empress first 6 sailings canelled

[chris1]

I am one of the affected passengers on the Empress, supposed to sail 4/16. We booked through AMEX (thank god). Back in December when we booked the trip I recall my wife asking an RCL rep who AMEX conferences in if there was any chance the ship wouldn't be ready in April. "Not a chance" she said.....

 

While we may never know the true reasons for the delays, of course things can happen, go wrong, unexpected things and such. I, and I think most passengers can accept that.

 

What cannot be accepted is how RCL has been dealing with the situation. In business things happen, sometimes bad things and it's how a company deals with those situations and accommodates their customers which differentiate them from other companies. RCL has certainly differentiated themselves, unfortunately for them in a bad way. Unless I win a free cruise I will never ever consider RCL again.

 

I found out about this via a post on cruise critic (thank you cruise critic!). I immediately called AMEX, where the cruise desk was closed (late in evening Friday). Then I booked a cruise on carnival which leaves Miami the same day. Shortly thereafter I cancelled the carnival and booked to a Disney which will be better all around for the kids. This is costing a good $1k more then the RCL cruise. We got the last balcony cabin on Disney btw. Amex didn't even know about the cancellation, they had to call RCL.....

 

I'm reading some of the posts here and on the RCL blog. Their offers to accommodate passengers are a joke. They should really step up and find these folks space on other cruises during the same time- that's what airlines will do. At least offer to pay for any difference in airfare, offer a substantial discount on future cruise, something, anything that would at least appear to be apologetic instead of the bare minimum. I think RCL is a rotten outfit and like I said, they're off our list. Good luck to all who have been impacted by these cancellations.

[mheinrich]

I was booked on the March 30 w/ 2 other couples (and I'm a travel agent). The choices, if you wanted to keep your dates, were next to ZERO! I couldn't get us on the Majesty March 28 sailing. Tried to get us on a 6 day carnival conquest sailing, but could only get one cabin.

 

Yesterday, we decided to book the Enchantment no matter what the cost. 45 minutes on the phone with Jet Blue to get the flights fixed. Then the wait with Royal Caribbean. All in all, it cost me 6 hours of my time (not kidding, total of 6 straight hours from start to finish) to get our flights and cruise rebooked.

 

While on hold waiting, I reserved the cabins on the Enchantment myself. At 7:00 Saturday morning, there were a total of 5 cabins left on the 28th sailing. I took 3. If I had to wait for them to answer the phone, I would not have gotten those cabins.

 

We decided since we were doing this anyway, we booked a b2b and did the April 1 sailing also.

 

Total cost for this mess.....$4863 additional of which we will get back a total of $540 in airline change fees ($90x6 people). Our flights cost us a fortune to rebook because it's spring break.

 

And I wasn't one of the lucky ones that got the early booking discounts that were offered because I booked after the prices had already gone up!

[Maybug7]

Is anyone taking a chance and sailing on the first one being offered after the cancelled sailings? The 25th I believe..? We need to reschedule and it scared me to book that one and then they cancel...again!

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

I was booked on the March 30 w/ 2 other couples (and I'm a travel agent). The choices, if you wanted to keep your dates, were next to ZERO! I couldn't get us on the Majesty March 28 sailing. Tried to get us on a 6 day carnival conquest sailing, but could only get one cabin.

 

Yesterday, we decided to book the Enchantment no matter what the cost. 45 minutes on the phone with Jet Blue to get the flights fixed. Then the wait with Royal Caribbean. All in all, it cost me 6 hours of my time (not kidding, total of 6 straight hours from start to finish) to get our flights and cruise rebooked.

 

While on hold waiting, I reserved the cabins on the Enchantment myself. At 7:00 Saturday morning, there were a total of 5 cabins left on the 28th sailing. I took 3. If I had to wait for them to answer the phone, I would not have gotten those cabins.

 

We decided since we were doing this anyway, we booked a b2b and did the April 1 sailing also.

 

Total cost for this mess.....$4863 additional of which we will get back a total of $540 in airline change fees ($90x6 people). Our flights cost us a fortune to rebook because it's spring break.

 

And I wasn't one of the lucky ones that got the early booking discounts that were offered because I booked after the prices had already gone up!

 

It is $4800 MORE than the Empress b2b? Or is that what you had to lay out and are awaiting the Empress refund?

 

Maybe RCI just discovered the most clever sales tactic ever...

[Clarea]

Is anyone taking a chance and sailing on the first one being offered after the cancelled sailings? The 25th I believe..? We need to reschedule and it scared me to book that one and then they cancel...again!

I agree, with the lack of info so far, I'd be wary of booking anything on Empress until she actually started revenue cruises again.

[mheinrich]

It is $4800 MORE than the Empress b2b? Or is that what you had to lay out and are awaiting the Empress refund?

 

Maybe RCI just discovered the most clever sales tactic ever...

 

 

Total cost more for 3 couples to change to the Enchantment, rebook our flights and add the 3 night April 1 sailing. (we were originally only booked on the 5 night March 30 Empress sailing)

Edited March 20, 2016 by mheinrich

[Paulette3028]

I was booked on the March 30 w/ 2 other couples (and I'm a travel agent). The choices, if you wanted to keep your dates, were next to ZERO! I couldn't get us on the Majesty March 28 sailing. Tried to get us on a 6 day carnival conquest sailing, but could only get one cabin.

 

Yesterday, we decided to book the Enchantment no matter what the cost. 45 minutes on the phone with Jet Blue to get the flights fixed. Then the wait with Royal Caribbean. All in all, it cost me 6 hours of my time (not kidding, total of 6 straight hours from start to finish) to get our flights and cruise rebooked.

 

While on hold waiting, I reserved the cabins on the Enchantment myself. At 7:00 Saturday morning, there were a total of 5 cabins left on the 28th sailing. I took 3. If I had to wait for them to answer the phone, I would not have gotten those cabins.

 

We decided since we were doing this anyway, we booked a b2b and did the April 1 sailing also.

 

Total cost for this mess.....$4863 additional of which we will get back a total of $540 in airline change fees ($90x6 people). Our flights cost us a fortune to rebook because it's spring break.

 

And I wasn't one of the lucky ones that got the early booking discounts that were offered because I booked after the prices had already gone up!

 

I am not saying that the way Royal is handling this I agree with. Part of the $4863 additional cost that you have incurred is an additional sailing that you have tacked on to make it a B2B, that would not have been covered by Royal in any case.

[Paulette3028]

It is $4800 MORE than the Empress b2b? Or is that what you had to lay out and are awaiting the Empress refund?

 

Maybe RCI just discovered the most clever sales tactic ever...

 

They were not on a B2B on Empress, they added a sailing when they booked Enchantment, therefore some of the $4800 is that extra sailing for 6 people.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Paulette3028

[LMaxwell]

Thanks for clarifying; when I saw the $4.8K I just got the vapors and my brain was a little twitchy.

[razzinger]

Is anyone taking a chance and sailing on the first one being offered after the cancelled sailings? The 25th I believe..? We need to reschedule and it scared me to book that one and then they cancel...again!

 

 

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We are booked on the NOW first sailing, April 25th, but we booked the day the C&A discounts were announced. We just happened to have that week planned for a vacation, with no plans made at that point as to what we might do. We both have to pick our vacations in Oct. or Nov. for the entire next year, and I have no flexibility in changing to another week if plans get changed.

 

The price we got was the only reason we were cruising that week. If she gets pushed back again, we are out our airfare and precruise hotel (used airline miles we would not get back), not having purchased insurance. There is a Majesty sailing the same day, but its to the Bahamas for 4 nights not 5, and we have no desire to get on the Majesty. We would have to pay more port fees if we changed, and pay for another hotel night post cruise if there were cabins still available on Majesty IF they were to cancel the Empress again.

 

It is very hard to believe that RCCL is treating guests like this. I hope somehow even if we do get to sail on Empress on the 25th, others that had their cruises changed do get more than what has been offered for their inconvenience. Its not like RCCL is the only fish in the sea.

[mheinrich]

They were not on a B2B on Empress, they added a sailing when they booked Enchantment, therefore some of the $4800 is that extra sailing for 6 people.

 

Correct, the $4800 did include the additional 3 night cruise. We were not on a back to back originally.

[Merion_Mom]

I am not saying that the way Royal is handling this I agree with. Part of the $4863 additional cost that you have incurred is an additional sailing that you have tacked on to make it a B2B, that would not have been covered by Royal in any case.

 

But they are not "doubling" their cruise. They are going from 5 nights to 7.

 

And if RC had accommodated them on the Majesty, they would not have had to turn to the Enchantment.

 

By only allowing people to switch to the Majesty for the same time as their cancelled Empress cruises, they all but guaranteed that most would not be able to go.

[FLACRUISER99]

Is anyone taking a chance and sailing on the first one being offered after the cancelled sailings? The 25th I believe..? We need to reschedule and it scared me to book that one and then they cancel...again!

 

 

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I say go ahead & book it, at this point I don't think there will be anymore hiccups. However I like to live dangerously.:eek:

[Paulette3028]

But they are not "doubling" their cruise. They are going from 5 nights to 7.

 

And if RC had accommodated them on the Majesty, they would not have had to turn to the Enchantment.

 

By only allowing people to switch to the Majesty for the same time as their cancelled Empress cruises, they all but guaranteed that most would not be able to go.

 

I believe this wasn't handled well by Royal. By limiting the options people had as you aptly say "they all but guaranteed that most would not be able to go" and that seems a ridiculous way to proceed.

 

But the poster put up numbers as to what the additional cost to them were going to be, while they were getting more cruise days. I like clear and simple and aim for that.

[NIATPAC29]

The only long-term satisfaction is to never sell with our RCCL again,The Things they are doing to their loyal passengers are just totally ridiculous.

[waterbugohio]

He's baaaacccckkkk.

 

 

Please don't feed the troll.

[NIATPAC29]

Its time for R CCL to to feel the pain that they are putting on their customers. Many Other Cruise Lines out there. And unlike RCCL have decent customer service and won't put their passengers in danger by going into a storm

[Ocean Boy]

Its time for R CCL to to feel the pain that they are putting on their customers. Many Other Cruise Lines out there. And unlike RCCL have decent customer service and won't put their passengers in danger by going into a storm

 

You may soon find yourself paying a lot more for those cruises you take if all the folks you keep trying to get to leave RCI increase the demand for those Carnival cabins.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

[ShannonSC2]

Its time for R CCL to to feel the pain that they are putting on their customers. Many Other Cruise Lines out there. And unlike RCCL have decent customer service and won't put their passengers in danger by going into a storm

 

 

Not a true statement about the storm. I was on a Carnival cruise once in the middle of a storm just like the Anthem of the Seas. All the other ships stayed in port in Nassau while we went forward. You could see the storm brewing offshore and lets just say for 48 hours we couldn't leave our room. In fact when we got home we watched the weather and it was a subtropical system that we went right through. We missed our ports and nothing was open. Bars were closed, casino closed, no shows, nothing! Called Carnival and they said we don't care at all what you experienced. They didn't offer us a refund or anything! I haven't been back on a Carnival but I may be willing to give them another try one day.

 

So other cruise lines also have horrible customer service. RCCL proved they have horrible customer service yesterday but I am scheduled on another RCCL next year for Spring break and I plan to go. If Carnival offered me a refund on my cruise from H*** I would probably consider them again. Every cruise line has their issues just like every store you shop in or restaurant you eat in. But you still go there!

 

I don't like RCCL did especially 12 days before my cruise but you just move on. Am I happy! Actually I am lucky I get to cruise on the NCL Getaway again next week now!

[AlisaB]

From what I have read following crew members are Empress right now they are headed to Freeport to finish the wet dock not a dry dock. (based on facebook post).

 

Here is a contractor that had left empress and is now flying back to Cadiz

https://www.facebook.com/jshagg

 

Here are more workers saying they are going to Bahamas, which to me says there is no structural or mechanical problem.

https://www.facebook.com/atienzamario36

https://www.facebook.com/hadrawi.judawi?fref=nf

https://www.facebook.com/hadrawi.judawi

[Cruzin-K]

The ignore feature is a wonderful thing. I have nine people on it now. Cruise Critic is a much more pleasant place to be than it used to be :D

[MadManOfBethesda]

He's baaaacccckkkk.

 

 

Please don't feed the troll.

 

 

You do realize that that is exactly what you just did, right?

 

 

 

 

 

And another one.

 

This is exactly what he is hoping for. It doesn't matter what your response is; he wins when you respond to his posts in any manner whatsoever.

[waterbugohio]

so how do we do this "ignore" thing? So we don't see his post???

[molly361]

so how do we do this "ignore" thing? So we don't see his post???

 

On the top of the CC page left side there is a place that says USER CP

click on that and it will show your profile. Under settings there is a place that says Edit your Ignore List. You would enter any members that you want to ignore