VERY DISAPPOINTED in Celebrity

[tommy]

First let me say I fully understand these are difficult times for the cruise industry.We had a b2b 11day and a 10 day on the Reflection sailing date end of March to early April 2020.Knowing this wasnt going to happen we called Celebrity.I was told we could cancel cruise and reschedule at a later date.great we did this made it for Oct' Nov sailing we were than told it would be $1500 more.Not good but I get it.OK what other options do we have.Can we just get a refund and rebook at a later date.WE were told no they could make it a cruise credit  for a future cruise Ok thats what we did.This was on a Friday.The following monday Celebrity came out with a very fair offer of 125%cruise credit or full refund.I called and was told Since I already cancelled and took a cruise credit I did not qualify.I asked if I could speak with a supervisor.We were put on hold for 30 minutes finally a rep came and told me the same. I explained we were select sailors if that helps.She replied no it does not.Nothing could be done.I asked her what her name and title is.She replied Rosie R and she is the supervisor on duty.Asked again she would not give her last name ok.So I asked to speak with her  direct supervisor.She replied that would do NO good and she could not give out any phone#. So we check Nov cruises and for what we paid for 21 day with balcony,We could get 7 day and have 600 remaining in cruise credits or a 11 day and owe an additional $500.either way not a fair exchange.Went on line got several Celebrity #s.None could help/.Finally called celebrity cruise corp talked with Zoey.Went thru whole story with her..I asked about why NO one would try to help and 1would not even give me her name. Zoey said she was sorry,and her name is Zoey Wright.And we could call her with any issues that being said.She also could do nothing for us.We gave up.decided to use $5000 dollar cruise credit and do a 6day in a suite. Ok done. NOOO.now we are told THE CRUISE CREDIT WERE FOR 2 CRUISES A 11 DAY AND A 10 DAY.WE CAN ONLY APPLY one .We are Very disappointed with Celebrity.We are currently waiting to here from someone to see if they will combine the cruise credit.I know this is long and boring story,but it is not half of what we have gone thru.Just have to get it out since no one from Celebrity will get back to us.

[az_tchr]

I think waiting for a few weeks would be be make solving your situation easier.  This unprecedented situation has created so many changes and new policies. Those policies have often after a few days been changed again.

Agents are buried with ten of thousands of calls.  They are losing the battle today.

Two suggestions - making a booking when in a panic is probably not a good decision.  Agents are stressed andctryingbto do their best, but are making some mistakes.  Wait.  In a while they can help.  I also would talk to a TA who likely can offer You group fares and additional OBC along with handling your FCCs.  But wait.

Also prices will likely come down as they are directly tied to anticipated bookings.  Will people flock back immediately to cruising?  Not likely.  You have 21 months to book - not cruise.  

[PTC DAWG]

You chose to cancel, you made the call.  They have you two credits for two cruises.   I waited them out on my March 29 th Cruise...although I still rather be sailing. 

Edited March 26, 2020 by PTC DAWG

[weregoingcruising]

A DEAL IS A DEAL. What if they called you and wanted to charge you $500 more for a cruise you already paid for. Might you reply A DEAL IS A DEAL that we agreed to?

[jelayne]

We also chose to cancel under Cruise with Confidence, receiving a 100% FCC like you.  Our cruise was also later cancelled by Celebrity.  

The way I look at it was they made an offer that gave us a 100% credit which was  better than the 50% refund we would get under normal circumstances.  We accepted the offer.  Done deal, no reason to be upset with Celebrity IMHO.

[sanger727]

This does sound like a rotten deal. But I agree with a previous poster that unless you have a pressing need to re book now. I would wait. I think cruise prices are artificially inflated right now due to the number of people with FCC's trying to rebook. I'm not sure what kind of dead lines you have on booking and cruising but I think you are better off waiting to book until cruising comes back online. Right now, no one is booking outside of people with FCC. Once cruising is back in operations and people are still squeamish about traveling or dealing with the outfall of unemployment and diminished savings, the cruise lines will likely have to slash prices to get these ships filled. Maybe you can find a decent deal then on another B2B or they will become more flexible with their rules about using them to get people on the ships.

[wrk2cruise]

It's been a long standing rule that you an only redeem 1 FCC per passenger per cruise.

[ECCruise]

Moral here:  If you think your cruise is going to be cancelled, do not cancel it on your own.  You have up to 48 hours to do that, and they will be cancelling cruises considerably before that period.  

Much rather have the option of the full refund (which we are taking on ours) or the 125% FCC.  

And no way I would pay more for an upcoming cruise than a current one.  Those will be going at fire sale prices if they actually do sail.  

[tommy]

Yea I know there are a lot of cheerleaders on the board I used to be one.I dont want to start a back and forth on the subject.I was just hoping for  someone at Celebrity to think about customer relations,plus we were told by a member of the captains club we could combine the 2 cruise credits.I understand these are unusual times in cruising.T hey certainly did not exceed my expectations.

 

 

[tommy]

48 minutes ago, weregoingcruising said:

A DEAL IS A DEAL. What if they called you and wanted to charge you $500 more for a cruise you already paid for. Might you reply A DEAL IS A DEAL that we agreed to?

WHAT

[hcat]

I think all these individual instance issues should be moved into the general cancellation   future cruise credit  or refund threads.

 

We all have our  own story but  I do not think a sep thread is needed for each one!   There are other cruisers  with the same  or similar issues...so they can all go together for better organization!

Edited March 26, 2020 by hcat

[pasta1]

 Write a letter to the ceo.

[Mr&MrsBee]

As if writing LLP will do any good.  HA HA HA

[lostchild]

It doesn't make sense that you cannot combine your 2 cruises FCC to use for 1 cruise if it was the same person traveling.

[KristyMisty14]

You should have waited them out.  Use a travel agent as well(if you didn't).... if they are a good agent they would have given you this advice 

[Perky1]

30 minutes ago, tommy said:

WHAT

Tommy...we had 4 couples in our group and 2 couples were too stressed to wait it out and cancelled.  The other 2 waited in the hope that Celebrity would cancel and they did.  It all depends on if you can be patient enough to wait it out.... you were not.  If you waited till 48 hours before..you would still get the same as you did canceling weeks before.  Personally....I wanted the refund!

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

You chose to cancel, you made the call.  They have you two credits for two cruises.   I waited them out on my March 29 th Cruise...although I still rather be sailing. 

Agree. As it's been said, you (in this case the OP) can't have your cake and eat it too.  We also waited for Celebrity to throw us over board for our March/April B2B Summit cruise. We were scheduled to fly out later tonight to San Juan!  🤬 

Edited March 26, 2020 by davekathy

[Miaminice]

43 minutes ago, tommy said:

Yea I know there are a lot of cheerleaders on the board I used to be one.I dont want to start a back and forth on the subject.I was just hoping for  someone at Celebrity to think about customer relations,plus we were told by a member of the captains club we could combine the 2 cruise credits.I understand these are unusual times in cruising.T hey certainly did not exceed my expectations.

 

 

It´s got nothing to do with cheerleading...
Nobody forced you to cancel but you chose to cancel.

We were in the same situation. Had a cruise booked for April 14. I was sure it wasn´t going to happen but  simply waited. 
In fact I could have waited until 48 hours before the cruise and still cancel. There was no reason or rush at all before that.
So again, nobody forced you to cancel.

2 FCC were never combinable! One FCC per person, so 2 in that sense, yes - never more than that.

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

22 minutes ago, pasta1 said:

 Write a letter to the ceo.

 

Why??? Because he chose what was well known in advance but now feels sorry he did?
 

Edited March 26, 2020 by Miaminice

[lostchild]

14 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

2 FCC were never combinable! One FCC per person, so 2 in that sense, yes - never more than that.

 

 

I don't think tommy was trying to combine 2 different people's FCC into 1.  He was trying to apply the FCC he got for 2 difference cruises into one cruise.   I think he could as long as it is for the same passengers, the person he talked to probably didn't know.

[Miaminice]

22 minutes ago, lostchild said:

 

I don't think tommy was trying to combine 2 different people's FCC into 1.  He was trying to apply the FCC he got for 2 difference cruises into one cruise.   I think he could as long as it is for the same passengers, the person he talked to probably didn't know.

I understand that´s what he´s trying... but as of the past, to the best of my knowledge and as per all that can be read about the FCC that´s not possible. One FCC (per person) per cruise only. And since it has always been that way, I can´t imagine anybody told him he could. So I can just assume somebody told him he could apply 2 FCC as in one per person... and he misunderstood. But it´s just a guess.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Miaminice

[AL3XCruise]

2 hours ago, tommy said:

I asked about why NO one would try to help and 1would not even give me her name. Zoey said she was sorry,and her name is Zoey Wright.

 

Maybe they are hesitant to give out names because some people feel the need to turnaround and post those names on social media?  Just a thought...

 

55 minutes ago, Mr&MrsBee said:

As if writing LLP will do any good.  HA HA HA

 

People are looking for things to do.

 

5 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

I understand that´s what he´s trying... but as of the past, to the best of my knowledge and as per all that can be read about the FCC that´s not possible. One FCC (per person) per cruise only.

 

I will say, given circumstances, it would seem reasonable for X to reconsider FCC related policies and try to make them more flexible.  I also understand that allowing combinations reduces additional revenues on fares, as well as onboard revenue, so in these times of limited liquidity they are hesitant.  

[Purplsmurf]

We were supposed to sail on March 14 and as of the morning of the 13th the sailing was still a go so we made our way to Florida. It wasn’t until about 5 pm the night of the 13th that it was cancelled. We planned on sailing so we were holding out. Also, we paid for 2 cabins, but would only receive the FCC for one of them. We would’ve been out a lot of money so we knew that If Celebrity cancelled we could get a refund and that’s what we did. At least you got your FCC. Since we.....as well as many others....were already in Florida, we were out the cost of our flight and hotel as Celebrity won’t reimburse either of them. Are we bummed? Absolutely!.....but understand the situation. It’s not Celebrity’s fault......now we wait and see what will happen to our August Alaska cruise!

[tommy]

3 hours ago, pasta1 said:

 Write a letter to the ceo.

I actually did e-mail Lisa and called obvious she is busy.I know under normal circumstances someone at Celebrity would have done something to fix my issue.

 

2 hours ago, AL3XCruise said:

 

Maybe they are hesitant to give out names because some people feel the need to turnaround and post those names on social media?  Just a thought...

 

 

People are looking for things to do.

 

 

I will say, given circumstances, it would seem reasonable for X to reconsider FCC related policies and try to make them more flexible.  I also understand that allowing combinations reduces additional revenues on fares, as well as onboard revenue, so in these times of limited liquidity they are hesitant.  

 

[tommy]

OK end of story we did e-mail ceo Lisa. We receive reply from office of Lisa. FCC SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMBINED we now have $5000 cruise credit.We received taxes&port charges credited back to our card.

 

TOM