Cruise Critic Members: Get This!

[karfest]

I have had a wonderful experience working with Jennifer Hoadley about our Star CC meeting. She replied quickly to my e-mails and was very pleasant. She is going to have snacks and beverages and some crew members (officers)there to meet with us.I don't think anyone is planningto use this as a gripe session. We are better behaved than that! Perhaps there was a bad experience with CC members on the Dream?

 

Nontheless,it sounds like the rep that handles the Dream needs a customer service refresher course or find another line of work. Her behavior and attitude are totally uncalled for in a service business.

 

I'm looking forward to our party in just a few days:)

[Cruise_More_Often]

Same here, Karen. Jennifer (NCL Star) responded to my e-mail within minutes, and we'll be setting up a meeting about 3 weeks prior to sailing. There is another thread going right now about CC meetings aboard the ships, and no one said anything about there being no meetings on the Dream. I think that is why hcl had a high expectation that his contact with the Dream's coordinator would go as smoothly as everyone else's seems to have. Who knew???

 

Our cruise is a Latitudes cruise, so many of the CC posters on that Roll Call are very supportive of NCL and are excited about spreading the Freestyle word, as are the majority of posters on this Board. NCL couldn't have a better and cheaper (how much can donuts cost) marketing tool at their disposal.

 

Adele

[TheDivineMsM]

I happen to know Ms. Culver..from my aftrermath of the Dream. We became quite friendly as she was quite sympathetic to my case and helped me a great deal.

Out of curiousity, l gave her a call this morning. Yesterdays' incident with the OP was fresh in her mind. Since she always returns calls or answers her e-mails promply, she had no idea where the OP lived. She covered this fact by apologizing. Since Cruise Critics and NCL have no affiation what so ever, she had no idea what he was talking about. The more she tried to get this point across, the more irate he became.

Slyvia is a very polite and professional lady. To have her critized over this incident is very unjust.

[shoreguy]

I happen to know Ms. Culver..from my aftrermath of the Dream. We became quite friendly as she was quite sympathetic to my case and helped me a great deal.

Out of curiousity, l gave her a call this morning. Yesterdays' incident with the OP was fresh in her mind. Since she always returns calls or answers her e-mails promply, she had no idea where the OP lived. She covered this fact by apologizing. Since Cruise Critics and NCL have no affiation what so ever, she had no idea what he was talking about. The more she tried to get this point across, the more irate he became.

Slyvia is a very polite and professional lady. To have her critized over this incident is very unjust.

 

There are always two sides to every story.

[Host CMLA]

They did a fantistic job for us in December...you would think they would have a set policy for the entire fleet...

They actually do. NCL has no affiliation with CC so their policy is they have no connection and are not allowed to have official gatherings that are called Cruise Critic gatherings. Of course, many ships go out of their way for CC members but their official stance can be that they don't know anything about CC and they have no obligation.

[karfest]

Ms M-

 

Thanks for the clarification. I work in customer service and should have known better than to rush to judgement. I'm sure she appreciated your phone call so she could rectify a situation that has possibly gotten out of control.

[TheDivineMsM]

...ooops! after re-reading my post, l think that should have read she! (too late to edit!)

 

Thanks Karen..

[shoreguy]

They actually do. NCL has no affiliation with CC so their policy is they have no connection and are not allowed to have official gatherings that are called Cruise Critic gatherings. Of course, many ships go out of their way for CC members but their official stance can be that they don't know anything about CC and they have no obligation.

 

And that is why I posted anything more then providing a meeting place for "your" group should be condered a bonus. Don't expect more and in most cases your expectations will be exceeded. For me it is great just to be able to put a face with others you have planned your cruise with.

[LauraS]

As someone mentioned, there are no officially sponsored gatherings or parties on board NCL ships for Cruise Critic members.

 

Any accomodation by an NCL ship in the fleet in for our members is totally on their own. There are many staff members on specific ships who are familiar with the NCL Forum on Cruise Critic, and read each day. It is those nice staffers who reach out and reward your loyalty to their cruise line -- and to Cruise Critic -- by assisting with a gathering place or some other small accommodation.

 

No one should take this the wrong way, but Cruise Critic members should not expect anything from NCL -- or any of the other cruise lines, for that matter (except RCI & Celebrity) -- because they are one of our Cruise Critic members.

 

__________

Moving along, your best bet -- if you'd like to arrange something once on board -- is to visit GUEST SERVICES, and see if there is space where you can meet and ask for NO HOST BAR. Most cruise lines are happy to accommodate you *if* there is space available. A "no-host" means that each person attending picks up the tab for their own drinks...hence "no host".

 

Laura

[niya305]

Cruise_More_Often

shoreguy

cmdchiefthom

greenie

 

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

 

Maybe you should try contacting NCL's Passenger Courtesy dept., I believe that is the dept that Ms. Yulexi Perez works in....

[paljoeysmom]

Ahoy:

 

We had a wonderful CC meeting on the NCL Dawn in May 2003. There were over 100 attendees. We got free juice, coffee, and pastries. DH and I are set to sail on the Dream in April. I doubt NCL will go out of their way for us.

[trish1c]

Last year on the Sky (now the POA) we had a cc meeting which many officers attended. NCL even put up a little sign announcing our meeting. It had previously been explained to us that CC's only official relationship is with RCI.

 

Some drunk guy walked in thinking we were real travel reviewers. I don't know why he chose to talk to me when there were officers in uniform standing 3 feet away. I tried to explain to him that we were just people who met on the internet. He launched into a tirade of his gripes about his trip so far (bear in mind this was the 2nd day of the cruise). Then he demanded to know what I was going to do about it. When I suggested that he turn around & voice his complaints to the Assistant Hotel Director standing behind him, he got even angrier. I honestly thought he was going to hurt me. One of my fellow passangers from this list was closest to me & intervened.

[Lisa&Neb]

Alex D. is the conseage (sp?) on the Dream. She was friendly, but not overly when we were on a weeks ago!! If i had her e-mail I would give it to you. She may be able to get something set up, especailly if someone is in a CC cabin or higher!!

[cnmiranda]

I don't know what to be more shocked by, the fact that Divine Ms M took it upon herself to invade another traveler's privacy by calling the NCL rep or the NCL rep that released private information about it during the phone call.

[greenie]

I don't know what to be more shocked by, the fact that Divine Ms M took it upon herself to invade another traveler's privacy by calling the NCL rep or the NCL rep that released private information about it during the phone call.

 

I think she meant well, but I kind of agree. I felt uncomfortable when I read that post and I guess what you said is why.

 

Shoreguy, I agree with what you said but will add to it--it's been my experience that there are always 3 sides to a story. What the first person says, what the second person says, and what really happened!

[shoreguy]

I think she meant well, but I kind of agree. I felt uncomfortable when I read that post and I guess what you said is why.

 

Shoreguy, I agree with what you said but will add to it--it's been my experience that there are always 3 sides to a story. What the first person says, what the second person says, and what really happened!

 

I left the third option off intentionally. You have to be careful here people take things the wrong way. By adding the third option you are indicating both posters stories are not completly correct.

[TheDivineMsM]

I was speaking up for a friend who was being unjustly maligned after hearing one side of the story.

 

I find nothing 'shocking' in that.

[DrVal]

I support what DMM did... if the customer service rep. was being unreasonable and nasty, a call from a vocal and loyal NCL customer might have helped diffuse the situation. DMM posts alot about her experiences... how could she put herself out and honestly recommend to other CC members to contact someone who is unreasonable?!? She called her contact to make sure that her personality and customer service attitude hadn't changed dramatically. Had the conversation gone differently, she might have posted "wow, i know what the OP is talking about... even though she was helpful when i dealt with her x months ago, when i spoke to her today she was nasty and dismissive, etc."

 

Her experience makes me personally feel better -- this will be my first NCL cruise and I am nervous about all the negatives I've read... it's still not too late for me to cancel without penalty... if all the NCL posts were negative, I might.... the fact that some are negative, but some are POSITIVE makes me hold out hope that I'm going to be one of the lucky ones that has a great cruise! :) Thanks DMM

[bahama2]

:) DrVal I wouldn't let negative comments get to me. NCL is a great line and June 19, 2005 will be my 4th cruise with them. I've been on other ships but always come back to NCL. If you want to dress up every night and have dinner with the same people then NCL would probably not be for you. However if you like to do things your way and go with the flow then you'll have a great time. Just go into it with an open mind and don't sweat the small things. Hope you have a great cruise. Let us know when you get back. Alaska is magnificent.:)

[CRUISEinTIME]

It's funny how each line treats Cruise Critics differently. On Celebrity, they set everything up. From an online sign up sheet, which does require a minimum number, to a setting up a time and place? Usually in the late morning, coffee, juice, pastries, etc. The Social director and the Cruise Director usually stop by for a chat. Tell us about what is new, what's hot, and what is not! We get to meet our fellow Cruise Critics.

 

Unfortunate........................................

[shoreguy]

It's funny how each line treats Cruise Critics differently. On Celebrity, they set everything up. From an online sign up sheet, which does require a minimum number, to a setting up a time and place? Usually in the late morning, coffee, juice, pastries, etc. The Social director and the Cruise Director usually stop by for a chat. Tell us about what is new, what's hot, and what is not! We get to meet our fellow Cruise Critics.

 

Unfortunate........................................

 

That's because they have an exclusive agreement with CC.

[hcf]

I don't know what to be more shocked by, the fact that Divine Ms M took it upon herself to invade another traveler's privacy by calling the NCL rep or the NCL rep that released private information about it during the phone call.

 

cnmiranda: My reaction was similar to yours when I read that posting. I could not believe that someone would actually invade another poster's privacy by calling the NCL rep and then go on to represent the rep to tell the "other side of the story." As she said, she was "defending" a "FRIEND", how objective could she have been?

 

Of course, what did she expect the rep to tell her? Like "I looked on her reservation file to get her phone number but did not look at her address to take note of where she lives, and I didn't know what the area code represented," "I really had no idea what Cruise Critics are, and thought they wanted to get together to talk about negative things about the cruise," or "When she asked for my supervisor's name, I didn't want to tell her, so I told her I answered to the CEO"?

 

The appropriate response the rep should have given her when she called was "I am sorry, but I cannot comment on dealings with clients." However, the rep gave her own version, and in the process, labeled me as "irrate." If I was irrate, I would not have waited patiently while she left me holding the phone twice. Her response only reflected her unprofessionalism more clearly.

 

If everyone will read my original poster again, they will see that I had not asked NCL to give me any freebies. I only inquired if someone I could contact to explore the option based on what I had read on the CC Board. I don't believe it was the rep's responsibility to represent NCL and tell me that NCL would not support what she thought was a bad thing. She only had to provide me with a contact person for the Dream.

 

This was what I asked in my e-mail:

"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." I don't believe a simple question like this warranted her reactions and responses.

:confused:

[TheDivineMsM]

I put my own spin on the conversation..and it is a possibility the word 'irate' was never used. For that, l sincerely aplogize.

 

Slyvia does work along side Colin Vietch and therefore he is her supervisor.

 

Having been on the Dream, may l suggest you CCers meet on the Port side of the Observatory Lounge..upper level. This is a quiet and lovely area.

[hcf]

TheDivineMsM

 

Thank you. :)

[CRUISEinTIME]

:-) !