Celebrity Launches Advocate Program

I got through part of the process...and then it seemed like it was difficult to continue on...but then made it to the videos...and I stopped too! All this for $10 an hour??? Not sure if it is worth it...would rather be on line here with my CC buddies I think!!! LuAnn

I'm looking at it as maybe a way to kill 3 hours in the morning while drinking my coffee and watching the news shows. $600 a month for 3 hours a day 5 days a week pays for a cruise in a year!

I don't think I could be an advocate on a website that fails as often as the Celebrity site does. There are no words to sooth the angst it can cause when trying to do the online checkin or just order luggage tags. Now it has half axxed info on it for things like what's included with Aquaclass and what's included with a drink package.... That's just so unnecessary. What they need is a responsible webmaster.

Well, if they are paying you for your opinion -- don't they now own both you and your opinion? What happens the first time one of their paid "advocates" expresses a less than glowing assessment of some aspect of the Celebrity experience? :eek:

Well, if they are paying you for your opinion -- don't they now own both you and your opinion? What happens the first time one of their paid "advocates" expresses a less than glowing assessment of some aspect of the Celebrity experience? :eek:

The program works similarly to Uber, in that the parties rate each other when done. It also requires advocates to review other advocates as part of the process, keeping tabs on key components.

Fail to reach targets, likely they will remove the offending advocate.

And again, Celebrity staff in their reservations center and call centers are paid, and are owned in the same manner, and likely would be terminated for giving recurrent bad information, talking bad about the company, or recommending another cruise line.

They should take these funds and send their own sales agents and customer service reps on cruises. Or fill those empty cabins that they aren't selling at last minute deep discounts with their employees. It's such a disappointment to speak with supervisors and hear that they've never stepped onto a ship. They have no idea what they are selling.

Just wait until the "advocate" gives outdated or just plan wrong information, which a passenger has relied on. And...then Celebrity claims that the "advocates" are just ordinary passengers and they have no control over the quality of the information given.

Just wait until the "advocate" gives outdated or just plan wrong information, which a passenger has relied on. And...then Celebrity claims that the "advocates" are just ordinary passengers and they have no control over the quality of the information given.

The information couldn't be much worse than a lot of answers people already get thru the standard Celebrity channels.

I notice you're relatively new on Crusie critic. Look for the many threads talking of Customer Service misinformation.

It's generally known that a NO answer on land is a YES once on board. And Their existing sales agents continually give out bad information when people want to make fare changes and reductions relative to keeping to losing perks. The standard answer is if you don't get an answer you like, hang up call back, and you'll get another answer.

As an example, there's a thread recently about work being done on Eclipse. They are adding exhaust scrubbers to run a greener fleet, and it takes several months. There is occasional banging etc. as the work is being done while at sail, as it has to. Calls to customer service, get the answer, "all the work was completed in April" yet people are on the ship now and see and hear the work taking place.

Another example was Suite perks, Celebrity published a document detailing many things, but somehow ships never saw the document, so didnt know what to do - I showed the document to my Butler and Michaels; concierge during the first week of it on Connie, both were thankful for seeing it as it answered many of their own questions. This document clearly stated the location where Luminae would be built, but it was actually installed opposite of the written official document.

I found this "Case Study" Needle put together about the NCL program.

https://3hqoo13c4o7s2ky3fx34g2835h-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/success-stories/NCL_CaseStudy.pdf

To me it's yet another wasted expense that could go into improving the website and onboard experience....they should better train the cust service reps and give them access to accurate info.....

oh well, this too shall pass.

To me it's yet another wasted expense that could go into improving the website and onboard experience....they should better train the cust service reps and give them access to accurate info.....

 

oh well, this too shall pass.

Curious if you read the case study..? NCL has seen definite returns on this, and enhanced "conversion" to real sales.

They also said they went out of their way to ensure the guest knew that the "advocates" were independent contractors, and not NCL employees, so that helps with some of the concerns being expressed.

Curious if you read the case study..? NCL has seen definite returns on this, and enhanced "conversion" to real sales.

 

They also said they went out of their way to ensure the guest knew that the "advocates" were independent contractors, and not NCL employees, so that helps with some of the concerns being expressed.

I think you would be great and a some easy money for your next cruise.

You have a vast knowledge about Celebrity ships, rules and menues etc. I say go for it and let us know what it is like.

This topic should be in CelebityCruises sweet spot. Wonder if they have any comments and/or clarifications?

The information couldn't be much worse than a lot of answers people already get thru the standard Celebrity channels.

 

I notice you're relatively new on Crusie critic. Look for the many threads talking of Customer Service misinformation.

 

It's generally known that a NO answer on land is a YES once on board. And Their existing sales agents continually give out bad information when people want to make fare changes and reductions relative to keeping to losing perks. The standard answer is if you don't get an answer you like, hang up call back, and you'll get another answer.

 

As an example, there's a thread recently about work being done on Eclipse. They are adding exhaust scrubbers to run a greener fleet, and it takes several months. There is occasional banging etc. as the work is being done while at sail, as it has to. Calls to customer service, get the answer, "all the work was completed in April" yet people are on the ship now and see and hear the work taking place.

 

Another example was Suite perks, Celebrity published a document detailing many things, but somehow ships never saw the document, so didnt know what to do - I showed the document to my Butler and Michaels; concierge during the first week of it on Connie, both were thankful for seeing it as it answered many of their own questions. This document clearly stated the location where Luminae would be built, but it was actually installed opposite of the written official document.

Agree. However the people behind the phone number should be better informed. Also, notes are kept by the customer service representative. If you need to escalate a problem, there is a record of your original call. Celebrity, in my experience, will generally try to make up for any misinformation given out by customer service. Ihighly doubt thiswillbe the casewith "advocates".

I may be relatively new to CC, however I am not new to cruising at all. And I have arranged more cruises than I can remember for family. Also, I ran customer service for a nationwide online service. Large scale customer service is a real industry that works in ways that most people are unaware of. Most people think that the customer service rep is a regular Celebrity employee, but that is not the case. Celebrity has a contract with customer service providers who specially train their reps on that particular product. Depoending upon volume,they may in fact have multiple cs vendors. The quality of the information is dependent upon how well information is communicated between Celebrity and the venfor and then how well the vendor trains their reps.

I just blew a few hours on their tests. I am a genius who can't type good or fast enough to qualify. I quit before they hire me.

Agree. However the people behind the phone number should be better informed. Also, notes are kept by the customer service representative. If you need to escalate a problem, there is a record of your original call. Celebrity, in my experience, will generally try to make up for any misinformation given out by customer service. Ihighly doubt thiswillbe the casewith "advocates".

 

I may be relatively new to CC, however I am not new to cruising at all. And I have arranged more cruises than I can remember for family. Also, I ran customer service for a nationwide online service. Large scale customer service is a real industry that works in ways that most people are unaware of. Most people think that the customer service rep is a regular Celebrity employee, but that is not the case. Celebrity has a contract with customer service providers who specially train their reps on that particular product. Depoending upon volume,they may in fact have multiple cs vendors. The quality of the information is dependent upon how well information is communicated between Celebrity and the venfor and then how well the vendor trains their reps.

Having just finished the Advocate training, the entire chat is stored, all customer interactions are stored, and multiple interactions by same customer are stored in a single file so long as the customer uses the same email address when making multiple contacts - all of this is in fact accessible to Celebrity staff who also verify the information presented, and update the relevant FAQ's to the Advocate portal. It stores the location of the individual based on their IP address, method of contact (web browser type, phone device, tablet, computer), and if they allow Facebook linking, their photo and all Facebook particulars.

Sounds like this system is very much similar to what you are talking about. Celebrity maintains the "guts" of the system - filling going th e necessary details and developing the "knowledge base", we just get to see it and present it. If we find errors or omissions, we get to suggest edits to the FAQ we have access to.

Based on reading the NCL case study, it seems we won't actually be quoting fares and booking reservations (I think their are just way too many dynamics and variables involved), we would pass it off to X to handle, we are there more to make people comfortable with cruising, explain how things work, and "triage" questions people may have, thus reducing wait times with Official celebrity channels for mundane and routine issues. I think the hope also is we tout shore excursions and benefits of booking the "extras".

The training component indicated the "sales catalog" is an optional feature dependent on the partner, and I don't think it could really be set up to properly sell cruises given the multitude of variables without a long term specialized training and systems.

I just blew a few hours on their tests. I am a genius who can't type good or fast enough to qualify. I quit before they hire me.

I had 47 WPM, 97% accuracy. Grammar test, 100%. Celebrity fact test, 4 of 5 (kind of shocked, that the core component only asked 5 questions), and 95% on sales skills quiz.

Overall I took about 45 minutes this morning, and another 30 in the afternoon to get through the 13 seminars and tests.

Now just waiting to see If I get the acceptance email.

Hope you get it Curt. You will have to do a lot of talking to pay for the PH Suites you love.

Don't they already have this? They're called travel agents. Except those take 10+% of the booking instead of a few bucks an hour.

It seems to me, by directing new customers to it's "advocates" Celebrity is trying to do an end run around forums like CC. Entice a number of zealots who will wax on about the virtues (real or perceived) of Celebrity and, by careful selection of individuals, minimize "negative comments" Really smacks at the freedom of speech/opinion expressed by many on this forum

I had 47 WPM, 97% accuracy. Grammar test, 100%. Celebrity fact test, 4 of 5 (kind of shocked, that the core component only asked 5 questions), and 95% on sales skills quiz.

I took a crack at it yesterday.. I got 68 WPM with 99.7 accuracy (I was able to type 90wpm back in the day, so I don't know what happened with this test), 100% grammar, and 95% on the sales. That sales test was a MUCH better grammar test than the actual grammar test--It had some seriously tortured grammatical constructions!

Now I just need to figure out how to make that Celebrity fact test work. It just showed up as an empty box for me.

Now I just need to figure out how to make that Celebrity fact test work. It just showed up as an empty box for me.

Mine showed up as an empty box at first too. When I went back a few hours later, the test (all 5 questions, LOL) was available.

I took a crack at it yesterday.. I got 68 WPM with 99.7 accuracy (I was able to type 90wpm back in the day, so I don't know what happened with this test), 100% grammar, and 95% on the sales. That sales test was a MUCH better grammar test than the actual grammar test--It had some seriously tortured grammatical constructions!

 

Now I just need to figure out how to make that Celebrity fact test work. It just showed up as an empty box for me.

I know there was a True False question that was really a yes no answer....that was convoluted.

It seems to me, by directing new customers to it's "advocates" Celebrity is trying to do an end run around forums like CC. Entice a number of zealots who will wax on about the virtues (real or perceived) of Celebrity and, by careful selection of individuals, minimize "negative comments" Really smacks at the freedom of speech/opinion expressed by many on this forum

If they took the money they are spending on this Advocate program and some of their marketing ideas like "the Grass is Greener" and spent it on the food and service, especially the food in the buffet at lunch time, they would not need to pay people to Advocate for them.

If they took the money they are spending on this Advocate program and some of their marketing ideas like "the Grass is Greener" and spent it on the food and service, especially the food in the buffet at lunch time, they would not need to pay people to Advocate for them.

The program is clearly intended as a reach out to new cruisers who have lots of questions and don't get cruising.

It's one of the industries most difficult hurdles, getting new and younger people to see cruising as something NOT that their grandparents do but as a fun vacation for anyone.

Using this type of "chat" versus phone centers helps get to the younger demographic, who haven't event thought about the food quality on a lunch time buffet, and are just so used to informally chatting via social media platforms.

It's highly doubtful any repeat cruiser would have much need for the advocate program, which seems really geared to answering questions and explaining cruising, in the hopes that the person is inclined to then purchase a cruise vacation for the first time.

I kind of se the Grass is Greener marketing as a reach out to the young ones....They are all about watching their peers and "one-upping" them - the grass is always greener...They have to do something to market, so no dollars would be saved one way or the other.

You may not be pleased to hear it, but on the investor call they said multiple times they are enhancing marketing budgets this year.

If they took the money they are spending on this Advocate program and some of their marketing ideas like "the Grass is Greener" and spent it on the food and service, especially the food in the buffet at lunch time, they would not need to pay people to Advocate for them.

Just received an email from Celebrity asking us to book our excursions in advance for an upcoming Panama Canal cruise. I clicked and guess what:

Received this message

"Well, this is unfortunate.

Here you are trying to plan a vacation and our website decides to take one."

No way to run a railroad as Grandpa used to say!