Restricted Views from Infinity Cabins 8043 and 8041

[Nor&JudyS]

We recently got back from a 15 day TransPanamanian cruise on the Infinity. We booked a balcony cabin (Category 2A), Cabin Number 8043, along with friends in the adjacent Cabin 8041. We thought we would get a good view transiting the canal. What we got instead was a view of a window washing platform located between the two cabins. The platform obstructed our view looking forward from cabin 8043 and the aft view from 8041. I’ve included a picture of the obstruction below.

 

We booked the rooms directly from Celebrity and were not told of the obstructed view. The booking was at the full Category 2A fare.

 

When we saw that the view was obstructed we asked Customer Service to either move the platform or change our cabins. We were informed that the platform was no longer used and could not be moved and that there were no other cabins available. They told us that there was nothing they could do and that Celebrity would send us a claim form after the cruise (we still waiting).

 

Customer Service also said that they get complaints about these cabins every cruise but Celebrity will not list the cabins as having a restricted view. We can not understand how Celebrity in good conscience can categorize these cabins as 2A and charge the 2A rate.

 

My advice, don’t even consider booking Cabins 8043 or 8041 (the folks in 8039 weren’t too happy about the platform either, and it partially obstructs the aft view of several port side cabins forward of 8041). Best that I could tell it’s the only platform on the ship, but there may be another on the starboard side.

 

There’s more to the saga and our difficulties subsequently trying to deal with Celebrity, but this posting is too long already.

 

Here are some views of the window washing platform obstruction. http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=550294014&security=rdIoPQ

[minniemom]

we are booked into 8095? OUr first Celebrity cruise on Infiniti, has anyone had that room? I sure hope it isn't obstructed view anyone know??

[chessbriar]

This is one more reason I suggest people find a knowledgeable TA. An informed TA may have steered you away from these cabin. I know it's 20/20 hind sight.

 

This is one place where these boards really come in handy. You post has just informed others looking at booking these cabins, they might want to change rooms.

 

Quick question, did you book these exact rooms or was this done as a Guaranty? If you booked them, if X isn't going to classify these as obstructed view, they should hold them for the Gty.

 

Just be glad you weren't on the Summit and avoided engine problems. Plus my guess is you had a great view if you looked straight out or the opposite directions of the platform.

 

Thank you for the heads up.

[cruzin4us]

Pictures speak a thousand words......thanks!

[Jeano222]

we too had booked 15 night Hawaii cruise on Infinity in 8043. I took one look at that balcony and flew down to the desk. Fortunately there was another cabin for us to go into. Royal Caribbean tells you up front if there is an obstructed view, why doesn't CELEBRITY?

[Nor&JudyS]

This is one more reason I suggest people find a knowledgeable TA. An informed TA may have steered you away from these cabin. I know it's 20/20 hind sight.

 

This is one place where these boards really come in handy. You post has just informed others looking at booking these cabins, they might want to change rooms.

 

Quick question, did you book these exact rooms or was this done as a Guaranty? If you booked them, if X isn't going to classify these as obstructed view, they should hold them for the Gty.

 

Just be glad you weren't on the Summit and avoided engine problems. Plus my guess is you had a great view if you looked straight out or the opposite directions of the platform.

 

Thank you for the heads up.

 

We booked these exact rooms directly from Celebrity; full price, not a Guaranty.

 

We talked to the Hotel Director on board and he claimed a letter was sent to TAs informing them of the restricted view (he promised to provide us with a copy of the letter but he never delivered). At any rate, the Celebrity agent we booked with didn't know of the restriction (or wasn't allowed to tell us), and Customer Service on the ship said they get complaints about these rooms all the time, so clearly the word hasn't got out.

 

View was fine straight out or in opposite direction (aft), but it's hard not to look where the ship is going. Also, the bed and couch in the cabin is setup so that you look forward, so the platform is what dominates the view.

[minniemom]

What about 8095, has anyone had that. Any obstructions from that room?

[Cruizin Dan]

Nor and Judys, we just returned from an 11 day Mexican Riviera trip out of San Francisco on Infinity April 15-28. I take it you were on the transition cruise before ours.

I had booked a Concierge Class stateroom (8100) on the port side of the ship and had the same exact problem. After we went to our room and discovered this cage blocking the view. A crew member in coveralls came up after my wife called in about it and they came and looked at it and said they were sorry. It had been like that since they had left Florida and the wheel was broken and could not be moved. So I went to guest relations and was told "that is where it belonged". That was its default position. Except I argued back that if in fact that is where it belonged then it would be classified an "obstructed view stateroom" and I would be paying a lot less for this room. He shot right back with "didn't your travel agent tell you that?" In turn I said no because it is not an obstucted view room (I don't even think the Infinity has one Concierge Class stateroom that is classified "obstructed view"). Anyway I asked him to look up 8100 and see how it was classified. As he was doing this I then related the story of the maintenance crew members explanation and of course now he is caught in a lie. Because the cage was not in its default position but in fact was broken. Well that started a 24 hour merry go round ride with Guest relations which in the end resolved nothing at all, no room change, no upgrade, nothing, but they did admit it was not an"obstructed view" stateroom. I won't go into the nasty water shower I endured the next day (yes yellowish/brownish water) and how my wife bathed out of the ice bucket with melted ice water. Or how no one came to look at it or the guest realtions staff wouldn't acknowlege it or at least tell us where else we could shower. Until it was fixed (we showered in our friends stateroom that night and again the next day). Or the tender ride from hell. And so on and so forth. The letter I wrote to Celebrity was eight (8) pages long.

News flash! As I write this Celebrity just called and has apologized for all these aberations as they called them and have offered us $550 each for a voucher good towards our next Celebrity cruise. Anyway when we got on the ship and went through all this the guest realtions dept. on Infinity just gave us the run around. No issue was ever resolved. Just as they had done to you. My suggestion is to write a terse letter and mail it or e-mail it to all of the Upper management at Celebrity. I know I went through a lot more than you did but my letter seems to have gotten their attention for now.

[Nor&JudyS]

Sorry to hear that you had a similar problem with your cabin. Finding that our cabin had a restricted view was particularly aggravating because Celebrity knew the platform was permanent located there and did not inform us. We booked early and there were plenty of other cabins available, so the problem could have been avoided if Celebrity had been honest with us.

 

We also eventually got a voucher (it came before we wrote to Celebrity to complain, so it seems to be the standard response to this type of on-board complaint – they apparently have had a lot of complaints about cabins with restricted views). Problem is that the voucher is good only on cruises taken within a year, and since we are unlikely to be able to cruise within the year, the vouchers are worthless to us. Have been trying to get the date extended but so far are getting the Celebrity run around.

[Cruizin Dan]

Nor&Judys, we were told by phone last week they would give us a credit good for 2007 only. We had a lot more problems than just the "obstructed view" I had yellow/brownish water coming out in our bathroom for a few days. Which I bathed in the first day, plus some other bad things. Guest relations other than saying gee were sorry but we can't help you was all we got from them. No help or solution on the water problem either. We had to go it alone on that one too. I did get them to push out the experation date on the credit until 2008. Keep at them. Good luck.

[Nor&JudyS]

Dan:

 

Who did you talk to? When I ask to have the expiration date extended all I get is "We're sorry, but it's company policy." When I ask to talk to somebody with the authority to change the date I get stonewalled.

[hollym]

As a longtime and formerly devoted Celebrity passenger I have read too many posts and news items lately on Cruise Critic that make me extremely reluctant to sail with them again any time soon.

 

Your experience with this obviously obstructed view cabin is just one case in point. As a frequent cruiser onboard these M class ships, I know that window washing device is back aft and I would never book those cabins, but their being designated as Concierge Class is just plain highway robbery. I'd be furious too. And, the possibility of a TA catching this before booking I think is extremely remote.

 

The fault lies with the cruise line and it says "we don't care". That is what disturbs me about what seems to be going on at Celebrity in 2006. It costs them very little to offer you that voucher and as you said, you'll probably not use it. That way, it costs them nothing. You and your friends got rooked, plain and simple and I'd do what you will undoubtedly do...take my business elsewhere.

 

Management sets the tone from the top down and frankly I don't understand why the Board at RCI doesn't clean house at Celebrity. I'm off to try some other cruise lines until I feel things have gotten straightened out. There is nothing more miserable than anticipating a lovely time on a cruise vacation and having it turn out little more than a series of disappointments and affronts by customer service people who either mishandle things or just don't care. Sorry you had this experience.

[gracecarmo]

Re that window washing gizmo: does the position of the "home base" change, or is it always the same?

[Nor&JudyS]

We were told by the Customer Service Supervisor that in the three years she had been on the Infinity that she had never seen it moved. The Hotel Director said that TA's were told by letter that the cabin had a restricted view, which also seems to imply that it is always in this location.

[Casshew]

That is one ugly obstruction, I can't beleive they are selling that as a regular balcony cabin. You should definately (IMO) get a reduction in price to the cost of an obstructed view cabin.

[skarletohara]

This is an interesting topic because when we were on the Sapphire Princess

a couple months ago, we met some people through Cruise Critic who also

had been assigned one of these obstructed balcony cabins on the Infinity,

and they went down to the front desk and raised holy [heck] and they

were accommodated with a Sky Suite. We have been on only

one Celebrity cruise aboard the Inifinity 5 years ago and loved it, but

we would not have appreciated THAT cabin. They should only use that

cabin or cabins as upgrades if someone pays for a window guarantee or something, but not for paying balcony customers.

 

What is meant by this thing obstructs the "aft" cabins. I thought the device

was on the port side.

[Nor&JudyS]

The platform is parked between 8043 and 8041 (8041 is further to the front of the ship). The view to the front is obstructed from 8043 and the view looking toward the back of the ship is restricted from 8041. The view from other cabins toward the front of the ship from 8041 (esp. 8039) is partially restricted looking towards the back of the ship (aft). These cabins are on the port side.

[Casshew]

I can't get over how ugly that thing is. I hope you are compensated and they reassign those cabins as partially obstructed.

[fllady]

We just got back from Alaska and it was wonderful except for the window washing contraption parked outside of our balcony. Maked "lovely" picture taking for DH. He tried to get our room changed and made a fuss, but to no avail, but they did give him a letter to send along with his letter he is writing to the company. It started our cruise out on the wrong foot. I am just wanting to warn anyone else who is thinking of that room. it is Concierge also, so not only pay extra but get an obstruction.

__________________

[SanDiegoCruisers]

We recently got back from a 15 day TransPanamanian cruise on the Infinity. We booked a balcony cabin (Category 2A), Cabin Number 8043, along with friends in the adjacent Cabin 8041. We thought we would get a good view transiting the canal. What we got instead was a view of a window washing platform located between the two cabins. The platform obstructed our view looking forward from cabin 8043 and the aft view from 8041. I’ve included a picture of the obstruction below.

 

We booked the rooms directly from Celebrity and were not told of the obstructed view. The booking was at the full Category 2A fare.

 

When we saw that the view was obstructed we asked Customer Service to either move the platform or change our cabins. We were informed that the platform was no longer used and could not be moved and that there were no other cabins available. They told us that there was nothing they could do and that Celebrity would send us a claim form after the cruise (we still waiting).

 

Customer Service also said that they get complaints about these cabins every cruise but Celebrity will not list the cabins as having a restricted view. We can not understand how Celebrity in good conscience can categorize these cabins as 2A and charge the 2A rate.

 

My advice, don’t even consider booking Cabins 8043 or 8041 (the folks in 8039 weren’t too happy about the platform either, and it partially obstructs the aft view of several port side cabins forward of 8041). Best that I could tell it’s the only platform on the ship, but there may be another on the starboard side.

 

There’s more to the saga and our difficulties subsequently trying to deal with Celebrity, but this posting is too long already.

 

Here are some views of the window washing platform obstruction. http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=550294014&security=rdIoPQ

 

Typically, I book 9038 and 9043 or 8045 and 8046 because they are CC and have extra large balconies. Last Feb, they were not available, so I booked 8043 for mysef and 8042 for my parents. The rooms were great. Not only did we pay less than the CC cabin next door, but (as I usually do) I gave the cabin steward a $100 dollars the first day and asked for the CC amenities that I had grown accustom to. For the rest of the cruise, I received the canapes, fruit, the pillows were switched out to down, and the bathroom towels and floor matt were changes to the CC line.

 

And, at no point during the 7 day eastern caribbean were there platforms near our balcony or our parents. So, though I think its good to point out issues about certain balonies, the problems are not always absolute and each cruise should be treated as a new cruise - with the exception of issues that are physically impossible to change....such as a location that is loud due to nearby public areas or elevators, etc.

 

On another note, I kinda feel these posts have gone from glass half full to glass half empty perspectives. Whatever happend to just being thankful that you have the health and financial resources to go cruising and see the world? To me, a torn bedspread or dated carpet is so trivial when compared to other issues going on in the world. Just enjoy your cruise, dig deep and remember why you truly chose to cruise, and keep things in perspective. Whatever may change on the ship, nothing will take away the sound of waves crashing outside your balcony as you fall asleep enroute to your next destination.

 

Enjoy life! :-) I'm 30 and I never take for granted each cruise I have been on...because everyone knows for anyone of use - regarldless of our age - it could be our last.

[fllady]

My husband is disabled and uses the balcony a lot. This was a 12 day once in a life time cruise to Alaska, not a 7 day in the caribbean, which we have done many times. What I am saying is that we paid for a Concierge class and got an obstructed view. It ruined so many pictures that my husband took, and made him upset, having to look at this large, dirty monstrosity every day and night. it also rattled when we had some rough seas, so kept us up at night. No one came to check it out and no other rooms were available. So to say we should be thankful for our health and being able to cruise was a thoughtless thing to say.

[SanDiegoCruisers]

My husband is disabled and uses the balcony a lot. This was a 12 day once in a life time cruise to Alaska, not a 7 day in the caribbean, which we have done many times. What I am saying is that we paid for a Concierge class and got an obstructed view. It ruined so many pictures that my husband took, and made him upset, having to look at this large, dirty monstrosity every day and night. it also rattled when we had some rough seas, so kept us up at night. No one came to check it out and no other rooms were available. So to say we should be thankful for our health and being able to cruise was a thoughtless thing to say.

 

I apologize if I offended you, as that was not my intent. The lemonade maker is in the mail.

[bluejayway]

Does 8043 on the galaxy have the same problem?

[Swedish Chef]

Is 8045 affected by that wonderful:eek: contraption:confused:

 

thanks for the info.

[amyr]

The view from the cabins above the contraption is also somewhat obstructed, so condsider that when booking. We had cabin 9049, and the top of it was right outside our neighbor, 9051. The cabin was about four or five back from the bow bump out, and it seems that the cabins now being complained about are on the bump out? We haven't been on Infinity since 2003, so maybe it's moved a little bit?

 

We didn't mind it so much as we enjoyed the view of the Inside Passage more from the aft deck and the forward lounge. After all, that's where the cocktails were:D