Royal customer service epic fail

[cbowls30]

Hi all

We are due to sail on Saturday, we have two cabins booked (4 adults). Our friends mother is seriously ill in hospital (gone in yesterday) and it's unlikely she will survive into next week. As you can appreciate my friend cannot potential travel in Saturday but won't decide this until Friday. I have just spoken to royal Caribbean as my friend suggested that If we have other friends who can take the cabin and just pay name change she's happy with that, this apparently is not ok with Royal Carribbean, then say that it's 100% cancel and rebook if both people in the cabin don't travel, apparently you can only cancel one passenger in a room?! How ridiculous! Her husband is not going to go without her! FUMING they just want to resell the cabin and make twice the profit!! Disgusting Royal Caribbean.

[newport dave]

30 minutes ago, cbowls30 said:

Hi all

We are due to sail on Saturday, we have two cabins booked (4 adults). Our friends mother is seriously ill in hospital (gone in yesterday) and it's unlikely she will survive into next week. As you can appreciate my friend cannot potential travel in Saturday but won't decide this until Friday. I have just spoken to royal Caribbean as my friend suggested that If we have other friends who can take the cabin and just pay name change she's happy with that, this apparently is not ok with Royal Carribbean, then say that it's 100% cancel and rebook if both people in the cabin don't travel, apparently you can only cancel one passenger in a room?! How ridiculous! Her husband is not going to go without her! FUMING they just want to resell the cabin and make twice the profit!! Disgusting Royal Caribbean.

Think most cruiselines have this stipulation.  They need to go through their travel insurance....if they have any..

[Ourusualbeach]

You could have one friend go.  Simply do 1 name change and leave one of the original guests name on the reservation and then have the one guest whose name remains be a no show at the pier.

[spookwife]

umm,  that is policy across all cruise lines  and has been in place forever.  

 

its not Royal's problem that  your friend is waiting until the last possible second to decide whether or not to travel.  and waiting until then means Royal would not be able to resell the cabin anyway, so there goes your argument about getting more money.

[cruisinfanatic]

46 minutes ago, cbowls30 said:

Hi all

We are due to sail on Saturday, we have two cabins booked (4 adults). Our friends mother is seriously ill in hospital (gone in yesterday) and it's unlikely she will survive into next week. As you can appreciate my friend cannot potential travel in Saturday but won't decide this until Friday. I have just spoken to royal Caribbean as my friend suggested that If we have other friends who can take the cabin and just pay name change she's happy with that, this apparently is not ok with Royal Carribbean, then say that it's 100% cancel and rebook if both people in the cabin don't travel, apparently you can only cancel one passenger in a room?! How ridiculous! Her husband is not going to go without her! FUMING they just want to resell the cabin and make twice the profit!! Disgusting Royal Caribbean.

Customer service has nothing to do withe problem. It's always been the rule

[A&L_Ont]

14 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You could have one friend go.  Simply do 1 name change and leave one of the original guests name on the reservation and then have the one guest whose name remains be a no show at the pier.

 

Most likely the best option. New avatar, like it. 

[Clarea]

This is when insurance should come into play.

[sparks1093]

I feel sorry for your friend's family but as others have mentioned this is a standard practice and is not a customer service issue. I know that we all want companies to bend the rules when things go wrong but they can't do that in every case.

[CapeGal]

Also has to do with security issues not just with resell.  Not a customer service issue per say.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, CapeGal said:

Also has to do with security issues not just with resell.  Not a customer service issue per say.

There aren’t any security issues as you can change a name on the reservation up to 24 hours in advance of the sailing.  It’s just policy.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Insurance 

[Andy C]

I think post #3 says it all.  Telling them they should've bought insurance is not going to do nothing to help their problem right now.  

[sparks1093]

5 minutes ago, Andy C said:

I think post #3 says it all.  Telling them they should've bought insurance is not going to do nothing to help their problem right now.  

Probably not, but someone else reading the thread may be influenced to purchase insurance to prevent a similar occurrence. 

[little britain]

You can do one name change on the booking - why not change one name and have the other person as a no show?

 

Alternatively call again and speak to someone higher ....  I  have known (albeit a few years ago) when Mr and Mrs Brown couldn't go but their neighbours Mr and Mrs Black could take over the booking that they wrote in confirming the details of the new couple, and because of the extenuating circumstances (also medical) they were allowed to make the change.

Of course this was in pre-Guatemala days...

Good luck.

[ryano]

They wont bend their rule that is pretty much SOP all across the industry so their customer service is a failure!  Typical entitled mentality these days.    Reason #3567 that I ALWAYS, ALWAYS buy travel insurance.  Thanks for the reminder 🙂 

Edited May 22, 2019 by ryano

[ryano]

7 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Probably not, but someone else reading the thread may be influenced to purchase insurance to prevent a similar occurrence. 

 

Its a great reminder for those of us who do purchase it as well.  

[NateUpNorth]

Hmmm....... curious but what would happen if you processed one name change today, and then attempted to process the other name in 24/48 hours?  Would the RCI I.T. department be able to catch that both original names are now gone? (based on my experience with their I.T. capabilities I'm betting they wouldn't)

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, NateUpNorth said:

Hmmm....... curious but what would happen if you processed one name change today, and then attempted to process the other name in 24/48 hours?  Would the RCI I.T. department be able to catch that both original names are now gone? (based on my experience with their I.T. capabilities I'm betting they wouldn't)

 

Yes, they would catch it, because they know the names on the original booking.

[Ocean Boy]

18 minutes ago, ryano said:

They wont bend their rule that is pretty much SOP all across the industry so their customer service is a failure!  Typical entitled mentality these days.    Reason #3567 that I ALWAYS, ALWAYS buy travel insurance.  Thanks for the reminder 🙂 

Explaining to someone how things work probably has a much more beneficial than accusing someone of having an entitled mentality.

 

I don't buy travel insurance. If I couldn't afford to lose the money I would not be spending it on a cruise but on the necessities of life. Insurance companies love it when people insure themselves for every possible lose they can think up. How do you think those companies make money? It is fine that you choose to insure your travel. That is right for you. It doesn't make it right for everyone. Your post seems to imply that it is stupid not to insure.

[Ocean Boy]

7 minutes ago, NateUpNorth said:

Hmmm....... curious but what would happen if you processed one name change today, and then attempted to process the other name in 24/48 hours?  Would the RCI I.T. department be able to catch that both original names are now gone? (based on my experience with their I.T. capabilities I'm betting they wouldn't)

RCI's IT works just fine when it is in RCI's best interest.

[BNBR]

There is nothing obnoxious or entitled about thinking you should be able to swap names on your cabin.  Just because this has been policy for some time doesn't make it right.  I'd be curious if there is a legitimate reason for this policy (coast guard rules, etc.).  To me it's not an unreasonable request.  I wouldn't blame their customer service department, but I do think the policy comes off as senseless.

[BNBR]

7 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I don't buy travel insurance. If I couldn't afford to lose the money I would not be spending it on a cruise but on the necessities of life. Insurance companies love it when people insure themselves for every possible lose they can think up. How do you think those companies make money? It is fine that you choose to insure your travel. That is right for you. It doesn't make it right for everyone. Your post seems to imply that it is stupid not to insure.

 

Right?  Everytime these threads come up all the posters who are bad at math jump in brag about their insurance purchases.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, BNBR said:

 I'd be curious if there is a legitimate reason for this policy 

Sure, to make money.

[ryano]

7 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Explaining to someone how things work probably has a much more beneficial than accusing someone of having an entitled mentality.

 

I don't buy travel insurance. If I couldn't afford to lose the money I would not be spending it on a cruise but on the necessities of life. Insurance companies love it when people insure themselves for every possible lose they can think up. How do you think those companies make money? It is fine that you choose to insure your travel. That is right for you. It doesn't make it right for everyone. Your post seems to imply that it is stupid not to insure.

I find it rather funny that there are at least 5 other posts mentioning travel insurance yet you choose to call me out on it.   I very much see entitlement here.  If you cant, oh well.     My post implies NOTHING more than the fact that this is yet another reminder to ME  as to why I buy travel insurance.  I can afford to lose the money or I wouldnt be going on a cruise.  I purchase travel insurance more for reasons like medical coverage.  Covering last minute instances like this that may pop up is just an added bonus in that Im not basically setting fire to 2-3 grand.    Good day  🙂  

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, spookwife said:

umm,  that is policy across all cruise lines  and has been in place forever.  

 

its not Royal's problem that  your friend is waiting until the last possible second to decide whether or not to travel.  and waiting until then means Royal would not be able to resell the cabin anyway, so there goes your argument about getting more money.

The OP was going to offer up two guests as replacements. If they could do that then whats the big deal? If they could not then I certainly would not expect RCI to either refund any money or expect that they would be able to resell the cabin on such sort notice.