Harmony still a "construction site"

I suppose the other "lesson" from all of this is: do your homework rather than not and then WHINING about your own mistake later.

Wow, some of the comments made on here still manage to shock me. Obviously a lesson not learned here is 'if you don't have something helpful/constructive/pleasant to say - don't bother saying it'.

:eek:

Lesson is don't book a brand new ship on it's first sailing. But Royal holds the ball of accountability here. They ultimately can decide to cancel if a ship is not ready, and the last few years they are happy to take people's money. Even those that saw no problem will benefit from the compensation which, ultimately, I side with the paying guests and not the corporation so I am happy for them all. So just because it's not a great decision to be first on a ship doesn't mean the issues are the guests fault.

Well said :)

 

Thanks for the update mkh999. I received a telephone call from Michael Bayley's office last night and after some discussion decided to accept the 50% voucher offer. I did ask if it could be used to cover the cost of a mini cruise of just 2 to 4 nights and was told that yes, there was no minimum priced cruise you had to book, nor minmum number of days you had to sail. I might just book a short break for my son and his partner and use the certificate toward that.

 

Now happy to draw a line under this matter.

You may not be able to give it to your son as it will more than likely have your name on it. I would call them back and clarify the matter.

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I, for one, would happily book a first sailing again. Our experience didn't put me off at all. I loved being one of the first people to experience a ship.

A few people have said they should have cancelled the sailing. I would have been devastated if they had cancelled the cruise as it unlike I'll get to said on Harmony again any time soon.

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I think they have gone above and beyond as they are applying it automatically - I didn't complain and got emails tonight for a 50% refund. Is a really nice gesture.

The offer is for 50% of what you paid for the Harmony cruise LESS port taxes and taxes, per person. It must also be used on a future cruise. I spoke to RCCL yesterday. For my situation as I bought it for a present for a 50th birthday its doesn't help at all I'm afraid. The people I bought it for can't afford to cruise ( hence the present ) and the certificate will be made out to them.

I suppose the other "lesson" from all of this is: do your homework rather than not and then WHINING about your own mistake later.

Your logic is ridiculous. The extension of your claim is that everyone should avoid first cruises. So if everyone investigates, there will be no one on the cruise.

The information presented by RCI indicates what everyone who pays the fare should expect. Why is the onus on the buyer for further research? The company put the product out there as if all was ready. People who booked the cruise should not expect a "mistake."

Stop YOUR whining.

I suppose the other "lesson" from all of this is: do your homework rather than not and then WHINING about your own mistake later.

A very interesting analysis on another site of what Harmony has on board....... If you use RCIs own website 'to do your homework' as to what there will be on a new ship and use that as a guideline to book; I don't call it 'whining' if it is not delivered.

Aquatheatre - Closed

The Fine Line Show - Cancelled

Hideaway Heist Show - Not Available

1887 Ice Show - Available

I:Scate Ice Show - Not Shown

Stowaway Piano Player - Not Conducted

Escape the Rubicon - Available

Red Party - Not Conducted

Grease - Available

Columbus: The Musical - Not Shown

The Perfect Storm Waterslides - Closed

Champagne Bowl Waterslides - Closed

The Ultimate Abyss - Available

Rock Wall - Available

Zipline - Not Available until last Day

Gaming Arcade - Closed

Splashaway Bay - Closed

3D Movies - None

Starbucks - Closed (Except for 3 Hours)

That is about 75% of advertised features and entertainment not working.

A very interesting analysis on another site of what Harmony has on board....... If you use RCIs own website 'to do your homework' as to what there will be on a new ship and use that as a guideline to book; I don't call it 'whining' if it is not delivered.

 

Aquatheatre - Closed

The Fine Line Show - Cancelled

Hideaway Heist Show - Not Available

1887 Ice Show - Available

I:Scate Ice Show - Not Shown

Stowaway Piano Player - Not Conducted

Escape the Rubicon - Available

Red Party - Not Conducted

Grease - Available

Columbus: The Musical - Not Shown

The Perfect Storm Waterslides - Closed

Champagne Bowl Waterslides - Closed

The Ultimate Abyss - Available

Rock Wall - Available

Zipline - Not Available until last Day

Gaming Arcade - Closed

Splashaway Bay - Closed

3D Movies - None

Starbucks - Closed (Except for 3 Hours)

 

That is about 75% of advertised features and entertainment not working.

We saw a preview of I-skate on the 3-day cruise for b2b guests and it looks great.

Columbus is in rehearsal

For the maiden cruise waterslides open, aqua theatre open, gaming arcade was always open on deck 15. Starbucks open. Splash away bay open.

When I get home tomorrow I plan to do a full write up of my 2 weeks spent aboard

I skate was a 20 min preview, not even in costume.

Things that are open on 5/29 is vastly different to things that were not open on 5/22 which is why we received compensation

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We were on the 28th May Indy sailing from Southampton(sailed a day before the Harmony cruises ended on the 29th ) and it was the talk of passengers and crew on our first day. Crew told us their crew friends on board the Harmony were embarrassed about the ship.

Whats more is that on the last night of our cruise (June 3rd) we got a quickly knocked up paper with 'Buy 1 Harmony sailing passenger get the second passenger 60% off and up to $500 OBC'. Now I know Royal do lots of offering bits and bobs but it seemed a bit desperate...not sure what sales are going on online.

I will scan it in if I can find it.

We were on the 28th May Indy sailing from Southampton(sailed a day before the Harmony cruises ended on the 29th ) and it was the talk of passengers and crew on our first day. Crew told us their crew friends on board the Harmony were embarrassed about the ship.

 

Whats more is that on the last night of our cruise (June 3rd) we got a quickly knocked up paper with 'Buy 1 Harmony sailing passenger get the second passenger 60% off and up to $500 OBC'. Now I know Royal do lots of offering bits and bobs but it seemed a bit desperate...not sure what sales are going on online.

 

I will scan it in if I can find it.

I see nothing wrong with advertising that. It is the current "sale" that is being offered on line? The "on board credit" would apply because you would be booking on board.

We just got a price reduction on 4 of our Oasis cruises by using that "sale".

…..Very much looking forward to our 6 booked Harmony cruises.

What were the conditions like on the two days before paying guests went on board like ?

They were very good but we did not have the large numbers that a full ship has.

We really enjoyed it but a bit large to think about booking a cruise on it ...that is just my opinion.

I sincerely hope that among the 13K plus views of this thread some were Royal execs and that in some way the exposure (really, it is just a reposting of a news article that was seen by millions) helped to gain compensation for those on the first two short sailings. Likely a slim shot, but the compensation is a win for those guests on board the two short sailings.

Trouble with that is lots of those Bigwigs were on the 2 day pre inaugural and saw the ship at its best.

They were on it you were not.

I see nothing wrong with advertising that. It is the current "sale" that is being offered on line? The "on board credit" would apply because you would be booking on board.

 

We just got a price reduction on 4 of our Oasis cruises by using that "sale".

 

…..Very much looking forward to our 6 booked Harmony cruises.

Didn't say there was anything wrong just said it was hurriedly done and seemed a bit last minute (cheap wordart...that type of thing).

Or was it just a chance to boast about how many cruises you booked? :cool:

Sometimes I don't know why I bother passing on information/asking a question on this board sometimes.

Didn't say there was anything wrong just said it was hurriedly done and seemed a bit last minute (cheap wordart...that type of thing).

 

Or was it just a chance to boast about how many cruises you booked? :cool:

 

Sometimes I don't know why I bother passing on information/asking a question on this board sometimes.

Thanks for posting that! I found it interesting anyway...;)

Well said!

Okay so you ask "What do you think", well I think this

 

The title of this thread and the news report is a massive over exaggeration of the facts.

 

Sure it is easy to take some photos of areas that need finishing touches, but this is only a very small percentage of the overall ship.

Yes some areas like the suite sun deck are closed of, but there has until today been no sun anyway, and yes there are some small areas that need some finishing paint work or decorative touches, but none of these are major.

 

The restaurants and bars are fully open, as are entertainment areas except the Acqua Theatre as the weather has been too bad to enable the performers to complete final onboard practices.

 

Day by day some facilities are being opened like the one of the water slides today. Anyone that booked one of these first 4 or 3 days cruises knew what they were booking, and as such had a risk that not all facilities or shows would be up and running from day one, as it has been for the last few ships.

 

Anybody that has fears about the Harmony please do not have, the ship is incredible and the management and crew working hard to ensure guests have a great cruise experience.

 

I have taken many photos around the ship and it looks amazing, could I repeat some of the less attractive photos, yes sure I can. Have I seen ceiling panels being removed to fix electrical or plumbing issues, yes I have but I can see this any week on any ship. But this ship is not a construction site, and unsafe to walk around.

 

Of course I am sure the management on board would want to have everything perfect from day one, however they were only handed the ship a short while ago, and yes it should have been handed over without any issues.

 

The areas that require work are those ares that are least used by guests in the current weather conditions, who cares if a couple of hot tubs are out of use, there are others that can be used and only have a few people in them.

 

I respect the OPs opinion that it is not ready for prime time, but these first sailing are not prime time nor sailing with a full house. Sure this does not help those that only cruised for the first 4 days sailing, but already things are better on this 3 day sailing. Anyone that cannot enjoy themselves with all the facilities that are available will probably never be happy. I agree that guests should have reasonable expectations met, but having heard some people scream because there favorite hot tub or water slide is closed, well I am not sure if that is reasonable.

 

This is a fabulous ship, with an amazing crew that are smiling through despite the rudeness of some guests. We are happy to be on board and even happier to be staying on for the next 9 days.

I was on the three nighter and still haven't heard anything from RCCL about future cruise certificate. Booked with them direct.....how do I go about contacting them please?

Didn't say there was anything wrong just said it was hurriedly done and seemed a bit last minute (cheap wordart...that type of thing).

 

Or was it just a chance to boast about how many cruises you booked? :cool:

 

Sometimes I don't know why I bother passing on information/asking a question on this board sometimes.

Wow :eek:

I was on the three nighter and still haven't heard anything from RCCL about future cruise certificate. Booked with them direct.....how do I go about contacting them please?

Check your junk mail.That's where my email was in.I got mine Friday evening.

Back from the 2 night cruise out of Barcelona. The only place where construction was going on was the "Back Deck" (open deck area for teens).

The Supercell waterslide is still leaking and was closed for further mainentance for about 24 hours. We talked to Lazlo (Chief Landscaper) who wasn´t happy getting chlorine rain from the waterslides on his plants.

Aqua Theater show (still called preview) was cancelled the first night (Grease shown as "replacement") due to technical difficulties. Two shows on night 2 were running.

So it´s getting better day by day and the kinks are worked out.

steamboats

I was on the three nighter and still haven't heard anything from RCCL about future cruise certificate. Booked with them direct.....how do I go about contacting them please?

Me neither, checked my spam folder too.

I also booked direct but via the US.

I have e mailed Michael Bayleys office yesterday and am awaiting a reply.

mbayley@rccl.com.

I have had results from e mailing his office in the past so hopefully will this time.

Me neither, checked my spam folder too.

I also booked direct but via the US.

I have e mailed Michael Bayleys office yesterday and am awaiting a reply.

mbayley@rccl.com.

I have had results from e mailing his office in the past so hopefully will this time.

I booked via a TA in the UK and have not received the email. Nothing in the Spam folder.

I spoke to my TA and they advised that I was not eligible - Wrong!!! - so I have sent in a complaint which has today been acknowledged.

I have emailed RCL Customer Services and received No Reply.

I messaged RCL on Facebook and received a message back today to say they are investigating.

Glad to know I am not the only one.

didn't the email say they will be dished out over the next 2 weeks?

didn't the email say they will be dished out over the next 2 weeks?

I received my certificate in an email about an hour ago!

Lots of conditions..

Terms Of Use:

Please present this certificate to your travel agent when initially planning your holiday. As soon as the reservation is confirmed, your travel agent should ensure the new booking details are clearly noted on the certificate and stamp or sign in the space provided. Your travel agent should then send the original certificate for verification and application for the attention of Guest Support Unit, Building 2, Aviator Park, Station Road, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 2PG. Certificates cannot be applied after the sailing date.

Applicable to cruise component only. Not applicable to flights, shore excursions, hotel stays or transfers. The Certificate can be redeemed against Non Commission Cruise Fare but not the port taxes.

Applicable to all categories and price programmes except Loyalty Reunion Cruises, Complimentary Cruises, Interline, Travel Agent Reduced rate, Individual and Group Incentive, Charter sailings and net rates (please verify price programme with your travel agent at the time of booking).

Certificate is combinable with Crown and Anchor / Captains Club discounts.

One certificate per person per sailing and valid only for the person noted on the certificate. Only the original certificate will be accepted. Photocopies or facsimiles will not be accepted.

If certificate is applied to a booking of a lesser cruise only value, the difference will not be carried to another booking and it will be considered as used.

The certificate is not redeemable against inaugural sailings, Christmas, New year or Easter sailings unless the affected cruise this certificate was issued against an inaugural, Christmas, New Year or Easter sailing.

Certificate valid for 2 years from the date of issue shown on this certificate.

The certificate will not be accepted as deposit payment for the booking.

The certificate is not transferable and may not be exchanged for cash

Certificate not valid against Celebrity Xpedition sailings.

Any certificates that are not applicable will be returned to sender for use on a future booking.

This certificate is not valid against Azamara Club Cruises unless the original booking that the certificate was issued against was an Azamara Club Cruise.

This certificate is only valid for use on the original brand that the Certificate was issued against.

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I think you got it good. Two years. Typically they are only one year. Restrictions really aren't out of the ordinary