Yet another charter on sale before original guests are informed

[Bobal]

Brilliance of the Seas 6 June sailing 2017 disappeared from sale over 7 weeks ago. Various calls and emails have either gone unanswered or excuses been given (to those on the roll call) until today when a member was advised that the 12 day cruise would now be an 8 day cruise.

 

RC are now showing an 8 day Western Med cruise in place of the 12 day Eastern Med cruise and just a little digging around shows the following charter on sale for what would have been the final four days http://www.shipsomnia.com/experience/

 

And all this before any guests have been informed. Don't RC care at all about customer service :mad:

[Beachammo]

No.....they don't care!

 

It's happened to me twice now. I now book backup cruises for each of my cruises. We can then decide which one to go on when they get closer.

[PCWalton1]

Brilliance of the Seas 6 June sailing 2017 disappeared from sale over 7 weeks ago. Various calls and emails have either gone unanswered or excuses been given (to those on the roll call) until today when a member was advised that the 12 day cruise would now be an 8 day cruise.

 

RC are now showing an 8 day Western Med cruise in place of the 12 day Eastern Med cruise and just a little digging around shows the following charter on sale for what would have been the final four days http://www.shipsomnia.com/experience/

 

And all this before any guests have been informed. Don't RC care at all about customer service :mad:

They do it just to give you something to complain about. [emoji33]

 

Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk

[Bobal]

No.....they don't care!

 

It's happened to me twice now. I now book backup cruises for each of my cruises. We can then decide which one to go on when they get closer.

 

Unfortunately that's not an option for us in the UK. If we cancel a cruuse we lose our deposit

[Beachammo]

Unfortunately that's not an option for us in the UK. If we cancel a cruuse we lose our deposit

 

Glad our rules are more lenient....at least for now.

 

We have friends in London that play by those rules.

[mollyeilis]

Unfortunately that's not an option for us in the UK. If we cancel a cruuse we lose our deposit

 

I've read of people in the UK booking through US travel agents to avoid those penalties.

[John Reid]

They do it just to give you something to complain about. [emoji33]

 

Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk

 

Brilliant response!

[MrsKC08]

It seems to me that this is happening more on the smaller ships. What I think they are trying to do is drive people to book the larger/newer ships instead? Dunno.

 

I do agree though that they should be letting their customers know who have already booked this particular cruise. Unless you booked with a TA and the TA hasn't relayed that information to you yet!?

[dln929]

We've had the same thing happened to us 3 times now and in each case I informed my travel agent of the charter! So no, the only way to reliably find out what's going on with Sold Out sailings is to follow Cruise Critic. What a way to run a business!

[molly361]

Apparently the BR 1/15/18 is also chartered. RCL knows it is chartered but does not know what the alternate dates are yet. It went off their site a few weeks ago

[squadron]

It seems to me that this is happening more on the smaller ships. What I think they are trying to do is drive people to book the larger/newer ships instead? Dunno.

 

I do agree though that they should be letting their customers know who have already booked this particular cruise. Unless you booked with a TA and the TA hasn't relayed that information to you yet!?

 

I don't think any cruise line should have to notify every guest who books who has already booked. That would be like expecting airlines to tell who has already booked when you book a flight. I have cruised on the same ship with groups or certain organizations and because of the number of passengers you wouldn't know expect maybe if some wear name badges. Often groups spend sea days at meetings in conference rooms .

[uksimonusa]

I don't think any cruise line should have to notify every guest who books who has already booked. That would be like expecting airlines to tell who has already booked when you book a flight. I have cruised on the same ship with groups or certain organizations and because of the number of passengers you wouldn't know expect maybe if some wear name badges. Often groups spend sea days at meetings in conference rooms .

 

When a ship is chartered, no "normal" passengers are allowed to board, so, yes, the cruise line should really notify you.

[Big_G]

It seems to me that this is happening more on the smaller ships. What I think they are trying to do is drive people to book the larger/newer ships instead? Dunno.

 

That's a pretty good conspiracy theory but if someone wanted to charter the larger ships they probably would. Probably more like it's just cheaper and requires less people to charter a smaller ship.

[Bobal]

I don't think any cruise line should have to notify every guest who books who has already booked. That would be like expecting airlines to tell who has already booked when you book a flight. I have cruised on the same ship with groups or certain organizations and because of the number of passengers you wouldn't know expect maybe if some wear name badges. Often groups spend sea days at meetings in conference rooms .

 

May I suggest that you actually read the thread before posting. This has nothing to do with knowing who is on a flight or a cruise. This is about a 12 day cruise which was booked in good faith and has now been changed to an 8 day cruise with different ports and whereby the latter 4 days have been chartered to an exclusive group. Hardly the same scenario you are describing. :rolleyes:

[heatherb1958]

Brilliance of the Seas 6 June sailing 2017 disappeared from sale over 7 weeks ago. Various calls and emails have either gone unanswered or excuses been given (to those on the roll call) until today when a member was advised that the 12 day cruise would now be an 8 day cruise.

 

RC are now showing an 8 day Western Med cruise in place of the 12 day Eastern Med cruise and just a little digging around shows the following charter on sale for what would have been the final four days http://www.shipsomnia.com/experience/

 

And all this before any guests have been informed. Don't RC care at all about customer service :mad:

 

Anne that really stinks.

I am always leery of booking the short cruises months in advance because I know they can become full charters and now you are not even safe booking the longer cruises.

I am mad for you.

Edited August 24, 2016 by heatherb1958

[Bobal]

Anne that really stinks.

I am always leery of booking the short cruises months in advance because I know they can become full charters and now you are not even safe booking the longer cruises.

I am mad for you.

 

Thanks Heather, you're damned if you do (book early) and damned if you don't.

 

Best wishes to you and John :)

[Thorben-Hendrik]

May I suggest that you actually read the thread before posting. This has nothing to do with knowing who is on a flight or a cruise. This is about a 12 day cruise which was booked in good faith and has now been changed to an 8 day cruise with different ports and whereby the latter 4 days have been chartered to an exclusive group. Hardly the same scenario you are describing. :rolleyes:

As you booked in the UK you are protected by EU law......if you are not satisfied with the alternative - they owe you 150% of the fare you paid + any pricedifference to your new cruise on a different line....

So booking in the EU does have big advantages too!:D

[IsanTom]

Money talks!

[SeagoingMom]

Unfortunately that's not an option for us in the UK. If we cancel a cruuse we lose our deposit

 

As you booked in the UK you are protected by EU law......if you are not satisfied with the alternative - they owe you 150% of the fare you paid + any pricedifference to your new cruise on a different line....

So booking in the EU does have big advantages too!:D

OK, how can both be true? Am I missing something?

 

[csnarpy]

As you booked in the UK you are protected by EU law......if you are not satisfied with the alternative - they owe you 150% of the fare you paid + any pricedifference to your new cruise on a different line....

So booking in the EU does have big advantages too!:D

 

I'm curious about this as well. If true, then I'm booking through the uk site from now on!

[OHCruisinDad]

Unfortunately that's not an option for us in the UK. If we cancel a cruuse we lose our deposit

 

Find a US based TA that is flexible with fare adjustments and cancellations. I have had a few sailings changed and while it can be upsetting, I am always happy to take the OBC or other benefits they provide as compensation. Fortunately, when this situation has happened to us, the sailings were typically 9 to 12 months or more in the future. :)

[Geldhart]

OK, how can both be true? Am I missing something?

 

 

If you cancel on your own, you lose the deposit. If the CRUISE LINE cancels you get the benefits. So if you book two in case of a charter and it doesn't charter, you lose the deposit.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Geldhart

[Bobal]

OK, how can both be true? Am I missing something?

 

 

I'm curious about this as well. If true, then I'm booking through the uk site from now on!

 

No, it's not true. And posted by someone renowned for stirring the pot so best ignored

[Thorben-Hendrik]

If you cancel on your own, you lose the deposit. If the CRUISE LINE cancels you get the benefits. So if you book two in case of a charter and it doesn't charter, you lose the deposit.

 

Correct!

[Thorben-Hendrik]

I'm curious about this as well. If true, then I'm booking through the uk site from now on!

 

You would have to be a citizen of the EU as well to benefit from the different rules as you can not enforce them when you do not have EU citizenship.

 

Brilliance of the Seas 6 June sailing 2017 disappeared from sale over 7 weeks ago. Various calls and emails have either gone unanswered or excuses been given (to those on the roll call) until today when a member was advised that the 12 day cruise would now be an 8 day cruise.

 

RC are now showing an 8 day Western Med cruise in place of the 12 day Eastern Med cruise and just a little digging around shows the following charter on sale for what would have been the final four days http://www.shipsomnia.com/experience/

 

And all this before any guests have been informed. Don't RC care at all about customer service

 

 

I have been in the very same situation just recently and it does take RCI a very long time to inform you - but I was able to get a good solution for the problem with them.

You will have to work a little with them but in the end all is fine for me - very contrary to the advice that was shared before on this board.

You also want to contact EU consumer rights - as RCI is in a very different situation in the EU as they are in the US where all offers are goodwill - not so in the EU!

My lawyer was even telling me I could sue them even so I booked under US rules because citizenship pre vales....but fortunately that was not necessary as they offered a good solution.

Good luck hope it works out for you as well!

Edited August 25, 2016 by germanfflyer