*Help-need fast advice from the "seasoned cruisers" (cruise tomorrow, Mon) yikes! :-)

[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

[serene56]

As soon as you check in-- and get that process done-- ask the check in clerk where you can go to inquire about moving your cabin. (sometimes you can get another category for very little more money.)

 

It will not hurt to ask-- hopefully there is a lot more cabins left since you are sailing today

[yellowbird23]

I am interested in how you made out on your trip? Did they give you a better cabin or not? I have been travelling solo as well and have never had the problem you are having with RCCL. Upcoming will be my 8th cruise with them. No cruise ship is perfect and have their flaws, but I am sorry to say that yes, they do discriminate with us solos and it is completely wrong.

[cindyd100]

Hi Patty!

Yes, someone at RCCL headquarters found out about me, and had pity on me and moved me to a higher deck so that I would at least have a regular window (not porthole) for the price I paid. :eek: Very nice lady...went above and beyond to help me, obviously loves her job and is proud of her company and really cares about the guests. (probably went beyond her job allows her to, so enough said, but I wish I could thank her publically!) I never went back to try and get a refund of the price difference as she suggested...I just want to be done with this whole cruise with RCCL. :(

 

The reservation still had the old room number, but revenue dept had put anote inthe res to move me to 6548. The regular CSR had to refer me to the Supervisor. Now, I am traveling alone, and I really think that cruise staff have an attitude about solos. (I have traveled alone once before on Carnival and never had a problem at all...in fact, it was one of the best!!) The Woman pier "Supervisor" at Port Canaveral for RCCL is absolutely a horrible person. I forgot her name, Pat or Lynn, I'll find it and post it. :cool: She was not going to give me the new cabin that the revenue dept put in my file to move me to. She straight out said there was nothing noted in my reservation. I had to contact the RCL same-day emergency number and she got caught lying by the Rep on the phone. I actually got teary-eyed (yes, I needed a tissue and was very embarassed) because of the whole mess and her being so awful, when I had just been pleased because of another lady's helpthe internal RCL woman's help. 45 minutes later, while I was waiting for her to change the paperwork, I looked at her and asked her "Why did you do this to me?" She was nasty and horrible. She replied "You said you were BOOKED into a new cabin". What a terible excuse. Like I know their terminology!? She just likes to be mean......yes, she is "that" type. How can RCCL keep her on staff? Obviously she must not be well liked. Anyway, once on the ship, I found out I had paid the same as 3 people together who had booked only shortly before me. ($9 more actually)

 

Yes, you are right...all the cruiselines, and ships, have their own issues, pluses and minuses. Want to hear the really funny (not) part of the whole mess? The cabin that I was moved to had very bad/no air conditioning!!! They probably had it blocked for that reason, and that's why it was open on sail day. It was so hot in there, sweat was pouring off my face while I tried to put on make-up. The maintenance dept came twice, but said they couldn't fix it, or that was the best it was going to get for now. I never really received a good answer, and the cruise was only 4 days, so 2 days into dealing with it, what are you going to do? No big strong man there to intimidate the maintenance staff! (bad choice of words...let's say "insist upon") The Help was a middle eastern man looking down his nose at me, a single woman, telling me there was nothing more they could do. It was the way he said it, not what he said.

 

A superior guest relations staff member (Christy on the Sovereign) asked around about a fan, but was told there were none available. Little did I know, she kept looking and asking until she found one!! A staff member had a little personal table top one she kept for herself, and was willing to let me use it. At least it made it feel a little cooler at night for sleeping!

 

Well, that's the end of the story. I learned a lot from this experience. One thing I learned, and I hope others can benefit from this....Check around before booking direct online with RCCL!!!!! If you get a higher price as a solo, book 2 people and tell them at the pier that the other person had an emergency. That way you will not pay for more than 2 people and you will have a much, much better choice/range of cabins to choose from with. (and not end up with the broken one!)

 

Happy cruising to you!

[serene56]

 

Well, that's the end of the story. I learned a lot from this experience. One thing I learned, and I hope others can benefit from this....Check around before booking direct online with RCCL!!!!! If you get a higher price as a solo, book 2 people and tell them at the pier that the other person had an emergency. That way you will not pay for more than 2 people and you will have a much, much better choice/range of cabins to choose from with. (and not end up with the broken one!)

 

Happy cruising to you!

 

 

Booking solo you pay for 2 people cruise fare but only one port and government taxes. If you are being charged double price--something is very wrong.

Royal Caribbean does not allow discounts on their cruises so you wont find prices to be cheaper using another agency. But i would definitly call around to get a better price as a solo cruiser then paying double all the way.. that just is not right

[cindyd100]

You are correct, that is wrong! :( I booked directly with RCCL, on their website, so they are the ones who charged me as a solo in that manner.

 

They are the ones who charged for 2 people, actually more than 2 people in some cases where other cruisers booked during a time that prices wee lower for some reason.

 

Thank you for the comment! I have heard that same thing from others! (including the woman who helped me) But like I said, I just want to be done with this one....it was cursed or something. ;)