Quantum Failure!

[M.S JAZO]

So before I get attacked for bashing Royal please be aware I went in with an open mind and excited to try out a Royal Caribbean. I had never sailed on Royal before and with quite a few sailings under my belt it was time.

 

It was the 2 night sampler cruise on Quantum on 11/21 from Bayonne. Being a new ship I expected some kinks that needed to be worked out but it being a weekend trip I was just wanting to relax, eat, have some drinks and bond with my siblings (5 of us, 3 girls, 2 guys). Like I said... been on cruises enough to know I love them so if somethings don't go as planned I know its just because it's a new ship.

 

I had 2 rooms... one for the girls and one for me and my brother. Both superior balcony rooms only a few doors apart. So I had done the entire check in process online for all of us. I had also put both rooms on my credit card for shipboard account. That was the first problem. Their system was not recognizing that so it took a port coordinator manager and countless visits to multiple check in counters for the problem to get fixed. No biggie we finally board the ship after 30 minutes from arriving.

 

We were on deck 9... my brother and my room was the first door you saw when you turned the corner from the elevator bank. The girls was probably 4 doors down. I didn't know how to open the door. Nothing on the little holder above the room number. Go to the girls room and they have an envelope with 3 cards that open the door. Cool we go in and the wrist bands (3 of them) are there for the girls. I figured they forgot to leave the cards for our room (new ship kink or some new crew members) no biggie, I went to guest services (its about 12:30pm) and asked for cards. No problem, they said so sorry... pulled my info and she went and made 2 cards, one for me and for my brother. Awesome! I head upstairs and turn the corner from the elevators and since my room is the first door you see, what do I see... people coming in and out of my room... I stopped dead in my tracks and thought to myself... am I seeing things... are they crew members? (the guy was in shorts and shades so no on the crew member part). Maybe I got off the wrong floor? (nope) Maybe I had the room number wrong? (Pulled the boarding pass out and nope I was right). So I causally walk by and see suitcases inside and I ask, (I'm sorry are you guys staying there?) Yes he says, closes the door and walks away.

 

So yeah now I'm like ***... I go to the girls rooms and call guest services and explain everything that I just explained here. I'm kinda like this is funny but ok can someone look into this because I don't have a room and if I didn't have the second room for my sisters I'd be in the hallway with my brother and our luggage. Ok so the guy says Ok... "give me a few minutes and i'll call you back in 10 minutes. Let me see whats going on". Ok no problem. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes... I call back. Long Long Long Long story short. That cabin has 5 people staying in it. It's 4:30... I have no room, no card, no wristband, I can't buy a drink, I don't have a room, the muster drills sounds... even though my sisters room was only a few doors down they had a different muster station... So I tell my brother... screw this we are going to go sit at guest services because we don't know where to go. By this point I've been to guest services and called guest services about a dozen times total. They know its me and my brother in this room we don't have, it's two of us... I'm frustrated... I'm tired... i'm starving but I'm not going to relax until I have a room. I keep asking for a hotel manager or someone who can do something because everyone at guest services just kept saying sorry and please wait... and at one point they even told me they were sending housekeeping to look into the matter... I didn't even have a room... I wasn't asking for someone to turn down a bed, why are you sending housekeeping. The "i'm sorry" wasn't doing anything anymore. Empty words because it's been how many hours and i don't have a room.

 

So we go and sit at guest service as the alarm is sound for the muster drill... I'm the oldest... so I tell my brother... let's sit and relax here cause we literally have no where to go. So ANOTHER guest service person comes up to us... asked if we were contractors, we said no and I told her I have no where to go. I don't have a room, I don't have a key or a wrist band (they keys that were made for me when I went down the first time were taken away). So she practically accused us of being stowaways... awesome feeling if I may say & we shouldn't be on board. So I simply and calmly said... well unless someone is gonna cut me a check for what I paid for the room I didn't get, i'm not getting off. So she asked for ID's which I didn't have on me. They were in my luggage. My brother had his so she took that and went to the back and we waited again.

 

Now a guest service supervisor comes out with another guest service member, not the same that asked for ID and apologizes some more. I tell her... It's almost 5pm... I'm mentally drained now. I'm tired. I'm frustrated... it's barely a 2 day cruise and I've spent nearly 5 hours waiting for a room. I explained that had it not been for the other room.. I would've been waiting in a public lounge hauling my luggage around like a foul that missed his flight at an airport. I told her I had reservations for dinner and my mind is completely lost at this point and I don't remember what time or what restaurant or anything. She has the other guy go and pull my reservations for dinner and a show. He comes and says 5:30 at Chops, Mama Mia at 8.30... She says she is gonna stop by Chops at 5:30 to check up on us, she gives me cards to the room and says the room is ready, it's been cleaned completely from top to bottom and we can go once the drill is done (like 5 mins before it was done).

 

NOT DONE!

 

We FINALLY go upstairs.... we open the door... Some kinds of chemical bottles on the corner of the sofa... I asked for twin beds... got a king... being in guest service so so so many times now they know it's my brother and me but I find one wrist band in the room (I have to head back downstairs AGAIN because housekeeping says only they can issue the wrist bands... and later in the evening we lay down just to lay down and relax for a few... pulled the comforter up just to get comfy... hairs on the sheets below which honestly looked like pubic hair but can't be sure... it wasn't my hair or my brothers... we just pulled the comforter off.

 

ONE MORE!

 

5.30 we arrive at Chops... I'M STARVING! I Need A Whisky Sour & Hoping The Food Is The Saving Grace... Hostess says.... oh yes I have you here for 5 at 5:30... however we won't be seating till 6.15! WHAT???!!!! THAT'S IT! Guest service people/manager/every guest service crew member on this Quantum failure has apologized for almost 6 hours now... guest service manager confirmed the reservation for me and even said she would stop by to check up on us... I bolt for guest services again and now I'm like... I want off this ship NOW! Some assistant hotel manager or something hears my frustration... hears the story and calls the food and beverage manager who is in shock and opens the restaurant for us.

 

This was no WOW experience. I didn't come on the ship trying to get free stuff... I was simply asking for what I paid for... a room. I'm sorry Royal... but I missed what everyone is always talking about. The food was excellent. That dinner at Chops was just excellent, and service on point but i'm thinking it had something to do with the food and beverage manager, but they were super nice so i'm thinking there are generally that nice and attentive. I was not charged for the dinner (just alcohol). The Starwater show and Mama Mia were really good too. Excellent actually.

 

I kept my cool and had a lot of patience... I work with customers on a daily basis and I understand how it feels when someone is frustrated and yelling at you and you are trying to make it right but the amount that passed and how much kept happening was just like a sick sad joke or some hidden camera show.

 

Judge for yourself... but after that little weekend cruise... I left the ship more stressed than a full 5 day work work.

[Clarea]

What an ordeal! So did they let you stay in the original room you thought you had (near the elevator), or did they give you a different room?

Edited November 27, 2014 by clarea

[blackshirt]

I don't understand how you got on board without a room key. Does the sea pass card not double as your room key on Quantum?

[Clarea]

I don't understand how you got on board without a room key. Does the sea pass card not double as your room key on Quantum?

Royal has a new boarding process on Quantum. I'm not suite sure how it works, but I thought I read that you get your SeaPass cards and wrist bands in your stateroom. I don't know how they prevent people from initially getting into the wrong room.

[wwcruisers]

So, maybe things have changed, in the few years since I've sailed RC -- but, HOW do you even get onboard without a ship card (keyed to your cabin)??:confused:

[Elizanessie]

I don't understand how you got on board without a room key. Does the sea pass card not double as your room key on Quantum?

 

For boarding Quantum you only have your set sail pass.

 

Your sea pass cards are meant to be outside your cabin in a sealed envelope.

 

When two people are booked in a cabin, one sea pass card is meant to be outside and the other is on the bed inside the cabin with the WoW wrist bands.

[Clarea]

For boarding Quantum you only have your set sail pass.

 

Your sea pass cards are meant to be outside your cabin in a sealed envelope.

 

When two people are booked in a cabin, one sea pass card is meant to be outside and the other is on the bed inside the cabin with the WoW wrist bands.

So does anything stop someone from initially going into the wrong stateroom by mistake?

[nednrom]

Oh my gosh! what a cruise!!! I don't think I would have been able to keep my cool after the second trip to guest services~~this is a nightmare of a cruise. I strongly suggest you write to Adam Goldstein about how this was handled. Quantum glitches should be fixed by now!

 

Gail

[Elizanessie]

So does anything stop someone from initially going into the wrong stateroom by mistake?

 

The cabin doors are closed and can only be opened with the sea pass cards or Wow bands which have been registered for that cabin.

 

So if the other two guests got there before the OP then they would have been able to enter the cabin using the sea pass card outside the cabin door.

[Clarea]

The cabin doors are closed and can only be opened with the sea pass cards or Wow bands which have been registered for that cabin.

 

So if the other two guests got there before the OP then they would have been able to enter the cabin using the sea pass card outside the cabin door.

Thanks Liz.

 

Seems like they have created a process to flood Guest Services with issues on embarkation day. I wonder how this is more efficient than handing SeaPass cards to guests at check-in? That usually takes less than a minute in our experience. Not to mention, it prevents the wrong people from getting into your stateroom, taking your wine/champagne, etc.

[Elizanessie]

Thanks Liz.

 

Seems like they have created a process to flood Guest Services with issues on embarkation day. I wonder how this is more efficient than handing SeaPass cards to guests at check-in? That usually takes less than a minute in our experience. Not to mention, it prevents the wrong people from getting into your stateroom, taking your wine/champagne, etc.

 

Apparently Royal has security cameras in the hallways. But we all know how great their IT is :rolleyes:

 

I spent so much time at Guest Services during the 8 night Maiden Voyage I should just have slept there.

[Clarea]

Apparently Royal has security cameras in the hallways. But we all know how great their IT is :rolleyes:

 

I spent so much time at Guest Services during the 8 night Maiden Voyage I should just have slept there.

Sorry to hear that.

[tgnorton]

horrible! hate it when you spend your hard earned $ and not get what you paid for - ugh!

[C U Onboard]

I think I've just found out what WOW means :rolleyes:

[orville99]

For boarding Quantum you only have your set sail pass.

 

Your sea pass cards are meant to be outside your cabin in a sealed envelope.

 

When two people are booked in a cabin, one sea pass card is meant to be outside and the other is on the bed inside the cabin with the WoW wrist bands.

 

So anyone walking down a hallway that sees a sealed envelope on a door can open that envelope and then go in the room - even if it's not theirs:confused::confused:

[Elizanessie]

So anyone walking down a hallway that sees a sealed envelope on a door can open that envelope and then go in the room - even if it's not theirs:confused::confused:

 

Yes.

 

My cabin mate and I boarded at different times. When I got to the cabin I opened the envelope outside the cabin door but there was only one sea pass in it, which had my cabin mate's name on it.

 

So I went along the hallway and called Guest Services.

 

They said, "use your cabin mate's sea pass to enter the cabin".

I said, "but what if she is not on the ship yet won't that be a security issue".

Their reply was "no, just use the card to enter the cabin and your sea pass will be in the cabin".

[Wilda]

That's really too bad. The first 5 hours on the ship you should have been exploring all the nooks and crannies and just having fun. Instead you got caught up in a messy bureaucratic hub-bub that cost you about 1/4 of your cruise time. I don't blame you for the bad taste in your mouth....this should have been straightened out in one visit.

 

I think I would have said something to the other passenger that was in your room. It probably would have gotten your situation fixed a whole lot sooner if both of you went to guest services with the complaint that you were all booked in the same room. Me thinks they would have fixed the problem lickety-split.

[Goofyisme]

So anyone walking down a hallway that sees a sealed envelope on a door can open that envelope and then go in the room - even if it's not theirs:confused::confused:

 

That's what it sounds like to me. If that's the way it is then it is really a messed up system that is only going to lead to problems.

[gatour]

Wow, this seapass card thing may speed up check in it opens another can of worms.

[M.S JAZO]

Excuse the misspelling... so much writing I stopped caring.

 

As someone explained. You board with your printed boarding pass.

 

Oh & How Dare I Forget To Mention... The room turned out to not have passengers... they were contractors from the ship yard... Meyer Wreft... On board fixing things that needed fixing and repairs. So they just assigned them a room that belonged to a paying passenger. There is your kicker.

[LadyBerard]

Wow, what an ordeal you went through. I'm cruising on 1/23 and reading this has me worried. I'm pretty sure I would have lost control after the second visit to customer service. I hope you enjoyed your next day at least.

[docd]

What a fiasco....

 

It really seems like a terribly flawed system. Although, I suppose it's not much different than getting assigned seats in a theater. Unless someone else decides to steal your room.

 

So, I wonder if your room was taken accidentally by that couple? Of course, your names would be on the keys, so maybe they decided to upgrade themselves? LOL!

[heatherb1958]

So sorry to hear about the mess you were put through.

We , like Liz, spent a lot of time at Guest services on the Transatlantic sorting problems out but at least we did have 8 nights onboard to enjoy .

Do write a letter of complaint if you have not already done so.

 

I must admit I do not like the new system of having the sea pass cards in the door/room on embarkation. I also miss not having the room number , minus the deck level, on the Quantum sea pass cards. I can never remember the number for the first couple of days!!!

[iheartbda]

What a fiasco....

 

It really seems like a terribly flawed system. Although, I suppose it's not much different than getting assigned seats in a theater. Unless someone else decides to steal your room.

 

So, I wonder if your room was taken accidentally by that couple? Of course, your names would be on the keys, so maybe they decided to upgrade themselves? LOL!

It was not a couple. It was ship contractors on board to fix problems and they weren't paying passengers.

[The Grumpus]

Excuse the misspelling... so much writing I stopped caring.

 

As someone explained. You board with your printed boarding pass.

 

Oh & How Dare I Forget To Mention... The room turned out to not have passengers... they were contractors from the ship yard... Meyer Wreft... On board fixing things that needed fixing and repairs. So they just assigned them a room that belonged to a paying passenger. There is your kicker.

I would have thought I was being punked by my friends. Unbelievably bad experience. Sounds like Royal took the easy process of boarding a ship and complicated it to the point of absurdity. Sound like a system fraught with potential 1st day screw-ups.

 

How do you buy or book anything between 11:30 & 1:00 if you board at 11:30 and can't access your cabin to get your cards until after 1:00?

 

I never thought I would say this about a new Royal Caribbean ship, but the more I read about this ship, the more I hate it.

Edited November 28, 2014 by The Grumpus