Ebfurr's official Liberty Saga Thread

[reallyitsmema]

That's great that you are getting a refund, not a future cruise credit.

 

Are you looking into taking a short getaway since you have the time off planned already? Might as well try to get some kind of anniversary trip.

[Cap'n Ron]

Glad to hear they are giving you a full refund, but I am so sorry for what they made you and everyone else involved go through over the last few days. What could have been an opportunity to demonstrate good customer service has turned into an example of what not to do. The damage to their image has been done, and will cost them far more than the refunds and reschedules they could have offered. Kudos to Carnival for the way they have handled this from the beginning. Thank you for sharing your story, and I wish you and your wife a Happy Anniversary (hopefully, you can celebrate it in the near future once all this is behind you)! Thoughts and prayers to those in Texas and for those on the Liberty that have to find their way home once they get to Miami.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[The sea calls my name]

I just now called. Got a guy on the phone and when he asked how he could help me I said I was standing in waist deep water on the pier in Galveston and there was no ship. :evilsmile:

told him I was kidding but I really did have a reservation.

 

He proceeded to explain that boarding would be at noon tomorrow and sail at 3. I told him I just watched a Periscope from internetwhiz that said Liberty was going to Miami. I was remarkably in good humor about it and asked him to please check. He did offer a cruise credit but I said I wanted a full monetary refund and asked for a "resolution specialist". I held for a couple of minutes and he came back and said that since the cruise was completely cancelled that I would get a full refund. I went over all the charges but he apparently could not see the reservation any longer and just agreed with whatever I said. He said 3-5 days so I will have to see if we actually get it all or if I have to call again for the extra purchases. Hopefully not.

 

First and foremost Happy Anniversary and second, I have learned to make sure I record any conversations I have with RCL. I use a TA always so rarely have to deal with RCL directly, but lesson learned if I ever do. You are a fortunate one that stayed glued to this website. My heart goes out to the 1000's who are not CC patrons and made their way to Houston being obedient to their instructions from RCL. Not only are they stranded for who knows how long, but they are incurring unexpected expenses and risk to their safety. My son in Northeast Texas and his hunting group have been contacted asking that they assist with the search and rescue of flood victims using their special made hunting flat bottom boats. So yes, the situation is very serious in Texas.

[lazydayz]

Congrats on the refund. Hope you two have a wonderful anniversary.

 

I truly hope RCI does its best to help its customers stuck in Galveston or currently on the ship, but at this point, I am deeply disappointed in Royal.

[Dax13]

Thanks for the blow-by-blow account. We booked Liberty for a family get-together in June, 2018..2 Junior Suites, 4 Interior. First time for all except my brother. I chose RC because of Jim VanFleet. I am a long-time fan of his going back to his days in Orlando. The actions and timelines of RC vis-a-vis Harvey vs the actions of Carnival has ALL of us reconsidering whether we want to do something else. Even if we do go thru with that cruise, it's gonna take a Herculean effort for them to make us repeat customers. There are too many other options out there. We had been trying to sort out the wheat from the chaff in various postings, but your account was fair and balanced. Thanks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[alexkrn46]

Happy Anniversary, hope you do something special.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[BecciBoo]

All's well that ends well. Glad you're getting the refund, but sad that we will not meet up on a future RCCL cruise. I am very disappointed in RCCL but I'll keep our future appts with them.

 

And to the person who couldn't believe what I said about CCL cruises, no, their obviously wiser decisions this week will not change my mind. There are other personal reasons, mainly preferences, that make me take that stance.

 

But when I think that I told you, if it were us, we'd have probably gone on to Houston, I cringe....we'd be sitting down there at a hotel, probably the Holiday Inn Express off I45 waiting for Liberty to come back!

 

In fact, I was publicly scorned for many things I posted...even when in jest (this ain't Tennesee comment) Hence the angel halo emoji. But my true intent was to make light of a bad situation and try to be helpful and encouraging. I thank you heartily for recognizing that.

 

I have an NCL planned in 2019 so there are maybe greener pastures or seas to sail as it were. So maybe we'll meet one day. But having spent almost all our cruising time and dollars building status with RCCL, only to reach Diamond Plus next January, it seems silly to abandon RCCL for this fiasco. If too many more things change though, it just might happen.

 

I loved your commentary here and hope your future has no more surprises...unless they are really good ones. Try to have a better anniversary celebration this next few days...go out to a really swanky place and treat yourselves to a nice boat drink!

 

God bless...

Bec

[SRV FAN]

So..... just heard over on FB..... Liberty HAS cancelled today's cruise! She will be sailing to Miami to refuel & restock...

 

Liberty of the Seas is going to head to Miami instead. Arrive Tuesday, re-provision, and return to Galveston on Friday.

 

So everyone should get their fare refunded! Sometimes it pays to be patient...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[EBFURR]

I wouldn't plan on items such airfare (if you have it) being reimbursed by RC. Call your air carrier and see if they will credit you or bank it for future use. They aren't flying after all, so even if you weren't going a cruise they can't get you there and now they don't have to reschedule you during this flight stoppage.

 

EB, I'm sorry this happened to you. Hopefully you can make the best of this year's anniversary. Not fun for you, nor anyone effected by this storm.

 

No, I took care of airfare and such. I had booked some specialty dining and some royal gifts and want to be sure I get all that back as well. The guy did not seem too sure about all that but I will watch it and see. He said it should all come back.

[A&L_Ont]

No, I took care of airfare and such. I had booked some specialty dining and some royal gifts and want to be sure I get all that back as well. The guy did not seem too sure about all that but I will watch it and see. He said it should all come back.

 

EB, from what you have purchased I see no reason to why you would not get your money back. Again, sorry this happened to the two of you.

[Mr. Click]

EB, I have not read your whole thread yet but here are some things you need to know..

1. RCI is the same company that sent a brand new Anthem of the Seas out of Cape Liberty and into a major storm because "we did not realize it was that bad". People were injured, the ship was damaged, cruises were cancelled. I guess they did not learn from that lesson....

 

2. The whole cruise insurance thing is a personal choice. When we first started cruising we bought the insurance because we had elderly parents and were concerned about having to cancel last minute to rush home from somewhere. Now we buy it because we are the older parents and our medicare can only be used in the US so we need the medical coverage trip insurance provides. Insurance is much like a parachute, most of the time you don't need it but when you do, you are very thankful that you have it. That said, it is a personal decision we all have to make after weighing the risks vs the rewards.

 

3. Thanks for sharing your experience. We are booked on the Indy in May to visit the Fjords but I am now considering switching that trip back to Celebrity after seeing what RCI has put you through. If we were not traveling with some cousins who live in the UK I would have already switched but I need to sell them on going to Dublin rather than Southampton.....and spending a bit more money. Oh well.

 

4. Happy Anniversary, make the most of it and enjoy.

 

5. You need to take this whole saga out to facebook and other social media. It is truly amazing what happens when these big companies get exposed to the public.

[SRV FAN]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[waterbugohio]

EB. I have been off these boards for awhile but logged in to check hurricane cruises

 

Been following your story from the beginning and so glad you are getting everything refunded.

 

Royal did really drop the ball (and smash it) here

 

But my one questions I have not see you answer here. Are you trying to schedule something else the next couple of days and will you get to enjoy a few days away with your lovely bride to celebrate your anniversary???

 

Wishing you many more happy years regardless:hearteyes:

[workstocruise]

Good for you that it turned out so well. I wouldn't worry much about leaving Royal for another cruise line. We did that years ago. We used to be very loyal to RCI trying to build up our status, but sometimes that's just not worth forfeiting new experiences with other lines. We outgrew them as we got older, we don't need flow riders and rock climbing walls or skating rinks, but we do need good food and good service. We stepped up to Princess, and then Celebrity and now Oceania and couldn't be happier. Good luck with whichever line you choose to sail with. I'm no longer loyal to any company, only family and friends.

[tmariebolz]

Congratulations on getting a full refund. So sorry your trip didn't happen though. Happy Anniversary to the both of you. Maybe you can take that money and book an all inclusive somewhere. The ABC islands are out of the hurricane belt.

[EBFURR]

EB. I have been off these boards for awhile but logged in to check hurricane cruises

 

Been following your story from the beginning and so glad you are getting everything refunded.

 

Royal did really drop the ball (and smash it) here

 

But my one questions I have not see you answer here. Are you trying to schedule something else the next couple of days and will you get to enjoy a few days away with your lovely bride to celebrate your anniversary???

 

Wishing you many more happy years regardless:hearteyes:

 

Actually, I have been online and on the phone this afternoon trying to find something. It is tough because most are booked, very expensive, or airfare costs as much as cruise. We are still debating on just going back to work on Tuesday and scheduling for another week (maybe next week with Monday being a holiday) or possibly even just going down to the beach for a few days. Now that all of it is over, we are just sort of drained and let down. As I said, this is nothing compared to the folks who are actually in that storm so we have a lot to be thankful for in spite of missing the cruise. At this point regardless of how RCI handled it we would not be on a cruise. Well, not unless they actually released us on Friday like that other line did. Maybe we could have gotten something else worked out but who knows?? Would have been good to have the chance anyway. You all take care and get the insurance :cool:

 

Hey, there's an idea. Maybe I can be the poster boy for cruise insurance.

[Wanna Be Retired]

So, we are currently on Liberty. I have every member of my immediate family on here. We were told over and over we were getting off the ship. We even packed our luggage and set it outside. We were then told by Cruise Director to bring it back in our rooms. We are now heading to Miami. Half the ship has no medication for another week. I am surprised by how much medication they have on the ship. For $88 and the cost of the medication they will give you enough for the week that you did not plan for. I know people should plan by bringing more but they don't and they are scared. My husband was trying to find out in case he ran out. We were afraid we would be forced to leave the ship and get stranded with no medication.

 

When we left our room after finding out we were going to Miami, it was as if nothing had happened. All the stuff was for sale, drinks, specialty restaurants, etc. I saw people dancing and having fun. It just seemed unreal!

[emdia43]

So, we are currently on Liberty. I have every member of my immediate family on here. We were told over and over we were getting off the ship. We even packed our luggage and set it outside. We were then told by Cruise Director to bring it back in our rooms. We are now heading to Miami. Half the ship has no medication for another week. I am surprised by how much medication they have on the ship. For $88 and the cost of the medication they will give you enough for the week that you did not plan for. I know people should plan by bringing more but they don't and they are scared. My husband was trying to find out in case he ran out. We were afraid we would be forced to leave the ship and get stranded with no medication.

 

When we left our room after finding out we were going to Miami, it was as if nothing had happened. All the stuff was for sale, drinks, specialty restaurants, etc. I saw people dancing and having fun. It just seemed unreal!

 

Seriously? They are going to charge you $88 in addition to the cost of the medicine, in an EMERGENCY, just to hand it to you? Isn't there a law against gouging people at sea - I know there is on land.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Actually, I have been online and on the phone this afternoon trying to find something. It is tough because most are booked, very expensive, or airfare costs as much as cruise. We are still debating on just going back to work on Tuesday and scheduling for another week (maybe next week with Monday being a holiday) or possibly even just going down to the beach for a few days. Now that all of it is over, we are just sort of drained and let down. As I said, this is nothing compared to the folks who are actually in that storm so we have a lot to be thankful for in spite of missing the cruise. At this point regardless of how RCI handled it we would not be on a cruise. Well, not unless they actually released us on Friday like that other line did. Maybe we could have gotten something else worked out but who knows?? Would have been good to have the chance anyway. You all take care and get the insurance :cool:

 

Hey, there's an idea. Maybe I can be the poster boy for cruise insurance.

 

Not to be a downer, but it looks like there is a Tropical Depression - possibly soon to become a storm - headed towards the Carolina coast as I type... :(

 

I'm so sorry the whole thing has put a damper on your anniversary.

[mt82]

Actually, I have been online and on the phone this afternoon trying to find something. It is tough because most are booked, very expensive, or airfare costs as much as cruise. We are still debating on just going back to work on Tuesday and scheduling for another week (maybe next week with Monday being a holiday) or possibly even just going down to the beach for a few days. Now that all of it is over, we are just sort of drained and let down. As I said, this is nothing compared to the folks who are actually in that storm so we have a lot to be thankful for in spite of missing the cruise. At this point regardless of how RCI handled it we would not be on a cruise. Well, not unless they actually released us on Friday like that other line did. Maybe we could have gotten something else worked out but who knows?? Would have been good to have the chance anyway. You all take care and get the insurance :cool:

 

Hey, there's an idea. Maybe I can be the poster boy for cruise insurance.

You probably already know, but Tennessee is a beautiful place in the smokies....

And lots of wonderful cabins, go soak in a hot tub looking at those mountains.

 

I am in Texas, and have family and friends in and around Galveston and Houston ... we have been praying for them all, and the ones that traveled down there. I want to thank you for recognizing them.

May you have a wonderful anniversary.

[ilovetexas]

I'm glad they finally canceled the cruise and let you off the hook - something they should have done two days ago. I'm from Texas and horrified at what is happening there right now. To think Royal Caribbean told people to travel through that is unimaginable. And before anyone gets into semantics - YES THEY DID!

 

Please do have a wonderful anniversary tomorrow. The situation sucks at the moment but a few years from now it will be a good story to tell.

[skid10]

3. Thanks for sharing your experience. We are booked on the Indy in May to visit the Fjords but I am now considering switching that trip back to Celebrity after seeing what RCI has put you through. If we were not traveling with some cousins who live in the UK I would have already switched but I need to sell them on going to Dublin rather than Southampton.....and spending a bit more money. Oh well.

Switching to Celebrity would not accomplish your boycott type goal--they are owned by Royal anyway.

[Mr. Click]

Skid 10, I am well aware that Royal owns Celebrity, we have have sailed on both, 4 times on Royal, number 8 on Celebrity is coming up next week. While the ownership is the same, the approach to the treatment of customers is totally different. Celebrity seems to also have some common sense. We only chose May's Royal cruise for the itinerary. Right now I am wishing I had just spent the extra money and booked with Celebrity even if the itinerary is a bit different. It is not so much about boycotting Royal as it is about sailing with someone I trust, for me anyway.

[Langley Cruisers]

... Half the ship has no medication for another week.... I know people should plan by bringing more but they don't and they are scared. My husband was trying to find out in case he ran out. We were afraid we would be forced to leave the ship and get stranded with no medication....

 

Interesting scenario. I usually pack an extra day or two but this has made me re-think it. Yes, how awful and how frightening it would be to not have medication with you for the extra days, meds that are probably right now sitting in their cupboards back home!

[WpgCruise]

Not to hijack the Thread, but you might want to take a harder look at Celebrities past record of crises management. Three specific examples demonstrating Celebrities capacity to deal with the unexpected are May 2006 Summit Alaska, October 2010 Century France and August 2013 Millennium Alaska

 

In these examples the ships had mechanical issues, cruises interrupted and cancelled and Celebrity really had no plan to support their clients.

 

It appears Carnival has a plan in place to implement when these things happen, perhaps from more experience, and having said that it is amazing that RCL hasn't learned more from their own experience let alone learning from Carnival.

 

 

Skid 10, I am well aware that Royal owns Celebrity, we have have sailed on both, 4 times on Royal, number 8 on Celebrity is coming up next week. While the ownership is the same, the approach to the treatment of customers is totally different. Celebrity seems to also have some common sense. We only chose May's Royal cruise for the itinerary. Right now I am wishing I had just spent the extra money and booked with Celebrity even if the itinerary is a bit different. It is not so much about boycotting Royal as it is about sailing with someone I trust, for me anyway.