Just off Empress- never again!

[foxgoodrich]

Can you please post that phone number. I have tried to change mine with no success. Thanks

 

The number posted on Facebook is 800-256-6649. (It was in a brief reply from RC to a poster reporting problems, so I'm not sure exactly what office it's for.)

 

It's really pretty bad what people experienced on the first Empress cruise, and I bet the crew/staff on that cruise were equally miserable with all the problems. I would have hated it, esp. if I had no AC at night which would pretty much have kept me from sleeping.

 

I read through the reports on Facebook and one of them really cracked me up. A family of four (first time cruisers:eek:) attempted to disembark in Key West to put themselves out of their misery and were told they could not. They were told they'd have to pay a $1200 fine. (That would be the $300pp fine Royal would incur for a PVSA violation.) So then the teenage daughter asked if they could be let off the ship if one of the family had a broken arm.

When she found out the answer would be YES, she asked her little brother to "take one for the team.":D:D:D

 

It's so sad that this cruise was such a disaster. There were quite a few people who were new to Royal on this cruise, many of them first time cruisers, and I wonder if any of them will ever try RC again. Despite the fact that lots of folks advise them not to judge all Royal ships from one bad experience, if this happened to you, how could you not?

Judy

[magicsoccer]

That is the number I tried. No budging for me.

[foxgoodrich]

That is the number I tried. No budging for me.

 

Sorry about that, Magicsoccer! I just posted that number for you on another thread - sorry it didn't work for you!

Judy

[magicsoccer]

Thanks for posting. Guess I will go and we will have a good time regardless. I just need the A/C to work and will deal with the rest.

[foxgoodrich]

Thanks for posting. Guess I will go and we will have a good time regardless. I just need the A/C to work and will deal with the rest.

 

Yeah, the AC would be the deal breaker for me!:o I need a somewhat arctic environment for sleeping...well maybe not exactly ARCTIC but cool enough not to sweat! We had a hot room once on Legend and called maintenance on Day 1. They responded quickly and fixed it. (I was elated as it was a 14 night sold out Panama Canal cruise with no other available cabins!)

 

I can't remember exactly how many RC cruises we've done as I pretty much stopped counting when we hit D+, but we've never experienced anything like the multitude of problems on this first Empress cruise. (If we had, we most likely would not be D+!;)) The one positive thing about all this, though, is that probably they will be jumping through hoops to try to get things fixed and running right as quickly as possible. I'm crossing my fingers for you and hoping you'll have a good cruise.

Judy

[ryano]

Yeah, the AC would be the deal breaker for me!:o

 

Absolutely! I could probably look over most everything else but NOT having AC is not something I could look over. I would have camped out in the atrium or somewhere there WAS AC. :cool:

Edited June 3, 2016 by ryano

[Citymom92]

That is the number I tried. No budging for me.

 

Yeah, I called too, and since I'm 45 days out, would have to pay the penalty of 50% on each reservation and still have to rebook. I do have insurance, so I'll also check that and see if that might work. I don't think I purchased the policy for "Ship is a Hot Mess and You Have to Find Another Cruise" however.

[ryano]

Yeah, I called too, and since I'm 45 days out, would have to pay the penalty of 50% on each reservation and still have to rebook. I do have insurance, so I'll also check that and see if that might work. I don't think I purchased the policy for "Ship is a Hot Mess and You Have to Find Another Cruise" however.

 

Did you purchase insurance through RC? They have a "cancel for any reason" policy which would give you a 75% cruise credit toward a future cruise. Thats better than 50%! :D

[Merion_Mom]

To all of those who are trying unsuccessfully to cancel or change their upcoming Empress cruises:

 

Since that is not happening, try to make the best of it.

 

I am hereby appointing all of you Cruise Critic Ambassadors Extraordinaire.

 

Your mission, whether you like it or not, is to report each successive cruise on the Empress of the Seas.

 

We here at home want to follow how this saga continues to unfold.

 

What improves, what does not? Does any compensation suddenly appear for the poor souls on that first sailing? How is your experience different from what we have read on this thread?

 

Go forth and be useful!

 

;) :D

[magicsoccer]

Has anyone heard from those onboard now?

[ctsharpie05]

Has anyone heard from those onboard now?

 

I have not seen much. I think silence means they are enjoying their cruise! **fingers crossed**

[magicsoccer]

They are crossed for sure.

[Big_G]

Has anyone heard from those onboard now?

 

One poster suggested getting the drink package. If they hadn't, they wouldn't have made it through the trip. ;)

[djandnic]

After being booked on the 3/30 and 4/30 Empress that were both cancelled, I sure am glad we didn't re book a third time. This ship has been a disaster.

 

Amen wifey...they say all things happen for a reason, I guess someone was looking at for us twice!!!

[Snit13]

Yeah, I called too, and since I'm 45 days out, would have to pay the penalty of 50% on each reservation and still have to rebook. I do have insurance, so I'll also check that and see if that might work. I don't think I purchased the policy for "Ship is a Hot Mess and You Have to Find Another Cruise" however.

 

As someone quoted from Facebook earlier, "Can't someone from your family, "take one for the team?" I would be calling every doctor I know to try to secure a medical excuse and file insurance claim. Simply can't tolerate heat and live in FL where I hibernate in my house with AC on 75. And poor crew had to work under those horrible circumstances. I might have stopped by CORPORATE IN MIAMI when I got off the ship.

[Merion_Mom]

To all of those who are trying unsuccessfully to cancel or change their upcoming Empress cruises:

 

Since that is not happening, try to make the best of it.

 

I am hereby appointing all of you Cruise Critic Ambassadors Extraordinaire.

 

Your mission, whether you like it or not, is to report each successive cruise on the Empress of the Seas.

 

We here at home want to follow how this saga continues to unfold.

 

What improves, what does not? Does any compensation suddenly appear for the poor souls on that first sailing? How is your experience different from what we have read on this thread?

 

Go forth and be useful!

 

;) :D

 

Has anyone heard from those onboard now?

 

Someone who just disembarked said that they received a 50% FCC.

 

And yes, the newly-boarded are posting: http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2360989&page=13

Edited June 3, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[reney313]

Simply can't tolerate heat and live in FL where I hibernate in my house with AC on 75. /QUOTE]

 

We live in Missouri--our AC is currently set on 67 :D:eek:

[foxgoodrich]

Simply can't tolerate heat and live in FL where I hibernate in my house with AC on 75. /QUOTE]

 

We live in Missouri--our AC is currently set on 67 :D:eek:

 

I live in Oklahoma in a 2 story 100 year old house. 67 for us too - esp the upstairs unit!!!:eek::eek:

Judy

[Had2cruz]

This is making me nervous for our June sailing....:(

[TravlGrl]

My husband spoke with Resolutions today, and they are reviewing our situation and will get back to us. He further sent emails to three RCCL executives, one of whom said to please be patient and wait for Resolutions to respond. Hopefully we will know something next week. However this is resolved for us, I will report back.

 

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

[coaster]

If Corporate treats passengers the same way who had their Empress sailings cancelled, I would not expect a fair response for those who have already sailed.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited June 3, 2016 by coaster

[TravlGrl]

If corporate treats passengers who had their Empress sailings cancelled the same way, I would not expect much from those who have already sailed.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You are probably right. :(

 

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[coaster]

You are probably right. :(

 

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

 

I wish you luck though....Sorry, for what you had to endure.

[coaster]

Something more I keep seeing in responses here is that it would be better if Empress cruisers didn't book direct and should of gone through a TA as they have access to district sales managers that can help when things go wrong. I was under the assumption that Royal saved on commissions if you book online direct. It seems to not have any benefit for those who book direct and have to fight on their own. Lesson learned.

 

Book through a TA or transfer an existing booking to them seems the best route. Saving Royal the commission costs of your booking has no benefit to the individuals like me who book this way. You have better recourse when things go bad even though Royal earns less on a TA booking compared to a direct reservation without a TA commission involved.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited June 3, 2016 by coaster

[Citymom92]

Something more I keep seeing in responses here is that it would be better if Empress cruisers didn't book direct and should of gone through a TA as they have access to a district sale managers that can help when things go wrong.

 

I don't know about getting better service with a TA. I'm not sailing on the Empress until July 18 and I have a TA. He says he is calling his RCL "contacts" and there is nothing he can do to get us on the Enchantment unless we lose 50% of our already paid fare as a cancellation penalty. And then pay to rebook a shorter cruise. I was thinking it would have been better if we had booked through RCL!