Lots of people on this forum complain. Do any of you ever write letters of complaints to cruiselines? If not, then shut the heck up and stop your complaining. If you have something to complain about, put it on the comment card, write a letter to the cruiseline, and as a last resort, post mean stuff on travel boards warning others. But don't skip the first two.<BR><BR>Do you actually think that someone from the cruiselines actually monitor this forum? get real. Fodors doesn't even monitor this forum.

I agree that nothing said on this travel forum will change a single thing that any cruiseline does.<BR><BR>Complaining about stuff will let others know to watch out for it, but Frank is right, if you don't write a letter or fill out the comment card, nothing will be done to fix the problems that you experienced, because the cruiseline will never know.<BR><BR>This forum is really just a chat room for a handful of people (I assume less than 50) who use many different names, and rarely cruise.

Better yet, complain to the management while on board and tell them that you want the problem addressed before you disembark (if it's something that can be changed immediately).

I have written, hand written as the ship computers never work on Celebrity, a letter to the cruise line. I hand delivered it to the Customer Relations person who when I was younger was an officer called the purser.<BR><BR>The result was a bottle of wine (cheap) and basket of fruit (available anywhere on the food buffets). A second, more strongly worded letter also hand delivered got me 200.00 credit on my Visa card and an invitation to spend it on the waaaaaaaaaaay overpriced boutiques onboard. I took the credit home. Write while on board, afterward you letter is so much trash to the dump, they already have your money.

I filled out the comment card, called the cruise line and spoke to the sec'ty to the pres of the line,WROTE a letter to the line ---NONE of which were answered......<BR><BR>So.......I posted on FODORS and lo and behold--it took someone from CELBERITY 2 weeks to ANSWER with the email addresses and direct phone numbers on this post----BUT they DO monitor this site---

Yes I have written to Princess about the terrible food on a Crown<BR>cruise. We were upgraded to a mini<BR>suite on our next one. I have also complained about pricing on a cruise already booked and paid for on Holland after 9/11. We were upgraded<BR>to a full veranda suite

Letter writing and phoning NCLdirectly helped us (our TA was of no use)!! When the NCL Sky had the infamous sandbar incident we were scheduled to cruise a month later...phone call after phone call assured us it would sail on the scheduled date. Two days before we were to leave we got word that..."sorry".. my husband had the phone # and name of an assistant to a V.P. and he wrote her a note explaining our position, etc. etc. (we were all packed and set to go) To shorten the story we were told.."get the best price you can on a cruise and we'll discount it another 50% and then they upgraded us to a cabin with a balcony. We didn't yell, we stated our position clearly and found the "right" person to complain to..

I agree. Letter writing is pointless. They run you around in circles for over 3 months in hopes you will just give up. When you finall do get a response it's a discount on the same line you had problems with in the first place.

We were on the Carnival Pride 2/2/02, had the worst cabin stewardess in the world. I wrote about her on my comment card, left it on the desk and went to dinner, when I came back picked up card, hubby asked to see it and it was blank not the one I had filled out at all. Took the card with me and filled it out and dropped it in the box. Came home and emailed Carnival about this person and how awful she was. Within 3 days had a discount on our next cruise, which was already planned and appology from Carnival.<BR>So I do think they listen and try to help.<BR>Vicki

All comment cards are read and evaluated by an independent company. If your complaint merits a bit of restitution, you will get it.<BR><BR>Paul

Paul Paul Paul! Get Real. Who pays the "Independant" reviewers?<BR><BR>If you end up costing the company you are reviewing for too much money you won't work there long.<BR><BR>As far as restitution. All they end up giving you is a rebate on a future trip with the ship you were unhappy with in the first place.<BR><BR>That's like going back to a mechanic that screwed up your car.

Paul - do ALL cruiselines use an independent company or only a few? Which ones?

I do not know which cruise lines have the independent companies. Why is it important? It is just what I was told. I imagine it is only the large cruise companies. Same as the small cruise companies that hire their casino crew from an independent company. Not cost-effective to run a casino department.<BR><BR>As for xman - what is your point?<BR><BR>Paul

Paul don't play stupid, it's insulting. They cannot be truly an independant company if they are paid by the company they are reviewing.<BR><BR>

And for all you out there that wonder why some of us say you have to be careful about what Paul says (and his answer that he can only remember something about Spring Breakers) because he says everything like its fact! - this thread is a great example. He essentially tells you that all comment cards are reviewed by an independent company and then, when questioned, concedes that its not all comment cards. So what is the original poster to think? Frank wants to complain via comment cards and Paul makes him feel comfortable that thats a good strategy because all are reviewed by an independent company.<BR><BR>Why oh why can't you say things like: "some cruise lines have their comment cards reviewed by an independent company" or "cruise line employees have master keys to the safes in the cabins" (instead of "3 supervisors have master keys").

If you have a general complaint or suggestion, put it on the comment card. I think companies use these to chart general trends, not to address individual complaints.<BR><BR>If you have a specific complaint about your cruise, terrible service you personally encountered, or some problem with your cruise for which you feel you deserve some compensation, make your complaint immediately on board as soon as possible. Document the problem and make your case in writing TO SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY who can help you. If you are not able to solve the problem to your satisfaction, write again when you return home and don't give up! Keep going up the chain of command to the end.<BR><BR>As a last resort, of course, you can boycott the cruise line. Just don't give them your repeat business. There's small claims court, too.<BR><BR>This is Advocacy 101; use it for any kind of complaint you have with any company, whether it be for your cruise or your refrigerator.<BR><BR>Works for me.

I can only speak for Holland America because it is the only line we sail on and we have become friends with several officers and staff over the years.<BR><BR>ALL guest comment forms are reviewed by the Hotel Manager on the morning of disembarkation. Copies with comments about specific deparments are copied to those department heads onboard the ship. Also the cruise director and assistant read all forms. They are then sealed in a pack that is overnighted to HAL headquarters in Seattle. This is all done before the ship sails again.<BR><BR>We had a problem with a shore excursion on our South America trip last December. The excursion manager on board was no help. I wrote to HAL in Seattle when I returned home. End result...a $1000 credit on my AMEX and a $500 future cruise credit. I really feel that HAL listens, especially to repeat passengers.

For the two nit-pickers .... <BR>s-o-r-r-y. Please, please, please forgive me. I have erred and offended the entire cruise industry.<BR><BR>Paul

Again with the snide comments Paul. It continues to show people for what you are, thank you.<BR><BR>The spring breakers would be only one example of many "Minor" errors you have made. I agree with Peter's comments. Just preface your comments that they are opinion. Stop stating things as fact. When are you going to learn that until you do that you will be scrutinized for every mistake you make.<BR><BR>Use some common sense.

If you want to know about complaints about letterwriting to criuseline, go to planetfeedback.com and click on cruises. The people who take the time to post on this website have had some bad experiences, mostly with Carnival and RCCL. Check it out.