Rccl let down!

[Julesben]

Having done all our cruising with RCCL we have to say it was disappointing they want to charge us £150 for amending a booking that would have added two more new cruisers.

Our friends wanted to join us in Feb next year on Independence however they could not make the date we had already booked, we then enquired about changing our dates to accommodate our friends potential booking and was then informed of the charge to amend our existing booking.

RCCL run a scheme called Crown and Anchor "Loyalty", I struggle to see where the loyalty is when they come up with things like this, all this says to me is book last minute in the future IF we book again with RCCL.

We normally have our winter cruise booked by now, this fiasco and greed along with the lack of common sense by RCCL has changed that, if anything it will be last minute bargains only with RCCL, this will amend the need for costly booking changes. I'd like to know your thoughts on the above matter please.

[Aquahound]

I'd like to know your thoughts on the above matter please.

 

Please forgive my ignorance. I really don't know. $150 fee to amend? Is that a UK thing or is it for all persons wanting to amend a RCI cruise? I've never had this happen and I have amended my reservation before. Also, why can't you just cancel and then re-book the other cruise?

[crusinmama06]

You are in the UK so I guess there is a booking change fee? I don't pretend to know why or how you all are charged change fees and cancellation fees when we aren't here in the US. I think its crazy. But I guess someone from the UK will be along to explain it. :(

 

Good luck!

[crusinmama06]

Please forgive my ignorance. I really don't know. $150 fee to amend? Is that a UK thing or is it for all persons wanting to amend a RCI cruise? I've never had this happen and I have amended my reservation before. Also, why can't you just cancel and then re-book the other cruise?

 

UK booking. :( They would get a cancellation fee too.

[emtb12]

Having done all our cruising with RCCL we have to say it was disappointing they want to charge us £150 for amending a booking that would have added two more new cruisers.

Our friends wanted to join us in Feb next year on Independence however they could not make the date we had already booked, we then enquired about changing our dates to accommodate our friends potential booking and was then informed of the charge to amend our existing booking.

RCCL run a scheme called Crown and Anchor "Loyalty", I struggle to see where the loyalty is when they come up with things like this, all this says to me is book last minute in the future IF we book again with RCCL.

We normally have our winter cruise booked by now, this fiasco and greed along with the lack of common sense by RCCL has changed that, if anything it will be last minute bargains only with RCCL, this will amend the need for costly booking changes. I'd like to know your thoughts on the above matter please.

 

You paid for one cruise and want another but do not want to pay the difference in price? If they did not charge people who changed their minds the current amount, everyone would be booking the cheapest 7 nights and then changing them to the Allure or Oasis :eek:. I do not think that RCCL is being unfair at all. We booked our Fed vacation in 2 cat Q rooms, but had to change because my step daughter decided to come. We had to move to one 3 person room and the other 2. We want the children beside us, so we had to up grade both rooms. One to Cat K and one N. Should I not have to pay more? Of course I should. I should pay for the extra person and the room upgrades. ;)

[Ocean Boy]

You paid for one cruise and want another but do not want to pay the difference in price? If they did not charge people who changed their minds the current amount, everyone would be booking the cheapest 7 nights and then changing them to the Allure or Oasis :eek:. I do not think that RCCL is being unfair at all. We booked our Fed vacation in 2 cat Q rooms, but had to change because my step daughter decided to come. We had to move to one 3 person room and the other 2. We want the children beside us, so we had to up grade both rooms. One to Cat K and one N. Should I not have to pay more? Of course I should. I should pay for the extra person and the room upgrades. ;)

 

The OP didn't say that they don't want to pay the price difference between the two cruises. They are upset about being charged a fee simply to change the booking just as they are charged cancellation fees in the UK even before final payment is due.

[uksimonusa]

Once again, welcome to cruise critic, 2 posts and 2 thumbs down. The UK has different rules to the US, BUT gets a lot more government mandated protection as well, so probably equals out in the long run, just look at what it costs to change a plane reservation, why should cruising be any different?

[DonnaK]

The OP feels let down by RCCL, but I wonder if in the UK, all cruiselines would be subject to the same booking change fee???

[JillLovesTravel]

Once again, welcome to cruise critic, 2 posts and 2 thumbs down. The UK has different rules to the US, BUT gets a lot more government mandated protection as well, so probably equals out in the long run, just look at what it costs to change a plane reservation, why should cruising be any different?

I don't know the OP and certainly don't need to defend him/her but I have seen posts like the one I quoted above before, trying to insinuate something with a poster having only one or two posts. If you take the time to look at the OP's bio you will see that the OP has sailed or booked at least 11 Royal Caribbean cruises since 2004 and the OP has been a member of cruise critic since 2010.

 

Both posts today by the OP are legitimate complaints. One that the Head Waiter never introduced himself on their cruise while they had pre-paid gratuities and this thread where they were going to be charged a change fee prior to final payment just to change to another sail date while adding additional cruisers to their party.

 

I would be miffed if the Head Waiter never bothered to stop by my table and introduce him/her self. I would also be miffed if Royal Carib. tried to charge me just to change to another date (before final pymt.) because I wanted to add additional passengers to our party. But then I have only been a member of CC for a matter of months and have very few posts so I suppose if I posted something negative about Royal Caribbean I would become suspect also, even though I have sailed on over 15 Royal Caribbean cruises, have several booked and will be Diamond Plus soon.

 

Why does it bother you that the OP only has 2 posts after many months as a member here? Not everyone has time to be on these boards everyday and posting all the time. Some of us only come here occasionally and post even less. What is wrong with that? And why do you care?

[cruisenfever]

I don't know the OP and certainly don't need to defend him/her but I have seen posts like the one I quoted above before, trying to insinuate something with a poster having only one or two posts. If you take the time to look at the OP's bio you will see that the OP has sailed or booked at least 11 Royal Caribbean cruises since 2004 and the OP has been a member of cruise critic since 2010.

 

Both posts today by the OP are legitimate complaints. One that the Head Waiter never introduced himself on their cruise while they had pre-paid gratuities and this thread where they were going to be charged a change fee prior to final payment just to change to another sail date while adding additional cruisers to their party.

 

I would be miffed if the Head Waiter never bothered to stop by my table and introduce him/her self. I would also be miffed if Royal Carib. tried to charge me just to change to another date (before final pymt.) because I wanted to add additional passengers to our party. But then I have only been a member of CC for a matter of months and have very few posts so I suppose if I posted something negative about Royal Caribbean I would become suspect also, even though I have sailed on over 15 Royal Caribbean cruises, have several booked and will be Diamond Plus soon.

If the OP has been on at least 11 RCI cruises since 2004, then they should be aware of the terms and conditions and penalties that UK residents must adhere to when booking a cruise through RCI-UK.

 

Rules for booking when living in the UK are entirely different than booking in the US. We can make changes to our reservations with no charge..........folks in the UK can not.

[Julesben]

You paid for one cruise and want another but do not want to pay the difference in price? If they did not charge people who changed their minds the current amount, everyone would be booking the cheapest 7 nights and then changing them to the Allure or Oasis :eek:. I do not think that RCCL is being unfair at all. We booked our Fed vacation in 2 cat Q rooms, but had to change because my step daughter decided to come. We had to move to one 3 person room and the other 2. We want the children beside us, so we had to up grade both rooms. One to Cat K and one N. Should I not have to pay more? Of course I should. I should pay for the extra person and the room upgrades. ;)

 

We don't need to change our booking, this was only to accommodate potentially two new cruisers (Customers), the new cruisers could not join us on the date we have already booked so we enquired about changing to a cruise which departs two weeks after our already booked reservation in order to allow our friends to join us. It would appear RCCL want us to bring new cruisers with us but also charge us £150 for the privilege too. My principles say this is a non starter. Would you truly want o pay £150 in these circumstances. I'm listening.

[Rockfordcruiser]

If the OP has been on at least 11 RCI cruises since 2004, then they should be aware of the terms and conditions and penalties that UK residents must adhere to when booking a cruise through RCI-UK.

 

Rules for booking when living in the UK are entirely different than booking in the US. We can make changes to our reservations with no charge..........folks in the UK can not.

My thoughts exactly. Not like this is thier first cruise with RCL according to thier bio. :confused:

[Julesben]

UK booking. :( They would get a cancellation fee too.

 

I don't agree with continuously bringing new cruisers to RCCL but then being charged for the privilege.

[Julesben]

You are in the UK so I guess there is a booking change fee? I don't pretend to know why or how you all are charged change fees and cancellation fees when we aren't here in the US. I think its crazy. But I guess someone from the UK will be along to explain it. :(

 

Good luck!

 

Thank you Michelle

 

You do understand where I'm coming from don't you.

[gerif]

We don't need to change our booking, this was only to accommodate potentially two new cruisers (Customers), the new cruisers could not join us on the date we have already booked so we enquired about changing to a cruise which departs two weeks after our already booked reservation in order to allow our friends to join us. It would appear RCCL want us to bring new cruisers with us but also charge us £150 for the privilege too. My principles say this is a non starter. Would you truly want o pay £150 in these circumstances. I'm listening.

 

But hasn't this always been the policy in the UK? Why would you feel you would be exempt? We have something similar with the airlines - if we want to change our flight, even by a matter of hours, it's going to cost.

[Rockfordcruiser]

If the OP has been on at least 11 RCI cruises since 2004, then they should be aware of the terms and conditions and penalties that UK residents must adhere to when booking a cruise through RCI-UK.

 

Rules for booking when living in the UK are entirely different than booking in the US. We can make changes to our reservations with no charge..........folks in the UK can not.

Patti, Does this only effect RCL cruisers in the UK or does it effect all cruise lines? If it is all, his complaint is with the GOV then and not RCL

[negc]

I'm not clear as to why RCi is being criticized for conforming to a rule that apparently is a policy instituted by whatever agency in the UK has established it.

 

If this situation would have occurred regardless of what line was booked, the criticism is misplaced.

[Rockfordcruiser]

I'm not clear as to why RCi is being criticized for conforming to a rule that apparently is a policy instituted by whatever agency in the UK has established it.

 

If this situation would have occurred regardless of what line was booked, the criticism is misplaced.

100% agreement.

[Julesben]

You paid for one cruise and want another but do not want to pay the difference in price? If they did not charge people who changed their minds the current amount, everyone would be booking the cheapest 7 nights and then changing them to the Allure or Oasis :eek:. I do not think that RCCL is being unfair at all. We booked our Fed vacation in 2 cat Q rooms, but had to change because my step daughter decided to come. We had to move to one 3 person room and the other 2. We want the children beside us, so we had to up grade both rooms. One to Cat K and one N. Should I not have to pay more? Of course I should. I should pay for the extra person and the room upgrades. ;)

 

Evening Terra, I think you have got the wrong idea, we are not after anything extra apart from moving a booking from 2nd feb to 24th feb in order to allow friends to join this cruise vacation, it has nothing to do with price fluctuations one way or the other, it's all about introducing new cruisers but then unfortunately being charged amendment fees for doing this, we understand cancelations fees etc however we are introducing new customers, we will go on our current reservation, we don't lose out. Our friends are now looking at booking with us on Ventura, I think it's an own goal for RCCL. It's obviously in the best interest of RCCL to kick us in the balls but I know it's a mistake on their part, their loss more than ours, about time we started to spread our wings and see some other cruise lines in action. A matter of principles.

[cruisenfever]

Patti, Does this only effect RCL cruisers in the UK or does it effect all cruise lines? If it is all, his complaint is with the GOV then and not RCL

 

I'm not clear as to why RCi is being criticized for conforming to a rule that apparently is a policy instituted by whatever agency in the UK has established it.

 

If this situation would have occurred regardless of what line was booked, the criticism is misplaced.

 

100% agreement.

I knew Bill would have the answer.:)

[Julesben]

If the OP has been on at least 11 RCI cruises since 2004, then they should be aware of the terms and conditions and penalties that UK residents must adhere to when booking a cruise through RCI-UK.

 

Rules for booking when living in the UK are entirely different than booking in the US. We can make changes to our reservations with no charge..........folks in the UK can not.

 

How often have you been caught out by the small print?

[kc320]

I notice in all the quotes & replies by the OP he has not seen fit to address the fact that RCCL is not the only cruise line in the UK with this policy...selective reading perhaps?

[cruisenfever]

How often have you been caught out by the small print?

Believe it or not.........never. That is the "first" thing that we read or ask about. And, having done many cruises with RCI, we are fully aware of the ifs, ands and buts prior to booking.

 

If this was your first cruise, then we might sympathize with you..........but looking at your signature you are not a newbee to booking with RCI.

 

You have different rules across the pond that are not set by RCI.

 

Where is Liz when we need her?:D

[Julesben]

Once again, welcome to cruise critic, 2 posts and 2 thumbs down. The UK has different rules to the US, BUT gets a lot more government mandated protection as well, so probably equals out in the long run, just look at what it costs to change a plane reservation, why should cruising be any different?

 

Believe me we have some really memorable thoughts of our cruising experiences so far however my frame of mind won't let me talk about them right now, are you also ignorant to the fact we are doing this to accommodate more customers for RCCL, we don't need to do this as we're booked on Cruise, we can book any amount of cruises with our friends after this particular cruise and not suffer amendment fees.

[TEXASMUNK]

booking in the US versus booking in the UK..In the UK, the government "protects" the traveler. In the US, it is a simple business arrangement. With the "protection" all cruise lines need to "enhance" revenue opportunities to help cover the enormous additional charges they are liable for in case of things like....VOLCANO ASH.

 

Most are probably very happy with the protection, until that protection gets in the way of reasonable accommodation.