Help! has this happened to anyone else on RCI

[cme]

I will try to make this as short as possible.:D

 

I was on the Brilliance June 17th cruise. When are luggage arrived in our stateroom we preceded to unpack and hang things in the closet. We went to dinner and upon arriving back to our cabin I noticed that one of my formal dresses was stuck in the door hinge that is attached to the wall and the door. It could not be removed and I had to have matinance come and remove the entire metal bracket from the wall.:eek: The matinance guy said that there was a screw missing from the hinge that allowed it to open and then clamp down on my dress. Needless to say it was a brand new dress with the tag still on it, and you guessed right, it was torn. I made the matinance guy come with me to guest relations to exlplain what had happened.

 

They filled out the paper work for the insurance. I talked to two different people there and one wanted me to leave the dress with them and the manager of guest realtions wanted me to take the dress home, so I did.

 

When I arrived home I faxed all the required paperwork to RCI which cost me $ 8.00.:eek: I got a reply today after 1 month stating that they need me to send them the dress and the copy of the paperwork which I have already sent them once. Enclosed also was copies of the cruise ticket which states that they are not responsible.

 

Would this be considered to be damage that is not covered:confused: I don't see how this could be my fault as they are the ones that had faulty equipment. Is this something that I should continue to pursue? I just want to get the money that I spent for the dress back so I can buy a new dress for my next cruise.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for me:confused: I have two more cruises booked this year on RCI and I am starting to feel like they really don't care that much about their loyal repeat customers.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Carrie

[justaknucklehead]

Unless it was a $300 or $400 dress, I would stop stressing and forget about it.

[pcur]

I sympathize with you!! I've noticed the door hinges and the doors on the closet are set so they catch clothes. It's a design flaw with the closets.

 

I'd put a dollar mark on how far you are wiling to go with the procedure, but ignore the fact that they sent you a copy of the contract that said they aren't liable. The fact that they are asking for the dress and the paperwork together means they want to look at the situation. Send them. The dress isn't any good to you now, anyway.

 

Very smart of you to take the maintenance guy with you and have him there when the claim was being documented.

 

When you reach the out-of-pocket limit, then stop asking and chalk it up to a very bad experience.

 

I don't think RCI is necessarily treating you badly; I think you are on the fine line of whether they are liable for the ruined dress, and they are making an effort at due diligence.

 

Good luck!

[imsulin]

Well, I don't have $300 - 400.00 dresses, and if this would have happened to me with ANY item of apparel that I had brought with me (and for which I paid), I would have a major issue with it, just as Carrie does. It's typical that the cruise line (and not necessarily only RCI) would ask YOU to spend YOUR money for postage to mail them the dress. Sounds to me like an attempt on their part to make you want to forget the whole thing! If it were me, I'd pursue it, since it wasn't your fault! I was once on a HAL cruise (and I do love HAL), and I had brought along a $12.00 tank top that I'd bought in Kauai, HI. I had left it on the back of my pool chair, and it fell off onto the pool deck. A deck staff picked it up and proceeded to wipe off the small wet plastic tables beside the pool lounge chairs. I got it back from him and complained that my shirt was basically ruined. Got the usual runaround from the Purser's Desk until I produced a picture of me wearing this shirt pre-ruination. I got the $12.00 plus another $50.00 applied to my shipboard credit. Not much, but it's the principle of the thing!

[pcur]

I believe when a claim is settle, they reimburse for all the out-of-pocket expenses. I agree that she should pursue it, I just think that RCI is not showing all their cards in the situation until they see the dress. Then it will become apparent to them what's happening.

[cme]

Thanks everyone for the great answers and support:D

 

 

The dress cost $125.00. I know thats not alot to some people but it is quiet a bit for me.:(

 

I guess I am just alittle concerned they will take my dress and wont give me anything at all in return. I might be able to take it to a seamstress and have it shortened if that what it comes down to. That wouldn't be my first choice.

 

pcur I knew the minute he had to take the hinge off the closet I was taking him to guest relations with me.

 

My husband is the one that is really getting hot over this whole situation. I am afraid he won't want to go on our b2b cruise on the Mariner this fall if this is not resolved to his satisfaction.

 

Thanks again everyone for your kind words;)

 

Carrie

[imsulin]

Carrie, you might want to sent a good picture of your dress to RCI before you send the real thing. Just a suggestiion.

[pcur]

Call the C&A desk and ask what the usual procedure is, and get reassured that your dress will be returned to you, as well as the shipping costs. It wouldn't hurt to have them in the loop.

 

If your DH cancels the b2b, I'm sure there are several of us who will sacrifice to take his place..... :D :D :D

[Cheryl H]

1996, I plugged the hair dryer in that outlet in the bath that has the picture of a face with whiskers. Anyway, it destroyed the hair dryer and knocked the power out in our inside cabin.

 

When I complained, the pursars desk said I damaged their cabin. I begged to differ; their cabin damaged my hair dryer. I won. They had me purchase a new dryer from the giftshop on board and they credited me. However, that was in 1996. They were still giving out free soft drinks at dinner then. Plus it was only a $20 item. That gesture turned my first cruise, into many cruises. However, I'm not so sure now that they'd be that accommodating.

 

It's worth a try. $125 is a drop in the bucket for them. Perhaps they'll split the difference with you.

[cruiselover214]

Go for it Carrie! $125.00 IS a lot for a dress with the tags still attached and you never had a chance to wear. It is a drop in the bucket for RCI. Perhaps you should include that in your next letter to RCI and also mention that not only do you have B2B cruises planned for which they are making way over $125.00 on you but that you have been speaking to all of us cruisers on the sounding boards and the consensis is that RCI is responsible. We should not have to worry about our formal gowns being torn by their incompetant hinges. Inform them in a nice way that it sure would be good publicity for them for you to be able to come back on here with a satisfactory result that they have taken the responsibilty and made a good customer satisfied with the results. We will all be anxious to hear the results! Good luck!;)

[springtxbill]

Write them a letter when you send the dress and ask for the extra expenses that you have incurred including the shipping. Also mention your upcoming cruises and I see no reason they would not pay the total costs but will probably give you some on board credit for the next cruise.

 

Also, check with your cruise insurance if you had it as it may cover anything the company doesn't.

[Cruise Craver]

I've handled claims before (not for RCCL). We will ask for an item to be sent to us if we are paying for it. I suggest calling first. Seems strange that they want the dress but have not yet promised to pay for it. By the way, they would owe for the damaged item not what you paid to present your claim but it never hurts to ask for reimbursement for your out-of-pocket expenses.

[cme]

Thanks everyone once again:) I was hoping that I would get some good ideas from my fellow cc friends.

 

Ironically, the cruise that this happened on was a crown&anchor member cruise.

 

 

I like the picture idea. I purchased the dress from the Chadwicks catalog so I copied off the page with the dress and the price. I will then take a picture of my dress to prove to them that it is mine.

 

I will for sure call the crown and anchor desk this weekend. I know for a fact that rci reads thease boards. We became friends with an officer who is in charge of the Seaview, Windjammer and Solarium cafe. He said that the company regularly reads the boards to try and find out what people are saying about the cruiseline. We also had all of the big wigs from the company on the member cruise with us and didn't know it until our friend told us.

 

Thanks again

 

Carrie:p

[madforcruising]

1996, I plugged the hair dryer in that outlet in the bath that has the picture of a face with whiskers. Anyway, it destroyed the hair dryer and knocked the power out in our inside cabin.

 

When I complained, the pursars desk said I damaged their cabin. I begged to differ; their cabin damaged my hair dryer. I won. They had me purchase a new dryer from the giftshop on board and they credited me. However, that was in 1996. They were still giving out free soft drinks at dinner then. Plus it was only a $20 item. That gesture turned my first cruise, into many cruises. However, I'm not so sure now that they'd be that accommodating.

 

It's worth a try. $125 is a drop in the bucket for them. Perhaps they'll split the difference with you.

 

Are you talking about the one that says "For Razors only" ? ;)

[Host Jacquelyn]

Call the C&A desk and ask what the usual procedure is, and get reassured that your dress will be returned to you, as well as the shipping costs. It wouldn't hurt to have them in the loop.

 

Exactly my advice. When I had issues with RCCL's customer service, I called the C&A department and got them involved. Explain your entire situation like you did here, and see whether they can be a liason. It doesn't hurt that you are a repeat cruiser.

 

$400 dress or $40 dress... the point is you never wore it, it was ruined by something that was admittedly their fault and you should get reimbursed.

[Cheryl H]

Yes, however, in 1996, on the Empress, there were no words, just a picture of a face with whiskers. Perhaps they added the words "for razers only" later.

[maria1122]

When on Celebrity I had used the public bathrooms and they must have just finished cleaning them with bleach. Needless to say I had on black pants and the color came off the bottom. Showed them to customer service, they filled out a form and 2 weeks after returning home I received a check for the amount I paid.

[Soxfan05]

Definitely pursue it. Hubby and I were on NCL and our brand new bathing suits were ruined by the chlorine in the hot tub. We went to the purser who said he would give us $35 ship board credit and we needed to give him the bathing suits. I told him that wouldn't even cover my husband's suit and I couldn't give him mine because it was the only one I had with me. We got a credit for full replacement value, hubby gave him his suit and I was able to hold onto mine. I just had to be sure my bottom was covered whenever I got out of the water so it wasn't noticeable that it was bright yellow but the rest of the suit was a lovely pale yellow. We later found out that there were several other passengers who had their suits ruined that afternoon and settled for the $35.

[TrinaLC]

It would never have occured to me to even think about asking for reimbursement in any of these cases (hair drier, dress or bathing suit).

 

Am I the only one???

[madforcruising]

It would never have occured to me to even think about asking for reimbursement in any of these cases (hair drier, dress or bathing suit).

 

Am I the only one???

 

No you are not.

[kenandlaura06]

Good luck pursuing this. Be sure to keep copies of all of your letters, receipts, etc.

[cme]

Thanks again for everyones kind replies, actually I am surprised nobody has flamed me yet.;) I suppose that will be coming next. I two have never complained to RCI about anything in the past when at times I had reasons to do so. I just know that things can and do go wrong on vacation and chalk it up to experience.

 

I love RCI and will continue to cruise with them but still kinda of feel like I am getting the runaround. I am about to take my 5th cruise in just 13 months on RCI.:eek: that doesen't seem to matter to them.

 

Carrie:p

[Alexis]

I would send them the dress and the picture from the catalog by registered mail so it has to be signed for on their end. At least then you know they received it because you will have the receipt to prove it.

I know how much you value your clothes. We all talked about nothing but shopping and sales for 8 months on our Roll Call before we cruised together in 2003. I would be very unhappy if that were me. :mad:

RCCL owes you a new dress. You did not know of the broken hinge until it was too late. You have cruised with them too many times for them to give you the run around. Don't give up on this.

Good Luck. ;)

[cme]

Thanks, Alexis:)

 

 

Carrie

[Host Jacquelyn]

It would never have occured to me to even think about asking for reimbursement in any of these cases (hair drier, dress or bathing suit).

 

Am I the only one???

 

Interesting point. I probably would have written it off too, but thinking about it, I think the OP has every right to request reimbursement.