Pay extra to select cabin - then it gets changed with three weeks to go! Anthem UK.

[Cat4158]

Anyone else have experience of this? A family member paid extra to preselect inter-connecting cabins in a quiet area of the ship. Today they’ve been contacted and told cabins have been moved to under the kids area. No refund will be offered as she can still choose between five pairs of interconnecting cabins. Really! So far Royal has been totally unsympathetic. 

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Cat4158 said:

Anyone else have experience of this?

Being moved is rare, though it does happen. Not sure it matters at this point of why this happened, though you should take advantage of the offer to move, if you can find a perceived quieter spot.

[rtazz17]

They are moving many on our cruise this sunday too. Social distancing I believe is the reason/excuse. Im on a facebook group for our cruise on the allure this sunday. Several have gotten emails telling them their cabin is moved and they dont know where except to know its same category 

you wont be the only one on your cruise

Edited August 4, 2021 by rtazz17

[Cat4158]

9 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Being moved is rare, though it does happen. Not sure it matters at this point of why this happened, though you should take advantage of the offer to move, if you can find a perceived quieter spot.

I’m confused why anyone should accept a move to the same grade cabin from a quiet area to a potentially noisier area under the kids club. Am I missing something? And why, after paying extra to choose a cabin location, should someone be moved to a place they don’t want to be in with no offer of a refund for the additional room selection payment? 

[PolytheneGirl]

30 minutes ago, Cat4158 said:

I’m confused why anyone should accept a move to the same grade cabin from a quiet area to a potentially noisier area under the kids club. Am I missing something? And why, after paying extra to choose a cabin location, should someone be moved to a place they don’t want to be in with no offer of a refund for the additional room selection payment? 

 

Potentially the reason for the move? If its an upcoming cruise that is sailing under social distancing restrictions the cruise line may have no option but to move them and spread everyone out. It sucks but in that instance there is always going to be someone who misses out and ends up where they don't want to be 😞

[Biker19]

29 minutes ago, Cat4158 said:

Am I missing something? 

RCI’s ability to move people without recourse, sometimes. As I mentioned, you should let go of the why, but if you insist, several calls to them may give you the why. 

[FionaMG]

It's not just Anthem. A cruiser on Harmony's 15 August sailing just had the same thing happen. 😞

[graceinga]

We are sailing on the Symphony on 8/14 and the same thing happened.  We paid more to select our cabin and received an email this week that we were moved to a different cabin, same category.  We were moved up one floor.  In the grand scheme of things it isn't a big deal but we selected our cabin because we wanted to be on the same floor as the boardwalk and now we are not.  I think right now if you are willing to travel you have to be super flexible with unexpected changes.  If you are not you are going to be miserable.  

[wellsme1]

One of the best cabins to view travels through the Panama Canal is an aft cabin (which we had until this morning).

Our 14 night canal cruise on the Radiance was changed to a 13 night on the Serenade with 2 less port stops. 
We have now been given a starboard side cabin. Not happy, really wanted that aft cabin.

 I know, I know, be happy we are cruising at all.

 

[djefferis]

Sorry - now this is unfair and at minimum they owe a refund for the additional paid.

 

Its different when it’s a cancellation months in advance - this is a “paid upgrade” taken away and nothing offered back. 
 

Yes - the contract for carriage says they can move you at any time - but this is disappointing. Giving 5 choices in the same area is not like giving 3 or 4 DIFFERENT options - it’s pick from what’s available. 
 

They should at least give back the difference between the current rate of a guarantee and what was paid originally - or offer next catergory room upgrades (even if not connected). 
 

At least they still get to go on a cruise. Reading another thread from some poor couple who took it personally that their 10th anniversary was ruined by RCL canceling some sailings recently…perhaps we should also just boycott RCL

[djefferis]

29 minutes ago, wellsme1 said:

One of the best cabins to view travels through the Panama Canal is an aft cabin (which we had until this morning).

Our 14 night canal cruise on the Radiance was changed to a 13 night on the Serenade with 2 less port stops. 
We have now been given a starboard side cabin. Not happy, really wanted that aft cabin.

 I know, I know, be happy we are cruising at all.

 

Absolutely correct - on certain sailings WHERE you are on the ship is as important as where you are going. 
 

People pay a premium for that aft view for canal cruises - just as for example Id pay a premium to avoid being above/below crowded venues on certain cruises. The cruise lines understand this - but sometimes you just have x number of “premium” cabins and x+1 cruisers wanting that premium cabin and something has to give. 
 

It’s not right that they don’t at least offer some compensation to those effected in those situations. Upgraded cabin - some OBC or something. Offer what’s reasonable and then if no takers - make the tough calls. It’s not as if someone wasn’t OFFERED then. Just shifting with no offer is not right though in my book. 
 

Yes - be happy your on a cruise - but you paid for that cruise right? So it’s not as if the cruise line is doing you a favor and letting you ride for free…if you paid - it’s reasonable to expect some give back when asked to accommodate their needs.

[bobmacliberty]

27 minutes ago, djefferis said:

perhaps we should also just boycott RCL

 

Boycotts are meaningless if your intent is to somehow harm or send a message to Royal.  We are all individually, and even together as a group, just a blip on their radar.  If you personally don't like the experience that you're getting from Royal, then absolutely use a different cruise line.  No need giving your hard earned money to someone who doesn't meet your needs.

[djefferis]

I was joking - a recent post was made titled “Boycott RCL” - see my responses there. 
 

Agree - no one is jumping ship because some stranger on CruiseCritic is unhappy 

[brillohead]

3 hours ago, djefferis said:

At least they still get to go on a cruise. Reading another thread from some poor couple who took it personally that their 10th anniversary was ruined by RCL canceling some sailings recently…perhaps we should also just boycott RCL

That "poor couple" didn't have their cruise cancelled -- the cruise is still sailing.

St. Thomas changed their requirement that everyone on the ship 12+yo needs to be vaccinated, so the decision by that "poor couple" to not get vaccinated is what changed their vacation plans.  

(And yet, somehow that "poor couple" didn't put St. Thomas on blast -- just Royal Caribbean.)

[brillohead]

As to the OP's situation, I wouldn't necessarily be too concerned about noise from the kids' club area.  It's not like they're going to be dragging deck chairs around in there.

[wellsme1]

5 hours ago, djefferis said:

Absolutely correct - on certain sailings WHERE you are on the ship is as important as where you are going. 
 

People pay a premium for that aft view for canal cruises - just as for example Id pay a premium to avoid being above/below crowded venues on certain cruises. The cruise lines understand this - but sometimes you just have x number of “premium” cabins and x+1 cruisers wanting that premium cabin and something has to give. 
 

It’s not right that they don’t at least offer some compensation to those effected in those situations. Upgraded cabin - some OBC or something. Offer what’s reasonable and then if no takers - make the tough calls. It’s not as if someone wasn’t OFFERED then. Just shifting with no offer is not right though in my book. 
 

Yes - be happy your on a cruise - but you paid for that cruise right? So it’s not as if the cruise line is doing you a favor and letting you ride for free…if you paid - it’s reasonable to expect some give back when asked to accommodate their needs.

Agreed. We spent three hours on the phone with Royal and finally got the cabin changed. Didn't get our original cabin back or anything in that location. I'm chalking it up to COVID and moving on, my brain hurts.

[djefferis]

At least you got someone…3 days now trying to get them to honor a price reduction on our upcoming cruise.

 

Under cruise with confidence- if the price drops before sailing - they said they will honor the difference as an OBC. 
 

We originally booked a guarantee and agent was able to get us into a higher cat - so when price dropped significantly - I asked for OBC and they denied saying I would be dropping to a lower class than I was currently in (nothing but guarantees available at this point).

 

Today some additional cabins open and you can pick same class or 1 higher than I have at a nice savings (enough to buy the drink package for a week for both of us) - so called and asked - agent says I need to talk to RCL - RCL says agent has to call….call back to RCL to try and get them to conference with agent and 30 minutes to get to someone saying I need to talk to “group sales” and then another hour on hold.

 

I emailed agent again - hopefully they get it fixed. It’s frustrating for sure - but it’s not as if RCL reps aren’t constantly getting slammed with calls. It’s think a lot if their stuff is work from home and a high turnover rate amongst reps. I mean - it’s not their fault - you try and soon realize your fighting a tsunami of customers most of whom are mad because of something a co-worker just did….it’s a no win for the few good ones they have. 

[Cat4158]

We’ll, I’m pleased to say that after numerous phone calls the cabins have been moved to a place that isn’t underneath any public areas. Hopefully everything else will go smoothly! 

[CruisingNole]

5 hours ago, Cat4158 said:

Edited August 7, 2021 by CruisingNole

[wellsme1]

15 hours ago, Cat4158 said:

We’ll, I’m pleased to say that after numerous phone calls the cabins have been moved to a place that isn’t underneath any public areas. Hopefully everything else will go smoothly! 

Good for you. After the dust settled, yesterday we noticed that a cabin that was very close to our original was available. We immediately we called Royal for a change to that cabin.

The time from when we picked up the phone to the time the change was made was no more than five minutes. We’re happy.

[Iamcruzin]

On 8/5/2021 at 11:48 AM, graceinga said:

We are sailing on the Symphony on 8/14 and the same thing happened.  We paid more to select our cabin and received an email this week that we were moved to a different cabin, same category.  We were moved up one floor.  In the grand scheme of things it isn't a big deal but we selected our cabin because we wanted to be on the same floor as the boardwalk and now we are not.  I think right now if you are willing to travel you have to be super flexible with unexpected changes.  If you are not you are going to be miserable.  

I am surprised at the push back with every change happening. Yes it's terrible and inconvenient but any one who thought that cruising was going to start during a pandemic and not involve constant change as the virus changes than they weren't paying attention. As protocols change on land they get twice as tough at sea.

[Iamcruzin]

15 hours ago, Cat4158 said:

We’ll, I’m pleased to say that after numerous phone calls the cabins have been moved to a place that isn’t underneath any public areas. Hopefully everything else will go smoothly! 

Happy it  worked out.

[Cat4158]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

Happy it  worked out.

Thank you