Summit Alaskan cruise disappointment (MERGER OF 5 THREADS ON THIS TOPIC)

[msiowa]

It's also true that only one large ship is allowed at the face of the glacier at a time. We've been there 8 times and this has always been true. One large ship has to leave before another may enter.

 

Well, if that's the case, HAL broke the "law" last July during my Summit cruise. We were at Hubbard Glacier, doing the slow twirl thing so everyone could see the glacier (it was a fabulously clear, warm day - we stayed for hours as was scheduled) when a HAL ship entered the bay and sailed even closer to the Glacier than we were. We shared the space for at least half an hour and then we sailed away - on schedule.

 

Hmmm.

Joanie

[Susan-M]

I hope Celebrity does the right thing on there own without having to file the class action suit.

 

 

California oldie and docjph - thank you for posting your stories on this. I feel that Celebrity owes you more than the $200 cabin credit and 30% on a future cruise. Compensation should be based on what you missed on this cruise - and in the form of a partial refund rather than a discount on a future cruise.

 

Had the missed ports and delays been caused by an unexpected mechanical failure or weather problems, it would be a different story, but this is a problem that they have been aware of for several years. I think that there is some negligence on Celebrity's part in this whole matter and negligence is a good basis for a class action suit. However, as docjph said, it would be much better if "Celebrity stepped up to the plate" to resolve this without court action.

 

I hope this is resolved to everyone's satisfaction.:)

[cechase]

:D The thread was meant to be light hearted. It would be fun to sometimes put the flame out on some posters. Not in the sense of sensorship. By no means!!! Not about that at all. Every once in awhile I come across a poster (we all have read some of their postings) whose post just screams hockey pock!!!! You know, the postings where the situation is so out of the norm that it just cannot be true. Where the posters contridicts what they say. I am sure you know what I am talking about. It would just be fun to tell them they are off of the island for awhile until they can get their story straight.

 

There are probably some who would like to vote me off of the island (board). As long as it is not the ship, booting me off the island (board) would not hurt my feelings.

 

By the way, I am a die hard X fan!!!!! Attack X and you attack me. :) I get a little touchy about it. :)

 

I definately would not vote to have you taken off the board. Am getting so tried of the same small group of people bashing Celebrity on multiple threads here, and the repetition is continuing even on newly created threads with the same old. [i.e., Summit and Mercury]. Am wondering if the Hosts have some rule that the same posts posted by the same people on multiple threads is a little too much.

 

Wish more people would puruse our roll call for our 10 night Cruise on Galaxy out of Rome on October 7, 2005, realizing that there are a large number of pages. All of us CC'ers I think would agree that we had a marvelous time - thanks to Celebrity, even though you could nitpick a few items concerning Galaxy's condition, i.e. fogged windows in the Hemisphere Lounge, some water damage to tiles at the enterance, and a broken glass top in Michaels.

 

I am also getting a little touchy about all the bashing - and would hope that these threads get back to balanced reviews and providing other cruisers with useful information from informed pax. Oh and say hello to Jodie for Charlie and Nedra! :D

[poetic license]

I believe the negative thrust of not only this thread but similar ones will not help to engender support or sympathy for those on this particular cruise. For the sake of all readers of CC, it would be a whole lot more fruitful for posters to frame their concerns in a less inflamatory way so that negative and inflamatory responses don't continue to ensue. Fanning the flames of this fire does nothing to help anyone, IMHO.

[griswalds]

docjph - good post. Unless readers are prepared to follow this thread from the beginning, they will not understand or appreciate what really happened on this cruise. From some of the negative recent postings that are showing up, I expect the host may terminate this thread. Good luck to all the passengers on the ill fated Summit cruise who are trying to reach a reasonable settlement. Perhaps we will see a victory post in a year or 2 or 3?

 

May your next cruise be a true Griswald experience!

 

Griswalds

[Host Walt]

Because there were several threads on the same subject, they have all been merged into this one, so if it looks a bit different, it is.

[cechase]

California oldie and docjph - thank you for posting your stories on this. I feel that Celebrity owes you more than the $200 cabin credit and 30% on a future cruise. Compensation should be based on what you missed on this cruise - and in the form of a partial refund rather than a discount on a future cruise.

 

Had the missed ports and delays been caused by an unexpected mechanical failure or weather problems, it would be a different story, but this is a problem that they have been aware of for several years. I think that there is some negligence on Celebrity's part in this whole matter and negligence is a good basis for a class action suit. However, as docjph said, it would be much better if "Celebrity stepped up to the plate" to resolve this without court action.

 

I hope this is resolved to everyone's satisfaction.:)

 

Susan, I certainly agree with your last statement, however based on my experience of practicing law for 38 years, there is no way that any outcome would satisfy all of the pax on Summit. I disagree with your statement that negligence would be a good basis for a class action lawsuit. If the Captain of the Summit ignored the bearing and pod problems and ran the vessel at 22 knots instead of the 17.5 knots, and became totally disabled far away from port, that would be negligence. More likely, the causes of action will most likely be based upon fraud [misrepresentation and concealment].

 

The class will be a very very small class as class actions go, consisting of probably no more than 1900 pax, and probably considerably less. In these class actions, you have take into consideration that the attorney's fees will amount to approximately 20% to 30% of the recovery, and the attorneys will be reimbursed out of the recovery for all of their costs which they have advanced for filing fees, depositions, copy costs, fed ex costs, court and reporter fees in the event of a trial, expert witness fees, and so forth.

 

The recovery will be based on the English and American concept of quantum meriut. That is Celebrity will be given credit for the value which it provided to each pax for room and board , entertainment, etc. for the 13 days of the cruise. If the court and/or jury considers the value given to be worth more than the $200 credit and 30% off of a future cruise, then the pax will lose their class action lawsuit. The worst result for the pax would be a finding that the value given was maybe 10% or 20% less than the $200 credit and 30% off of a future cruise. In that case, the pax would probably be obligated to pay the attorneys and reimburse the costs advanced, because the recovery would be too small to entirely cover those amounts.

[HurricaneSally]

You mean the passengers could possibly have to spend more money if they sue, and still win?

[Lotsacruising]

My husband and I have decided to dipute the charges for this cruise. We discovered that most credit cards will actually allow you to dispute charges that are more than 60 days old. If everyone that is unhappy did this, Celebrity might actually take notice.

I am also disputing the $579 charge for the 1 visit to hte ship doctor my dh made with a "touch of Bronchitis". We felt the amount was outrageous. The Ship refused to remove any of the charge when we tried while on the ship

Janet:(

[Susan-M]

Charlie - thank you for the detailed explanation! Can you explain why (or if) a court and/or jury would consider a discount off of a future cruise to be compensation. I don't think it is reasonable to expect people to have to purchase anything more from Celebrity in order to make up for their loss on the Alaskan cruise.

 

thx,

Susan

[cechase]

You mean the passengers could possibly have to spend more money if they sue, and still win?

 

Yes, that has happened many times. Two cases come to mind. A large corporation sued my client for misappropriation of trade secrets. The plaintiff corporation ended up paying my client an amount in the high six figures. In the last case that I tried before retirement, a large fast food corporation had to pay my client in excess of $60,000.00 after their case was thrown out of court.

[cechase]

Charlie - thank you for the detailed explanation! Can you explain why (or if) a court and/or jury would consider a discount off of a future cruise to be compensation. I don't think it is reasonable to expect people to have to purchase anything more from Celebrity in order to make up for their loss on the Alaskan cruise.

 

thx,

Susan

 

Susan if the pax involved in the class action law suit rejected the $200 credit and the 30% credit on a future cruise then the court would determine the value given by Celebrity for room and board, entertainment, etc. for the 13 day cruise, and if that was less than what they paid for their fare, then the difference would be the amount of recovery for each pax - of course, before attorney's fees and recovery of court costs. If that amount of recovery was less than the $200.00 and the value of the 30% credit, yes the suing pax would be losers!

 

However, if they accepted the $200 credit, then that would be deducted from any recovery, and if they used the 30% credit in booking a new cruise then that would in my opinion be deducted also.

 

Another matter which I failed to mention, is that the pax each have a different situation from the others, because of the cabin category which they booked. This variable could make the class action very difficult, and a judge does have the right to reject the class action and require each pax to sue Celebrity individually.

[cechase]

Because there were several threads on the same subject, they have all been merged into this one, so if it looks a bit different, it is.

 

 

Walt, god bless you! These multiple threads and their off-spring :D have been in my opinion total overkill on what we consider to be a great resource for cruisers.

[Ma Bell]

Well, if that's the case, HAL broke the "law" last July during my Summit cruise. We were at Hubbard Glacier, doing the slow twirl thing so everyone could see the glacier (it was a fabulously clear, warm day - we stayed for hours as was scheduled) when a HAL ship entered the bay and sailed even closer to the Glacier than we were. We shared the space for at least half an hour and then we sailed away - on schedule.

 

Hmmm.

Joanie

 

I guess that must be true. Here is a link to the EIS newsletter that you may read for yourself. It will show that for many years there have been 2 cruiseships per day allowed in Glacier Bay...one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I don't make up the regulations.

 

[url="http://www.glba.ene./scoping_newsletter_01.htm

[renebfl]

If this discussion was taken off the board, others would not know what went on during our cruise. I wish I had seen the Summit cruise that went wrong last year. Maybe I would not have taken a chance on my" once in a life time cruise to Alaska", with that ship. I think we all just feel the more people that know the better. I certainly am telling everyone I know what happened and I am letting them make their own decision on whether they chance a cruise with them again.

[cruising with marti]

I guess that must be true. Here is a link to the EIS newsletter that you may read for yourself. It will show that for many years there have been 2 cruiseships per day allowed in Glacier Bay...one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I don't make up the regulations.

 

[url="http://www.glba.ene./scoping_newsletter_01.htm

 

 

Joanie

You may not make up the regs. , but I do, and you are correct, one in the am and one 1 the pm. We have cruised the Hubbard 3 times and we were the only ship there.

Phil

[nu2sea]

Isn't the Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay? Or is it in Glacier Bay?

:confused:

Susan

[Ma Bell]

Susan, you're right. Same regs there. I must be losing it in my old age.:D

[FlyingTiger]

Isn't the Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay? Or is it in Glacier Bay?

:confused:

Susan

 

Hubbard Glacier is located deep in Yakutat Bay.

[karlsselindh]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but here's my understanding:

 

Glacier Bay is a National Park and access is controlled by the NPS. Only certain cruise lines have permits to sail Glacier Bay.

 

Hubbard Glacier is far from Glacier Bay (several hundred miles, perhaps?). I've never read about restrictions by the NPS, or other agencies, on visits to Hubbard? Are there any?

 

We were on the 5/7 Summit, and while we were hanging back at a distance of perhaps 4-5 miles from the glacier, there appeared to be TWO ships close to the glacier. I believe one was the Mercury, and the other was a HAL ship. People nearby said that on previous cruises their ship had been one of several at a time close to Hubbard.

 

Lois

 

_______________________________________________

 

I guess that must be true. Here is a link to the EIS newsletter that you may read for yourself. It will show that for many years there have been 2 cruiseships per day allowed in Glacier Bay...one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I don't make up the regulations.

 

[url="http://www.glba.ene./scoping_newsletter_01.htm

 

 

Joanie

 

You may not make up the regs. , but I do, and you are correct, one in the am and one 1 the pm. We have cruised the Hubbard 3 times and we were the only ship there.

 

Phil

[DeltaOne]

Under Celebrity’s Terms and Conditions, it states, “While every effort will be made to adhere to the specifics shown herein for a cruise/Cruisetour, circumstances may necessitate changes or deviations therefore”. Celebrity did not make every effort, therefore they broke their terms and conditions.

I respect your opinion, but a reasonable person could conclude Celebrity did do everything they could.

 

There was only one fix...cancel a cruise and put the ship in to drydock for repair. They obviously have to order parts and schedule drydock time. They obviously want the ship fixed as soon as possbile. And they're obviously going to keep the ship in service if at all possible.

 

Everyone here wants their cruise to be all it can be. Bottom line...the cruise lines have a right to alter the itinerary and you agreed to it. They offered you compensation. Now it's up to you to decide which cruise line(s) get your business in the future. Voting with your pocketbook is the only option you have...

[newmexicoNita]

I respect your opinion, but a reasonable person could conclude Celebrity did do everything they could.

 

There was only one fix...cancel a cruise and put the ship in to drydock for repair. They obviously have to order parts and schedule drydock time. They obviously want the ship fixed as soon as possbile. And they're obviously going to keep the ship in service if at all possible.

 

Everyone here wants their cruise to be all it can be. Bottom line...the cruise lines have a right to alter the itinerary and you agreed to it. They offered you compensation. Now it's up to you to decide which cruise line(s) get your business in the future. Voting with your pocketbook is the only option you have...

Exactly, a similar situation arose last summer with NCL. Would everyone rather they cancel all summer cruises or do their best to fix the problem and do the major repairs after the Alaska season? I think the compensation was quite acceptable: some will never be happy. We were on a fall cruise over the Atlantic: due to weather we missed a very sought after port and many of us were very disappointed: the cruise line removed the port charges, added extra activities and opened all 13 bars for 1 hour that afternoon. While many of us were sad not to go to the port we understood; a handful of others thought we should get a huge compensation. One woman clained she talked to others who had cruised other lines and said they got $100s off their next cruise for missing a port; someone else said: we don't drink booze, so what good did the open bar do us?. It proved to me just how spoiled we are. NMnita

[California Oldie]

Even though I am one of the 'protesters', I do not expect (or want) a full refund. But, we did not just "miss 2 ports". The list of things 'gone wrong' is long.

 

Most of the ship's crew were exceedingly polite...at least up until the last day when some were becoming rude. I took that as being they were also tired of the cruise. Our dining staff was outstanding. Garry, our waiter, and Anil, our assistant waiter, were terrific....and were "thanked" appropriately.

[BEAV]

Exactly, a similar situation arose last summer with NCL. Would everyone rather they cancel all summer cruises or do their best to fix the problem and do the major repairs after the Alaska season? I think the compensation was quite acceptable: some will never be happy. We were on a fall cruise over the Atlantic: due to weather we missed a very sought after port and many of us were very disappointed: the cruise line removed the port charges, added extra activities and opened all 13 bars for 1 hour that afternoon. While many of us were sad not to go to the port we understood; a handful of others thought we should get a huge compensation. One woman clained she talked to others who had cruised other lines and said they got $100s off their next cruise for missing a port; someone else said: we don't drink booze, so what good did the open bar do us?. It proved to me just how spoiled we are. NMnita

 

Too bad the US Government didn't charter Summit for the 5/07/06 sailing and give 1800 of our men & women fighting for us in Iraq a 'surprise cruise'. I'll bet there wouldn't have been as much as one complaint for missing two ports. Let's see, two more days to spend aboard a luxury cruise liner vs guarding Baghdad ....

[FlyingTiger]

Please read before posting. Not one person is complaining just because missing two ports. I´m sorry, but there is a lot more to it.