Rant of the Day Website and Customer Service

So I am leaving on my first Celebrity cruise Saturday. I went to the website over a month ago and completed my online check in. I didn't print out my express pass because it was not needed at the time. Today I went to the website and could not locate it and it said online check in was closed. I didn't need to check in just print my express pass, so I called Celebrity. I waited over an hour on hold and then the rep tole me he couldn't either, he would be looking at the same screen without a way to check in. He then proceeded to hang up after he said you will just have to do it at the pier. I said you mean to tell me I waited an hour for you not to be able to help me and he said yes and hung up. I am still in shock, I can still hear the bang of the phone.

I'm sorry, but in this day and age this is ridiculous. I have sailed on 3 other lines and never had a problem going back into the website to get anything I wanted after I was registered.

End of rant!

Hope you now feel better. Lesson: Print anything before it vanishes into Cyberspace. You can give the information when you check in. They probably will have you information.

Maybe it was the way you talked to him, being courteous goes a long way.

Maybe it was the way you talked to him, being courteous goes a long way.

I think I was courteous, I said you mean to tell me that I waited for an hour and you can't help me. I was not loud, I was repeating what he said and adding the hour wait.

Hope you now feel better. Lesson: Print anything before it vanishes into Cyberspace. You can give the information when you check in. They probably will have you information.

I could see my passport number ect, so I assume they will have the information. I didn't have a printer available when I filled out the information. I should have said it to the computer and emailed it, definitely a lesson learned. I am just shocked at the lack of technology vs other lines.

I’m sorry things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to but I won’t shoot the messenger. I agree that in this computer age they should be able to see your express pass and at the least email you a copy. Regardless of how you may have talked to some9ne (as others seem to try and accuse you of) there was no reason to just hang up on you. The first training any customer service person should learn is a kind word turns away wrath.

The real answer is they have a copy of you documents and showing I.D at the pier is all you should need

I'm sorry for your troubles and that they weren't very courteous. Celebrity's website is the worst. I had the same problem on my last cruise. I checked in and even printed my xpress pass. We switched cabins and went to print out a new xpress pass and couldn't. I even had to call to get my luggage tages sent to me. I couldn't order them from the website either like previous times.

I would suggest calling Celebrity again. Some reps are better than others. Also, phone wait times vary as well. Maybe you'll get lucky!

My dealings with Celebrity and its website have generally been positive, but currently I can't even start my online check in due to ongoing "technical difficulties" that IT has been working on and have yet to fix. Apparently it's only our cruise that's a problem, so maybe there's no particular pressure for them to resolve it.

There's either a staff shortage or other issue recently as telephone wait times have become ridiculous. Someone posted smugly in another thread yesterday that she only ever has to wait for a couple of minutes, but if so, she hasn't called recently!

While printing your express pass can speed processing, you can embark without it. All the requisite information should be in their computers and you have to show them you credit card and passport (or whatever other documents you are travelling on) so it really shouldn't add much time.

Good luck and have a great cruise! Once you've mounted the gangplank, all this will be behind you! :D

Thanks everyone. I think the wait time and then the rudeness got to me and I had to vent. I sure hope boarding goes smoothly and the rest of the cruise makes me forgot my troubles. Deep breaths!

This is the second post I have read today about exceptionally long hold times for phone calls. That's terrible. I hope your fun cruise helps you forget about this shortfall of Celebrity.

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Also, X indicates that OLCI is closed three (3) days prior to sail date, which appears not to include the actual day of sailing, in which case everything was closed on the website.

Sorry you had issues on both sides, you will have a smooth check-in and sailing!

bon voyage

This is the second post I have read today about exceptionally long hold times for phone calls. That's terrible. Sent from my iPad using Forums

Over the last month, my phone calls to Celebrity have ended up on hold for periods from 15 to 45 minutes. Not the best, to be sure.

IMHO, if they ever fix the major problems with the website, there would be significantly reduced needs for phone calls.

I said you mean to tell me I waited an hour for you not to be able to help me and he said yes and hung up. I am still in shock, I can still hear the bang of the phone.

About 4:00 pm today, I called Celebrity. Was on hold for about three minutes, the agent helped me with my issue, and I was off the phone in five minutes. Different times of the day are busier than others, obviously.

The Celebrity website clearly states the online check-in documents are not accessible once the cruise is within three days.

I laughed out loud when I read the "I can still hear the bang of the phone" comment!!! Who has a phone that can be "banged"? Almost everyone uses cell phones or portable phones, and employees in a call center would be using an earphone. Story sounds a little dramatic to me. :rolleyes:

Enjoy your cruise!

About 4:00 pm today, I called Celebrity. Was on hold for about three minutes, the agent helped me with my issue, and I was off the phone in five minutes. Different times of the day are busier than others, obviously.

 

The Celebrity website clearly states the online check-in documents are not accessible once the cruise is within three days.

 

I laughed out loud when I read the "I can still hear the bang of the phone" comment!!! Who has a phone that can be "banged"? Almost everyone uses cell phones or portable phones, and employees in a call center would be using an earphone. Story sounds a little dramatic to me. :rolleyes:

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Yes, it is clearly stated on X's website. The 3 day requirement to complete the online check in process is for security purposes, probably dictated by Homeland security.

I did see 3 days but thought that was Thursday for some reason since we sail Saturday.

I think I was courteous, I said you mean to tell me that I waited for an hour and you can't help me. I was not loud, I was repeating what he said and adding the hour wait.

He should have told you that you can do it at the pier up front. He probably will with the next customer who calls. The phone reps are typically paid $10 to $12 an hour to start, and like most customer service reps are never given enough training to handle every situation. They learn by inconveniencing us.

I'm surprised X is still having website problems. I wasn't that impressed with the cruise we took, and I don't think we'll book another one until they get their proverbial stuff together. It makes me wonder what else is falling apart in their company.

Please believe me when I say that your ship board experience will bear absolutely no resemblance to your experiences with the website and phone reps!!! The Celebrity product on board is wonderful.

About 4:00 pm today, I called Celebrity. Was on hold for about three minutes, the agent helped me with my issue, and I was off the phone in five minutes. Different times of the day are busier than others, obviously.

 

The Celebrity website clearly states the online check-in documents are not accessible once the cruise is within three days.

 

I laughed out loud when I read the "I can still hear the bang of the phone" comment!!! Who has a phone that can be "banged"? Almost everyone uses cell phones or portable phones, and employees in a call center would be using an earphone. Story sounds a little dramatic to me. :rolleyes:

 

Enjoy your cruise!

How nice for you. Nevertheless, the OP did have a long hold time, as did two others on this thread. I too experienced longer hold times recently, though mine resulted in a polite resolution of my issue. And if the OP heard a bang, who are we to doubt her? She herself could have been using a headset or speaker phone, on which an abrupt disconnection could sound like a bang. The OP appears to be new to Celebrity, and she’s certainly getting a nice welcome, isn’t she?

JaniceB I hope you have a wonderful time on your first Celebrity cruise! I agree with Helen B. that the ships’ staff & crew are generally helpful and pleasant, and Celebrity simply does some things very well.

Bon voyage! :champagne-toast: