Trouble with M&M registration - disappointed with RCI customer service.

[GSRDPM]

Sorry in advance if this post is a bit of a rant...

 

I recently booked the December 29, 2018 cruise on Anthem of the Seas and was trying to register for the M&M. When I go to the registration site (which is hosted on Royal Caribbean's site) and enter and submit my information, I get a response that says, "Only purchased reservations can register for Meet & Mingle party."

 

I first called my travel agent to explain my problem and although rep did not really understand what an M&M was, she did contact Royal Caribbean for help while she placed me on hold. She was told that Meet and Mingles were a cruise critic function and they had nothing to do with the registration process. To the agent's credit, she did try to input my information on the page and naturally got the same result. In the end we both decided that I should try to call RCI customer service myself as I had already been active on the cruise planner, so I obviously have an valid booking.

 

I called Royal Caribbean and the customer service rep did not know what an M&M was. I patiently tried to explain my problem and she seemed to be typing some information and then proceeded to guide me to the cruise critic site, guided me to the boards and started to explain how to make a post! At this point I politely (really) suggested that she let me lead her to the M&M registration page by clicking the link on the CC site which brings you to https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/ccRegister.do I had her enter the information so she could see the error message. She then said she needed to speak to a specialist and after being placed on hold, she returned to tell me that the specialist said that the registration for M&Ms is a cruise critic responsibility, needs to be done through cruise critic and Royal Caribbean has nothing to do with it. At this point I asked to speak to a supervisor.

 

I was placed on hold just under 30 minutes into the call. At 52 minutes, the on-hold advertising stopped and the call was disconnected....

 

I called back and as soon as the customer service rep picked up the call, I apologized for asking to speak to a supervisor right away (I asked her if she knew what a meet and mingle was first and she admitted she did not know...-BTW, I know that cruise critic members make a very small % of cruisers, so it is understandable that reps would not know what M&Ms were...) She put me on hold and about 10 minutes later, another person picked up the call. I explained what had happened so far and she also did not know what an M&M was. I took her to the registration page on Royal Caribbean's site and she started to read the verbage on the page as to what an M&M was an that it was obviously cruise critic's reponsibility. I tried to express how even if it were solely cruise critic's responsibility, I was hoping that Royal Caribbean should be able to assist as the the registration functionality was apparently hosted on it's site. She said that was not the case and that the problem was cruise cruise critic's and not theirs.

 

I had her input the information on the registration form so she could see the message and she then said that the problem is probably due to my cruise not yet being paid. In the past, I was able to register for M&Ms prior to final payment. Has that changed? Even so, I HAD already paid in full over a week ago! I explained that. She said she could not see my payment information so I needed to check with my travel agent. It told her that I had paid in full, had a receipt from the agency and even received a credit card statement today showing the payment. She repeated to check with the travel agent. I sighed and asked if, hypothetically, she COULD see that I was paid in full, would that change anything in her ability to assist me. In the end she repeated that I needed to speak to the agent and if it turns out the cruise is fully paid for, it is cruise critics problem. She also added that my call was forwarded because I was supposedly having a problem with booking shows! Sigh.....

 

Got back on the phone, spoke to the travel agency and was told that I am fully paid for the cruise and that Royal Caribbean should know this. The only reason, the rep may not have been able to see this was that I am listed in a "group" and the reps I have spoken with may not have had access to that information. Also, my booking has prepaid gratuities so that may be affecting how the payment would be viewed. Not sure all that matters.....

 

 

OK...Rant over....Anyone have any insight/answers?

[PhoenixCruiser]

Don't continue to waste your time

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Clarea]

Are you sure you are using your individual reservation number and not the group reservation number?

[Ourusualbeach]

I’m on the Allure for Christmas this year and was able to sign up for the meet n mingle before my cruise was paid in full.

[GSRDPM]

Are you sure you are using your individual reservation number and not the group reservation number?

 

Yep, Same reservation number I use to sign into the cruise planner.

[GSRDPM]

I’m on the Allure for Christmas this year and was able to sign up for the meet n mingle before my cruise was paid in full.

 

Thanks. That's what I thought.

[GSRDPM]

Don't continue to waste your time

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

My experience so far would seem to support that position. It's disappointing...

[LilBlackDress]

Take a deep breath... I had the same issue on our Anthem Cruise (That is just a coincidence)

 

I called, I emailed, I called again... No luck, no reply email, I asked people in the roll call if they were having issues. of course, none of them did. I made one last call to RC and they told me it might be something with my TA.

So I called the TA, she wasn't helpful at all. 1st and last time I used her! So glad to have my regular TA Back!!

 

 

The people in my roll call told me they would let me know where the M&M was going to be via ship room to room phone call.

 

After my final payment was made, I went back to the Sign-Up page and sure enough, it had to do with the TAs block of rooms! Why or how it had anything to do with it, that is what fixed it for me.

 

I have signed up for all my other M&Ms before final payment with no issues, regardless if I used a TA or not.

 

Give it about 5 days or so, after your final payment and try to sign-up again.

Good Luck, Hope this helps!

[Redrobo]

Log into your account page on the Royal Caribbean site, your Reservation number will be shown. Use the link you posted and use that reservation number to log onto you M&M.

 

Failing that call the Guest Resolutions in Miami, at least they will know what a M&M is.

[GSRDPM]

Take a deep breath... I had the same issue on our Anthem Cruise (That is just a coincidence)

 

I called, I emailed, I called again... No luck, no reply email, I asked people in the roll call if they were having issues. of course, none of them did. I made one last call to RC and they told me it might be something with my TA.

So I called the TA, she wasn't helpful at all. 1st and last time I used her! So glad to have my regular TA Back!!

 

 

The people in my roll call told me they would let me know where the M&M was going to be via ship room to room phone call.

 

After my final payment was made, I went back to the Sign-Up page and sure enough, it had to do with the TAs block of rooms! Why or how it had anything to do with it, that is what fixed it for me.

 

I have signed up for all my other M&Ms before final payment with no issues, regardless if I used a TA or not.

 

Give it about 5 days or so, after your final payment and try to sign-up again.

Good Luck, Hope this helps!

 

THANK YOU! Final payment date is today or tomorrow. I'll try again near the end of next week and we'll see what happens. (BTW, I did take a deep breath when I was reading your post.;)

[GSRDPM]

Log into your account page on the Royal Caribbean site, your Reservation number will be shown. Use the link you posted and use that reservation number to log onto you M&M.

 

Failing that call the Guest Resolutions in Miami, at least they will know what a M&M is.

 

Thank you. Good advice to confirm the correct number to use. The reservation number showing up is the one I have been using. Hopefully my situation is similar to the one LilBlackDress shared.

Yesterday 11:14 PM

[motherof]

That may be a post-website update issue. I had no trouble registering for the M&M with my big box TA booking pre-payment, but someone else who used the same agency had the same problem as you post-update.

 

I hope you are able to get it resolved.

[springfire]

Thank you. Good advice to confirm the correct number to use. The reservation number showing up is the one I have been using. Hopefully my situation is similar to the one LilBlackDress shared.

Yesterday 11:14 PM

 

I have the same situation as you, you are not alone with this issue. I have a cruise coming up on the Jewel in February and I get the same message as you when I try to register. I also have no issue signing in to my cruise planner. RCCL customer service was unable to help but my TA explained it, when your TA purchased a block of rooms for your cruise, that appears to cause the issue.

[GSRDPM]

I have the same situation as you, you are not alone with this issue. I have a cruise coming up on the Jewel in February and I get the same message as you when I try to register. I also have no issue signing in to my cruise planner. RCCL customer service was unable to help but my TA explained it, when your TA purchased a block of rooms for your cruise, that appears to cause the issue.

 

 

We"ll see what happens in a few days. I'll post an update. Thanks everyone!

[starrcards]

I had a little different M&M problem for our December 23 Freedom cruise. Booked almost a year ago for our group of 5 and then proceeded to sign up for the M&M. On April 14 got a email confirming that we had the required 25 attendees and the M&M was good to go. Throughout the summer I was urging new members of our roll call to sign up for the M&M. Late in August someone mentioned that they had signed up and we only had 9 sign-ups. Being that I had gotten the email in April, I went back to the M&M sign up and reconfirmed our registration. When done, it said we had 10 registrants. Sent a questioning email to xdora with no answer.

[GSRDPM]

I had a little different M&M problem for our December 23 Freedom cruise. Booked almost a year ago for our group of 5 and then proceeded to sign up for the M&M. On April 14 got a email confirming that we had the required 25 attendees and the M&M was good to go. Throughout the summer I was urging new members of our roll call to sign up for the M&M. Late in August someone mentioned that they had signed up and we only had 9 sign-ups. Being that I had gotten the email in April, I went back to the M&M sign up and reconfirmed our registration. When done, it said we had 10 registrants. Sent a questioning email to xdora with no answer.

 

Our September 6th cruise on the Anthem had the same problem, I think, 5 times! I joined the roll call only about 6 weeks prior to sailing so I had to register once. (We had over a hundred registrants) Funny, though - I never got an invite delivered to my cabin (Also not an uncommon occurrence) so I went to guest services on our first evening aboard and asked where and when the M&M was scheduled the next day. Two people did not know what I was talking about but they finally found someone who knew and they told me what I needed to know. I showed up the next day for the M&M and , sure enough I was not on the list. Still, they just took our names and cabin number and there was no issue. We'll see what happens this next time.

[bouhunter]

Don't continue to waste your time

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

Good advice :)

[wendychloecruiser]

Maybe try this

 

meet_and_mingle@cruisecritic.com

[GSRDPM]

Well, I tried again today and the registration went through!

Thanks again all!