Live from Celebrity Reflection: Quick 4 day Getaway 9/16/2024

[jam19872016]

@bluewater1298 Just got off the phone with Celebrity. I am now booked on Beyond, November 25, 2024 Thanksgiving cruise! Got the last inside room, in a terrible location, and got waitlisted for open dining, but I was so happy to get booked I don't even care. No rooms showing open online and I feared I had waited too long.

 

My first Edge class cruise! And my mom will be joining me as we celebrate turkey day on a cruise 🥳

 

Get your Beyond questions ready for me. Hope you are enjoying Freedom as much as I did!

[jam19872016]

Final Thoughts:

 

I am going to give one final post detailing the specifics of the fan saga. I did not go into a lot of details during the review because I did not want it to detract from my review in real time. I can honestly say, in the end, this was a fantastic cruise. I tried very hard to shake it off and have a good time and I was not doing well in that reguard as I started my second day.

 

But then, slowly but surely, this turned out to be a great cruise where I was truly able to forget about the ugly. 

 

If you don't wish to read about the ugly, please skip this very long and negative post, I promise the rest of the wrap up will be much more positive, as this was generally a very positive cruise experience.

 

Upon going through security screening, my fan was confiscated at the terminal. I usually pack it in-between layers of clothes, because for some reason in my head I think they are less likely to notice it that way. That is silly or course, and after they had to rifle through all my clothes in front of everyone to retrieve the fan, I will just pack it on top going forward 😂

 

I pleaded my case with the supervisor, who double checked with someone in a white shirt in the terminal. He said the captain would not allow it onboard for safety reasons. I did not bother arguing because I know at this point, there is nothing to be gained by making my case in the terminal

 

Onboard, I went right to Guest Relations and spoke with an agent named (redacted since I recall another live review being censored for naming a specific crew member in a negative light on Carnival). Redacted told me it was not allowed onboard. I insisted that was not the policy and she immediately told me a fan would be provided. She called housekeeping and asked that one be sent. I thanked her and went on my way. This was just after 11am.

 

A little after 5, I made my way to guest relations to follow up, but also get some singles for tips. Singles were given and a "have a nice day". Ok, but what about my fan? Did you ask your stateroom attendant? No, I spoke to redacted and she called housekeeping to request it. Oh, I will talk to redacted and find out why you don't have it yet.

 

At 7, I asked my attendant who said he would ask his supervisor for one and left to go get it.

 

Coming up on 8, still no fan. I am still cool, calm and collected but firm that I want this resolved already. The poor lady I spoke with at Guest Relations looked like she was almost in tears for most of our conversation. I was insistent that she show me where this was policy. She checked her computer, she made several calls. I asked to speak to a supervisor. I take it her supervisors were on the other end telling her to deal with me herself but she did not have policy on her side and she knew it. 

 

Now that we had sailed, the story also changed. They would just try and find a fan, but could not guarantee it as they are not allowed onboard and nobody ever told me I could have one as they don't keep them onboard.

 

She finally said that I had priority for a fan (that they don't keep onboard?) and to come back later, they would be open 24 hours.

 

Around 11pm, still no fan, I went back, this time I was probably not so calm and collected, mostly just angry at the run around. I tried to make sure the agent knew I was not taking it out on her, but I wanted this issue taken care of already. She lied and said my fan was tested and deemed unsafe. It was not tested, it never made it onboard. It was confiscated in the terminal, not onboard. I told her I was not leaving her desk without a fan. She said a supervisor would be with me if I wanted to take a seat.

 

Finally, a supervisor, like I had asked for hours ago. He conceded that there was no such policy, but he was forced to do what his security officer mandated. He also conceded that my fan was not tested and that was a lie. He promised to follow up with Miami to see why the ship was not on the same page as cooperate, he promised to find out why Redacted told me a fan would be delivered when housekeeping does not have any available to begin with. He also said one had been tracked down and would be delivered. I said I was ready for bed, it is now approaching midnight, would it be there in 15 minutes or less. He said it would.

 

It was not.

 

A crew member was outside my room on the phone with someone speaking in a language I could not understand. Finally he tells me he would be right back and off he went. After waiting another 15 minutes, I returned again. Now Guest Relations is closed with a sign to dial a number for service. I dial, someone answers and I ask to speak to the Supervisor again. Same lady as before comes out, I ask for supervisor. 

 

Supervisor comes out, seems genuinely surprised to see me. I was told it had been delivered he says. Nope. Makes another call. Apologizes, says the fan they found did not work when they plugged it in he was going to go in search of another and come to my room to deliver it himself.

 

I layed in bed, really expecting nothing at this point but not really able to fall asleep. Finally, in the first instance of follow up from their end, the supervisor was at my door. He apologized and said they were not able to find a fan for me.

 

I used my white noise app I had downloaded for my EU trip, I didn't sleep well, but that was probably more to do with how worked up I was at the situation more than not having a fan.

The next morning, I finally had a fan. It had no on/off switch, you simply plug it in and it is on. To turn it off, you unplug it. That seems unsafe to me, but is probably not. I did get a phone call while out from Redacted checking to see that my fan had been delivered. I did not return the call and no further follow ups were initiated on either side.

 

What did I want? Maybe some sense that this was truly escalated up the ranks for clarification. Instead, I suspect it got no further than the night supervisor. He had great skills in deescalating the situation and I do appreciate that. I just don't think anybody any higher on the food chain than him could be bothered to look into the matter and I was happy to just try and move on at this point and enjoy what remained of my short time onboard.

 

I have followed up with shoreside and am awaiting a response. The moral of my complaint was not about how it was handled poorly onboard, but rather that this needs to be written into policy, or their ships need to be told they cannot create policy. I will accept either verdict.

 

I would also be willing to be wrong, can anyone provide evidence that a fan poses a risk to the electrical system onboard? I can't find any. So long as it has a "UL" compliant tag, it is considered safe for all known electrical systems worldwide. It has this tag.  HAL is the only line I know of that does not allow it, and that was a chance in the last month. Prior to that, no cruise line that I know of (and I don't know them all) had a policy that prohibits small desktop fans.

I will be back on this same ship very soon and really hope to have this issue not be an issue. I am also going to look into USB fans, although whose to say that won't be next. When I started cruising, I took a full sized box fan and then I was told no, but table top fans are ok. So how long before a USB fan is also prohibited with no evidence they cause a risk?

[jam19872016]

The Rest of the Wrap Up:

 

Food:

 

I have very frequently heard about how good the food on Celebrity is. I have not really been a part of the choir singing those praises previously but I am happy to say I was very pleased with the dining this trip.

 

The first day buffet was still just "ok". Dinner on nights one and two at the MDR also just felt ok, although I admit to being a little too deep into my mobile bar to provide any real insight to why I felt that way.

 

The final two dinners, as well as final day lunch onboard at Ocean View Cafe, were all spectacular. I am not a buffet fan but I found myself very happy with the food here on these final couple days. I could easily enjoy my dinners here in the future if the quality remains this consistent. I also enjoyed the tea time service here although I would have liked to see some sandwiches on offer in addition to the yummy sweets.

 

I had one (maybe two?) breakfast(s) at Ocean View also, and found the food quality here to also be amazing. Still the only place I can find fried bread, and I make sure to grab a piece every time I am here 😄

 

 

Café Al Bacon was another slam dunk. All the desserts I tried here were 10/10. The sandwiches were good but with so many better choices, I did not try them again after the first time. The two I had were like a good Café Promenade quality. Good, but nothing spectacular like the sweets are. Still, I do appreciate the added option of something savory to enjoy especially if on a future sailing I find the buffet to be lacking again. I always knew dessert was covered, but had trouble finding something not sweet during the afternoon.

 

I also enjoyed lunch at Coco Cay. Everything I ate here was delicious. No bad bite in the bunch and while I am much happier with the onboard quality this cruise, I always have to wonder how the food is so good here, while the onboard choices are usually not. I was thankful to have a great dining experience both on the ship and island this trip.

 

Overall, a great dining experience and I hope that this level of food quality becomes the new normal onboard Celebrity! Very, very good!

 

Public Spaces and Cabin:

 

Both my cabin and public spaces around the ship were in very good working order. The ship was always spotless which can't be easy with as many people as there are onboard. 

 

If I had to nitpick, I think the tables could have been cleared a little quicker in Ocean View Cafe. During busy times, the tables were needed, and during dinner, tables nearby that were needing to be bussed when I sat down, still needed to be bussed when I left.

 

The other gripe would be the treadmills in the gym were not fully functional. They were all working, but had unresponsive or uncalibrated touch screens and just seemed "old". I would say these are nearing a point of needing to be replaced very soon.

 

Entertainment:

 

The first two days were jam packed with things to do. I had to pick and choose. Very great job with keeping a wide variety of activities going. But then night three seemed to be a little light, the last night is a throw away for me as I wind down early for the early departure from the ship.

 

The loud music was the only complaint on the FB group for this sailing. I agree it was very loud, but did not seem any louder than previous cruises, and for once I felt like it was not out of place since this is supposed to be a more "party" vibe that they are going for on this ship doing these quick runs to the Bahamas and back. I did not make it to the night club, but listening to some who did, the ship was still in bed by that time (but hey so was I) so I wonder if the party crowd comes out on the three day, because this four day was still about what I am used to on most Celebrity cruises (not counting Constellation which was definitely an early to bed crowd). 

 

The deck party was a BLAST and went on for nearly two hours while a Carnival deck party tends to be done in 45 minutes. I did not end up in the pool this time, which is probably a good thing after the injury last time as well as missing sock 😄

 

 

And for those times I just want to decompress in the room, there was OnDemand movies on the stateroom TV. Even better, they were free!

 

Overall, I really enjoyed the entertainment onboard Reflection!

 

Service: 

 

Not counting the issue I mentioned already, the service onboard was good to excellent. My stateroom attendant was plesant while not particularly chatty, something I think I prefer being a bit of an introvert. Service in the restraunt was also great. I loved that the hostess carried my drink for me into the restraunt. Very nice touch. 

 

The bartenders in the Sky Lounge were probably my favorite as well as the roaming servers in here. A very fun atmosphere in here.
 

[jam19872016]

Overall:

 

Overall as I mentioned, this was a great trip. Short cruises are not ideal, but for a supplement to a full cruise, they are a perfect little sampler to get you by until you can sail a week or more again. Of course, that only works if you live near the ports. I don't think flying for a four day cruise is something that would interest many people.

 

I have not booked yet, but as this ship is still not able to fill up without casino bookings, I am probably going to be back onboard again very soon. Like next month soon 😄

 

 I will probably not do a review since it will be the same cruise, with maybe a different set of ports (hoping for Key West!!) but if I do I will probably just resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one. I also purchased three future cruise deposits, so I guess you could say that despite the issue, I am still very much looking forward to future sailings with Celebrity Cruises! 

[Missusdubbya]

Wonderful review, thank you!

[jam19872016]

2 hours ago, Missusdubbya said:

Wonderful review, thank you!

Thank you!

[cruisetonowhere10]

3 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Overall:

 

Overall as I mentioned, this was a great trip. Short cruises are not ideal, but for a supplement to a full cruise, they are a perfect little sampler to get you by until you can sail a week or more again. Of course, that only works if you live near the ports. I don't think flying for a four day cruise is something that would interest many people.

 

I have not booked yet, but as this ship is still not able to fill up without casino bookings, I am probably going to be back onboard again very soon. Like next month soon 😄

 

 I will probably not do a review since it will be the same cruise, with maybe a different set of ports (hoping for Key West!!) but if I do I will probably just resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one. I also purchased three future cruise deposits, so I guess you could say that despite the issue, I am still very much looking forward to future sailings with Celebrity Cruises! 

I’m actually going on a 4 night for the first time in April and flying.  As a teacher, with set vacation times, a 7 night is very risky for embarkation and a lot of 7 nighters aren’t sun-sun so I’d have to fly in the same day (sat-sat.) It’ll be interesting to see how this goes.

[Reel Love]

Always enjoy your reviews jam19872016  🙂   Thank you so much for taking the time and offering so much detail and food pics.  And sorry about the fan incident.....frustrating indeed for you.  Glad to read that the overall experience/food/entertainment added some great positivity after that unfortunate start!

One question ....  You refer to your "mobile bar" and just wondering exactly what that is?  Sorry if I missed the explanation due to likely missing some posts as I was trying to catch up.

Thanks again!

[NC State]

Thank you for your review. We will be on the same ship over Christmas this year.  Then 2025 Christmas on the Beyond.  

[Itchy&Scratchy]

18 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

I am now booked on Beyond, November 25, 2024 Thanksgiving cruise!

I thought you meant 2025 and got excited, since we are going to be on Beyond for Thanksgiving 2025. Oh, well, next time then.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

14 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

I’m actually going on a 4 night for the first time in April and flying.  As a teacher, with set vacation times, a 7 night is very risky for embarkation and a lot of 7 nighters aren’t sun-sun so I’d have to fly in the same day (sat-sat.) It’ll be interesting to see how this goes.

Celebrity also has 6 night cruises. 🙂

We too travel only during school breaks since we always cruise with our teen, but we do 7-8 night cruises. 4 nights is way too short. We fly in the evening the day before. Before the pandemic we flew in the morning of, but it is way too stressful now to continue that practice. 

[Harrisonkid]

After reading your review  I just want to say I am Now a …wait for it… a big FAN 😉

[cruisetonowhere10]

3 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Celebrity also has 6 night cruises. 🙂

We too travel only during school breaks since we always cruise with our teen, but we do 7-8 night cruises. 4 nights is way too short. We fly in the evening the day before. Before the pandemic we flew in the morning of, but it is way too stressful now to continue that practice. 

Yes if the dates worked I’d do that I think.  Hard for us to get direct flights as well.  We will arrive in Fll on Sunday for a Monday cruise.   Thinking it’ll work.  

[Palmersruca]

On 9/19/2024 at 8:06 PM, jam19872016 said:

Another REALLY great buffet meal. I'm super impressed with the food this sailing from the buffet. Totally unexpected and a very nice treat.

I was on Reflection last month and 100% agree, buffet was delicious.  We abandoned the MDR for the buffet, it was just better. Thanks for sharing your trip!

[jam19872016]

21 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

I’m actually going on a 4 night for the first time in April and flying.  As a teacher, with set vacation times, a 7 night is very risky for embarkation and a lot of 7 nighters aren’t sun-sun so I’d have to fly in the same day (sat-sat.) It’ll be interesting to see how this goes.

Not an ideal situation, but you gotta do what you gotta do to get your cruises in and within the schedule your work will allow 😄

 

12 hours ago, NC State said:

Thank you for your review. We will be on the same ship over Christmas this year.  Then 2025 Christmas on the Beyond.  

I will have a Beyond review up for Thanksgiving, hope you will join me again 🙂

 

[hcat]

4 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Not an ideal situation, but you gotta do what you gotta do to get your cruises in and within the schedule your work will allow 😄

 

I will have a Beyond review up for Thanksgiving, hope you will join me again 🙂

 

Suggestion.:. small battery operated fan!

[jam19872016]

21 hours ago, Reel Love said:

Always enjoy your reviews jam19872016  🙂   Thank you so much for taking the time and offering so much detail and food pics.  And sorry about the fan incident.....frustrating indeed for you.  Glad to read that the overall experience/food/entertainment added some great positivity after that unfortunate start!

One question ....  You refer to your "mobile bar" and just wondering exactly what that is?  Sorry if I missed the explanation due to likely missing some posts as I was trying to catch up.

Thanks again!

I don't think I ever explained what it was. Sometimes I forget to add details that call back on something established in a prior review. Ooops. The mobile bar is just what I call my insulated water bottle that I use to carry adult beverages around for later consumption. It was originally to pour my champagne in without needing to lug around my whole bottle on Carnival, but I find it works well for storing happy hour drinks as well.

 

[jam19872016]

7 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I thought you meant 2025 and got excited, since we are going to be on Beyond for Thanksgiving 2025. Oh, well, next time then.

I don't have the patience to book that far in advance 😂

5 hours ago, Harrisonkid said:

After reading your review  I just want to say I am Now a …wait for it… a big FAN 😉

😋. I guess that means I can't take you with me on Celebrity.

 

[jam19872016]

4 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

Yes if the dates worked I’d do that I think.  Hard for us to get direct flights as well.  We will arrive in Fll on Sunday for a Monday cruise.   Thinking it’ll work.  

I am so glad I live in Florida. I am bummed about moving back to North Florida and being 3.5 hours away from Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, but at least I won't need to fly. 

 

3 hours ago, Palmersruca said:

I was on Reflection last month and 100% agree, buffet was delicious.  We abandoned the MDR for the buffet, it was just better. Thanks for sharing your trip!

I was so surprised by that! Very yummy.

[jam19872016]

6 minutes ago, hcat said:

Suggestion.:. small battery operated fan!

I am not sure that will work for my needs, but it beats nothing at all so I am going to look online for the biggest battery operated fan I can find.

[jam19872016]

Today I caused a large multi-national corporation to change to rewrite the policy on their website. A real activist I am.

 

Too bad it does not appear to be written in my favor.

 

I was told I would receive a follow up in 72 hours or less. I heard back in less than 24. Great response time. Unfortunately, I still have some issues and do not consider the matter resolved, although I consider the matter nearly closed, for better or worse.

 

Policy has been updated with the following wording now on the website, which did not exist as recently as Monday afternoon when I wrote my letter to Celebrity "***Items that generate heat or produce an open flame are strictly prohibited. This includes heating pads, clothing irons, hotplates, candles, incense and any other item that may create a fire hazard. NOTE: The only exception to this policy are curling irons,  hair straighteners and personal fans that are ""certified"" low wattage. Please note that our staterooms are equipped with dual voltage 110/220 AC outlets, and it's essential to ensure that your personal appliances are compatible with these voltage ranges to avoid any damage or safety issues"

 

The bolded part is their emphasis, not mine, but is the excuse security gave Miami for why my fan was confiscated, word for word. So they are still lying, it was never tested in any manner simply refused to be allowed. This is my problem, the dishonesty. Can we please just say, we messed up, we're sorry, we will do better going forward? There was also no acknowledgment that policy was updated, but rather to please refer to the "What not to pack" section to know what is not allowed. Yes, I know, I did that, you just changed your policy.

 

Anyway, I still have to pick my battles. This is terrible how the situation was handled, and I am sure at this point it is just my word against theirs.

 

What I need at this point is some clarification, what exactly does "certified" low wattage mean? I have never read any reports of a fan causing issues with the power system, but read all the time of curling irons and hair straighteners having problems onboard, but they do not need to be certified?

 

The only certification my fan has is "UL" which is as far as I know the only certification electronics come with. Will that be sufficient? That has been the policy on other cruise lines. It also says on the certificate that it is compatible with 220 AC outlets. So it checks both of those boxes, unless they are saying it needs to literally say "low wattage". They confirm in their response that personal fans are allowed onboard, but mine was tested and deemed to be a safety hazard.

 

I will be looking into a battery operated fan as a backup option.

Edited Tuesday at 11:20 PM by jam19872016

[cruisetonowhere10]

15 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Today I caused a large multi-national corporation to change to rewrite the policy on their website. A real activist I am.

 

Too bad it does not appear to be written in my favor.

 

I was told I would receive a follow up in 72 hours or less. I heard back in less than 24. Great response time. Unfortunately, I still have some issues and do not consider the matter resolved, although I consider the matter nearly closed, for better or worse.

 

Policy has been updated with the following wording now on the website, which did not exist as recently as Monday afternoon when I wrote my letter to Celebrity "***Items that generate heat or produce an open flame are strictly prohibited. This includes heating pads, clothing irons, hotplates, candles, incense and any other item that may create a fire hazard. NOTE: The only exception to this policy are curling irons,  hair straighteners and personal fans that are ""certified"" low wattage. Please note that our staterooms are equipped with dual voltage 110/220 AC outlets, and it's essential to ensure that your personal appliances are compatible with these voltage ranges to avoid any damage or safety issues"

 

The bolded part is their emphasis, not mine, but is the excuse security gave Miami for why my fan was confiscated, word for word. So they are still lying, it was never tested in any manner simply refused to be allowed. This is my problem, the dishonesty. Can we please just say, we messed up, we're sorry, we will do better going forward? There was also no acknowledgment that policy was updated, but rather to please refer to the "What not to pack" section to know what is not allowed. Yes, I know, I did that, you just changed your policy.

 

Anyway, I still have to pick my battles. This is terrible how the situation was handled, and I am sure at this point it is just my word against theirs.

 

What I need at this point is some clarification, what exactly does "certified" low wattage mean? I have never read any reports of a fan causing issues with the power system, but read all the time of curling irons and hair straighteners having problems onboard, but they do not need to be certified?

 

The only certification my fan has is "UL" which is as far as I know the only certification electronics come with. Will that be sufficient? That has been the policy on other cruise lines. It also says on the certificate that it is compatible with 220 AC outlets. So it checks both of those boxes, unless they are saying it needs to literally say "low wattage". They confirm in their response that personal fans are allowed onboard, but mine was tested and deemed to be a safety hazard.

 

I will be looking into a battery operated fan as a backup option.

We bought this…DH needs a fan to sleep (noise and air movement.) This does some of both…not like a regular fan by any means.  For the price, I figured it was worth a risk.

 

https://a.co/d/eETwIMD

[jam19872016]

4 minutes ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

We bought this…DH needs a fan to sleep (noise and air movement.) This does some of both…not like a regular fan by any means.  For the price, I figured it was worth a risk.

 

https://a.co/d/eETwIMD

Thanks. Has he used it yet? It says "extra quiet" which would not be what I want but maybe it is not actually extra quiet, just a marketing line. It also says it uses DC which I don't really understand the technical aspects of how electricity works, but don't we need AC on the ship? This looks perfect though as it seems to be a good size while still being battery operated.

[cruisetonowhere10]

10 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Thanks. Has he used it yet? It says "extra quiet" which would not be what I want but maybe it is not actually extra quiet, just a marketing line. It also says it uses DC which I don't really understand the technical aspects of how electricity works, but don't we need AC on the ship? This looks perfect though as it seems to be a good size while still being battery operated.

It made noise….not crazy noisy.  I’d have to pull it out and test it.  If I recall correctly the only “cord” is a usb.  I could be wrong…electricity isn’t my area, but I’m almost positive we charged it via usb.  My thinking was if he hated it, for $9.99 it would be good for a desk while working.  We bought it for Alaska but ended up keeping our very controversial IV window down all night which provided ample wind and noise. It also packs flat.

Edited Tuesday at 11:55 PM by cruisetonowhere10

[Syd58]

On 9/23/2024 at 4:44 PM, jam19872016 said:

Final Thoughts:

 

I am going to give one final post detailing the specifics of the fan saga. I did not go into a lot of details during the review because I did not want it to detract from my review in real time. I can honestly say, in the end, this was a fantastic cruise. I tried very hard to shake it off and have a good time and I was not doing well in that reguard as I started my second day.

 

But then, slowly but surely, this turned out to be a great cruise where I was truly able to forget about the ugly. 

 

If you don't wish to read about the ugly, please skip this very long and negative post, I promise the rest of the wrap up will be much more positive, as this was generally a very positive cruise experience.

 

Upon going through security screening, my fan was confiscated at the terminal. I usually pack it in-between layers of clothes, because for some reason in my head I think they are less likely to notice it that way. That is silly or course, and after they had to rifle through all my clothes in front of everyone to retrieve the fan, I will just pack it on top going forward 😂

 

I pleaded my case with the supervisor, who double checked with someone in a white shirt in the terminal. He said the captain would not allow it onboard for safety reasons. I did not bother arguing because I know at this point, there is nothing to be gained by making my case in the terminal

 

Onboard, I went right to Guest Relations and spoke with an agent named (redacted since I recall another live review being censored for naming a specific crew member in a negative light on Carnival). Redacted told me it was not allowed onboard. I insisted that was not the policy and she immediately told me a fan would be provided. She called housekeeping and asked that one be sent. I thanked her and went on my way. This was just after 11am.

 

A little after 5, I made my way to guest relations to follow up, but also get some singles for tips. Singles were given and a "have a nice day". Ok, but what about my fan? Did you ask your stateroom attendant? No, I spoke to redacted and she called housekeeping to request it. Oh, I will talk to redacted and find out why you don't have it yet.

 

At 7, I asked my attendant who said he would ask his supervisor for one and left to go get it.

 

Coming up on 8, still no fan. I am still cool, calm and collected but firm that I want this resolved already. The poor lady I spoke with at Guest Relations looked like she was almost in tears for most of our conversation. I was insistent that she show me where this was policy. She checked her computer, she made several calls. I asked to speak to a supervisor. I take it her supervisors were on the other end telling her to deal with me herself but she did not have policy on her side and she knew it. 

 

Now that we had sailed, the story also changed. They would just try and find a fan, but could not guarantee it as they are not allowed onboard and nobody ever told me I could have one as they don't keep them onboard.

 

She finally said that I had priority for a fan (that they don't keep onboard?) and to come back later, they would be open 24 hours.

 

Around 11pm, still no fan, I went back, this time I was probably not so calm and collected, mostly just angry at the run around. I tried to make sure the agent knew I was not taking it out on her, but I wanted this issue taken care of already. She lied and said my fan was tested and deemed unsafe. It was not tested, it never made it onboard. It was confiscated in the terminal, not onboard. I told her I was not leaving her desk without a fan. She said a supervisor would be with me if I wanted to take a seat.

 

Finally, a supervisor, like I had asked for hours ago. He conceded that there was no such policy, but he was forced to do what his security officer mandated. He also conceded that my fan was not tested and that was a lie. He promised to follow up with Miami to see why the ship was not on the same page as cooperate, he promised to find out why Redacted told me a fan would be delivered when housekeeping does not have any available to begin with. He also said one had been tracked down and would be delivered. I said I was ready for bed, it is now approaching midnight, would it be there in 15 minutes or less. He said it would.

 

It was not.

 

A crew member was outside my room on the phone with someone speaking in a language I could not understand. Finally he tells me he would be right back and off he went. After waiting another 15 minutes, I returned again. Now Guest Relations is closed with a sign to dial a number for service. I dial, someone answers and I ask to speak to the Supervisor again. Same lady as before comes out, I ask for supervisor. 

 

Supervisor comes out, seems genuinely surprised to see me. I was told it had been delivered he says. Nope. Makes another call. Apologizes, says the fan they found did not work when they plugged it in he was going to go in search of another and come to my room to deliver it himself.

 

I layed in bed, really expecting nothing at this point but not really able to fall asleep. Finally, in the first instance of follow up from their end, the supervisor was at my door. He apologized and said they were not able to find a fan for me.

 

I used my white noise app I had downloaded for my EU trip, I didn't sleep well, but that was probably more to do with how worked up I was at the situation more than not having a fan.

The next morning, I finally had a fan. It had no on/off switch, you simply plug it in and it is on. To turn it off, you unplug it. That seems unsafe to me, but is probably not. I did get a phone call while out from Redacted checking to see that my fan had been delivered. I did not return the call and no further follow ups were initiated on either side.

 

What did I want? Maybe some sense that this was truly escalated up the ranks for clarification. Instead, I suspect it got no further than the night supervisor. He had great skills in deescalating the situation and I do appreciate that. I just don't think anybody any higher on the food chain than him could be bothered to look into the matter and I was happy to just try and move on at this point and enjoy what remained of my short time onboard.

 

I have followed up with shoreside and am awaiting a response. The moral of my complaint was not about how it was handled poorly onboard, but rather that this needs to be written into policy, or their ships need to be told they cannot create policy. I will accept either verdict.

 

I would also be willing to be wrong, can anyone provide evidence that a fan poses a risk to the electrical system onboard? I can't find any. So long as it has a "UL" compliant tag, it is considered safe for all known electrical systems worldwide. It has this tag.  HAL is the only line I know of that does not allow it, and that was a chance in the last month. Prior to that, no cruise line that I know of (and I don't know them all) had a policy that prohibits small desktop fans.

I will be back on this same ship very soon and really hope to have this issue not be an issue. I am also going to look into USB fans, although whose to say that won't be next. When I started cruising, I took a full sized box fan and then I was told no, but table top fans are ok. So how long before a USB fan is also prohibited with no evidence they cause a risk?

Why do you need a fan? For noise?

Edited Wednesday at 01:46 AM by Syd58