Feeling bamboozled by Royal Caribbean

[Snit13]

Now you know why I NEVER use a TA. I tried twice and will not book with one anytime in my lifetime. I really don't care what perks are given or what prices they have to offer. It simply is not worth the stress they cause me.

 

I firmly beleive in extablishing a working relationship with a Certified Vacation Planner and booking with them. Have been booking with the same CVP since 2008 and will remain with her as long as she works for RCCL. She always searches for the best room and the best location. However, you must ask questions and establish what you want. She snags me great cabins even when they don't show on web as available. The cabins are often available on her computer but not mine.

 

Hope all works out for you and you have a fabulous honeymoon.

 

Those who use TAs know those rules better than I but I would not book with someone who would not return my deposit money. I have had to cancel or change cruises before final pay on RCCL and Celebrity and have always received all of my money back. As someone posted it is an absolute necessity in this day and age to purchase trip insurance. It is not that expensive and it protects you in event of emergency issues.

 

Good Luck

[CapeCodCruiser]

Look at this way - smaller cabin means you'll just closer to your new spouse!

 

Have a great wedding & cruise!

[shipshape sam]

Still.........

 

1) New cruiser

2) Conflicting info, picture incorrect and square footage correct- not sure a new cruiser would know to look at those two items to validate each other. If so, what else are they suppose to verify to make sure the CRUISE line is advertising correctly. Should they write a letter detailing all the advertising claims/promotions and get written confirmation?

3) not sure even the TA would be seeing a picture when booking cabin.

 

I like to think the cruise line has a 'duty' here too! If nothing else allow passenger to cancel penalty free!

 

Having said the above, I would still sail and know there was a mistake and have a great cruise in my cabin I book albeit smaller than the picture!

 

I have had lots of changes/surprises in the many cruises we have taken. Todate, have not had a bad cruise. We have rolled with the changes including canceling 3 ports of call on us on one cruise due to H1N1 virus in Mexico, missing 2 ports on another cruise due to inability to tender/fog-rough seas. Not getting off a ship till 3pm and basically missing a tourist day in our disembarkation port having to fly out early the next morning.

Edited September 24, 2016 by shipshape sam

[Desert Cruizers]

We use a local TA for our cruises, however if I were to book directly with any cruise line, I would work with their Vacation Planners. Friends of ours who introduced us to cruising said to go with the flow and not stress over little problems and enjoy your cruise. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

[Lionesss]

Big cabins are great and as a honeymoon get away I know you want the best.

 

But, try to relax, when you are in your cabin you will probably be to busy to worry about the vastness of the cabin.:D

 

So, if you need to change, do it. If not, enjoy.

 

If not, all should be well and have the honeymoon of your lives!

 

Congrats.

[cb at sea]

For some, (and for me!) the size of the cabin has a great deal to do with how happy you are! I've done "standard" cabins...and I will NEVER, EVER do that again! Had I gotten on the ship and not gotten what I though I was getting...I'd be incredibly mad!

 

It's a good thing the OP can still cancel!!!

[DonnaK]

 

I like to think the cruise line has a 'duty' here too! If nothing else allow passenger to cancel penalty free!

 

The cruiseline DOES allow her to cancel penalty-free. It is her travel agent that has the cancellation penalty. She is being bamboozled by her travel agent, not the cruiseline

Edited September 24, 2016 by DonnaK

[Homosassa]

OP, also an FYI for you. The furniture configuration of a cabin you book may be different from the configuration pictured. A bed may be next to the balcony or nearer to the cabin entrance. The bed may face aft or may face forward.

 

And as mentioned before, the square footage of the cabins in the same category may vary based on the location of the cabin on the ship.

 

And plan on whatever cabin you book (unless you are in the most expensive suite) to be small. Watch some TV where people are squeezing into a 200 sq ft "tiny house." They are big compared to the cabins on board ship. The bathroom size of the tiny houses are about right (stand in one spot and use the toilet, sink, and shower).

[shellunderwater]

We are sailing on rcc this coming July 2017 for our honeymoon. We booked through a travel agent about a month ago now. Of course we are super excited. I've been researching everything like crazy. To my amazement today I came to find out the discrepancies between the photos they have for our room categories & to say the least I'm kinda p'od. Apparently someone really screwed up with the pictures added to the site for room previews. The room we thought we were getting is infact a picture of a junior suite! The pictures are super misleading and of course I already paid my deposit with the ta. What am I to do? We honestly thought we were getting something really special and turns out, it's a regular room with a balcony they call "superior "😒 Whoppie!

OP...fortunately, you've come to the right place for advice, both good and bad.

 

However you end up with this cabin, you probably need to find a TA that doesn't have those cancellation fees. Or, book direct.

 

Hope it all works out to your satisfaction.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[crisndeefromde]

First off congratulations!!! Secondly....so so sorry your travel agent has this policy. Lesson learned. My agent processes our payments directly to Royal Caribbean...non of this company card stuff.. So its the travel agency that has the policy as that is not the Royal Caribbean policy on changes or refunds. Now the pictures of the rooms...also could be the agency showed you what they have uploaded although I take it you were thinking you were booking a great deal. The balconies are all pretty much the same cabins except for space until you move up to the junior suite. Press this agency to take care of this or just be happy you are going on a cruise for your honeymoon. What you have is a great cabin and we have been in that category on both the Allure and the Oasis. Enjoy and again congratulations!!!

[lbjen]

Look on YouTube for some video reviews of the cabin category for this ship class. If you're really lucky, there may be photos of your actual cabin. This is a good way to get a feel for what the room is really like.

 

In future use a different TA, this one sounds shady. They can and will get a full refund of the money they paid to RC, so it's poor business practice for them to decide to keep that money when the cruise line doesn't have any problem giving it back to you. Non-refundable booking fees are one thing, but they shouldn't be $500.

[csnarpy]

I think I know who your TA is (if they use Shatner for their ads) and their policy on cancellation is to keep $100 that you can use towards a future cruise. I have done this before. If you get the right agent (I've used the same one for 10yrs) then you will have no problems. That TA gives great bonuses/perks, thus why I've stayed with them.

 

If this is your TA, pm me and I'll get my rep to take over your account and make things right.

 

(My cruise in Nov gave us free grats, plus $300obc and a free hotel night.)

 

FYI: I've stayed in the JS and the Superior on the Allure. Unlike what someone said above, the space is incredibly different. Don't get me wrong, the Superior was great, but if your looking for space, then the JS is it. Unfortunately it usually costs quite a bit more.

Edited September 24, 2016 by csnarpy

[Peachy59]

Congrats on your upcoming wedding and honeymoon. The superior rooms are nice and I am sure that you will really enjoy your cruise. Forget about the wrong pictures you saw of the room, it will only make you upset. Continue reading CC and you will learn a lot for your next cruise after this one. You will like it so much you will get hooked like the rest of us.

 

I have learned a lot of things from reading CC.

1. Try to book your next cruise while on the ship. You usually get the best deal and on board credit.

 

2. You can transfer your cruise to a TA after you have booked it with Royal Caribbean up to 60 days. The TA will also give you perks, just make sure that your booking will transfer over exactly as it is with no loss of perks that you received from initially booking.

 

3. Look for a good TA. One that does not have a booking fee, lets you cancel the cruise for any reason with a full refund as long as it is before the 90 day cut off which the cruise line requires. After that you will start losing your deposit.

 

It is also a good idea to buy cruise travel insurance. Usually cheaper getting it else where than the cruise company. Read CC for lots of info regarding the ins and outs of the insurance. They are not all the same and there are many good reasons to buy it but others will disagree. Read, read, read like you have been doing.

 

Please keep in mind, if you book on board they will automatically transfer the booking to the TA you used to book the current sailing! You must let them know if you don't want to use that TA again! I would never use a TA who charges ANY cancellation fees.

[Qaylu]

This isn't an isolated incident

 

Anthem Studio (101 sq ft):

 

 

 

Image they are using for the Harmony Studio (96 sq ft):

 

 

Link: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/cabinclass/cabinTypes/cabinType/cabin/home.do?shipCode=HM&cabincls=O&cabinType=UO&br=R&deckCode=04&shipName=Harmony+Of+The+Seas+++++++++++&cabinTypeName=Studio+Ocean+View+Stateroom

 

 

Amazing how they fit that couch in there

[Grand PooBah]

Been on Oasis 5 times, Allure once. To the best of my knowledge, all outside balcony rooms are the same size The difference is...location location location. But you are certainly right about that picture. That is NOT a standard balcony. Hope you have a great cruise.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Grand PooBah

[BDL]

The cruiseline DOES allow her to cancel penalty-free. It is her travel agent that has the cancellation penalty. She is being bamboozled by her travel agent, not the cruiseline

 

 

Totally agree. I tried several travel agents when I first started cruising. After the first cruise I knew more than they did so I now only book direct with the cruiseline. I know there are apparently a few good agents out there that know what they're talking about and provide some incentive to book with them. I would never book with an agent that charged a change or cancel fee.

[LovesCruising]

Im sorry you are using this TA because of THEIR cancellation penalties

[Biker19]

She snags me great cabins even when they don't show on web as available. The cabins are often available on her computer but not mine.

 

Look on RCI's UK web site instead of the US one - I bet you'll see the cabin then.;)

Edited September 24, 2016 by Biker19

[TigerLady]

We are sailing on rcc this coming July 2017 for our honeymoon. We booked through a travel agent about a month ago now. Of course we are super excited. I've been researching everything like crazy. To my amazement today I came to find out the discrepancies between the photos they have for our room categories & to say the least I'm kinda p'od. Apparently someone really screwed up with the pictures added to the site for room previews. The room we thought we were getting is infact a picture of a junior suite! The pictures are super misleading and of course I already paid my deposit with the ta. What am I to do? We honestly thought we were getting something really special and turns out, it's a regular room with a balcony they call "superior "😒 Whoppie!

 

It should state on your reservation paperwork, what type of cabin you booked.. Did you look it over, before you left the TA's office??

[Desinico]

This isn't an isolated incident

 

 

 

Anthem Studio (101 sq ft):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image they are using for the Harmony Studio (96 sq ft):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/cabinclass/cabinTypes/cabinType/cabin/home.do?shipCode=HM&cabincls=O&cabinType=UO&br=R&deckCode=04&shipName=Harmony+Of+The+Seas+++++++++++&cabinTypeName=Studio+Ocean+View+Stateroom

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing how they fit that couch in there

 

 

Haha this made me chuckle!

 

 

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[Desinico]

It should state on your reservation paperwork, what type of cabin you booked.. Did you look it over, before you left the TA's office??

 

 

This was actually done I've the phone with a travel agency.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Desinico]

I think I know who your TA is (if they use Shatner for their ads) and their policy on cancellation is to keep $100 that you can use towards a future cruise. I have done this before. If you get the right agent (I've used the same one for 10yrs) then you will have no problems. That TA gives great bonuses/perks, thus why I've stayed with them.

 

If this is your TA, pm me and I'll get my rep to take over your account and make things right.

 

(My cruise in Nov gave us free grats, plus $300obc and a free hotel night.)

 

FYI: I've stayed in the JS and the Superior on the Allure. Unlike what someone said above, the space is incredibly different. Don't get me wrong, the Superior was great, but if your looking for space, then the JS is it. Unfortunately it usually costs quite a bit more.

 

 

Actually we booked with a well know travel agency. I've heard nothing but good things and good deals with this company. So I'm so surprised of my experience from the start(dramaaaaa). Will find out what will be done on Monday and I'll update. I thought the honeymoon was the easy part![emoji24][emoji24]

 

 

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Edited September 25, 2016 by Desinico

[suzyluvs2cruise]

This was actually done I've the phone with a travel agency.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

On your booking invoice from the TA should be the Cancellation Terms/Conditions. What does it say about deposit amount and cancellation? The deposit scenario you describe is very unusual and should be spelled out in your documents. If not I don't see how they could hold you to anything. If the TA is not willing to cancel the booking without any further charge to you I'm confident you can talk to RCI about this as deposits are refundable prior to final payment. Good Luck!

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Actually we booked with a company called Bj's travel. I heard both but good things and good deals with this company. So I'm so surprised of my experience from the start(dramaaaaa). Will find out what will be done on Monday and I'll update. I thought the honeymoon was the easy part![emoji24][emoji24]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Are they affiliated with the Big Box Warehouse Store? If you can.....please edit your post to remove the TA's name. CC rules don't allow mentioning any TA by name.....and I wouldn't want you to get your hand slapped.

Edited September 24, 2016 by suzyluvs2cruise

[Desinico]

Are they affiliated with the Big Box Warehouse Store? If you can.....please edit your post to remove the TA's name. CC rules don't allow mentioning any TA by name.....and I wouldn't want you to get your hand slapped.

 

Thanks for that. I didn't know that! Thanks for the heads up....IDK who they are affiliated with. Its similar to if you book with "one of those surplus stores" and they have their own travel agency. If you catch my drift.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Desinico