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

[HollyTyler]

Well, I'm doing the happy dance!

Somebody was watching over me when I got the 'urge' to transfer my ressie to them just a couple of hours after making it!

 

[Kelsie]

john@dreamsunlimitedtravel.com

 

[dahuffy]

Hello there! I'm popping in from the "other" meet board. Just to let you know that we just got our email from DU.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Hello there! I'm popping in from the "other" meet board. Just to let you know that we just got our email from DU.

And I just joined you in a happy dance on another thread!

 

[HollyTyler]

Hello there! I'm popping in from the "other" meet board. Just to let you know that we just got our email from DU.

Oops. Nevermind. Deleted. I was confused and goofed!

 

[HollyTyler]

I just popped over to the EB thread to see if they have any further developments on the tax increase battle. GoofyontheHighSeas and tom31b both wrote GREAT letters, posted on page 4611 if anybody wants to go check them out. And tom31b posted a few e-mail addresses, copied below if anybody's interested:

DCL.Guest.Communications@disneycruise.com
jason.lasecki@disney.com, (DCL PR)
tom.McAlpin@disney.com, (DCL head)
jay.rasulo@disney.com, (Head of Parks and Resorts - oversees DCL)
bob.iger@disney.com, (big guy)

(I hope they don't mind me posting the above info....After all, we're all in this together.)

 

[Jhalkias]

I just popped over to the EB thread to see if they have any further developments on the tax increase battle. GoofyontheHighSeas and tom31b both wrote GREAT letters, posted on page 4611 if anybody wants to go check them out. And tom31b posted a few e-mail addresses, copied below if anybody's interested:

DCL.Guest.Communications@disneycruise.com
jason.lasecki@disney.com, (DCL PR)
tom.McAlpin@disney.com, (DCL head)
jay.rasulo@disney.com, (Head of Parks and Resorts - oversees DCL)
bob.iger@disney.com, (big guy)

(I hope they don't mind me posting the above info....After all, we're all in this together.)

Well, if he had the email address right for McAlpin, then I did too. That is the address that I guessed.

And for all of us who used DU travel, besides these boards, they have now earned even greater loyalty from my family.

 

[kimerinc]

Just a quick FYI - I have no response yet, but I took a chance on email address, and sent the following email to what I considered to be the email address of the President of Disney Cruise Line:

Dear Mr. McAlpin,

I am taking the chance that this is your correct email address, and I hope that it will elicit a better response than the ones we have already been given.

Let me start out by saying that my family has been on many Disney Cruise, we love the product, and have never sailed on another cruise line.

Recently, many friends as well as myself who are cruising on the May Panama Canal Repositioning Cruise received communication that our cruise cost was increasing by $100 per person. The reason given was due to an increase in the taxes paid for passage of the Panama Canal.

Upon researching this issue, we all discovered that the Canal had changed the method for calculating payment for passage from a tonnage charge to a per berth charge for cruise ships. The new per berth charge that took the place of the tonnage charge is the $100 per berth fee.

Since we are all aware that DCL had to take into account the cost of passage of the canal when pricing this cruise, we feel we should be charged for the difference between the new fee, and the old fee, if any. However, it appears that DCL has not only charged us for the old fee in the cost of our cruise, but now added the new fee as if passage for the canal was not originally accounted for.

We have contacted several people both through travel agents and with DCL. The only answers we get are boilerplate non-responses that have left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. This is not the level of service we have come to expect from Disney Cruise Line, or Disney in general. Many of the affected passengers have banded together to suggest some sort of petition, or contact to business agencies or the press in regards to how DCL is being unresponsive to this issue.

In short, we want to be treated fairly, as intelligent adults. While we understand the language of the contract with DCL for our cruise (yes, some of us are even attorneys), and have no problem with DCL passing on an increase over which they have no control, the current situation does not logically seem to fall into that category.

I look forward to hearing from you, and hope you can help in this matter.

Sincerely,

John W. Halkias

It has been several hours since I sent it, and it has not bounced back as undeliverable, so I will let you know what happens!

John, Your the man!!

Deb, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

 

[kimerinc]

Well, if he had the email address right for McAlpin, then I did too. That is the address that I guessed.

And for all of us who used DU travel, besides these boards, they have now earned even greater loyalty from my family.

This is my first time with DU and they have earned a loyal and vocal customer. I will tell everyone I know about thier customer service. I hope they get a lot of business from this move!

Kim

 

[HollyTyler]

This is my first time with DU and they have earned a loyal and vocal customer. I will tell everyone I know about thier customer service. I hope they get a lot of business from this move!

Kim

They'll probably have my business next time! There's nothing wrong with who I used, in fact, I think they're great because they saved my booty when my former TA screwed up my reservation on this cruise. But it's that extra step, above and beyond, that just put DU above all others in my mind.

 

[pjpoohbear]

Adding Those E-mails To The Group Ship of Thieves Website, please PM is you don't have access.

Rasulo is McAlpin's Boss, DCL is part of Disney Resorts.

 

[Jhalkias]

Just sent this email to John at DU Travel, when I found his email in all my spam . . .

(why does everyone think I need more help in bed or need my colon cleansed anyway?)

Dear John,

Thank you so much for what you have done for your clients on this cruise. None of us ever blamed DU for what happened with this, and you have gone above and beyond the call of duty in doing this for your clients.

My family has used DU in the past because of your sponsorship of the DIS boards, and then because of the great service we received.

You have once again earned our loyalty.

Thank you,

John W. Halkias

(PS - Love you guys on the Podcast!)

 

[HollyTyler]

...(why does everyone think I need more help in bed or need my colon cleansed anyway?)...

John, part of my job is to open one of my attorney's mail and print it out for him (plus respond to e-mails) because he just can't quite figure out how to do it himself. Well, you should see the types of spam an 80 year old man gets! I always get a good laugh every morning, although sometimes I just want to say, "EEEEEEEEEW"!

 

[LisaG520]

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.

Deb and John, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Even though it wasn't a surprise it is always hard.

Lisa

 

[birkner]

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.

John and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to you and your family. We are glad that you have so much family and support from your friends. Our prayers and thoughts are with you and your family.

 

[taysmom]

Deb and John sorry to hear about your loss. Glad it was peaceful. Thats all we can ask.

John...great email. If you don't mind, I'd like to copy it and send it to the cm that said he hadn't heard anything along with my own addition to all of the other email. basically seconding your thoughts and letting them know that I agree with you. I think we should all do that...copy that email and send it with our acknowledgement that we agree and it's not just one unhappy customer.
However...I am thrilled about DU offering the additional shipboard credit. Looks like my massage is back on! WOO HOO.
I still don't plan on doing any dcl excursions because we've been to those ports before, but we wasted (and I do mean wasted) so much on DCL excursions this summer in the med. I still have a bad taste for the shore excursions department and don't know when I be able to trust them again.

Please let me know if you're ok with that, and I'll start an email barrage with you.

Look forward to meeting you all on board. I was thinking about making those ressies for palo etc. and realized that I am a single person and will need dinner, brunch and tea companions at Palo. I know it's far off to start that, but just throwing out there, that i'd love to join anyone for any of these meals. I promise not to chew with my mouth full!
Steph

 

[Jhalkias]

Deb and John sorry to hear about your loss. Glad it was peaceful. Thats all we can ask.

John...great email. If you don't mind, I'd like to copy it and send it to the cm that said he hadn't heard anything along with my own addition to all of the other email. basically seconding your thoughts and letting them know that I agree with you. I think we should all do that...copy that email and send it with our acknowledgement that we agree and it's not just one unhappy customer.

Please let me know if you're ok with that, and I'll start an email barrage with you.

Steph

Steph,

Feel free to plagarize and edit my email to your heart's content! Whatever I post here is public domain, and not copyrighted!

I am really hoping that DCL feels the power and wrath of the DIS!

 

[pjpoohbear]

Look forward to meeting you all on board. I was thinking about making those ressies for palo etc. and realized that I am a single person and will need dinner, brunch and tea companions at Palo. I know it's far off to start that, but just throwing out there, that i'd love to join anyone for any of these meals. I promise not to chew with my mouth full!
Steph

Steph, we sent the letters for the Palo room in the week after we booked, . Check on the web site for instructions on whom to PM to add your name to the list(s).

Links are below the Disney E-mail lists.

 

[GoofyontheHiSeas]

I just popped over to the EB thread to see if they have any further developments on the tax increase battle. GoofyontheHighSeas and tom31b both wrote GREAT letters, posted on page 4611 if anybody wants to go check them out. And tom31b posted a few e-mail addresses, copied below if anybody's interested:

DCL.Guest.Communications@disneycruise.com
jason.lasecki@disney.com, (DCL PR)
tom.McAlpin@disney.com, (DCL head)
jay.rasulo@disney.com, (Head of Parks and Resorts - oversees DCL)
bob.iger@disney.com, (big guy)

(I hope they don't mind me posting the above info....After all, we're all in this together.)

Hi all Sure you can post anything that we post over there on the EB thread. Tom's is much more elegant (he's the lawyer) but the more letters they get with different views and arguments the harder they will have to dig for an acceptable answer. You all are doing a great job here.

 

[pjpoohbear]

I don't think I want to know about what the whole NUTMEG MEN OF THE CARIBBEAN is all about, eek!