RCCL Strands 145 People in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Irene

[boogs]

I'm surprised that the cruise lines do not automatically put all passenger email addresses and phone numbers on an emergency notification list. They certainly send emails to me to get me to sign up for shore excursions and specialty dining on my upcoming cruise, so it is possible to try to contact everyone via blanket email (and maybe even an automated phone call). Yes some of these passengers may be on a plane on the way and wouldn't get the message in time. However, many of us fly in at least a day early to avoid unexpected problems. Especially during hurricane season, emergency schedule changes happen, so they should be prepared for them.

 

Such a system would only be marginally useful. I never use my phone while traveling due to the heavy roaming charges - that and the fact that for me part of the advantages of taking a vacation is to get away so I stop using my phone. In most cases, if they had sent me a message while I was either in the air or already at the foreign port area, I would not have gotten it because my phone would have either been off or not even on my person at the time. They can send me a message an hour and I would never know it.

[bigwalt0176]

Such a system would only be marginally useful. I never use my phone while traveling due to the heavy roaming charges - that and the fact that for me part of the advantages of taking a vacation is to get away so I stop using my phone. In most cases, if they had sent me a message while I was either in the air or already at the foreign port area, I would not have gotten it because my phone would have either been off or not even on my person at the time. They can send me a message an hour and I would never know it.

 

I have a bit of a different attitude as far as phones are concerned when I travel. My feeling is that my mobile phone is my best friend.

 

I know immediately through text, email or voice messaging if my outgoing flight is on time or delayed.

 

I know if my connecting flight is on time and whether I can make it when I touch down. I also know the gate.

 

If the connecting flight has left, I know as soon as I touch down and can call the airline even before I am off the plane to get another connection before most on the flight are aware and I already have a new seat.

 

If RCL would have such a system, I would have known as soon or before I landed or if I had decided to enjoy OSJ for a few more hours that I should leave my checked luggage behind and get to the port ASAP. I also would have been on the phone to RCL to see what they were saying about the situation.

 

In other words, when you travel, more information is better than none and using the technology to YOUR advantage. If you turn off your phone while traveling, you may wind up at the port watching the ship leave. That being said, one on the ship, the phone is silent.

[cruisestitch]

"Such a system would only be marginally useful. "?? To you perhaps, but to me, it would have been invaluable. I am traveling tomorrow -- I have already received updates on the status of my trip, from the hotel and from my ground transportation. Tomorrow I'll hear from the airline a few hours before the flight, telling me if they expect an on-time departure or not. At my connecting city, I'll know if there is a gate change. Sometimes the automated system is ahead of the in person system -- last week I knew about a delay before the gate agents.

 

If you choose not to use a system, that's fine, but it doesn't make it any less useful to those of use who rely on it.

[bigwalt0176]

I was on the Century Med cruise last year and it was the first thing I thought of when I read about this in USAToday. We had travel insurance which wasn't of such a great help. What helped us most was to have an international cell phone and an excellent online travel agent. Our TA did everything that Celebrity should have done. I'm so disappointed in Royal Caribbean's response to this.

 

I read about the Celebrity Med cruise issue last year and I thought it was handled poorly by Celebrity/RCCL. The difference in this situation is that there was another ship, at the same port, with the same problem. Now there is a direct comparison between RCCL and Carnival - apples-to-apples - and we all have seen how the two responded.

[phoenix_dream]

I find it unbelievable how RCI treated their passengers, in particular without even attempting to contact them. Most cell phone coverage these days does include Puerto Rico, so in most cases the roaming charges issue is not applicable. There is no reason they could not have called or texted those who had not yet gotten onboard. Heaven knows they are quick to gather your contact information to send you propaganda, or to follow-up with you if there is an issue with your payment!

 

And to just leave them stranded with a list of hotels as a hurricane approaches - my, what great customer service! I understand perhaps not paying for a flight to the next port of call, but they could have helped passengers find accomodations, and perhaps shuttled them there. I certainly hope they advised people checking in that early departure was a possibility. In fact, given all the notice hurricanes provide, they could have emailed and/or texted EVERYONE booked on that cruise the day prior to advise them it was a possibility. Then even those with later flights could have done some research ahead of time on alternative possibilities should the worst occur.

 

No, RCI is not responsible for the weather, but their customer service on this is unforgivable.

[phoenix_dream]

I am frankly astonished by the mean-spiritedness and general schadenfreude of many posts. I have been on a lot of cruises and always arrive a day early. Yet, to make generally critical comments of fellow cruisers without knowing what really happened on that particular day is both ignorant and stupid.

 

For once, put yourselves in the shoes of those involved - you board the ship, dump your carry-on in your cabin and go for an afternoon ashore.

If the ship advises you when you board that a situation is developing, you're on your own. But if they don't ... you return to the pier and find your ship gone. What would you think?

 

It's also easy to blame Mother Nature but it appears that RCI should at least have set up an assistance desk to help people either get to the next port or fly home. I'm sure many of you are perfect, can afford to fly in a day early, take vacations only in months that are hurricane, tornado and flooding-free and plan for every contingency.

 

But have some feeling for those who could only afford to take time off now, could only find child or animal care now or those who simply had to get away because the world was getting them down.

 

Don't count on sympathy for your unexpected travel woes when you can't extend some warm thoughts towards others in distress.

I agree with you 100%! Everyone does not have the luxury of ideal travel, nor the luxury to plan for every contingency. There certainly are some mean-spirited folks on this particular thread.

[bigwalt0176]

I think part of the decision to not provide for passengers from SJ may be due to to the current businesses situation at RCI. I hope this is not the case. Stock price is down 50% from a high of almost $50 to it's current state of about $22/share. Maybe, just maybe, the small cost of transporting the people , I guess to be about $150,000 ($1,000/person) for an almost $5B company made a difference. I hope not. These people paid several thousands of dollars more for the cruise. So because of the money involved I don't believe it was some low life in a windowless office in Miami that made the decision. It was made at a much, much higher level for the amount of money involved. And right now thats what scares me about RCI and Celebrity.

[nae418]

JMHO -

 

I agree that Hurricanes don't just pop up and most guest traveling have heard the possibly of a hurricane. I think some people may have already booked their airline ticket months ago and probably could not change it.

 

Years ago, before 9/11, my BFF and our husbands would sail in the fall, always in mid October and our travel agent would book our airline ticket thru the cruise line, we always left home on the very early fight going to the cruise.

 

After 9/11, the travel agent suggested we stay over night for safety reasons,

we then started staying one night over, which turned in to two nights over with all the homeland security concerns, alerts, issues, etc. And I do realize every body can't stay over two nights, but one night using Priceline or Hotwire will usually get you a good reasonable deal.

 

I think it's a big risk showing up 2-3 hours before the ship sails, I would be a wreck, that is cutting it too close. As for getting off to go to dinner or going where ever to see whatever, big risk.:(

 

I'm really sorry, this happened because no one deserved to be left behind,you

pay for a vacation, and now this happens, and the Cruise Line(RCI) decides not the compensate, maybe they will change their mind. I hope they do.

 

This really give those Cruise Lines a black eye, especially since the Walmart of Cruise Lines as some say Carnival is, has taken care of their guest.

Doesn't look good.

 

I would recommend those sailing mid to end of August and beyond:

 

go a day early, be the first one at the terminal to check in, certainly keep the proper id, and some cash, with you anytime you exit the ship, listen out for the weather forecast and try to remember to bring everything you need with you soda, water, wine, etc so you don't have to get off ship once you have boarded.

 

Happy and Safe sailing.

 

 

Nae

[Tucker in Texas]

I think part of the decision to not provide for passengers from SJ may be due to to the current businesses situation at RCI. I hope this is not the case. Stock price is down 50% from a high of almost $50 to it's current state of about $22/share. Maybe, just maybe, the small cost of transporting the people , I guess to be about $150,000 ($1,000/person) for an almost $5B company made a difference. I hope not. These people paid several thousands of dollars more for the cruise. So because of the money involved I don't believe it was some low life in a windowless office in Miami that made the decision. It was made at a much, much higher level for the amount of money involved. And right now thats what scares me about RCI and Celebrity.

 

$150K is a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things. What they are losing from their bad customer service for future business could cost them a lot more in the long run. They are already skating on thin ice with decline in customer service and food in comparison to other lines. Loyal Royals are trying out other lines already because of their cost cutting measures, changes in their loyalty program, etc.

 

What Carnival has gained out of this? Priceless.

 

People that have never considered Carnival much before are taking a new look at them.

 

Tucker in Texas

[Blondebomb]

Best laid plans don't always work out. We were flying in this Sat to Newark. Our cruise boat Celebrity Summit, was to leave port Sunday at 5pm. Well due to the hurricane going up the coast, our boat it now leaving Monday at 5. Had to cancel my flight into Newark since they said most likely plane would not be able to land there. Took hours today to reschedule another flight. Only could get a flight for Monday since the hurricane is suppose to be Sunday. Hope they don't leave earlier than the 5pm time they gave us.

Susan from Indiana

[CathyCruises]

Wow!! Sound like Carnival is the premium cruise line. Customers came first then the bottom line.

 

Wait! Aren't they the same thing????

[CathyCruises]

Best laid plans don't always work out. We were flying in this Sat to Newark. Our cruise boat Celebrity Summit, was to leave port Sunday at 5pm. Well due to the hurricane going up the coast, our boat it now leaving Monday at 5. Had to cancel my flight into Newark since they said most likely plane would not be able to land there. Took hours today to reschedule another flight. Only could get a flight for Monday since the hurricane is suppose to be Sunday. Hope they don't leave earlier than the 5pm time they gave us.

Susan from Indiana

 

What about driving? I just did Indianapolis to Annapolis in one day in a UHaul pulling a trailer!

[paul bernard]

In my view Carnival did the proper thing by offering to pay for stranded passengers' hotel accomodations and flying them gratis to the next port of call. RCI's hiding behind the weather clause escape route is cynical, mercenary and altogether deplorable. We are booked on forthcoming cruises on Celebrity and Azamara, both of which are owned by RCI. We are seriously thinking of cancelling as it is hardly reassuring to realize that you're cruising with an outfit capable of treating its passengers so shabbily.

[ghstudio]

I read about the Celebrity Med cruise issue last year and I thought it was handled poorly by Celebrity/RCCL. The difference in this situation is that there was another ship, at the same port, with the same problem. Now there is a direct comparison between RCCL and Carnival - apples-to-apples - and we all have seen how the two responded.

 

Yes, I too was on the Celebrity Century. Twice now Carnival has done the right thing right from the start. Celebrity/RCL tried to do the minimum in that situation and now does it again. In fairness, Celebrity finally made us whole on the Century situation....and hopefully, they will reimburse folks for any hotel expenses, etc in this case....

 

Celebrity Customer Relations isn't. They really have no focus at all on handling customer situations and from all the posts on this site, they have very poor internal communications so one hand doesn't have a clue what the other is doing. You can't call Celebrity, speak to someone and believe that you are getting accurate information which is very sad indeed. Unfortunately this attitude seems to be ingrained in Celebrity employees and Mr Hanrihan apparently has no intention of changing it.

 

We are pretty loyal to Celebrity....and they ultimately came around to reimbursing expenses in the Century situation in a rational, fair way...but it took quite an effort and a very long thread kept alive for about 90 days right here at cruise critic to help them see the errors of their ways.

[Cruising Young Senior]

Read the articles in

Cruise News Daily and

USA Travel Today

Insteresting articles regarding passenders that were left in Puerto Rico.

Those in port without passports etc.