New Internet Policy - RCCL

[alexkrn46]

We find that the less expensive road side motels/hotels like a holiday inn or Fairfield will give us Internet but the premium downtown hotels such as a Hyatt or Marriott often charge for Internet unless you fall into a premium category. We recently stayed at a Marriott in Dubai, and even though we were of the level to receive free Internet, because we had not booked our hotel room directly with the hotel and had used a booking site, we were required to pay for Internet. The fee was $16.95 per day.

 

M

 

yes if you stay in a 4 or 4 star hotel they always charge for Internet and sometimes a premium for higher speeds and more devices, we stay as Westin, Hilton, Marriott , never had free internet,

[dani negreanu]

TravelEEmpress,

 

The email of Mr. M. Bayley is mbayley@rccl.com. I'm not sure of his exact title - either CEO or President.

YES, I know that Mr. Bayley doesn't read my emails.

 

After trying to solve a minor problem of dining together with my sister, through my TA and C&A, I didn't get a reply from his office, BUT I DID receive an email from Dining, which solved all the linking reservation problem. Dining stayed in touch with me until my cruise, to my utmost satisfaction. As u can understand, my email for forward to the RIGHT person.

 

My 2 shekels.

[A&L_Ont]

We sailed in a suite on Princess when they offered unlimited internet, and it was down for most of the cruise. Not long after that, they removed the internet perk from the suite perks.

 

Carnival has lowered their internet prices, so maybe Royal will soon follow.

 

It's been a while since we sailed Princess so this is good to know. We are Platinum with them and 1.5 cruises from Elite. We always say we should sail with them but, RC keeps us coming back.

 

It would be nice to see them lower the price, but at least I can expense the internet. Others are not be so lucky.

[minn0315]

To be taken seriously I think the OP should check her grammar, spelling and punctuation.

 

Even an administrative assistant reading an email to an executive would trash this one based on poor use of the English language.

[markeb]

yes if you stay in a 4 or 4 star hotel they always charge for Internet and sometimes a premium for higher speeds and more devices, we stay as Westin, Hilton, Marriott , never had free internet,

 

Exactly. Some hotels bundle it, but the full service hotels rarely do. If you are Marriott Silver, and book through marriott.com, you are comped standard speed internet. If you are gold, you're comped premium. Starwood Gold and above are comped. Don't know about Hilton properties, but I assume it's the same.

 

In DC, NYC, and even OKC, internet at a full service hotel runs roughly 12.99/day for standard and $16.99 a day for enhanced.

 

If the cruise lines want to meter internet, they should meter on a meaningful metric, like MB's of data. Time never made any sense.

[TravelEEmpress]

I can easily survive the new internet policy, but -

as a D+ couple you receive 2x2 free 24 hr segments per cruise. That works very well for 5 day and 7 day cruises. But you only get the same 24 hr free segments on a 14 or 16 day cruise. My last cruise was a 16 night Med/Suez/Arabian cruise and a total of 4 days free internet was too little compared with shorter cruises.

The cruise before the last was a 5 day, b2b 7 day, and b2b 15 night TA cruise. The total of 4 days free internet for a couple was just great for the 5 and 7 day cruise segment, but certainly not favorable for the l5 night TA. I wish they consider a kind of "yard stick " for the 24 hr free internet bonus like i.e. the 7 day cruise and i.e.double it for cruises that last 14 days and longer.

The policy as of today does not discriminate between a 5 day or a 16 day cruise!

 

Unfortunately not the case for singles. We pay the same of you and get half the internet benefit.

[TravelEEmpress]

Everything I can find, the Internet package options still include one option for 60 minutes to be used at anytime through out your voyage for $30??? Additionally as a diamond plus c&a member you get 45 minutes for free??? It seems to me to a big kerfuffle about nothing.:confused:

 

Maybe it has changed in the last 30 days??

 

Yes Mark it has changed unfortunately. Trust me I was fine with what you are quoting above but it is no longer the way.

[sr4mjc]

Exactly. Some hotels bundle it, but the full service hotels rarely do. If you are Marriott Silver, and book through marriott.com, you are comped standard speed internet. If you are gold, you're comped premium. Starwood Gold and above are comped. Don't know about Hilton properties, but I assume it's the same.

 

In DC, NYC, and even OKC, internet at a full service hotel runs roughly 12.99/day for standard and $16.99 a day for enhanced.

 

If the cruise lines want to meter internet, they should meter on a meaningful metric, like MB's of data. Time never made any sense.

 

My DH is Marriott Silver, but his business travel must be booked through their corporate travel agent, so he doesn't get the free internet. Then he has to charge it back to the company, what a waste of money.

[markeb]

My DH is Marriott Silver, but his business travel must be booked through their corporate travel agent, so he doesn't get the free internet. Then he has to charge it back to the company, what a waste of money.

 

Corporate TA needs to do some negotiating and get it included. That corporate TA = waste of money!

[Janet524]

Janet, someone on FB posted today that she is upset that they gave her the pictures in a PLASTIC SLEEVE instead of a folder. Seems to have ruined her cruise. :eek:

 

I totally understand! Last month on Grandeur my room attendant didn't make a little pointy thing on my toilet paper. I was appalled. :p

[dst87]

If the cruise lines want to meter internet, they should meter on a meaningful metric, like MB's of data. Time never made any sense.

 

Metering based on MB makes sense if you know what you're talking about, but having worked for an ISP in my student days I can assure you it would cause endless complaints about huge bills.

 

People, generally, don't understand data. Some people will say 'I didn't download anything!!'. Others will just have no clue whatsoever about how much data different things use.

 

If I personally only had the option of a metered system, I'd prefer it to be charged by the MB. I suspect it would not be worth the hassle for the cruise lines though!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Given how much people complain about how slow the internet is, I'd think a flat-rate would be preferred to one that was time-based. I'd be far more upset about a huge internet bill due to a slow system than I am about the concept of a per-day fee.

[TubbyMrT]

I am D+ and I cruise about 21 days per year and always pay the unlimited internet fee. If I divide the fee over the number of days, I arrive at a number that is perhaps $5 more than what a major hotel would charge any business traveler.

 

You have to consider that we are at sea. This is not your local coffee shop or Holiday Inn with a single slow $80/month DSL connection shared by 80 guests.

 

The ship is using a satellite link for communications. They have thousands of guests and employees and network connected equipment. The satellite link is very large bandwidth in order to support all of these users.

 

The connection is very expensive. So tossing them a few extra dollars so that I can be connected doesn't bother me one bit.

[dst87]

I am D+ and I cruise about 21 days per year and always pay the unlimited internet fee. If I divide the fee over the number of days, I arrive at a number that is perhaps $5 more than what a major hotel would charge any business traveler.

 

You have to consider that we are at sea. This is not your local coffee shop or Holiday Inn with a single slow $80/month DSL connection shared by 80 guests.

 

The ship is using a satellite link for communications. They have thousands of guests and employees and network connected equipment. The satellite link is very large bandwidth in order to support all of these users.

 

The connection is very expensive. So tossing them a few extra dollars so that I can be connected doesn't bother me one bit.

 

This is all correct, and there is another factor that was a hypothesis of mine, but was basically confirmed by Richard Fain (I think it was Fain) when being interviewed about Q-class... pricing people out!

 

The bandwidth is now improving with the new O3B systems in place. However it's still not sufficient (and certainly isn't sufficient on ships without O3B) to have every guest simultaneously connected. The bandwidth just isn't available.

 

I suppose it's simple supply and demand. There's only so much bandwidth so to ensure a reasonable quality of service, the service is prices so that only a certain percentage of passengers will use it.

[Donna_In_India]

They really have a knack for pissing people off lately! Who's at the helm of this company gone adrift? It's getting more and more painful and they seem to not be in control of anything any more. They're clearly unable to communicate internally, and it shows out side of the walls of Royal Caribbean.

They're outwardly giving the impression of not caring about the fan base that has made them, and have made it clear that they like to nickel and dime everyone.

Additionally, their arrogance about their position in the industry have put quite a large number of people off.

They visibly believe that they can make decisions, hide truths and hide behind a corporate veil without any consequences.

They do need a wake-up call!

I have a cruise in about a year aboard Anthem.

Based on everything that Ive seen, it too will be my last with them.

I'm also A Diamond member.

Virgin Cruises just launched in Miami.

They'll be a breath of fresh air!

I can't wait!

I do believe that currently RC delivers some of the best ships in the industry.

However, if the experience doesn't align with the product, they might as well book us on a barge.

 

Virgin ships won't be ready until 2020!

[knittinggirl]

Exactly. Some hotels bundle it, but the full service hotels rarely do. If you are Marriott Silver, and book through marriott.com, you are comped standard speed internet. If you are gold, you're comped premium. Starwood Gold and above are comped. Don't know about Hilton properties, but I assume it's the same.

 

In DC, NYC, and even OKC, internet at a full service hotel runs roughly 12.99/day for standard and $16.99 a day for enhanced.

 

If the cruise lines want to meter internet, they should meter on a meaningful metric, like MB's of data. Time never made any sense.

 

With speeds as slow as Dial up, time makes too much sense.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk HD

[DebJ14]

Not sure what hotels you are staying at but ALL of the hotels that I've stayed at in the last 15 years of international travel have been 100% free.

 

I've had to pay at Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and El Dorado Maroma (all 5 star hotels) within the last year. Fees started at $12.95 per day. We got free Internet because of our status with Hyatt and Hilton at their properties.

[Doug S]

It was a bitter sweet moment for me when I finally achieved Diamond Plus status with Royal Caribbean on my last of three back to back cruises starting May 3rd and ending on June 12th. The reason for this is I had to make the decision to never cruise with your company again due to what I think is an absolutely outrageous policy regarding the internet. Upon boarding I was shocked to find out that I could not manage minutes over a period of time and would be without internet for days on end unless I spent $150 to $200 dollars per cruise on the internet. I find this new policy reprehensible and absolutely untenable for those of us with business's, children, elderly parents and other life issues which require interaction with people at home over the internet.

 

 

In addition, your company adds insult to injury by requesting we spend our precious internet minutes filling out your customer satisfaction surveys, particularly those of us on back to back cruises. The only feedback you will get from me is on Cruise Critic, Trip Advisor and anybody else who requests travel reviews and it will reflect my opinion about your new internet policy. If I had known of this policy change when I booked these cruises, I would have canceled them. It is absolute highway robbery that I had to spend $500 plus to stay in touch with business associates and my family while I was gone for 40days. This is an absolute deal breaker for me.

 

Rest assured I will be discouraging anybody who will listen NOT to travel with Royal for this very reason and write a similar email expressing their views on this policy. I strongly recommend you reconsider this policy and allow all your cruisers to be able to manage minutes over the course of the cruise. People are far away from home and need to be in touch with loved ones and business associates in case of emergencies. Its a safety issue. A one day or three day package on a fourteen day cruise doesn't cut it and never will for a multitude of reasons. Please reconsider this policy and allow us to buy packages which allow us to manage minutes over the entire course of our cruise. If you decide to change this policy, I'll be back. If not, I'm gone for good.

 

In my business we have received complaints (on rare occasion) that used the same tone and tact as the above, even going so far as to threaten to sue or use their massive influence to cost us other clients. We apologized for not being able to meet their needs and said they would clearly be happier if they simply found another vendor. (See ya later, don't let the door hit ya in the rear...)

 

As a company, we did not see conceding to this kind of bashing as a positive in any way for our business. The end result of the few cases like this we have endured was that no other clients listened to them and pulled their business, and when they attempted to contract us for future projects (acting like nothing ever happened), we simply informed them that we were not available to take on their project and sent them on their way. RCI has been known to do the same.

 

I understand you don't like the change in RCI's internet policy, but trust me when I say your letter did not help your cause. Letters like that get read aloud in the office right after someone says, "Can you believe this one?" Too over the top and never taken seriously. Better to express your concerns in a sincere, professional manner without trying to dramatize, pull rank or make threats.

 

Sorry if this is blunt. Not trying to offend with my comments, just offering my business experience when faced with similar letters.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Doug S

[tserface]

That is different. We had the coupon apply, but then went down to Customer Service and they removed the whole charge for the day. It toook a few minutes to do while passing by CS. They said they were working out the kinks, but they intended for us to get the whole 1 day which was typically $49 something.

 

Tom

 

I appreciate your wonderful feedback Tom. I think you have some valid points all of which I've considered. But it sounds like you got a little different deal. We didn't get days of "free" internet but $29.99 off for Diamond and $39.99 for Diamond plus. Even with that I paid over $500 just for internet over the course of 3 cruises. It was unexpected and a bit of a shock

[RadioRob]

In my business we have received complaints (on rare occasion) that used the same tone and tact as the above, even going so far as to threaten to sue or use their massive influence to cost us other clients. We apologized for not being able to meet their needs and said they would clearly be happier if they simply found another vendor. (See ya later, don't let the door hit ya in the rear...)

 

As a company, we did not see conceding to this kind of bashing as a positive in any way for our business. The end result of the few cases like this we have endured was that no other clients listened to them and pulled their business, and when they attempted to contract us for future projects (acting like nothing ever happened), we simply informed them that we were not available to take on their project and sent them on their way. RCI has been known to do the same.

 

I understand you don't like the change in RCI's internet policy, but trust me when I say your letter did not help your cause. Letters like that get read aloud in the office right after someone says, "Can you believe this one?" Too over the top and never taken seriously. Better to express your concerns in a sincere, professional manner without trying to dramatize, pull rank or make threats.

 

Sorry if this is blunt. Not trying to offend with my comments, just offering my business experience when faced with similar letters.

 

Exactly this! :)

[tserface]

I hesitate to mention this, but it came to me that this is just about the cost of one fancy drink with gratuity or around 1/4 the cost of a drink package. Maybe not so bad if you need unlimited access. I guess it's all depends on your priorities.

 

:)

 

Tom

 

FWIW, I still think $15/day is expensive for access to something that is basically now a utility and essential in many folks lives. Eventually I think we'll start to see included internet or significantly cheaper packages. Royal is, at least, moving in the right direction.

[wolfganghowell]

Doug S wins Best Post.

 

Cruise lines are not in business to provide 24/7 internet access. It is an amenity, not a priority. If the OP considers this her deal breaker to cruise with Royal, then she is certainly entitled to find another cruise line. However, I think the vast majority of cruisers feel differently and will not be joining her in leaving Royal.

[cruisenfever]

Everything I can find, the Internet package options still include one option for 60 minutes to be used at anytime through out your voyage for $30??? Additionally as a diamond plus c&a member you get 45 minutes for free??? It seems to me to a big kerfuffle about nothing.:confused:

 

Maybe it has changed in the last 30 days??

It changed effective April of this year and was first rolled out on Quantum, Oasis and Allure. It was then slowly rolled out to all the other ships in the fleet.

 

Diamond Members get 24 consecutive hours, Diamond Plus get 48 consecutive hours and Pinnacle Club get unlimited internet for the duration of the cruise.

 

When establishing an account Diamond and Diamond Plus Members are given the option to apply their times towards a package.

[Groucho]

You are Diamond Plus? And you travel as a pair, so two Diamond Plus cruisers?

 

You get this X 2.

 

 

$59.90 x 2 Sounds pretty generous to me.

 

Marion Mom, thanks for the input. My wife and I are D+. Do you know if both of our discounts ($120.00) can be applied to a signal internet plan?

 

Thanks

[MAHA]

It changed effective April of this year and was first rolled out on Quantum, Oasis and Allure. It was then slowly rolled out to all the other ships in the fleet.

 

Diamond Members get 24 consecutive hours, Diamond Plus get 48 consecutive hours and Pinnacle Club get unlimited internet for the duration of the cruise.

 

When establishing an account Diamond and Diamond Plus Members are given the option to apply their times towards a package.

 

 

Do you know if Diamond members can have both of their coupons applied to one internet package to use on one device? We really don't want to buy 2 packages when all we do is check e-mail. Our phones would cost a lot to check e-mails unless we are in the US or a US territory. Thanks!