Nice Surprise From Celebrity Regarding Solo Fares

Recently had a nice experience with Celebrity regarding a solo fare.

Was interested in the May 12th sailing of the Summit, so have been monitoring prices that past month or two. About a week ago noticed a significant price drop and also that they had offered up guarantee fares for balcony, concierge and aquaclass cabins.

Tried online to purchase the fare for just myself (and pay the 200% premium) for the guarantee fare, since it was substantially lower than a single fare in same category $1998 vice $2600, but system would not allow it.

Called Celebrity customer service and they said they could do nothing to offer assistance, as it was a system limitation. The whole thing got me frustrated since it meant if I toolk a second person it would cost me under $1000pp, but to do the same trip solo in the same cabin it would be $2600.

I emailed the Celebrity Regional Sales Manager, VP of sales & Senior VP of sales, and asked for help, got a response within 24 hours from all three, saying that I WAS RIGHT, it was systematic problem that they would change, and they did.

They were nice enough also to book the cabin I wanted with a free category upgrade at the lower price, give me a beverage package for free, and an $200 OBC for bringing it to their attention.

Thought that was really excellent customer service.

Congratulations!

Sounds like a great deal.

Enjoy your may 12th cruise on Celebrity

:) :D :)

Awesome customer service! Have a great cruise!:p

Sounds like you won the trifecta of solo cruising! Enjoy!

Well done, enjoy your cruise. :)

Congrats! Now if they'd just drop the solo price overall.... :D

that sounds awesome.. I think I am a bit jealous because i payed the full freight a few weeks for a May 26 departure to bermuda on celerbrity. Enjoy your trip?

That's wonderful. You helped them (pointed out how their website wasn't working which might result in them getting more solos instead of discouraging potential passengers) and they helped you (got you the correct price and lots of nice freebies for your trouble). Ended up a win-win. Happy endings are sweet!

You did them a good turn and they returned the favor, great news. Have a wonderful cruise.

Wow Johnny, well done! Enjoy your cruise, hope all is well. :)

Wow Johnny, well done! Enjoy your cruise, hope all is well. :)

Yeah really got lucky. Things doing well for me, hope all is well since I saw you in December. I have been missing those warm fun days on Silhouette ever since.

Way to go!

Celebrity really showed excellent customer service! That's great.

I had a very unfortunate situation on a Celebrity New Year cruise a few years ago. We paid top price for a royal suite (second one with Celebrity), had a very rude waiter at the pool literally scream at me because he snatched up my drink before I was quite finished. Acted like I was trying to scam him for a freebie. I was really quite taken back, a little shaken up and, eventually, very, very angry. I told our butler who reported it whomever. Then early evening we had a group of officers with the nasty waiter at our door. They made him apologize and had a drink to replace the one he snatched. I didn't want another drink and dragging him to our suite to apologize made the reminder of the cruise very uncomfortable since he continued to work in the pool area. I appreciated the gesture but really would have liked something a lot more discreet. I wrote a letter to Celebrity when I was home and calmed down and received a very generic form letter from them. That was like pouring vinegar on a would. It's great that they're taking customer service seriously but I won't be sailing with them again.

Celebrity really showed excellent customer service! That's great.

 

I had a very unfortunate situation on a Celebrity New Year cruise a few years ago. We paid top price for a royal suite (second one with Celebrity), had a very rude waiter at the pool literally scream at me because he snatched up my drink before I was quite finished. Acted like I was trying to scam him for a freebie. I was really quite taken back, a little shaken up and, eventually, very, very angry. I told our butler who reported it whomever. Then early evening we had a group of officers with the nasty waiter at our door. They made him apologize and had a drink to replace the one he snatched. I didn't want another drink and dragging him to our suite to apologize made the reminder of the cruise very uncomfortable since he continued to work in the pool area. I appreciated the gesture but really would have liked something a lot more discreet. I wrote a letter to Celebrity when I was home and calmed down and received a very generic form letter from them. That was like pouring vinegar on a would. It's great that they're taking customer service seriously but I won't be sailing with them again.

Not really sure what you were expecting. When I sail and have a problem I immediately notify a supervisor onboard (which you did), so they can immediately rectify the problem and I can happily continue with my cruise. Sort of useless to complain to Ft. Lauderdale corporate when I get home. While their efforts to impress you might have been "overkill", what they did seems reasonable to me.

Celebrity really showed excellent customer service! That's great.

 

I had a very unfortunate situation on a Celebrity New Year cruise a few years ago. We paid top price for a royal suite (second one with Celebrity), had a very rude waiter at the pool literally scream at me because he snatched up my drink before I was quite finished. Acted like I was trying to scam him for a freebie. I was really quite taken back, a little shaken up and, eventually, very, very angry. I told our butler who reported it whomever. Then early evening we had a group of officers with the nasty waiter at our door. They made him apologize and had a drink to replace the one he snatched. I didn't want another drink and dragging him to our suite to apologize made the reminder of the cruise very uncomfortable since he continued to work in the pool area. I appreciated the gesture but really would have liked something a lot more discreet. I wrote a letter to Celebrity when I was home and calmed down and received a very generic form letter from them. That was like pouring vinegar on a would. It's great that they're taking customer service seriously but I won't be sailing with them again.

I guess my question would be what were your expectaitions of what Celebrity should have done? It wasn't a systematic problem from what you describe just a one time incident, it sounds like either just a overworked or rude waiter or one lacking people skills.

What ideally would you have liked Celebrity to have done to offer a remedy to the situation? I know when I do mediation in court, its difficult sometimes because sometimes one party really doesn't know what they want to help mediate (or close) the dispute. Sometimes they just want their voice heard, and the pain/embarassment they felt acknowledged.

Just curious how you would have handled it if you were the waiters manager?, and did you explain how you think it should have been handled in your letter to Celebrity?

One thing I've noticed over the years during mediation. It makes it so much easier when the person who is wronged has an idea of what he/she feels is needed to right the situation. So many times the person on the other side is willing to try and make it right but just lacking the knowledge of what inside the other party's thoughts.

I found a price on the Solstice April Hawaiian cruise with no single supplement on a veranda gty. The price was so amazing I had to control myself from upgrading and losing the great deal. I also had the California Resident discount. I put a hold on the reservation and called Celebrity to complete the reservation as I couldn't complete it online. When I called the reservationist was amazed at the price, as she could not find it on her screen, but because I had a reservation number and a hold, I was able to complete the purchase. I was assigned a 2A cabin about two days later. I do keep checking to see if another amazing event happens, an upgrade to Aqua, but alas no. I am very happy with the whole deal!