Is Haven land based Concierge Desk always rude?

[MacGuffin]

Just had a very frustrating experience with NCL bureaucracy. We upgraded to the Haven after long debate about whether or not it was worth it. It seemed great given the reviews I've read here on CC and the current promotion of free everything (dining, drinks, tips.) We then received a letter telling us about the online Haven welcome booklet as well as a land based Concierge Desk. I called the Concierge Desk about a $100 discrepancy that was still on the account after the upgrade, but I also wanted to reserve a seat in the Tropicana Room on the night with the dancing and show. I read online that the Concierge could make this happen. Unfortunately the conversation never got that far because the refund turned into a giant ordeal and 30 minutes of hold time while the operator and "executives" researched my initial reservation and then the upgrade, finally settling on an onboard credit. Why not just issue the credit from the get go?

 

Was I wrong to think that the "Haven Concierge Desk" would be nothing more than another random NCL phone operator sitting in a cubicle at a call center? I honestly had a much friendlier conversation during my initial booking and then when I upgraded. We were hesitant to book NCL again after a disappointing cruise on the Pearl (terrible food, cheap ship.) Is this a portent of things to come being a Haven guest?

 

:mad:

Edited March 23, 2015 by MacGuffin

[triptolemus]

Personally, I probably wouldn't have contacted the pre-cruise concierge for a financial issue with my booking. Seems like they tried to handled your finance issue by running interference on your behalf. Probably could have called your PCC and handled it yourself.

 

Simply stated, the pre-cruise concierge probably isn't equipped to handle financial issues and they also are not in the business of telling you "no".

 

Chalk it up as experience and move on... have fun in the Haven!

 

Here's what the pre-cruise concierge typically handle...

 

[russianmom]

I would not expect or ask the pre-cruise concierge to handle a financial issue for me.

As to booking a reservation at one of the MDR I would wait until onboard and speak with the actual ship's concierge to take care of that.

[SeaShark]

Not understanding why you contacted the concierge for a reservation issue. This was something for your PCC/TA to handle. Youcll get much better results contacting the right people.

[UPNYGuy]

Haven pre-cruise concierge desk is there to handle reservation requests for shore excursions, spa reservations, dining packages, etc. they are not there to handle financial matters. That is taken care of through the main 800 number.

[detroitlions]

Personally, I probably wouldn't have contacted the pre-cruise concierge for a financial issue with my booking. Seems like they tried to handled your finance issue by running interference on your behalf. Probably could have called your PCC and handled it yourself.

 

Simply stated, the pre-cruise concierge probably isn't equipped to handle financial issues and they also are not in the business of telling you "no".

 

Chalk it up as experience and move on... have fun in the Haven!

 

Here's what the pre-cruise concierge typically handle...

 

The room stewart does all of this for me except the tea part. Is that all they do?

[MacGuffin]

Personally, I probably wouldn't have contacted the pre-cruise concierge for a financial issue with my booking. Seems like they tried to handled your finance issue by running interference on your behalf. Probably could have called your PCC and handled it yourself.

 

Simply stated, the pre-cruise concierge probably isn't equipped to handle financial issues and they also are not in the business of telling you "no".

 

Chalk it up as experience and move on... have fun in the Haven!

 

Here's what the pre-cruise concierge typically handle...

 

 

This letter is different than the letter I received. The one I received has "Haven" letterhead and starts with "I wanted to let you know that we are here to do all we can to help get you ready for your best vacation ever." Why wouldn't I call the number attached to this letter?

 

And if I did call the wrong number, why didn't the concierge just transfer me or direct me to NCL bookings instead of being rude and putting me on hold for 30 minutes? Isn't the point of the Concierge to offer an over all positive cruise experience? My initial comment here on CC was that the "concierge" sounded more like a random inexperienced NCL phone operator and not a concierge. I didn't expect a butler sitting around just waiting for a Haven customer to call, but I did expect friendlier, more knowledgeable service than when calling NCL directly. My overall negative experience is proof that this particular concierge didn't know what she was doing.

[zqvol]

This letter is different than the letter I received. The one I received has "Haven" letterhead and starts with "I wanted to let you know that we are here to do all we can to help get you ready for your best vacation ever." Why wouldn't I call the number attached to this letter?

 

And if I did call the wrong number, why didn't the concierge just transfer me or direct me to NCL bookings instead of being rude and putting me on hold for 30 minutes? Isn't the point of the Concierge to offer an over all positive cruise experience? My initial comment here on CC was that the "concierge" sounded more like a random inexperienced NCL phone operator and not a concierge. I didn't expect a butler sitting around just waiting for a Haven customer to call, but I did expect friendlier, more knowledgeable service than when calling NCL directly. My overall negative experience is proof that this particular concierge didn't know what she was doing.

 

 

The problem was not the concierge, but in your expectations. The concierge cannot handle financial issues. They have to run it through various departments. They put you on hold while they did it instead of having you call somewhere else.

 

You should be pleased that they helped you because what you requested is not part of their job.

[beachmonkey]

My experience with the pre-cruise concierge desk is that they are not an indicator of the Haven experience. Rest assured that once onboard, the experience is top notch. The onboard concierge staff is highly trained and strong advocates to ensure that you are feeling pampered.

 

Have a great trip.

[Demonyte]

Many people in this thread are confusing the agents at pre-cruise concierge desk in the HQ to the concierge on the ship - first ones are merely secretaries to the second ones.

[ictcruiser]

I just got off the getaway and got the same letter. I made a call and gave them my preferences like pillow types and how to set up the beds in our family suite and once onboard none of my communications with them had been addressed at all. If you have a personal cruise consultant they seem to be more help than the haven pre cruise concierge was. But our Concierge Adrienne was so great in the end it was not that big of an issue as onboard it was all handled impeccably...

[brookie848]

We used to the pre-cruise concierge for changing reservations that I had booked online. They were very helpful. We made a couple of requests (fridge emptied out), but didn't particularly care if they were done when we arrived in the cabin. We simply left a note for our steward to take care of anything that wasn't done and it was done promptly. The fridge was cleaned out long before the water arrived with our luggage. :)

 

Like mentioned above, the pre-cruise concierge is very much like a secretary/assistant. They do what they can from where they are sitting and pass along the information to others. Asking them to resolve a financial issues would never cross my mind and I'm not certain why you thought they could help. Sorry they were rude to you, but they went above and beyond to get you help since it wasn't their domain.

[Paphillyguy]

The land base concierge was very friendly when I used them but a few of the things requested like pillows etc were not completed when we boarded.

[khaide612]

So they were rude for putting you on hold while they sorted out your reservation problem? :confused:

[Tiggertastic]

We used the pre concierge with pillow menu ext and when we boarded nothing had been done. The on-board concierge experience is completely different and excellent. We stopped using the pre concierge

 

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[jingle5616]

It has been my experience after 32 NCL cruises to not expect much from any NCL shore based customer service, or as Jinglette once said, NCL Dis-service. Sad.......but wait until you get aboard and the situation will be very different. Sorry, but not surprised at your experience.

[detroitlions]

I just got off the getaway and got the same letter. I made a call and gave them my preferences like pillow types and how to set up the beds in our family suite and once onboard none of my communications with them had been addressed at all. If you have a personal cruise consultant they seem to be more help than the haven pre cruise concierge was. But our Concierge Adrienne was so great in the end it was not that big of an issue as onboard it was all handled impeccably...

Worried about there tip

[detroitlions]

It has been my experience after 32 NCL cruises to not expect much from any NCL shore based customer service, or as Jinglette once said, NCL Dis-service. Sad.......but wait until you get aboard and the situation will be very different. Sorry, but not surprised at your experience.

Why have them then. Seems like a pixie dust perk to me. Instead of cutting room stewarts and dinning room staff maybe they should just get rid of that pos.

[ColinIllinois]

Why have them then. Seems like a pixie dust perk to me. Instead of cutting room stewarts and dinning room staff maybe they should just get rid of that pos.

 

 

Don't mean to be rude but it's "stewards", not "stewarts".

[mjkacmom]

Don't mean to be rude but it's "stewards", not "stewarts".

 

Dining, not dinning, their, not there

[ZAPfOTO]

I have had a wonderful experience with the PCC at NCL in preparation for our first Mediterranean Cruise(also our first in The Haven). Upon arriving on the ship the pillows in the cabin were as ordered, the fridge emptied, etc. For some more detailed special requests my PCC let me know it would take several days for an answer since they had to send my questions to the ship and wait for a response. They never failed to respond.

 

My wife has to have gluten free diet and PCC has always been helpful in conveying this information to the personnel on the ship.

 

Gary

[punkincc]

Worried about there tip

 

In reference to the Concierge on the ship, it may be hard for you to believe, but maybe the great service just relates to fact that some people like to do their jobs well. Those people do exist, and that position reportedly pays a good buck. Many people do not utilize them much ( like ourselves ) and they get little tip from many. Try not to be so cynical:).

 

 

Why have them then. Seems like a pixie dust perk to me. Instead of cutting room stewarts and dinning room staff maybe they should just get rid of that pos.

 

I agree, the concept sounds great on paper, but you see few reports that the requests are carried out before you get to your cabin. Just creates an opportunity to disappoint the customer IMO. Unless they are making your reservations for you or something, none of these requests can be handled until the day of embarkation when the room stewards and butlers are busiest. How hard is it to tell the Butler on the first meeting that you want only decaf cups for your brewer or your room steward you need extra towels. If you have allergies, the pillow menu may be handy, they do tend to run out of certain pillows quickly once on board. But I have learned to just ignore the pre concierge letters.

Edited March 24, 2015 by punkincc

[triptolemus]

In order to be completely satisfied with the pre-cruise concierge, one simply needs to lower their expectations to near zero. Make one request and forget it. It's either done, or it's not. That said, the pre-cruise concierge was able to handle the usual stateroom requests as well as spa reservations and a chef table reservation on our last trip.

[ictcruiser]

Worried about there tip

 

 

They are also worried about providing good services and making the customer happy which in turn should mean a bigger tip. If I have great service then I tip them accordingly. I had a great concierge and Butler experience with Adrienne and Lanie on the Getaway and I gave them a appropriate tip when our cruise had ended. In my opinion they earned it! Pride in their work equals return customers!

[sjbdtz]

They are also worried about providing good services and making the customer happy which in turn should mean a bigger tip. If I have great service then I tip them accordingly. I had a great concierge and Butler experience with Adrienne and Lanie on the Getaway and I gave them a appropriate tip when our cruise had ended. In my opinion they earned it! Pride in their work equals return customers!

 

 

I've never heard of Adrienne. Is she new?

 

I thought Adrian was still on the Getaway? He's one of the best.

 

 

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