Cunards Admin whoe's

[mufi]

Just a thought Graham, your handle does bring to mind another guy with a similar name. You're not having us on by any chance. http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/onefoot/

 

David.

[Coolgran]

Just a thought Graham, your handle does bring to mind another guy with a similar name. You're not having us on by any chance. http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/onefoot/

 

David.

 

Having met Graham on his cruise I assure you he is a very nice guy. All he wants form Cunard is an explanation of what went wrong. We regulars are more than capable of finding the best person to put our concerns to, but on your 1st ever cruise when you expect it to be perfect (as advertised) then it is a disappointmen to have your dreams shattered. As for Table companions we once had a really awful man & wife on our table (we had asked for 2 & got 4) we were going to ask to be moved but they beat us to it as they also had booked a 2, the couple who replaced them have become life-long friends and indeed we all cruised together again last year. We were so lucky and truthfully they have been the only 'horrible's

we have ever had.

[Slow Foxtrot]

Dear Victor Meld,

 

One learns the hard way. You'd be better off on the Oriana. It's a better ship, better facilities, better dance floor ... in fact better everything! I've tried 'em both, many times. But don't tell everybody - we love Oriana as she is!

 

Slow Foxtrot.

[victor meld]

Thanks Coolgran for comming to my rescue yet again. Funny thing , I emailed Cunard and told them I was going to post my problems on Cruise Critic as they had not bothered to reply. As if by magic I have a email saying I will get a letter Tuesday.

I would like to say we both enjoyed our cruise and we thought the QE2 a grand old lady. Also we did not go to the pursers office like so many do and decline from tipping. In fact we were so impressed with our waiters that we gave them a good tip on top of the tips taken from our card. If Cunard apologise then no doubt we will go on her again. Not the Oriana. We hear they get some strange types on her. ( Sorry Bill) LOL ( Private joke) We have learnt a lot of lessons from this cruise so things will be different next time. May be we can sit with you Coolgran

Kind Regards Graham

[Oslo Dutch]

The same happened to me. I mailed Cunard the copy of the review I written in a previous post on Cruise Critic. They were very swift coming back with an email. Which was followed by a letter of apology about service issues I encountered. It was really necesarry for me but nice of them to do so.

 

So boys and girls, the lesson of this all is, whenever you have a complaint, mention Cruise Critic and you'll an answer immediately from Cunard!!:)

 

Reint

[travel-to-go]

Well, Graham/Victor,

It will be interesting to see what they have to say in tomorrow's post. I am gussing it will be an apology and money off a repeat cruise. Good luck with that. And I'm glad other parts of the cruise were satisfying. It's awful to soend this kind of money and be miserable!

 

It's kind of funny, they seem to really pay attention to what we say here. There was a rumor at one point that the Commodore was a lurker on these forums. Now I don't know if that is true, but it seems certain that some in Cunard knows who we are and that folks often come here (and to other sites) to read the reviews before booking.

 

I mentioned this once before, but a few weeks ago, I was turning on the radio to catch the news and I caught the tail end of a consumer advice talk show, called Clark Howard. I didn't catch the beginning or which line it was they were talking about, but someone had apparently had a dreadful cruise. He told them to post a review with details to cruisecritic.com, then write the cruise line to tell them they had done so. It seems, according to him, that the cruise lines are very responsive to what we say here, when informed of it.

 

Karie,

Who thinks she needs a free transatantic WB on the QE2...are you listneing, Cunard? <G>

[carlmm]

How long ago did you write the letter?

In my experience it took at least two or three weeks do get even a note confirming the reception of my letter, whether I wrote to advise about shortcomings, to laud or to ask a question. The actual answers came serveral weeks later.

 

Graham, I hope you will get an appropriate response by Cunard. Yet I would feel rather uncomfortable if people who threat with public pressure would get a better treatment than others.

[Oslo Dutch]

Hmmm, I didn't get a free cruise as compensation, just an apology. So perhaps I should contact Cunard again with the magic words Cruise Critic ;-)

[GAV BOY]

Dear Victor Meld,

 

One learns the hard way. You'd be better off on the Oriana. It's a better ship, better facilities, better dance floor ... in fact better everything! I've tried 'em both, many times. But don't tell everybody - we love Oriana as she is!

 

Slow Foxtrot.

 

I have also cruised with P&O they are like "Butlins" compared to "Cunard"

 

(in my opinion ) :eek:

[Slow Foxtrot]

I have also cruised with P&O they are like "Butlins" compared to "Cunard" (in my opinion ) :eek:

 

Not comparing P & O to Cunard. Just comparing Oriana to Q.E. 2. (all the same Company anyway). P & O has several different ships for different tastes. It so happens that Oriana is a very classy ship, most superior in every way to the ageing Q.E. 2. (which was wonderful in its day - but time moves on). However, am still looking forward to the new Victoria!

[Kindlychap]

Not comparing P & O to Cunard. Just comparing Oriana to Q.E. 2. It so happens that Oriana is a very classy ship, most superior in every way to the ageing Q.E. 2.

 

Is this the current Oriana you're on about?

[victor meld]

ABTA say all letter of complaint must be dealt with before 28 days.

I shall post the comments Cunard make in the letter when or if it arrives. I am not looking for compensation just a reassurance that it will not happen again or to other passengers. The cruise business is full of alternative cruise companies all wanting our business. They all will try to meat our demands for better service. I just thought Cunard and especially QE2 should have been the best afloat. Probably are, maybe we were just unlucky with a chain of events. We will see.

[Kindlychap]

ABTA say all letter of complaint must be dealt with before 28 days.

I shall post the comments Cunard make in the letter when or if it arrives. I am not looking for compensation just a reassurance that it will not happen again or to other passengers. The cruise business is full of alternative cruise companies all wanting our business. They all will try to meat our demands for better service. I just thought Cunard and especially QE2 should have been the best afloat. Probably are, maybe we were just unlucky with a chain of events. We will see.

 

You have signally failed to answer my question of how you feel Cunard should deal with a situation where no-one asks for a table for four?

 

Until you can provide a sensible response on this specific situation, I can only conclude that the moniker you choose to identify yourself with is very apt.

[rjms74]

Slowfoxtrot,

 

I read with interest your preference for Oriana over QE2. I myself have now travelled on QE2 many times mostly in Queens Grill and earlier this year travelled on Arcadia which was a great ship with good food & service & yes the Arcadia has better facilities than the older QE2 but no atmosphere or ambience like QE2! I still though prefer QE2 - ageing it might be - but food & service still very hard to beat esp. at Grill level!!! Interestingly I am going on both Arcadia & QE2 next year with yet another QE2 cruise booked for 2008,

 

 

Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[kryos]

The Hotel was part of the Cunard Package so should come under their jurisdiction. If the Hotel or Coach firm are not up to it change them.

I've yet to sail my first Cunard voyage, so I won't comment on the service ... since I've never experienced it. However, I will agree with your above comment 110%. Companies today outsource all manner of services, and then when those firms don't live up to expectations, they try to get off the hook by saying "it's not our fault ... it's the fault of the outsource company." No, doesn't work that way. If you choose to outsource aspects of your business services, then it is still YOUR responsibility to see to it that the outsourcing company is doing an adequate job providing the service. If they are not, then out them and get a different company. No business entity should ever have the excuse "not our responsibility" when they outsource something to another firm. It is still the original company's responsibility even if they choose to farm the work out. If this transport company was supposed to pick people up at a certain time ... sure, give or take 15 or 20 minutes ... that's reasonable. But leaving you standing around a hotel lobby for a couple of hours is simply inexcusable.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[victor meld]

You have signally failed to answer my question of how you feel Cunard should deal with a situation where no-one asks for a table for four?

 

Until you can provide a sensible response on this specific situation, I can only conclude that the moniker you choose to identify yourself with is very apt.

Personally I think you very rude but that is your choice.

I know of lots of people that ask for tables of 4. they go on holiday as friends and like to dine together. We are of on holiday in December(not on a cruise) with some friends and will be on a table for 4. If there is no call for tables for 4 then Cunard should alter the table arrangements but that is not the case.

May I also remind you that our main complaint was bad admin and purser office staff, the table arrangement was just a small part of a catalogue of events .

PS your moniker seems just as inappropriate.

[pnhmrk]

Companies today outsource all manner of services, and then when those firms don't live up to expectations, they try to get off the hook by saying "it's not our fault ... it's the fault of the outsource company." No, doesn't work that way. If you choose to outsource aspects of your business services, then it is still YOUR responsibility to see to it that the outsourcing company is doing an adequate job providing the service. If they are not, then out them and get a different company. No business entity should ever have the excuse "not our responsibility" when they outsource something to another firm.

 

Rita - much as I agree with you morally (a company is responsible for all the services it sells), legally that company can say "it's nothing to do with us" and get away with it; all it needs is a clause in the contract that says they are not responsible (a simplification of the law). If we don't want to accept that then we don't accept the contract and we don't go on the holiday:(

[lexxity]

Now look, I work in the aviation business and know well about outsourcing. Trying to balme Cunard for the Hotel or coach companies problem is going to get you nowhere. Cunard do not own, nor have they ever to the best of my knowledge, owned hotels or coach companies so of course these services have to be outsourced. Whilst I agree that they should be run to a certain level, that can never be guaranteed. Cunard cannot stand over each hotel and watch how it behaves. Neither can the same be done for the coaches. I am sure that your comments have been noted and passed onto the relevant people at the hotels/coach firm. This is what happens when we have 3rd party issues, but there is actually very little we can do about it.

 

Victor, have you written directly to the hotel or coach company as well? I would just copy your letter and send it to these suppliers too.

 

I do think that Cunard should have replied by now. But I don't know when you sent the letter.

 

As for the table issue, IIRC this is a request and it does say somewhere in the small print that it can never be guaranteed. There is a call for tables of all sizes, but it will never be the same call on each cruise. Some cruises they will be inundated with requests for 4's, other times it will be 2's and 8's. Someone has to "lose" out as it were, and this time it was your turn. That's life. Don't let it ruin your holiday.

 

Happy sailing.

[victor meld]

First to make things in perspective. We have been married 42 years and have had scores of holidays in that time. This is the first time in all those years we have had cause to complain about a holiday. So as you can see I am not a perpetual holiday moaner.

Second. If Cunard offer a complete package which includes Hotel transfer as far as I can see they are responsible. But my main complaint was with Cunards Admin side that cocked up our check in and took 3 visits to the Pursers office to sort. The other problems not all of which I have mention were just the last straw.

Now to the final bit.

Cunard have replied. It is the poorest excuse for an apology I have ever read. Late coach pick up and long delays before embarkation are beyond their control. What!!!! Who dose control it. surely Cunard are doing the check in. I could think of ways of improving it. Next they think the check in people and Pursers are adequate in the way they work. No apology for having our check in problems or 3 visits to sort out the mess with the Pursers. Or for the letter received in our cabin accusing my wife of spending on the ship without an account. We had set that up with the Purser with our 2nd visit to them. They had made a mess of that. Sorry Cunard I ain't impressed and we def finitely will not cruise with you again.

[patwell]

I can't get over how people don't seem to understand that sometimes 'stuff happens"...people have bad days, things don't go quite the way we want. I'm sorry the apology you got wasn't sufficient...somehow I doubt that anything would have been.

 

If, in 42 years Victor meld, you have never had occasion to complain about anything on a holiday, then you are truly blessed and a very rare person indeed. Things happen out of anyone's control and you aren't the first, or probably last, to have embarkation woes, either on Cunard or some other line. It's not uncommon but to let it color your experience is your loss not theirs.

 

And now you have determined you'll never sail on Cunard again...I'm sure they'll miss you. When I was little my Mom used to call that kind of over-reaction "biting my nose to spite my face". I've lived long enough to discover the wisdom of those words! I do hope you'll find other perfect vacations....

Cheers, Penny

[Slow Foxtrot]

.....Sorry Cunard I ain't impressed and we definitely will not cruise with you again.

 

Well Mr Meldrew, now you see what happens when our American cousins take over a great British tradition. And one only has to read some of the comments on this forum to realise what sort of table companions one is likely to be landed with. Every ship I've ever known has been delighted to cater for passengers wanting a table for six or eight. It's usually the tables for four or two that are the difficult ones. And you are quite right; if picking you up from the hotel is part of the Cunard package then they are responsible.

The fact is that service is going to the dogs all over the world and Cunard is just caught up in this universal malaise. The good news is that Oriana (the British side of Carnival Line) continues to be splendid in most respects, especially if you are a dancer (as you say you are). I could not imagine their staff treating you with such disdain. My hunting friend Jonquil Carruthers is a major shareholder, I'll ask him to bring up this business at the next A.G.M. And probably best to leave the Q.E.2. to all those who have rejected enlightenment in favour of delusion!

[victor meld]

I can't get over how people don't seem to understand that sometimes 'stuff happens"...people have bad days, things don't go quite the way we want. I'm sorry the apology you got wasn't sufficient...somehow I doubt that anything would have been.

 

If, in 42 years Victor meld, you have never had occasion to complain about anything on a holiday, then you are truly blessed and a very rare person indeed. Things happen out of anyone's control and you aren't the first, or probably last, to have embarkation woes, either on Cunard or some other line. It's not uncommon but to let it color your experience is your loss not theirs.

 

And now you have determined you'll never sail on Cunard again...I'm sure they'll miss you. When I was little my Mom used to call that kind of over-reaction "biting my nose to spite my face". I've lived long enough to discover the wisdom of those words! I do hope you'll find other perfect vacations....

Cheers, Penny

You like Cunard have failed to read my complaint fully. It was not just the check in but a multitude of admin problems and poorley trained staff. There is no excuse for tardiness and yes I have had 42 years of trouble free holidays and no I am not a moaning whinging Brit. I was totally dissatisfied with the Cunard admin, they caused the first 2 days of my holiday to be misserable and if you are a regular on QE2 I have made the right decission by not going with Cunard again.

[carlmm]

No apology for having our check in problems or 3 visits to sort out the mess with the Pursers. Or for the letter received in our cabin accusing my wife of spending on the ship without an account. We had set that up with the Purser with our 2nd visit to them. They had made a mess of that.

 

You have my full support in this regard. Even if one accepts Cunard's view regarding the coach, the check-in or the table-allocation, they are still fully responsible for the politeness and organisation of their staff on board.

A letter like you described is an insult and preferably a high-ranking person on board but at latest Cunard customer relations should have excused for.

 

Under this circumstances I can fully understand your decision not to sail with them again (however sad I think it is). For sure your report of the shortcomings as you have seen them should be no reason for others to insult you.

(Hi people, he did not run to court, blackmailed or tried to squeeze money out of Cunard or stood at the pier crying "don't board the evil".)

 

Those who have sailed with Cunard before probably know how to deal with unwanted table-allocations (though it is a nuisance), to expect lines at check-in or to wait for a response some more weeks without impatience, but if everything and more comes together it might be a shock for any first-time passenger.

[pb82]

I'm referring to the following recent comments:

 

You have signally failed to answer my question of how you feel Cunard should deal with a situation where no-one asks for a table for four?

Until you can provide a sensible response on this specific situation, I can only conclude that the moniker you choose to identify yourself with is very apt.

 

Personally I think you very rude but that is your choice.

PS your moniker seems just as inappropriate.

 

And now you have determined you'll never sail on Cunard again...I'm sure they'll miss you. When I was little my Mom used to call that kind of over-reaction "biting my nose to spite my face".

 

Well Mr Meldrew, now you see what happens when our American cousins take over a great British tradition.

 

You like Cunard have failed to read my complaint fully. ... if you are a regular on QE2 I have made the right decission by not going with Cunard again.

 

Paul (One of your American cousins, no doubt not far enough removed for your liking. Sorry, that wasn't nice either.)

[Kindlychap]

So the table issue is not the main one?

 

Your main complaints are the waiting to get on board and the foul up with registering your card.

 

I have already said I understand your complaint in relation to the Purser and his staff. As have many regulars.

 

But as far as waiting is concerned, surely once you're in the Midships Lounge that is all behind you?

 

We had to wait ages to drive into the departure hall last time. Hey ho. So what?

 

I assumed that the table issue was central to your concern because it is the one thing that would make a difference day in day out.

 

It seems I was wrong.

 

(By the way, those claiming so much for P & O must remember that the line is now just another brand in the Carnival Catalogue.)