What a nightmare!!! Un-trained CSMs!

[Amlee]

Actually the asterisk * means third pullman. triangle is sofa bed, etc here is the chart

 

 

Stateroom with sofa bed.

Stateroom has third Pullman bed available.

Stateroom has third and fourth Pullman beds available.

So if the room in question has the * the OP, a travel agent, should have known there were going to be issues if everyone needed to be on the floor. True, RCCL making the same mistake is unacceptable but each person whether or not they are a TA should be responsible for their own informed choices. In this day and age with the computer and internet so readily available to be able to look at the floor plans, which are very specific, there is no excuse on anyone's part.

 

Again I did see the asterisk and I questioned as to what I was being told was true and was assured that it was. I was told that the 4th person had the pullman from the wall. A few days after I did the booking, I had the chance to sit down and do some indepth research into the room. I saw websites that had an E1 isted, but when you clicked on the image, pictures of a JS came up. Every deck plan I pulled up on the web had the same thing, that it just had the pullman. I did a search here and couldn't find the answer I was looking for. So I did my thread, which confirmed what I was suspecting. I then called RCI and got the run around.

 

Let me just say, I would much rather something like this happend to ME than to a client. I'm still not sure how I'm to go about assuring myself and my client that thier request has been made. I'm not sure what can be done to see that this doesn't happen in the future.

[PA Dutchman]

If you do your homework right you don't need a teacher to check it. You double check it yourself, I have not found a bouchure or the sites for cabin information to be wrong. Do it yourself and you have more or the same info then a TA or PVP on what your need/want is. If you have a puter its all you need to find out what you want, but its easier to ask on a forum and get all kinds of answers, and the person still doesent know for sure who is right or not. Don't make problems for yourself, "do your own homework";)

[Amlee]

I certainly understand what everyone is saying about doing your homework before you book. I have everything planned out before I even call a TA or RCI. But the fact is it wasn't that the OP called "a friend of a friend". She called RCI. She was also quite specific about what she wanted and why she needed it. They certainly have access to that little chart posted above. Anyway you look at it their cuistomer service has issues and most of us here know it so I doubt that anyone here is going to argue that point with me.

 

Not just RCI, I've ran into several CSM's who don't know or have little knowledge of their product. I had one from a different company argue with me that they didn't allow porters in their terminals, and that I would have to handle my own luggage. Now I know this wasn't true, and was shocked that she was so sure of herself about this. To the point she was all but yelling at me as she had just got off the ship herself and knew for a FACT that they weren't allowed. So it's not just RCI with the problems.

 

When you think about it, if someone is going to be getting paid a commission they should be doing the leg work. They get paid a lot more than what the time it takes to put a reservation into a computer is worth. I can make an on-line reservation in less than 10 minutes. Would I trust putting my vacation totally in someone else's hands? Nope, not in a million years. But if someone is going to be paid to essentially take that responsibility then they should take some pride in their work.

 

I agree, but as a TA I have to say. Part of that leg work is calling the cruise line and talking to someone on the inside who should know more than we do. As things change all the time and we have to depend on those on the inside to either keep us informed or to make sure their employees that answer the phone are informed. As they are the ones we turn to when we don't know or can't find the information ourselves. I have remained on hold for hours to find out a question for a client. So my client doesn't have to worry about doing that and going on with their day. It's my job to see that their request is made and that they get what they are looking for. But I can only do what the cruise line tells me.

 

RCI does not offer any of us a discount for doing all the work. The least they could do is make sure that their employees are doing what we are paying them for.

 

As a TA I have NEVER had a discount from RCI. The reason, I'm even going on this cruise is to get a better understanding of the ship and to see if it's something that I would want to bring a group on. I'm not in it for the money either. I'm in the business to make peoples dream vacations come true. But if I'm getting told wrong, then I'm going to have some upset clients.

 

Again, what can be done to protect myself and the client from this happening?

[Amlee]

I completely agree with what you are saying but I believe you missed an important fact....the OP is a TRAVEL AGENT!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Ok, so your saying as a TA I should know it all? Which I find impossible to do. I try to know as much of the products as I can. I use all kinds of resources, but it all goes back to having to depend on the company themselves to know for sure, with out a doubt what they can do and what they can't do.

 

Here is a couple of questions for you.

 

You check your deck plans, and know what you need. You call the cruise line and put in your request. They tell you even though the deck plan says other wise that this room will work for you. Who else do you believe? You have gone directly to the source, the one people that should know with out a doubt. Only to find out those that you trust don't know what they are talking about. What do you do? What would you have done different?

[Amlee]

Hmmm, yes I did overlook that point. But where do you go to get correct info? For awhile RCI wasn't even putting deck plans into their brochures and often times they use a set of plans for one ship in a class and reproduce it for every ship in the class. Even third party web sites do that and they will even show a picture, for example, of an ocean view cabin from one class of ship that looks nothing like the cabin on another class. I once thought I had made a mistake and booked an adjoining cabin after I saw it listed that way on a website though it was not listed that way in the brochure or on any other sites that I looked at.

 

She went to the source and they should have taken better care of her.

 

Exactly! I went to the ones who should have known without a doubt one way or the other, and was told wrong. When I started questioning why I was told wrong, or what they would have done if it had been someone other than a TA. What would they have done and I couldn't get a direct answer.

[Amlee]

Deck plans are not always correct either. We had booked 7610 on the Mariner thinking it had a pullman bed (it had an asterik in the deck plans), but ended up having a sofabed - not a big deal - we just weren't expecting that.

 

Deck plans can and have been wrong. As are brochures. I'm glad so many haven't ran into this problem and I truly hope nobody ever does.

 

My point is to ask what could have been done that I didn't do, or should have done to keep this from happening again. Also to let others see that they might need to do to keep this from happening to them.

[Amlee]

You're right and I'm wrong :( , I should have looked at the legend before posting .

 

The fact still remains that she called the company and they assured her there was a sofa bed in this cabin. So, I still think she does not deserve the total blame in this mix up.

 

BTW, I posted this reply a few minutes ago and it never showed up. Where do these posts go when they poof?

 

While I not sure what I could have done different to have kept this from happening. The only blame I can think of that is mine, is not double checking right away that what I was looking for is what I got. But then again, I don't see how that is possible. As once your hang up that phone it becomes a she said/she said thing and I don't have a leg to stand on. At least according to the RCI supervisor that I talked to.

 

As for the missing post, I've had that happen a few times.:confused:

[Sue L]

Again I did see the asterisk and I questioned as to what I was being told was true and was assured that it was. I was told that the 4th person had the pullman from the wall. A few days after I did the booking, I had the chance to sit down and do some indepth research into the room. I saw websites that had an E1 isted, but when you clicked on the image, pictures of a JS came up. Every deck plan I pulled up on the web had the same thing, that it just had the pullman. I did a search here and couldn't find the answer I was looking for. So I did my thread, which confirmed what I was suspecting. I then called RCI and got the run around.

 

Let me just say, I would much rather something like this happend to ME than to a client. I'm still not sure how I'm to go about assuring myself and my client that thier request has been made. I'm not sure what can be done to see that this doesn't happen in the future.

 

 

 

Maybe it is just me but if I see the asterisk * which the legend states is for a THIRD pullman, that means just that the the third berth is a pullman and the room ONLY holds 3 people and the only option for the 3rd person is said pullman. I would not even consider that this room held 4 because there is nothing that states it or even hints at it.

 

There is a separate marking in the legend which is a DIAMOND, which means that there is BOTH a sleeper sofa AND a pullman and that room holds 3 or 4 and the third person would have the option of sleeping on the sofabed or the pullman.

 

 

Or the TRIANGLE, which denotes a sleeper sofa.

 

 

If I needed three on the floor I would take one of the cabins that actually state the configuration I needed. I am not a TA and very unsure why you would assume that a symbol that states a 3rd option, pullman is this case would be a room configured for 4?

[Amlee]

If you do your homework right you don't need a teacher to check it. You double check it yourself, I have not found a bouchure or the sites for cabin information to be wrong. Do it yourself and you have more or the same info then a TA or PVP on what your need/want is. If you have a puter its all you need to find out what you want, but its easier to ask on a forum and get all kinds of answers, and the person still doesent know for sure who is right or not. Don't make problems for yourself, "do your own homework";)

 

Ok let see

 

Called RCI and explained that I needed a cabin with a balcony that slept 3 on the floor. Check!

 

Was told that cabin 6690 was open.

 

Asked it's location and was told it was an Aft Balcony cabin. Check! Yes I know it doesn't have the best view for a balcony, that doesn't bother me.

 

Asked if it's sleeps 3 on the floor and to break up the queen bed to have 2 there and 1 in the 3rd bed on the floor. Double Check!!

 

Question CSM about the fact that is has a pullman, was told it was for the 4th person. Check!

 

So to check myself

 

Balcony Check!

Sleeps 3 on the floor Check

 

Book it!

 

Exactly what more was there for me to do?

[Amlee]

Maybe it is just me but if I see the asterisk * which the legend states is for a THIRD pullman, that means just that the the third berth is a pullman and the room ONLY holds 3 people and the only option for the 3rd person is said pullman. I would not even consider that this room held 4 because there is nothing that states it or even hints at it.

 

There is a separate marking in the legend which is a DIAMOND, which means that there is BOTH a sleeper sofa AND a pullman and that room holds 3 or 4 and the third person would have the option of sleeping on the sofabed or the pullman.

 

 

Or the TRIANGLE, which denotes a sleeper sofa.

 

 

If I needed three on the floor I would take one of the cabins that actually state the configuration I needed. I am not a TA and very unsure why you would assume that a symbol that states a 3rd option, pullman is this case would be a room configured for 4?

 

Because I was TOLD that it did, which surprised me! As I was under the same impression that you were. She said "a pullman sofa" and bells went off. I said No we need 3 on the floor. At which she said this room does sleep three on the floor, but has a pullman out of the wall for the 4th person. I said good as none of us are able to climb into the bunk or able to help anyone up there. I also said since it's just the 3 of us, we won't need that at all. A few days later my mother asked me if we should invite my aunt or great-aunt to help with my grandmother. I told her it would have to be someone able to climb in the bunk as the 4th bed is a pull down.

[Sue L]

Because I was TOLD that it did, which surprised me! As I was under the same impression that you were. She said "a pullman sofa" and bells went off. I said No we need 3 on the floor. At which she said this room does sleep three on the floor, but has a pullman out of the wall for the 4th person. I said good as none of us are able to climb into the bunk or able to help anyone up there. I also said since it's just the 3 of us, we won't need that at all. A few days later my mother asked me if we should invite my aunt or great-aunt to help with my grandmother. I told her it would have to be someone able to climb in the bunk as the 4th bed is a pull down.

 

 

 

I think you misunderstood my point, to me a room with a * only holds three people not 4 regardless of the 3rd sleeping option so why would you go against the floor plan that is on the RCCL website and take that chance no matter what the rep said as this room is not available to book for a 4th so that 4th sleeping option didn't even exist. I did an experiment and went and pretended to book a cruise using 3 people as the # of guests. I found several rooms with the * and noted those. I then got out of the system and went back in and did the same reservation using 4 as the number of guests. And guess what? None of the rooms that had an * asterisk showed up, which means that they DON'T hold 4. As a TA and a member of this forum you should be well aware of the discrepancies in info diseminated from the RCL reps and should rely on your own instincts which did make you question it, but you booked it anyway!

[Ocean Boy]

If you do your homework right you don't need a teacher to check it. You double check it yourself, I have not found a bouchure or the sites for cabin information to be wrong. Do it yourself and you have more or the same info then a TA or PVP on what your need/want is. If you have a puter its all you need to find out what you want, but its easier to ask on a forum and get all kinds of answers, and the person still doesent know for sure who is right or not. Don't make problems for yourself, "do your own homework";)

Well. I've already stated that I HAVE found web sites with the incorrect information. So maybe you are a little lacking in the homework department.

 

And when people call my office and get incorrect information I don't tell them to go do their homework... I retrain my employees. I would be embarassed if an outside source knew more about my office than my own employees. RCI should be ,too. When people call my office they are going to the source. That IS doing their homework.

[Ocean Boy]

double post.... they either don't show up at all or they show up twice!

[jcanino]

Again, your reaction is one that I would expect from a client.

 

Your original message and lack of knowing where to get information is what I would expect from a client. If you don't have deck plans for all the ships you sell you should. After the debacle of last years brochures without deck plans, RCI sent indivdual brochures with every ship's deck plans to every agency. If you don't have the RC and Celebrity spiral bound TA manuals, you should. I would say that 90% of my cruise bookings are made electronically. I never choose a cabin without referring to a deck plan to see where it is and how it is configured. If I have a question about a cabin, I prefer to call Inside Sales, where they are better trained and more knowledgable. You are supposed to be the professional so therefore you get no sympathy from me.

[Merion_Mom]

Amlee, they are generally referred to as CSRs, with the R standing for REPRESENTATIVE; they are hardly managers! They are bottom-of-the-ladder phone answerers and order takers.

 

 

6690 is an E category cabin.

 

No E category cabin on a Voyager class ship HAS a sofabed. You have to go up to a D category for a sofabed.

 

ANY E cabin with a 3rd passenger capability will have a pullman bed.

 

The sofa in an E category is not even a full-size sofa; it's a loveseat, and a small loveseat, at that.

 

All of this is clearly visible on the deck plans posted at http://www.rccl.com (ok, not all - you can't see the sofa :))

 

Again, I feel sad, Amlee, that you couldn't get the accommodation that you want, but if I am reading correctly, it's not because they gave you the wrong kind of cabin. It's because there was NO cabin that met your needs, and they suggested something that they erroneously thought DID meet your needs.

 

You did NOT miss out on a suitable cabin; there never was one.

 

You are trying to book a cabin 16 days before sailing; there wasn't and isn't much left.

 

Perhaps you could go back to your inside and get another one next to or nearby yours?

 

Edit: The Family OceanView is less expensive for the three of you than two separate interiors.

 

And if you were content with the interior when you initially booked it for just you and your mother, why the big uproar over not having a balcony when your grandmother is joining you? As another poster stated the FOV is HUGE. (and has nice big windows)

[aqhacruiser]

[quote name='Amlee']Brochures are well known to not be correct. As many are put into layout years before the year they are good for. I would have said in the past go with what a CSM says instead of the brochure as they have the correct up to date information in front of them. I would still go with the CSM over the brochure on something like this. As the brochures do say subject to change.[/quote]

That's exactly what I did do, but onboard and in person so I could show Guest Relations the brochure. They were very nice and understanding and in complete agreement as it is stated JS received the concierge. I had no idea there may even be a problem concerning this issue if I had not read posts on this subject after I booked all my cruises and before I left for the first cruise. I went by the info contained in the brochure's to book my cruises. Even the loyalty Embassador was in agreement of what was written although she had not received word from corporate about the change but she still wanted me to have concierge but I told her I was already given that by Guest Relations. I just went to her to see if she may know that there now appeared to be a change that JS's did receive concierge now in all the new brochures. She was the one that grabbed her Mexico brochure to see what it said and it stated the same as the caribbean brochure that I showed her. Now because of another thread we know all the 2007-2008 brochures state the same thing. The issue began in the 2006-2007 UPDATED Caribbean brochure so I can't understand why RCCL made it even clearer in the 2007-2008 brochures if it was a mistake and neither do the reps I spoke with on board. As long as RCCL continues to honor what they printed about the JS to sell the suite and give the JS people concierge service, they will cover themselves if indeed it was a mistake otherwise it certainly looks like they are practicing deceptive advertising tactics and that is unacceptable. IMHO:o