Think Twice Before Booking Royal Caribbean

[Jimbo]

10 hours ago, RosieRoo said:

At least this is for 2023. What about all the Jewel sailings that were cancelled in January?  Some people had already flown into Florida and had their cruises cancelled that were supposed to be sailing the next day. My back to back which was the following week was booked long in advance with great pricing. We weren’t given the choice to move to different sailings with price protection. We got FCCs and lost some money on airfare. Hey, stuff happens. At least you didn’t lose any money. 
BTW, I didn’t stop cruising RCCL.  I have three more booked this year. 

Just proves, some people never learn. 🤣

[Travel R]

What is going through my mind as I read this thread . . . . there are some people reading this thread that can only dream about taking a Transatlantic cruise, and in a Grand Suite nonetheless.

 

 

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

13 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

This is all it takes for you to tell the world to think twice about Royal Caribbean?

well, yeah.

We had 1.3 cruises on NCL and will not consider them again unless the cruise is close to free. And it's all because of really bad food and cigarette smoke everywhere which drove me crazy.

 

P.S. The first NCL cruise ended early because Jade broke down on Day 3. "Evacuation" and the trip back home was one big clusterfudge.

Edited May 6, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[John&LaLa]

12 hours ago, RosieRoo said:

At least this is for 2023. What about all the Jewel sailings that were cancelled in January?  Some people had already flown into Florida and had their cruises cancelled that were supposed to be sailing the next day. My back to back which was the following week was booked long in advance with great pricing. We weren’t given the choice to move to different sailings with price protection. We got FCCs and lost some money on airfare. Hey, stuff happens. At least you didn’t lose any money. 
BTW, I didn’t stop cruising RCCL.  I have three more booked this year. 

 

Wasn't Jewel Covid related, though

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Just proves, some people never learn. 🤣

 

Any luck with your OS on Wonder

[silversneakers]

14 hours ago, charlesspinney said:

Myself and brother are long time passengers of Royal Caribbean.   During the pandemic we took advantage of the excellent fairs for transatlantic crossing and booked grand suite cabins on the May 6th crossing from Tampa to Barcelona.   We were booked on the Serenade of the Seas.   Yesterday we received an email from Royal Caribbean saying our cruise was canceled!  They gave us three options.  The first was to rebook on a cruise to Baltimore,  Maryland on the Vision of the Seas.  The second was to book any other cruise,  but pay any difference in fair. The third was to refund our deposit. 

We looked to rebook and discovered our ship, Serenade of the Seas,  was sailing from Miami to Copenhagen on the same dates.  Why were we canceled?  We liked this itinerary much better!  I tried to book but all Grand Suites were sold out and Junior Suites were twice the cost we paid for our Grand Suite. 

I called Royal Caribbean and spent three hours talking to a half a dozen different agents,  half said they were supervisors.   Only the three options stood.   Most of the agents I talked to didn't know where Baltimore was and couldn't relate to my reasoning that we were not being offered another transatlantic cruise. 

All I can say, goodbye Royal Caribbean,  never again. 

Now booked on the Epic.

Think protecting health reasons. Currently ship in Barcelona with covid passengers.

[time4u2go]

2 hours ago, zeroed said:

There’s always Carnival. Lots of value there. You can get all the Wobble, rust, fist fights, twerking and drug arrests with them that you just can’t get on Royal. 
 

Lol pretty sure those things can be found on Royal also!

[Seville2Cabo]

How long between the cancellation and the time you tried to book the Copenhagen option?  We considered Booking the TA to Copenhagen and there were plenty Jr suites for about $2K PP.  Grand Suites were available.   We decided to book the Panama Canal cruise when it was announced on Radiance instead.  

 

Just thinking if the ship was redeployed, the canceled cruise would happen about the same time as the new itineraries were available and GS's would be available.  Did the OP wait too long to try to rebook?

[RosieRoo]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Wasn't Jewel Covid related, though

Yes, just making the point that other people have been in worse situations. At least this cruise is far out and they didn’t lose any money. 

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Any luck with your OS on Wonder

Europe sailing is still booked, tried to get them to move the price to another sailing, they are not going for it this time. They will however give us back our deposit in cash and NOT a FCC.

 

Tired of chasing down that OS, I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Had there been no extended cruise stoppage because of Covid we would have been there and back by now. Oh well.

 

If we decide to do Europe in the future, we will just look for the best deal, no matter which cruise line it is on. Not locked on Royal Caribbean.

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, silversneakers said:

Think protecting health reasons. Currently ship in Barcelona with covid passengers.

Explain more, which ship in Barcelona. How many passengers and crew have covid?

[John&LaLa]

7 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Europe sailing is still booked, tried to get them to move the price to another sailing, they are not going for it this time. They will however give us back our deposit in cash and NOT a FCC.

 

Tired of chasing down that OS, I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Had there been no extended cruise stoppage because of Covid we would have been there and back by now. Oh well.

 

If we decide to do Europe in the future, we will just look for the best deal, no matter which cruise line it is on. Not locked on Royal Caribbean.

 

Voyager GS 11 day 

2 grand for both of us😁

Airfare though is 7 grand😱

Momma wanted Business Class🤣

Plus 2 days pre and 1 day post in Copenhagen 👍

 

When you decide to try again for Europe.  Skip the Med and do the Baltics

 

[orville99]

13 hours ago, flamingos said:

Ah, not an Eclipse Hotel.  Hotels booked for the total eclipse in 2017.   https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/2017/04/oregon_hotels_unapologetic_sil.html

And yet, when we booked Oasis for August 2017 it was not an "Eclipse" cruise yet. Once RCL figured out that they could tweak their route that week so the ship could experience the total eclipse (it was spectacular BTW), they doubled their prices. Unlike that hotel. our price didn't change one penny from what we originally booked.

[Jimbo]

13 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Voyager GS 11 day 

2 grand for both of us😁

Airfare though is 7 grand😱

Momma wanted Business Class🤣

Plus 2 days pre and 1 day post in Copenhagen 👍

 

When you decide to try again for Europe.  Skip the Med and do the Baltics

 

How did you get the GS so cheap for this August? was that a L&S too?.........That airfare price is mind blowing though, how long is the flight? Hours?

[John&LaLa]

2 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

How did you get the GS so cheap for this August? was that a L&S too?.........That airfare price is mind blowing though, how long is the flight? Hours?

 

Very convoluted Lift & Shift

Adventure VP '21 - Jewel GS '21 - Voyager GS '22

 

Flight is around 7 hours to Frankfurt, then another hour to Copenhagen 

 

Good departure times and decent layover in Germany. Should be able to have lunch in the lounge

[Joseph2017China]

I'm Diamond, never sailed GS and had trips canceled in last two years.....I have no reason to post this, other than to say I'm Diamond

 

[Sms1973]

Swear off, RCI?  Why?

Edited May 6, 2022 by Sms1973

[John&LaLa]

40 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

I'm Diamond, never sailed GS and had trips canceled in last two years.....I have no reason to post this, other than to say I'm Diamond

 

 

Everybody's Diamond now😉

 

"But I'm a Diamond"

 

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by John&LaLa

[charlesspinney]

On 4/8/2022 at 1:51 AM, SNJCruisers said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Seville2Cabo said:

How long between the cancellation and the time you tried to book the Copenhagen option?  We considered Booking the TA to Copenhagen and there were plenty Jr suites for about $2K PP.  Grand Suites were available.   We decided to book the Panama Canal cruise when it was announced on Radiance instead.  

 

Just thinking if the ship was redeployed, the canceled cruise would happen about the same time as the new itineraries were available and GS's would be available.  Did the OP wait too long to try to rebook?

Tried to rebook the same day I received the cancelation notice. 

 

[charlesspinney]

Tried to rebook the same day I received the notice.   There were JS Cabins available but the cost twice what we paid for a GS.

[silversneakers]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Explain more, which ship in Barcelona. How many passengers and crew have covid?

I understand CDC does not report ships in International locations.

[Jimbo]

37 minutes ago, silversneakers said:

I understand CDC does not report ships in International locations.

Royal should be reporting though to the public what is happening on their ships in International locations.

 

Not very comforting to those onboard or those about to board.

[silversneakers]

3 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Royal should be reporting though to the public what is happening on their ships in International locations.

 

Not very comforting to those onboard or those about to board.

I understand what your saying but cruise lines are trying to financially recover so I think they would be very careful what they disclose (CDC seems to like to "inflate" scenarios).  I don't think cruise ships that are experiencing outbreaks are broadcasting numbers while cruising for fear of starting an all out panic (and risk major cancellations).  Just my opinion.

[orville99]

40 minutes ago, silversneakers said:

I understand what your saying but cruise lines are trying to financially recover so I think they would be very careful what they disclose (CDC seems to like to "inflate" scenarios).  I don't think cruise ships that are experiencing outbreaks are broadcasting numbers while cruising for fear of starting an all out panic (and risk major cancellations).  Just my opinion.

Or it could be that the cruise ships just aren’t experiencing any outbreaks.

[The Fun Researcher]

9 hours ago, snaefell said:

My limited experience of Royal Carib has seen them alter EVERY cruise that we have booked with them,I certainly see the OP's point,it is irritating & certainly has made me reluctant to book with them again.

 

For real?  In our 10 years of sailing Royal, we have not had a single cruise modified.  No change of ports, dates, nothing.  The only two that were impacted were those cancelled due to covid March and July 2020 

It's like we're sailing different cruise lines.

 

4 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

well, yeah.

We had 1.3 cruises on NCL and will not consider them again unless the cruise is close to free. And it's all because of really bad food and cigarette smoke everywhere which drove me crazy.

 

P.S. The first NCL cruise ended early because Jade broke down on Day 3. "Evacuation" and the trip back home was one big clusterfudge.

????   Apples to oranges.  Your reason to think twice isn't even close to what the OP is talking about.

Dan