How Cheap Can RCL Get

[mcrcruiser]

We are a handicapped couple in our 80s  . RCL decided to cell their Oct 23rd cruise  for a charting  & notifies us that this 7 night cruise is now voided , when we first booked this cruise using a RCL planner  ,we added the Oct 30 ,2023 4 night cruise  ro make ir a B2B  . At that time the RCL cruise planner did bot tell us that the deposits were non refundable  & those bookings were made last year .

Now we are asking RCL to  help & give us a future Cruise Credit for the $200 we  paid as a deposit on the 4 night cruise  . I still can;t believe that they  said no  even though we never sailed  short cruises because one we need  to load a scooter by disassembling it  plus luggage & drive 2 hours each way to the cruise terminal 

 Personally , I feel cheated  because they will not even give us a $200 future cruise credit   . As a diamond member with RCL & Elite Plus with Celebrity , we no longer will  give them any business & will warn all our cruising friends to stay clear of this cheap company 

 We have done over 90 cruises  & never have ever faced such a cheap ,scrooge  like company  .  Be aware of whom you book cruises 

 

 

 

[BND]

They do not treat b2b's as one continuous cruise. They are two separate cruises. We had one leg of our b2b cancelled for April 2024 on Vision.  We had booked a 12 night and an 8 night.   They cancelled the 12 night for maintenance. The only way to make it a b2b was to book the other 8 night that was available on the other side of  the 8 night we already had booked so we did and were able to get the same cabin, but we're now doing the same basic cruise twice, with I think one different port.  It happens and BTW, being Diamond doesn't change any of their rules.  We're D+ but never think they owe us anything more than anyone else.  Also, they have had non-refundable deposits for several years.  You want the cheaper cruise, you book non-refundable.  

Edited February 10, 2023 by BND

[long4acruise]

Perhaps you could switch the dates and do a 7N sailing after the 4N cruise to replace your canceled cruise.

Wishing you a favorable outcome!

[Big_G]

Did you receive any opportunity to move the cruise with a price guarantee or OBC for the cancellation?

Edited February 10, 2023 by Big_G

[BecciBoo]

It's all in who you talk to...my advice...keep talking, you will eventually get it sorted out.

[smokeybandit]

That's not being cheap. That's them following their published policy that you agreed to when booking the cruise.

[Tlbecker1]

We have had this happen before also.  They will work with you to book a different cruise.  Sorry this happened to you.

[Jimbo]

Sometimes doing the  right thing for their customers over rules the policies, that is how you keep customers. Continue to do as you do to the OP, case in point you lose their business and many others.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Jimbo

[cured]

Call me confused. How can one claim diamond status and over 90 cruises sailed and then in the same breath claim ignorance of the fact that some deposits can be non-refundable? How can one go on 90 cruises, be a member of this group where NRD comes up regularly for 12 years, and not know non refundable deposits exist?

 

Did you tell the planner when booking that you wanted the price quoted as a refundable deposit? That price would have been higher than a non-refundable deposit.

 

While I do agree with Jimbo that since it was Royal that cancelled the first trip, better customer service would allow one to rebook both cruises, but I also don't have any beef with them following their rules that have been around for a long time.  You are only 2 hours away.  Go on the 4 day to just get away. It might be fun.

Edited February 10, 2023 by cured

[Jimbo]

I'm not understanding why as he said the cruise line is not allowing him to have a $200 FFC( his deposit) for a cruise they canceled? so he can use that deposit at a later time on another cruise?

 

I don't get it? Just think he got a customer service person at RCL that doesn't know what they are doing?

[nyer]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

I'm not understanding why as he said the cruise line is not allowing him to have a $200 FFC( his deposit) for a cruise they canceled? so he can use that deposit at a later time on another cruise?

 

I don't get it? Just think he got a customer service person at RCL that doesn't know what they are doing?

The seven night cruise was cancelled.   The four night was after that one to make a B2B.  Now, he doesn't want to take the four night and that is the one he is trying to get his deposit back.

[cured]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

I'm not understanding why as he said the cruise line is not allowing him to have a $200 FFC( his deposit) for a cruise they canceled? so he can use that deposit at a later time on another cruise?

 

I don't get it? Just think he got a customer service person at RCL that doesn't know what they are doing?

The way it is written, it is the 4 day cruise booked after the one that was cancelled that Royal Caribbean won't refund, not the cruise that was cancelled.  He wants a FCC for both cruises.

[Jimbo]

1 minute ago, cured said:

The way it is written, it is the 4 day cruise booked after the one that was cancelled that Royal Caribbean won't refund, not the cruise that was cancelled.  He wants a FCC for both cruises.

Needs to call again and ask for the resolution department, they would make it right once he explains he booked them as B2B cruises.

[VernRDH]

My question is, did OP explain to them that he was doing B2B and (this is the critical part) ask NICELY what his options were? Now knowing that each rep on the phone works differently, I can't imagine that if one said " ok, RC has cancelled my 7 night, but I have a 4 night also, how can we make this work? That some resolution could have been reached. And we all know that you ask to escalate or call back and get another rep. But no instead of advocating for oneself, we come to CC to complain that RC is cheap.  Their sandbox, their rules. 

[sgmn]

4 hours ago, BND said:

They do not treat b2b's as one continuous cruise. They are two separate cruises. We had one leg of our b2b cancelled for April 2024 on Vision.  We had booked a 12 night and an 8 night.   They cancelled the 12 night for maintenance. The only way to make it a b2b was to book the other 8 night that was available on the other side of  the 8 night we already had booked so we did and were able to get the same cabin, but we're now doing the same basic cruise twice, with I think one different port.  It happens and BTW, being Diamond doesn't change any of their rules.  We're D+ but never think they owe us anything more than anyone else.  Also, they have had non-refundable deposits for several years.  You want the cheaper cruise, you book non-refundable.  

Annoying though in the OPs case that they only gave 8 months notice. A lot of people would of booked non refundable flights. I thought their policy was to block space for charters at least a year in advance ?

Edited February 10, 2023 by sgmn

[BND]

2 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Annoying though in the OPs case that they only gave 8 months notice. A lot of people would of booked non refundable flights. I thought their policy was to block space for charters at least a year in advance ?

OP didn't actually say when it was cancelled.  I don't know that they have a written policy surrounding charters.  

[goldfish65]

I know this doesn't help you right now, but a travel agent I think would be very helpful with issues like this. 

[mcrcruiser]

4 hours ago, Big_G said:

Did you receive any opportunity to move the cruise with a price guarantee or OBC for the cancellation?

None no compensation . They must credit the $500 deposit on the cruise RCL chartered   .We have many trips planed & we are not ready to book in September because we just get back from a months long road trip .all we asked was for a FCC for the $200 .I find  RCL  pretty dam cheap when they take our money with out earning it  .further their personal cruise consultant never gave us a choice for cancerable  vs non cancerable deposits  .she just did what she wanted to do & i was not aware of it at that time

 Fact  is I can take this issue further into a Calif small claims court if we want to  & make RCL personnel appear because Calif small claims does not allow attorneys 

[mcrcruiser]

19 minutes ago, goldfish65 said:

I know this doesn't help you right now, but a travel agent I think would be very helpful with issues like this. 

We used a travel agency that we have used for many years . I find even those people not  wanting to help which they should . I have given them a chance ,let us down & that is the last they see of us & many friends who   have booked with them .

They first report they can't do any thing then when I pushed hard they changed their tune .so we shall see . But it is RCL who I have the  issue with & I called them . even their resolutions dept who are now off shore people . Both RCL & Celebrity are using mostly off shore people to answer phones . They have no power at all to make any adjustments . The people in Miami headquarters  insulate themselves  

[Tlbecker1]

17 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

We used a travel agency that we have used for many years . I find even those people not  wanting to help which they should . I have given them a chance ,let us down & that is the last they see of us & many friends who   have booked with them .

They first report they can't do any thing then when I pushed hard they changed their tune .so we shall see . But it is RCL who I have the  issue with & I called them . even their resolutions dept who are now off shore people . Both RCL & Celebrity are using mostly off shore people to answer phones . They have no power at all to make any adjustments . The people in Miami headquarters  insulate themselves  

I am sorry that this happened to you.  We also had it happen and we use a travel agent.  Royal refunded us for our flight and we added a cruise to the front of our B2B, since the 2nd one was cancelled. Travel agents are helpful in these situations.

 

[not-enough-cruising]

37 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

None no compensation . They must credit the $500 deposit on the cruise RCL chartered   .We have many trips planed & we are not ready to book in September because we just get back from a months long road trip .all we asked was for a FCC for the $200 .I find  RCL  pretty dam cheap when they take our money with out earning it  .further their personal cruise consultant never gave us a choice for cancerable  vs non cancerable deposits  .she just did what she wanted to do & i was not aware of it at that time

 Fact  is I can take this issue further into a Calif small claims court if we want to  & make RCL personnel appear because Calif small claims does not allow attorneys 

Small claims court for a transaction that follows the contract to the letter of the law? 
 

OK, you lost me there 

[zoepipes]

The rules are pretty clear - with 90 cruises under your belt, this should have come to no surprise. 

Just like non-refundable fares found with airfare, rental cars, and hotels, these rates come at a reduced rate as an incentive to lock in plans.

In short, guests get a lower price and the cruise line gets more protection against a last-minute cancellation.

Refundable cruise fares cost more, but allow more flexibility when cancelling a cruise

For sailings booked after March 31, 2022: 

Outside of final payment, when a non-refundable deposit cancellation occurs, the full deposit amount will be held in penalty. Any additional payments made will be refunded.

You booked two separate cruises - unfortunately, because the cruiseline cancelled one, that has no affect on the second cruise you booked.  

I don't think you have much of a case in small claims court.

[mcrcruiser]

2 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Small claims court for a transaction that follows the contract to the letter of the law? 
 

OK, you lost me there 

What letter of the law are you speaking . Here is that letter , We always   book refundable because of our ages , This personal cruise consultant   ,woman ,with RCL dod not tell us this was a non cancerable deposit   . what makes us very angry is the way RCL turns away from people who have done many cruises with them &  just because  of the issues that they themselves started  we get screwed . This does not make us feel warm & fuzzy with RCL   . 

 now I am thinking to make a issue with them that they will have yo appear in small claims court with no attys permitted   .This in itself will give us some part satisfaction  .Of course non of this needs to happen if  they will just give a $200 FCC   .

   In over 90 cruises we never seen a cruise line do this to a customer & I have been active with Cruise Critic a long time as well 

[mcrcruiser]

1 minute ago, zoepipes said:

The rules are pretty clear - with 90 cruises under your belt, this should have come to no surprise. 

Just like non-refundable fares found with airfare, rental cars, and hotels, these rates come at a reduced rate as an incentive to lock in plans.

In short, guests get a lower price and the cruise line gets more protection against a last-minute cancellation.

Refundable cruise fares cost more, but allow more flexibility when cancelling a cruise

For sailings booked after March 31, 2022: 

Outside of final payment, when a non-refundable deposit cancellation occurs, the full deposit amount will be held in penalty. Any additional payments made will be refunded.

You booked two separate cruises - unfortunately, because the cruiseline cancelled one, that has no affect on the second cruise you booked.  

I don't think you have much of a case in small claims court.

Read my recent post  . We were lied to is the bottom line 

[Baron Barracuda]

40 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

What letter of the law are you speaking . Here is that letter , We always   book refundable because of our ages , This personal cruise consultant   ,woman ,with RCL dod not tell us this was a non cancerable deposit   . what makes us very angry is the way RCL turns away from people who have done many cruises with them &  just because  of the issues that they themselves started  we get screwed . This does not make us feel warm & fuzzy with RCL   . 

 now I am thinking to make a issue with them that they will have yo appear in small claims court with no attys permitted   .This in itself will give us some part satisfaction  .Of course non of this needs to happen if  they will just give a $200 FCC   .

   In over 90 cruises we never seen a cruise line do this to a customer & I have been active with Cruise Critic a long time as well 

You say you booked direct with a cruise consultant at Royal.  You also say you went through a TA.  Which was it?  Did you book direct and then transfer it to TA?  Once booking is in hands of TA cruise line often won't allow you to speak directly with them.  That's what TA is getting paid for.  Whoever you booked with should have sent you a confirm (which you apparently didn't read) indicating the booking was non cancelable.  Regardless I'd push hard on the TA to fight with Royal.  It would help if you had replacement cruises picked out that he/she could try to slot you into.