Cruise Critic Members: Get This!

[hcf]

Last evening, I sent an e-mail to the person who responded to my previous reservation questions, a Sylvia Culver, Coordinator Pre-Cruise Guest Services, asking this question:
"Is there someone to contact on the Dream in order to set up a Cruise Critics meeting? I have read about other cruisers who have had a great deal of support from their NCL cruiseliners for this purpose."

Much to my surprise, at 7:00AM this morning, I was awaken by Ms. Culver's call to respond to my inquiries.

She started off telling me that NCL does not support Cruise Critics meetings because it does no one any good to sit and discuss negative things, etc., etc. Finally she said, "If I am wrong, feel free to correct me." I told her she was wrong. I asked if she knew what Cruise Critics was. She said, "Yes", and continued to say if I wanted to have a meeting, I would have to do it myself when I get on board because NCL does not support such activities, etc., etc. I tried again to tell her that the purpose of the meeting was to meet each other and perhaps go on shore excursions together and make new friends. I asked again, if she knew what Cruise Critics was. This time, she said "No" and she would find out about it.

She answered my other questions then she said she will go find out about Cruise Critics. She returned shortly and said she will give me an address but I would have to write the letter myself to make the request. I had to scramble out of bed to get a pen. I told her that it was 7:00AM and I was still in bed. She said she didn't know there was a three hour difference and she was sorry. She then added that this must be a new program that NCL had just implemented (past cruisers on the CC Board talked about having done it for at least 2-3 years). I felt I didn't want to continue to enlighten her.

I asked for the name of her supervisor. She asked why. I told her that I was not very happy with the call. She said she answered to the CEO of the company. Then she asked why again. I told her that she had called and awaken me at 7:00AM and that she had kept arguing about the Cruise Critics meeting. She said "I apologized, didn't I? And that's not good enough?" I said "No". She said she would go to find someone to talk to me. She came back and said there was no one. I told her I'll just write to the CEO then. She said "OK."

Needless to say, I could not go back to sleep again.

I have sent a complaint into customercourtesydream@NCL.com and will be sending a letter to Mr. Vetch.

[calee]

That letter and $.99 will probably get you a large coffee. We all must encounter an untrained customer service drone from time to time. Good luck with your complaint.

[TheDivineMsM]

She is absolutely correct!!

Formal cruise critic meetings are never held on the Dream. If you want an informal meeting, you'll have to arrange it yourself.

I'm certain Mr. Vietch has better things to do than address your complaint!

[tommy2811]

agreed.

[mbisson]

Originally Posted by calee

That letter and $.99 will probably get you a large coffee.

Large?

-Monte

[Cruise_More_Often]

It seems that the folks on the Dawn and the Star go out of their way to assist CC members with setting up a meeting. Why should it be different throughout the fleet?

[shoreguy]

Originally Posted by TheDivineMsM

She is absolutely correct!!

Formal cruise critic meetings are never held on the Dream. If you want an informal meeting, you'll have to arrange it yourself.

I'm certain Mr. Vietch has better things to do than address your complaint!

Wow The Divine and I see things the same way. In fact there is no formal CC meetings on any NCL ship. CC has an exclusive relationship with RCI.

That said you can request a space for you to hold a meeting of CC members onboard the Dream. It is up to the maanagement on the ship to decide what if anything special will be supplied.

I have had meetings with other CC members here in meeting rooms on the Sun with no one crew member and not even coffee. I have been at meetings where most of the key staff attended.

Don't expect a single extra because you post on the Internet. Anthing more then a space to meet should be considered an extra.

All that said a 7 am wake up call from a less then profession marketing person is not accepable. Write the letter and be reasonable. Mr Veitch responds to reasonable requests

[cmdchiefthom]

HCF

First off, I find it unreal that someone representing a Corporation such as NCL would be so ignorant of what this site is all about. Maybe someone pee'ed in her cheerios, but to go actually place a call to your home at 0'dark thirty in the morning is simply incredibley stupid. To compound that, to suggest that she worked directly for the CEO, in the real world, would be corperate suicide!

Writing a letter would make you feel better, but I'd probably use a phone and go up the corperate ladder until someone can explain why this happened to you. You, at least have her name! People like that are a cancer that needs to be cut out!

[CruisinMatt]

Originally Posted by cmdchiefthom

People like that are a cancer that needs to be cut out!

Ouch, I'd hate to work for you

[TheDivineMsM]

Wow The Divine and I see things the same way.

Thanks Shoreguy!!!

I think l'll quit while I'm ahead. .

BTW..l'm not really a (insert 'b' word)..l just play one the NCL C.C. board as a reaction to my Nightmare aboard the Dream.

'the cruise is over but the (bad) memory lingers on..'

[tbag124]

TheDivineMsM - what happened on the Dream?

[greenie]

hcf,

I'd have been ticked, too.

If someone doesn't know what they are talking about/responding to (gotta love that "sit around and talk about negative things" comment!), doesn't think to maybe check what hour they may be calling, and lies about who they report to ... well, I sure wouldn't want that someone on MY customer Service team! If I had one, I mean.

Unfortunately ... there seems to be a bunch of that sort on Customer Service teams nowadays. Hey, at least she spoke English!



(She did, didn't she?!)

[smeyer418]

Originally Posted by calee

That letter and $.99 will probably get you a large coffee. We all must encounter an untrained customer service drone from time to time. Good luck with your complaint.

In what City would that get you a large coffee? Not from Starbucks....

[calee]

LOL........in my neck of the woods,S.E.Pennsylvania, a large(20oz) Hazelnut coffee from my local WaWa store is $.99 / $1.05 depending on which way the wind blows.

[SweetEmi]

Originally Posted by TheDivineMsM

Wow The Divine and I see things the same way.

Thanks Shoreguy!!!

I think l'll quit while I'm ahead. .

BTW..l'm not really a (insert 'b' word)..l just play one the NCL C.C. board as a reaction to my Nightmare aboard the Dream.

'the cruise is over but the (bad) memory lingers on..'

Now...Ms. M - we both know that the contrary part of Ms. M didn't just happen after your terrible problems on your "NON-trip" to Paris. I'm sure it didn't help - but *wink* we know better that that!! *smile*

Hugs, Emi

[jdr2alaska]

Originally Posted by calee

LOL........in my neck of the woods,S.E.Pennsylvania, a large(20oz) Hazelnut coffee from my local WaWa store is $.99 / $1.05 depending on which way the wind blows.

Calee,
What a small world!!! I'm right down the road from you in Parkside, PA...
JR

[TheDivineMsM]

Originally Posted by tbag124

TheDivineMsM - what happened on the Dream?

Ask any regular poster...l'm sure they'll fill you in.

[TheDivineMsM]

Originally Posted by SweetEmi

Now...Ms. M - we both know that the contrary part of Ms. M didn't just happen after your terrible problems on your "NON-trip" to Paris. I'm sure it didn't help - but *wink* we know better that that!! *smile*

Hugs, Emi

!

[hcf]

Cruise_More_Often
shoreguy
cmdchiefthom
greenie

Thank you all for validating my complaints and support instead of making fun of it all.

[UVaWiseGuy]

Perhaps the best education for the Dream CS department would be a live one. Try this:

1. Coordinate an agreed meeting date and time with the other posters on the roll call thread for your ship.

2. Invite Ms. Culver to attend, advising of the agreed upon place and time, (perhaps one of the bar locations at a relatively non busy time on your first sea day) and extend the invitation to any of the interested officers or department heads on the ship. (Follow up with direct invitations to the department heads during embarkation.)

3. Hold your meeting. Find some new CC buddies to go on shorex and swap favorites from past cruises with. Keep the conversation as upbeat as possible.

4. If members of the staff show, perhaps they will walk away with a new respect for you, your fellow CCers and maybe even look at the sight. If no one shows, you still get to meet your fellow CCers and enjoy.

(It sounds like she isn't familiar with the site, heard the word "critics" and immediately feared the negative. That isn't entirely an unfounded fear, but it may best be vanquished with a successful meeting.)

Best wishes for a great meeting, whenever and wherever you and your fellow CCers choose.

the Stanger