Need advice re: bad experience on FOS

[OrangeSquirrel]

This is actually my stripped down version trying to be brief (I am verbose). Doesn’t fully convey the frustrations we had, but still hoping to get good feedback (please ask questions if more detail is required)!

 

Overall, my boyfriend and I enjoyed a FABULOUS cruise on the Freedom of the Seas to the Eastern Carib 2/28-3/7. We are late twenties, I’m a first-time cruiser and he cruised once with RCI a long time ago. We had tons of fun, enjoyed great relaxation, and hope to cruise again.

 

LOVED our outside cabin on deck 3, front of the ship … until the toilet flooded our room on day 3 (Wednesday). Note: nothing improper was done to the toilet (no items flushed, no clog, etc.). The flush mechanism apparently malfunctioned while I was showering and caused an overflow and mini-flood.

 

 

Later in the day, Guest Services said they had to move us, but since the ship was full, they could only place us on deck 2 aft. They would assess whether our vacation was impacted and would let us know on Friday if there was anything they could offer. A bellhop with cart would help us move our stuff. The experience with Guest Services was terrible and their immediate solution and make-good efforts were just not satisfactory. Here is a rundown of our grievances:

• Late to leave for port-of-call (St. Thomas) – flood occurred during mandatory crew drill, so no maintenance available to come and help for quite a while
  
• Water soaked/stained clothes and shoes
  
• New room was a downgrade – less expensive room; located above the engine and noise kept us awake through the remaining 4 nights (I specifically avoided lower aft when booking); smaller amenities (arm chair instead of a couch, divided window instead of large unobstructed window); dank, sewage-like odor in hall (carpet being replaced)
  
• Missed shows – we had to call three times and waited in the hallway with our stuff for over an hour before a bellhop finally came; the whole issue and pack/move/semi-unpack took over 3 hours and caused us to miss our ice show reservations
  

We were annoyed there were no immediate make-goods for our inconveniences (onboard credit? bottle of wine?) and even more irritated that we heard nothing from GS for 30+ hours. So we finally spoke with the Director of Guest Relations late on Thursday, and she said RCI could offer us a credit for a future cruise equal to 25% of the cost of the current cruise… to be used within one year. I got a great deal on our cruise, so it’s not much of a credit and it seems to be a solution more advantageous to them than us (not sure we’re going to have the vacation time/funds to use this).

 

We are upset with RCI and feel like we were totally brushed aside because we are young, novice cruisers. We plan on writing a letter to RCI. What do you seasoned CCers think? Do we have grounds for a complaint, and if so, what do you think RCI should have done and/or should do for us now?

[JordanLovesCruisin]

I'm so sorry that this happened to you.

We were on the Navigator 3/4-3/8 and had a fabulous time. However, our toilet would not flush!! At all.

 

Imagine our embrassment having to call maintenance nearly every time one of us had to use the restroom. We went down a floor to deck 5 whenever we could.

 

I would write them, it can't hurt anything. I wrote them today about our plumbing issues that we experienced. I don't expect anything at all, but I just thought I would let them know what we experienced. Not to mention the smell. I don't know if our toilet was perpetually clogged, but our room steward mentioned it to us as soon as he introduced himself. So it wasn't us! :)

 

Like I said, I wrote because I wanted them to be aware. I like receiving feedback from the residents that live at the apartment complex that I work at to know what needs to be improved on in order to help provide a better quality experience. I'm sure they wouldn't mind as well.

 

I was just happy to be on a cruise!

[akcruz]

I too am very sorry for the inconvenience you suffered on your cruise. You sound like you still had a great time and didn't let this affect your overall experience which is great.

 

I would write a letter to RCI clearly stating the issues you had (similar to how it was done here) and your dissapointment with how the staff handled your situation on board. Make sure to include how much you enjoyed the trip and point out some of the good parts. Don't ask for anything in return, but only to make them aware of the situation. You may also want to throw in how it took you time to save for this as it is not a yearly thing for your to cruise or something like that.

 

If you do this in a calm, clear manner you will most likely get a response, probably even some compensation. I would not expect them to do anything, but rather hope that they would do the right thing for you.

 

Do come back and let us all know how it works out. Good Luck!

[Aquahound]

Having had plumbing problems and a flooded room myself on a cruise and understanding your frustration, I think they are not compensating you nearly enough.

 

25% off a future cruise? If they couldn't satisfy your needs on the current cruise, what's makes them think you'll consider them anytime soon?

 

You were downgraded as a result and they didn't make up the difference with OBC or a refund? That's unsat.

 

Please come back and let us know what comes of this.

[cr3boys]

Sorry for your bad experience....sounds like they definitely need to do something to compensate you.

 

On another note, which room were you moved to on Deck 2, Aft???

 

We are sailing on Liberty in July, and have a room on Deck 2, Aft. We actually wanted a lower room because our youngest son is very prone to motion sickness, but I'm hoping we are not too close to the engines.:confused:

 

Hope you receive a satisfactory response from RCCL

[cb at sea]

There is actually a crew deck below deck 2..the engines are MUCH further down into the bowels of the ship.....

[BobbyD]

I'm not all that seasoned, but I hope that you get resolution. I do think that RCCL is not being totally unfair in offering 25% of your fare towards a next cruise. I do understand that you had a great fare for this cruise so it really isn't a huge sum of cash, but it is not a bad offer in my opinion. All that being said, you sound quite reasonable and I would think that if any of your clothes were ruined, then RCCL should take care of that. The 25% would cover the inconvenience.

[Aquahound]

There is actually a crew deck below deck 2..the engines are MUCH further down into the bowels of the ship.....

 

Negative. First, there is a crew deck aft of the deck 2 staterooms. Second, the engine space goes up to the ceiling of deck 2 next to the inside rooms, and up to the ceiling of deck 4 aft of them.

[madforcruising]

It´s an unfortunate event and I´m glad you didn´t let it ruin your cruise. I do think 25% of the cruise towards a future booking is a reasonable compensation.

[wolfganghowell]

Absolutely write to them and present everything as well as you did here - very matter of fact. I don't think they are trying to take advantage of you because of your youth - they would probably make the same offer to AARP members. :) I would definitely explain to them that though you intend to be back onboard, doing so within a year may not be possible due to work/finances/whatever. I thought you explained the problems and the issues they caused quite well. Good luck and come back and let us know what if anything they did.

[COMBOY]

There is a whole section in Cruisecritic on how to resolve issues post-cruise. Here's a link.

I hope it helps. Good luck!

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=82

[hawkshoe]

You were definately inconvenienced due to mechanical problems on the ship that were not your fault. RC should have made good on this right away. The new room was a start. However, seeing as it was a downgrade, they should have issued you an obc right away and thrown in a little for your inconvenience. I think that the 25% off a future cruise, although nice if you could use it, is not something that everyone could utilize. I would send them a letter explaining your problems and letting them know what you would consider appropriate compensation. Let us know how you make out.

[Hobiecat01]

I too am sorry for the issues you had on your cruise. We have had a few issues along our cruise adventures. Based on our experiences, I would write RCCL a straightforward letter specifically outlining the issues and the impact it had upon your cruise. Be concise and accurate and state the names and titles of those you spoke with onboard. Ask for a specific remedy. If you do not ask, I promise you they will not offer one. It must be in-line with your loss, i.e. don't ask for a free cruise. Ask for a specific dollar amount or OBC or discount for another cruise (25 - 35% sounds about right). Also this will not be your only letter. You will have to continue your quest for renumeration. This will take time and tenacity. At no time threaten the cruise line. If fact tell them that you are interested in further cruises and would prefer cruising on Royal Caribbean and not another cruise line. Be nice!

 

I am assuming you did not use a travel agent in this booking ( I didn't see any info regarding a TA...). If by chance you did, contact the agent directly and state your issue and need for compensation from RCCL. The TA should go to bat for you. The TA should contact the RCCL liasion person in charge of the agency you booked through. The agency can put much more pressure on the cruise line than just you the individual... and should advocate for you via the agency. That is the reason DW and I always use a TA (just our opinion, everyone has their own reasons for using or not using a TA) . We had an issue with dining several cruises ago and with our TA getting heavily involved, we received direct monetary compensation from the cruise line.

 

I do hope you get a satisfactory solution. But please don't let this issue deter your further cruising. Just be nice but but also stick to your guns. Please let us know how this comes out. Good Luck!!:)

---------------------------

Sea ya!

Ron and Lee

Canton, Ga

Proud RCCL Platinum Member

"In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom,

in water there is bacteria." – Ben Franklin

We are proud Oasis Camel Cruiser – April 17, 2010

The Oasis Camels Website

Previous Cruises – 59 Days at Sea!

Carnival Mardis Gras - 3 Day Bahamas - April 1982

Carnival Destiny - 7 Days Western Carib. - April 1998

Princess Grand Princess - 7 Days Eastern Carib. - April 1999

Princess Sea Princess - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2000

Princess Grand Princess - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2002

RCCL Navigator of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2003

RCCL Mariner of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - April 2005

RCCL Freedom of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - 6/18 - 6/25/2006

RCCL Liberty of the Seas - 7 Days Eastern Carib. - 7/19 - 7/26/08

Booked & Paid Cruises

RCCL Oasis of the Seas – Our Friends Cruise - April 17, 2010

Planned Cruises

RCCL Allure of the Seas – Our Neighborhood Cruise - 2011

The BIG One - Southeast Asia 14 day – 2012?

The Med – 14 day – 2013?

[ashipper]

I do not understand why people are saying be nice to RCCI and you might get something out of them.

Their contract has provided you with a certain level of cabin, which you have paid for. through no fault of your own they have down graded you.

RCCI now owe you the difference in the cabin prices plus the inconvieniene caused.

Are RCCI so big that they do not care about customer service?

Surely RCCI depend on repeat bookings so looking after its customers is important in getting these repeat bookings.

I have always been totaly satisfied with RCCI and will be cruising with them in September, but I hate to see any body conned.

[lady_cruiser]

I agree that you should write to RCL. But remember "less is more."

 

If the person reading your letter sees that you have three pages, when one page could have given the same information, they will probably get bored by the time they get to the bottom of the first page.

 

Follow the guidelines of the link

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=82

 

that Comboy was kind enough to give us.

 

Good luck and let us know what happens. This is how we all learn what to do in different situtations on a cruise ship. By sharing our experiences with each other.

[madforcruising]

I do not understand why people are saying be nice to RCCI and you might get something out of them.

Their contract has provided you with a certain level of cabin, which you have paid for. through no fault of your own they have down graded you.

RCCI now owe you the difference in the cabin prices plus the inconvieniene caused.

Are RCCI so big that they do not care about customer service?

Surely RCCI depend on repeat bookings so looking after its customers is important in getting these repeat bookings.

I have always been totaly satisfied with RCCI and will be cruising with them in September, but I hate to see any body conned.

 

Because it´s much more likely to get anything from them being nice.

[dizzy205]

I would be miserable if that happened to us. I don't know how I would handle the situation. It seems that you took it all pretty well. I can understand where you would want more from them, you will most likely not get anything else....

 

We were on the Freedom of the Seas, a cruise that had been stricken with the noro-virus on the previous cruise. All of the passengers were taken to Parrot Jungle, a shore excursion in Miami so the staff could sanitize and clean the ship. We sailed 5 or 6 hours late. The entire trip was odd - we watched as crew who were dresssed in hazmat type suits sanitizing with large canisters filled with a bleach/water mixture. The ship was ugly. Everything was cloudy white all the windows, mirrors, railings, walls nothing easy to look at. All the railings and walls were wet the entire week.

We were unable to touch anything ourselves at the windjammer..... The crew placed everything on your plate. You were not able to get any of your own food, nothing not even get our own ketchup packs. Sounds trivial, but inconvenient. The crew were nearly spraying us (everyone) with hand sanitizer everywhere. The begining was rough, looking at the the brand new ship in that manner all week was annoying.

We were all given a 20% off of a next sailing within that year. Just as the OP.

P.S. I wrote a letter to RCCL. All that happened was I felt better, they did nothing else.

The sailing right after ours, they put all of the passengers up at local hotels for two days while the ship as docked for deep cleaning. They recieved 50% off a future sailing within a year and some onboard credit.

I wish it would help to write a letter, it may get you some onboard credit if you book again. That may happen. Good luck!

[cruisinfanatic]

There is actually a crew deck below deck 2..the engines are MUCH further down into the bowels of the ship.....

And they also are not in the aft

[Parkay]

And they also are not in the aft

 

 

Engine are aft.

[dachshunddoglover]

At the very least I would hope RCI will extend your 25% offer on another sailing to be used within 2 years as opposed to 1 year. That would be more resonable. Good luck to you and happy sailing in the future. E-Beth

[cruisinfanatic]

Engine are aft.

Maybe on your motor boat, but not on a modern cruise ship.

Engines are pretty much center of the ship for balance

[waterbug123]

I agree that you should write to RCL. But remember "less is more."

 

If the person reading your letter sees that you have three pages, when one page could have given the same information, they will probably get bored by the time they get to the bottom of the first page.

 

.

 

I agree. Keep it as short and concise as possible. One question though: you mentioned stained and soaked clothes and shoes....was your stuff lying all over the floor? Just asking because I can see RCCL balking at compensating you for clothes that were damaged when they (presumably) could have easily been picked up and put in the closet or whatever.

[LBcruzman]

Your type of complaint seems to be much more common these days. Guest Relations is a hit and miss, sometimes they are friendly and helpful, more often than not these days they just look at you like they want you to go away.

 

Considering your situation and the downgrade that resulted, I would think Royal would have offered to refund you 25% of the cost of the cruise you just took. Offering credit toward a cruise that would have to be used in one year seems more of a marketing ploy on their part, especially considering this was your first cruise and given your young ages.

 

If you get no satisfactory resolution from Royal Caribbean then you can always put the charges for the cruise that are on your credit card in dispue. Even if you have already paid the bill in full. Royal didn't deliver what you were charged for and your credit card bank should work on your behalf to settle this monetarily through a partial refund.

 

Look on the back of your credit card statement for instructions on how to do this. If you paid using a debit card, check or cash you are out of luck. Only credit card charges can be disputed in this manner.

 

Good luck.

[grand isle joe]

Maybe on your motor boat, but not on a modern cruise ship.

Engines are pretty much center of the ship for balance

 

On the Freedom the water treatment,electrical room as well as the fuel tanks are located in the center of that ship The engine room, actually two completly seperate rooms with 3 engines each are located about where the smoke stacks are on deck 0 thru 3 and access is below for the asapod drive shafts and props. Fuel and water and waste is used as balast moving back and forth to balance out the load. Fuel tanks are located interior on deck 0 to1 so as avoid possible spill is run aground. The command and control center is amazing and can pilot the ship from that deck 2 location. They even have a cappacino/coffee machine.

[Murphs]

My wife and I were on the 2/28 - 3/7 FOS cruise as well. We had a great time, the only thing that happened was that on the last night of the cruise I opened our bathroom door and there was sudsy water sloshing around on the floor, and it smelled strongly of bleach. I opened the shower door and there was nearly 3 foot of suds in the shower stall as well. We called our room attendant and he immediately had two officers from engineering come up, and they immediately cleaned it up and tested the shower and toilet, but I dont think they ever did determine what happened. All was well though, it only took maybe 30 minutes. Anyway, we had a great cruise, sorry to hear that the OP had such troubles.

 

Mike and Lori