Cruise nightmare! Need help!

[sail7seas]

I don't care about either NCL or RCI so I'm not defending or abusing either.

 

I think RCI tried to accomodate as many cancelled Dawn passengers as they could and hoped you'd accept the two vs. four cabins. In some situations, some families/groups, that might have been workable.

 

Seeing as you told them it is not acceptable for your group, they then wanted to keep your business so offered Oasis which I have heard they are having trouble selling. There is not the mad rush to book that ship that some expected.

 

It is a win win for both you and them IMO

You get a cruise rather than shut out with no cruise vacation and you cruise in way better accomodation and presumably better ship than you initially chose. They get to fill four cabins.

 

I don't think they 'owe' you anything. Their offer is reasonable and relatively appropriate IMO.

 

It is not their fault the ship you chose for yourself died dead in the water with no power.

 

You got lucky IMO to be able to arrange four cabins in order for your family to cruise.

It sounds like you are blaming them for your disappointment when any blame should go to NCL.

 

You would do well to be a little more accepting that 'ship' happens and learn to be a little flexible. I hope this is the biggest disappointment you ever encounter. You will have had a 'bump free' life if that is the case.

 

Go with your family, be grateful to have a family to cruise with, the means to do so and a beautiful new ship on which to sail. If you go on your vacation with 'tude', it will be your loss. Life is full of disappointments and this is a rather low level one IMO (Yes, I get it that it is not the vacation you chose. Well, so sorry. Your vacation stalled dead in the water. This is the alternative and a darned good one IMO

 

If this is totally beyond anything you can enjoy, stay home. Cancel the cruise and tell the family you aren't going.

[BIG_Steve]

Hi Bobo,

Did you ever hear back? How did it go?

[critterchick]

Okay, this is not my point. Once again the little guy - the consumer - is abused. I don't exactly want to go on the Oasis, but if I have to what should I ask for?

 

So provide a few more details, if you care too.

 

What did the documentation for the original booking with RCCL say? Did it have the cabin numbers for 4 different cabins? Did all paperwork look good for the Navigator? If you never got paperwork in hand, then you are partially at fault.

 

How did you find out there was a problem on the Navigator?

 

I think that is important because if the original booking on the Navigator was all right with 4 cabin numbers then I think you may have a case to ask for some OBC to make up for the extra day.

 

But if somehow the original paperwork showed 2 cabins and you did not catch in time, then I think their offer sounds very fare.

 

It really depends on how the mistake happened.

 

Hope it all ends well.

 

I agree with Happy Cruzer. If RCI reduced your cabins from 4 to 2 without warning, then you would be well within your rights to ask for compensation for any additional out of pocket expenses. But they should have sent you or your TA a confirmation showing what you had booked, and you should have reviewed it. If you didn't, then you are partly at fault here.

 

If there were only 2 cabins and the ship is sold out, well, they were probably sold out by then, anyway, and couldn't have given you the 4 cabins in the first place.

 

So, if you had no part in the mistake, then I think you're entitled to ask for some financial compensation - it matters not that they're upgrading you at "no cost" - you still have to pay for an additional hotel room. But if you participated in the mistake, then I don't think you have a leg to stand on.

 

And don't expect senior management to be terribly responsive - the naming ceremony is today and they're quite busy.

 

I just got off Oasis and, if it's any consolation, you'll have a very interesting week if you decide to go. She's not my first choice for a cruise (I actually thought I would hate her, but there are some really cool things to do), but under similar circumstances I would go. You might just love Central Park the way I did.

 

In any event, I hope it all works out for you and you have a great week, wherever you decide to spend it.

[noriboating]

I would be thrilled! I just priced the Oasis and it was quite expensive with quite a bit of hype.

[Puffinater]

I am with you. I want to make my plans not have the crusie line do it for me. RCI oversold and is trying to make it right so it may be best to roll with it. I also agree that if an extra hotel night comes into play you should be compensated. I for one would be thrilled to check out the Oasis. Hope it works out for you.

[jerseygirl3]

Well, the next time someone else picks your vacation plans for you, you will understand. This is like ordering a steak for dinner and having the waiter serve you a pork chop - but be happy because you got something to eat - even though you are paying hard earned money in these economic times! Yeah, be happy everyone, people know what you want even if you don't realize it. IT IS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE!

 

Aren't you also getting a full refund PLUS 50% off a future cruise on NCL? I'd say you are way ahead of the game.

[room010]

I'd take the (very generous) Oasis deal if only to see what all the hooplah is about. And don't worry about "losing" a day - it will feel like you've been on board for a month... ;)

[artmc1]

Okay, this is not my point. Once again the little guy - the consumer - is abused. I don't exactly want to go on the Oasis, but if I have to what should I ask for?

 

Ask for nothing and count your blessings. You could have booked through eCruiseStore and been $6732.48 in the hole and have no cruise.

I would love to have your problem.

[eandj]

Okay, this is not my point. Once again the little guy - the consumer - is abused. I don't exactly want to go on the Oasis, but if I have to what should I ask for?

 

 

If you don't want to go on the Oasis for one day less, don't go. They have already given you an upgrade. You have nothing to ask for. Wait for another time to cruise and book nice and early with insurance for anything else that could happen.

Irritating? Sure. But in the big picture of life and what can happen, isn't this a pretty small issue? Better to cancel on your terms than because of a serious illness. :rolleyes:

[bplazo]

I think that the offer is more than fair. Stuff happens. If you do not want to take them up on their offer you can always stay home or check out other cruiselines. Nothing in life is a guarantee. I know that I have been disappointed on a few vacations but I still make the best of it.

[notentirelynormal]

post deleted.

[hubofhockey]

Cruise nightmare? Far from it. RCI bailed out OP at last minute after OP's cruise on NCL was canceled. For same price, OP gets on a new ship in a balcony when had an oceanview on a ship several years old. If the one less day is a dealbreaker, get the refund . I guess my family would love to have the opportunity for a nightmare on an Oasis cruise.

[henrygee]

I'd go with the Oasis too- It's bound to be a wonderful time..with the upgrade they haven't done too badly by you, though I agree it's not ideal when you had booked differently. Still, enjoy your trip for what it is. You won't enjoy it much at all if you leave the port feeling short-changed by the cruise co. you're riding with!

 

I hope it all works out, wishing you the best!

[JLC@SD]

The NCL is another issue. I booked on RCCL after finding out the Dawn was cancelled. Then RCCL overbooked and put me in a cabin with my mother in law - that's romantic. Do the people here work for the cruise lines????

 

seems like a cut and dry decision.....;)

 

1. Go RCCL and get to know your MIL even better.....

 

2. Go Oasis for one less day.....

 

3. Find something else.....

 

4. Don't go anywhere and commiserate with everyone else how NCL and then RCCL ruined your vacation....:D

[pris993]

OP - I'd be upset too! It never fails to amaze me how many people defend their cruiseline of choice, even when that cruiseline give you a bum deal. If you book and pay for 4 cabins on a ship, you should get 4 cabins on THAT ship, not another ship of the cruiseline's choosing. :rolleyes: Frankly, I don't want to be on one of the first sailings of Oasis when most of the staff is still getting familiar with the ship.

 

"Technically" Oasis would be considered an upgrade since it is a more expensive cruise, but I'd rather be on the ship an extra day. They haven't even addressed the hotel money that you are out by having to pay for a night in Florida that you haven't planned. RC should give you something to cover that.

 

I second this, I too would be upset. And I would not defend the cruise line either. I also would not consider going on the Oasis as real "win".

 

I think RC should cover your additional expenses. What they should do and what they will do may not be the same.

 

A few years back we were booked on a Celebrity cruise, cruiseline had a problem, reduced the length of the cruise by 3 days, offered a 50% discount on a future cruise and refunded the fare difference. We booked two cruises back to back with the 50% discount and had a fantastic time.

 

I also disagree with folks suggesting you should have gotten travel insurance.

[musicorn]

Long story short, I had four cabins on the the NCL Dawn which was supposed to leave yesterday. The cruise was cancelled and we were lucky enough to rebook on RCCL Navigator of the Seas, leaving today. Lucky we thought, last night we found out that RCCL placed our four cabins into two because they accidentally overbooked. This will not work for us and after hours on the phone the only thing they would offer is to put us on the Oasis leaving tomorrow. We are not too excited by this as the cruise is a day shorter, but their stance is we are upgrading ships and giving us a balcony instead of an oceanview.

 

I feel like I am bent over a barrel because I have family that flew in to cruise and my daughter only gets one week off and this is the week. We are supposed to talk to someone today in higher management, but I am not too optimistic. Customer service seems to be a thing of the past. Does anyone know what I can do?

 

Hi Bobo29

 

I have jointed this thread late so you be actually cruising by now and not even worrying about this.

 

I can understand that to have your plans changed not once but twice this close to sailing would be irritating and confusing. Given you do not have very much time to decide the pressure would seem enormous and very stressful at a time when you should be dreaming about being on a ship by this time tomorrow.:confused:

 

However, sometimes you just need to sit down and make the best out of a bad situation. I hope that you have been able to decide on a plan and I really do hope that what ever you decided it involved you going on a holiday even if it was not the one you chose.

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise if you do decide to go.

 

Leanne

[bobo29]

I would like to thank everyone for their input. Here is the final disposition after 7 hours of negotiating with RCCL yesterday. We are going on the Oasis today in balcony cabins. They reduced the price originally paid for the Navigator from 328 pp taxes included to 291 pp taxes included. Also, we received an $800 shipboard credit.

 

We have spent over 15 hours on the phone between NCL and RCCL. I wish they would have been up front from the begining to save the time and stress. I know everyone will be saying you should be happy because you are going on the Oasis, and I understand your logic. Point of the matter is that we booked 4 cabins on the Navigator and they decided we could go in two. We had 4 guaranteed outside cabins which turned into 2 family outside cabins, no separate bedrooms, no freaky freaky! I still believe the right thing would have been for RCCL to offer us this cruise for free up front. We all hate the airlines, but if this happened on the airlines, they would have put us on the next flight and given us a free ticket.

 

This is my first cruise with RCCL and I am going to be fair with them as everyone I know raves about them, but I must say it has started with a bad taste in by mouth. We have taken over 20 cruises and never had to deal with anything like this. Once again, thanks for the responses.

[Karysa]

I would like to thank everyone for their input. Here is the final disposition after 7 hours of negotiating with RCCL yesterday. We are going on the Oasis today in balcony cabins. They reduced the price originally paid for the Navigator from 328 pp taxes included to 291 pp taxes included. Also, we received an $800 shipboard credit.

 

We have spent over 15 hours on the phone between NCL and RCCL. I wish they would have been up front from the begining to save the time and stress. I know everyone will be saying you should be happy because you are going on the Oasis, and I understand your logic. Point of the matter is that we booked 4 cabins on the Navigator and they decided we could go in two. We had 4 guaranteed outside cabins which turned into 2 family outside cabins, no separate bedrooms, no freaky freaky! I still believe the right thing would have been for RCCL to offer us this cruise for free up front. We all hate the airlines, but if this happened on the airlines, they would have put us on the next flight and given us a free ticket.

 

This is my first cruise with RCCL and I am going to be fair with them as everyone I know raves about them, but I must say it has started with a bad taste in by mouth. We have taken over 20 cruises and never had to deal with anything like this. Once again, thanks for the responses.

 

 

Sounds like they think that you could use the Spa package and a few drinks! Enjoy and let us know how it all turned out.

[happy cruzer]

I think you did a good job negotiating. They came through with a nice goodwill offer including the OBC. My take is that one accepts a goodwill offer then do it with good will (i.e. forget and never mention the booking problems) :) Have a great family vacation.

[drb]

8 pax @ $291 with $800 OBC is 191pp on a balcony on the newest ship afloat and you are "going to be fair with them" ? :eek: I am all but speechless.

[RetireeWannabee]

$800 obc is not enuf after getting you on a cruise ship for an issue that was not their problem to start with?!?

:eek:

[TrikeRider]

You want a free cruise from RCCL?

[jagoffee]

Bobo29,

 

Congratulations. I think you did a great job negotiating and have a very good attitude concerning your end result. I hope you and your group have a great time and really enjoy your cruise. Perhaps the bottom line result and experience will be better than youf orignial planned on the Dawn to make the hassle worth it. It certainly is an inexpensive way to try the Oasis.

 

Happy sailing.

[eandj]

I find it difficult to believe that the OP has a bad taste for RCL after what was negotiated. It began with NCL. Be irritated with them first. By the way, what did THEY give you?

 

Starting a cruise with family that cost close to nothing in a bad mood is hard for me to comprehend.

[LHT28]

I would like to thank everyone for their input. Here is the final disposition after 7 hours of negotiating with RCCL yesterday. We are going on the Oasis today in balcony cabins. They reduced the price originally paid for the Navigator from 328 pp taxes included to 291 pp taxes included. Also, we received an $800 shipboard credit.

 

.

I cannot believe they are paying you to cruise with them & you are still complaining:eek:

 

You were lucky to even get a cabin on any ship at this late date