Mass Layoffs, now what?

[RCCL Fan]

Called my TA today to go over our plans now that we're cancelling our Italy/Greece cruise.

 

We got everything squared away and she promised to call RCI in the morning to work it all out.

 

About an hour later she sent me a text, "our entire office was just laid off, with dozens of other offices across the country in our company. I won't be calling RCI for you tomorrow. "

 

My heart broke, she's been my TA for 30 years, planned so many great trips.   

 

I imagine more of you may find out your TA's are gone.  A voicemail to the agency says it's temporarily closed, and leaves an 800-number.    A friend says she gave up after a 1.5 hour wait for someone to answer on that line.

 

I guess I'll call RCI and ask them to transfer my booking, but I can only imagine this situation is going to get a lot worse for RCI agents as more TA's shut down and bookings get transferred back to the cruise line.

 

 

[ARandomTraveler]

Wow that’s really unfortunate, both for the agents who got laid off as well as the customers like you who were left in the lurch. If that travel agency is still open, you should write them a strongly worded letter about how you’ll never use them again, since they didn’t even make sure their paying customers were taken care of and just left you to fend for yourselves. If the whole company closed, then I guess it’s a moot point, but they should have offered a more professional communication to clients about what their options are and/or who has taken over their booking and what to do going forward. That’s just awful. 

[TeeRick]

Sadly this story will likely be repeated for a while in the travel and leisure industry.  Hopefully in a few months all of those affected will be able to return to their jobs.

[A&L_Ont]

Try calling RC and see if they can take it over from your laid off TA.  Especially if you do not want to deal with the same agency.

Edited March 25, 2020 by A&L_Ont

[BND]

Honestly, there's very little for TA's to do right now and if they are sitting in spaces that cost the agency money to keep open, they had to do something.  Our TA is a couple of friends of ours who don't own an agency anymore, but works through them and maintains their ability to book using the umbrella of the co name.  They now only book for friends and family.  Royal normally will not help you if you have a TA and if the company is still in business, you still have a TA, just not the individual you usually use.

Edited March 25, 2020 by BND

[Schonert]

31 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Try calling RC and see if they can take it over from your laid off TA.  Especially if you do not want to deal with the same agency.

RC may have also laid off their staff, my sister’s boyfriend works on a ship and they have been stuck on the ship for 8 weeks already, and have now been told they are laid off, but they are “letting” them stay on the ship for now.  But no one will let the ship dock for the crew to go home.  They have also asked them to eat less as they are starting to get low on things.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, Schonert said:

RC may have also laid off their staff, my sister’s boyfriend works on a ship and they have been stuck on the ship for 8 weeks already, and have now been told they are laid off, but they are “letting” them stay on the ship for now.  But no one will let the ship dock for the crew to go home.  They have also asked them to eat less as they are starting to get low on things.

Shore side and ship staff are 2 entirely different things.  Haven’t heard of any reports of Royal laying off staff.  The ones I have talked to are all working from home. 

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[Milwaukee Eight]

This effects nearly everyone. I know multiple offices/business have been closed.  My elective eye surgery (cataract) was postponed for tomorrow. Any profession that uses Medical Protection Equipment/Devices that are not essential, are supposed to close so those protections may be shared with medical necessary facilities. This means same day surgery center’s, dental offices, and so on.  

[A&L_Ont]

1 minute ago, Schonert said:

my sister’s boyfriend works on a ship and they have been stuck on the ship for 8 weeks already, and have now been told they are laid off, but they are “letting” them stay on the ship for now.  But no one will let the ship dock for the crew to go home.  They have also asked them to eat less as they are starting to get low on things.

 

Where has he been stuck for the last 8 weeks?  Are there still guests on board?  I have read about a ship or two that still have guests on board, one off the coast of South America now headed to California.  Hopefully they are ready to take on more provisions, as the option of eating less seems bizzare.  

 

Godspeed to them.

 

[mayleeman]

5 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

, you should write them a strongly worded letter about how you’ll never use them again,

 

That would end up punishing his 30-year TA, who likely stands in a strong position to be rehired once travel gets moving again.

 

@RCCL Fan A better letter to the agency might be to express disappointment in the layoffs, describe all that your agent did for you over the years, and urge them to rehire that agent as soon as possible. 

Edited March 25, 2020 by mayleeman

[Jimbo]

39 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

Where has he been stuck for the last 8 weeks?  Are there still guests on board?  I have read about a ship or two that still have guests on board, one off the coast of South America now headed to California.  Hopefully they are ready to take on more provisions, as the option of eating less seems bizzare.  

 

Godspeed to them.

 

I thimnk she might be freight ship, not cruiseship

[Schonert]

36 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

Where has he been stuck for the last 8 weeks?  Are there still guests on board?  I have read about a ship or two that still have guests on board, one off the coast of South America now headed to California.  Hopefully they are ready to take on more provisions, as the option of eating less seems bizzare.  

 

Godspeed to them.

 

No guests, as they were near Asia when this all started.  They are in the middle of the ocean somewhere.  No one will let them dock.  Last week they did get some staff off in their own country, but they were refused gas and provisions.  Mental health is really becoming an issue. Something all of us need to watch out for and take steps to keep in a good head space for the long haul.  Can you imagine this without computers and the internet.

[Schonert]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

I thimnk she might be freight ship, not cruiseship

No an RC ship

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

This effects nearly everyone. I know multiple offices/business have been closed.  My elective eye surgery (cataract) was postponed for tomorrow. Any profession that uses Medical Protection Equipment/Devices that are not essential, are supposed to close so those protections may be shared with medical necessary facilities. This means same day surgery center’s, dental offices, and so on.  

They started that here in the second week of March. Now NYU isn't even doing out patient Corvid-19 testing do to lack of protective medical supplies. This is far worse than anything I could have imagined when it first started in China.

[WI-Cruiser]

During this crisis being laid off may actually be better for those in the service industry where they depend on tips or commissions as a primary component of their compensation.  Even if the company keeps them on the payroll they may lose a significant part of their income.   By being laid off they are eligible for unemployment benefits which takes total taxable income into consideration.  As such, they MAY actually take in more $$ unemployed then if they received only their 'base' hourly wage.

 

That said, it of course assumes they weren't receiving benefits such as medical insurance, but sadly most in the service industry don't receive such benefits.

[gatour]

25 minutes ago, WI-Cruiser said:

During this crisis being laid off may actually be better for those in the service industry where they depend on tips or commissions as a primary component of their compensation.  Even if the company keeps them on the payroll they may lose a significant part of their income.   By being laid off they are eligible for unemployment benefits which takes total taxable income into consideration.  As such, they MAY actually take in more $$ unemployed then if they received only their 'base' hourly wage.

 

That said, it of course assumes they weren't receiving benefits such as medical insurance, but sadly most in the service industry don't receive such benefits.

Bingo.  When Florida implemented the 50% occupancy rule.  A sports bar and grill (part of a chain) I go to laid much of their staff.  Better for the now former employees to collect unemployment while looking for other jobs than trying to survive on one shift a week.  This allowed the remaining employees to retain their shifts.  This eventually became mostly mute as the restaurants went to take out only.

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

They started that here in the second week of March. Now NYU isn't even doing out patient Corvid-19 testing do to lack of protective medical supplies. This is far worse than anything I could have imagined when it first started in China.

The boss, she can now use Tele Doctor due to declared emergency, she can now bill for Tele Doctor 

[firefly333]

I'm in Dallas county under full lock down. I forgot to file a paper with the irs and was feeling panic. No way I want to have it hanging over me until tax preparers are allowed to work. Luckily I found someone in a closed locked cpa office who did the amended filing. 0 customers in the post office. Grocery store they cant bag stuff for you. Wearing winter gloves and masks, with lines taped on the floor to keep carts 6 ft apart to check out. In the dark outside before kroger opened it looked like a scene out of a zombie movie.

 

Tax preparers aren't allowed to be open but dart running downtown and to the airport. Seems dumb to me. I heard there is a bullet train running in NYC spreading the virus. Dart riders are all touching the same surfaces, they should close. It's not safe.

 

I'll have to dig out my winter gloves . ...and its forecast to be 88 here today. Didnt think of that. Other shoppers will appreciate it. 

 

Bookstore, hair cut place, my sisters nail place. We will save money I guess, but hope people arent laid off, my guy who cut my hair was good.

 

I hope this doesnt go on too long. 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by firefly333

[Iamcruzin]

21 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

The boss, she can now use Tele Doctor due to declared emergency, she can now bill for Tele Doctor 

She's been setting up video calls since last week. The patient just has to download a my chart app and the call goes through that.

[mpk]

9 hours ago, RCCL Fan said:

About an hour later she sent me a text, "our entire office was just laid off, with dozens of other offices across the country in our company. I won't be calling RCI for you tomorrow. "

 

In the face of a lay off, she still had the integrity to let you know.

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I'm in Dallas county under full lock down.

 

 

 Stay safe. 

Edited March 25, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

She's been setting up video calls since last week. The patient just has to download a my chart app and the call goes through that.

I used the wrong word. It’s Telemedicine. We’ll see how long it takes to get paid. The patients loved it. 

[rtazz17]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I'm in Dallas county under full lock down. I forgot to file a paper with the irs and was feeling panic. No way I want to have it hanging over me until tax preparers are allowed to work. Luckily I found someone in a closed locked cpa office who did the amended filing. 0 customers in the post office. Grocery store they cant bag stuff for you. Wearing winter gloves and masks, with lines taped on the floor to keep carts 6 ft apart to check out. In the dark outside before kroger opened it looked like a scene out of a zombie movie.

 

Tax preparers aren't allowed to be open but dart running downtown and to the airport. Seems dumb to me. I heard there is a bullet train running in NYC spreading the virus. Dart riders are all touching the same surfaces, they should close. It's not safe.

 

I'll have to dig out my winter gloves . ...and its forecast to be 88 here today. Didnt think of that. Other shoppers will appreciate it. 

 

Bookstore, hair cut place, my sisters nail place. We will save money I guess, but hope people arent laid off, my guy who cut my hair was good.

 

I hope this doesnt go on too long. 

 

 

Ok,im a health care provider. Dont wear gloves when you’re out and about. What ever you touch sticks to the gloves and contaminates every single thing you touch including your face. Much less will stick to your skin if you dont wear gloves. You are not going to get the virus transdermal through your hands. Just wash your hands frequently. The reason we as health care providers wear gloves is only for the moment we are evaluating a patient. They are then removed and thrown away because if we touch anything then that is contaminated. You are not doing yourself any favors wearing gloves in public unless you change them with a fresh pair every time you touch a different surface. Again,just wash your hands. It takes all I have not to tell people I see doing this every where. Its much much worse when you wear winter gloves. You wont even see all the crap,literally that is stuck in the fibers of the glove.

 

dont even get me started on the people I see wearing ski masks inside stores. Just imagine what you have stuck in the ski mask or scarf you are breathing through.

 

its all way overboard. If you werent wearing this stuff before when you had a greater chance of catching the flu every year then why now? Much much greater chance of getting the flu.

Edited March 25, 2020 by rtazz17

[Iamcruzin]

18 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I used the wrong word. It’s Telemedicine. We’ll see how long it takes to get paid. The patients loved it. 

The institution that she works for had this service set up long before the outbreak. The problem was that not all insurance companies would pay out for this type of visit so it was never used. Overnight all of the main insurance companies including medicare are now accepting the claims.

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

The institution that she works for had this service set up long before the outbreak. The problem was that not all insurance companies would pay out for this type of visit so it was never used. Overnight all of the main insurance companies including medicare are now accepting the claims.

Think reason was Govt backed testing of CV even with Private Insurance. After, not sure many Insurances will cover it, but never know