I've HAD IT with Royal Caribbean!!!

[Goodtime Cruizin]

I have no idea what they heck is going on at RCCL lately, but I've HAD IT. First of all, their website is in complete shambles. I've logged on to find that my PAID FOR reservation is not showing up. I log off and log back on again, and voila, there it is. Dinner reservations that I've made and paid for are gone. Only to reappear sometimes--not all the time. Forget shore excursions. I can't even log into the program to reserve those.

 

Dynamic Dining? They can keep it. I want to enjoy my vacation, not schedule every minute of it.

 

Reserving at a speciality restaurant? The reservation says "$0" for Sabor. Great. Only after reading these boards do I find out that I'll have to pay when I get onboard. OK. That's fine. But could you please TELL me that on the reservation page so I can plan accordingly??

 

But today was the last straw. I called RCCL to request luggage tags. The agent told me that effective March 1, 2010 there is a $5 fee for luggage tags because everything is online now and I should print my own. I have cruised RCCL since 2010. NOT ONCE have I been charged for luggage tags.

 

I'm done. If this cruise wasn't non-refundable at this point, I'd cancel. Royal needs to get their act together FAST if they want to retain their client base. I'm a Diamond member, not new to cruising. I'm watching the decline in customer service, and I'm darn angry about it.

 

The horror. Printing a luggage tag(s).

[Langley Cruisers]

Sorry you've had some frustration. Hopefully the cruise itself will be frustration-free, and you'll have a great vacation. The individual issues don't sound so bad, really, but when several little things pile up, it can really be aggravating. We all need to vent from time to time. :)

 

Aww, agreed. Eloquently stated.

 

I think OP, who has been a member here for 15 years, is entitled to a gripe now and then. In my eyes, it's not JUST the luggage tags (which members here seem to be focusing on), it's everything piling up. We all know vacation planning can be stressful - I think she is feeling that now. Hopefully when she hears the "bong" of the Sea Pass card in the machine, her cares will melt away and she'll have a fantastic cruise.

 

.

[camptalcott]

Hey Op,

In a way I feel your pain.

 

I am a first time cruiser, the reason I'm cruising this year is because my old happy place (Disney) that I had been going to for well over 20 years has gone downhill to the point where it was time to move on.

 

Now personally I'm not going to jump on you about the luggage tags, I think it's more of the "straw that broke the camels back".

 

Everybody has a line in the sand as far as quality goes that you say "that's it".

 

I left Disney when they got rid of complementary valet parking at their hotels for their timeshare members. I got the same replies. yeah, I guess for some that was whining but hey, I don't like when I have to start paying for things that I use to get for FREE.

 

So, I'll be the lone poster who says "good for you". I am a firm believer in voting with your wallet. I have certain expectations when I shell out my hard earned vacation dollars and if others think not getting towel animals is a silly complaint, hey I'm cool with that.

 

There are so many great ways to vacation, wishing you best of luck.

[George C]

I miss the package that we used to get that included luggage tags, but now all the major lines do the same thing. Try finding a line that sends them

[CruiseTobey]

But today was the last straw. I called RCCL to request luggage tags. The agent told me that effective March 1, 2010 there is a $5 fee for luggage tags because everything is online now and I should print my own. I'm done.

 

Is it just me or does this rank right up there with "Bananas in a bowl next to the ketchup and mayo"? :rolleyes:

[yogimax]

I'm a Diamond member, not new to cruising. I'm watching the decline in customer service, and I'm darn angry about it.

 

If you, as a Diamond, are willing to give up a nightly cocktail hour, free internet, etc., etc., because of small issues, that is your choice.

Edited March 19, 2015 by yogimax

[awhcruiser]

Good luck on whatever cruise line you choose. IMHO none of the things you list will prevent us from cruising with RCCL. And no we are not cheerleaders nor loyal to Royal.

I have no idea what they heck is going on at RCCL lately, but I've HAD IT. First of all, their website is in complete shambles. I've logged on to find that my PAID FOR reservation is not showing up. I log off and log back on again, and voila, there it is. Dinner reservations that I've made and paid for are gone. Only to reappear sometimes--not all the time. Forget shore excursions. I can't even log into the program to reserve those.

 

Dynamic Dining? They can keep it. I want to enjoy my vacation, not schedule every minute of it.

 

Reserving at a speciality restaurant? The reservation says "$0" for Sabor. Great. Only after reading these boards do I find out that I'll have to pay when I get onboard. OK. That's fine. But could you please TELL me that on the reservation page so I can plan accordingly??

 

But today was the last straw. I called RCCL to request luggage tags. The agent told me that effective March 1, 2010 there is a $5 fee for luggage tags because everything is online now and I should print my own. I have cruised RCCL since 2010. NOT ONCE have I been charged for luggage tags.

 

I'm done. If this cruise wasn't non-refundable at this point, I'd cancel. Royal needs to get their act together FAST if they want to retain their client base. I'm a Diamond member, not new to cruising. I'm watching the decline in customer service, and I'm darn angry about it.

Edited March 19, 2015 by awhcruiser

[Langley Cruisers]

If you, as a Diamond, are willing to give up a nightly cocktail hour, free internet, etc., etc., because of small issues, that is your choice.

 

I agree with you here. It takes a while to get to Diamond and in my eyes, most of the benefits are amazing! Love me the balcony discount, come on! :D And as mentioned, the drinks and free Internet. BUT... if someone is unhappy, they can show that displeasure with their wallet and take their business somewhere else. I'm so glad we all have a choice in this world. We are blessed to be cruising at all. :)

 

.

[ryano]

Aww, agreed. Eloquently stated.

 

I think OP, who has been a member here for 15 years, is entitled to a gripe now and then. In my eyes, it's not JUST the luggage tags (which members here seem to be focusing on), it's everything piling up. We all know vacation planning can be stressful - I think she is feeling that now. Hopefully when she hears the "bong" of the Sea Pass card in the machine, her cares will melt away and she'll have a fantastic cruise.

 

.

 

And there is a lot of stuff piling up lately. Ive only been here 6 years but I dont recall a time where there have been so many disgruntled seasoned cruisers here as there are now.

 

Im not going to pick on the OP. In fact, I encouraged her to vent her complaints to upper management. What seems minor to me may not be minor to her and vice versa.

 

Ill be just a few days shy of 3 years since my last cruise when I board Freedom in 3 weeks. I have to admit I am worried about some of the things I read here as far as service goes.

[tserface]

I don't think it's a big enough deal to make a difference, but there was always something special about doing the "Doc Dance" when we got the package in the mail. I miss that too. We bought the tag holders from Amazon and they work fine, but it's sort of like so many things that are getting automated (Loyalty Coupon Books, gratuities, etc.) that take just a little more joy out of the cruise experience. We used to enjoy reading the coupon books when we first got on and pulling out the ones we'd want to use. They weren't worth a lot, but it made us feel special. I guess now we just get a sheet of paper (if we're lucky) and discounts just happen. Still nice, but not as much fun. We used to love just handing the gratuities to the people on the last day as part of the experience. Yeah, the labels were just stickers, but they were really pretty and there was a tinge of fun putting them on in the hotel before going to the ship. The new ones are functional.

 

Doing the Doc Dance holding an email printed is just not the same.

 

Alas... but we're still cruising. Like I said, it's not a big enough deal, but like you I miss that experience. For us, cruising is about a whole bunch of little experiences.

 

It certainly does't make me mad like the OP. Just a little sad if I stop to think about it.

 

Tom

 

 

I miss the package that we used to get that included luggage tags, but now all the major lines do the same thing. Try finding a line that sends them

[awhcruiser]

CC needs a like button.

This complaint confuses me.

 

How does someone who regularly sails this line not know about a change that took place 5 years ago?

 

How does someone who hates something get mad when they can't do the thing they hate?

 

 

I've got more questions than answers in this thread.

[vacationers]

Yes this person is right. When you chck in on line and docs are ready they sneak a little place where you enter you request baggage tags and asks you for your address. I have never had a problem or charge.

Edited March 19, 2015 by vacationers

[TheTruthCanHurt]

I will 100% agree that I miss the coupon books. The new (Piece of paper) that you get on the back side of your diamond welcome letter telling you what you get, is just not the same. I liked ripping them out and stuffing them in my pocket when I knew I was going to use them. But I can see where that saves them some money ( although I am sure it only costs them .25 cents to print the whole book since they are the same for every ship for the entire year.

[alinnj]

Guess Diamond isn't so special :rolleyes:

[Nicksmom82]

:( Fully agree their new website is HORRENDOUS !!!!! being a Diamond memebr also,I've been finding they've just been nickle and dimming evereyone,very sad.The prices keep going up,their itineraries never change.....Im sailing come October on an old friend ,the Adventure out of San Juan,PR.It should be interesting. The website is a JOKE!!! I don't want to spend HOURS going thru so many different procedures... to look something up.

[njm5378]

good for you. you take your hard earned money and you should get what you want. If those issues upset you, then go...there is no reason ever to be loyal to a company

 

There are many reasons to be loyal to a company. Discounted or free cruises, free drinks. priority boarding, priority tendering. reserved seating at shows and private recognition events to start the list. I think the expectation that things will never change over the course of many years is where the problem lies.

[yolanda1]

While I personally wouldn't care about the luggage tags per se, I agree with the OP that generally standards have deteriorated rapidly, particularly in customer service.

 

As long as people continue to pay top dollar for mediocre or bad service, there's no incentive for companies to raise the bar.

 

.

[Persifilas]

This will be my first cruise and even though I look at the online site, I call them for anything I order. I like having someone personally confirm my orders so there won't be any mess up. The people who answer the phone are always patient and pleasant.

[slyster]

Not bashing. Op said was all fed up. Was wishing her well. Judge much?[emoji379]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

what was the baby bottle for? I totally felt the sincerity in your buh-bye. Sorry for misjudging....

Edited March 19, 2015 by slyster

[lv2bcruzin]

I have no idea what they heck is going on at RCCL lately, but I've HAD IT. First of all, their website is in complete shambles. I've logged on to find that my PAID FOR reservation is not showing up. I log off and log back on again, and voila, there it is. Dinner reservations that I've made and paid for are gone. Only to reappear sometimes--not all the time. Forget shore excursions. I can't even log into the program to reserve those.

 

Dynamic Dining? They can keep it. I want to enjoy my vacation, not schedule every minute of it.

 

Reserving at a speciality restaurant? The reservation says "$0" for Sabor. Great. Only after reading these boards do I find out that I'll have to pay when I get onboard. OK. That's fine. But could you please TELL me that on the reservation page so I can plan accordingly??

 

But today was the last straw. I called RCCL to request luggage tags. The agent told me that effective March 1, 2010 there is a $5 fee for luggage tags because everything is online now and I should print my own. I have cruised RCCL since 2010. NOT ONCE have I been charged for luggage tags.

 

I'm done. If this cruise wasn't non-refundable at this point, I'd cancel. Royal needs to get their act together FAST if they want to retain their client base. I'm a Diamond member, not new to cruising. I'm watching the decline in customer service, and I'm darn angry about it.

 

Sounds like a first-world problem. I hope you pull through. :rolleyes:

 

As far as luggage tags are concerned, I actually enjoy printing out my own. Gives me something to do that is cruise related and we bought luggage tag holders for $5 which we use every cruise. As well, we use at least one luggage tag from each cruise as a Christmas ornament. We get it laminated and hang it on the tree. :)

Edited March 19, 2015 by lv2bcruzin

[PennStateFan123]

what was the baby bottle for? I totally felt the sincerity in your buh-bye. Sorry for misjudging....

 

 

Apology accepted.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slyster]

:D would still love to know what the baby bottle was for. :confused:

[nelblu]

I have no idea what they heck is going on at RCCL lately, but I've HAD IT. First of all, their website is in complete shambles. I've logged on to find that my PAID FOR reservation is not showing up. I log off and log back on again, and voila, there it is. Dinner reservations that I've made and paid for are gone. Only to reappear sometimes--not all the time. Forget shore excursions. I can't even log into the program to reserve those.

 

Dynamic Dining? They can keep it. I want to enjoy my vacation, not schedule every minute of it.

 

Reserving at a speciality restaurant? The reservation says "$0" for Sabor. Great. Only after reading these boards do I find out that I'll have to pay when I get onboard. OK. That's fine. But could you please TELL me that on the reservation page so I can plan accordingly??

 

But today was the last straw. I called RCCL to request luggage tags. The agent told me that effective March 1, 2010 there is a $5 fee for luggage tags because everything is online now and I should print my own. I have cruised RCCL since 2010. NOT ONCE have I been charged for luggage tags.

 

I'm done. If this cruise wasn't non-refundable at this point, I'd cancel. Royal needs to get their act together FAST if they want to retain their client base. I'm a Diamond member, not new to cruising. I'm watching the decline in customer service, and I'm darn angry about it.

 

I agree with you that their website is inferior. They should have left it alone as it is the old with a new add'l confusing screen. Unless you are booked or sailed on the Quantum that is the only ship with DD. As others have said no luggage tags have been available for a number of years, including the cruise documents. You can print them including the luggage tags.

s

[ryano]

Sounds like a first-world problem.

 

Every single problem on this forum is a first world problem :)

[papaflamingo]

I like Traditional Dining too. But more and more passengers flocked to My Time Dining, so I assume Royal Caribbean decided to move away from Traditional Dining. So we sort of "got what we asked for."

I think they were trying to improve the website, and in doing so it sort of became like the Obamacare Website. Maybe the same designers? But I will say that RCCL's website is heads and tails above Celebrity's website. Not sayin' much, just sayin'.

Luggage Tags. Actually I like printing them. It gets me fired up for the cruise. Plus I know the cabin I booked is still the cabin I booked. Nothing like receiving luggage tags for a different cabin. But, I enjoy seeing them printed up and putting them with my SetSail. Means the cruise is coming soon. And if you don't want to print them or buy them, just have the Porters write them up at the Port. No big deal.

 

Unfortunately we, as a society, "progress." Not always good, just a fact of life. Just look at airline travel. Same deal. Everything changes as our desires change. The cruise experience isn't what it was 20 years ago. But it's like that on all the other cruiselines too. If you want a true "luxury" cruise experience book on Crystal or Seaborne. You'll pay several thousands more for the privilege, but they'll mail you luggage tags.

My guess, most people who like Royal Caribbean will return. They'll try NCL or Carnival or Princess and realize it's pretty much the same thing. But the "factor" (wow or not) that makes someone want to cruise Royal Caribbean will be missing from the other lines. But people should try. They may find they like it better. That's what I did. Turned out I still prefer Royal Caribbean. But that's just me.