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RCCL cancels cozumel for Feb,12 cruise, whats the deal

moverdml

By moverdml,
in Royal Caribbean International

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moverdml

moverdml

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we are booked on Royal Caribbeans Explorer out of Miami Feb, 12, 2006, they have changed the itineary and taken out Cozumel, no replacment destinatin is in the future, just another day at sea. There explanation is that Cozumel will not be in shape after Wilma to go to. Here"s the problem, ships have been back since Nov. 14th, all the reports are saying they are 85-90 percent up and running, heres another one to think about, ALL other Royal Caribbean ships are still on schedule to go, before my cruise date, after the date, and also within the same week!!!! Any body have some insight to this, or better yet any advice, this ship is 85 % full , and expected to be 100 % ( its valentines week) thats over 3500 people, I'm sure no ones is happy about this, and I dont think any one is happy about RCCL'S explanation to why they have made this change!!!!!!!

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grvdggr71

grvdggr71

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This has been gone over before. If you did some investigating, you will find that yours is not the only Royal Caribbean ship to not be stopping in Cozumel. Mariner of the Seas, just to name one, is another one that is not stopping at Cozumel that week, before that week, and after that week. The reason, as I understand it, is because although Cozumel is back up and running, none of the piers have been repaired and a timeframe for those repairs has not been set. Because of this, passengers have to be tendered into Cozumel's ferry dock, probably using the ship's own lifeboats. Voyager class ships seem to skip Cozumel because the passenger load (as you point out, around 3500) is too much for the ferry dock to handle and still get everybody off the ship that wants off. Smaller ships, including Vision and Radiance class ships are stopping now. I am not quite sure where you would expect Royal Caribbean to stop to replace Cozumel, as you are already stopping at Costa Maya, Belize, and Grand Cayman. The next closest port that Royal Caribbean stops at is probably Ocho Rios/Montego Bay, but that may be too far/too busy for a Voyager class ship.

 

Although it sucks that you aren't stopping at Cozumel, you are not the only ones. You were not singled out by the CIA's weather machine to make your vacation less enjoyable. Royal Caribbean is conspiring to keep you on the ship longer and thus spend more money, but probably not for the reasons you think. Take a deep breath and search the other posts and try to understand WHY this change might have occurred, and don't claim that your cruise was singled out.

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addicted2traveling

addicted2traveling

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Whoa! I think moverdml just needed to vent and have someone sympathize. I for one do! You're right grvdggr71, there are reasons why Cozumel has been taken off the itinerary, but it still a dissapppointment. We booked the Explorer over a year and half ago for 1/15/06 and were looking forward to the ports. We have never booked a 7 day cruise with less than 4 ports and even then we very rarely are able to make it to all of them. Moverdml, be prepared to have to bypass Grand Cayman too...seems to be to choppy everytime we sail a Voayger class ship and we just cruise on past. All I can say is that it is a bummer! We will have to deal with it since we just made final payment 2 weeks ago. Honestly, if they would have told me I would have changed cruises. Moverdml, you're final payment isn't due yet, jump ship if you need to!

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MyPC8MyBrain

MyPC8MyBrain

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The reason, as I understand it, is because although Cozumel is back up and running, none of the piers have been repaired and a timeframe for those repairs has not been set. Because of this, passengers have to be tendered into Cozumel's ferry dock, probably using the ship's own lifeboats.

 

We just got back from 10 days in Cozumel... even got to see the first ship return on the 14th. They are using the ferry boats to tender passengers, not the lifeboats. The ferry boats can haul a few hundred people in 1 trip.

 

Cruise ship passengers will not likely encounter any real huricane damage, as the whole downtown area has been fixed up nicely. We were there on sunday night when they were scrubbing the streets clean with brooms and a water truck... pretty funny :-)

 

Don

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MGoBlue2

MGoBlue2

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we are booked on Royal Caribbeans Explorer out of Miami Feb, 12, 2006, they have changed the itineary and taken out Cozumel, no replacment destinatin is in the future, just another day at sea. There explanation is that Cozumel will not be in shape after Wilma to go to. Here"s the problem, ships have been back since Nov. 14th, all the reports are saying they are 85-90 percent up and running, heres another one to think about, ALL other Royal Caribbean ships are still on schedule to go, before my cruise date, after the date, and also within the same week!!!! Any body have some insight to this, or better yet any advice, this ship is 85 % full , and expected to be 100 % ( its valentines week) thats over 3500 people, I'm sure no ones is happy about this, and I dont think any one is happy about RCCL'S explanation to why they have made this change!!!!!!!
Before Wilma RCI had three ships scheduled to be in Cozumel every Thursday that Explorer was to be there. I imagine with the limit on ships, they can no longer do that. As to why Explorer was the one dropped, hard to say. I'm sure they had a reason.

 

If you really had your heart set on seeing Cozumel you could switch to Voyager leaving a day earlier.

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Guest cruzr44

Guest cruzr44

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Where can you see if your ship is going to Cozumel? We're on Splendor of the Seas on February 4, 06 and from the schedule on RCCL website it still shows that we will go there. Do I look anywhere else to see if this is still true?

 

I don't know how often this is updated..... http://www.cruisecal.com/dnn/

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CRUZ-AHOLIC

CRUZ-AHOLIC

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Just offering an idea here, perhaps this is one example of when a HUGE ship isn't a good thing to be on! Radiance, with a smaller passenger capacity ("only" 2500 :-) perhaps wouldn't overwhelm Coz as much as the big beautiful Voyager class. Just an idea.

 

I sailed Voyager a few years back, and enjoyed both Cozumel and Cayman...hope things can return to 'normal' soon!

 

FWIW....is RCI offering any shipboard credit for the port charges not incurred because of a missed stop? I'm not trying to be a penny pincher here (although I am a booze smuggler *grin*) but it seems that since your purchase price includes port charges, and those port charges are NOT incurred, then you shouldn't have to pay them.

 

JMO from a long-time RCI fan,

Cindy

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MGoBlue2

MGoBlue2

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Just offering an idea here, perhaps this is one example of when a HUGE ship isn't a good thing to be on! Radiance, with a smaller passenger capacity ("only" 2500 :-) perhaps wouldn't overwhelm Coz as much as the big beautiful Voyager class. Just an idea.

 

I sailed Voyager a few years back, and enjoyed both Cozumel and Cayman...hope things can return to 'normal' soon!

 

FWIW....is RCI offering any shipboard credit for the port charges not incurred because of a missed stop? I'm not trying to be a penny pincher here (although I am a booze smuggler *grin*) but it seems that since your purchase price includes port charges, and those port charges are NOT incurred, then you shouldn't have to pay them.

 

JMO from a long-time RCI fan,

Cindy

RCI normally doesn't rebate port charges for missed ports. If you go to RCI's website and book a cruise I don't think you'll see port charges as a separate item like you used to just taxes. I think their view is you buy a cruise from them, port charges are between them and the ports they visit like fuel charges, food charges, etc. are between them and their suppliers.
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Fury1995

Fury1995

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Would a port be considered "missed" if it has been completely removed from the itinerary? It would seem only fair to refund the port charges for that port if the ship plans "not" to be there after payment has been collected.

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CRUZ-AHOLIC

CRUZ-AHOLIC

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RCI normally doesn't rebate port charges for missed ports. If you go to RCI's website and book a cruise I don't think you'll see port charges as a separate item like you used to just taxes. I think their view is you buy a cruise from them, port charges are between them and the ports they visit like fuel charges, food charges, etc. are between them and their suppliers.

 

 

Unless I'm mistaken, port charges used to be added after the cruise price, along with taxes, etc. Even if the cruise lines have shifted those port fees into the cruise price, fact is those charges are still there. Therefore the government of Cozumel can't charge a per person port fee to RCI if there's no people visiting.

 

Either way, RCI has in many instances given shipboard credit to passengers for a missed stop. It would seem only fair to give some credit (albeit small) to passengers who ARE paying for port fees for a port they'll never visit. Just because the 'port fees' charge after the cruise price disappeared, doesn't mean those port authorities have ceased to charge RCI for them...

 

Cindy

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jkrislc

jkrislc

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Unless I'm mistaken, port charges used to be added after the cruise price, along with taxes, etc. Even if the cruise lines have shifted those port fees into the cruise price, fact is those charges are still there. Therefore the government of Cozumel can't charge a per person port fee to RCI if there's no people visiting.

Cindy

I do believe they should offer some sort of refund as they are always will to pass along a new tax even after payment in full has been made if such a tax is levied. It's happened twice to me. Unfortunately, the cruise contract clearly states that they have no obligation to do so. Even if they overcharge by "overestimating" taxes and fees, they aren't obligated to refund. But of course, if they underchange or underestimate the fees, they're free to come to you for the charges as those can change at any time, even after final payment.

 

Jeese, I'm starting to think that the crusie contract favors the cruiseline rather than the consumer.

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Fury1995

Fury1995

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and........ I might have to actually read the cruise contract to make sure but, is there anything in the contract that would state port charges can be charged for a port not listed on the itinerary when your ticket hasn't even been issued yet?

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Bribrittmom

Bribrittmom

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Might want to recheck that...RCI shows 12/21 as an 'At Sea' for the 12/18 Mariner sailing.

 

Cindy

I just checked my sailing to look up a price for a shore excursion and found out that after being repeatedly assured that we were going to Cozumel that now we are not. Our itenerary has been changed to include Cococay. While I love Cococay for the warmer months I am none too happy to be going to the Bahamas in Dec. when it could be too cold to swim-little else to do at Cococay. I would have much preferred Labadee or Costa Maya as they both would have been warmer than Cococay. My teens will be very bored with two days at sea if the weather is iffy and chilly at Cococay. We all love Cozumel and are very disappointed!
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wrp96

wrp96

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Splendour still shows Cozumel for the 12/1 sailing --- this is a 4 night cruise and our only stop. Guess I will wait and see! Either way, I will still be on vacation :)

 

The smaller ships are still going to Cozumel. It is only the people sailing on the Voyager class ships that are having to skip Cozumel.

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moverdml

moverdml

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we are booked on Royal Caribbeans Explorer out of Miami Feb, 12, 2006, they have changed the itineary and taken out Cozumel, no replacment destinatin is in the future, just another day at sea. There explanation is that Cozumel will not be in shape after Wilma to go to. Here"s the problem, ships have been back since Nov. 14th, all the reports are saying they are 85-90 percent up and running, heres another one to think about, ALL other Royal Caribbean ships are still on schedule to go, before my cruise date, after the date, and also within the same week!!!! Any body have some insight to this, or better yet any advice, this ship is 85 % full , and expected to be 100 % ( its valentines week) thats over 3500 people, I'm sure no ones is happy about this, and I dont think any one is happy about RCCL'S explanation to why they have made this change!!!!!!!

Just spoke to RCCL rep., now a different excuse, herse the jist, Explorer 12/23,1/2, Mariner 12/18,1/2, Navagator 12/24,1/7,1/21,2/4,2/18,3/4,3/18 Voyager 12/3,12/17,12/31,1/14,1/28,2/11,2/24,3/11,3/25

O.K they said that voyager class ships will not be going into Cozumel, when confronted with these dates for voyager class ships stopping in cozumel they than changed and said that only certain voyager clas ships wont go in. but as you see NO changes have been made, than they went further and said that Cozumel is still not 100% so Cozumel has asked ALL ship lines to limit amount of people on certain days, I checked with Carnival, NCL, and celebrity, (there other line) and all there ships are still on schedule, I HATE GETTING THE RUN AROUND!!! no compensation for the change, no refund of port chgs. and they say they are too far from any other ports. YET there other western itenerys puts you in Jamaica right after cozumel. WHY HAS THIS SHIP AND ONLY THIS SHIP BEEN SINGLED OUT???

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wrp96

wrp96

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Just spoke to RCCL rep., now a different excuse, herse the jist, Explorer 12/23,1/2, Mariner 12/18,1/2, Navagator 12/24,1/7,1/21,2/4,2/18,3/4,3/18 Voyager 12/3,12/17,12/31,1/14,1/28,2/11,2/24,3/11,3/25

O.K they said that voyager class ships will not be going into Cozumel, when confronted with these dates for voyager class ships stopping in cozumel they than changed and said that only certain voyager clas ships wont go in. but as you see NO changes have been made, than they went further and said that Cozumel is still not 100% so Cozumel has asked ALL ship lines to limit amount of people on certain days, I checked with Carnival, NCL, and celebrity, (there other line) and all there ships are still on schedule, I HATE GETTING THE RUN AROUND!!! no compensation for the change, no refund of port chgs. and they say they are too far from any other ports. YET there other western itenerys puts you in Jamaica right after cozumel. WHY HAS THIS SHIP AND ONLY THIS SHIP BEEN SINGLED OUT???

 

Because no other cruise line has any ships anywhere as large as the Voyager class ships. Simple as that.

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