– Avalon Myanmar – Myanmar River Cruise – April 2017
Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VI (Kya Hnyat to Kyauk Myaung)
Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part IX (The Ship: Avalon Myanmar)
Avalon Waterways – Myanmar (Burma) – Reflections: “Isn’t This Amazing!?”
*Azamara Club Cruises – Azamara Journey – Singapore to Dubai (April 8, 2018)
* Azamara Quest – Southeast Asia and Japan (February 2015)
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Part I
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part II
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part III
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part IV
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Some Final Observations and Thoughts
– The Prologue to the Travelogue
– The Adventure Begins…With a Bump or Two
– Settling In Made Easy
– Luxury Touches Here, There and OK, Not, Everywhere…But There Are Lots of Them!
– Asian Flair Onboard and On Shore
– Private Tours, Israel and Conflicts in Perceptions and Perspective
Celebrity Equinox 2009 – Egypt…Impressive and Depressing
– Dining With the Captain and the Reidel Wine Seminar
– The Last Dinner (Tuscan Grille) and Disembarkation
– What Happens When A Class Act Meets Highly Discounted Cruise Fare
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part I
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part II
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part III
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part IV (Food & Wine!)
– Princess Cruises Doesn’t Treat You Like Royalty; Celebrity Cruises Does! Which is a Better Value for the Upscale Cruise Guest? Part I
– Celebrity Silhouette vs. -Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part II: The Standard Veranda Staterooms
– Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part III: Treating You Right From The Start
– Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part IV: The Wine Lists Speak Volumes (As Do The Beverage Packages)
Regent Seven Seas Voyager – August 2017
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part I
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions)
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part III (“You Can’t Teach Five Star Service” and Bonafacio, Corsica)
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro…and Stale Bread)
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part V (My Last Day…and How The Chef’s Team Makes It Happen)
My family was on United Airlines Flight 784 from San Francisco, California to Newark, New Jersey on January 1, 2013. My wife, without question, received food poisoning from her paid for Cheese and Fruit Plate resulting in a rather poor welcome home after a lovely vacation.
It should have been bad enough that the aircraft was so old (obviously an old United Airlines plane as Continental never would have kept that rust bucket in service) that there were big old vacuum tube televisions mounted in the ceiling that were so worn out that the one movie shown had horrible color and picture distortion. Listening to the movie was just as difficult as the earphone jack was broken.
But if food poisoning, a amenity-challenged plane and broken equipment was not enough, what should have been a simple addressing of the food poisoning has become a textbook in how to abuse a customer and make a relatively simple issue a big problem…which is a Bad idea.
On January 2, 2013 I contacted United Airlines through its Premier Gold Customer Service Desk. I was told I could either call another number the next business day or I could submit a form online and wait for response. Obviously I went with the phone call. Bad idea.
When I called and sat on hold forever I was told that I would still be required to submit the form online before anyone could speak with me. OK. Not so happily, I submitted the form and made the call again. This time, after waiting on hold I am told that I need to call another number for Corporate Insurance because Customer Service doesn’t handle food poisoning claims. Bad idea.
So I contact Corporate Insurance and leave voicemail. It goes unanswered. So I call a second time and it goes unanswered. Then I receive a message that someone will be in touch with me within 7-10 days. So I wait. Bad idea.
Today I received a rather form email…not from Corporate Insurance, but from Customer Service, stating in part, “On behalf of United, I’m disappointed to learn you were not satisfied with the quality of the meal amenity we provided during your travel, and feel that the meal was responsible for your wife’s illness. Our goal is to provide a healthy, tasteful meal, and I truly regret we did not meet this expectation. Your feedback will be forwarded to our Food Services division, as we continue to look for ways to improve the service we provide to our customers.” (Seriously, Food Services needs to find a way not to serve spoiled and/or contaminated food???) Bad idea.
Receiving an email that I was “not satisfied with the quality of the meal” makes it sound like a am complaining about wilted lettuce or a bruised apple. Forwarding the complaint on to Food Services: Really? Is there a darker, more horrific place in the airline industry than Food Services? But adding insult to injury, the letter goes on to tell me that I should contact…you guessed it…Corporate Insurance if I wanted to pursue a claim. Bad idea.
So, being a gluten for punishment, I contact United Airlines Customer Service today to complain not only about the handling of the food poisoning complaint, but now also about how Customer Service is not providing me any customer service (even though I am Premier Gold and have flown over 825,000 revenue miles with United/Continental). Bad idea.
After over 20 minutes I am told the person I need to reach only has voicemail and there are no supervisors who are authorized to handle this matter. (You know they were going to send me back over to Corporate Insurance, right?!) So I ask if any United customer – no less such an important one – should be so mistreated and their time so wasted. The response was effectively, “Of course not…but we are not empowered to do anything about it.” Bad idea.
My only option I am told is to file a “Formal Complaint”. Poof! I have now filed a Formal Complaint. So what does that mean? It means I am to – yes, that’s right – wait for someone to be in touch with me. When? Nobody can tell me. Bad idea.
United Airlines obviously has not learned, or refuses to understand, that customer service is essential to retaining clients and therefore repeat business. I figure it is now time to book the very same flights I would have booked on United Airlines using its code-share partners (diverting revenue from United) while keeping my Premier status (costing United money)…if I even use United Airlines at all.
Imagine a small gesture after United Airlines food poisoned my wife would have been enough. Now what is going to cost them…and not only to retain my business. (You are reading this. Are you going to think twice before booking a flight on United Airlines? I bet you are!)
Goldring Travel’s motto and business plan is simple, “Be Treated By Your Travel Agent As You Will Be Onboard!” I got into this business because I was sick and tired of being treated by travel agents as..well as United Airlines is treating me. My business focus is on providing some of the best customer service in the business. You can be sure you using Goldring Travel is not a…bad idea.
Oh yes, and if you send an email or leave voicemail, your call will be returned, truly responded to…and promptly!
Goldring Travel LLC
12177 Business Park Drive, Suite 6
Truckee, California 96161
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)
UK: 020 8133 3450
AUS: (07) 3102 4685
Everywhere Else: +1 530-562-9232
Email: info@goldringtravel.com
Fla Seller of Travel Re. No. W014898
California Seller of Travel No. 2127458-40
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