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No customer service

sailingman22

By sailingman22,
in Royal Caribbean International

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sailingman22

sailingman22

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Posted

We did a Explorer of the Seas Baltic of the Seas cruise in July and were very disappointed with the staff and RCCL Customer Service or more accurately, No Service. We are frequent cruisers who do the travel for our mobile home park plus travel on our own. This cruise started out with always trying to find our cabin employee to either clean our room or replace towels or standard items in the cabin. Our waiters did a great job but repeatedly asked us the write a great review about them so that they would receive a pay raise. In general, the entire staff seemed indifferent to the passengers. The biggest problem was having propeller issues in Russia but then trying to repair it in Norway on the last day of the cruise. Leaving port 9 hours late, we were told that anyone with airline reservations leaving before 2:30 pm needed to rebook their reservations. Customer Service told everyone "not to worry and RCCL always took care of their customers". BS. No flights were available for our return home that day and we purchased the last 2 tickets available for the following day. We reserved a hotel at the airport for the night, had dinner and breakfast and returned home the following morning. RCCL did credit us with $400 each for international airfare change but still left us with $1400 debit. Contacted our travel agent and he stated that it was RCCL responsible for address the issue. I spoke with RCCL customer Service, emailed their Customer Service head office and the RCCL sales rep for south Florida and never received any response. NONE. Thankfully, our travel insurance covered the $1400 in additional costs. I will never book a RCCL cruise again.

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LMaxwell Great Review Rare

LMaxwell

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, sailingman22 said:

Thankfully, our travel insurance covered the $1400 in additional costs. 

 

That's all I would expect honestly.  I wouldn't think RCI, Norwegian, MSC, Carnival, Princess....would handle it any differently.    I don't blame you for the way you feel.  I don't white knight for corporations.   But I think your story would have been similar no matter the shape of the logo on the funnel.  Good reminder why having insurance is important.

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Biker19

Biker19

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Posted
59 minutes ago, sailingman22 said:

RCCL Customer Service or more accurately, No Service.

It seems you did get some service, you just didn't like some of the answers - that $400pp airline change fee is the standard that RCI offers.

 

Biker, who wonders if ranting on CC somehow soothes folks' anger with any situation.

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Biker19

Biker19

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Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, sailingman22 said:

Potential customers should be aware of what can happen when a cruise is late and what the cruise line is willing to do for their customers. 

Anyone who spends any time on the RCI section of CC is well aware of how little the cruise line does to help customers - the only thing that changes is the specific circumstances of that as you so well laid out.

 

BTW, drive by rants with threats to no longer sail RCI are also common - teasing out intent is kinda hard.

Edited by Biker19
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Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

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2 minutes ago, sailingman22 said:

These are facts. No anger, just what happened but I do question your comment. Potential customers should be aware of what can happen when a cruise is late and what the cruise line is willing to do for their customers. 

Facts are, cruises, on any line, are sometimes early/late and even delayed by days. See hurricane season. This is the reason for insurance. It worked for you. 

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sailingman22

sailingman22

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55 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

If you had travel insurance, than why would you expect RCCL to pay for it?  You always submit to the insurance first and they paid. Honestly, I have had travel issues in the past, and it's better to let the problem work itself out, than to get upset.  It happens.

First, Passengers were told by the Explorer of the Seas that they would cover all cost. Second, because airfare and the cruise trip were not purchased with the same identical credit card, the cc company was not responsible. The travel insurance did pay in full after several months.

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Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

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Posted
1 minute ago, sailingman22 said:

First, Passengers were told by the Explorer of the Seas that they would cover all cost. Second, because airfare and the cruise trip were not purchased with the same identical credit card, the cc company was not responsible. The travel insurance did pay in full after several months.

So your whole.  Be thankful for insurance. Maybe thread title should have been, “Thank goodness I was smart enough to get travel insurance “. 

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Clarea

Clarea

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10 minutes ago, sailingman22 said:

These are facts. No anger, just what happened but I do question your comment. Potential customers should be aware of what can happen when a cruise is late and what the cruise line is willing to do for their customers. 

 

I appreciate your report.  This will help people realize how important travel insurance can be.

 

Unfortunate that the cruise line seemed to misrepresent how they would handle the situation.  However, this is not the first time this has been reported.  They pretty much will say anything to get you off the ship and out of their hair so they can get the next set of guests onboard.  

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fred30

fred30

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17 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

Unfortunate that the cruise line seemed to misrepresent how they would handle the situation.  However, this is not the first time this has been reported.  They pretty much will say anything to get you off the ship and out of their hair so they can get the next set of guests onboard.  

It sure is refreshing seeing someone not always backing up RC's actions.

 

 

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ReneeFLL "Live from...." Rare

ReneeFLL

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We always travel 5 - 7 days before and after an international cruise. CONUS  cruises we would do at least 1 - 2 days before and after. I know not everyone is able to do this, but it's always good idea if possible. That and travel insurance. Glad it worked out for you, but I would also be upset if they said one thing and then did another.

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3eaglesfam

3eaglesfam

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Unless you have something in WRITING that royal is taking care of the costs associated with the delay there is really nothing that can be done. 

My 2018 Liberty cruise arrived late to port because of heavy fog.   I had travel insurance.  it paid for the night in the hotel and I was not charged for the flight change due to being nice on the phone with the person on the other line and asking politely. .  I know that's not the norm.  

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Hoopster95

Hoopster95

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2 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

 

That's all I would expect honestly. I don't blame you for the way you feel.  I don't white knight for corporations.  Good reminder why having insurance is important.

 

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Great explanation why travel insurance is important. Sorry you had issues. 

 

1 hour ago, bouhunter said:

 Delays are a risk of cruising (all travel every day).  Be thankful your insurance covered the expense. 

 

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

It seems you did get some service, you just didn't like some of the answers

Biker, who wonders if ranting on CC somehow soothes folks' anger with any situation.

 

54 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

I appreciate your report.  This will help people realize how important travel insurance can be.

 

5 of the most long-time and respected posters on this RCL forum, including the board moderator, with the exact same reply to you....I 100% agree with their answer to you.

 

Those that refuse insurance because "of the high cost" are ignorant if they expect to be hand held like little children along with the other 3000 fellow passengers in the same position all at the exact same moment. People/travelers need to be savvy, aware and understanding of the positions they get put in. You were not one of those people. This is not about RCL whatsoever in my humble opinion. You did all the right things... end of story. Like Milwaukee Eight said above your post should actually be a positive heading: “Thank goodness I was smart enough to get travel insurance “

 

Enjoy all of your travels to come and continue to book insurance each and every time 👍

 

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cruisegirl1

cruisegirl1

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Posted (edited)

We had a similar experience with the grandeur of the seas in August. After four hours sitting at the dock, they canceled our cruise and had us disembark that very same night or the next night. We were on our own for hotel,  transportation and a flight home. They did give us a cruise fare back (after all - we never sailed) as well as some future cruise credit, but we were out of pocket about $700 to get to and return from a cruise that never sailed.

 

Bottom  line, our travel insurance reimbursed us for all of our expenses. A lot of people say they don’t need the insurance as they are healthy, but anything can happen on the cruise. Many had expenses much greater than ours. 
 

m

Edited by cruisegirl1
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Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

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47 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

5 of the most long-time and respected posters on this RCL forum, including the board moderator, with the exact same reply to you....I 100% agree with their answer to you.

Wow. Now that’s a first but Thank You. I’m not sure the majority would agree with you. Lol

 

In my opinion 

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mskaufman Great Review Rare

mskaufman

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54 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

We had a similar experience with the grandeur of the seas in August. After four hours sitting at the dock, they canceled our cruise and had us disembark that very same night or the next night. We were on our own for hotel,  transportation and a flight home. They did give us a cruise fare back (after all - we never sailed) as well as some future cruise credit, but we were out of pocket about $700 to get to and return from a cruise that never sailed.

 

Bottom  line, our travel insurance reimbursed us for all of our expenses. A lot of people say they don’t need the insurance as they are healthy, but anything can happen on the cruise. Many had expenses much greater than ours. 
 

m

 

I live in Maryland and have travel insurance from my Grandeur trip out of Baltimore next month.  Hoping that I don't need it.

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