No arrival time after checking in & other issues - help?

[CanuckCruizer]

Good morning.  I am looking for any guidance, suggestions or help of any kind...

 

Been up most of the night, dealing with check-in....just called Royal for help, and, of course, got cut off and no one called me back (after taking my number in case that happened...)

 

We followed all tips and recommendations from CC and was ready to grab our arrival time on the App first and then go back to bed & finish the rest this morning.  After having two different check-in dates (Aug 18 & 19), off and on, for weeks, and me checking continually, it finally said that check-in was open at just after midnight (ship's time in Alaska) YIPPEEEE I say! 

 

Well, the excitement turned to sheer frustration when it would NOT let us pick an arrival time and go back to bed, as reported by many on here.  We ended up filling in all the info and then trying to pick an arrival time and NOPE - it says:

 

"Not quite ready for you. Check back closer to your cruise to select an arrival and comple..."  it doesn't finish the sentence. It says this when we also tried to check-in on my laptop, DH's desktop and the App.

 

This cruise is leaving from Vancouver, going to Hawaii.  Canadian government is requiring everyone 12 & over to be vaccinated but NOWHERE does it ask us to upload our vaccination documents.  Instead, it is the 3 questions (like they are doing for sailings out of the US, I believe) asking: are you vaccinated, have you been boosted and are you pregnant.  So, we filled those in.  We have our vaccination documents on the ArriveCan app, but haven't been able to complete that in full yet, as it won't be ready to insert other travel info for a couple of weeks (going by the dates listed for when you have to sail out of Canada - it is too early for our date).  Another problem is that there is no mention of luggage tags...

 

So, my question is, has this happened to anyone else - not being able to pick an arrival time after giving passport info etc. and it says "Complete" by each of our names?

 

Is it possible that Royal does not have this sailing, out of Canada, properly set-up to take people checking in?  Does anybody have to upload vaccination documents anymore, or, because you entered them into ArriveCan - that is sufficient?? and they don't need them entered into Royal's system?  BUT that doesn't make sense as the sailing has the requirement of all over 12 to be fully vaccinated.

 

Before anyone tells me that I am too early - I am not - Royal gave this date and it said that Check-in was open, so what is going on?  Is this their usual antics and everything is all screwed up, IT dept. asleep....while we are awake half the night, trying to check-in?🤣

 

We just want our arrival time and luggage tags - that is my goal.  We are in a Suite, so know that we can go an hour before or after.  Dying to go lie down again soon....

 

Thanks,

Canuck

Please excuse my delirium - blame Royal!

[DCPIV]

It's happening from time to time, and it's not just RCI.  Celebrity has this issue on some cruises, as well.  There's not much you can do other than keep checking.  Everyone else on your cruise is going through the same thing.

[CanuckCruizer]

Back again....finally got through to Royal again and the agent tells me I have to wait till 45 days before the cruise and that I am too early 🤯 - ha - it IS 45 days before AND check-in was open AND Royal gave this date on the App (actually yesterday's and today's date, changing back and forth, but the last while stating August 18th). 

 

I told him that no vaccination records were asked for and that I think that it is set up for a cruise sailing from the US and after discussing it - he actually agreed with me.  I put in a complaint to the IT dept. to have it fixed ASAP (whatever good that will do🙃)

 

I did learn that the luggage tags are only available to be printed 30 days before the cruise and that they will "supposedly" e-mail me alerting me to this, or, I can check online in my account - so that is good news.  I was under the impression based on comments that I had read that you could print them out during the check-in process, so now I know.

 

So...have put on a pot of coffee to wake up and will watch and wait.  He did say that I might be UP again tonight or on the weekend, before they get everything corrected!

 

Have cancelled/moved/been redeployed/chartered and haven't cruised since 2019, so really looking forward to this cruise.😊

 

Canuck

[DaniDanielle]

Good luck!

[Ferry_Watcher]

The new Covid protocol was just instituted last week (8/8-12) and maybe RCI is still working out the kinks.  As in Seattle, you will have to show proof of vaccination, or you will be denied boarding. 

 

The big change in the new wellness protocol is it went from about 12 health questions to 3.  Also, the check-in agents do not have to capture a photo/image of passengers' vaccination cards - they just have to carefully look at them. 

[CanuckCruizer]

6 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

It's happening from time to time, and it's not just RCI.  Celebrity has this issue on some cruises, as well.  There's not much you can do other than keep checking.  Everyone else on your cruise is going through the same thing.

Thanks for your response.  Unfortunately, I don't think everyone else is going through the same thing as Royal mistakenly has NOT set up our cruise "properly" to sail out of Canada.  They have not required you to produce any vaccination documents - so it has been set up as a US sailing by mistake (the Royal agent confirmed this), so it is not only the arrival time not available unfortunately.

 

Canuck

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, CanuckCruizer said:

Have cancelled/moved/been redeployed/chartered and haven't cruised since 2019, so really looking forward to this cruise.

Dial back that exuberance just a tad and try to be patient. Seriously, just wait and things will get sorted.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, CanuckCruizer said:

They have not required you to produce any vaccination documents

The removal of the vax upload feature in the app doesn't mean anything - just go by what RCI needs from the embarkation port, which could still change by the time you sail.

Edited August 19, 2022 by Biker19

[DCPIV]

3 minutes ago, CanuckCruizer said:

Thanks for your response.  Unfortunately, I don't think everyone else is going through the same thing as Royal mistakenly has NOT set up our cruise "properly" to sail out of Canada.  They have not required you to produce any vaccination documents - so it has been set up as a US sailing by mistake (the Royal agent confirmed this), so it is not only the arrival time not available unfortunately.

 

Canuck

 

I said it was everyone on your cruise, not fleetwide.

 

Happy cruising.

[CanuckCruizer]

2 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

The new Covid protocol was just instituted last week (8/8-12) and maybe RCI is still working out the kinks.  As in Seattle, you will have to show proof of vaccination, or you will be denied boarding. 

 

The big change in the new wellness protocol is it went from about 12 health questions to 3.  Also, the check-in agents do not have to capture a photo/image of passengers' vaccination cards - they just have to carefully look at them. 

Thanks for responding.  Yes - I knew about the new questions and that is why my guard went up right away, as in, this is not right.  This sailing is leaving from Canada and I knew that you had to upload vaccination documents, so they have not entered it properly in the system.  

 

The crazy thing is, is that it says we are both "Complete", even though no vax documents and no arrival time....so, if I wasn't as forensic as I am, most people would think they are "complete" as in "finished" with check in and might not worry about getting an arrival time (as a lot of people are saying that they go whenever they want anyways and no one checks).  I just want it to be fixed and carry on and pick an arrival time and be done with it.

 

Canuck

[CanuckCruizer]

8 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Dial back that exuberance just a tad and try to be patient. Seriously, just wait and things will get sorted.

Thanks Biker.  I am sure that many others would feel the same way as my DH and I do.  The levels of incompetence never cease to amaze...Just want it done properly.  And, this cruise was booked in 2018 and I was not lying when I said it has been changed multiple times, different ships etc. - could write a book about it.

 

Canuck

[CanuckCruizer]

7 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

 

I said it was everyone on your cruise, not fleetwide.

 

Happy cruising.

Sorry, thought you meant fleetwide - been up most of the night trying to do this, so didn't read it properly.

 

Canuck

[CanuckCruizer]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

The removal of the vax upload feature in the app doesn't mean anything - just go by what RCI needs from the embarkation port, which could still change by the time you sail.

The agent told me that they have these protocols in place until September 30th.  Our cruise leaves 3 days later.  Personally, I do not see our Canadian government changing any cruise requirements so close to the end of the cruising season here in Vancouver.

 

Canuck

[CanuckCruizer]

19 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

The new Covid protocol was just instituted last week (8/8-12) and maybe RCI is still working out the kinks.  As in Seattle, you will have to show proof of vaccination, or you will be denied boarding. 

 

The big change in the new wellness protocol is it went from about 12 health questions to 3.  Also, the check-in agents do not have to capture a photo/image of passengers' vaccination cards - they just have to carefully look at them. 

Yes - the reason you have to show vaccine documentation in Seattle before boarding, is that you are going to Canada on your sailing.  When I said US sailings, I was generalizing, meaning sailings to the Caribbean & other sailings leaving from the US and not going to Canada.  I should have been more specific I guess but I thought people would get my point. 😊

 

Canuck

[Starry Eyes]

You might as laugh at the situation rather than cry, while remembering everyone on your cruise is having the same issue with arrival time.  Yet you retain a couple advantages over the vast majority of them: you are highly motivated (so you/yours will check back often and catch the arrival time offerings sooner than most) and you are in a suite (giving you that extra hour anyway). 

[CanuckCruizer]

2 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

You might as laugh at the situation rather than cry, while remembering everyone on your cruise is having the same issue with arrival time.  Yet you retain a couple advantages over the vast majority of them: you are highly motivated (so you/yours will check back often and catch the arrival time offerings sooner than most) and you are in a suite (giving you that extra hour anyway). 

I am not crying - I AM laughing at the usual IT problems but it gets sooo frustrating.  You don't even want to know my stories of being on the phone talking to someone for hours and then being cut off and never called back & the same thing happened early this morning, so it does get to you (at least to me) after awhile.

 

I do realize that I am not the only one experiencing this but hopefully by calling attention to the matter that this sailing has not been set up properly, will help all our fellow cruisers on this sailing.

 

Nowadays you have to check and recheck all travel plans, or something could easily be missed.  Yes, I am forensic and it has served me well.:)

 

Canuck

[CanuckCruizer]

To look on the bright side....it could be worse....at least there is NO remaining balance owing!  I have read terrible stories about people still owing money after making final payment, so at least that is not happening!😁

 

Fingers crossed that I am not forced to stay up all night again tonight checking the App.

 

Thanks for the replies,

 

Canuck

[loman]

Sounds frustrating , hope it works out for you. 

 

I booked my check in time a couple of minutes after midnight for a FLL 

departure to the Caribbean, through the app, on my iphone.

Worked like it was supposed to , picked my time and left everything else for the morning to complete . When it works , it does go smoothly . 

 

Good luck !

[rockmom]

19 minutes ago, CanuckCruizer said:

To look on the bright side....it could be worse....at least there is NO remaining balance owing!  I have read terrible stories about people still owing money after making final payment, so at least that is not happening!😁

 

Fingers crossed that I am not forced to stay up all night again tonight checking the App.

 

Thanks for the replies,

 

Canuck

When my daughter sailed to Alaska in May, her sailing had the same situation.  I think it was probably closer to 35 days before she could choose a boarding time.  She checked the app a couple of times each day and it finally appeared.  Like yours, everyone on the same sailing had the issue, so no one had an 'advantage' over others.  

Edited August 19, 2022 by rockmom

[CanuckCruizer]

Just now, loman said:

Sounds frustrating , hope it works out for you. 

 

I booked my check in time a couple of minutes after midnight for a FLL 

departure to the Caribbean, through the app, on my iphone.

Worked like it was supposed to , picked my time and left everything else for the morning to complete . When it works , it does go smoothly . 

 

Good luck !

That's wonderful - that is what I was expecting.  Now, when checking again - the information we have entered about our place of stay after the cruise is gone and it says we are not staying in Hawaii - eek - so had to re-enter that info again.  There is no save button, just "continue" so don't know if it is going to hold that info.  It also keeps putting our Emergency Contact number as OUR number so don't know what is going on there.  Noticed if you look on my laptop (as opposed to my phone) - there is no place that asks you about your stay afterwards, but the App does ask you, so that is strange.  We are using the App on an Android device so don't know if that has anything to do with it.

 

Hope it will all work out - I just want it to be "over with" as the whole thing stresses me out.😝 

 

Canuck

[CanuckCruizer]

3 minutes ago, rockmom said:

When my daughter sailed to Alaska in May, her sailing had the same situation.  I think it was probably closer to 35 days before she could choose a boarding time.  She checked the app a couple of times each day and it finally appeared.  Like yours, everyone on the same sailing had the issue, so no one had an 'advantage' over others.  

That is interesting.  Thanks for the warning....another 10 days of this and I could be completely deranged!  We are not very "App friendly" so having to use one to check in is stressful.

 

I better go have a nap now to rest up for the sleepless nights to come....🥲

 

Canuck

[rockmom]

1 minute ago, CanuckCruizer said:

That is interesting.  Thanks for the warning....another 10 days of this and I could be completely deranged!  We are not very "App friendly" so having to use one to check in is stressful.

 

I better go have a nap now to rest up for the sleepless nights to come....🥲

 

Canuck

I'm also pretty obsessive when it comes to this stuff.  So I feel your frustration.  You can always check in on a laptop and get your boarding time (when it lets you) and then later go into the app and add things.  

[CanuckCruizer]

6 minutes ago, rockmom said:

I'm also pretty obsessive when it comes to this stuff.  So I feel your frustration.  You can always check in on a laptop and get your boarding time (when it lets you) and then later go into the app and add things.  

Love your "bell"!

 

Glad to hear that it is not only me.😊

 

We understood that it is better to do the App 1st and get your arrival time and then go back or go to a laptop and do the rest.  I have both open (of course).

 

Do you know why it won't save our hotel info on the App.?  I mean it goes in okay and then you press continue.  When you go back, it says that you are not staying afterwards and all the info is gone.  There doesn't seem to be a "save" button that I can see anyways.  More frustration.

 

Thanks for your support.

Canuck

[rockmom]

39 minutes ago, CanuckCruizer said:

Love your "bell"!

 

Glad to hear that it is not only me.😊

 

We understood that it is better to do the App 1st and get your arrival time and then go back or go to a laptop and do the rest.  I have both open (of course).

 

Do you know why it won't save our hotel info on the App.?  I mean it goes in okay and then you press continue.  When you go back, it says that you are not staying afterwards and all the info is gone.  There doesn't seem to be a "save" button that I can see anyways.  More frustration.

 

Thanks for your support.

Canuck

No idea about why it won't save the hotel.  I do think that either way works just fine for grabbing a boarding time for everyone in the party. I've done it both ways--android app or laptop, for five cruises so far this year.  

[CanuckCruizer]

25 minutes ago, rockmom said:

No idea about why it won't save the hotel.  I do think that either way works just fine for grabbing a boarding time for everyone in the party. I've done it both ways--android app or laptop, for five cruises so far this year.  

Wow - you are an expert and should publish a How To Book - ha.  Yeah - hopefully our Hawaii stay afterwards "stays" listed - don't want any problem with US Customs when we leave here.  When you do it on the laptop - there are no questions to answer about your stay after the cruise.  Again, it will not retain the proper phone number for us (instead gives our Emergency Person #) and keeps "unchecking" us agreeing to photos on the ship.  We did not enter a photo as you can imagine what I looked like, getting up in the night to do this 🙃so hope that is okay.  We prefer to get one at the pier.  So, everything we input into the laptop - doesn't seem to stay and it says again "We are not ready for you" yeah, yeah, we KNOW that! lol  So, will keep watching and waiting I guess. 

I will need a very large triple Mango Lava Flow after all this.😎

 

Canuck