Royal screwing to valued guest

[dvpaintboy]

At least that is what the cover letter called us.We were on the March 23 Navigator that was late then stuck in port due to a oil spill. We did to do a 4 day to Mexico but we're told we would get a free cruise and 25% of of our next cruise to be used in the next year. Not a bad comp to help take care of our expenses incurred,airfare,lodging and vacation used.Here is where it gets ugly to me. We used 125000 Rccl credit card points and upgraded to a balcony room. The booking confirmation shows a cruise fare of $1199.00 per person of which 25% would be just short of $300.00 each. They sent a certificate for $13.00 each and the uppers at Rccl was only going to pay the 25% of what we paid to change cabin type? I may be a little greedy but I saved for years for those points and BOA paid with the money the earned from me to Rccl for the free 7 night cruise. The call to them included a 60 minute hold,then them telling that is the way it is, and they are very sorry. Any ideas or am I wrong in feeling it's not right. Thanks Steve

[Darkwolfe]

I hate to say it guy, but you got a pretty fair comp already. Technically, by the wording in the cruise contract, they didn't have to give anything. Especially since the oil spill was something totally out of their control.

 

This is one of those moments where you have to realize, yes life dealt a lemon. RCCL has at least given you some sugar to help make lemonade out of it.

[Lynn the Cruiser]

My story is similar to yours so I will tell you what happened to us and you can decide if we got the better deal and it might help you if you call Royal Caribbean back. We were on the Mar. 23 sailing of the Adventure. We missed 2 ports due to a propeller problem. We were stuck in Puerto Rico for 3 days. We did mange to get to 3 islands. Royal gave us a full refund of that cruise and 50% off of a future cruise. We had also used our points (75,000) for a free companion cruise. We got an e-mail saying that we can reuse the points on a future cruise within a year. I just called them today to apply the points to my next cruise of which we are getting the full amount applied. Hope you can figure this out and hope it helps.

[LMaxwell]

I would start with BOA. Sounds like it is their payment with points that is causing this. The cruise line may be tied to BOA's terms and conditions, which I assure you, are probably awful. Read the terms with BOA and then start with them.

[roboref]

Cruise insurance doesn't cover cc points applied, only actual cash that you paid. Go figure.

Hope you can get something better worked out.

[MisterBill99]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I'm confused by the typos in the original posting and don't understand exactly what happened (and I will admit to my share of typos, so I am not criticizing you). Was the settlement a refund of the affected cruise (was it shortened?) and 25% additional towards a future cruise? If so, what was the refund - did they give you your points back (as Lynn reported happened to them) or did they give you cash? Or was the offer a future cruise for free?

 

The only thing I think I understand fully is that they reduced the value of the 25% future cruise certificate because you didn't pay for most of the shortened one in cash, and that's what you are unhappy about.

[bighairtexan]

Mr. Bill…..OK I was a bit confused by the post too. And I agree, between auto-spell- correct and just plain inattention, I am sometimes the queen of typos.

 

I also don't think the comparison of the Oil Spill Cruise (I was on that one too) and the Adventure missing ports is a fair comparison.

The oil spill was completely 100% out of the hands and scope of responsibility of RCI. They weren't the ones who crashed into the oil barge. They weren't the ones that refused to allow the ship to sail. It was completely out of their hands. The barges who collided, and then the Coast Guard's decision to delay sailing of ANY ship from the Galveston port were the causes of the delays and missed ports.

 

On the Adventure it was the ship.. Royal Caribbean's ship… that was 100% causative of the delays and missed ports. On the Adventure, I feel Royal needed to do something drastic to make up for the fault of THEIR ship's propeller problem.

 

RCI had no responsibility for the oil spill nor were they obligated to do anything whatsoever to make us cruisers "whole." I think the steps they took were above and beyond anything they needed to do. That's why we buy trip insurance.

 

I was very surprised and am very grateful for the restitution they provided for a problem not of their making.

[MisterBill99]

So what was the situation in this case? Did they reduce the length of the cruise? What WAS the compensation? The post probably makes a lot more sense if you know that already.

[uksimonusa]

At least that is what the cover letter called us.We were on the March 23 Navigator that was late then stuck in port due to a oil spill. We did to do a 4 day to Mexico but we're told we would get a free cruise and 25% of of our next cruise to be used in the next year. Not a bad comp to help take care of our expenses incurred,airfare,lodging and vacation used.Here is where it gets ugly to me. We used 125000 Rccl credit card points and upgraded to a balcony room. The booking confirmation shows a cruise fare of $1199.00 per person of which 25% would be just short of $300.00 each. They sent a certificate for $13.00 each and the uppers at Rccl was only going to pay the 25% of what we paid to change cabin type? I may be a little greedy but I saved for years for those points and BOA paid with the money the earned from me to Rccl for the free 7 night cruise. The call to them included a 60 minute hold,then them telling that is the way it is, and they are very sorry. Any ideas or am I wrong in feeling it's not right. Thanks Steve

 

I doubt the offer was worded as " a free cruise" I imagine it was worded something like, a full refund for the affected cruise. If this is the case, then the 125000 should have been refunded to your cc point balance, and the 25% based on the original cost of the cruise. IMHO. Call BoA and ask that the points be refunded and then try RCI again

Edited May 6, 2014 by uksimonusa

[PattyG12]

This is why I just apply my points to OBC ... I have a couple hundred for each cruise I go on.

[marci22]

I doubt the offer was worded as " a free cruise" I imagine it was worded something like, a full refund for the affected cruise. If this is the case, then the 125000 should have been refunded to your cc point balance, and the 25% based on the original cost of the cruise. IMHO. Call BoA and ask that the points be refunded and then try RCI again

 

I am very impressed by your Sherlock Holmes-like abilities.

[Big_G]

I'm still confused.

 

 

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[seaofwonder]

I agree with others here. Were you refunded your points for the cruise? If so, then it seems reasonable that they only refunded you the amount you actually paid for your upgrade. It's hard to put a cash value on points since the cruise fare is variable.

 

This seems like a great caution against using points for cruise fares.

 

 

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[uksimonusa]

I am very impressed by your Sherlock Holmes-like abilities.

 

Elementary Dear Marci, Elementary:D:D

[Cindy]

I think since the cruise was refunded, then your points should have been restored, and your FCC based on the price of your cruise fare. While I think Royal Caribbean was extremely generous for a situation not of their making/responsibility, it doesn't seem right that you should lose out because of your method of payment. There are always complicated situations when refunding a cruise, and RCI should be ready and willing to work them out. I suggest you contact Crown and Anchor as well as Executive Guest Relations for a resolution to the problem.

[katrina915]

This is why I just apply my points to OBC ... I have a couple hundred for each cruise I go on.

 

Very wise, since it says you can't recoup the points if you don't go on the cruise. Less potentially lost this way.

 

I put discount on next cruise and just switched credit cards to be done with this.

[dvpaintboy]

Thank you for your feedback. We did get our points given back and that is a great deal. My point is the announcement they made on ship,and on paperwork they sent stated 25% voucher based on cruise fare only. If the cabin next to me paid the same cost of $1200 per person they would get a voucher for $600.00 not $26.00. BOA pays at least some of the rest of the cost to RCCl, based on what fees they charge vendors where my card was used. That is why I feel it is a little messed up!

[Aquahound]

So you did get your points back? I dont think your deal is unfair at all....and I certainly don't think you were screwed as you said in the title. You paid with points that, let's face it, were given to you. You cannot compare your refund to someone who paid for their cruise with cash.

[sr4mjc]

Thank you for your feedback. We did get our points given back and that is a great deal. My point is the announcement they made on ship,and on paperwork they sent stated 25% voucher based on cruise fare only. If the cabin next to me paid the same cost of $1200 per person they would get a voucher for $600.00 not $26.00. BOA pays at least some of the rest of the cost to RCCl, based on what fees they charge vendors where my card was used. That is why I feel it is a little messed up!

 

If I'm reading this correctly, in order to feel treated the same as a cash guest, you would expect the 125k points (approx $1200) + an additional 62,500 (approx $600)?

 

I think I actually see the logic here, but I am pretty sure it would never happen.

Edited May 6, 2014 by sr4mjc

[papaflamingo]

I'm sort of with the others. If you got 100% of your points back, you effectively got a "free" cruise. You stated you did actually cruise, only shortened. You can use your points for a whole new cruise! It's a GREAT deal! To be honest, you seem to want monetary compensation for something you didn't pay for. How would that be fair? It seems from what you said that the "next cruise" would be at a 25% discount. So what probably happened was people were refunded the amount of the cruise and given a future cruise discount of 25% for use in the next year. Did you get the future cruise discount? If so, then you were compensated just like all others. I doubt that someone who paid $1200 for the cruise got $1200 plus 25% back in cash. They probably had their cruise cost refunded, as you did in points, and given a future cruise discount.

[leaveitallbehind]

Any ideas or am I wrong in feeling it's not right. Thanks Steve

 

IMO yes, you are wrong in feeling it's not right.

 

RCI can only issue a credit based on funds transacted by you for the cruise. BOA points do not have a cash value per se and were not a payment by you, but credits issued by them.

 

The question as others have suggested is whether or not BOA will restore your points and not an unpaid value that should be credited to you by RCI. Points restored by BOA would keep you whole in conjunction with anything RCI has decided to offer for the disruption.

 

RCI has responded very well regarding its passengers to a situation that was completely not of their doing or in their control. RCI did not "screw" a valued guest as you indicate. I think your discussion should be with BOA.

Edited May 6, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[sr4mjc]

If I'm reading this correctly, in order to feel treated the same as a cash guest, you would expect the 125k points (approx $1200) + an additional 62,500 (approx $600)?

 

I think I actually see the logic here, but I am pretty sure it would never happen.

 

Sorry math fail. I meant 125,000 + 31,250 ..

 

Maybe if the entire cruise had been paid for with points I could see this happening, but with an upgrade, it's harder to monetize.

Edited May 6, 2014 by sr4mjc

[leaveitallbehind]

Sorry math fail. I meant 125,000 + 31,250 ..

 

Maybe if the entire cruise had been paid for with points I could see this happening, but with an upgrade, it's harder to monetize.

 

In order to be treated the same as a cash paying guest the OP would have had to pay cash for their cruise. BOA points issued by BOA to RCI for the cruise value is not cash paid by the OP.

 

RCI would only calculate any credit to the OP based on any actual cash paid directly by the OP - not the credits received by BOA.

 

Again, IMO the issue to keep the OP whole would be regarding BOA reinstating the points, not RCI issuing a cash credit for them to the OP.

Edited May 6, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[DirtyDawg]

Boy is this ever confusing. As I understand it the OP paid for most of the original cruise with points. I assume he paid for the balcony upgrade with cash/credit card. So Royal offers all the passengers on this cruise a free cruise i.e. the one that was affected plus a voucher for 25% another cruise. So far the OP has got his points restored for the affected cruise. OP did you get the cash you paid for the balcony upgrade back? Royal had determined so far that the 25% off the other cruise has a value of $13 per person (25% of the upgrade amount that was paid for by cash/cc) and not 25% of the total cruise fare.

 

So if I was on the cruise, in the next cabin and paid the $1199 cruise fare by cash/cc I would have gotten that fare back as the free cruise plus 25% on the $1199 I paid (about $300). Is that correct? Can anybody else on this cruise confirm this?

 

If I'm correct about this the OP's concern is that he is being treated differently because he used points and not paid by cash/cc. If so, I think he has a valid complaint. Royal should be indifferent on how the original cruise fare was paid for. They got a check from BOA for the points used by the OP. Now what might be happening is that Royal's accounting system cant handle a cruise voucher issued to someone other than the original payer, and in this case it's BOA.

 

OP I think you should pursue this with BOA and Royal. Good luck.

Edited May 6, 2014 by DirtyDawg

[Big_G]

 

OP I think you should pursue this with BOA and Royal. Good luck.

 

If we're talking about the amount received on the 25% credit, I'm not sure how that is BofA's problem. I see their point about not getting the full 25% credit. I might be a little put out if I were in their shoes but I can't get over that they already got a full refund and still got a cruise albeit shortened.