Just Booked and UPSET! Advice?

[willing292]

I'm sure you made a the best choice in cancelling. I hope you are able to recover your $$$. Traveling last minute in the summer is never a cost saving, but rather an expensive choice.

 

When I book I always have the rep email me confirmation, while I'm on the phone, and I check the confirmation before hanging up. Please, if you cancel, and if they say you will get a refund, make sure you get a confirming email, prior to hanging up -- and read the confirming email closely.

 

I hope you find a cruise that suits you and your family.

 

 

What a great idea. I've had them put notes on their/my file, but never thought to get email before hanging up. Thanks.

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[marci22]

What a great idea. I've had them put notes on their/my file, but never thought to get email before hanging up. Thanks.

 

It's probably a good idea. 50% of the time when I ask for an invoice, they review my email address, and it doesn't get sent. Then I have to call again.

 

At the very least, ask them to review your booking for price, people, and cabin #. This has saved me a few times from having to call back and talk to a new person.

[dinzitari]

^^^ Yes I great idea, and will do this every time going forward.

 

In reply to the note about my credit being affected, I actually just read the entire T&C and Cancellation policy. My business operates on contract agreements, and since it is a business that books clients frequently a year ahead of time, on a limited basis, we do have a clause in the contract about liability to pay on cancellations within a certain time frame that would prevent us from re-booking the date.

 

RCI has no such clause, as a matter of fact, the cancellation policies specifically states: * Or deposit amount, whichever is greater.

 

So, they can only keep legally what they have from me. (ASSUMING that they were delivering what was promised, in this case, they are not) Even if they somehow decided to submit to collections, I would take this to court. I know this would not be cost effective in the grand scheme, but if you can't tell already, I am certainly a man of principle, and follow a code that demands that I do the right things, and expect the same from others.

 

I have prior experiences in finance before a career change, and am very knowledgeable in basic consumer credit processes and laws.

Edited July 11, 2014 by dinzitari

[trixiegal]

I had a problem with RCCL after sailing on them for a few years and even getting married on one of their ships. All I can say, is their customer service didn't resolve the issue and actually compelled me to stop cruising altogether for many years because I was so ticked off at losing so much $ on a terrible cabin. Yep, that god-awful sewage smell everyone nonchalantly discusses like that's normal. Sorry, not taking air-freshened with me after I paid a cruise line $3000. Crazy.

 

I tried Carnival on a very last-minute cruise last summer and got an amazing deal. Same this year so summer deals can be found. Booked a month out and got a Lido balcony for less than I paid for the OV last year. More than 50% off what I paid for a tiny balcony cabin on Explorer...

 

I'm not saying I'll never go on RCCL again bc those Oasis class ships look out-of-this-world. I just remember being so frustrated with RCCL and their lack of resolution to my issue. Good luck to the OP! I would've transferred my $, too. They are a corporation above all no matter how much the loyalists love their cruises and you also have to protect your interests.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Cindy]

I hope everything works out for you. I love the RCI on-board product, but for a long time I've thought their website is a train wreck (Celebrity's too).:( In this day and age, you'd think RCCL would easily be able to find people to correct the problems and remove inaccurate information/photographs, but it doesn't seem to be happening.:rolleyes:

[squadron]

It seems everyone is misunderstanding my "big picture" viewpoint. I called not for an interior, but to see if there were ANY rooms available, because every time I plugged in three guests, it either said "sold out" or can not be booked online.

 

I settled for the interior though I would LOVE a balcony, because I wanted to sail RCI for the new experience (all NCL ships feel the same) and RCI has a nursery....HUGE!

 

But, at this price, I would have went NCL...... I still almost did. The value just isn't there, and if I would have known this was the room we were getting, I would not have booked.

 

It is a good idea to look at deck plans and choose a cabin -however at the last minute you have less choice. You seem upset about cost -so why did you book if NCL was better value for you? Every cruise I have booked has gone up a lot by sailing time. For better rates book early. Lots of people sail with two children in an interior so for five days - it shouldn't be a problem. Bring your Pak n, Play. It is only for five days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of people sail with 2 children in an interior so for a short 5 day cruise 1 baby shouldn't be a problem. Pak n' Play will solve your problem.

[izodlacoste]

Get a lawyer to fax a letter. Based on the nursery issue alone, they may decide to refund you.

 

As for your debit card, I'm not sure but I think if it has a "visa or master card" logo on it, you may still be able to do a chargeback if you don't go. With that amount of money, I'd get a friend who is a lawyer to help you.

[dinzitari]

It is a good idea to look at deck plans and choose a cabin -however at the last minute you have less choice. You seem upset about cost -so why did you book if NCL was better value for you? Every cruise I have booked has gone up a lot by sailing time. For better rates book early. Lots of people sail with two children in an interior so for five days - it shouldn't be a problem. Bring your Pak n, Play. It is only for five days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of people sail with 2 children in an interior so for a short 5 day cruise 1 baby shouldn't be a problem. Pak n' Play will solve your problem.

 

It was the only RCL cruise that worked for my dates, leaving from where I wanted to, going to where I wanted to. NCL had better value, but we wanted a Nursery. I do not want to go to bed at 8:30 every night when my daughter does, and no way would i leave her in a room with a stranger for 19$ an hour.

[bouhunter]

Out of that $2900, approx. $182pp is taxes and port fees. Not sure if he prepaid gratuities. So $2354 cruise fare. Still a lot for an inside for 5 nights, but Bermuda always runs high, July is peak season, and he booked last minute, after most cabins had seen their discounted days. An impulse purchase, for sure.

 

Yeah I know there are taxes and fees involved.....:rolleyes: I was referring to the total cruise cost.........

[bouhunter]

Get a lawyer to fax a letter. Based on the nursery issue alone, they may decide to refund you.

 

As for your debit card, I'm not sure but I think if it has a "visa or master card" logo on it, you may still be able to do a chargeback if you don't go. With that amount of money, I'd get a friend who is a lawyer to help you.

 

One of our best friends is a lawyer and I wouldn't think about getting to that stage yet. But hey it's the American Way - get a lawyer!!!!!

[dinzitari]

One of our best friends is a lawyer and I wouldn't think about getting to that stage yet. But hey it's the American Way - get a lawyer!!!!!

 

Ya, I wouldn't get a lawyer involved just yet. Still having faith that RCI will acknowledge the mistake and do the right thing.

[bouhunter]

Ya, I wouldn't get a lawyer involved just yet. Still having faith that RCI will acknowledge the mistake and do the right thing.

 

Good luck and I hope they either give you a refund or make it right otherwise.

 

We've sailed RCCL 9 times and all have been great, but it's discouraging to see some of the stories here of poor customer service.

[loubetti]

Hi dinzitari,

 

Oy, gevalt! What do I say to you?!

 

When I was your age I was already sailing Celebrity and Cunard, but we're different people, and Celebrity is not as fancy as you may think, and Cunard has one helluva a rocking disco on the ships! Both lines accommodate old "fuddy duddies" and those of us who like to dance / party / whatever.

 

As a former New Jerseyan and business owner, I too have splurged over the years, but what were you thinking with this last minute cruise? I mean no disrespect or offense, but I hope the masters degree kicks in soon!

 

You're at $600 / day for a 5 night cruise in an inside cabin.:eek:

 

Okay, my ranting is over.

 

Now, here is my opinion / options.

 

1. Apparently you did not put this on a credit card, for if you did, you could not take the cruise and dispute the charge. Otherwise, do not bounce the payment. Never, never, ever, put these types of trips on debit cards.

 

2. Do not expect RCI to make this right, and I'd be shocked if they review the tape of the phone conversation with the agent. Trust me, cruise lines are not the type of business people that you are. They could not care less if you ever sail with them or their other lines again.

 

3. I would move as far up the management food chain as you can at RCI to get this resolved and get ALL your money back.

 

4. If that fails (and likely it will) take the darn cruise, make the best of it, and learn from experience!

 

You know, it almost makes me want to record phone conversations of this nature at MY end! Something to think about! :D

[dinzitari]

Hi dinzitari,

 

As a former New Jerseyan and business owner, I too have splurged over the years, but what were you thinking with this last minute cruise? I mean no disrespect or offense, but I hope the masters degree kicks in soon!

 

D

 

Now that's a kick in the n**s all right! :eek: BTW, my master's is in Film/Directing, so it won't help with the math! Hey, at least I didn't blow it Atlantic City.... Though RCI is definitely going to be missing out on that extra income for sure. If they saw my latitudes records at the casino, they might have not been so mean!

 

EDIT: Actually, I paid for my last cruise with the gambling winnings on the boat. I awoke from a drunken haze at a blackjack table with the dealer informing me they were closing. I look down at my pile of chips and say "huh"? The dealer replies "congratulations!".---- maybe RCI would ban me on that note haha

Edited July 11, 2014 by dinzitari

[loubetti]

Now that's a kick in the n**s all right! :eek: BTW, my master's is in Film/Directing, so it won't help with the math! Hey, at least I didn't blow it Atlantic City.... Though RCI is definitely going to be missing out on that extra income for sure. If they saw my latitudes records at the casino, they might have not been so mean!

 

EDIT: Actually, I paid for my last cruise with the gambling winnings on the boat. I awoke from a drunken haze at a blackjack table with the dealer informing me they were closing. I look down at my pile of chips and say "huh"? The dealer replies "congratulations!".---- maybe RCI would ban me on that note haha

 

Ah! Film / Directing! Now that makes sense. :D

 

Indeed, we are different people, as I do not gamble, at least in a casino .

 

Anyway, let us know how this works out, but just be prepared to suck it up and take the cruise, unless you have money to throw away.

 

Also, if you take the cruise, you might just score a better cabin once on board, if one is available. Not likely, but worth a shot, especially if you have a little baby in arms in front of the HOTEL DIRECTOR!

 

If you have a real issue on a ship, forget the clowns at the purser's desk (oops, "Guest Relations") and ask to speak directly with the hotel director / manager. He is actually a version of the captain, but for the hotel side of operations. You will see that he / she has four gold stripes with white stripes in between on their shoulder boards, and they do walk around a lot!

 

Good luck, and let us know how it works out.

 

Also, some ice will work for the damage I did to you! :D:cool:

[marci22]

Yeah I know there are taxes and fees involved.....:rolleyes: I was referring to the total cruise cost.........

 

Many people do not realize how high taxes and fees are for Bermuda. I've been on 7 night cruises where the fees are $90. Just trying to explain part of the reason for the high cost.

[mheinrich]

Just a quick note on the "bouncing" the payment part. I was a travel agent for about 10 years. It happened a lot more than people would think. I had a lot of clients that would book their cruise and pay their deposit. Then the time would come for final payment, and their card would come up declined. Most of the time, they came up with a different method of payment. But once in a while, I'd have a client that just couldn't come up with the money. After getting extensions for them, eventually the cruise line would cancel their reservation and keep the deposit. Never did any cruise line (and I've dealt with them all) seek any further action to attempt to collect the additional payments or ban any of my clients from future cruises.

[marci22]

In view of what happened, I'd be surprised if RC did not try to work with OP in some way.

[cle-guy]

Does anyone not understand that the cruise line is free to reassign cabin numbers as it wishes, so long as one gets a cabin in the same category of cabin booked or higher? Happens sometimes, but not often. You can show up at the pier and they can say, oh we had to relocate you here's your new cabin. It's allowed in the cruise contract.

 

• Maybe they had a last minute call for a handicap cabin, so reassigned you.
  
• Maybe the handicap cabin needs repairs so it's uninhabitable, so they reassigned you,
  
• Maybe they simply made an error, but making that error is within their rights to do so under the contract so long as you get placed in the same cabin category or greater.
  
• Maybe they had a family with small children in multiple cabins they needed to place in adjacent cabins, so they moved you.
  

 

Stuff happens.....your new cabin is rated for 3 occupants, and you are 3 people. Instead of pulling the pullman down, have them place a pack and play or crib in the space.

Edited July 11, 2014 by cle-guy

[marci22]

Does anyone not understand that the cruise line is free to reassign cabin numbers as it wishes, so long as one gets a cabin i the same category of cabin booked or higher? Happens sometimes, but not often. You can show up at the pier and they can say, oh we had to relocate you here;s your new canon. It allowed in the cruise contract.

 

• Maybe they had a last minute call for a handicap cabin, so reassigned you.
  
• Maybe the handicap cabin needs repairs so it's uninhabitable, so they reassigned you,
  
• Maybe they simply made an error, but making that error is within their rights to do so under the contract so long as you get placed in the same cabin category or greater.
  
• Maybe they had a family with small children in multiple cabins they needed to place in adjacent cabins, so they moved you.
  

 

Stuff happens.....your new cabin is rated for 3 occupants, and you are 3 people. Instead of pulling the pullman down, have them place a pack and play or crib in the space.

 

True, but it would be good customer service to give him something to make up for his trouble. Or let him switch his dates. Or refund him, as the mistake was discovered pretty quickly.

[dinzitari]

In view of what happened, I'd be surprised if RC did not try to work with OP in some way.

 

Another note, there is one other cruise that would "fit" my schedule, but certainly not what I planned fro my vaca. (Leaves from Baltimore).

 

What I just learned while goo ogling away on hold waiting for customer service to pick up (25 minutes and counting), is that the ship is the one that had the MEGA norovirus issues. I hope anyone would understand that in no way would I take my infant daughter on that ship.

 

I know that the risks for norovirus are present anywhere, and we are more likely to get it elsewhere than a cruise. But, i'd deserve for child services to take my child away if I willingly took her at such a young age on a ship voluntarily that had recent major outbreaks.

[awhcruiser]

:eek: Hope you don't want to sail with RCL ever again.

Well, just realized that even though I made the payment online with RCI, it didn't hit my account yet. I just transferred all but 100$ to my other account at same bank! In theory, if RCI doesn't do the honorable thing here, i'd be out of only $336. (300 deposit at booking at 36$ insufficient funds fee).

 

I will be irate at losing anything, but at least this way I am not out of 3,000$ for a cruise I won't enjoy.

 

The way I look at it, if I did get stuck on that cruise by any chance, i'd either be going to sleep at 8:30 every night with my Daughter, and/or racking up 400$ in baby sitting charges.

[awhcruiser]

Ship happens! How about some flexibility? If your schedule is so rigid why not leave your daughter with a responsible adult at home?

It was the only RCL cruise that worked for my dates, leaving from where I wanted to, going to where I wanted to. NCL had better value, but we wanted a Nursery. I do not want to go to bed at 8:30 every night when my daughter does, and no way would i leave her in a room with a stranger for 19$ an hour.

Edited July 11, 2014 by awhcruiser

[cle-guy]

His final payment being bounced due to NSF isn't the same thing as filling a chargeback. Credit cards get declined often, they then call for a new form of payment, or cancel the sailing.

 

It's also possible the bank would allow the charge to go through if there is any overdraft protection, or the bank trusts the account holder, and will cover overages, and just bill the OP daily or at whatever interval the banks does, an NSF fee to cover the paid items.

 

That he will have NSF just means they will cancel and keep whatever they have, no blacklist possibility. Possibly they may continue to recharge the card multiple times up until sailing, and in the event money finds its way into that account, they will suck it into their account then....

 

If he disputed after the cruise, then they would blacklist, likely only that particular credit card number, not the passenger name.

Edited July 11, 2014 by cle-guy

[bouhunter]

Another note, there is one other cruise that would "fit" my schedule, but certainly not what I planned fro my vaca. (Leaves from Baltimore).

 

What I just learned while goo ogling away on hold waiting for customer service to pick up (25 minutes and counting), is that the ship is the one that had the MEGA norovirus issues. I hope anyone would understand that in no way would I take my infant daughter on that ship.

 

I know that the risks for norovirus are present anywhere, and we are more likely to get it elsewhere than a cruise. But, i'd deserve for child services to take my child away if I willingly took her at such a young age on a ship voluntarily that had recent major outbreaks.

 

So are you saying that customer service should have told you that due to your childs age you might not want to take this cruise because of Noro? At what age should they do that and discourage bookings? I entirely sympathize with your situation if all you've posted is accurate, but now it sounds like you're pushing the envelope.

 

If Noro is a concern, maybe you shouldn't cruise with an infant on any line at any time......:rolleyes: