Liberty of the seas - huge disappointment

[grammyandpoppy]

Our family booked the 11/8 sailing of the Liberty largely for the H2O Zone and hot tubs extending over the side of the ship. This has been a rough year as my 37 year old daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer - had radiation, chemo, a double masectomy and is taking Femara which does causes joint pain. This was to be a cruise for relaxation for this family. Her son was so looking forward to the H2O Zone. Are you ready for this - both the H2O and the hot tubs were closed 6 days out of 7. Yes - you read that right. We learned that the H2O zone had also been closed for the entire week on the 11/1 sailing.
This cruise started off horrible as we were told there had been two cases of Legionnaire's disease on the 11/1 sailing and that Customs was also checking the entire ship and we did not get to board until 2:30 pm. We were given varying answers in regard to why things were closed which ranged from - Legionnaire's, not enough children, contamination of the zone and hot tubs, etc. etc. Only on the next to last night of the cruise did we learn the truth - equipment failure. Royal Caribbean knew this when it boarded the 4000 passengers. No additional activities were offered for the children which normally would have used the Zone. If you wanted to use the hot tubs - you were SOOL - go soak in the cold pool. This was not our first cruise on RC. However - this may be our last. If RC had been honest and said it was the equipment we would not have wasted our time going to guest relations every day to inquire when things would open. I am starting to believe that customer satisfaction is second to revenue for Royal Caribbean.

[02143]

How disappointing. Were all hot tubs on the ship closed down or only the two in the solarium? Assuming it was both in the solarium, and not one?

[nnnb]

I don't think it was cool for them to make up a lie about the situation.

[Tranquil Waters]

Originally Posted by grammyandpoppy

I am starting to believe that customer satisfaction is second to revenue for Royal Caribbean.

Unfortunately, being a for-profit company, revenue is ALWAYS going to take priority over customer satisfaction. Only when the satisfaction falls to the level that it affects revenue will there be a change...... It is as it is.

[grammyandpoppy]

All hot tubs were closed - not just one or two. Those in the solarium and the family pool area were closed. If you wanted a soak - forget about it!

[newcruiser80]

WOW... this is really, really disappointing to read. It's the 2nd time I've read about the failure of the equipment and makes me scared. I'm sailing on Liberty in February and if the hot tubs are down I'll be SUPER bummed...

Experienced cruisers (especially of Freedom class) how often has this occurred?

Let's keep our eyes on this...

If I were the OP I would DEMAND OBC for the next sailing (if there is one).

PS - sorry to hear about your daughter's cancer

[SeaUs]

Originally Posted by grammyandpoppy

All hot tubs were closed - not just one or two. Those in the solarium and the family pool area were closed. If you wanted a soak - forget about it!

if all the hot tubs were closed, it certainly wasn't an equipment malfunction.

[cds62]

I was on the 11/1 sailing of Liberty. We received a letter in our stateroom (2nd day?) from corporate indicating that a passenger on the previous cruise had been diagnosed with legionaires and as a result they would have to close the H2O Zone and hot tubes. I don't think RCL was lying about legionaires as that potentially opened up an entire bunch of other problems with passengers being concerned about their health. Maybe there was a mechanical problem that did not allow them to restart the areas or they were still closed for cleaning.

[dual]

Thats very disappointing, I would also be upset.

Had it been a genuine cross contamination risk then I would understand RCCL putting passenger safety first not matter how peeved passengers would be - but a blatant lie is not acceptable if that indeed is the facts.

Have you or any of the passengers been offered any form of compensation? Have you written to outline your complaint?

[voyager70]

Originally Posted by SeaUs

if all the hot tubs were closed, it certainly wasn't an equipment malfunction.

That's what I was thinking. Sounds like more of a health issue.

[02143]

Closed 6 days out of 7... which day were they open?

I agree with everyone else about this not being a mechanical issue, hence my question about how many hot tubs were closed.

[amybeth4]

I was on the 11/1 sailing and H2O and all the hot tubs were closed the last five days of the cruise (made for a relaxing pool area with ALL those kids there...) because of Legionnaires'. I find it interesting that you were told that two people were sick on OUR cruise, when we were told someone was sick on the PREVIOUS cruise.

But I can't imagine the entire H2O zone and ALL of the hot tubs had a giant mechanical failure unless every hot tub, the cantilevered ones, the one in the solarium and the ones by the pool are ALL hooked up to ONE main...thingy, as well as the H2O zone. That just seems weird, but what do I know about ship mechanics.

I also can't imagine some crew member would just blurt out a completely different story than "the official" one.

I guess we'll never know!

[RetireeWannabee]

Originally Posted by SeaUs

if all the hot tubs were closed, it certainly wasn't an equipment malfunction.

exactly.

I also would not assume that Guest Relations had info. like any other company, my guess is communication there sucks. It's just feasible to expect all the staff to know what's going on with everything. I would not put it up to staff attempting to mislead, however.

[grammyandpoppy]

The hot tubs were only open on day one and day seven. The H20 Zone opened late on day six.

We were actually given a paper on boarding that said the previous cruise was the one with two cases of Legionnaire's disease and now I am reading the 11/1 passengers were being told it was the previous week.

It would be interesting to know when the problem started.

I am all for sanitation and would not want anything open for sanitation purposes. However, I find it strange that Legionnaire's disease closed the hot tubs and H20 zone. Maybe someone familiar with infection control can inform me as to why a complete and thorough cleaning would not take care of the problem in short order.

We were offered nothing - no onboard credit, no apology, no additional activities for children - just lies about malfunctioning equipment. Never again.

[TheWog]

Originally Posted by RetireeWannabee

exactly.

I also would not assume that Guest Relations had info. like any ohter company, my guess is communication there sucks, too.

I agree. Sounds like more than just equipment failure.

[Cruzaholic41]

Originally Posted by SeaUs

if all the hot tubs were closed, it certainly wasn't an equipment malfunction.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Based on what I'm reading, I think RCI was correct in their original explanation to you.

Nonetheless, it still sucks that this happened.

[G'ma]

So, upon arrival at the pier for checkin, if there had been signage or if someone had said the Zone and hot tubs were closed, you and your family would NOT have checked in but would have returned home?

I think not.

With so many things to do on a huge cruise ship, this is small bananas.

[grammyandpoppy]

Originally Posted by G'ma

So, upon arrival at the pier for checkin, if there had been signage or if someone had said the Zone and hot tubs were closed, you and your family would NOT have checked in but would have returned home?

I think not.

With so many things to do on a huge cruise ship, this is small bananas.

Maybe you can tell me all the inventive ideas you have for amusing children on sea days with the anticipated H20 zone closed.

Maybe if your 38 your old daughter had endured surgery and treatments for cancer and her body ached from the necessary drugs you could understand the importance of hot tubs.

This is our 26th cruise and made us Diamond on Royal Caribbean. We are not novices and were offended at Royal's handling of this situation.

We don't live in New Jersey and it would be only a 2 hour trip home. We could have taken any ship any time and yes - we probably might have said this is not what we contracted for and returned home.

Small bananas to you - big deal to me.

[BETEP]

Originally Posted by G'ma

So, upon arrival at the pier for checkin, if there had been signage or if someone had said the Zone and hot tubs were closed, you and your family would NOT have checked in but would have returned home?

I think not.

With so many things to do on a huge cruise ship, this is small bananas.

what an idiotic, senseless comment.

[grammyandpoppy]

Originally Posted by BETEP

what an idiotic, senseless comment.

I thought it was idiotic and senseless also and thus my reply to G'Ma