First Time, Last Time, NEVER AGAIN!

[Paulxyz2004]

Are you suggesting no one should share their displeasure or experience? Isn't that part of what Cruise Critic is reviews and information from others experience?

 

No I wasn't looking for people only supporting my opinion just expressing my displeasure in hopes that it's not the norm, but apparently it is and people just accept that which I think is just wrong but then I see that people are quick to defend them and attack my ranting as if I'm in the wrong for expecting better service from a service oriented company.

 

Well I wasn´t suggesting anything. I had some honest and simple questions which you Chose to not answer.

I never said you are not entitled to your opinion and not entitled to share it on here.

The reason I asked the questions is to find out about your aim. You Keep telling us we are wrong for keeping up with crappy Service and you are not willing to do this. Fair enough.

The question is besides not going back and posting on here, have you taken any other Actions? I doubt your Posts on here will Change anything with RCI.

However if your aim was to blow some steam, and find out if others had the same experience that´s fine and yep that´s what CC is for. Only Problem is you will have to realize that posting on here will not allways result in the reaction you were looking for. You have to accept that, just like you have to accept that you won´t Change RCI with this thread.

 

I´ve said it before and will repeat it, vote with your wallet.

This time I will ad though to not expect others to go the same way you go.

 

People are going to think what they want about me and that doesn't affect me either way I'm not looking to make friends but apparently some people see your friends list as some kind of status symbol here. If your someone who just accepts that this is how it is and doens't expect more from them then I don't see us being friends anyways. I'm not saying you have to fully agree with everything I'm saying but most are only reading bits and pieces and not taking in the whole thing and then just throwing out their opinion which everyone has a right to but just accepting that this is the norm and you shouldn't expect anything more then this is just wrong to me.

 

I can´t remember I ever said anything about a friends list. I don´t even know if you have People on your friends list or not. All I know is that mine is empty.

 

I´m not saying the majority is always right because that wouldn´t be true and it´s proven by history, but if a majority of People are sharing an opinion and accepting something as the norm it might be time to rethink ones opinion. Which still might result in thinking the majority is wrong though.

 

 

From you more recent post it seems that they actually tried to make some effort in finding you some answers, but you don´t like the answers they give you, so you don´t want to accept them.

 

As otheres have pointed out some of your questions are rather specific and can differ from sailing to sailing. I don´t even want to imagine what would happen if the call Center gave you an answer and once onboard you find out they gave you wrong info. :eek:

 

Do yourself a favour and accept that you won´t Change anything with RCI within the time for your cruise and stop getting your Frustration Level up by finding out what you Need to know through RCI. It´s getting you nowhere else but being more frustrated. This might have to result in an adjustment of your plans for your vacation, but it will ad sooo much more enjoyment to it as you will be much more relaxed.

[MrSmoofy]

At some point I'll go through every post and thank every single one individually as it seems everything thinks I don't thank anyone. Right now I've been working about 12-14 hour days so I've just not had time.

 

So I took a page from the thinking here last night. I had some pre-view movie tickets for Furious 7 (which is a pretty great movie)

 

This was shown at a smaller theater but not like typical theaters it's a more upscale theater with only room for about 100 people. It has a full resturant and bar. The theater itself has leather reclining seats, cup holders and little tables. You are given a full menu to order food and drinks from and someone comes around and takes your order and then you are served before the movie.

 

I ordered Chicken Tenders with Fries with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and a Large Coke. I'd never been to this theater or one like it but had heard about them.

 

Food drinks came out quick was very pleased how fast it was.

 

So my food came, with the wrong sauce, they brought a diet coke instead of regular. I asked nicely for a coke instead and they said they would get it. Well they never came back so I ended up with no drink at all.

 

So going along with the same thinking as some of you have here. I just accepted it as the norm even though I paid $18 for some fries, 4 chicken strips, and a coke I didn't get. Also the bill which is paid before the food is delivered and services rendered included a 17% gratuity. There is no counter service like at a typical movie theater so I couldn't just go get my own even though I had already paid.

 

Some of you will get my point some will try to say it's not the same thing. Either way my point is if you just accept bad service as the norm all the time it will never improve for you or anyone else. It's your money you do what you want but I expect great service always.

[skiiergirl]

 

Cinnamon powder from Home Depot. Put it down where the ants are coming in. IN a couple days, no more ants. Does awful things to them when they eat it and track it back to their nest. (nest?) Used it when I was pregnant and we had a cat, and had ants. Couldn't/wouldn't use anything poisonous to us.

 

 

Thank you very,very much! Will definitely buy some of that! I love everything I learn from my CC buddies!

[skiiergirl]

At some point I'll go through every post and thank every single one individually as it seems everything thinks I don't thank anyone. Right now I've been working about 12-14 hour days so I've just not had time.

 

So I took a page from the thinking here last night. I had some pre-view movie tickets for Furious 7 (which is a pretty great movie)

 

This was shown at a smaller theater but not like typical theaters it's a more upscale theater with only room for about 100 people. It has a full resturant and bar. The theater itself has leather reclining seats, cup holders and little tables. You are given a full menu to order food and drinks from and someone comes around and takes your order and then you are served before the movie.

 

I ordered Chicken Tenders with Fries with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and a Large Coke. I'd never been to this theater or one like it but had heard about them.

 

Food drinks came out quick was very pleased how fast it was.

 

So my food came, with the wrong sauce, they brought a diet coke instead of regular. I asked nicely for a coke instead and they said they would get it. Well they never came back so I ended up with no drink at all.

 

So going along with the same thinking as some of you have here. I just accepted it as the norm even though I paid $18 for some fries, 4 chicken strips, and a coke I didn't get. Also the bill which is paid before the food is delivered and services rendered included a 17% gratuity. There is no counter service like at a typical movie theater so I couldn't just go get my own even though I had already paid.

 

Some of you will get my point some will try to say it's not the same thing. Either way my point is if you just accept bad service as the norm all the time it will never improve for you or anyone else. It's your money you do what you want but I expect great service always.

 

Glad you enjoyed the movie. So sorry about the drink. However, that is a totally different scenario. In that case, you were dealing directly with the person providing you the service. I would have tracked the server down and (nicely) reminded them of the error and again requested the replacement. A comparison to what you have previously been complaining about would have been to ask the food and beverage staff what the producer/director/star of the show had eaten for breakfast on the first day of filming. :)

[MrSmoofy]

Thank you very,very much! Will definitely buy some of that! I love everything I learn from my CC buddies!

 

http://www.terro.com/ this is the best product I've found. When I lived on the 3rd floor of an apartment some how ant's found their way up and into the cat food. I put one of these down and never saw them again.

[John&LaLa]

Glad you enjoyed the movie. So sorry about the drink. However, that is a totally different scenario. In that case, you were dealing directly with the person providing you the service. I would have tracked the server down and (nicely) reminded them of the error and again requested the replacement. A comparison to what you have previously been complaining about would have been to ask the food and beverage staff what the producer/director/star of the show had eaten for breakfast on the first day of filming. :)

 

Bagel with lox and cream cheese

[skiiergirl]

http://www.terro.com/ this is the best product I've found. When I lived on the 3rd floor of an apartment some how ant's found their way up and into the cat food. I put one of these down and never saw them again.

 

Thanks so very much! I will definitely check it out!

 

Bagel with lox and cream cheese

 

LOL

[cdnmr]

My concern with waiting to book on the boat which is something from what I've seen cruising with other cruise lines while it could be different with RCI I don't know but RCI has told me they only hold 1/3 of the bookings for on board so then you are fighting to book with everyone else. I've seen it in person where all the "Worth it" excursions have been booked so I was trying to avoid that.

 

I have tried to book outside the cruise line but so far on the ones I've spoken to by email and phone most tell me that I can not book directly with them that I have to do it through the cruise line so it seems the cruise line has exclusivity with some of these excursion groups.

 

 

Two things:

1. Do research here on Ports of Call message boards.

2. Unless it is an incredibly popular excursion just wait and book it on the ship. I guarantee the excursion staff will know waaaaaaaaay more than anyone answering phones for Royal.

[Paulxyz2004]

At some point I'll go through every post and thank every single one individually as it seems everything thinks I don't thank anyone. Right now I've been working about 12-14 hour days so I've just not had time.

 

So I took a page from the thinking here last night. I had some pre-view movie tickets for Furious 7 (which is a pretty great movie)

 

This was shown at a smaller theater but not like typical theaters it's a more upscale theater with only room for about 100 people. It has a full resturant and bar. The theater itself has leather reclining seats, cup holders and little tables. You are given a full menu to order food and drinks from and someone comes around and takes your order and then you are served before the movie.

 

I ordered Chicken Tenders with Fries with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and a Large Coke. I'd never been to this theater or one like it but had heard about them.

 

Food drinks came out quick was very pleased how fast it was.

 

So my food came, with the wrong sauce, they brought a diet coke instead of regular. I asked nicely for a coke instead and they said they would get it. Well they never came back so I ended up with no drink at all.

 

So going along with the same thinking as some of you have here. I just accepted it as the norm even though I paid $18 for some fries, 4 chicken strips, and a coke I didn't get. Also the bill which is paid before the food is delivered and services rendered included a 17% gratuity. There is no counter service like at a typical movie theater so I couldn't just go get my own even though I had already paid.

 

Some of you will get my point some will try to say it's not the same thing. Either way my point is if you just accept bad service as the norm all the time it will never improve for you or anyone else. It's your money you do what you want but I expect great service always.

 

 

OK, this begs the question what are you doing about the bad Service you receive from RCI?

Posting about it here isn´t going to Change anything and calling again and again with the same questions won´t make a Change either.

[skiiergirl]

With a little time for research this morning...this is what I have found.

 

It looks like your ship is the only one in St Kitts on 5/18...so no other ship has the railway booked.

 

We will be in St Kitts in late April and while logged into the cruise planner, the railway excursion does show up so apparently the railway is currently up and running(or projected to be the end of April). There are actually 2 excursions showing...just the railway and then a railway/sail combination tour.

 

Therefore, it still might not be showing for your sailing....however, I would check again. It may have just recently posted. Our roll call had lots of frustration because of the delay in posting excursions for our sailing. slowly but surely excursions did show up! Now, some of the excursions that were there previously are not showing. I don't know if that means they are sold out for pre-bookings or if something else is going on. Not stressing though! LOL

Edited April 3, 2015 by skiiergirl

[NavyVet1959]

What is so important to plan your relaxing cruise to the second?

 

I know more than a few people who are like that. They just can't handle uncertainty. They will spend 9 months planning a 1 week vacation.

 

Hurry, wake up... Hurry eat breakfast... Hurry, go here... Hurry, go there... It's 12:01, we're late for lunch... We're a minute late, we're going to miss *everything*. Their vacations are more stressful than work.

 

I'm definitely not that type of person... I'm more of the type "once I get there, I'll wing it". Besides, why would I want to get up earlier when on vacation than I do when I'm NOT on vacation ?????? Aren't vacations *supposed* to be RELAXING?

[Paulette3028]

At some point I'll go through every post and thank every single one individually as it seems everything thinks I don't thank anyone. Right now I've been working about 12-14 hour days so I've just not had time.

 

So I took a page from the thinking here last night. I had some pre-view movie tickets for Furious 7 (which is a pretty great movie)

 

This was shown at a smaller theater but not like typical theaters it's a more upscale theater with only room for about 100 people. It has a full resturant and bar. The theater itself has leather reclining seats, cup holders and little tables. You are given a full menu to order food and drinks from and someone comes around and takes your order and then you are served before the movie.

 

I ordered Chicken Tenders with Fries with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and a Large Coke. I'd never been to this theater or one like it but had heard about them.

 

Food drinks came out quick was very pleased how fast it was.

 

So my food came, with the wrong sauce, they brought a diet coke instead of regular. I asked nicely for a coke instead and they said they would get it. Well they never came back so I ended up with no drink at all.

 

So going along with the same thinking as some of you have here. I just accepted it as the norm even though I paid $18 for some fries, 4 chicken strips, and a coke I didn't get. Also the bill which is paid before the food is delivered and services rendered included a 17% gratuity. There is no counter service like at a typical movie theater so I couldn't just go get my own even though I had already paid.

 

Some of you will get my point some will try to say it's not the same thing. Either way my point is if you just accept bad service as the norm all the time it will never improve for you or anyone else. It's your money you do what you want but I expect great service always.

 

Now, at least you have come up with an example that we can help you truly with.....if your food ON the SHIP (you continually want to call it a 'boat' and I hope you are NEVER in the boats that are on the ship -- because then you will be in a "LIFEBOAT") comes in a way you are dissatisfied -- simply send it back and ask for another (right from the waiter in front of you) and viola it will be delivered, with sincere apologies (from the waiter and Maitre D').

 

If a bartender gives you a drink that 'just isn't right' -- tell him and get another one......but those kinds of customer service issues will be easily remedied -- I have the utmost confidence; although they haven't happened to me often, when something was served to me, that I did not like or it did not come the way I asked for -- it was replaced with a smile. No problems at all.

 

At least look forward to that!

[Bailey & Sophie]

I'm not sure if OP questions were answered but I just returned from a March 15th cruise and did the train we read and were told it is only booked through cruise line we paid 99·75$ per person you take bus to the train for 1/2 island tour and bus for the other 1/2 other side tour you sit open air car or inside train has rest ROOM and given free alcohol and non or water to drink It is about 2·5-3 hour tour and then back to ship any questions just ask!

Ah, good to know it's up and running again. It was a great excurision, even when we broke down.

[jules815]

I know more than a few people who are like that. They just can't handle uncertainty. They will spend 9 months planning a 1 week vacation.

 

Hurry, wake up... Hurry eat breakfast... Hurry, go here... Hurry, go there... It's 12:01, we're late for lunch... We're a minute late, we're going to miss *everything*. Their vacations are more stressful than work.

 

I'm definitely not that type of person... I'm more of the type "once I get there, I'll wing it". Besides, why would I want to get up earlier when on vacation than I do when I'm NOT on vacation ?????? Aren't vacations *supposed* to be RELAXING?

 

That's the nice thing about cruising. You can do a lot, or choose to kick back and do nothing at all.

 

I love to plan everything up until the cruise (flights, hotel, etc.), but then once we're on board, it's all very relaxed. Right now I'm researching restaurants in the ports for our upcoming cruises. Just plan on getting off the ship and having lunch, maybe walk around a bit. Probably won't even know where we're going to dine until we get off the ship, just want to have some options.

 

The last cruise my husband and I took was a B2B on FOS, and the second week we ate dinner almost exclusively in the WJ. Totally skipped formal nights, and just wandered up when we felt like it. Some nights we were back in our room after dinner, watching an old movie on Turner Classics and ordering dessert through room service. First vacation where we got off the ship feeling completely relaxed.

[LarryL]

While I've been on many cruises this was to be my first on RCI. At this point I can tell you if they offered me a full refund I would take it and run and never look back.

 

I've spent hours a day for weeks now trying to get either information out of their website or out of their customer service and it's all a BIG BIG Joke!

 

I don't see how you frequent cruises deal with them. All I get out of them is "I don't know I've never been there". How do you sell a product you know nothing about I just don't understand.

 

My favorite is returning someones phone call that left a message that says "We have information and answers to your questions" but not tell me so that when I call I wait on hold for 60 minutes only to be told that the person is not available even though I've called when they said they would be there only to be told they would have to call me back.

 

SOOOO furstrated with this and the cruise is still 45 days away. I can only imagin how bad it's going to be in 45 days if it's this bad now.

 

Never again will I even look at RCI.

 

Hi MrSpoofy. I hope all is well with you and maybe my insight is no longer required. That said, I would like to offer some comments that may help you process through this ordeal you have been experiencing with RCL. Although it is implied, you seemed to have had better luck with your previous cruise lines when inquiring about the same information, such as excursions.

 

With the exception of our first two cruises, we have always booked online. Unless there is a very compelling reason we do not, as a matter of rule, call the cruise line. I have contacted them to request changes in bookings and accommodations but that is all. I have always been happy with that function.

 

Questions about my cruise – Whether it is about the ship activities, specialty restaurants, excursions, or ports of call I ALWAYS rely on the experiences of people on Cruise Critic, TripAdvisor, or my own research online. Like many have said, cruise line customer service staff don’t tend to be able to answer specifics about excursion or even ships, except for canned responses, so why frustrate yourself by asking?

 

Once I have gotten the information that made sense to me and I have been able to feel I can make an informed decision, I then go to the cruise line site and make the arrangements and look forward to my cruise. Of course, there have been times when the site has had its blips, but I’ve never missed booking something extra on a cruise unless it was fully booked before I tried. That does happen.

 

All in all, these forums are a great asset to people needing, and sharing, information about cruising. Of course, there will always be snarky responses and trolls who only mean to disrupt your day. The majority of folks here really do want you to have a great experience, as do I.

 

Good Sailing to you.

[xpcdoojk]

All, I have to say is good grief.

 

On another topic why bother?

 

jc

[girlzillla]

You've been on 17 cruises and you don't know where to find the answers to your questions without calling the call center?

 

How about searching Google? You asked about information on onboard activities- why not save some of that til you get on the ship and then decide what you want to do?

 

I hope you got insurance for this cruise. Maybe you can get a doctor's note and cancel and book with a different cruise line. I feel sorry for the crew during your upcoming cruise. Please be nice to them, they work their bottoms off for little pay and most of them are very nice.

[janrey1234]

The call center basically handles your booking questions. At roughly $10-$12 an hour they have probably never cruised so know little about the ports other than the write up. A travel agent would be your best bet if you need help with port info and other things only someone who has been there done that would know. That said, I want to commend the call center. They have been some of the best customer service people I have encountered. Try dealing with airlines if you want bad customer service.

Edited April 5, 2015 by janrey1234

[Paulette3028]

The call center basically handles your booking questions. At roughly $10-$12 an hour they have probably never cruised so know little about the ports other than the write up. A travel agent would be your best bet if you need help with port info and other things only someone who has been there done that would know. That said, I want to commend the call center. They have been some of the best customer service people I have encountered. Try dealing with airlines if you want bad customer service.

 

Try dealing with your cable tv company....they have the worst reputation in the customer service industry and you pay them monthly, almost forever.

[OSULabRat]

All I can say is I have deep sympathy for all of the other cruisers on your sailing. For someone who has cruised 18 previous times you sure don't seem to know very much about cruising. It seems that you started posting just to tell the rest of the world how terrible Royal Caribbean is and you keep trying to fan that fire. Hope you enjoyed your fun.

 

I will be one of those fellow cruisers, but please don't feel sorry for me. I already know I'm going to have an amazing cruise! I'm going to be on vacation, on a cruise ship, in the Caribbean! If you can't enjoy that... What on earth CAN you enjoy? :-)

 

For risk of sound like a dreaded "cheerleader" (as you can see in my signature, I have only cruised with Royal, and I'm not ashamed of it as some of you have implied I should be), I will preface my next comments with this disclaimer: Yes, I've only sailed with Royal. Why, do you ask? (people like to assume what they like, I've actually never been asked.) It's because I have been given NO reason to try another line. I've had an amazing experience on each and every cruise. (And yes, I said CRUISE. I don't pay for land based anything, when I book and pay for a cruise, it is for exactly that, the actual Cruise.) Do I think I could have had an equally amazing time on another line? Absolutely. But as they say, if it isn't broke, don't try and fix it!

 

That being said... Although I will admit the website can be buggy as all heck (which is pretty ridiculous for a company of this size), I have had no issue booking excursions for 3 of the 4 ports on this exact cruise (the 4th we will just go with the flow)... And researching them. And finding every single answer the OP had asked on here, right on the Royal website, or on this site. I don't claim to be an Internet genius, so I'm sure if I can do it, anyone can. Perhaps the issue many people have with the "new" site is actually linked to their own outdated browsers/computers/cookies etc? I just don't know, but people never want to hear a problem might actually be on their end. In today's society, it's always someone else's fault.

 

I'm sorry if this is long, but I too just worked a 12 hour workday, and I just read this whole thread and wanted to offer my two cents. I'll be glad to return on May 25th and let you all know what a great time the cruise was! :)

 

Happy Easter!

 

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Forums mobile app

Edited April 5, 2015 by OSULabRat

[Paulette3028]

 

For risk of sound like a dreaded "cheerleader" (as you can see in my signature, I have only cruised with Royal, and I'm not ashamed of it as some of you have implied I should be), I will preface my next comments with this disclaimer: Yes, I've only sailed with Royal. Why, do you ask? (people like to assume what they like, I've actually never been asked.) It's because I have been given NO reason to try another line. I've had an amazing experience on each and every cruise. (And yes, I said CRUISE. I don't pay for land based anything, when I book and pay for a cruise, it is for exactly that, the actual Cruise.) Do I think I could have had an equally amazing time on another line? Absolutely. But as they say, if it isn't broke, don't try and fix it!

 

That being said... Although I will admit the website can be buggy as all heck (which is pretty ridiculous for a company of this size), I have had no issue booking excursions for 3 of the 4 ports on this exact cruise (the 4th we will just go with the flow)... And researching them. And finding every single answer the OP had asked on here, right on the Royal website, or on this site. I don't claim to be an Internet genius, so I'm sure if I can do it, anyone can. Perhaps the issue many people have with the "new" site is actually linked to their own outdated browsers/computers/cookies etc? I just don't know, but people never want to hear a problem might actually be on their end. In today's society, it's always someone else's fault.

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Forums mobile app

 

Just like you, DH and I have only cruised on Royal.....much of what you have said, could be said about us -- we have cruised 17 times with Royal and looking forward to our 18th and now what our plan is for our 19th -- and expecting each cruise to be as good as any one of the previous....are they perfect -- no....but if someone wants perfection, they should stay home.

[vacationers]

It's the southern caribbean cruise. San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba, Curacao.

 

I've not been to Aruba or Cuacao so would be open to suggestions in the lines of Shopping/Sight Seeing.

 

St. Thomas I've been on a cruise to just not RCI so I know the Cable Car is a good choice and I know there is shopping at the Havenport dock but RCI can't tell me what dock we are going to I've asked them a few times now they are not sure and have been unable to get the information. If I knew that I could atleast know what's around the dock and how far it is. Like the Havenport dock I know is a 5-10 min ride by taxi to downtown shopping.

 

St. Kitt's I know has a Senic Rail tour which I would like to do again but RCI again can't tell me anything even though it's on their own website http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=KT39&DestinationCode=

 

No point in using their website since only works about 10% of the time. Either I can't login because "Your reservation is being modified" or when I am able to nothing seems to work. Again asking them for help get's me know where, all I get is "What excursion do you want to book" and I ask about them and in return get "Sorry I don't know anything about them".

 

It all just makes me want to scream.

 

I know how frustrated it can be. Here is some tips. Make sure you have your hotel in San Juan. Sheraton Convention Center is at the port. Embassy suites is also a good one. If you are going to spend time in old San Juan, this is something you can do by yourself by just walking around. The Convent, Cathedral, the Fort is all near each other. In St Kitts. http://www.thenfordgreytours.com s a good choice for tour of the island. You will love it. The train is expensive and not worth it, very boring.

 

I would try to take the RCCL tour of the islands for Aruba and Curacao. Also RCCL has a port and shopping talk on board, I think the same day or you can check the compass and they have very good information. Every time I went to a new island, I always did the port talk and the island excursion. When I went back, I knew a little bit more of what else I wanted to do. There is also a PORT section on cruise critic where you can read about the islands.

 

I hope this helps.

[MrSmoofy]

I know how frustrated it can be. Here is some tips. Make sure you have your hotel in San Juan. Sheraton Convention Center is at the port. Embassy suites is also a good one. If you are going to spend time in old San Juan, this is something you can do by yourself by just walking around. The Convent, Cathedral, the Fort is all near each other. In St Kitts. http://www.thenfordgreytours.com s a good choice for tour of the island. You will love it. The train is expensive and not worth it, very boring.

 

I would try to take the RCCL tour of the islands for Aruba and Curacao. Also RCCL has a port and shopping talk on board, I think the same day or you can check the compass and they have very good information. Every time I went to a new island, I always did the port talk and the island excursion. When I went back, I knew a little bit more of what else I wanted to do. There is also a PORT section on cruise critic where you can read about the islands.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Thanks I'll check out the link for St. Kitts, however in my opinion I thought the train was worth every penny and is why I want to do it again but Royal can't seem to get their story straight about it.