Disappointed with RCCL

[broberts]

You are correct in that we should expect correct information. But, it's not the reps fault. She was just reading from the "copy" that was given to her. I can't imagine that every TA, LA or CVP knows what is available in every single cabin on every ship in the fleet.

 

Let's say you book a hotel in San Diego, California from your home in Canada by calling the toll free number for that particular hotel. When you get to the hotel, the room you booked really doesn't fit the description that was given on the website. Who's fault is that? Certainly not the person that made your booking who was probably located on the East Coast.

 

The rep is an employee or agent of the company selling the product. Since the company is at fault, by extension the rep shares some of that blame. Had the rep said something like, "the information I'm looking at says . . . but I know that isn't always accurate", then they would have lessened their burden and the consumer could have elected to ask for more reliable confirmation. By all accounts, and based on my own experience, no such disclaimer was made.

 

The point is, until consumers start holding everyone in a company to blame, the practice will not stop. Even then, I suspect cruise lines are simply going to ignore those who ask for more accurate information and concentrate their sales effort on those who are more willing to accept willful errors.

 

Not blaming sales reps allows a company to escape blame for electing not to maintain accurate information on the products it is selling. So, everyone in the company is to blame as they all, willingly or not, contribute to the problem.

[COMBOY]

Well, I think the problem is that cruise line tends to use genetic terms for furniture that makes into bed....like sofa bed. This is clearly a bed chair and it might be OK for a young child, but not maybe for an adult especially a special needs one. Clearly if you look at the deck plans and click on the cabin (from a third party website) you see a 2 seat sofa bed for that cabin. But again those pictures tend to be generic and they clearly indicate the cabin size and furnishing vary from cabin to cabin. I guess the only way to verify specific bedding is to call RCI directly and ask for bedding dimension for that specific cabin - H vs W, etc. Since it's a handicap cabin that should be readily available. I guess it's a good information to know when need specific bedding type. I do know in cases with connection cabin (which this wasn't) they replace the sofa with a chair to accommodate access to connection door. Now if you go to the RCI website and find this cabin this is the only description you get:

 

Cabin 12166-Two twin beds (can convert to Queen) with open bed frames, wider entry door, turning spaces, private balcony, sitting area with lowered vanity, closet rods and a private bathroom with a wider door, roll-in shower, grab bars, fold-down shower bench, hand-held shower head, raised toilet, and a lowered sink. (275 sq. ft., balcony 42 sq. ft.)

 

Nothing about bed chair? Interesting. I think it should read as follows:

 

Cabin 12166-Two twin beds (can convert to Queen) with open bed frames, wider entry door, turning spaces, private balcony, sitting area with lowered vanity, closet rods and a private bathroom with a wider door, roll-in shower, grab bars, fold-down shower bench, hand-held shower head, raised toilet, and a lowered sink. Some cabins have fold out chairs - idea for young children. May not be suitable for all adults. Please inquire. (275 sq. ft., balcony 42 sq. ft.)

 

I don't know why RCI does not disclose this information. It just might not be that they don't sell many handicap cabins as a 3/4th berthed cabin.

[cruisenfever]

The rep is an employee or agent of the company selling the product. Since the company is at fault, by extension the rep shares some of that blame. Had the rep said something like, "the information I'm looking at says . . . but I know that isn't always accurate", then they would have lessened their burden and the consumer could have elected to ask for more reliable confirmation. By all accounts, and based on my own experience, no such disclaimer was made.

 

The point is, until consumers start holding everyone in a company to blame, the practice will not stop. Even then, I suspect cruise lines are simply going to ignore those who ask for more accurate information and concentrate their sales effort on those who are more willing to accept willful errors.

 

Not blaming sales reps allows a company to escape blame for electing not to maintain accurate information on the products it is selling. So, everyone in the company is to blame as they all, willingly or not, contribute to the problem.

I'm sorry, but I just can't continue this discussion as you still believe the rep was wrong and I do not.:)

Edited May 13, 2013 by cruisenfever

[Bobbyjean]

I am really shocked by this. RCI have seriously let you down. I hope you get a suitable response and that they launch a full investigation into this so it does not happen to anyone else in the future. Disgraceful.

[Ocean Boy]

I'm sorry, but I just can't continue this discussion as you still believe the rep was wrong and I do not.:)

 

Nor do I find fault with the rep. And I think if an employee of mine said something to a customer such as.... This is the info that I have but my boss sometimes gives me erroneous info..... That person would soon not any longer be employed by me.

[cruisenfever]

Nor do I find fault with the rep. And I think if an employee of mine said something to a customer such as.... This is the info that I have but my boss sometimes gives me erroneous info..... That person would soon not any longer be employed by me.

My thoughts exactly.:)

[broberts]

Nor do I find fault with the rep. And I think if an employee of mine said something to a customer such as.... This is the info that I have but my boss sometimes gives me erroneous info..... That person would soon not any longer be employed by me.

 

So you have no problem with consumers being given false and misleading information?

[hgmizzou]

I'm sorry, but I just can't continue this discussion as you still believe the rep was wrong and I do not.:)

 

 

After reading through this thread, I don't think the issue is whether the rep was wrong or not. The issue is that the information provided was incorrect.

 

Given that there are so few cabins in this category, it should be very easy to have accurate data for the accommodations in the cabin. This is an accessible cabin - therefore, it should be assumed that someone in the cabin has special needs to be accommodated. The assumption should not necessarily be that the person with special needs would be sleeping in the twin/queen bed.

 

As this case clearly shows, there are parents who want to take their adult children on cruises. As someone previously posted, I can't believe that somewhere in the bowels of the ship they didn't have ONE other pullout sofa that they could have brought up to this cabin.

 

I am not blaming the rep in this case, per se. I believe that RCCL's customer service fell apart in every way for this OP. I know that not every rep can know everything about every ship - but come on folks - there are only 2 of these ships (and they are identical) and not many of these kinds of cabins.

 

I just can't believe that ANYONE would expect people to sleep on that chair when you are paying roughly $3K for a week. The only time I have seen those chairs is in hospital rooms.

 

I am sorry for the OP. I hope you get some satisfaction from RCCL/Adam Goldstein. Please keep us informed of the outcome.

[Ocean Boy]

So you have no problem with consumers being given false and misleading information?

 

I have a huge problem with it. I simply find the fault to be with RCI management and not the rep who was correctly providing the incorrect information that was given to her/him.

 

And I have an even bigger problem with the management of RCI thinking that anyone who books a cabin on the likes of any of their ships, never mind Oasis or Allure, should sleep on such a contraption. This is the luxury that they describe over and over in their promotional material?

Edited May 13, 2013 by Ocean Boy

[Cruising89143]

Nor do I find fault with the rep. And I think if an employee of mine said something to a customer such as.... This is the info that I have but my boss sometimes gives me erroneous info..... That person would soon not any longer be employed by me.

 

I agree. Not the fault of the agent. Clearly an issue with RCI but not the agent who is only going by the information available to them.

Edited May 13, 2013 by cruisingator2

[laurac22]

Quote>As someone previously posted, I can't believe that somewhere in the bowels of the ship they didn't have ONE other pullout sofa that they could have brought up to this cabin.

 

We asked this same question and they said no there was not one available. Then said it wouldn't fit.

 

 

 

Quote>I just can't believe that ANYONE would expect people to sleep on that chair when you are paying roughly $3K for a week. The only time I have seen those chairs is in hospital rooms.

 

 

I wish that was all we paid, but unfortunately we paid almost half of that again:(

[cruisnseas]

I'll be honest. I think, at a minimum, your son's fare should be refunded. Maybe whoever answers your letter will disagree, but I think that the item you received was not what you bought for your son.

 

Ridiculous.

[Snookum]

Absolutely agree with you. RCC reps should be trained to know what the rooms have inside. Completely agree with you this sucks!!

[cruisenfever]

Absolutely agree with you. RCC reps should be trained to know what the rooms have inside. Completely agree with you this sucks!!

I just gotta ask..........how do you train RCI reps to know about what is in every cabin in the fleet???????:eek::D At last count there were 29,979 cabins fleet wide.

Edited May 14, 2013 by cruisenfever

[PH8]

I just gotta ask..........how do you train RCI reps to know about what is in every cabin in the fleet???????:eek::D At last count there were 29,979 cabins fleet wide.

It amazes me you know that!:eek::eek::p

[broberts]

It amazes me you know that!:eek::eek::p

 

Yet the actual number of distinctly different cabin and furnishing combinations is substantially less than that. But even if it were not, with modern technology keeping an up-to-date inventory of every cabin in the fleet is actually doable. In fact just take a picture or two whenever a cabin changes - there is no lack of suitably equipped cell phones available to staff.

[BeachChik]

I just gotta ask..........how do you train RCI reps to know about what is in every cabin in the fleet???????:eek::D At last count there were 29,979 cabins fleet wide.

 

You seem very stuck on who should be blamed when really that doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is the op was given bad information that impacted their vacation experience and the cruise line needs to address this issue and probably compensate the op somehow.

[cruisenfever]

You seem very stuck on who should be blamed when really that doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is the op was given bad information that impacted their vacation experience and the cruise line needs to address this issue and probably compensate the op somehow.

You're correct. If we are going to put the blame on somebody, then lets put the blame on the correct individuals/department that put the wrong information in the planner and not the CVP that was only doing their job.

[cruisenfever]

It amazes me you know that!:eek::eek::p

I keep good notes.:D

[jmak315]

This is the luxury that they describe over and over in their promotional material?

 

Exactly! THIS is what they call answering the call of the sea "royally"? Hardly what comes to my mind.

 

I know what an expense this must have been for this family, and quite frankly, it is despicable that someone should be expected to sleep on a chair of any kind when that type of money is spent. This looks nothing like any sofa bed that I have ever seen before. There isn't even bedding. Only the cushions you normally sit on in a different position.

 

I still can't wrap my mind around the thought process of the group that decided, "Yeah! This is a great idea, let's go with it!"

[laurac22]

For those that asked me to keep you posted, I received a e-mail from RCI executive offices this evening. Thanking me for my correspondence, and letting me know it was under review and they would be contacting me soon to address my concerns.

 

Thank you to everyone. I sincerely hope this gets the attention of someone that will make the changes needed.

[PH8]

Good news! Bet you get a phone call soon!

[funfamilyof6]

So happy to hear this!!! :)

 

You will be happy to hear that I have been a member of Cruise Critic since 2008 and it is a rare thread that everybody agrees with the OP!!! Your thread was definitely inspirational for me and I am sure many others!

 

I hope to hear that RCCL has rectified this bad experience not only for you but also for their future customers!!!

Edited May 14, 2013 by funfamilyof6

[sail2sea]

I hope this works.

 

Here should be a picture of what we were told was a full size sofa bed by RCCL rep. On deck plans this is described as a pull out SOFA bed

 

 

 

What a royal fail.

 

To be honest, I don't think it's horrible and it doesn't look bad for a child. But that's not the point. If anyone tries to pass that thing as a sofa bed, well, I have a bridge in the Sahara desert ...

[laurac22]

So happy to hear this!!! :)

 

You will be happy to hear that I have been a member of Cruise Critic since 2008 and it is a rare thread that everybody agrees with the OP!!! Your thread was definitely inspirational for me and I am sure many others!

 

I hope to hear that RCCL has rectified this bad experience not only for you but also for their future customers!!!

Familyoffun, this post made me smile. To be honest I was a little concerned to post. I have spent a lot of time here on CC, and have so enjoyed getting to know people through their posts. I did not want anyone to think I was just a whiner and liked to complain just for the heck of it. I also didn't want people to think I was out to get something for nothing. (without sounding to corny) I'm kind of sensitive by nature, and that would have been upsetting. We are typically not ones to sweat the small stuff, trust me with our circumstance if we were we'd do better not to leave the house EVER!! LOL

 

Thank you to everyone for your understanding.