Lack of organization in interporting

Please don’t read this as a dramatic post, as I’m extremely extremely excited and looking forward to our cruise on the Symphony in July. I’m just slightly irritated by the lack of clear information and lack of organization when it comes to interporting.

We’ll be boarding in Civitavecchia and it’s our first time on a cruise that lets people on and off in two places, but it’s not Royal’s first time. Since Barcelona is the home port, all info revolves around Barcelona being day one and eight of the cruise. For example, one of the excursions offered in my Cruise Planner is Stay Awhile (late disembarkation) in Barcelona...but Barcelona is my fourth day...obviously this excursion should not be available for me and I certainly shouldn’t be able to book and pay for it...

At the same time, there is no mention of such an option for Civitavecchia. I spoke to a rep on the phone and he said it is not being offered, although it was offered on Harmony and on Allure in the past. That’s fine if this is true, but we know the phone reps aren’t the most reliable either (he didn’t even know what I was talking about at first...he thought it was a promo, then said that such a thing doesn’t exist and then I explained again and he said it was just offered at the home port), so I’m left at the mercy of my fellow CCrs to ask at guest services onboard so that I can make arrangements for our last day. That doesn’t make much sense...

Another example - I’m able to book Escape the Rubicon for the time that our mandatory muster drill is going on...that doesn’t make sense at all.

The cruise compasses in the app are only those of the cruises beginning in Barcelona, so there’s no info on what’s going on on the ship the whole morning of Barcelona, since that day is just regarded as day one and not as day four.

Again, this doesn’t have a negative effect on my cruise or anything dramatic. I just find it odd that a huge cruise line that’s been doing this for years is so disorganized and so unclear. Plus, it is irritating that I can’t make our travel arrangements yet for our last day due to lack of or bad info.

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Since no one else has chimed in yet, I can tell you that RCI is undergoing major changes to its web site and is having numerous problems and glitches!:loudcry: Hopefully, things will keep getting better and you'll be able to get all of your planning done before your cruise. If not, you may need to do some of it after you board.;) Good luck and have a great cruise!:cool:

Please don’t read this as a dramatic post, as I’m extremely extremely excited and looking forward to our cruise on the Symphony in July. I’m just slightly irritated by the lack of clear information and lack of organization when it comes to interporting.

 

We’ll be boarding in Civitavecchia and it’s our first time on a cruise that lets people on and off in two places, but it’s not Royal’s first time. Since Barcelona is the home port, all info revolves around Barcelona being day one and eight of the cruise. For example, one of the excursions offered in my Cruise Planner is Stay Awhile (late disembarkation) in Barcelona...but Barcelona is my fourth day...obviously this excursion should not be available for me and I certainly shouldn’t be able to book and pay for it...

 

At the same time, there is no mention of such an option for Civitavecchia. I spoke to a rep on the phone and he said it is not being offered, although it was offered on Harmony and on Allure in the past. That’s fine if this is true, but we know the phone reps aren’t the most reliable either (he didn’t even know what I was talking about at first...he thought it was a promo, then said that such a thing doesn’t exist and then I explained again and he said it was just offered at the home port), so I’m left at the mercy of my fellow CCrs to ask at guest services onboard so that I can make arrangements for our last day. That doesn’t make much sense...

 

Another example - I’m able to book Escape the Rubicon for the time that our mandatory muster drill is going on...that doesn’t make sense at all.

 

The cruise compasses in the app are only those of the cruises beginning in Barcelona, so there’s no info on what’s going on on the ship the whole morning of Barcelona, since that day is just regarded as day one and not as day four.

 

Again, this doesn’t have a negative effect on my cruise or anything dramatic. I just find it odd that a huge cruise line that’s been doing this for years is so disorganized and so unclear. Plus, it is irritating that I can’t make our travel arrangements yet for our last day due to lack of or bad info.

 

 

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My DS and DIL went on Harmony 2 years ago for their Honeymoon when it was in the Med and had the exact same problems. Be very aware that the days listed for any reservations are based on leaving from Barcelona, not Rome.

They had made all of their reservations beforehand and found that some of them had already past. When they complained to the senior staff, the staff apologized and comp-ed them a dinner at Wonderland and provided some fine wine as well. The staff did whatever they could to get them the same, or similar, reservations for the missed days so it was resolved.

RCI needs to, somehow, resolve this interporting dilemma!

Steve

It does sound like a bother...not dramatic problems, but irritating, I’m sure. You may find that you are forced accept and embrace that the home port is Barcelona and thus most items/info/ day#/ etc are geared toward Barcelona embarkations, leaving you as one of the (hopefully happy) exceptions.

Pick excursions that work for your schedule and ignore those that work for others.

If most guests are departing in Barcelona, anticipate that there may not be many activities on the ship that day; plan your own fun and be pleasantly surprised if there are activities on board that morning.

Personally, if plans for debarkation day are at all complicated and if could not book Civitavecchia Stay Awhile, I’d just make my travel plans under the assumption it would be unavailable. Even if another guest on another cruise manages to book it, you may not be able to do so on your day.

Good for the rest of us to know that interport can cause some issues. Thanks for sharing the info. I hope you have a wonderful time.

It does sound like a bother...not dramatic problems, but irritating, I’m sure. You may find that you are forced accept and embrace that the home port is Barcelona and thus most items/info/ day#/ etc are geared toward Barcelona embarkations, leaving you as one of the (hopefully happy) exceptions.

Pick excursions that work for your schedule and ignore those that work for others.

 

If most guests are departing in Barcelona, anticipate that there may not be many activities on the ship that day; plan your own fun and be pleasantly surprised if there are activities on board that morning.

 

Personally, if plans for debarkation day are at all complicated and if could not book Civitavecchia Stay Awhile, I’d just make my travel plans under the assumption it would be unavailable. Even if another guest on another cruise manages to book it, you may not be able to do so on your day.

 

Good for the rest of us to know that interport can cause some issues. Thanks for sharing the info. I hope you have a wonderful time.

Agree, well said...

Since no one else has chimed in yet, I can tell you that RCI is undergoing major changes to its web site and is having numerous problems and glitches!:loudcry: Hopefully, things will keep getting better and you'll be able to get all of your planning done before your cruise. If not, you may need to do some of it after you board.;) Good luck and have a great cruise!:cool:

Thanks for your reply :) Sadly, the issues I’m talking about aren’t glitches in the web site.

My DS and DIL went on Harmony 2 years ago for their Honeymoon when it was in the Med and had the exact same problems. Be very aware that the days listed for any reservations are based on leaving from Barcelona, not Rome.

 

 

 

They had made all of their reservations beforehand and found that some of them had already past. When they complained to the senior staff, the staff apologized and comp-ed them a dinner at Wonderland and provided some fine wine as well. The staff did whatever they could to get them the same, or similar, reservations for the missed days so it was resolved.

 

 

 

RCI needs to, somehow, resolve this interporting dilemma!

 

 

 

Steve

That sounds very annoying!! I’m sorry they had that experience, but glad guest services fixed the problem in the best way possible. We’ve always found the RCL guest services to be stellar at their jobs.

It does sound like a bother...not dramatic problems, but irritating, I’m sure. You may find that you are forced accept and embrace that the home port is Barcelona and thus most items/info/ day#/ etc are geared toward Barcelona embarkations, leaving you as one of the (hopefully happy) exceptions.

 

Pick excursions that work for your schedule and ignore those that work for others.

 

 

 

If most guests are departing in Barcelona, anticipate that there may not be many activities on the ship that day; plan your own fun and be pleasantly surprised if there are activities on board that morning.

 

 

 

Personally, if plans for debarkation day are at all complicated and if could not book Civitavecchia Stay Awhile, I’d just make my travel plans under the assumption it would be unavailable. Even if another guest on another cruise manages to book it, you may not be able to do so on your day.

 

 

 

Good for the rest of us to know that interport can cause some issues. Thanks for sharing the info. I hope you have a wonderful time.

Thanks for your kind reply. I completely agree with everything you said. While all of these things don’t have a major effect on our cruise, I think for someone new to cruising this can cause lots of irritating and unnecessary hiccups. There’s no reason for a guest to be aware that a mandatory drill exists and to find out the time of it before boarding so as not to book the escape room for that time. A new cruiser might also think that since all of the Rome excursions are available to them it means they can book an excursion and be left in Rome. It just doesn’t make sense for the system to be showing me things - and worse, letting me pay for things - that aren’t for me. It doesn’t affect me and I just won’t book these things, but a novice cruiser might.

I have already made arrangements- with free cancellation :) - for our disembarkation day just in case. However, now that we know from people onboard that Stay Awhile exists in Civitavecchia and they’re just not showing it because of weird programming- that’s messed up...

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