furious w/ RCCL...and cozumel....

[wrp96]

sorry double post

[kryos]

"we can't help you"

 

click...........

 

wow....

 

I am in shock......real shock....

 

stay tuned for the next chapter...........

 

trish

Any chance you can cancel this whole thing with RCCL ... with not too much of a penalty ... and just organize a land-based wedding ceremony ... perhaps on a nice island somewhere?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[AFT_LOVER]

and a wedding too & it isn't yours but your daughter's. Now that is a major accomplishment for you. You will make it happen! Believe me and it will be marvelous!

 

First off, I applaud you for using your brain to call Houston office of hte hotel to learn if it is still standing as the major area is demolished, From what I saw on Fox News live from Cozumel, the pier is stones, the waves just eating it more. The hotels were vacated & all the tourists were in shacks with the locals up to their hips in water, per the interviews.

 

So my guess, just using my brain, if a location is heavily damaged, then they won't be stopping there. The hotel that was to be home of the affair, what did they tell you as far as monies given to them, etc that need to be refunded.

 

The wedding on the ship would be wonderful with all your guests & Centrium may be the perfect spot. To start may I suggest you visit: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/weddings/home.do;jsessionid=0000FBFsCQWm3ClirAJygBp3WjK:10ktmeu5p

That may just do it for this whole headache for you to be relieved, gosh do I hope it will be.

[wrp96]

Im sorry for all your woes, I can't believe they won't let you switch to a comparable cruise. We were scheduled to go out of New Orleans on Grandeuar 4/7/06. Once the Hurricane hit our travel agent got right on it and switched us to the Legend out of Tampa no additional charge and a 200.00 onboard credit D1 and above and 100.00 for below D1. Now grant it we only had 9 cabins booked.

 

The difference in your cruise and the OPs cruise is that your cruise was cancelled completely and they transferred the ship to a different port. The OP's cruise is still sailing from the same port for the same length of time. Per the cruise contract, there is no reason for RCI to allow people to just switch ships.

 

According to the Royal Caribbean book I have in front of me...

 

1 - 5 night cruises cancellation policy

 

60 or more days - no charge

59 - 30 days deposit amount

 

Who told you 50% of your cruise?

 

Her Dec. 15th sailing is probably considered to be a Holiday sailing which has different rules than a regular sailing. I know my Dec. 18th sailing on the Rhapsody is considered to be a Holiday sailing, and the deposit was due earlier than normal.

 

To the OP, I know you will be able to work this out eventually and give your daughter a beautiful wedding. At this point, your best bet may be to wait until next week, which will give RCI some time to come up with some answers and clear out the messes they are having to deal with with this week's and next week's cruises.

[RBOrrell]

I can feel for your situation and I think that I would like to make a couple of comments. This is not meant as a flame to you.

 

I understand your frustration with RCCL at this point but we are literally days past the hurricane and they are busy dealing with booking that are immediately in question (ie. the next couple of weeks). They more than likely have people on the ground that are advising them as to the situation and are looking at your time frame and are saying that at this point in time, things are still a go. The Hotel is another situation altogether.

 

Regarding the potential loss of $ if cancelled, I guess cancellation insurance was not purchased?

 

As someone who used to work on a customer service line (albeit a different industry), if I had a call from someone who had a problem but proceeded to give me a solution (ie. listing possible alternative ports), my perception (rightly or wrongly) is that you really don't want to hear my information as you have already pre-conceived ideas. Perhaps a different tact would help you.

 

Finally, there are always three sides to every story. Yours, RCCL and the reality. Again, while I understand your frustrations, RCCL has not had a chance to present their case.

[momofslg]

Is there any option to getting married in the states with friends and family at a local beach before you cruise and then be wisked away on a cruise for the honeymoon. Then no matter where you end up going you won't have any problems. You could just renew the vows at whatever port you stop at. Just a suggestion with all that is happening with the crazy weather. I hope everything works out for you.

[Cruising89143]

This is not to flame anyone but people need to let the cruise lines work on this. Info on itineraries will come but give them time to work with the ports to see what is available. Mexico is working right now to get tourists out of the storm areas and take care of their own people. The cruise lines in Miami just experienced a major storm in their city and this would include the employee's of RCI. We do not know if anyone had storm damage to their homes or what kind of mindset they have. Things will work out but people need to chill out and give all of the cruise lines a break. Put yourself in their shoes.

[DannyS]

As someone else mentioned - group bookings does not handle wedding arrangements. Royal Caribbean has a department devoted to planning weddings onboard or in ports: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/weddings/home.do

[newmexicoNita]

1st let me say...cozumel is one of my favorite ports....I am one of those strange folks that love cozumel and nassau!!!!

 

because of these boards I feel I have new friends all over the cruise world.....and the locals in cozuml that frequent these boards are great folks.....my heart and prayers go out to them....

 

but RCCL............is on my list!!!!!!....

 

we are a group of 50+ booked on the splendour out of galvston 12/15....4 day... going to cozumel....

 

the reason for this trip....our daughters wedding.....she was getting married on the beach at the hotel el presidente....in cozumel!

 

so family...friends....wedding party....we are all geared for a wedding celebration cruise.....themed....the splendour of a wedding.....

 

so when wilma hit....I was all over the net....getting evry bit of info I could.....to be pro-active in case we needed to change plans with less than 8 weeks.........did I mention we started planning this and booked last feb.....

 

so....on sunday...I called RCCL, just their reg reservations line....just to find out....what the possible optional ports would be.....if in fact we did not go to cozumel......they said probably majahaul.....but I should call the "resolutions line"......this is the special section....just set up to help in these situations....

 

now I need to make it clear..........I am in no way.....demanding to know the alternative port.....I simply want to know.....

 

1. if they think the cruise will be canceled
   
2. what are the possible ports we might substitue
   
3. and when we might know the actual port to be substituted

reservations assurd me that this department was going to be able to answer this........

 

in the mean time I contacted the el presidente corp offices....they are in houston....and found out that the hotel was pretty damaged and would need to be re-built completely....and would probably not open for 9 months to a year......

 

so I get the resoluton line....and Carl....let me know that nothing had been canceld in cozumel....everything was "a go".....and that it was bussiness as usual........

 

I asked..."so you are telling me ships are going to cozumel..."

 

"yes"

 

"so where are they docking....?"

 

"uhhh.....at the peir"....and with such attitude....

 

I let him know the peirs were gone....and asked to speak to a supervisor....

 

That would be Shelby....she was nice enough at first....wanted to know my booking #....which of course I did not have ....but she was able to find my reservation w/out it....and noted that it was a group....I went thru the whole explination...again....and she said....

 

"well if you don't go to cozumel.....they will not sub a port you will just have another sea day..."

 

"Ok.....so if we make cozumel a sea day....and this is a 4 day cruise....then this is now a cruise to no where"

 

"oh well then they will sub a port"....

 

"ok...so what are those options..."

 

now get ready for this....and remeber these things....galveston, 4 days....

 

"st thomas, caymen, jamaca.....you could go to almost anywhere"

 

I pointed out galveston and 4 days.....and she said that did not matter... besides as far as RCCL was concernd....there was no problem w/ cozumel..

 

ok....so shelby how bout I speak to your supervisor.....well she really did not see a need for me to speak to her suporvisor...because she was a supervisor and no one knew more than her!!!!!

 

so now I have Patti on the phone.....an right from the start she let me know that shelby had informd her I was a problem........

 

ok....I go thru it again.....and I really try to convey that I am only looking for "possibilites" so I can rsearch our possibilities.....after all this is our daughters wedding.....and we would like to have some idea where we might have it!!!!!

 

Patti let me know that there was a complicated formula for switching and subing ports.....and quite frankly....there did not seem to be the need to do that for cozumel and 2 of her staff people had tried to tell me that....

 

I told her of the reports of the devistation...she told me she watched the news...things were not tht bad.....

 

I told her of my contacts w/ folks on the island....of the el presidente.... of chankanaub....of the peirs....

 

as far as she was concerned these were all extremem exagerations....unfounded rumors.....

 

and as far as ports... anywhere in the caribbean could be subbed....

 

again the galvston and 4 days......did not matter....

 

(when RCCL....does a 4 day to st thomas from galvston....I will be in the royal suite!!!!!!.....and monkies will fly out of ....oh sorry...this is a family board!)

 

I mentioned that majahaul / costa maya had been thrown out there as a possibility.....

 

she let me know that was very unlikly.....as this was a port RCCL did not go to very often....possibly one ship once a year.....

 

(I could be mistaken....but didn't RCCL....build the big criuise "thing" there)

 

as this point I could not resist letting her know that the splendour was going there 16 times between the end of nov....and the end of jan....

 

but once again I was told my info was wrong......you know.... you would think RCCL would catch a mistake like that in there cataloge and on their website!!!!!

 

at this point I was so.....frustrated....I said "ok I understand you can not tell me where we might go.....but could you verify we will not go... to key west......."

 

you are to going to beleive this......

 

Patti let me know....key west was deffinatly a possibility.....and so was tampa........these were often subbed for cozumel...

 

"you can't be serious.....we could go from galveston to tampa!"

 

her answer was yes.......

 

"do you not see a difference between cozumel and tampa...."

 

at least she did say she say a differnce....but tampa was a lovley city....and people loved to go there....

 

she explained to me that the places that I enjoyed were not necessarily the same places that others on the cruise would enjoy....for example..."belze might be subbed and you love beleize....while the people in the cabin next to you...hate beleize and are furious!"

 

"Patti.....let me explain something to you....I am willing to bet....that if you got 2000 people on the splendour in glaveston..on what was suppose to be a cozumel cruise....and told them they were going on a 4 day cruise to tampa.....you would have 2000 angry cruisers!!!!!!

 

at this point I was told that was my opinion!!!!!

 

so finally I asked what are my options....

 

"basicly....they are to get on the ship....and go where it goes..."

 

"and will I find out where it is going so that we can plan our daughters wedding...."

 

she had no answer.....but let me nwo that if we canceled we would endure all of the penalties

 

and she did have some advise....

 

"perhaps we should make alternate plans for the wedding....."

 

is that not what I am trying to do.....

 

she ment the ceromony....

 

then what is the point of the cruise!!!!!!

 

by the way.....as the parents of the bride....we are in an OS because the RS was taken....the bride and groom are in a JS....and the wedding party are in 9 cabins........this is all on our american express....so we have alot invested w/ RCCL........

 

not that the $$$s for this trip shoud make a differnce....whether we were in the RS....or 4 in a Z.....we should receive good customer sevice....

 

and some simpathy....or at least fake it that you are simpathetic!!!!!

 

thanx for letting me rant.........

 

and if anyone knows the next level of the RCCL chain....like the VP of customer relations....send me their info....

 

I will be up all night............after this rant!!!!!!!!

 

trish

 

 

 

I can understand your rant; we are doing our granddaughers wedding on the Zenith mid December. For us, 2 things are in our favor; apparently our ports did not receive enough damage to interfer with stops and secondly she is actually getting married on board. We too have several friends and family traveling. Now for RCI, you are lucky to even be able to get through. I can't get through to NCL at all. I need to check for a few clients cruising in November. Don't be too hard on RCI, I am sure the reservations agents etc are not getting the best advise right now as the cruise lines are not sure what they are or should do. It is easier to say, No changes at this time until they know for sure. We have been told NCL will have answers the end of the week. Hopefully this will be the time frame for all lines cruising Cozumel, Cancun and other islands hit hard. NMNita

[logan1_2000]

So many people in so many places have had lives disrupted by the recent hurricanes, and some of those folks were still trying to recover from Ivan. And yes, RCI itself at the home office and its employees were slammed by Wilma, too.

 

The "planned" wedding sounds like it would have been wonderful. Mother nature had other plans.

 

Go ahead and visit the New Orleans threads to get some idea on the time frame for RCI's response to that situation, and the interpolate to the cozumel situation (instead of a departure port off line, a port of call in this case). From what I read, RCI seemed to eventually get to what seemed a like as fair a resolution as could be hoped. And if their communication with you left something to be desired, it looked the same for a while after Katrina.

 

By the way, I'm planning my alumni club's 4th event related to refugee students and faculty and staff from Tulane in two weeks, and we are about 8 weeks past the storm now, so booking in December was a good bet to get around a hurricane hitting, but absolutely no guarantee that there would not be severe damage still un-repaired from hurricane season. Try no beach at all at Great Bay in St. Martin in May 2000 after a December 1999 hurricane--but that beach had been re-dredged and restored by the time we returned on a 3/2001 cruise...

 

Whatever "Plan B" arrangements the Bride and Groom (I mention them because it is their wedding, even if others might be paying some or even all of the bills) decide upon, they will be memorable and I wish them for those arrangement to be implemented w/o weather or other disruption.:cool:

 

If Grand Cayman or some other place like that is on a 4 night itinerary, tampa probably is fair game, passenger services act or not (key west is, after all). I just did not have the opportunity to look up the galveston itinerary in question, so apologies if that doesn't apply and coz was the only foreign port involved.

[cruiseguy456]

Those who plan to cruise, end up in Canada.

 

Sorry, Had to be said.

 

Maybe it's just me, there's an awful lot of "IFS" when planning a wedding and a cruise with a large group in tow. Itineraries are subject to change.

Such an important day should not be wrapped around unforeseen unknowns.

 

I hope it all works out and you have a day and a cruise to remember.

[springtxbill]

Looking at the pictures of the piers, the pier RCCL mostly uses is the one with the piles of rubble. It appears to be structurally in good shape for accepting a ship, but would require temporary walkways and coverings over the holes and couple of open spans. It has a good chance of being open to ships in December, but I doubt there will be much on the island to do except gawk at the devastation.

 

The Carnival pier will be a very long time in returning as most of it is lost below the waterline.

 

Give RCCL at least 2 weeks to get Miami back in order so they can get back to work and try to work out the solution to the hundreds of cruises that are affected by this storm.

[Hflors]

There is a thread showing the docks in Cozumel. If I were you I would kiss that stop good bye. (unless they can tender you in to the port) The docks are totally trashed. I'm sorry your daughter wanted to get married there, but she might want to rethink that thought when she sees the pictures. What ever happens good luck.

 

PS She will have something to tell her grandchildren!

[xpcdoojk]

stay tuned for the next chapter...........

 

trish

 

Are we required to? Honestly, a cruise is the worst way to get married. There is zero guarantee that you will make any port on your cruise. If you don't make any port guanteed why would you take the risk?

 

Get married before the cruise, and enjoy a honeymoon with friends and family.

 

The rest of your posts are just spinning your wheels.

 

jc

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

First, I feel the frustration the OP is feeling. Second I agree with never planning a wedding involving a cruise and getting married at one of the scheduled ports, way too many what if's.

And third, one thing not mentioned here, IMO.....it is not up to RCI, Carnival, Princess, NCL or any other cruise line as to when they can get to Cozumel. The Port Authority needs to inspect the piers and make the decision if they are safe for ships to enter and dock. Once that is done then all the cruise lines need to be scheduled so they don't all dock on the same days. :eek:

 

Just my 2 cents worth. :D

 

 

***

[smrtypnts]

First of all, the OP mentioned over and over again, she was only trying to find out the POSSIBLE ports in lieu of Cozumel. I would think that RCCL would be able to look at a cruise and see that the ship is leaving out of a certain port and going to certain other ports and know that there are certain ports it CAN'T go to and therefore that leaves X # of ports that it CAN go to. (For example in a few weeks we're supposed to be going to Cozumel also. Well, we're also going to Grand Cayman, Belize and Costa Maya. The way I figure it, we'll either have another sea day, or maybe go to Isla Roatan, Honduras or Progresso. They're certainly not going to take us to St. Martin or San Juan!) That said, it seems to me that customer service should be able to share that with her as well as tell her that they anticipate a distinct possibility that at least one Cozumel pier will be rebuilt by mid December, so they can't make a decision this early. A little sympothy goes a loooong way!!

 

Additionally, while it may not be wise in many peoples opinions to schedule a wedding around a cruise for the exact reason of this post, the OP did do this and the posters ranting about how silly/stupid/dumb that was are nasty and uncalled for. The OP already feels upset and on edge over the whole thing and all the money spent.........why is it necessary to add salt to the wound?

 

If any of you who posted that weddings and ships don't mix invited your 80yo grandparents on a cruise and then one of them died just before sailing and you all had to cancel, would it be fair of someone to say that you were not smart for scheduling a cruise with someone so old? It amounts to the same thing.

 

I think this thread should stick to the real problem, which is how awful phone customer service is from RCCL. Now.........on their behalf, right now, I suspect they're still trying to figure out what's going on with the current cruises and on Sunday especially, (when the OP called) they probably had their hands full with customers on the cruises leaving Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and they were probably at their wits end with those customers.

 

MPFFLS, now that word is out about the devistation to Cozumel and it's apparent that for at least a month or two we're not likely to go there, maybe you can get farther with customer service. As one poster suggested maybe C & A can help you better. Good Luck!

[MIcruiser99]

At the top of the thread page is an announcement about Wilma and Cozemel. According to that, it is 6 months until they will be ready for cruise ships.

[mrg0433]

My daughter was married on a cruiseship in Miami. She chose an American port because some relatives were boarding the ship for the ceremony and flying home that evening. Luckily, her wedding was in April so it was long after hurricane season.

 

Good Luck with everything. We will all be waiting to read your post about how everything worked out. Perhaps RCCL will use its own tenders if the pier is not ready for docking large ships yet.

[MGoBlue2]

Let's see we have a Sunday, a major hurricane hours away from Miami, most likely all the decision makers either home with their families or 100's of miles away, no doubt everyone in the company mostly thinking and worrying about their co-workers.

 

I'm not at all surprised no one could give her any answers. It seems to me insistently demanding answers in that situation was bound to be fruitless and lead to much frustration on both sides of the phone.

[syndyj]

This is a question for the OP, how is the bride and/or groom dealing with this change of plans? I got married last year and the last few months are hectic, now add this turn of events to the table and I am sure the stress level has hit the roof. I think the fact that all control of this wedding is now out of your hands, with the theme, location,menu etc. all gone in the wind (no pun intended) must be very, very frustrating, espescially waiting on RC to give you an answer to turn to plan B. I would like to know how the bride and groom really feels about this.

[xpcdoojk]

First of all, the OP mentioned over and over again, she was only trying to find out the POSSIBLE ports in lieu of Cozumel. I would think that RCCL would be able to look at a cruise and see that the ship is leaving out of a certain port and going to certain other ports and know that there are certain ports it CAN'T go to and therefore that leaves X # of ports that it CAN go to. (For example in a few weeks we're supposed to be going to Cozumel also. Well, we're also going to Grand Cayman, Belize and Costa Maya. The way I figure it, we'll either have another sea day, or maybe go to Isla Roatan, Honduras or Progresso. They're certainly not going to take us to St. Martin or San Juan!) That said, it seems to me that customer service should be able to share that with her as well as tell her that they anticipate a distinct possibility that at least one Cozumel pier will be rebuilt by mid December, so they can't make a decision this early. A little sympothy goes a loooong way!!

 

Additionally, while it may not be wise in many peoples opinions to schedule a wedding around a cruise for the exact reason of this post, the OP did do this and the posters ranting about how silly/stupid/dumb that was are nasty and uncalled for. The OP already feels upset and on edge over the whole thing and all the money spent.........why is it necessary to add salt to the wound?

 

If any of you who posted that weddings and ships don't mix invited your 80yo grandparents on a cruise and then one of them died just before sailing and you all had to cancel, would it be fair of someone to say that you were not smart for scheduling a cruise with someone so old? It amounts to the same thing.

 

I think this thread should stick to the real problem, which is how awful phone customer service is from RCCL. Now.........on their behalf, right now, I suspect they're still trying to figure out what's going on with the current cruises and on Sunday especially, (when the OP called) they probably had their hands full with customers on the cruises leaving Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and they were probably at their wits end with those customers.

 

MPFFLS, now that word is out about the devistation to Cozumel and it's apparent that for at least a month or two we're not likely to go there, maybe you can get farther with customer service. As one poster suggested maybe C & A can help you better. Good Luck!

 

Actually, I think it is less than brilliant to expect people in no position to know when, where or what ships will be doing over a month from now. In other words expecting an hourly employee to know something that the president of the company hasn't a clue about. Good grief. :( Another passive agressive poster....

 

jc

[jwlane]

....

after all.....galveston and 4 days.....the fathest departure port to the west...and we only have 4 days.....this does not leave the options that someone out of florida would have....

 

...

I mean it does not take a rockt scientist to figure out you can not go to all of the ports in the caribbean from glaveston and be back in 4 days....

 

....

again not the definate.....just what their choices....so I could look into what the possibilities are for us....

 

...

but agian....galveston and 4 days....choices are pretty limited....is costa maya our only choice ...or are their other possibilities and what are they....

 

 

Sounds like you're asking a question you already know the answer to.

 

Be furious, but to me you're way off base on this one. It's important to you, sure, but there's a lot more serious implications following Wilma that you're not considering.

[argent nc]

We are supposed to be in Cozumel on Thanksgiving day. I have booked a dolphin swim for our family of 6 that is the dream of two of the children. Now, it looks like we won't be able to do it but, as far as I can tell from RCCL's website, it's "business as usual" there. They are still selling Cozumel excursions as of this morning!

 

Good grief, that's irresponsible. I too am heartbroken that our Nov 6th sailing on Explorer will miss Cozumel and thus my chance to swim with dolphins. :(

 

Like the OP, I'd really just like to know what our options are. We were supposed to be sailing to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Grand Cayman and it would be nice to know if we'll get another sea day, a substitute port (what possible ones?) or a completely different itenerary altogether...

 

peace,

Laura

[mpffls]

many of you suggested a call to C and A.....

 

and I have to admit....after all of the other calls.....I was really hesitant that it would be any different....

 

well....obviously c and a.....are a completly differnt comapny...notice that I said company....not department....

 

I spoke w/ a very nice person named Siera....who was horrified at my story...

 

she confirmed what I needed.....

 

costa maya is probably the port we will visit....however, we will probably not know for sure for a while.....(and that is fine.....)

 

most evrything else is too far away for a 4 day out of galveston....

 

progresso is not an option as RCCL does not go there....

 

RCCL can not sub a port that is not part of their regular stops for the fleet

 

she gave me the direct line to the wedding portion of the cruiseline and I plan to call them in a few minutes....

 

she was very helpful.....and noted all of my experences and sent an email to the powers that be of my experiance.....

 

thanx smrtypnts for your words.....

 

and for those of you that contnue to scold me for my thoughtlessness for calling on a sunday...please re-read.....it was actually this call that was the most helpful..... not the call , 2 days later, to the actual dept designated to handle the "resolution" of problems.......

 

as for the ones who would never have a wedding on a cruise ship.... on every cruise we have been on.....we see brides getting off at every port for their big day......I think it is a very common .......

 

whether we go to cozumel or not.....is beside the point now....since the el presidente is gone....

 

and by the way.....they were wonderful....and will refund all of our $$$$....

 

as an added thought....the hotel's corp office is in houston....they do not have copies of any of the contracts....or aggreements....since they were all at th hotel and have been destroyed they will rely on emails to confirm $$$$$ spent....... and send refund!

 

quite a different way of handling things.....

 

thanx again........trish

[kruisecat]

thanx guys....can aways count on the cc for some suport....

 

eric....let me again make it clear....I understand this just happened....I know they can not tell me today...where my cruise for 12/15 will be going for sure....I just want to know what the possible ports are.....

 

and if they had just been honest and said "we don't know....but wow... we know you kinda need to know.....give us a few days.....and we will be in touch...even just to say we stil don;t know...or call us in a few days...we still might not know....but we might be closer".......

 

this would have ben fine....

 

my frustration comes....from knowing more than they do....and hving them try to make me beleive my info is wrong....and cozumel si fine.....

 

so sad there....

 

I have lost some of my favorite places of late....

 

biloxi....new orleans....and now cozumel....

 

of all of them...I have no doubt coz will be back 1st.....

 

the poor rep from the el presidente said ...."perhaps your daughter can plan to spend her 1st aniversary with us....we hope we are open by then!!!"

 

at this point I think we are gong to plan the wedding for the ship....

 

ad hope we don't go to tampa!!!!!

 

thanx again..........trish

 

Trish,

 

If you do end up in Tampa know that there are some beautiful beaches for weddings here! I would be happy to help you (used to be an event planner in a former life) if you end up here (I live in the Tampa Bay area). Not sure if I can post my email address so if someone would let me know if this is ok I'd appreciate it.

 

I know that this is a stressful time and that you really don't want to end up in Tampa BUT if you do I KNOW your daughter can have a beautiful wedding nonetheless!

 

Best of luck

Christine