Make me say something nice about Royal's website

[Arabia]

I sail on the Serenade in just over two weeks...STILL cannot make dinner reservations via the RCCL website.:mad:

[marci22]

The website is not fully functional.

 

It's not about 'getting used to it' or 'learning new things'. It doesn't work all of the time.

 

It does work some of the time. That's the nicest thing I can say about it.

[BillOh]

Guess I'll be calling to arrange my dining and shorexs. I'm totally frustrated with them. :rolleyes:

 

I've only booked a couple of excursions this time, but it was easy enough and they show in my reservation. I just hope they are there when I arrive. Still I doubt others have had issues. I've had issues, tried again later and things worked totally differently.

 

I do like this compare cruises feature once I figured it out.

[LuCruise]

I like the fact that you can filter in on exact dates.

Also the main page with the cruise and ports is nicely displayed.

[MrSmoofy]

I've only booked a couple of excursions this time, but it was easy enough and they show in my reservation. I just hope they are there when I arrive. Still I doubt others have had issues. I've had issues, tried again later and things worked totally differently.

 

I do like this compare cruises feature once I figured it out.

 

I've had nothing but problems I've not been able to book anything, I've tried 2 different computers, IE, Chrome, Firefox and an iPad all different issues but none would allow me to complete anything.

[yj_eugene]

My favorite part is that the exit/log out works:rolleyes:

 

I'm sure they will be fixing that in the next version. :) Which leads me to the one thing nice I can say about Royal's current website: it's probably better than the next version will be :p

[smoosh21]

I really hate the new website layout, hate it. I am not sure what team at corporate worked on it, but I don't think that they test marketed it very well.

 

Then again, the cynic is me is thinking that they did and there are financial reasons behind why they made the changes. A few years ago the company I worked for redesigned the website to make it very difficult to find out where you would pay my credit card, but very easy to find where you could pay by debit/ACH because of how much money they saved.

 

Maybe they want it to be harder to do searches looking for cheapest rates

[TheTruthCanHurt]

I really hate the new website layout, hate it. I am not sure what team at corporate worked on it, but I don't think that they test marketed it very well.

 

Then again, the cynic is me is thinking that they did and there are financial reasons behind why they made the changes. A few years ago the company I worked for redesigned the website to make it very difficult to find out where you would pay my credit card, but very easy to find where you could pay by debit/ACH because of how much money they saved.

 

Maybe they want it to be harder to do searches looking for cheapest rates

While I understand the cynic in you. I think that the fact that they cant design a properly functioning website is costing them money.

For example. Since the RCCL site is so NON functional, many people go to the Reseller websites to book. And although RCCL gets the booking they have to offer the sailing at a discounted rate to the TA or pay commission. So it is actually costing them money by forcing people to use the outside website.

[susancruzs]

I'm usually computer challenged being "older" but didn't have any problems booking 2 excursions this morning for my October Med/TA cruises. I didn't find it difficult. I use an older laptop, with explorer, recently had chrome added but I still use older versions!

 

Booking with a travel agent, I don't get online, trying to compare prices on cruises. Being retired, cruising for itinerary, not Caribbean, pretty much cut and dried. I price a cruise through RCI website then ask my TA what she will do for me. Her price is always much better than the cruise line.

[Kcruiser2014]

One thing nice to say about the website--- it saved me money. I got so frustrated trying to research and not being able to filter it the way I wanted, I gave up and looked elsewhere. Found a great deal in NCL. Maybe when I can filter better, I will come back to the website. Instead, I went to a TA website where I could filter better. That's how I found the NCL deal. If RC website was working, I would have booked them and never looked elsewhere. I love RC, so hope I like NCL and hope Royal gets a better website too!!!!

[marci22]

I'm usually computer challenged being "older" but didn't have any problems booking 2 excursions this morning for my October Med/TA cruises. I didn't find it difficult. I use an older laptop, with explorer, recently had chrome added but I still use older versions!

 

It's not difficult when it works. I've searched plenty of times and had good results. But I've searched many other times, and it brings me to the wrong page, doesn't filter, resets, etc.

 

I'm not sure what they're doing, but they're doing it wrong.

[robandana]

One thing nice to say about the website--- it saved me money. I got so frustrated trying to research and not being able to filter it the way I wanted, I gave up and looked elsewhere. Found a great deal in NCL. Maybe when I can filter better, I will come back to the website. Instead, I went to a TA website where I could filter better. That's how I found the NCL deal. If RC website was working, I would have booked them and never looked elsewhere. I love RC, so hope I like NCL and hope Royal gets a better website too!!!!

 

WOW! That's very funny....I wonder how many times that has happened...

 

I guess it's our own fault.....for complaining about the old site....maybe they could switch back..

Edited March 26, 2015 by robandana

[cathep]

I like the fact that you can filter in on exact dates.

 

I love this feature which is hard to find on other sites. It's saved me a lot of time - time that needed to be made up after so much wasted time trying to get on the site after the upgrade.

[LuCruise]

I love this feature which is hard to find on other sites. It's saved me a lot of time - time that needed to be made up after so much wasted time trying to get on the site after the upgrade.

 

Yes, it helps when you know the exact date or range you want to travel.

 

I know that there are a lot of complaints on the new website, but I think it has some pros too. I like that the OP was trying to create a positive thread on it.

[parrotfeathers]

I miss the cruise calendar. It had the ships and different colors as to what time of year they cruised. It easily shows what ships sail where and when.

 

One great feature is you can cancel a cruise on their website. On HAL you have to make a telephone call.

[FirstClassBlonde]

I hate it! Pretty pictures though....not sure what they want us to do...OBC seems to get lower and lower so I look out here but can't find what I want and always end up on a wrong page!

[CVU]

I miss the Advanced Search, pick a date and destination and the ships were highlighted that were going there....it was a LOT easier to search for something to book.

 

Now it refreshes constantly and just is not 'quickly user friendly'. Too many clicks are required to get to Search as well.......Not impressed.

 

IT----- maybe take a person 'new to cruising' first, to try out [Test] your new ideas and see if they can find what they want and get there successfully within in a short window of time??? Then when it is all working properly put it onto the RCL web page!!!:D

[CAT GIRL]

Please bring back the page that shows all the stops and times listed.

I don't need to see a bunch of photos of where we are going. I used

to print those itineraries up so I could compare cruises on paper. I

also used to take a copy of it on the cruise so I could see where

we were going each day.

It's sad that I go to other websites to get information rather than

RCCL's website.

[gkbiiii]

I was just reviewing the new Carnival Vista: http://www.carnival.com/cruise-ships/carnival-vista.aspx#accommodations/havana

 

I was really pleasantly surprised how well thought out and generally well done, the Carnival website is. After several years with Royal, I wonder why their IT (on ship & on land) is so poor??

Edited March 29, 2015 by gkbiiii

[temple1]

I did find something I liked about Royal's new website. Now that more Spring 16 itineraries are out, I used the comparison feature and thought it worked good. A very minor criticism might be that the ship names aren't on the screen below, but since I picked them it wasn't hard to remember and I'm sure many of you will know which ones they are at a glance, but a new customer might be just a bit confused.

 

 

Well, other than the new itineraries being out, I cannot think of anything other than a gun to my head that would make me say nice things about the new (I will not say upgraded) website. :eek:

[harry0]

I am a pretty adaptable, tollerant, roll with the punches kinda guy. I have been on the site many times and I just dont get it. Kinda reminds me of what the Philadelphia Eagles are doing with thier NFL team. They had a good team that needed a few tweeks but the coach got rid of the best players and did a total makeover.

As a Eagle fan I hope it works out better than Royals useless site.

My biggest problem with it is this: When researching a cruise and I change dates I am told in the dreaded red letters to contact them by phone. Pain in the butt!

Instead I go to a online cruise agent and do my research. The problem with that for Royal is I also see Norwegian and Carnival deals too!!!