Just off the Serenade of the seas! (2 complaints)

[PantherFan]

First of all, we had a fantastic week. The staff is the best and the weather was awesome.

 

I do have 2 complaints and did bring them to the attention of RCL.

I know they are not acceptable but, I know I will get flamed by RCL supporters. :D

 

1. Heads up to all that arrive at that port to check in. WE got dropped off by taxi and had to drag our bags through the line to the "porters" (port workers not RCL employees)

 

It was a really long line while no one was at customs. When it was our turn we knew why. The "porters" were making people give them $$ before they were allowed to go to customs! Yes, that is true!

 

I walked by them with my 2 carry-ons, but they were yelling at me to come back to pay them. I did not. However, the rest (5 adults) had to shell out $$ to pass. I told customs, that told me to tell RCL which I did.

 

We also filed a written complaint to guest relations--haven't heard anything back so be warned...

 

2. Now, you can flame me....

We sprung for an expensive suite and were awoken at 5:30am on Friday morning (a sea day) by banging, hammering outside our door and down the hall. We are thinking what the heck?:eek:

 

They were installing carpet and it was loud and completely unacceptable!

 

I called down 3 times and they did not stop. It went on for 1 1/2 hours and we were at end of hall. The beginning of the hall must of been blessed by the noise earlier. We took photos. (see below)

 

We told Ken and guest relations and though they agreed it was not acceptable, nothing was done. (like an apology for waking us up)

 

Yes, RCL fan club members, we know RCL has to do regular maintenance

but, at what land based resort or even at our homes would that be okay? I think not!

 

My husband stuck his head out and the guys were by our door, he shook his head and said " I can't believe this" one of the workers said "believe it".

 

Just my thoughts...:(

 

Our diamond commerative gift was a small lapel pin and magnet.

[spongerob]

Your complaint about the noise is perfectly legitimate. If you wanted to get up before the crack of dawn, you could just as heavily have booked a week at Camp LeJeune and had a Marine Corps DI make sure you were up bright and early.

 

I would follow up with a letter of complaint to customer relations.

[HoneyDad]

We stayed in our room later once at the end of a cruise and watched them recarpet an entire GS in about an hour.

 

I am sorry they woke you up.

[kc320]

I agree I would NOT be happy about being woke up early in the morning because of workers in the hall..

 

But I am confused about your comment of having to pay before going thru customs? You don't go through customs before boarding, so do you mean the porters were yelling at people to tip them before going thru security & check in?? Which is btw..an "accepted" practice..tipping..not the yellling..but if you had no bag to drop off then I can see why you would not tip..

[PantherFan]

I agree I would NOT be happy about being woke up early in the morning because of workers in the hall..

 

But I am confused about your comment of having to pay before going thru customs? You don't go through customs before boarding, so do you mean the porters were yelling at people to tip them before going thru security & check in?? Which is btw..an "accepted" practice..tipping..not the yellling..but if you had no bag to drop off then I can see why you would not tip..

 

 

Just to clarify a little. This was before going thru security & check in and a customs agent was standing outside the doors before security checking ID's.

 

We know it is "accepted" to tip the porters, but it is not acceptable in our eyes to physically block the two incoming lines of passengers with two porters that have a handful of cash telling you that they are working very hard for little pay and put their hands out to you shaking the money at you and demanding a tip before they even touch your bags. Once you give him a tip he would step aside and let you roll your bags forward to another porter who would take the bag and put it on a cart without even having to move, other than turn around.

 

The passengers had to wheel the bags through a long line themselves just to get shaken down.

 

This port is not like Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral where they actually meet you at your car and help take the bags straight from the curb.

[rollie]

It seems to me that people in general are being treated badly when boarding and departing cruise ships. After a cruise on the Independence last year my parents have given up cruising. They were so exausted after departing, they feel it's not worth it anymore. The cruise lines need to know how roughly passangers are being treated.

 

Rollie

[DetroitMark]

I though they were supposed to do that stuff in dry dock.

 

Jeez, you'd think they could at least schedule a 2 week layover to put some carpeting in!

 

Strike One RCL!

[4 sisters]

We sail 2/6/10 on her in a suite, so at least we know that they won't be doing THAT to us;) but bad for what you had to put up with:mad:.

[realtreebar]

we were on voyager when this happened to us and just called it a work in progress. We did not let it bother our cruise vacation! We were in an expensive suite on the 10th floor too! when ya get lemmons make lemmonade and ENJOY!!!!:) hope you had fun though!!

[Ocean Boy]

I though they were supposed to do that stuff in dry dock.

 

Jeez, you'd think they could at least schedule a 2 week layover to put some carpeting in!

 

Strike One RCL!

 

So are you saying that if some carpeting gets messed up it should just be left there until the next dry docking come around which may be a year, or more, away? That way people can come here and complain about how RCI does not maintain its ships and they are showing signs of wear and tear.

 

The OP has a very legitimate complaint. Your solution of taking the ship out of service for a couple of weeks to change it is ridiculous. Doing it at, lets say 1PM on a port day, seems a bit more reasonable to me.

[rosebud1g]

At which port did that happen?

 

We stayed at the Marriott in Tampa right by the port pre-cruise

a few yrs back, and workers were running a jackhammer breaking up concrete at the pool the ENTIRE day...it really was a HUGE disturbance,

not my idea of relaxing at the pool. I did write a comment on the card,

only to never get a response back...

It was a beautiful hotel though. I just wish that constuction was not

going on in June.

[Cruzaholic41]

I think late morning or early afternoon in a port is the best time to do the carpet. I agree with you. 5:30 a.m. would upset me too.

[DetroitMark]

So are you saying that if some carpeting gets messed up it should just be left there until the next dry docking come around which may be a year, or more, away? That way people can come here and complain about how RCI does not maintain its ships and they are showing signs of wear and tear.

 

The OP has a very legitimate complaint. Your solution of taking the ship out of service for a couple of weeks to change it is ridiculous. Doing it at, lets say 1PM on a port day, seems a bit more reasonable to me.

 

The OP didn't say that "some carpeting just got a little scuffed up with a glass of juice and they were replacing a few feet of it."

 

The OP said they were installing new carpet.

 

Refurbishing, redecorating, or remodeling a room on a cruise ship seems like an activity that could be scheduled between cruises.

 

That's all I was saying, smuggy.

[apk1389]

panther fan did they strill have beatle mania on your sailing for a show

[booze brothers]

I've had it with pushy porters and refuse to tip them if they ack out of line. Last cruise the porter started telling us how much a bag we shoud tip him even before the bags were loaded. Well, he didn't get squat, just an nice snap shot of him and wrote down his # on his badge. Being nice goes both ways.

[Ocean Boy]

The OP didn't say that "some carpeting just got a little scuffed up with a glass of juice and they were replacing a few feet of it."

 

The OP said they were installing new carpet.

 

Refurbishing, redecorating, or remodeling a room on a cruise ship seems like an activity that could be scheduled between cruises.

 

That's all I was saying, smuggy.

 

She didn't say that they were refurbishing, redecorating, or remodeling a room, passageway, or the ship either.

[DetroitMark]

She didn't say that they were refurbishing, redecorating, or remodeling a room, passageway, or the ship either.

 

Ugh. Done with ya. Now I get what the "add to your ignore list" thingy is for.

[MrBreeze]

panther fan did they strill have beatle mania on your sailing for a show

 

 

Sorry to say, Beatlemania did not appear on the Dec 12 cruise.

[Morecruisesplz]

Ugh. Done with ya. Now I get what the "add to your ignore list" thingy is for.

 

And GOD, DetroitMark, you make SOOOO many rude comments on these boards! WOW!! Not just this thread, but a lot of them. Relax, wouldja? ***** do you care how someone parents their kid?!?! If MY mother gave me a sound machine when I was 5, I would've gotten MANY years of sleep instead of being woken up by every sound until I discovered sound machines just two years ago!!

 

So don't judge or offer advice that no one asked for please. Just walk on by. And don't be rude or call names. It shows your ignorance.

 

Reply on subject -- not an opinion on the OP's choices.

 

DetroitMark: If you use that "add to ignore list" on everyone who tells you that you are wrong and/or not to be rude on the boards your posts will be the only ones you see when you open Cruise Critic. (Hey, maybe that is what you want.)

[missbogota]

When I travel on the Serenade, as soon as the taxi pulls up I flash a $20 and the porter takes my luggage from the cab, puts on the room tags and I walk right past everyone in line with their luggage. So easy and best $20 spent on the trip!

[PantherFan]

panther fan did they strill have beatle mania on your sailing for a show

 

 

No they did not.

 

And for the other poster asking which port - San Juan

[PantherFan]

When I travel on the Serenade, as soon as the taxi pulls up I flash a $20 and the porter takes my luggage from the cab, puts on the room tags and I walk right past everyone in line with their luggage. So easy and best $20 spent on the trip!

 

 

They must have changed their procedures in San Juan, because you had to bring your bags to the main doors yourself. The porters all waited there and did not lift a finger until to help.

 

I agree with another post. Next time I will get the persons name and a photo and walk on by..

[Desert Cruizers]

PantherFan truely sorry you were awakened at such an hour. I wish to pass my thoughts here, and will most likely receive a comment, but mean this in a sincere way. WE all cruise and at sometime during a cruise we will experience something that didn't go well. I feel we should be allowed to express our feelings on CC, regardless how small they might appear to others, without receiving harsh remarks. We have new members coming in who need our help, and they & everyone should be answered politely.

[will work to cruise]

The repaired carpet looks pretty nice in the photos ;)

[PantherFan]

I can't agree with more Desert Cruisers, but we wanted to bring up these two issues so everyone else can watch out for these things and to let RCI or whomever you cruise or stay with that these things are really not acceptable. If everyone brushes off these types of things without saying anything to those in charge, then they continue to get worse and finally they become totally acceptable. As the saying goes, "silence is consent"