Very disappointed in a Royal Carribbean

[golferwife]

My husband and I sail approximately four times a year and are Loyal to the RCCL family. We currently have one Azamara, two Celebrity and three Royal Carribbean cruises booked. In fact, my husband and I met on the Serenade and got married on the same ship two years later. My husband just found out he needs surgery and we need to cancel an October sailing. We did not request a refund, but simply asked it to be applied to a new booking within the next twelve months. They refused and are hitting us with a $900 penalty. The money is not the issue because we have insurance, the issue is that we are loyal to them and expect the same loyalty in return. We are now researching which of the cruises that we have booked can be cancelled without major penalty and will start shopping other cruise lines.

[Clarea]

I don't understand, if you have insurance, you're not out any money, right?

[p2lockhart]

Did you call the C&A Loyalty Desk?

[Ourusualbeach]

My husband and I sail approximately four times a year and are Loyal to the RCCL family. We currently have one Azamara, two Celebrity and three Royal Carribbean cruises booked. In fact, my husband and I met on the Serenade and got married on the same ship two years later. My husband just found out he needs surgery and we need to cancel an October sailing. We did not request a refund, but simply asked it to be applied to a new booking within the next twelve months. They refused and are hitting us with a $900 penalty. The money is not the issue because we have insurance, the issue is that we are loyal to them and expect the same loyalty in return. We are now researching which of the cruises that we have booked can be cancelled without major penalty and will start shopping other cruise lines.

 

Why would you expect them to do anything. You have insurance, that's what insurance is for. Sorry but I think your getting upset over absolutely nothing. Like you said you are not out any money. This has absolutely nothing to do with Loyalty.

[cle-guy]

Contact are contracts. you agreed to the terms regarding cancellation, just as they agreed to the terms to ensure you have a cabin available when you arrive to the ship.

 

Imagine if you arrived to the port and they told you sorry, we gave your cabin away, we had a frequent, loyal traveler of ours who canceled another cruise earlier this year because of medical issues, but wanted to get on this one now.

 

This should be covered by travel insurance if you chose to purchase it (it's exactly why travel insurance is available that covers cancellations) or from your "self insurance" fund if you do not pay for it with each cruise.

 

Most people who have to cancel post final payments have hardship reasons for doing so, it's why they have such deadlines and contract terms.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

My husband and I sail approximately four times a year and are Loyal to the RCCL family. We currently have one Azamara, two Celebrity and three Royal Carribbean cruises booked. In fact, my husband and I met on the Serenade and got married on the same ship two years later. My husband just found out he needs surgery and we need to cancel an October sailing. We did not request a refund, but simply asked it to be applied to a new booking within the next twelve months. They refused and are hitting us with a $900 penalty. The money is not the issue because we have insurance, the issue is that we are loyal to them and expect the same loyalty in return. We are now researching which of the cruises that we have booked can be cancelled without major penalty and will start shopping other cruise lines.

 

Hope your husband's surgery goes well. I don't think Loyalty has anything to do with RCI not wanting to let you transfer the booking to another sail date. There are many loyal RCI cruisers and I can only imagine how many have medical situations that occur within penalty period. That's what insurance is for. It's good that you have it and it will cover the cancellation.....many don't. I'd be surprised if you find any other cruise lines that will allow cancellation within penalty period at no charge.

[MommaBear55]

My husband and I sail approximately four times a year and are Loyal to the RCCL family. We currently have one Azamara, two Celebrity and three Royal Carribbean cruises booked. In fact, my husband and I met on the Serenade and got married on the same ship two years later. My husband just found out he needs surgery and we need to cancel an October sailing. We did not request a refund, but simply asked it to be applied to a new booking within the next twelve months. They refused and are hitting us with a $900 penalty. The money is not the issue because we have insurance, the issue is that we are loyal to them and expect the same loyalty in return. We are now researching which of the cruises that we have booked can be cancelled without major penalty and will start shopping other cruise lines.

 

If the money is not the issue, since you have insurance, why are you upset with Royal Caribbean? You can just take your refunded money and apply it to any cruise you want. They are being consistent with their policies, so they are treating you fairly. I am not sure how a different cruise line would treat you better.

Edited August 15, 2016 by MommaBear55

[BNBR]

This is industry standard, it appears. There was just a similar thread on Carnival - though the person had an issue the day of boarding...

 

These companies are NOT loyal to you. Period. Which is why I have zero loyalty to any brands. Don't expect it in return.

 

You will get 2 types of responses on Cruise Critic that I've seen. The "too bad, so sad, it's your fault" and the "yeah, we agree, but what can you do?"

 

It's good business for them to treat you right. They hide behind contracts and don't put the extra effort in with loyal customers - that's their call. Carnival does it, too. And since all the lines do it, I don't think Royal is all that worried about losing your business.

 

It's unfortunate, and I wish there was more discretion and humanity in the way people are treated nowadays.

 

I'm not sure how the insurance works, but if you can wait until the day of sailing, or even after, to get your money back... I would do that. Don't give them the satisfaction of getting your money AND filling the room with another person. I read about one guy who had the "vacation guarantee" and they wouldn't give him his money back, so he went on the cruise, alone, said he wasn't happy, and they flew him home at the first port. Full refund. Cost the cruise line a lot more money that way, but rules are rules.....

Edited August 15, 2016 by BNBR

[AustinCruise]

Given you have insurance, why should they even consider to break their policies? It's the insurance companies liability to deal with.

 

Sorry you had something unexpected come up. Glad you have insurance to cover it!

[cruisenfever]

My husband and I sail approximately four times a year and are Loyal to the RCCL family. We currently have one Azamara, two Celebrity and three Royal Carribbean cruises booked. In fact, my husband and I met on the Serenade and got married on the same ship two years later. My husband just found out he needs surgery and we need to cancel an October sailing. We did not request a refund, but simply asked it to be applied to a new booking within the next twelve months. They refused and are hitting us with a $900 penalty. The money is not the issue because we have insurance, the issue is that we are loyal to them and expect the same loyalty in return. We are now researching which of the cruises that we have booked can be cancelled without major penalty and will start shopping other cruise lines.

Loyalty has nothing to do with your situation. It's a medical issue that will be covered by your insurance.

 

Your $900 penalty will be reimbursed by your insurance company. You need a doctor's letter stating that your husband needs surgery. You will submit this letter to the insurance company and you will be refunded everything that RCI does not refund to you excluding the cost of your insurance. Pport taxes, fees, gratuities, excursions, specialty dining will be refunded back to the credit card on file by RCI.

 

During October of 2013 and June of 2014 we had to cancel 8 cruises due to health issues. Some were past final payment, but we were refunded every penny when all the paper work was submitted.

Edited August 15, 2016 by cruisenfever

[Snit13]

Contact are contracts. you agreed to the terms regarding cancellation, just as they agreed to the terms to ensure you have a cabin available when you arrive to the ship.

 

Imagine if you arrived to the port and they told you sorry, we gave your cabin away, we had a frequent, loyal traveler of ours who canceled another cruise earlier this year because of medical issues, but wanted to get on this one now.

 

This should be covered by travel insurance if you chose to purchase it (it's exactly why travel insurance is available that covers cancellations) or from your "self insurance" fund if you do not pay for it with each cruise.

 

Most people who have to cancel post final payments have hardship reasons for doing so, it's why they have such deadlines and contract terms.

 

Hi Cle,

 

What are you doing on the RCCL board? Did you abondon Celebrity? Always enjoyed reading your responses on Celebrity board.

 

We are sailing with Royal now out of Tampa or Port Canaveral.

 

Grace

[swoopy2110]

I hope the surgery goes well

 

However, this is standard. If they give money back to you / let you keep the credit for another cruise then they have to do it for everyone. They are a business.

 

This is exactly what insurance is for and you'll get all your money back that way

[finz2u]

I'm really surprised. The same thing happened to me a few years ago (parent feel sick) and RCL was great at rescheduling a new sailing for us. All I needed to do was provide a doctor's note. Sorry that this has soured you on Royal.

[KS Sunflower]

Most people would be saying, "I'm sure glad I bought insurance."

 

Really, isn't this what you buy insurance for? To cover emergencies?

[Pipo]

The OP is sharing her opinion, I don't see why some users are criticizing her point. I know there is a contract, and the cruise line will have it harder to sell that cabin now, but she is asking her deposit or final payment being used for a future cruise.

IMHO, RCI and any other cruise line should implement a policy for these cases, where the credit can be used for future travel, but with a FAIR penalty ($50-$200) per passenger, non-refundable, but $900 for keep traveling with them it's insane.

Being loyal has never meant anything to companies. Even, cruise lines consider repeating guests as their worst customers.

[reallyitsmema]

I hope your husband's surgery goes well. Insurance will cover the $900 as others have said. As far as transferring the funds instead of an outright cancel, we tried to do that when we had to cancel a cruise and were told we could and then they reneged. We ended up cancelling and got all our money back except the cost of the insurance, but we lost a next cruise and the OBC that went with it.

 

What I found disappointing was at the same time I was trying to transfer the funds and was denied, someone else was posting how they were allowed to transfer their funds and they had no insurance at all. Seems very similar to your situation as you are being denied a transfer of booking, when there is another thread from a gentleman who has been allowed to move his funds to another cruise and he has no insurance.

 

Makes you wonder why you should buy insurance in the first place.

[golferwife]

Thanks for the feedback. You would think it would be in the cruise lines best interest to keep our money instead of refunding it and keeping loyal customers happy. i found a very similar cruise to the one I asked them to use as a replacement on Windstar. We are going to try that instead. We also "host" an extended family cruise on Royal every other March where we book 10-15 cabins. We have our travel agent looking for other cruise lines at a similar price point to RCCL. Although I understand the feedback and the non negotiable cruise contract, I think it may be time for a change.

[Ourusualbeach]

Thanks for the feedback. You would think it would be in the cruise lines best interest to keep our money instead of refunding it and keeping loyal customers happy. i found a very similar cruise to the one I asked them to use as a replacement on Windstar. We are going to try that instead. We also "host" an extended family cruise on Royal every other March where we book 10-15 cabins. We have our travel agent looking for other cruise lines at a similar price point to RCCL. Although I understand the feedback and the non negotiable cruise contract, I think it may be time for a change.

 

Just my opinion but it sounds like you were ready for a change anyway and this was just a convenient reason to make the change. Enjoy your future cruises.

[alfaeric]

I'm really surprised. The same thing happened to me a few years ago (parent feel sick) and RCL was great at rescheduling a new sailing for us. All I needed to do was provide a doctor's note. Sorry that this has soured you on Royal.

 

Did you have insurance?

 

It matters a lot.

 

For an emergency- given that they can get fully paid with insurance, just like a doctor's office, you go for the insurance payment over the patient payment.

 

If you don't, since the amount of recovery is much smaller, it's worth some effort to re-book and capture some of that lost potential money.

 

 

If a doctor can charge you, personally $100 for treatment, or bill you $900 knowing that insurance would pay it, which is the logical choice?

[tinkertwo]

I think the problem with the cruise line allowing a transfer of the funds after paid in full date would be that you could then cancel the future cruise before its PIF and get the money back that way. It would be a good out.

 

Sorry this happened however I do agree , if its in the contract its in the contract. Something both parties agreed on.

[mjkacmom]

Thanks for the feedback. You would think it would be in the cruise lines best interest to keep our money instead of refunding it and keeping loyal customers happy. i found a very similar cruise to the one I asked them to use as a replacement on Windstar. We are going to try that instead. We also "host" an extended family cruise on Royal every other March where we book 10-15 cabins. We have our travel agent looking for other cruise lines at a similar price point to RCCL. Although I understand the feedback and the non negotiable cruise contract, I think it may be time for a change.

 

But they are not refunding your money, the insurance company is paying you. This policy is pretty standard.

[Leosmom]

If you have insurance wouldn't RCCL refund you all but $900 as that is the penalty amount. ...and your insurance will refund you the remainder of your cruise fare?

All you would lose is the cost of the insurance.

[Merion_Mom]

If you have insurance wouldn't RCCL refund you all but $900 as that is the penalty amount. ...and your insurance will refund you the remainder of your cruise fare?

All you would lose is the cost of the insurance.

 

And you are not "losing" that. You are actually employing the insurance. You are getting what you paid for: The ability to get your cruise fare refunded when you cancel inside of final payment date.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

OP said she expected loyalty from the cruiseline. I'm not sure what she expected.

 

I expect my cruiseline to honor our contract and provide me with a great ship, good food, safe passage, etc. In turn, I will honor the contract by abiding by the cancellation terms if I can't take the cruise.

 

Unless of course that she is so special that the standard contract doesn't apply. In that case, bye.

[John&LaLa]

I'm really surprised. The same thing happened to me a few years ago (parent feel sick) and RCL was great at rescheduling a new sailing for us. All I needed to do was provide a doctor's note. Sorry that this has soured you on Royal.

 

Maybe it soured because folks come on internet chat rooms and brag that Royal bent the rules for them. :eek: