All inclusive catch!!!

[malnik, Brandon]

Cruised Costa before and had all inclusive. It was listed on our cards which were left on our beds in the cabins.

Just got back from a cruise where we had a problem. cards were left on our beds as before, went to dinner and gave waiter our card...he bought the menu and said pick anything. I noticed the prices were from 30 euro a bottle and commented to my wife that crikey, the package has got better this year. Chose a nice bottle from Sicily at 47 euro. Ordered kids drinks and water.
At end of meal the waiter bought the bill for drinks, and its listed at about 60 euro, i said no...its all inclusive. He pointed out our card did not say we had the package. So they bought the normal list.......
I honestly believe the waiters didnt realise....they were horrified and the look on their faces...you could see they thought they were in big trouble. I said not to worry...i was on holiday...the wine was rather nice...so I would pay for it and they said to go to customer service and get card changed.
I should add that at this point, I was quite happy.....ok I paid for the wine but i was on holiday and nothing was going to upset me!
At customer service I met the rudest person possible who tried to tell me that anyone with all inclusive had to come and get new cards once on board. I know that is a lie. When i asked her name...after all Costa ask for me to name good service...i wanted to highlight this person for bad service and she refused to write it down for me. I asked for her supervisor and she dispersed. Came back and said she didnt want to see me. I asked for her name and she disappeared again and came back saying her supervisor had been called to a medical emergency in the last minute and she couldnt give me her name either!!! It was up to the supervisor to decide to give me her name!!!
As I didnt want to get the waiters in trouble, they were exceptional guys giving us great service [probably paid a pittance, I left it...got new cards and it all went well from their.

So...if you take the drinks package, make sure it says it on the card in your room...or you will be charged for drinks as the all inclusive drinks are different to the normal ones. I didnt know the cards were differently marked.....and as for the idea that everyone had to get new cards....what utter rubbish!

[trevor432990, East Sussex]

That is a pain Malnik sorry to hear you had that bad experience. I've not been with Costa before but if I do I'll look out for that. I've travelled with MSC and had a drinks package before and the crew know by seeing a 'code' which is normally a letter like 'A' at the end of your reference which denotes you are on fully inclusive or another package but why do they make it so secretive?

As for customer service they sound like proper jobsworths and I'd have gone straight to the hotel manager (or whatever they are called on Costa) and told him/her what I thought of them.

To be fair though you need to tell us which ship and dates you travelled on because should Costa decide to reply to your criticism at least we've given them a chance to have their say as well, don't you think?

[philhar, wallasey]

I think the reason they make the all inclusive so secretive is that if the card gets lost or stolen and someone else tries to use it, before it is reported.Sounds like very poor customer service to me,despite staff receiving the same training it's amazing how much is down to individuals still.I've experienced wonderful service at the front desk on cruises and also quite surly and unhelpful service.

[trevor432990, East Sussex]

Makes sense Phil, I guess if you don't know where to look it does guard against that sort of thing but means you could fall into the same trap as Malnik if you're unlucky.

[liauq, w mids]

Would it have killed customer services to admit that a mistake had been made in a pleasant manner? There seems to be so many complaints about these staff on almost all cruiselines that there must be a special school of "charmlessness" that they all get sent to.Let's set up a thread where people can nominate customer services staff an award for service; that'll be a quiet one!

[Cooke, Ashby]

Malnik, I'm sorry your had such poor service from Costa. I assume you will be writing to HQ and not sailing with them again. Judith

[tenpin, Basingstoke]

Prior to 2011 the all inclusuve package was marked A1 on your card the X1 was marked for drinks at meal times

This was changed for some reason when we cruised on the Fortuna in Feb 2012 and we had to renew our card at reception before use. I compained to HO on our return, and like the OP reported very bad service at reception. It also took three weeks to get a refund of our first drinks purchase while using the card left in cabin.

This year we did not have to change cards on the Favolosa, this may have been because we are Gold Pearl and were in a Suite, but will see what happen in Feb next year Pacifica.

[trevor432990, East Sussex]

Would it have killed customer services to admit that a mistake had been made in a pleasant manner? There seems to be so many complaints about these staff on almost all cruiselines that there must be a special school of "charmlessness" that they all get sent to.Let's set up a thread where people can nominate customer services staff an award for service; that'll be a quiet one!

Yes it's called the Training Department Ryan Air.

[tenpin, Basingstoke]

As a addition to the above,

The all Inclusive just allows glass of wine (unlike the old X1) where full bottles were freely given although this sometimes depends on your waiters, who to save time leave the bottle close by. On the Serena they gave us one of each bottle (RED/White) but we were on for a long cruise.

The A1 also only allows certain wines and I also after some arguement managed to get it serve in the Specialty Restaurant the evening we went there. They tried to make us buy the same make as we were drinking in the MDR.

This is very unclear in the information given out about these packages and the best defence is attack.

[malnik, Brandon]

Thanks for your comments....

I'm reluctant to complain to head office, I think the people who would get the blame would be the waiters....who I feel are not to blame for anything! OK...so it added 60 euro to our cruise....which when you think about my lovely wife spent 200 euro on pictures......
Have never had to go to the customer service desk before...so i doubt i will have to go again. In that respect as the Costa brand gives us such great value and everyone else who was involved in providing service was so exceptionally good, we will travel with them again, they are probably lucky its me and not someone else!!! I know what to look for now!
As for asking for superiors....they all had to go to this medical emergency that materialised when we asked to speak to them!!! Must have been a huge room full of sick people......and staff......they must have thought I was stupid!
I doubt Costa would respond from here. I've left the ship and am but a distant memory....however...its people like me who keep going back you would think they would look after!!!! But I will add its very lucky my wife didnt come with me to the customer service desk.....may have been a different outcome!

And it was actually a rather nice drop.........

[tenpin, Basingstoke]

I would write to head office it is the only way things get changed.

No need to be specific, but a General complaint about being charged for your wine not being aware that the A1 was not indicated on your ships card, and the conduct of reception.

If you send letter by Registered post they will reply within a few days and give a full reponse within 28 days of receiving letter.

I write after most trips mainly with praise but twice with complaints which have been noted and acted apon.

[malnik, Brandon]

Just found this....as a follow up......

We changed to MSC for our 2014 cruise. Thought we would give them a try. Bigger ship, all was Ok but didnt like it! Back to Costa this year........