February 17, 2007

[PhotoLisa]

I've decided to send another email response to Becca which I will share with you, my fellow 2/17 cruisemates:

2nd reply:

Becca;

Please let me notify you that I called the reservations line promptly at 8
AM Central time today and spoke to Faith. After research, Faith notified me
that there was a problem with the IT side of the reservation website and the
problem was going to be addressed with that department. She also said that
IT does NOT work on Sundays.

I am far more pleased with the professional response by Faith in taking my
phone number and telling me that she will contact me as soon as the problem
has been corrected than the cookie cutter response I feel I received from
you.

Faith told me that while she was on the phone with me, the CMs received a
"broadcast" that there was a problem with the Palo reservation system and
that they (the CMs) would receive another "broadcast" notification when the
problem was resolved.

I am extremely dismayed with the responses I have received from Guest
Services. Professionalism and "excellent service" is the goal of Disney
Cruise Lines. I expect as a consumer to receive what is promised,
especially to those who have continued to support DCL by continuing to
dedicate their vacation dollars to DCL.

I will share my responses with the disboards family as this issue continues
to develop.

Sincerely,

Lisa​

 

[christinou]

I feel the same way that you do Lisa, those answers from Becca are ridiculous.......
Not the correct way to treat people, I was hoping at guess that a miracle has happened during the night nope..... Now I am really driving my family crazy.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Lisa-
How were you able to designate meals (brunch vs. dinner)? All mine said was "meal type" and nothing happened when I clicked on it except an error message. As soon as I accessed the Palo page, it gave me the "Sorry we cannot book you" message.

How about you, Christine? What was your experience?

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Lisa- I sent you 2 PM last night. I just want to be sure you got them because one was for your surprise,

 

[PhotoLisa]

I wasn't able to get the screen to say brunch or dinner. My experience is identical to both of you.

It is absolutely ridiculous to think that the reservations were gone so quickly that my screen would have never showed an available spot. I had two browsers open and was furiously clicking to refresh the pages to reload them.

When I made my Palo reservations for last February, I didn't have any problems. In fact . . . when I made my oldest daughter's Palo reservations at 75 days out, I had no problems then either!

I'm going to begin calling DCL a few minutes before 8 AM Central, just like I did yesterday. It was 7:58 when I got the call through. I did the same thing on the website yesterday morning early -- I was clicking to refresh way before 2 AM. I saw when it gave us to go ahead. Even when I made my spa reservations, I still had one screen open on the Palo reservations.

Sue -- yes -- I did receive the additional names. I'm hoping to work on that this week to complete it.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

I wasn't able to get the screen to say brunch or dinner. My experience is identical to both of you.

It is absolutely ridiculous to think that the reservations were gone so quickly that my screen would have never showed an available spot. I had two browsers open and was furiously clicking to refresh the pages to reload them.

When I made my Palo reservations for last February, I didn't have any problems. In fact . . . when I made my oldest daughter's Palo reservations at 75 days out, I had no problems then either!

I'm going to begin calling DCL a few minutes before 8 AM Central, just like I did yesterday. It was 7:58 when I got the call through. I did the same thing on the website yesterday morning early -- I was clicking to refresh way before 2 AM. I saw when it gave us to go ahead. Even when I made my spa reservations, I still had one screen open on the Palo reservations.

Sue -- yes -- I did receive the additional names. I'm hoping to work on that this week to complete it.

Oh, I understand now. I thought you actually got the browser to say brunch or dinner. I was starting to think I am doing something wrong.

BTW-Lisa, how's your recovery going? It seems like you're bouncing back fairly quickly.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Sue:

Thanks for asking about my recovery. It has gone very quickly. I really have a great doctor. I'm pretty much back to 100% with the exception of experiencing an increased time for recovery following a day of working hard. After laying around for a few weeks, I surely get sore from doing regular things (like mopping). I'm experiencing no pain from the surgery and my incisions look really good.

Yesterday morning, the real reason I had two browsers open and split on the screen where both were visible was so that I could grab a brunch ressie on one and dinner on the other if they were being snapped up quickly. I just didn't get the chance to use my ingenuity. I was mousing from one button to the next in quick succession to no avail.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Just remembered that DCL phones open at 8 AM Eastern on weekdays.

I'll be dialing shortly.

6:58 - got through immediately to Trish. Faith doesn't come in for another hour. Trish is checking to see the status of the problem.

7:06 - a supervisor came on the phone and said that Mohamed is the supervisor for the case. Mohamed wasn't in and he transferred me to his voice mail to leave a message. I left a detailed message and asked for a phone call from him.

SOOOO -- when you call in, ask for Mohamed.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Just remembered that DCL phones open at 8 AM Eastern on weekdays.

I'll be dialing shortly.

6:58 - got through immediately to Trish. Faith doesn't come in for another hour. Trish is checking to see the status of the problem.

7:06 - a supervisor came on the phone and said that Mohamed is the supervisor for the case. Mohamed wasn't in and he transferred me to his voice mail to leave a message. I left a detailed message and asked for a phone call from him.

SOOOO -- when you call in, ask for Mohamed.

Uggh-
I just got off the phone, then read your message. I also talked to Trish. When I told her about my concern, she told me the Palo coordinator would not be in for another hour. (I assume that would be Mohamed?) I explained that I will be in parent/teacher conferences most of the day. She took my preferences for dates/times, and told me she'd e-mail Constance. I also asked that Constance call me (even if she had no further info. for me) before 11:00 today, and that after that I would not be readily available.
PS Lisa-Trish mentioned that her first call this AM was for the exact same concern. Hmmm. I wonder who it was .

It's almost like a game now, I am starting to become less annoyed and more amused. I am actually starting to laugh at myself for getting so involved in this. I am a Type A planner, but usually a very laid back person .

 

[PhotoLisa]

I can almost promise that I was the very first caller yesterday as well. I'm good at this game. That is why I find it extremely hard to swallow Becca's take on the situation and that we were simply beat out of getting a reservation.

 

[christinou]

Mohamed is the supervisor I spoke to yesterday, I gave him all of my information as well as my time preferences for brunch and dinner, hopefully he will come through, apparently my file has the note of the excursion but maybe not Palo, that is according to the e-mail I got back from Becca.
I do have to say that rigth now I am dissapointed in DCL, I have come to expect better from them. We are paying a lot for this cruise, and I do have high expectations. Aside from the fact that getting up at 3:00 a.m. does get me cranky and I could not fall back asleep after all of that.

 

[PhotoLisa]

I agree with what you're saying Christine. We all paid our reservations in full at least 20 days ahead of the due date in order to allow Disney to "use" our money for a longer period of time (smart marketing on their part) in exchange for a perceived benefit. We followed through on our part of the deal but may not be getting our benefit.

When you talked to Mohamed yesterday, what kind of "feel" did you get from him? Genuine? Concerned? Accommodating? Apologetic? or just doing what he had to in order for you to feel that he was handling the problem?

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

I agree with what you're saying Christine. We all paid our reservations in full at least 20 days ahead of the due date in order to allow Disney to "use" our money for a longer period of time (smart marketing on their part) in exchange for a perceived benefit. We followed through on our part of the deal but may not be getting our benefit.

When you talked to Mohamed yesterday, what kind of "feel" did you get from him? Genuine? Concerned? Accommodating? Apologetic? or just doing what he had to in order for you to feel that he was handling the problem?

LISA-I just PMd you with what happened on my call...

 

[PhotoLisa]

Sue:

so very much for letting me know!!! You're my sprinkling me with .

I am to you today!!!



Lisa

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Hi All- If anyone is looking for Palo, it is up and on line with all availability showing. Good luck!

 

[PhotoLisa]

CHRISTINE!!!!

You're online! Hooray!!!

I was just coming to the thread to see what your preferred Palo days were so I could book them in my name for you in case you didn't get online in time!!!!

WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

 

[justhat]

Are you allowed just 1 of each type of meal? We booked our brunch and dinner and all I see left are 2 high tea times but I was wondering if that's cause the dinner and brunch times are gone or just cause we booked one of each.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

And you have a PM and an e-mail from me as well...Let us know how you made out!!

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Are you allowed just 1 of each type of meal? We booked our brunch and dinner and all I see left are 2 high tea times but I was wondering if that's cause the dinner and brunch times are gone or just cause we booked one of each.

You're correct--you can only book one of each...

 

[christinou]

Lisa and Sue you are my new hero, I was in a meeting and just got out and saw first your pm Sue then your e-mail, I got brunch on Monday and dinner on Wednesday which is exactly what I wanted...... It will be so much nicer now getting on the ship without worrying about the mad dash for Palo.
Lisa, it was so sweet of you to offer to make my reservations. I can't wait to meet everyone.