Post your "simply demented"/inexplicable encounters with Royal's IT department

[truffles2]

Who knew. At least we can all benefit from your pain.

 

Host sounds mean. It really bugs me when I am somewhere in person and they take phone calls ahead of me.

 

Me too. I always tell them, "a customer at the counter is worth two on the phone"....kinda' like "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" type thingy:rolleyes:

[sjam613]

I blow up their website when I log in now.

 

Since they did not have my previous cruise in '99 in their system I was given an upcoming C&A number and told to fax pictures and information to them. I did that and a few days later got a promotional email as a C&A member so I figured it was taken care of.

 

Went to my profile and entered in my C&A number and assigned it to me. Shows zero cruises in my history. Now when I go to book anything I receive errors galore. Basically on the Internet side I have a C&A account but in their system I do not so the systems talking to each other get confused.

 

Called yesterday and they suggested I remove the number which I can't since it is grayed out. So until they can figure out how to resolve it I can't do anything on their website.

[megr1125]

Just curious....is everyone doing their own thing, or booking with a TA or both?

 

Knock on wood....I haven't seen anything weird, but I also don't have a lot of cruises booked, nor do I go into my account all the time and check stuff...

[sjam613]

I booked on my own.

[megr1125]

Royal's IT dept really needs to hire some 12 year olds.....

[shelbylook]

We never have had more than one cruise booked at a time and once we book (via the phone direct w/our CVP), I never try to make changes without a phone call. Actually, I've made very few changes to any booking.

 

The one thing I have a beef about, and it's a beef I've had forever, is that I never receive promotional emails from RCCL or C & A. At last count, I had made at least 7-8 phone calls to correct whatever the problem. Each time they read off my email address as my work address. I've been retired for 4 years. Each time I call, I change it to my current email address. Still no emails. Oh, but I get the survey after each cruise. :confused: I also noticed the other day they have my home phone # listed in one of the profile boxes (I forget which one). Like the email address, my contact # has been changed repeatedly to my cell #.

 

At this point, I won't even try to make changes. Changing my email address or phone number might result in my cruise being cancelled. In the meantime my aunt forwards me all her promotional emails.

 

Cathy

[marci22]

No one is mentioning Demented Dining. That is a whole category of IT madness.

[joepeka]

Just curious....is everyone doing their own thing, or booking with a TA or both?

 

Knock on wood....I haven't seen anything weird, but I also don't have a lot of cruises booked, nor do I go into my account all the time and check stuff...

 

After reading all these interesting (and painful) stories thus far, I was wondering the same thing but I didn't want this to become a "do you use a TA or roll your own?" thread. I just assumed everyone was booking on their own directly with RCI.

[megr1125]

That's not why I was asking....not getting into the TA vs direct thing

 

I guess I was wondering if the consumer site is more screwed up than the TA side and if maybe that was one reason...

 

I do know that even Royal's peeps are annoyed with it...and the system THEY use is also a little different than either the consumer or TA sites....

 

I think this all got worse with the, what did someone call it, disaster dining? LOL....

 

Oh, demented dining..LOL. I actually don't mind that so much, and I was part of the pre-reservation thing, and (shh) the ressies are all still there...

Edited June 18, 2014 by megr1125

[joepeka]

That's not why I was asking....not getting into the TA vs direct thing

 

I guess I was wondering if the consumer site is more screwed up than the TA side and if maybe that was one reason...

 

I do know that even Royal's peeps are annoyed with it...and the system THEY use is also a little different than either the consumer or TA sites....

 

I think this all got worse with the, what did someone call it, disaster dining? LOL....

 

Oh, demented dining..LOL. I actually don't mind that so much, and I was part of the pre-reservation thing, and (shh) the ressies are all still there...

Sometimes it helps to just keep whistling as you pass the graveyard. ;)

[belmontcrew]

I'm not at all surprised by that.

 

My friend and I have had issues with our e-mail addresses and phone numbers getting messed up in our profiles. He'd get my e-mails, I'd get e-mails for him, various combinations. They have his phone number in my profile, and each time I try to change it online, it reverts back to his number the next day.

 

I've not been receiving e-mails lately, so I guess it's worth a call to see what I can find out...

 

Similar situation with us. We booked with friends the past two years. Both times my friends get my email confirmation that my cruise is paid in full. I called C&A and all I am told is they don't know why it is happening. They show my correct email in their system.

[cruiseguy1016]

I tried to log into my "My Cruises" account the other day and I couldn't log in. The message said my username and password were not correct. Funny, I've been using the same username and password with them for 13 years and it's always worked before. So.... I click on the "forgot username or password?" button to have them e-mail me my username and password and I get an error saying the name I have entered is not the name they have on file for that e-mail address. Again, this is the only name and e-mail address I have given them in 13 years. I e-mailed their IT department to try to get it resolved. It's now been two days and I haven't heard anything from them yet.

[juiceman]

Somehow my Quantum cruise is showing with a different TA than the one I booked it with. I never requested to be transferred to a new TA, as I know the old one has to agree to release you, etc. However, my cruise on Freedom in April of 2016 still shows the correct TA. Royal's IT claims they are working on getting it straightened out.

 

Both cruises also only had Gifts & Gear and Photo Packages & Products as the only available options under the Cruise Planner section, but that has since been fixed. This is the same issue that others had as well.

[orville99]

My favorite is they keep sending me emails reminding me to make our MTD reservations - on cruises we took last year:eek:

 

I'm starting to get the feeling that when RCL's website actually works the way it should the IT department considers that a glitch and tries to fix it.:rolleyes:

[orville99]

We just returned from a 16 day cruise on Rhapsody from Sydney to Honolulu and were in a JS. When the points were posted we got 30 cruise points!:eek: Crossing the International Dateline messed up their IT department because we experienced April 27th twice!! Apparently one of those dates got an override making one of the 2 dates invalid!

 

When I called to ask that it be corrected, I was told they were aware of the problem and it would be correct.

 

Two days later I checked and it was up to 31 points!:eek::eek: Had to call again and it was finally corrected to the 32 points that it should be.

 

That one's easy. The IT person assigned to fix it ran out of fingers and toes and had to wait for one of his partners to come back from lunch to have enough data capacity to count to 32:D

[DragonOfTheSeas]

That's not why I was asking....not getting into the TA vs direct thing

 

I guess I was wondering if the consumer site is more screwed up than the TA side and if maybe that was one reason...

 

..

 

I think that is likely the case.

 

I was working with a TA recently and I was quoting one price from a dummy booking and she had a higher price. She asked me to put a hold on a reservation and then she could use the price I was getting.

 

Long story short. . .when I input all my information online and pushed "book now" the website switched the reservation to an entirely different date with a lower fare. :confused: I did not see that they had changed the date at first.

 

I called C and A and they got the same rate as the TA. She did not see how I was having the problem getting the correct price online. So, I asked the C and A rep to use the consumer website "advanced search" function and reserve this cruise. No matter what she did she could not get the online site to retain the correct date through the end of the booking. . . . what a pain in the neck.

[Cruzin-K]

Too many to list, but a recent one that still has me shaking my head was trying to book a shore excursion for Grand Cayman, but the site pulled up excursions for Jamaica. The cruise isn't even going to Jamaica :confused:

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Wish I could say I haven't had any problems with RCI and their IT department lately. My list is long......and I'm hoping all will be resolved soon.

 

1. Wrong email in my profile in My Cruises started in April. Several calls, lots of time on hold and at least 7 people in C&A saying they knew why and what they were doing would fix it. It appeared OK until last night when I did a Courtesy Hold. Now my email is no@none.com. :confused:

 

2. After my email was supposedly fixed DH found that the email in his profile was now my email. Noticed this on May 31. Again several calls, lots of time on hold and, on 6/5, told it was being escalated to IT. No change as of yesterday so I called. Another email to IT with the promise of a call today to tell me the status.

 

3. No email confirmation for Shore Excursions/Dining booked using Cruise Planner even though it asks for your email address.

 

4. Wanted to buy a wine package for our Sept cruise on Legend. I could "see" it in Cruise Planner but it wouldn't go into My Cart. Called the Cust Service # and they could "see" it but weren't able to do help me buy it. More time on hold then told to try in a few days.....which I did. The package shows in Cruise Planner at $335 for 12 bottles in more than one place. I was able to put it in my cart but the total price changed and wasn't the $335 plus 15% gratuity. Another call and now I'm told that what I "see", and they also "see", is incorrect and the total price in the cart is correct. It seems that since my cruise originates in Europe the wine package price is higher.....but the Cruise Planner doesn't show that price until you complete checkout. :confused:

 

5. On May 23 I faxed 3 reservations to be transferred to my Travel Agent. They were logged in as of May 27. It's now June 18 and they haven't been transferred. In following up I was first told to give it 10-12 business days....which I did. Then I sent an email and received this response from Executive Customer Service.....

 

"Please understand, there are several hundred guests who have requested the same thing, and for those guests whose sailings are more imminent, we would customarily work on those requests sooner. Although you were advised the transfer would be complete in 10-12 business days, this process actually takes a significant period of time to complete the transfer of each reservation." :confused:

I've transferred reservations many times in the past and it only took 2-3 days. Sure glad I wasn't closer to the end of the 60 day window to transfer.

Edited June 18, 2014 by suzyluvs2cruise

[LindaO]

40 completed Royal Cruises

1 Royal Cruise coming up paid in full

19 Royal Cruises, booked, deposits paid through 2016

 

Not one problem... not even a minor glich... some booked on line (ever since we could start doing that)... a few booked on the ships or over phone... follow-up phone calls to add gratuities or cruise care... a few follow up phone calls to take advantage of price drops...

 

No worries... No problems... No Glitches... Not even a rude person on the phone... No long phone waits...

 

They like me!!! They Really Like Me!!!

 

The only thing I don't like is that if you have a B2B booked and it is linked... you can't make a payment on line... it takes a phone call. Ok... not a horrible or devastating glitch and I'd never complain about it. Gee... I hope my good luck holds!! Hope everyone else finds good luck too!~

[John&LaLa]

Sorry great experience here.

 

No problems here either. Sorry. :o

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[John&LaLa]

No problems here either. Sorry. :o

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

Oops, I do have one issue. Having to enter my information on the online check in. I wish they could automatically fill that.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[lovelife]

Well I sent an email early yesterday to someone at the cruise line regarding a perk for our sailing. Around dinner time I received this:

 

We are currently attending our Annual National Sales Meeting onboard the

beautiful Liberty of the Seas from November 18 - 23, 2013. We will have

limited access while onboard but will be checking emails and will respond

to your inquiry within 48 hours. If you require immediate assistance please

contact our Customer Service team at 800-***-**** for any urgent pre or

post sailing issues.

 

and it came from an address I have never contacted....I sure hope they make it back soon :rolleyes:

 

As we sing in Boston: "Oh they never returned, no they never returned...."

 

That could explain some things! This stuff is actually so bizarre, that I have to believe it's an inside revenge job...some disgruntled ex employee is laughing his/her head off!

 

Oh, thanks you two for the belly laugh! But I fear it is true............:eek:

[CarpeCerevisi]

Royal's IT dept really needs to hire some 12 year olds.....

 

 

Or some 40+ year olds, i.e. people who actually know how to test their code.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[LindaO]

Oops, I do have one issue. Having to enter my information on the online check in. I wish they could automatically fill that.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

Oh... Yes.. You are right.... I do wish that they could fill in all my upcoming cruises with the information... rather than having to retype it... I'm going to write a letter! LOL

[critterchick]

As of our 3/9 Navigator cruise we have 323 cruise credits. That is correct on both my record and DH's. But the 3/9 cruise doesn't show on my record but it shows twice on his. If it all adds up I should have 316 and he should have 330. Figure that out! They say they are going to fix it. I just want to get the Crystal ship on the Oasis in October. After the Navigator again in August that should happen! Did get the survey for last week's Navigator cruise.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

 

Actually, you should have the same number of credits as a married couple. I have half a dozen or so more cruises than DH and we have the same total.

 

Just curious....is everyone doing their own thing, or booking with a TA or both?

 

Knock on wood....I haven't seen anything weird, but I also don't have a lot of cruises booked, nor do I go into my account all the time and check stuff...

 

The TA website is just as screwy as the retail one. Today I tried to waitlist a cabin on a booked cruise and it repriced the cruise $1500 higher.:eek: I called C&A after just "ignoring" the booking (preserving the original price) and she said that, because of the special faring (BOGOHO), any time I touched the booking it would reprice. It's not true on every BOGOHO booking, but they had to change my DOB and it threw everything off.

 

The astonishing part is that I got through to customer service right away.