SHAME ON YOU ROYAL

[ReneeFLL]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Do you really think the OP’s rant is going to make any difference no matter where it is posted? 

When Royal said they were going to discontinue the blocks, enough people made a big enough stink that they decided to continue to have them.

[HicksRA]

As far as I’m concerned, Royal has lost all integrity since the efficiency expert took over. (You know who I’m talking about)

[KLMB]

Thank you Biker19.  We were on that cruise. The captain announcement starts at 10:45 on the Twins Video. As I remember the entire ship was very quiet while he was talking, eerily so. I believe we caused the cruise to be cancelled.  We surprisingly got a RU for very little money to an Owners Suite.  When our usual bad luck kicked in, the ship died and we didn't get to sail in it, lol.

 

We also purchased the insurance through RCCL, which did not cover anything and was not refunded.  We did not participate in the grievance letter, but do understand the frustration.

[Tree_skier]

Certainly understand the frustration for all involved.  Coincidently, we had a large group of friends on the cruise preceding that one.  The cruise where she "broke".  They got off in Vancouver raving about how much fun they had and how well Royal took care of them even though they had zero ports of call.  

 

Not that that helps the OP or the 67 signatories to the letter.  

[livingonthebeach]

5 minutes ago, KLMB said:

Thank you Biker19.  We were on that cruise. The captain announcement starts at 10:45 on the Twins Video. As I remember the entire ship was very quiet while he was talking, eerily so. I believe we caused the cruise to be cancelled.  We surprisingly got a RU for very little money to an Owners Suite.  When our usual bad luck kicked in, the ship died and we didn't get to sail in it, lol.

 

We also purchased the insurance through RCCL, which did not cover anything and was not refunded.  We did not participate in the grievance letter, but do understand the frustration.

 

Wow I would be bummed if I snagged an owner's suite and then was told the cruise was cancelled! At least you got to enjoy it for how long? A few hours? Did you rebook another cruise?

[KLMB]

We were also on the 4 day prior cruise in a balcony.  We got a couple of days in the owner's suite and loved it.  Sailing on Harmony in a crown loft from Galveston in August.  I hate the heat and really wanted to get back to Alaska, but this next cruise will be about the ship, not the ports. It was the only suite I could find this summer for about the same price, and hubby needs a suite!

[Tree_skier]

1 minute ago, KLMB said:

We were also on the 4 day prior cruise in a balcony.  We got a couple of days in the owner's suite and loved it.  Sailing on Harmony in a crown loft from Galveston in August.  I hate the heat and really wanted to get back to Alaska, but this next cruise will be about the ship, not the ports. It was the only suite I could find this summer for about the same price, and hubby needs a suite!

 

We've had one CLS and absolutely loved it!  

[livingonthebeach]

Another way to look at this is some people cruise a lot and never get travel insurance. They save tons by not getting it and then when the unexpected happens they have to dig into their pockets but maybe it is a lot less than had they paid for travel insurance throughout the years.

 

One thing I also get for sure and don't skimp on is medical repatriation -- it can break the bank if it happens to you.

[cruiselvr04]

Sorry this has been such a mess for you. I’m hoping you can find some resolution as quickly as possible.  

[shandryl]

I booked a Cruise without travel insurance. BC in mind I had every reason to think I would be available to take my cruise (what could possibly happen right?) Some times life throws these scenarios/problems head on. I was ready to suck up my loss & carryon.  I was advised to check my CC and look further into what benefits I had if any at all.  Called & found out I had full coverage for my Cruise. (Trip disruption) Called my airline they gave me full future flight credits & at the time of booking a hotel I went through Expedia found out I paid that little extra for full refund for any reason. <<--- I don't normally take that insurance for that hotel reservation but I did.  I was so thankful and felt truly blessed. I realized the cruise line/airline/hotel did not owe me anything bc of my choices at the time. 

Edited Thursday at 02:14 AM by shandryl

[Saintsfan007]

5 hours ago, KLMB said:

We were also on the 4 day prior cruise in a balcony.  We got a couple of days in the owner's suite and loved it.  Sailing on Harmony in a crown loft from Galveston in August.  I hate the heat and really wanted to get back to Alaska, but this next cruise will be about the ship, not the ports. It was the only suite I could find this summer for about the same price, and hubby needs a suite!

 

We're sailing on the Harmony this August also.  This is one of those "gotta get away" cruises for us.  We're both glad that it's bypassing the usual routes and headed to the Bahamas and CocoCay.  August 17th can't get here fast enough!!  

 

Go Saints!

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, Beachin2 said:

Again, shame on you RC.

 

What we have found over the years is that the cruise line is perfectly willing to work with you if you are professional in your communication and treat people with respect and allow them to help you. We have often been reimbursed for much more than what is "advertised" in the initial compensation letters. 

 

If you go in with guns a blazing and "educating people" and saying stuff like "shame on you RC", you will get nothing more than the advertised compensation because you don't deserve anything more.  

 

A calm, professional, respectful request is often "rewarded" because people are happy and willing to work with you versus trying to hang up as soon as possible because you are "educating them". 

 

The unwillingness to provide compensation beyond the default is self inflicted. 

[royal3]

Found this letter on a former post. The compensation seems fair to me. 

[ocdb8r]

2 hours ago, royal3 said:

Found this letter on a former post. The compensation seems fair to me. 

 

Agreed.  A few things come to mind that might irritate me:

 

1) they are covering change fees, which may or may not be sufficient to get you back home, but at the end of the day you are still out a flight cost for a trip that didn't happen;

 

2) as in the above, you seem to be covered for two nights hotel after the cruise to give you some time to get home, but no reimbursement if you happened to spend a night before the cruise (which again, would be costs out for a trip that didn't happen).

 

However, everything else seems pretty reasonable and I wouldn't expect every single dime I spent to come back to me....plus they refunded the full cruise fare and issued a 100% FCC.

 

Now, fair point if at the end of June people still haven't seen compensation that was promised to them.  But as already mentioned, other than getting their cruise points credited, it's unclear to me exactly what this letter is asking for. (oh, and to somehow imply that stating an actionable request on how you want the issue resolved is "blackmail" is bizarre).

[Airbear232]

5 hours ago, royal3 said:

Found this letter on a former post. The compensation seems fair to me. 

I’d say it’s a step in the right direction.  Does it go far enough, not sure.  In OPs situation, if Royal had enough knowledge beforehand, to warn people before hand not to board flights and didn’t, then I don’t think it’s enough. 

[Beachin2]

16 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

TLDR as I am sure the corporate office also didn't  

 

two words  TRAVEL INSURANCE

Travel insurance EXCLUDES mechanical breakdown of the conveyance.  Allianz denied the claim. Did you read the letter?

[Beachin2]

15 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

All of the travel insurance policy's we have purchased are door to door, out your door to put luggage in your car and you are covered. 

You may want to look at the actual policy terms and conditions.  We thought the Allianz policy (which is very often recommended) covered this too.  After 3 years with them, we will obviously not be renewing.

[Beachin2]

15 hours ago, chfenton said:

One other tip for the OP and their gang.  Over the last 20 years or so, I have had two relatively minor issues that i needed resolved and frontline customer service wouldn't/couldn't help.  A brief, polite email to the executive offices resulted in return phone calls from the executive office (United states) personnel within a day.  

Actually was in contact with the executive office.  Had a call back from an abrupt lady who basically said too bad, so sorry.

[not-enough-cruising]

19 minutes ago, Beachin2 said:

Travel insurance EXCLUDES mechanical breakdown of the conveyance.  Allianz denied the claim. Did you read the letter?

Not all travel insurance is created equal, that’s for sure. 
 

[cruisinfanatic]

16 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Well, like I said, the letter was way too long and I didn’t read it. 
 

My annual policy covers mechanical breakdown. 

LOL, too long?

[toxicfairy]

Well we were on the sailing out of Galveston when hurricane Harvey hit. Royal told us the night before to fly out because the cruise was a go. Needless to say we were trapped in a hotel with little food. We hadn't planned on the expenses and we were trapped there for 5 days. We couldn't leave because roads were flooded and  the airports were closed because they were basically under water. After 5 days we finally found a van to rent and drive from Galveston to South New Jersey.  It was over 30 hours. We only got reimbursed for the crusie. We were upset 😡  BUT now we look back and say hey remember that horrible experience.  I vowed never to cruise Royal again. I booked a crusie the following year with MSC and guess what, after that we were back with Royal haha. Could they have handled it better...Lord YES! But it is what it is . We ate our losses. The worst part was driving home on roads that were completed washed out and getting turned around constantly by police saying the road is worse further down ,you have to turn around. 

[MaddyandMax]

Though the letter is well written, from someone with a legal background, I do think the letter would have had a bigger impact if it was reorganized.  I hope Royal read it all.  What you want as a resolution should be in the first paragraph and facts as to why you deserve that resolution will follow.

 

I feel bad for this group.  Sounds like a crappy situation.  Royal's executive office no longer resolves issues like they used too.  I suspect it's because their email is now well know and they are inundated by every little complaint.

 

I was on the Liberty in September.  We were supposed to go to Bahamas and ended up BACK in Canada.  We found out when we had already left the house the day before.  We decided to go because Royal can't control the weather.  Our issue was we only got $100 on board credit.  The same cruise two weeks before got 50% back as an onboard credit.  Contacting Royal with proof what the other cruise got only resulted in multiple "so sorry too bad" emails from the exec office.

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, MaddyandMax said:

Though the letter is well written, from someone with a legal background, I do think the letter would have had a bigger impact if it was reorganized.  I hope Royal read it all.  What you want as a resolution should be in the first paragraph and facts as to why you deserve that resolution will follow.

 

I feel bad for this group.  Sounds like a crappy situation.  Royal's executive office no longer resolves issues like they used too.  I suspect it's because their email is now well know and they are inundated by every little complaint.

 

I was on the Liberty in September.  We were supposed to go to Bahamas and ended up BACK in Canada.  We found out when we had already left the house the day before.  We decided to go because Royal can't control the weather.  Our issue was we only got $100 on board credit.  The same cruise two weeks before got 50% back as an onboard credit.  Contacting Royal with proof what the other cruise got only resulted in multiple "so sorry too bad" emails from the exec office.

Think depends on the issue, used the email help multiple times inc 3 months and 3 weeks ago, Responded with all within 3 days, last one in 2. Mine are always short, 2-3 sentences per issue. Been on Cruise Critic for 27yrs and what I've observed rarely situations like OP ever get what they'd like above original offers.

[PIC33]

We were on the cancelled 26 April Radiance sailing, as well as the previous 4-night from LA, and the following 7-night Vancouver to Seward (all part of a B5B Tampa to Vancouver). Therefore, our expense situation was a bit different. We were effectively stranded in Vancouver for the five days after being put off the broken-down Radiance until we could reboard for the next leg. Flying home to Orlando last minute was not an option for us, as we’d be forfeiting the next cruise (and the return cruise to Vancouver thereafter). Flying back to Vancouver from Orlando a coupled days later also did not make economic sense. So, we spent the five nights in a hotel in Vancouver waiting for the next cruise to start.

 

I politely explained this situation to the folks at RCCL when I filed the compensation claim. I specifically requested the $250 per night hotel reimbursement be extended to all five nights versus just the two offered. I thought this was reasonable since I was not claiming any additional expenses for airfare or transportation. Unfortunately, that request for the additional nights was denied, with the RCCL saying I should file a claim with the AON travel insurance I purchased through the cruise line, which I did.

 

I explained the situation to AON in my insurance claim and cited my policy numbers for both the 26 April and 3 May cruises in my request for the trip delay to be covered. The claim was denied by AON, citing that the cruise was cancelled due to a technical issue with the ship. 

 

I also have not yet seen the promised Crown and Anchor points for the canceled cruise appear in my account.

 

This experience has caused me to rethink how I string together back-to-back cruises to create longer itineraries. I am now looking at other cruise lines such as Holland America and Viking, that offer longer itineraries. Then at least if the ship breaks mid-cruise, I can just go home rather than being stuck in limbo waiting to see if the next leg sails.

[Babr]

19 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Well, like I said, the letter was way too long and I didn’t read it. 
 

My annual policy covers mechanical breakdown. 

I’m curious to know which Trawick policy you have.

 

The ones I’ve looked at cover mechanical breakdown or other Common Carrier delays under Trip Delay. That is the provision of the policy that pays for hotels and meals if you are delayed X number of hours en route to or returning from your covered trip.

 

Trip Interruption is the provision that gets you home and reimburses any remaining non refundable expenses if your trip is interrupted for a covered reason. I don’t think I’ve seen mechanical breakdown listed here. Of course, no policy will reimburse for travel expense used getting to a trip that is later interrupted.

 

Trawick does offer a policy with Interruption for Any Reason, but it is an add on at extra cost, of course. It would be nice to know the name of a comparatively inexpensive annual policy that covers all this.