I (my family) are frequent DCL Cruisers (at least a couple times a year).
I ran into one problem last year whereby and expensive piece of luggage was delivered to my room damaged. Not major, but enough to warrant a repair.
While on-board I was offered a $10.00 credit (are you kidding me - would not have covered the shipping, and I was only speding about $10,000 on the cruise for 2 Cat. 4 rooms for my wife and 4 kids). Guest service on board suggested I deal with Guest Services on land who would be empowered to do more.
Well, I'll cut to the chase and just say I got nowhere, up to and including the letters I wrote to the president of DCL. I live in Celebration, FL where DCL is based, and even sent copies to high-rankers that I got contact info. for. The reply was that I should have taken the $10.00 credit offered on the ship, and that no further compensation would be made. Moreover, they suggested that I checked the bags at my own risk, and I certainly could have carried them on board (that would have been quite a sight with 4 children - 2 strollers, coming-up the escalator at the terminal with about 6 suitcases for 2 staterooms - good advice from DCL management).
I was so frustrated I cancelled a $12,000 7-Night Eastern that I had booked while on the cruise feeling that I was too angry to give that amount of business again to a company that could obviously care less.
Well, I am back cruising DCL, but have not forgotten last year's incident. I know that I am trapped into DCL until my kids are a bit older, then I will say "Bon Voyage," to DCL and "Ahoy" to Royal Caribbean. Just that my kids love DCL. We just got off in October, just re-booked again for January 2010, have a week booked in October 2010, and booked the Dream for October 2011.
Finally, I am an airline pilot who flies many WDW and DCL guests into MCO every week. I understand things can happen to bags. No problem. It is how you deal with the problem that separates the men from the boys. Obviously DCL does not need the business as bad as airlines do. We could never get away with damaging a bag and telling the customer that they had a choice and could have simply stayed home and avoided the bag damage.
Thanks for listening to my pent-up rant!
I (my family) are frequent DCL Cruisers (at least a couple times a year).
I ran into one problem last year whereby and expensive piece of luggage was delivered to my room damaged. Not major, but enough to warrant a repair.
While on-board I was offered a $10.00 credit (are you kidding me - would not have covered the shipping, and I was only speding about $10,000 on the cruise for 2 Cat. 4 rooms for my wife and 4 kids). Guest service on board suggested I deal with Guest Services on land who would be empowered to do more.
Well, I'll cut to the chase and just say I got nowhere, up to and including the letters I wrote to the president of DCL. I live in Celebration, FL where DCL is based, and even sent copies to high-rankers that I got contact info. for. The reply was that I should have taken the $10.00 credit offered on the ship, and that no further compensation would be made. Moreover, they suggested that I checked the bags at my own risk, and I certainly could have carried them on board (that would have been quite a sight with 4 children - 2 strollers, coming-up the escalator at the terminal with about 6 suitcases for 2 staterooms - good advice from DCL management).
I was so frustrated I cancelled a $12,000 7-Night Eastern that I had booked while on the cruise feeling that I was too angry to give that amount of business again to a company that could obviously care less.
Well, I am back cruising DCL, but have not forgotten last year's incident. I know that I am trapped into DCL until my kids are a bit older, then I will say "Bon Voyage," to DCL and "Ahoy" to Royal Caribbean. Just that my kids love DCL. We just got off in October, just re-booked again for January 2010, have a week booked in October 2010, and booked the Dream for October 2011.
Finally, I am an airline pilot who flies many WDW and DCL guests into MCO every week. I understand things can happen to bags. No problem. It is how you deal with the problem that separates the men from the boys. Obviously DCL does not need the business as bad as airlines do. We could never get away with damaging a bag and telling the customer that they had a choice and could have simply stayed home and avoided the bag damage.
Thanks for listening to my pent-up rant!
I (my family) are frequent DCL Cruisers (at least a couple times a year).
I ran into one problem last year whereby and expensive piece of luggage was delivered to my room damaged. Not major, but enough to warrant a repair.
While on-board I was offered a $10.00 credit (are you kidding me - would not have covered the shipping, and I was only speding about $10,000 on the cruise for 2 Cat. 4 rooms for my wife and 4 kids). Guest service on board suggested I deal with Guest Services on land who would be empowered to do more.
Well, I'll cut to the chase and just say I got nowhere, up to and including the letters I wrote to the president of DCL. I live in Celebration, FL where DCL is based, and even sent copies to high-rankers that I got contact info. for. The reply was that I should have taken the $10.00 credit offered on the ship, and that no further compensation would be made. Moreover, they suggested that I checked the bags at my own risk, and I certainly could have carried them on board (that would have been quite a sight with 4 children - 2 strollers, coming-up the escalator at the terminal with about 6 suitcases for 2 staterooms - good advice from DCL management).
I was so frustrated I cancelled a $12,000 7-Night Eastern that I had booked while on the cruise feeling that I was too angry to give that amount of business again to a company that could obviously care less.
Well, I am back cruising DCL, but have not forgotten last year's incident. I know that I am trapped into DCL until my kids are a bit older, then I will say "Bon Voyage," to DCL and "Ahoy" to Royal Caribbean. Just that my kids love DCL. We just got off in October, just re-booked again for January 2010, have a week booked in October 2010, and booked the Dream for October 2011.
Finally, I am an airline pilot who flies many WDW and DCL guests into MCO every week. I understand things can happen to bags. No problem. It is how you deal with the problem that separates the men from the boys. Obviously DCL does not need the business as bad as airlines do. We could never get away with damaging a bag and telling the customer that they had a choice and could have simply stayed home and avoided the bag damage.
Thanks for listening to my pent-up rant!
I (my family) are frequent DCL Cruisers (at least a couple times a year).
I ran into one problem last year whereby and expensive piece of luggage was delivered to my room damaged. Not major, but enough to warrant a repair.
While on-board I was offered a $10.00 credit (are you kidding me - would not have covered the shipping, and I was only speding about $10,000 on the cruise for 2 Cat. 4 rooms for my wife and 4 kids). Guest service on board suggested I deal with Guest Services on land who would be empowered to do more.
Well, I'll cut to the chase and just say I got nowhere, up to and including the letters I wrote to the president of DCL. I live in Celebration, FL where DCL is based, and even sent copies to high-rankers that I got contact info. for. The reply was that I should have taken the $10.00 credit offered on the ship, and that no further compensation would be made. Moreover, they suggested that I checked the bags at my own risk, and I certainly could have carried them on board (that would have been quite a sight with 4 children - 2 strollers, coming-up the escalator at the terminal with about 6 suitcases for 2 staterooms - good advice from DCL management).
I was so frustrated I cancelled a $12,000 7-Night Eastern that I had booked while on the cruise feeling that I was too angry to give that amount of business again to a company that could obviously care less.
Well, I am back cruising DCL, but have not forgotten last year's incident. I know that I am trapped into DCL until my kids are a bit older, then I will say "Bon Voyage," to DCL and "Ahoy" to Royal Caribbean. Just that my kids love DCL. We just got off in October, just re-booked again for January 2010, have a week booked in October 2010, and booked the Dream for October 2011.
Finally, I am an airline pilot who flies many WDW and DCL guests into MCO every week. I understand things can happen to bags. No problem. It is how you deal with the problem that separates the men from the boys. Obviously DCL does not need the business as bad as airlines do. We could never get away with damaging a bag and telling the customer that they had a choice and could have simply stayed home and avoided the bag damage.
Thanks for listening to my pent-up rant!
