Corporate guest relations frustration

[MILEMRKR63]

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

Here is my frustration:

 

My buddy and I sailed on the Oasis of the Seas October 2, 2010. We had an amazing time to say the least. We splurged and went for a sky loft suite, we dined in every speciality restaraunt and even enjoyed the Chef's Table. We really truly enjoyed the cruise.

 

As the cruise was for my birthday, my older brother suprised me by prepurchasing 1000.00 in shipboard credit to enjoy while on vacation which meant that I would not be placing my credit card on my SeaPass account until I exhausted the prepaid credit. What a great brother! I had prepaid all the specialty restaraunts before boarding so my expenses woud be left to my cocktails, gratuities and excursions.

 

So, now its debarkation day and I have my Seapass account in my hand showing I still had 284.32 in onboard credit left after the cruise. I was suprised but happy that my brother would be getting this credited back to his credit card. The account cleary showed 1000.00 applied through Special Occasion and Gifts.

 

I leave the ship and head over to the Carnival Freedom for the second cruise of my birthday vacation.

 

When I finally return home, I call my brother to advise him to expect a credit issued back to his credit card for the unused portion of the purchased onboard credit. I ask him to keep an eye out for it and to let me know when it hits his account.

 

On November 1, my brother calls me to say he has yet to see the credit so I call Corportate Guest Relations and ask them the status of the refund. The rep tells me she see's the credit sitting on my onboard account but it was not credited back because they did not know where to credit the money as I had not posted a credit card on the ship. I advise her to credit my brothers card that was used to buy the credit, provide her the number and she confirms the credit will immediately be issed.

 

Two weeks later, my brother has yet to see a credit. I tell him to give it one billing cycle but that I would call RCCL and find out the status. I call RCCL and they confirm the notes on my acct says the credit was issued on Nov 2.

 

I talk to my brother on Dec 7 an he stated he hasnt receive the credit. I call RCCL again and they stated it was issued. My brother and I get his credit card company on the phone and RCCL and the rep at RCCL tells us, after a lengthy wait on hold while she researches the issue, that the credit was issued in error to a wrong credit card and she would immediately resolve the issue. We were happy and left it at that.

 

My family and I were cruising on the Allure over New Years and my brother tell me he still hasnt received the credit. When I return home from the cruise I call RCCL again and the rep says they reissued the credit but the transaction was rejected by the credit card company. So I get my brother, the credit card company and RCCL on the phone and the credit card company states they will start a dispute immediately if this is not resolved. The rep was very nice and apologized and said she would look into the issue and get back to us. 5 days later she calls and telle me the credit was issued again.

 

Today, I contact my brother and he states the credit has yet to appear. I call RCCL again and the rep tells me the issue is closed because the credit was issued on November 1, 2010 and gives me a 20 digit reference number to give the credit card company. She also tells me the credit was issues to the Mastercard I posted on my SeaPass account. I tell her I didnt post a credit card and she tells me I am mistaken and that I did. We call the credit card company and they placed an immediate dispute with RCCL and state they have no idea what this reference number is for.

 

My frustration is why does my brother have to wait nearly 3 months for a 284.32 credit he purchased in August for my October cruise? They had absolutely no problem charging this to his card, why cant he get it back?

 

Whewwww... I feel better for venting.......

[PhoenixCruiser]

You should have drank more :p:D

 

###

[cb at sea]

It probably would have been easier to ask them to issue you a check for the refund (or cash) and give it to your brother!

I agree...this shouldn't have been so hard...but that's how refunds are....they take forever, whereas a charge to your (or anyone's) account is almost immediate...go figure!

[VillaHappy]

It is a shame that you aren't getting better service from RCI on this issue :mad:

[johneeo]

You should have drank more :p:D

 

###

 

You beat me to it!

 

He could have also bought a couple of rounds.:D

[janabm81]

I agree with the above poster...I would've had them issue a check back to you and given it to your brother. I've had this happen too many times to deal with any refund center's lackadasical response to what I deserve.

[land lover]

That is frustrating!!!!

 

But, Do understand what you requested was very unusual.

How many people that were given a gift give the remainder back to the giver. Your request was probably the first they had ever received and it probably involved research/effort to confirm your brother's original charge.

 

The easiest option would have been to cash out the last evening of the cruise and give the cash to your brother, however I would have cashed it out and kept the money because you had pre-paid items that would have been part of your expenses.

 

Often we have excess OBC from my TA because I prepay so much. So the last night of the cruise I go to the service desk and just ask for cash back, they verify expenses with me have me sign a receipt and then I receive no folio in the morning..very easy. Also this way I do not lose miles or reward points by having it credited back to my card.

 

BTW..you do have a wonderful brother and you are a great sibling for wanting to return the excess back to him.

[mgg42]

there is a simple solution to this problem. STOP dealing with RCI. Tell your brother to call his credit card company and dispute the entire $1000 charge. Tell him to ask that they provide documentation of the charge and the credit card company will immediately contest the charge (not the two hundred something dollars, the whole thing). It's not you or your brothers responsibility to prove you are owed the money, it is RCI's responsibility to prove they don't deserve the money.

 

A valuable lesson here people.... Every time you make a purchase with a credit card, the card issuer makes money. But they work for YOU. They don't need RCI, they need their cardholders. If you EVER have a problem with a charge on a credit card for any reason, the FIRST step is to call the credit card company and contest the charge.

[cruisenfever]

Since you had refundable OBC you should have gone to Guest Relations the day before debarkation and asked for a refund which would have cleared your on board account. You could have then returned that unspent money to your brother when you returned home.

[koterry]

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

Here is my frustration:

 

My buddy and I sailed on the Oasis of the Seas October 2, 2010. We had an amazing time to say the least. We splurged and went for a sky loft suite, we dined in every speciality restaraunt and even enjoyed the Chef's Table. We really truly enjoyed the cruise.

 

As the cruise was for my birthday, my older brother suprised me by prepurchasing 1000.00 in shipboard credit to enjoy while on vacation which meant that I would not be placing my credit card on my SeaPass account until I exhausted the prepaid credit. What a great brother! I had prepaid all the specialty restaraunts before boarding so my expenses woud be left to my cocktails, gratuities and excursions.

 

So, now its debarkation day and I have my Seapass account in my hand showing I still had 284.32 in onboard credit left after the cruise. I was suprised but happy that my brother would be getting this credited back to his credit card. The account cleary showed 1000.00 applied through Special Occasion and Gifts.

 

I leave the ship and head over to the Carnival Freedom for the second cruise of my birthday vacation.

 

When I finally return home, I call my brother to advise him to expect a credit issued back to his credit card for the unused portion of the purchased onboard credit. I ask him to keep an eye out for it and to let me know when it hits his account.

 

On November 1, my brother calls me to say he has yet to see the credit so I call Corportate Guest Relations and ask them the status of the refund. The rep tells me she see's the credit sitting on my onboard account but it was not credited back because they did not know where to credit the money as I had not posted a credit card on the ship. I advise her to credit my brothers card that was used to buy the credit, provide her the number and she confirms the credit will immediately be issed.

 

Two weeks later, my brother has yet to see a credit. I tell him to give it one billing cycle but that I would call RCCL and find out the status. I call RCCL and they confirm the notes on my acct says the credit was issued on Nov 2.

 

I talk to my brother on Dec 7 an he stated he hasnt receive the credit. I call RCCL again and they stated it was issued. My brother and I get his credit card company on the phone and RCCL and the rep at RCCL tells us, after a lengthy wait on hold while she researches the issue, that the credit was issued in error to a wrong credit card and she would immediately resolve the issue. We were happy and left it at that.

 

My family and I were cruising on the Allure over New Years and my brother tell me he still hasnt received the credit. When I return home from the cruise I call RCCL again and the rep says they reissued the credit but the transaction was rejected by the credit card company. So I get my brother, the credit card company and RCCL on the phone and the credit card company states they will start a dispute immediately if this is not resolved. The rep was very nice and apologized and said she would look into the issue and get back to us. 5 days later she calls and telle me the credit was issued again.

 

Today, I contact my brother and he states the credit has yet to appear. I call RCCL again and the rep tells me the issue is closed because the credit was issued on November 1, 2010 and gives me a 20 digit reference number to give the credit card company. She also tells me the credit was issues to the Mastercard I posted on my SeaPass account. I tell her I didnt post a credit card and she tells me I am mistaken and that I did. We call the credit card company and they placed an immediate dispute with RCCL and state they have no idea what this reference number is for.

 

My frustration is why does my brother have to wait nearly 3 months for a 284.32 credit he purchased in August for my October cruise? They had absolutely no problem charging this to his card, why cant he get it back?

 

Whewwww... I feel better for venting.......

Drinking more is one way, throwing 284.00 on black in the Casino,buying more souveniers in the gift shop, a few massages, etc...;)

[koterry]

there is a simple solution to this problem. STOP dealing with RCI. Tell your brother to call his credit card company and dispute the entire $1000 charge. Tell him to ask that they provide documentation of the charge and the credit card company will immediately contest the charge (not the two hundred something dollars, the whole thing). It's not you or your brothers responsibility to prove you are owed the money, it is RCI's responsibility to prove they don't deserve the money.

 

A valuable lesson here people.... Every time you make a purchase with a credit card, the card issuer makes money. But they work for YOU. They don't need RCI, they need their cardholders. If you EVER have a problem with a charge on a credit card for any reason, the FIRST step is to call the credit card company and contest the charge.

All he had to do was go to guest relations and cash out, very simple, case closed:rolleyes:

[tarps14]

I'm sorry, but how does telling him what he should have done before leaving the ship actually help him? I'm sure by now he realizes what he "could have done" differently. The advice about not dealing with RCI any longer and only with the credit card company seems the most beneficial (and unfortunately his brother is probably the only one that can do that).

 

Come on guys......he doesn't need to be smacked on the hand for what he didn't do right. Just needs help from here going forward. Seeing a little too much of this lately. Just sayin'.

[bigeagle12]

I'm sorry, but how does telling him what he should have done before leaving the ship actually help him? I'm sure by now he realizes what he "could have done" differently. The advice about not dealing with RCI any longer and only with the credit card company seems the most beneficial (and unfortunately his brother is probably the only one that can do that).

 

Come on guys......he doesn't need to be smacked on the hand for what he didn't do right. Just needs help from here going forward. Seeing a little too much of this lately. Just sayin'.

 

Everyone is somebody in Snellville :D

[tarps14]

Everyone is somebody in Snellville :D

 

Dang straight! Hey, we can expand that to include the entire state of Georgia neighbor!;)

[bigeagle12]

Dang straight! Hey, we can expand that to include the entire state of Georgia neighbor!;)

 

Don't have to stretch far .. Lilburn .. here .. GO BRONCO'S

[tarps14]

Yeah, ya'll did a great job of kicking the entire state of Georgia's butt this season! In Generals territory here which will never compete at the level of you guys. Well done!