Best of Miami tour left a bitter taste

[warmwinds]

We unfortunately signed up for this same excursion, last month. We were anticipating a long wait for our flight out of Ft. Lauderdale, after disembarking Summit. We had taken a similar post-cruise tour of NYC, on X, a few years ago. That was an excellent tour, and we were expecting something similar -- but we were sadly mistaken! Upon returning, we sent a snail-mail letter to RCCL Corporate (1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33123). We did receive a satisfactory response, in a timely manner. We strongly urged the Resolutions Department to discontinue this cruise, immediately. It is so far below Celebrity standards, that they should be embarrassed to even offer it! :mad:

 

Was this the open air double decker bus the OP had, or the mood lighting/music bus in the shore excursion brochure link I provided?

 

I'm thinking maybe they HAVE changed vendors and maybe the new one is a good experience.

[Pepsi36]

Was this the open air double decker bus the OP had, or the mood lighting/music bus in the shore excursion brochure link I provided?

 

I'm thinking maybe they HAVE changed vendors and maybe the new one is a good experience.

I am the OP and my Best of Miami tour was only 2 weeks ago so I doubt they have changed companies.

[Pepsi36]

You have received a lot of feedback on what to do to help you. And I am sorry for your bad experience - I would be mad as well.

 

But I will put one comment here. IMHO you are what we would say in the states 'cutting your nose off to spite your face' by never booking Celebrity again. Wonderful cruise experience overall. They messed up with that shore excursion. They are not perfect. We have sailed Celebrity 41 times and taken a bunch of excursions (although usually these days we do our own thing). In all those excursions we had one bad experience - one - over a course of 26 years. Had we taken the same approach we would have missed out on some wonderful, wonderful cruises. Your money, your decision. But I urge you to re-think.

Yes you are right, of course I will re think and one bad experience shouldn't put me off but unfortunately it was the end of the cruise and my subsequent dealings so far with Celebrity have been somewhat unsatisfactory so that I why I have said never again but if I ever hear from them and have a good outcome I will book with them again for sure.

[phoenix_dream]

Yes you are right, of course I will re think and one bad experience shouldn't put me off but unfortunately it was the end of the cruise and my subsequent dealings so far with Celebrity have been somewhat unsatisfactory so that I why I have said never again but if I ever hear from them and have a good outcome I will book with them again for sure.

They are unfortunately not known for the same excellent service off the ship as they are on. Their off ship customer service often leaves something to be desired that's for sure.

[barbette165]

Pepsi - try searching a site like saynoto0870 for an alternative number to the premium rate number that you've previously used. Try to find a geographical number (something that begins with 01, 02 or 03) that will be included in your bundled minutes.

[pl281]

https://webapps.celebritycruises.com/excursion-brochure/celebrity/excursions.php?ship=IN&date=2018-10-24&currency=USD#FT79

This is for Infinity The Best of Miami from Port Everglades -

It does specifically state that you will need to do a transfer to MIA and that luggage is stored at MIA

 

When we were in Amsterdam and did the Celebrity Transfer to the airport - we were on a coach to the airport and they had a van / truck at the airport to claim the luggage - it wasn't very organized. Perhaps the biggest thing here is how the description was / your expectation of what you were getting.

[Pepsi36]

https://webapps.celebritycruises.com/excursion-brochure/celebrity/excursions.php?ship=IN&date=2018-10-24&currency=USD#FT79

This is for Infinity The Best of Miami from Port Everglades -

It does specifically state that you will need to do a transfer to MIA and that luggage is stored at MIA

 

When we were in Amsterdam and did the Celebrity Transfer to the airport - we were on a coach to the airport and they had a van / truck at the airport to claim the luggage - it wasn't very organized. Perhaps the biggest thing here is how the description was / your expectation of what you were getting.

Ok that sounds like the tour but it states it ends at the airport. Our tour ended at central station and there was no convenient shuttle. We had to wait an hour in line to collect luggage then another hour to await transport. Not convenient at al.

Edited April 13, 2018 by Pepsi36

[Elaine0138]

Pepsi - try searching a site like saynoto0870 for an alternative number to the premium rate number that you've previously used. Try to find a geographical number (something that begins with 01, 02 or 03) that will be included in your bundled minutes.

 

I posted 3 freephone numbers for the UK near the top of this thread. I use them all the time

[wwcruisers]

Was this the open air double decker bus the OP had, or the mood lighting/music bus in the shore excursion brochure link I provided?

 

I'm thinking maybe they HAVE changed vendors and maybe the new one is a good experience.

 

There was nothing like the tour description you posted, offered. We had a choice between the HOHO bus and the 'Best of Miami' -- which apparently used the same 'Big Bus' vehicles -- open air upper deck and steam-room seating below. There was no A/C and the windows did NOT open. Those of us downstairs had to beg the bus driver to open the doors, to get any air circulation, at all! But, even that was better than the poor lady who came down, after several hours in the upstairs open (no shade) seating. She appeared to be suffering from sun-stroke symptoms, and was quite ill, for the rest of the trip. On an unseasonably hot day, there was NO water available on the entire tour -- unless you brought it with you, or purchased it, at one of the two stops.

 

 

Like the OP, we were dumped out into a dirty alley, where we had to join an already long line to retrieve our luggage. Then, we had to drag all of our stuff to the far end of the alley -- a city block of narrow and uneven pavement -- and figure out which bus to get on, for the Ft.L. airport. Unlike the OP's unfortunate situation, there was room on our bus. But, it there had not been -- there would have been absolutely nobody to ask for help -- as the tour bus left immediately after dropping us off. And yes, this was last month. Celebrity really needs to replace this particular tour. I'm hoping that the OP has success in getting through to someone in the Corporate Resolutions Department.

Edited April 13, 2018 by wwcruisers

[nomad098]

Ok that sounds like the tour but it states it ends at the airport. Our tour ended at central station and there was no convenient shuttle. We had to wait an hour in line to collect luggage then another hour to await transport. Not convenient at al.

 

Pepsi did you book in the UK or US.

 

If you booked in the US not a lot of options other than deal with Celebrity.

 

If you booked in the UK and really want to get Celebrity's attention send a complaint to ABTA explain your story citing that Celebrity are in violation of the Package Holiday Regulations and in breach of ABTA's own code of conduct.

 

Here is a link http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3288/regulation/7/made

 

Check out section 4 and 5 and schedule 2

 

You may have to push ABTA a bit but if the information you have posted here is correct they will support you.

[Pepsi36]

Pepsi did you book in the UK or US.

 

If you booked in the US not a lot of options other than deal with Celebrity.

 

If you booked in the UK and really want to get Celebrity's attention send a complaint to ABTA explain your story citing that Celebrity are in violation of the Package Holiday Regulations and in breach of ABTA's own code of conduct.

 

Here is a link http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3288/regulation/7/made

 

Check out section 4 and 5 and schedule 2

 

You may have to push ABTA a bit but if the information you have posted here is correct they will support you.

I will give it a while longer to see what happens and if I get any refund or reply from them after my email last week.

[wwcruisers]

I will give it a while longer to see what happens and if I get any refund or reply from them after my email last week.

 

You can also send a 'snail mail' letter to the Corporate address, that I posted above. Frankly, I've always had better luck with that than any e-mail I've tried. But, I'd feel badly about you having to pay extra postage, after having spent so much time and $$ on your long-distance telephone call. Hopefully, you will get a satisfactory reply to your e-mail. Either way, THANK YOU for bringing this to Celebrity's attention. If they get enough complaints, it should prompt them to replace this particular tour, with something that IS up to X standards!

[Nan1052]

Did you try calling your Travel Agent? They would have been on the phone for the 45 minutes instead of you! That's an example of needing an advocate!

 

 

This was our first celebrity and Caribbean cruise as we usually sail with RCC so we didn't know what to expect. We loved the 10 night cruise. Thought the ship and staff we great. Found the food to be slightly under what we are used to however we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. Our flight home hasn't until 5.10 pm so we decided to book a tour of Miami to fill up a few hours. It was an open topped double decker bus tour of Miami which would end at the airport where we would be reunited with our luggage, well at least that what we thought. The reality was we were dumped at Central Station and waited in a very long line in the heat with bus fumes pouring out on us for well over an hour waiting to drag our cases off a van.Another cruise line dropped people off too so you can imagine the chaos. We were then told to get bus 526 which would take us to Miami airport. We got to the bus with 3 other couples just as the driver was closing the doors and he announced he was full. We asked what we should do and he shrugged. Not his problem. There was no Celebrity staff there to help us so we asked some ladies from The Big Bus Tour to help us. They couldn't have been less interested and sorted out another group who came after us and were left off the Ft Lauderdale airport bus. After another hour in the heat with no water or sun block we were bundled into a cab and were on our way home.

Not a great end to a cruise. I phoned customer relations when I got home to complain and was met with apathy and offered half the tour cost back. I wasn't told I was being charged for a premium rate call and was kept on the phone for 45 minutes so half of the refund was wasted on the call. I haven't received a penny after 9 days and my follow up email has been ignored.

I will not be booking Celebrity again

[Pepsi36]

You can also send a 'snail mail' letter to the Corporate address, that I posted above. Frankly, I've always had better luck with that than any e-mail I've tried. But, I'd feel badly about you having to pay extra postage, after having spent so much time and $$ on your long-distance telephone call. Hopefully, you will get a satisfactory reply to your e-mail. Either way, THANK YOU for bringing this to Celebrity's attention. If they get enough complaints, it should prompt them to replace this particular tour, with something that IS up to X standards!

I don't think it was a long distance call just premium rate.

Thanks to everyone who has replied with advice too:D

[Pepsi36]

Did you try calling your Travel Agent? They would have been on the phone for the 45 minutes instead of you! That's an example of needing an advocate!

I have found that once the travel agents have had your money and especially after you have been on your cruise they don't want to know. :(:(:(

[peterm]

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[riclop]

Wow not good at all.