Brilliance of the Seas vets: Will you return to Royal Caribbean?

[Sue L]

You will like the Dream. It is not as glitzy as other CCL ships. Food and service were outstanding. Entertainment was very good and more to choose from than RCI.

 

The Dream is a little too big for me, I prefer Radiance class.

 

Ship design is like othe CCL and Princess ships. You can't just take an elevator to the floor you want and then walk either for or aft. You need to go up or down one floor the walk either for or aft to get into the dining rooms.

 

CCL could take lessons from RCI on ship design and RCI could take lessons from CCL on food variety and entertainment choices.

 

 

thanks for the info, we thought the food on the Brilliance was excellent this cruise. We totally loved the cruise and ports and missing Cannes was not a big deal to us. I sailed Carnival several times and prefer RCCL hands down, I am very interested to see this ship though.

[canucks4]

We are back today from the October 25-Nov. 6 sailing - a day late departure and four ports missed! Terrible customer service resulting in mutiny on the high seas (and I mean high seas!!!). This was our third time on BOS and our last. So very many reasons and it's late so a review will be forthcoming. For now, we are thankful to be off the ship.

[coxswain]

We are back today from the October 25-Nov. 6 sailing - a day late departure and four ports missed! Terrible customer service resulting in mutiny on the high seas (and I mean high seas!!!). This was our third time on BOS and our last. So very many reasons and it's late so a review will be forthcoming. For now, we are thankful to be off the ship.

 

 

 

I'd be interested in hearing more about how the Cpt and customer service handled things - did the Cpt address the guests in a question or answer session ?

 

 

 

Its terrible saving all year then to have your holiday ruined :-(

 

 

 

 

 

 

jj........

[English_in_Spain]

Lesson to learn - cruising in the Med in the winter (October to March) is like cruising in the Caribbean during huricane season.

 

You can do it. Prices are cheaper. But the risk you take is that you might encounter bad weather/rough seas.

 

If you want better weather go in the summer months.

[parrotheaduga]

We were on the Brilliance for the Oct 25th sailing for the delayed start (26th) and subsequent weather related missed ports (4 total, Nice, Livorno, Santorini & Naples).

 

When traveling you have to adjust and adapt to what comes your way, things don't always go as planned. In the past we have experienced a riot in Vigo Spain, rain and transportation strike in Paris, and a sand storm in Egypt - to name a few. All outside of our control and, believe it or not, the control of the tour operators. Did any of these ruin the trip? No! And in fact they didn't even ruin the day, they just added to the events of the journey and made each unique.

 

Overall the cruise was a great trip. It wasn't exactly what we planned but it was still very enjoyable. Lets not forget that page 3 of the ticket booklet says "Cruise Itinerary may change as conditions warrant....due to weather or current events...".

 

The Good:

- Food/Food Service - Very Good to Excellent (except 1 Poolside sandwich)

- State Room attendant - Excellent - might have been our best yet

- Customer Relations - Very Good - very reponsive and handled all questions quickly

- Curse Director/Staff - Very Good to Excellent - always out and about on ship, running all the standard activities and kept the passenagers upto date on the weather and itinerary changes asap and notified all in writing of the major changes, credits and refunds.

- Entertainment - Fair to Good - singer and dancer shows not as good as past, mixed reviews of the guest entertainers

- Ship Condition - Excellent

- Boarding (26th)/Debarking - very very fast with no delays or lines - some others experienced CC issues at debarking

 

The Bad:

- Cruise/Hotel Checkin(25th) due to delayed departure - Without the ship being in port, they had no computer system to do checkin, so it was back to the days of doing it by hand. We arrived at the port around 12:30 and didn't leave for the hotel until around 2:30. We were assign to the AC Barcelonia which wasn't prepared to checkin that large of a group. We we in line for the hotel until 6:00/6:30. That was the longest worst 6 hours of the trip. RCCL should have worked with the Hotel better to have the rooms ready without having individual checkin. The hotel was a beautiful hotel, but (like a lot in Oct.) had no running AC and thus was hot.

 

The Disappointing:

- Missing four ports of call due to weather - Nice and Livorno missed due to late departure (bad weather prior cruise). Great weather for the first week of cruise. Santorini missed due to 50mph winds and rough seas preventing harboring or tendering. Naples missed due to 85 mph winds causing ship to sail to far south of the Straits of Messina. Captain and crew did a excellent job of keeping the ship headed into the storms to minimize the effects of the weather and seas on the ship and passengers.

 

Here's the worst:

- Fellow Cruisers - Now we completely understand being disappointed in missing ports of call, but the anger and disrespect displayed toward the cruise director and staff was/is completely unacceptable and at odds with the "maturity" of the cruise passengers. Booing at and calling the

CD a liar during shows. Lots of complaining (PC) and moaning about RCCL knowing that the weather would be bad and that all the missed ports were

their fault. I never knew so many could control the weather but were unwilling. Why ruin your holiday with your actions? Enjoy your holiday and address the problems with RCCL corporate when you get home!!!

 

Yes the cruise had its disappointments, but it was still a very enjoyable holiday and excellent adventure. We'll be sailing again with RCCL in the future and know that this past cruise will always have it's own unique status!

[jp45atcc]

First, I'm glad that you and your cruise mates returned safely home and that you seem to have had a good vacation experience. Rolling with the ship isn't always easy. Do you know if all the public computers were working and if telephone communication was possible most of the time? These matters presented real challenges on the cruise ahead of you. I was pleased, too, to hear that you felt that communication was outstanding. Perhaps Royal Caribbean learned a thing or two from the previous troubled cruises. I hope, too, that RC is assembling a focus group, including passengers, to go through the whole string of events of the last three sailings and learn from them. Much of the misery could have been lessened, I'm convinced, by thinking more like a passenger.

[canucks4]

Perception is a wonderful thing - whereas some may have thought the cruise was acceptable, me and dare I say, many hundreds of others did not. Aside from the obvious late departure and missing four ports, the Brilliance did not shine one bit for us....and you know what, I'm going to voice my concern about it just as I would if any business I paid money to did not provide the product nor service that I paid for. I don't want a store credit just as I don't want an RCI future cruise credit.

 

From the declining food standards and same-old offerings, to the so-so entertainment, from the tight casino and cash grabbing BINGO to the affected CD and brash activities staff, the Brilliance has lost her appeal. I also had occasion to visit the Customer Relations desk six times, five of which were RCI errors that my husband & I had to fix and all requiring a lineup of at least 15-30 minutes. The desk was always busy, I've never seen that on other cruises! The TV showed the same 5 movies every day for 12 (oops sorry 11) days! Then they showed the same 5 movies in the theatre all day as well. People, is there not a movie library available!

 

We laughed and drank and spent lots of money meeting many, many nice people, but it was not what we paid for. As I said perception is a wonderful thing, and many of us had the distinct impression that the truth was not always being shared, that decisions made were in the best interest of RCI and not the passengers. Because we share differing opinions does not make ours wrong nor immature (RCI staff removing the microphone from the Colony Club during the 400+ passenger meeting was immature and very much uncalled for).

 

Continue enjoying RCI - as I choose not to, I'd prefer a cash refund rather than their credit.

[Sue L]

First, I'm glad that you and your cruise mates returned safely home and that you seem to have had a good vacation experience. Rolling with the ship isn't always easy. Do you know if all the public computers were working and if telephone communication was possible most of the time? These matters presented real challenges on the cruise ahead of you. I was pleased, too, to hear that you felt that communication was outstanding. Perhaps Royal Caribbean learned a thing or two from the previous troubled cruises. I hope, too, that RC is assembling a focus group, including passengers, to go through the whole string of events of the last three sailings and learn from them. Much of the misery could have been lessened, I'm convinced, by thinking more like a passenger.

 

 

I was on the Oct 13 th sailing and ALL the computers seemed to be working but there was a line at all of them and there are only 30 satellite phone line so again difficulty getting a line out. I think the CD and staff did an wonderful job keeping us abreast of what was happening but I know others disagree.

 

the reason you don't see it on this past cruise as far as computer phone issues is they were ON TIME, so there were not 100's of people trying to rearrange their travel plans like on the previous two cruises that were delayed getting into port. The communication system was overwhelmed but nothing wrong with it.

 

 

 

These three sailings just prove that mother nature is in control and she can be a B****H.

[HoosiersWhoCruise]

Because we share differing opinions does not make ours wrong nor immature (RCI staff removing the microphone from the Colony Club during the 400+ passenger meeting was immature and very much uncalled for).

 

 

When was this meeting, and where was it posted that it would be happening? Was it specifically to address guest complaints regarding the itinerary changes? My wife and I were on the Oct 25 sailing and heard mumblings about this meeting, but we never knew when it took place?

 

The thing that was most disappointing for my wife and I is that we're young, don't have a ton of money, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us. I could be wrong, but it just seems to me that folks who fall into the "Oh well, stuff happens and it's all part of the experience" are the same people who have the disposable income AND time to travel to exotic places every year (or several times a year). My wife and I aren't those people, we don't have the money to travel to extravagant places every year. So, to travel to Europe, pay a certain fee for a certain itinerary and only see half of the ports we paid to see was VERY disappointing.

 

Now, was that all RCI's fault? Surely not. Someone already pointed out the clause when you book your cruise, and we all know that RCI can't control the weather. What RCI DOES control, however, is their reaction to it. There were a few things in how they reacted that I really didn't like. First, I don't feel that their attempts to make up for the itinerary changes were appropriate in either case when they offered them. The first was when we had the one-day delay at the beginning of the cruise, which cost us one day but TWO ports-Monaco and Florence. For this, they offered $200 OBC for inside cabins, $300 balconies, and $400 suites. This was supposed to cover all meals for while we were in Barcelona as well. My wife and I tried to eat as cheaply as possible but it still cost somewhere between $80-90 for our two meals that day (Yes, Barca is that expensive). I don't think $2-400 cuts it, not even close, for missing both Monaco and Florence. They also didn't give any sort of clear explanation for why the one-day delay caused us to miss two ports, and why we couldn't make one or the other.

 

The second is regarding the last missed port, and the compensation they offered afterwards. We missed Santorini, which was understandable because the whether really WAS bad, bad enough to wake both my wife and I in the middle of the night, and tendering in was just not gonna happen. The next day, we make it to Athens, enjoy the city, and leave Athens for a sea day on the way to Naples, which we eventually missed because the captain re-routed us away from Naples to try and avoid high winds, which didn't really work because we were still stuck in terrible winds for the next 24 hours. The VERY upsetting thing is that while we were docked in Athens, there was a Celebrity cruise ship (Century?) also docked there, and the word going around was that it was also due for Naples and made its stop there. If that's true, I'd be even more upset. They announced the Naples news at 845 p.m. while we were eating dinner, and let us know that they would be offering us a voucher for a future cruise booking that was worth 25% of the total we paid for this cruise. Again, I don't think that's enough because A) We didn't miss 25% of our ports, we missed 50% and B) how many people on this cruise would ever want to cruise with RCI again?

[TBSCruiser]

When was this meeting, and where was it posted that it would be happening? Was it specifically to address guest complaints regarding the itinerary changes? My wife and I were on the Oct 25 sailing and heard mumblings about this meeting, but we never knew when it took place?

 

The thing that was most disappointing for my wife and I is that we're young, don't have a ton of money, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us. I could be wrong, but it just seems to me that folks who fall into the "Oh well, stuff happens and it's all part of the experience" are the same people who have the disposable income AND time to travel to exotic places every year (or several times a year). My wife and I aren't those people, we don't have the money to travel to extravagant places every year. So, to travel to Europe, pay a certain fee for a certain itinerary and only see half of the ports we paid to see was VERY disappointing.

 

Now, was that all RCI's fault? Surely not. Someone already pointed out the clause when you book your cruise, and we all know that RCI can't control the weather. What RCI DOES control, however, is their reaction to it. There were a few things in how they reacted that I really didn't like. First, I don't feel that their attempts to make up for the itinerary changes were appropriate in either case when they offered them. The first was when we had the one-day delay at the beginning of the cruise, which cost us one day but TWO ports-Monaco and Florence. For this, they offered $200 OBC for inside cabins, $300 balconies, and $400 suites. This was supposed to cover all meals for while we were in Barcelona as well. My wife and I tried to eat as cheaply as possible but it still cost somewhere between $80-90 for our two meals that day (Yes, Barca is that expensive). I don't think $2-400 cuts it, not even close, for missing both Monaco and Florence. They also didn't give any sort of clear explanation for why the one-day delay caused us to miss two ports, and why we couldn't make one or the other.

 

The second is regarding the last missed port, and the compensation they offered afterwards. We missed Santorini, which was understandable because the whether really WAS bad, bad enough to wake both my wife and I in the middle of the night, and tendering in was just not gonna happen. The next day, we make it to Athens, enjoy the city, and leave Athens for a sea day on the way to Naples, which we eventually missed because the captain re-routed us away from Naples to try and avoid high winds, which didn't really work because we were still stuck in terrible winds for the next 24 hours. The VERY upsetting thing is that while we were docked in Athens, there was a Celebrity cruise ship (Century?) also docked there, and the word going around was that it was also due for Naples and made its stop there. If that's true, I'd be even more upset. They announced the Naples news at 845 p.m. while we were eating dinner, and let us know that they would be offering us a voucher for a future cruise booking that was worth 25% of the total we paid for this cruise. Again, I don't think that's enough because A) We didn't miss 25% of our ports, we missed 50% and B) how many people on this cruise would ever want to cruise with RCI again?

 

 

I was on the Oct 13 cruise, so I know part of what you feel, but don't understand a few points. First if you are young how could you say this is a trip of a lifetime, hopefully down the line you will have greater income and great travel time? You say trip of a lifetime at 70 not when you are young. If you read your contract they don't have to go to any ports they can change with no warning and no compensation. I think 25% off is pretty good, plus the OBC. Before you or anyone jumps down my throat, it cost me $4500 to get home and for the two extra days in Barcelona because we couldn't get a flight until Wednesday, so don't tell me about extra expenses.

[leoandhugh]

Having read the details of what took place on this cruise relative to late departure and arrival, I don't think I would let is shade my perception of RCL on bit. With almost 40 cruises on various lines under my belt, I have learned two things - problems do occur that are beyond control of the cruise line and it can ruin an otherwise great vacation if you sit and stew about it.:)

[HoosiersWhoCruise]

I was on the Oct 13 cruise, so I know part of what you feel, but don't understand a few points. First if you are young how could you say this is a trip of a lifetime, hopefully down the line you will have greater income and great travel time? You say trip of a lifetime at 70 not when you are young. If you read your contract they don't have to go to any ports they can change with no warning and no compensation. I think 25% off is pretty good, plus the OBC. Before you or anyone jumps down my throat, it cost me $4500 to get home and for the two extra days in Barcelona because we couldn't get a flight until Wednesday, so don't tell me about extra expenses.

 

For one, I used that term more to describe how we viewed this trip for us at this point in our lives, perhaps I should have put it in quotes or said it was our "dream vacation" or whatever. At the same time, no one is guaranteed anything in life, and who knows if I'll ever be able to retire, OR have enough money to travel when I do? I sure hope I will, and I'll work my ass off to do so, but I'm not guaranteed anything.

 

Secondly, you're right about the weather, and the cruise line being able to change the itinerary at any time without compensation. They didn't need to offer anything contractually, so why would they? Because they understand (maybe you don't) that a lot of thier guests would be disappointed by the itinerary change and they wanted to do something to entice these guests to return to RCI. Cruise lines live and die on repeat customers just like most businesses, and while they could have done nothing, they attempted to offer compensation to get some customers to return. I just don't think it was enough.

[rubrrick]

We just left Cancun yesteday....and wondering why it was a downpour and very windy...........decided to turn on the TV.

 

A tropical depression....that was a hurricane over Central America, is now over the Caribbean.......and gaining in strength. A week ago, the forecast for the next week in Cancun was to be sunshine. Now.....it's a tropical storm, or maybe, the wind force will turn it back into a hurricane.

 

That is life in the Caribbean at this time of year.......but the Med does not normally have this many storms.

 

The Captain of the Brilliance is a personal acquaintance, as we go back to his first voyage, after being elevated to a Master in 2003. We communicate on a regular basis, and his words to me are that "we have had more challenging cruises in the Med, and the weather has not been on our side of late". He goes on to say "At some stage, it has to improve!"

 

I feel bad for those that feel cheated for missing ports or having a bit of a rock and roll ride. But, one has to know that when the cheap season comes about......it's a gamble. Some years it's fantastic weather, and other years........might as well be a hurricane!!

 

It's the Captains responsibility to make sure that the ship and passengers are safe. He is not responsible for giving out any shipboard credit, or refunds.

 

Be thankful you were not aboard the Titanic!!:rolleyes:

 

Rick

[TBSCruiser]

For one, I used that term more to describe how we viewed this trip for us at this point in our lives, perhaps I should have put it in quotes or said it was our "dream vacation" or whatever. At the same time, no one is guaranteed anything in life, and who knows if I'll ever be able to retire, OR have enough money to travel when I do? I sure hope I will, and I'll work my ass off to do so, but I'm not guaranteed anything.

 

Secondly, you're right about the weather, and the cruise line being able to change the itinerary at any time without compensation. They didn't need to offer anything contractually, so why would they? Because they understand (maybe you don't) that a lot of thier guests would be disappointed by the itinerary change and they wanted to do something to entice these guests to return to RCI. Cruise lines live and die on repeat customers just like most businesses, and while they could have done nothing, they attempted to offer compensation to get some customers to return. I just don't think it was enough.

 

I am a very experienced cruiser (and business owner) yes I know why they offered the compensation but it saying that you still aren't satisfied. It sounds like the passengers were out of control though by treating the hard working staff the way it has been reported that they did.

 

Yes it is sad when things don't go as expected but I think blame is misplaced Many on here make it sound like the staff conspired to ruin your trip.

 

Honestly what would you think is fair compensation??? I got $200 per person change fee for $4500 costs incurred.

[mjsshipboy]

From the declining food standards and same-old offerings, to the so-so entertainment, from the tight casino and cash grabbing BINGO to the affected CD and brash activities staff. QUOTE]

 

What does "Affected CD" mean. I don't understand.

[jp45atcc]

What does "Affected CD" mean. I don't understand.

 

That, I believe, refers to the cruise director who constantly assures you how much Royal Caribbean appreciates your patience and so hopes you're enjoying the cruise - despite the misfortune of having missed your scheduled ports of call and air connections and now having to pay for hotel, meals and godawful air fare to get home.

No one on board, I'm convinced, has an iota of authority - except the captain, who can (and should) make safety calls. Every other response comes from a central office that is concerned with RC's bottom line and little else.

No, it doesn't help when we get angry in such situations. But it's understandable when what was a terrific vacation becomes a panic to change every arrangement you've made. My disappointment in the Oct. 13 sailing was not in the changes, which could not be avoided, but in the horrid communications.

I can only hope that RC analyzes every aspect of this mess. I know for certain that this cruiser is making that assessment. Brilliance of the Seas is a wonderful ship, and the day-to-day crew was fabulous. Top management were puppets whose strings were pulled by the bean counters. It's of no consolation whatsoever when a customer service agent responds to questions of compensation with: I only hope you have cruise insurance. Or when a crew member tells an elevator full of people who have been trying for hours to get a phone or internet connection: Just be grateful that no one was hurt or killed.

In some instances, silence is golden - even when you're confronted by angry customers. I'm sorry that some cruisers felt it necessary to abuse staff and crew, if that occurred. These folks had no authority to change anything.

I made my own changes. Otherwise, I'd still be aboard, in line, I'm afraid. Still assured by the CD, of course, that my patience was appreciated.

[coxswain]

What does "Affected CD" mean. I don't understand.

 

That, I believe, refers to the cruise director who constantly assures you how much Royal Caribbean appreciates your patience and so hopes you're enjoying the cruise - despite the misfortune of having missed your scheduled ports of call and air connections and now having to pay for hotel, meals and godawful air fare to get home.

No one on board, I'm convinced, has an iota of authority - except the captain, who can (and should) make safety calls. Every other response comes from a central office that is concerned with RC's bottom line and little else.

No, it doesn't help when we get angry in such situations. But it's understandable when what was a terrific vacation becomes a panic to change every arrangement you've made. My disappointment in the Oct. 13 sailing was not in the changes, which could not be avoided, but in the horrid communications.

I can only hope that RC analyzes every aspect of this mess. I know for certain that this cruiser is making that assessment. Brilliance of the Seas is a wonderful ship, and the day-to-day crew was fabulous. Top management were puppets whose strings were pulled by the bean counters. It's of no consolation whatsoever when a customer service agent responds to questions of compensation with: I only hope you have cruise insurance. Or when a crew member tells an elevator full of people who have been trying for hours to get a phone or internet connection: Just be grateful that no one was hurt or killed.

In some instances, silence is golden - even when you're confronted by angry customers. I'm sorry that some cruisers felt it necessary to abuse staff and crew, if that occurred. These folks had no authority to change anything.

I made my own changes. Otherwise, I'd still be aboard, in line, I'm afraid. Still assured by the CD, of course, that my patience was appreciated.

 

 

 

Well said i hardly saw the CD and the Cpt i still believe was worried about the new windows and taking it slow. On top of that the new as sooon as we left Corfu we wouldn't make it to Barcelona on time - given they'd every weather chart on show on channel 14 !!

 

 

 

 

jj......

[TBSCruiser]

Well said i hardly saw the CD and the Cpt i still believe was worried about the new windows and taking it slow. On top of that the new as sooon as we left Corfu we wouldn't make it to Barcelona on time - given they'd every weather chart on show on channel 14 !!

 

 

 

 

jj......

 

Not sure where you were hanging out, but Gordon (CD) was one of the most visible CD's I have ever sailed with. And yes, they probably did know when we were leaving Corfu, but needed that time to organize and plan exactly what they were going to do. The logistics were immense. We were doing 22 knots at when we could , how is that going slow? Maybe the 80 mph head winds were the issue. Get over the conspiracy theories they are getting old.

[coxswain]

Not sure where you were hanging out, but Gordon (CD) was one of the most visible CD's I have ever sailed with. And yes, they probably did know when we were leaving Corfu, but needed that time to organize and plan exactly what they were going to do. The logistics were immense. We were doing 22 knots at when we could , how is that going slow? Maybe the 80 mph head winds were the issue. Get over the conspiracy theories they are getting old.

 

 

Oh yeah if you call hanging out on the TV !!

 

Would that be so they could buy up the flights before anyone else ?

 

 

And given it was 3 cruises in a row you'd have thought they'd have got their act together but it doesn't sound like it given the last cruise !!

 

 

 

You have your views i have mine no need to attack.

 

 

 

 

 

jj.......

[TBSCruiser]

Oh yeah if you call hanging out on the TV !!

 

Would that be so they could buy up the flights before anyone else ?

 

 

And given it was 3 cruises in a row you'd have thought they'd have got their act together but it doesn't sound like it given the last cruise !!

 

 

 

You have your views i have mine no need to attack.

 

 

 

 

 

jj.......

 

Stop playing the wounded victim, I was not attacking. Gordon was all over that ship...all day...along with his staff. And what if they were buying all the flights, isn't that part of what you pay for if you pay the high fares and book your air through the line?

[jbatzmaru]

All I can say is that I did not have a good time. Miss 4 ports and was stuck on the ship for 7 days at sea.

 

Ok... Now for the real reason why we missed so many ports.

 

1) The shipped was damaged. 3 of the port window was busted in from the last cruise. They cover it up and sent the ship sailing. Not sure if this would affect the integrity of the ship thus causing the captain to slow the ship down to a crawl. It took us 3.5 days to get from Athens to Barcelona.

 

2) Someone was injured from the cruise before us, thus causing the captain to be more cautious? thus going extra slow.

 

I know that RCI can not control the weather but they can control the ship. If the ship was damage don't put people on the ship and send them to sea. RCI knew full well that the ship can not go at the speed it needed to to make it to all the ports. The only thing RCI was protecting was the bottom line. I hope RCI will do the right thing and refund everyone their money and avoid a embarrassing PR nightmare.

 

PS: there was a cruiser/lawyer on board the ship and she is negotiating a settlement for all the cruiser that were not happy. If anyone is interested post me your email address and I will give you more info.

[coxswain]

All I can say is that I did not have a good time. Miss 4 ports and was stuck on the ship for 7 days at sea.

 

Ok... Now for the real reason why we missed so many ports.

 

1) The shipped was damaged. 3 of the port window was busted in from the last cruise. They cover it up and sent the ship sailing. Not sure if this would affect the integrity of the ship thus causing the captain to slow the ship down to a crawl. It took us 3.5 days to get from Athens to Barcelona.

 

2) Someone was injured from the cruise before us, thus causing the captain to be more cautious? thus going extra slow.

 

I know that RCI can not control the weather but they can control the ship. If the ship was damage don't put people on the ship and send them to sea. RCI knew full well that the ship can not go at the speed it needed to to make it to all the ports. The only thing RCI was protecting was the bottom line. I hope RCI will do the right thing and refund everyone their money and avoid a embarrassing PR nightmare.

 

PS: there was a cruiser/lawyer on board the ship and she is negotiating a settlement for all the cruiser that were not happy. If anyone is interested post me your email address and I will give you more info.

 

 

 

 

Give me a shout belfastcoxswain@googlemail.com

 

The lawyer should give lloyds list a ring.

 

 

 

And i agree with what you said - he was on a go slow hugging the coast !!

 

 

 

 

 

jj......

[abridalmaven]

When was this meeting, and where was it posted that it would be happening? Was it specifically to address guest complaints regarding the itinerary changes? My wife and I were on the Oct 25 sailing and heard mumblings about this meeting, but we never knew when it took place?

 

The thing that was most disappointing for my wife and I is that we're young, don't have a ton of money, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us. I could be wrong, but it just seems to me that folks who fall into the "Oh well, stuff happens and it's all part of the experience" are the same people who have the disposable income AND time to travel to exotic places every year (or several times a year). My wife and I aren't those people, we don't have the money to travel to extravagant places every year. So, to travel to Europe, pay a certain fee for a certain itinerary and only see half of the ports we paid to see was VERY disappointing.

 

Now, was that all RCI's fault? Surely not. Someone already pointed out the clause when you book your cruise, and we all know that RCI can't control the weather. What RCI DOES control, however, is their reaction to it. There were a few things in how they reacted that I really didn't like. First, I don't feel that their attempts to make up for the itinerary changes were appropriate in either case when they offered them. The first was when we had the one-day delay at the beginning of the cruise, which cost us one day but TWO ports-Monaco and Florence. For this, they offered $200 OBC for inside cabins, $300 balconies, and $400 suites. This was supposed to cover all meals for while we were in Barcelona as well. My wife and I tried to eat as cheaply as possible but it still cost somewhere between $80-90 for our two meals that day (Yes, Barca is that expensive). I don't think $2-400 cuts it, not even close, for missing both Monaco and Florence. They also didn't give any sort of clear explanation for why the one-day delay caused us to miss two ports, and why we couldn't make one or the other.

 

The second is regarding the last missed port, and the compensation they offered afterwards. We missed Santorini, which was understandable because the whether really WAS bad, bad enough to wake both my wife and I in the middle of the night, and tendering in was just not gonna happen. The next day, we make it to Athens, enjoy the city, and leave Athens for a sea day on the way to Naples, which we eventually missed because the captain re-routed us away from Naples to try and avoid high winds, which didn't really work because we were still stuck in terrible winds for the next 24 hours. The VERY upsetting thing is that while we were docked in Athens, there was a Celebrity cruise ship (Century?) also docked there, and the word going around was that it was also due for Naples and made its stop there. If that's true, I'd be even more upset. They announced the Naples news at 845 p.m. while we were eating dinner, and let us know that they would be offering us a voucher for a future cruise booking that was worth 25% of the total we paid for this cruise. Again, I don't think that's enough because A) We didn't miss 25% of our ports, we missed 50% and B) how many people on this cruise would ever want to cruise with RCI again?

Now that is just not true, we stayed precruise in Barcelona for a few days and found ways to eat much cheaper than that. Not to make a joke of it, but there was a Burger King right on Las Ramblas if ou really were on a budget.

[TBSCruiser]

All I can say is that I did not have a good time. Miss 4 ports and was stuck on the ship for 7 days at sea.

 

Ok... Now for the real reason why we missed so many ports.

 

1) The shipped was damaged. 3 of the port window was busted in from the last cruise. They cover it up and sent the ship sailing. Not sure if this would affect the integrity of the ship thus causing the captain to slow the ship down to a crawl. It took us 3.5 days to get from Athens to Barcelona.

 

2) Someone was injured from the cruise before us, thus causing the captain to be more cautious? thus going extra slow.

 

I know that RCI can not control the weather but they can control the ship. If the ship was damage don't put people on the ship and send them to sea. RCI knew full well that the ship can not go at the speed it needed to to make it to all the ports. The only thing RCI was protecting was the bottom line. I hope RCI will do the right thing and refund everyone their money and avoid a embarrassing PR nightmare.

 

PS: there was a cruiser/lawyer on board the ship and she is negotiating a settlement for all the cruiser that were not happy. If anyone is interested post me your email address and I will give you more info.

 

 

they fixed the windows before we left port on the morning of the 14th, it is why we stayed overnight in Barcelona. So your theory is incorrect.

[TBSCruiser]

Give me a shout belfastcoxswain@googlemail.com

 

The lawyer should give lloyds list a ring.

 

 

 

And i agree with what you said - he was on a go slow hugging the coast !!

 

 

 

 

 

jj......

 

 

to avoid storms all through the area, we were watching it on CNN on they were not making things up, there were tornado warnings in Croatia and through out that whole area.