Does Adam Goldstein ever really reply?

On Saturday, in a final attempt to resolve a cabin issue, I sent three letters by post, The original was to Adam Goldstein with copies to Richard Fain and Lisa Bauer.

Later that day, I saw Adam Goldstein's email address on Cruise Critc and also copied the letter to him by email.

I made sure that the letter outlined the cabin assignment issue but also stated that I have a high regard for RCCL (which is true - As a platinum cruiser, I've had very good experiences with them in the past.)

I began to try to address the issue on April 14. There were many emails between myself, Special needs and the resolution department during the past few weeeks. At this point, few options left on the ship as we sail June 2. Possible solutions began to evaporate about a week ago.

Is there any chance that anyone will respond?

Thanks, Maureen

Maureen, I'm not sure why they would ever book 4 in a JS on the Sovereign. There are the usual two twin beds, and a very small sleeper sofa that would NEVER sleep two. It's much smaller than the sofabeds on the newer ships.

Just as an example, I had such a cabin with my son and daughter.

They had the twins, and I took the sofa, since I am the shortest of the three of us, and it's sort of small.

How small? Well, I asked our cabin steward for an egg crate topper for the sofabed. The twin was just a little too small but the double size was WAY too big and hung over the sides. It is about halfway in between twin size and double size. No way will two people fit there.

And the cabin is DEFINITELY not big enough for a rollaway.

Your only choice on that ship for four is any cabin with TWO pullman beds or a Grand Suite or larger into which they can put a rollaway. (or the sofabed may be big enough for two)

But those smaller rooms with two pullmans are either 119 or 122 square feet or 157 square feet. Not nearly large enough to accommodate someone in a wheelchair.

It looks like there are only two handicapped-designated cabins on the entire ship, and those are interior rooms on a lower deck, and they look like cabins for two.

I can't remember - what did you start out booking?

As for a response from Adam Goldstein, I think that you can expect a response from his office within three weeks, which is about now.

I assume that you are sure that you didn't miss a call while you were away?

It's starting to look like a SNAFU, and you may be S.O.L.

A rotten situation, but the Sovereign was built waaaaay before ADA, and is not very accessible.

I wish that you had used a TA who could have told you that there is no way to put 4 in a JS on the SOS, but now you are facing dealing with RC on your own.

Have you tried using the C&A desk to intervene for you?

I'm just reaching for anything that you may not have thought of.

Merion Mom

Your advice is always greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, if it takes 3 weeks for Mr. Goldstein to answer - then I am out of luck at we sail in about that amount of time.

A week ago Sunday, there was one GS available so I booked it on a hold. On Monday, I called the cruise line and explained the situation. The agent was very kind and put me on hold. She returned a few minutes later and told me I had the suite. I was ecstatic! Then a minute or two later, she told me that they would be billing me an additional $1200.

So back to 9582 we went for the second time. Thank God it hadn't disappeared during the few minutes prior to my realizing that this wasn't going to work out.

Now there appears to be no GS or adjoining SOs left to solve the problem. My point to Mr. Goldstein was that through my own diligence, and the help of people like yourself, I had uncovered and reversed a situation that might have proved impossible to resolve on boarding day. In return, I was just asking that he help me find a better solution.

My fear is that at this point - there is no better solution.

Thanks for your encouragement. It's a hard choice with RCCL to use a TA and give up control of your own reservation (which has worked just fine for me 95% of the time)

I thought that I read a post of yours that said that you wrote to Adam G. on April 14th.........that's where I got the idea that it had been three weeks already.

I'm not sure to whom you should speak, but you should keep trying to convince SOMEONE to give you the GS for the cost of either two OVs or one JS, whichever is greater. (does that seem fair to you?)

I have written to him twice on seperate issues and have received a prompt response each time,as well as follow-up on the issue by a member of his staff. No complaints here.

Adam Goldstein was in Europe on the Independence for it's preinaugural cruises and naming ceremony. I don't know when he is coming back (he might already be back), so that might be an explanation for a slow response. His office is very good about responding to legitimate problems. They need some time for research from their end. My guess is they will respond before you embark.

Thanks for the encouragement! I have never needed any resolution to a concern with RCCL before, so it's good to hear that they do truly reply.

I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed with the people in the Special Needs area. One lady gave me her direct email address but then never replied to my email even after I waited two weeks and just asked for a follow up on where I stood.

I was also disappointed to hear that I had been "waitlisted" for a JS - when I pointed out to them that I had been placed in the H/A JS and it, like all the JS on the Sovereign, are only able to hold 3 people. This was never going to solve my problem.

Whatever happens - we'll have a good time!

Maureen

He took the time to pass my email on to another senior staff ( within 72hrs )

Don't forget folks he is a busy man !!

jj....

One of his staff got back to my friend in a very timely manner; I think about 3 days after the letter was mailed. And he resolved her issue about booking at a certain price AND gave them $300 OBC for an up coming cruise for her trouble.

He took the time to pass my email on to another senior staff ( within 72hrs )

 

 

Don't forget folks he is a busy man !!

 

 

 

 

jj....

Yes, I would think so! If I am having a problem with a particular seating situation on an airplane, I'm not e-mailing the CEO of American Airlines, that's not even remotely his role.

Which is NOT to say the OP doesn't deserve to have her situation addressed properly. There are people who are supposed to handle her situation, she just needs to figure out who that is, and go up the chain of command until she finds the proper person.

Then again, I guess it doesn't hurt to jump the line to the top, it just might take a lot longer for resolution if she gets it at all. Can you imagine all the e-mails he gets daily on things from top priority company policies all the way down to someone being ticked that they didn't get their ice bucket refilled on one occasion? And every person who writes thinks their problem is the most important one he should be addressing that day. I can't even imagine.

Yes, I would think so! If I am having a problem with a particular seating situation on an airplane, I'm not e-mailing the CEO of American Airlines, that's not even remotely his role.

 

Which is NOT to say the OP doesn't deserve to have her situation addressed properly. There are people who are supposed to handle her situation, she just needs to figure out who that is, and go up the chain of command until she finds the proper person.

 

Then again, I guess it doesn't hurt to jump the line to the top, it just might take a lot longer for resolution if she gets it at all.

Well, I think that she has already gone through the "chain of command", and after not getting satisfaction, wants to go to the "head of the class". :)

Well, I think that she has already gone through the "chain of command", and after not getting satisfaction, wants to go to the "head of the class". :)

Well, then, I hope she gets there soon so she can get down to the business of being excited about her cruise.

Good luck to the OP.

From reading her posts, it looks like she did try all the normal channels and people to resolve the problem. Contacting upper management was a last resort as the sail date was fast approaching.

Maureen, whatever happens I am sure you will be fine.

You will love the ship and have a great time. Capt James is terrific and the crew is wonderful.. Don't stress too much! You have a great attitude and you will have a wonderful time! The Sovereign is one of our favorite ships.. Not he biggest or most pazzaz, but it has a heart of gold!

Hi

I am taking my two nephews and grandson on this trip - and we will totally have a great time. I am very glad that the Cruise Critic community was astute enough to alert me the error RCCL had created for themselves by placing the four of us in a three person cabin. It would have been a huge disappointment to have arrived that day to a full ship and perhaps been not allowed to board. (Everyone agrees that they can not fathom how the computerized system even allowed this to occur).

Now I simply wish there was some way to fit the wheelchair in the cabin that doesn't make the small space even tighter....but if there is no resolution, then we will just make the best of it. Given that now all of the possible options have been booked, I am expecting that we will need to do just that.

There were numerous phones calls that involved Special Needs, Resolution and Revenue Departments. I had no intention of jumping the chain of command - but had no other names of people to address with the issue. I will appreciate any assistance Mr. Goldstein or who ever he may assign may be able to give me.

We will have a wonderful time and I am scheduled on another RCCL cruise in October...so no worries!

I have just received a call from the RCCL Special Needs dept. regarding my message to Mr. Goldstein. They will be getting back to me with a proposed option tomorrow by noon. Now that's what I call service!!

Make sure you come right back here and tell us.........remember it was their mistake.....make sure you are happy with what they offer you........I have a feeling they will do right by you...

I believe the resolution is going to include placing us in a larger cabin for the additional amount I was willing to pay for the Accessible JS ($280).

That will be a very fair resolution if that occurs.

I'll post the final answer when I get it.

For all of you who have been so supportive...thanks!

Here's the "rest of the story"!

I received a call at noon today as promised from Special Needs. We have now been placed in GS #1034. This will be very nice for the four of us and allow my nephew plenty of room.

There is only a bit of downside...

First, this cabin is towards the front of the ship so it will be farther to the teen center. Nothing to do about that - it's just a trade off for the additional cabin space.

Then there's the glitch that left me a little unsettled - but I've decided to simply accept it. Yesterday, the young lady stated that the resolution they had in mind would cost me an additional $270. Apparently, she forgot to say the words "per person".

So the final result was that they have charged me an additional $540 ($270 x 2) for the GS. That makes the cabin $546 per night for all of us. My SO was $368 per night.

The final cost was more than I thought but much less than the additional $1200 RCCL initially wanted a few weeks ago. So I think for an additional $177 per night, we will be very happy with my decision to pay the difference.

Did I do the right thing???

I think the GS will fit your needs the best.........just too bad, they didnt absorb some more of the cost since they goofed to begin with......

Oh well, I am sure you all will be very happy with the additional space you have.....

Believe me, you made the right choice. The money is very little for the difference in the size of the cabins. You are going to LOVE the GS. In fact, from now on, you will wonder how you can ever sail in anything as small as a regular cabin. Have a great trip!!

When you said, yes, you agreed to their proposal and you made your decision don't second guess yourself.........

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy your cruise, you will now have more room to move around.

Thanks, everyone!

I really felt pretty good about the end result...I just wondered if others on CC felt I was right.

I think that they feel they did offer me a pretty good deal. The amount they charged was the senior rate for a junior suite. This was the same amount I would have paid had I remained in the handicapped JS they erroneously placed us in.

Too bad this ship doesn't have a concierge club now that I would have qualified :)

The boys can learn to enjoy the "suite life". (Oh lord - I may have created little cruising monsters!) Thanks again!!

I have written to him twice on seperate issues and have received a prompt response each time,as well as follow-up on the issue by a member of his staff. No complaints here.

I have also written to him and had a very prompt reply.

Fran in Toronto