Feeling a bit screwed over by RC, Irma safety/risk issue and no-refund, greed?

[GEEKMA92]

I'd say it's a wait and see on which islands are ready for tourists. One of the Sonesta properties on St Maarten is cancelling all reservations through the end of the year. We were there in May and it breaks my heart thinking of the devastation.

 

 

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After seeing the film and photos from St. Martin, I highly doubt the island will be ready for tourists anytime soon. We're scheduled on Celebrity to dock overnight there in November. If I can't get them to tell me if they will divert by mid October, I'm going to cancel and eat my deposit. I just have no interest in using my limited vacation to fly in from the West Coast and visit devastated Caribbean islands. If rather just send money.

 

 

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[deborahjo]

Set to sail on the Allure September 10th. IRMA, not going to happen, RC chooses not to cancel the cruise but to delay departure till Wednesday the 13th and shorten duration to 4 day's instead of 7. A 50% refundable on-board credit to whom choose to sail on the 13th along with an additional 50% credit for a future booking. The above is gracious and in my opinion more than fair. Unfortunately, if you CANNOT cruise on the 13th there will be no refund, no future incentive, just your fare credit applied to a future cruise with Royal.

 

 

 

Other recent cruises have been cancelled due to IRMA and customers have been given a full refund to the method they paid and are being offered an additional 25% credit if they book another RC cruise within 30 days. This I also feel is fair and considerate.

 

 

 

Where I take issue is the fact that my paid in full 7 day cruise is essentially cancelled but a full refund is not an option. I find myself in a position of my cruise fare being held hostage without compensation unless I put myself and my family at risk attempting to depart on the 13th. Being faced with a CAT 5 hurricane how does one actually prepare for a departure when the chances are high the port may be closed, flooded, unable to be staffed, etc.? Being frugal, still wanting to salvage some of our vacation along with benefiting from RC's generous 13th sailing incentives I'm tempted to make plans for the 13th. I know I am not alone and I understand RC wants to up it's retention and that's why the incentives are so good for the 13th. I'm one of the "lucky" ones though, I live in Naples, if my home is still standing and the port is open and everything is honky-dory, we can make that 13th date work. I'm just concerned for others that might be trying the same thing and putting themselves in harms way. Right now it's hard to find water, fuel, food, etc. If Florida gets nailed it's the last place you will want to be, especially if you don't live here.

 

 

 

I contacted RC about this. They were very cordial but remained firm that their customers come 1st and they take our safety seriously. I disagree, my thoughts are it's a fiscal decision that borders on recklessness. I'm sure some folks that live here in Florida could use their cruise fare to evacuate, not going to happen. Hopefully all will work out and this beast veers way east and we are all spared, including RC but for the time being I'm feeling a little less love from the folks at RC making these decisions. Can you imagine making it here for the 13th or scheduling and paying for flights/travel just to find out that the 13th sailing will be cancelled? The storm is not RC's fault but how they are handling this situation just seems flat out wrong and possibly dangerous for some. Anyone else out there feel the same?

 

 

 

So what are RC going to do when Jose comes in right behind Irma? She is tracking same path.

 

 

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[MikeBTN]

So what are RC going to do when Jose comes in right behind Irma? She is tracking same path.

 

 

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Jose is nowhere near the same path as Irma.

 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at2+shtml/235335.shtml?cone#contents

[Artemis908]

Jose is definitely not going the same path as Irma and isn't looking to hit Nassau, so Allure going to the Bahamas is pretty likely at this point.

 

http://google.org/crisismap/2017-irma

[ThirstyCruiser]

For people who try to reason with the board trolls, please just keep in mind that when you quote their posts, they win. Number one, you are giving them attention; number two, those of us who have them on Ignore must consider ignoring you as well since you're causing us to see their drivel by quoting them.

 

When people see you arguing with an idiot, all they see is two idiots arguing.

[AweighToSea]

Regardless, I'd rather be thought of as an arrogant know-it-all and moralizing codger than as being childishly rude.

Seems that you have achieved two of your objectives.

[maryjaden]

When people see you arguing with an idiot, all they see is two idiots arguing.

 

I had to chuckle at this statement.....it reminded me of one of my grandmother's sayings. Don't wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty and the pig likes it.

[6jsgrandma]

Only time to visit Caribbean is from January on. After a few years of visiting Carribean in January, we decided to do Mexico. We are from California and no flights and closer to home. Don't me me wrong, we love the Caribbean, just needed a break. This time of year is never good time to visit Carribean though.

 

 

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[BNBR]

Yes, for YOU.

 

Not for the cruise line. If they give you FCC, you will be back to cruise with them. And hopefully have a GREAT time, and forget about the previous issues.

 

Like a problem at a restaurant. Dumb ones give you your meal for free. Smart ones give you a card to get a free meal later. You come back, have a great meal, and keep coming back. Give you the free meal, and there is no incentive for you to come back.

 

The cruise line is a business. It exists to make money for the owners. Buy some stock, and you can be an owner, make some money, and have a voice in what they do.

 

I love Royal. I have a cruise coming up. But let's not pretend that OFFICIALLY requesting people visit Florida on Tuesday or get an FCC is anything but a disgusting money grab.

[Cuervosar]

When people see you arguing with an idiot, all they see is two idiots arguing.

 

Never engage an unarmed opponent in a battle of wits.

[xpcdoojk]

We'll have to agree to disagree. The topic of this thread is indicated in its title. Comments in agreement and disagreement with that matter are relevant even if you disagree with them. The lack of merit in people making up their own rules rather than abiding by the terms that they've agreed to, which you refer to as my digression, is assuredly on topic.

 

Attaboy, I am feeling more sane by the post.

 

JC

[grandgeezer]

Never engage an unarmed opponent in a battle of wits.

 

My Favorite: Half the people think your an idiot, don't open your mouth and prove them right.

[hootowlrn]

My Favorite: Half the people think your an idiot, don't open your mouth and prove them right.

Never argue with a fool, he'll knock you down to his level then beat you with experience [emoji2]

 

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[bUU]

So what are RC going to do when Jose comes in right behind Irma? She is tracking same path.

Putting aside the fact that Jose is not coming up right behind Irma, that isn't even the crux of the matter. The previous poster's claims that the cruise line is bordering on recklessness is completely without merit. Every indication is that they are putting safety first, public relations second, contract third, and ignoring customers seeking to trump the cruise line's first, second or third priorities.

 

Seems that you have achieved two of your objectives.

Not objectives, but rather resigned to the fact that many people are going to rationalize childish rudeness spurred on by a sense of powerlessness over the horrible circumstances we're discussing, the reality of which being what we actually disagree about. What we can say with assurance is that some people literally hate the way things are and so anything that gets in the way of their claims that how things are is someone else's fault, rather than just the way things are, or God forbid, even their own fault, is going to evoke such reactions. Like I said, I'm too old to give such behavior a second thought.

 

Only time to visit Caribbean is from January on.

Or maturely acknowledge and accept the risks that you are taking onto yourself by capitalizing on the lower fares offered this time of year.

[SRF]

I've been in the stock market for over 40 years, from experience, the only things you actually have a voice in is when you get to vote at the annual stockholders meeting. 95%of the time the only issues you have a voice in is to reelect board members or what accounting firm to use for an audit. Big corporations own most of the stock and the'll let their peers do whatever they want.

Restaurant problem. The smart consumer takes the free meal and never goes back. There is no guarantee that any of the subsequent meals will be any better. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

 

True, you will have a small voice, but then again, you will make money off them doing the best thing for the stockholders.

 

I don't disagree with you on the restaurant, but I was talking about smart FOR THE RESTAURANT. And that smart is to get you back and hope that things go well and you keep coming back. Free meal and you leave, you leave and will probably not come back.

[hamrag]

Thank you for saying what I, and others I suspect didn't have the nerve to say. I am not a frequent poster and generally try to stay out of pettiness as I have better things to do :)

 

I know neither of these posters but I can certainly say that nothing in Caribells posts in this thread came anywhere near being as offensive as this post by BUU was.

 

Thank you, I agree entirely! Maybe I should have quoted from a famous Scottish poet, namely Rabbie (Robert) Burns...in relation to Buus' pompous, condescending posts. Some may need google to interpret it's meaning:

O wad some Power the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae mony a blunder free us,

An' foolish notion:

What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,

An' ev'n devotion!

[MikeBTN]

I love Royal. I have a cruise coming up. But let's not pretend that OFFICIALLY requesting people visit Florida on Tuesday or get an FCC is anything but a disgusting money grab.

 

Disney is planning on being open Tuesday as well. Hell, they're open today too.

[6jsgrandma]

I agree, you should get a full refund. Recommend booking future east coast cruises from January on if you can.

 

 

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[bUU]

Recommend booking future east coast cruises from January on if you can.

For folks who aren't inclined to acknowledge the terms and conditions of what they're buying that's good advice.

[cam222]

Anything beyond a full credit towards another cruise is just a courtesy on the part of the cruise line. We are booked on the Oasis on the 17th - we knew it was hurricane season when we booked, so have cruise insurance. Hmm... makes me wonder... if you have cruise insurance and cancel totally - does insurance reimburse? Or do you only get the credit from RC. What they are offering for the 13th is a sweet deal if you can take advantage of it!

 

 

We had a similar situation and it worked out: what you get depends on different things...

- depends on your policy and the company

- we got full refund for ship (river cruise). Cancelled due to medical emergency

- made and paid for our own air but ins. policy as we took it was for an amt not An itemized list of Particular charges. Not taken thru cruise

- since price of air fell within the boundaries of our policy max. Amt. we were reimbursed through that, no questions asked

- BUT airline had its own policy to just give credit for amt paid so we now get a free trip for air only. They probably don't share issues with ins. Co.

 

Ask the right questions and don't share any info you don't have to.

[Morecruisesplz]

[quote

If you can cruise on the 10th there is no reason you cannot cruise on the 13th. you would be on the ship already.

 

Not true... if you can't fly to San Juan. Charlotte AA flights are down for 3 days and when do you think MIA will open again?

[Coloradocruiser01]

Get real people!!!!! People's lives and property will be affected adversely by this massive storm. There are more important things than having your cruise cut short! My suggestion would be to channel your energy towards prayers for those who live in the path of destruction.

[mek]

Only time to visit Caribbean is from January on. This time of year is never good time to visit Carribean though.

 

 

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I couldn't disagree more - I can't begin to tell you how many times we've cruised to the Caribbean during hurricane season. Have we had some problems - yes; we sailed out of Charleston when Sandy was directly to the east - we were one of the few ships to make it out during the storm and we've sailed into Lauderdale a few days after a hurricane hit and had to fly in the day of the cruise because nothing was open before then.

 

I like cruising in the fall, so it really is hard to avoid hurricane season in the Caribbean if all I'm looking for is a nice one week getaway. Best to have insurance and use common sense if the weather turns dicey.

[QueenofKrakatoa]

Get real people!!!!! People's lives and property will be affected adversely by this massive storm. There are more important things than having your cruise cut short! My suggestion would be to channel your energy towards prayers for those who live in the path of destruction.

 

Well said. People get so wrapped up in the wrong things because of their sense of entitlement. My best friend is right in the path of Irma and I'm terrified for him.

[mek]

Get real people!!!!! People's lives and property will be affected adversely by this massive storm. There are more important things than having your cruise cut short! My suggestion would be to channel your energy towards prayers for those who live in the path of destruction.

 

I really don't mean to be rude, but this is a cruise forum and people are rightly concerned about how the storm is affecting them and their money.

 

I have friends who live just north of Ft Lauderdale and while they are riding out the storm at home the major concern is their, (very expensive), boat that is in Biscayne Bay. Personally, I think they are nuts, but everyone has priorities.