tbo

So if you see others winning their bids, for the same cat you bid on, is it safe to assume you aren't getting yours? I'm guessing I'll be the one getting an email after sail away.

Have to admit I feel disappointed after telling myself it was ok if we didn't get an upgrade.

7 minutes ago, jcandjf said:

I am on 1/29 Symphony currently in large Balcony. We bid on GS, OS and CLS and have two that are listed as expired and one pending since yesterday. Hoping to see a confirmed upgrade soon!!

I bet you are in luck! Several folks on the book of face been getting upgraded already.

34 minutes ago, ScubaAmanda said:

I went in to cancel one of my bids this morning and found that 2 of my bids expired and the one I wanted to cancel is pending and I can’t make changes anymore. My sailing isn’t until Feb 6…I haven’t heard of them closing it this early. Is that normal? I figured I would have had more time. Sounds like I might be stuck with the upgrade if I get it. I won’t be mad, I was just planning on cancelling it and boosting the other two. Oh well! Live and learn. But really, has anyone heard of them closing them out this early?

I am on Symphony 1/29 and others on my date are receiving upgrades, mine is still open and I can modify. I only have the 1 bid-does it help to have more than 1 bid in?

I checked and they have more than 20 JS available, which is what I'm bidding for.

Thinking I'm out of luck this go around.

1 minute ago, suzk2275a said:

Yes. 2 tests for 2 people. You may want to get spare tests. I had a problem with one test (the liquid reactant used for the test was dried up). 
 

the rear facing camera was used to read the QR code on the box as well as to read the test results at the end of the test.   The front facing camera is used for the proctor to see you and to watch the test during the 15 minute waiting time. 

Thank you-exactly what I needed to know.

Just now, Biker19 said:

The proctor to see you and then to see the test kit.

Yes, so the front facing camera as you are testing is ok? And the regular lens for ids/test id?

So for 2 people-2 accounts-?

I see front facing and rear facing camera is needed-what is each used for?

1 hour ago, Pratique said:

I completely agree. We were ready to head to the airport and drop off our pets for boarding when our cruise was canceled. A cruise that was booked long ago and we decided to stick with it based on all the happy talk I was reading here on CC from people who have already been cruising in recent months.

 

Now I'm waiting on yet another refund I still haven't gotten and yet another FCC that I can't use until it is issued. But this is CC where the whiners get blasted.

 

I feel for you, you have a tough decision to make. I think it is unlikely Royal will give you less than a week's notice if they cancel, so you could take the chance and see how it plays out or pre-emptively cancel.

I'm sorry about your cruise-that stinks, because you really look forward to it. I don't think it's whining to expect them to do what they said they would do. I get that it's a pandemic, but don't promise refunds and FCC and then take an entire quarter or longer to get it back to your customers who put faith into you. No mate, I don't think it's whining at all!

At this point for us, it's in for a penny, in for a pound. I'm holding on to see if they cancel, I don't think it will be last minute if they do. I'm even a bit hopeful that it will be a good cruise if they can get the crew healthy.

11 minutes ago, Pratique said:

This makes no sense to me. So what if the value is 125%?

 

Last year I had to wait over four months for them to issue an FCC and it wasn't for 125%, it was just for the deposit amount. I'm still waiting for a refund from October that hasn't been processed yet.

 

Royal keeps saying "please be patient." On the website, in the emails, and on the phone. How much more patience do we need to have with them?

 

The OP is going to get a refund or FCC. But when that will happen is completely unpredictable.

 

My 1/8 Symphony sailing was canceled on 1/7. The email says "be patient." The refund maybe this month, and the FCC maybe next month. No promises.

 

So if some of us come here to vent, so be it. I've been nothing but patient with Royal.

I have seen several posts of people waiting months and months for refunds and cruise credits to show up-that's really bad practice.

Someone asked why you would want to cruise with the same line in the same week-because they have your money tied up and you already have flights, house sitters, hotels booked that's why. You already have the time off from work approved. It might be the only vacation you get in a year. Lots of reasons.

Not being able to "lift and shift" or whatever it's called with Royal is just wrong. They have no problems taking money right away-but can't even give you a cabin on a different ship/sailing?

Fingers crossed Symphony sails on 1/29-I really, really don't want to deal with all of this.

We are new to Royal-first cruise is 1/29 on Symphony-hopefully. Last week when they cancelled the cruises leading up to ours it made us pause and ask questions.

We have a vacation budget-we pay in cash, not on a credit card. Yes, we have cards, but use those sparingly and in emergency only situations. Booking a new cruise wouldn't count as an emergency to us.  So if they cancel our cruise, we would just be out of luck if they couldn't move it to another sailing.

I agree that the title is misleading, but I get what they are saying. It really does seem like bad customer service.

We have sailed with NCL numerous times, changing cruises that we have deposits on is not an issue. Is it not the same way with Royal? Asking because I'm learning as I go and could very possibly be in this situation in the not too distant future.

We had a fire and all of our documents burned. Husband went to get a replacement birth certificate only to find that he actually never had one-aside from the pretty hospital one that burned. The state office we went to had experience with the doctor who delivered him and how he just never filed any paperwork-keep in mind my hubby is now 65 years old so this was a while back, lol.

He had to do some leg work and get school records and they used other official state records (marriage license-children's birth certificates) and they were able to get him an amended birth certificate.

Maybe they can do the same for your mom. Good luck!

This really stinks -sorry to everyone who is losing their cruise. We are scheduled on 1/29 and now I'm wondering if we should just cancel and reschedule and save the hassle of dealing with it later down the road.

I'm sorry you and your family had to go through this.

I appreciate you sharing your experience. While no one would wish to go through any of that, sounds like they took good care of your family.

3 minutes ago, rimmit said:

We live in Eastern, KY.  We flew into Columbus, and what is normally a 2hr and 15min drive ended up taking us 3hr and 30min.  Slow and steady won that race.  If I didnt need to get back to work so bad we woulda just holed up in Columbus as the roads were not great, but I really just needed to get back to work.

We sang the Star Spangled Banner, God Bless America, and God Bless the USA, with a little Country Roads and My Old Kentucky home sprinkled in the whole way home.   Man, it feels food to be home.

 

Glad you made it home ok!

38 minutes ago, rimmit said:

Finally back at our originating airport!  And it’s snowing with 4-6 inches expected over the next 7 hours and we have 2.5 hour drive…..   so close yet so far.   May need to stay in a hotel tonight based on conditions…. We’ll just have to see…

 

He is 11.  He actually did amazingly well cooped up in a hotel room.  A couple moments of cabin fever, but all kids need these days is Fortnite and they are happy, so he just played that nearly the whole time.  In all honesty, I think it was his favorite part of his vacation.  Lol.

 

Thanks for the compliments.  If you enjoy my writing definitely check out our blog.  There are several live blogs we did with some nice photos (photography is my main hobby) and some fun commentary that me and my wife wrote.

I'm in Kentucky and there are parts that are really bad with the snow-you know how it is when it snows here-everyone forgets how to drive. Heard about some pile ups on I64 around Winchester, if that's your neck of the woods.

I've enjoyed reading about your "adventure" and very happy you are back on US ground. Safe travels home!

On another cruise forum (Shipmate) there was a poster who said that they received an email stating that their room would be changed to a same category due to covid protocols and distancing. She was told when she called that the new room number would be assigned in 5-7 days and that the cruise was no longer available for booking due to capacity. We are on this same cruise-Symphony 1/29-and received no such email and can still see our sailing on the website available for booking.

If your situation is the same as theirs,  I think it just means they are limiting capacity and trying to spread folks out on the ship. I'm a RCI newbie, so I'm hoping that a more seasoned cruiser can shed some light on this.

Thank you for your reporting, makes me feel a bit better about my 1/29 Symphony cruise to know that things are going a little more smoothly. Have a great rest of your cruise!

1 hour ago, badvector said:

 

In my experience it's been the opposite.  Just repriced for Jan 29 and got almost half of my fare back.  Price has doubled for our March cruise and is about $100-$200 more for our May one.  May just depend on the ship and itinerary though.

May I ask which ship? I checked fares this morning for our Jan 29 Symphony online, no change that I can see.

Thanks Biker. I called, knowing they were going to say it looks good on their side. They resent my invoice showing no balance.

Balance is and has been paid in full for weeks, I got an email over night that we have a balance due and the email itself shows a $0.00 balance.  I've recently watched a video of a guy who was denied boarding because of a similar situation and had quite a time getting it sorted-like 2 hours on the phone at the terminal before finally getting on board.

Guess I'm making a phone call, that is a waste of my time and theirs. First RCI cruise-so far not impressed with their procedures. I know times are not "normal" right now, but this is just crazy.

16 minutes ago, Maitaivegas said:

Got my luggage tags for 1/29/22 Symphony of the seas cruise today, guess I’m going 🥰 

Got a couple of controversial books to read myself.
Look for the large solo lady, limping by you lol

Yes I got them all printed out and ready to go today. Ordered our at home tests yesterday, another thread here said there had been some delays, so just a heads up if you are going that route for preboard testing.

Yes, we are going on our 1/29 Symphony as long as we test negative. Been way too long since I've seen the ocean. Fingers crossed for a good cruise with entertainment, but will be prepared to sip on a drink and watch the waves go by with a couple of good books. Don't care as long as I'm there! First RCI cruise and I'm looking forward to it.

I think my bigger point,  is that yes this happened and after the fact OP called to see what could be done to remedy the situation and got sorry, suck it up buttercup.

Regardless of the process, and whether or not OP understood those (not sure I would have), RCI has it within their power to correct this. Maybe that cabin is gone, what about another in that class? What about balcony cabin away from the elevator? What about just refunding the $80? Multiple ways to provide customer service here instead of "you get what you get".

I work in customer service. Customer is FAR from always right, doesn't mean they shouldn't be helped at all.

So I get the whole thing about cancelling the Royal Up bid, but I think that the OP has a legit argument here.

RCI made the original change. The whole bit about it's an automated system run by an outside source is an excuse. They are still in charge of their ships right? Someone can't go a step above to help out in this situation? Who there could honestly look at this situation and say yes this customer wants to pay more for a lesser cabin?

I agree with OP-this is just poor customer service.

Edit to add another thought: We are taking our first RCI cruise Jan 29 and I'm looking forward to it, but I have to say, the times I've contacted them have not been great experiences.

So with the 3 night package when would I be able to book my times? I don't see that available anywhere.

I called yesterday looking for UDP,  nothing available for my 1/29 Symphony cruise. It is showing a 3 night package, but not available for both of us.

I'm just going to keep stalking my cruise planner and hope it shows up before we get on.