Bad accents and bad attitude

[Gilpet]

I can't post the name of it but maybe if you visited a British Cruise enthusiast site you would find several members who use a US agent all the time with no problem... :)

 

Thanks, I've heard about that as well which is what started me looking after I heard about this offer. I have found a couple of TA's in the US who I could book through but both charge $100 for cancellations, which is fine because we'd still get our deposit back unlike in the UK BUT if you book a promotion that you're not eligible for then they will amend the cost to the full price so there really wouldn't be any point in trying to get this offer, we'd just be $100 out of pocket.

 

It isn't allowed because when they have allowed this in the past, people from the UK and EU have sued to get their protections back and the lawyers have suggested the courts would side with these people as the mailing address on file would be one in the UK or EU and therefore Royal should have known.

 

It would be nice if we were all treated the same, but we aren't. You are treated far better than most if anything goes wrong (even if its not the cruiseline's fault) and that directly plays into promotions because it directly plays into the bottom line.

 

Thanks for the explanation :). What do you mean by "if anything goes wrong (even if its not the cruiseline's fault)"? We read threads on here all the time about missed ports or problems on the ship and the passengers receive compensation from RCI in one form or another. I'd love somebody to tell me what this special protection is! I've looked all of this up and it seems to me that the financial risks would be covered by my travel insurance and/or my credit card company.

 

Gill

[little britain]

It is very strange, it is like a very fake US accent; just think of Dick Van Dyke speaking cockney in Mary Poppins and you will get the idea. They also come on with fake English names and you just know they will have a Spanish name. But then hi y'll my name's Pedro doesn't have the same ring as peter.

I think I must have spoken with the same person in Guatemala yesterday - a very strange twang!! And yes, they did have a very 'English' sounding name too.

I must admit the phone was answered quickly (after pressing a million options). However they said they could do nothing in awarding me the increased Diamond discount which new bookings get.

FYI you do get price drops (when they work ) after final payment in the UK, so please ignore the USA posters where the rules are different and clearly defined. I got one myself last week for a cruise in 3 weeks time.

 

 

Good luck.

Edited May 7, 2014 by little britain

[Elizanessie]

I had a similar experience with Crown & Anchor yesterday :mad: except I had no trouble with the accent, in fact the people I spoke to both seemed to have American accents but they were no more helpful.

 

My question was around the BOGO 50% offer currently available in the US. I had contacted a TA in the US and asked if we were eligible for the offer if we booked through them - the answer was no, it's only open to US & Canadian residents.

 

Gill

 

I am a UK resident who uses a US TA and was able to get price drop due to the BOGOHO promo..no problem.

[cjdixon4]

What is most surprising to me is that 1. the OP thinks that US customers should be able to better understand a Guatemalan accent than a UK customer would (and why is it a "bad" accent, exactly?) and 2. other posters have chimed in and referenced the US and Guatemala together.

 

Now, I know my fellow Americans are infamously bad at geography but unless I have been wholly misled Guatemala is not part of the US.

 

As for how they speak, and the words they use I encourage people calling them to keep in mind that it may just be a cultural difference. Saying "What is it" in response to the OP prompting if the agent wanted his booking number may not be rude to the agent within his culture.

 

They are still new and I am sure they struggle to understand you, too. Be kind to them and try not to take out your frustrations with Royal's decision on these folks. They are just doing their job.

 

Well stated.

[emdia43]

Thanks, I've heard about that as well which is what started me looking after I heard about this offer. I have found a couple of TA's in the US who I could book through but both charge $100 for cancellations, which is fine because we'd still get our deposit back unlike in the UK BUT if you book a promotion that you're not eligible for then they will amend the cost to the full price so there really wouldn't be any point in trying to get this offer, we'd just be $100 out of pocket.

 

 

 

Thanks for the explanation :). What do you mean by "if anything goes wrong (even if its not the cruiseline's fault)"? We read threads on here all the time about missed ports or problems on the ship and the passengers receive compensation from RCI in one form or another. I'd love somebody to tell me what this special protection is! I've looked all of this up and it seems to me that the financial risks would be covered by my travel insurance and/or my credit card company.

 

Gill

 

I wouldn't use anyone who asks for a $100 cancellation fee.. one click of the mouse isn't worth that! :eek:

[Tagsalong]

Once we have reach the final payment date, I stop looking at our cruise pricing. It doesn't matter if it goes down you can't get the lower price. But look on the bright side. You will be sailing in about 7 weeks. You have the cruise paid for at the price you were comfortable with at the time you booked.

 

Sit back and relax. Start planning your vacation.

 

Yes, but, you can upgrade yourself, even after final payment. If you book an inside and then an oceanview or balcony goes on sale you can call and get it as long as the price is just $1.00 or more than you paid for the inside, assuming it is not a "first time booking only" sale.

 

Recently we went from an inside to a balcony for just $15 more, total, just two weeks prior to embarkation. And we were sitting back and relaxing while we made the change!

[Gilpet]

I am a UK resident who uses a US TA and was able to get price drop due to the BOGOHO promo..no problem.

 

I wouldn't use anyone who asks for a $100 cancellation fee.. one click of the mouse isn't worth that! :eek:

 

It looks like I need to do some more searching for US TA's!!! I looked at 3 who all made the same charge so I thought that must be the norm but obviously not.

 

Thanks

 

Gill

[cruisnseas]

Thanks for the explanation :). What do you mean by "if anything goes wrong (even if its not the cruiseline's fault)"? We read threads on here all the time about missed ports or problems on the ship and the passengers receive compensation from RCI in one form or another. I'd love somebody to tell me what this special protection is! I've looked all of this up and it seems to me that the financial risks would be covered by my travel insurance and/or my credit card company.

 

Gill

 

The primary protections you get are under ATOL. US consumers have nothing even remotely close to this. A good example was during the Iceland volcanic eruptions - UK customers were far more protected (with or without insurance) than US customers were - even with insurance.

[Gilpet]

The primary protections you get are under ATOL. US consumers have nothing even remotely close to this. A good example was during the Iceland volcanic eruptions - UK customers were far more protected (with or without insurance) than US customers were - even with insurance.

 

Thanks, I take your point with that. I suppose what makes a difference to me is that I don't fly and only cruise from the UK so any flight problems wouldn't apply to my situation - sorry I didn't mention that before.

 

Gill

[Two 2 Tango]

Hi I am the OP and Just got a call from a very nice chap at Crown and Anchor who received my email, I must admit I understood every word he said, and he left me with a big smile on my face. I won't give away too much detail but I was very happy with his reply, I may even get an RCI tattoo.:D

Edited May 8, 2014 by Two 2 Tango
Doh missed a letter

[cariad1000]

I had a similar experience with Crown & Anchor yesterday :mad: except I had no trouble with the accent, in fact the people I spoke to both seemed to have American accents but they were no more helpful.

 

My question was around the BOGO 50% offer currently available in the US. I had contacted a TA in the US and asked if we were eligible for the offer if we booked through them - the answer was no, it's only open to US & Canadian residents. The reason we are always given for not having the great deals available in the US is that UK cruisers have "extra protection" when they book in the UK - obviously this begs the question if I am willing to miss out on the "extra protection" and book with an American TA why can't I do this and take advantage of the offers? I phoned Crown & Anchor to ask that question and was told that they can't access the Terms & Conditions for US bookings!!! I was then told that some TA's in the UK use the American booking system and I could book it through them.............but they couldn't tell me which TA's they were, they suggested that I google "travel agents in the UK using RCLL American booking system" - yes, they really did suggest that! I then spoke to a supervisor who gave exactly the same responses and who proudly told me that the Google suggestion had been his :confused: All in all it wasn't a great experience. This leaves me with another question - do I really want to pay RCI for a cruise when I know that the same cruise is available in the US & Canada for £800 less?

 

Sorry for the rant! I don't begrudge anybody a great deal - but surely we should all be treated the same?

 

Gill

 

Gilpet, I booked through an America TA yesterday and had her call RCI to make sure I would be able to get the discount. It was no problem, the only thing she couldn't guarantee was that I could add my platinum balcony discount at a later date as it doesn't come into being until my next cruise this August. I saved almost £600 on a Dubai cruise for March 2016 in a GS.

 

We're not allowed to give out TA information on here, but if you want to email me, I will give you the details as another kind CC member did for me. Thanks "welshrich". My email address is irvine.ann@gmail.com

[Deeliteful]

Hi I am the OP and Just got a call from a very nice chap at Crown and Anchor who received my email, I must admit I understood every word he said, and he left me with a big smile on my face. I won't give away too much detail but I was very happy with his reply, I may even get an RCI tattoo.:D

 

 

But we need the detail! Come on - spill the beans waddya get:D