PolytheneGirl

1 minute ago, amberjohn said:

Just a guess but I noticed that ships that did not sail from the US ports were showing a lot of soccer instead of US professional sports.

I'm hoping so (no offence to US lovelies on here!) - we've only ever cruised out of US ports in the past but we're British. It never really bothered us and added to the "US Holiday" aspect plus both times we've cruise we've had major world sporting events on (Olympics last time!). Next year will be our first EU cruise if everything goes to plan. We're both sports fans in general but watch a lot of soccer, athletics, tennis, F1, motor racing in general 🙂

I was excited to be able to join one of the roll calls on here as the last time we cruised I didn't know these forums existed. That being said we're on our 4th (I think) iteration of our booking so I won't be posting til a lot closer and I know for certain its *actually* going ahead 😄

Related question - would the ships sailing in the EU show less US led sports? For example soccer and less NFL/NHL?

Since it doesn't seem to be all ships/itinerarys could it potentially be related to the ports/stop and the social distancing policies they have in place?

13 hours ago, CDS6286 said:

Sailing Date: Transatlantic 30 Oct 2022

Date you were moved: 24 September 2021

Allure Cabin Category: GS

Wonder Cabin Category: JS

 

Booked cruise in 2020.  GS cost $7513.04

Received downgrade notice with option to accept downgrade with Sky benefits & $300 OBC or full refund.  Letter stated “ your original stateroom category price will either be protected at your original cruise fare rate or reduced to the current cruise fare rate (whichever is lower). This excludes taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items.

New fare is $7713.04 which is $200.00 higher than my booked fare.  No invoice detailing the increase even though I asked for it.  If this latest price stands, the true OBC is only $100.  

 

To further our frustration, our cruise was booked at the same time as another family member. Both of us booked GS and both were charged $7513.04. Our reservations were also linked. Our family member was transferred to a GS on Wonder (happy for them)!  They also received an increase, but their fare is less than ours.  This just doesn’t make sense.  As with all of the others in this thread, after calling Royal, the bottom line is ‘take it or leave it’.  Still up in the air as to our plans. 

Did you have any FCC applied to the original booking? When they moved us it took another 24-48 hours for the updated value minus FCC to show so might be that?

We pay for it, but then we do still use it a lot. I don't necessarily have my phone on me constantly but I do like to be able to keep in touch, check the news, weather, etc. We also take a Bluetooth speaker with us and stream music. Nothing beats a glass of wine on the balcony of the room, watching the sun go down with some music on in the background. Plus maybe having a quieter evening and getting pizza from Sorrentos and watching a film on Netflix, again relaxing on the balcony. 

It's worth it for us, but everyone is different 😀

21 hours ago, Deez123 said:

Why are you being switched?   Allure is up and running.   If they aren't charging you extra, you are getting to go on a brand new ship with typically goes for ALOT more all things being equal.

Because Allure is no longer in Europe then. Its being replaced with Wonder 😀

6 hours ago, hwmyones said:

Both were not available on symphony last month because of covid 

I assumed that would be the case. I'm hopeful that travelling in June next year might mean that all facilities are in use on the ships 😀

33 minutes ago, hwmyones said:

Vintages is in the same spot, it’s just called Giovanni’s wine bar now. From what I can tell, it has the same look and feel in the same spot in Central Park.

Thank you that's super helpful! I'm hoping the self serve and the wine flights stay 😀 

19 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Yes.

Thank you 🙂 

52 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Wonder was supposed to be built specifically for the Chinese culture.

Then gradually there was hamburger dinners ,American steak houses and so on.

I think you will find somewhere to have a drink, I think there was a vintages in Giovanni’s.

Wonderland has a bar which you will quickly forget about vintages .

Thank you, appreciate it. I didn't know that it had been built with that in mind, I appreciate the information.

We've done Wonderland, etc before. As I say Vintages is a fave for us and its been on every ship we've been on - Hopefully its either not on the deckplans or there is an equivalent!

10 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

It’s be pretty well been westernised before this announcement.

Its a big adventure,just look at it that way.

Apologies, it might be that I just haven't had enough coffee this morning - I don't understand what you mean?

I asked about Vintages as its a fave spot for us 🙂 I couldn't see the information and the deck plans and the info on the website itself still seems lacking a bit. I tried to go through all the pages of this thread but I couldn't see anything specific and I used the search function as well.

I'm happy that its an adventure and happy its a new ship, just starting to plan in my head 🙂

Just now, Norwich Cruiser said:

You’ll soon get the hang.

 

I’m sure you’ll have a fabulous cruise.

Here's hoping! Was supposed to be our honeymoon cruise on Allure last year which was cancelled (and the wedding moved) - then supposed to be honeymoon cruise THIS year on Harmony which was cancelled (wedding went ahead wooooooo!) and now this was a first anniversary cruise on Allure, moved to Wonder (We think!)

So very confused 😄

6 minutes ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

Got the same email.

 

So yes assume until you have it in writing that you’ll get the same, equivalent or an upgraded stateroom.

Thanks - thats what I figured, but yeah new to this bit 😄

HI All

So having discovered this morning we're likely to be moved from Allure to Wonder for next year...

Do we know if Wonder will have Vintages? Or is that replaced with Giovanni's Wine Bar and do we know how similar to Vintages it will be if thats the case?

I've not paid much attention to the Wonder build TBH and now frantically trying to work out whats different 😄

I am soooooo glad I decided to log on here this morning - the email from RC had gone into spam because it looks like a generic marketing one and bcause we are so far out (Jun 2022) and we had already a good idea of things like trips, etc but were holding off booking them I haven't been logging into C&A often.

So Wonder instead then for us....

Potential Noob Q here (I've never had this situation before). We were in a Junior Suite on Allure in Jun 2022, we've had the email saying "We'll move you free of charge to an equivalent and price protect or reduce" - this means we're likely to get a JS on Wonder?

Just now, dltaeg said:

I won't lie, I've shed quite a few tears today after seeing this news. It looks like cruising days are over for now, for me and my family. 

I'm fully vaccinated, as is my husband but for some stupid, unknow reason the UK isn't vaccinating anyone under the age of 18. With an unvaccinated 13 year old in the family we can no longer cruise, so unfair 😭

They will be eventually. They've already started with 16-18 Year Olds.

COVID-19 vaccines are available for: everyone aged 16 or over. some children aged 12 to 15 who have a higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 or who live with someone at high risk of catching it.
 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/

Expect that to be extended as and when data becomes available and more approvals come in for use in furtherage groups.

We can't go to the US at the moment anyways I don't think? (Assuming you want to get a cruise from the US)

US is on our Amber list: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa
Plus we aren't on their "Green" list: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/entry-requirements#entry-rules-in-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19

So regardless of vaccination status cruising for UK peeps from the US is out for the future at the moment!

10 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I find it hard to believe, the cruise line has their bags  on the ship, they arrive at 4:30pm with correct documentations and ship still at the dock and tell them  they shut the door  15minutes ago and don't allow them to board the ship. I mean really under these times with test and everything there should be a little kindness and leeway................this was for 20 some people that were right at the dock with negative test results.

If its anything like flying they have to have the doors closed by X time in order to make their slot to leave. So most likely it would impact more than just having the doors open a few mins longer or re open them

On 8/8/2021 at 12:24 AM, jrapps said:

Thanks...to be clear, this was just an idle curiosity. None of us have tested positive (yet), just read how Disney was handling that and it got me wondering.

Quite a few major events in the UK have added the 90 days post covid as an option for requirements recently as well.

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Yes you are.

Thanks for that. I'll go back to not trying to join in anything on here then.

9 hours ago, Honey4BeaR said:

DON't Book Royal Caribbean. They will screw with you reservations. They will not give you a refund. IF you do get any type of refund you must wait 45-65 days for a refund!!!!!!!!

They put you on hold for hours, hang up on you and generally don't care about their guest. 

I was on hold for 1 hour only to finally talk to someone who hung up on me 30 mins into trying to figure something out. 

Got not phone call back. Called back myself waited 45 mins on hold and then the call disconnected. Asked me if I wanted to talk a customer survey and nothing. 

Called back again call dropped but I could take the customer survey after 38 minutes. Finally called and they said they will give us a refund of some kind but it will take 45-65 days our trip was supposed to be for our 10 year anniversary and now we are robbed of this trip and the money. SO we have no money for our 10 year anniversary trip all because Royal Caribbean screwed us over. THANKS FOR NOTHING!!!! heartless company who won't help. 

I feel for you, I really do. As someone who has had several attempts at getting married and subsequent honeymoon cruise over the last 18 months I understand the anger and frustration you are feeling right now 😞

Unfortunately, most, if not all, travel companies are in similar situations - refunds do take time (often down to the banks as well not just the company themselves) as they will have an SOP or procedure to follow to ensure that the correct money is refunded to the correct place with the correct authorisation which can take a few days itself, let alone the time for it to show in your account. At a guess I would say that it will be less than 45 days but the company have to cover themselves to ensure they tell you sufficient time.

As someone else said - a very very large majority of people worldwide are still working from home and CS reps will be using wi fi calling (I do in my job). If they have shaky internet then it will cut off without them knowing or being able to control it.

I know all of this doesn't help how you feel right now, but as others have said, try and plan something special for yourself and your husband for your anniversary, even if it is just something local like a nice spa or similar. Thats what we ended up doing for our honeymoon - we couldn't go away and had money tied up in the various parts of the wedding and the cruise we had booked and things so we just went to a couple of places in the UK for a few nights instead. It was about being together and celebrating. We've re-booked the original honeymoon cruise for our first anniversary instead 😉

30 minutes ago, Cat4158 said:

I’m confused why anyone should accept a move to the same grade cabin from a quiet area to a potentially noisier area under the kids club. Am I missing something? And why, after paying extra to choose a cabin location, should someone be moved to a place they don’t want to be in with no offer of a refund for the additional room selection payment? 

Potentially the reason for the move? If its an upcoming cruise that is sailing under social distancing restrictions the cruise line may have no option but to move them and spread everyone out. It sucks but in that instance there is always going to be someone who misses out and ends up where they don't want to be 😞

I'm guessing that they might still be negotiating or trying to get it to go ahead so are holding off finalising the cancellation in case. It cold be that they've gone ahead to cancel it and then got an extra piece of info in the every changing landscape of covid travel that would mean it might be able to go ahead and are still working on that bit.

I mean its not great Cust Service the way they aren't communicating BUT I do feel for anyone working in travel right now with the constantly changing reg, advice and requirements across the world.

22 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

I'd ask a bunch of questions but by the time we sail Allure in September, things are likely to be completely different.  I'll just enjoy your posts instead.

My thoughts exactly - we're not due til next year and no idea where the world will be at by then!

Meantime I am just going to enjoy all the info on Allure and see all the pics

Thanks guys - this is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for!