**Cruise tomorrow and need advice from all you expert cruisers! :-) !!!

[cindyd100]

Hi there..good evening!

I will try to post this somehere else also, under questions, or complaints, but perhaps this is a good place for advice from you seasoned cruisers. ;)

I cruise tomorrow, Monday, 10/15 with RCL Sovereign of the Seas.

 

This is long, but I need to vent about something, and was hoping if you cruise a lot, you might have some advice for me if you have successfully changed cabin once on board! Any last-minute advice would be greatly appreciated! :p

 

I am STILL trying to get a better outside room. (called 3 times since booking after finding better deals available on RCL's website) I usually don't complain about anything. It takes a lot to get to me. I take it in stride, but every once in a while, if I feel something is wrong, it hits a nerve. As a solo cruiser, I paid much, much more than for 2 people was only given ONE choice for a cabin--all because I was traveling solo. CSR confirmed it. What can I say tomorrow at guest relations without paying more? I think they have 3 or so oceanview cabins still left. My first idea is to just ask and if they say no, just thank them, but I feel that true cruisers may have a way of asking in a more specific way that could help.

 

Here goes the whole story….When I booked online with RCL, I got only ONE choice of outside rooms, just 1, no other floors, or categories open....2148.....HATED it, but it's the only week I could go and it's only 45 minutes away, and I really needed to get away. So I took the only one they offered and got bottom floor, very last cabin at back of ship and paid more than the single supplement (200%-paid for 2 people) :( I called RCL right after to ask about only having 1 outside available, and the CSR said, "Oh there are lots of oceanviews open, we just don't offer them to solo travelers". He named of about 10 cabins before I stopped him. I checked online, and sure enough, when you put in 2 people, it gave me many categories and room types!!! What?? I paid the price for more than 2 people, and I can't even get a cabin a little higher up? I had ONE choice only. They offered me the worst cabin because they thought their on-board revenue would be lower. Talk about being treated unfairly! :eek:

 

I kept checking on the computer, (for 2 people, of course, so I would know what was REALLY open) and I saw an oceanview "guarantee" come up with the total for 2 people way less than what I paid as a solo. This whole calling and calling back started about 1 week after booking my cabin, ending today.) I called to tell them about the price difference. Perhaps they would revise my price, or better yet, if I could get switched to an OV guarantee, at least I would have a chance at not getting my cabin…the room above the propellers! I called and got a new person who didn't understand how to switch a guarantee and delete the second traveler, so by the time she cancelled my original res, and went to go get the guarantee, the deal went off computer, and someone else took my original room!

(I found out later she did it backwards...supposed to get the new room first, then spend the time cancelling the old room) Oh no! After holding a long time, she got the bad room back and had the nerve to tell that she could honor my original “more than 200% price”, since the price had gone up...as if I should thank her!! I didn't even really understand what she was doing, only that she said she could get me the guarantee. Not knowing what to do, she transferred me to a nice Gal in Customer Resolutions to see if she could get the guarantee back. She couldn't….it was gone for now. Only the "revenue dept" releases rooms....first come, first serve. She felt really bad for me about all this, and she told me insider info :rolleyes: on exactly what to say to the CSR when I see the guarantee come back up, and said to call them, but even with the "insider info" on how to tell them to change it quickly, they just can't seem to get it right, and the deal disappears while on the phone. Have tried 3 times, each phone call 45 minutes. As of today, the CSR said my last resort is to try Guest Relations when I get on-board. They will have all the notes of what's gone on with phone calls on my reservation in the system, and that I am unhappy about my room. (and that I feel I was discriminated against being offered only 1 choice of a bad room at 200%!) I think they only had a couple OV cabins open. The last CSR today said the final guest list/closing was going over to the ship in just a few minutes after my call with her. I understand paying the 2 person price, but I think it is poor treatment to solos when they give bad cabins just because the person is traveling alone. I must say all this has put a bad taste in my mouth with RCCL. I have never had any problems with cabins or bookings before, never complanined either. I know I'll have fun, I'm sure, but it would be nice to not have to trak the entire ship with a littl 14: round hole window at teh price I paid. Any advice would be appreciated on successful room changes and how to ask at Guest Relations once on the ship, would be wholeheartedly be appreciated! Thank you for your time!!!

Cindy :p

[Sue L]

I understand what you are saying but I have never heard of this type of complaint. While I don't have any specifics to your situation, what I will tell you is do NOT wait until guest relations on board. Get to the port as early as possible in the 11 am range if you can and as soon as you enter the terminal ask for the pier coordinator. They are the ones that can switch rooms for you if they are available. If you wait until you are on the ship they will be gone.

[emerald777]

How weird..... I've cruised solo and never had this problem.... Must be something new..... Won't help this trip, but in the future, just book 2 people and the 2nd just doesn't show up...... It's not like you're breaking a law or something...... Then you can have your pick! Actually, you can probably still add another person to your ressie now and get whatever room you want and maybe save money..... Just make up a passport number......

[MoreCruisesNow]

First of all, your stateroom is NOT directly over the propellers. You are actually reasonably close to midships and at least two floors above the engine room. It really isn't a bad stateroom at all and you've gotten yourself all bent out of shape over a misunderstanding, or so it would seem, about what is under your stateroom.

 

Secondly, there are NO staterooms which are available for doubles which are not also available for singles. If you took one person's statement about this as gospel then you really stopped too soon. I find it difficult to believe that an RCI agent would have restricted you - perhaps the restriction was because there were no more staterooms in the lowest category, which is what you purchased? I don't know, but it would have paid you to check twice.

 

The sailing is now closed, but I believe there was only one stateroom left and that was a category F1. Since you bought a Q, they are not going to upgrade you without a hefty charge, and since you're distressed about the price you paid anyway, I doubt that is going to suit you.

 

I personally do not believe that speaking to the Pier Coordinator will do a thing for you - as far as she will be concerned, the ship is sold out. You might check with Guest Relations, but I doubt that they will be able to help you either.

[Host Kewlguy]

I understand what you are saying but I have never heard of this type of complaint. While I don't have any specifics to your situation, what I will tell you is do NOT wait until guest relations on board. Get to the port as early as possible in the 11 am range if you can and as soon as you enter the terminal ask for the pier coordinator. They are the ones that can switch rooms for you if they are available. If you wait until you are on the ship they will be gone.

 

I agree with Sue but it also doesn't hurt to ask once you get on board either. I would speak to the Guest Relations Manager and see what he can do. The worst he can say is no.

[wingnutphl]

I've cruise solo a few times and never had to pay more than 200%. Also, I've always had my choice of cabins. Sorry you had all these problems but at least you are on a cruise and not at work!!

[TwoTravelin]

Hi Cindy,

 

I had a similar type situation but not at RCCL. I sent you a personal email. If you can reply, please do.

[bubbie617]

I'm sorry you're having this problem, and I don't have any other suggestion for you except to reiterate that you should see the Pier Coordinator as early as possible tomorrow morning.

 

We were doing a booking while onboard a few cruises ago. For some reason the Future Cruise Consultant couldn't get the computer to accept our reservation for the two of us in a particular cabin (it wasn't one of those cabins made to sleep 3 or more people). She asked us for another name for a "phantom booking" and put our son in the cabin with us. The computer then accepted the booking. Later that same day she was able to cancel the reservation for the 3rd person and we still had the cabin we wanted. There was no logical reason for not being able to have that cabin for just the two of us, but the computer "balked". There's no logical reason that the computer couldn't give you more cabins to choose from either.

 

Email me privately and I'll give you more details. My email is my screen name at aol.com.

 

In any event, have a great cruise.

[cindyd100]

Thanks for the reply morecruisers.

No, I am not naive enough to take a CSR's word for it. If you re-read my e-mail properly, you will see that it says I checked it myself...right after calling the first time, and many times more. Sure enough, the cabins came up for 2 people, but NOT FOR ONE PERSON. Go ahead, pick a dte a couple of weeks out and try it yourself at rccl dot com. Also, I booked an "H", again, if you read my post it was the ONLY one offered to me. I don't know where you got K from. The ov guarantee offered many times later when I tried to call, (and got bad info and long waits until guarantees were gone) and the total 2 person charge was more than I paid for one....it was lower than my total price. I hope I cleared up any misundesading in how I phrased that. You sound upset....do youwork for RCL?

Thanks anyway for replying.

Cindy

 

First of all, your stateroom is NOT directly over the propellers. You are actually reasonably close to midships and at least two floors above the engine room. It really isn't a bad stateroom at all and you've gotten yourself all bent out of shape over a misunderstanding, or so it would seem, about what is under your stateroom.

 

Secondly, there are NO staterooms which are available for doubles which are not also available for singles. If you took one person's statement about this as gospel then you really stopped too soon. I find it difficult to believe that an RCI agent would have restricted you - perhaps the restriction was because there were no more staterooms in the lowest category, which is what you purchased? I don't know, but it would have paid you to check twice.

 

The sailing is now closed, but I believe there was only one stateroom left and that was a category F1. Since you bought a Q, they are not going to upgrade you without a hefty charge, and since you're distressed about the price you paid anyway, I doubt that is going to suit you.

 

I personally do not believe that speaking to the Pier Coordinator will do a thing for you - as far as she will be concerned, the ship is sold out. You might check with Guest Relations, but I doubt that they will be able to help you either.

[cindyd100]

I look forward to hearing positively from you!!! Thank you!!!

Cindy

 

I'm sorry you're having this problem, and I don't have any other suggestion for you except to reiterate that you should see the Pier Coordinator as early as possible tomorrow morning.

 

We were doing a booking while onboard a few cruises ago. For some reason the Future Cruise Consultant couldn't get the computer to accept our reservation for the two of us in a particular cabin (it wasn't one of those cabins made to sleep 3 or more people). She asked us for another name for a "phantom booking" and put our son in the cabin with us. The computer then accepted the booking. Later that same day she was able to cancel the reservation for the 3rd person and we still had the cabin we wanted. There was no logical reason for not being able to have that cabin for just the two of us, but the computer "balked". There's no logical reason that the computer couldn't give you more cabins to choose from either.

 

Email me privately and I'll give you more details. My email is my screen name at aol.com.

 

In any event, have a great cruise.

[cindyd100]

Hi Cindy,

 

I had a similar type situation but not at RCCL. I sent you a personal email. If you can reply, please do.

 

I am not ready to give up RCCL yet guys!!! Who knows what really happened? Maybr someone figured it out. All I know is my weird, but true and strsssful situation. RCCL haas the notes in the system tomorrow morning at check-in, Monday, about all the attempts and failures, for one reason or another, and I will see what they might be able to do for me about this. Maybe it was a "glitch" in the system, as a different poster suggested. We will see tomorrow. I am normally a happy, and non-confrontational person, unless I felt I've been wronged and feel the need to speak out, which isn't often. This is the first chat site I've joined. How many complaints could I have made??? Let's see what they do tomorrow, and I will let you all know the outcome after.

Honestly, I do Thank you for all the responses and help!! I posted in more than one area, not knowing exactly what to do and have received tons of replis..this wa a hot buton obviously!! Mostly of sympathy and empathy...thank you!......and I'll keep you all posted.

Off to the port in seveal hours now. I'll check again for any late-breaking advice! Cindy :o

[truffles2]

Hope everything works out for you but even if you stay in your original room you should have a great time!

[sagiv666]

Hi there..good evening!

I will try to post this somehere else also, under questions, or complaints, but perhaps this is a good place for advice from you seasoned cruisers. ;)

I cruise tomorrow, Monday, 10/15 with RCL Sovereign of the Seas.

 

This is long, but I need to vent about something, and was hoping if you cruise a lot, you might have some advice for me if you have successfully changed cabin once on board! Any last-minute advice would be greatly appreciated! :p

 

I am STILL trying to get a better outside room. (called 3 times since booking after finding better deals available on RCL's website) I usually don't complain about anything. It takes a lot to get to me. I take it in stride, but every once in a while, if I feel something is wrong, it hits a nerve. As a solo cruiser, I paid much, much more than for 2 people was only given ONE choice for a cabin--all because I was traveling solo. CSR confirmed it. What can I say tomorrow at guest relations without paying more? I think they have 3 or so oceanview cabins still left. My first idea is to just ask and if they say no, just thank them, but I feel that true cruisers may have a way of asking in a more specific way that could help.

 

Here goes the whole story….When I booked online with RCL, I got only ONE choice of outside rooms, just 1, no other floors, or categories open....2148.....HATED it, but it's the only week I could go and it's only 45 minutes away, and I really needed to get away. So I took the only one they offered and got bottom floor, very last cabin at back of ship and paid more than the single supplement (200%-paid for 2 people) :( I called RCL right after to ask about only having 1 outside available, and the CSR said, "Oh there are lots of oceanviews open, we just don't offer them to solo travelers". He named of about 10 cabins before I stopped him. I checked online, and sure enough, when you put in 2 people, it gave me many categories and room types!!! What?? I paid the price for more than 2 people, and I can't even get a cabin a little higher up? I had ONE choice only. They offered me the worst cabin because they thought their on-board revenue would be lower. Talk about being treated unfairly! :eek:

 

I kept checking on the computer, (for 2 people, of course, so I would know what was REALLY open) and I saw an oceanview "guarantee" come up with the total for 2 people way less than what I paid as a solo. This whole calling and calling back started about 1 week after booking my cabin, ending today.) I called to tell them about the price difference. Perhaps they would revise my price, or better yet, if I could get switched to an OV guarantee, at least I would have a chance at not getting my cabin…the room above the propellers! I called and got a new person who didn't understand how to switch a guarantee and delete the second traveler, so by the time she cancelled my original res, and went to go get the guarantee, the deal went off computer, and someone else took my original room!

(I found out later she did it backwards...supposed to get the new room first, then spend the time cancelling the old room) Oh no! After holding a long time, she got the bad room back and had the nerve to tell that she could honor my original “more than 200% price”, since the price had gone up...as if I should thank her!! I didn't even really understand what she was doing, only that she said she could get me the guarantee. Not knowing what to do, she transferred me to a nice Gal in Customer Resolutions to see if she could get the guarantee back. She couldn't….it was gone for now. Only the "revenue dept" releases rooms....first come, first serve. She felt really bad for me about all this, and she told me insider info :rolleyes: on exactly what to say to the CSR when I see the guarantee come back up, and said to call them, but even with the "insider info" on how to tell them to change it quickly, they just can't seem to get it right, and the deal disappears while on the phone. Have tried 3 times, each phone call 45 minutes. As of today, the CSR said my last resort is to try Guest Relations when I get on-board. They will have all the notes of what's gone on with phone calls on my reservation in the system, and that I am unhappy about my room. (and that I feel I was discriminated against being offered only 1 choice of a bad room at 200%!) I think they only had a couple OV cabins open. The last CSR today said the final guest list/closing was going over to the ship in just a few minutes after my call with her. I understand paying the 2 person price, but I think it is poor treatment to solos when they give bad cabins just because the person is traveling alone. I must say all this has put a bad taste in my mouth with RCCL. I have never had any problems with cabins or bookings before, never complanined either. I know I'll have fun, I'm sure, but it would be nice to not have to trak the entire ship with a littl 14: round hole window at teh price I paid. Any advice would be appreciated on successful room changes and how to ask at Guest Relations once on the ship, would be wholeheartedly be appreciated! Thank you for your time!!!

Cindy :p

 

It is one thing when a passenger says something to reflect his prejudice -- which we have experienced on this web -- but if Royal Caribbean denies you the opportunity to choose the cabin you would like just because you are traveling alone -- it's a Pyrrhic Victory for them. A Pyrrhic Victory is one where you win a battle but lose a war. Sure Royal Caribbean may get a few extra dollars in their coffers, but the bad feelings they could instill in you and in anyone who reads your post could adversely affect their business -- and I hope more than just a few read your post!

This is a good case for you to bring before the ACLU. I find when some business tries to push me around and I know I am in the right, I contact my congressman or senator. The old reply "write your congressman" when I first heard it turned out to be true. Perhaps their efforts saved me the money to go on my cruises.

[GMoney]

This is a good case for you to bring before the ACLU.

 

Sometimes it is so hard to bite my tongue with these kinds of posts! :eek:

[wingnutphl]

I just tried going through the steps to book a cruise on the Sovereign for 1 person. I was able to see 5 cabins for any category that I selected.

[sailinglisa]

All of my RCCL cruises have been as a single and I have NEVER had the choice of only one cabin. I'm thinking that maybe this was the only cabin IN THE CATEGORY that the op wanted to book. And, the cabin she has is not in the back of the ship and is not right above the propellers. It is actually in a pretty good location.

[Gonzo70]

Sorry about the tough time you are having. I am a bit curious why you didn't just book for two people (and just show up without the other person you listed) when they were going to charge you more than this anyways? That would have saved a little money and opened up more choices.

[Gonzo70]

This is a good case for you to bring before the ACLU.

 

?!? :confused: - What does this have to do with the ACLU? I know they take up a lot of ridiculous battles, but not sure why'd they'd even remotely be interested in this one.

[DiannaInVA]

I had no problem booking either Majesty or Liberty of the Seas for 1. I had access to all of the available rooms.

 

I think the OP probably encountered a computer glitch (which RCI seems to have a lot of recently) combined with an RCI rep that didn't know what they were doing (again, a complaint made by a lot of people recently).

 

Like someone suggested, a good idea in cases like that would be to book a second person, and cancel that person later or get to the port and tell them the second person missed their plane.

[DiannaInVA]

I had no problem booking either Majesty or Liberty of the Seas for 1. I had access to all of the available rooms.

I think the OP probably encountered a computer glitch (which RCI seems to have a lot of recently) combined with an RCI rep that didn't know what they were doing (again, a complaint made by a lot of people recently).

 

I spoke too soon...I just checked the prices for my April 25 trip on Explorer and when I put in 1 passenger I noticed that there were no longer any E1s available...I thought that odd since it's so far out. Well, I re-ran the reservation for 2 people, and the E1 showed up.

 

So either that is ALSO a computer glitch or they do reserve a set number of rooms for doubles. Which is more reason to book a phantom person, should this ever happen to you.

 

I have been trying to book far enough in advance to get a good price, so this probably won't happen to me. If I had waited until now to reserve the April 25 cruise, it would be $1000 more than what I paid...which means I wouldn't be going!

 

Also, book via the phone. That way, you can have more rooms to select from; the website usually has a max of 5 listed on the reservation page.

[cindyd100]

THANK YOU DiannainVA!! You confirmed my case that RCL does discriminate against solo/single travelers! :eek:

 

I am technically savvy, and did not run the reservation incorrectly. I tried it a few times (at 1 person) before booking, with only 1 available cabin showing within ALL the categories. Other categories showed up but said N/A. (Until after booked, then I called RCCL and was told differently and then checked online for 2 people) Thanks again DiannaVA!!!

 

An RCL employee (name will remain private) read my post and got me a different cabin. I am back from my cruise and really wish I had the old one back, just due to service I received. If you want to read about it, check my threads later....when I get a chance to tell you about it....boy, you'll want to read this!!!!!

 

Anyway, I didn't realize I could book 2 people and just say they couldn't make it at the pier. I will next time. On the cruise I found out that I paid more than for 3 PEOPLE compared to others!!! Maybe I should post this on the singles and solos thread too???:eek:

 

Anyway, thanks to everyone for all your advice. :) After this cruise, I will definately try to get the difference in rate refunded!!!

Love always!;)

Cindy

[DiannaInVA]

On the cruise I found out that I paid more than for 3 PEOPLE compared to others!!! Maybe I should post this on the singles and solos thread too???:eek:

 

You're welcome :) Definitely post your report on the solo thread! Us solo travelers need all the info we can get to help make informed decisions. Especially when we have to "work the system" to get desired results *sigh* :rolleyes: