May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 5

[been2marceline]

....Thanks Holly....so sweet of you.....I was just at DCL site and tried to book an hour early, no such luck.....gotta wait till midnight!

Let me know about Karen when you find out, I'll be checking in on fly-bys for the next few days or a week. I'm really worried about her.

Hey Deb,

Thanks for the worry!

I have been working late and my DD was in her first play at a local theatre this week. By the time I have gotten home, the DIS is about to go down and I am so tired I am asleep shortly after that. Haven't had time to catch up, but I will try tonight.

I'm on my way to help DD strike their set, not too much to strike as it was "Into the Woods" and it is all fabric "leaves".

I'll try to post a bit more this week, we are in the final stages of moving our old shop, hence the long late days!

So sorry to hear about your mom (Holly Pm'd me). My thoughts are with you and I am sending and .

XO,

Karen, very tired wife of been2marceline!

 

[been2marceline]

Well that's a relief....knowing that she's still around is good. Thanks for that!

Actually, that post was the REAL been2marceline, my DH, Ted!

I always sign my name at the end of my posts, DH does not, as he is the REAL DEAL!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

Well of course you are referring to BeenToMarceline/karen. No I don't know anything. I did notice that she posted on the regular crusie board this past thursday. So she must be around.

Actually, that post was the REAL been2marceline, my DH, Ted!

I always sign my name at the end of my posts, DH does not, as he is the REAL DEAL! (And has more time when the DIS is up!)

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

Forgot the main reason I fell behind...

I read and finished Harry Potter in 3 nights, started last Saturday night, the 21st of July, after I got home from work, read till 2 am, worked Sunday, party Sunday night, got home read till 2 again, worked Monday, got home read till 2 and finished it!

Lot's to say about it, but I will stay mum until asked or PM'd.

Have missed you guys!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

One last one . . . of course I could not get him to take Bobby with him!

Amazing Pics of your son in England, John!

Too bad Bobby couldn't go!

Still catching up! only 27 pages to go!

Karen

 

[granmaz]

Karen it is great to see you again! Take care and don't get too 'run down' as we say over here!

GOT MY RESSIES.....got Palo brunch on halloween....a day at sea...only had two times available on one day....wow.....good thing I came home to book now!!!!

No Palo High Tea available. Got hot stone massage for DH John, got basic massage of DS John. Got Glass Bottom Boat excursion on CC for me and DH. Could not book DS excursion yet....not a CC member yet. Got watercraft tour for DH to do after lunch on CC....he has always wanted to let loose on a waverunner....he can go play on it without me.....I think I'll snorkle in Serenity Bay. We already have two rooms booked at Atlantis for the day in Nassau. Now, I'm done and oh so ready to go.....Mickey take me away.....

Well done on getting the ressies! More to look forward to now!

Seems like you are living in a bit of a twilight world at the moment Deb. It must be hard but your mom will appreciate all the love and time you are spending there. You said hospice, so I am presuming that your mom's time here is short now. Lots of love and hugs to you.

It is a lovely day today. Dare I think that summer is here?

We had a lovely house warming at our friends yesterday. Met some folk we haven't seem for 8 years, so lots of catching up - oh,and lovely scones and cream!

 

[Joel110]

Hello WB'ers,

My family's on the EB Panama and just heard last night about the $100/person increase. I've been reading posts and agree that this doesn't seem to add up. According to Disney, our family of four's total taxes just increased from $1,412 to $1,812, or $453/person, which is a 28% total increase (and by some estimates posted here a 100% increase of the Panama share). I understand that the "terms and conditions" allow for it, but it really seems wrong when Disney chooses to sell these cruises 1-1/2 years out and sit on our deposits.

Anyway, there are some direct contact/phone numbers at DCLnews.com that I haven't seen anyone else post, so I thought I'd provide them:

http://www.dclnews.com/ContactUs.aspx#contactForm

I know we're a long way off, so maybe Disney will work the issue out, but if it still seems to receive unsatisfactory responses, I may contact BBB.org.

Joel

 

[lillygator]

Morning! Another Monday upon us....I stayed up late watching Ocean of Fear about the shark attacks on the sunken sub. Pretty interesting....and it kicked off Shark Week! But I am paying for it now.

 

[tigger137]

I've just come off the phone from an incredibly frustrating telephone call with DCL. Joseph of DCL Guest Communications, from whom I've received the e-mails I've previously posted about, telephoned me. (Mostly, I think, to ask me to stop bothering him by e-mail!) We talked for about 20 minutes (their transatlantic phone bill, not mine, I'm glad to say) but just went around and around in circles.

He insisted that the original cost of transiting the Panama Canal was not included on an individual basis. I said I did not believe that over $200,000-worth of transit fee was not taken into account when pricing the cruise per passenger. He agreed that it would have been taken into account, but tried to make it seem as if it would have simply been included along with every other cost over a year to reach their cruise costs in general, not for this specific cruise. When I said that I didn't believe that to be the case, that this is a fee specific to just these 2 cruises, he just kept waffling on about how it was never included on an individual basis.

I pointed out that someone within DCL Finance would have known exactly what the fee was and would have costed it to the cent, as they will do with every other cost involved, before deciding on the cruise price to be charged to passengers.

I also pointed out that they are charging us twice - the cost of the original fee, however it was included in the cruise price, and the extra $100. He insisted this isn't the case, and just kept repeating the line about it not having been included on an individual basis. It didn't matter what I said or asked, he either couldn't or wouldn't answer.

According to him, he is sorry that I am disappointed and feel this way, but it is simply my 'perception' of the situation and not the 'reality'. When I said that I knew that many other people, from both the Westbound and Eastbound cruises, also believed that DCL are charging us twice, he told me that he had not heard of anyone else contacting them! I did laugh at that. Hasn't this company heard of the DisBoards for goodness sake?!

I told him that I thought it was a great shame that Disney were being so underhanded and treating their loyal customers so badly simply in order to make an extra few dollars out of them. Of course, he didn't respond to that - presumably they don't have stock answers to that in their manual. I thanked him for calling and we ended the conversation.

If each time one of us contacts DCL we are told we're the only one complaining, even when we know we're not, then maybe we should somehow get together and submit a complaint en masse. I seem to remember seeing someone, either here on the EB thread, suggesting a petition. Does anyone know how we could do this via the boards? And who it could be sent to?

 

[granmaz]

Mary, you are doing a great job. This call would have stressed me out completely. Considering they have a generic answer out for these complaints I think the just might know there are plenty of dissatisfied customers!

Of course our group here is small when you consider the sum total of passengers, and only a few of us are complaining - as far as we know. I imagine there have been a few from cruisers not on this thread though. We could do with contacting everyone in our group somehow.

 

[MrsMork]

Sounds, like baseball is providing lots of entertainment.


MIDNIGHT EST ONLINE BOOKING IS CONFIRMED, NO NEED TO STAY UP UNTIL 3 AM EST ANY LONGER. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE BRUNCH AND DINNER TIMES AT PALO WITH ZERO PROBLEMS.

So, 9pm for us west coast folks?

 

[Ginamarie]

Deb- Woohoo on getting all your ressies!

Mary- Oh I would have been at my wit’s end with a phone conversation like that! And to suggest that there haven’t been any other complaints is just foul.

I still believe what we’ve said about getting double charged for the tax. How else was DCL going to pay for the original tax figure??

Nothing new to report on our end. I’m completely bogged down in work, but wanted to see if we’d heard anything new about the tax situation. For now, nose back to grindstone!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Hi all....mom passed over at 11:25am today....me and John are back at home and it feels good....she went easy and peacfully and with love. We're all ok here....we have a large group of support from friends and family and all of you. We've had time to get used to the idea, so it wasn't a shock....she'll be with others she loves and missed and we'll be with her again.

Karen, so great to see you back here. I really have missed you! Still reading even when not posting....How great for Alex to be "in the woods".....I LOVE live theatre. Don't overdue it....join us when you can without pushing yourself....you'll have more time again soon.

 

[tigger137]

Hi all....mom passed over at 11:25am today....me and John are back at home and it feels good....she went easy and peacfully and with love. We're all ok here....we have a large group of support from friends and family and all of you. We've had time to get used to the idea, so it wasn't a shock....she'll be with others she loves and missed and we'll be with her again.

Deb
I'm sorry about your mom, it is still such a loss even when expected.

 

[granmaz]

Deb I'm so sorry. It does seem that it all was a peaceful end for your mom, and for you and the family. You allowed her to go surrounded with love.

 

[HollyTyler]

Hello WB'ers,

My family's on the EB Panama and just heard last night about the $100/person increase. I've been reading posts and agree that this doesn't seem to add up. According to Disney, our family of four's total taxes just increased from $1,412 to $1,812, or $453/person, which is a 28% total increase (and by some estimates posted here a 100% increase of the Panama share). I understand that the "terms and conditions" allow for it, but it really seems wrong when Disney chooses to sell these cruises 1-1/2 years out and sit on our deposits.

Anyway, there are some direct contact/phone numbers at DCLnews.com that I haven't seen anyone else post, so I thought I'd provide them:

http://www.dclnews.com/ContactUs.aspx#contactForm

I know we're a long way off, so maybe Disney will work the issue out, but if it still seems to receive unsatisfactory responses, I may contact BBB.org.

Joel

Thank you Joel! We're all in this together. What a mess.

 

[HollyTyler]

I've just come off the phone from an incredibly frustrating telephone call with DCL. Joseph of DCL Guest Communications, from whom I've received the e-mails I've previously posted about, telephoned me. (Mostly, I think, to ask me to stop bothering him by e-mail!) We talked for about 20 minutes (their transatlantic phone bill, not mine, I'm glad to say) but just went around and around in circles...

How frustrating! So it sounds like Joseph is trying to say that DCL never originally charged us each our share of what they would have to pay to transit the canal? BOLOGNA! I'm so speechless, I just don't know what to say! And for him to try to pretend nobody else has contacted them about this? HOGWASH! Sure, not every passenger is, but there must be enough of us complaining that they all have to be aware. Good grief!

 

[HollyTyler]

Hi all....mom passed over at 11:25am today....me and John are back at home and it feels good....she went easy and peacfully and with love. We're all ok here....we have a large group of support from friends and family and all of you. We've had time to get used to the idea, so it wasn't a shock....she'll be with others she loves and missed and we'll be with her again.

Karen, so great to see you back here. I really have missed you! Still reading even when not posting....How great for Alex to be "in the woods".....I LOVE live theatre. Don't overdue it....join us when you can without pushing yourself....you'll have more time again soon.

So sorry Deb. Even though you knew it was coming, I'm sorry for your loss. I hope knowing she's not suffering any more will give you at least a small bit of peace of mind.

 

[tigger137]

I posted about my phone call with DCL on the EB thread and have been asked for the contact e-mail address I used. I've duplicated my post here in case anyone wants the information:

Thank you so much for sharing this. Do you have Joseph's email address so we can send him a little note.

oh so he wants the REST of us to email him then.....

Never underestimate the power of hundreds of Dis'rs with email....
He'll never be able to answer it all for weeks to come....

The e-mail address I used is the one given to me by Dreams: DCL.Guest.Communications@DisneyCruise.com

I presume it just happened to be Joseph who replied. But at least I have had replies, unlike others who have used the 'Contact us' page on the DCL website. In e-mails and on the phone Joseph has been pleasant and friendly, just not in the least helpful. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I suppose he can only follow the company line. But I have asked time and again for the e-mail address of someone in the appropriate department with access to the relevant information, but he simply ignores my request.

Perhaps if a few of you could drop him a note, he will at least know for sure that it isn't just one mad Englishwoman that believes DCL are not playing fair.

 

[tigger137]

Hello WB'ers,

My family's on the EB Panama and just heard last night about the $100/person increase. I've been reading posts and agree that this doesn't seem to add up. According to Disney, our family of four's total taxes just increased from $1,412 to $1,812, or $453/person, which is a 28% total increase (and by some estimates posted here a 100% increase of the Panama share). I understand that the "terms and conditions" allow for it, but it really seems wrong when Disney chooses to sell these cruises 1-1/2 years out and sit on our deposits.

Anyway, there are some direct contact/phone numbers at DCLnews.com that I haven't seen anyone else post, so I thought I'd provide them:

http://www.dclnews.com/ContactUs.aspx#contactForm

I know we're a long way off, so maybe Disney will work the issue out, but if it still seems to receive unsatisfactory responses, I may contact BBB.org.

Joel

Joel

Thank you for this information.
If as individuals we all get unsatisfactory responses from DCL, as I have had, I wondered if we could organise a mass e-mail bombardment. For example, as many of us as possible to send the same e-mail to the same address on the same day - perhaps so they are waiting for the person when they arrive on a Monday morning, something like that? I didn't know who we could send to, other than the general DCL Guest Communications address I have. But now I'm wondering, what about using the form on the link you've given us, and send them to Jason Lasecki, the PR Director?

It might be better if we could send direct e-mails rather than using the contact form. Or send to both. Could anyone get hold of a direct e-mail address for this man?