Independence UK 2020 sailings cancelled

[gorrylikelorry]

Have had the initial letter. And need to ring tomorrow to finalise our decision. We won’t be going on Harmony, as the cabin that they offered us is nothing like the original one we booked.  so I imagine we will just take the FCC and look for something else! 

 

 

[LeDemonBlond]

23 hours ago, grapau27 said:

We have now booked Allure out of Barcelona since Independence is not coming over next year.

 

We booked the Allure next summer as well.  Because of the current inside cabin price and the cancellation credit, we booked a b2b. 

[molsonschooner]

I wonder when RC will post the new itineraries/dates for Indy. How long does it normally take after a change like this happens 

[ONECRUISER]

On 5/19/2019 at 2:36 PM, DJLDRUMS said:

Folks travelling on the Anthem from Southampton, please be aware of the fact that she's narrower and tall and has more of a tendency to rock more than the other LARGE RCI Class ships. Case in point, was four years ago late January early February we left Port Liberty NJ and encountered a storm in the North Atlantic going south to the Caribbean. This Quantum Class ship doesn't do well in windy / stormy conditions. I wouldn't wish that to happen to anyone else.

And the fact going out of N Atlantic to Caribbean can be choppy no matter which ship. Anthem measurements(ft): 1139, 162max-136waterline. Independence: 1120, 184max-127waterline, 

Edited May 21, 2019 by ONECRUISER

[Saab4444]

2 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

And the fact going out of N Atlantic to Caribbean can be choppy no matter which ship. Anthem measurements(ft): 1139, 162max-136waterline. Independence: 1120, 184max-127waterline, 

I agree, Anthem does very well in stormy conditions and even better than the big top-heavy Oasis Class due to her design but a winter storm on the Atlantic will hurt all ships.    

[DJLDRUMS]

ONE CRUISER and Saab4444 had you been in that Atlantic storm on the Anthem you would have wished to be back on dry land.  I totally disagree with your the statement that it does very well in stormy conditions, we can agree or disagree on this topic all day. it's up to the individuals what they'd like to do. I'm only offering a first hand account of what took place. But then again, none of that wouldn't have happened had the Captain stirred away from the storm or gone north to avoid the weather. As a result he was placed out of service during and after the Coast Guard investigation, then after a few months he was assigned to the Mariner on the other side of the globe. Yes, it can and still does happen to other RCI ships and otherCruise Lines as well. Tall  and narrow Quantum Class ships have a tendency to roll and rock more than Oasis, Voyager and freedom Class ships.

[grapau27]

15 minutes ago, DJLDRUMS said:

ONE CRUISER and Saab4444 had you been in that Atlantic storm on the Anthem you would have wished to be back on dry land.  I totally disagree with your the statement that it does very well in stormy conditions, we can agree or disagree on this topic all day. it's up to the individuals what they'd like to do. I'm only offering a first hand account of what took place. But then again, none of that wouldn't have happened had the Captain stirred away from the storm or gone north to avoid the weather. As a result he was placed out of service during and after the Coast Guard investigation, then after a few months he was assigned to the Mariner on the other side of the globe. Yes, it can and still does happen to other RCI ships and otherCruise Lines as well. Tall  and narrow Quantum Class ships have a tendency to roll and rock more than Oasis, Voyager and freedom Class ships.

I totally agree with you on all your points and that captain was silly to head into that storm which was frightening to see when I saw some footage of it.

We have been in storms that one captain described as the worst he had experienced ever but fortunately the Sea Princess(P&O Adonia then) managed it with the help of its stabilisers.

We have sailed 3 times on Harmony and once on Allure as which were excellent as well as every RC class ship except Quantum and it's design and short draft doesn't fill me with confidence.

 

[DJLDRUMS]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

I totally agree with you on all your points and that captain was silly to head into that storm which was frightening to see when I saw some footage of it.

We have been in storms that one captain described as the worst he had experienced ever but fortunately the Sea Princess(P&O Adonia then) managed it with the help of its stabilisers.

We have sailed 3 times on Harmony and once on Allure as which were excellent as well as every RC class ship except Quantum and it's design and short draft doesn't fill me with confidence.

 

Are you right on  target with your assessment ! Correct, as you stated, the design and short draft is not something that makes it not ride out winds and high waves too comfortable. Deck two and Deck three where often under the water line with deck ten also getting the brunt of some of the waves. Let me explain a little more since you brought up the subject of stabilizers. The Anthem had mechanical issues with one of them. (this had not been brought up under any of the accounts, but in view of the ship's design and poor judgement of the Captain it wouldn't have made a difference) One stabilizer is useless in this case. I wasn't going to go into the dreadful events but will mention one more tidbit. When we were leaving St. Kitts to return back to Port Liberty NJ the ship was detained as it awaited the arrival of an engineer that was flown in from Europe in hopes of being able to fix the non-working stabilizer. Once we left after a two hour delay  I was fortunate to speak with a Bridge officer anonymously. I was told that the Engineer was unable to locate the problem of why one of the stabilizers wouldn't extend, and because of ANOTHER east Coast storm that was moving swiftly into the Atlantic and would be in our path that the Captain would be making an announcement telling us all that he was given permission from RCI headquarters to alter the course and hug the east coast from Florida northward delaying us  so the effects of the storm would be minimal, which it was. Another item to keep in mind is that deploying stabilizers burns more fuel and requires the ship to go slower. This is not something any Cruise Line likes to do. This also gave us an extra "Sea Day" upon returning. We were somewhat surprised when we docked to see that the storm we missed on the return had dumped three feet of snow in the NJ area. Glad we brought a shovel to dig out our vehicle, but never again would we travel on a Quantum Class ship.  

[Rotherham_Cruiser]

21 minutes ago, DJLDRUMS said:

 but never again would we travel on a Quantum Class ship.  

 

As someone on Anthem on the TA next April for the first time that's cheered me up no end 😮

[grapau27]

8 minutes ago, Rotherham_Cruiser said:

 

As someone on Anthem on the TA next April for the first time that's cheered me up no end 😮

Good luck.

Usually a good captain will avoid any bad weather unlike the captain who sailed into the storm that 

DJLDRUMS is describing.

[Suebiker]

Just wondering if anyone has had their deposit back yet?  We have received our FCC email but have not received our deposit back yet.  Has anybody received theirs yet?

[LeDemonBlond]

3 hours ago, Suebiker said:

Just wondering if anyone has had their deposit back yet?  We have received our FCC email but have not received our deposit back yet.  Has anybody received theirs yet?

 

We received our deposit back on May 13th.  

[notladjr]

5 hours ago, Suebiker said:

Just wondering if anyone has had their deposit back yet?  We have received our FCC email but have not received our deposit back yet.  Has anybody received theirs yet?

 

I have been told my deposit will be refunded in the next 48-72 hours if I remember correctly and that future cruise credits will be issued on 5/23.

[Shrewsbury on Tour]

Good morning,

 

Have received nothing back either..

 

have sent emails etc..no response 

 

it's totally unacceptable promised for 17/05/19 if not before.

 

Still letting people down....poor very poor.

 

 

 

 

[Saab4444]

9 hours ago, DJLDRUMS said:

Are you right on  target with your assessment ! Correct, as you stated, the design and short draft is not something that makes it not ride out winds and high waves too comfortable. Deck two and Deck three where often under the water line with deck ten also getting the brunt of some of the waves. Let me explain a little more since you brought up the subject of stabilizers. The Anthem had mechanical issues with one of them. (this had not been brought up under any of the accounts, but in view of the ship's design and poor judgement of the Captain it wouldn't have made a difference) One stabilizer is useless in this case. I wasn't going to go into the dreadful events but will mention one more tidbit. When we were leaving St. Kitts to return back to Port Liberty NJ the ship was detained as it awaited the arrival of an engineer that was flown in from Europe in hopes of being able to fix the non-working stabilizer. Once we left after a two hour delay  I was fortunate to speak with a Bridge officer anonymously. I was told that the Engineer was unable to locate the problem of why one of the stabilizers wouldn't extend, and because of ANOTHER east Coast storm that was moving swiftly into the Atlantic and would be in our path that the Captain would be making an announcement telling us all that he was given permission from RCI headquarters to alter the course and hug the east coast from Florida northward delaying us  so the effects of the storm would be minimal, which it was. Another item to keep in mind is that deploying stabilizers burns more fuel and requires the ship to go slower. This is not something any Cruise Line likes to do. This also gave us an extra "Sea Day" upon returning. We were somewhat surprised when we docked to see that the storm we missed on the return had dumped three feet of snow in the NJ area. Glad we brought a shovel to dig out our vehicle, but never again would we travel on a Quantum Class ship.  

The unfortunate situation is well understood but you still assume that an Oasis ship would have handled the same situation better with the same technical issues (and this class has more than Quantum class if you look at e.g. all this Azipod failures over the last years). 

 

Stabilizers are running about 80% of the time while a ship is at sea, but in such a heavy storm they do not really help anymore. 

[Rotherham_Cruiser]

9 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good luck.

Usually a good captain will avoid any bad weather unlike the captain who sailed into the storm that 

DJLDRUMS is describing.

 

Thanks

 

They have already cancelled a scheduled call at Halifax Nova Scotia, citing the need for an extra sea day so as to allow for a due more southerly route across the Atlantic, so the potential weather is obviously already in their thoughts

Edited May 22, 2019 by Rotherham_Cruiser

[jomf]

We were told on the 11th April that our sailing ( Sept 2020- med cruise) had been cancelled as the ship had been chartered. 

We were offered three other sailings, all on the Independence, none very good.

we had no option other than cancelling. Our deposit was returned after many, many phone calls. We were told that they would offer no other compensation as we had turned down the three alternative sailings!

After finding out the ship was being moved from the Med ( via cruise critic) not chartered, I requested the same FCC as other passengers, I have been promised it, but after yet more phone calls, nothing has materialised! 

By the time we get it we will be many days behind others in being able to pick cabins, get a good deal etc.

we are not happy, to say the least.

This would have been our, and our travelling companions, first Royal Caribbean cruise!

[Suebiker]

7 hours ago, Shrewsbury on Tour said:

Good morning,

 

Have received nothing back either..

 

have sent emails etc..no response 

 

it's totally unacceptable promised for 17/05/19 if not before.

 

Still letting people down....poor very poor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree it is dreadful - they are not doing anything to redeem themselves!!!!!

[jomf]

September 26th2020 Med cruise

We were due to sail on this cruise, Royal cancelled it saying it had been chartered.

 

Were any of you booked to go on this cruise? Have you been offered compensation in the form of a future cruise credit or

obc?

Edited May 22, 2019 by jomf

[jomf]

5 hours ago, jomf said:

We were told on the 11th April that our sailing ( Sept 2020- med cruise) had been cancelled as the ship had been chartered. 

We were offered three other sailings, all on the Independence, none very good.

we had no option other than cancelling. Our deposit was returned after many, many phone calls. We were told that they would offer no other compensation as we had turned down the three alternative sailings!

After finding out the ship was being moved from the Med ( via cruise critic) not chartered, I requested the same FCC as other passengers, I have been promised it, but after yet more phone calls, nothing has materialised! 

By the time we get it we will be many days behind others in being able to pick cabins, get a good deal etc.

we are not happy, to say the least.

This would have been our, and our travelling companions, first Royal Caribbean cruise!

Just found out, despite Royal telling us we would get FCC, they now say we don’t qualify! Because Royal cancelled ours before all the others! 

Unbelievable.

[DJLDRUMS]

jomf, I just viewed your posting. Did RCI offer you three other sailings in the US or over there in Europe?  if it was from FT. lauderdale can you tell us what they were. I was seeking information whether or not WHEN it gets positioned at Ft. Lauderdale at some date to yet be announced, that if it will follow the trend of the Mariner and Navigator and only do three and four day cruises to the Bahamas to get in CocoCay. Personally it would be nice to see it do at least a seven nighter in addition to the Oasis Class ships that have the Florida market sewn up.

[Rotherham_Cruiser]

Are there any Cruise 1st customers out there who booked the Halloween Transatlantic cruise on Indy? This was booked as a group booking so we hadn't had our RC reference number yet. I've asked about the future cruise credit and they gave a "yeah, sure" response but I've still not heard a word from Royal Caribbean or seen confirmation of my FCC. Anyone else in the same boat?

Edited May 23, 2019 by Rotherham_Cruiser

[gorrylikelorry]

1 minute ago, Rotherham_Cruiser said:

Are there any Cruise 1st customers out there who booked the Haloween Transatlantic cruise on Indy? This was booked as a group booking so we hadn't had our RC reference number yet. I've asked about the future cruise credit and the gave a yeah, sure response but I've still not heard a word from Royal Caribbean or seen confirmation of my FCC. Anyone else in the same boat?

Heya! Yes we were. We cancelled in the end and are awaiting our refund... and FCC !

 

Customer services were really unhelpful. We had booked a spacious interior because we are foster carers, and the needs of our placements mean that the ‘separate’ sleeping area for the kids is essential within their care plan. The cabin booked was 342sqfeet, their offer of the same ‘cabin grade’ on the Anthem transatlantic was 152sq feet with a sofa bed. So I wrote and explained our situation. No understanding, no alternate offer... until they phoned me back to say they had found us an alternate room which they could upgrade us to... a spacious ocean view and they said it was 243sq feet. Wait for it. And then said, but they would need us to pay £700 for the privilege?!? Yeah. So we didn’t do that. 

 

Total apathetic service, they really don’t care about needs of customers. 

 

So so we aren’t sure what we are gonna book now if at all. Will probably look at P and O as much better prices and itineraries.

 

 

 

[jomf]

12 hours ago, DJLDRUMS said:

jomf, I just viewed your posting. Did RCI offer you three other sailings in the US or over there in Europe?  if it was from FT. lauderdale can you tell us what they were. I was seeking information whether or not WHEN it gets positioned at Ft. Lauderdale at some date to yet be announced, that if it will follow the trend of the Mariner and Navigator and only do three and four day cruises to the Bahamas to get in CocoCay. Personally it would be nice to see it do at least a seven nighter in addition to the Oasis Class ships that have the Florida market sewn up.

European cruises only, one round the Med and two to the Canary Islands. Obviously if we had chosen one of  them then we would now be getting the compo as The Indy would not have been doing those cruises either!

[Ade87]

This is all a right faff. Called them on the 10th and got straight through to a lady on the number on the email. Requested the cancellation and was on hold for 20 mins while she did it. I had to ask her about the future cruise credit and she said it would be issued on Monday 13th by email. By the Tuesday I’d had nothing so I emailed them. Got a response saying which agent I had been allocated and that they would get back to me without 72 hours. Nothing came through so I chased over email. Has been radio silence since. And every time I try calling the number on the email now I get a ‘we are not open’ message regardless of when I dial it. 

 

Yesterday I had an email coming through telling me the balance I have left to pay on the cruise! I’m hoping that means they have finally started processing it and that the balance on there is just a glitch. All very annoying!

 

But I ideally want to speak to someone as I have also realised that the card I used to pay for some of my payments has now expired, so want to find out which they are refunding to!

Edited May 24, 2019 by Ade87