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

[coxswain]

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.

 

 

 

No it isn't - they might have replaced them but they needed bedding in time !!

 

 

I also think some cabins had there portholes closed during the sailing just incase - imagine paying for a view and there is none.

 

 

 

 

jj......

[ehfl]

Trip insurance generally covers the cost of such changes in schedule. It's not clear what you were expecting.

[TBSCruiser]

No it isn't - they might have replaced them but they needed bedding in time !!

 

 

I also think some cabins had there portholes closed during the sailing just incase - imagine paying for a view and there is none.

 

 

 

 

jj......

 

 

those were crew cabins NOT passenger cabins that were covered while we were in the storms, so no one lost a view. And we made all the beginning ports fine and any "bedding" time would been well over by the end of the cruise 10 days later when we had issues due to the STORMS. Did you look at CNN during that time and watch the weather? It was showing pure RED (as in severe, severe storms) in the whole area between the back of Italy's boot all the way across to Corfu and north to Venice and south all the way to the heel ,there was no way to go around them except skirt the coast. I can guarantee you would have been the first in line whining if we had gone into the storms and everyone got sick or people got injured.

[jbatzmaru]

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.

 

Putting white cardboard and covering it up is not what I would consider a fix.

[TBSCruiser]

Putting white cardboard and covering it up is not what I would consider a fix.

 

 

No, someone who has been on a lot of cruises and knows reality. I paid $4500 to get home, what about you? They put in new windows, not cardboard.

[jbatzmaru]

No, someone who has been on a lot of cruises and knows reality. I paid $4500 to get home, what about you? They put in new windows, not cardboard.

 

you keep saying that you paid $4500 to get home. why don't you scan a copy and post the picture of the receipt so everyone can see it.

 

I paid 1500 bucks for two round trip ticket. I guess i plan better then you because i arrive 1 day early and I leave myself 1 day extra after i get off the boat.

 

 

If they put in new window then why did they cover it then?

[TBSCruiser]

you keep saying that you paid $4500 to get home. why don't you scan a copy and post the picture of the receipt so everyone can see it.

 

I paid 1500 bucks for two round trip ticket. I guess i plan better then you because i arrive 1 day early and I leave myself 1 day extra after i get off the boat.

 

 

If they put in new window then why did they cover it then?

 

 

I usually do stay but spent 4 days precruise and decided not to stay after this time as I have been to Barcelona numerous times. I don't have to play childish games with you, I don't have anything to prove to you or anyone else. If you don't choose to believe me I really don't care. As I said before this was my 100th cruise so not the first time I have been delayed due to weather, mechanical issues or other problems. If you choose to travel you have to take the good with the bad.

[jbatzmaru]

I usually do stay but spent 4 days precruise and decided not to stay after this time as I have been to Barcelona numerous times. I don't have to play childish games with you, I don't have anything to prove to you or anyone else. If you don't choose to believe me I really don't care. As I said before this was my 100th cruise so not the first time I have been delayed due to weather, mechanical issues or other problems. If you choose to travel you have to take the good with the bad.

 

If you been on 100 cruise how many of those cruise skipped 50% of their ports?

 

Please do tell us how you handle that situation. I am sure you have experience that before yes?

[parrotheaduga]

Don't anyone misunderstand. We were very disappointed at missing the ports, specially Santorini. We were disappointed not angry! And we do have issues that we will be contacting RCCL about. The Ship to Hotel on the first day was a complete fiasco and the one bad meal we had led to my wife getting food poisoning. But we choose to address the issues professionally with RCCL directly.

 

Canucks4 - If you buy lawn seats to a concert and it rains do you get a refund? Interesting about the food standards. We've been traveling with RCCL for 15+ years, the first few years we saw the food standards decline, but the past 3 cruises the food has been improved again. I'm not certain about the "same-old" offerings, it is the RCCL brand, some events have always been the same with changes over time. The Shows are different and I agree that the entertainment was fair to good. Bingo has always been a cash hog even on land. And no Casino is designed for you to win (The only way to win, is to own the casino - Steve Wynn), this one was not tighter than any other. I didn't say anyone was immature (you used that term), I said "mature" as in a polite way of saying that the age of the average cruiser was a bit advanced, and generally I find seniors to be respectful of other in public.

 

HoosiersWhoCruise - I understand that we missed 50% of the ports, but we didn't miss 50% of the cruise. If you look at the number of hours of the trip that was changed due to the weather then about 20% - 25% of the time was affected. I know everyone looks at this differently. I don't diminish the impact and disappointment that it has on trip of a lifetime travelers or any traveler. I was/am disappointed, just not angry.

 

The information I got on the ship from a crew member (bartender) and from online passenager reports (that we're on the cruise when the ship was damaged and not from hear say) and press releases was that only one window was busted, but that the water affected 3 rooms. The window repairs were made on the 14th and the ship was able to sail at full speed after that. They just weren't sailing full speed into 50 - 85 mph winds.

[parrotheaduga]

Crew members often "black out" their port hole windows in order to sleep during the day when they are working the night shifts.

[TBSCruiser]

If you been on 100 cruise how many of those cruise skipped 50% of their ports?

 

Please do tell us how you handle that situation. I am sure you have experience that before yes?

 

 

On a cruise about 15-17 years ago we missed 4 of six ports (so missed 66% of ports) running around trying to avoid a hurricane that had a mind of its own, so had two ports and 8 sea days. It was way more expensive to cruise back then and we got free drinks for one day and $100 credit towards our next cruise.

 

 

We were on the Monarch of the Seas about 10 years ago when it hit a reef near St Maarten while off loading a gentleman who had a heart attack, a couple of days into the cruise and had to be taken off in the middle of the night in our pajamas in the lifeboats. Got a partial credit for that cruise.

 

We were on a Princess ship that had a huge list trying to avoid a pod of whales, broken glass, people injured, pool water spilled out, lots of damage, etc, got nothing

 

 

Guess what this was not bad for what can and does happen. If I wasn't willing to take the bad with the good I would stop cruising.

[mjsshipboy]

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.

 

I am aware of what a CD is... I was concerned more with the phrase "Affected". It was actually a rhetorical question almost. I am very much a linguist and am more than aware of the insult that the original poster, Canuck, was throwing out by the use of that phrase. I was just wondering to see if he would have the bravery to stand up and make the same insult in plain English soas to show his true personality.

 

Clearly not.

 

As for the comment about putting cardboard over the missing window... PLEASE. Since when have they needed to weld cardboard??? Some people live in cloud cockoo land, seriously.

[jbatzmaru]

On a cruise about 15-17 years ago we missed 4 of six ports (so missed 66% of ports) running around trying to avoid a hurricane that had a mind of its own, so had two ports and 8 sea days. It was way more expensive to cruise back then and we got free drinks for one day and $100 credit towards our next cruise.

 

 

We were on the Monarch of the Seas about 10 years ago when it hit a reef near St Maarten while off loading a gentleman who had a heart attack, a couple of days into the cruise and had to be taken off in the middle of the night in our pajamas in the lifeboats. Got a partial credit for that cruise.

 

We were on a Princess ship that had a huge list trying to avoid a pod of whales, broken glass, people injured, pool water spilled out, lots of damage, etc, got nothing

 

 

Guess what this was not bad for what can and does happen. If I wasn't willing to take the bad with the good I would stop cruising.

 

you sound like a troll.

[jbatzmaru]

I am aware of what a CD is... I was concerned more with the phrase "Affected". It was actually a rhetorical question almost. I am very much a linguist and am more than aware of the insult that the original poster, Canuck, was throwing out by the use of that phrase. I was just wondering to see if he would have the bravery to stand up and make the same insult in plain English soas to show his true personality.

 

Clearly not.

 

As for the comment about putting cardboard over the missing window... PLEASE. Since when have they needed to weld cardboard??? Some people live in cloud cockoo land, seriously.

 

you didn't really think i was serious when i said they put cardboard box to cover up the window as a fix right? I was being sarcastic. What i am saying is how can RCI fix the brilliance the right way in a few hours? It went though a hurricane and received major damage and people got hurt. No investigation of what went wrong?

[TBSCruiser]

you didn't really think i was serious when i said they put cardboard box to cover up the window as a fix right? I was being sarcastic. What i am saying is how can RCI fix the brilliance the right way in a few hours? It went though a hurricane and received major damage and people got hurt. No investigation of what went wrong?

 

 

It didn't go through a hurricane it went through a bad storm, we saw the repair people working on the ship from the decks. Why do you think we stayed over night in Barcelona, so they could accomplish fixing it.

 

Troll, why because you asked for some of the examples of issues I have had on cruises and I answered you with facts. :rolleyes:

[Sue L]

 

We were on the Monarch of the Seas about 10 years ago when it hit a reef near St Maarten while off loading a gentleman who had a heart attack, a couple of days into the cruise and had to be taken off in the middle of the night in our pajamas in the lifeboats. Got a partial credit for that cruise.

 

 

I remember that , we were on a Princess ship and our next port was St Maarten. The evening before arrival, there was a lot of whispering by the crew and then they made an announcement about what had occurred.

 

When we got up in the morning, there was the Monarch beached in the sandbar at a angle. Some where around here I have the newspaper article with Monarch of the Seas, and "of" crossed out and the word "under" super imposed over it.

[jbatzmaru]

It didn't go through a hurricane it went through a bad storm, we saw the repair people working on the ship from the decks. Why do you think we stayed over night in Barcelona, so they could accomplish fixing it.

 

Troll, why because you asked for some of the examples of issues I have had on cruises and I answered you with facts. :rolleyes:

 

I went back and read alot of your post and indeed you are a troll. Others have call you out on it. This will be my last post to you. I am not going to feed the troll anymore.

 

[Sue L]

I have met TBS, she was on my cruise, she is not a troll

[TBSCruiser]

I went back and read alot of your post and indeed you are a troll. Others have call you out on it. This will be my last post to you. I am not going to feed the troll anymore.

 

 

 

Wow, just because I contradicted your posts with facts, now I am a troll?To my knowledge no one has called me that, so not sure what you were reading and frankly do not care. You can't handle that I dont' agree with you so you resort to calling names?

 

You don't want to answer my posts that is fine, you can even put me on ignore too. ( I 'll even tell you how to)

 

There are a lot worse things in life than missing 4 ports and whining like it is the end of the world, but guess what... it is nothing. Try burying 4 members of your family the same week and then maybe you can see where I am coming from and why this stuff doesn't bother me. Enjoy your life and hope your next cruise is perfect.

[Sue L]

Wow, just because I contradicted your posts with facts, now I am a troll?To my knowledge no one has called me that, so not sure what you were reading and frankly do not care. You can't handle that I dont' agree with you so you resort to calling names?

 

You don't want to answer my posts that is fine, you can even put me on ignore too. ( I 'll even tell you how to)

 

There are a lot worse things in life than missing 4 ports and whining like it is the end of the world, but guess what... it is nothing. Try burying 4 members of your family the same week and then maybe you can see where I am coming from and why this stuff doesn't bother me. Enjoy your life and hope your next cruise is perfect.

 

 

Toni,

 

I had no idea, so sorry for your loss. Please don't let people deter you from sharing your opinions and your extensive knowledge. Hope to see you on another cruise.

 

Sue

[coxswain]

Toni,

 

Please don't let people deter you from sharing your opinions and your extensive knowledge. Hope to see you on another cruise.

 

Sue

 

 

 

Yes and others have a different opinion too - so don't deter us from ours please !!!

 

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[at-ease]

I am a diamond member and travel professional. This cruise was the worst administrative nightmare I have experienced. It will interesting to find out the details, if we ever do, about the sea-worthiness of the ship. The morning we departed the ship on November 6th, RCCL was welding portholes on the third deck. One of the passengers took pictures and are forwarding on. Perhaps, the ship was not able to change ports or speed due to some possible damage. Wonder if we will ever know?

[at-ease]

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.

I too spent 10 out of the 11 days standing in line at Guest Relations for a minimum of 30 minutes per. My sea pass had to be replaced 5 times! We were waitlisted on shore excursions we had not signed up for! Our credit card information filled out online and handwritten on the bus in Barcelona (RCCL reps insisted everyone do this) - disappeared. I was listed as a cash account. When I asked guest relations where our handwritten credit card information was - they told me not sure but they thought it was sealed in boxed somewhere perhaps on the way to corporate! Trust me this is only a small amount of the botched cruise details.

[coxswain]

I am a diamond member and travel professional. This cruise was the worst administrative nightmare I have experienced. It will interesting to find out the details, if we ever do, about the sea-worthiness of the ship. The morning we departed the ship on November 6th, RCCL was welding portholes on the third deck. One of the passengers took pictures and are forwarding on. Perhaps, the ship was not able to change ports or speed due to some possible damage. Wonder if we will ever know?

 

 

 

I'd be interested in the pics - awful customer service :-(

 

 

 

 

 

jj.......

[Osnab]

I would never book air through the lines, in my experience it has always been WAY higher and you have little control.

 

I wouldn't either TBS, but that's because I want to know my exact schedule before I leave.

Felicia