ideas? advice? sympathy? *sob*

[TPKeller]

One post:

But in this case nobody was aware and it is two months away.

 

Another post:

The point is that nobody has done anything worng but we have to reschedule and must decide when to do it.

I would disagree with your assesment... A company that is going to be so disruptive to their employees lives, and that is unable to tell you about this more than 8 weeks in advance is doing something seriously wrong in my very humble opinion. Inventories happen. But it sounds like incompetent (or at the very least, completely uncaring) management running the place.

 

There are a lot of things in life that are a lot more important than taking a cruise, that require more than 8 weeks of preparation. What if an employee were getting married? Or if a close relative were getting married in another state? Would you miss a sister's wedding to stay home and take inventory? What are these folks smoking?

 

The employee/employer pendulum is always moving. Apparently, at least in your town and industry, it's heavily favoring the employer. In a few months or years when they can't find workers to fill the openings, maybe they will sing a different tune.

 

Theron

[cruiseman_tx]

$900 for a D1 is good, and the EOS is a wonderful ship. All our cruises have been in Oct. or 1st week of Nov. and we've only had one hurricane cause any problems (Michelle `01) and that was just changing from Cozumel to Nassau for our final stop. I say, do the switch and keep things smooth at the hubby's job.

[dougp26364]

You have my sympathy. My wife, who works in the same hospital I do and was notified by her manger of new rules for her unit for asking off for vacation.

 

1. no requests more than 6 months out.

 

problem: we own timeshare and often need to book vacations 9 months to 1 year in advance to get the best locations we want. Airfares to some destinations (Europe) are often lowest 331 days out. (I've saved over $1,000 by booking are airfare to Barcelona this far out).

 

2. It is advised NOT to purchase air line tickets until vacation time has been approved.

 

Problem: her manager puts decisions off until the very last minute and doesn't get around approving any vacation time unit 4 or 5 weeks before the requested time off (when work schedules HAVE to come out). Isn't that just peachy for taking a cruise, which hits it's final payment date 70 days before the sail date. Not to mention getting the best airfare or flight times needed at that late date.

 

How have I solved these problems? In our case, it's been simple. I don't look at it as a request but a notification of the dates we won't be at work. Her manager can look at it one of two ways. Either we're requesting time off or we're notifying her ahead of time for days we'll be calling in sick. I can see it now. Sorry, we have an eye disease this week. We just can't see ourselves working.

 

There have been other mangers which have tried this. ALL have done it because moral is so low they can't keep employee's. Thus there is chronic staffing shortages. They feel that by not approving vacation's ahead of time they can better control staffing problems (by not allowing people to take vacation). It always backfires on them as more people leave and no one wants to replace them secondary to the crappy working environment.

 

There is also the problem of accumulating to much vacation time (we get 240 to 280 hours of paid time off each year) and we are on a use-it-or-lose-it system. I hate to tell her this but I'll be darned if I'm going to lose a benefit just because she can't staff her unit. To me, that's a management problem but it's not mine.

 

Fortunately, at this point I don't have the same problem. That can always change as upper management changes every 4 to 5 years and it's just recently changed (again). Who knows what the new bosses will try to do this time.

 

So yes, you have my sympathy. ANY manager that puts up a blackout period disallowing vacations for any time other than Holiday's is just begging for turnover in my book. Even with Holiday's you need to allow for your employee's to have that time off on a rotating basis if you want to keep them. Never getting to spend a Thanksgiving or Christmas with family gets pretty darn old after a short time. People will look, and often find, better working conditions.

[always on vacation]

My advice to you, before you decide on which week to rebook your cruise have your husband request and recieve the week your interested in off before you rebook. You could find yourself in the same position again. I had a job for 8 years that not only could you not take a specific month off, but no more than 1 person could be off at a time. It's pretty tough to find a couple weeks off every year when your peers are trying to scedule 4 weeks off per year and have senoirity.

[heathernijoli]

Thanks to those who support my side and who understand the situation!

 

I believe I will book this October cruise for $900pp but I am waiting to hear back from my TA about what sort of refund I get at the moment. SHouldn't it be 100% since we are over two months out? Let me know if you have that info...

 

Also, the $900 rate is with a different TA - I have asked my TA to match it but if she can't I would logically cancel with AAA travel and go with this internet company, right?

 

thanks again!

heather