First Time, Last Time, NEVER AGAIN!

While I've been on many cruises this was to be my first on RCI. At this point I can tell you if they offered me a full refund I would take it and run and never look back.

I've spent hours a day for weeks now trying to get either information out of their website or out of their customer service and it's all a BIG BIG Joke!

I don't see how you frequent cruises deal with them. All I get out of them is "I don't know I've never been there". How do you sell a product you know nothing about I just don't understand.

My favorite is returning someones phone call that left a message that says "We have information and answers to your questions" but not tell me so that when I call I wait on hold for 60 minutes only to be told that the person is not available even though I've called when they said they would be there only to be told they would have to call me back.

SOOOO furstrated with this and the cruise is still 45 days away. I can only imagin how bad it's going to be in 45 days if it's this bad now.

Never again will I even look at RCI.

Your very first post on this board was a complaint about Royal. Good advice was given then but it seems you are determined not to enjoy yourself.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46032019&postcount=1313

Ok? :confused:

Your very first post on this board was a complaint about Royal. Good advice was given then but it seems you are determined not to enjoy yourself.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46032019&postcount=1313

How can one go with a positive attitude when they can't seem to answer simple questions. (They being RCI) I just don't understand that. How do their customer service people and their so called resolution team be so clueless about the product they are selling? Do people just blindly book and pay for things without knowing anything about it?

I understand your frustration. Many of us have been there. This board is very helpful to determine best excursions and what to do on board. What ports are you going to? Don't get frustrated, the money is spent...you need to figure out how to make the cruise the way you want it.

While I agree Royal Caribbean's representatives know less than most everybody on CruiseCritic, which is kind of sad, you need to calm down.

You've already made up your mind that this is going to be the cruise from Hell. With those expectations, I can assure you, it will be.

I don't care what you do, but for your own sake and for the sake of the money you have spent, you need to take a deep breath, do your own research if desired, and daydream about the magnificent ship and the beautiful ports you will be calling in.

You seem absolutely determined to have a bad time...

How can one go with a positive attitude when they can't seem to answer simple questions. (They being RCI) I just don't understand that. How do their customer service people and their so called resolution team be so clueless about the product they are selling?

Many of the CSR's have never set foot on a cruise ship, let alone sailed with Royal. It's sometimes difficult to "give the correct answer" when you honestly don't know, and you are reading from a script. I'm not defending them but merely offering some insight.

Don't get frustrated, the money is spent...you need to figure out how to make the cruise the way you want it.

Agreed. You've got 6 weeks to figure it all out. Instead of complaining and starting new threads, why don't you spell out EXACTLY what you need/want and maybe we can help you.

.

I understand your frustration. Many of us have been there. This board is very helpful to determine best excursions and what to do on board. What ports are you going to? Don't get frustrated, the money is spent...you need to figure out how to make the cruise the way you want it.

It's the southern caribbean cruise. San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba, Curacao.

I've not been to Aruba or Cuacao so would be open to suggestions in the lines of Shopping/Sight Seeing.

St. Thomas I've been on a cruise to just not RCI so I know the Cable Car is a good choice and I know there is shopping at the Havenport dock but RCI can't tell me what dock we are going to I've asked them a few times now they are not sure and have been unable to get the information. If I knew that I could atleast know what's around the dock and how far it is. Like the Havenport dock I know is a 5-10 min ride by taxi to downtown shopping.

St. Kitt's I know has a Senic Rail tour which I would like to do again but RCI again can't tell me anything even though it's on their own website http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=KT39&DestinationCode=

No point in using their website since only works about 10% of the time. Either I can't login because "Your reservation is being modified" or when I am able to nothing seems to work. Again asking them for help get's me know where, all I get is "What excursion do you want to book" and I ask about them and in return get "Sorry I don't know anything about them".

It all just makes me want to scream.

I would also add that as a general rule the shore excursions desk on board has a pretty good understanding of the different tours as they have been to the ports themselves and sell from the same catalogue of tours time and again. There is nothing wrong with waiting until you are on board to book or change or cancel your tour. I always book directly with the cruise line but there are advantages with using a travel agent especially one who specializes. Then they can liase with RCI on your behalf and will quite often be able to help you without needing to refer to others. If you want shore tours that have user feedback on them then check out sites such as Viator and do your own thing.

As a general comment it is hard to have a complete view of a cruise or cruise line until you are actually on board and cruising.

I know everyone thinks I'm just some new guy complaining but I have posted some questions in a couple of threads hoping for feedback from people with experience but I've not see much. Before posting at all I've I actually sepent weeks reading a lot of posts and reviews.

The main reason I even tried RCI was because of all the people that tell me how much better they are then everyone else but then I go through this and I just don't buy it. It's only the best if that's all you have ever tried which makes me believe that's what's going on.

It's not like this just happened in the last few days/weeks this has been going on for over a month I've been trying to get anything kind of information out of them or even book purchase things from them.

Every day it's something new. The website is so bad that every hour the information changes sometimes it show what I have bought sometimes it shows I've not bought anything, sometimes it lets me put something in the cart most times it doesn't.

Again calling and asking for their help gets me no where.

I do appreciate any help I can get from anyone from here becuase so far I've gotten nothing out of RCI.

I would also add that as a general rule the shore excursions desk on board has a pretty good understanding of the different tours as they have been to the ports themselves and sell from the same catalogue of tours time and again. There is nothing wrong with waiting until you are on board to book or change or cancel your tour. I always book directly with the cruise line but there are advantages with using a travel agent especially one who specializes. Then they can liase with RCI on your behalf and will quite often be able to help you without needing to refer to others. If you want shore tours that have user feedback on them then check out sites such as Viator and do your own thing.

 

As a general comment it is hard to have a complete view of a cruise or cruise line until you are actually on board and cruising.

My concern with waiting to book on the boat which is something from what I've seen cruising with other cruise lines while it could be different with RCI I don't know but RCI has told me they only hold 1/3 of the bookings for on board so then you are fighting to book with everyone else. I've seen it in person where all the "Worth it" excursions have been booked so I was trying to avoid that.

I have tried to book outside the cruise line but so far on the ones I've spoken to by email and phone most tell me that I can not book directly with them that I have to do it through the cruise line so it seems the cruise line has exclusivity with some of these excursion groups.

It's the southern caribbean cruise. San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba, Curacao.

 

I've not been to Aruba or Cuacao so would be open to suggestions in the lines of Shopping/Sight Seeing.

 

St. Thomas I've been on a cruise to just not RCI so I know the Cable Car is a good choice and I know there is shopping at the Havenport dock but RCI can't tell me what dock we are going to I've asked them a few times now they are not sure and have been unable to get the information. If I knew that I could atleast know what's around the dock and how far it is. Like the Havenport dock I know is a 5-10 min ride by taxi to downtown shopping.

 

St. Kitt's I know has a Senic Rail tour which I would like to do again but RCI again can't tell me anything even though it's on their own website http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=KT39&DestinationCode=

 

No point in using their website since only works about 10% of the time. Either I can't login because "Your reservation is being modified" or when I am able to nothing seems to work. Again asking them for help get's me know where, all I get is "What excursion do you want to book" and I ask about them and in return get "Sorry I don't know anything about them".

 

It all just makes me want to scream.

AD is the only ship in port according to cruisecal.com in Saint Thomas so you will be at Havensight. The only RCI I have seen docking in Crown Bay in St. Thomas are Oasis and Allure. Princess and HAL dock there for some of their ships. You are sailing in May and that is not like high season when there are not as many ships in port and there is less competition for prime port docking spaces.

You have a few weeks so I would post lots and lots of questions on Cruise Criitc in a variety of forums and you should get good information. I would also read AD cruises reviews.

May I suggest contacting your travel agent? They can go over the options with you, by making an appointment to help you with your vacation. Good luck take a deep breath and check out the roll call for your cruise.

I don't think that anyone would disagree with you that RCI's website is frustrating.

I also like to have all of my 'ducks in a row' and do a ton of research while planning and before booking anything. What I would suggest is that you ask folks on your meet and mingle, on the port excursion forums and Trip advisor about their suggestions for excursions. Worst case scenario, is that you book the excursions while onboard, so that you can talk to someone from the activities desk about the specifics of each excursion.

My advice? Take a deep breath, focus on the positive, and enjoy your cruise! :)

Have you looked at shore excursion brochure for your cruise. Also check ports of call. I think AOS docks at Havensight. Check your roll call. Stay positive. Hope you enjoy Adventure.

What I would suggest is that you ask folks on your meet and mingle, on the port excursion forums and Trip advisor about their suggestions for excursions.

I would agree with this suggestion. Tripadvisor is how I researched the ports and excursions for all 3 of my Caribbean cruises. Whether it's a beach day, snorkeling or sightseeing that you're looking for you'll find it there. Ask questions if you cant find what you're looking for.

The roll call threads are good resources also. I know for my upcoming cruise there were about a half a dozen excursions that were booked and looking for people to join them. If your rollcall isn't active, you can always look at a rollcall for the same itinerary, and see what the people there are planning to do for excursions. That will give you good ideas, and an idea of what providers can be booked outside of the cruise line.

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Another reason to use a travel agent......

MrSmoofy MrSmoofy is online now

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Single_dreamer View Post

I understand your frustration. Many of us have been there. This board is very helpful to determine best excursions and what to do on board. What ports are you going to? Don't get frustrated, the money is spent...you need to figure out how to make the cruise the way you want it.

It's the southern caribbean cruise. San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba, Curacao.

I've not been to Aruba or Cuacao so would be open to suggestions in the lines of Shopping/Sight Seeing.

St. Thomas I've been on a cruise to just not RCI so I know the Cable Car is a good choice and I know there is shopping at the Havenport dock but RCI can't tell me what dock we are going to I've asked them a few times now they are not sure and have been unable to get the information. If I knew that I could atleast know what's around the dock and how far it is. Like the Havenport dock I know is a 5-10 min ride by taxi to downtown shopping.

St. Kitt's I know has a Senic Rail tour which I would like to do again but RCI again can't tell me anything even though it's on their own website

==============================================

If you're going out of San Juan to the southern Caribbean, your on either the Jewel or the Adventure.

Both ships dock at Havensight, while RCL's Oasis docks the next bay over. You can see their smokestack from deck 12 on the Adventure if they're in port.

You have the shopping thing under control there. You might like to take a ferry ride to St. John's (45 minutes) where you can take an open-air bus tour of their 130 beaches, with time to swim at one and also to do some souvenir shopping around the port area.

St. Kitt's has a port shopping area, along with many tours by local folks. St. Kitt's is unique in that you can see both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean at the same time with a small smidgen of land between the two.

Local tours here are the same or better than what is offered by RCL, but always LESS expensive. A day pass at the Marriot is available at their front desk for about $30 if you want to visit the premier property on the island with bar/restaurant, pool and expansive beach with about 50 tents for shade. about 20-30 minute ride from port.

In Aruba the port is in the capital Oranjstad. There is high scale shopping there as well as a small straw market across the street by the bus station and along the main road heading toward Seaport Village.

You're about 8 miles away from the high rise section, where Palm Beach ( a premier beach in the Caribbean )is located. Besides swimming there is also another shopping area recently built there (across from the Holiday Inn ) and a multitude of eating places, especially if you like pizza and ribs.

Also up in the high rise section there is a butterfly farm, bird sanctuary and an old Dutch Mill.

From deck 12 on the Adventure if you look to your left facing the port you can see the California Lighthouse , which is about 15 miles away. There is a tour available that will take you there, as well as to the natural bridge, the natural pool and the Alto Vista Church.

If you're adventuresome, you can take a pack mule or go by a Safari 14 gear ATV to the same places.

Back in that area you can also find an aloe manufacturing plant. This is the place where all that aloe balm comes from that you see around the port area and on the internet.

In Curacao you can walk around the downtown area for shopping and exploring. You can swim with the dolphins and/or see their show.

If you want a day at the beach and/or snorkeling Lion's Dive is highly recommended.

If this helps you fine. If you have any other specific questions there are many on this board that will help you.

I'll be returning to the Adventure for a B2B in early May, believing that this is the best itinerary (southern) offered by RCL in the Caribbean.

Whatever, you do or don't do - ENJOY YOUR TRIP.

You're with about 3000 other folks who are also paying good money to have a good time. A pretty good recipe for having a good time.

Not sure what you enjoy but in Aruba I know Royal offers a snorkel cruise on Jolly Pirates. It's highly recommended by many. If you want something a bit more sedate, the Black Pearl has a nice sunset snorkel (or not) cruise. Royal doesn't offer that one so you would have to book on your own. They cruise with only 20 passengers & it books up early so if you're interested check it out now. http://www.aruba-sailing.com/blue-melody-and-black-pearl.php We've done both several times & enjoyed them all!

The ship docks in downtown Oranjestad & there's plenty of shopping nearby. There will also be plenty of taxis if you want to head up to the Palm Beach area where you'll find a beautiful beach, hotels, restaurants & shopping.

There's more information on Aruba here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=168

Hope that helps some.................

I'm sorry you've had so much trouble with the RCI website. Join the club. ;) Every time they attempt to improve it, they end up with more glitches and problems. Until this latest update, my upcoming cruise was showing all the shore excursions for Grand Cayman on a sea day :rolleyes: Countless attempts to get them to fix it resulted in nothing but frustration. I ended up booking a private excursion there instead.

The ports of call boards are good places to search for ideas for things to do. I also recommend Tripadvisor for research as well.

Curacao is a cute little town. I've only been once and did a snorkeling excursion, but after that got back, I wandered over to the town and wandered around the shops and found an internet cafe.

On RCI's website, I found it was easier to browse around the shore excursions when you're not logged in to the cruise planner. Just go to the "experience" and browse. then when you're ready to book something, find the excursion in the cruise planner. I had to try twice before I could book one a few days ago. Sometimes it gets hung up. Try a different browser if you continue to have problems.

I wouldn't call and ask the people at Royal's customer service about specific excursions. They just won't know. That's what we're here for, as well as the reviews on Tripadvisor.

I guess I'm just used to the crappy website, and have a travel agent for booking issues, and don't really need to use the website for much else other than the occasional shore excursion booking (that I've researched elsewhere).

The cruise experience is not the same as the cruise website experience. :D

Good luck, and have a great time :)

I wanted to second the suggestion to ask a TA to get you the PDF of the cruise excursion planner. I used this for our February cruise and it was much easier than the website - and that was before the a attempted web 'improvement'!!

I use a TA, no fuss, no muss. I do my few reservations and check in online, that's enough for me.

I wouldn't judge a cruise line on it's online presence. I actually took the cruises and had issues....then I made the declaration to never go back.

While I agree Royal Caribbean's representatives know less than most everybody on CruiseCritic, which is kind of sad, you need to calm down.

 

You've already made up your mind that this is going to be the cruise from Hell. With those expectations, I can assure you, it will be.

 

I don't care what you do, but for your own sake and for the sake of the money you have spent, you need to take a deep breath, do your own research if desired, and daydream about the magnificent ship and the beautiful ports you will be calling in.

 

You seem absolutely determined to have a bad time...

I agree

To the OP

We have never been on a bad cruise, some are just better than others.

It can be frustrating enduring this type of pre-cruise service but don't let any negativity flow into the cruise

If the cruise is poor then you have experienced, learnt and life will go on.

I know it is easy for me to say as you are the one experiencing the issue.

I always look for the upside:)

My best website tip for not encountering the frustrating "your booking is being modified" message. You have to leave your booking properly by returning to the my cruises page and clicking yes when it asks if you want to leave the booking. If you just hop off to another page it locks your booking for 15 minutes. Once I realised this I spent much less time shouting at my computer [emoji16].

I have booked excursions in advance and on the ship and have never had a problem finding what I want available on the ship, so if it comes to it and you can't decide before it should be ok to wait.

Most importantly, have a great trip!!

While I've been on many cruises this was to be my first on RCI. At this point I can tell you if they offered me a full refund I would take it and run and never look back.

 

I've spent hours a day for weeks now trying to get either information out of their website or out of their customer service and it's all a BIG BIG Joke!

 

I don't see how you frequent cruises deal with them. All I get out of them is "I don't know I've never been there". How do you sell a product you know nothing about I just don't understand.

 

My favorite is returning someones phone call that left a message that says "We have information and answers to your questions" but not tell me so that when I call I wait on hold for 60 minutes only to be told that the person is not available even though I've called when they said they would be there only to be told they would have to call me back.

 

SOOOO furstrated with this and the cruise is still 45 days away. I can only imagin how bad it's going to be in 45 days if it's this bad now.

 

Never again will I even look at RCI.

To answer your question and as an advice, as a frequent cruiser I don't rely on RCCL for destination information, I rely on cruise critic... you can find a wealth of information here directly from the cruise guests.