Anthem Delay - the Latest

[Iamcruzin]

On 2/9/2020 at 9:48 PM, lbjen said:

They probably didn’t have data on their UK phones, and quite possibly can’t drive. They certainly don’t know the area. Most people would probably also freak out a little if they arrived in a foreign country to find themselves in this kind of situation, especially if they’re not seasoned travelers. 

While these are valid points ,they were stranded in the largest metropolitan area of the United States not Gilligan's Island. There are free hotspots in many locations where they could have used free data if that were the case. Perhaps that McDonald's even had one. Darren is a 38 year old account. He is young and a professional. I am sure he must have had a data plan and is well versed in search engines. Also if you can give an interview you can also ask for assistance or a recommendation for a hotel stay . They probably took a taxi, Uber or Lyft to the dock so they could have arranged to go back to the same hotel.  They were sitting in McDonald's waiting to hear from Royal Caribbean so that alone tells me they had access to data in order to receive emails from the cruise line. They could have called the travel agent who booked them  and asked for assistance and if they booked directly online then they know how to book a hotel as well. This was just a publication looking to hype up a story line.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[kidz_rn]

The obvious, bigger question is: How will the spreading coronavirus epidemic affect the cruise industry going forward? Massive cancellations? Bargain hunters seeking fantastic deals? A combination of both?

As Stephen Stills once sang: "Paranoia strikes deep; into your life it will creep." * 

Time will tell if nervous cruisers' paranoia was justified or an unwarranted, hysteric over-reaction.

 

                  * "For What It's Worth"  -- Buffalo Springfield (1967)

[SunnyTahitianDaze]

2 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

While these are valid points ,they were stranded in the largest metropolitan area of the United States not Gilligan's Island. There are free hotspots in many locations where they could have used free data if that were the case. Perhaps that McDonald's even had one. Darren is a 38 year old account. He is young and a professional. I am sure he must have had a data plan and is well versed in search engines. Also if you can give an interview you can also ask for assistance or a recommendation for a hotel stay . They probably took a taxi, Uber or Lyft to the dock so they could have arranged to go back to the same hotel.  They were sitting in McDonald's waiting to hear from Royal Caribbean so that alone tells me they had access to data in order to receive emails from the cruise line. They could have called the travel agent who booked them  and asked for assistance and if they booked directly online then they know how to book a hotel as well. This was just a publication looking to hype up a story line.

 

Thank you for saying the things that I wanted to say but just did not have the energy to...hahaha.  Also I lived in Brooklyn for ~8 years so I have no time for people's sob stories...call me jaded hahaha.

[ed01106]

6 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

While these are valid points ,they were stranded in the largest metropolitan area of the United States not Gilligan's Island. There are free hotspots in many locations where they could have used free data if that were the case. Perhaps that McDonald's even had one. Darren is a 38 year old account. He is young and a professional. I am sure he must have had a data plan and is well versed in search engines. Also if you can give an interview you can also ask for assistance or a recommendation for a hotel stay . They probably took a taxi, Uber or Lyft to the dock so they could have arranged to go back to the same hotel.  They were sitting in McDonald's waiting to hear from Royal Caribbean so that alone tells me they had access to data in order to receive emails from the cruise line. They could have called the travel agent who booked them  and asked for assistance and if they booked directly online then they know how to book a hotel as well. This was just a publication looking to hype up a story line.

Doesn’t excuse RCL’s failure to provide a single person with knowledge of the area hotels to provide guidance and suggestions about area hotels to the customers they were turning away.

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, ed01106 said:

Doesn’t excuse RCL’s failure to provide a single person with knowledge of the area hotels to provide guidance and suggestions about area hotels to the customers they were turning away.

This was a last minute unpredicted event, the folks turning them away don’t work for RCI. Who is in charge of making a list of hotels and printing out information? There are a lot of hotels in the area, but in different areas. On the east coast departures board, this question gets asked a lot, and it’s not a simple answer.

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, ed01106 said:

Doesn’t excuse RCL’s failure to provide a single person with knowledge of the area hotels to provide guidance and suggestions about area hotels to the customers they were turning away.

Google maps is your friend. If you can't find a hotel in a metropolis you shouldn't leave home. The next complaint would have been Royal Caribbean sent me to a hotel with bed bugs.  

[Iamcruzin]

6 hours ago, SunnyTahitianDaze said:

 

Thank you for saying the things that I wanted to say but just did not have the energy to...hahaha.  Also I lived in Brooklyn for ~8 years so I have no time for people's sob stories...call me jaded hahaha.

Wow it only took you 8 years to become a New Yorker.  I have a  lifetime achievement award.

[ed01106]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

On the east coast departures board, this question gets asked a lot, and it’s not a simple answer.

Exactly.  That is why RCL should have been offering assistance.  If not live than via a 800 number.  

[cplyons]

...and speaking of jaded, all I care about is if this cruiser paranoia will result in enough cancellations to open up a better suite for the Royal Up bid we placed on our sold-out Anthem 2/15 sailing...

8 hours ago, SunnyTahitianDaze said:

 

Thank you for saying the things that I wanted to say but just did not have the energy to...hahaha.  Also I lived in Brooklyn for ~8 years so I have no time for people's sob stories...call me jaded hahaha.

[cplyons]

14 hours ago, psternklar said:

2800 pax 

In contrast, here is the passenger count from our Anthem sailing 2/15/19: 4807 passengers, about 30% kids! 

pax anthem 021519.HEIC

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, ed01106 said:

Exactly.  That is why RCL should have been offering assistance.  If not live than via a 800 number.  

 

I get what you are saying and do not totally disagree. But trying to scramble and find 2,000 hotel rooms on short notice would have quickly overwhelmed a person or even a team of people or a even special "crisis" hotline.  I doubt Royal even has a comprehensive, up-to-date list of area hotels available at their fingertips.

 

The person in the NY Post article had checked out of his hotel earlier that day. He would have had better luck reaching out them for assistance. Even if that hotel had become sold out in the hours after he checked out, it most likely belongs to a large chain that would have many sister properties in the area.

 

As for the NY Post, they tend to sensationalize their news stories a wee-bit.  There sports and entertainment sections are pretty good though.

Edited February 11, 2020 by HBE4

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, ed01106 said:

Exactly.  That is why RCL should have been offering assistance.  If not live than via a 800 number.  

Like a number for a travel agency? I doubt RCI has a detailed list of local hotels.

[ed01106]

6 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

I get what you are saying and do not totally disagree. But trying to scramble and find 2,000 hotel rooms on short notice would have quickly overwhelmed a person or even a team of people or a even special "crisis" hotline.  I doubt Royal even has a comprehensive, up-to-date list of area hotels available at their fingertips

They didn’t need to find 2000.   Many of the cruiser lived locally.  Many others didn’t ask for assistance.  But those who asked for assistance should have been offered assistance.  I am pretty sure there are people at RCL with connection to hotels and tourists agencies and more knowledge of booking a room in NYC than an out of towner.

[mjkacmom]

8 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

They didn’t need to find 2000.   Many of the cruiser lived locally.  Many others didn’t ask for assistance.  But those who asked for assistance should have been offered assistance.  I am pretty sure there are people at RCL with connection to hotels and tourists agencies and more knowledge of booking a room in NYC than an out of towner.

You mean NJ? There are so many hotel options in the area ranging from dive to luxury. All require a means of transportation. Just type “hotels near me” and read reviews.

[jagsfan]

I wonder how many of RCI staff have any knowledge of NYC at all. 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by jagsfan

[lbjen]

15 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

While these are valid points ,they were stranded in the largest metropolitan area of the United States not Gilligan's Island. There are free hotspots in many locations where they could have used free data if that were the case. Perhaps that McDonald's even had one. Darren is a 38 year old account. He is young and a professional. I am sure he must have had a data plan and is well versed in search engines. Also if you can give an interview you can also ask for assistance or a recommendation for a hotel stay . They probably took a taxi, Uber or Lyft to the dock so they could have arranged to go back to the same hotel.  They were sitting in McDonald's waiting to hear from Royal Caribbean so that alone tells me they had access to data in order to receive emails from the cruise line. They could have called the travel agent who booked them  and asked for assistance and if they booked directly online then they know how to book a hotel as well. This was just a publication looking to hype up a story line.

I’m 42 and a former accountant. I don’t get a data plan when I travel. I don’t doubt that the story has been hyped up for clickbait. But the complete lack of empathy shown by people on this forum is just awful. 

[Ourusualbeach]

3 hours ago, jagsfan said:

I wonder how many of RCI staff have any knowledge of NYC at all

Probably about the same number that have actually set foot on a ship.  

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, lbjen said:

I’m 42 and a former accountant. I don’t get a data plan when I travel. I don’t doubt that the story has been hyped up for clickbait. But the complete lack of empathy shown by people on this forum is just awful. 

It’s really not lack of empathy, just being realistic about RCI being able to put together a detailed list of the hundreds of hotels in the area in such a short amount of time. The folks dealing with passengers in the port aren’t RCI employees. Better to just go into google maps and look for hotels there.

[grouchomarx]

I think the general attitude toward that guy in the news story is he was trying to act helpless and neglected when in fact he was not.  You have a brain (probably) and a smartphone, as well as a credit card. You are not in some dangerous place with no modern accommodations where no one speaks your language.  Get on the phone, book a hotel and buy a sweater if you need to.  

[SunnyTahitianDaze]

5 hours ago, cplyons said:

...and speaking of jaded, all I care about is if this cruiser paranoia will result in enough cancellations to open up a better suite for the Royal Up bid we placed on our sold-out Anthem 2/15 sailing...

 

Amen brother, I am hoping the same for our Encore 3/8 sailing 🍻🍻🍻🍻😂

[2flacruisers]

5 hours ago, ed01106 said:

They didn’t need to find 2000.   Many of the cruiser lived locally.  Many others didn’t ask for assistance.  But those who asked for assistance should have been offered assistance.  I am pretty sure there are people at RCL with connection to hotels and tourists agencies and more knowledge of booking a room in NYC than an out of towner.

If they had an internet connection, and I am sure that most did, they should have reached out to RCCL as they were offering those stranded, $200.00 and assistance securing a hotel and/or assistance with airfare.  RCCL also said that those who wanted to cruise (after the ship was deemed clean by the CDC) 50% refundable OBC, and 50% of the price paid as a credit for a future cruise.  All excursions were refunded. Additionally, if you chose not to cruise, your entire cruise price was refunded. I would say that sounds pretty fair to me.

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, lbjen said:

I’m 42 and a former accountant. I don’t get a data plan when I travel. I don’t doubt that the story has been hyped up for clickbait. But the complete lack of empathy shown by people on this forum is just awful. 

Sorry but even Mary and Joseph were able to find a manger in the middle of a desert when the Inn was full. Fire was the only technology at the time. Time to put on the big boy pants and fend for yourself. If you can manage to make your way across the pond you can manage to find a hotel that practically a stones throw away. If you are so cheap that you didn’t  arrange for a temporary data plan then you need to find other resources. I have no patients or empathy for people who have no reason to act helpless. 

Edited February 11, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[GarlicBread]

I dont really have sympathy. 

A few years back me and my mom were travelling from the UK to Boston, when we got stranded in Orlando for 2 days (thanks to a snow storm).

When we landed in Orlando the airline told us they had given out the quota of rooms for the day, but we could wait and see if they could help us, but the probably couldn't. 

Instead of running to the media, I got on my phone (most UK plans include the US at no extra charge, although I probably would have paid the extra) and found a local hotel, then caught a taxi there. It wasnt hard. It's not rocket science. 

Oh, and we had to go buy shorts because it was a lot warmer than we were expecting, again, not hard. 

 

When we got home, we claimed it all back on our insurance (including meals, which we would have eaten in Boston anyway so that was a bonus).

 

It wasnt what we expected but it wasnt the end of the world, and we have a story to tell. We laugh because we were expecting cold and came back with sunburn!

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, jagsfan said:

I wonder how many of RCI staff have any knowledge of NYC at all. 

 

They barley have knowledge about Royal Caribbean. 

[gatour]

7 hours ago, ed01106 said:

They didn’t need to find 2000.   Many of the cruiser lived locally.  Many others didn’t ask for assistance.  But those who asked for assistance should have been offered assistance.  I am pretty sure there are people at RCL with connection to hotels and tourists agencies and more knowledge of booking a room in NYC than an out of towner.

The local RCL "representives" are contractors.  They have no connection to hotels etc.  They are just charged in getting people checked in.  Most have probably have never stayed at a local hotel and may not be aware of which are closest to the port, or even the "class of service" I.E. Days Inn vs Ritz Carlton.  Remote representative are even less likely to have local knowledge to New York.