Royal abandons Back 2 Back cruisers on Wonder of the Seas

[Wilde_37]

The original plan was to do the transatlantic on Allure on April 24th to May 8th 2022 and stay onboard for a 7 night cruise around the Med.  Now the Wonder of the Seas is replacing Allure and heading across on April 20th and arriving in Barcelona on May 4th instead.  The next cruise is still going on May 8th.  So the ship is going ot sit in port for 4 nights between 4th and 8th. doing nothing!  I contacted my travel agent and he said that Royal are ignoring their back 2 back cruisers.  We have to disembark in Barcelona and book into a hotel for 4 nights at our own expense.  That is disappointing as I don't think I want to fork out another €700 for hotel and meals etc while waiting for the next cruise.  Royal are offering nothing!  Time to cancel the second cruise!

[karmamule]

That must be disappointing. Good luck with your refund or whatever solution you end up with!

 

On the bright side a translatlantic cruise on the brand new Wonder sounds quite good and I hope you can still enjoy it to the fullest.

[cynt]

Abandons!?!?!? I thought they left people high and dry at the port when I read your title. You still have 7 months to decide if you want to book a room for 4 nights or cancel your cruise. I would consider it more time to explore the city and surrounding areas before you start your Med cruise.

[Billy Baltic]

Is the TA longer, shorter or is it leaving on a different date?

[gumshoe958]

And maybe wait to see whether they add a 4 nighter to bridge the gap, if that appeals.

[gumshoe958]

Just now, Billy Baltic said:

Is the TA longer, shorter or is it leaving on a different date?

Same length, just leaving 4 days earlier.

[smplybcause]

My guess is the 4 days might be some of those show of to TAs and the press and such. Maybe christening the ship over there instead of Miami?

[gumshoe958]

8 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

My guess is the 4 days might be some of those show of to TAs and the press and such. Maybe christening the ship over there instead of Miami?

Maybe. 4 days seems a lot though. Every day she’s not sailing is another day of lost revenue.

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Wilde_37 said:

The original plan was to do the transatlantic on Allure on April 24th to May 8th 2022 and stay onboard for a 7 night cruise around the Med.  Now the Wonder of the Seas is replacing Allure and heading across on April 20th and arriving in Barcelona on May 4th instead.  The next cruise is still going on May 8th.  So the ship is going ot sit in port for 4 nights between 4th and 8th. doing nothing!  I contacted my travel agent and he said that Royal are ignoring their back 2 back cruisers.  We have to disembark in Barcelona and book into a hotel for 4 nights at our own expense.  That is disappointing as I don't think I want to fork out another €700 for hotel and meals etc while waiting for the next cruise.  Royal are offering nothing!  Time to cancel the second cruise!

Why not cancel both cruises and look elsewhere if this upsets you this much?

[time4u2go]

46 minutes ago, cynt said:

Abandons!?!?!? I thought they left people high and dry at the port when I read your title.

That's what I thought also.  I thought we were going to hear a story about the ship pulling away as the b2b passengers returned to the dock.

 

Edited September 28, 2021 by time4u2go

[DCPIV]

I am speculating wildly, but I willing to make a small bet that Wonder may be taking out some TAs for those 4 days.  At the very least, it'll be some sort of test cruise for the EU's sake.  Or, perhaps, there's some other manner of retooling or reorganizing or getting some sort of signoff.  Regardless, I have a hard time believing that she will be just sitting in port doing nothing.

 

I am sorry to hear that the adjusted schedule doesn't work out for you, whether that's because of your calendar or your wallet.  While it is something of a hassle to get off and then back on, I could go for a few extra days in Barcelona right now.  We've all had to roll with a number of punches over the last year and half or so.

[billslowsky]

36 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

That's what I thought also.  I thought we were going to hear a story about the ship pulling away as the b2b passengers returned to the dock.

 

I was prepared to hear about being left in the Azores, or worse, Freeport.

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, cynt said:

You still have 7 months to decide if you want to book a room for 4 nights or cancel your cruise.

I think most customers have a much shorter window during which to decide - like another 2 weeks?, after which a refund may no longer be an option.

[Joseph2017China]

A back to back is not "one cruise" but rather "two cruises" and each one is separate.  A person that sails on two cruises where one ends on a day, and the other begins on the same day, is considered b2b.  So the poster is no longer wants a b2b cruise, but rather 2 cruises separate by 4 days, and wants RCCL to allow them to hang out on the ship for 4 days, with no services, or pay for a hotel room.  Well, the cruise was canceled, and the poster has a choice to make.  This happens all the time, to many people, and it seems so many people want there "special" case to be heard.  No, they did not abandoned b2b.  

[zekekelso]

It’s sucks when they mess with your plans. Keep in mind there’s usually one or more cruises leaving Barcelona every day so

 you don’t have to wait around if you don’t want.  And worse comes to worse... spending four days in Barcelona isn’t exactly a nightmare. 
 

Happy Cruising....

Edited September 29, 2021 by zekekelso

[pyrateslife4me84]

Holy hyperbole! 

[DirtyDawg]

Anyone remember the movie The Martian, where the crew leaves one astronaut on Mars and journey's back to Earth. Now that's getting abandoned! Matt Damon's character dealt with his situation by growing and eating potatoes to survive. Surely, an Irishman like the OP, could 'grow some potatoes' and figure out a solution to his 'abandonment' by Royal.

🥔🥔

Edited September 29, 2021 by DirtyDawg

[pyrateslife4me84]

I could eat paella for 4 days. It’s not like they are leaving you in Nassau, Bahamas for 4 days. Plenty to see and do in Barcelona. 
 

Or just cancel and go home. 

[dani negreanu]

2 hours ago, zekekelso said:

And worse comes to worse... spending four days in Barcelona isn’t exactly a nightmare. 

 

My thoughts exactly. Fabulous city, and surroundings too....

 

[Merion_Mom]

IMO, the four days will definitely be used for a couple of "inaugural in Europe" cruises for TAs and possibly some European Pinnacles and other RC staff and personnel.

[leisuretraveler223]

Triggered much?

[pcur]

I'd ask the problem to be escalated and see if you can't just stay on the ship in your cabin for the 4 days.  I've been on an inaugural sailing (the Allure), and there's all types of passengers.  B2B passengers are usually a small group.  

 

Run this one up the management chain and see what you can get.

[warburg]

Greetings from South Beach, Everyone.  The heading on this post got my attention. Rather extreme, I'd say. While it is upsetting to have a change like this, it is still far enough in advance that airfare isn't also an issue. My husband and I sailed on over fifty cruises. We loved Barcelona and added at least a week there before or after every Trans Atlantic. We stayed at the Hotel Colon with a balcony overlooking Catedral. My husband loved the food there, especially seafood. I am a widow now, still cruising. Four days would be a treat for me especially if another cruise were at its end.

[vjmatty]

I could spend a week in Barcelona and still not run out of things to do, let alone 4 days... the weather will be warm by then and it is not peak season so you could probably find reasonable hotel fares.

[jean87510]

Ive stayed at Barcelona 4 days pre cruise 2x and still found a lot to do.  I love it there.