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Horrible experience with Air2Sea program on Rhapsody of the Seas


jdjlt
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Im a loyal RC cruiser, Diamond status with Crown and Anchor, but after my recent sailing on Rhapsody might need to rethink that loyality. I was on the Oct 7, 2017 sailing out of Venice. The cruise was great UNTIL the final day. At about 3PM the captain announced that due to expected foggy weather in Venice we might be late in arriving. The ship then gave everyone free internet to start making other arraignments and we all realized weather happens and there is nothing Royal can do about it. However, when I inquired about my flights, crew assured me that since I booked with Air2Sea I had to do nothing bc RC would take care it. So i figured no worries (my first of many times wrongly trusting I was getting accurate info from RC). When I woke at 6;30 the next morning sure enough, we were fogged in and didn't dock as scheduled at 6am. When i asked at 6;30 when they would provide new flight info, I was told that they would put new info under my cabin door. This didn't make sense as it was disembarkation day and we needed to leave room at 8am, but I thought why would they lie to us? By the time 8 arrived and we had to leave the room, RC still did not communicate with us so i again asked when they would advise Air2Sea passengers when they would get info, I was assured they would either send an email or page me soon. More hours go by and still no communication and again asked what was happening and again was told they would page me. Finally at 3;30Pm the ship was cleared to proceed to the dock. I again asked when they would email and now was told the new flight and hotel would be provided as we left the ship. At 5pm disembarkation started and now their story was that as soon as we got off the ship new flight info would be provided dockside. Of course when we got off the ship, (and by we I mean the 500 or so people that booked with Air2Sea) we found no one with instruction on the dock. In fact they only people there were a small handful of port employees who had no information. For 4 hours we stood in a chilly foggy parking lot helpless in a foreign country with no information from royal Caribbean on how they were getting us home and with no contact from any Royal Caribbean employee. Finally one employee came off the ship and was rather unconcerned with our situation, including for elderly people with medical conditions or young children. After 4 hours exposed to the elements, they finally let us back into the terminal, but still gave us no information. Finally after about 6 hours of no information, food or water, they brought some bottles of water and sandwiches. But still in there terminal we waited for info. At midnight, 7 hours after getting off the ship they brought us to a cheap dirty hotel (the sheets and towels smelled of mildew and the shower was moldy. Still we had no idea of when we would go home. Finally I found a number to call someone at Air2Sea and they gave me the flight info (how someone without a smart phone and the willingness to pay for international calling would have gotten that info, I don't know). Yet still they had no plan to get us to the airport (the hotel was about an hour from airport). I fortunately got back to NYC and now home called Royal to complain about the situation and am still meant with indifference and despite a representation that they would call or email me to at least explain what happened, I still have yet to hear anything from them (not that I expected anything given their pattern of lies and misrepresentation. Given the bad publicity that the airlines have gotten from their treatment of people you would thing Royal Caribbean would try to do the right thing, but obviously not.

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Im a loyal RC cruiser, Diamond status with Crown and Anchor, but after my recent sailing on Rhapsody might need to rethink that loyality. I was on the Oct 7, 2017 sailing out of Venice. The cruise was great UNTIL the final day. At about 3PM the captain announced that due to expected foggy weather in Venice we might be late in arriving. The ship then gave everyone free internet to start making other arraignments and we all realized weather happens and there is nothing Royal can do about it.

 

However, when I inquired about my flights, crew assured me that since I booked with Air2Sea I had to do nothing bc RC would take care it. So i figured no worries (my first of many times wrongly trusting I was getting accurate info from RC). When I woke at 6;30 the next morning sure enough, we were fogged in and didn't dock as scheduled at 6am. When i asked at 6;30 when they would provide new flight info, I was told that they would put new info under my cabin door. This didn't make sense as it was disembarkation day and we needed to leave room at 8am, but I thought why would they lie to us? By the time 8 arrived and we had to leave the room, RC still did not communicate with us so i again asked when they would advise Air2Sea passengers when they would get info, I was assured they would either send an email or page me soon. More hours go by and still no communication and again asked what was happening and again was told they would page me.

 

Finally at 3;30Pm the ship was cleared to proceed to the dock. I again asked when they would email and now was told the new flight and hotel would be provided as we left the ship. At 5pm disembarkation started and now their story was that as soon as we got off the ship new flight info would be provided dockside. Of course when we got off the ship, (and by we I mean the 500 or so people that booked with Air2Sea) we found no one with instruction on the dock. In fact they only people there were a small handful of port employees who had no information. For 4 hours we stood in a chilly foggy parking lot helpless in a foreign country with no information from royal Caribbean on how they were getting us home and with no contact from any Royal Caribbean employee. Finally one employee came off the ship and was rather unconcerned with our situation, including for elderly people with medical conditions or young children. After 4 hours exposed to the elements, they finally let us back into the terminal, but still gave us no information.

 

Finally after about 6 hours of no information, food or water, they brought some bottles of water and sandwiches. But still in there terminal we waited for info. At midnight, 7 hours after getting off the ship they brought us to a cheap dirty hotel (the sheets and towels smelled of mildew and the shower was moldy. Still we had no idea of when we would go home. Finally I found a number to call someone at Air2Sea and they gave me the flight info (how someone without a smart phone and the willingness to pay for international calling would have gotten that info, I don't know). Yet still they had no plan to get us to the airport (the hotel was about an hour from airport). I fortunately got back to NYC and now home called Royal to complain about the situation and am still meant with indifference and despite a representation that they would call or email me to at least explain what happened, I still have yet to hear anything from them (not that I expected anything given their pattern of lies and misrepresentation.

 

Given the bad publicity that the airlines have gotten from their treatment of people you would thing Royal Caribbean would try to do the right thing, but obviously not.

 

Paragraphs added.

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We use Air2Sea all the time, and what this shows me is to contact them directly as soon as there is a problem. It sounds like the people on the ship were just telling you whatever it would take to get you off the ship and out of their hair.

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Well that does sound like it was poorly handled. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. And, I appreciate the warning. as we are using Air2Sea for the first time in May. I think we would have likely called the number anyway had there been significant delay docking, but it is nice to know that we SHOULD do so ASAP.

 

I am surprised 500 people all passively waited for 4 hours standing out of doors there at the Venice port (absolutely no comfortable place to wait there!) and then continued to wait for several hours more once allowed in the terminal building, which doesn't offer much more than chairs. I know we would have gotten fed up after half an hour or so and arranged our own hotel and taxi and risked not getting reimbursed but at least managed to not be miserable for so long. I would have thought a lot of people would react similarly.

Edited by xxHadleyxx
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We use Air2Sea all the time, and what this shows me is to contact them directly as soon as there is a problem. It sounds like the people on the ship were just telling you whatever it would take to get you off the ship and out of their hair.

Very true Bob!

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Well that does sound like it was poorly handled. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. And, I appreciate the warning. as we are using Air2Sea for the first time in May. I think we would have likely called the number anyway had there been significant delay docking, but it is nice to know that we SHOULD do so ASAP.

 

I am surprised 500 people all passively waited for 4 hours standing out of doors there at the Venice port (absolutely no comfortable place to wait there!) and then continued to wait for several hours more once allowed in the terminal building, which doesn't offer much more than chairs. I know we would have gotten fed up after half an hour or so and arranged our own hotel and taxi and risked not getting reimbursed but at least managed to not be miserable for so long. I would have thought a lot of people would react similarly.

 

We all thought of trying it on our own and some tried it, however, with limited or no cell service in a foreign country (most everyone there were from either the US or UK) it was easier said than done. I think a big part of the problem was that Royal Caribbean waited so long to make alternative arrangements for us (it seems clear that although Royal knew it was very likely we would be late a full day in advance, yet they did nothing in those 24 hours), meanwhile the other 2000 people on the ship who had control over their booking had that time to make alternative plans and already got all of the nearby hotels. Hopefully you don't need their "service" on your cruise.

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I am really sorry you and many others experienced that with Air 2 Sea. We have only used them 1 way and booked our own return flight home. To many times for us they don't provide good connections within the US so I am better off booking our own flights home. RCCL certainly should have provided all of you better communication and assistance.

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I feel for this poster. Had they taken the bull by the horns and booked their own hotel, some would say why should RCL/air2sea reimburse them? They should have waited to be told where to go. Let's not even talk about a last minute flight from Europe to the US. You can't win in these situations. If you leave the herd and don't get the message that a flight has been arranged, you lose too. Sorry for your troubles jdjlt.

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I was also on this sailing. Everything that has been said is true. I was flying back to Ireland. They arranged a flight from Venice to Frankfurt on Sunday evening and a connecting flight one hour later to Dublin. We got to Frankfurt late and missed the connecting flight. Another overnight stay and eventually got into Dublin on Monday along with hurricane Ophelia. The chaos at the terminal in Venice was disgraceful. Ruined an otherwise great holiday.

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All true I was there stuck in the car park in the cold and fog, we were told everything was arranged for us when we got off the ship and royal Caribbean staff would be there to sort everything out for us. 4 hours later I told someone there that we are going into the terminal so I put up my arm and told everyone to follow me into the terminal we had young children and elderly people with health issues. There was no organisation skills used or thought used it was a disgrace royal Caribbean did fly in 2 reps they landed in Venice at 11pm and were to be picked up well guess what they never got picked up that says it all. As the other person said about the hotel we must have been in the same place Horrible. We flew home from Verona to Gatwick to Dublin on Sunday.

It was all awful as I would say they couldn't organise a piss up in a bewry.😡😡😡😡

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As a followup, the lies from Royal Caribbean continue because the customer service agent that I talked to for nearly an hour on Monday , October 16th about this situation said she would investigate it on her end and liaise with the Air2Sea folks and call me back, but, of course, I have received nothing from her or Royal Caribbean. :mad::mad:

 

Any recommendations for a new cruise line, even Carnival can't be this bad right?

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As you know the ship knew about the fog and couldn't dock st 6.30 in the morning but by 12 o'clock mid day most people had missed there flights so they had time to arrange everything. We were told reps would be out there but it was only the Italian port people who hadn't been told anything either, my husband ask someone should he call the royal Caribbean help line and he was told no everything was arranged and check your emails for new flights (still checking ) to keep us out there in the dark and damp fog was a disgrace.

I don't know which company would be any better get the ship leaving from Dublin then we don't have to worry about flights.

We are going to email them today so will let you know if we here anything back, my daughter and her husband were with us they chartered a plane for them and other people back to Birmingham then going to bus people from there she had already emailed them. Will keep you posted

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Firstly, thank you for sharing what clearly turned out to be an awful end to all your holidays'.

 

I guess the key takeaway here is that if any of us find ourselves in the same situation, we should go directly to AIR2SEA as soon as we become aware of a problem like this.

 

Having a similar issue on a Virgin Holiday, we found tweeting a picture of our distraught travel group directly to Virgin and also Richard Branson, finally got things moving.

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Almost every time there is a story like this the OP has to point out their status?

What does being diamond do for the story?

It does tell me that you being diamond, you should have known that cruiselines are not good at doing other sorts of things, like putting together travel.

You should have made your own airline plans.....

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What jdjlt posted is exactly what happened on Rhapsody. I was also on that cruise, and that final day was complete and utter chaos--I also witnessed seniors who were confused. I also missed my flight home and spent the night at the airport since the front desk told me since I did not book air with them, I could just use the phones to make my arrangements on my own. Which I did, eventually being the last person on the flight the following day. Then I find RCCL charged my card for the calls I made to the airline. After two phone calls and an email to guest services, I have yet to receive a response or an offer to reverse the charges, to the tune of nearly 125 dollars. This was my first cruise and will probably not be the last, but RCCL needs to step up and take responsibility for their poor reaction to this situation.

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Almost every time there is a story like this the OP has to point out their status?

What does being diamond do for the story?

It does tell me that you being diamond, you should have known that cruiselines are not good at doing other sorts of things, like putting together travel.

You should have made your own airline plans.....

 

No. Royal Caribbean didn't provide what they were paid for. Don't blame the victims.

Renee

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No. Royal Caribbean didn't provide what they were paid for. Don't blame the victims.

Renee

 

Agreed. Some people have the attitude that God forbid anyone has a legitimate complaint about their favorite cruise line. I swear there were probably a select few on the Costa board who blamed the passengers on the Concordia for the ship going down.

 

More than one passenger verified that RC handled this situation really badly.

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I agree with everyone. The fog in the Venetian lagoon is bad. Royal totally screwed up by not realizing that late arrivals mean missed flights. Better links at corporate level are needed. CEO problem. And I also agree with the implied point that out of 500 passengers, you would think that at least one would know how to turn on their cell phone and call Royal and/or Air2Sea. I visualize all these sheep milling around in a field, just hoping for a dog to guide them. Royal should provide the sheep dogs and are clearly at fault for not doing so, but really people! You stand around for six hours and just passively wait to be told what to do?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Well to update you, the Royal Caribbean agent actually called me back today. Bottom line is that they claim they fulfilled all of their obligations and no formal apology about how the matter was handled by Royal Caribbean/Air2Sea was tendered and no compensation (either cash refund or future cruise credit) will be considered.

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