Royal Kicked Us Off!!!

[reallyitsmema]

Called credit card 800 # today and learned that all the refunds have been posted to my card!!! I said to Mike "FINALLY" and cheered loudly!!

Yay!!! glad you got the refunds, now get off the internet and get out on that beach!;):p

[PH8]

Called credit card 800 # today and learned that all the refunds have been posted to my card!!! I said to Mike "FINALLY" and cheered loudly!!

Excellent news!!!:D:D

[BecciBoo]

Hooray! Yeah, there's never a bad day at the beach!:D Hope the girls had a very good time anyway!

[waterbug123]

Called credit card 800 # today and learned that all the refunds have been posted to my card!!! I said to Mike "FINALLY" and cheered loudly!!

 

That is the surest sign that RC knows THEY are the ones that screwed this up to begin with. Glad they followed through on that!

[MM4M]

So glad to hear that they gave you the full refund you were entitled to. I am booked for a family group (20ppl) cruise on Allure in Sept 2013 (I know, too long to wait), but two people in our group are in a cabin together and both are currently under 21. One will be over 21 when we all set sail, but he is not the main passenger on the room listing...3 questions:

1) Will this get cancelled because technically neither is 21 right now?

2) If no to #1, should I call our TA and get the one that WILL BE 21 for the cruise switched to be the first passenger for their room?

3)The girl who will be 20 at the time of travel will have her mother on the cruise as well, but she is already booked down the hall/around the corner. Does her mother need to change her room location to be next to her daughter?

I never thought this could be a problem since we booked with a great TA, but now I am really concerned!

[knittinggirl]

Glad to hear you got your money back!

[Starry Eyes]

So glad to hear that they gave you the full refund you were entitled to. I am booked for a family group (20ppl) cruise on Allure in Sept 2013 (I know, too long to wait), but two people in our group are in a cabin together and both are currently under 21. One will be over 21 when we all set sail, but he is not the main passenger on the room listing...3 questions:

1) Will this get cancelled because technically neither is 21 right now?

2) If no to #1, should I call our TA and get the one that WILL BE 21 for the cruise switched to be the first passenger for their room?

3)The girl who will be 20 at the time of travel will have her mother on the cruise as well, but she is already booked down the hall/around the corner. Does her mother need to change her room location to be next to her daughter?

I never thought this could be a problem since we booked with a great TA, but now I am really concerned!

I think your family group will be fine as a passenger in each cabin will be 21 at sailing. If any RCI raises any objection before the cruise, you could swap an older passenger (on paper) into the room with one of the young people...It sound like you have plenty of family relationships and plenty of mature adults, both giving your group an advantage over the OP of this thread.

[alexkrn46]

Glad to hear you got your money back and you are having good weather!

[Tucker in Texas]

So glad to hear that they gave you the full refund you were entitled to. I am booked for a family group (20ppl) cruise on Allure in Sept 2013 (I know, too long to wait), but two people in our group are in a cabin together and both are currently under 21. One will be over 21 when we all set sail, but he is not the main passenger on the room listing...3 questions:

1) Will this get cancelled because technically neither is 21 right now?

2) If no to #1, should I call our TA and get the one that WILL BE 21 for the cruise switched to be the first passenger for their room?

3)The girl who will be 20 at the time of travel will have her mother on the cruise as well, but she is already booked down the hall/around the corner. Does her mother need to change her room location to be next to her daughter?

I never thought this could be a problem since we booked with a great TA, but now I am really concerned!

 

If there is a problem, put the mother in the cabin. Once on the ship, go down to the desk and switch keys around.

 

Royal Caribbean does not do bed checks.

 

There are many times Mom, Dad, Sissy and Bubba are cruising with the kids underage and Mom and Dad do not care to share a cabin with their offspring. Happens all the time.

 

Tucker in Texas

[Cruisin Kay D]

PH8 Kathy -- are you the "good samaritan Kathy" who sent an email on my behalf to RC? If so or If not, whoever, please email me at (take out spaces) m k d e t w @ h o t m a i l . c o m

Got info through CruiseCritic Manager LauraS that someone at RC wanted to talk to me -- however I was tied up yesterday afternoon with no ability to take phone calls and an RC person called me twicef-- said she was from executive offices -- her email gave only an apology

[reney313]

I am happy to hear your received the full refund. I really hope that the phone call will be a sincere apology. I would cruise with you and your family anytime!

[suzyed]

Raining today in the Bahamas!!!!! We weren't ever wishing this would happen for the other people on the ship.....BUT the girls did say a few "yeas" and "glad we are here"....etc.

(Maybe God was looking out for these girls....)

 

Yeah, you are right! It did rain in Nassau and even on the sea day following.

Even so, we went to the Pirate Museum, Hard Rock Cafe, The Straw Market and stopped in a few shops. Then we attempted to go to the Zoo and Gardens...it was raining too much for that, so we went to the "fish fry".

 

It poured all day long on Thursday (our sea day). They moved most of the scheduled outdoor activities to inside and it actually was a pretty fun day, in spite of the fact we had planned on lying by the pool. ;)

 

Our Coco Cay day was wonderful! Just a few little sprinkles and then sunshine all day. The bbq food was good and DD and her friend participated in Girls vs. Guys relay races! Great fun!

 

Sorry you didn't get to go, but I bet you and the kids had fun in Daytona! :D

[suzyed]

I've just read through this whole thread, and the above post which was made today implies that some people still don't get exactly what happened here.

 

When the OP made her ressie with the RCCL rep on the phone, the wrong birth year was entered for one of the GDs, indicating that she is 28 years old, instead of 18. Therefore, as far as the cruiseline is concerned, there was someone over the age of 21 in the room and no need to flag the reservation. It was not until the OP called a week before the cruise for something unrelated, that a CL employee asked the OP a question about the DOB and the OP advised them that the correct year of birth was really 10 years LATER than what was shown on the booking. At that time everything changed. That's when it was noticed that there was a problem with the booking, not before. If the OP had never called it would never have been known there was a problem with the DOB listed on the booking. So it's not true that RCCL knew there was a problem and simply did not contact the customer. That is NOT what happened.

 

Now I don't say this to defend the cruiseline for how they handled this situation, I just say it to clarify what really happened here. I do believe this is an employee error, however it is still the customer's responsibility to make sure all info is correct. I do believe that RCCL should have offered some sort of compensation for the OP missing their cruise due to the incompetance of their employees. I agree with Johnee O in that I am very disappointed to read how so many issues have been mishandled by RCCL as of late. That Rhapsody debacle is just a complete disaster and RCCL should be ashamed of how they are handling it. I do hope the OP receives her FULL refund in a timely manner so that they can use those funds to pay for their revised vacation plans.

 

Good luck to the OP and congratulations on a wonderful family.

 

Hmm? I got the impression from the OP, that RCI knew there was problem before her phone call. So when she called, they put her on hold while they figured out just what the problem was. I think it was during the discussion with the OP, that they figured out why/what the problem was. (the birth year mixup).

It makes one wonder why THEY didn't call her to figure out what the issue was.

In any case, I think it could have been handled better, but maybe there have been some lessons learned about checking and re-checking to make sure all the docs were in order.

[suzyed]

I think most of us here DO get it. Yes, the RC rep messed up and had 1 girl listed as 28 rather than 18. HOWEVER, there was still an issue regarding guardianship that started the problems.

 

The OP booked 3 rooms, all in a row. One room had 3 girls, one room had OP & her husband, and the last room had 2 more girls. According to the OP, the RC rep told her that she & husband had to be in the middle cabin to be in accordance with RC policy.

 

The problem originated because the rep didn't understand RC's policy. The OP and husband are not legal guardians of any of the girls. Therefore, they needed 1 person over 21 in each cabin. Because the rep messed up the DOB, the reservation showed 1 cabin w/ a 28-yr old and 2 under 21, 1 cabin w/ 2 people over 21, and 1 cabin w/ 2 people under 21.

 

Per RC's policy, the OP could not have 2 people under 21 in a cabin together without having a legal guardian next door or a person over 21 in the cabin.

 

RC knew there was a cabin with 2 girls both under 21 who were not travelling with a legal guardian. RC knew that is in violation of their policy, but they still didn't contact the OP to let her know they wouldn't be allowed to board.

 

That says bad customer service, in my opinion.

 

I agree.

[suzyed]

Called credit card 800 # today and learned that all the refunds have been posted to my card!!! I said to Mike "FINALLY" and cheered loudly!!

 

Yipeeee! Good for you!! ;)

[BonTXNY]

PH8 Kathy -- are you the "good samaritan Kathy" who sent an email on my behalf to RC? If so or If not, whoever, please email me at (take out spaces) m k d e t w @ h o t m a i l . c o m

Got info through CruiseCritic Manager LauraS that someone at RC wanted to talk to me -- however I was tied up yesterday afternoon with no ability to take phone calls and an RC person called me twicef-- said she was from executive offices -- her email gave only an apology

 

 

Kay, if you finally do speak with the RC executive, I would thank her for the refund and then ask her what RC is willing to do to keep you loyal to royal. They totally messed up and they SHOULD offer you a small compensation if anything to show their good faith that they own up to their mistakes. To say you and the girls were major disappointed isn't saying enough. I'm just sayin............Hope Daytona was a blast.

[Esmerelda]

So glad all money was refunded. I hope you are having a blast in Daytona!

:D

[Cruisin Kay D]

Long long talk today with a woman in the Executive Office of Royal Caribbean who called me on behalf of Mr. Goldstein, thanks to someone here on this thread who sent in an email about my situation and this thread!!! Whoever that was, THANKS.

The woman had originally called me Thursday afternoon but I could not take her call or return her call before she left her office for the weekend. She sent an email with an apology and indicated retraining would take place. Nothing more than confirming that my full refund was processed.

 

Our conversation today reviewed my history for this aborted cruise. She said she had reviewed the whole CC thread with executives as well as my phone call history. Immediately I again I explained I had NOT booked this cruise online; I had spoken with PEOPLE. She asked if I looked at cabins on RC's WEBSITE and said she had my name doing a search == yes, I had done a search to see deck plans as well as what sort of cabins MIGHT be available. Apparently because I had simply LOOKED at available cabins for 2, 3 + 4 persons on RC's website to get information, that constituted an "online" booking!! BUT that was NOT a booking -- no credit card number used, no occupants' names were used, no birthdates given.... (Interesting how they knew my full name from just looking at the website....Shocking....) Why have live people to call on an 800 or 888 number if the "website view" constitutes a "booking"??

 

Anyway, one BIG question continues to be "why was my group's age problem not identified by their company earlier than 5 days before boarding"? AND "why did I have to call with an unrelated question only to learn about this age issue?" Noone has been able answer this!!!!

 

Twice the point was made by this woman that grandparents cannot considered as replacements for parents on their cruise ships unless a court has made us permanent legal guardians -- but she also said to get the notarized permission slips from parents to take the minor ones on the ship.... I really continue to be confused!!!!

 

Later in the conversation I asked her just exactly how could my husband & I take our 6 (real) grandchildren on a cruise and have 3 cabins, as the grandkids are getting older (ages 12-19 now) and cabins of 4 gets so congested. She said at least 2 of the cabins had to be CONNECTING (+ not balconies connecting) -- me + girls in 2 connecting cabins and Mike with boys in a separate cabin....OK??

That led me to say 2 things: Why are there so few connecting cabins on their cruise ships? When a drydock is done, why not install doors between some cabins -- sounds like a rather simple retrofit!!! (I forgot to say to her that all too often I find 1 side of a connecting available but the other side already booked -- apparently people are being booked into a connecting cabin who do NOT HAVE ANYONE to connect to -- why??)

 

At the end of the conversation I asked about some future cruise credit or onboard credit, but nothing was given -- only a MAYBE "if+when" I book again....

 

Much as my grandkids would love the ice show, the flowrider, the rock climbing wall and other things on the Voyager, Freedom or Oasis classes, Mike and I are really very very insecure about trying to book RC....will we be denied boarding or treated like renegades???

 

RC made a recording of this conversation as well as all the others -- I wish I had been able to record it too!!

[Familygoboston]

Long long talk today with a woman in the Executive Office of Royal Caribbean who called me on behalf of Mr. Goldstein, thanks to someone here on this thread who sent in an email about my situation and this thread!!! Whoever that was, THANKS.

The woman had originally called me Thursday afternoon but I could not take her call or return her call before she left her office for the weekend. She sent an email with an apology and indicated retraining would take place. Nothing more than confirming that my full refund was processed.

 

Our conversation today reviewed my history for this aborted cruise. She said she had reviewed the whole CC thread with executives as well as my phone call history. Immediately I again I explained I had NOT booked this cruise online; I had spoken with PEOPLE. She asked if I looked at cabins on RC's WEBSITE and said she had my name doing a search == yes, I had done a search to see deck plans as well as what sort of cabins MIGHT be available. Apparently because I had simply LOOKED at available cabins for 2, 3 + 4 persons on RC's website to get information, that constituted an "online" booking!! BUT that was NOT a booking -- no credit card number used, no occupants' names were used, no birthdates given.... (Interesting how they knew my full name from just looking at the website....Shocking....) Why have live people to call on an 800 or 888 number if the "website view" constitutes a "booking"??

 

Anyway, one BIG question continues to be "why was my group's age problem not identified by their company earlier than 5 days before boarding"? AND "why did I have to call with an unrelated question only to learn about this age issue?" Noone has been able answer this!!!!

 

Twice the point was made by this woman that grandparents cannot considered as replacements for parents on their cruise ships unless a court has made us permanent legal guardians -- but she also said to get the notarized permission slips from parents to take the minor ones on the ship.... I really continue to be confused!!!!

 

Later in the conversation I asked her just exactly how could my husband & I take our 6 (real) grandchildren on a cruise and have 3 cabins, as the grandkids are getting older (ages 12-19 now) and cabins of 4 gets so congested. She said at least 2 of the cabins had to be CONNECTING (+ not balconies connecting) -- me + girls in 2 connecting cabins and Mike with boys in a separate cabin....OK??

That led me to say 2 things: Why are there so few connecting cabins on their cruise ships? When a drydock is done, why not install doors between some cabins -- sounds like a rather simple retrofit!!! (I forgot to say to her that all too often I find 1 side of a connecting available but the other side already booked -- apparently people are being booked into a connecting cabin who do NOT HAVE ANYONE to connect to -- why??)

 

At the end of the conversation I asked about some future cruise credit or onboard credit, but nothing was given -- only a MAYBE "if+when" I book again....

 

Much as my grandkids would love the ice show, the flowrider, the rock climbing wall and other things on the Voyager, Freedom or Oasis classes, Mike and I are really very very insecure about trying to book RC....will we be denied boarding or treated like renegades???

 

RC made a recording of this conversation as well as all the others -- I wish I had been able to record it too!!

 

Thanks for the update.

 

I hope they mean it about the " re training". If you read these threads they clearly have a problem with agents who either work for them or as contractors who say or do anything to get the commission. I don't know how their system works, but clearly, these folks get paid something per booking whether or not you cruise. So many people have complained of being told false things by the agent to get the booking ( such as you can use both your C & A balcony discount AND a savings certificate on the same cabin).

 

In your case it's quite clear that the " wrong" date was entered to job the system, allow the agent to make your booking and s/he could deny it later ("just made a keystroke mistake") and meanwhile gets the benefits of selling of 3 cabins s/he should not have booked.

 

It's been reported too frequently here on these boards for it to just be incompetence or poor training. It appears to be almost fraudulent; agents appear to be a bit rouge and then deny, deny when a customer complains. Time after time on these boards, people are incredulous that RCI's own employees ( or maybe contractors?) are giving them false information. It's a terrible situation that errodes faith in their company for loyal customers. I do hope they do something differently going forward, but I don't have much faith either! If I were you, I'd book a different vacation. Your grandchildren will have fun together wherever they are, you don't need this grief again!

[Esmerelda]

If that was RC's 'best' attempt at customer service, someone needs to go back to class. I think if I were in your shoes, it would be quite a while if ever I booked another RC ship for vacation.

 

RC has rules that they set. They have rules about alcohol, irons, fans, clothing, prior felonies, etc. "Sometimes" they follow the rules, other times they don't? I think if RC is going to set rules, then they need to enforce them. Just like some people have to show a notarized letter from the other parent, others are never asked. My kids began sailing at 8 and 5. The first time I was asked for it was when they were 17 and 14 (they had sailed 4 times between those years)? :confused: Just an example of how the rules are only enforced some of the time. People smuggle alcohol onboard. All RC does, is simply hold it or pitch it? To me, that's not really enforcing it, that's a joke.

 

I'm thinking maybe some re-training might do them a bit good about now.

:cool:

 

I'm still glad that at least you did get your money back.

[marci22]

Our conversation today reviewed my history for this aborted cruise. She said she had reviewed the whole CC thread with executives as well as my phone call history. Immediately I again I explained I had NOT booked this cruise online; I had spoken with PEOPLE. She asked if I looked at cabins on RC's WEBSITE and said she had my name doing a search == yes, I had done a search to see deck plans as well as what sort of cabins MIGHT be available. Apparently because I had simply LOOKED at available cabins for 2, 3 + 4 persons on RC's website to get information, that constituted an "online" booking!! BUT that was NOT a booking -- no credit card number used, no occupants' names were used, no birthdates given.... (Interesting how they knew my full name from just looking at the website....Shocking....) Why have live people to call on an 800 or 888 number if the "website view" constitutes a "booking"??

 

.......RC made a recording of this conversation as well as all the others -- I wish I had been able to record it too!!

 

Weird and kind of creepy!

[Cruzin-K]

Much as I like Royal Caribbean, if I was traveling with a group of minors like you are, I would be looking elsewhere.

 

As far as connecting cabins go, I stay away from them if at all possible. The walls are paper thin enough as it is. I don't like hearing my neighbors' every move. I don't know why anyone would book one if a decent non-connecting one was available unless there was an absolute need (like traveling with your own kids)

[Cruisin Kay D]

I just typed http://www.royal.......com on my computer and when the website opens -- there is my name "Welcome, Kathryn" -- I had never noticed that, have you all???

That's why they had my name from the second I searched on 5/21 Monarch cabins available on 4/18!!! Yes, wierd & creepy!!!

 

Oh yes, 4 months ago I nearly bought RC Stock -- guess that wont be happening, OR maybe I should!!!!

Just before the Costa Concordia disaster, I was considering buying Carnival Stock but didn't -- thankfully.....

[BND]

I just typed http://www.royal.......com on my computer and when the website opens -- there is my name "Welcome, Kathryn" -- I had never noticed that, have you all???

That's why they had my name from the second I searched on 5/21 Monarch cabins available on 4/18!!! Yes, wierd & creepy!!!

 

Oh yes, 4 months ago I nearly bought RC Stock -- guess that wont be happening, OR maybe I should!!!!

Just before the Costa Concordia disaster, I was considering buying Carnival Stock but didn't -- thankfully.....

 

It's called cookies and all websites use them. You can delete them and get rid of the cookies each time you log out. But, they are useful for a lot of websites.

[Pushka]

I just typed http://www.royal.......com on my computer and when the website opens -- there is my name "Welcome, Kathryn" -- I had never noticed that, have you all???

That's why they had my name from the second I searched on 5/21 Monarch cabins available on 4/18!!! Yes, wierd & creepy!!!

.

 

Crikeys, if they count that as a booking, I think I've made hundreds then!:eek: