Carnival cruiser, first time on X, sour taste already

I have no proof, but am convinced the RCCL (Royal Caribbean and X) software simply assumes the alphabetically first name is the primary customer. My wife is a "K" and I'm an "M"; she's the primary passenger on all our itineraries, although I'm the "payer" on the onboard account.

 

And no, it doesn't appear to be "fixable" with their software. We just laugh about it!

My wife's first name starts with D, my first name starts with E. Everything associated with the cruise is addressed to me. Any other possibilities?

1. The first American Female Captain is now aboard Summit.

2. The President and CEO of Celebrity cruises is a female.

3. All of the Godmothers on S Class ships are Breast Cancer survivors and Celebrity holds events onboard to raise funds for the fight against Breast Cancer.

 

Don't that their actions support the thesis that they feel that women are in any way

subservient to men.

*highfive!*:D

I have no proof, but am convinced the RCCL (Royal Caribbean and X) software simply assumes the alphabetically first name is the primary customer. My wife is a "K" and I'm an "M"; she's the primary passenger on all our itineraries, although I'm the "payer" on the onboard account.

 

And no, it doesn't appear to be "fixable" with their software. We just laugh about it!

Ah, you may just have explained why only our 15 yr old son (ignoring both parents and older brother) received flyer for cigarettes and alcohol on our recent Equinox cruise :D

Hi Sam and Janet,

So glad others have given you some examples of Celebrity's wonderful IT systems.

We tried Celebrity after years mainly cruising with RCCL and have never looked back. You will have a wonderful cruise!

During the planning, however, try to keep a smile on your face when the IT lets you down, as it will at some stage. Either it won't let you book something or your balance will be missing something.......We now see it all as part of the fun! This board is littered with questions, queries and panics when the IT system goes Mad.

The great news is once you get on board everything runs so smoothly! Service is spot on, the ships are spotlessly clean and beautiful, nothing is too much trouble. How such a great organisation can have such a rubbish IT system I don't know, but don't let it get you down!

Look forward to your cruise, have a great time!

Out of curisoity, I looked back and our cruise confirmations for our back to back last October - for first the first leg, I was listed on the confirmation as "guest #1" and all coorespondance for that cruise, was to me: "Beth" (female). On the 2nd leg of the B2B, my husband was listed as guest #1 and all corresopndance was addressed to: "John".

I'm pretty sure it's 100% random how they "enter" the passenger order into the system as either #1 or #2. On the first leg of the aforementioned cruises, we booked on board and I assume when she asked for names my husband just happened to say his first. For the 2nd leg, we booked over the phone and perhaps I gave them my name first.

Either way, there are few things I can guarantee - but when it comes to "X" and their IT systems - I can pretty much say with 100% confidence, that X does not have it written in their coding to "make the wife subservient". :)

My wife's first name starts with D, my first name starts with E. Everything associated with the cruise is addressed to me. Any other possibilities?

For us, and maybe you, most likely scenario is she got listed somehow as passenger 1 once upon a time, possibly alphabetically by a TA. We've booked onboard for years, and they literally cut and paste from a text-based reservation system into a new screen. So she'll always be passenger 1 (as it should be, of course!).

Rather than the cool little Windows or Mac interface we all see on our computers, they're still using a 1970's SABRE style reservation system. Very clunky for the folks using it, but they're so used to it, they tend to fly through it.

I rarely let things get to me, and I know I will have a great cruise no matter what, but this really bugged me.

 

As stated in the title, we are Carnival cruisers, because we qualify for a great rate with them, and have enjoyed all of our cruises with them so far, but, had an opportunity to book with Celebrity that I was really excited about. I (Jen) booked the cruise myself, over the phone, DH (Sam) is my guest on that booking. Got an email from them today, to my email address, trying to sell the drink package. My problem you ask, IT WAS ADDRESSED TO SAM, Dear Samuel!!! Again, I'm the one that booked it, and paid for it. I know Celebrity is supposed to be higher class than Carnival, but are they that old fashioned that they must only communicate with the gentleman? When I look at my reservation online, I'm listed first.

 

Sorry to vent, but hoping some of you might have some insight. Is this what I should expect on the cruise as well, am I subservient to my Husband? This has to be some kind of mistake, just has me a little worried about what to expect.

Geez.

If it makes you feel any better, my wife gets all the emails, not me, and I book everything.

I'm a guy married to a guy....I book and pay for everything.....he gets all the correspondence from Celebrity. Who knows why. I don't know if it's a system glitch on their end or something that my travel agent input incorrectly. But don't sweat it. You'll love Celebrity.....you may not even look to Carnival again. We used to sail only very high-end cruise lines, but once we tried Celebrity, we have not gone back to the others. Have a great cruise!

Michael

Hope the OP returns to give her reactions.

I rarely let things get to me, and I know I will have a great cruise no matter what, but this really bugged me.

 

As stated in the title, we are Carnival cruisers, because we qualify for a great rate with them, and have enjoyed all of our cruises with them so far, but, had an opportunity to book with Celebrity that I was really excited about. I (Jen) booked the cruise myself, over the phone, DH (Sam) is my guest on that booking. Got an email from them today, to my email address, trying to sell the drink package. My problem you ask, IT WAS ADDRESSED TO SAM, Dear Samuel!!! Again, I'm the one that booked it, and paid for it. I know Celebrity is supposed to be higher class than Carnival, but are they that old fashioned that they must only communicate with the gentleman? When I look at my reservation online, I'm listed first.

 

Sorry to vent, but hoping some of you might have some insight. Is this what I should expect on the cruise as well, am I subservient to my Husband? This has to be some kind of mistake, just has me a little worried about what to expect.

Welcome to the real world. Happens to me ALL of the time. Not just with cruise lines but everywhere I do business where my husband is also involved. Drives me to drink except I am not a drinking person. If you find the solution to this problem, please let me know. Good Luck.

Hope the OP returns to give her reactions.

Was thinking the same. Wonder how she feels?

OP here, my reaction, I've read about their IT problems, so I'll just chalk it up to that rather than poor customer service.

This is interesting. All our contact with Celebrity was addressed to my wife. Called Celebrity. The reason? An IT snafu. A box was checked in some obscure page of the Personal Information.

OP here, my reaction, I've read about their IT problems, so I'll just chalk it up to that rather than poor customer service.

Best way to approach it. I can assure you that the service on the ships is truly outstanding. I'm certain that you will return with many wonderful memories. Enjoy :)

1. The first American Female Captain is now aboard Summit.

2. The President and CEO of Celebrity cruises is a female.

3. All of the Godmothers on S Class ships are Breast Cancer survivors and Celebrity holds events onboard to raise funds for the fight against Breast Cancer.

 

Don't that their actions support the thesis that they feel that women are in any way

subservient to men.

The number of complaints about Celebrity on the Cruise Critic forum has risen 350% in recent times. :p :p :p

DH and I often get the opposite. I travel a lot for business, so when we book a hotel we always do so in my name to take advantage of frequent client perks. DH and I have different last names and he invariably gets called Mr. (Insert my last name). He just laughs and tells me me should have just changed it when we got married. He's also happy to take advantage of the perks that come along with the name.

As others have said Celebrity will not be the same experience once on board. I have never, ever had a Celebrity employee be rude or condecending to me because I am a woman, or for any other reason. In fact, with so many different nationalities and cultures working on board, and with the open atmosphere on board Celebrity ships it seems to me they're more about diversity and inclusion than some other cruiselines I've sailed.

I hope you give them a chance, because if you do I'm sure you'll have a great experience!

I was told by the customer service folks at Celebrity that the correspondence from them goes to the partner/spouse/traveler who has the lowest Captains Club number. DW's ends in 67, mine in 70. She gets all the correspondence.

I think Jen & Sam should immediately cancel the cruise & go back to Carnival, if this offended them soooo much.

I've been married for 13+ years & use my maiden name & every time I meet a co-worker of my hubby's they assume that I took his name. Yes it's annoying & rather rude, but I don't make hubby quit his job every time this happens.

Celebrity sends everything to hubs, who is not the payee, or the bread winner, or the highest status on Celebrity. I do appreciate there formality. At least celebrity gets my last name right.

In short it's all small stuff & don't sweat the small stuff.

I had to change my Mom Patricia from male to female for our April cruise. Mistakes happen. I like Carnival and prefer Celebrity now for a lot of different reasons. I can think of lots of things I prefer about Celebrity before I even get on the ship such as better cancellation policies etc.

I rarely let things get to me, and I know I will have a great cruise no matter what, but this really bugged me.

 

As stated in the title, we are Carnival cruisers, because we qualify for a great rate with them, and have enjoyed all of our cruises with them so far, but, had an opportunity to book with Celebrity that I was really excited about. I (Jen) booked the cruise myself, over the phone, DH (Sam) is my guest on that booking. Got an email from them today, to my email address, trying to sell the drink package. My problem you ask, IT WAS ADDRESSED TO SAM, Dear Samuel!!! Again, I'm the one that booked it, and paid for it. I know Celebrity is supposed to be higher class than Carnival, but are they that old fashioned that they must only communicate with the gentleman? When I look at my reservation online, I'm listed first.

 

Sorry to vent, but hoping some of you might have some insight. Is this what I should expect on the cruise as well, am I subservient to my Husband? This has to be some kind of mistake, just has me a little worried about what to expect.

I always book the cruises as well. The info. is frequently sent to my partner,Richard. Same thing from Cunard. Richard always gets the "specials". Never figured it out. Either way it's no big deal.

I was told by the customer service folks at Celebrity that the correspondence from them goes to the partner/spouse/traveler who has the lowest Captains Club number. DW's ends in 67, mine in 70. She gets all the correspondence.

Ahhh. I'll have to check our numbers. That does make sense! Either way, it's still no big deal.

I have no proof, but am convinced the RCCL (Royal Caribbean and X) software simply assumes the alphabetically first name is the primary customer. My wife is a "K" and I'm an "M"; she's the primary passenger on all our itineraries, although I'm the "payer" on the onboard account.

 

And no, it doesn't appear to be "fixable" with their software. We just laugh about it!

Not sure about that..I'm Keith,my partner is Richard.

I'm a guy married to a guy....I book and pay for everything.....he gets all the correspondence from Celebrity. Who knows why. I don't know if it's a system glitch on their end or something that my travel agent input incorrectly. But don't sweat it. You'll love Celebrity.....you may not even look to Carnival again. We used to sail only very high-end cruise lines, but once we tried Celebrity, we have not gone back to the others. Have a great cruise!

 

 

 

Michael

Same with us. "Tidecruiser1946" said it has to do with who has the slightly lower Captains Club number. That makes a bit more sense as Richard's number is lower on both Celebrity & lower on Cunard's "World Club".

OP - I can see why that could bug you regardless of what others say, but you also did note that it would not ruin your cruise (or words to that effect).

 

However, for me it brought back memories of an interaction with the telephone company some years ago when we moved to a new house a few blocks from our old one. There was a question they had about our phone wiring and they wanted to send someone out to check on it. I set an appointment time that I (the wife) could be home from work. The woman on the phone said - oh, we would prefer if the man of the house could be home. Somehow I remained fairly calm and said _ Look, for years I have been signing the check to pay you each month and NO ONE ever sent it back with a note saying "We would prefer it if the man of the house would sign the check." So - if my signature is good enough for the check, I am good enough to speak with your representative when he comes to the house!

 

No hassle after that, although I did have a male neighbor in the back of our house in case the representative even suggested needing to speak to "the man of the house" as I wanted to get the issue resolved. After all, at the moment he was the man "in" the house. No need however.

I still get "Can we/I speak to the man of the house?" I then reply..Well which one? usually gets a pause.

Even though it's clear the OP has Celebrity on a very short leash, I'm confident they'll have a wonderful cruise. Once I cruised X, I haven't gone back to Carnival (and my Carnival experiences were wonderful).