Royal Eliminates Neighborhood Balcony Perks

[MrsKC08]

20 hours ago, grapau27 said:

The neighborhood balconies have no privacy and imo they gave the benefits to bribe people to book them.

We book ocean view balconies every cruise.

We actually LOVE the Boardwalk balconies and book them on any Oasis class ship. We can sail an oceanview balcony on any other cruise ship. To us, the ship is the destination. And as others have mentioned...people watching can be quite entertaining. Of course, we also get deck 11 so that we are high enough up to not having annoying noise, but can still have a nice view of everything.

 

17 hours ago, Dajbman22 said:

Has anyone booked on an Oasis Class CP/BW already received the $50 OBC in their Planner yet?

I wouldn't be surprised if they hold on this for at least another week since the announcement was just made. I also wouldn't be surprised if it is not offered pre cruise, but only once the cruise is actually taken.

 

15 hours ago, soremekun said:

So since I am booked with a travel agent, she would have to call on my behalf?

No, you can still call on your own behalf UNLESS you are changing cabins or canceling.

 

15 hours ago, sjb317 said:

 

I will send an email and my husband is going to post on FB.  My husband feels people should contact the Florida Attorney General as these were part of the contract we all signed and totally different than changing an itinerary. 

 

Sherri😠

Yeah, good luck with that. Your contract that you "sign" once booked states that things can alter or change or cancel any "activities, accommodations, etc" without any liability to the "carrier". Trust me that their contracts hold them harmless to anything like this.

 

14 hours ago, Sizzlechest said:

 

I agree. I also would honestly consider filing a lawsuit. I simply don't believe they can unilaterally set the terms. $50 doesn't cover ONE soda package for a 7 day cruise.

Good luck.

 

13 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I disagree, the lunch was worth $40 -$50, the wine is truly undrinkable, the gaming lessons are free almost every afternoon. I'd prefer $50 every day

As I often do John, I completely agree with you!

 

3 hours ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Do US laws allow the seller to alter the contract one-sided after it is signed?🤔

Doesn't the seller HAVE to provide what was part of the contract?🤔

It's all regardless of contract. Most people don't read the ticket contracts...but trust me, they are covered.  

[Sherri914]

8 minutes ago, MrsKC08 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if they hold on this for at least another week since the announcement was just made. I also wouldn't be surprised if it is not offered pre cruise, but only once the cruise is actually taken.

 

 

I've received the additional $50OBC offered by the supervisor yesterday.  And she told me that the $50OBC  compensation wouldn't show up in planner until sometime next week.  It's non-refundable OBC for both. 

[P.A.]

I am FURIOUS about this change! Not because now we don't get the "FREE PKG" but because they are "taking away" something they already gave me!! That's just not good customer service. I can see if they need to discontinue the "perk" and no longer give it...but take it away from people who booked a long time ago is just not right. I booked my sailing on Allure for Feb 2020 back in Nov 2018. There will be 3 of us in our boardwalk balcony. And then to give you $50 per cabin as a replacement is a slap in the face!! And they've already changed our port of St Thomas because of the propulsion problem. 🤬

 

I called customer relations and spoke with them and they said they would give me $50 more but that doesn't even cover one drink pkg let alone two, plus the Johnny Rockets!! I have already sent off an email to corporate so we'll see what response I get.

[tinkertwo]

2 minutes ago, P.A. said:

 

 

I called customer relations and spoke with them and they said they would give me $50 more but that doesn't even cover one drink pkg let alone two, plus the Johnny Rockets!! I have already sent off an email to corporate so we'll see what response I get.

What number did you call?  

[P.A.]

8 minutes ago, Sherri914 said:

 

I've received the additional $50OBC offered by the supervisor yesterday.  And she told me that the $50OBC  compensation wouldn't show up in planner until sometime next week.  It's non-refundable OBC for both. 

 

$500 or $50???

 

[P.A.]

Just now, tinkertwo said:

What number did you call?  

 

800-256-6649

[MoniMommy]

I just called the and the first rep told me that there was nothing he could do and just basically reread the email that I already read. I wanted to say "I can read" but I didn't. I asked to speak to a supervisor and he said that they don't take calls. I then asked to speak with someone else and he wanted to know who. I said whoever is the next step in the escalation process. I did speak to someone else.  This time I was calm. While waiting I was reading comments and followed Sherri914 about catching more flies with honey.  I explained again to the 2nd rep that with $50 I could not purchase a bottle of wine and the lunch.  I also explained that at the time I booked my stateroom an OpenView balcony was not much more than the central park and the extra entitlement tipped the balance. Now I am unable to get a ocean view balcony at the same prices that existed in May. The rep said that the bottle of wine and lunch was a value of $85 and that he would give me an extra $50 and said that this was a one time exception for me only. I just chuckled inside. Its an exception for anyone who makes a big enough stink about but does so nicely. Since I was in a central park, 100 is more than fair. Now for a Boardwalk, I would want that soda package or enough to cover it. This is a great deal for me. I don't drink wine anyway. RCL will still come out on top, because most will see the OBC and think great. I bet only a small percentage of people will call and complain.  No matter what the house always wins.

Edited September 19, 2019 by MoniMommy

[sjb317]

25 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

 

Not likely.  Left hand doesn't speak to the right hand much at Royal.

 

 

Truth.  I heard tons of pool deck noise during the day from my deck 10 CP balcony.

 

But that’s a really bad way to run a company.  The people selling the cabins should be made aware of this incentive program being dropped prior to the drop.   If they knowingly continue selling with the incentives, that is truly a “bait and switch”.

 

Sherri😠

[AshleyDillo]

1 minute ago, sjb317 said:

But that’s a really bad way to run a company.  The people selling the cabins should be made aware of this incentive program being dropped prior to the drop.   If they knowingly continue selling with the incentives, that is truly a “bait and switch”.

 

Sherri😠

 

True..but Royal is a very large company and they can afford to not care until customers start voting with their dollars and taking them elsewhere.

 

Considering that they outsource a lot of their customer service when it comes to call centers and selling cruises, it doesn't surprise me.  If you call Royal 5 different times with a question you will likely get 5 different answers.

[Sherri914]

3 minutes ago, P.A. said:

 

$500 or $50???

 

I received an additional $50 OBC as a courtesy offer, plus the $50 OBC that RCI is offering all neighborhood balcony folks who are losing the perk.  So a total of $100 OBC.   Of that, I've already received (in my Planner) the $50 OBC offered by the Supervisor as a courtesy.   She said the remaining $50 OBC that RCI is giving as compensation will not appear until (possibly) sometime next week. 

[MightyMike]

I know there are people out there who try to take advantage of situations like this to get more than they deserve. I know there are cruisers who will complain about ANYTHING. But I honestly feel like this issue is not like that. It is a real and true problem completely within Royal Caribbean's control.

 

It is not subjective. The compensation offered is substantially less than the perks. You can see their own prices. If you repurchase just the beverage component, the $50 OBC only gets you about a third of the way there. You can't get much more objective than that.

 

If Royal Caribbean wanted truly wanted to be fair, they would either grandfather those who already booked, or offer an OBC that would allow you to repurchase equivalent package components yourself. Any reasonable cruiser knows that $50 is an insult.

[P.A.]

1 minute ago, MightyMike said:

I know there are people out there who try to take advantage of situations like this to get more than they deserve. I know there are cruisers who will complain about ANYTHING. But I honestly feel like this issue is not like that. It is a real and true problem completely within Royal Caribbean's control.

 

It is not subjective. The compensation offered is substantially less than the perks. You can see their own prices. If you repurchase just the beverage component, the $50 OBC only gets you about a third of the way there. You can't get much more objective than that.

 

If Royal Caribbean wanted truly wanted to be fair, they would either grandfather those who already booked, or offer an OBC that would allow you to repurchase equivalent package components yourself. Any reasonable cruiser knows that $50 is an insult.

 

Agree. Maybe if enough people complain they will change and go ahead and grandfather the ones already booked prior to the change. This is just the right thing to do.

[emeraldcity]

I just got off the phone with Resolutions regarding the removal of the perks for the BW balconies. I called initially about my booking on the 12-day spring TA on the Allure. They thanked me for the feedback, but won't do anything further than make a note of my call. I'm sailing solo and paying for two for the cabin, which I accept without issue. But I find it tough to swallow that I (in effect) paid for 2 soda packages with this pricing , knowing I would just be getting one … and now I'm just getting a token amount toward it. It was touted as part of the purchase when I booked … now it's been reconsidered and removed without making me whole.

 

And yes, I'm booked in a BW balcony for the fall TA as well … another loss.

[P.A.]

20 minutes ago, Sherri914 said:

I received an additional $50 OBC as a courtesy offer, plus the $50 OBC that RCI is offering all neighborhood balcony folks who are losing the perk.  So a total of $100 OBC.   Of that, I've already received (in my Planner) the $50 OBC offered by the Supervisor as a courtesy.   She said the remaining $50 OBC that RCI is giving as compensation will not appear until (possibly) sometime next week. 

Oh ok thanks for clarifying that. I thought $500 was amazing!! 🤣

[3eaglesfam]

31 minutes ago, MoniMommy said:

I just called the and the first rep told me that there was nothing he could do and just basically reread the email that I already read. I wanted to say "I can read" but I didn't. I asked to speak to a supervisor and he said that they don't take calls. I then asked to speak with someone else and he wanted to know who. I said whoever is the next step in the escalation process. I did speak to someone else.  This time I was calm. While waiting I was reading comments and followed Sherri914 about catching more flies with honey.  I explained again to the 2nd rep that with $50 I could not purchase a bottle of wine and the lunch.  I also explained that at the time I booked my stateroom an OpenView balcony was not much more than the central park and the extra entitlement tipped the balance. Now I am unable to get a ocean view balcony at the same prices that existed in May. The rep said that the bottle of wine and lunch was a value of $85 and that he would give me an extra $50 and said that this was a one time exception for me only. I just chuckled inside. Its an exception for anyone who makes a big enough stink about but does so nicely. Since I was in a central park, 100 is more than fair. Now for a Boardwalk, I would want that soda package or enough to cover it. This is a great deal for me. I don't drink wine anyway. RCL will still come out on top, because most will see the OBC and think great. I bet only a small percentage of people will call and complain.  No matter what the house always wins.

I tried the same thing.  I was told by 2  different reps that the original $50.00 was all they are giving.  Good way to start my hubby's 50th birthday and our 25th anniversary cruise.  

[mayleeman]

6 minutes ago, P.A. said:

Oh ok thanks for clarifying that. I thought $500 was amazing!! 🤣

She said $50 in the original, but the OBC was right up next to the zero, thus "$50OBC" which confused me, too, at first until I looked more closely. Those zero's look too much like oh's!

[P.A.]

2 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

She said $50 in the original, but the OBC was right up next to the zero, thus "$50OBC" which confused me, too, at first until I looked more closely. Those zero's look too much like oh's!

🤣 they sure do!

[3eaglesfam]

I just called again and was told by the 3rd rep that no one was getting more than 50.00 per state room.  

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

12 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

She said $50 in the original, but the OBC was right up next to the zero, thus "$50OBC" which confused me, too, at first until I looked more closely. Those zero's look too much like oh's!

. . . but the do not spend the same. 🤣

[MightyMike]

1 minute ago, 3eaglesfam said:

I just called again and was told by the 3rd rep that no one was getting more than 50.00 per state room.  

 

 

Same here. They are holding firm. 

 

I asked for a supervisor and made what I thought was a fair and reasonable offer:

• I would forfeit the Johnny Rockets meal.
• I would forfeit the Rock Climbing Wall session.
• All that I asked for was restoration of the soda package, or enough total OBC ($150) so that I could restore it myself.

No deal. 

 

This is how companies lose customers.

[Sherri914]

6 minutes ago, 3eaglesfam said:

I just called again and was told by the 3rd rep that no one was getting more than 50.00 per state room.  

 

 

The $50 courtesy was issued to me yesterday via email and was visible in my Cruise Planner as of last night.  They haven't begun issuing the $50 compensations yet.  Those will happen next week (at least that's what I was told). 

[time4u2go]

2 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

However, having sailed on both, you cannot compare Royal to NCL, unless you are in the Haven.  The cabins on NCL are very small.  Crowds all over the ship- you have to get up at dawn to get a seat by the pool.  IMO food fair on NCL- so sometimes you get what you pay for!  I would go for an oceanview on Royal rather then a mini on NCL.

 

 Enjoy your vacation

Which NCL ship are you referring to? Obviously cabin sizes and crowded-ness vary from ship-to-ship.

[MoniMommy]

For those that did not get a satisfactory response, try posting on social media. Especially for those that were in the Boardwalk room and are loosing the soda package. You could also call and maybe you will get a different person. If anyone booked a non refundable deposit, I am sure they will give you the soda package if you threaten to cancel. 

[smn8600]

10 minutes ago, MoniMommy said:

For those that did not get a satisfactory response, try posting on social media. Especially for those that were in the Boardwalk room and are loosing the soda package. You could also call and maybe you will get a different person. If anyone booked a non refundable deposit, I am sure they will give you the soda package if you threaten to cancel. 

I agree, blast them on twitter.  Maybe if enough people do it they'll get the message.  I'm just worried about threatening to cancel.  I don't want them to call my bluff.  I wouldn't be able to re-book anything comparable for the same rate as rates seem to have gone up since I booked.

[tinkertwo]

As for getting the $50 credit, here's what my email states.

 

Beginning January 2020, we've discontinued our DINE - DRINK - DISCOVER program. Instead, we'll add a $50 Onboard Credit to your booking by Friday, September 20th, 2019, to help make up for the discontinuation of this program. Your Onboard Credit is per stateroom and can only be used on your Central Park Balcony stateroom.