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Sometimes all it takes is a nice letter....

mit01

By mit01,
in Royal Caribbean International

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mit01

mit01

Posted
Posted

We were on Freedom over Christmas. Two days into the cruise, my wife and one of my daughters developed a cough. By the third day, their coughs were getting worse, so we bought a bottle of NyQuil cough syrup in one of the ships stores. We were charged $17.99!! After we got home, I sent the following email:

 

 

Aurora Yera-Rodriguez

Director, Guest Experience

1050 Caribbean Way

Miami, FL 33122

 

Dear Ms. Yera-Rodriguez,

 

I recently cruised on Freedom on Freedom of the Seas with my wife and two adult daughters. This was our eleventh cruise with Royal Caribbean, and like every other cruise we've had with your company, we had a wonderful time. As always, the staff, entertainment, food and beverages were just what we've come to expect from Royal Caribbean.

 

There is one issue though that I feel needs to be brought to your attention, and as the Director of Guest Experience, I hope you are the person to address. Two days into the cruise, my wife and one of my daughters began to develop a cough. By the third day their coughs were getting worse, so we purchased a bottle of NyQuil cough syrup from the general store on board the ship. The cost of the medicine was $17.99. That is more than twice what I would pay at a store at home.

 

Ms. Yera-Rodriguez, this is plain and simple price gouging. It's hard enough trying to keep from spreading and/or catching germs on a cruise ship Pricing a medication so high could and probably has kept passengers from making the needed purchase, which in turn could cause more passengers and crew to get sick.

 

There are some great deals to be found in the shops on board, and we've made purchases in the past. However, this kind of a cost mark-up for a medication is like rubbing salt in the wound of a person who is sick. Please consider reducing the cost of medications on your fleet.

 

Thank you for your time.

 

 

The next day we received a call, thanking us for bringing the issue to their attention. We were told that prices for those types of items are set by an outside company, that they did some research and agreed that $17.99 was an outrageous price, and that we would get a $17.99 credit to our credit card.

 

Just wanted to share my pleasant experience with RCCl.

 

Steve

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dln929

dln929

Posted
Posted

I'm a great believer in a well-written letter. I am sure corporations get so many nasty, angry, and illogical letters that one like yours that makes a point without any of that baggage must be like a breath of fresh air to them! I'm glad you got such a satisfactory resolution.

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tropiclvrs

tropiclvrs

Posted
Posted

Add me to the list of those that are impressed by your well written letter. I'm sure they appreciated that you weren't actually asking (demanding) for anything, which is why you received the credit.

 

Although they use a 3rd party vendor for their onboard shops, it seems to me that Royal should be very well aware and monitor the prices they are charging their customers. After all, this is all behind the Royal name so they should have an interest.

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KeywestK

KeywestK

Posted
Posted
Add me to the list of those that are impressed by your well written letter. I'm sure they appreciated that you weren't actually asking (demanding) for anything, which is why you received the credit.

 

Although they use a 3rd party vendor for their onboard shops, it seems to me that Royal should be very well aware and monitor the prices they are charging their customers. After all, this is all behind the Royal name so they should have an interest.

 

I agree completely. But that said, I'm very impressed with both the OP and RCI for how well this was handled.

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cb at sea

cb at sea

Posted
Posted

A complimentary letter, followed by a small complaint get BIG rewards! I complained to Heinz ketchup about their new squeeze bottles...(this was MANY years ago)...they sealed the top of the bottle with a foil thing...it was IMPOSSIBLE to open...so I told them how much we LOVED their product, but no one wanted to open a new bottle....well, the next thing you know, they added tabs to the foil seal, for easy opening, and sent us MANY coupons for FREE bottles of ketchup!

Honey catches more flies than vinegar!

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SthrnCruiser

SthrnCruiser

Posted
Posted

DH got what we think now was sea lice while on Freedom in June. He was miserable the last few nights. I got some Benadryl from the shop. It was like $12 or something. But I just figured I had no choice. He needed something.

 

Glad to see the response to your letter and maybe they will do something. I get a little bit of a higher cost (it's like going to a corner store or something) but that $18 for cough meds was insane!

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blackshirt

blackshirt

Posted
Posted

Nice letter and nice outcome. Of course, NyQuil is not the only product grossly overpriced I just wonder if Royal will adjust the price of that or any other such items. I'm on Freedom in March. If I think of it, I will check the price.

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mad-dog74

mad-dog74

Posted
Posted (edited)

good thing you did not have to go to the medical center.... I would have wrote a letter for sure about price gouging had I not had trip insurance that covered medical. $275 for a round of Amoxil is outrageous. That was just the med's... not the visit. I was desperate though.

 

I had been battling re-occuring strep and had delayed my laser tonsil ablation until after our cruise.

Edited by mad-dog74
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Fouremco

Fouremco

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We were told that prices for those types of items are set by an outside company, that they did some research and agreed that $17.99 was an outrageous price, and that we would get a $17.99 credit to our credit card.

My only question now is what the current price is. Forgive my cynicism, but I suspect that it remains unchanged. A nice letter and $17.99 credit is a nice but inexpensive PR gesture. For any of this to have any meaning, their agreement that it was overpriced must result in a fleet-wide price reduction.

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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Posted

 

The next day we received a call, thanking us for bringing the issue to their attention. We were told that prices for those types of items are set by an outside company, that they did some research and agreed that $17.99 was an outrageous price, and that we would get a $17.99 credit to our credit card.

 

Just wanted to share my pleasant experience with RCCl.

 

Steve

 

I didn't have to do any research and I know it is an outrageous price. I have to wonder if RCI just leases out these shops and then pay no attention to what these vendors are doing. Everything that happens aboard the ship is a direct reflection on RCI. I would think that they would be watching these vendors quite carefully.

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Fouremco

Fouremco

Posted
Posted
I didn't have to do any research and I know it is an outrageous price. I have to wonder if RCI just leases out these shops and then pay no attention to what these vendors are doing. Everything that happens aboard the ship is a direct reflection on RCI. I would think that they would be watching these vendors quite carefully.

I thought that the cruise lines also got a percentage of sales, but maybe not RCI.

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