Celebrity Experience Desk

[cruise kitty]

Just received an email from celebrity introducing the Celebrity Experience coordinator:

 

Dear: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Thank you for choosing Celebrity Cruises for your cruise vacation on the

Celebrity Equinox, sailing xxxxx1, reservation number xxxxx. Please

allow me to be the first to introduce an exclusive department for our

guests in Concierge, AquaClass and Suite category staterooms called

Celebrity Experience.

 

As an added amenity, you are now able to contact a Celebrity Experience

Coordinator to plan your cruise enhancements prior to sailing. Our

coordinators are able to assist you with details regarding your shore

excursions, specialty dining and Gifts by Celebrity to name a few. For

example, if you have limited mobility, we are able to access details

regarding each shore excursion to determine if that excursion would be

appropriate. In addition to providing details on the shore excursions, we

are also able to make the reservations for you.

 

As always, we love hearing from our Concierge, AquaClass and Suite guests.

Please feel free to contact Celebrity Experience at 800-590-6221 or via

 

Sounds like it's basically a glorified sales desk, but it could be helpful to any one with special needs trying to book an excursion.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

"For example, if you have limited mobility, we are able to access details

regarding each shore excursion to determine if that excursion would be appropriate."

 

Sounds like it's basically a glorified sales desk, but it could be helpful to any one with special needs trying to book an excursion.

 

Thanks for sharing that with us!

 

Why should this only be available to CC and above?:mad: Anyone with mobility issues should be able to get the necessary info about an excursion.

[Orator]

Sounds like they are trying to give you an impression that since you are in a higher category you are getting something special. In fact, everthing mentioned can be done via "My Reservations" on the Celebrity site.

[cruise kitty]

I think you're both correct, I would hope anyone with special needs would get help with booking shore excursions, as for the rest of it, like I said, glorified sales pitch.

[kitty9]

As a disabled person, believe me, we don't get any help with excursions. To be honest, unless you're disabled, you really cannot judge how a shore excursion will work. For example, take a look at the shore excursions and how they rate them in terms of activity level. Many times the tours are rated easy when in actuality a disabled person can't book them because they might involve stairs, or long walks. It's very easy for an able bodied person to look at a tour and think it's really easy. But in many cases, that's not at all true.

[cruise kitty]

Hi Darcie, I wonder if the folks at this experience desk would be of any real help to someone in your situation, or if they'd be just as "helpful":rolleyes: as the usual shore side celebrity employees.

 

I'm surprised given how many people you see on cruise ships in walkers/ wheelchairs, & scooters that they don't offer more accessible tours.

[silkhair1]

Hi Darcie, I wonder if the folks at this experience desk would be of any real help to someone in your situation, or if they'd be just as "helpful":rolleyes: as the usual shore side celebrity employees.

 

I'm surprised given how many people you see on cruise ships in walkers/ wheelchairs, & scooters that they don't offer more accessible tours.

 

 

 

I am surprised there is not more information on that too! I have never paid attention to the description of a tour, but I hope if you called Celebrity they could lead you to a great excursion.

[Orator]

Perhaps there should be a Sticky devoted to a discussion of tours for people with disabilities.

[kitty9]

Perhaps there should be a Sticky devoted to a discussion of tours for people with disabilities.

 

We talk about it a lot on the cruisers with disabilities board. This isn't something exclusive to Celebrity. Every cruise line lacks tours for persons with disabilities. While it's not entirely the fault of the cruise lines, due to the fact that many areas of the world are behind the times with respect to accessibility, cruise lines could do more.

[Lsimon]

Perhaps there should be a Sticky devoted to a discussion of tours for people with disabilities.

 

There are sections of Celebrity's web site that have information on this.

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/tabLanding.do?pagename=onboard_special_needs&cS=Footer&ICID=Cel_10Q4_web_hp_ftr_accessibility

 

There is also a whole forum on Cruise Critic devoted to this topic:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

[cruise kitty]

There are sections of Celebrity's web site that have information on this.

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/tabLanding.do?pagename=onboard_special_needs&cS=Footer&ICID=Cel_10Q4_web_hp_ftr_accessibility

 

There is also a whole forum on Cruise Critic devoted to this topic:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

 

But when you click on the accessible excursions, the only options are a private car/van service... you'd think they would have more basic choices.

[Lsimon]

But when you click on the accessible excursions, the only options are a private car/van service... you'd think they would have more basic choices.

 

I just listed one web page. I quickly discovered there is contact info for additional resources in the FAQ:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do?faqSubjectName=Shore+and+Land+Excursions&faqId=3126&pagename=faq_answers

 

I believe the excursion brochures you can download from Celebrities web site has additional information on accessible excursions and contact numbers for additional information as well.

 

I think there are lots of different resources and information available. Some might take a little leg work to investigate - perhaps even an email or phone call. This thread was about specific services offered through one path for those booking certain classes of cabins. Just because that access point identified accessible needs as one of the areas they can help with doesn't mean that there are no other sources of information or assistance for those with special needs. Likewise, just because one web page only specifically identifies one option for service doesn't mean others don't exist.

 

Celebrity has resources available for this and if someone has special needs they should contact Celebrity through these resources for more information.

[cruise kitty]

I just listed one web page. I quickly discovered there is contact info for additional resources in the FAQ:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do?faqSubjectName=Shore+and+Land+Excursions&faqId=3126&pagename=faq_answers

 

I believe the excursion brochures you can download from Celebrities web site has additional information on accessible excursions and contact numbers for additional information as well.

 

I think there are lots of different resources and information available. Some might take a little leg work to investigate - perhaps even an email or phone call. This thread was about specific services offered through one path for those booking certain classes of cabins. Just because that access point identified accessible needs as one of the areas they can help with doesn't mean that there are no other sources of information or assistance for those with special needs. Likewise, just because one web page only specifically identifies one option for service doesn't mean others don't exist.

 

Celebrity has resources available for this and if someone has special needs they should contact Celebrity through these resources for more information.

 

I guess I did sort of hijack my own thread... didn't I? Still think simplified accessibility is important... but that's really subject for a new thread.

 

I am curious about what the services offered will entail. We usually actually use the pillow menu offered in the CC cabins.. I'm wondering if I called & requested a certain type to be ready in my room, if it'd actually be there when we board.

 

I may do this & report back. I won't be crying or asking for an obc if it's not there:D

[Lsimon]

...I am curious about what the services offered will entail. We usually actually use the pillow menu offered in the CC cabins.. I'm wondering if I called & requested a certain type to be ready in my room, if it'd actually be there when we board.

 

I may do this & report back. I won't be crying or asking for an obc if it's not there:D

 

Might be interesting, but I notice a common theme amoung the services listed in your quoted email: They all involve sales of incremental revenue items. I have a feeling you hit the nail on the head in your comment in the first post when you saild: "Sounds like it's basically a glorified sales desk".

 

Also, with all the talk about special needs it could very well be that all these people are doing is reading the descriptions from the published excursion lists which do include some general classifications on how strenuous each excursion is and the level of acrtivity for many excursions.

[kitty9]

 

Also, with all the talk about special needs it could very well be that all these people are doing is reading the descriptions from the published excursion lists which do include some general classifications on how strenuous each excursion is and the level of acrtivity for many excursions.

 

Lsimon, believe me, I'm not an idiot regarding research for a tour. But even when you talk to the shore excursion manager on the ship, he/she doesn't have a clue. Heck, how many people on this board complain that whenever you contact Celebrity with questions about ANYTHING, they give you the run around?? Why would you think this would change just because it's something to do with accessibility? I still maintain, you cannot expect an able bodied person to rank a tour on accessibility because they don't have a clue on what it's like to be disabled.

[CaptData]

I think you're both correct, I would hope anyone with special needs would get help with booking shore excursions, as for the rest of it, like I said, glorified sales pitch.

 

 

You can through Special Needs. But they request that it be 75 days or less out and you must be in a H/C room. This is what my Celebrity TA said. (We know they are not always right but I am in AQ class too so maybe it was because of this announcement).

[Glendakayself]

I went on the Princess website for the first time to look at a cruise that a member of our rollcall had booked. I couldn't figure out how to do a mock booking. (You have to click on "more information.") Before discovering the key, I tried "registering" because it said to register to book on line. The next day I received a call from the Princess personal cruise consultant that had been assigned to me. The cruise I was looking at for January, 2013 was already sold out in every category and "waitlisted." Each category is listed with a price as if available, but when you click on the category you find it "waitlisted." Talk about a misleading and complicated website.... Back to the topic at hand: The personal planner called me just because I visited the website, sent me an e-mail with contact info, and mailed me a brochure about the destination for which I expressed interest. I know she wants to earn a commission, but I felt as if I was an important customer and that she would provide any assistance I needed.

[St. Louis Sal]

Just had experience with the so-called Celebrity Experience Desk. I got a call from my brother-in-law who is my emergency contact when I cruise. Celebrity was trying to reach me and when they apparently couldn't they called him. I'm kind of confused-my travel agent would have had all the necessary contacts including the cell phone of everyone traveling on our upcoming cruise. The person I talked to said that they just contact passengers directly. The whole thing seemed a little bizarre. Has anyone else had an"experience" like this?

 

St. Louis Sal

[Christine Frances]

As a disabled person, believe me, we don't get any help with excursions. To be honest, unless you're disabled, you really cannot judge how a shore excursion will work. For example, take a look at the shore excursions and how they rate them in terms of activity level. Many times the tours are rated easy when in actuality a disabled person can't book them because they might involve stairs, or long walks. It's very easy for an able bodied person to look at a tour and think it's really easy. But in many cases, that's not at all true.

 

When looking at shore excursions I see a lot of "accessible" tours on X's website! This is just an example http://www.celebritycruises.com/asr/shorex/shorexExcursionDetails.do?productCode=KT57

[dgraham]

When looking at shore excursions I see a lot of "accessible" tours on X's website! This is just an example http://www.celebritycruises.com/asr/shorex/shorexExcursionDetails.do?productCode=KT57

 

You pointed out a good example. With Celebrity (and I believe with some other cruise lines) you have to look for the keyword "Easy" This will pretty well always describe a tour that uses a vehicle with a ramp or lift.

 

And there seems to be a greatly increased number of these being made available. Of course, Celebrity (and other lines) are limited by what is available at each port, but they do seem to be finding more and more local tour agents who can provide such services.