RCCL- Vacation = Ruined

[bigeagle12]

You are basically saying that if I hire a company to perform a service, and they don't adequately perform that service, that it's mostly my fault for hiring them? Unbelievable.

 

1. Yes - they admitted they were expereinced travelers and knew the risks of flying in same day.

 

2. Royal did their contractual part and got them to ship at RCI expense.

 

3. For the incovenience and misteps on RCI's part .. they offered 25% off next cruise for 7 people.

 

4. The delayed flight caused all of this to snowball .. and contractually Continental is not liable if weather related .. if mechanical .. maybe.

[CrusieToy]

Always, always, always arrive to the cruise port locality the day before - especially during times of the year when weather may be an issue, or if you are traveling with several people, or a long distance away (connecting flights, etc).

 

Especially if you are flying, it not only provides a time buffer should something happen along the way, but you have a day to relax and wind down from the trauma of getting there, and can relax and enjoy the cruise on the first day.

 

Many people that have cruised more than once do this, and it is perhaps the #1 best piece of advice for a new cruiser. We flew in the same day on our first cruise, and after that "trauma", we have since always arrived the day before.

 

RCCL has a night-prior package so that you can still obtain air fare, hotel transfer, and everything else in one transaction with the TA/Cruise Line.

Agree Always arrive the day before and enjoy that port

[Big_G]

Excuse me but I am one of those WACKOS that believe we are responsible for our own actions.

 

 

I did not say there was no fault on the part of Continental and RCI.

 

I believe they have received adequate compensation and offer from RCI. Continental might compensate them in some minor way even though they are not legally obligated.

 

Are they ENTITLED to anything more .. NO WAY :eek:

 

It's probably good that your not in a position to make that decision...Oh wait, is this Adam Goldstein?:D

[boulders]

You are basically saying that if I hire a company to perform a service, and they don't adequately perform that service, that it's mostly my fault for hiring them? Unbelievable.

 

#1 I would say that RCCL adequately performed their service. They got them to the ship at the first port. The best customer service? No, but certainly adequate.

 

#2 If I hire someone to say, fly me from YYZ to the Southern U.S. in February on a one stop itinerary where I have to be somewhere within 8 hours, then yes, it's my fault for hiring them for something that is likely to go wrong.

 

#3 Air Canada has a direct flight to New Orleans from Toronto that could have been booked.

[bigeagle12]

It's probably good that your not in a position to make that decision...Oh wait, is this Adam Goldstein?:D

 

FYI - I am in a position to make these types of decisions everyday for my clients and our company. I gave you the legal obligations and feel adequate compensation was given by RCI.

 

I am sorry that there are those that think they deserve a free cruise everytime any cruiseline does the slightest thing wrong.

[Wilda]

I'm not trying to be argumentative here. I'm just trying to put myself in their shoes. It is easy to look at the situation now and made procolmations on how it could have been done better. From the perspective of the OP, the ship had left the port and there was no point in going to the dock where there was no ship. The best course of action at that point was to wait for further directions from RCI.

 

As for "breach of contract" ... let me be clear. It isn't about breach of contract. It is about doing what you need to do in order to be sure that RCI is going to get you to the ship at the next port. Everything to that point was out of the control of the cruise line. The arline messed up and now the cruise line was left to pick up the pieces. They didn't do their job, but the OP didn't know much of ANYTHING at that point. They had no reason to distrust the information they were given.

 

And that is exactly my point about taking control;) Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands and I happen to be comfortable doing that. If I am in the city where my cruise is departing from I am not going to sit and wait at the airport. This isn't Monday morning quarterbacking here; I know that I would have talked to my hubby and we would have taken a ride. RCI is moving tens of thousands of people a day...I am not "trusting" enough to believe that they are going to have someone waiting at the airport for me:rolleyes: When they arrived in NO there was no one waiting for them...that would have been the point where I took matters into my own hands (actually I would never have allowed them to schedule my air or have me come in the day of the cruise...but that is another conversation). I have enough travel experience under my belt to be skeptical, and subsequently I don't always do as I am told.

 

Unfortunately the OP put complete control of their travel in the hands of RCI and became a prisoner of their incompetence; I would not (remember that type A personality).

[beachchick]

This was a terrible situation. I think RCI carries a fair amount of blame for it, but not sole liability. I am not defending RCI (or the other cruise lines, most of which have the same policy), but RCI makes it clear in the documentation that they are booking air as a courtesy, a pass through, and they are not responsible for any problem passengers encounter with airlines or flights. Do I think that's right? Not really. Unfortunately, new cruisers don't always realize the policies (or read the contracts, which we all should). They think the cruise line will take care of everything.

 

In this case, there were promises made, one after another, that were not followed through and the cruise line reps gave incorrect information a number of times. There's no excuse for that.

 

beachchick

[marci22]

.....This action on your part will put more pressure on RCCL to make things right. In any case, many large companies don't respond to chargebacks within the deadline for doing so and the chargeback very often becomes firm and definite.......

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

This actually helped me when dealing with a small company. After many emails and phone calls, the company was ignoring me. I filed a chargeback, they didn't proceed as they should have, and the matter was ruled in my favor.

[marci22]

Four days out of seven makes nearly 50% of the cruise, so how can you say that 25% discount on a future cruise is generous?

 

In my opinion, adequate would be 50% off a future cruise plus all out of pocket expenses.

 

In my opinion, fair would be a free cruise plus out of pocket expenses.

 

Just my opinion.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

I agree.

[boulders]

They were on the ship the second morning of the cruise. The last morning of a cruise really isn't cruising, IMO. So, let's say a 7 night cruise is 6 1/2 days. They missed the last evening and one full day. So, they missed 1 1/2 days out of a 6 1/2 day cruise. That's less than 25% of the cruise.

 

 

BTW, did OP ever say what time they were originally supposed to land?

 

 

Four days out of seven makes nearly 50% of the cruise, so how can you say that 25% discount on a future cruise is generous?

 

In my opinion, adequate would be 50% off a future cruise plus all out of pocket expenses.

 

In my opinion, fair would be a free cruise plus out of pocket expenses.

 

Just my opinion.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[MrsPete]

Did you read previous posts? OP could not come the day before. No hotels anyway (Mardi Gras). There also weren't originally going to be as many stops (who stops in Little Rock Arkansas? Really?). Yet another finger of blame pointed at the victim. Why?

 

Cruise did get them to ship, ultimately, but didn't do a good job of it. Hope RCI gives them a good offer of compensation.

Yep, I did read; however, if you can't arrive a day ahead -- even if it's late-late the night before -- this cruise isn't really a good fit for your schedule. They planned this cruise a year and a half in advance; most hotels aren't even taking reservations a year and a half out, so at some point hotels were available -- they just didn't make reservations in a timely manner. Didn't they sail out of Miami? I suspect some plane somewhere didn't funnel through the Mardi-Gras-packed area; in fact, it seems odd that they'd have gone from Canada to all those other places. Traveling with a sick elderly person, I'd have done my very best to locate a direct flight -- even if the timing hadn't been so important. Traveling across national borders, making multiple connections with a fairly large group to transport. For this plan to work, every detail would've had to work out perfectly -- something that doesn't always happen, especially when you have multiple flights.

 

As for blaming the victim, sometimes we are victims of our own bad choices. If you read my post, you'll see that I think the OP was to blame for making a poor choice, AND Royal was to blame for setting her up for failure.

[poppetts]

Don't accept ANYTHING less than a free cruise! They have failed on so many levels, it isn't even funny!

 

 

 

Agreeeeeee totally , nothing short of a free cruise in the best suite also!!

[galavant3]

Don't accept ANYTHING less than a free cruise! They have failed on so many levels, it isn't even funny!

 

I have never felt this way (that I recall) before but I agree. I think they should get a complete refund.

[galavant3]

Didn't they sail out of Miami? .

 

I thought the ship sailed from New Orleans which was why they were there in the first place? Maybe I misread. Regardless, if they booked the air through RCCL, it became their responsiblity to get them there on time.

 

Once we booked airfare through another line and it wasn't possible to get us there on time. So they flew us in the day before and put us up in a hotel.

[galavant3]

If you read my post, you'll see that I think the OP was to blame for making a poor choice, AND Royal was to blame for setting her up for failure.

 

 

What poor choice did the OP make?

[galavant3]

This was a terrible situation. I think RCI carries a fair amount of blame for it, but not sole liability. I am not defending RCI (or the other cruise lines, most of which have the same policy), but RCI makes it clear in the documentation that they are booking air as a courtesy, a pass through, and they are not responsible for any problem passengers encounter with airlines or flights. Do I think that's right? Not really. Unfortunately, new cruisers don't always realize the policies (or read the contracts, which we all should). They think the cruise line will take care of everything.

 

In this case, there were promises made, one after another, that were not followed through and the cruise line reps gave incorrect information a number of times. There's no excuse for that.

 

beachchick

 

Thanks Beachchick, I didn't realize this...and it is important information. I've never booked air through RCCL but I have with another line and will be booking air with another line shortly. I will be sure and read the fine print.

 

And I am not a new cruiser!

[cyclenut]

And that is exactly my point about taking control;) Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands and I happen to be comfortable doing that. If I am in the city where my cruise is departing from I am not going to sit and wait at the airport. This isn't Monday morning quarterbacking here; I know that I would have talked to my hubby and we would have taken a ride. RCI is moving tens of thousands of people a day...I am not "trusting" enough to believe that they are going to have someone waiting at the airport for me:rolleyes: When they arrived in NO there was no one waiting for them...that would have been the point where I took matters into my own hands (actually I would never have allowed them to schedule my air or have me come in the day of the cruise...but that is another conversation). I have enough travel experience under my belt to be skeptical, and subsequently I don't always do as I am told.

 

Unfortunately the OP put complete control of their travel in the hands of RCI and became a prisoner of their incompetence; I would not (remember that type A personality).

 

I understand the point you are making. As you correctly point out, you are a different enough personality that you would never have gone down this road in the first place. I've booked a cruise this way (DCL) and I had already laid out my contingency plans had something gone wrong. I have to tell you though, when you put all of the booking in the hands of the cruise line, you really do feel like you are at their mercy. When it works, it is really excellent, but when it doesn't ... well ... that's what we're all talking about.

[johneeo]

What poor choice did the OP make?

 

The obvious - not arranging to get to the port a day early.

 

Yes, I know, some people cannot do that. For those, I suggest a destination that is land based. It will still be there whenever you get there.

[cyclenut]

Yep, I did read; however, if you can't arrive a day ahead -- even if it's late-late the night before -- this cruise isn't really a good fit for your schedule. They planned this cruise a year and a half in advance; most hotels aren't even taking reservations a year and a half out, so at some point hotels were available -- they just didn't make reservations in a timely manner. Didn't they sail out of Miami? I suspect some plane somewhere didn't funnel through the Mardi-Gras-packed area; in fact, it seems odd that they'd have gone from Canada to all those other places. Traveling with a sick elderly person, I'd have done my very best to locate a direct flight -- even if the timing hadn't been so important. Traveling across national borders, making multiple connections with a fairly large group to transport. For this plan to work, every detail would've had to work out perfectly -- something that doesn't always happen, especially when you have multiple flights.

 

As for blaming the victim, sometimes we are victims of our own bad choices. If you read my post, you'll see that I think the OP was to blame for making a poor choice, AND Royal was to blame for setting her up for failure.

 

I think you may have a few of the facts mixed up. It is my understanding that the cruise was sailing from New Orleans. That is why they needed a Hotel in New Orleans.

 

The poster stated that the size and makeup of their party coupled with the time off work situation they were faced with, they really didn't see staying an extra night before the cruise as a feasible option. They chose this particular cruise because they didn't have to stay the night before. Then, when things started to fall apart and they were already in New Orleans, without a ship, the cruise line had to move them out of the city because there were no hotels.

 

Finally, the real issue that the OP is complaining about is not missing the ship in the first place. Bummer that they did, sure, but nobody was blaming RCI at that point. It was what happened AFTER that that is really the issue here. Lets not blame the passenger for the failings of RCI ... from that point forward.

 

What you classify as a bad choice is really speaking more about your own personal preferance. Think about this, if it really were such a horrible idea, why would RCI even allow that booking option, when you are booking it through them? Then, to top things off, they state that if you DO book through them and miss the ship, they'll pay to get you to the next port and get on board. There is no way that RCI would do that if people were missing ships all the time. Getting people to the next port is an additional expense they don't want to incur.

 

The choice of arriving the day of the cruise is a completely valid choice and is not always a bad one. There are risks, but RCI does make it seem like those risks are small.

[galavant3]

The obvious - not arranging to get to the port a day early.

 

Yes, I know, some people cannot do that. For those, I suggest a destination that is land based. It will still be there whenever you get there.

 

I undertand that. Because they were unable to get there a day early, they booked the air through RCCL giving them responsiblity in the event something went wrong. Something did go wrong and it was poorly handled by the cruise line.

 

I don't agree that booking air through the cruise line constitutes a bad choice. I don't think you can book air through the cruise line and come in a day early. Never having booked through RCCL, I certainly be mistaken, but that has been my experience with other lines.

[teajak]

I suggest you keep the pressure on RCCL, otherwise you might never here from them again. Cruise lines have short attention spans. Once that cruise is over its on to the next cruise.

Best advice you have received,every time you want to give up stop and think about how stressed you were and how RCI did not come thru.Don't give up on cruising or CC.Best wishes for your Dad.:eek:

[bus man]

I do feel for the OP, after the horrible experience that she and her family had. That said, it sounds like it was a case of contributory negligence. Hopefully, next time (and I hope there will be a "next time") she will be more forceful in making her own arrangements.

 

Here's how I see it:

 

Where OP is at fault:

 

- Booking a same-day flight from a northern city in February, involving connections -- too many possibilities of things that could go wrong.

 

Yes, I am aware that the OP said that the family's schedules would not permit flying down the night before. Well, I'm sorry, but given the circumstances, I think they simply should not have taken their trip, and instead gone later in the year, when the threat of bad weather and the constraints of school schedules wouldn't have been as much of a factor. I also think that she should have insisted on booking a nonstop flight, given that one is available between Toronto and New Orleans. Avoiding connections is the single best way to reduce your chances of something going wrong when traveling by air.

 

Where OP is not at fault:

 

- Continental's schedule change; the delay leaving Toronto; the (apparently) unscheduled fuel stop in Arkansas; the delay in positioning the jetway in New Orleans.

 

Where RCI is at fault:

 

- Promising that their agents would meet the family, first in New Orleans and later in Mexico, and then not doing so.

 

- Not showing any concern for their bad experience once they arrived on the ship (i.e. dead flowers in room, no expressions of sympathy).

 

- Originally not reimbursing OP for en-route expenses (later rectified).

 

 

However . . .

 

RCI did get the family to the ship at its first port of call, and did (finally) reimburse OP for the en-route expenses. Thus, they did meet their obligations (as I understand it) incurred by booking the flight through Choice Air.

 

Thus, I feel that the offer of 25 percent on a future cruise is low, but not horribly out of line. An offer of 50 percent would be better -- PLUS a written apology for the ways in which they dropped the ball, PLUS some OBC as an additional, more tangible apology. But I don't think that RCI owes the OP a free cruise.

[Maraprince]

I question the fact that the ship was delayed in leaving the port and when the manifest list that was previously presented to the Coast Guard showed fewer passengers, RCCL knew that this family was not on board and did not check to see if they received word of them canceling or being delayed?

 

What about the agent that was to meet them at the airport? Did this agent not tell someone that they did not pick this family up from the airport as scheduled? They missed them the first time, but come on, no one can keep missing and missing a whole family!

 

What was the point in booking through RCCL for the air arrangements and transportation to the ship if no one comes to meet you and take you to the ship? You could do better on your own!

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[galavant3]

I

Where OP is at fault:

 

- Booking a same-day flight from a northern city in February, involving connections -- too many possibilities of things that could go wrong.

 

 

I know this isn't the point you are making but the OP didn't book the flight. RCCL did. I would have thought the same thing. "If I can't fly in the day before, I'll book through the cruise line. That way, if anything goes wrong, they will address the problem."

 

Of course I now realize the flaw in the thinking but I think the OP really did believe bases were covered when they allowed the cruise line to make the travel arrangements. I would have thought the same thing - certainly not anymore!

[wolfganghowell]

I hope the OP and their family get a better offer. Like many have said, 50% is fair. I don't believe they are entitled to a free cruise however. As was wisely stated, flying out of Toronto in February on the same day is a bad decision. I understand why it was the only option but it was chancy. I think they have to own that decision, which unfortunately was the catalyst for the entire disaster. However, RCCL is liable for their failures to provide actual location assistance each time. Someone should have been at the airports and met them at the ferry pier in Cozumel to escort them to the hotel.

 

Not surprised it was Continental - they are notorious down here.