Voyager back home, stuck in Galveston

[BecciBoo]

I was very aware of making a good impression as a Texas passenger on this fog-delayed Voyager sailing. I wanted very much to show the crew that we are an appreciative clientele that they will like. The people of Galveston have done an incredible heroic job of digging out from the devastation, and I applaud them.

 

 

What a great attitude Carol, and a typical real Texan attitude, thinking of the crew and other passies. But disagree about the pier staff. Ms. Greenjeans is a seasoned pier co-ordinator, they were hampered by customs in this case. Maybe a larger terminal would help with this, but RCCL just finished refurbising after the storm and it won't likely invest in a partime port renovation. Its the people of Galveston, pier staff and longshoremen who did their best to get the ship out who should be applauded, and for their quick recovery from Ike. Hey, the real culprit here was mother nature, not the people who had to deal with it the best way they knew how. I would've taken that voucher, but the passies who stayed on should be congratulated, especially those who came back having had a great time and not complaining. I understand people's disappointment, but dude, just make the lemonade and get the party started.

[Driftwoodgal]

The last time that I was in Galveston was prior to 1990. It was not to cruise, but to enjoy the island.

 

We will be experiencing our first trip from Galveston in March. Our plan is to stay at the Embassy Suites in Houston, then are open to suggestions as to how to get to Galveston.

 

Looking to past Galveston passengers for ideas???;)

 

Rick

 

Friends have used Galveston Limo with good results. You might find a limo price shared with others might be cheaper than a shuttle. Also, had some friends just take a taxi to Galveston. We drive so I can't give you first hand information.

[tomintulsa]

I was on the foged Voyager, also.

 

But I was also on the Conquest the very week after IKE. we were told the ship would be leaving from houston port up untill 2 days before we left. We had booked a room in Houston closer to that port and then were told we would be leaving out of galveston. I have to 100% agree with you Galveston did a great job imediately after the Hurricane to get the Counquest serviced. Everything went very smooth including the boarding and check in of the ship.

 

It did appear that the Voyager embarking had some problems and needs to take a lesson in this respect from Carnival.

 

I understand the staff training but they did not have enough seats for people waiting even after check in. We are platinum and had to sit on the floor in a huge croud. The disembarking was much faster though because we got back before the COnquest.

 

I was unhappy to miss Roitan and felt RCCL should have given us a free happy hour or something. they did not, and I was actually suprised because once we got going the cruise was first class just like I expect RCCL to be. the Captain hid the rest of the cruise, I think he or someone at the Port authority cost the company big bucks. I think it may have had to do with the port authority and some one will hear about it. I am a big supporter of RCCL and I think some ploitician in Texas needs to make sure that the Authority does not mess up such a vital part of Galvestons economy again. Fog and 30 feet is not a problem, my 747 pilot friend lands a 250 ft ship traveling at 300 miles per hour on concrete in a pitch black snow storm. That is why I think it is the 9o minutes to wait for a government employee to come out and say ok to sail that is the problem.

 

Anyway I want more ships in Galveston, Galveston is a great port and I will continue to sail RCCL. Both Carnival and RCCL could learn some things from each other but I support both lines.

[aprilivy]

The confusion at RCCL has continued even through this week. We are their captive, again, as we await the voucher that will allow us to cruise with them again (hopefully with a better outcome).

Now, the confusion has been the message that the voucher "is in the mail" and must be in your hot little hands and mailed BACK to them before you can use the voucher. In the meantime, the cruises that we looked at (January 24 being one of them) have gone from $799/person to $1099/person....good marketing tactic. Offer a voucher for another cruise when the ship leaves Galveston in April not to return until AFTER the voucher is no good.

So, fighting and calling and talking and writing....finally found someone who understood that we want to apply that voucher to an upcoming cruise BEFORE it is priced out of our reach. We were told that they would apply a voucher to any sailing within 30 days, but not for one that was further out....

Talking, calling, transferring, writing...finally found someone who would take our booking (for February 21st) and extend the deadline for payment until today when surely our voucher mailed on December 18 would be received. Mail comes...no voucher.

calling, talking, crying....finally they found a way to apply the voucher to this new booking - what we had been asking for since December 21st!

In a computer age - why was this so difficult to accomplish?

Someone in this thread asked if those who had been on the ship would be loyal and return for another RCCL cruise....we are hesitant at best - but we have the voucher we must use.

Hoping for a great cruise on Feb 21st!

 

They actually wanted us to pay for this cruise in full while they still held our money...I repeatedly told them - I don't have that kind of money at my fingertips! Thank you to the wonderful person who finally resolved this for us!

[CarolSW]

BecciBoo - While I have no doubt there were experienced pier staff on hand for the first debarkation/embarkation of the season for Voyager in Galveston on the 12/13 fogged-in cruise, there were also some new staff there as well who were slower due to inexperience. Passengers who arrived at the pier early around noon were able to proceed quite smoothly as they were at the front of the line. It got bogged down as the bulk of the passengers started lining up as the afternoon went on and the check-in procedure was slower than usual as was reported earlier. That resulted in long long lines outside in the parking lot that produced a 4-hour check-in wait. That was a first for me. I have always been able to embark in an hour or less. I believe there was a SLIGHT delay due to customs, but not one that would have caused such a check-in back-up from 1 pm - 5 pm and longer for some. I sympathize with the new staff being overwhelmed by the crowd and demands of a new job. Heck, I am encouraging my DH, a coach, to research getting a seasonal part-time job at the Galveston pier with RCCI!! It's weekends only, right? From late November to early April? With employee discounts on cruises? Sounds like a WIN-WIN to me!! LOL

 

Aprilivy - So sorry to hear how hard it has been to apply your voucher to an alternative cruise. Your report of calling writing crying etc. sounds so frustrating. Thank goodness you had the stamina to stay with it until you got to just the right person who made it work the way it was supposed to in the first place!

[JDsafeman]

Aprilivy, you have made more progress than I. My travel agent still has not gotten the voucher (neither have I). Also, no one has been able to tell me of its exact conditions. Did they tell you if it has to be used on a cruise within 12 month or just a booking within 12 months for a later cruise?

JD in Texas

[granghee]

surely it is just for booking w/i the next year!:)

[bobstack]

Fellow cruisers on Voyager:

 

I regret all the delays in your being able to use your vouchers for another RCCL cruise. I would think that Royal Caribbean would make that voucher processing a priority, after a natural event takes away the opportunity for a good vacation.

 

CC just posted my Carnival Conquest Member Review (screen name bobstack), that started with our mutual Fog Sunday and Monday. Please let me know what you think. I have read your five VOTS reviews, and it sounded mixed, like some parts of ours, too. I was grateful to read that so many individual VOTS crew members tried to give you all a good vacation (for the cruisers who stayed on the ship).

 

To all of you, may you have blue skies and warm clear days for your next cruises!

 

Bob and Donna from Dallas / Ft. Worth

[granghee]

what a great attitude, and I noted the encouragement along the way prior to the sailing on VOTS...

You are a great person!:D