Private Party on Allure w drink package

[Ms Understood]

:mad:Here is a situation I have not seen addressed here: I was onboard the Allure July 14-21 with 30 family members and 15 friends . We wanted to have a get together for my birthday. All the different options were looked at and ultimately I booked appetizers from 5p to 6p in the Viking Lounge with a little roped off area for us. I told my TA that I did not want to buy any alcohol package because most of us would have the pre paid premium drink package and I thought I could just run a tab for anyone who did not. All was confirmed, everyone was invited.

 

Each night before dinner we all gathered in the Viking Lounge and there was almost never anyone else there. Nevertheless I got a note in my stateroom that my party had been moved to the Pinnacle Lounge. This is right next door to the Viking Lounge and is a really pretty room BTW. I did not ask to be moved, I would not have even known who to ask if I had wanted to move. But that was fine with me and so on the appointed date we all showed up. All the food was laid out beautifully and the 2 waiters were the best. BUT when I said I wanted to run the tab for any of my guests that did not have the premium package I was told that since we were now in a private room the drink package was no good and I would now have to pay for ALL the drinks even tho 28 of us had already paid $350 each to drink on this cruise. Seriously?

 

When I got home I informed my TA and RCCL is now insisting that I ASKED to be moved !!!! WHAT???? There will be no compensation to me for this as "even if the group leader's (me) location was changed as she states it was (? why would I make that up?) she was aware prior to sailing that the cocktail party had to in a shared location during normal operating hours in order for the beverage package to be utilized"

 

No, I wasn't but even if I was, as Alexis Walker Shipboard Events Coordinator says I was, they moved me, they did not ask me if I wanted to be moved and they did not tell me that if I went where they told me to go, they would charge me for all drinks. And now they (or at least Ms Walker does) accuse me of lying about the whole thing. What a crock. Anyway be advised that no matter how much you pay for your drink package if you have the drink in the wrong place you will pay again.

 

Lesson learned here. If they tell you your event has been moved the onus is apparently on you to ask why and what will that cost? Just going along and showing up where you were told to go is expensive.

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

Helen

[Lionesss]

Unbelievable.

I feel for you

You try to coordinate something so nice, and you end up paying out the kazoo, with no communication as too the change.

So sorry.

:(

[Ms Understood]

Thanks, Sue. Guess I just needed a little sympathy

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

Helen

[srvdmy4usn]

I am assuming you used some form of plastic to make cover the unexpected cost (credit / debit). Call your bank and tell them what happened, it can be a disputed charge and the bank will freeze or refund the funds. RCI will then have x number of days to explain why and how the charges are valid.

 

It may or may not work since I don't know all the details, but if you feel strongly about it, that is an option.

 

Another is to email the corporate office at RCI, you can find the email address pretty easily around the boards.

[LovesCruising]

Id have your TA contact their sales rep and see if they can straighten this out for you.

[Ms Understood]

My TA is the one who was told that there would be no refund for the reasons stated above. I dont think I can differentiate the charge on my plastic since this charge went on my Sea Pass wth everything else. Maybe I should have disputed the charge while still on the ship. At least at that point I would still have the letter telling me I had been moved and that person could not have claimed that it was I who asked to be moved

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

Helen

[jamesr3939]

Great info for the rest of us, not so much for you. My brother and I are taking all the kids and grandkids (not old enough yet to drink thank God) so there will be 25 of us. Not sure about booking the alcohol package yet. But if we do I will not let them move us if we decide to do a private party.

[Gig103]

My TA is the one who was told that there would be no refund for the reasons stated above. I dont think I can differentiate the charge on my plastic since this charge went on my Sea Pass wth everything else. Maybe I should have disputed the charge while still on the ship. At least at that point I would still have the letter telling me I had been moved and that person could not have claimed that it was I who asked to be moved

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

Helen

 

You can dispute a partial charge, if you call. Given the way they treated you I would do this. Although it really depends what card you used. Capital One refused to help me with an incorrect restaurant bill overseas because I signed the form, and you did sign for the drinks. But it doesn't cost anything but time to try. You can file a BBB complaint too I have had success with this method.

[Truluv]

Wow - more sympathy here. I'm guessing it would have helped to dispute it right then & there, and elevate it to the hotel manager if necessary when you still had the note. Trying the credit card would be useful too.

 

Posting here is a form of moral victory too, since your experience will make other frequent cruisers on CC more careful of this scam. Yes, I'd call it a scam to increase the liquor numbers for that ship on that sailing. (I feel a little more knowledgeable about the business of cruising and how they manage the sales targets for each week after reading the David Bruns books LOL). They may have managed to get a few liquor sales, but they are probably going to lose out in the long run. Thanks for posting.

[Merion_Mom]

:mad:Here is a situation I have not seen addressed here: I was onboard the Allure July 14-21 with 30 family members and 15 friends . We wanted to have a get together for my birthday. All the different options were looked at and ultimately I booked appetizers from 5p to 6p in the Viking Lounge with a little roped off area for us. I told my TA that I did not want to buy any alcohol package because most of us would have the pre paid premium drink package and I thought I could just run a tab for anyone who did not. All was confirmed, everyone was invited.

 

Each night before dinner we all gathered in the Viking Lounge and there was almost never anyone else there. Nevertheless I got a note in my stateroom that my party had been moved to the Pinnacle Lounge. This is right next door to the Viking Lounge and is a really pretty room BTW. I did not ask to be moved, I would not have even known who to ask if I had wanted to move. But that was fine with me and so on the appointed date we all showed up. All the food was laid out beautifully and the 2 waiters were the best. BUT when I said I wanted to run the tab for any of my guests that did not have the premium package I was told that since we were now in a private room the drink package was no good and I would now have to pay for ALL the drinks even tho 28 of us had already paid $350 each to drink on this cruise. Seriously?

 

When I got home I informed my TA and RCCL is now insisting that I ASKED to be moved !!!! WHAT???? There will be no compensation to me for this as "even if the group leader's (me) location was changed as she states it was (? why would I make that up?) she was aware prior to sailing that the cocktail party had to in a shared location during normal operating hours in order for the beverage package to be utilized"

 

No, I wasn't but even if I was, as Alexis Walker Shipboard Events Coordinator says I was, they moved me, they did not ask me if I wanted to be moved and they did not tell me that if I went where they told me to go, they would charge me for all drinks. And now they (or at least Ms Walker does) accuse me of lying about the whole thing. What a crock. Anyway be advised that no matter how much you pay for your drink package if you have the drink in the wrong place you will pay again.

 

Lesson learned here. If they tell you your event has been moved the onus is apparently on you to ask why and what will that cost? Just going along and showing up where you were told to go is expensive.

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

Helen

 

Write a letter that is calm, brief and to the point. Simply state the facts, without personal comments or accusations. Be sure to include your phone number so that you can be contacted.

 

Send it to:

 

AGoldstein@rccl.com

 

Someone on his staff will read it and will contact you.

 

Good luck.

[A&L_Ont]

Write a letter that is calm, brief and to the point. Simply state the facts, without personal comments or accusations. Be sure to include your phone number so that you can be contacted.

 

Send it to:

 

AGoldstein@rccl.com

 

Someone on his staff will read it and will contact you.

 

Good luck.

 

MM has the right approach. I am not sure if you should also include a copy of the note stating your move as well.

 

Good luck,

Andrew

[ShipRiders]

:mad:Here is a situation I have not seen addressed here: I was onboard the Allure July 14-21 with 30 family members and 15 friends . We wanted to have a get together for my birthday. All the different options were looked at and ultimately I booked appetizers from 5p to 6p in the Viking Lounge with a little roped off area for us. I told my TA that I did not want to buy any alcohol package because most of us would have the pre paid premium drink package and I thought I could just run a tab for anyone who did not. All was confirmed, everyone was invited.

 

Each night before dinner we all gathered in the Viking Lounge and there was almost never anyone else there. Nevertheless I got a note in my stateroom that my party had been moved to the Pinnacle Lounge. This is right next door to the Viking Lounge and is a really pretty room BTW. I did not ask to be moved, I would not have even known who to ask if I had wanted to move. But that was fine with me and so on the appointed date we all showed up. All the food was laid out beautifully and the 2 waiters were the best. BUT when I said I wanted to run the tab for any of my guests that did not have the premium package I was told that since we were now in a private room the drink package was no good and I would now have to pay for ALL the drinks even tho 28 of us had already paid $350 each to drink on this cruise. Seriously?

 

When I got home I informed my TA and RCCL is now insisting that I ASKED to be moved !!!! WHAT???? There will be no compensation to me for this as "even if the group leader's (me) location was changed as she states it was (? why would I make that up?) she was aware prior to sailing that the cocktail party had to in a shared location during normal operating hours in order for the beverage package to be utilized"

 

No, I wasn't but even if I was, as Alexis Walker Shipboard Events Coordinator says I was, they moved me, they did not ask me if I wanted to be moved and they did not tell me that if I went where they told me to go, they would charge me for all drinks. And now they (or at least Ms Walker does) accuse me of lying about the whole thing. What a crock. Anyway be advised that no matter how much you pay for your drink package if you have the drink in the wrong place you will pay again.

 

Lesson learned here. If they tell you your event has been moved the onus is apparently on you to ask why and what will that cost? Just going along and showing up where you were told to go is expensive.

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

Helen

 

I'm just going to point out a couple of things here on why they might have moved you:

 

It sounds as if you made this arrangement for the roped off area with appetizers for 1 night to celebrate your birthday. Is that right?

 

Since it became a nightly routine that they weren't expecting they moved you.

Running the tab for everyone else might have gotten out of hand (why would they care as along as the bill was getting paid )and they wanted it to be held in a more controlled area. Or they had a hard time figuring keeping track of who had the package or not.......just saying.

 

Not an excuse for not being told about the private venue not excepting the prepaid package. That would have ticked me off too.

[setsail]

If booze on a package was a problem, I would have just instructed those with the package to just walk a few feet to the VCL, get their drink, and then walk it back. That simple.

[Mark_K]

If booze on a package was a problem, I would have just instructed those with the package to just walk a few feet to the VCL, get their drink, and then walk it back. That simple.

Same here.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[cruisenfever]

You can dispute a partial charge, if you call. Given the way they treated you I would do this. Although it really depends what card you used. Capital One refused to help me with an incorrect restaurant bill overseas because I signed the form, and you did sign for the drinks. But it doesn't cost anything but time to try. You can file a BBB complaint too I have had success with this method.

If you dispute an RCI charge on a CC, plan to never be able to use that particular credit card again when you cruise on RCI.

[Paul65]

I'm just going to point out a couple of things here on why they might have moved you:

 

It sounds as if you made this arrangement for the roped off area with appetizers for 1 night to celebrate your birthday. Is that right?

 

Since it became a nightly routine that they weren't expecting they moved you.

Running the tab for everyone else might have gotten out of hand (why would they care as along as the bill was getting paid )and they wanted it to be held in a more controlled area. Or they had a hard time figuring keeping track of who had the package or not.......just saying.

 

Not an excuse for not being told about the private venue not excepting the prepaid package. That would have ticked me off too.

 

I think you misinterpreted his post. The way I read it, they met informally each night in the Viking Crown for drinks, but not in a special, roped-off area. The special reserved area was just for the one night.

[Paul65]

What I am curious about is whether you had to sign any documents to arrange your private party that stated the alcohol package would not be honored at the private event. Or, do you have some document that says they would honor it at the private event? Seems like there was some exclusion for private events included in the beverage package fine print, and I'm not sure it really matter whether it was a private event held in a section of the normal VK lounge or a separate room off the main lounge. Either way it's a private event.

 

If that's the case, though, it's unfortunate that this was not made clear to you (either by RCI or your TA), when you initially reserved the event.

 

PS - In my above post, I should have said "her" rather than "his" but it's too late to edit it, now. :o

[MR NW GUY]

If you dispute an RCI charge on a CC, plan to never be able to use that particular credit card again when you cruise on RCI.

Serious? They monitor and track this site?

[Paul65]

Serious? They monitor and track this site?

 

In this case, CC referred to Credit Card, not Cruise Critic. :D

[new2cruising2006]

Since a large group of you met there each night informally, maybe they thought there would not be enough room/staff for the "private party"-not knowing it was your group. You stated that it was never crowded so they were probably not used to having a lot of people in there and they did not want to add another group on top of that thinking the party was for another group when all along it would have been you and your group

[Ms Understood]

I had a confirmation prior to sailing that we had a roped off area in Viking lounge w the specific date time # of people menu etc. It made no mention of drink package one way or the other but my ta had discussed the drink package and in hindsight I think that is why we were in the lounge in the first place. But point is they moved me from an agreed upon venue where our drink package was good to another venue where it was not and did not tell me it would not be honored until my guests had all arrived and were happily digging into the appies. True I could have announced that everyone would have to walk around to an open bar to get their drinks but what kind of private bday party isthat?.and that is not what I had booked and paid for btw.

Thanks for that email. I think I will pursue this further since I do feel ripped off after I spent over 30k to take my family on this trip ( and my sister spent another 10k fr her group). It just isn't right.

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

Helen

[Paul65]

I still think the key, with respect to whether or not the drink packages were applicable, has to do with it being a private party, not the location of the private party. You may have encountered the same trouble, even if they hadn't moved you.

 

I would check with your TA to see if she had any kind of information (in writing) from RCI that actually said you would be able to use the drink packages for your private event as scheduled, in a segregated portion of the lounge. If he/she has something like that, it may help in your discussions with RCI. I fear that your TA may have just wrongly thought that the drink packages would be good because of the venue, and communicated that to you, but was incorrect.

[Ms Understood]

" I still think the key, with respect to whether or not the drink packages were applicable, has to do with it being a private party, not the location of the private party. You may have encountered the same trouble, even if they hadn't moved you."

 

 

Well, no, as even now what I am being told by the person at RCCL is:

 

"she was aware prior to sailing that the cocktail party had to in a shared location during normal operating hours in order for the beverage package to be utilized"

 

That is where we were: a shared location during normal operating hours and then they informed me inboard I had been moved. I would have arranged cocktails or wine and beer or something for this event except since we had, most of us, already purchased the premium drink package I thought that would be redundant. What I am uposet about is not that I had to pay because I would have done that if I had been told that is the only way I could have had this party but I was told I was in a location where the beverage package was included and then THEY MOVED ME. I thought I was accomodating the ship staff (maybe someone with a bigger party was going to be using the Viking Lounge) and since I did not mind I did not object. Obviously if I had been told we are moving you and you will now have to pay for drinks that otherwise would have been included in your drink package I would have refused to move as we were happy enough in the VCL.

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

Helen

[Paul65]

In that case, just keep fighting it. Because, if you have evidence of the location where it was initially booked, they should have to provide some kind of proof that you requested the change (which won't exist, because you didn't). Otherwise, they should honor the agreement and not make you pay for all those drinks.

 

That's what I would ask for - show me evidence that I requested the change.

 

Good luck. If you get to talk to the right person in resolutions, they'll probably make it right for you.

[setsail]

"I was told that since we were now in a private room the drink package was no good and I would now have to pay for ALL the drinks even tho 28 of us had already paid $350 each to drink on this cruise. Seriously?"

 

Post #1

 

Duh, to me this would have been a clear signal to head back to the VCL asap where the DP was /would be in full force.:rolleyes:

 

The stockholders thank you!