Cruise Policies That Hurt Cruisers

[Default] Thus spake (Jeff Gersten):

(John*Sisker) wrote:

We received this information and/or press
release from the trades/Frommer's and
thought it may be of interest to this newsgroup
as well.

http://www.frommers.com/articles/6844.html

Are the mainstream cruise lines really advertising themselves as "all
inclusive"? That seems to be one of the main points of that article. As
far as I can tell, they have never hidden that tipping is expected (In
fact giving the suggested amount), soda and alcohol are extra, spa
treatments are extra, photographs are extra, etc. No one ever forces
anyone to eat in an extra charge restaurant. You do not have to buy any
pictures. That was a very whiny article.

I sent him an email earlier today. My comments:

Mr. Elliot, I want to make a couple of comments on your article.
First, I'm glad you wrote it, because some people walk in totally
blind to the aspects of a cruise beyond going to some exotic
destination.

But you did wander a little off on some of your remarks. First
security (which I agree with your comment). This is executed by DHS.
So yes, it's a little absurd that you can't take your own knife on
board, but they'll give you a bigger one. "It's the law, it doesn't
have to make sense." (I've been using that for years.)

The Jones Law. Not a cruise line policy. Ask Congress to change it.
The law is absurd (hmm, using that word quite a bit). "It's the law
...."

Extra restaurant charges are kind of silly. Especially since we had
one experience where the food as less satisfactory than the regular
dining. With the exception of one line, the regular dining is
excellent and there's really no requirement to eat anywhere else. On
that line there is a strong demand for the many, many specialty
restaurants on board. Enough so that there are sometimes lines at
7:30 am for reservations. Another line offers an excellent optional
restaurant, for adults only, at a very nice add on price.

Extra fees. Some what of an annoyance to me. When something is
billed as "all inclusive", it should be. But many land packages have
the same policies. One in Mexico has a "nice" buffet, but the "good"
meals are in the three "specialty" restaurants. Another has some
drinks for free, but others cost extra. Which you don't find out
until you get the bill (they ask for your room key on all
transactions, "so we can keep track of what our guests want."

Air deviation. I don't know what experts you talked to, but I know of
very few people who would recommend booking air through the cruise
line. It's usually more expensive and the times are horrid, at best.
I always advise my clients to a) fly in at least a day early and 2)
buy insurance if they aren't flying in a day early. Yes, I get paid a
commission on the air through the line but not when booked otherwise,
but I'd rather save my clients a few bucks and a lot of frustration.
They remember who treated them well and come back.

The contract. No different, really, than any other contract. These
are always written to benefit the company. That airline contract? It
only guarantees that they will "attempt" to deliver you to your
destination. Once the plane takes off, all bets are gone. The
interesting thing about contracts is that nobody reads them until they
find out there's something bad in them. Heck, how many people really
read their mortgage contract that said their rates were going through
the roof in three to five years?

Auctions. Nobody who's been on a cruise will go to one of these
again. We'll walk through the preview showing, but mostly to look at
the over price "art". I've even seen a Leroy Niemen print that was
priced at nearly 3/4 the price of a limited edition artist's remarque.
Ouch! But that happens in other places. Yes, it's particularly
egregious, but is it any worse than the international (add other parts
to that) stores that sell their products are horribly inflated prices?
When you go on vacation, everybody sees a bulls eye on you.

One thing you neglected was the "approved stores". ie "we get paid a
kickback from these" stores.

Okay, here's where I put my little spiel. A good travel agent can
help you with this kind of thing.



His response:

"Thanks for the feedback -- and I totally agree about travel agents."

--

- dillon I am not invalid

Toby (Tri-Umph That's the Sweet Truth)
March 1998 - June 2010
What a dog. What a dog!