Complaining Couple Banned from RCI

[nrdsb4]

What I dont believe is that it was "Discussion of compensation" that got the person banned. The point the poster I quoted was making.

 

I believe it was the pattern of complaining and seeking compensation that got the cruisers banned.

 

Just like pattern drug seekers in a doctors office.

 

So someone's time on site or history on site really has nothing to do with this. I was not saying anything about the poster I quoted other than I disagree with this one point they are making.

 

Normally, I would agree with the point about how long someone has been on this site and the validity of their opinions. However, anyone new to this site would be unable to appreciate the extent to which this particular poster posted their complaints, how they went about getting compensation, and their encouragement of same to others in situations that really didn't call for it.

[joycefnp]

Not dictatorship... just good business... They weren't "punished", simply told to take their business elsewhere... Any business is well within their rights to refuse service to someone for any reason they want to... that's what free enterprise and capitalism is all about...

 

It really doesn't matter what the reason is that a business "bans" you, they have the right... Just as you have the right to take your business elsewhere when a company repeatedly disappoints you...

 

 

That's true, but my point is, where does it stop?

 

Having said all that, I'm sure that people who have sailed with the party in question are now breathing a sigh of relief. I have been on cruises with people I wish could have been banned. Maybe a restraining order?

[flagger]

This incident happened in November and this is just hitting the news in May. One has to wonder how many emails and phone calls were made to travel writers and news outlets until one took the bait.

 

I happen to think instead of what I view to be 'getting revenge on the company that banned them', they have done just the opposite and driven more people to RCL who won't put up with people complaining just for compensation.

 

I do believe there are legitimate complaints about any business, but there reaches a point where enough is enough. I also know in the instance of ourselves we do boycott a certain chain of restaurants because after several visits and several letters and compensation and apologies we just gave up on ever expecting a good dining experience.

[nrdsb4]

 

There is no infringement of 'freedom of speech' when it a private company or a private message board asks you to remove a post. I grow so weary of people not understanding the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights as they apply to Congress and not to a private or even public company.

 

This is so true. It's amazing how many people actually believe that "freedom of speech" means the right to say anything at all with no repurcussions whatsoever. NOT true. That's why people get sued for slander and libel all the time. They don't realize that "freedom of speech" refers to gov't prosecution (and even then our protection is not absolute) and that it doesn't mean we can say anything we like without consequences.

[JJ2sail]

This incident happened in November and this is just hitting the news in May. One has to wonder how many emails and phone calls were made to travel writers and news outlets until one took the bait.

 

I happen to think instead of what I view to be 'getting revenge on the company that banned them', they have done just the opposite and driven more people to RCL who won't put up with people complaining just for compensation.

 

I do believe there are legitimate complaints about any business, but there reaches a point where enough is enough. I also know in the instance of ourselves we do boycott a certain chain of restaurants because after several visits and several letters and compensation and apologies we just gave up on ever expecting a good dining experience.

 

 

Actually the cruise was last September. I was on that cruise also, and just two doors down from the Moran's. We had no plumbing issues, and thought it was a wonderful cruise! I think the assessment, that she is a cronic complainer may be correct.

[joycefnp]

I boycott ALL petfood companies associated with the aforementioned (but not named) company. I believe in the power of voting with your wallet.

 

I have not read all the posts by the Morans, and now I don't think I want to. I absolutely loathe professional complainers, and drug seekers, I might add. (I'm a nurse practitioner) If RCCL banned them because no matter what they were offered, they weren't happy, I don't blame them. I just really was uncomfortable with the thought of a company banning or punishing a passenger for negative posts. That goes too far for me.

 

I myself would be too embarrassed to go to the media if I was banned from a cruise. And If things had been as bad as the Moran's posts described, I wouldn't want to go back anyway!

[Riiya]

I don't tend to complain; if my dinner is a little cold, it's not bad enough to send it back and delay my evening. If I had legitimate complaints during each cruise, and I think a smell of sewage (that anyone could smell) is one, I'd want to receive compensation. But after a couple of times, I'd start looking at other cruise lines. Professional complainers have no business utilizing the hospitality industry.

 

I support RCCL's actions here. And a lesson for cruise lines: include confidentiality agreements in all settlements.

[Lyncruiser]

Jen --

 

Just because you had no plumbing problems doesn't mean they didn't. We were once on a ship (not RCCL) and our family had two oceanview cabins side by side. One cabin was fine. The other had an overwhelming sewage smell. The purser's office refused to move us. We had to pretty much stage a sit-in to get any attention. They finally sent a plumber around midnight who worked on the shower drain (not the toilet I hasten to note) for a couple of hours. After that, we could stand the smell although it remained unpleasant for the whole cruise. Before that we couldn't even be in the room. We never cruised on that line again. We went on to do 14 cruises -- all with large family groups of 15 to 20 -- on RCCI and Celebrity.

 

So, I have a lot of sympathy for the person who posted the review (which seemed quite fair and reasonable to me).

 

I don't know her history but based on the facts of which I have knoweldge, she did nothing to merit being permanently banned by RCI.

 

I can say one thing -- if a cruise line banned me, I would certainly never try to get back in its good graces. Life is too short and there are too many other vacation options.

[joycefnp]

Definitely other fish in the sea, so to speak!

[ElvisandTracey]

So here's the $20 dollar question....

 

What is NCL's reaction to all this?? After all, she is now their customer, I'm sure they are expecting future complaints. I mean, if she truly is a chronic complainer in search of constant compensation (I'm not saying she is, I am only re-staing what has been said, I do not know her), NCL might not be too jazzed about her new-found patronage....:rolleyes:

[joycefnp]

Too true. My last NCL cruise was definitely not the best I have ever taken, and I felt that the staff was downright rude in many cases. I actually did complain, and I never even got a call. Hmmmmm. I guess I need to improve my complaining skills.

[LonW]

Sounds like a 'professional complainer' to me. "Other Group Cruises, a gift was on the bed each night, but this cruise we got only 6"

[negc]

Jen --

 

So, I have a lot of sympathy for the person who posted the review (which seemed quite fair and reasonable to me).

 

I don't know her history but based on the facts of which I have knoweldge, she did nothing to merit being permanently banned by RCI.

 

You need to do more research into all of the "facts" before reaching any conclusion.:rolleyes: The ban was not based on the review but the interminable list of complaints filed by the poster. The line indicated that they did their best to respond to those complaints which they felt were valid, but they also concluded that many of the complaints were not valid and because of that it was not possible to ever satisfy the poster and indicated that she and her husband take their business elsewhere. The poster has a history of complaining about her previous cruises on Princess, Celebrity and most recently on Royal Caribbean. Often she embellished on her accounts of problems as she became more creative in her description of situations. Typical was her account of the sewer smell in her bathroom which ultimately evolved into a report of raw sewage spilling out of the bathroom onto the stateroom carpet. Once you have more facts, I believe that you may find that you agree with RCI's action but even if you don't, at least you will have more "facts" on which to base your opinion.:)

[joycefnp]

I read that post too.

I never get gifts. :>(

Actually, our last NCL cruise we got silk robes because we had were on a group cruise and I had made all the reservations. Was my mom mad....she paid for the cruise!

[AnotherCruisingKid]

Normally, I would agree with the point about how long someone has been on this site and the validity of their opinions. However, anyone new to this site would be unable to appreciate the extent to which this particular poster posted their complaints, how they went about getting compensation, and their encouragement of same to others in situations that really didn't call for it.

 

I understand your point. So about the person banned, i dont know anything about them other than what i've read recently.

 

But just because cruising had zero appeal to me until recently doesnt mean I am not intimately familiar with the professional complainer and the compensation system.

 

This here arose out of my disagreeing with another poster who is a long time member and has a high post count. They said something along the lines of this person was banned in part or because of their talking about compensation. I flatly disagree with that. And then was called out by someone else basically saying how dare I disagree with a long established member being a newbie.

 

So yes. I know little to nothing of the history of the banned member. But I do know the type.

[crusinmama06]

Sounds like a 'professional complainer' to me. "Other Group Cruises, a gift was on the bed each night, but this cruise we got only 6"

 

6 gifts :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

I got a bottle of wine, a fruit basket and some water for being in a GS.

 

So does that mean on our Cruise Critic group Genesis cruise, we can expect 7 gifts on the bed, one for each night???? :eek: :D

 

RCCL better take note or I'll be sending a letter! :p

[brmoqueen]

This incident happened in November and this is just hitting the news in May. One has to wonder how many emails and phone calls were made to travel writers and news outlets until one took the bait.

 

No.........in fact this instance happened on the Radiance of the Seas 9/14/07 sailing............

[Host Kewlguy]

I understand your point. So about the person banned, i dont know anything about them other than what i've read recently.

 

But just because cruising had zero appeal to me until recently doesnt mean I am not intimately familiar with the professional complainer and the compensation system.

 

This here arose out of my disagreeing with another poster who is a long time member and has a high post count. They said something along the lines of this person was banned in part or because of their talking about compensation. I flatly disagree with that. And then was called out by someone else basically saying how dare I disagree with a long established member being a newbie.

 

So yes. I know little to nothing of the history of the banned member. But I do know the type.

 

I have no problem with any member disagreeing with my opinions. Regardless of how long they've been posting on this web site. To clarify: I didn't mean revealing the compensation she was receiving was the ONLY reason she got banned but it certainly played a part in it. It's obvious the information that has become public in the news media is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Gonzo70]

6 gifts

 

I got a bottle of wine, a fruit basket and some water for being in a GS.

 

So does that mean on our Cruise Critic group Genesis cruise, we can expect 7 gifts on the bed, one for each night???? :eek: :D

 

RCCL better take note or I'll be sending a letter! :p

 

Maybe they can start giving RCCL logo air fresheners as a gift to help deal with the raw sewage smell. :cool: :D ;)

[amybear912]

Maybe they can start giving RCCL logo air fresheners as a gift to help deal with the raw sewage smell. :cool: :D ;)

 

Or RC Logo Segways for getting around that beast of a ship...;)

[Georgiagolfer]

Way to go RCI. This makes me want to go out and buy stock in the Company,:D if only I could afford it. But then if I did that, I wouldn't be looking to book a cruise for Nov.:p

[brmoqueen]

The gifts spoken about are because it was a RCL Crown & Anchor Member cruise......and the gifts were great.......the poncho/blanket was perfect for the glacier day....we use the items as souvenirs for family members or for traveliing with (pens, alarm clocks, caribeaner clocks)....We were very content with the treatment we got on that cruise as a Diamond member...

 

THANK YOU RACHEL HANCOCK AND HER GREAT CREW!!!

 

It just goes to show that some people are just not pleasable. I don't think you'll find a Polar Bear that was unhappy......

 

And in response to Jen's comment on the lack of problem in her cabin....IF Moran's cabin had SUCH problem, don't you think that somebody across the aft would have seen them working on it or all the fans that she talked about in one review?????

[Lyncruiser]

How does one search for and find all of these supposedly awful posts by the banned cruiser? I'm still not getting it. I read the review. It was not slanderous by any means.

 

As someone who has suffered myself from a cabin on another cruise line with sewage smells so bad we couldn't be in it -- even to sleep -- I have sympathy for the banned cruiser.

[clearwaters]

I cruise to try to relax. If I had had that many problems with a cruise line, you may rest assured I would sail with another company.

 

It's baffling to me why they kept coming back again and again.:confused:

[kingsgirl]

How does one search for and find all of these supposedly awful posts by the banned cruiser? I'm still not getting it. I read the review. It was not slanderous by any means.

 

As someone who has suffered myself from a cabin on another cruise line with sewage smells so bad we couldn't be in it -- even to sleep -- I have sympathy for the banned cruiser.

 

Take the user name from the review posted in the MSNBC article and google it along with "cruise critic" and you can see a listing of all the threads/posts by this user.

 

And for everyone trying to catch up on this thread's reading, the common consensus is that it wasn't the review alone that got this person/family banned but rather a long period of complaining and an inability to ever be satisfied which led to RCI telling them not to come back.