Symphony - terrible / no shows / Covid ?

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

7 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

Suppose you bought the UDP but the specialty restaurants had to close due to Covid-related staff shortages and they didn’t refund you. Would that be acceptable?

Apples to oranges…yes you’d get a refund because you paid for a specific extra item with a specific price for udp.

[allie3490]

I’m not sure what complaining is going to accomplish. I highly doubt you’ll receive any sort of compensation so my advice is to suck it up and make the best of it! 

[jasongoldberg]

Update:  Solarium Bistro is closing for dinner for the remainder of the cruise. 

[RoyalC]

6 minutes ago, jasongoldberg said:

Update:  Solarium Bistro is closing for dinner for the remainder of the cruise. 

No staff?

[jasongoldberg]

7 minutes ago, RoyalC said:

No staff?

I just spoke with guest services.  She said they’re just aren’t enough people to help out.They weren’t even aware. After they called the dining manager they were told that there were staffing shortages. The woman from guest services just told me that they are severely understaffed on board in all departments. I had reported to her my concerns and complaints about overcrowding on the elevators and lack of compliance with masks all around. She said they’re just aren’t enough people to help out.

[tcneal]

23 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

They are advertising what is offered under normal circumstances. These aren't normal times and people need to wake up and realize this. Shows and ports are canceled on good days. Northstar wasn't  operating for the week that I was on Anthem back in 2019 due to mechanical issues. We had reservations but it never even crossed my mind that it was misrepresented in the marketing campaign.   

I think people are awake.  This is not a case where a single show is canceled or a port is missed.  I have missed 2 stops at the old Coco Cay due to weather in the past.  I have missed shows before. But the list of things missing on this cruise is very long.  I'm not sure I'm getting what I paid for.

 

Covid is affecting  many businesses.  I don't understand why Royal gets a pass with so many people.  We would expect to get what we payed for with any business or we would expect them to make it right.

[Iamcruzin]

28 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

Suppose you bought the UDP but the specialty restaurants had to close due to Covid-related staff shortages and they didn’t refund you. Would that be acceptable?

No that wouldn't be acceptable because that is an up charge and should be refunded. Any included changes are subject to the cruise contract. Anyone who bought the key should be prorated for the lack of priority seating for the shows that didn't happen and the embarkation lunch if that didn't happen.

[Iamcruzin]

1 minute ago, tcneal said:

I think people are awake.  This is not a case where a single show is canceled or a port is missed.  I have missed 2 stops at the old Coco Cay due to weather in the past.  I have missed shows before. But the list of things missing on this cruise is very long.  I'm not sure I'm getting what I paid for.

 

Covid is affecting  many businesses.  I don't understand why Royal gets a pass with so many people.  We would expect to get what we payed for with any business or we would expect them to make it right.

If they cancelled the cruise people would be bitching about that too. 

[tcneal]

21 minutes ago, allie3490 said:

I’m not sure what complaining is going to accomplish. I highly doubt you’ll receive any sort of compensation so my advice is to suck it up and make the best of it! 

I think that's not true.  The people who complain the loudest probably will be compensated.   I will not because it's not my thing.  I'll just complain here.

[firefly333]

22 minutes ago, allie3490 said:

I’m not sure what complaining is going to accomplish. I highly doubt you’ll receive any sort of compensation so my advice is to suck it up and make the best of it! 

I think they got obc worth 2 days prorated of what they paid for the 2 ports they missed and got a 50% fcc based on what they paid toward a future credit. Posted page 1 or 2 of one of these threads. So they got quite a bit of compensation. I'd sure like it. 

[tcneal]

2 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

If they cancelled the cruise people would be bitching about that too. 

Yes.  But at least I would have my cash. 

[blueslily]

Man, I feel bad for front line staff this week. Especially the Guest Services staff. They are listening to complaint after complaint about decisions that they did not make and have no control over and overall a very fluid situation that seems to have changes moment by moment. Anyone who has worked or does work in customer service can relate to that experience.  I'm sure they won't know every change in real time as they are talking to passengers moment to moment. I hope people are considerate, even when sharing frustrations to these staff members around the ship that really don't have the power to make decisions about everything passengers are experiencing or not experiencing.

 

I enjoy Symphony and look forward to my next sailing on her. 🙂

[flyguyjake]

2 minutes ago, tcneal said:

I think that's not true.  The people who complain the loudest probably will be compensated.   I will not because it's not my thing.  I'll just complain here.

Don't let anyone tell you how to feel. You go right ahead and vent all you want! It's your experience and your money! I'm here for you and extend a friendly fist bump.

[flyguyjake]

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

[tcneal]

1 minute ago, blueslily said:

Man, I feel bad for front line staff this week. Especially the Guest Services staff. They are listening to complaint after complaint about decisions that they did not make and have no control over and overall a very fluid situation that seems to have changes moment by moment. Anyone who has worked or does work in customer service can relate to that experience.  I'm sure they won't know every change in real time as they are talking to passengers moment to moment. I hope people are considerate, even when sharing frustrations to these staff members around the ship that really don't have the power to make decisions about everything passengers are experiencing or not experiencing.

 

I enjoy Symphony and look forward to my next sailing on her. 🙂

That's the reason I won't go to guest services.  It's not their fault for this bad situation.  Everyone on the ship is trying their best.  I do notice many staff look stressed.  I think the fault lies at the Corporate offices. 

[tcneal]

9 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

Thanks.  Merry Christmas. 

[tcneal]

12 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

Don't let anyone tell you how to feel. You go right ahead and vent all you want! It's your experience and your money! I'm here for you and extend a friendly fist bump.

We are making the most of it.   We won't be leaving the ship.   Sitting in the Windjammer now.  I hope enough people complain to trigger something.  Like the Odyssey cruise.

[MissDaisyofTexas]

I'm a bit surprised at the lack of empathy on some of these replies. The experience on the ship right now doesn't sound like the same experience on Royal that many people have had over the past few months. Many more things are canceled. I would be very bummed out as I look forward to the shows and entertainment. Thank you for sharing your current experience so that others can make more informed decisions on cruises in the near future.

[Carver1998]

At least if they gave you a small OBC you could drink it

[RoyalC]

24 minutes ago, tcneal said:

That's the reason I won't go to guest services.  It's not their fault for this bad situation.  Everyone on the ship is trying their best.  I do notice many staff look stressed.  I think the fault lies at the Corporate offices. 

I noticed this too on Odyssey. I think that is why they gave up enforcing policy. It went from happy to be back, to hell.

[RoyalC]

12 minutes ago, MissDaisyofTexas said:

I'm a bit surprised at the lack of empathy on some of these replies. The experience on the ship right now doesn't sound like the same experience on Royal that many people have had over the past few months. Many more things are canceled. I would be very bummed out as I look forward to the shows and entertainment. Thank you for sharing your current experience so that others can make more informed decisions on cruises in the near future.

These people paid a little more too since it is a holiday sailing.

[ONECRUISER]

7 hours ago, vacationlover_mn said:

As a person who usually cruises beginning of Dec (often great prices), or Feb, I’ve never really thought about how packed a ship is over the holidays.  After reading about everyone’s experiences with the crowdedness, now I know I’ll never book a holiday one! Even if I don’t factor in covid, I don’t think it’s something we’d enjoy.

Agree. Most my Cruises last 25yrs were off Season inc first few weeks of Dec where 80% Capacity and close to zero Families/Kids is the norm...

[danielwje1]

2 minutes ago, RoyalC said:

These people paid a little more too since it is a holiday sailing.

We paid a price premium to go on Symphony compared to other ships, on top of the festive period. I wanted to go on Symphony so my girlfriend could enjoy the usually very wide variety of entertainment. Production shows, aqua theatre shows etc. 

 

It would be nice if they were just more transparent about what’s going on, or at least recognition that this isn’t the usual “Royal” experience. 
 

we also just got back from a RC organised  snorking tour which only had enough masks and snorkels for half the boat… very crowded too. 

[NCMtnBoys]

5 hours ago, fenton04 said:

I recall our September Alaska cruise on the Serenade of the Seas.  We made sure that we read and understood all of the mandates we had to adhere to be able to cruise.  Surprisingly the N95 mask was not acceptable.   Go figure!

Did they say why? Did they have a valve on them? Their website doesn't specifically say you can't use an N95, just that you can't use a mask with a valve. I was planning on using N95s on my upcoming cruise and they don't have a valve, so I don't know another reason why they would not be acceptable.

[mugtech]

Want to thank all the people who booked and went on these overpriced holiday cruises.  Hope it keeps RCI liquid until some time next year when we can take a real cruise.  Currently looking at June.