Issue with the Diamond Plus Phone Discount... RESOLVED!

[BPyser1]

Hello fellow Cruise Critters,

 

My family and I were sailing on the Rhapsody of the Seas for the 16 night Transatlantic crossing from Barcelona, Spain to Santos, Brazil on November 19, 2015. While onboard, we had to use the phone a couple of times. In the past, our Diamond Plus discount was that the phone charge would be $2.00 a minute. When we went to Guest Relations, they told us no, it was never $2.00 per minute, but a $2.00 discount off the normal price, per minute. We argued with them saying it was $2.00 per minute on other ships and we even showed them the Diamond Plus paper with our discounts. The paper showed that it was $2.00 per minute. They then went to the financial team who told us that it was a misprint and it was a $2.00 discount.

 

Shocked, we then went to the Loyalty Ambassador who called Corporate for us. Corporate told her that it was $2.00 per minute and not a $2.00 discount off the normal price. She told us that she would tell the financial team to correct it and we were finally happy, or were we?

 

A couple of days later, we had to use the phone again, and when we went to Guest Relations to confirm that it was $2.00 per minute, they still told us no, it was a $2.00 discount. We were angry... We went back to the Loyalty Ambassador and she told us that Corporate was wrong and the financial team was right, it was going to be a $2.00 discount rate. We realized that we were going to have to take care of this ourselves. We spoke to Noreen in the executive office and she told us that different RCL ships were doing different things. Some were doing the $2.00 per minute charge, others were doing the $2.00 discount charge, up to the discretion of the individual ship's financial team, which definitely wasn't right. She said that she would investigate this for us and write us back when she found a solution. Well, today, we finally got the situation resolved and here is what she wrote back to us in an email.

 

"I have been advised the stateroom phone call benefit for Diamond Plus members of our Crown & Anchor Society is $2.00 per minute with no limit. I have asked our Crown & Anchor Society to please send out a reminder to the ships so that we do not have this difficulty again. Thank you for bringing this to our attention so that we could correct it."

 

She also gave us $100 onboard credit to use on a future cruise so we're happy despite the problems we ran into :D

 

Have any of you other Diamond Plus / Pinnacle cruisers had problems with the phone discount? We complained not only for our sake but for all the other Diamond Plus people (and Pinnacles as well). There should be consistency on the loyalty perks and it shouldn't be different from ship to ship!

Edited January 25, 2016 by BPyser1

[A&L_Ont]

Thank-you. It was a lot of work for you to get it corrected, but I appreciate that the perk has been established to be equal no matter the ship.

[cincicruisers]

Sorry you had such a difficult time, but it's good to hear the problem was resolved.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Hello fellow Cruise Critters,

 

My family and I were sailing on the Rhapsody of the Seas for the 16 night Transatlantic crossing from Barcelona, Spain to Santos, Brazil on November 19, 2015. While onboard, we had to use the phone a couple of times. In the past, our Diamond Plus discount was that the phone charge would be $2.00 a minute. When we went to Guest Relations, they told us no, it was never $2.00 per minute, but a $2.00 discount off the normal price, per minute. We argued with them saying it was $2.00 per minute on other ships and we even showed them the Diamond Plus paper with our discounts. The paper showed that it was $2.00 per minute. They then went to the financial team who told us that it was a misprint and it was a $2.00 discount.

 

Shocked, we then went to the Loyalty Ambassador who called Corporate for us. Corporate told her that it was $2.00 per minute and not a $2.00 discount off the normal price. She told us that she would tell the financial team to correct it and we were finally happy, or were we?

 

A couple of days later, we had to use the phone again, and when we went to Guest Relations to confirm that it was $2.00 per minute, they still told us no, it was a $2.00 discount. We were angry... We went back to the Loyalty Ambassador and she told us that Corporate was wrong and the financial team was right, it was going to be a $2.00 discount rate. We realized that we were going to have to take care of this ourselves. We spoke to Noreen in the executive office and she told us that different RCL ships were doing different things. Some were doing the $2.00 per minute charge, others were doing the $2.00 discount charge, up to the discretion of the individual ship's financial team, which definitely wasn't right. She said that she would investigate this for us and write us back when she found a solution. Well, today, we finally got the situation resolved and here is what she wrote back to us in an email.

 

"I have been advised the stateroom phone call benefit for Diamond Plus members of our Crown & Anchor Society is $2.00 per minute with no limit. I have asked our Crown & Anchor Society to please send out a reminder to the ships so that we do not have this difficulty again. Thank you for bringing this to our attention so that we could correct it."

 

She also gave us $100 onboard credit to use on a future cruise so we're happy despite the problems we ran into :D

 

Have any of you other Diamond Plus / Pinnacle cruisers had problems with the phone discount? We complained not only for our sake but for all the other Diamond Plus people (and Pinnacles as well). There should be consistency on the loyalty perks and it shouldn't be different from ship to ship!

 

Glad to hear you got it resolved and let's hope that the message from C&A truly does get to all the ships. We'll be on Rhapsody next month. Hope to not have to use the phone but I'll check to see that if we do it will be at the $2.00/min rate.

 

I highlighted the original response you got from Noreen in Executive Customer Service. Unfortunately the part about ship's doing things differently is becoming more and more common when it comes to C&A events, Loyalty and Milestone recognition and onboard benefits. Consistency doesn't appear to be one of RCI's strong suits.

Edited January 25, 2016 by suzyluvs2cruise

[Ramjet1997]

Telephone has always been $2 per minute, NOT a discount of $2..................maybe this is the start of taking away another C & A benefit.............would not put it past them.

[SonicShip]

Did this discount replace CAS offer 2701?

 

(2701) Stateroom Phone discount of $2.00 per minute.

[Clarea]

Did this discount replace CAS offer 2701?

 

(2701) Stateroom Phone discount of $2.00 per minute.

No, it's the same discount, however it's always been worded in a confusing way, such that it can be interpreted as a $2 discount as opposed to a $2 per minute rate.

[BPyser1]

Did this discount replace CAS offer 2701?

 

(2701) Stateroom Phone discount of $2.00 per minute.

 

According to Noreen, who is with the Executive Guest Relations team, it is supposed to be $2.00 per minute. On Rhapsody, I showed them the paper with the 2701 discount and they told me it was a misprint and they "interpreted" it to say that it was literally a $2.00 discount off the normal $7.95 price per minute.

 

Thank-you. It was a lot of work for you to get it corrected, but I appreciate that the perk has been established to be equal no matter the ship.

Sorry you had such a difficult time, but it's good to hear the problem was resolved.

Glad to hear you got it resolved and let's hope that the message from C&A truly does get to all the ships. We'll be on Rhapsody next month. Hope to not have to use the phone but I'll check to see that if we do it will be at the $2.00/min rate.

 

Thanks all for the comments! It's glad to finally get an official response to this. Hopefully they can reword the discount so it stops getting misinterpreted.

Edited January 25, 2016 by BPyser1

[SonicShip]

No, it's the same discount, however it's always been worded in a confusing way, such that it can be interpreted as a $2 discount as opposed to a $2 per minute rate.

 

Thanks Bob, this one is clear:

 

 

1. (2701) Stateroom Phone discount of $2.00 per minute. (Guests will receive a discounted rate on stateroom phone call charges for the entire sailing. Phone calls must be made from stateroom [savings of 75%])
   

[Clarea]

Thanks Bob, this one is clear:

 

 

1. (2701) Stateroom Phone discount of $2.00 per minute. (Guests will receive a discounted rate on stateroom phone call charges for the entire sailing. Phone calls must be made from stateroom [savings of 75%])
   

This is so typical of Royal verbiage. The first sentence implies a $2 discount, the third sentence implies a 75% discount. They really need to employ some competent proof readers.

[BPyser1]

Thanks Bob, this one is clear:

 

 

1. (2701) Stateroom Phone discount of $2.00 per minute. (Guests will receive a discounted rate on stateroom phone call charges for the entire sailing. Phone calls must be made from stateroom [savings of 75%])
   

 

Yes, they told me the "misprint" was that the 75% should have said 25%, and whoever wrote up the discount made that mistake.

[SonicShip]

Yes, they told me the "misprint" was that the 75% should have said 25%, and whoever wrote up the discount made that mistake.

 

I think the 75% discount is correct.

 

$8.00 per min X 75% = $6.00

$8.00 - $6.00 = $2.00

 

If it was 25% then

$8.00 per min X 25% = $2.00

$8.00 - $2.00 = $6.00 not $2.00

 

I hope the math is right.

[BPyser1]

I think the 75% discount is correct.

 

$8.00 per min X 75% = $6.00

$8.00 - $6.00 = $2.00

 

If it was 25% then

$8.00 per min X 25% = $2.00

$8.00 - $2.00 = $6.00 not $2.00

 

I hope the math is right.

 

Oh, you're absolutely right.

I meant them, the financial team on Rhapsody, who decided that a 75% discount should really only be a 25% discount.

Edited January 25, 2016 by BPyser1

[39august]

Simple. Get rid of the word"discount" and say "charge of $2 per minute". No way to "interpret" that.

[novicetraveller]

Well done on getting it sorted. :D

[Clarea]

Simple. Get rid of the word"discount" and say "charge of $2 per minute". No way to "interpret" that.

That kind of reckless wording would not pass through Royal's all powerful Department of Obfuscation.

[novicetraveller]

That kind of reckless wording would not pass through Royal's all powerful Department of Obfuscation.

 

Department of what now? :eek:

[39august]

I'm afraid you are so right, Bob!