Royal Caribbean and American Airlines are thieves!

[boricua568]

In April 2017, my husband and I booked a 12 day European cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas to celebrate my 50th birthday and our 30th wedding anniversary in June 2018. Then during the first week of September 2017, we booked our flights through their Air2Sea program. Two weeks later, Royal Caribbean informed us that our ship was chartered by an individual/company so they cancelled our cruise. They offered 3 options which did not fit our schedule because we have a minor child and could not travel for 12 days in the Spring or Fall since school is in session. With limited options, we were basically forced to choose a 7 day cruise that we took during our daughter's spring break which we had already been on. The cruise departed from Puerto Rico instead of Spain. They changed our flights without charging the $200 change fee, which was only right since they cancelled our cruise not us. However, we were originally charged $1,530 (for both of us) to fly coach to/from Miami/Spain and the transferred airfare cost us  $1,466 (for both of us) to fly coach to/from Miami/Puerto Rico. When the changes were being made by Royal Caribbean, we checked flights through the American Airlines website and the airfare on that day for the same flights to/from Miami/PR was $700 (for both of us). We questioned Royal Caribbean about the difference in price but they blamed it on American Airlines. We were refunded $64. Contacted American Airlines and they just talked in circles. Filed complaint with the BBB, but to no avail. Neither would budge on the price. DO NOT USE THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN AIR2SEA PROGRAM UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET ROBBED!! AMERICAN AIRLINES AND ROYAL CARIBBEAN ARE THIEVES!!!! BEWARE!!!😡

[ryano]

Welcome to Cruise Critic

[A&L_Ont]

12 minutes ago, ryano said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic

 

Yes, welcome to CC.

[voyager70]

12 minutes ago, ryano said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic

 

+1.  OP's preferred cruise line is Carnival.  Sounds like he/she should stay there.

 

[reallyitsmema]

19 minutes ago, boricua568 said:

In April 2017, my husband and I booked a 12 day European cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas to celebrate my 50th birthday and our 30th wedding anniversary in June 2018. Then during the first week of September 2017, we booked our flights through their Air2Sea program. Two weeks later, Royal Caribbean informed us that our ship was chartered by an individual/company so they cancelled our cruise. They offered 3 options which did not fit our schedule because we have a minor child and could not travel for 12 days in the Spring or Fall since school is in session. With limited options, we were basically forced to choose a 7 day cruise that we took during our daughter's spring break which we had already been on. The cruise departed from Puerto Rico instead of Spain. They changed our flights without charging the $200 change fee, which was only right since they cancelled our cruise not us. However, we were originally charged $1,530 (for both of us) to fly coach to/from Miami/Spain and the transferred airfare cost us  $1,466 (for both of us) to fly coach to/from Miami/Puerto Rico. When the changes were being made by Royal Caribbean, we checked flights through the American Airlines website and the airfare on that day for the same flights to/from Miami/PR was $700 (for both of us). We questioned Royal Caribbean about the difference in price but they blamed it on American Airlines. We were refunded $64. Contacted American Airlines and they just talked in circles. Filed complaint with the BBB, but to no avail. Neither would budge on the price. DO NOT USE THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN AIR2SEA PROGRAM UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET ROBBED!! AMERICAN AIRLINES AND ROYAL CARIBBEAN ARE THIEVES!!!! BEWARE!!!😡

 

If none of the options were to your liking, why didn't you just take a full refund?

[Grandma Dazzles]

Welcome to cruise critic. Curious as to why you didn’t cancel your international flight, Miami/Spain when your cruise was canceled.   You could easily have canceled cruise and flights. You could have easily checked flights from Miami/Puerto Rico.  

Edited February 22, 2019 by Grandma Dazzles

[HicksRA]

Did they not offer a refund as one of your 3 options?

[xxHadleyxx]

Were you not offered the option to cancel everything (crusie and airfare) for a full refund when the cruise you had booked was chartered?  Seems like that would have been a wiser course given the better deal you could find on airfare---just to have cancelled and start from scratch making any booking you'd like on RCI or another line.  

 

Sorry about the charter cancellation.  When you do not know it can happen it is such a shock.  We had never heard of this until it happend to us (on Disney cruise line)---only to find out it is common in the industry.

Edited February 22, 2019 by xxHadleyxx

[taglovestocruise]

Have used Air2Sea at least 6 times in the last 5 year, always one way international.  Have flown Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Norwegian Air, and Lufthansa. Never had a problem and found the prices to always be cheaper than the airline direct.   

[Lionesss]

What a bad experience............................................for us taking the time to read this first post..........................................

 

 

Hopefully the second post will share a better experience.

 

Safe travels.

[ZoeyVictoria]

2 minutes ago, Lionesss said:

What a bad experience............................................for us taking the time to read this first post..........................................

 

 

Hopefully the second post will share a better experience.

 

Safe travels.

 

I must be gaining experience here on CC - I read the title and knew without looking that it would be a first post.

[Diver2014]

She had a bad experience which could have been avoided and now wants to blame someone, anyone.

Airfares even with Air2Sea increase the closer the travel time - capacity control.  Personally, I've never had a bad experience with any cruise line air program.  Jus' sayin'......Yes, it's a shame her original cruise was cancelled and I sympathize but her last two sentences pretty much told her rant was just that....a rant.

Edited February 22, 2019 by Diver2014

[DfDinLA]

I've traveled on American Airlines for over 40 years.  While I have occasional issues with them I have not reached the point where I will no longer do business with them.  Hence, I am not taking your advice.

[voyager70]

9 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

She had a bad experience which could have been avoided and now wants to blame someone, anyone.

Airfares even with Air2Sea increase the closer the travel time - capacity control.  Personally, I've never had a bad experience with any cruise line air program.  Jus' sayin'......Yes, it's a shame her original cruise was cancelled and I sympathize but her last two sentences pretty much told her rant was just that....a rant.

 

Yep, the last two sentences sealed the deal for me.  

 

[HicksRA]

Apparently they took the cruise and the flight, so what did these thieves steal??

[vacationlover_mn]

2017??!!

[voyager70]

1 minute ago, vacationlover_mn said:

2017??!!

You beat me to it.

 

[boricua568]

We were given 2 weeks to decide to cancel or reschedule. However, we could not cancel the cruise all together because we would have had to pay the $200 flight change fee per ticket since our airfare was non-refundable.

 

Have traveled on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line but the only one who ruined a memorable occasion for was was Royal Caribbean. So that is why we no longer prefer them.

 

We are of Puerto Rican descent and traveled to Puerto Rico often enough to know that airfare from/to Miami/Puerto does not cost $1,466 for neither coach nor first-class seating. Therefore, American Airlines and Royal Caribbean charged us for 4 coach tickets not two. 

 

So this is not a rant! It is a fact! 

[robandana]

I think we need to really look at how cheap it is for RC to cancel a cruise....They really don't offer you any compensation....I mean they just book the whole ship for a group and you get shafted....and you get some OBC....

 

I don't think this type of behavior should be so cheap! People plan they cruises (especially European cruises) many months in advance and even years....this just does not seem fair.

[DDG 41]

8 minutes ago, boricua568 said:

Therefore, American Airlines and Royal Caribbean charged us for 4 coach tickets not two. 

Why are they both charging you? (They Didn't?)  

it was only one of them who were "thieves" and "robbed" you.

Also you chose to pay that amount for the flights no one forced you too, if you wanted to pay less and go through the airline directly you could've but no, you chose to pay more

[Baron Barracuda]

12 minutes ago, boricua568 said:

We were given 2 weeks to decide to cancel or reschedule. However, we could not cancel the cruise all together because we would have had to pay the $200 flight change fee per ticket since our airfare was non-refundable.

 

Have traveled on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line but the only one who ruined a memorable occasion for was was Royal Caribbean. So that is why we no longer prefer them.

 

We are of Puerto Rican descent and traveled to Puerto Rico often enough to know that airfare from/to Miami/Puerto does not cost $1,466 for neither coach nor first-class seating. Therefore, American Airlines and Royal Caribbean charged us for 4 coach tickets not two. 

 

So this is not a rant! It is a fact! 

 

If you booked through choice air and Royal cancelled the cruise there should have been no change fee for cancelling air.  Even if there was, why didn't you just cancel and re-book on your own.  $1446 refund - $400 fee - $700 new fare = $346 savings.  Problem also could have been avoided if you purchased travel insurance.

[ULCajunCruiser]

15 minutes ago, robandana said:

I think we need to really look at how cheap it is for RC to cancel a cruise....They really don't offer you any compensation....I mean they just book the whole ship for a group and you get shafted....and you get some OBC....

 

I don't think this type of behavior should be so cheap! People plan they cruises (especially European cruises) many months in advance and even years....this just does not seem fair.

I totally agree with this.   It's just unfair, and that they are allowed to continually do it is mind boggling.   While I understand they this happens and it is unfair to a lot of people, it comes with basically zero cost to the cruise line.  I'd like to see them be forced to offer more compensation than just minimal OBC (shoot, pass the associated cost on to the organization that leased the ship).   It's not simply a matter of having the money refunded, its having to start vacation planning all over, often after previous options are no longer available!!  And no, this has never happened to me, its just painfully obvious to me that it is an unfair practice.

 

boricua568, I'm sorry this happened to you.  I wish you had had more time to make a better decision.  But mostly, I'm sorry that so many of the posters here at CC take enjoyment at others pain, as if they're perfect and lead untainted lives.   Its not what you expected when you posted, and I'm sorry they collectively have decided to bully you into thinking your a fool!!

[tennislvr8]

While I would hate to have my cruise cancelled.. This was posted today almost a year later????

[ONECRUISER]

11 minutes ago, ULCajunCruiser said:

I totally agree with this.   It's just unfair, and that they are allowed to continually do it is mind boggling.   While I understand they this happens and it is unfair to a lot of people, it comes with basically zero cost to the cruise line.  I'd like to see them be forced to offer more compensation than just minimal OBC (shoot, pass the associated cost on to the organization that leased the ship).   It's not simply a matter of having the money refunded, its having to start vacation planning all over, often after previous options are no longer available!!  And no, this has never happened to me, its just painfully obvious to me that it is an unfair practice.

 

boricua568, I'm sorry this happened to you.  I wish you had had more time to make a better decision.  But mostly, I'm sorry that so many of the posters here at CC take enjoyment at others pain, as if they're perfect and lead untainted lives.   Its not what you expected when you posted, and I'm sorry they collectively have decided to bully you into thinking your a fool!!

Sad as is when happens to us(me too), other Cruise lines do the same. Doesn't stop me from cruising....

[akcruz]

1 hour ago, tennislvr8 said:

While I would hate to have my cruise cancelled.. This was posted today almost a year later????

 

Almost 2 years later.  My guess they tried all other routes and got not satisfaction so here looking for sympathy.

 

To the OP sorry for what you sent through but there has to be more to the story.  All cruise lines charter ships and "kick off " those that had already booked.  I would have been on the airline from day 1 especially knowing the fare difference involved as you say you did. Not really syre what you are hoping to get out of this post other than a sorry that this happened???