VERY disappointed with RCI

[goodycruising]

Good on you OP for responding with a sense of humor. I have heard of glass oven tops, oven doors and outdoor tables shattering with no reason. I am guessing that continual hot and cold conditions may contribute to spontaneous shattering.

 

I find all staff have been trained to look vague and admit to nothing, ever! Nothing you can bring up has ever happened before, and as for a reply to the much pushed survey, never heard anyone get a reply, ever! We had an issue and wrote direct to RCI as well as a copy to our TA. That did get answered. Surprised the hell out of us!

[LetsGetWet!]

Why is this thread 4 pages long?

 

At least partly due to inane, totally content-free posts like this...

 

Sent from my Galaxy S4 via Tapatalk

[waterbug123]

I am not exaggerating tho, there were most definitely "shards" of glass. Slivers that remained. Of course one can argue this was glass from a cocktail or water glass breaking or something similar.

 

I will admit that my first response when reading your original post was that there couldn't possibly be "shards," since safety glass, or tempered glass, will instead crumble into little pellets, not break into shards. I've had several experiences with broken safety glass and have never come across a shard. That said, could there be an exception? Maybe; I'm not a glass expert. Or as you said, perhaps the shards were from a drinking glass that broke and wasn't fully cleaned up. Either way, I assume you took pictures of the shards? I'd be curious to see what they looked like. Were they on the ground or left in the balcony frame? How many were there? Was there possibly a glass left by you or one of your chileren on the balcony table and maybe it got hit with the falling glass, causing it to break and leave shards? Either way, I would think you would want to include such pictures in any email you send to RC, as it would certainly do more for your case as far as wanting an explanation. A balcony breaking like that is terrible, but likely an extremely isolated incident. If indeed there were shards (again...pictures would help) that is another matter entirely.

[NJcruisenewbie]

 

Wow, that's pretty cold. I completely understand the OP's concern and think this matter should be elevated. Who knows if corporate is even aware of it since it was an isolated incident with no injuries.

 

I don't necessarily agree that the OP deserves an explanation but more a reassurance that RCCL will look into the situation. I think testing glass from the same lot as that which broke is probably a good idea.

 

For what it's worth I've leaned against the balcony myself. Luckily I'm tall enough to grab the railing but a small child wouldn't have that ability.

[edjny]

For what it's worth I've leaned against the balcony myself. Luckily I'm tall enough to grab the railing but a small child wouldn't have that ability.

 

I have also leaned against the balcony railing (wood/steel). That is a lot stronger than the glass alone.

 

BTW, back on our Halloween cruise in 2012, we went through Hurricane Sandy. Several glass panels on the ship were shattered by just the force of the wind. As I stated previously, glass BREAKS and is not nearly as strong as steel. Anyone who leans on the glass or applies a pointed object to it with any force is asking for trouble.

[Jobeth66]

I agree, if there were shards, it wasn't part of the balcony glass - it would have been from something else.

 

With regard to assessment of risk, I guarantee they've done that - they would assess the fleet as a whole and what the chances are of any pane breaking fleetwide at any given moment. The odds of someone being injured or otherwise incapacitated by an event like this is so small as to not even be a serious consideration or to so much as merit an asterisk on a risk profile.

 

(This statement is based on my experience for the last 15 years as the insurance risk manager for a company whose 2000+ commercial buildings in the US contain tens of thousands of panels of safety glass, interior and exterior.)

[bplazo]

Yesterday at work, a glass window just cracked, big deal, it happens. Might be safer to stay home with children.

[Jtd724]

Hello April Fools is on April 1st OP. Haha good try.

 

 

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[mjldvlks]

Does this cost extra?

Depends most of the bodies I have seen at quest lead me to demand compensation -- at least a little OBC.

[Gonzo70]

I would say that Royal probably is concerned, and is quietly reviewing the matter. Writing to you, opens a possible public backlash, if you bring it to the news outlets.

 

What news outlet would have even remote interest in a story about a piece of glass breaking with no injuries?

[misty57]

Depends most of the bodies I have seen at quest lead me to demand compensation -- at least a little OBC.

 

Hmmm. My parents always said that nothing good happens after 11pm;)

[TubbyMrT]

When I was on Oasis, I had to have maintenance come and tighten the screws to my balcony railing/glass. They were unscrewed about 1/4".

 

I guess they could have vibrated out but my gut tells me that they were not tightened after replacing some glass or the railing

 

Thank goodness I saw it and reported it.

 

Perhaps I am paranoid but I NEVER lean my full weight into the railing. I always imagine what would happen if the railing gave way and adjust myself accordingly. It doesn't matter much to me who is to blame as I plummet to my death.

Edited February 5, 2014 by TubbyMrT

[mjldvlks]

Hmmm. My parents always said that nothing good happens after 11pm;)

One reason I am reluctant to go to Quest -- it can be terrifying.

[MrsKC08]

We cruised this past New Years on the Oasis. There were 10 of us, 5 of which were children ranging in age from 3 to 14. We'd been on the Allure 2 years before and have concluded it simply is the very best ship for us. Wonderful in more ways that I can even begin to describe. We are all seasoned Cruisers if that makes a difference

 

While in port at St Martin we had an absolutely horrific thing occur. The ship had docked, we were just waking up.. It was around 8am when we heard the shattering of glass break. A little at first, followed by an enormous "break". We had 4 balconies in a row and we all ran to see what the noise was all about. Imagine our shock when we looked up to the deck above us (we were deck 11)and saw an entire balcony panel was gone and in a million pieces scattered on our balconies and on the lifeboats a few decks down!!! AN ENTIRE BALCONY PANEL SPONTANEOUSLY BROKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. Of course it was only minutes before cruise staff came to investigate and "interview" us on what we had seen. Needless to say all we wanted was an answer as to how this occurred. Of course no one knew, and staff simply brushed it off with "maybe it was the way the ship docked.." Or whatever reasoning they came up with.

 

My brother in law and I are what you would call "worriers". We are overly concerned with the safety of our children and definitely imagine worse case scenarios. What if it had been our balcony? What if our 3 and 4 year old were leaning up against it at the time it shattered? How about if my boys ages 9 and 14 were rough housing on the balcony at the time of impact? Horrifically frightening and I'd be lying if I said we have nightmares the rest of the Cruise. Less traumatizing, but equally as concerning is that the glass on our deck was never really totally cleaned up. Yes the vacuums were used a few times but many shards of glass remained. Our kids never stepped foot on the balconies again.

 

Post Cruise we completed the online survey form and in GREAT DETAIL we described the incident. It has now been almost a month and ZERO reply. Very disheartening. We are incredibly disappointed with how this has been handled. We aren't seeking compensation, we want an explanation as to how on earth this happened. I believe we deserve one.

 

Now if anyone from RCI reads this PLEASE CONTACT ME directly

 

Scary. Sad. Unacceptable.

 

 

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In a way I understand your concern. Thankfully NO ONE WAS HURT OR INJURED.

 

But what kind of reply are you expecting from RCCL? Are you expecting compensation? Accidents happen at no fault of the cruise line.

 

We can all play the "what if" game, but seriously...God was watching over your family and the family in the cabin with the busted balcony. I would be counting my blessings, not wondering what you can get from nothing!

[e2011]

Good answer. I think I am more concerned that the OP would let their children engage in "rough housing on the balcony" and/or lean against the balcony than the less than one-in-a-million chance of the glass breaking while on the balcony. While I understand the situation would be a bit unnerving, IMHO it was not that big a deal to have a lasting impact or warrant the cruise line to follow up with individual passengers about (unless someone was injured). The ships are kept in pretty good repair; sometimes on a vessel that size things break - unfortunately you were nearby when this occurred, but fortunately not actually on the balcony. They should have done a better job cleaning the glass from your balcony; that is the only thing that would have upset me and I would have spoken with an officer to ensure this was addressed ASAP and followed up if necessary. Otherwise I would chalk it up to a freak incident and let it go.

 

Agreed. Freak accident or it was a stray bullet from a gang related shooting. Being St. Martin it was probably the freak accident. Had it been St. Thomas I would go with stray bullet.

[time4u2go]

In a way I understand your concern. Thankfully NO ONE WAS HURT OR INJURED.

 

But what kind of reply are you expecting from RCCL? Are you expecting compensation? Accidents happen at no fault of the cruise line.

 

We can all play the "what if" game, but seriously...God was watching over your family and the family in the cabin with the busted balcony. I would be counting my blessings, not wondering what you can get from nothing!

Did you not read their post? They said "We aren't seeking compensation".

[houstoncruisers2001]

I'm glad that no one got hurt, but if you were expecting a Spanish Inquisition or something you have to remember where you were at....on a cruise ship. Things don't work the same way on a cruise ship as they do in the real world whether we like it or not. We know that going in, however.

[wwcruisers]

It's too bad that the OP apparently let this incident ruin her whole cruise. :(

 

If a broken glass balcony panel is so disturbing that it gave her nightmares, perhaps she should re-think cruising. Like others here, over the years I've watched several near-misses with falling glassware in the MDR. And I do hope that she's never on a ship in really rough seas -- you can end up with lots of broken glass, then! :eek:

 

In the OP's situation, I would have spent less time trying to get explanations, and more time insisting that every speck of glass be cleaned off my balcony. Doesn't matter if it's shards or pebbles, if you have a small child playing out there.

 

And, if it makes her feel better, the OP should definitely express her concerns to Corporate -- as a customer, that's her right. But, I think she should just expect the usual canned response, expressing the company's concern, and assuring her that they are thoroughly investigating the incident.

 

For the record, I was one of the most neurotic, over-protective parents who ever drew breath. But, early-on I realized that, if I obsessed about every little thing that could go wrong, I'd never let my son leave the house, LOL! ;)

Edited February 5, 2014 by wwcruisers

[DreamingBig1]

What news outlet would have even remote interest in a story about a piece of glass breaking with no injuries?

 

First I want to apologize to you and Ryano. I shouldn't have mini quoted you, as there were others. I tend to play the devils advocate at times.

 

I don't want to make a big deal of this, and my post wasn't meant as such.

 

To answer your question, yes I believe that any safety issue that involves a cruise ship is ripe for news coverage. In this age of blogging, tweeting, and other it doesn't take a whole lot.

 

This was a balcony after all, and not the window to the gift shop. Don't tell me that if this was your personal balcony and the one piece of material between you and the sea or pavement breaks, that you wouldn't be a little concerned?

 

If any company is aware of a issue, and then the issue occurs again, especially if it concerns safety, then there is a potential for negative news coverage.

If something actually bad happens, then fire up the press and back up the money truck. My mind is going to a story this past summer of the lady who was riding in a roller coaster and the seat belt broke, and you probably remember the rest of the story.

 

If somebody comes forward with a acknowledgment by RCI that there is a issue with something, then that issue leads happens again and leads to a injury. That's not a good thing. Obviously.

 

Bad things happen, and yes glass breaks. I hope it doesn't break on my next RCI cruise. :)

[20pluscruises]

Good on you OP for responding with a sense of humor. I have heard of glass oven tops, oven doors and outdoor tables shattering with no reason. I am guessing that continual hot and cold conditions may contribute to spontaneous shattering.

 

I find all staff have been trained to look vague and admit to nothing, ever! Nothing you can bring up has ever happened before, and as for a reply to the much pushed survey, never heard anyone get a reply, ever! We had an issue and wrote direct to RCI as well as a copy to our TA. That did get answered. Surprised the hell out of us!

 

 

Yep, I believe they are trained to ignore as a glass broke when the bartender was making a martini (shaken not stirred) and a piece landed in my eye...thankfully, it was only a day of irritation , scratched, blinking and watering...but they completely ignored my husband and I when it happened...when i ran to the bathroom another crew member asked if I was okay...told her what happened and she got the hell out of there FAST!

 

FYI...I am curious as to why the glass on the balcony broke.....kinda scary!

Edited February 5, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[Thetrail]

We cruised this past New Years on the Oasis. There were 10 of us, 5 of which were children ranging in age from 3 to 14. We'd been on the Allure 2 years before and have concluded it simply is the very best ship for us. Wonderful in more ways that I can even begin to describe. We are all seasoned Cruisers if that makes a difference

 

While in port at St Martin we had an absolutely horrific thing occur. The ship had docked, we were just waking up.. It was around 8am when we heard the shattering of glass break. A little at first, followed by an enormous "break". We had 4 balconies in a row and we all ran to see what the noise was all about. Imagine our shock when we looked up to the deck above us (we were deck 11)and saw an entire balcony panel was gone and in a million pieces scattered on our balconies and on the lifeboats a few decks down!!! AN ENTIRE BALCONY PANEL SPONTANEOUSLY BROKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. Of course it was only minutes before cruise staff came to investigate and "interview" us on what we had seen. Needless to say all we wanted was an answer as to how this occurred. Of course no one knew, and staff simply brushed it off with "maybe it was the way the ship docked.." Or whatever reasoning they came up with.

 

My brother in law and I are what you would call "worriers". We are overly concerned with the safety of our children and definitely imagine worse case scenarios. What if it had been our balcony? What if our 3 and 4 year old were leaning up against it at the time it shattered? How about if my boys ages 9 and 14 were rough housing on the balcony at the time of impact? Horrifically frightening and I'd be lying if I said we have nightmares the rest of the Cruise. Less traumatizing, but equally as concerning is that the glass on our deck was never really totally cleaned up. Yes the vacuums were used a few times but many shards of glass remained. Our kids never stepped foot on the balconies again.

 

Post Cruise we completed the online survey form and in GREAT DETAIL we described the incident. It has now been almost a month and ZERO reply. Very disheartening. We are incredibly disappointed with how this has been handled. We aren't seeking compensation, we want an explanation as to how on earth this happened. I believe we deserve one.

 

Now if anyone from RCI reads this PLEASE CONTACT ME directly

 

Scary. Sad. Unacceptable.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Compensation for what????:rolleyes: How do you know it wasn't caused by the passengers in that stateroom, hmmmm let's see you don't. Why if the shards of glass weren't completely cleaned off didn't you call someone?:rolleyes: Just saying did you know that cruise lines have a "blacklist" regarding cruisers who are always looking for compensation for questionable and constant complaints?...Sometimes peoples complaints are scary, sad, unacceptable...

[time4u2go]

Compensation for what????:rolleyes: How do you know it wasn't caused by the passengers in that stateroom, hmmmm let's see you don't. Why if the shards of glass weren't completely cleaned off didn't you call someone?:rolleyes: Just saying did you know that cruise lines have a "blacklist" regarding cruisers who are always looking for compensation for questionable and constant complaints?...Sometimes peoples complaints are scary, sad, unacceptable...

Did you not read their post? They said "We aren't seeking compensation".

[Thetrail]

Did you not read their post? They said "We aren't seeking compensation".

OK reread the post, missed the "not" part....:D...In that case let the thread go...:)

[JillinCalgary]

@Thetrail thank you for the giggle... Clearly you failed to read the 100 posts before yours including my original post that you have quoted!

 

To everyone else.. what a wide array of responses, thoughts, ideas, theories and suggestions! Thank you.. we are contacting executive customer service. I will most certainly post an update.

[Bigtex1622]

.....To everyone else.. what a wide array of responses, thoughts, ideas, theories and suggestions...

 

I suggest they start using transparent aluminum on all ships.

Oh wait.. Scotty has not invented it yet.:D

 

 

:rolleyes:

Edited February 5, 2014 by Bigtex1622