UK - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara to be run as separate businesses

[excitedofharpenden]

I'm not quite sure how to feel about this news, but I do know it isn't going to be the same as it used to be. Lesley Green of Celebrity Captain's Club/Azamara Le Club Voyage has been mentioned here before and how disappointing it was that she left. We'll see how this pans out next year for those of us in the UK used to talking to Azamara directly:

 

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2013/09/04/45171/royal+caribbean+celebrity+and+azamara+to+run+as+separate+businesses.html

 

The opportunity is also taken to wish the staff in the UK office well and hope things work out for you.

 

Phil

 

(posted on the Celebrity and Azamara boards)

[2irisheyes]

I just hope the people manning the phones in Guatemala do not have such strong accents that they are very difficult to understand as has happened with many call centres based in foreign lands. That would put customers off very quickly - perhaps that is the intention. Sorry for those who will be losing their employment in the UK.

[Lottie A]

I had to ring Azamara UK yesterday re a website issue - I couldn't access my online booking and complete my check in for my October Quest cruise. I have to say that Ian at The UK office was very helpful and explained the system was undergoing maintenance but that he could do my online check in for me, if I wished. He was efficient and charming.

 

We can only continue to hope for an improvement in the Azamara website but I have to say that outsourcing the UK call centre to Guatemala seems a negative rather than a positive step to me. Perhaps the financial cost of paying UK salaries may be a issue?

 

Whatever the reason is I hope the staff at Azamara UK find alternative positions as I fear a move to Guatemala may not be a favoured option for them! :)

[dln929]

I'm not quite sure how to feel about this news, but I do know it isn't going to be the same as it used to be. Lesley Green of Celebrity Captain's Club/Azamara Le Club Voyage has been mentioned here before and how disappointing it was that she left. We'll see how this pans out next year for those of us in the UK used to talking to Azamara directly:

 

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2013/09/04/45171/royal+caribbean+celebrity+and+azamara+to+run+as+separate+businesses.html

 

The opportunity is also taken to wish the staff in the UK office well and hope things work out for you.

 

Phil

 

(posted on the Celebrity and Azamara boards)

 

 

Phil, the start line of the linked article says

 

"RCL Cruises Ltd is to create three individual businesses for each of its brands in the UK, claiming they have each now grown to a size that warrants “increased focus and investment”.

 

so I am guessing it's business as usual for those of us who live in the United States, no changes that we will notice?

[excitedofharpenden]

Phil, the start line of the linked article says

 

"RCL Cruises Ltd is to create three individual businesses for each of its brands in the UK, claiming they have each now grown to a size that warrants “increased focus and investment”.

 

so I am guessing it's business as usual for those of us who live in the United States, no changes that we will notice?

Absolutely, hence why I started the thread title "UK".

 

Phil

[Spursgirl]

I am very sorry for all staff in the UK who are threatened with redundancy and thank them for their efforts on our behalf.

 

Am struggling to see how an outsourced call centre in Guatamala will help UK consumers but let's see what happens when the changes are implemented.

[Riocca]

At a time when so many UK companies are bringing their call centres back into the UK because of the UK consumers dislike of dealing with overseas call centres this does seem like possibly an unwise decision.

 

Also with the current use of UK premium phone lines for bookings and customer service being highlighted by the OFT as an unfair practice and presumably there will be no geographic (free calls to most UK landline subscribers these days) alternative for Guatamala as there is currently for Addllestone.

 

Looks like any future business we have will be placed via a UK agent only.

[Bill Leiber]

Hello UK Residents -

 

Like you, I learned today about RCL Cruises Ltd business decision to have each one its brands operate as their own separate business entity in the UK. It seems that the growth in UK business for all three brands justified the shift from a "shared-services" operation to one in which "each individual managing director will also get his or her own commercial, marketing and sales teams, as well as separate agent trainers and trade marketing budgets."

 

My immediate reaction was that this structure will give ACC more control over its UK operation and a separate budget to fund a website. I'll be seeking out more information about this change, especially with respect to the new call centre operation and the loyal current staff who have serviced you. I'll share it with you when I have something factual to report. I expect that there will be inferences made about what's ahead - remember to avoid the "speculation" trap.

 

This milestone in RCL Cruises Ltd business success reminded me of the quote - "Change is the process by which the future invades our lives" made by Alvin Toffler in Future Shock. And with any change, I expect that together we'll be facing a few challenges during the implementation that we'll be able to work through.

 

Best regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[uktog]

I find this news absolutely tragic and I hope all works out well for those impacted. We have been loyal to the RC family (celebrity and Azamara) with direct bookings made through one PCS with whom I have a great relationship, he understands us, our like dislikes etc.

I do not fancy having relationships with two persons and certainly not through Latin America or wherever!

However, before I jump up and down further, I will see what pans out!

Best wishes to all those affected

[Wacktle]

At a time when so many UK companies are bringing their call centres back into the UK because of the UK consumers dislike of dealing with overseas call centres this does seem like possibly an unwise decision.

 

 

I agree with Riocca. Maybe the USA doesn't have as many off-shored call centres as the UK has had, and so doesn't appreciate the issues? I try to choose insurance companies, banks, etc which have UK call centres, but have to endure long tedious conversations with an off-shored Service Centre as part of my job. Such calls frequently end up with no resolution, as the off-shore person fails to understand the problem. The call will then be passed to a UK staff member, who quickly resolves the issue. The result is frustration and a lot of wasted time before reaching this conclusion. I hope this isn't where we're heading here.

 

So far we have only been on one Azamara cruise, which we loved and have booked another. However I found the pre-cruise admin very confusing (compared to Cunard and P&O) and the website a bit flakey. It's always a comfort to know someone is there to help, if needed.

 

I am sorry for those in the UK who may have to go.

[2irisheyes]

Hello Mr Leiber

As you will detect from the UK posters here there has been much experience of dealing with call centres in foreigh lands (non-English speaking) and many of those experiences have not been positive ones. Some call centres are now returning to the UK (as mentioned by a previous poster) as things did not work out as intended. Cost was the chief object in taking the business away from the UK but in the long run this was not the best for business and not as cost effective has had been hoped. So I and others may be guilty of falling into the "speculation" trap but, to my mind, this is based on experience not fear of change etc. I think it is a retrograde step but time will tell.

[Spursgirl]

Mr Lieber,

 

I think all of our responses have been very measured and so far there has been an absence of 'speculation' and resistance to change.

 

My October 9 cruise was booked direct with Azamara and an issue I had was dealt with swiftly and competently by UK Addlestone staff.

 

I am not sure how comfortable I feel about booking future cruises with Guatamala call centre staff but time will tell............

 

 

Hazel

[little britain]

"Under the proposal, the Royal Caribbean International and Azamara Club Cruises UK and Ireland guest and trade service call centres would be operated from Guatemala, resulting in the potential redundancy of 100 people". As I understand this is just the 'service' side of things, and the sales team is not effected.....at this time.

 

Off shoring a call centre is all about saving costs, it never improves service, IMHO. I feel very sorry for the staff there that will be losing their jobs, around Christmas time as I read it.:(

[marcsgran]

Hear hear little Britain. Nice of RCI to give their staff such a huge Christmas bonus!

[gosport11]

Hopefully RCI group see sense and dont move,as said the overseas call centres are a pain to deal with,:(

we have booked our next cruise direct with RCI and have had excellent service so far.I have also had questions answered and good service from the captins club people .:)

Its a rotten time to be made redundant,let alone the run up to christmas and the job situation not that good, :(

[brian_uk]

I am very sorry for all staff in the UK who are threatened with redundancy and thank them for their efforts on our behalf.

 

Am struggling to see how an outsourced call centre in Guatamala will help UK consumers but let's see what happens when the changes are implemented.

 

I guess in the same way that BT are in India as are Dell computers.

 

Brian

[HudandPug]

I guess in the same way that BT are in India as are Dell computers.

 

Brian

 

The sad thing is apart from many companies bringing call centres back to UK from India, India was starting to get much better at dealing with things. There was a documentary saying how most staff have degrees that have included English as a subject, apart from other languages, and that pay had radically improved.

 

So Guatamala will become the India of 10 years ago, heaven help us if other businesses decide to head off there for a new crop of cheap labour...

 

Oh well we shall see!

 

Yvonne :cool:

[navyaviator1955]

It's all about money!!

[johncb7]

Whilst in general I am not in favour of overseas call centre, I have found the service from the UK to be terrible and can only hope that this will be an improvement. In my opinion, the excellent service one receives on board is let down by the onshore staff.

[excitedofharpenden]

I was pleased to discover today that my PCS (Personal Cruise Specialist) in the UK will remain in her job. The sales team is unaffected. It is the service team that are moving. I'm hoping that with Britt still there things will be quite bearable.

 

Phil

[Lyoth]

Have just seen a travel web site where there is an announcement that for the UK it will no longer be possible to book an Azamara cruise direct through the people in Addlestone. From January 2014 all direct bookings will be with a call centre in Guatemala which will be operated by an external partner Xerox.

 

“As a renowned leader in this area, Xerox supplies the contact centres of many customer service focused brands globally. This proposal follows an extensive global review specifically looking at the operational efficiency of multiple guest and trade service centres around the world,” a statement said.

 

Please do not do this....

[little britain]

I was pleased to discover today that my PCS (Personal Cruise Specialist) in the UK will remain in her job. The sales team is unaffected. It is the service team that are moving. I'm hoping that with Britt still there things will be quite bearable.

 

Phil

Unfortunately I seems now the UK office will now only be able to handle X cruises; therefore for people like us who flit between X and ACC we can no longer ask Britt (and her fellow team members) to cost or book both. We will need to speak with her only on X and then speak with Don Juan in Guatemala for ACC :(, and then if we want to book X we have to be transferred back to the UK again. A terrible decline in service.

[uktog]

Our decisions are often between Celebrity and Azamara and one of the huge benefits has been that I can talk to Britt or Chris and we can look at all the options around our available date, get them priced up and I can make the decision there and then.

 

I believe Azamara will be the big loser in this move, much as I love the onboard experience and it is our first choice, if this means I have to interact with an unknown in Guatemala who does not remember me, cannot understand the questions I am asking (sorry those speaking English as a foreign language struggle with what we consider routine colloquialisms and accents) and is probably very tired because they are working through the night, I am either going to book with Celebrity or move to another line where I can engage with UK based operators. I am getting sent a lot of competitive offers from other lines at present and will probably look closely at them at next months cruise show

[uktog]

As a follow up, I have just learned elsewhere on cruise critic that even the two excellent members of staff I have mentioned are no longer safe and have to reapply for their jobs - for those in the USA that means they are technically temporarily redundant and can either be permanently displaced and made redundant or be appointed to a role.

 

As I read it, that role will be with Celebrity so I wish them all the best in this stressful activity and challenging time for them personally. I so much want to be dealing with them at least for one line.

 

I will hold my full frustrations in check should I find I would have to deal with a second person if I am still to book with Azamara and await the comments from Azamara management on why they believe this move is a benefit to the customer - I can see absolutely no benefit and I would also say, if you are hoping to grow the UK market, you are going to struggle to do that the minute the customer is having to pay for a toll call to then be bounced on to the Guatemala night shift

[excitedofharpenden]

Unfortunately I seems now the UK office will now only be able to handle X cruises; therefore for people like us who flit between X and ACC we can no longer ask Britt (and her fellow team members) to cost or book both. We will need to speak with her only on X and then speak with Don Juan in Guatemala for ACC :(, and then if we want to book X we have to be transferred back to the UK again. A terrible decline in service.

Not great news. It would seem now that for those of us in the UK and cruising on Azamara our bookings will be dealt with overseas. I wish Britt and the other PCSs good luck in reapplying for their roles within the UK based Celebrity sales team.

 

Phil