Help about to lose me as a costumer very upset

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, CrusingRuthing said:

They have no guarantee you will keep the door open the entire trip. Its too much of a liability for them. Something like this, which has been a rule for decades at this point, is not something Royal is likely to budge on. I do think they should be treating OP a little better (as long as the booking agent being referred to is from Royal) because it was their fault. She shouldn't have to pay more for their mistake. However, if the "booking agent" were a regular travel agent then Royal is acting fine and in accordance to their policies

 

Once the door is unlocked, it stays unlocked throughout the cruise.

[akcruz]

1 hour ago, CrusingRuthing said:

They have no guarantee you will keep the door open the entire trip. Its too much of a liability for them. Something like this, which has been a rule for decades at this point, is not something Royal is likely to budge on. I do think they should be treating OP a little better (as long as the booking agent being referred to is from Royal) because it was their fault. She shouldn't have to pay more for their mistake. However, if the "booking agent" were a regular travel agent then Royal is acting fine and in accordance to their policies

 

So what happens in a suite with a bedroom door?  Since the door can be closed they wouldn't be allowed to book that either?  I know silly argument but think this whole thing is silly.

 

8 minutes ago, squadron said:

Actually I think the cruiser has the responsibility to research the rules before booking.  Easy to find on website, google, and ASK questions.  

 

The OP did ask and more than once, the phone rep said it would be fine only to find out a year later it was not. 

 

Royal needs to step up and fix this somehow.  My gut is the original booking will not be able to stay as is for legal purposes but there are other options.

[dpostman]

11 minutes ago, squadron said:

Actually I think the cruiser has the responsibility to research the rules before booking.  Easy to find on website, google, and ASK questions.  

I'm sorry but I have to totally disagree with you on this one.  I do not think it is required for all customers who book vacations on ships to be fully versed with all the regulations for all different possibilities.  I do expect the company representative to know them and apply them when you book your rooms.  If they did not have someone competent enough to point that out when the reservation was made, fine but it is on them to make up for their lack of competence, not the customer.  From what you are saying, every person that wants to make a cruise reservation would be required to have a high level of reading skill, and although that would be nice, I think it is unrealistic.

 

To the OP, I wish you good luck and I do sincerely hope you get things resolved to your liking.

dp

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Underage kids can be in their own cabin as long as the cabin is adjacent to or directly across the hall from the parents.  We’ve booked this way for the past 5 years.  You have to call to book this way as you can’t do it on the website.

Exactly right, I have booked my underage kids in inside cabins adjacent to our balcony with no problem, you just have to call. The issue at hand here is the fact that the adult in this scenario is NOT the legal guardian. 

Edited February 18, 2019 by not-enough-cruising
Spellcheck

[VaTech8912]

This does stink.  If you still want to cruise, in 2 rooms, consider Carnival.  Their policy would allow it given you are a relative.  Just an option and may not cost you any additional money. 

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, squadron said:

Actually I think the cruiser has the responsibility to research the rules before booking.  Easy to find on website, google, and ASK questions.  

Better go back and read post #27. If I had to do all of that research and still get different answers I would have given up and booked on another cruise line or land vacation.

[Susan in Maine]

The OP said that she always books directly because the problems get solved.

 

I do a LOT of my own travel planning & booking but always use a brick-and-mortar travel agent for a cruise - exactly because it's their job to walk you thru the ins-and-outs of cruising. The rules are often confusing and a bit arcane, and it really helps to have someone who knows what they are doing.  This is especially true if you do not cruise on a regular basis.

It doesn't help the OP now, but it is unlikely she would be having these issues now if she had used a TA.

Right now instead of being arrogant and angry, she needs to be very polite and respectful and request assistance from RCCL if she wants to salvage her cruise.

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, Susan in Maine said:

The OP said that she always books directly because the problems get solved.

 

I do a LOT of my own travel planning & booking but always use a brick-and-mortar travel agent for a cruise - exactly because it's their job to walk you thru the ins-and-outs of cruising. The rules are often confusing and a bit arcane, and it really helps to have someone who knows what they are doing.  This is especially true if you do not cruise on a regular basis.

It doesn't help the OP now, but it is unlikely she would be having these issues now if she had used a TA.

Right now instead of being arrogant and angry, she needs to be very polite and respectful and request assistance from RCCL if she wants to salvage her cruise.

In this case I would argue that a dedicated employee of Royal  Caribbean should have known their own booking rules far better than most travel agents.  Travel agents are dealing with all the cruise lines, each with their own rules as well as land based vacations, airlines, hotels etc....a Royal employee has one set of rules to know and on this case they didn’t.  

[HOSKI]

We had a similar problem but were lucky enough to have enough adults going to rearrange people on paper. 

My issue with this problem is that it will cost the OP the same for one cabin as two. When he originally booked he probably paid single supplement to have his own room then full fare for the kids. Why should he have to pay 4 full fares for 3 people in one room? 

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, HOSKI said:

We had a similar problem but were lucky enough to have enough adults going to rearrange people on paper. 

My issue with this problem is that it will cost the OP the same for one cabin as two. When he originally booked he probably paid single supplement to have his own room then full fare for the kids. Why should he have to pay 4 full fares for 3 people in one room? 

He never paid single supplement.  

 

Him and his nephew were in one cabin, his nieces were in another. There are at least 4 going.

Edited February 19, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[HOSKI]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

He never paid single supplement.  

 

Him and his nephew were in one cabin, his nieces were in another. There are at least 4 going.

Still typically 3rd and 4th passengers should be cheaper. 

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, HOSKI said:

Still typically 3rd and 4th passengers should be cheaper. 

Yes but this close to sailing prices are most likely up a whole lot from when they originally booked.

 

bottom line is it is still not right what Roysl is doing. 

[HOSKI]

6 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Yes but this close to sailing prices are most likely up a whole lot from when they originally booked.

 

bottom line is it is still not right what Roysl is doing. 

100% agree, Royal needs to fix this with a better deal. 

[Rjh8842]

Taking the advice I received I sent an email to the president this afternoon. Hopefully I will receive satisfactory results. Now just waiting to see what happens.

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

Please let us know how it turns out.

[SAmome]

I'm confused, does having your kids in the neighboring room suddenly remove the rule about age 21 for all occupants?

 

I have friends that could have travelled on paper as adult and kid in one room and adult and kid and friend of kid in another.

 

But RCCL allowed them to book the 3 teens together, one is not a relative, in a cabin next to the parents. All are 18 or older, none are 21.

 

Could they run into problems or have many done this?

[fscool]

4 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Exactly right, I have booked my underage kids in inside cabins adjacent to our balcony with no problem, you just have to call. The issue at hand here is the fact that the adult in this scenario is NOT the legal guardian. 

Same for our group just last year.  2 parents in balcony.  2 underage kids across the hall in an inside cabin. 

[Ourusualbeach]

9 minutes ago, Rjh8842 said:

Taking the advice I received I sent an email to the president this afternoon. Hopefully I will receive satisfactory results. Now just waiting to see what happens.

Excellent.  I would expect to hear back from someone by end of day a

Wednesday at the very latest.

[fscool]

16 minutes ago, Rjh8842 said:

Taking the advice I received I sent an email to the president this afternoon. Hopefully I will receive satisfactory results. Now just waiting to see what happens.

 

Unless I missed a comment that has already been made, one angle you could consider since they may not budge on the rooms you currently have is question why they took the booking in the first place if it was against their policy?  That does seem to put the blame squarely on them and therefore it would be "nice" if they would own up to that and offer you something to your satisfaction.  From what you mentioned, all that you did was book a cruise with the people you are travelling with, and RCL was happy to take your booking and your deposit.  So it seems logical to me that the onus is on them to fix it.  Just my 2 cents....  

[not-enough-cruising]

27 minutes ago, fscool said:

 

Unless I missed a comment that has already been made, one angle you could consider since they may not budge on the rooms you currently have is question why they took the booking in the first place if it was against their policy?  That does seem to put the blame squarely on them and therefore it would be "nice" if they would own up to that and offer you something to your satisfaction.  From what you mentioned, all that you did was book a cruise with the people you are travelling with, and RCL was happy to take your booking and your deposit.  So it seems logical to me that the onus is on them to fix it.  Just my 2 cents....  

There is certainly a “missing step” in the procedure they use when making bookings. As stated above, I have on several occasions booked my kids in adjacent rooms and of course it always worked out, HOWEVER I have NEVER been asked my relationship to these kids. 

[HOSKI]

43 minutes ago, SAmome said:

I'm confused, does having your kids in the neighboring room suddenly remove the rule about age 21 for all occupants?

 

I have friends that could have travelled on paper as adult and kid in one room and adult and kid and friend of kid in another.

 

But RCCL allowed them to book the 3 teens together, one is not a relative, in a cabin next to the parents. All are 18 or older, none are 21.

 

Could they run into problems or have many done this?

Your own children can be in a separate room beside or across from you but if you are taking a friend they need to be in a cabin with someone over 21.  Once onboard you can switch people around.  We booked our daughter's friend in a cabin with my husband and put me in with our daughter to get around this.

[ShillyShally]

11 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

There is certainly a “missing step” in the procedure they use when making bookings. As stated above, I have on several occasions booked my kids in adjacent rooms and of course it always worked out, HOWEVER I have NEVER been asked my relationship to these kids. 

You know that's true, I've booked mine in cabins next door, across the hall, a few cabins down the hall when they were younger and we have different last names due to my remarriage and they've never asked if I was the parent.  Now I've always traveled with permission from their father while they were minors and every document that links me to the name on their birth certificates but I haven't been asked for it.  

[Rjh8842]

It has now been 72+ hours since I emailed them. No response yet. I wish they at least sent some type of automated reply to show they have recieved it and would get back to me. Until they get back to me I have no clue if I am going on the cruise or not. Which means I can not book the flights or hotel. I am just getting frustrated with this waiting. Hopefully they will get back to me soon. I do not want to go into the weekend stressed over this.

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

34 minutes ago, Rjh8842 said:

It has now been 72+ hours since I emailed them. No response yet. I wish they at least sent some type of automated reply to show they have recieved it and would get back to me. Until they get back to me I have no clue if I am going on the cruise or not. Which means I can not book the flights or hotel. I am just getting frustrated with this waiting. Hopefully they will get back to me soon. I do not want to go into the weekend stressed over this.

Hopefully you will hear soon! I agree, to not get any response is insult to injury! Be patient. Maybe he is checking out the situation, collecting all the facts & looking in to the possibilities for resolve. Thanks for keeping us updated!

[Rjh8842]

Well I just got off the phone with them. They offered to give me my nonrefundable deposit back. Or the same offer I was offered before. Then then after I said something they oh so generously offered to give me the full on board credit. When I asked if they would upgrade me to a suite they said no ( they still have 16 empty). And at one point the rep made a comment indicating they were upgrading me to a boardwalk. I then had to explain that I paid for 2 boardwalks. I discussed it with my nieces and nephew and they all suggested I just take my nephew and refund the rest or cancel and do something else. Going to sleep on it but not the solution I was hopping for.