Our Adventure from He**

[lonegirl]

We just got back from what was supposed to be a week long southern Caribbean Cruise.

Day 1- We woke up at 3am to fly out of Toronto at 6a only to board the plane and be told there were mechanical problems and we would have to leave. We stood in line to rebook for 2 hours only to be told the earliest flight would be the following day. So we were to fly to Miami, San Juan then Guadeloupe.

Day2- Once again we woke up at 3am for a 6am flight. We fly to Miami then to San Juan and sit in the airport for 6 hours then fly inot Guadeloupe where a Royal Caribbean Rep was to meet us and take us to the Hotel. NO rep is in sight. (Bear in mind we have 7 in the family including a 2 year old and a 89year old with us). People speak 99%french at the airport. We find out that the hotel reservations were cancelled but fortunately they have rooms for us for that night. We take a taxi into the heart of Guadeloupe and happily find the Hotel (MAison Creole). When we arrive there we are told the Country is going on a general strike the next day and we would have no rooms and the airport would be closed and the Ship will not be docking there.

Day 3- We wake up and contact the RCI Rep...American Airlines should reimburse the hotel stay. Dinner will be on RCI. We eat an amazing meal...and figure out the only way to get off the island was to take a 10hr ferry ride to MArtinique. We talk to RCI customer service...they will not cover the meal...they said it was our fault we went to Guadeloupe that they tried to contact us (not one person at any of the airports tried to tell us our itinerary changed). We take a Ferry over night to Martinique (I was seasick the whole time).

Day4- Finally in MArtinique...The Vision of the Seas is docking on the other side of the port. (It's 8am now). We wait outside the ship until after 11 before they let us board.

Finally we are able to relax!!

Day 5 Barbados, Day 6 St Lucia, Day 7 at Sea, Day 8 home again.

The 3 days we had on board were nice...but When my husband and I tried to extend to the folllowing week with his gran and aunt we were told it would be $4600 (rather than $2400 quoted on Sun). No way after the fiasco we just went through would we spend that much. The ship staff were wonderful but head office and customer service were useless in helping us. Why would we take our 2 year old and my husband's 89 y/o grandmother to a country on strike where the ship wasn't sailing?? They insist we were told by American Airlines that we were to go to St Kitts...ok then why didn't our boarding passes get changed??

My father in law and his wife as well as hubby's aunt cancelled a 2 week Mediteranean cruise

[Pomperaugrr]

Did you book air travel through Royal Caribbean or on your own? It is a shame that you had that much stress on your vacation. Your experience is why we always fly down to the departure port city at least a day early. We book our own air travel and want to be sure we build in some time to avoid the stress of mechanical or weather delays. The price of the hotel one night is a small one to pay for the peace of mind.

 

Eric

[Retired LEO]

I agree. Flying to the port on the day of departure is a huge risk. A number of things could go wrong.

[cruisePRN]

What happened to you was just awful. I hope RCL gives you some compensation or credit for a future cruise because they dropped the ball in communicating with you.

[lonegirl]

Did you book air travel through Royal Caribbean or on your own? It is a shame that you had that much stress on your vacation. Your experience is why we always fly down to the departure port city at least a day early. We book our own air travel and want to be sure we build in some time to avoid the stress of mechanical or weather delays. The price of the hotel one night is a small one to pay for the peace of mind.

 

Eric

It was all booked through RCI. The last cruise my inlaws did (they are diamond members and booked it all) they were sent in the night before and we were all expecting that this time...no luck!

[xpcdoojk]

So many lessons in your story.

 

Sorry that you had a series of small disasters.

 

jc

[lonegirl]

So many lessons in your story.

 

Sorry that you had a series of small disasters.

 

jc

LOL I guess you could call them small disasters as no one was maimed or killed ;) But both my FIL and husband's aunt contracted what the ship's doctor called the Caribbean eye disease....we laugh now...but it was pretty major this time last week :)

[geegee1]

WOW!! That is an unbelievable story. Makes me happy that i am able to cruise out of the NY area and only have to worry about driving to the port.

[xpcdoojk]

I am glad that small disaster got added to the list! Don't want to forget Caribbean eye disease for two. That sounds really unpleasant.

 

jc

[honeywell]

A VERY similar series of mis-adventures happened to me on my honeymoon cruise. To make things worse .. We never got our luggage! We took a photo in Hell, grand Caymen and used it for our holiday cards that year...our "honeymoon from Hell"! :)

[morgan1312]

what is carribbean eye disease?

[lonegirl]

what is carribbean eye disease?

It looks like a nasty pink eye with nice yellow discharge gunking up the eyes.

[gatour]

LOL I guess you could call them small disasters as no one was maimed or killed ;) But both my FIL and husband's aunt contracted what the ship's doctor called the Caribbean eye disease....we laugh now...but it was pretty major this time last week :)

 

Sorry to hear about your story. It seems like you are keeping it in perspective after the fact.

 

What is caribbean eye disease? Never heard that term on this board. While I have heard of "sea lice"

[fungirl28]

It looks like a nasty pink eye with nice yellow discharge gunking up the eyes.

 

 

Good Grief:eek:

 

I'm so sorry that what should have been a relaxing vacation turned into....well a trip into hell. I hope RC compensate you for something...at least for the eye thing...yuk!

[xpcdoojk]

Good Grief:eek:

 

I'm so sorry that what should have been a relaxing vacation turned into....well a trip into hell. I hope RC compensate you for something...at least for the eye thing...yuk!

 

Well clearly after reading this thread, I can tell that RCI is public enemy number 1, but what the heck do they have responsibility for two cases of Caribbean eye disease? Help me to understand.

 

jc

[lonegirl]

Well clearly after reading this thread, I can tell that RCI is public enemy number 1, but what the heck do they have responsibility for two cases of Caribbean eye disease? Help me to understand.

 

jc

I wouldn't blame them for that....I hold American Airlines at most fault for not contacting us at the airport (At any of them be it Toronto, Miami or San Juan)

[fungirl28]

Well clearly after reading this thread, I can tell that RCI is public enemy number 1, but what the heck do they have responsibility for two cases of Caribbean eye disease? Help me to understand.

 

jc

 

I love RC and I've never had a problem with them, however I do think that there should be some compensation for the OP and family.

 

BTW....I was not blaming RC for the eye thing, I was just meant after all that, the eye gushing infection was more insult to injury. I guess it came out wrong.

[aloha43]

LOL I guess you could call them small disasters as no one was maimed or killed ;) But both my FIL and husband's aunt contracted what the ship's doctor called the Caribbean eye disease....we laugh now...but it was pretty major this time last week :)

 

 

Wow, what a story.

 

You ought to be able to sell that story for a movie somewhere.

 

I had one trip home from Kona, Hawaii that was horrible also. We had 3 emergency landings in the same plane, wound up on a red eye flight home about 12 hours later, they were late giving us the dinner vouchers so we didn't have time to eat and no meals were served aboard the plane, and the movie screen didn't work.

 

To top it off.....the red eye flight returned us to San Francisco, but we were supposed to be heading for Oakland, where our cars were parked. The taxi ride from SFO to OAK was speedy, wreckless, ran a red light and he didn't speak a work of English. And my DH's first taxi ride in his life. What an experience.

 

Scarey day, to say the least. :eek::eek:

[Moondawgie]

lonegirl, I feel for you.

 

I had something similar happen before a Princess cruise and Princess gave us (party of 5) a $600 on board credit to make up for time lost on the ship ... AND they did not even book our air (we did with American who was NOT easy to deal with). I will always remember Princess for this.

 

Customer Service shines when they do something for you to compensate for a very bad experience.

[dutchess43]

What a horror I feel so bad for you. I hope your sending a letter to RCI with everything documented, there should be some type of compensation for all of you.

[mustangjoe]

OK, I'll ask. Did you have travel insurance?

 

There 3, things I have learned on these boards and thru my own experience. First, book your own air; Second, have travel insurance and third and most important, always flyin at least a day early.

 

You had quite an ordeal and regardless of whose fault it was, I hope you give RC another chance. We have enjoyed the 11 cruises that we taken.

 

Good Luck for the future.

[lonegirl]

OK, I'll ask. Did you have travel insurance?

 

There 3, things I have learned on these boards and thru my own experience. First, book your own air; Second, have travel insurance and third and most important, always flyin at least a day early.

 

You had quite an ordeal and regardless of whose fault it was, I hope you give RC another chance. We have enjoyed the 11 cruises that we taken.

 

Good Luck for the future.

Yes we did have travel Insurance.

That was our second cruise and we would have happily extended it to the next week....but not at $4600 when we were quoted $2400-2600 on the Sunday of departure (over the phone)

[kruz]

wow...your story sounds like the Amazing Race!

I am glad you came away with a sense of humor!

[Jake2008]

Yes we did have travel Insurance.

That was our second cruise and we would have happily extended it to the next week....but not at $4600 when we were quoted $2400-2600 on the Sunday of departure (over the phone)

 

 

That was going to be my question

 

what did the insurer say when you contacted them about the missed flights, etc...did they offer reimbursement for the travel or medical portion?

[mustangjoe]

Hey Jake!! What part of Akron are you from? We could even be neighbors.

 

If you want, e-mail me @ coach122850 at hotmail dot com.