empress first 6 sailings canelled

[Retired LEO]

But if anyone quotes that poster the quote will still show up.

[CotonSocks]

I know it'll take a long time. But maybe someone should consider a class action lawsuit.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I know it'll take a long time. But maybe someone should consider a class action lawsuit.

 

A cruise line can cancel cruises whenever they want. And the only thing they technically have to do is give a full refund, which they are doing.

[yogimax]

Is anyone taking a chance and sailing on the first one being offered after the cancelled sailings? The 25th I believe..?

 

Ha! We booked this cruise when the window opened and now, lo and behold, we will be on the first (hopefully) sailing. I will say that we got an amazing price with the Crown and Anchor discount.

 

The problem was the airfare. Flights were so expensive from NYC that I used Delta miles. The good news is that I can have them refunded if I cancel within three days of the trip. The bad news is that I have a pre cruise hotel also booked.

 

Knowing the price of airfare is one of the reasons I really feel bad for those who were cancelled. I said it before, but I'll say it again, here's what Royal needs to do.

 

1. Be transparent and tell everyone what really happened.

2. Sincerely apologize to those who were impacted.

3. Fire anyone who made serious mistakes or miscalculations.

Take responsibility.

4. Offer much better compensation than what was offered.

 

That won't solve the problem by any means, but it will be a start.

Edited March 20, 2016 by yogimax

[jrmende63]

We are on the 4/25 sailing. I hope we get to go...but I have back up cruise plans just in case. This is to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. We are going on a cruise. Hope the ships name is Empress of the Seas.

[NIATPAC29]

Do these large cruise lines even have a PR department? Do they just wing it as things come up?

[undercat]

Apologies if this has already been stated in this thread and I missed it.

 

Has anyone who booked directly with Royal (not through a TA) been notified by Royal of the cancellations? The letter to the TAs went out on Friday. I guess Royal sends the news to TAs first to allow TAs to service their clients, but is there a typical lag time between TA notification and direct-book client notification? I am curious because some of those price-protected Majesty sailings have already sold out, so if a direct-book client doesn't get Royal's cancellation note until tomorrow (Monday) and isn't on CC/FB/other social media to have heard the news indirectly, that client's options have been significantly reduced. I recall at least one direct-book client posting that they hadn't received any notification from Royal.

Edited March 20, 2016 by undercat

[beachnative]

We booked the Empress May 19 sailing as something "different" to do after our Allure B2B.

 

Today we put a back-up plan in place: we booked a 6-day Navigator cruise that disembarks the day before we board the Allure.

 

If the Empress sails as scheduled we will be happy with 4 cruises linked; if the Empress is cancelled we will not be upset because we would have had fun on the first 3.

 

Sounded like a good plan to us.:)

 

However, we really do sympathize with the disappointment and frustration of those on the 6 cancelled cruises.

Edited March 20, 2016 by beachnative

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

We booked the Empress as something "different" to do after our Allure B2B.

 

Today we put a back-up plan in place: we booked a 6-day Navigator cruise that disembarks the day before we board the Allure.

 

If the Empress sails as scheduled we will be happy with 4 cruises linked; if the Empress is cancelled we will not be upset because we would have had fun on the first 3.

 

Sounded like a good plan to us.:)

 

What a problem to have...:cool:

[publicpersona]

Apologies if this has already been stated in this thread and I missed it.

 

Has anyone who booked directly with Royal (not through a TA) been notified by Royal of the cancellations?

Yes, I had booked direct with Royal. I received this Friday at 3:10 PM. I got a phone call at work shortly thereafter.

 

-------------

 

This is an important message regarding your upcoming cruise.

 

 

Dear Guest,

As you know, Empress of the Seas recently transitioned into the Royal Caribbean International fleet after sailing with Pullmantur Cruises. The ship is currently at the shipyard where it is getting an extensive makeover, including a rock-climbing wall, new pools and whirlpools, an adults-only Solarium, and our signature steakhouse Chops Grille. In addition, the ship will offer Voom, the fastest internet at sea.

 

Like many large renovation projects, we are going to need more time to ensure the ship meets the high standards for quality our guests expect from Royal Caribbean. This additional time in the shipyard means it will be necessary to cancel your Empress of the Seas on April 11, 2016.

 

If you have questions or concerns that need to be addressed before we contact you, you are more than welcome to call on our special help desk. The desk is available now and will remain available to assist you with your reservation until April 21, 2016. We can be reached by calling the following number: 1-888-281-9344 ext. 28546.

 

You may move to the same stateroom category on another Empress of Seas sailing between April 25, 2016 and July 23, 2016, and may also move to the same stateroom category on any Majesty of the Seas sailing between now and April 29, 2016 for the same cruise fare rate you paid for your original sailing. If you choose the rebooking option, you will receive a $100 per stateroom onboard credit.

 

If you booked air transportation through Royal Caribbean International, and transfer to another sailing, you will receive modified flights at <script id="gpt-impl-0.37452861653153996" src="http://partner.googleadservices.com/gpt/pubads_impl_82.js"></script>no cost. If you did not purchase air transportation through Royal Caribbean International, we will pay your airline change fee, up to $200 for domestic and $300 for international flights. We ask that guests please send a copy of the receipt for the change fee, along with a brief note explaining that they were booked on the above mentioned sailing dates to the following address: Royal Caribbean International, Customer Service, 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132-2096.

 

Should you be unable to rebook on one of the alternative sailings and would prefer to cancel, Royal Caribbean International will provide you with a full refund of their cruise fare paid. Cruise fare refunds will be automatically processed back to the original form of payment. Please allow four to six weeks for all transactions to be processed. Also, if you booked air transportation through Royal Caribbean International, and choose to cancel, you will receive a full refund.

 

We sincerely regret that we will be unable to deliver the Empress of the Seas sailing you booked, but hope you rebook on one of the alternative sailings we have provided. We understand that your vacation time is very precious and can assure you that we did not take this decision lightly.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Royal Caribbean International

[anjomojo]

Apologies if this has already been stated in this thread and I missed it.

 

Has anyone who booked directly with Royal (not through a TA) been notified by Royal of the cancellations? The letter to the TAs went out on Friday. I guess Royal sends the news to TAs first to allow TAs to service their clients, but is there a typical lag time between TA notification and direct-book client notification? I am curious because some of those price-protected Majesty sailings have already sold out, so if a direct-book client doesn't get Royal's cancellation note until tomorrow (Monday) and isn't on CC/FB/other social media to have heard the news indirectly, that client's options have been significantly reduced. I recall at least one direct-book client posting that they hadn't received any notification from Royal.

 

I booked directly on RCCL. Received cancel email Friday mid day. I immediately called RCCL. Happened to speak with agent who didn't know (yet) about cancelled sailings. He was very helpful in getting us on the Navigator going out same day our cancelled cruise was supposed to leave.

[undercat]

Yes, I had booked direct with Royal. I received this Friday at 3:10 PM. I got a phone call at work shortly thereafter.

 

I booked directly on RCCL. Received cancel email Friday mid day. I immediately called RCCL. Happened to speak with agent who didn't know (yet) about cancelled sailings. He was very helpful in getting us on the Navigator going out same day our cancelled cruise was supposed to leave.

 

Thanks publicpersona and anjomojo! I was getting confused between the various communications and the two active Empress threads. I'm sorry that your cruises were cancelled. What a mess!

Edited March 20, 2016 by undercat

[coaster]

I received the email also on Friday and booked direct. I didn't even consider taking the Majesty option though I probably could of booked one of the few remaining cabins. Trading my 5 night cruise for 4 nights on a ship that goes to my least favorite port of Nassau was not even a consideration. A four nighter on Brilliance out of Tampa that doesn't come close to Nassau would of been a consideration. Royal made a bad situation even worse by only offering Majesty as an alternative ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Hoopster95]

However, we really do sympathize with the disappointment and frustration of those on the 6 cancelled cruises.

 

Hey Beachnative. Long time no talk 😊

 

Reading through this thread the last few days, I would personally be livid if this happened to me. I'm a loyal royal, but there's no way in hell I'd accept a Majesty cruise in lieu of.

 

In my industry, bad name gets around real fast as I assume it does in other industries. Any industry with a challenge has to come up with equal, and more often BETTER option, to really show the consumer they give a crap.

 

At very least if this happened to me I would want the choice of any cruise in in North america during that week being displaced, incl any 7 day cruise plus they could've taken it a step higher by including a free transfer to oasis or allure for example. Could you imagine the praise on CC and elsewhere to those being displaced by "at least" getting an Oasis cruise in lieu, instead of the offered 4 day Majesty? Just my 2 cents.

[Garavar]

Hey Beachnative. Long time no talk 😊

 

Reading through this thread the last few days, I would personally be livid if this happened to me. I'm a loyal royal, but there's no way in hell I'd accept a Majesty cruise in lieu of.

 

In my industry, bad name gets around real fast as I assume it does in other industries. Any industry with a challenge has to come up with equal, and more often BETTER option, to really show the consumer they give a crap.

 

At very least if this happened to me I would want the choice of any cruise in in North america during that week being displaced, incl any 7 day cruise plus they could've taken it a step higher by including a free transfer to oasis or allure for example. Could you imagine the praise on CC and elsewhere to those being displaced by "at least" getting an Oasis cruise in lieu, instead of the offered 4 day Majesty? Just my 2 cents.

 

I happened to agree Majesty, Allure, Oasis, Independence and Navigator (maybe others) all leave out of Fort Lauderdale/Miami around the same time as the cancelled cruises. Most of these ships are not sold to capacity. Royal should bite the bullet and put people on those ships, especially with the empty cabins for sailings that are less than 10 days away.

 

Rather than praying those cabins are purchased last minute, just give them to Empress cruises and take the revenue loss.

 

Good customer service is rewarded. Just as Walt Disney Corp.

[beachnative]

Hey Beachnative. Long time no talk 😊

 

Reading through this thread the last few days, I would personally be livid if this happened to me. I'm a loyal royal, but there's no way in hell I'd accept a Majesty cruise in lieu of.

 

In my industry, bad name gets around real fast as I assume it does in other industries. Any industry with a challenge has to come up with equal, and more often BETTER option, to really show the consumer they give a crap.

 

At very least if this happened to me I would want the choice of any cruise in in North america during that week being displaced, incl any 7 day cruise plus they could've taken it a step higher by including a free transfer to oasis or allure for example. Could you imagine the praise on CC and elsewhere to those being displaced by "at least" getting an Oasis cruise in lieu, instead of the offered 4 day Majesty? Just my 2 cents.

 

I totally agree with you.

 

As a loyal Royal Caribbean customer, even I am very disappointed with the way that this situation was handled…and I wasn't effected.

 

All sailings out of Ft.Lauderdale should have been opened for those displaced and a discount given on the additional cost that the displaced passengers would incur when they booked on a different ship.

 

When the public finally learns why the 6 cruises were canceled their displeasure with Miami will be greater than it has been so far.

[Garavar]

 

When the public finally learns why the 6 cruises were canceled their displeasure with Miami will be greater than it has been so far.

 

I am sure the first 6 cruises were cancelled so RCCL could add a Suite Lounge, Diamond Lounge and other "free ammenities" :rolleyes:

[Powersboyee2]

I had two sailings cancelled. 4/7 and 4/11. 9 nights. In a junior suite.

 

Got notified via email mid day Friday and called immediately. Already at that time there were ZERO JS cabins available on majesty. It also would be a 3 and 4 night cruise they were going to be so gracious enough to let me sail on, to garbage Bahamas ports.

 

Only losing two nights AND 11 points for the same price in a lower cabin category to crappy ports. 11 points because they also aren't willing to match the points that I would have gotten on empress sailings. Great deal they offered. So disappointed in Royal for this.

 

Ended up switching to the 7 night on Oasis April 9th in a JS thankfully. Same price. Just two less nights. So now I'm only losing 4 points since they still won't match the cancelled points.

 

Again, shame on royal. I'm sure we will enjoy Oasis cruise but it is not what we wanted. Been on her before and going on her again Sept 3rd. This will end my loyal to Royal relationship. Will they care? Nope.

 

I should also add that our dates were not flexible due to work etc. Oasis returns the same day we would have originally. Still leaving the same day and also trying to find a hotel for the additional nights now before the cruise. Not very easy considering the time frame we are looking at.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Powersboyee2

[vol1967]

What a bunch of whiners. You can get a full refund,life happens let it go.

[John&LaLa]

I agree, with the lack of info so far, I'd be wary of booking anything on Empress until she actually started revenue cruises again.

 

I wouldn't book one of the early Majesty cruises either. ;)

[BeachChik]

While it sucks this happens, some of you need to get over it. Truely first world problems. All the crap and problems in the world, and you are going ballistic about having to change your vacation plans from plan a to plan b. some of you are acting like its the apocalypse.

 

I never understand why people think because it is a so called "first world problem" that somehow that means people can't complain.

 

Life is relative to your situation. If I for example get laid off from a job of course it doesn't compare to someone living in a country where they struggle to find clean water. That is not my day to day world but that doesn't mean I can't still complain that I am now unemployed.

 

Just because someone's problems may not be as serious as someone's else's doesn't make them less valid or take away someone right to not be happy.

 

I'm sure you complain about petty things in life, even something simple like getting stuck in traffic. We all do it. It is part of life and saying someone has no right to complain simply because they are first world problems is stupid.

[Clarkk W Griswald]

I had an aft facing JS on the 5 day Empress 3/30. I now have a forward D3 on the 4 day Indy which only goes to 1 port, my least favorite which is Cozumel. I am 10 points away from D+ and would have earned that on the Empress. Now I will only earn 4 points on the Indy. I'll have to book another cruise now to get to D+.

All RCI was offering is $200 change fee to change flights. That wouldn't even cover change fees let alone the airfare changes. Plus now I have the added expense of another night in a hotel and transportation costs to and from Miami to FLL prior to the cruise because Indy leaves one day later than the Empress was supposed to.

My TA did an amazing job getting us on Indy. I'm not looking for a free cruise or anything unreasonable. It's just that their cancellation will cost me more than the $200 they offered. Also, I can't just change my vacation at work to suit RCI. I paid for 5 nights in a JS going to Key West and Grand Cayman and now have a D3 forward going to Cozumel where we will just stay on the ship.

I too was very loyal to Royal and usually always have at least 1 cruise booked with them at all times. I currently have the Radiance to Alaska booked for next June and I may cancel and book with another cruise line.

I don't care the reason Empress was cancelled. Stuff happens. But the way RCI is handling this is ridiculous. Offering the Majesty is a joke. Shame on RCI!

[Clarkk W Griswald]

What a bunch of whiners. You can get a full refund,life happens let it go.

 

 

Not getting any refund on airfare. So I'm just suppose to throw $800 away?

[Clarea]

I wouldn't book one of the early Majesty cruises either. ;)

I am glad you get so much enjoyment out of torturing me.;) If we ever meet, you owe me a bunch of drinks.

[Powersboyee2]

Not getting any refund on airfare. So I'm just suppose to throw $800 away?

 

 

Exactly.... Some people just don't understand them offering a full refund is only a fraction of total cost some people incur to get to fl to cruise.

 

Uneducated or mis-informed trolls.