Our $839.00 per person shore excursion - wiped out

Background: I was on the November 2016 Splendour of the Seas Suez Canal cruise traveling solo. We made our two ports - Haifa and Ashdod and I had a wonderful 2 days of shore excursions booked with Viator. Convinced my husband that we needed to do this cruise together and booked on the Vision of the Seas and we're on the ship now. We paid a premium for a junior suite on this cruise and a BIG premium of $839.00 per person for the Royal Caribbean offered overnight shore excursion that seemed to cover everything we'd want to see.

Tonight at 10:30 p.m. before reaching Haifa the captain made an in-room announcement that Ashdod would be cancelled in two days because of weather. All tours would be modified. WHAT!!!!!

The skies are clear and sunny at the moment but I realize that can change. My husband and I booked the $839 per person overnight excursion that was to include many highlights including Jerusalem and Bethlehem along with a museum that I didn't get to visit last time. When we got on the ship, we were notified that the tour had changed and didn't include the museum. But our price wouldn't change. That was OK, we probably won't be back to Israel but visit lots of museums so I didn't complain. Now tonight, we learned that Bethlehem is cancelled too and our day 2 is severely shortened. I surely didn't book this pretty expensive cruise to go to Athens, Oman and Dubai yet skip Bethlehem.

There is no time to book anything else. I definitely oversold my husband on how great this cruise would be, and most definitely overpaid for the decimated shore excursion. I saw much more last cruise on my 2 $99 per day per person Viator shore excursions.

Just venting, I guess. We are Pinnacle members and not usually the type to complain AT ALL but this really stinks. This is not the cruise we signed up for.

I don't think there is anything else I could say except I am so sorry to hear this. :(

I don't think there is anything else I could say except I am so sorry to hear this. :(

I can't believe this is happening to us. We're not whiners.

My husband is so angry about this, thanks for understanding.

Be curious what the weather ends up doing.

Talked with several people on AOTS last week who had excursions cancelled, initially told due to weather but when pushed admitted they were due to low attendance.

So you need to fight with royal about your money. Captain can't change the weather

What's being PC members got to do with excursions:rolleyes:

Your money will be refunded but you already know that

I'm so sorry to hear about the change with your shore excursion; I realize how disappointing that can be. You may not know but there are serious forest fires burning throughout Israel, and that may be interfering with the agenda.

I hope the rest of your trip goes smoothly.

Have missed ports on over 1/2 of our cruises, on others the order of visit gas changed.

It's unfortunate but it happens.

It's a risk you take.

If a port is the reason for the visit don't cruise to get there, drive or fly.

I'd go and see about getting your money refunded instead of complaining here.

I'm confused. Is there some question about the OP's money getting refunded?

And actually it is exactly the cruise you signed up for because your terms would say that there was no guarantee of getting to any particular port and the line reserved the right to vary, or cancel ports.

Holy shiitake mushrooms, that's expensive. Can't you get a refund?

I'm confused. Is there some question about the OP's money getting refunded?

No.

What's being PC members got to do with excursions:rolleyes:

 

I was wondering that too :)

No.

Then why are people discussing it? :confused:

Then why are people discussing it? :confused:

Cruise critic ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm confused. Is there some question about the OP's money getting refunded?

To clear it up for you - the OP will NOT get a refund for the shortened $839pp excursion. OP is stuck paying the full price for a shortened excursion that leaves out some of the things she booked it for in the first place.

Why not take another look at the OP's post! (reading comprehension is our friend!)

Here's the relevant part:

My husband and I booked the $839 per person overnight excursion that was to include many highlights including Jerusalem and Bethlehem along with a museum that I didn't get to visit last time. When we got on the ship, we were notified that the tour had changed and didn't include the museum. But our price wouldn't change.

CLIFF NOTES SUMMARY - OP booked an $839pp excursion through RC. RC took something out of the excursion. They did not change the price.

and there's more...

Now tonight, we learned that Bethlehem is cancelled too and our day 2 is severely shortened.

CLIFF NOTES SUMMARY - Now OP is told that more features will be taken out of the overnight excursion. The 2nd day is A LOT shorter now. No change in price.

OP is upset about the excursion situation and venting about it here. I hope she will be able to get at least a partial refund for this expensive excursion that is now shorter and lacks the highlights she wanted when she booked it, but that's not what she has been told. She has been told there is no adjustment in the price of the expensive excursion.

I'd be upset too!

Judy

Nice attitude and edits!

Yeah we rip people here for complaining, but you are pretty justified here. Sorry to hear it. Hopefully there is a solution!

Hope OP gets a partial refund.

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If I were in the OP's position I would have a long talk with customer no service.

No satisfaction - I would ask to speak to a supervisor and take it up the food chain.

No success - I would file a claim with my credit card company.

Good luck.

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I would be really upset too! I understand that changes might be needed due to weather or other safety concerns (fires?) but I think that there should be some compensation for it too for the excursion. Or atleast the option to cancel it!

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I understand the frustration of the op and I hope she gets a refund. Many years ago, we were on a Baltic cruise. When we boarded, we were told our excursion to Moscow (from the St. Petersburg stop) was cancelled. I was very disappointed and had the same feelings as the op. Our money was completely refunded. However, several days later, the excursion was once again offered to us and we jumped at the chance. So in the end, it turned out to be the best excursion ever and perhaps the op will get lucky and have the same experience.

Bethlehem is within the Palestinian area so, in addition to the fires around Haifa it could be there'd been "incidents" making a Bethlehem visit inadvisable.

We did a tour out of Haifa in 2011 and at that time Bethlehem was not an option.

I've never understood why some people will read a post and then proceed to attack the op. If you don't have anything constructive to offer then do the rest of us a favor and go on to the next thread, we don't need to read your condescension.

To the OP, I hope you get a refund on your excursion and I think you should get some OBC for your troubles. [emoji6]

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