Covid-19 poor response by Royal Caribbean

[REM25]

Royal Caribbean has charged a 50% financial penalty for cancelling our cruise 65 days before sailing. We are seniors who are advised not to fly or cruise to avoid getting COVID-19. They announced a new credit policy mid-March retroactive to March 1st. We cancelled Feb. 27th and send a letter Feb. 29 th requesting a credit. They said NO and are taking $1,065 in cash from two seniors who were going on their 5th cruise with them. It’s time for a progressive customer service initiative. Our airline is giving us a full credit - why is Royal Caribbean not doing the same?

A credit makes sense in these strange times as we intend to cruise next year instead, therefore Royal Caribbean would get its full money. I have written to Royal Caribbean three times now and still get the same bureaucratic answer - our cancellation policy does not permit credits, just financial penalties. You would think that Royal Caribbean would be watching the news - many events are being cancelled to help stop the spread.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, REM25 said:

Royal Caribbean has charged a 50% financial penalty for cancelling our cruise 65 days before sailing. We are seniors who are advised not to fly or cruise to avoid getting COVID-19. They announced a new credit policy mid-March retroactive to March 1st. We cancelled Feb. 27th and send a letter Feb. 29 th requesting a credit. They said NO and are taking $1,065 in cash from two seniors who were going on their 5th cruise with them. It’s time for a progressive customer service initiative. Our airline is giving us a full credit - why is Royal Caribbean not doing the same?

A credit makes sense in these strange times as we intend to cruise next year instead, therefore Royal Caribbean would get its full money. I have written to Royal Caribbean three times now and still get the same bureaucratic answer - our cancellation policy does not permit credits, just financial penalties. You would think that Royal Caribbean would be watching the news - many events are being cancelled to help stop the spread.

The new policy was effective March 6th.  They did not make it retroactive and they did not waiver on allowing people who previously cancelled. Ive been through this for a client and they won’t budge

[MommaBear55]

They treated you appropriately for the policies at the time. See if your credit card will cover some of it. You weren't treated differently because you are a senior nor because you've been on 5 other cruises. 

[bobmacliberty]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[taglovestocruise]

37 minutes ago, REM25 said:

Royal Caribbean has charged a 50% financial penalty for cancelling our cruise 65 days before sailing. We are seniors who are advised not to fly or cruise to avoid getting COVID-19. They announced a new credit policy mid-March retroactive to March 1st. We cancelled Feb. 27th and send a letter Feb. 29 th requesting a credit. They said NO and are taking $1,065 in cash from two seniors who were going on their 5th cruise with them. It’s time for a progressive customer service initiative. Our airline is giving us a full credit - why is Royal Caribbean not doing the same?

A credit makes sense in these strange times as we intend to cruise next year instead, therefore Royal Caribbean would get its full money. I have written to Royal Caribbean three times now and still get the same bureaucratic answer - our cancellation policy does not permit credits, just financial penalties. You would think that Royal Caribbean would be watching the news - many events are being cancelled to help stop the spread.

No reason to cancel a cruise 2 + months away. Let Royal cancel and you get 100% back as a refund.

[REM25]

5 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The new policy was effective March 6th.  They did not make it retroactive and they did not waiver on allowing people who previously cancelled. Ive been through this for a client and they won’t budge

Royal does not know the meaning of good customer service - even in these unusual times

[REM25]

4 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

No reason to cancel a cruise 2 + months away. Let Royal cancel and you get 100% back as a refund.

You don’t understand. If we waited 2 more days it would have been a 75% penalty. We asked on Feb. 29th for a credit. They then changed their policy March 6th to offer credits. Retried the policy to March 1st. So we were ahead of this company on the right thing to do yet they financially penalized us $1,065 and said “too bad, you cancelled before our policy change”. They had to be thinking about this before Feb. 29th. But no. 

[heziggy]

This part of why to take the cruise insurance or to purchase with a credit card with travel insurance.

 

We buy it for every expensive trip for cases love me this.  We had cruise booked for April 4 and a Drs appointment a week before.  If she wasn't gonna allow us togo we had the insurance.  Fortunately it doesn't matter as we will be receiving 100% back.  If we had canceled at the start we would have lost $2700. (50%) and nearly $4000 (75%,). So we were waiting to see what would happen

[rimmit]

Royal is all about avoiding bankruptcy right now.  They will do whatever it takes to hold onto cash right now and sacrifice customer service in the process.

[lovescats5]

Did you read the contract?  Did you get trip insurance?  Would you expect a refund from a TV service because you were sick and could not watch TV for a week?  Do you think any other cruise line would do anything different?  We are retired also and on a fixed income but I would not expect anything if I cancelled.  My son lost his id and Liberty would not let him board and guess what.  The airline would not cancel his return trip and book a new one for free because he had to go home early.  This was March 1 so it was after you cancelled your trip.  And guess what, they were more than happy to sell us another ticket for double what we had paid.  Mad, yes, upset, yes but I did not expect them to give us a refund.  Hope you enjoy your next trip.

[MoniMommy]

Why do people keep asking about trip insurance. If you know about trip insurance it only covers if you cancel because you are sick. It does not cover canceling because of the concern of getting sick or quarantined. And before you mention cancel for any reason that is not available to all. Its was just made available in NY because of coronavirus but I have not seen any NY policies that offer it yet. For customers that feel burned, the best thing is to use your vacation dollars elsewhere. I can only hope Royal loses enough for them to see the importance of doing a better job the next time there is a pandemic or other national crisis.

[papaflamingo]

9 hours ago, MoniMommy said:

Why do people keep asking about trip insurance. If you know about trip insurance it only covers if you cancel because you are sick. It does not cover canceling because of the concern of getting sick or quarantined. And before you mention cancel for any reason that is not available to all. Its was just made available in NY because of coronavirus but I have not seen any NY policies that offer it yet. For customers that feel burned, the best thing is to use your vacation dollars elsewhere. I can only hope Royal loses enough for them to see the importance of doing a better job the next time there is a pandemic or other national crisis.

True.  But Royal Caribbean's travel insurance DOES include 75% cancel for any reason.  

I'm certainly sympathetic to the OP.  But they should have been aware of Royal Caribbean's policy when they booked the cruise and when they chose to cancel the cruise.  If Royal had not changed the policy a week later,  they'd be relieved they were able to cancel with 50% refund.  I know people want someone else to be responsible for their decisions, but it isn't the cruise line's responsibility to make up for someone's decision.   If I did my math correctly, the OP made final payment Feb. 2.  The Covid 19 was already a known virus and was projected to spread worldwide.  If they are concerned about their health, they should have opted out before they went into the penalty portion of their cruise. 

As for your comment " I can only hope Royal loses enough for them to see the importance of doing a better job the next time there is a pandemic or other national crisis," what would you have them do?  What more?  How much do you think they can lose and still stay in business?  

Edited March 14, 2020 by papaflamingo

[Iamcruzin]

18 hours ago, REM25 said:

Royal Caribbean has charged a 50% financial penalty for cancelling our cruise 65 days before sailing. We are seniors who are advised not to fly or cruise to avoid getting COVID-19. They announced a new credit policy mid-March retroactive to March 1st. We cancelled Feb. 27th and send a letter Feb. 29 th requesting a credit. They said NO and are taking $1,065 in cash from two seniors who were going on their 5th cruise with them. It’s time for a progressive customer service initiative. Our airline is giving us a full credit - why is Royal Caribbean not doing the same?

A credit makes sense in these strange times as we intend to cruise next year instead, therefore Royal Caribbean would get its full money. I have written to Royal Caribbean three times now and still get the same bureaucratic answer - our cancellation policy does not permit credits, just financial penalties. You would think that Royal Caribbean would be watching the news - many events are being cancelled to help stop the spread.

I wish you would have found Cruise Critic sooner. There is a wealth of information here. Had you posted your question before you canceled we would have advised you to keep your booking until it came closer to sailing. If you are past final payment you are in the penalty time frame of losing money.  The COVID-19 has turned the industry upside down and policy changes by the minute.  Cruise Critic is site for cruise enthusiasts who share information.   Most people find Cruise Critic after they have had an issue. Feel free to ask questions for any up coming cruises or just do research by reading the threads.

 

[REM25]

9 hours ago, MoniMommy said:

Why do people keep asking about trip insurance. If you know about trip insurance it only covers if you cancel because you are sick. It does not cover canceling because of the concern of getting sick or quarantined. And before you mention cancel for any reason that is not available to all. Its was just made available in NY because of coronavirus but I have not seen any NY policies that offer it yet. For customers that feel burned, the best thing is to use your vacation dollars elsewhere. I can only hope Royal loses enough for them to see the importance of doing a better job the next time there is a pandemic or other national crisis.

 

2 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

I wish you would have found Cruise Critic sooner. There is a wealth of information here. Had you posted your question before you canceled we would have advised you to keep your booking until it came closer to sailing. If you are past final payment you are in the penalty time frame of losing money.  The COVID-19 has turned the industry upside down and policy changes by the minute.  Cruise Critic is site for cruise enthusiasts who share information.   Most people find Cruise Critic after they have had an issue. Feel free to ask questions for any up coming cruises or just do research by reading the threads.

 

Good answer - Royal is not a good corporate citizen

[lovemylab]

9 hours ago, MoniMommy said:

Why do people keep asking about trip insurance. If you know about trip insurance it only covers if you cancel because you are sick. It does not cover canceling because of the concern of getting sick or quarantined. And before you mention cancel for any reason that is not available to all. Its was just made available in NY because of coronavirus but I have not seen any NY policies that offer it yet. For customers that feel burned, the best thing is to use your vacation dollars elsewhere. I can only hope Royal loses enough for them to see the importance of doing a better job the next time there is a pandemic or other national crisis.

 

Not all insurance policies are the same.  The coverage I have on my credit card does provide coverage in the event that I am advised not to travel due to medical reasons (which might be the case with the OP). 

[MoniMommy]

 

35 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

True.  But Royal Caribbean's travel insurance DOES include 75% cancel for any reason.  

I'm certainly sympathetic to the OP.  But they should have been aware of Royal Caribbean's policy when they booked the cruise and when they chose to cancel the cruise.  If Royal had not changed the policy a week later,  they'd be relieved they were able to cancel with 50% refund.  I know people want someone else to be responsible for their decisions, but it isn't the cruise line's responsibility to make up for someone's decision.   If I did my math correctly, the OP made final payment Feb. 2.  The Covid 19 was already a known virus and was projected to spread worldwide.  If they are concerned about their health, they should have opted out before they went into the penalty portion of their cruise. 

As for your comment " I can only hope Royal loses enough for them to see the importance of doing a better job the next time there is a pandemic or other national crisis," what would you have them do?  What more?  How much do you think they can lose and still stay in business?  

I have booked with Royal twice and was NOT offered cancel for any reason insurance. I am most sure what the criteria is for them to offer it. I booked online if that makes a difference. 

 

I feel that pandemics are NOT unforeseen. They have happened before. I am thinking bird flu and swine flu as well as SARS and MERS. I realize those were contained relatively quickly. But one has to assume that as the world population grows pandemics will be harder to contain. So cruise lines SHOULD HAVE INSURANCE to cover such losses. If they dont I cant feel sorry for them. If that insurance is not offered they should self insure by having enough in reserve. They dont even pay income tax at least not in the US. They incorporate in counties with lax tax and labor laws. If they go out of business I will loose my FCC but I will continue to vacation. The only losers will be the workers and businesses that supply ships. The CEOs and fat cats at the top will leave with multi billion dollar bonuses and windfalls even as the company goes bankrupt. So no I cant feel sorry for the multi billion dollar company at the expense of the elderly couple who canceled. Sorry, not going to happen. 

[REM25]

Companies like Royal Caribbean don’t understand that situations like COVID-19 are unusual events that require unusual, customer supportive actions. They had their head in the sand. They are penny wise and pound foolish - for not refunding $1,000 they are losing $30,000 to $40,000 in future business. Nothing is normal right now but Royal is choosing a standard bureaucratic response. Pathetic 

[not-enough-cruising]

14 minutes ago, MoniMommy said:

 

I have booked with Royal twice and was NOT offered cancel for any reason insurance. I am most sure what the criteria is for them to offer it. I booked online if that makes a difference. 

 

I feel that pandemics are NOT unforeseen. They have happened before. I am thinking bird flu and swine flu as well as SARS and MERS. I realize those were contained relatively quickly. But one has to assume that as the world population grows pandemics will be harder to contain. So cruise lines SHOULD HAVE INSURANCE to cover such losses. If they dont I cant feel sorry for them. If that insurance is not offered they should self insure by having enough in reserve. They dont even pay income tax at least not in the US. They incorporate in counties with lax tax and labor laws. If they go out of business I will loose my FCC but I will continue to vacation. The only losers will be the workers and businesses that supply ships. The CEOs and fat cats at the top will leave with multi billion dollar bonuses and windfalls even as the company goes bankrupt. So no I cant feel sorry for the multi billion dollar company at the expense of the elderly couple who canceled. Sorry, not going to happen. 

If you booked online there is a box to check to accept or decline insurance, otherwise you can not complete the check out process. Obviously you declined.  

[MoniMommy]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

If you booked online there is a box to check to accept or decline insurance, otherwise you can not complete the check out process. Obviously you declined.  

Actually there was no box. I booked a cruise recently for September and I Looked for the box. I was booking on my phone and didn't see the bos so I moved to my computer and still didn't see the box. 

[not-enough-cruising]

4 minutes ago, MoniMommy said:

Actually there was no box. I booked a cruise recently for September and I Looked for the box. I was booking on my phone and didn't see the bos so I moved to my computer and still didn't see the box. 

 

[rich_cathybrock]

It is possible the OP lived in NY as we do.  At this time neither Royal nor Celebrity offer insurance to NY State residents.  I am hopeful this event will cause them to rethink this policy. I would be interested to know what percentage of their clients residing in NY State travel without insurance vs. the other 49 where it is offered.

 

I for one would never travel without insurance, but others may not be as vigilant, as evidenced by the dearth of posts from unhappy travelers who opted not to incur the cost for coverage, but now expect to be compensated the same as those who responsibly covered their travel when they planned it.

[MoniMommy]

What possible reason would I have to lie? Just to prove to some of the trolls that Imthe option is not always available, I did a mock booking for my September cruise. Here it is. NO INSURANCE OPTION. Insurance is often based on state.

 

 

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

This is all the more reason to use a good TA.  It is our agencies policy to have all clients complete a separate form formally declining insurance and the implications.

[reallyitsmema]

13 minutes ago, REM25 said:

Companies like Royal Caribbean don’t understand that situations like COVID-19 are unusual events that require unusual, customer supportive actions. They had their head in the sand. They are penny wise and pound foolish - for not refunding $1,000 they are losing $30,000 to $40,000 in future business. Nothing is normal right now but Royal is choosing a standard bureaucratic response. Pathetic 

 

If they didn't understand that this was an unusual event, they never would have started the cruise with confidence policy.

 

You chose to cancel your cruise to insure you got 50% of your cruise fare and to cut your losses.  You need to accept your decision.

 

I also chose to cancel my May cruise.  I was in 75% penalty and am supposed to be getting a 25% refund to my credit card and a 75% FCC since I cancelled when this new policy started.  Now that they are cancelling cruises for at least 30 days and likely longer, there is a chance I might have gotten a full refund but I need to live with my decision to cancel.  We also had cancel for any reason insurance which would have given us a 75% FCC at any point but we chose to go for a 100% decision.

 

You had the same choice to wait like many people did but you chose a guaranteed 50% refund,  It might end up being a better choice than ours if the cruise line ends up having to file for bankruptcy as the FCC will not be worth the paper it is printed on.

 

We have to live with the choices we make.

[MoniMommy]

2 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

If they didn't understand that this was an unusual event, they never would have started the cruise with confidence policy.

 

You chose to cancel your cruise to insure you got 50% of your cruise fare and to cut your losses.  You need to accept your decision.

 

I also chose to cancel my May cruise.  I was in 75% penalty and am supposed to be getting a 25% refund to my credit card and a 75% FCC since I cancelled when this new policy started.  Now that they are cancelling cruises for at least 30 days and likely longer, there is a chance I might have gotten a full refund but I need to live with my decision to cancel.  We also had cancel for any reason insurance which would have given us a 75% FCC at any point but we chose to go for a 100% decision.

 

You had the same choice to wait like many people did but you chose a guaranteed 50% refund,  It might end up being a better choice than ours if the cruise line ends up having to file for bankruptcy as the FCC will not be worth the paper it is printed on.

 

We have to live with the choices we make.

Yes, I do agree with that. I took my 50% refund and 50 FCC but wondered if I should gamble and see if Royal cancels to get 100% cash refund. It looks like I should have held out. My cruise was in May. But I cant go back so I have to accept my decision and move on. I already book my next cruise with the REFUNDABLE deposit option. I will cancel before Final Payment if there are any doubts for me.