It was the worst of times...
Sep. 30th, 2003 09:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackofallgeeksI will be getting to an update about my weekend. Really. No, really, I will.
In the meantime, though... I just got an email from my buddy, Patrick McGeehan, about what a horrible time he had with Norwegian Crusie Lines, and their simply bottom-level customer service. I'm cutting this to save you all space on your Friends pages, but I would ask that you read through his letter to Norwegian, and ask that you pass the story along.
To Whom It May Concern:
I write this letter as a last ditch attempt to bring closure to what I have been referring to as my “$1500 disaster”. My name is Patrick M. McGeehan and I was recently (9/7/2003- 9/14/2003) a passenger on the Norwegian Sea. As you already know, and I hope have been reminded by hundreds of letters, my voyage bound for Bermuda was diverted to Canada and New England.
While I clearly don’t hold Norwegian responsible for the weather, especially since this storm was one of the worst in the last 50 years, I do hold it responsible for the way in which the event was handled both before the cruise and during. The treatment was so far beyond acceptable that I grow extraordinarily angry every time I think about it.
First let me start my individual story by saying that as young man only a few years out of college I was especially crushed by the way this was handled as it was my first warm weather, beach vacation since I vacationed with my parent in grade school. Not only did I have to save for months to pay for this vacation I also had to take the time without pay as I had recently changed jobs and had no accrued vacation time. I preface my story with this introduction so that you can try, if you care to, to get a glimpse at just how disappointed I was at this disaster.
I have a myriad of complaints about various aspects of the way this was handled from start to finish. I hope that I can present them in such a way as to convey to you how disgusted I am with Norwegian Cruise Lines. First the timing of the announcement of the itinerary change. I arrived with the rest of my party (3 others) at the port around noon, as we were all eager to start our vacation. Not only did we clear a security checkpoint before receiving a rather unheralded announcement of the change but we also checked our bags.
My anger at this particular incident has several points to it. First the manner in which the announcement was given. A Norwegian employee quietly calling out, “Itinerary change”, as she passed out a single plain looking paper. My first though was something simple, i.e. a longer stay in one Bermuda port or a later arrival. How in the world could something so nonchalantly handed out contain such a drastic change?
My next problem was that the employee handing out the paper could answer no questions and directed me to another set of people. This group also punted responsibility, and offered no help, offering only a long distance Miami telephone number. How with such a drastic change did Norwegian not have a representative on hand to speak with me? Even if that individual only gave me the same answers as those that I eventually received on the phone at least I would have some one to answer my question rather than offer me a number to call. Without the option of getting answers from a live person I resorted to the number of customer service that I was given, as I said it was a long distance call.
At this point in my day it really came as little surprise that upon dialing I received a recording saying that customer service was closed. I would imagine that even on the best of days a few passengers might wish to call customer service with a question or two. But how on a day when hundreds of people invested hundreds of dollars to vacation in a warm beach setting but instead were being diverted to Canada and New England could Norwegian not have staffed it’s customer service center? I eventually contacted a live person by calling the 1-800 number and navigating the electronic menu system as if I were placing a reservation. This employee had only a few things to say, first she said my only options were to board the ship, or loose all of my money. I explained to her that I did not want my money back and that I understood that the ports in Bermuda are closed but that Canada was not an acceptable replacement. I offered to take my luggage (if I could get it) and get on the Dawn (anchored at the next slip in the port and heading for warmer ports), to leave and take a cruise to a warm port any time in the next year, or to take a loss of a percentage of my payment. To all this she only offered me the answer no. I can’t imagine that it is not with in the power of a company the size of Norwegian to do something more to accommodate an unhappy customer.
Before I ended my call I asked why I had so few options and why I was not made aware of this change until this late hour. I was told that the decision was not made until about 48 hours before and that my travel agent was made aware. The statement on the timing (48 hours) was in direct contradiction to what a representative at the port told me (that individual said the decision was made only hours ago) and while I have contacted my travel agent via a similar letter I saw the statement about informing them as only another attempt to pass the responsibility. She went on to explain that I could only make changes (to another time or another boat) with more than 24 hours notice. Never mind for a moment the fact that port staff also contradicted this comment, how could I change my plans when I did not know they needed to be changed? I understand fully that what Norwegian Cruise Lines did was within it’s right to do, however good customer service means going above what one must do and great customer service means going above what one must do, perhaps even at a loss to the company. Perhaps Norwegian’s complete lack of understanding and unwillingness to help is helping to balance the universe out with some other company that has outstanding customer service.
My final thought on the issue of the phone representatives is actually an event that took place with my girl friend, Rebecca Jarosz, on a different line at around the same time. After having virtually the same conversation that I did with my representative she asked for the employee’s name and was promptly disconnected. Clearly the non-desire to help has trickled down from the top of the corporate ladder to the individual customer service representatives. I urge you to look up the call it was approximately 2pm on 9/7/2003.
At this point in my day I had decided that I would get on the ship and try to make the best of this situation. Some may have found this easier than I. I was not on the trip to shop or sightsee and was having trouble even thinking what I could do to have a good time. Making the best of things is truly easier said than done. To this end I approached another Norwegian employee in the port and explained my situation to him, I was prepared to board the ship but was still unbelievably upset about it. Since earlier I had been told by a port employee that they could “do nothing but give me the best cruise possible”, I asked him if there was anything that he could do to make myself and my companions any happier. At first he played ignorant and several times asked me what I meant. I first told him that I didn’t know what he could do to make me feel better but something, anything, would be a step in the right direction. I did this to give him and through him Norwegian the opportunity to make some sort of original, creative, gesture of apology or appeasement. When he continued to offer no suggestions I explained to him that I was spending a lot of money to now go somewhere I didn’t go and that the prospect of spending hundreds more over the next few days made me even angrier. I suggested that a room upgrade, some casino credits, or an open bar would do at least a small amount to put me in a “make the best of it” frame of mind. Instead, after a brief discussion behind the counter he came back with a short “sir, there is nothing I can do for you” answer. Again let me reiterate that I can’t image that a company the size of Norwegian Cruise lines was unable to do anything but through a lack of customer service was unwilling to do anything.
Despite this newest development I did board the ship with my friends and try to make the best of it. Once on the boat, things did not really get better. I don’t have the time or the energy to give you a complete line by line account of the trip but I will try to offer you a few of the “better” low points.
Our coupons for one free drink while in port could not be redeemed for any of the dozens of souvenir drinks that several waiters were walking around with, instead we had to go to the bar to get the half size drinks.
My first meal was a club sandwich that was cut into four sections. Only three were served to each person that ordered one, and it was served with half of a pickle!
The buffet was downright bad, having experienced in recent years both school dining halls and work cafeterias I would rank that offering below both. We ate there only twice; once to find out how bad it was and a second time to confirm it was not a fluke.
Twice movies on the in-stateroom TV were stopped before they were over.
One of the few enjoyable moments on the cruise was during a sushi night at the piano bar. Out attempts to duplicate this experience 2 days later at another sushi night were thwarted when with out an announcement the event was moved to the big apple café. Despite the fact that our cruise director Kevin had no problem with getting on the ship pa system to announce information about the expensive shore excursions at all hours (including 5 am), no announcement was made. Once we I finally asked an employee I was informed that it was moved to the Big Apple café, where I was sure to be overdressed and under whelmed by the ambience.
When we were in port we had no time to attempt to make plans. The cruise we booked had overnight stays in all ports in Bermuda. Since the Canada trip is normally a 12-day or more trip we had to shorten all of our port stays. Several times I found activities that I would have enjoyed, an Olympic soccer qualifier, a baseball game, a concert, etc, that I could not do because I had to be back on ship.
The offer of buying a 5 or 10 dollar voucher that would be good for 25 or 50 dollars at a locale restaurant in port was no longer offered.
In Boston, all those going ashore had to take a bus to get anywhere of interest. This cost passengers another 10 dollars.
This list could go on for a long time. You may read this list and think many of these issues seem minor. While I do feel that all of them are examples of poor customer service I can honestly say that some of them were minor and had I been in a better frame of mind I might not even of noticed, or at least not remembered them. However, as I was already reeling, and having a mostly bad time, I had nothing better to do but catalog every blunder and bungle as it occurred.
Just to be sure that I left with a bad taste in my mouth I spent my final hour on the ship alternately waiting in line at the billing office and arguing about a misapplied credit that was eventually corrected. As an added slap in the face I was chastised by the employee and told I should have taken care of this yesterday, before the system was “locked”. Since I had come to the office the day before and it was closed I was even angrier.
As I look at the clock now I notice that I have spent over 2 hours rehashing an event that I would much rather forget. In the past I have written similar letters (though never have I been this disappointed by service) in an attempt to receive money back or some other compensation. In this case I write only because someone at Norwegian should be forced to acknowledge, if only to them self, what horrendous customer service Norwegian has. I also write this letter so that I can send it to travel review websites, the Washington Post travel section, and anywhere else that might post it in the hope that I can make others aware of how Norwegian runs it’s business.
Rest assured that since I have returned form my trip, instead of telling everyone how Norwegian went that extra mile to help me make the best of a bad situation, I have told them to keep away from Norwegian like it has the plague. Additionally I implore them to tell everyone they know my story. I hope that it really is true that one man can make a difference and that my message can be paid forward to the point that in some small way Norwegian can feel it.
Disappointedly,
Patrick McGeehan
In the meantime, though... I just got an email from my buddy, Patrick McGeehan, about what a horrible time he had with Norwegian Crusie Lines, and their simply bottom-level customer service. I'm cutting this to save you all space on your Friends pages, but I would ask that you read through his letter to Norwegian, and ask that you pass the story along.
To Whom It May Concern:
I write this letter as a last ditch attempt to bring closure to what I have been referring to as my “$1500 disaster”. My name is Patrick M. McGeehan and I was recently (9/7/2003- 9/14/2003) a passenger on the Norwegian Sea. As you already know, and I hope have been reminded by hundreds of letters, my voyage bound for Bermuda was diverted to Canada and New England.
While I clearly don’t hold Norwegian responsible for the weather, especially since this storm was one of the worst in the last 50 years, I do hold it responsible for the way in which the event was handled both before the cruise and during. The treatment was so far beyond acceptable that I grow extraordinarily angry every time I think about it.
First let me start my individual story by saying that as young man only a few years out of college I was especially crushed by the way this was handled as it was my first warm weather, beach vacation since I vacationed with my parent in grade school. Not only did I have to save for months to pay for this vacation I also had to take the time without pay as I had recently changed jobs and had no accrued vacation time. I preface my story with this introduction so that you can try, if you care to, to get a glimpse at just how disappointed I was at this disaster.
I have a myriad of complaints about various aspects of the way this was handled from start to finish. I hope that I can present them in such a way as to convey to you how disgusted I am with Norwegian Cruise Lines. First the timing of the announcement of the itinerary change. I arrived with the rest of my party (3 others) at the port around noon, as we were all eager to start our vacation. Not only did we clear a security checkpoint before receiving a rather unheralded announcement of the change but we also checked our bags.
My anger at this particular incident has several points to it. First the manner in which the announcement was given. A Norwegian employee quietly calling out, “Itinerary change”, as she passed out a single plain looking paper. My first though was something simple, i.e. a longer stay in one Bermuda port or a later arrival. How in the world could something so nonchalantly handed out contain such a drastic change?
My next problem was that the employee handing out the paper could answer no questions and directed me to another set of people. This group also punted responsibility, and offered no help, offering only a long distance Miami telephone number. How with such a drastic change did Norwegian not have a representative on hand to speak with me? Even if that individual only gave me the same answers as those that I eventually received on the phone at least I would have some one to answer my question rather than offer me a number to call. Without the option of getting answers from a live person I resorted to the number of customer service that I was given, as I said it was a long distance call.
At this point in my day it really came as little surprise that upon dialing I received a recording saying that customer service was closed. I would imagine that even on the best of days a few passengers might wish to call customer service with a question or two. But how on a day when hundreds of people invested hundreds of dollars to vacation in a warm beach setting but instead were being diverted to Canada and New England could Norwegian not have staffed it’s customer service center? I eventually contacted a live person by calling the 1-800 number and navigating the electronic menu system as if I were placing a reservation. This employee had only a few things to say, first she said my only options were to board the ship, or loose all of my money. I explained to her that I did not want my money back and that I understood that the ports in Bermuda are closed but that Canada was not an acceptable replacement. I offered to take my luggage (if I could get it) and get on the Dawn (anchored at the next slip in the port and heading for warmer ports), to leave and take a cruise to a warm port any time in the next year, or to take a loss of a percentage of my payment. To all this she only offered me the answer no. I can’t imagine that it is not with in the power of a company the size of Norwegian to do something more to accommodate an unhappy customer.
Before I ended my call I asked why I had so few options and why I was not made aware of this change until this late hour. I was told that the decision was not made until about 48 hours before and that my travel agent was made aware. The statement on the timing (48 hours) was in direct contradiction to what a representative at the port told me (that individual said the decision was made only hours ago) and while I have contacted my travel agent via a similar letter I saw the statement about informing them as only another attempt to pass the responsibility. She went on to explain that I could only make changes (to another time or another boat) with more than 24 hours notice. Never mind for a moment the fact that port staff also contradicted this comment, how could I change my plans when I did not know they needed to be changed? I understand fully that what Norwegian Cruise Lines did was within it’s right to do, however good customer service means going above what one must do and great customer service means going above what one must do, perhaps even at a loss to the company. Perhaps Norwegian’s complete lack of understanding and unwillingness to help is helping to balance the universe out with some other company that has outstanding customer service.
My final thought on the issue of the phone representatives is actually an event that took place with my girl friend, Rebecca Jarosz, on a different line at around the same time. After having virtually the same conversation that I did with my representative she asked for the employee’s name and was promptly disconnected. Clearly the non-desire to help has trickled down from the top of the corporate ladder to the individual customer service representatives. I urge you to look up the call it was approximately 2pm on 9/7/2003.
At this point in my day I had decided that I would get on the ship and try to make the best of this situation. Some may have found this easier than I. I was not on the trip to shop or sightsee and was having trouble even thinking what I could do to have a good time. Making the best of things is truly easier said than done. To this end I approached another Norwegian employee in the port and explained my situation to him, I was prepared to board the ship but was still unbelievably upset about it. Since earlier I had been told by a port employee that they could “do nothing but give me the best cruise possible”, I asked him if there was anything that he could do to make myself and my companions any happier. At first he played ignorant and several times asked me what I meant. I first told him that I didn’t know what he could do to make me feel better but something, anything, would be a step in the right direction. I did this to give him and through him Norwegian the opportunity to make some sort of original, creative, gesture of apology or appeasement. When he continued to offer no suggestions I explained to him that I was spending a lot of money to now go somewhere I didn’t go and that the prospect of spending hundreds more over the next few days made me even angrier. I suggested that a room upgrade, some casino credits, or an open bar would do at least a small amount to put me in a “make the best of it” frame of mind. Instead, after a brief discussion behind the counter he came back with a short “sir, there is nothing I can do for you” answer. Again let me reiterate that I can’t image that a company the size of Norwegian Cruise lines was unable to do anything but through a lack of customer service was unwilling to do anything.
Despite this newest development I did board the ship with my friends and try to make the best of it. Once on the boat, things did not really get better. I don’t have the time or the energy to give you a complete line by line account of the trip but I will try to offer you a few of the “better” low points.
Our coupons for one free drink while in port could not be redeemed for any of the dozens of souvenir drinks that several waiters were walking around with, instead we had to go to the bar to get the half size drinks.
My first meal was a club sandwich that was cut into four sections. Only three were served to each person that ordered one, and it was served with half of a pickle!
The buffet was downright bad, having experienced in recent years both school dining halls and work cafeterias I would rank that offering below both. We ate there only twice; once to find out how bad it was and a second time to confirm it was not a fluke.
Twice movies on the in-stateroom TV were stopped before they were over.
One of the few enjoyable moments on the cruise was during a sushi night at the piano bar. Out attempts to duplicate this experience 2 days later at another sushi night were thwarted when with out an announcement the event was moved to the big apple café. Despite the fact that our cruise director Kevin had no problem with getting on the ship pa system to announce information about the expensive shore excursions at all hours (including 5 am), no announcement was made. Once we I finally asked an employee I was informed that it was moved to the Big Apple café, where I was sure to be overdressed and under whelmed by the ambience.
When we were in port we had no time to attempt to make plans. The cruise we booked had overnight stays in all ports in Bermuda. Since the Canada trip is normally a 12-day or more trip we had to shorten all of our port stays. Several times I found activities that I would have enjoyed, an Olympic soccer qualifier, a baseball game, a concert, etc, that I could not do because I had to be back on ship.
The offer of buying a 5 or 10 dollar voucher that would be good for 25 or 50 dollars at a locale restaurant in port was no longer offered.
In Boston, all those going ashore had to take a bus to get anywhere of interest. This cost passengers another 10 dollars.
This list could go on for a long time. You may read this list and think many of these issues seem minor. While I do feel that all of them are examples of poor customer service I can honestly say that some of them were minor and had I been in a better frame of mind I might not even of noticed, or at least not remembered them. However, as I was already reeling, and having a mostly bad time, I had nothing better to do but catalog every blunder and bungle as it occurred.
Just to be sure that I left with a bad taste in my mouth I spent my final hour on the ship alternately waiting in line at the billing office and arguing about a misapplied credit that was eventually corrected. As an added slap in the face I was chastised by the employee and told I should have taken care of this yesterday, before the system was “locked”. Since I had come to the office the day before and it was closed I was even angrier.
As I look at the clock now I notice that I have spent over 2 hours rehashing an event that I would much rather forget. In the past I have written similar letters (though never have I been this disappointed by service) in an attempt to receive money back or some other compensation. In this case I write only because someone at Norwegian should be forced to acknowledge, if only to them self, what horrendous customer service Norwegian has. I also write this letter so that I can send it to travel review websites, the Washington Post travel section, and anywhere else that might post it in the hope that I can make others aware of how Norwegian runs it’s business.
Rest assured that since I have returned form my trip, instead of telling everyone how Norwegian went that extra mile to help me make the best of a bad situation, I have told them to keep away from Norwegian like it has the plague. Additionally I implore them to tell everyone they know my story. I hope that it really is true that one man can make a difference and that my message can be paid forward to the point that in some small way Norwegian can feel it.
Disappointedly,
Patrick McGeehan
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Date: 2003-09-30 06:20 am (UTC)