aware they priced out more than the basic policy others provide. I think it worked out to about half the price for like policies.  

[Lastdance]

@TGfromTX  I am glad that Celebrity is working with people instead of the “No” that I kept getting many months ago.  Actually, Celebrity even refunded me the $200 that I was owed from the end of January!  Your news makes me feel that just maybe Celebrity is listening!

[Baron Barracuda]

Has anyone stopped to consider that what some are calling a sophisticated AI driven pricing algorithm may in fact be just the opposite, typical X IT incompetence.  For years there have been innumerable complaints on these boards of X's IT failures.  Starts with their buggy web site and goes on to a booking mechanism that applies incorrect prices and modifies and cancels reservations without warning.  Often after admitting to system generated errors humans in the back office are unable to make corrections.   

[Tom and Ingrid]

14 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

Has anyone stopped to consider that what some are calling a sophisticated AI driven pricing algorithm may in fact be just the opposite, typical X IT incompetence.  For years there have been innumerable complaints on these boards of X's IT failures.  Starts with their buggy web site and goes on to a booking mechanism that applies incorrect prices and modifies and cancels reservations without warning.  Often after admitting to system generated errors humans in the back office are unable to make corrections.   

My post (below) earlier sort of gave a nod to that.  They have the info they need, they just aren't equipped to do much with it.  As I see it, it costs quite a bit to do IT well, and they seem to be doing relatively well ($$$ wise) with the cobbled together system they have in place. They will aim for the potential big gains of a better system later. It is a smart investment, but it's also an expensive one.  And I doubt there is any AI in the existing system.

 

6 hours ago, Tom and Ingrid said:

The individual tracking of all passengers is something they already have. Mining and then acting on that information, though, is much more difficult and time consuming.

 

They have a couple options:

• - dive into IT and the put in place the processes to slice and dice every angle of their revenue and the passengers themselves and then to maximize it in real time to get the most $$$
• - use a simpler & cruder method of assuming some level of "average" and going with that.

 

Without a doubt, all businesses are engaging in a process of that deep dive using many different methods to know almost exactly how their customers will behave. It's coming to X, but when is the question.

 

Edited June 17 by Tom and Ingrid

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, TGfromTX said:

After the experience, I'd try to fly in a day early & I'd never go on another cruise without comprehensive travel insurance.  The insurance is more important than the flight in my opinion since it covers so much more that could happen. Costco is the highest value for cost in travel insurance I could find on my next trip (I found recommendation in another thread).  If you have membership, I'd price it out through them - you don't have to buy the cruise through them and it was significantly cheaper - be aware they priced out more than the basic policy others provide. I think it worked out to about half the price for like policies.  

Travel Insurance is different in the UK.

We have one policy that covers cancellation/medical/baggage. Its an Annual Policy giving us an unlimited number of trips worldwide. Each trip must start and end in the UK and not be more than 31 days - although the 31 days can be extended for an extra cost.

The service has been great and the 3 medical claims we have had whilst in the US (our Grandson lives in McKinney) have all been settled direct, in full without us having to pay anything.