Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[marquisite]

1 hour ago, Tatra603 said:

 

So you don't think the two new mini segments will be repackaged and put on sale?

 

Interestingly, someone on another site who says they are booked on several minis posted screenshots of their cancellation email and their Option 1 was: "Stay with us on the adjusted itinerary to be announced on February 27th" with originally booked stateroom and US$300 onboard credit.

 

Whereas my Option 1 is "Re-book any other Royal Caribbean International sailing". 🤔

 

I'm not sure if this other person's minis include both Dubai and original Athens embarkation - for me I was supposed to get on in Athens (for 4 sailings).

 

[Tatra603]

30 minutes ago, marquisite said:

 

Interestingly, someone on another site who says they are booked on several minis posted screenshots of their cancellation email and their Option 1 was: "Stay with us on the adjusted itinerary to be announced on February 27th" with originally booked stateroom and US$300 onboard credit.

 

Whereas my Option 1 is "Re-book any other Royal Caribbean International sailing". 🤔

 

I'm not sure if this other person's minis include both Dubai and original Athens embarkation - for me I was supposed to get on in Athens (for 4 sailings).

 

It does appear quite random and those of us that haven't been given the option to embark on the new itinerary can feel quite hard done by. 

I for one will be in Dubai as flight and 4 nights pre cruise hotel are already booked (no mention in the email of any compensation for hotels). 

There are no alternative cruises that fit in with our location and timescale. 

The thought of looking out of our hotel window and seeing Serenade docked, knowing that we won't be boarding fills me with dread and annoyance. 

Why are certain customers being prioritized?

After 14 cruises with RC, this could be my last. 

[Digjharper]

Very pleased to see that its now highly likely that the cruise will be stopping off at my old working location of Luanda in Angola.

 

It will be interesting to see what excursions are offered to the passengers. Anybody looking for some good food and drink locations let me know and I can give some advice (was last there in August 23).

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Tatra603 said:

It does appear quite random and those of us that haven't been given the option to embark on the new itinerary can feel quite hard done by. 

I for one will be in Dubai as flight and 4 nights pre cruise hotel are already booked (no mention in the email of any compensation for hotels). 

There are no alternative cruises that fit in with our location and timescale. 

The thought of looking out of our hotel window and seeing Serenade docked, knowing that we won't be boarding fills me with dread and annoyance. 

Why are certain customers being prioritized?

After 14 cruises with RC, this could be my last. 

Sounds to me like some people then on the May 27th sailing may have been sent the wrong computer generated  email then.  I would most definitely call Royal a few times to verify you also don't have the option of boarding in Dubai to Capetown. Could be another IT screwup.

[lovesthebeach2]

11 hours ago, CruiszBug said:

Is this true for a power converter? Rather than the cheaper adaptor most of us have?

Not sure but after I burned out one of our devices (I don’t remember which) my DH bought a converter/charger from Amazon.  Note it’s NOT a surge protector, so it’s allowed.  It’s got a couple of outlets and a bunch of usb ports.  

[lovesthebeach2]

10 hours ago, marquisite said:

I was supposed to be joining in Athens on the 27th. Only given two options, either choose another sailing (no price protection, up to US$400 flight change compensation) or full refund (without any flight change compensation).

 

No mention in RCI's cruise cancellation email about the African itinerary choices. Would've been nice to have been offered my originally booked stateroom on the new itinerary at the originally booked price. 

 

Looks like waiting for the new itinerary to be bookable as a mini isn't really an option with only 3 days between African itinerary announcement and deadline to change sailing/get full refund. That's not much time to sort out flights and accommodation!

I’m so sorry your segment has been cancelled, I know how much you were looking forward to it.  Are you able to change it to ours on June 20 in Ravenna?

[Jimbo]

11 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I’m so sorry your segment has been cancelled, I know how much you were looking forward to it.  Are you able to change it to ours on June 20 in Ravenna?

I'm sure she can at the current prices if cabins are available.,,no price protection or a gty of getting the same cabin they had booked.

Edited February 17 by Jimbo

[sgmn]

7 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

Someone on FB made a chart comparison of the change between original itinerary and option 1 and 2

Laura, has John made up his mind which he prefers?

Do the full world cruisers have the final say which route they go for ? 

Personally I like route one though a few of those stops would have me concerned. 

How safe is the Straits of Hormuz?  Years ago we sailed it on a cruise from Dubai and got buzzed at top deck level by an Iran military jet.

I would of thought they would of rerouted from Singapore. 

[sgmn]

4 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I'm sure she is at the current prices if cabins are available.,,no price protection or a gty of getting the same cabin they had booked.

The European sectors are now almost fully booked and very expensive 

[lovesthebeach2]

7 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

Someone on FB made a chart comparison of the change between original itinerary and option 1 and 2

Option 1 has many fabulous ports. Looking at the list we just did a lot of them on our modified Holy Land Cruise in October. When Royal changed our itinerary our Roll Call became nasty, and you know what, the ports they added were even better than the original itinerary IMO. 
I would love to be on Option 1 now. I want to go back to Turkey and those ports in Greece.

do you think they will create new segments? I would love to add on.

 

[Saab4444]

2 hours ago, marquisite said:

 

Interestingly, someone on another site who says they are booked on several minis posted screenshots of their cancellation email and their Option 1 was: "Stay with us on the adjusted itinerary to be announced on February 27th" with originally booked stateroom and US$300 onboard credit.

 

Whereas my Option 1 is "Re-book any other Royal Caribbean International sailing". 🤔

 

I'm not sure if this other person's minis include both Dubai and original Athens embarkation - for me I was supposed to get on in Athens (for 4 sailings).

 

They can only offer to stay with Serenade for same prize if the new cruise would be somehow similar in length. Do you want to board somewhere in Africa instead of Athens? You can of course ask Royal. 

[lovesthebeach2]

7 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I'm sure she is at the current prices if cabins are available.,,no price protection or a gty of getting the same cabin they had booked.

with this change, I’m sure plenty of cabins will open, and with that itinerary that would be my last concern as to my cabin .

[Jimbo]

11 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Laura, has John made up his mind which he prefers?

Do the full world cruisers have the final say which route they go for ? 

Personally I like route one though a few of those stops would have me concerned. 

How safe is the Straits of Hormuz?  Years ago we sailed it on a cruise from Dubai and got buzzed at top deck level by an Iran military jet.

I would of thought they would of rerouted from Singapore. 

Don't think they have a choice,both choices go to Dubai ,Royal has all ready decided that. So John is going there inless he decides to get off the ship prior to getting to Dubai.

Edited February 17 by Jimbo

[kernow]

10 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Laura, has John made up his mind which he prefers?

Do the full world cruisers have the final say which route they go for ? 

Personally I like route one though a few of those stops would have me concerned. 

How safe is the Straits of Hormuz?  Years ago we sailed it on a cruise from Dubai and got buzzed at top deck level by an Iran military jet.

I would of thought they would of rerouted from Singapore. 

I think at this point the Straits of Hormuz are considered safe. I know MSC (and maybe others) are still doing their 7 night Dubai cruises until April when they too have changed their repositioning route.

We've also been on Dubai cruises in the past when we've seen Iranian ships and planes nearby, may make me feel a bit nervous at the moment but I don't think they'd go if they thought there was any real danger.

[marquisite]

14 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I’m so sorry your segment has been cancelled, I know how much you were looking forward to it.  Are you able to change it to ours on June 20 in Ravenna?

Fortunately that one is already booked 😁. I did have four sailings back to back, ending in Barcelona.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

They can only offer to stay with Serenade for same prize if the new cruise would be somehow similar in length. Do you want to board somewhere in Africa instead of Athens? You can of course ask Royal. 

I sent off an email to 'Redeployments & Itinerary Changes' in my country asking about joining the leg starting in Cape Town. Looking at the Immersive Africa option presented onboard, Cape Town to Ravenna would be 24 nights. Fair point about differences in length - just hopefully the nightly rate is comparable.

[lovesthebeach2]

29 minutes ago, marquisite said:

Fortunately that one is already booked 😁. I did have four sailings back to back, ending in Barcelona.

 

 

I sent off an email to 'Redeployments & Itinerary Changes' in my country asking about joining the leg starting in Cape Town. Looking at the Immersive Africa option presented onboard, Cape Town to Ravenna would be 24 nights. Fair point about differences in length - just hopefully the nightly rate is comparable.

Oh great!  So we’ll be on those two segments too. 😁

[Jimbo]

Any vibe going around the ship that John has heard as to which itinerary they are going to vote on?

 

@CSHS1979

[Jimbo]

12 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

The Captain hasn't consulted with you regarding the options?  Hopefully the new Captain isn't brushing you off.  😱

 

He will definitely need your help with navigating around Africa.  😉

Don't think so.

[Saab4444]

I really don‘t understand this voting. They ask just the people on the ship but not other affected cruisers on the later sailings. So the full World cruisers decide about the faith of other people‘s cruise and also about the financial impact for Royal (more cancellations will cost them more)

[orville99]

What happens to people who were scheduled to board in Dubai for the entire third quarter of the WC? Are they getting a vote?  Are they even going to be able to do that leg?

[ringers0815]

Good morning from Hilo, Hawaii. Forecast is showers this morning, clearing up later on. 

[Jimbo]

13 minutes ago, orville99 said:

What happens to people who were scheduled to board in Dubai for the entire third quarter of the WC? Are they getting a vote?  Are they even going to be able to do that leg?

I would think they would be allowed to board. 

But  now since half the itinerary  of that third leg has changed they may have the option to cancel.

[Another_Critic]

2 minutes ago, ringers0815 said:

Good morning from Hilo, Hawaii. Forecast is showers this morning, clearing up later on. 
 

 

The last time I was in Hilo, I went to the ER for extreme sunburn on my feet (was on a snorkel trip on Maui that morning and forgot to put sunscreen on my feet 😱 ).

[Tatra603]

So my TA called RC (UK) today to bat for me.

 

She was baffled by the level of intransigence shown by both persons she spoke to.

 

TA: "My client has booked flight and hotel in Dubai. He would like to book the new cruise leaving on the 9th May and is surprised he hasn't been given that option"

 

RC: His options are to rebook another cruise or cancel for a full refund. There is no sailing on the 9th"

 

TA: "It's part of a world cruise. We know that it won't sail a quarter full. We know it will be remarketed. Why haven't the existing bookings been given the option of the new itinerary?"

 

RC: "Your client has no other option than to book another cruise or ask for a refund. There are no other options"

 

They went round and round in circles. RC supervisor stuck to the script. They recommended I booked an alternative cruise and wallow in the incredibly generous $100 OBC, as there is no cruise leaving Dubai on May 9th.

 

My TA was very professional, but could get nowhere. She said it's an awful way to treat loyal paying customers.

 

It was weird just how much they were trying to steer us away from the idea that there might still be a possibility of Dubai to Cape Town. Everything, including the seemingly pointless 11 day delay before voting, seems designed to dissuade us mini segmenters from holding out in the hope of getting our cruise (and stateroom) back.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 17 by Tatra603

[Another_Critic]

2 minutes ago, Tatra603 said:

So my TA called RC (UK) today to bat for me.

 

She was baffled by the level of intransigence shown by both persons she spoke to.

 

TA: "My client has booked flight and hotel in Dubai. He would like to book the new cruise leaving on the 9th May and is surprised he hasn't been given that option"

 

RC: His options are to rebook another cruise or cancel for a full refund. There is no sailing on the 9th"

 

TA: "It's part of a world cruise. We know that it won't sail a quarter full. We know it will be remarketed. Why haven't the existing bookings been given the option of the new itinerary?"

 

RC: "Your client has no other option than to book another cruise or ask for a refund. There are no other options"

 

They went round and round in circles. RC supervisor stuck to the script. They recommended I booked an alternative cruise and wallowed in the incredibly generous $100 OBC, as there is no cruise leaving Dubai on May 9th.

 

My TA was very professional, but could get nowhere. She said it's an awful way to treat loyal paying customers.

 

It was weird just how much they were trying to steer us away from the idea that there might still be a possibility of Dubai to Cape Town. Everything, including the seemingly pointless 11 day delay before voting, seems designed to dissuade us mini segmenters from holding out in the hope of getting our cruise (and stateroom) back.

 

 

Very poor handling (by RCI) of the situation.  😱😲🙄👎