Disgusted with RCL and Rhapsody Cabin changes!

[marci22]

An appropriate offer of compensation, if the previous reservation could/would not be honored would have been at least $500 shipboard credit with free drinks for the entire cruise.

 

That sounds good, and very easy for Royal to accomplish! Maybe $500 and use of the CL during the sailing.

[EV2008]

So where do we go from here? We have called, written letters, BBB, Atty. General, Mr. Goldstein, Mr. Fain and still they have refused to budge. There have been a lucky few who have gotten their original location back (due to finding out about it here on CC). But for those of us on Alaska Cruises in May-August where they have full ships...what else can we do? I am so very frustrated. It is clear that they have no intention of reinstating us back to our original locations. We just seem to be getting absolutely no where.

 

If you still can cancel before the deadline I would and book with another Cruise Line - because I think I would be upset knowing that my Cabin that I selected months ago have another passenger in it. That away with another ship and cruise line it would be a fresh start and no ill feelings, but that is me - I would cancel

[papakaiser]

So where do we go from here? We have called, written letters, BBB, Atty. General, Mr. Goldstein, Mr. Fain and still they have refused to budge. There have been a lucky few who have gotten their original location back (due to finding out about it here on CC). But for those of us on Alaska Cruises in May-August where they have full ships...what else can we do? I am so very frustrated. It is clear that they have no intention of reinstating us back to our original locations. We just seem to be getting absolutely no where.

At this point, the only thing left is to vote with our feet. Until the board of RCI sees the light, and dumps Adam Goldstein and company, things will not change in Miami. I have to agree with Rubrrick's assessment of the situation at RCI.

 

With that slice of reality in mind, we had intentions of booking a cruise for summer 2013 with our son, his in-laws, and assorted other friends. We would have once again been on an RCI ship, for that cruise, and the foreseeable future. That's not going to happen now.

 

I don't kid myself. RCI doesn't give a da** if I book another cruise with them or not. They think there are plenty of people willing to fork over their hard earned money. And they hope those same people will be willing to take whatever crap flows out of Miami, and like it.

 

All I wanted to do was go on vacation. Nothing more, nothing less. Adam Goldstein and company have just made that one aggravation I don't need.

[marci22]

If you still can cancel before the deadline I would and book with another Cruise Line - because I think I would be upset knowing that my Cabin that I selected months ago have another passenger in it. That away with another ship and cruise line it would be a fresh start and no ill feelings, but that is me - I would cancel

 

I would cancel as well.

[BecciBoo]

The people forced to move are not going to be any happier about moving then those that are demanding to be moved back to the cabin they actually booked.

 

At this point no matter what Royal Caribbean does, someone is going to be unhappy.

 

Undoubtedly...but first come first serve. The original bookers have first rights to those rooms. They should not have been given to someone else when they were already booked and chosen for location in the first place. To the newer bookers, too bad, grow up, get over it, move on. By all rights, those cabins were already reserved and were not available for them, and you should have received that answer from the reps that they were already taken. RCCL reps should call up the later bookers and explain that those locations had already been reserved and paid for and they will have to be assigned another cabin. If anyone should be disappointed it should be the interlopers.

[denamo]

Bigcat47,

I have been avidly reading the posts here on this topic. I can only shake my head while uttering "unbelievable". It is totally infathomable. No common sense is being utilized in this.

Whatever you decide as far as this cruise is concerned, I only hope you are able to cruise again without always having a somewhat sour taste for cruising. :(

[cruisn4bruisn]

I've been following this situation closely and just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

 

I feel for the passengers that got booted from their rooms. The situation has been terribly handled by RCI and I'm seriously contemplating cancelling my 2 cruises at the end of the year so my support is with you guys.

 

This next statement is for both the people following and for the people who lost their rooms to comment on and/or discuss:

If you decide to keep the new room and go ahead and go on the cruise, do you think there will be issues on the boat between the booted guests and the new occupants? I know most of us would probably say no but I just am hopeful that those who decide to take the cruise can somehow let the situation go while you are on the ship. And by all means keep fighting when you get back if that is what you feel you should do. Is this a concern for anybody?

 

Thoughts/Comments?

[critterchick]

I've been following this situation closely and just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

 

I feel for the passengers that got booted from their rooms. The situation has been terribly handled by RCI and I'm seriously contemplating cancelling my 2 cruises at the end of the year so my support is with you guys.

 

This next statement is for both the people following and for the people who lost their rooms to comment on and/or discuss:

If you decide to keep the new room and go ahead and go on the cruise, do you think there will be issues on the boat between the booted guests and the new occupants? I know most of us would probably say no but I just am hopeful that those who decide to take the cruise can somehow let the situation go while you are on the ship. And by all means keep fighting when you get back if that is what you feel you should do. Is this a concern for anybody?

 

Thoughts/Comments?

 

If we hadn't been able to get our corner aft back (and I think we did only because the cruise was still 14 months away and nobody else had grabbed it), I don't think that I would have accepted the cabin next door, knowing that the people next to me had refused to give it back (and, to be honest, if I got a call from RCI offering $200 I would likely refuse unless they upped the offer). I don't know that I would say anything, but it would be a little tense for me if we were out on our balconies admiring the view at the same time.

[desertpilot]

If you decide to keep the new room and go ahead and go on the cruise, do you think there will be issues on the boat between the booted guests and the new occupants? I know most of us would probably say no but I just am hopeful that those who decide to take the cruise can somehow let the situation go while you are on the ship. And by all means keep fighting when you get back if that is what you feel you should do. Is this a concern for anybody?

 

Thoughts/Comments?

 

I couldn't cancel (long story)...so the comment above was a concern for me. I'm generally a very peaceful individual, but when I was relocated from my corner aft, they originally booked me in the cabin immediately next to my corner aft. RCI then proceeded to tell me that they had gone through the trouble to explain the situation to the folks in my cabin and had asked them if they would move (which was infuriating to hear since I certainly didn't have this option if I wanted to move)...and the folks said no, they would not move. So now not only am I at the receiving end of stupidity from RCI, but also forced to look folks in the eye that refused to do the right thing as well...while they enjoyed my balcony.

 

I refused to be next to the folks on my balcony. I asked to be moved again to the opposite side of the ship, next to the other corner aft. Since this request didn't cost RCI any precious dollar bills, they complied. Now, I'm not too daft to realize that most likely, the folks in that corner aft I'm now next to also took someone's room and refused to give it back, but at least I won't have to look at the faces of the people that took my room.

 

All this probably sounds petty, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit it. But at the end of the day there's definitely an emotional side to this error too, a side that RCI has unsurprisingly failed to comprehend.

[critterchick]

The right thing is.........there are two corner JS, and 2 more on the stern, as I recall. That is 4 JS's.........or do I need to look at the deck plan to learn of more??

 

So, this whole uproar is over 4 cabins?? Of which Royal Caribbean could have told the new owners that they had made a mistake.

 

Five cabins, actually.:) But also 8000, as you pointed out, and apparently some OV cabins down on Deck 3. Plus connecting/non-connecting issues (8088 is now a connecting JS, which would never be my first choice, or last, for that matter).

[Scotty G]

Thanks to Dan Askin for a great article in CC News

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4805

 

There is also a FB article: https://www.facebook.com/CruiseCritic

 

Please join in!

[marci22]

All this probably sounds petty, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit it. But at the end of the day there's definitely an emotional side to this error too, a side that RCI has unsurprisingly failed to comprehend.

 

I would probably feel the same way.

[johneeo]

I couldn't cancel (long story)...so the comment above was a concern for me. I'm generally a very peaceful individual, but when I was relocated from my corner aft, they originally booked me in the cabin immediately next to my corner aft. RCI then proceeded to tell me that they had gone through the trouble to explain the situation to the folks in my cabin and had asked them if they would move (which was infuriating to hear since I certainly didn't have this option if I wanted to move)...

 

I would not believe anything that RCI tells you.

 

They might not have even spoken to the occupants of that cabin.

[mnh]

I was one of the lucky who got their corner aft back thanks to this thread. My cruise is not until 6-7-13. RCI's stance does not surprise me at all, it seems that over the last several years they really could care less about their customers.

 

I am seriously considering bailing on this cruise and looking at other cruise lines.

[Z 748]

How about this for the folks that for some reason don't see the problem here...

 

You are a football fan and bought tickets front row on the 50 yard line, six months before the big game of the year. Now in between they added new seats to the stadium and now your seats are 20 rows back and at the 30 yard line. They are both seats, same size are you still happy with them?

 

Really good point! I hate it when a product that I love does something like this to totally disappoint me. :(

[ronaldfelder]

I think they should have given these people the cabin by physical location not by cabin number.

[critterchick]

I think they should have given these people the cabin by physical location not by cabin number.

 

Which is exactly what the C&A rep I spoke to said they would do - keep us in our location with a new cabin number. I do wonder what happened with Splendour's refit - the only thread I can recall on that subject was somebody posting that her cabin number had changed - she was in the same location she orignally booked. If RCI did what we all seem to agree was the right thing, then they just messed up here, and then gave themselves a second shiner by throwing all kinds of lame excuses around.

 

And I'll amend my prior reply - if I booked a cabin that had been pre-booked, I would change, but, like Island Lady on another thread regarding a similar snafu on Jewel, I would hold out for a GS or more OBC. RCI gave her a GS; there's no reason they couldn't do that for the second bookers on Rhapsody. Oh, wait, it might make their earnings go down by 40.00003% instead of 40%.:rolleyes:

[FirstAlto]

I really can't believe that after RCCL was made aware of the stupidity of letting the new cruisers keep their ill-gotten cabins, that nothing was done to rectify the situation. That, and the San Juan debacle have made RCCL look like a bunch of heartless number crunchers (which they obviously are).

I am so sorry for the OP, and the others yet to come - would you want to be at the pursers desk handling the poor folks who aren't going to be aware of this until they get on the ship!!:eek:

[Scotty G]

I was one of the lucky who got their corner aft back thanks to this thread. My cruise is not until 6-7-13. RCI's stance does not surprise me at all, it seems that over the last several years they really could care less about their customers.

 

I am seriously considering bailing on this cruise and looking at other cruise lines.

I would like to see RCL put out a Press Release that states that there was a screw up and that all bookings that were changed by the renumbering of cabins have been restored to their original cabin location. That is the only correct thing to do. If the RCL/RCCL legal office says otherwise, they should be replaced by people who care about customers.

[johneeo]

I really can't believe that after RCCL was made aware of the stupidity of letting the new cruisers keep their ill-gotten cabins, that nothing was done to rectify the situation. That, and the San Juan debacle have made RCCL look like a bunch of heartless number crunchers (which they obviously are). :eek:

 

Not really.

 

They are very bad business people, as this is not going to save them anything in terms of dollars.

 

In the long run, it will cost them dearly.

 

Incredibly stupid business decisions.

[EV2008]

I am just so very disappointed by RC, I thought they were better then that, that they truly cared about their customer, BUT I guess I was wrong they don't care, so sad. There are plenty other ship company's to sail, so i will be taking a break from Royal and check out the other lines, lets see how Princess will treat me or X

[EV2008]

Lets keep this thread going and keep it on the top - so keep bumping it

[mattha1968]

I found an very appealing itinerary and I am considering booking an Aft cabin. The Grandeur is going into dry dock next month do I have reason to be concerned or have RCI learned their lesson?

 

Thx

[MDSue]

I would like to see RCL put out a Press Release that states that there was a screw up and that all bookings that were changed by the renumbering of cabins have been restored to their original cabin location. That is the only correct thing to do. If the RCL/RCCL legal office says otherwise, they should be replaced by people who care about customers.

 

I believe your suggestion about a press release to announce that an inadvertant error has been made, and how they plan to rectify the error (by restoring the original cabin locations). Obviously, there will be a few ticked off individuals, but they should understand the situation and be given the opportunity to re-book or get a really nice obc.

 

As of now, well over 20,000 people are aware of how badly this "mistake" has been handled. The overwhelming sentiment is that RCI needs to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. Once they do, the negative posts will stop and the problem will soon become a distant bad memory for both RCI and the customers they have hurt.

 

If they continue to dig in their heels and let this problem fester, they will continue to suffer negative press for months to come. I can only imagine how upset the passengers who show up for their dream cabin assignment on a dream cruise will be when they find out they've been moved and someone else was given their cabin with no reasonable explanation.

 

I'm sure these customers will be making life very difficult for the poor employees onboard who did nothing to deserve the anger that will be directed at them. Anyone within earshot will also be aware of what happened. Instead of raving about their dream vacation to their friends and future RCI customers, they will talk about the extreme disappointment of being duped and cheated.

 

Fix it now and fix it soon, RCI or you will have a long-term PR nightmare on your hand. It is okay to make mistakes, but it is NOT ok to refuse to fix the mistake once it has been discovered.

[papakaiser]

If they continue to dig in their heels and let this problem fester, they will continue to suffer negative press for months to come. I can only imagine how upset the passengers who show up for their dream cabin assignment on a dream cruise will be when they find out they've been moved and someone else was given their cabin with no reasonable explanation.

 

I'm sure these customers will be making life very difficult for the poor employees onboard who did nothing to deserve the anger that will be directed at them. Anyone within earshot will also be aware of what happened. Instead of raving about their dream vacation to their friends and future RCI customers, they will talk about the extreme disappointment of being duped and cheated.

 

I can assure you. I am an adult, and will conduct myself as such. It will do absolutely no good to take out my frustrations on the crew, who had nothing to do with this mess. The crew will still be tipped, and shown the appreciation that they deserve.

 

I will also not willingly create problems for the passengers that took my cabin. Am I upset that they refused to accept that a mistake had been made, and willingly correct that mistake ? Yes. I am upset, and frustrated, and flat out mad as he**. But creating problems that will only embarrass my wife, and anyone within earshot, not to mention myself, will not accomplish anything.

It will only bolster RCI's stance that they were right, and THEY were the victim. I won't give them the satisfaction.

 

I have accepted the fact that RCI simply doesn't care. They don't care if I return to sail with them again, they don't care if I sail with the competition. They flat out don't care. That's sad, but so very true.