We encountered a very disappointing situation with one of the staff during our trip to Alaska, which overshadowed our entire experience. I inquired about activities that included both the Ice Museum and the hot springs. I believed that the tickets I purchased covered both attractions. The senior staff member might have clarified that the ticket was only for the museum and that I would need to buy a separate ticket for the hot springs, but I mistakenly thought I had secured access to both.
After visiting the Ice Museum, my wife informed me that she had discarded the tickets. When we arrived at the hot springs, I explained to the staff that I had purchased the tickets at the activity center and requested they check if our names were in their system to avoid returning to the activity center for proof of purchase. To my surprise, the hot springs staff member was shocked that the activity center had sold me a ticket for the hot springs, stating it was against their policy. He kindly escorted me back to the activity center to resolve the issue.
However, upon entering, the senior staff member who sold me the tickets was no longer there. A younger staff member, upon hearing the hot springs staff's question about my ticket, immediately dismissed my explanation with a serious tone, insisting that they never sold hot springs tickets. I attempted to clarify the situation, but he continued to speak over me, making me feel unheard and belittled. I felt an overwhelming sense of distress and confusion, especially since I couldn't contact my wife for her credit card information due to a lack of signal. I repeatedly asked, "Where did my money go?" but he persisted in talking without allowing me to explain, which made me feel like a fool or a fraud, in front of all the other customers.
Eventually, the hot springs staff member asked how much I had paid, and when I mentioned it was around $70, I realized that this amount likely did not include the hot springs. It dawned on me that I had incorrectly assumed it did, perhaps due to a lack of clear communication from the senior staff or my inability to hear properly. Upon this realization, I was willing to return to the hot springs to pay for the ticket, but I still felt unfairly treated by the activity center staff.
I expressed my dissatisfaction directly to the young staff member, stating that I disliked his attitude and the way he refused to listen to my account of the situation. I felt he acted as if he were the most knowledgeable person in the room while making me feel like an idiot or a liar. This was an incredibly uncomfortable experience, especially since we had come to Alaska to enjoy a memorable trip, not to be treated in such a manner.
Despite my discomfort, I respect all staff members, including him, who has skeleton tattoos all over his hands and arms, which my children found intimidating. I respect that and it is his life. However, I believe that someone with such a dismissive attitude towards customers should not be in a service role. I left the activity center feeling uneasy and distressed, unable to smile when I returned to my excited children at the hot springs. In contrast, the hot springs staff member was understanding, recognizing that I had been wrongly accused and witnessing the behavior of his colleagues. He even offered our family a discount as a gesture...
Read more
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AI.
