Why Doesn't Royal Caribbean Treat Their Customers Well?

[TheWog]

Well, then they should have compensated you for the Mental pain and anguish that you suffered from being forced to get off the ship on that last day. Perhaps a free cruise for the whole family. ;)

 

Now we're talkin'.... :D

[TheWog]

I agree with the other posts, if you cruise the caribbean this time of year, you cannot expect all these refunds. Its a chance your taking to go. I would be thrilled with the $100 credit. On the weather issue, I think your treated just fine.

 

But I do agree with you for some reason RCI seems to go out of their way to treat their paying customers badly on other issues. It is also apparent to me that they take their customers for granted. Why, I dont know. From what I see no other cruise line does this as much as RCI. There is no reason for RCI to do this. People still keep coming.

 

I think you answered your own question.

[nosnobunny]

Firstcruise05, I'm also on that Mariner sailing. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and may you have the day of your dreams. :) Who knows, maybe we'll meet up onboard.

Beth

[MGoBlue2]

Why doesn't RC treat their customers as well as the other cruise lines? ...

Royal Caribbean isn't the cruise line with the unsatisfactory rating from the Better Business Bureau (that would be Carnival) or the one that has an "F" rating (that would be Princess).

[hdawson]

Just received an ABC news update. Katrina is now a full blown hurricane and bearing down on So. Florida.

[tequilamockingbird]

Just received an ABC news update. Katrina is now a full blown hurricane and bearing down on So. Florida.

 

Stay safe Florida!!! Good Luck!!!!

[mbisson]

I didn't know you were all out there looking for someone to jump all over. I was away from the boards for a little while and forgot how hostile you people can be. Go take a cruise and relax.

 

Sorry, but I honestly don't think you should think we're all jumping all over you. We're just having a little fun, but if you honestly think the other cruise lines are so much nicer than RCI, spend some time on the other cruise critic boards. It's pretty much the same feeling on all of them if you spend any length of time there.

 

But your advice "Go take a cruise and relax" Good idea-No problem Mon

 

jmo

-Monte

[mandm33]

I first want to qualify my post to hopefully head off any comments about "cruise elsewhere", or "go to another board then".......

 

I have only been on 2 cruises, so an expert I'm not.

 

On those 2 cruises, I have not used travel insurance...but after reading these boards for the better part of a year, I have decided to go that route with an upcoming cruise in January.

 

I have only sailed RCI, and have no intentions on going elsewhere, for the forseeable future.

 

Now, having said that, I think part of the issue the OP brought up is that other lines seem to be compensating affected passengers better than on the Majesty. Taken directly from this website....

 

***Carnival's Imagination, which was originally scheduled to end a cruise in Miami today, will remain at sea and arrive instead on Saturday. The following voyage, a four-day cruise, will instead be converted to a two-day Bahamas cruise departing Miami on Saturday. Guests who opt to sail this modified itinerary will receive a 50 percent refund of their cruise fare and a 50 percent discount off a cruise of three or four days. Guests who opt to cancel will receive a full refund.

 

Fascination, which was originally scheduled to end a four-day voyage in Miami tomorrow, will also spend an extra day at sea, arriving instead on Saturday. The following voyage will be converted from a three-day cruise into a two-day Bahamas voyage departing on Saturday. Guests who opt to sail on the modified cruise will receive a 35 percent refund of their cruise fare and a 50 percent discount off a future three-day cruise. Guests who opt to cancel will receive a full refund. ***

 

Before anyone gets into the "Well, then go cruise on Carnival" bandwagon (as mentioned before, I have no intentions of doing that!!), though, I think it's reasonable to see how RCI is NOT compensating affected passengers as well as other lines, and could end up getting negative PR through this.

 

Although RCI is not "bound" to reimburse anyone, as stated in the cruise contract, it sure would be nice to see them step up and ensure a lot more repeat cruisers!

[SRQfireman]

For what it's worth...I just got off the phone with RCCL....$100 per person shipboard credit if you go on the 2 night cruise...not $100 per cabin....is that better ladies and gentleman????

[xpcdoojk]

I have an RCI cruise booked during the hurricane season this year and disagree that my fare is "a little less" than other times. I paid a lot less for it. There was a substantial financial benefit to cruise this time of year. I knew what I was getting into when I booked it so I don't think you'll hear any complaining from me if we have weather issues.

 

Beth

 

Well, Beth, we actually expect you to complain if you can't go on your cruise. I am pretty sure you will complain, but I doubt if you will blame the cruiseline or demand a bucket full of money. Nobody thinks people who have the cruise affected by a hurricane have no reason to be unhappy. We just don't think they have the right to complain that the cruise line is screwing them. They don't have the right to compensation, although they will probably receive some. If they are silly enough to book a vacation with no tolerance for nature or accidents or any of the other myriad things that can go wrong on a vacation and travel in general, then they deserve to be laughed out. :D

 

jc

 

BTW is that Sushi in your avatar?:D

[crookedhalo]

I'm not sure exactly what the OP is trying to find out. If you look at the OP's signature, they were on the 8/14 Mariner cruise. Did this trip have a problem? Or is the OP trying to stir things up?hmmmmmm:(

[Luv4dacruise]

I actually posted on another thread regarding this topic. If you actually read and absorb the updates on different websites you will understand a bit more. For instace, while RCCL is giving you a 50 percent refund if you are sailing on the Majesty cut from a 3 day to a 2 day cruise, you are actually paying less for your cruise all together. Then there is carnival, who is offering more for those embarking on 1 of their ships, not the entire fleet. Their cruise is going from a 4 day to a 2 day, which is cutting their vacation in half. Now i am not speaking for all ships being diverted, but only that of the Majesty. I think they are being very accomodating in what they are offering. We all take risks during hurricane season, think, you could be booked on a Carnival ship and have your vacation sliced in half. All in all, we sign cruise contracts, the cruise lines don not legally have to give us any compensation what-so-ever. I would suggest giving RCCL a call and asking them to contact mother nature and have her move that darn hurricane! ;)

[pablo312]

I wanted to thank the OP and especially the OP of the now poofed thread for posting. The constructive posts have been an education for me. After the Grandeur-Costa Maya incident, I thought U.S. contract law would supercede the cruise line passenger contract. However, this incident has clearly shown me that this is not true. I can now understand why the more experienced cruisers said that RCCL is generous by offering any compensation. I normally buy travel insurance for medical issues. Now I will be closely examining the policy for exclusions to trip cancellation and interuptions.

[Seago2]

Harsh! This is what I get coming over to RCCL! I can't understand why if someone posts a provocative, strongly worded comment (which is actually worth reading- certainly more so than a bunch of :p and ;) LOL!!!) the whole gang jumps right all over them!

 

YIKES.

[justaknucklehead]

Carla, the Carnival board is a rough crowd too, so go back over.

[Fury1995]

I think I can speak for just about everyone (who has cruised before) and frankly state that it absolutely does "suck" when your cruise is cut short for any reason....

 

No matter what anyone on this board says, EVERYONE would be disappointed if that happened to them, and EVERYONE would definitely say something about it.... at least to vent to their cruise critic friends and family.

 

Yes it seems other cruiselines may do something more for their passengers than what appears RCI does if something goes awry, but so what? I didn't choose RCI because of things like this, and I'm sure most everyone else here would agree.

 

NO ONE CAN CONTROL THE WEATHER! Not even the all powerful cruiseline! If they could, you can bet there would never be a hurricane or for that matter, bad weather anywhere on the seas!

 

Give it rest already. If you want sympathy for a cruise cut short or sent somehwere else. You got it. I wouldn't want it to happen to me.

 

Like I said, no one wants their vacation cut short. But move on, take what you can get and get on with what's left of your vacation and try to enjoy it anyway. If you don't, you have yourself to blame and you'll be just wasting your own money.

 

Sorry everyone, I just had to get this off my chest. Posts like this never go anywhere anyway.

[Seago2]

Carla, the Carnival board is a rough crowd too, so go back over.

 

Hahahaha I hate them too! I just cruised CCL for the first time, took my four kids, and it was totally FUN. I was AMAZED because of all the hair trigger tempers on the CCL boards, not to mention the inane topics. I can't tell you how many threads start to compare CCL with WalMart after a post or two, and then devolve into page after page of WalMart diatribes and defenses. Eventually it goes something like "Well yee haw, I'm a WalMart shopper, and I never considered myself to be too much of a redneck to cruise!!!" and then people just sarcastically pile on until it is total class warfare.

 

I was dreading that cruise after the following threads: Can I Bring a Box Fan on CCL? Can Anyone Suggest a Good Soft Sided Cooler for Soda Brought on Board? There is a sweet one going on now about how many entrees you can get at once. I have only sailed NCL and Cunard in the past BUT NOW I MIGHT BE ALLLL YOURS ON RCCL!

 

I am just saying that SOMETIMES people write something interesting and then people jump all over them. ALSO it does seem a little bit harsh over here.

 

The end.

[justaknucklehead]

It's really not harsh over here at all. But with all the new "families" RCCL is attracting, some like it and some don't. Cruising with toddlers or infants has to suck big time, but if you mention how much fun it would not be, people over here jump all over you. As if taking an infant on a cruise could be anything but work, lol. Families galore over here now. I don't like it at all.

[Merion_Mom]

With the approaching hurricane, many departures have been cut short. Most lines are offering a full refund if you choose to cancel OR up to 50% back and 50% off on a future cruise if you decide to go ahead with the sailing. Royal Caribbean is only offering a 50% refund if you cancel and a $100 onboard credit if you decide to sail. Why doesn't RC treat their customers as well as the other cruise lines? If I were to book a future cruise during hurricane season, I think I'd lean toward any other cruise line than RC after seeing this. Your vacation gets cut short and they offer you 50% back if you don't go which means your out 50% and get no vacation. Or, you can go on another line, still take a shortened vacation, and get money back because your not getting the full vacation promised (or you can just cancel and get all your money back). Does anyone else have a problem with this?

You know you guys are funny. Did you ever think that it's you all that like to complain. I'm not complaining, I'm asking a simple question. I did just take a cruise with RC...during hurricane season. I understand that you are taking a chance by cruising then and anything can happen. That's why you pay a little less for your cruise than at other times of the year. I'm simply wondering why the other cruise lines are doing a great deal to make sure that their customers remain happy after having their vacation cut short, and RC doesn't offer half the same. Just seems like good PR to at least match what other cruise lines are doing. But hey, forget I asked. I didn't know you were all out there looking for someone to jump all over. I was away from the boards for a little while and forgot how hostile you people can be. Go take a cruise and relax.

 

You asked if anyone has a problem with Royal Caribbean's plan to compensate the Majesty passengers at $100 per passenger or a 50% refund of cruise fare, without an option to cancel and get 100% of the fare returned. The answers to your question were basically, NO, I don't have a problem with it, consider it more than they are required to do by the cruise contract, and if you want to INSURE yourself against such a possibility, you should BUY travel insurance. I cannot conceive of WHY you think that this implies hostility on the part of any of the posters who responded to you. It seems that the ONLY replies you might have considered non-hostile would be from people who agree with you. Well, no one does. Why should Royal Caribbean pay people who decide not to buy travel insurance? If everyone who bought travel insurance, and everyone who did NOT buy travel insurance, received the same compensation, where is the incentive to buy travel insurance? People who had BOUGHT the insurance would be justifiably mighty peeved that they had paid a premium for something that they "didn't need" after all.

 

And you want to know "Why doesn't RC treat their customers as well as the other cruise lines?" I think that the answer clearly is, because people DO continue to book with RC, despite these "differences." I think that the result that you are likely to see is that the other cruiselines STOP compensating passengers more, and go to RC's model, because that business model seems to work.

 

Would I be upset if my cruise were altered? Of course. I MISSED my g-d*mn cruise last December. Did I blame Royal Caribbean, even though THEY were the ones who refused me boarding at the first port of call? Well, yes, but I HAD BOUGHT TRAVEL INSURANCE, so instead of stewing over it, I went to work at "persuading" the insurance company to refund my cruise fare, AND THEY DID.

 

Carol

[threeofus]

Buy Insurance - right now we are living thru this storm. Had no power this afternoon. Now we have no phones. We already lost one tree and my neighbor's tree has splint in half. We haven't had the rough side of the storm yet....that's coming tonight around midnight. They are expecting up to 20 inches of rain to fall. We spent yesterday and today preparing the house and stocking up on food, ice etc. $$$$$

 

These things happen. Can't complain we chose to live in South Fla. It's a beautiful place to live but this is the price we pay. Every year.

 

When you book a cruise in August/Sept. you KNOW you are booking during hurricane season. That being said...I still felt bad when I heard about the trip being cut short. It's a shame. Sorry for your trouble. But not RCL's fault. Anything you get is a bonus.

[kenandlaura06]

In this particular instance, Carnival is giving more compensation to cruisers than RCCL. However, I am sure that if I read through Carnival threads, someone would be complaining about some time that Carnival has treated its customers poorly. Remember people, this is business...it is about money. RCCL is in business to make money as are all of the other cruiselines. They make calculated decisions with the bottom line in mind at all times. Obviously in this instance, Carnival thought it would be in their best interest to offer a full refund and RCCL thought it would be in their best interest to offer a 50% refund. Bottom line.

 

Ok, stepping down from the soapbox.:)

[Merion_Mom]

threeofus: good luck, and be well. I am thinking of YOU and all your neighbors tonight, NOT the whining cruisers.

 

Carol

[threeofus]

Thank you. So nice to know people are out there thinking of you.

[kenandlaura06]

Thank you. So nice to know people are out there thinking of you.

 

Stay safe!

[waterrats]

In this particular instance, Carnival is giving more compensation to cruisers than RCCL. However, I am sure that if I read through Carnival threads, someone would be complaining about some time that Carnival has treated its customers poorly. Remember people, this is business...it is about money. RCCL is in business to make money as are all of the other cruiselines. They make calculated decisions with the bottom line in mind at all times. Obviously in this instance, Carnival thought it would be in their best interest to offer a full refund and RCCL thought it would be in their best interest to offer a 50% refund. Bottom line.

 

Ok, stepping down from the soapbox.:)

 

I am sure that these companies have insurance that would pick up any lost revenue due to storms that delay and shorten cruises. I think RCCL is just trying to pad their accounts because of Freedom being built.