Bermuda Rerouted - July 2005

[ccaxle]

We just returned from Bermuda today. We left on the Horiazon on July 23rd.

The seas were bumby, but no worse then other cruises I have been on. We arrived in Bermuda on the 7/25 and had the port of call changed from St.George to Hamilton. We spent all four days in Hamilton, Bermuda. The Zenith was already there. The Majesty of the Sea's came in on Wed. There was a ship which arrived in the dockyard on Wed. So I'm surpised to hear what happened on to the Royal Caribbean in altering the itinerary of Voyager of the Seas.

 

The weather was windy, warm and it showered a few times all week with it

clearing by Wednesday.

 

Sorry for the folks on the Voyager of the Seas and shame on Royal Caribbean!

[PhoenixCruiser]

Sorry for the folks on the Voyager of the Seas and shame on Royal Caribbean!

 

For what??? Keeping their passengers safe? I truly don't understand!

 

###

[PartyHearty]

No matter what RCCL did there would have been passengers who would have griped. There are people in this world who love to gripe no matter what.

 

If you gave them 10 million dollars they would say why not 20 mil!!!!!!!!!!

 

Dissapointment is one thing, taking out your anger/frustrations/dissapointment on the crew is just totally wrong.

 

The crew had nothing to do with the decision.

 

And remember the crew has probably been through this a few times and was already dreading those next 5 days.

[wastin' away]

Again.. comparing other lines to the RCI cruise is comparing apples to oranges... The other lines were 7 day cruises, leaving more opportunity to divert/change directions/reroute if needed and still make a port. It makes no difference if Carnival, NCL, HAL, X, or any other line made it to port or not - they are not the same as the VOS, in ship size or cruise length.

[crb04]

...Sorry for the folks on the Voyager of the Seas and shame on Royal Caribbean!

 

I don't think anyone that was actually ON that sailing and has posted on CC has argued that the captain did the wrong thing--although sounds like many onboard WERE demanding to continue to Bermuda, and behaving outrageously in general--totally unacceptable! I would be grateful that the line and captain put my safety above mob rule.

 

I think the main issue (at least it is my biggest concern as a new RC customer) is how Royal Caribbean addressed the diversion, and the disappointment that they had to know would be present. As a customer of any business, I want to know that my patronage is appreciated, and not treated or viewed as a transient dollar sign. If I present a complaint in reasonable, calm manner (or if business can reasonably anticipate such a complaint), "tough noogies, that's the contract" is not a response indicating a mutual respect relationship, and will not lead to my repeat business. A simple, inexpensive 'goodwill' token or gesture at thebeginning of an awkward situation often does much to assuage frustration/disappointment. Granted, there are always going to be people not happy with anything. What I would like to hear from someone on this sailing is that there was an effort made by PR staff ( and not necessarily monetary) to address pax concerns, not unilateral dismissal simply because they weren't LEGALLY OWED anything.

 

When a waiter forgets my salad, I don't mention it...when he brings the wrong entree, I politely ask for the correct one, and pay my check without comment or complaint--but, I may or may not return to that establishment. If when bringing the correct entree, the waiter (or even better, management) comes over and says, "sorry about that, we are busy tonight" (or even better, "and here's a cocktail for the inconvenience."), I WILL return and have an excellent opinion of business and staff.

 

A bottom line contract statement is not good customer service, and the general acceptance of mediocrity and low expectations present on these boards doesn't make it any more palatable.

[donna915]

previous poster is exactly right. Here are two examples, one small and one large.

 

I took a pair of pants to a dry cleaner I hadn't been to before. When I went to pick them up, they couldn't find them! They asked me to come back in a couple of hours. I had errands to run and it was no big deal. I went back 2 hrs later and they had found them. I expected NOTHING out of this but they wouldn't let me pay them at all for the cleaning!! I was amazed. I have told countless people about this so look what that $5.25 freebie did for them. Much more than it did for me, I'm certain.

 

The second example is a friend of mine who went to Disney World with her husband and two young children. The day before they were supposed to fly home, her husband collapsed in line at a ride with what later turned out to be a heart problem requiring a pacemaker. He was hospitalized for several days down there. THey had only reserved a room till the next day as they were due to fly home. Disney let them stay, FREE, in their room, gave them (wife and kids because the man was in the hosp) free meals and took the kids to the gift shop and told them they could pick out something...whatever they wanted. The little girl got an expensive snow white costume. She was thrilled. Now Disney had no legal responsibility to do that. But they did. I don't expect RC to refund my whole cruise and I understand their difficult position. But they did not handle it in a customer oriented or business savvy manner and I think it's going to hurt them tremendously. How many people have those 3000 people now told, and the news media has told countless more. As I stated before, RC made MORE money on this cruise due to the fact that they were able to keep the casino and shops open an extra night. Why can't they take their casino profit from the night and divvy it up to the passengers? They weren't expecting the casino to even be open that night. Something, beyond $45 should have been done and that came at the end of the cruise when people were very ticked off after being ignored for so long.

[harrodsfan]

I totally agree with the above post. Its really not just the issue of the problem...its the attitude of RCCL that bothers me...Of course the weather is out of their control and safety is first...but a gesture of something to help ease the disappointment.

I was on the Royal Viking sun when it hit a reef that cut a hole in the side of the boat. We had to be towed to sharm el Sheck and evacuate the boat. Not a fun prospect although no one was hurt. No electricity on the boat. First they announced that everyone on the ship got a two week cruise including airfare....and For lunch the ship had a barbeque and you could literally have anything you wanted to eat...lobster, shrimp, deserts, ice cream...it was amazing...and as fun as it could be under the circumstances. also free beer and wine. Granted they would have lost the food anyway..but the ship really went all out to do what they could to make the best of things. And quite frankly most passengers were in decent moods despite haveing spent the night by our lifeboat stations.

I was so amazed at the attitude of the crew...(And they had all lost their jobs...) I wrote a very positive letter to the President of Cunard.

And...he sent me a dozen red roses. Would I travel with them again..you betcha....4 more times on that ship..(It is now the Prisdam.)They really turned a frown into a smile.

[SRQfireman]

I don' know if anybody has brought this up....but at approx 140,000 GRT, that must be tricky docking at those ports when it's not windy...let alone when a potential hurriciane is heading that their way.I've also read it's semi-narrow getting in/out of the harbor also. Every other ship is half that size.....

[Virginia Zees]

Another thing that a lot of people have overloooked is the route that Voyager would have had to take to get to Bermuda.

 

Franklin was directly inline with the New Jersey to Bermuda route, IMHO, it was a very wise decision by RCI to divert to the North.

 

I have been on quite a few trips in the Virginia Capes and Cape Hatteras area and it is not a very pleasent area to be in when there is any kind of tropical/winter storm.

 

After all is said and done it is Hurricane season. :)

[Coralc]

Why was Majesty of the Seas in Bermuda? Did I miss something?

[crb04]

The captain did the right thing, and he is the one ultimately responsible for keeping pax safe. I am not a ship's captain, or meteorologist, and don't have all the knowledge/info to question that decision, so is truly the "non-issue" of this sailing. I am, however, both a consumer and provider of goods and services, and customer service/public relations is part of virtually every profession. Did RCCL do the 'right thing' ('too bad, so sad, we have a contract' is legal agreement, but is NOT acceptable customer service) after rerouting decision was made?...is the far more important question to me.

[Virginia Zees]

Majesty sails out of Miami.

 

Franklin was not a threat for the route that Majesty took from Miami.

[Coralc]

According to the OP Majesty was in Bermuda on Wednesday. I thought she sailed to the Bahamas. That is why I am confused. Is the OP sure that it was Majesty? We didn't hear anything about it being rerouted.

[prc]

NCL's Norwegian Majesty

[Host Kewlguy]

I don' know if anybody has brought this up....but at approx 140,000 GRT, that must be tricky docking at those ports when it's not windy...let alone when a potential hurriciane is heading that their way.I've also read it's semi-narrow getting in/out of the harbor also. Every other ship is half that size.....

 

Nope. Voyager docks at the Dockyards. No issues there as far as narrow channels or any other ships in port. Dockyards are out in the middle of nowhere.

[Coralc]

Ohhhh. OK, thanks. Not our Majesty of the Seas then.

[kenandlaura06]

Again.. comparing other lines to the RCI cruise is comparing apples to oranges... The other lines were 7 day cruises' date=' leaving more opportunity to divert/change directions/reroute if needed and still make a port. It makes no difference if Carnival, NCL, HAL, X, or any other line made it to port or not - they are not the same as the VOS, in ship size or cruise length.[/quote']

 

Different circumstances require different decisions.

[jwlane]

The other lines were 7 day cruises' date=' leaving more opportunity to divert/change directions/reroute if needed and still make a port. [/quote']

Plus, two of them left on Saturday, a day earlier than Voyager. And, some of them had their ports altered in Bermuda due to the weather conditions. Some refuse to research and consider all the pertinent facts.