I would like to warn anyone who has any inclinations of going on a cruise with
Celebrity Cruises/Royal Caribbean. In September my husband and I went on our
honeymoon on the Milennium Celebrity Cruise. We purchased our entire package
from Celebrity and spent an extremely large amount of money: $25,000 on this
honeymoon - including the cruise itself, flights, food, drinks, and excursions.
We cruised 2 weeks on the Milennium without the pools, hot tubs, ball courts.
Having worked in the travel industry in the past I had always wanted to go on a
Celebrity cruise...what a BIG mistake that turned out to be. The service was
absolutely horrible, most of the crew members were unfriendly, cold and
miserable - I do not understand how they managed to be employed in the
hospitality industry. We were shocked. The everyday activities were lame and
the night life was minimal. I have been on cruises before and they have been
quite lively.
Please Please Please I warn you to WATCH YOUR LUGGAGE and all your personal
belongings. Do NOT take the staff's word when they tell you your luggage will
be safe when you leave it for their safekeeping before disembarking the ship.
We had made sure our luggage was safety locked up. When we got home to our
surprise that some items we brought and purchased from our trip were STOLEN!
(approximately $1000.00 worth). They even stole the video tapes from our
vacation (our honeymoon memories - gone!) The tapes and videocamcorder we
received as a wedding gift just a month before was stolen. (This was our first
and last time we had to use it). I know thieves have no sentiments and they
don't give a care as to what they steal and who they steal from. I could not
believe what had happened! Trying to get any compensation from Celebrity
Cruiselines is a JOKE! Not only did they steal our luggage they managed to lose
another bag of ours from the ship to the carousal in Barcelona - less than 100
metres away. What a bunch of incompetent fools. This is no coincidence, these
people are professionals so please be aware.
I can not believe after spending the amount of money we did Celebrity just
brushed us off. The letter they sent back was like a slap in the face. I
believe no matter how much money is spent on a vacation no one should have to
worry about safety or their possessions especially because it is their job to
safekeep their belongings. I am absolutely flabbergasted and appalled with what
has happened and especially the lack of professionalism of this cruiseline.
Please I beg you to think twice before booking a vacation with Celebrity
cruiselines/Royal Caribbean.
Take care all. Thank you for reading my review and think hard before booking
Celebrity Cruises/Royal Caribbean.
Another drive-by poster. No doubt the same person has performed alpha-strikes on the other cruise forums out there and left the same message.
(alpha strike - a term used by Marine aviation for when the attack aircraft punch off all of their ordnance in one run at the target.....I was an aircraft ordnance technician in my Marine days)
Seems like the ones who yell the loudest are often the ones who refused to buy travel insurance. Sounds like this couple could have benefitted from it.
Originally posted by Karen Knowlton:
Seems like the ones who yell the loudest are often the ones who refused to buy travel insurance. Sounds like this couple could have benefitted from it.
Or are the ones who put valuables in the checked baggage and think all is well.
Thanks for your comments so far...we actually did purchase travel insurance and always have when traveling. I just wanted to let travelers know to beware because this was a heartbreaking experience for us. This must not have happened to you, this was also my first time but am just in awe of the lack of sympathy from the cruiseline. At that time there was the "hand carry" limitation issue so we just wanted to send everything in our suitcases.
Sorry to jump to conclusions about you - we get many people who had a bad cruise and post a rant here and then never come back, leaving us to clean up the debris.
I suspect you were mismatched with the cruise line, which may be a large part of the frustration you had with your perception of cold service by the staff. Celebrity is not everyone's cup of tea, just as Carnival isn't to others, etc. Did you use a cruise agent?
Many things are outside the control of the cruise line. The people who move the baggage off the ship are usually employed by the port authority or a contractor for the port. They rarely are cruise line employees.
Your original note says you have been on cruises before, yet your last note says "this was also my first time". I am confused.
I meant first time for lost luggage/stolen but have cruised 9 times. No worries - I know that sometimes it's out of the cruise company's control but just feel violated and ripped off with the lack of sympathy having spent so much money on our honeymoon.
Originally posted by CRUISERS BEWARE:
I meant first time for lost luggage/stolen but have cruised 9 times. No worries - I know that sometimes it's out of the cruise company's control but just feel violated and ripped off with the lack of sympathy having spent so much money on our honeymoon.
Well....if they had been more sympathetic would it have really mattered? Sympathy and $1.07 will buy you a cup of coffee at your local McDonald's.
You got robbed by some pier-side thieves in Barcelona. Sadly, these things happen. Everyday. Everywhere. But don't broad brush an entire cruise line with a scarlet letter because of it. Celebrity had no obligation - and no expectation - to make your cruise more special than any other passengers just because it was your honeymoon.
Linear Mode
