We Are Done, With Celebrity!!!

[pkhddt]

Before all of you post, thinking that we are "newbies" that are "looking for a free meal", look at our travel record with Celebrity/RCL:

 

--Captain's Club, Founder's Club Members:

--RCL-Crown and Anchor Members, on the cusp of Diamond Level (Platinum):

 

1.) Century-7 day 3-31-01 (counted as one cruise)

2.) Infinity-11 day 3-23-03 (counted as one cruise)

3.) Infinity - 7 day 4-18-04 (counted as one cruise)

4.) RCL Radiance -7 day 3-13-05 (counted as one cruise)

5.) Infinity - 7 day 3-12-06 (concierce class, counted as two cruises)

6.) RCL Voyager-7 days 3-24-07 (counted as one cruise)

7.) Summit-15 days 10-26-07 (concierge class, 14+days, counts as 3)

8.) RCL Monarch 3 days 2-15-08 (counts as one cruise)

 

This is in addition to our other cruises on Carnival, Princess, and Holland America, which have no bearing as to Celebrity/RCL.

 

---

 

We lodged our complaints about the 10-26-07 sailing on Summit and heard back yesterday from "Joseph Regal" on behalf of Celebrity.

 

During the course of our conversation, I was told that [We were] "ONLY Platinum on RCL, and ONLY select members on Celebrity." So much for brand loyalty, huh..."ONLY" and that we had only gone on (4) cruises, so I didn't really know what I was talking about. (see above-his math is off, JUST A BIT).

 

I'll save the full list of complaints, but suffice it to say, the cruise experience is somewhat blown when there are (2) DEAD BODIES on board, with no information to be gathered from the staff, leaving everyone to wonder, "what did they die from?" and "is it contagious". This left everything to the "rumor mill" where guests were stating things from "flesh eating bacteria" to "diabetes" to "guests were in a fight." Our first stop was supposed to be Maui for Haloween, with costmes and all, taken for the event. Instead we had to go to Honolulu, for Halloween (because we needed to go to the seat of the islands so the coroner could remove the bodies with the Honolulu Police Department----in our "getting off the ship pictures in port" you can SEE THE YELLOW POLICE TAPE. We had to walk past the Honolulu Police Homocide division cars to our taxi.

 

When we were supposed to be in port overnight (to accomodate the Halloween parties,etc.) we left Honolulu at 11pm, just as things were going.

If we stayed behind and got a hotel (at our expense) could we catch up to the ship in Maui (island hop at our expense)? NO...we would forfeit our ticket and have our luggage mailed to us at home!

 

We had a list of (4) very real complaints, in addition to the above and all fell on deaf ears. The only customer service offered was to tell us how inferior we were as we "only" went on (4) cruises.

 

Maybe Celebrity should put into their commercials, passengers looking that the lava flow as the ship passes, gagging from the stench of human feces in the sewer system-with other passengers remarking that it might not be the sewage but the dead bodies on board decomposing.

 

Yeah, we can't wait to go back!!!

[Longboysfan]

I think I read somewhere on the boards that one was an old age death.

The other was a cancer death - trying to get in a last cruise.

 

What reasons could you be thinking of.....

 

And that information is guarded. The line is going to protect the privacy of the passangers.

[02143]

I'll save the full list of complaints, but suffice it to say, the cruise experience is somewhat blown when there are (2) DEAD BODIES on board, with no information to be gathered from the staff, leaving everyone to wonder, "what did they die from?" and "is it contagious". This left everything to the "rumor mill" where guests were stating things from "flesh eating bacteria" to "diabetes" to "guests were in a fight."

 

I'm sorry you had a bad experience on your cruise and didn't get the Halloween experience you were promised.

 

That said, why would anyone presume it was their business what the two passengers died from? That's up to the families involved, who probably didn't need to hear people's ignorant rumors, and the ship, which has to respect the families' privacy.

 

If they had ebola or the plague or anything else that really would have required medical intervention for the whole ship, you would have heard about it. The fact you didn't, means it was an everyday tragedy for the people involved that had no greater implications.

 

When people die on airline flights, their bodies are sometimes strapped into whatever space is available, which may be a seat in first class next to a passenger, for the duration of the flight. A better option is to have them laid out on the floor. Death during travel is nasty and unpleasant. Unless you think cruise lines should return to burial at sea, this is going to happen.

[02143]

I'm a bit confused by simultaneous complaints that a) there were 2 dead bodies on board, possibly stinking up the ship and spreading germs and causing misery, and b) the ship took action to get the bodies off of the ship, thereby ruining people's plans and making people walk past police tape.

 

Damned if they do, damned if they don't. It seems to be the problem here was that people died, and I don't know what Celebrity can be expected to do to prevent that.

[Albert Ross]

Before all of you post, thinking that we are "newbies" that are "looking for a free meal", look at our travel record with Celebrity/RCL:

 

--Captain's Club, Founder's Club Members:

--RCL-Crown and Anchor Members, on the cusp of Diamond Level (Platinum):

 

1.) Century-7 day 3-31-01 (counted as one cruise)

2.) Infinity-11 day 3-23-03 (counted as one cruise)

3.) Infinity - 7 day 4-18-04 (counted as one cruise)

4.) RCL Radiance -7 day 3-13-05 (counted as one cruise)

5.) Infinity - 7 day 3-12-06 (concierce class, counted as two cruises)

6.) RCL Voyager-7 days 3-24-07 (counted as one cruise)

7.) Summit-15 days 10-26-07 (concierge class, 14+days, counts as 3)

8.) RCL Monarch 3 days 2-15-08 (counts as one cruise)

 

You have 7 points with CaptC which makes you a Elite member - and via their reciprocal agreement with C&A this makes you a Platinum for benefits. However when it comes to collecting the points you only have 3 with C&A. So you are not a true Diamond unless you get 7 more C&A points or get 3 more CaptC points.

 

Statistically there is a death per cruise - something to do with the demographic and, as someone has already said, wanting to take that one last cruise. That is why all ships are equipped with morgues [not shown on deckplans..]

[pkhddt]

Our upset was that the staff was not advised, or if they were, they did not divulge what the cause was. Of course, we didn't expect the captain to come on board and say "hey there is a dead person in cabin x, and one in cabin y".

 

But, once the rumor runs through the ship, we would like to have had the rep. at guest relations quietly tell us when asked, "they died from old age, or there is no danger, or something of the like." What we got was denial that it happened, until response from the line to questions.

 

As far as "damned if you do or don't" ---they HAD to remove the bodies, as they didn't die at home and were being transported to be buried; they died aboard ship. Due to the change in itinerary---(first stop was to be Maui overnight, and Honolulu thereafter, and a switch made) what harm would it be to let us PAY FOR OUR OWN HOTEL AND AIR to reconnect with the ship; they changed the itinerary-we didn't.

 

If you are aboard ship and hear that two people just died, in a climate where every other day you hear on the news about norwood virus and dangers at sea, with (2) more sea days to go before first land fall, with NO access to information and other guests stating that it is from some form of contagious disease......wouldn't you want an educated staff to alleviate your fear and tell you the truth, instead of wondering what you are being exposed to?

[wolfganghowell]

There are a lot more deaths on cruise ships than most passengers are aware of. As others stated, it is none of your business what the cause of death was unless it is a contagious disease that could impact YOU. In which case, the ship would be quarantined. The smell of which you speak is the sewage trap. This problem is generally caused by some stupid passenger flushing something they shouldn't - then the cruise line has to flush the system out to remove the obstruction. Hence the smell. To say it was decomposing bodies is insensitive to those who lost a loved one on a ship. EVERY SHIP HAS A MORGUE. The bodies are appropriately stored until removal. Sorry that the ship leaving port early inconvenienced you - since they were in Hawaiian waters, they were probably required by state law to do what needed to be done with the bodies. I'm sure the people traveling with the deceased felt a bit more upset than you did. I'm also sure that the rumors of how they died being passed around the ship helped too. I hope your other "real" complaints were more valid than the people who so selfishly died on "your" vacation. I'm sorry X did not respond appropriately to you and hope you will find a cruise line you will be happy with.

[pkhddt]

As far as the math, per cruise; since we joined founder's club, Captain's Club before they merged with RCL, we get one point per cruise Celebrity or RCL for duration of 7 days or less, and 1 extra day for 14 days plus, plus one more for Concierge Class.

 

Therefore 1+1+1+1+2+1+3+1= 11 cruise points Celebrity/RCL.

[mgg42]

Our upset was that the staff was not advised, or if they were, they did not divulge what the cause was. Of course, we didn't expect the captain to come on board and say "hey there is a dead person in cabin x, and one in cabin y".

 

But, once the rumor runs through the ship, we would like to have had the rep. at guest relations quietly tell us when asked, "they died from old age, or there is no danger, or something of the like." What we got was denial that it happened, until response from the line to questions.

 

As far as "damned if you do or don't" ---they HAD to remove the bodies, as they didn't die at home and were being transported to be buried; they died aboard ship. Due to the change in itinerary---(first stop was to be Maui overnight, and Honolulu thereafter, and a switch made) what harm would it be to let us PAY FOR OUR OWN HOTEL AND AIR to reconnect with the ship; they changed the itinerary-we didn't.

 

If you are aboard ship and hear that two people just died, in a climate where every other day you hear on the news about norwood virus and dangers at sea, with (2) more sea days to go before first land fall, with NO access to information and other guests stating that it is from some form of contagious disease......wouldn't you want an educated staff to alleviate your fear and tell you the truth, instead of wondering what you are being exposed to?

 

I think a good number of my brain cells just committed suicide after reading the above passage.

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...First let me tell you that I am an Attorney...and that I work for a very large corporation in the healoth care and hospitals industry...

 

Under US law (not that the cruise line is necessarily ruled by US law, but that it would be wise to comply if it could), federal regulations (HIPAA) prevent anyone from disclosing confidential medical information on anyone.

 

It is a privacy issue and the legal consequences would be severe.

 

So, Celebrity was entirely correct in not letting you know what these people died from. You would have gotten the same lack of information or cooperation from ANY cruise line.

 

Second, returning to Honolulu rather than Maui was also likely out of Celebrity's control...Unfortunate for you, but, again, not THEIR choice...

 

Now, I am absolutely confounded at your argument with Celebrity over just how many prior cruises you'd been on...and why that is so danged important to you in regard to all of this...

 

You make it a point to enumerate to us here how many cruises you've been on...But you LIST FOUR prior Celebrity cruises (prior to the one you're complaining about) and then complain that someone with Celebrity told you you'd been on four prior cruises...huh???

 

Were you, as a backup to your whining, trying to impress them with just how good a customer you are? Why? So they'd release confidential info to you? Or, rather, I suppose afterwards as you were complaining to them trying to get money back or something free from them?

 

Yeah, don't try to pre-empt the obvious by starting your post with "Before all of you post, thinking that we are 'newbies' that are 'looking for a free meal'"...I can tell you are not "newbies"...however, it is fairly obvious that you were (and perhaps still are) looking for SOMETHING from Celebrity here...

 

Yes, you don't even bother telling us your other "four complaints"...but, the first ones --the ones you do bother mentioning--that they wouldn't tell you the medical conditions people died from and that they had to comply with local regulations in dealing with the Coroner...well, those are hardly valid and do not entitle you to anything from the cruise line other than a courteous "We're sorry"...which I am going to assume (based on all of my prior experience) they gave...and which likely wasn't good enough for you...because you were looking for that "free meal"...

 

Sorry your Maui plans didn't work out...We've ALL missed ports on various cruises for various reasons...Go on enough cruises with ANY cruise line and I'm sure it will happen to you as well...And we've had cruises stay in port for various emergency matters...and I'll give up some of MY plans or expectations to allow for the emergency situations of some of my fellow passengers...

[ccletzgo]

Our upset was that the staff was not advised, or if they were, they did not divulge what the cause was. Of course, we didn't expect the captain to come on board and say "hey there is a dead person in cabin x, and one in cabin y".

 

But, once the rumor runs through the ship, we would like to have had the rep. at guest relations quietly tell us when asked, "they died from old age, or there is no danger, or something of the like." What we got was denial that it happened, until response from the line to questions.

 

As far as "damned if you do or don't" ---they HAD to remove the bodies, as they didn't die at home and were being transported to be buried; they died aboard ship. Due to the change in itinerary---(first stop was to be Maui overnight, and Honolulu thereafter, and a switch made) what harm would it be to let us PAY FOR OUR OWN HOTEL AND AIR to reconnect with the ship; they changed the itinerary-we didn't.

 

If you are aboard ship and hear that two people just died, in a climate where every other day you hear on the news about norwood virus and dangers at sea, with (2) more sea days to go before first land fall, with NO access to information and other guests stating that it is from some form of contagious disease......wouldn't you want an educated staff to alleviate your fear and tell you the truth, instead of wondering what you are being exposed to?

 

 

Sounds to me like a bunch of imaginations running wild..IF there was a health concern for the ship, there would have been action taken. There was no health concern, so no business of anyone but the family as to the death of these two people.

 

Itinerary changes happen ALL THE TIME. Thats nothing new. Read your cruise contract. If one cruises, one should never, ever depend on the posted itinerary.

 

If you have to be there on any given date, do a land based.

[Jade13]

Was there anything positive about your cruise? Once they removed the deceased didm't you continue on your itinerary?

[pkhddt]

I am a little surprised....is this still cruise CRITIC? Or is it CRUISE LINE IS ALWAYS RIGHT, REGARDLESS OF SITUATION? I heard that the cruiselines monitor and were behind posts, now I believe.

 

I understand that the families of the deceased would be rightfully upset. I empathize with them, wholly.

 

Wouldn't it HELP the families to have the staff explain the situation to guests that were concerned about contagious disease? Or, I suppose it is better to have grandpa die of natural causes, only to have rumor spread through the ship that he was "this or that" and "caught this terrible disease because of the way he lived." ?

 

And to all those that attacked me because of being such a "ghoul" ---"sorry their death inconvenienced my vacation", blah, blah....What would be wrong with allowing us to PAY OUT OF OUR POCKETS to stay in a hotel, and ALSO PAY OUT OF OUR POCKETS TO ISLAND HOP TO RECONNECT WITH THE SHIP. We never asked for a hand out. We wanted to PAY to make our vacation enjoyable as well.

 

Just as the families deserve respect and dignity in the time of their loved one's deaths; we work 12-16 hour days in very high stress professions, don't we deserve the right to have an enjoyable vacation, as well?

 

That's what they ADVERTISE....

[ACCagent]

As far as the math, per cruise; since we joined founder's club, Captain's Club before they merged with RCL, we get one point per cruise Celebrity or RCL for duration of 7 days or less, and 1 extra day for 14 days plus, plus one more for Concierge Class.

 

Therefore 1+1+1+1+2+1+3+1= 11 cruise points Celebrity/RCL.

 

I was not aware that Captain's Club ever counted the RCCL cruises. Mine certainly were not combined and I don't think they are supposed to be. I think you just get the equivalent level as pointed out by Albert Ross.

 

It sounds to me like everything was done in the manner required in this event. So sorry for both of the families involved.

[pkhddt]

according to my math, it is (5) celebrity and (3) RCL, for a total of 11 cruise points on the plan we are on. I never asked for anything free.

 

My upset is that they wouldn't let us pay OUT OF OUR POCKETS, to remedy the changed situation. So, what if you had wedding plans, church, photograper, and all......wouldn't you want to pay to reconnect with the ship, or would you just get off the ship and have them mail your stuff to you, or forfeit the last 3/4 of your trip?

 

The reason I am stuck on the 11 cruise points is that we all pay a lot of money to go on our trips. Celebrity tells you that you will be pampered, etc. etc. and treated like royalty, or whatever is in their commercial. To be talked down to and said "only" is a bit much.

[Bruin Steve]

Apparently, it's not the first cruise our friend the OP has had complaints about...

******************************************

Forum: Royal Caribbean International May 31st, 2005, 10:26 PM

pkhddt

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: Southern CA

Posts: 83

 

Told you so, in my thread...

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I am truly concerned that the Royal Carib brand is going down the toilet...I posted "Royal Caribbean is THE worst" and some people jumped all over me...brand loyalty I guess. Several responses told me to "get over it" to which I replied by asking if those same people just "let it go" when they take their car in for service and it comes back damaged...I assume they do not..

 

Please see my thread for complaints about the cruise, but MOSTLY about the poor customer service.

 

I was told by other posters that I had the problem because I was so stupid as to book over spring break....doesn't look like you did...

 

What is going on with RCI???? Have done Celebrity 3x in past, Carnival and Holland America...chose Royal Carib because we were told that while Celebrity food was a "10" , carib was about an "8" and the ships were more plush....While the ship was nice, the customer service was below a "2".

 

Just my 2 cents....By the way....still no reply to my certified letter, signed for 2 months ago!....Still out the replacement cost of our damaged items and ointment for her rash from the unwarned wet paint....

 

 

***************************

May 31st, 2005, 01:14 PM

Nightmare on the Voyager 5/20 - 5/29

pkhddt

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: Southern CA

Posts: 83

 

Really.....don't hold your breath

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I sent my comment card to him...along with my complaints (see thread "Royal Caribbean is THE WORST!". It was signed for certified over two months ago. No reply...no nothing...

 

In case the thread has disappeared, I had complaints from security to non-service, to plain and simple false advertising. These were more of an FYI situation as I was convinced the ship crew was "policing" themselves and complaints made on board would surely die there.

 

More troubling was the fact that they painted our deck and rail while in port with no warning given. When the ship pulled away, we discovered we were painted white and varnished, along with my trunks and her bikini. We were promised that the cabin steward would be sent up to pick up the items for dry cleaning....this never happened. We tried to wash out in the sink, but suits are ruined. Made a claim for the cost of suits and the $ 14.00 for ointment to take care of her rash from the varnish.

 

STILL no reply..........If you get someone to talk to, and not just summarily dismiss your complaints, consider yourself lucky.

 

I think we will stick to Celebrity (same company--but much better service) or try Princess....given the lack of response I think we are done with RCI. But, they don't seem to care....so I guess all we can do is inform others about our experiences....

 

Good luck!

***************************************

 

I am sure there are more like this out there, but I haven't got the desire to keep looking...

[ClipperMiami]

I am a little surprised....is this still cruise CRITIC? Or is it CRUISE LINE IS ALWAYS RIGHT, REGARDLESS OF SITUATION? I heard that the cruiselines monitor and were behind posts, now I believe.

 

I understand that the families of the deceased would be rightfully upset. I empathize with them, wholly.

 

Wouldn't it HELP the families to have the staff explain the situation to guests that were concerned about contagious disease? Or, I suppose it is better to have grandpa die of natural causes, only to have rumor spread through the ship that he was "this or that" and "caught this terrible disease because of the way he lived." ?

 

And to all those that attacked me because of being such a "ghoul" ---"sorry their death inconvenienced my vacation", blah, blah....What would be wrong with allowing us to PAY OUT OF OUR POCKETS to stay in a hotel, and ALSO PAY OUT OF OUR POCKETS TO ISLAND HOP TO RECONNECT WITH THE SHIP. We never asked for a hand out. We wanted to PAY to make our vacation enjoyable as well.

 

Just as the families deserve respect and dignity in the time of their loved one's deaths; we work 12-16 hour days in very high stress professions, don't we deserve the right to have an enjoyable vacation, as well?

 

That's what they ADVERTISE....

Summit is a foreign flagged vessel. Since you didn't say what the itinerary was I'm guessing here but I suspect your trip started/ended in LA or San Diego (with a technical stop in Ensenada.) If this is the case allowing you to disembark in Honolulu and/or re-embark in Maui would violate US law because the carrier would be transporting you between two US ports (LA/SD-Honolulu or Maui-LA/SD for example) on one leg or the other; it is illegal for foreign flagged vessels to transport passengers between two US ports (that's why the technical stop in Ensenda). They get fined for doing this and may not knowingly do it, fine or no fine. So they really can't allow to do what you proposed, your expense or not.

[usha]

Gee, sorry that the deaths of two other pax inconvenienced YOU, and that the captain didn't immediately knock on YOUR door to give YOU details about the cause of those deaths. I can certainly see how these things ruined YOUR CRUISE, and how YOU'd never want to deal with Celebrity again.:rolleyes:

[kcb]

As far as the math, per cruise; since we joined founder's club, Captain's Club before they merged with RCL, we get one point per cruise Celebrity or RCL for duration of 7 days or less, and 1 extra day for 14 days plus, plus one more for Concierge Class.

 

Therefore 1+1+1+1+2+1+3+1= 11 cruise points Celebrity/RCL.

 

Wrong!!!

 

As an experienced cruiser, you should already be well aware that the "points" do not combine across the two lines. The loyalty programs are independent of each other. You do, however, receive matching status on the sister line, but you cannot combine the two to receive a higher status.

The truth of the matter is that your "status" does not factor into this situation, at all.

I will let the other posts "respond" to the rest of your "complaints."

[pkhddt]

Hey Bruin Steve,

 

As a lawyer, I am sure you are familiar with the U.S.C. pertaining to Americans with Disabilities (ADA), and the fact that, regardless of ship's registry they "purposefully avail themselves" of doing business in the U.S., leaving from Florida.

 

We were traveling with (2) elderly passengers, 86 and 84, respectively.

 

When tendering, with priority disembarkation, would it not seem like a violation of ADA to not have someone escort you to the elevator so that when the doors open and you enter the line, other passengers do not hurl insults and obscenities at you, regardless of the fact you are holding ticket number (5) and they have (17) and higher. Does that sound fair to you? Hand out the tickets and have everyone make a mad dash for the tenders, only to hve the elderly pushed out of the way and when the elevator opens they are called B&%CH and C&%T, because they are trying to rejoin the line?

[pkhddt]

San Diego....we usually go from FLL

[jealdaka]

There is no "special program" in Captain's Club that allows you to combine your points. I think this has been well pointed out to you but you don't seem to be listening.

 

The ship could not legally let you get off and then rejoin in Maui.

 

As to the last posting - I don't know how any cruise line would monitor foul language or boorish behavior by their guests in every case. We saw a lot of this with a particular group on a Princess ship but I never once thought to blame Princess.

[wolfganghowell]

Bruin - thanks for the laughs today. I better go check my mailbox to see if those checks from the cruiseline have arrived so I can keep defending them from such scurrilous reports online. :D I love when others disagree with a poster then we are the cruise lines cheerleaders. Maybe we just disagree. The OP has been told the reasons behind the situation he mentioned. Maybe we could hear what the other "valid" complaints were. I'm sorry the vast majority of the posts disagree with you - we're just being "cruise critics" I guess.

[cruise kitty]

 

 

Just as the families deserve respect and dignity in the time of their loved one's deaths; we work 12-16 hour days in very high stress professions, don't we deserve the right to have an enjoyable vacation, as well?

 

That's what they ADVERTISE....[/QUOT

Sometimes stuff happens. Everyone works hard for their vacations and wants to enjoy them, but come on, this was an unforeseeable set of circumstances.

I simply don't see how the cruise line could have better handled the situation given legal parameters involving privacy etc. I think that they were right to with hold info, how do you even know if all the family had been notified yet? Let me tell you, learning about a loved one's death on the news would be far more painful than what you went thru. As for getting off the ship and then rejoining it, I don't know the laws involved, but since 9/11 there are a lot of travel inconveniences. Maybe Bin Laden will give you a cruise credit.

[pkhddt]

I am not suggesting that the line can control what comes out of the mouths of its guests....my suggestion is that by handing out cards to people, that include (1) ina wheelchair and (1) in a walker, they know that the elderly have to use the elevator and can't "run down the stairs to the tender".

 

By not accompanying them on the elevator, they set the stage for it to appear that peoplepare trying to "cut line". As we know the fastest line jumpers are those in wheel chairs and walkers.