Broken Credit Card Online Acceptance and nor apparent intent to fix!

[ChattTN]

So an almost $10 Billion (Billion with a B) annual revenue company appears to refuse to fix their online Credit Card processing that has been broken for weeks. Is it crazy to anyone but me that they simply ignore and refuse to address problems taking peoples money through their web site??? Shareholders should be irate. Imagine if Verizon or other multi billion dollar company simply let their online site not accept "random" credit cards...

 

Truly amazing at how incompetent their IT and Business team responsible for online commerce really must be.

[ccletzgo]

So an almost $10 Billion (Billion with a B) annual revenue company appears to refuse to fix their online Credit Card processing that has been broken for weeks. Is it crazy to anyone but me that they simply ignore and refuse to address problems taking peoples money through their web site??? Shareholders should be irate. Imagine if Verizon or other multi billion dollar company simply let their online site not accept "random" credit cards...

 

Truly amazing at how incompetent their IT and Business team responsible for online commerce really must be.

 

I purchased from gifts and gear yesterday and card ran fine. :confused: Maybe its a different system then actual cruise payments though

[dacsmom]

I bought my RCI excursions and specialty dining through the website over the past two weeks and have had no problem paying with my credit card.

[Retired LEO]

Never once have I had an issue

[Wilson]

I used it last week to purchase excursions. No issues.

[kalliekae]

I haven't had any problems. Booked excursions and the water package with my credit card. The op needs to be more specific.

[ChattTN]

The OP (me) has tried multiple times to make various purchases through Cruise Planner over the past two weeks. There are multiple posts on this topic across the forum where people are having problems with RCLs online web site system authorizing card transactions. Myself and others have had to call RCI to buy drink packages, internet, etc and have had verbal confirmation from RCI agents that there is a know problem with online (web) processing for "random" cards. Strangely enough, the same card works when you call an agent but with not work online. Additionally, the problem is not with the card issuers as I called my issuer the first time my card didn't "work" on RCI site only to be told by my issuer that their system didn't "see" the transaction and their system didn't "decline" any transactions... The problem is with with RCIs online merchant services processing and most likely certain BINS that are attempting to be processed through that system or something more internal related to how their system looks at certain bookings.

 

Back to initial post and the fact is that it is amazing that they continue to let this happen after at least two weeks...

Edited August 13, 2015 by ChattTN

[fredflint]

paid for my cruise on the 9th

 

I would say try a different browser or clear cache/cookies

[setsail]

Wow you had to call, imagine that.

[ChattTN]

Wow you had to call, imagine that.

 

WOW what an insightful post... Imagine that...

[ChattTN]

paid for my cruise on the 9th

 

I would say try a different browser or clear cache/cookies

 

 

Thank you for the objective recommendation... I cleared and with both IE and Chrome before I called RCI to pay over the phone. It was when I called them that they told me they were having problems with "random" transactions and that they were aware.

[cruisenfever]

Thank you for the objective recommendation... I cleared and with both IE and Chrome before I called RCI to pay over the phone. It was when I called them that they told me they were having problems with "random" transactions and that they were aware.

So having "random" problems means that not everyone is affected.

[orville99]

try a different card.

[ChattTN]

So having "random" problems means that not everyone is affected.

 

Yes, perhaps I could have worded better in my initial post. Only random people are affected. Also from my experience the problem only seems to happen in cruise planner as I had no problem making final payment online for this booking.

[ChattTN]

try a different card.

 

That doesn't solve the issue. Multiple cards from different issuers will not work (and no it isn't a balance issuer).... Back to original post, per conversations when calling, RCI is aware of issue but just hasn't fixed...

[sr4mjc]

Perhaps they don't have a fix because they don't know the cause yet. With so many variables, it's not that easy to snap the fingers and roll out a fix to something that doesn't affect everyone. And you have to make sure said fix doesn't break something else. As questionable as RC's IT dept is at times, surely they have an SDLC process they follow, of sorts. Two weeks isn't very long for research through implementation. Yes, I work in IT.

 

The website worked fine for me the last two weeks for booking excursions. But I hope they find the cause and fix it soon for others.

Edited August 13, 2015 by sr4mjc

[polymedia]

For what it's worth, I've had the same problem. Won't take any of my credit cards in the Cruise Planner. First time I've had the problem in a dozen cruises.

[WpgCruise]

It isn't only Royal Caribbean.

 

Yesterday my wife's debit card was declined at the grocery stores reader, but no problem at the gas station.

 

Sometimes these things happen. The retailer works with the card issuers to fix the problem, and life is good again.

 

If every time technology threw us a curve, we had a meltdown, I'm afraid we'd just be a puddle on the floor.

 

At least the O.P. was able to have the payment taken by actually calling an agent who processed the transaction. My wife had to actually use another card to have the transaction processed. Oy Vey !

 

(And I haven't checked but I think Safeway is transacting more $$$ per annum than Royal Caribbean, so company size isn't really a factor when considering I.T. that works)

Edited August 13, 2015 by WpgCruise

[ndabunka]

That doesn't solve the issue. Multiple cards from different issuers will not work (and no it isn't a balance issuer).... Back to original post, per conversations when calling, RCI is aware of issue but just hasn't fixed...

 

Jump to conclusions much? Oops, I guess we already answered that with a HUGE yes!

 

It's been pointed out by numerous others that many/most are NOT having a problem. The company representative's stated that "some" cards are having issues. This is really NOT that uncommon. Some people think that a credit card works the EXACT SAME way a debit card does... not true. Some systems may well have problems with esoteric debit cards. That does NOT make it a HUGE issue for the merchant. Rather, it may well be an issue with THAT particular card. In about 99.9% of these "the sky is falling" claims like yours, it turns out to be something related to either the customer themselves (like browser issues) or the oddball credit/debit card.

 

Disclaimer - I am not a representative of this site nor of any site and I do not play one on TV.

[reney313]

For what it's worth, I've had the same problem. Won't take any of my credit cards in the Cruise Planner. First time I've had the problem in a dozen cruises.

 

This tells me it isn't likely an issue with "random" cards as the phone representative may have communicated to the OP. I'm more inclined to say it is a supported browser version or other issue within the specific reservation.

 

To another poster's point, if it is on RCI's website side (likely unrelated to random credit cards), it can take longer than 2 weeks for a fix once the fix is identified. Once a cause is found, requirements are written for a fix. Then they go through approvals. Then testing, and that can be difficult to recreate the scenario in test depending on what the cause is (e.g., reservation made prior to XX date, paid in full date XX, and trying to purchase specific item in cruise planner, etc.). Only after testing is complete, and they have regression tested to make sure it doesn't break other payment systems will it then be released in production. And sometimes they have to release on a pre determined schedule or risk other system changes in flight.

 

I understand being frustrated, I like to do everything online myself too, but it does not appear the problem is as large as it may be communicated. It's hard to know. Fortunately there is a solution or workaround for the customer to go through their travel agent or to call into RCI.

[ChattTN]

Jump to conclusions much? Oops, I guess we already answered that with a HUGE yes!

 

In about 99.9% of these "the sky is falling" claims like yours, it turns out to be something related to either the customer themselves (like browser issues) or the oddball credit/debit card.

 

Disclaimer - I am not a representative of this site nor of any site and I do not play one on TV.

 

I would guess that about 99.9% of posters like you that don't take time to understand the issue and click "quote" just to click it will make just as useless comment as your was. The problem is a legitimate issue and is affecting more people than you realize. I am unsure if you even had a charge that you tried to process over the past few days or if you were just offering commentary for no other reason than to post. If the latter, please refrain from further comment, if the former please accept my apology and let us know the date and amount of your *recent* cruise planner purchase. .

[TempusFugit]

Another victim here. The cruise planner would not accept payment for drink packages this evening. Not the end of the world but extremely frustrating as you think you're entering something incorrectly. A phone call yielded the message that the wait will be longer than 15 min. No thanks, maybe tomorrow.

[DerekB]

To tell you how "random" it is, I was able to purchase a drink package for myself. I then tried to purchase one for my mother going on the very same cruise in a separate reservation and it did not work. I tried multiple cards. I tried multiple computers. I tried multiple browsers. I eventually called and paid for it by phone. They told me it is happening quite often.

[Nancynurse]

I am having problems too... Have a back to back scheduled, was able to do everything one the first, Nothing on the second. When I called them to see if there was an issue with their system, they said to try again in 4 hours. I asked if he could take payment over the phone...he said no... Will try again tomorrow.

 

Nancy

[Merion_Mom]

That doesn't solve the issue. Multiple cards from different issuers will not work (and no it isn't a balance issuer).... Back to original post, per conversations when calling, RCI is aware of issue but just hasn't fixed...

 

Could be your cookies settings, then.