Covid-19 poor response by Royal Caribbean

[nelblu]

3 hours ago, REM25 said:

Type in “cruise with confidence” policy. Good luck - I’ve contacted them 4 times. Each answer was a no. So, they just lost a customer who had 5 cruises and planned more bpathic response. 

Policy is effective March 6.  I guess I,ll claim the loss on my credit card under their Trip Cancellation/Interruption policy.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence

[pcur]

On 3/13/2020 at 9:03 PM, MoniMommy said:

Why do people keep asking about trip insurance. If you know about trip insurance it only covers if you cancel because you are sick. It does not cover canceling because of the concern of getting sick or quarantined. And before you mention cancel for any reason that is not available to all. Its was just made available in NY because of coronavirus but I have not seen any NY policies that offer it yet.

 

I agree completely:  I read several travel insurance policies a few weeks ago, and they all EXCLUDE epidemics. You have to pay the higher premium for cancel-for-any-reason coverage, and even then it might not be covered.

 

However, RCCL should be allowing for exceptions, and I would escalate this situation.  If the passenger called to cancel anytime after mid-February, they should get their credits/refunds.  There were articles about the Diamond Princess by 2/14/20.

[REM25]

I totally agree but Royal Caribbean CEO denied 3 requests from us - they took $1,065 from two seniors. Royal doesn’t understand what is happening and, how to treat loyal customers. They just wanted the cash!

[cardamon]

So am I hearing the recommendation to wait for RC to cancel the cruise to receive better compensation? I have a cruise set for May 4 and I am in the high risk category. I would like to rebook right now but there are no Panama Canal cruises except our May 4, 2020 cruise on the RC website. I rely on this website for great advise!

[reallyitsmema]

9 minutes ago, REM25 said:

I totally agree but Royal Caribbean CEO denied 3 requests from us - they took $1,065 from two seniors. Royal doesn’t understand what is happening and, how to treat loyal customers. They just wanted the cash!

 

You chose to cancel, they didn't force you to cancel.  You had a contract with them and exercised your right to get 50% of your cruise fare back.  

[AshleyDillo]

8 minutes ago, cardamon said:

So am I hearing the recommendation to wait for RC to cancel the cruise to receive better compensation?

 

Canceling now or canceling 48 hours before your sailing will amount to the same thing, so might as well wait.  Royal may cancel the cruise on you before that 48 hours and sweeten the compensation for you.  Only reason I could think to cancel now is if you're 100% sure you aren't going to go and you want your FCC process started sooner.

[reallyitsmema]

7 minutes ago, cardamon said:

So am I hearing the recommendation to wait for RC to cancel the cruise to receive better compensation? I have a cruise set for May 4 and I am in the high risk category. I would like to rebook right now but there are no Panama Canal cruises except our May 4, 2020 cruise on the RC website. I rely on this website for great advise!

 

Some people are waiting to cancel May cruises, hoping that if the cruise line ends up cancelling, they can get a full refund or a 125% future cruise credit.  No one knows if that is going to happen.  We had a cruise scheduled for May 3rd and have cancelled and are awaiting our refunds and FCC.  We chose not to wait as the unknown was driving me nuts.  If May cruises do end up being cancelled by the cruise line, so be it, we decided to cancel on the earlier side and will live with our decision.

[nu_cruzer1]

We were scheduled to cruise on March 13th and were waiting for Royal to announce a cancellation many days earlier.  Ended up cancelling as close to our cutoff as possible - March 11th -  because we couldn't take the chance of losing out on everything or having to go on a ship after the government's advisory.  Of the 7 in my party, 6 of us had insurance.  The one person in my party is out CAD$600 due to not having insurance.  While they'll end up with a FCC, none of us plan on sailing with Royal anytime soon and thus they likely won't use their FCC.  Royal was waiting most of us out and in some cases it paid off for them.  Royal's response - at least as it impacts our cruise - just left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, nu_cruzer1 said:

We were scheduled to cruise on March 13th and were waiting for Royal to announce a cancellation many days earlier.  Ended up cancelling as close to our cutoff as possible - March 11th -  because we couldn't take the chance of losing out on everything or having to go on a ship after the government's advisory.  Of the 7 in my party, 6 of us had insurance.  The one person in my party is out CAD$600 due to not having insurance.  While they'll end up with a FCC, none of us plan on sailing with Royal anytime soon and thus they likely won't use their FCC.  Royal was waiting most of us out and in some cases it paid off for them.  Royal's response - at least as it impacts our cruise - just left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

Royal wasn’t waiting you out, they were waiting out the situation. 

[zalusky]

I think what is a little bit sleazy is people who had sailings on March 7.  If you called to cancel immediately as soon as the policy was announced on March 6 it was only effective for March 8 or later and in fact they cancelled US sailings a week later.

 

So the March 7 people essentially got screwed in the process.  I can understand the retroactive thing but this donut hole if you will is not good PR.

[Ourusualbeach]

11 hours ago, nelblu said:

Can you guide me to the announcement of the policy being retroactive to March 1.  I also cancelled prior to the announcement (March 5th) and got 50% refund credited to my credit card.  I'm still waiting for the tour credits.

It was not made retroactive to March 1.  It started effective March 6 and Royal is not altering any terms for those that voluntary chose to utilize the cruise with confidence policy 

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, nu_cruzer1 said:

We were scheduled to cruise on March 13th and were waiting for Royal to announce a cancellation many days earlier.  Ended up cancelling as close to our cutoff as possible - March 11th -  because we couldn't take the chance of losing out on everything or having to go on a ship after the government's advisory.  Of the 7 in my party, 6 of us had insurance.  The one person in my party is out CAD$600 due to not having insurance.  While they'll end up with a FCC, none of us plan on sailing with Royal anytime soon and thus they likely won't use their FCC.  Royal was waiting most of us out and in some cases it paid off for them.  Royal's response - at least as it impacts our cruise - just left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

Roysl was not waiting anyone out.  This was a decision made the day of by all the mainstream cruise lines at the direct request (read ordered) of the President.  

[molly361]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

Roysl was not waiting anyone out.  This was a decision made the day of by all the mainstream cruise lines at the direct request (read ordered) of the President.  

Wonder when the next one will be made😇  Thinking it is pretty much inevitable 

Edited March 16, 2020 by molly361

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, molly361 said:

Wonder when the next one will be made😇  Thinking it is pretty much inevitable 

Personally I would now wait until the very last minute to cancel under the cruise with confidence policy.  Worst case, you get 100% FCC...better case you get 125% of 100% refund 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[REM25]

Royal did screw everyone. Now if they get a bailout from the Feds, will they share the cash with those seniors that they took money from? Not likely - they don’t care about customers. 

[Merion_Mom]

23 minutes ago, REM25 said:

Royal did screw everyone. Now if they get a bailout from the Feds, will they share the cash with those seniors that they took money from? Not likely - they don’t care about customers. 

 

I am very sorry that you are dissatisfied with your situation, but I think that your energies would be better directed elsewhere at this point.

[long4acruise]

5 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I am very sorry that you are dissatisfied with your situation, but I think that your energies would be better directed elsewhere at this point.

 

Amen!

[REM25]

You sound like a Royal Caribbean employee 

[Relaxedfun]

3 hours ago, REM25 said:

I totally agree but Royal Caribbean CEO denied 3 requests from us - they took $1,065 from two seniors. Royal doesn’t understand what is happening and, how to treat loyal customers. They just wanted the cash!

        I empathize with you.  Royal was slow to cancel our cruise (from Rome) so we cancelled.  We lost a lot of money, but its over.  It was like they were playing chicken, seeing who would cancel first.  It has been two weeks since we made our decision, and I feel better about the financial loss now.  

  I hear you and I agree with you.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, REM25 said:

Royal did screw everyone. Now if they get a bailout from the Feds, will they share the cash with those seniors that they took money from? Not likely - they don’t care about customers. 

you need to let this go, you are just sounding ridiculous, there is always someone on the "edge" of any business decision, you just happened to be there this time.  Fact is YOU made a business decision, now deal with it

[ONECRUISER]

29 minutes ago, Relaxedfun said:

        I empathize with you.  Royal was slow to cancel our cruise (from Rome) so we cancelled.  We lost a lot of money, but its over.  It was like they were playing chicken, seeing who would cancel first.  It has been two weeks since we made our decision, and I feel better about the financial loss now.  

  I hear you and I agree with you.

As Ourusualbeach said: "This was a decision made the day of by all the mainstream cruise lines at the direct request (read ordered) of the President"

[Jarmo]

1 hour ago, REM25 said:

You sound like a Royal Caribbean employee 

You don't want to know what you sound like.

[cello56]

Would you get this upset if a car you bought last week had a huge discount program start this week? Also why are you harping over and over again about being a senior? Would it be ok if younger people lost the same money as you did? This is a huge world wide pandemic, and I feel that RCI and all the cruise lines are doing the best that they can. You chose to purchase without insurance - either through RCI or privately. Now you must face the consequences of that decision. 

[Sunshine3601]

18 hours ago, REM25 said:

I totally agree but Royal Caribbean CEO denied 3 requests from us - they took $1,065 from two seniors. Royal doesn’t understand what is happening and, how to treat loyal customers. They just wanted the cash!

I am sorry you feel that way.  When you called to cancel you knew what the policy was that day.  You made that decision.

As others have said if you just waited it out or asked opinion on this site before cancelling 60 days out you would have faired better.

I.e.  I had a march 27th cruise booked and end of february we pretty much knew we would cancel as my Dh is an organ transplant recipient but decided to wait it out and see how things played out.  Last friday baltimore closed their port so we are getting a refund as well as a fcc.

I have 5 more cruises booked with rcl Next one end of may for canada/NE but leaving that booking alone till we see what happens come May.  canada has closed ports for cruise ships up thru july but still playing the wait and see game.

 

You did what you felt was right so you need to accept your decision instead of complaining about rcl.  

Again sorry you are going thru this and stay healthy.

[thjeepster]

It's a bad deal all around.

 

I'm sitting here waiting to see if our B2B cruises are canceled next month or not.  If it doesn't get canceled we will have to decide what we do before the 48 hours (have to think about the multiple other cabins and friends and family that are going also)!  I agree with everyone also...ALWAYS buy the insurance because it could help when you need it the most!

 

If I decide to cancel and not rebook we will lose about $900 because of licensing fees that we paid to get married on the ship that we can't get back from the Bahamas Government.  We are not seniors and I need that money just as much as anyone....since we could use it for something else also!....Age shouldn't be the factor or even brought up about how some company is "treating" people...they are doing the best they can with what they have to deal with in a tough situation! 

 

It is what it is!  Be more worried about losing your life from this and not just some $$$.

Edited March 17, 2020 by thjeepster
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