Our $839.00 per person shore excursion - wiped out

[xxHadleyxx]

Hmmmm---I kind of read both issues in the OP; though it is not overly clear exactly what is causing th anger of OP and their husband.

 

Personally---I agree that if the excursion has undergone extensive changes and will be considerably shorter, OP should be offered both a lower price should they want to take it as it now is and the option to cancel and be fully refunded if they do not like the new product. If that is not being offered, I suggest she speak with the Shore Excursions desk and elevetate it as needed until it is.

Depending on how recently the decision to curtail the excusrion was, it might have just needed a little time for RCI to get all the details and new pricing, etc out----sometimes I see lags of a few hours there. Not the best communication system, but nothing to get overly worked about either.

 

Otherwise, if some of the "anger" is about no longer having enough time in port to visit Bethlehem--well, OP needs to get a grip. It is reasonable to be upset and disapointed, but anger directed at a cruise line over ports missed for weather/strikes/political/mechanical/meidcal reasons is mispalced IMO. This is a common happening in cruising and a risk you take when you choose to see the world from a ship. OP, as a pinnacle member, should be WELL aware of this risk and not surprised. As a PP said, I have missed a port on nearly 50% of my cruises, things happen and while a new cruiser might be ignorant of how the industry must work, a long term one should not be at all surprised.

[GUT2407]

I've never understood why some people will read a post and then proceed to attack the op. If you don't have anything constructive to offer then do the rest of us a favor and go on to the next thread, we don't need to read your condescension.

 

To the OP, I hope you get a refund on your excursion and I think you should get some OBC for your troubles. [emoji6]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Not sure why some think it's necessary to attack anyone who doesn't agree with the OP.

 

BUT I GUESS EACH TO THEIR OWN.

[dasi11]

Right now the situation is serious in Israel.

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/442557/israeli-fires-hope-amid-flames

 

I understand having your heart set on visiting Israel and seeing the sites. But if RCCL let some danger come to you, you would ask why they let you go?

 

While I don't believe the problem is weather related, I do believe it is fire related!!!!

 

As for credit or refund, I hope that gets worked out for you.

Edited December 1, 2016 by dasi11

[Fred the ferret lover]

Right now the situation is serious in Israel.

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/442557/israeli-fires-hope-amid-flames

 

I understand having your heart set on visiting Israel and seeing the sites. But if RCCL let some danger come to you, you would ask why they let you go?

 

While I don't believe the problem is weather related, I do believe it is fire related!!!!

As for credit or refund, I hope that gets worked out for you.

 

I would try this get the new tour description in writing as well as something from the cruiseline stating it is not refundable after that I would dispute the charge with the credit card company providing documentation of what you were charged for versus what you received. Hope the rest of the cruise is nice

[rbschultz]

Right now the situation is serious in Israel.

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/442557/israeli-fires-hope-amid-flames

 

I understand having your heart set on visiting Israel and seeing the sites. But if RCCL let some danger come to you, you would ask why they let you go?

 

While I don't believe the problem is weather related, I do believe it is fire related!!!!

 

As for credit or refund, I hope that gets worked out for you.

 

Seeing the news and being there are two wildly different things. While I was in Israel 10 years ago Syria was bombing northern Israel while I was up in the Golan Heights and people were just going about their business as usual. Media makes things out to be significantly worse than they are

[camofwilliamsburg]

There are no forest fires, as a poster said. These are attacks on Israel by fire by enemy forces.

 

The op should write to customer service and I am sure they will respond positively. I have found them to be very good with issues. If you do not like what is told, ask for a supervisor or hang up and call again and get someone a bit more sympathetic.

 

Also, you can call the credit card company that you charged the tour with and open up a dispute.

[crosby99]

I have had several problems with excursions in the past and Royal Caribbean have always offered some form of compensation without any effort. In fact on 1 occasion they gave me a complete refund which wasn't even what I was after.

I have read the OP again & again I don't think the is anywhere it says she couldn't cancel and get a full refund. After the first change if she wished to proceed it would still be the full price BUT after the second I am not clear at all if the is no refund/change in price etc etc.

Surrounding port cancellations these things happen and can change suddenly..we have even been in the situation when tendering our ship had moved when we got back from our excursion.

I have full sympathy for the original poster as clearly her Vacation has been ruined but I really am not sure what being Pinnacle has to do with it. I would hope Royal Caribbean would treat all its customers the same as today gold might be tomorrows pinnacle.

[mollyeilis]

...but I really am not sure what being Pinnacle has to do with it. I would hope Royal Caribbean would treat all its customers the same as today gold might be tomorrows pinnacle.

 

 

I generally take it to mean "we've done this before". They aren't new, they've been on Royal many times, they know what's up. They also said that they aren't ones to complain.

 

The combo - they aren't complainers AND they've been around the block with Royal - tells me that this is serious for them, THIS is their line in the sand, and they aren't happy.

 

 

It's like having our cruises in our sig line. If I have no cruises there, you don't know where my experience comes from. If I put my Royal cruises and answer on the Disney forum they wonder about it. And vice versa. If I put my DCL and Royal cruises there, then there's some background. Make sense?

[cruizers]

There are no forest fires, as a poster said. These are attacks on Israel by fire by enemy forces.

 

 

The fires surround Haifa and many international fire fighters came to help put out the flames.

[wolfcathorse]

Background: I was on the November 2016 Splendour of the Seas Suez Canal cruise traveling solo.

 

I stopped reading right here...what am I missing. Didn't Splendour of the Seas leave RCI in March of 2016?

[markeb]

I stopped reading right here...what am I missing. Didn't Splendour of the Seas leave RCI in March of 2016?

 

I'm assuming typo. "was on" the November, probably 2015, not 2016, sailing. Now on Vision.

[SPacificbound]

It is always disappointing when a booked tour is canceled or drastically changed, especially if it is somewhere you will never visit again.

 

For those who are wondering about refunds, if a tour is booked with/through the cruise line, you can cancel it for a full refund, or if the cruise line cancels it your shipboard account is credited.

 

Give the OP a break, sometimes spouses aren't real understanding.

[lisadancer]

Post deleted

Edited December 2, 2016 by lisadancer
Post deleted as entered in error

[Big_G]

I've read the OP twice and not being familiar with the stops, I'm still not sure whether the entire excursion was cancelled or not. Anyway, sorry this happened and good luck. As for the Pinnacle reference, I think it's more a reference about experience than status.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Big_G

[wolfcathorse]

I'm assuming typo. "was on" the November, probably 2015, not 2016, sailing. Now on Vision.

 

still, why start a rant a year after the fact? She held onto this angst for a year??? That wasn't good for her health! She probably needs another cruise!:D

[markeb]

still, why start a rant a year after the fact? She held onto this angst for a year??? That wasn't good for her health! She probably needs another cruise!:D

 

I think we're reading this differently:

 

The November 2015 was an introduction and context from a previous cruise she took by herself.

 

At the time of the post, she was currently on Vision, so the excursion problem is (was) happening now on a cruise with the spouse. Two cruises.

[tlatrice]

I think we're reading this differently:

 

The November 2015 was an introduction and context from a previous cruise she took by herself.

 

At the time of the post, she was currently on Vision, so the excursion problem is (was) happening now on a cruise with the spouse. Two cruises.

 

This is how I was understanding it as well.

 

Hope the rest of the cruise goes well.

[happy trailer]

Very sorry to hear your excursion has been shortened! As you know and are experiencing this moment, Israel is currently being hit with our first heavy rain of the season, with a great deal of flooding and some power outages. Some roads have been closed as well. It has been pouring for two days, and the rain will continue into tomorrow. I hope you are still enjoying your visit! Long before we moved to Israel, we used to always pack waterproof ponchos for visits between November- March, and I remember many days when we toured covered head to toe by those ponchos!

 

Here is an article about the storm:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/flooding-road-closures-as-heavy-rain-pounds-israel/

 

Rain is always very welcome in Israel, but we wish it had arrived a week sooner! Thankfully, the horrific fires ended earlier in the week. I posted this on the Middle East board while the country was still ablaze:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2426570

 

"We're hearing that the foreign press is not giving this much if any coverage, so perhaps that's why no one has asked about it-

 

Since Tuesday morning, there have been hundreds of fires in Israel. 70,000 people were evacuated in the port city of Haifa because of multiple fires there, and there has been much damage throughout the country with hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed, and thousands of acres burned.

 

While most of the fires are now under control, the strong dry winds are expected to continue for several more days, and rain is not forecasted until Wednesday, so there is still a high danger for more fires.

 

Here are two articles about the fires, with videos in each article. The first article is mainly about the fires in Haifa, while the second article focuses on fires in the Jerusalem hills, where I live:

 

http://www.timesofisrael.com/75000-p...-terror-rages/

 

http://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusal...nside-village/. "

[happy trailer]

Seeing the news and being there are two wildly different things. While I was in Israel 10 years ago Syria was bombing northern Israel while I was up in the Golan Heights and people were just going about their business as usual. Media makes things out to be significantly worse than they are

 

In the case of last week's fires, the international media greatly UNDERreported (and for the main part, all but ignored) what was actually happening here. The situation here was very bad, and the entire country was in shock, fear, and pain.

 

One thing about Israelis- we are tough, and no matter how bad the situation is, we still do manage to go about our daily routines as much as possible. That's through wars, terror attacks, and anything else life throws at us. It's the only way we can survive. But I can assure you, that while it might appear we are 'just going about our business as usual'- we really are not.

[xxHadleyxx]

In the case of last week's fires, the international media greatly UNDERreported (and for the main part, all but ignored) what was actually happening here. The situation here was very bad, and the entire country was in shock, fear, and pain.

 

One thing about Israelis- we are tough, and no matter how bad the situation is, we still do manage to go about our daily routines as much as possible. That's through wars, terror attacks, and anything else life throws at us. It's the only way we can survive. But I can assure you, that while it might appear we are 'just going about our business as usual'- we really are not.

 

Ruth, thanks for shedding light on what is actually going on in your area.

[SPacificbound]

In the case of last week's fires, the international media greatly UNDERreported (and for the main part, all but ignored) what was actually happening here. The situation here was very bad, and the entire country was in shock, fear, and pain.

 

One thing about Israelis- we are tough, and no matter how bad the situation is, we still do manage to go about our daily routines as much as possible. That's through wars, terror attacks, and anything else life throws at us. It's the only way we can survive. But I can assure you, that while it might appear we are 'just going about our business as usual'- we really are not.

 

Ruth, I certainly understand what you are saying.

[happy trailer]

Ruth, thanks for shedding light on what is actually going on in your area.

 

Ruth, I certainly understand what you are saying.

 

👍🏻👍🏻 Thank you to you both.

[cruizers]

Very sorry to hear your excursion has been shortened! As you know and are experiencing this moment, Israel is currently being hit with our first heavy rain of the season, with a great deal of flooding and some power outages. Some roads have been closed as well. It has been pouring for two days, and the rain will continue into tomorrow. I hope you are still enjoying your visit! Long before we moved to Israel, we used to always pack waterproof ponchos for visits between November- March, and I remember many days when we toured covered head to toe by those ponchos!

 

Here is an article about the storm:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/flooding-road-closures-as-heavy-rain-pounds-israel/

 

Rain is always very welcome in Israel, but we wish it had arrived a week sooner! Thankfully, the horrific fires ended earlier in the week. I posted this on the Middle East board while the country was still ablaze:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2426570

 

"We're hearing that the foreign press is not giving this much if any coverage, so perhaps that's why no one has asked about it-

 

Since Tuesday morning, there have been hundreds of fires in Israel. 70,000 people were evacuated in the port city of Haifa because of multiple fires there, and there has been much damage throughout the country with hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed, and thousands of acres burned.

 

While most of the fires are now under control, the strong dry winds are expected to continue for several more days, and rain is not forecasted until Wednesday, so there is still a high danger for more fires.

 

Here are two articles about the fires, with videos in each article. The first article is mainly about the fires in Haifa, while the second article focuses on fires in the Jerusalem hills, where I live:

 

http://www.timesofisrael.com/75000-p...-terror-rages/

 

http://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusal...nside-village/. "

 

Ruth,

 

Thank you for your insight and information.