empress first 6 sailings canelled

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I am with you 100% ColoradoBabe (Hope you're doing well by the way since meeting on Legend last year). I tell you what, I am not affected by this but boy oh boy would I be rightly pi$$ed off. I've been a defender of RCL for years now (Adventure propulsion OBC/credit, Grandeur fire OBC/future credit, other like issues) but this pretty much negates any goodwill from previous years. Absolutely outstandingly horrible customer care from RCL, I'd be very very concerned as a shareholder. This should be in the media... and may very well be in days/weeks to come.

 

I cannot believe the competition doesn't flatly come out with blanket emails or promotions that explicitly say "Are you an unhappy RCL customer? Well, we'll give you full status on our ships right now if you start booking all your future cruises with us". I'd have a hard time not moving over to experience other lines and leaving RCL if this had affected me directly.

 

I truly hope that this being very early in the 2nd round of cancellations that things are a little out of control now with what's being presented to those affected, and hopefully better things will arise in the days to come. Sincerely good luck to all of you.

 

I, as usual, have to agree with you.

 

This is bad.

 

Will it stop me from booking RCI? No. But thank goodness their onboard experience is better than their customer service. I feel bad for those impacted, and how Royal handled this really leaves me scratching my head. I simply do not understand. With past incidents, even as recently as the Anthem storm cruise and the previous Anthem cruises that were cut short, Royal handled them pretty decently. This Empress fiasco is appalling.

 

Alright, that's all I have to add.

 

I'll still be sailing Royal. :o

[Sweettea6064]

We are booked on the July 9th Key West and Grand Cayman cruise, but we are very seriously considering canceling and going somewhere else. We've been on 2 RCI cruises in one year and this will be 3. I'm sorry, but they are changing and not for the better. We left Carnival for fiascos where they wouldn't be truthful, like the Triumph and Splendor. There are one of two answers to this issue; either RCI cares so much about their passengers safety and comfort that they won't place the ship in service or they have another motive. Like waiting for Cuba to open up. I'm only guessing, but this is rediculous.

[Sweettea6064]

RCI stock was down $2.39 at market close today. Always, stockholder satisfaction is number one, and the business that makes the money is second. Everything RCI has done is driven by the desire to keep stockholders happy. Cheerleaders will disagree.

[mabkcruisers]

We are booked on the July 9th Key West and Grand Cayman cruise, but we are very seriously considering canceling and going somewhere else. We've been on 2 RCI cruises in one year and this will be 3. I'm sorry, but they are changing and not for the better. We left Carnival for fiascos where they wouldn't be truthful, like the Triumph and Splendor. There are one of two answers to this issue; either RCI cares so much about their passengers safety and comfort that they won't place the ship in service or they have another motive. Like waiting for Cuba to open up. I'm only guessing, but this is rediculous.

 

 

We are booked on this one as well. I called last night to see what our penalty for canceling now would be, as the final payment date kept changing every time l logged on to the My Cruises page. We would be out $100 a person right now, but I feel like my family should count our losses and plan something else. The C&A rep I spoke to gave the "new galley" talking point from the cheat sheet and said this "should" be the last round of cancellations. That's funny, this ship "should" have sailed last month!

[Retired LEO]

We are booked on this one as well. I called last night to see what our penalty for canceling now would be, as the final payment date kept changing every time l logged on to the My Cruises page. We would be out $100 a person right now, but I feel like my family should count our losses and plan something else. The C&A rep I spoke to gave the "new galley" talking point from the cheat sheet and said this "should" be the last round of cancellations. That's funny, this ship "should" have sailed last month!

 

If you cancel now you won't be out anything. Final payment is 60 days and you aren't there yet.

[Anton]

RCI finally got around to calling me at 3:48pm today. Very curt conversation that lasted maybe 90 seconds. No apologies offered, just business. "We are offering you a full refund and a 100% future cruise certificate for the booked fare, good for one year. Do you want to use all of that now to book something else?" "No. Just refund everything." "Okay, your pre-cruise purchases will be refunded within 72 hours. You should get the future cruise certificate by e-mail in a couple days or so. Thank you." Click. She didn't say good bye or a boy howdy, we screwed you over but good, or nothing else. She also didn't say when I should expect to see the refund for the cruise itself. Tell me again why I am a D+ member?

[Virtopia]

I feel really bad for everyone who is affected by this mess. If this was my vacation, I'd be livid. People work hard for their vacations and for it to be disrupted in this manner is ridiculous. I truly hope everyone gets the compensation they rightly deserve.

[ldl05]

I was on the May 9th sailing. I called today, and said I wanted a refund....she said "Are you cancelling?" I said "No, you cancelled! I just want a refund!" Really?!?!?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[yogimax]

I feel really bad for everyone who is affected by this mess. If this was my vacation, I'd be livid. People work hard for their vacations and for it to be disrupted in this manner is ridiculous. I truly hope everyone gets the compensation they rightly deserve.

 

Sadly, I doubt if the compensation will be changed. On another thread I noted that my wife received $25 for a future cruise and I received $155. This is what we received for our April 25th canceled cruise.

[publicpersona]

Guests that have been canceled on twice: 100% FCC.

 

They are using the phrase "100% future cruise credit" but it isn't true. What they mean is that they are giving you 100% cancelled cruise credit. Those who booked early when the prices were low are getting next to nothing. They consider this quite generous.

[mabkcruisers]

If you cancel now you won't be out anything. Final payment is 60 days and you aren't there yet.

 

 

That is what I thought, but apparently there are new payment deadlines?? When I first booked through the RC website, the final payment showed May 10th. When I checked back a week later, in My Cruises, it said April 10th. I called C&A for clarification and was told that on cruises 5 nights or longer the payment is now due 90 days out. Checked again last night and the penalties show starting May 11th. Called again, got a lot of paper shuffling from the rep, and was told that is was in fact April 10th and we would be out the $100 pp.

[Big_G]

RCI stock was down $2.39 at market close today. Always, stockholder satisfaction is number one, and the business that makes the money is second. Everything RCI has done is driven by the desire to keep stockholders happy. Cheerleaders will disagree.

 

It's more like a balancing act. I don't believe pissing off passengers in mass will make stockholders happy. That's why it's so hard believe any CEO would let this happen. As soon as they realized they didn't have handle on the repairs, their first concern should have been trying to keep the majority of the passengers from becoming completely disgruntled.

[Retired LEO]

That is what I thought, but apparently there are new payment deadlines?? When I first booked through the RC website, the final payment showed May 10th. When I checked back a week later, in My Cruises, it said April 10th. I called C&A for clarification and was told that on cruises 5 nights or longer the payment is now due 90 days out. Checked again last night and the penalties show starting May 11th. Called again, got a lot of paper shuffling from the rep, and was told that is was in fact April 10th and we would be out the $100 pp.

 

My apologies.

 

The 90 day final payment date is fairly new. I had to go in and check some of my bookings.

I'm scheduled on the June 11th Empress and my final payment date was April 12th (60 days) which I booked on Dec 22nd when they basically first came out.

My recent bookings are showing 90 days. I'm assuming the 90 day final payment date started Jan 1st.

[LMaxwell]

That is what I thought, but apparently there are new payment deadlines?? When I first booked through the RC website, the final payment showed May 10th. When I checked back a week later, in My Cruises, it said April 10th. I called C&A for clarification and was told that on cruises 5 nights or longer the payment is now due 90 days out. Checked again last night and the penalties show starting May 11th. Called again, got a lot of paper shuffling from the rep, and was told that is was in fact April 10th and we would be out the $100 pp.

 

They retroactively changed the final payment due date on already held bookings?!?? Even NCL didn't do that when they moved up their dates...

[Clarea]

They retroactively changed the final payment due date on already held bookings?!?? Even NCL didn't do that when they moved up their dates...

If the booking was made before March 7, 2016, it should have the old final payment date:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&snav=2&faqId=227&faqSubjectId=323&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqType=faq

[LMaxwell]

If the booking was made before March 7, 2016, it should have the old final payment date:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&snav=2&faqId=227&faqSubjectId=323&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqType=faq

 

Thank you for the link; I could have sworn they were not retroactively changing already booked cruise final payment dates, just new bookings after XYZ date

[SheehanDJ]

In my case it did hurt them. I used to be Loyal to Royal, they have been down graded in my book to just another vacation dollar option as opposed to the company that got all my vacation dollars.

 

I've looked at NCL in the past, some of the ships/features look pretty interesting but I would NEVER have booked a cruise on them due to having to make reservations for dinner every night, having to make reservations for shows, etc. If I wanted to do that I would book land based vacations, really didn't want to deal with the hassle. I'd much rather stick with 7pm shows followed by 8pm dinner every night. That's cruising to me.

 

Then my b2b on Empress got cancelled. I had two options, no vacation or cruise on NCL the same week. Chose NCL as any vacation is better than none. Found out my fears about the hassle of reservations were groundless. NCL's website is amazingly easy to navigate (compared to RCCL) and I had all my reservations done in a few minutes.

 

Royal's only hope now is that I really miss the benefits Emerald provided me, but thinking about it, other than embarkation, I can't really think of one at the moment.

 

People are creatures of habit, Royal forced me into a corner and I had to break the Royal Caribbean habit. I'll still cruise with them, we have Adventure booked out of San Juan in October. 2017 though? I kind of seriously doubt they are considered. We are looking hard at MSC right now, they are matching my Emerald status on Royal so it won't be like giving up anything. Not to mention, I've booked with another cruise line now, it was a little scary, but I got thru it.

 

Thanks Royal Caribbean, for forcing me to experience your competition. Old habits are hard to break, and unless pushed I never would have tried.

[Merion_Mom]

My Travel agent called me yesterday to notify me that all three sailings in May got cancelled. She even stated that I would get a Future Cruise Certificate for 100 percent of what I paid for the cruise and a full refund.

 

She wasn't sure about the airfare when I told her I wouldn't be sailing on the Enchantment and was suppose to find out from RC on what they would do. I also paid for the cruise insurance. Will they reimburse me for that too.

 

In the meantime, I called American Airlines and was able to transfer my airline ticket to travel in July. There was a $200 change fee which enabled me to break even. I originally paid $550 for my flight to Miami and my new flight was $350.00 plus $200.00 change fee. So -- I broke even but will try and get RC to reimburse me for the change fee. Do you think they'll do it? I sure hope so.

 

We were scheduled for the same Empress sailings.

 

They NEVER offered us any FCC. Your TA made a mistake. RC sucks throughout this whole Empress thing, but THIS misunderstanding is all on your TA.

[mabkcruisers]

If the booking was made before March 7, 2016, it should have the old final payment date:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&snav=2&faqId=227&faqSubjectId=323&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqType=faq

 

 

We booked March 15th. I am wondering if the infamous website was still trying to catch up with the new policy at that point.

[Merion_Mom]

No. there was no misunderstanding. We have a copy of the letter that went out to all the travel agents stating they were giving out 100 percent Next Cruise future cruise Certificates. Now their stating it was a mistake and are stating their not.

 

I have seen the TA letter and FCC offers NEVER included the mid-May sailings.

[Merion_Mom]

I am very disappointed. I am still trying to figure out if they are going to pay the $200.00 change fee? Also, I bought the insurance but won't need it since they cancelled. Will they reimburse me for it? I have three next cruise bookings sitting on my desk that I am contemplating cancelling. I just did a land tour in Thailand and had such a wonderful 3 weeks. Perhaps hubby and I will go back to doing them and only sail on RC one-two times a year instead of 5-6. Just not worth it to me. If I had cancelled, I would have been penalized. They have very poor customer service.

 

Yes, they will reimburse the $200 change fee pp.

 

Send documentation to -

 

Guests that did not purchase air through Royal may receive air change fees up to $200 per person reimbursed by submitting receipts to: Fax: 305-603-0044 Attn: Re-accommodation Desk – SHIP DATE or email to RoyalGuestRelations@rccl.com

[Clarkk W Griswald]

Yes, they will reimburse the $200 change fee pp.

 

 

 

Send documentation to -

 

 

 

Guests that did not purchase air through Royal may receive air change fees up to $200 per person reimbursed by submitting receipts to: Fax: 305-603-0044 Attn: Re-accommodation Desk – SHIP DATE or email to RoyalGuestRelations@rccl.com

 

 

I just received $400 in change fees back on my credit card yesterday from RCI from the 1st cruise (3/30) they canceled. Although they told me I'd be receiving a check in 6-8 weeks. Now I have to submit again for the 2nd cruise (4/30) that they cancelled.

[Clarea]

We booked March 15th. I am wondering if the infamous website was still trying to catch up with the new policy at that point.

That could very well be. They did announce this policy change in advance, not a whole lot in advance, but I did see it.

[ADS94]

Yeesh, now we are booked on the very first cruise on the Empress :eek:

 

I'm not too sure how I feel about that...

[A&L_Ont]

Could you use RC Zika virus policy in regards to cancelling your cruise? I'm not even sure if Empress sail is to any Zika effected countries? It won't help with hotel and flights.

 

Just a thought, if it helps any of you.

 

 

Dear Valued Guest,

 

 

 

We are writing to provide important health information regarding the Zika virus.

 

 

 

Royal Caribbean International is committed to the safety and health of our guests and crew. We have been closely monitoring the Zika virus situation and are aware that the CDC has issued a travel alert for certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

 

Should you be pregnant and not feel comfortable sailing to countries affected with the Zika virus, we will provide you with alternate itinerary options. This may include providing a future cruise credit valid for two years so that you may re-schedule your voyage for a later date, with no penalty.

 

In order to reduce the risk of contracting any number of diseases spread by mosquito bite, including Zika virus, we urge guests to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites by remaining in well screened or air conditioned areas when possible, by wearing light-colored clothing that adequately covers the arms and legs, and by applying insect repellant to both skin and clothing.

 

Should you have any additional questions about the Zika virus, please visit the CDC's website. For travel-related concerns, please visit the following website or contact us or your travel agent:

 

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/conten...security_guide

 

 

We look forward to welcoming you onboard soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Royal Caribbean International.

Edited April 22, 2016 by A&L_Ont