Denied Boarding at Port, with PITIFUL Compensation

[Baynanno1]

7 hours ago, SG65CB said:

Quantum of the Seas sailing out of Brisbane, Australia. A person on Reddit posted a letter he received when he arrived at the port yesterday to board the ship. He had booked a GTY cabin but was never assigned a cabin number, and at the port was told a cabin was not available. 13 couples received the letter and were put on standby for a cabin. 2 couples were eventually assigned a cabin, the other 11 were denied boarding and were left behind when the ship sailed. 

 

As you can see from the attached letter the compensation offered for being denied boarding at the port is pitiful. This was an 8 night cruise, these people took over a week of vacation from work and now have lost their vacation cruise. 

 

I guess "Guarantee" doesn't really mean a cabin is guaranteed. Maybe they need to change the name. 

 

He can choose another cruise and sail without additional charge or compensation, or receive a refund plus 25% FCC. These offers are way below what others have been offered when given advance notice of a possible overbooking. 

 

There is no mention of compensation for flights or hotel, but the OP lived locally to the port. He was probably selected to be bumped for this reason, so flights would not need to be reimbursed. 

 

I'll post the link to the original source if anyone can confirm links to Reddit are allowed here. 

 

 

 

Living close to the port of Brisbane, as an Australian citizen the poster would be able to contact Consumer Affairs.

Choice Magazine would probably also show interest in the appalling situation.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Baynanno1

[gmerick]

Look at the T&C:  Royal Caribbean did exactly what is in there:

5.5 CAN YOU CHANGE OR CANCEL MY HOLIDAY?

Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors in our terms and conditions or the brochure or on our website and other details both before, and after, bookings have been confirmed and, even more rarely, cancel confirmed bookings. There may be a requirement to carry out maintenance/ building works on your cruise or we may be required to comply with government or official orders that affect our services. Where the works are likely to seriously impair your holiday, or a relevant government or official order is published, we will notify you as soon as possible. Occasionally we may also be forced to cancel a US back-to-back cruise due to local legal restrictions preventing us from allowing you to travel on this basis but will endeavor to advise you promptly after making such a booking if this is necessary. Whilst we always endeavor to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so. If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. For significant changes, if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:

A. accepting the changed arrangements; or

B. purchasing an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available. We may offer you at least one alternative holiday of equivalent standard, as determined by us at our discretion, for which you will not be asked to pay any more than the price of the original holiday amount if you have paid your balance in full. If this holiday is in fact cheaper than the original one, we will refund the price difference based on the monies received by us. If you do not wish to accept the holiday, we specifically offer you or we are unable to offer you an equivalent holiday, you may choose any of our other than available holidays. You must pay the applicable price of any such holiday. This will mean you paying more if it is more expensive or receiving a refund if it is cheaper; or

C. cancelling or accepting the cancellation in which case you will receive a refund of all monies you have paid to us.

[cruisin from florida]

Yes, the cruise contract makes it clear they can change all the ports, cancel the cruise, etc. etc. This is NOT how they market their product, and, in fact, they don't provide the contract until AFTER you book. 

If the headlines are that RCCL is sticking it to their customers, they will (hopefully) take a hit on bookings.

[iscruisingdunzo]

When you have a classy, ethical, and professionally run business such as RCI, you should not be surprised that they guarantee paid guests rooms, but don't honor their end of the agreement. Really, I am not surprised. Stay classy Royal. 

[Starry Eyes]

3 hours ago, scooby1 said:

 

we specifically choose hotels that don’t have an overbook policy, I mean who wants to turn up and they say oops sorry not room. 

What hotels do not overbook?  It is so pervasive, how do you find a hotel that does not overbook?

[LobsterStalker]

6 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Of course we do not know the whole story; one rarely does.  One does suspect that most cruisers and the general public reading about this event on social media would be more understanding if the root cause was a last minute maintenance issue (or some similar unavoidable last minute problem).  Note, however, letter posted on Reddit does not indicate such as issue.  The OP on that thread stated they had no prior notice and had they were unassigned gty’s (13 couples). You and I know gty’s are ordinarily assigned at least 2-3 days before the cruise.  Unassigned gty’s suggests Royal had at least 2-3 days notice…perhaps more.

I disagree totally. (Most cruisers and the general public) as  you state are upset , yes , at Royal's shortage of rooms . However the true outrage is and should be at the paltry attempt at compensation to those affected for such devastating news. I don't know what would constitute Proper compensation ,but I do feel they haven't even scratched the surface !!  Billion dollar profits and treating your customers like that is Disgraceful !

[LobsterStalker]

4 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Difference is, there is a lot more flexibility last minute if you have a flight or hotel overbooked.  Much easier finding an alternate flight or hotel than a cruise.  There is NO option for a cruise last minute.  I agree that it shouldn't happen in any case.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Exactly This ! , And that's not excusing the practice by hotels and airlines

 

Cheers

[HappyTexan44]

You can't really compare to airlines overbooking.  If someone is late (no-shows) for a cruise, they are out their cruise fare.  If someone is late (no-shows) for a flight they are given a spot on the next available flight, possibly as standby. 

[geoherb]

This is the first time I've heard of a major cruise line bumping people involuntarily since the Carnival debacle out of Baltimore several years ago. Usually the cruise lines will keep upping the offers to people until they free up enough cabins. For example, we once received an offer from Princess to cancel our cruise and receive a free equivalent cruise two or three months later along with the cruise fare we paid as refundable onboard credit. We were already on the ship before we knew about the offer--and could not have taken them up on it because of our vacation schedule. But we heard from people on our roll call who did.

[ONECRUISER]

9 hours ago, Biker19 said:

We don't know the entire story of why the ship ended up with fewer cabins that needed - sometimes RCI takes entire blocks of cabin out of service at the last minute for various reasons (like maintenance, etc).

That's what I was thinking, for last min its Maintenance issue, Covid or Quarantine... 

Edited November 29, 2023 by ONECRUISER

[SG65CB]

UPDATE:

 

The OP has provided an update and probable resolution. 

 

The OP is a first-time cruiser. (Great first impression, right?) He was sounding depressed and resigned to a bad outcome, saying he didn't think he had any leverage at this point since he's sitting on the dock and the ship is gone. But maybe the whiff of some bad publicity helped. 

 

First he contacted RC via Twitter/X. He received back the following useless reply:

 

“We're truly sorry for any disappointment this situation has caused. You're welcome to choose from any of the options provided in the letter. We understand this was not the situation you had hoped for and we're truly sorry for the way it has impacted your vacation experience. -Kar”

 

Then via Reddit he was provided with several RC management email addresses, and sent an email. From that email he received a phone call and RC made him an offer - it sounds like he is inclined to take it. 

 

The offer from RC, per OP:

 

"I have been called by RCI head office so thank you for blowing up this post. They offered me a significantly improved compensation package. Full refund. 100% FCC and a free deluxe drinks package for any cruise length."

 

"I might have been able to push for more but I think this is much more reasonable offer."

 

"I think sending emails to head corporate office got their attention as they proactively called me with this and I didn’t have to demand anything."

 

 

[mugtech]

When NCL overbooked we were offered a full refund plus a feature cruise credit of the basic price of the cruise, I was happy to help them out.

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, geoherb said:

This is the first time I've heard of a major cruise line bumping people involuntarily since the Carnival debacle out of Baltimore several years ago. Usually the cruise lines will keep upping the offers to people until they free up enough cabins. For example, we once received an offer from Princess to cancel our cruise and receive a free equivalent cruise two or three months later along with the cruise fare we paid as refundable onboard credit. We were already on the ship before we knew about the offer--and could not have taken them up on it because of our vacation schedule. But we heard from people on our roll call who did.

Nope, been on Cruise Critic since 1997. Multiple times was discussed Bumping on Royal. Cant remember Compensation except at least one time it lacked Air/Hotel expenses and at least once it was Guarantee Booked last. A bottom up approach. Another time One CC Member, last min Booking, said Royal got a hold of them and was told if they couldnt get enough to take an offer they at Bottom of list would be Bumped... Anyone on here long enough knows Royal is never consistent with Compensation. Hurricanes as example, one Ship gets 100% back, next 25% FCC. Sometimes for same week/storm

[twonpcb]

Never, ever, ever book a guarantee cabin.  That being said, RCI should be ashamed of themselves.

[Husky1987]

1 minute ago, twonpcb said:

Never, ever, ever book a guarantee cabin.  That being said, RCI should be ashamed of themselves.

 

 

27 minutes ago, SG65CB said:

I have been called by RCI head office so thank you for blowing up this post. They offered me a significantly improved compensation package. Full refund. 100% FCC and a free deluxe drinks package for any cruise length."

 

Not a great situation all around, but full refund plus 100% FCC free cruise and free deluxe drinks package sounds like a pretty fair compensation package.  Hardly something to be ashamed of.

[RaeBay]

18 minutes ago, Husky1987 said:

 

 

 

Not a great situation all around, but full refund plus 100% FCC free cruise and free deluxe drinks package sounds like a pretty fair compensation package.  Hardly something to be ashamed of.

But the orginal poster was a first time cruiser. Would you ever trust the company again

Edited November 29, 2023 by RaeBay

[Merion_Mom]

This letter is being posted on EVERY.CRUISE.PAGE.ON.FACEBOOK.

 

The answer (probably accurate) added on one such page is:  There is an outbreak of Covid among the crew and they suddenly needed a section of cabins to isolate them.

 

Thus the last minute nature of not having enough cabins for the GTY cruisers.

[little britain]

9 hours ago, soremekun said:

What works for me:

Pull up my SetSail pass on the computer

Scan the barcode with my phone's camera

The numbers after the dash show your deck and stateroom number

 

Others, please chime in if you have a more efficient way of doing it.

Put the setsail pass into Apple Wallet and you see the numbers there.

 

However doesn’t work until you can do checkin at 45 days out.

 

 

[Biker19]

4 hours ago, twonpcb said:

Never, ever, ever book a guarantee cabin. 

Having an assigned cabin doesn't isolate you for being bumped. All of the GTYs being bumped very likely had an assignment but it was just easier to bump them, but if there weren't enough of them, folks with assigned cabins would have been bumped as well. Actually, we don't know that anyone with an assigned cabin wasn't bumped or moved.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Biker19

[jean87510]

17 hours ago, SG65CB said:

Quantum of the Seas sailing out of Brisbane, Australia. A person on Reddit posted a letter he received when he arrived at the port yesterday to board the ship. He had booked a GTY cabin but was never assigned a cabin number, and at the port was told a cabin was not available. 13 couples received the letter and were put on standby for a cabin. 2 couples were eventually assigned a cabin, the other 11 were denied boarding and were left behind when the ship sailed. 

 

As you can see from the attached letter the compensation offered for being denied boarding at the port is pitiful. This was an 8 night cruise, these people took over a week of vacation from work and now have lost their vacation cruise. 

 

I guess "Guarantee" doesn't really mean a cabin is guaranteed. Maybe they need to change the name. 

 

He can choose another cruise and sail without additional charge or compensation, or receive a refund plus 25% FCC. These offers are way below what others have been offered when given advance notice of a possible overbooking. 

 

There is no mention of compensation for flights or hotel, but the OP lived locally to the port. He was probably selected to be bumped for this reason, so flights would not need to be reimbursed. 

 

I'll post the link to the original source if anyone can confirm links to Reddit are allowed here. 

 

 

I saw this as well.  Unbelievable.

[John4934]

Always use a travel advisor and never book a guaranteed cabin.  Those are the first people to be bumped.

[pcur]

Truly unfortunate situation. The OP was obviously (after I read this entire thread) using an "elephant gun" approach.

 

I've been in few very unfortunate situations with RCCL. Once at the end of a cruise where most passengers were stranded in Barcelona with no way home on a Spanish holiday weekend.  RCCL chartered planes to get us home.  

 

The other incident was when my husband passed away.  No questions from them:  100% refund or FCC for all my bookings.

 

So, it was too slow coming, but their eventual compensation and added perks in this situation were reasonable, IMO.

 

I am a make lemonade type of person:  I would have realized the cruise was not happening, I would be reimbursed, and said to myself, "Self, you have a NEW vacation in Australia instead of a cruise."  IF the cruise was a closed loop, I would book something until my flight left.  Or, if it was a one way cruise, I would have booked a flight out far enough that I wasn't paying huge amounts for it.  

(And, this is an example of why we should all have trip interruption/cancellation insurance)

Edited November 29, 2023 by pcur

[little britain]

OK - this really is making mountain out of a molehill… we are all experienced cruisers here and in all our years of cruising how many times have we heard of this happening? 
Exactly.

 

 

LB who has 4 gty cabins booked in her upcoming 14 cruises.  

 

[time4u2go]

8 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Nope, been on Cruise Critic since 1997. Multiple times was discussed Bumping on Royal. Cant remember Compensation except at least one time it lacked Air/Hotel expenses and at least once it was Guarantee Booked last. A bottom up approach. Another time One CC Member, last min Booking, said Royal got a hold of them and was told if they couldnt get enough to take an offer they at Bottom of list would be Bumped... Anyone on here long enough knows Royal is never consistent with Compensation. Hurricanes as example, one Ship gets 100% back, next 25% FCC. Sometimes for same week/storm

Agreed. I definitely remember multiple posts about people getting bumped. 

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by time4u2go

[Covepointcruiser]

Bet there was a maintenance issue with numerous cabins such as no air conditioning, plumbing not working or flooded cabins.   The OP now has gotten a sweet deal.