Celebrity Cruise Line Complaints

[Travel Hunter]

I am not sure if there is another thread to voice complaints but I thought I would start one now. The hope is that Celebrity Management will review these issues and respond and perhaps address.

My issue is I booked a cruise approximately two weeks ago for $3800 in a veranda cabin, yesterday I saw an Aqua class cabin listed in the exciting deals section for $2800. $1000 is a big difference, after being switched from one person to the next the resolutions desk decided what was fair. They did not offer me an Aqua class cabin upgrade, a refund, a partial refund, an On board credit or even condolences, rather I received a lecture about their "rule book"

I have traveled a lot with Celebrity such that I am classified as Elite and I am also a stockholder, I love the ships and the service on them, but the customer service for bookings and issues is terrible. not sure if anyone else has received any satisfaction under these circumstances

[cle-guy]

I am not sure if there is another thread to voice complaints but I thought I would start one now. The hope is that Celebrity Management will review these issues and respond and perhaps address.

My issue is I booked a cruise approximately two weeks ago for $3800 in a veranda cabin, yesterday I saw an Aqua class cabin listed in the exciting deals section for $2800. $1000 is a big difference, after being switched from one person to the next the resolutions desk decided what was fair. They did not offer me an Aqua class cabin upgrade, a refund, a partial refund, an On board credit or even condolences, rather I received a lecture about their "rule book"

I have traveled a lot with Celebrity such that I am classified as Elite and I am also a stockholder, I love the ships and the service on them, but the customer service for bookings and issues is terrible. not sure if anyone else has received any satisfaction under these circumstances

 

As you are US based, you can cancel your veranda reservation and make a brand new reservation - problem solved.

 

Unless you are post-final payments, then the rules have always been that one can upgrade to a better category cabin in most cases (a few exceptions apply such as some group bookings) as long as the better cabin category is priced at least $1 more than the current cabin category.

 

Also, typically the Tuesday specials have T&C's that also stipulate they are valid for "New Reservations Only".

 

They have to have such rule sin place regarding final payments to avoid everyone just booking whatever and expecting changes once bargain basement pricing kicks in to fill remaining cabins.

Edited July 8, 2015 by cle-guy

[WestLakeGirl]

I take it that you are beyond Final Payment date? If so, them's the rules.

[Travel Hunter]

Yes to cancel the cruise it will cost $900.

[Travel Hunter]

I agree but they could upgrade me to the Aqua class cabin without a refund

[gimletgal]

If your cruise was part of Xciting Deals, then I would say you are definitely past final payment. Lots of rules kick in after that. Good luck, but I'm not sure you really have a complaint here.

[WestLakeGirl]

They will only upgrade you to a room that costs more, and you would pay the difference. Here the Aqua costs less, so no, they will not help you to do what you want, in violation of their stated rules

[Oz_Steve]

Yes to cancel the cruise it will cost $900.

 

 

Can't you cancel, lose the $900, book the $1000 cheaper cruise. You now have Aqua Class Cabin and $100. Alternatively find a cabin category (a suite by the sound of it) that is a small amount more than you have already paid and upgrade as per Cleguys advice.

[Travel Hunter]

Doesn't seem reasonable for two weeks

[biker1972]

At what point would it be reasonable? But, going forward, this is the problem with cruise pricing, unsold inventory, and early booking. And just be glad that the cruise lines have not gotten to the point that the airlines have reached where pricing can change almost hour to hour based on their revenue driven computer programs.

 

Did you book directly with X? Were you assigned a customer service rep? Sometimes Captains Club reps can help resolve issues better than regular phone reps. Did you try them?

[Travel Hunter]

I could have but the cabins were no longer available as Celebrity took a day to review and respond to the request

[CathyCruises]

Exciting Deals are for new bookings only. . .thems are the rules.

 

I won't want to sound harsh, but if you are Elite then you have a few X cruises under your belt. Most people in that situation know that prices generally drop after final payment as they try to fill empty cabins. I would never book a cabin that close to final payment date (assuming you did), I'd just wait and watch prices as soon as that occurred. I am doing that right now, watching a cruise whose final payment date is in about two weeks. No way would I book now! If prices don't drop, then I haven't lost anything. . .

 

I follow the number of available cabins very closely which helps me determine if there will be price drops, it really helps.

[yorkyred]

I am not sure if there is another thread to voice complaints but I thought I would start one now. The hope is that Celebrity Management will review these issues and respond and perhaps address.

My issue is I booked a cruise approximately two weeks ago for $3800 in a veranda cabin, yesterday I saw an Aqua class cabin listed in the exciting deals section for $2800. $1000 is a big difference, after being switched from one person to the next the resolutions desk decided what was fair. They did not offer me an Aqua class cabin upgrade, a refund, a partial refund, an On board credit or even condolences, rather I received a lecture about their "rule book"

I have traveled a lot with Celebrity such that I am classified as Elite and I am also a stockholder, I love the ships and the service on them, but the customer service for bookings and issues is terrible. not sure if anyone else has received any satisfaction under these circumstances

 

Celebrity should be addressing the reason why we in Europe don't have the same rights as those in the US before looking looking at that. I'm sorry but cruisers in the U.S are doing very well already with the ability to cancel without losing deposits,change guaranteed cabins, upgrade. I've just lost my deposit five months out in order to get a better deal, in the U.S. I would not have lost a penny.

[Travel Hunter]

Good idea. But we shouldn't have to do that.

[dkjretired]

Celebrity should be addressing the reason why we in Europe don't have the same rights as those in the US before looking looking at that. I'm sorry but cruisers in the U.S are doing very well already with the ability to cancel without losing deposits,change guaranteed cabins, upgrade. I've just lost my deposit five months out in order to get a better deal, in the U.S. I would not have lost a penny.

 

That has nothing to do with Celebrity, it has to do with the laws in the EU and/or the country you are in.

[Travel Hunter]

I agree that is not fair

[RickT]

Another thing to consider, Exciting Deals generally do not have any perks associated with that price (no shipboard credit, drink package, etc). The Exciting deals rate is a bare bones rate designed to sell remaining cabins on upcoming cruises.

 

I've rolled the dice and won by scoring an Exciting Deal but have also rolled the dice and wound up not cruising because the ship was selling well and the prices actually went up.

 

While it may not seem fair, most businesses do this (car rebates/promos, airfare, sales at department stores) and the consumer loves it when we score a sale, but don't like it when waiting could have saved us money.

 

Move on, enjoy your cruise and decide if it's willing to roll the dice and wait for an Exciting deal next time.

[neverbeenhere]

Not withstanding that "exciting deals" are unique prices, Celebrity set up the "rules" to eliminate what used to happen. I for one re-booked 5 times (in the couple weeks prior to the cruises) a set of b2b2b2b cruises prior to the "rules" being in force. As the price lowered by a few hundred dollars, I re-booked until it happened 5 times in a short amount of time. I saved a substantial amount and shortly after that they set up the "rules". So, to paraphrase what others have said; Dems da rules.

[Travel Hunter]

Hotels honor sales for prebookings. Macy's provides refunds.

[grayesun]

Following your "complaint" theme, here I go.

Currently in the process of booking our 1st Celebrity cruise, and so far it's been exasperating. I'm simply trying to get us off the 8:30 dining waiting list onto the 6:00 dining waiting list...you'd think I was trying to get a curbside pickup from Celebrity.

 

I've written them 3 times about this request...no response at all. I called Celebrity yesterday, was on hold for 30 minutes before a person came on the line, spent over 10 minutes...mostly having me on hold to deal with my request. Eventually she assured me, she'd taken care of my request for transfer to the 6:00 waiting list. She didn't, we're still on the 8:30 list.

 

Ultimately we want to get a dining package, but will not do this until we have an assigned dining time and have prepaid gratuities taken off our bill.

 

If this simple issue causes so much heartburn between Celebrity and us; maybe we'll just switch back and stick with Royal Caribbean.

[Travel Hunter]

It's terrible that you have so much aggravation just to change a dining time. I'm out $1000 just because I booked two weeks early

[kenevenpar]

It's terrible that you have so much aggravation just to change a dining time. I'm out $1000 just because I booked two weeks early

 

If the price goes up $1,000 over what you paid, are you willing to write Celebrity a check?

 

If you are flying to the port, the person next to you may have paid significantly more or less than you paid. Unfortunately, that is the way the travel industry works.

Edited July 8, 2015 by kenevenpar

[SantaFeFan]

Good idea. But we shouldn't have to do that.

 

Why shouldn't you have to be the one to do the work of getting better rooms for cheaper fares? Why should it be the cruise lines responsibility?

 

Cruise lines are just like any company you have ever worked for - they are in business to make a reasonable profit. They are not a charity. They have zero obligation to bend over backwards so you can save money while they lose some. That they even allow people who have already booked to take advantage of price drops (before final payment) is very generous. In your case, such generosity has a limit. Just like the rules published on their website state.

 

Sorry, but it is a two way street. It can't all be in your favor, and not in theirs. Otherwise, they would go bankrupt giving higher priced rooms away just because people want them to.

 

Hotels honor sales for prebookings. Macy's provides refunds.

 

And we could all name many businesses that don't. Have you ever had a car dealer refund the difference when the same car you just bought goes on sale two weeks later? How about airline tickets?

 

Your continued stubbornness on this issue needs a reality check.

Edited July 8, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[cle-guy]

Hotels honor sales for prebookings. Macy's provides refunds.

 

Tell that to the W Leicester Square in London, or Renaissance Times Square.

 

Both hotels, I had prebooked and advanced paid for rooms, they went down in price 3 days before arrival, but the rules of the prepaid reservations did not allow changes.

 

I run a chain of boutique retail stores, and we do not do refunds. Big letters on the door, on the credit card sales slip and at the register. It's just what my policy is, I'm not forcing anyone to buy from me.

 

United won't refund unless I paid for a fully refundable fare. They will charge me a $200 change fee.

 

Buyer's Remorse isn't a reason for expecting special exceptions to the well-known policies.

Edited July 8, 2015 by cle-guy

[Travel Hunter]

Not for Tier 5 frequent travelers.