Expedia ruined our surprise

[buzz&woody'smom]

Sandie-

Sorry your surprise was ruined, I know from reading the threads in the past those that have pulled off surprising their loved ones are left with a wonderful memory. I am sure your DH is still thrilled with the trip and the work you put into it. Have a great time!
Tiff

 

[hydster]

Like Ann Morin I apologize also if my post seemed harsh or flaming. When posters come to a message board demanding compensation for something that really has no monetary value (like the surprise value) they can and usually do ruffle feathers, mine included this time. I did figure since you posted on a public message board that you would like to hear both sides. If that is not the case may I suggest, in the future, when you post you may want to let people know that you only want positive feedback to your post. When you post in a public forum you do open yourself up to opinions from all people who visit the message board, not just those who give you a shoulder to cry on and help you think of ways to make sure you get compensated. I have been personally threatened, including death threats, via email and the message board for a review I gave on a Carnival Cruiseline board last January so I know that when you post you open yourself up for every kind of opinion, nice and not so nice included. I dont feel that anyone really flamed you but gave you their opinion which maybe you didnt want to hear or read but which you specifically asked for.

My question to all those on the boards including travel agents is: Is compensation something that would be done in this case? What recourse do I have other than just airing my distrust in Expedia Cruises?Any suggestion would be appreciated

.
From what I can tell you got just that.....suggestions that maybe you should have done things differently and so should the Expedia agent.

I still stand by my original post in that if it was such a big deal if the surprise got ruined that you should have gone to great lenghts to insure that it did not happen. Figuring that since your husband works and you are at home so you get the mail and figuring that your agent wouldnt call you so late at home at your home phone number are things that were risky to assume. What is that old saying "expect the unexpected"? I know whenever I go on a credit card spending spree I always figure that since I am a SAHM and I get the mail 90 percent of the time that I will be safe and hubby wont know and I will just pay it off...but you know it is that 10 percent of the time that ALWAYS seems to happen and we get the statement on a Saturday when he is home instead of on a Monday when he is at work. There are no guarantees in life and that includes if your husband would or would not get the mail, answer the phone, walk in at the wrong time and see your email....the only way to make it foolproof is to make sure your husband CANNOT get to it in any way, shape or form. I dont see where you can put a monetary value on something like this nor is it something I can see would require compensation. Unfortunate yes but deserving of compensation no! Awful and upsetting yes, deserving Expedia to do something for you monetarily no, or in the form of an upgrade no.


I sincerely hope that you have a great trip and that your cruise goes off without anymore glitches and I also hope that in the future you will be successful in surprising your husband or anyone for that matter!! I also hope Expedia DOES train their agents that when it says surprise that it means just that. And I do apologize if my post came off as rude! It was not meant to be rude just a strong opinion.

Heidi

 

[Ginny]

SandiegoSusie -

First, thank you so much for sharing your experience with Expedia. I am so sorry that this happened to you but I am sure that DH feels very loved. I can only imagine your disappointment as we surprised DD with a trip to WDW in December and the smile on her face at the airport was priceless. Unless you have planned something like that, I'm not sure folks would understand.

In working with a company, "no frills" or first tier, you should be able to expect that instructions will be followed. Unfortunately, mistakes happen because we are all human but when they do, the personnel should acknowledge it, apologize and explain what they will do to correct the process. Integrity and accountability in the business world do matter. I think I would have been furious to have encountered a Laissez-Faire or "whatever" attitude.

I was surprised by some of the previous posts to this thread. When I began reading and participating on these boards (almost 4 years ago), if someone asked a simple question, they received a like answer. It was a wonderful, positive environment in which DIS board members simply supported and helped each other plan the best vacations ever. With the passage of time, I find that there is sometimes a harshness and need by some to make their point at other's expense. Call it what you will and excuse it away all you want, but it takes away from the original flavor of these boards that I experienced: kindness, a shared passion for Disney and information gathering and fun. In the end, the overwhelmingly caring attitude of most members and the "magic" they create keeps bringing me back. Where else could you find Barb and Tony, Dave from Marietta and Shirley Nelson Brown and others like them? All truly wonderful people.

Your post and the ensuing posts have had many readers and been successful in sharing some like experiences with Expedia which have certainly made me think twice about ever working with them. There may be someone out there right now who would have had a similar experience to yours but because you posted, they will look elsewhere. Thanks for sharing and I hope that your cruise is truly special and that you will create memories to last a lifetime.

 

[CathyCanada]

Sandie, I'm so sorry to hear that your surprise was ruined.

Even more upsetting is the attitude of that TA who obviously doesn't know the first thing about Customer Service. I don't think that you should have been compensated, mind you, but whether you use a discount agency or not, you are her customer without whom she would not have a job! She handled it very poorly, but I think that your "compensation" is that you had bad service and told a lot of people here about it and you will probably be less likely to use them again because of it. That hurts her pocketbook.

Just a funny story here about how our Donna at Dreams handled a situation like this....... a lady was planning a surprise cruise for her husband and had noted it with us. We almost always use email to communicate, but something came up that Donna needed an answer to right away. Well the husband answered the phone and when Donna asked for his wife and he asked what it was for, she pretended to be a telemarketer!!!!

Anyway, have a great cruise in spite of this setback, I know you will!
Cathy

 

[bemily]

QUOTED FROM HYDSTER:

I did figure since you posted on a public message board that you would like to hear both sides. If that is not the case may I suggest, in the future, when you post you may want to let people know that you only want positive feedback to your post.

==============================================

Quite honestly, i think this post is rude and condescending. I wasnt going to respond to this thread, although i do agree that no compensation should be given, except for a HUGE apology by the TA, and for sandiegosusie to feel better about expedia, a token gift maybe..(but that is customer relations..)

Anyways, sandiegosusie was in no way demanding compensation, she asked for opinions on an unfortunate situation, and she asked quite nicely i may add-and she should have been responded to in that manner. I am sure she is a 'big girl' and could handle people telling her that they didnt think compensation was required. She didnt need to be jumped on for it.

 

[4nana]

So sorry to hear the BD surprise for hubby was spoiled. No one knows until they walk a mile in your shoes how much this may have meant to you! I know all too well how much saving, planning, anticipation goes into a cruise and how it only takes one big mouth to spoil it! I hope you both will have a wonderful time and he has a Happy Birthday! Enjoy!!

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

I want you to be my Nana.............I love your quote from Lilo & Stitch

 

[puffkin]

I just wanted to add my opinion.

I don't believe the original poster was demanding unreasonable compensation like a free cruise or something like that. I think she was thinking more along the lines of a gift basket or $50 stateroom credit or something like that. Given the circumstances, I think that this is reasonable.

A discount service or not, Expedia is obligated to provide a certain level of customer service, and it appears that this agent was negligent. However, because Expedia is failing to acknowledge its responsibility, hundreds of people who have read this post will think twice before booking with them. A $50 credit or gift basket probably would have satisfied many customers. However, now Expedia has probably lost many more customers and their travel dollars.

I am sorry the suprise was ruined, but have a great trip!
Maybe you can book a suprise shore excursion instead?

 

[4nana]

buzz&woody'smom ~

Thanx for the compliment. I'm here any time you or yours may need me. The ironic thing about my quote is, that "4nana is the one who got left behind". ^i^

My Moma always said,
"Life is like a box of chocolates,
you never know what you're gonna get." LOL

 

[PRaffen]

Ginny - a huge AMEN to your post. You said so well what I have been thinking for a long time.

I first found these boards four years ago when we were planning a trip to Disney World. It was such a fun site to visit then - so helpful, people kind and considerate. I hardly missed a day visiting the site during the months of trip planning.

Then, when I started reading these boards again about six months ago when I decided I wanted to try a cruse, I couldn't believe the change - the harsh tone of so many when they differed with someone else. It almost kept me from posting any questions about our cruse. As soon as I see certain names, I think "oh, oh" someone's about to get it.

So you have a different opinion? Great! But we're all adults - hopefully it can be posted without harshness, rudeness or being condescending.

 

[mausmu]

Sorry that so many people had such strong opinions, but I think this is a very passionate subject to most people. I think if you ask most people, they will tell you that part of the reason that prices are so high at many places (Disney included) is that any time someone believes they have been mistreated, they expect something in return. At issue is what is worthy of compensation. Everyone has a different opinion. I don't believe compensation is in order here, but I also believe this is very careless on Expedias part. Ultimatly the choice is up to the customer service department to decide if this issue is worth any gift. Then they can live or die with there decision after people choose whether to use them for there travel plans. But everyone else now has the option of choosing a different company to book there vacation. That is the beauty of these boards. I can find things out about other peoples experiance with so many differant things. I think when we talk about an Expedia agent we are not talking about the samr level of agent as you would find at DU or other face to face agents. I think that it is a stepping stone job for many people. I take this into account when I am booking through a low fare type business. They make there money on the number of bookings, not the quality of service from the agent. Sorry its so long. Have a great trip anyway. We did.

 

[tecdavidt]

I have not read all the post just the first one. What I would do is transfer my ressies if possible to another agency and never use Expedia again! The bad press Expedia is getting (I assume from this post) is probably the most one could do to handle the "big mouth TA".

I was given a surprise cruise this Christmas and it was wonderful! Yes, my husband would of been upset too if a TA spoiled the surprise. Kathy