Royal Carb. rip offs

[petrellad]

I recently got back from an RC cruise in Civitavecchia. I couldn't believe the many ways RC tries to take your money. One being your transportation options from Civitavecchia. We wanted to get from the port to the train station. Here were my options:

1.RC charges $23 per person (3 people x $23 = $69)

2.Take a cab ($15 in total). Most cabs were already reserved so this didn't work out.

3.Take FREE shuttle bus to port entrance (3 minutes) and then walk for 10 minutes.

We took the 3rd option but you are only made aware of option 2 and 3 as you walk out the ship. Option 1 is the only option RC talks about in the ship.

This is only one example. Do your research.

[traveling1969]

I recently got back from an RC cruise in Civitavecchia. I couldn't believe the many ways RC tries to take your money. One being your transportation options from Civitavecchia. We wanted to get from the port to the train station. Here were my options:

1.RC charges $23 per person (3 people x $23 = $69)

2.Take a cab ($15 in total). Most cabs were already reserved so this didn't work out.

3.Take FREE shuttle bus to port entrance (3 minutes) and then walk for 10 minutes.

We took the 3rd option but you are only made aware of option 2 and 3 as you walk out the ship. Option 1 is the only option RC talks about in the ship.

This is only one example. Do your research.

 

Your last sentence says it all. But don't call them rip-offs, they're options. Many folks are pleased to be offered options.

[temple1]

I am quite sure the many posters on this forum will have a number of other options available to get to the port from your hotel or the airport. To me - I would look at the options and would probably pay the rate for RCCL to take care of it, especially in a foreign city.

 

I don't understand why that is them taking money from you or even a rip off? I don't know why your ground transportation is their problem. If you were cruising from Miami, would you post a complaint about what RCCL charges to get from FLL airport to the Port of Miami even though there are many options if you take the time to do the research?

[tfrcal]

So you expect RC to advise you of others that offer the same service (for less money) than what they offer (transportation in your example)? I thought RC was in the business of making money. If you do not like their pricing for a service then go elsewhere for that service, just like you did.

 

I am mystified as to what you are complaining about.

[Desertbelle]

You just got back from a European cruise stopping in some of the most wonderful ports in the world and all you have to say is that Royal Caribbean tried to rip you off for $69? Sad.

[highlandlassie]

Didn't know the shuttle bus was free - so thank you for that advise. Still unsure what I want to do - want to see outside vatician, not actually go in . Want to to the trivi fountain - may book the angels/demons trip as I quite fancy that as well :eek:

[Missus Makkem]

if you go to the port boards you get lots of advice on all sorts of help at ports as you do from talking to fellow passengers.

[temple1]

The "Rip Off" topics always get to me. I just returned home from NY where we attended the US Open. You want rip off - $6.50 for a cola in a "souvenier" cup. The souvenier cups used to be similar to the refillable drink cups on RCCL. Now they are just large plastic cups with tennis pictures and US Open logos.

 

$9.00 for a beer in one of said souvenier cups. Cheeseburger? $9.00; hotdog - $5.00, salad - $11. Baseball hat? $30! :eek:

 

The list goes on and gets higher every year.

 

It is a special event with lots of people - 30,000 or more per day who want to take home a memory and also get lunch. Is it a rip off? Depends on what you are willing to pay.

[jstducky]

That's the beauty of Cruise Critic. If you go to the "Europe" Ports of Call board, you can get all sorts of information for Europe, and Med cruises. You can find out about private tour operators which are way more affordable than ship tours. You can also find out about DIY options in different ports. Often times people have pictures with step by step instructions on how to walk to a train station, how to use the automated machines to buy tickets, etc. And if there's information on there that you need but can't find, just ask and most times someone will have an answer for you.

 

When I went on my last Med cruise 3 years ago, that's how I found out about the free port shuttle that takes you from the ship to the port entrance. You just hop on the shuttle, and then from there it's a straight shot walk to the train station.

 

All of this information is available on Cruise Critic if you search!

 

You can't blame RCI, they are a business and they are trying to make money. This is how they do so. They play upon people who don't research and don't know in advance. Luckily for you, you didn't buy into it!

[hubofhockey]

I recently got back from an RC cruise in Civitavecchia. I couldn't believe the many ways RC tries to take your money. One being your transportation options from Civitavecchia. We wanted to get from the port to the train station. Here were my options:

1.RC charges $23 per person (3 people x $23 = $69)

2.Take a cab ($15 in total). Most cabs were already reserved so this didn't work out.

3.Take FREE shuttle bus to port entrance (3 minutes) and then walk for 10 minutes.

We took the 3rd option but you are only made aware of option 2 and 3 as you walk out the ship. Option 1 is the only option RC talks about in the ship.

This is only one example. Do your research.

 

You would be very aware of option 3 if you visited the ports of call boards on Cruise Critic. It is hard for me to believe that people take expensive Med cruises and take zero time to research port options. :rolleyes:

[pcur]

It depends on what port you are in, because we've had several ports where the local transportation provided free shuttles to the city center. I've experienced this in Europe and Australia.

 

Before we go somewhere new, I always check the local transportation. RCCL usually charges for their transfers, even though the port will usually get you to the port entrance gate.

 

So, I check for the location of the nearest Hop on/hop off bus stop or public bus stop. That way I make my own options. :D

 

I also check for any ship's tours that are "on your own", because they give you comfortable transportation if it's a long distance. We've done this in Florence and Paris, for instance.

 

I've been cruising with RCCL for 39 years next month, and I think we've used a taxi maybe a half dozen times.

[m*u*g*]

Your last sentence says it all. But don't call them rip-offs, they're options. Many folks are pleased to be offered options.

 

It could be considered poor customer service to not give you all your options. They probably don't since they probably can't verify current local rates and options and don't want to be accountable.

 

They could just say there are other ground options once you disembark.

 

Or do like I do and research this before you leave home. Even after all my research, I found price differences, but close enough to know what I was dealing with and enough to know I was still saving money.

[littlesteelo]

It's why you should always research ports before you go. Simple as that. It takes all of 15 minutes to find out how to get to the train station.

[bigque]

That would be like Walmart saying we charge this price for this item, but here are some other options that might come in lower and be a better option than what we have...Option 1 go to Target...Option 2 go to K-Mart we rather for you to go there and spend your money than to take our option! NOT! I don't think so!

[grand isle joe]

Last I checked RCL is a BUSINESS. They provide service for a PRICE. If you find the same service offered CHEAPER than feel free to partake. But as posted before DO YOUR RESEARCH to get the most for your money. One person's rip-off is another person's convienence.;)

[Onessa]

I do feel for cruise "newbies" -- particularly those who have not found cruise critics! If you don't do your research and don't know the ropes, you can incur a lot of expenses that you could easily otherwise avoid.

 

I agree with OP, that the RCCI transfers are pricey. We just got back from a Baltic cruise. In Copenhagen, the RCCI transfer for 1 person, 1 way was $37.00 to airport or central train station. Our family of three took a cab from our hotel (which was 2 blocks from the train station) to the port on emarkation day for the equivelant of abour $27.00 US total. On debarkation day, we took a cab from port to our hotel (outside the city) for $40.00 total.

 

Similarly in Tallin, a couple of people we knew purchased shuttle tickets at $7.00 each (two-way) not knowing that the old town area was just a few blocks away. The ship's announcement indicated that it would be a 45-minute walk into port. Our ship was docked next to the NCL Sun and you did need to clear both ships to get a view of the port, so I held a place for us in line for shuttle tickets while DD and DH "investigated". They were able to figure out where we had docked on a map we had brought with and the distance to walk to the edge of the old town area was not much longer than my walk to my parking place at work! Not 45-minutes.

 

So it can be easy to make expenditures that you could otherwise avoid -- I would not "flame" the OP for his/her choice of words. "Rip off" or simply "buyer beware" It does seem that the ship's staff is not as forthright with some of the options as they may have been in the past -- about five years ago in Athens, the port shopping director, actually led a group to the subway station and gave very detailed instructions as to how to purchase a ticket and use the trains. I don't know if it is a corporate influenced direction or if it is just a change-over in the staff. But from a "customer satisfaction" perspective, RCCI might get some more satisfied (and thus more likely to return) customers by simply providing some information. Long-term ROI vs short-term ROI.

[waterbug123]

It is hard for me to believe that people take expensive Med cruises and take zero time to research port options. :rolleyes:

 

Ditto.

 

And furthermore to the OP, if RC advertised that you could take a cab for $15, can you imagine the backlash when... OMG.... someone tried to take a cab and the price had gone up to $18? Or heaven forbid, there weren't enough cabs and someone had to wait? "RC lied to me!" would be the likely thread topic. Likewise, if they told you there was a free shuttle followed by a short walk, and someone who walks slowly took 20 minutes to cover the 10 minute walk it would be the same thing.... "RC lied to me. I'm never booking them again. It took 20 min and my mother almost had a heart attack from the exertion. We gladly would have paid $XX if we'd known." :rolleyes:

[Batman80]

RCCL is a business... they are a third party when it comes to the transportation and excursions. There are going to be fees and markups for what they do on your behalf. There are many transportation and excursion options out there for a whole lot cheaper. But, if you don't book with RCCL, you aren't guaranteed anything. If you miss an excursion because of weather or because you have to skip a port for some reason, RCCL will refund your money. The transportation they offer is considered to them to be safe and reliable. If you chose to use the free shuttle or get a random taxi, who knows what could happen... not saying that anything bad will happen to anyone but it could. The ship is not going to wait for your random taxi that is late but it will wait for an excursion that is running late. Accruing thousands in traveling expenses to fly to the next port to catch the ship because you missed the free shuttle or 15.00 taxi is a gamble that you have to make but don't blame it on RCCL or the other cruise lines. Bottom line is do you research before you get on board.

[cruzeluver]

I do feel for cruise "newbies" -- particularly those who have not found cruise critics! If you don't do your research and don't know the ropes, you can incur a lot of expenses that you could easily otherwise avoid.

 

"Newbie" or not, I don't feel much sympathy for anyone that plunks down thousands of dollars for a vacation and does not research/plan thoroughly.

[James MTL]

When purchasing anything the potential buyer should do their due diligence in researching all prices and/or options. Yes this comment may upset some, or many, but everybody should do their homework with anything in life - including this. That being said, there are many that are already spending hoards of $ for these trips and spending a little extra on something guaranteed and provided for by the same company you are already doing business with (RCI) is preferred as a safety over finding a "local" and hoping for the best (no flames about locals as most are good - just giving all the options).

[maryyl]

We have sailed on RCL, Costa, MSC, NCL, and Princess, and they ALL are not sincere about alternative transportation out of the ports. Many times, there is a local shuttle at a fraction of the cruise lines' price, or it's an easily walkable distance to town. It really pays to research the ports before a cruise.

[hubofhockey]

We have sailed on RCL, Costa, MSC, NCL, and Princess, and they ALL are not sincere about alternative transportation out of the ports. Many times, there is a local shuttle at a fraction of the cruise lines' price, or it's an easily walkable distance to town. It really pays to research the ports before a cruise.

 

For Princess' big Med cruise (Grand Med), they have a ports of call lecturer, who goes by the name of "Hutch". Hutch does live talks that are replayed all day on the TVs in the rooms. He provides detail how to do ports on your own with maps on how to walk to train stations and other transportation options. We had someone similar, but not as good, on Princess for our British Isles cruise this summer. I am pretty sure this is consistent for much of Princess' European itineraries. Princess also charges much more European itineraries. That's the trade off.

 

I don't think you need this site to provide instruction on how to do ports in the Med on your own. Google would pretty much get you there. Of course, many Google hits would lead you to Cruise Critic in any case. :D

[blondcat]

With respect (and I do mean that) what you see as a rip off I might see as a premium for the most convenient option. There are benefits to booking the transfers with royal but you pay for that privilege.

 

Maybe I'm wrong but wouldnt have thought there are many companies that are going to advertise the services of their competitors ~ in this case the bus company.

 

I really hope aside from your disappointment on the costs that you had a lovely holiday

 

 

Sent from my BlackBerry 9300 using Tapatalk

[How'sBartCruisin'?]

Last I checked RCL is a BUSINESS. They provide service for a PRICE. If you find the same service offered CHEAPER than feel free to partake. But as posted before DO YOUR RESEARCH to get the most for your money. One person's rip-off is another person's convienence.;)

 

details...details...:D

[TEXASMUNK]

"I cannot think for myself, I need others to think for me and then protect me from my own lack of knowledge...."

 

...and even then, I will insult the folks from whom I bought the cruise.