Booked a W. Caribbean- got a Bahama cruise!

[ConnCruise]

To firefighterHoop.

 

 

Are you sure there are no tenders on the Voyager class ships? I was on the ship out of New Jersey last year and although we docked at our two stops, I thought I saw 4 tender type boats, in addition to the "regular" lifeboats.

 

I can't imagine a good reason these boats would not have tenders. If you know please fill me in.

[shirleygr]

I just updated that post with the website http://www.cozumelinsider.com/cruiseships/

there it is again. It does show 2 piers open, or partially open, but I haven't gotten anyone to confirm or deny that they are able to dock on a previous post that I wrote, so either they have done some minor repairs to get pier open for a while, or that is where they are tendering people in to.

I haven't been there, but from what I've read here and on the Coz board, they are using those piers to tender. Otherwise, there would be even fewer ships going to Cozumel than there are.

[MGoBlue2]

Sorry, but you are incorrect. The sailing of the Mariner prior to ours IS going to Cozumel as are the ones AFTER our sailing! However, I'm sure you are correct about the Mariner being a destination in itself ...can't wait to see it for myself!

Actually, the issue is not that Voyager class ships are not allowed but that prior to the hurricane, RCI had three ships - including two Voyager class ships - scheduled to be there the day you were scheduled for.

 

I'm not surprised at all that they couldn't handle two Voyager class ships, I'm also not surprised at all that the one they decided to reroute was the nonstandard, one time only, five day pre-holiday cruise.

[Seaside2358]

I'm sure you can bring it up with RCI people when you get home. Maybe if you complian enough you'll get some form of a discount. :D

 

I'm surprised about the customer service comment - you're one of the first I've heard from who like Carnival better than RCCL.

 

Be grateful you're on the Mariner. Sure, your cruise has been screwed up but you're on a Voyager-class ship - you have so much to do!

 

Cheers,

 

Don't count on a discount. I'm still waiting for my 25% letter for the Oct. 24 sailing of Enchantment that was totally cancelled. I've had nothing but problems trying to get the credits back to my account and have it all transferred to the new cruise. It has been 6 weeks and still am messing around with this.

[MGoBlue2]

<<<*** All itineraries are subject to change without notice. Please confirm your itinerary on the Review page before purchasing your cruise.>>>

 

Pretty obvious because they did change it. As I stated because they can do what they did does not make it right. Not bad for the bottom line either, 3000

people spending money on an island the cruise line owns. Not a bad business decision.

 

<<<If, as you say, Mark, they could have just booked another port, how would they get there? Levitate? Fly? >>>

 

How about cruise? From RCCL web site: "Cruising Speed: 22 knots."That is about 25mph CRUISING speed, not max speed. Look at a map.

 

<<<Belize is probably the only port they could have gone to, and as you can see,(from the schedule below) it's packed that day. Costa maya is also a contrived port with not that much for, let's say, aprox. 8000 people to do.(from the 3 ships there that day)

>>>

 

Packed? Grand Cayman went from 7 ships to 10 the day Mariner is there because other cruise lines re-scheduled Grand Cayman after the hurricane. Contrived port or not, 10 seems to be a lot more than 3. As I stated the ports I mentioned are only a few of the options available.

 

<<<Let's pretend that you got another port. The 21st. would have been another sea day, or the most of it anyway. Then on the 22nd, you tendered, or docked at either Belize, Costa Maya, Labadee, or Ocho Rios. Then you leave the night of the 22nd, to head back to PC. You wouldn't even make it to the Florida Straights by the 23rd. I could be off a bit, but not by much.>>>

 

No need to pretend, look at the facts. IFyou stay in port until 7:00pm, as was scheduled for Cozumel, this leaves about 37 hours to get back to Port Canaveral.

Mariner can cover 1000 miles easily in that time. I think you are off by more than a bit.

Since itineraries can be changed this opens up more options. Port, port, and then two sea days could also be done.

 

<<<Oh, and for the record, I don't think anyone is defending RCI. I think we are all defending that itineraries change, and there isn't squat anyone can do about it. Mine changed, incase you rolled right by that one. I chose to enjoy wherever we went. Was I happy about missing Coz? No, but I accepted the change, because I understood it.>>>

 

No need to defend itineraries changing, of course they do. The point is this itinerary could have changed in a way that would have still given passengers something similar to what they paid for. What would you have liked me to say about your itinerary change? Sorry to have rolled by it.

 

Who is not accepting an itinerary change? Certainly you accept it and enjoy the cruise. It is a cruise not root canal. The point is it could have been closer to what was originally paid for.

 

 

 

<<<I rest my case.>>>

 

OK, enjoyed the conversation. Take care.

 

 

By sea, it's around 700 nautical miles from Cozumel to Port Canaveral which is 32 hours at Mariner's full cruising speed. Add time at both ends for getting into and out of port and some time for safety's sake, Cozumel is about as far away as you can be from Port Canaveral and make it back.

[Shorebirdee]

How strange it is for so many to blindly defend Royal Caribbean. To even suggest they might have handled something in a poor way appears to be unacceptable to so many. The point is Royal Caribbean could have chosen a port more in keeping with a western Caribbean cruise but for whatever reason chose not to. They were not forced to but chose to.quote

 

This has always amazed me on these boards- how many people spring to the defense of the cruise line. Sure they tell us up front that they can change destinations etc. and we have no recourse. Maybe if we started taking a more unified approach, we might be able to get them to change their position eventualy in the name of better customer service. I am on the Radiance on Dec. 11 and as far as I know Cozumel is still a stop because I believe the Radiance class ships can use their own lifeboats to tender. Anyone confirm or deny this????? Maybe this will increae our chances of getting there.

 

As a test I tried calling RCL yesterday and booking a cabin - only suites available right now, but I was willing to take one if they would guarantee the Cozumel stop. No dice. They say they are going there, but still won't guarantee it, even one week ahead, whether or not they sell the suite. That's independence for you!!

 

Say Firefighterhoop - is there any way on that Cozumel link you posted, to change the date range for ships expected? Right now it just goes up to today.

 

I was also amazed to learn from this thread that you are not guaranteed the cabin you book. That would sure come as a blast if I had booked one of those fancy cabins.!!:eek:

[madforcruising]

How strange it is for so many to blindly defend Royal Caribbean. To even suggest they might have handled something in a poor way appears to be unacceptable to so many. The point is Royal Caribbean could have chosen a port more in keeping with a western Caribbean cruise but for whatever reason chose not to. They were not forced to but chose to.quote

 

This has always amazed me on these boards- how many people spring to the defense of the cruise line. Sure they tell us up front that they can change destinations etc. and we have no recourse. Maybe if we started taking a more unified approach, we might be able to get them to change their position eventualy in the name of better customer service. I am on the Radiance on Dec. 11 and as far as I know Cozumel is still a stop because I believe the Radiance class ships can use their own lifeboats to tender. Anyone confirm or deny this????? Maybe this will increae our chances of getting there.

 

As a test I tried calling RCL yesterday and booking a cabin - only suites available right now, but I was willing to take one if they would guarantee the Cozumel stop. No dice. They say they are going there, but still won't guarantee it, even one week ahead, whether or not they sell the suite. That's independence for you!!

 

Say Firefighterhoop - is there any way on that Cozumel link you posted, to change the date range for ships expected? Right now it just goes up to today.

 

I was also amazed to learn from this thread that you are not guaranteed the cabin you book. That would sure come as a blast if I had booked one of those fancy cabins.!!:eek:

 

Well it always amazes me that accepting and following rules from a contract we all know before signing it and signing it out of free will without anybody forcing us into it is always considered as defending the cruise line.

 

Yes you are right any changes might be disappointing and one has every right to be disappointed. One has also every right as the OP to take their business and go somewhere else (Carnival for the OP) the next time. But even there I believe one has to sign a contract and follow it.

Yes the cruise line is mostly in the stronger position but this is probably the case for every line not only RCCL. (Probably this is considered defending again).

Anyway again I sign the cruise contract out of my free will and when signing it I´m willing to accept it. So disapppointment yes, anything further NO.

[Bribrittmom]

It would be very possible for the 12/18 Mariner to have a day at sea,port stop in Costa Maya,next day Grand Cayman,sea day, then back to Port Canaveral. The port stop in Costa Maya could arrive a little later at say 11:00 a.m. if necessary.

[MGoBlue2]

It would be very possible for the 12/18 Mariner to have a day at sea,port stop in Costa Maya,next day Grand Cayman,sea day, then back to Port Canaveral. The port stop in Costa Maya could arrive a little later at say 11:00 a.m. if necessary.

And then we would see the posters wanting refunds because they had all their plans made for Grand Cayman on the originally scheduled date.

[Shorebirdee]

Well it always amazes me that accepting and following rules from a contract we all know before signing it and signing it out of free will without anybody forcing us into it is always considered as defending the cruise line. .

 

By the way I'm not suggesting people are defending just RCL - this approach runs throughout, so it really is a defence of the cruise industry. So then. maybe we need to start exercising our free will beforehand and perhaps making a concerted effort to let the cruise lines know that we're not happy with the contracts they are offerring. When you say we have free will, we really don't - it's sign or no cruise, and there is a "conspiracy" if you will in the cruise industry to offer only those terms. I'm not suggesting that they should not have an option to change ports whenever there is no other option for them, due to no fault of their own. But to have carte blanche to do whatever they want, is going too far. Maybe there should be more of us calling as I did, requsting a limited guarantee on ports, and then refusing to book when they deny the request - even if we subsequently call back and make a reservation anyhow. The message may gradually start to sink in.

 

And as to the comment I made about them having the right to change cabins on you - what right should they have to do that? Or why? Because they overbooked like the airlines? If I was really prepared to accept that arrangement, I would book a "guarantee". I really can't conceive of a reason they should have that right. Can anyone else?

[mark290]

Hey, at least I took the time to do the research, not just pulled stuff outta by butt. And I did do even more research as to what ports would be possible, given then nautical mileage, and speed of the ship, so if you would like me to embarrass you further, I can post that too....;)

 

To embarrass me further would mean you have already embarrassed me, how so ? What did I pull outta my butt, in terms of this discussion that is?

 

You really should work on trying to present your thoughts in some sort of linear fashion. It would make it so much easier for the reader to have a clue as to what you are talking about. You are all over the place and none of those places are very accurate.

 

Please tell me what I have been incorrect about.

 

Thanks

[mark290]

By sea, it's around 700 nautical miles from Cozumel to Port Canaveral which is 32 hours at Mariner's full cruising speed. Add time at both ends for getting into and out of port and some time for safety's sake, Cozumel is about as far away as you can be from Port Canaveral and make it back.

 

Depart the last port at 5:00pm and you have the time to get into and out of port. 25mph is CRUISING speed, not top speed. I still think Mariner could cover 1000 miles in that time period. Change the port and sea day schedule and you have even more options. Obviously just my opinion but the numbers seem to be in the ball park.

[ZABETH]

dont feel bad it happen to me im going on 1-15-06 then a cople of days ago they put cozumel back so keep your hope up ok:) ;)

[1corona4u]

To embarrass me further would mean you have already embarrassed me, how so ? What did I pull outta my butt, in terms of this discussion that is?

 

You really should work on trying to present your thoughts in some sort of linear fashion. It would make it so much easier for the reader to have a clue as to what you are talking about. You are all over the place and none of those places are very accurate.

 

Please tell me what I have been incorrect about.

 

Thanks

 

 

What were you wrong about?

 

How about cruise? From RCCL web site: "Cruising Speed: 22 knots."That is about 25mph CRUISING speed, not max speed. Look at a map.

 

I have yet to see ANY cruise ship that I have been on do more than 22 Kts. Max speed is irrelevant. The conditions at sea determine how fast they can travel, not the itinerary.

 

No need to pretend, look at the facts. IFyou stay in port until 7:00pm, as was scheduled for Cozumel, this leaves about 37 hours to get back to Port Canaveral.

 

This is a moot point, since the Mariner would not be going there. All of the ports you mentioned are farther away from PC, much farther, thus would take longer to get back.

 

Now I have all of the nautical mileages, and times, it would take to get from Grand Cayman To Ocho Rios, and from Ocho Rios to PC, and from Grand Cayman to Belize, then to PC, Grand Cayman to Costa Maya, to PC, etc. but really, you're giving me a headache, and I'm tired of typing, but in a nutshell, there was not enough time to do ANY of the other ports you suggested. Period.

 

If your theory of RCI going to their "private island" to make money, was true, then if it were possible, why wouldn't they just have gone to Labadee? There are money makers there also. They own that too, but that would have been fine with you, right? Oh, but I guess it's because it's warmer....and by the way, it's SEVEN degrees warmer in Hatiti right now, than it is in the Bahamas. The sea temps are about the same at this moment, in the 75° range.

 

I can't believe you think you know more than the PROFESSIONALS at the cruiselines do, and what's best for the passengers.:rolleyes:

 

Sorry if you disagree. I'm done.

[imsulin2]

Plenty of time on a five day to stop at Costa Maya, Belize, Progreso and many other alternate ports. None of these are owned by RCCL but I'm sure that had nothing to do with it.

 

 

Um, mark29..., please allow me to tell you "what you were incorrect about". NONE of the above ports you've mentioned are owned by any cruise line. They are ports that belong to independent countries like Mexico and Belize. (BTW - the port of call is Belize City...not "Belize". Belize is a country} Please define "many other alternate ports", if you would...so youi won't be "embarassed"....again! TIA.

[Bribrittmom]

Plenty of time on a five day to stop at Costa Maya, Belize, Progreso and many other alternate ports. None of these are owned by RCCL but I'm sure that had nothing to do with it.

 

 

Um, mark29..., please allow me to tell you "what you were incorrect about". NONE of the above ports you've mentioned are owned by any cruise line. They are ports that belong to independent countries like Mexico and Belize. (BTW - the port of call is Belize City...not "Belize". Belize is a country} Please define "many other alternate ports", if you would...so youi won't be "embarassed"....again! TIA.[/quote

 

I believe mark29 meant that unlike Coco Cay ,Costa Maya,Belize City,and Progresso are not owned by RCCL which is probably why they chose Coco Cay. A chance to make more money for the cruise line.

[cruisin from florida]

I love RCCL. We are going on our 5th cruise with them (3rd on the Explorer) this month. I also enjoy this cruise forum. But it does get old when anyone who suggests that they are dissatisfied with any aspect of the cruise or how problems got handled is implied to be (pick one) a liar, a troll, a whiner, or stupid. Yes, I know perfectly well that the cruiseline can change its itinerary for any reason it wants. It could also serve food that isn't very good, or not keep its ships clean. None of these would violate its cruise contract, but none would be very smart for a company that wants to keep its customers happy and coming back so that it can continue to make money, which is what it is all about.

 

I can understand that a person who was looking forward to cruising the western Caribbean would be disappointed with CocoCay as a substitute in the winter. Of COURSE RCI has every right to do this, and may have very good reasons. The customer is still unhappy, and eventually, if RCCL or any cruiseline doesn't take care of customer satisfaction, they will lose a fair amount of business.

 

I enjoy reading positive reviews. But it is also informative to learn how RCCL handles the unexpected, (which they should EXPECT, after all :-).

 

I have learned a LOT from stories of how things were handled when things went wrong. And even in cases where it was OBVIOUS that RCCL had dropped the ball, some folks on this forum had to bash the poster.

 

I just hope that folks will continue to post their opinions and experiences, good, bad and in between.

[PVDCruiser]

What were you wrong about?

 

How about cruise? From RCCL web site: "Cruising Speed: 22 knots."That is about 25mph CRUISING speed, not max speed. Look at a map.

 

I have yet to see ANY cruise ship that I have been on do more than 22 Kts. Max speed is irrelevant. The conditions at sea determine how fast they can travel, not the itinerary.

 

 

1corona4u,

 

I agree with your position, but the poster's math is correct. 22kts = 25.32mi.

[1corona4u]

1corona4u,

 

I agree with your position, but the poster's math is correct. 22kts = 25.32mi.

 

Yes, I know that, but have you ever seen a cruiseship do more than that? That was my point, not about what 22kts. was in MPH. Make sense? He is suggesting that they could go faster, if they so choose. I don't think they do that often, if ever.

[tgr1116]

I love RCCL. We are going on our 5th cruise with them (3rd on the Explorer) this month. I also enjoy this cruise forum. But it does get old when anyone who suggests that they are dissatisfied with any aspect of the cruise or how problems got handled is implied to be (pick one) a liar, a troll, a whiner, or stupid. Yes, I know perfectly well that the cruiseline can change its itinerary for any reason it wants. It could also serve food that isn't very good, or not keep its ships clean. None of these would violate its cruise contract, but none would be very smart for a company that wants to keep its customers happy and coming back so that it can continue to make money, which is what it is all about.

 

I can understand that a person who was looking forward to cruising the western Caribbean would be disappointed with CocoCay as a substitute in the winter. Of COURSE RCI has every right to do this, and may have very good reasons. The customer is still unhappy, and eventually, if RCCL or any cruiseline doesn't take care of customer satisfaction, they will lose a fair amount of business.

 

I enjoy reading positive reviews. But it is also informative to learn how RCCL handles the unexpected, (which they should EXPECT, after all :-).

 

I have learned a LOT from stories of how things were handled when things went wrong. And even in cases where it was OBVIOUS that RCCL had dropped the ball, some folks on this forum had to bash the poster.

 

I just hope that folks will continue to post their opinions and experiences, good, bad and in between.

Thank you for your understanding of my post! Gosh... I can't believe the turn this whole discussion took!!! All because I am upset that RCI took so long in changing our itinerary that all the other ports were already full and we got stuck with the Bahamas!!! Some people are just out there looking for a fight, huh?! Sorry I chose this board to vent... maybe I'll just stick to reading them!:o

[dobelover]

My DCL cruise the end of Jan '06 has us going to Nassau rather than Coz. Yuk! The itinerary change was posted the day after final payment. I understand your disappointment.

 

 

 

 

Sue

[wrp96]

I'm with you,tgr116! Three ships is not a lot for Costa Maya. I've been there with five ships. As for it being a contrived port at least it's a certain warm weather port with at least some indoor shops for rainy weather unlike Coco Cay. Also in Costa Maya if people want to get away from the "contrived port" they can go to Majahaul or take a bus to the Mayan ruins. I don't believe that is an option on Coco Cay.I'm still very excited to be going on my cruise I just wish I was going to two Caribbean ports. Oh,one more thing-Costa Maya is a docking port so if we were going there at least we would be assured of one port!

 

Actually 3 ships, including a Voyager class ship is a lot for Costa Maya - if you don't believe me, then why did they move Rhapsody out of Costa Maya to Progreso?

[wrp96]

To firefighterHoop.

 

 

Are you sure there are no tenders on the Voyager class ships? I was on the ship out of New Jersey last year and although we docked at our two stops, I thought I saw 4 tender type boats, in addition to the "regular" lifeboats.

 

I can't imagine a good reason these boats would not have tenders. If you know please fill me in.

 

I've never seen a tender on the Voyager - it is all regular life boats.

[dancedoc]

I agree TGR1116 stick to just reading the boards, these people will kill you on them. I feel your frustration, but what are you going to do, roll with it. Was on a Carnival cruise in October, where all the ports changed, but I came out with a better cruise, Bahamas, St. Thomas and San Juan. Earlier in the year a port was dropped for no reason, some lame reason that people wanted to spend more time in Cozumel and then it was dropped. I hope you are happy with Carnival, because I am through with them, it is time for new blood, I am booked on a Royal Carbb vacation next year, and I can't wait. Hope your trip turns out well. Have A Good One.:)

[racephoto]

TGR,

DOn't forget to write your congressperson to ask them to let us go to Cuba! If we weren't still prohibiting our supposedly free citizens from travelling wherever we want, think how many other new ports we'd have to try! :)