Did I miss it? (Empress)

[sabu24]

You should not have to leave a note for towels. Our cabin was not cleaned until after 2 or 3 everyday. We had cookie crumbs on our shelf that stayed there the entire cruise. I NEVER complain about a cruise. I am just happy to be there, but our steward was the worse on any cruise. We tipped him exactly what was expected and we usually tip well above.

 

Also an interesting note that we were told our cabin was warm because the engine controlled the air conditioning. True or not I don't know but our cabin could not get cold.

 

Again...I WAS GLAD TO BE THERE...TAKE ME BACK.....

 

To our friends from Quest... Men should not wear bras in public

[mmsalmon1987]

Good for all you you who were on this sailing and booked cruises for next year! Glad to see you roll with the punches and not let minor, even major inconveniences distract you from trying again!

 

Weather happens, accidents happen. Good luck on your future journey.

[RocketJ]

You know people, if you really cruise for the ports, then you should absolutely vacation in the port you want to go to. Cruises, expecially during hurricane season, often don't get to the ports that are on the itinerary. Heck, you're only in a port for a few hours anyway, hardly enough time to study history, lol.

 

[snip]

 

Grow up people, stuff happens.

 

And you are qualified to make that decision for every other person that takes a cruise, why? You've got to be kidding if you're saying that you should get on a cruise ship absolutely NOT expecting to get to the ports you're hoping to get to. What would be the point? Our itinerary change had nothing to do with weather and I'd guess that probably 90-95% of all cruises make it to their ports so please explain to me where you're coming from. Or do you just like to tell other people how they should live their lives and take their vacations?

 

Joanne

[justaknucklehead]

Ami I qualified to tell you how to live your life? Absolutely not. Am I a more experienced cruiser than you? Absolutely. Do I consider ports when I plan my cruises, not really. While I don't care to see the same places over and over again, the cruising part is and should be the focus a cruise vacation. Let's face it, cruising it not for everyone (maybe not for you). Yes, it is a cheaper way to see many places, but to cry and whine when you miss some of them, truthfully, it gets old.

 

You still got to eat, sleep and use the ship's amenities for seven nights. If you went to an island for a week and it rained, would you expect your money back? If you went to an island and the ruins were closed for repair would you want your money back?

 

Think about it.

[chrisnsteph1022]

If you went to an island for a week and it rained, would you expect your money back?

 

Absolutely not. And if we had to change itineraries due to weather, I wouldn't expect anything, either. It goes back to the fact that they cannot control the weather, but they CAN control the maintenance of the ship. At this point, I'm just glad to be home and glad I didn't have to pay anything for the drinks, etc., that I got on board. I think it should have been handled better, but no one is perfect and I don't expect them to be either. I have heard suggestions that we should be fully refunded for the cruise or given a free cruise. I don't agree with that, because we did get 5 nights of room and board (very, very good food and service), but I do think we should get the difference in the port charges, since RCI did not have to pay these. Anyone know how to find out what the port charges are? I know the cruise to those ports is significantly less than cruises to the ports we were supposed to go to, but I don't know how much the port charges are. Not that it really matters. We won't see anything more from it anyway. I'll just get over it and start planning my next one (hopefully Alaska)!

[justaknucklehead]

The port charges are way less than the $150.00 per person you already received.

[chrisnsteph1022]

If that's the case (and I'm not doubting you-I have no idea), then why is the cruise to Mexico so much more than the cruise to Nassau, Key West, and Cococay?

[justaknucklehead]

Because it travels further.

[chrisnsteph1022]

Which again, is a cost RCI did not incur. We didn't travel very far at all, so they didn't use the fuel and other costs of further travel. I'm not trying to argue, so please don't take it that way. I'm sure you've been on many more cruises than me, I'm just trying to explain why some of us feel the compensation was inadequate. But again, it was nice enough to keep me as a customer, so it's just water under the bridge.

[justaknucklehead]

I know you don't feel as if you traveled as far, but your cruise was still the same length of time, was it not? The ship was still running (engine wise) and fuel wise. In fact, they probably used more because you were on the ship for a longer period of time. Unless they laid anchor and just sat in a harbor somewhere (did they). I'm not trying to argue with you either, but just trying to make you understand why some people love cruising and others don't. That's all. I have friends who keep saying they would like to cruise, but I don't think they're suiting for it (they love the beach and the land too much).

 

If you're the type of person who doesn't enjoy the travel, and can't wait to reach your destination, cruising is probably not for you. If getting to the destination is the most fun thing for you, than cruising is probably something you would love.

[chrisnsteph1022]

We stayed in Key West (docked, engines off) for several hours more than planned. We sat in Nassau longer than we would have stayed in Cozumel, and we were in Cococay about the same amount of time we would have been in Costa Maya. Plus, we traveled slower, so the engines were not running as hard, therefore less fuel. Not a big deal, though. Just annoying.

 

I definitely love cruising. This was our 9th cruise in under 3 years. We go every few months. I enjoy the cruising aspect the most, but seeing the same port (by choice, because the quick cruises go to the same places) 8 times in less than 3 years is tiring. So we were really looking forward to one that went to a different port for once. We don't get a lot of time off, so those 3-night weekend cruises are what we normally do, and they always go to Nassau. We saved vacation time to be able to take a longer one, primarily for a different port, while we were enjoying the cruise. ANY different port. Just not Nassau. They could have taken us anywhere else and I would have been happy. Besides the port issue, the rattling during 2 dinners and breakfast was very annoying. Fortunately, the escargot and creme brulee helped me forget...;)

[justaknucklehead]

We tend to enjoy the longer cruises, we may only take one a year, but it is usually 13 nights or more. I guess that's why missing a port or two is no big deal to me. Fewer kids on the longer cruises too, so that might make the sea days less hectic. By the way, the escargot and the creme brulee are also favorites of mine.

[wrp96]

We stayed in Key West (docked, engines off) for several hours more than planned. We sat in Nassau longer than we would have stayed in Cozumel, and we were in Cococay about the same amount of time we would have been in Costa Maya. Plus, we traveled slower, so the engines were not running as hard, therefore less fuel. Not a big deal, though. Just annoying.

 

I definitely love cruising. This was our 9th cruise in under 3 years. We go every few months. I enjoy the cruising aspect the most, but seeing the same port (by choice, because the quick cruises go to the same places) 8 times in less than 3 years is tiring. So we were really looking forward to one that went to a different port for once. We don't get a lot of time off, so those 3-night weekend cruises are what we normally do, and they always go to Nassau. We saved vacation time to be able to take a longer one, primarily for a different port, while we were enjoying the cruise. ANY different port. Just not Nassau. They could have taken us anywhere else and I would have been happy. Besides the port issue, the rattling during 2 dinners and breakfast was very annoying. Fortunately, the escargot and creme brulee helped me forget...;)

 

Okay, I"m not saying you weren't rightfully disappointed. But what other foreign port, other than Nassau, could they have taken you to, especially with the engines running slow? They didn't have much choice.

[RocketJ]

I'm utterly amazed and appalled at the lack of empathy and sensitivity of the "veteran" cruisers on this thread, esp justaknucklehead. You've bascially been telling us we're all a bunch of whiny babies and to shut the h#*& up because we don't know what we're talking about.

 

1. This is the first REAL vacation (more than just a long weekend) my husband and I have been able to afford for ten years (since our honeymoon). It may be years before I have the time off and the money to be able to have another one of this length and expense so why don't you all walk a mile in my shoes before you tell me what kind of reaction I should be having and how I should be feeling?

 

2. If all "veteran" cruisers are the jerks that you are than you can have your cruises and welcome to them.

 

Joanne

[RocketJ]

Ami I qualified to tell you how to live your life? Absolutely not. Am I a more experienced cruiser than you? Absolutely. Do I consider ports when I plan my cruises, not really. While I don't care to see the same places over and over again, the cruising part is and should be the focus a cruise vacation. Let's face it, cruising it not for everyone (maybe not for you). Yes, it is a cheaper way to see many places, but to cry and whine when you miss some of them, truthfully, it gets old.

 

[snip]

 

 

You know the unmitigated arrogrance of the above statement is just outrageous. As I stated before, people cruise for a lot of different reasons and just because your reason is for the heck of getting on a cruise ship no matter where it goes doesn't mean that my reason should be the same regardless of your "royal veteran cruiser" edict.

 

Joanne

[justaknucklehead]

You are absolutely right rocket, so whine and cry and get as many signatures on your petition as you can, and maybe you'll be able to get a free cruise so that you can do it again.

[cruisin' mom]

Actually, the petition is someone else :)

 

I'm sure I'll get attacked for saying this one, but I understand how Joanne feels. This was also the first vacation my husband and I had since our honeymoon, 5 years ago. I'm sure it will be another 5 years before we can take another one, too. What's funny is that all the people that I talked to on the ship that WEREN'T upset were the lucky ones that get to take a cruise 4 or 5 times a year. Someone at dinner told me that he didn't care because he and his wife were taking another RCI cruise in November and would get to see Cozumel and Costa Maya then. I'm not trying to start something, but I think knowing that you'll have another opportunity to see those ports in less than 6 weeks might really help "soften" the blow. When your cruises are few and far between, I don't know why anyone isn't allowed to be bummed that they didn't get to the ports they had hoped for. :(

[justaknucklehead]

Hey, you guys, I didn't get to take my first cruise until my daughter graduated from college, yes college, that's right. You will find no sympathy from me that it's your first "real" vacation since you honeymoon five years ago. My first cruise was in 1998 and it was a dog. The cabin was the size of an outhouse and we have 30 foot seas on our way home. Everybody was sick. Did I cry? No. Did I come to these boards and whine? No. It was a cruise, that is to be expected.

 

If I had wanted a land vacation I would have taken one. The ship is the vacation, not like a jet, which is how you get to the vacation. You get no sympathy from me at all and that is not being condescending or stuck up or anything else you want to call me. It's just a fact.

[RocketJ]

You are absolutely right rocket, so whine and cry and get as many signatures on your petition as you can, and maybe you'll be able to get a free cruise so that you can do it again.

 

Dude, it's not my petition so why don't you get your facts straight before you start telling everyone what to do. All I said was I was disappointed and would be writing to RCI to let them know.

 

Someone else on the thread is starting a petition. It doesn't really matter to you though does it because according to you, I shouldn't even be able to do that since you're the boss of everyone.

 

Joanne

[justaknucklehead]

Chill out, would ya? You are way too uptight for someone that just got home from vacation.

[RocketJ]

Actually' date=' the petition is someone else :)

 

I'm sure I'll get attacked for saying this one, but I understand how Joanne feels. This was also the first vacation my husband and I had since our honeymoon, 5 years ago. I'm sure it will be another 5 years before we can take another one, too. What's funny is that all the people that I talked to on the ship that WEREN'T upset were the lucky ones that get to take a cruise 4 or 5 times a year. Someone at dinner told me that he didn't care because he and his wife were taking another RCI cruise in November and would get to see Cozumel and Costa Maya then. I'm not trying to start something, but I think knowing that you'll have another opportunity to see those ports in less than 6 weeks might really help "soften" the blow. When your cruises are few and far between, I don't know why anyone isn't allowed to be bummed that they didn't get to the ports they had hoped for. :([/quote']

 

Thanks for the back up cruisin' mom but we should probably just give it up. Justaknucklehead knows more than us about everything, has a bigger sob story than us about his first cruise, knows the precise behavior for every situation. It's his world and we just live in it.

 

Joanne

[cruisin' mom]

Amen, sister!! :cool:

 

Oh, and P.S.- Justaknucklehead, I didn't ask from sympathy from you, but I guess you just want to have the last word (and some people are like that). Hey, if you cruise 20 times a year, good for you... but I never asked you to feel sorry for me.

[mmsalmon1987]

exactly how OLD is everyone here???????????:rolleyes:

[justaknucklehead]

I don't cruise 20 times a year, only once a year. Talk about the last word, seems like you are the one that needs it.

[sandbag7]

Hey, Knuckles, did you see they deep sixed our thread? I think your D?MIL came back from the grave. I chercked and I've lost 25 postings in the last two weeks, but I think you've lost a lot more.