One More Thread About The Sick Ship

[katiebeth]

C2C,

 

You are so right about the crew. They really are excellent. The crew really does go above and beyond the call of duty. They treat me "famously"!

Maybe management can learn something from them....

 

Happy Sailings,

 

Nancy

[SandyMc]

FInelyCruising - I've got it! Since you persist in assuming the 3/17 cruise could not possibly deserve any compensation consideration from Celebrity and that even such board stalwarts as Tuggers are off base with their criticism, I can only assume you declined Celebrity's magnanimous offer of a 25% credit and discount, right?

 

Because, we now all know - you had a wonderful cruise and nothing that happened could possible be the fault of the cruise line itself!

[cml3]

Sandymc,

 

VERY GOOD POINT!!!

CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR RESPONSE!!!!

[elsje]

Els, the compensation is 25% of the actual cruise cost on the 3/27 one (less port fees, taxes and POSSIBLY on board credits). Whatever that dollar amount is you will be able to take it off of a cruise boarded before May 2007. So it is not 25% off the PRICE of a future cruise.

 

Accountability would swing more weight with me.

 

Hi Gail ~ I was not on your cruise, but I am leaving on the Galaxy on May 6th. I appreciate your persistence that X did not handle the situation right. The bleaching sounds way over done and I still do not understand why X and the CDC did not allow enough time to have the ship scrubbed from top to bottom when all the passengers had disembarked. CDC talks about cruise ships with Norovirus not having enough time to really get it under control with only 4-5 hours cleaning time between disembaraktion and embarkation.

Apparantly the Galaxy is supposed to have a delayed embarkation for today's cruise to try to get it really cleaned because of another noro virus.

Anyway ~ thanks for keeping us informed ~ may be some day I get to meet you ~ Happy Easter ;)

[C 2 C]

Hi Elsje:

 

I sure hope we don't have to worry about this outbreak for our Galaxy cruise(s) starting May 6. I just hope that Norwalk is a predominantly winter event and people will be less likely to carry it in the spring time. I have escaped "direct involvement" twice already. I don't want a third exposure to "Norwalk Paranoia".

[NanD]

SandyMc....Bingo!

Nan

[tuggers]

els, I was originally on the Galaxy TA but my flights got messed up so I canceled. That's how I got on this 25 night HAL. I was looking for something in May and my friend suggested this one.

I did the west bound Galaxy last October and it was GREAT! I'm sure things will be cleaned up and you'll have a wonderful trip!

[C 2 C]

I was originally on the Galaxy TA

 

You still have it in your countdown clock so I thought I would be meeting you next month as well....

 

Since we're both addicted to cruising I'm sure we will meet eventually... even if it's not on X

[safein]

I think that the one main thing that everyone will agree with: Celebrity mishandled things regarding the passengers and how they were treated on the 2 Mercury cruises. Upper management needs to take a lesson from the past: Don't try to sweep things under the rug because it will come back to bite you HARD! They wanted to do it way back during the Legionnaire's disease trouble on the Horizon. They never got to do it because it was pointed out that if you ignore the problem, it will come back to haunt you.

 

Guess they haven't learned!

 

Anita

[nu2sea]

Lat night I received this from another cruiser on the ill-fated 3/27 cruise:

Hi Susan,

Since you were the only person on cruise critics to leave an email address, I thought I’d send you a short comment on the above-mentioned cruise. I also like your Siamese cat; we have two of those wonderful guys ourselves. They are Ming and Fermi.

Bach to the cruise. My wife, also Susan, and I are responsible for 14 bookings on Celebrity including in-law cruises. We have been staunch supporters of Celebrity until now. The events eXperienced on the 3/27 cruise were really beyond the pail. The descriptions by Tuggers are far more in line with our actual eXperiences than those related by the party from Spokane.

I did not realize that I was leaning in bleach solution early in the cruise and actually sustained chemical burns and blisters on my left arm. Susan is still recovering from throat irritations contracted from the chlorine fumes on the ship. Her cosmetics, on the dressing table, were sprayed with bleach, as was one of my camera lenses. I could go on, but what’s the point.

Tuggers was correct in asking for real information in a timely manner in order to make an educated decision. Had I known what we would face on this cruise before we boarded the plane, I would never have flown to San Diego. The option eXtended to us at the dock was neither timely, nor representative of the situation that we were eXposed to.

Disease can certainly break out on any ship, but Celebrity is guilty of a gross breach of trust in the way they handled the situation.

I am not a member of the critics’ family, but if you have an opportunity to share this email with Tuggers, please feel free to do so. I would like to thank Tuggers for her efforts in bringing this awful situation to light and eXpressing the sentiments of many of her fellow passengers. If you wish to post this message, please also feel free.

Best regards and happy cruising,

Fred T*******

[poetic license]

Susan, thanks for posting that note. The CC world is small, but the world that the rest of cruisers live in is large indeed. I hope that RCL will wake up and smell the bleach .... and realize (along with the minority on this board) that the damage is larger than this board. The next time this guest (and thousands like him) go to book a cruise, it is sad to say that it's not likely to be Celebrity. That experience and memory will not only last until the next vacation, but more likely a lifetime.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but better management and better decisions on the part of Celebrity could have avoided almost all of the problems on those last three cruises. Now they will be dealing not only with PR reprocussions that will ripple a long, long time, but also potential lawsuits from those overexposed to bleach who discover damage to their health as a result of it. Top brass heads oughta roll. But will they?

 

Cheers~

Nicki

[FortyNinerLiz]

Susan, thanks for posting that note. The CC world is small, but the world that the rest of cruisers live in is large indeed. I hope that RCL will wake up and smell the bleach .... and realize (along with the minority on this board) that the damage is larger than this board. The next time this guest (and thousands like him) go to book a cruise, it is sad to say that it's not likely to be Celebrity. That experience and memory will not only last until the next vacation, but more likely a lifetime.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but better management and better decisions on the part of Celebrity could have avoided almost all of the problems on those last three cruises. Now they will be dealing not only with PR reprocussions that will ripple a long, long time, but also potential lawsuits from those overexposed to bleach who discover damage to their health as a result of it. Top brass heads oughta roll. But will they?

 

Cheers~

Nicki

You are absolutely right on regarding the management mishandling of the situation. I was on the 3/27 cruise and information was minimal. Now one of our traveling companions has been hospitalized with vomiting, dehydration, etc. I hope it is not cruise related.

[tuggers]

Liz, may I ask who is sick?

Pls convey my concern when you can.

Thanks!

[FortyNinerLiz]

Liz, may I ask who is sick?

Pls convey my concern when you can.

Thanks!

Gail,

It is Ruth Marks who attended your last CC meeting on the ship. Her husband had scheduled this for a very special anniversary. I will let you know what they find. Her husband had booked a Sky Suite for a very cruise and ended up with bleach everywhere that made her sick and it is so sad. More later.

[tuggers]

I understand Marcia who fell in the elevator has a really messed up knee. Such a sad way to end a vacation!:(

[FortyNinerLiz]

What is interesting is that our main waiter, for dinner, disappeared after a couple of nights (table 555). When we asked what happened to him, we were told his back was in pain. Maybe he had the virus and they did not want to tell us the truth??? One never knows and I would hope it is not the case. Do we know how many crew were taken out of service during the cruise due to the virus?

[FinelyCruising]

FInelyCruising - I've got it! Since you persist in assuming the 3/17 cruise could not possibly deserve any compensation consideration from Celebrity and that even such board stalwarts as Tuggers are off base with their criticism, I can only assume you declined Celebrity's magnanimous offer of a 25% credit and discount, right?

 

Because, we now all know - you had a wonderful cruise and nothing that happened could possible be the fault of the cruise line itself!

 

I had a good time. Infact I had a better time than I thought I would since I didn't get sick. I was worried I would. Sorry if you didn't enjoy any aspect of your cruise. But you know, Misery loves company, and I make no apology that I am not a friend of Misery. Misery seems to be a friend and companion to many, and well admittedly...Misery and I, well let's just say we just don't seem to get along. ;)

 

As for the credit, as I have already said, I think it was fair and reasonable, and spoke volumes of goodwill from the cruiseline for each and every passenger on our particular cruise. I appreciate what they offered. I thanked them in person and I thanked them in writing for their efforts and their consideration.

 

Now, I know from reading some ongoing posts that some would prefer we all just behave in a fashion that is more in line with a drink the juice approach to Noro Virus cruising on Celebrity's Mercury.

 

I do genuinely hope that those who feel so badly burned and turned off have better and more rewarding cruise opportunities in the future, no matter what ship or cruiseline they sail. :)

[Beth & Rob]

I have not cruised as extensively as most of you. Fairwind and Fairsea in the early 70's a couple of times. As a 20 year old, you can imagine my fun...

 

91 it was the Disney cruise with the kids. Then 93 on Princess to Mexico and my next was Holland to Mexico in 03 and Royal to Alaska in 05.

 

The 3/17 was my first with Celebrity. After a long wait in the terminal which did not seem to be a problem, we boarded and were sent to the Palm Springs grill for several hours, lugging our belongings with us. Streaks of bleach everywhere.......No answers on why......

 

I certainly don't need to go into this issue any more, you all know..

 

My TA told me about the wonderful food, the sushi bar, the midnight buffet, the beautiful decor of the ship......eh?? The cost of my cruise included breakfast and lunch in the dining room. No where was I told I would have to stand in line for 30 minutes to get crappy food at the buffet.....

 

I was not told in the dailies to be careful. I was not told not to lean on every darn surface on the ship. I was not provided any information so that I could take whatever precautions on my own to protect myself further.

 

I wanted some cash. I asked at the customer relations. She sent me to the ATM at the casino. I didn't notice the bank was right around the corner. Did she say, just walk over there, no, she sent me to an out of order ATM. The casino said it had been out of order for 3 days. I wanted to smack her. Rude and abrupt.

 

Our waiter and steward worked their butts off. Red eyed at all times, could barely muster a smile. No end in sight for them.

 

To all those who had a wonderful time despite the problems, well good for you. Glad you were able to block out all of the negatives, but shut the hell up and stop berating those of us who do not feel we got what we paid for.

 

Yes, sh__ happens, but there are ways to make your customer appreciate that you are doing everything in your power to address the issue and keep your business for the next time.

 

It's called good faith. It goes a long way. We weren't shown any good faith by this company.

[tuggers]

Beth and Rob,

I must say, I applaud your candor. thanks for posting!

Gail

[FortyNinerLiz]

Gail,

It is Ruth Marks who attended your last CC meeting on the ship. Her husband had scheduled this for a very special anniversary. I will let you know what they find. Her husband had booked a Sky Suite for a very cruise and ended up with bleach everywhere that made her sick and it is so sad. More later.

The hospital eliminated the Norovirus and are continuing tests today. I am glad it was not something from the cruise.

[SandyMc]

FinelyCruising - I give up! In all the time you have been reading and posting about the "treatment" of the Mercury, you have never really understood what people are trying to say!

 

Was the 3/17 cruise the worst cruise we have ever taken - absolutely! Did we (our party of 8) have some good times - absolutely! We have often posted about the wonderful service in the dining room (when open!) and what a great time we had in all the ports. Unfortunately, we cruise primarily for the sea days and all the amenities a cruise ship offers. THAT was what was taken away by Celebrity (not taken away by the virus) and that is what you received your compensation for.

 

You need to know I am not the least bit miserable (in fact my family accuses me of always taking the Pollyanna roll you have assumed). My ONLY reason for this thread in the first place is simply to let people know that our cruise was no different than yours and that the passengers from 3/17 deserve no less than the compensation you so graciously received.

 

Is that really so hard to understand????

[vince4]

For those of you very dissapointed with Celebrity, I hear Carnival is a GREAT cruise line.

[vince4]

Oh, by the way: For the poster getting out of control, take three deep breaths and count to 10.

[elsje]

Beth and Rob,

 

I must say, I applaud your candor. thanks for posting!

 

Gail

 

Tuggers ~ I just posted a repsonse email I received from CDC in regards to the excessive bleach spraying. It is posted under Mercury ~ warning.

In short David Forney , Chief Vessel Sanitation program stated that they did NOT recommend spraying the bleach, but wtting rags and then wiping the surfaces.

 

You can email me at elsjeW@cox.net and I can forward the email to you if in doubt.

 

Els

[FinelyCruising]

SandyMc....it may serve you better to let the cruiseline know what you expect and press for the validation there with them, and not worry so much about what you think I don't understand. BTW, did we sail together on an X cruise before, on Millenium by any chance?