RCI screws up again

[MaritimeR&R]

Just curious.....................

 

If you could keep the cabin at the current or lesser price, would you go this week?

 

Just wondering.

 

Good luck and let us know what happens

 

No, it would cost me RT airfare and a hotel, and I just got back earlier this past week from a B2B on the Freedom. And then what do I do about my fourth leg? --- fly down and back again, pay another hotel bill. Xmas is around the corner and I will have a house full. So, my answer to your question is "no way."

[matj2000]

Do you really want to spend 4 weeks on a RC ship?

 

I'm ready to get off on day 7....

 

[MaritimeR&R]

I left you some info on your roll call about the March date....so don't be surprised if yours has changed and no notice....they started selling tickets to the March one by 11/1

 

That's exactly why I am annoyed. - Nov. 1st cabins went on sale for a march 9 "7 night Melissa E. experience 3/12--3/19 ---those who are currently booked on the 10 ni southern Caribbean starting 3/9 have not heard anything from RC about their sailing being cancelled. That is bad business!

[Magellan321]

That's exactly why I am annoyed. - Nov. 1st cabins went on sale for a march 9 "7 night Melissa E. experience 3/12--3/19 ---those who are currently booked on the 10 ni southern Caribbean starting 3/9 have not heard anything from RC about their sailing being cancelled. That is bad business!

 

It sadly seems to be a theme lately....change something and wait till enough people find it themselves to address the changes they have made. It has made me question where i spend my $ on my next trip.

[MaritimeR&R]

Do you really want to spend 4 weeks on a RC ship?

 

I'm ready to get off on day 7....

 

 

There are many people who spend more time than that. Retirees, like myself, often spend weeks on board to escape the cold weather in the north and just enjoy being at sea.

[ducklite]

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask RC to notify it's passengers immediately upon accepting a charter instead of leaving us all to speculate on what's happening.

 

 

 

If it is a full ship charter or one that will disrupt embarkation/debarkation dates and/or ports, I 100,000% agree!

 

 

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[Bobal]

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask RC to notify it's passengers immediately upon accepting a charter instead of leaving us all to speculate on what's happening.

 

It sadly seems to be a theme lately....change something and wait till enough people find it themselves to address the changes they have made. It has made me question where i spend my $ on my next trip.

 

Agree with both the above. We had it happen to us twice this year, we booked a Legend cruise (for May 2017) which was cancelled (due to selling the ship to Tui). We decided to use the compensation to book a cruise on Brilliance which was then chartered for 4 days - making our12 day cruise an 8 day cruise, and with different ports.

 

Both times the ship showed sold out for 4 weeks before we were informed, and RC denied there was anything untoward despite several emails on both occasions. :mad:

 

We've always had a number of RC cruises booked for the future but after our experience this year we're exploring other options

Edited December 11, 2016 by Bobal

[vickiw0318]

I hope you hear the details soon so you can make any necessary adjustments. You might think about taking the charter cruise. Super Mario cruised with us several years back on one of the Rock Legends charters of the Liberty of the Seas rather than interrupt his stay on board. The concierge told me that Mario had a good time.

[Coralc]

If it does come to pass. I would take the redeployment OBC, cancel the 4th leg and use both $$ to book something entirely different. :D

[moopetguy]

I'm sorry to read about this happening! Even with compensation, it would still be very frustrating to have your plans changed on you. I personally don't book until I have my heart set on a sailing, so it would be very distressing to find out about a cancellation (while still recognizing that RCI has the right to do it).

 

If I understand correctly though (speaking in the general sense, not this specific case), a sailing pulled from inventory and being "sold out" in all categories does not always mean "charter".

 

My example is the Nov 24, 2017 sailing of Navigator. In May, it was listed as "sold out" for nearly a week. There was speculation on the roll call of a charter. This is going to be my first B2B (and it was a great price) so I was/am very excited, and would have been very disappointed had it been chartered and cancelled for those who already booked. (There were other 9-night Navigator sailings within the same time frame that were also listed as "sold out".)

 

Strangely, bookings over the phone were still being accepted, just not online. So after a week of "sold out", online booking was made available again, but only in USD (and the prices had gone up). When trying to book in CAD, it was still "sold out" and remained that way for a month (maybe longer, I can't remember exactly) before CAD pricing and bookings were available online again (again, at higher prices).

 

So at least this "sold out" sailing (and a few other 9-nighters on Navigator around the same timeframe) had a happy ending...for now.

[MaritimeR&R]

If it does come to pass. I would take the redeployment OBC, cancel the 4th leg and use both $$ to book something entirely different. :D

 

Sounds good in theory, but just in theory. I booked all four of my cruises on the day they were released. I have done my research and to rebook something now to replace the third and fourth leg gives me only two options Freedom and Navigator. Freedom would be an 8/6/8 giving me 22 nights versus the 21 I am currently booked for and Navigator a 9/5/9 would give me an equal number of nights that I am currently booked for.

 

If I do Freedom, I have to pay for one night in a hotel plus transportation from the port to the hotel and then back to the port plus my meals. If I do Navigator, I have to go from Fort Lauderdale to Miami. The current pricing for these ships in the cabin class I am booked in would be thousands more than I am currently paying.

[kandj05]

Sounds good in theory, but just in theory. I booked all four of my cruises on the day they were released. I have done my research and to rebook something now to replace the third and fourth leg gives me only two options Freedom and Navigator. Freedom would be an 8/6/8 giving me 22 nights versus the 21 I am currently booked for and Navigator a 9/5/9 would give me an equal number of nights that I am currently booked for.

 

If I do Freedom, I have to pay for one night in a hotel plus transportation from the port to the hotel and then back to the port plus my meals. If I do Navigator, I have to go from Fort Lauderdale to Miami. The current pricing for these ships in the cabin class I am booked in would be thousands more than I am currently paying.

Sophie, I can imagine your frustration when a charter occurs during the middle of your B4B. I was going to suggest looking at a different ship, and doing a side 2 side, but you already did. I hope something benefitting you ends up occurring. 😊

 

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[MaritimeR&R]

Sophie, I can imagine your frustration when a charter occurs during the middle of your B4B. I was going to suggest looking at a different ship, and doing a side 2 side, but you already did. I hope something benefitting you ends up occurring. 😊

 

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Hopefully, I will know by the time we are in Barcelona...lol

[TC1957]

I find it funny that people here seem to the RCI cares about them. They don't give a rats rear about the customers who have committed to them in cases like this, and many others. It is about money...plain and simple. Not saying that is wrong, but if you keep that in mind EVERYTHING they do makes much more sense.

 

In my opinion, they have been demonstrating for a couple of years now that "loyal" or "returning" customers are fairly low on their list of concerns. The are all about pushing for new customers...if people happen to sail with them more than once that is just gravy.

 

As for compensation for screwing up a customer's vacation...don't expect much when you think about it. My guess is the offer will be a credit on a future cruise for what has been paid or a discount...as long as you are willing to give them more of your money in the future. That is easy to offer, because if you keep messing with a customer's vacation time they will not use it because another line will get the business. They will fill the cabin with someone else...so they win in their eyes, they get the new customer now at the expense of someone else and they don't have to "pay" anything for it.

[MaritimeR&R]

I must be one of the fortunate ones, RC has always worked with me on any issues that I have raised in the past, albeit they were small ones. I am hoping that if the third leg of my B4B is cancelled due to a charter that they will do their best to reconcile the issue to my satisfaction and my pocketbook.

[Green Recruit]

Hi, I finally found this thread today. We are part of a group that booked the March 9th Serenade cruise. No one has heard from RC about the charter for Melissa Etheridge. We are also all booked on the previous 11 night cruise on Feb. 26th. It's a bit nerve wracking wondering what's going on. The March 9th one is 10 night and to certain ports but the website for the ME charter shows a 7 night starting 3 days later on the 12th with totally different ports! So what gives here, RC? Are we going to have to change both of them?

 

What is a bit annoying is that these cruises were celebrating 2 birthdays and an anniversary. I know there is plenty of time to make changes if necessary but I would hope a decision or at least information shows up soon. Leaving us hanging is not very pleasant...

 

Teri

[PAcruiser19372]

Have you checked the roll calls for the cruises? We wanted to book Serenade for April 2018 (11 night I think) when we were onboard GR. All they knew onboard was that it had been pulled from inventory and we looked at each other and said "charter". Pulled from inventory always means charter. I checked the roll call for the cruise we were interested in and they confirmed it was chartered.

 

I am actually booked on the 11 day cruise on Serenade for April 2018. I just went to the RCI website and kind of went thru the motions of booking a cabin for this sailing and there is no mention of it being pulled from inventory. I have an inquiry out to my TA but she is off until Thursday. BTW, what exactly is a Charter cruise?

[golferwife]

Wow. Just saw this. We are also booked on the March 9 cruise. We booked this quite awhile ago because we were married on that ship and try to go back every other year to celebrate our anniversary. Since it us our anniversary, we really want to sail that week. Hopefully they officially inform us soon so we have other options

[Magellan321]

Wow. Just saw this. We are also booked on the March 9 cruise. We booked this quite awhile ago because we were married on that ship and try to go back every other year to celebrate our anniversary. Since it us our anniversary, we really want to sail that week. Hopefully they officially inform us soon so we have other options

 

If you are on facebook....all the info is on the page for the Melissa Etheridge cruise. It's supposedly an awesome week....but only if it is how you planned on spending the week. Hubby has employees going and had a blast last year. But, RCCL needs to inform you of the charter so you can make arrangements

for your chosen vacation

Edited December 13, 2016 by Magellan321

[Green Recruit]

Wow. Just saw this. We are also booked on the March 9 cruise. We booked this quite awhile ago because we were married on that ship and try to go back every other year to celebrate our anniversary. Since it us our anniversary, we really want to sail that week. Hopefully they officially inform us soon so we have other options

 

Make sure to come join our thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2420640

 

Teri

[Magellan321]

Wow. Just saw this. We are also booked on the March 9 cruise. We booked this quite awhile ago because we were married on that ship and try to go back every other year to celebrate our anniversary. Since it us our anniversary, we really want to sail that week. Hopefully they officially inform us soon so we have other options

 

Make sure to come join our thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2420640

 

Teri

 

Seeing how RCCL is trying to claim they know nothing about a charter on their Facebook page replacing the 3/9 Serenade....I posted them the link to the charter!

[cynt]

When they contact you ask if you can switch your cruise to the charter at the same price. It can't hurt.

 

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[MaritimeR&R]

When they contact you ask if you can switch your cruise to the charter at the same price. It can't hurt.

 

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The charter is more money AND it is only a 7 night eastern Caribbean that visits San Juan, St. Maarten and Labadee. They paid for a 10 night Southern Caribbean cruise that was to visit St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Nevis/Kitts, St. Maarten and Dominca, hardly what I would call an even trade, despite the presence of Melissa Etheridge.

[MaritimeR&R]

Seeing how RCCL is trying to claim they know nothing about a charter on their Facebook page replacing the 3/9 Serenade....I posted them the link to the charter!

 

lol. I saw that. and added the other link.

[Magellan321]

lol. I saw that. and added the other link.

 

Lol...amazing the info we can get that a company that owns the ship can't seem to find!;)