Celebrity's poor customer service

[chemmo]

Some years ago we stayed in an expensive AI resort in the Caribbean. We, like many others had paid a lot for it. Second day pool talk, two couples revealed they had paid less than half we had as a last minute deal!

 

Good for them, we had enjoyed the security of having our holiday booked, we had paid what we thought it was worth. Unfortunately another couple were not happy, they had booked late but not last minute, paid what we did. It spoilt their entire holiday, we avoided sitting near them because of their ongoing grumble.

 

Do not let this experience sour your holiday, you have a great cruise booked with a really good cruise company, relax and enjoy!

[Adammara]

Substantial price reductions have happened to us twice, once on P&O when they reduced the price we paid by £1000, and kindly wrote to us to tell us they would give us £300 off our next cruise. We moved to Celebrity in 2009, but sadly a similar event happened in 2012, we had made our final payment, and again the same grade cabin next to us but one was advertised online at £1000 less again.

 

Celebrity denied that any reduction like that had been offered, but a screenshot of the offer brought no change in their attitude. We took a further cruise in the autumn of 2012 on Constellation, which turned out to be the worst cruise of 39 we have taken and our last.

 

Cruising in general is not going the way we enjoy, so now take land based holidays, and are at present in Dorset. We stayed at a hotel on the way down, and paid £151 for the room a couple of weeks before we left, the price varied from £141 to £159 in the time between booking and going, and at present is £137.

 

So whatever you book, be prepared for the price to go down OR up!

[Ma Bell]

Is it just me? In all my years of traveling and many cruises I have never had a discussion with anyone I'm not travelling with about how much I paid for anything.

[mafig]

It happened to us once on Costa.

 

The very next day after final payment our cruise went down $400 per person. I knew this could happen and I half expected it 'cause this was a cruise that I thought was over-priced but it was selling well since it was one of only two going to Bermuda from Florida.

 

However, when this happens it does hurt.:mad:

 

We were fortunate, however, because our travel agent went to bat for us and Costa did offer us $400 OBC (not per person, total, but we took it).

 

Actually, if the price had dropped a couple of weeks after final I wouldn't have been so upset, but the very next day was hard to swallow!:(

[gimletgal]

Is it just me? In all my years of traveling and many cruises I have never had a discussion with anyone I'm not travelling with about how much I paid for anything.

 

No, it's not just you!

 

Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get "burned". But in the end, it all seems to even out! :) After final payment, we are at the mercy of the cruiseline.

[joelmarj]

Is it just me? In all my years of traveling and many cruises I have never had a discussion with anyone I'm not travelling with about how much I paid for anything.

 

Honestly I'd be more annoyed at my friends that got the deal and didn't tell me that day about it. I travel with friends and we always let each other know what deals we got and compare notes. In this situation if my friends said the rate dropped by $200 I'd have been on the phone that day. But the key is also knowing the rules which is that once final payment date, there are no changes. This is just common sense to understand terms and conditions of any travel spend.

[Ma Bell]

Honestly I'd be more annoyed at my friends that got the deal and didn't tell me that day about it. I travel with friends and we always let each other know what deals we got and compare notes. In this situation if my friends said the rate dropped by $200 I'd have been on the phone that day. But the key is also knowing the rules which is that once final payment date, there are no changes. This is just common sense to understand terms and conditions of any travel spend.

 

Yes, we all tell each other before the fact. We all know there will always be someone who gets something for less and if so, good for them.

[ShakeDaddy]

Truth be told. :rolleyes:

 

I think more than likely what actually happened is their friends called just before final payment and got the well deserved price reduction.

 

A few days later the OP called but it was 2 days AFTER final payment and got shut down with a big stink to follow. The OP should be disappointed at the friends (Not Celebrity) that they didn't notify anyone for a few days.

Edited October 15, 2015 by ShakeDaddy

[wallie5446]

 

Needless to say Celebrity will not be getting business from us again.

 

Then there is no longer any reason to discuss the issue, is there?

[cle-guy]

Then there is no longer any reason to discuss the issue, is there?

 

Apparently there is....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2269494

[Caribbean Chris]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Hope you have a great trip and afterward will participate fully in the forum with reviews and other member input.

 

Three tips - next time you cruise (on some other line), join the Roll Call group in this forum. It is very common for others on your cruise to alert their fellow-cruisers when rates suddenly drop due to a brief sale (before final payment) and you may net a good saving through the Celebrity guarantee. Of course, as you may have absorbed by now, AFTER final payment Is a different scenario.

 

(You and your friends can join the Roll Call now for your upcoming trip, by the way, and get to know others sailing with you. Celebrity hosts a free party for Cruise Critic members and they make it easy to sign up for an invite through a link in this forum.)

 

If you don't use a travel agent, read the cruise line's website especially thoroughly. There is a great deal of info that is impossible for a reservations agent to convey to you when you book during a few minutes on the phone.

 

Finally, consider booking either very early or after final payment to get the best fares and promos. Keep in mind that if you are on a cruise itinerary where there are multiple ships in the same market (such as short 7- day sailings from South Florida to the Caribbean sometimes), you have more competitors hoping for you to book, and more price cutting, except perhaps for holidays and cold winter months.

 

But if you are on an unusual itinerary with low capacity and a short season, it pays to book very early. Then you can enjoy watching the fares others pay later go up up up to a sell-out. This was the case when we took a 15-day Hawaii cruise on Celebrity.

Edited October 15, 2015 by Caribbean Chris

[gimletgal]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Hope you have a great trip and afterward will participate fully in the forum with reviews and other member input.

 

(You and your friends can join the Roll Call now for your upcoming trip, by the way, and get to know others sailing with you. Celebrity hosts a free party for Cruise Critic members and they make it easy to sign up for an invite through a link in this forum.)

 

 

For cruises less than 7 nights, there is no Captain's Club Connections party. I believe the cruise the OP is talking about - 11/19/15 - is a 4 nighter.

[Snit13]

My question to OP is why did each couple book individually. I book for others and always book with same Celebrity or RCCL rep. I link all of my friends and keep in touch with them. It is another important reason to join the roll calls as someone on every roll call I have been on is a price watcher and notifies the members of price drops and you can then call and take advantage of the drop. On one cruise I changed cabins 3 times as prices kept dropping and finally ended up in a Celebrity Suite. Many of the roll call members did the same. It is sort of "you snooze, you lose." I too would like to know why the couple who had the lucky day did NOT call the other couples and share the good luck. In addition I always pay the day before final pay so I avoid that potential issue.

 

I have learned a lot on the Message Boards and Roll Calls and would not think of cruising without getting involved. You meet great cruisers in addition to gaining valuable knowledge.

[k9x8]

Is it just me? In all my years of traveling and many cruises I have never had a discussion with anyone I'm not travelling with about how much I paid for anything.

 

No, it's not just you. I was raised that money is on par with religion and politics.

[Caribbean Chris]

For cruises less than 7 nights, there is no Captain's Club Connections party. I believe the cruise the OP is talking about - 11/19/15 - is a 4 nighter.

 

Oops, good catch. Thanks gimletgal.

[CanadianDee]

No, it's not just you. I was raised that money is on par with religion and politics.

 

Interesting. Religion and politics were always fodder for dinner discussion in our house. Money, less so but not ... off the table, so to speak. :)

 

It's unfortunate that the OP feels cheated, but as so many have pointed out ... luck, timing, research, vigilance all play into the best price scenario regardless of whether one is buying a cruise vacation or a car.

 

I was was scrolling the Princess forum yesterday. We're looking at planning our next cruise and have always loved Princess. In one forum page, two separate threads complaining about price drops soon after final payment.

 

It's just part of the dance we do when it comes to booking vacations. :)

Edited October 16, 2015 by CanadianDee

[wallie5446]

No, it's not just you!

 

Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get "burned". But in the end, it all seems to even out! :) After final payment, we are at the mercy of the cruiseline.

 

HI BETH!

 

Off topic, but you do know that 5 weeks from right now we are sitting at the Sunset Bar on the Equinox again, having Martinis together! :D:D

 

EW

[cruiseerf]

This Means Buyer Beware.....cruise companies like Airlines are indeed businesses. If you dont use a travel agent, who could have informed you of the drops etc then you accept what the cruise line offers. And that is what you've got. But not booking through an agent you also have no recourse.....At least sometimes agents can use the agency to fight back. By booking directly with the cruiseline...you are stuck. You have learned a valuable lesson to follow up and follow your cruise......and you will save $$ in the future.

 

Grandma said.......You don't ask.....You don't get.....I believe this is so.

 

Safe sails. ERF

[jagoffee]

This Means Buyer Beware.....cruise companies like Airlines are indeed businesses. If you dont use a travel agent, who could have informed you of the drops etc then you accept what the cruise line offers. And that is what you've got. But not booking through an agent you also have no recourse.....At least sometimes agents can use the agency to fight back. By booking directly with the cruiseline...you are stuck. You have learned a valuable lesson to follow up and follow your cruise......and you will save $$ in the future.

 

Grandma said.......You don't ask.....You don't get.....I believe this is so.

 

Safe sails. ERF

I have never (I really mean NEVER) had a TA inform me of a price reduction after I have booked. I have been on many cruises and have used several different Travel Agents. Of course I have found many price reductions and informed by TA to obtain the reduction while enjoying the OBC that the TA provided. The bottom line recommendation is to monitor the prices yourself and never depend on a TA to find them and let you know.

 

You are very lucky if you have found a TA that does a quality job monitoring prices. Maybe we will cruise together someday and you can give me the name.

[gimletgal]

I have never (I really mean NEVER) had a TA inform me of a price reduction after I have booked. I have been on many cruises and have used several different Travel Agents. Of course I have found many price reductions and informed by TA to obtain the reduction while enjoying the OBC that the TA provided. The bottom line recommendation is to monitor the prices yourself and never depend on a TA to find them and let you know.

 

You are very lucky if you have found a TA that does a quality job monitoring prices. Maybe we will cruise together someday and you can give me the name.

 

Have to agree! If anyone finds a TA who will constantly monitor prices for you, I say GRAB them! ;) My experience with both TA and the cruiseline = you better plan on monitoring the prices yourself.

[richstowe]

Have to agree! If anyone finds a TA who will constantly monitor prices for you, I say GRAB them! ;) My experience with both TA and the cruiseline = you better plan on monitoring the prices yourself.

Add me to this "non-informed" list .;) In fact one time I was told that I was mistaken about a price reduction . I was not mistaken and eventually got the change . Sometimes the perks change . I once gave up some OBC for free gratuities after bringing it to the TA's attention .

Edited October 18, 2015 by richstowe

[jazzlvr]

To the OP, one thing I didn't see mentioned in all of these replies, is that since there are 6 couples, had you booked all together with a TA (or even directly with Celebrity - but I prefer a TA so I'm dealing with the same advisor throughout my planning and traveling), you could have booked as a group. Possibly getting a better rate and some extra perks. Something to keep in mind for your next cruise, whether you use Celebrity or not.

 

Because there WILL be a next cruise! :D

[need2bespoiled]

To the OP, one thing I didn't see mentioned in all of these replies, is that since there are 6 couples, had you booked all together with a TA (or even directly with Celebrity - but I prefer a TA so I'm dealing with the same advisor throughout my planning and traveling), you could have booked as a group. Possibly getting a better rate and some extra perks. Something to keep in mind for your next cruise, whether you use Celebrity or not.

 

Because there WILL be a next cruise! :D

 

We've been told 10 cabins are needed to be a "grouo" and even when we had 10, we found perks not available to groups were just as good, or better so double check.

 

Happy sailing.

Jenna