SargassoPirate Posted September 4, 2018 #1 Share Posted September 4, 2018 After an absence from RCI for a couple of years, She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have a cruise booked with Royal. We booked it through the travel department of our big box warehouse club, so the booking was a snap. It was even easy to select the particular cabin that we wanted. If you haven't already, take a look at their website for booking cruises. THEN, it came time for online check-in, to print set sail pass, and to print luggage tags. Each step took multiple tries and sometimes my booking was locked when I backed out of the cruise planner and tried again. I would just shut down the computer and try again later. It took three days. Most frustrating of all was trying to find where to update our C&A welcome aboard selections. I finally gave up and called C&A. The rep there took care of it. However, I stayed on the line for the brief survey and when they asked if I had used the RCI website, I selected that I had, gave it a rating of 1 (the lowest possible) and stayed on the line to record my comments. Here is essentially what I said: "The RCI website is a perfect example of what happens when you let the kids sit at the big table and "improve" things that are not broken. The website appears to have been designed to look pretty without being user friendly or even functional. It was apparently designed by people who never have to use it to book a cruise or manage their booking." When I was working, if my department rolled out such an abomination of a website, we would've all be fired.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmeed Posted September 4, 2018 #2 Share Posted September 4, 2018 After an absence from RCI for a couple of years, She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have a cruise booked with Royal. We booked it through the travel department of our big box warehouse club, so the booking was a snap. It was even easy to select the particular cabin that we wanted. If you haven't already, take a look at their website for booking cruises. THEN, it came time for online check-in, to print set sail pass, and to print luggage tags. Each step took multiple tries and sometimes my booking was locked when I backed out of the cruise planner and tried again. I would just shut down the computer and try again later. It took three days. Most frustrating of all was trying to find where to update our C&A welcome aboard selections. I finally gave up and called C&A. The rep there took care of it. However, I stayed on the line for the brief survey and when they asked if I had used the RCI website, I selected that I had, gave it a rating of 1 (the lowest possible) and stayed on the line to record my comments. Here is essentially what I said: "The RCI website is a perfect example of what happens when you let the kids sit at the big table and "improve" things that are not broken. The website appears to have been designed to look pretty without being user friendly or even functional. It was apparently designed by people who never have to use it to book a cruise or manage their booking." When I was working, if my department rolled out such an abomination of a website, we would've all be fired.:eek: LOVE THIS! I am going to call them now. I believe we all need to do our part to get it fixed. I hope they listed to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OfTheSeasCruiser Posted September 4, 2018 #3 Share Posted September 4, 2018 (edited) Don't get me wrong, the new website is full of bugs and lacks functionality (especially in the way of C&A preferences). However, I just wanted to point out that Royal is slowly rolling out a new online check-in interface. It links well with the new guest accounts. I've been in and out of it several times, and have not had a problem yet (knock on wood). Never had to enter booking info for access, haven't gotten locked out, etc. Easily able to update info and print set sail pass and luggage tags. Originally, I read it was supposed to be rolled out to Allure, Oasis, and Grandeur (http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/General_Info/18063505_Excalibur_OCLI_Trade_Flyer.pdf), but it was available for my upcoming Adventure sailing. Hopefully this is a sign that they're slowly improving. Edited September 4, 2018 by OfTheSeasCruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerScott Posted September 4, 2018 #4 Share Posted September 4, 2018 This is our first cruise on Royal. ( Probably been on 20 with other lines) It has been frustrating dealing with their website. They don't let you see any details of your booking like other lines. Really not impressed! Hope it improves onboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azarak Posted September 4, 2018 #5 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Yes it is our first cruise with Royal as well and have cruised many times on "other" lines. Their website is the most horrible site I've ever been on. I get kicked off more times than not and I can't see anything dealing with my booking except that I'm booked and what my room number is. They really need to take notes from their competition when it comes to all things internet. They really lack in that department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmeed Posted September 4, 2018 #6 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Don't get me wrong, the new website is full of bugs and lacks functionality (especially in the way of C&A preferences). However, I just wanted to point out that Royal is slowly rolling out a new online check-in interface. It links well with the new guest accounts. I've been in and out of it several times, and have not had a problem yet (knock on wood). Never had to enter booking info for access, haven't gotten locked out, etc. Easily able to update info and print set sail pass and luggage tags. Originally, I read it was supposed to be rolled out to Allure, Oasis, and Grandeur (http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/General_Info/18063505_Excalibur_OCLI_Trade_Flyer.pdf), but it was available for my upcoming Adventure sailing. Hopefully this is a sign that they're slowly improving. That will be nice. Recently checked in for Freedom sailing 10/13/18 and it was the old check-in process. So not yet available for Freedom as of now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscobeans Posted September 4, 2018 #7 Share Posted September 4, 2018 I don't know if this was the problem, but it could be one of reasons. When you open your reservation and back out for any reason it is locked for sometimes a few minutes or much longer, and your access is denied. Just a point of information. bosco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emdia43 Posted September 4, 2018 #8 Share Posted September 4, 2018 I had forgotten about the Welcome aboard amenity, so went to the website, and......... It says I can select by going to rccl.com/upgradepreferences. Nope, you just go around in a circle. Call C&A and tell her I am trying to select but am unable to find a link. She says "Oh, you can't do that online". I tell her their website says I can. She says they are "upgrading that feature" so I can't access it at present. Oh well. I finally ask " what is my welcome aboard amenity anyway"? Answer- One sprite/coke/water. O.M.G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted September 4, 2018 #9 Share Posted September 4, 2018 I had forgotten about the Welcome aboard amenity, so went to the website, and.........It says I can select by going to rccl.com/upgradepreferences. Nope, you just go around in a circle. Call C&A and tell her I am trying to select but am unable to find a link. She says "Oh, you can't do that online". I tell her their website says I can. She says they are "upgrading that feature" so I can't access it at present. Oh well. I finally ask " what is my welcome aboard amenity anyway"? Answer- One sprite/coke/water. O.M.G. I don't understand your "OMG". What are you exclaiming about here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PelicanBill Posted September 4, 2018 #10 Share Posted September 4, 2018 I just want to see the itineraries on one page as I shop for potential future cruises. I now have to bring up a scrolling day by day series of pages full of promotional information when I just want to see the schedule at one time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emdia43 Posted September 4, 2018 #11 Share Posted September 4, 2018 :);) I don't understand your "OMG". What are you exclaiming about here? Well, trying to find the way to select my 'amenity' on their **** website. Chasing my tail around in a circle;finding out there was no way. Making a phone call. Wasting half an hour of my life. All that effort for one can of Sprite?:):o:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted September 4, 2018 #12 Share Posted September 4, 2018 :);)Well, trying to find the way to select my 'amenity' on their **** website. Chasing my tail around in a circle;finding out there was no way. The back door to that worked till last week - not any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tree_skier Posted September 4, 2018 #13 Share Posted September 4, 2018 I am currently locked out of my check in/setsail pass link. I have already checked in and I had printed out my SetSail pass but we changed cabins now so I wanted to reprint it. No luck. I'm still 54 days out so I'm not panicking or anything but it really is annoying. Their website, from booking new cruises to booking excursions, is utterly 2006. I used to have problems with my cruise planner locking up about half the time but that seems to be working fine all the time now. Someone from Springfield OR needs to drive up the I5 to Redmond WA and look for some homeless dude on the side of the road with a sign that says "Will code for food". Surely he/she could do better than this mess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molly361 Posted September 4, 2018 #14 Share Posted September 4, 2018 The back door to that worked till last week - not any more.It worked for me today but I had to login and out of the new website twice instead of once to get in Sent from my BG2-W09 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted September 4, 2018 #15 Share Posted September 4, 2018 It worked for me today but I had to login and out of the new website twice instead of once to get in I tried it several times in both Chrome and Edge - it keeps dumping into the new website dashboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tree_skier Posted September 4, 2018 #16 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Called in to C and A and they walked me through logging out and logging back in by clicking on "Already booked" on the main page then clicking "Online checkin" then "update checkin/SetSail pass". It worked. I got back in and reprinted my SetSail Pass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tree_skier Posted September 5, 2018 #17 Share Posted September 5, 2018 FYI. I am using Safari but I tried with Chrome and was locked out to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SargassoPirate Posted September 5, 2018 Author #18 Share Posted September 5, 2018 A website should function in a way whereby it is obvious what the user needs to click on to go to the next step to accomplish the task at hand or to reach the desired outcome. One should not have to call in to corporate for a work around. Any well functioning website needs two things - a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog and the dog is there to bite the man if he tries to touch anything. If it ain't broke, don't let people trying to look busy and justify their jobs FUBAR it. Business 101 - something apparently lacking at RCI if their website is any example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now