What a difference between RSSC and RCCL!

[cruisinsince75]

What a difference a few letters make. I just heard that RSSC gave those that were on the Mariner in November that missed Cabo due to some operational issues not only a $150 per person onboard credit but also a future $500 per person cruise credit. Now that is a class act.

 

We had an experience a year ago October on the RCCL Splendour of the Seas, where we missed 2 1/2 ports on a 7 day cruise and got zip, zilch, nada. High winds kept us from tendering in at Villefranche, then the next port Livorno was shut down and we had to head to La Spezia cutting our time in Florence in half. A couple of days later we missed Naples again due to high winds and couldn't make it into the channel. We did make Rome and Malta, but that was it. We got no onboard credit, no drinks, no nothing. Also, no activities were added for the days that we were stuck on the ship. I wrote RCCL a letter a few weeks after returning. Here is the readers digest version of their response. It was a phone message on our home recorder and not a letter. We are sorry that you had a bad experience, but we hope to welcome you back onboard one of our ships in the near future.

 

Now I would venture to say (IMHO) that missing the South of France, much of Florence, and all of Naples, Sorrento, and the Amalfi coast was missing out on a little more than not disembarking in Cabo.

 

Oh, BTW. RSSC cancelled our Diamond cruise as well for this summer, but RSSC values our business as evidenced by their $700 per person offer just to have us sail on another one of their ships this year.

 

Don

[KatWag]

Don,

 

Your RCCL experience is very similar to what we had with Princess. We had a bad experience, wrote to customer service and received what I refer to as a very polite "up yours".

 

Then we discovered RSSC. What a difference! After the first experience we're hooked for good. They truly value our business and make it very clear. That, more than anything else, is what will keep us from going back to the mass market lines again.

 

Enjoy your next trip on RSSC!

 

Kathy

[Joanandjoe]

My Dad used to say that everyone makes mistakes, and that you keep or lose business based on how you correct mistakes. Once we saw a roach in a restaurant. The owner promised to fumigate the place, then brought over a bottle of brandy and three glasses. He shared a drink with us, and turned a negative into a positive.

 

We haven't been on RSSC yet (September on the Navigator), but RSSC sounds like Windstar. Every glitch on our recent cruise was cured quickly, and we were given at list a small present to make up for our difficulty. (We didn't get anything for missing two ports, but we got a bonus extra port instead; and Villefranche is quite a nice bonus.)

[Dolebludger]

All of this reminds me of our experience on Royal Caribbean (RCI) on a Boston to Canada cruise in September, '99. Hurricane Floyd hit Boston on the day of sailing. All the other cruise lines canceled, refunded, and sent passengers home. The RCI Splendour sailed on, and our 10 night cruise was all in the middle of the hurricane. We missed 1/3 of the ports. IMO, this was not an "act of God" like getting caught in unpredicted foul weather would be. Rather this was an "act of stupidity" in sailing out in the middle of a hurricane when the itinerary was right on the hurricane's predicted path. The ride was rougher than it should be on any ship not involved in a naval battle! My letters to RCI requesting some sort of compensation were ignored.

 

In contrast, on our heavily discounted RSSC Diamond cruise of the W. Caribbean in July '03, engine problems forced an itinerary change. (Actually, I rather liked the change!) And the ship was a bit too full and service was not quite up to RSSC standards, though far above RCI's. Given the low fare, we had no problem. One evening while we were near the pool deck, Capt Broomhall came up to us and asked how we were enjoying the cruise. We said "fine." He said "I don't think it's quite up to snuff. I'm going to get all guests a nice future cruise credit." The next day, we received a $500 future cruise credit. All guests did. Not because we initiated it, but because the Captain did!

 

Now that is a big difference!

 

Thanks,

Richard:) :) :)

[bmct]

Yes, the attitudes are poles apart.

 

It's like the difference between a 1978 VW Beetle and a 2004 Lexus. Both are transportation, but they appeal to different types of people.

 

With RSSC, you pay more up front, but are given very superior service in the end.

 

Hope you see you on a RSSC cruise in the near future!

[travelbug924]

We were to be on the recently cancelled Navigator cruise and were more than pleased with RSSC's customer service. We're now booked on the Diamond with a better itinerary and went from sharing a room (I travel with a friend) with no balcony to each of us having our own rooms with balconies! And they credited us our airfare even though we didn't book air through them. And now we still have a cruise to look forward to! :) We couldn't be more delighted with how they handled the cancelled cruise.