Allure of the Seas ~ Recourse

[Nashna]

Drastic schedule changes due to mechanical problems on the Allure call for valid consumer complaints.  Our sailing originally had stops in St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Nassau.  Due to the propulsion issues onboard, the itinerary now shows St. Kitts with a five hour reduced time in Nassau, and the cancellation of St. Thomas which was replaced by San Juan with a 2 pm departure.  I have no interest in going back after 6 stops in Puerto Rico.  We were already considering staying on the ship in Nassau.  Now, with the cancellation of the port of St. Thomas and a 2 pm departure from San Juan, there is very little that we can do with children.  Royal Caribbean has refused passengers on non-refundable fares refunds or the ability to change their itinerary even if they have not made their final payments.  Frankly, at this point we are stuck. I think that each and every one of us affected should call and demand compensation.  If an airline cancels a flight due to weather or airport conditions there is no refund.  However, if it is for mechanical reasons they have to compensate the traveler.     Royal Caribbean needs to understand that travelers have other options and they will lose future repeat business.  Their inability to fix a mechanical issue that was known years ago is the cause of this problem.  The cruise contract allows  RCCL to change ports.   Perhaps, we should call RCCL to complain as well as urge our congressmen to change the law to force cruise ships to adhere to the same rules the airlines have been forced to abide by.  If the cruise line's maintenance issues cause a port cancellation, passengers should be compensated.  

[lowbass]

I definitely see your point. Weather is beyond Royal's control. But this is a mechanical issue which they do have some control over. Many of us cruise for the ports as well as for the ship. So I can understand the frustration with a last minute change of plans at ports for a mechanical issue that is Royals fault. 

Edited May 4, 2019 by lowbass

[Nashna]

I truly understand that mechanical issues can occur at any time.  However, the propulsion issues have been a regular occurrence for years on this class of ship.  Royal Caribbean has been less than sympathetic to their passenger's concerns.   

[KansasK]

We had already received an e-mail telling us St. Thomas had been replaced by San Juan, with a 2:00 p.m. departure, for our June 2 cruise on the Allure. Today we got this e-mail:

 

"Due to changes necessary, we have cancelled some of your selections for your upcoming cruise. These cancellations are based on one of the following scenarios:

• There has been a change to your cruise itinerary or one of the ports visited required for certain selections to be cancelled from your reservation;

• There has been a change to the arrival and/or departure time for a specific port that required for certain selections to be cancelled from your reservation;

• The item you reserved or purchased is no longer available;

• The date of birth of one of the guests has been changed making the purchase no longer valid.

Special Note:

Dear Guest, Were looking forward to welcoming you aboard Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas. As you prepare for this exciting vacation, we need to inform you that there has been a change to your itinerary. Due to a technical matter with one of the ships three propulsion pods, well be reducing our speed. As a result, weve had to make an adjustment to our itinerary. Weve done everything possible to maximize your time at each destination and we are confident your cruise will be amazing. Below, please find the itinerary change. Itinerary Change/Dates: 7 Night Eastern Caribbean Voyages: May 12, 2019, June 2, 2019, June 23, 2019, July 14, 2019, August 4, 2019, August 25, 2019, September 15, 2019 and October 6, 2019 The port of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas has been replaced with San Juan, Puerto Rico and the call time is 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM. All tours calling the port of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on these dates have been cancelled and new tours are available for you to select in San Juan Puerto Rico. Weve already updated your itinerary and refunded your form of payment. The only thing left for you to do is to contact us to select another tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you have a safe and joyous journey. Should you have any questions or concerns, please visit: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/shoreExcursions.do or call us at (800) 398-8919 to ensure space on your new excursion. Thank you"

 

We would have preferred St. Thomas as a port, but the cruise contract gives them the right to change the route. My husband commented today that we should plan to just relax and enjoy our vacation on the Allure. We cannot easily change the date, so we will stay with our original plans and also plan to visit San Juan. We have been there several times and may just stay on the ship and enjoy the almost empty ship. I cannot get worked up about this change of port. 

[nordica4]

We too are effected by this change for our October 6 Allure sailing. My travel agent I used hasn’t even contacted me, nor have they changed the itinerary on their website. So do I stand corrected in order to change ships we would have to pay a $100 change fee along with the added expense of a most likely higher cruise fare? We are probably stuck since we are booked into an accessible JS and the Harmony and Symphony are not listing any of those cabins as their inventory. Ugh!  Sounds like lots of ship time for us! How about reimbursement from private travel insurance not issued by RCCL?

[dmg2253]

This whole situation is very disappointing!!! We selected this cruise for the kids activities and the ports of call. After we booked, Royal Caribbean cancelled their relationship with Dreamworks, so our daughter will not get many of the fun experiences we thought she would have when originally booking. As far as I know, they have not replaced that programming with anything new. Sadly, she is not big enough to participate in the zipline or surf simulation activities, so losing the Dreamworks stuff is a big loss for her. Now, we lost St. Thomas and time in Nassau. I understand that things happen, but there should be more flexibility with allowing for cancellations, because we would have NEVER booked this cruise under the current conditions. Our cost to benefit ratio is unsatisfactory. I really wish we had booked a different ship with water slides, ropes courses, or something else exciting for our 8 year old to do. Needless to say, this is my third and FINAL cruise with Royal Caribbean.

[sailor05]

We sail on May 12th and have even yet to receive the email. Luckily I found out here. BUT, who else does not know and maybe won't know until they board the ship? That's BS. At least we were able to cancel our plans in advance. But with large families and such that may have big plans not knowing about it until it's too late? They have really dropped the ball on this issue. My in-laws are going as well and have not been notified, I told them. There is a large group of us on FB and some found out there and haven't been notified. UNBELIEVABLE!!

[klfrodo]

Or,,, you can make some sweet lemonade when handed lemons.

Or,,,, one can cry and raise your blood pressure.

Either way, you control the outcome.

[sailor05]

Thanks for your wisdom....🙄

[Illbcruzn4life]

8 hours ago, Nashna said:

Drastic schedule changes due to mechanical problems on the Allure call for valid consumer complaints.  Our sailing originally had stops in St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Nassau.  Due to the propulsion issues onboard, the itinerary now shows St. Kitts with a five hour reduced time in Nassau, and the cancellation of St. Thomas which was replaced by San Juan with a 2 pm departure.  I have no interest in going back after 6 stops in Puerto Rico.  We were already considering staying on the ship in Nassau.  Now, with the cancellation of the port of St. Thomas and a 2 pm departure from San Juan, there is very little that we can do with children.  Royal Caribbean has refused passengers on non-refundable fares refunds or the ability to change their itinerary even if they have not made their final payments.  Frankly, at this point we are stuck. I think that each and every one of us affected should call and demand compensation.  If an airline cancels a flight due to weather or airport conditions there is no refund.  However, if it is for mechanical reasons they have to compensate the traveler.     Royal Caribbean needs to understand that travelers have other options and they will lose future repeat business.  Their inability to fix a mechanical issue that was known years ago is the cause of this problem.  The cruise contract allows  RCCL to change ports.   Perhaps, we should call RCCL to complain as well as urge our congressmen to change the law to force cruise ships to adhere to the same rules the airlines have been forced to abide by.  If the cruise line's maintenance issues cause a port cancellation, passengers should be compensated.  

 

we don't fly much but never knew the airline could cancel a flight due to weather and just keep your money.

 

Wouldn't they put you on the next available flight? If so you would still get your flight but like the cruise a new itinerary.

[HodgeNNicole]

We too are on the May 12 Allure cruise and have yet to be notified of the change from Royal. Luckily I follow these forums and learned about it last week.  Although the change is unfortunate and I would rather be snorkeling in St Thomas.  I think cruising at a safe speed rather than pushing the other propulsion units and risk being stranded someplace without power a better alternative.

 

I decided to throw a pity party for myself for about an hour then I realized....

I am going to be on a cruise with my wife and 4 year old.  Not working my butt off like I do the other 51 weeks of the year so that i can pay for our cruising addiction. As much of a bummer to me the change is... it is was it is.  

 

If you need me, I will be sipping on a frozen concoction poolside (not reserving an unused lounge chair, nor caring if someone does) smiling from ear to ear as my son, and I  run around (the kids play area) laughing.  Realizing I could be working or worse yet struggling to the point I could not afford an amazing vacation like this will be.

 

For those of you cruising with us next week, I look forward to seeing you and having an amazing trip (NOT WORKING) and for those of you sailing in the future nah nah nah we are cruising while you are working!!!!!

 

 

[bouhunter]

7 hours ago, klfrodo said:

Or,,, you can make some sweet lemonade when handed lemons.

Or,,,, one can cry and raise your blood pressure.

Either way, you control the outcome.

Good advice for OP.  Another would be paragraphs...….

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, bouhunter said:

Good advice for OP.  Another would be paragraphs...….

Can't you just be happy that you got punctuation marks?😁

[Nashna]

6 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

 

we don't fly much but never knew the airline could cancel a flight due to weather and just keep your money.

 

Wouldn't they put you on the next available flight? If so you would still get your flight but like the cruise a new itinerary.

So sorry for the confusion, I should have said compensation.  The airlines will give you a total refund if the flight is not operational due to weather.  

[Nashna]

7 hours ago, klfrodo said:

Or,,, you can make some sweet lemonade when handed lemons.

Or,,,, one can cry and raise your blood pressure.

Either way, you control the outcome.

I'm sure that all of us will adapt to the circumstances.  We intend to go and have a wonderful cruise.  However, the fact remains that RCCL is responsible for this situation and should do more to compensate the passengers.  

[Tiggercat]

I had some clients that sailed on Mariner of the Seas in March and they changed their stop from Coco Cay to Grand Bahama Island because of the work that is being done on Coco Cay...something to do with the bridge.  RCCL gave them 1/3 of their money back because of this change...so I am surprised that they are not doing something in this situation.  Maybe because there are so many people on all of these sailings that they cannot afford it???  However, if I were really upset about the changes, I would have to remind them that sometimes they do compensate their passengers. (it was the March 8 sailing...I might even be able to find the email we got if anyone is interested.)  Luckily my husband and I are on the June 9 sailing and our stay in Jamaica was just slightly altered.

[Esmerelda]

All of RCs ships are Bahamian registered.  US Congressmen will not be of any help. Just saying...

[Grandma Dazzles]

15 hours ago, Nashna said:

I truly understand that mechanical issues can occur at any time.  However, the propulsion issues have been a regular occurrence for years on this class of ship.  Royal Caribbean has been less than sympathetic to their passenger's concerns.   

 

Not sure why you didn’t cancel or change your cruise when Dreamworks was dropped in 2018 if that was so important to you. Also, calling your congressman isn’t going to help - ships are not subject to US law. 

Edited May 5, 2019 by Grandma Dazzles

[GEORGIEGIRL]

Like you said, those 2 special words..... Wait for it "CRUISE CONTRACT". Yep, it is what it is.

 

Just enjoy your cruise with your family. The Allure has plenty to do to keep you all occupied, if you chose to.

 

Happy sailing..

[brillohead]

16 hours ago, Nashna said:

If an airline cancels a flight due to weather or airport conditions there is no refund.  However, if it is for mechanical reasons they have to compensate the traveler. 

But the cruise isn't cancelled.  The itinerary is altered, but they're still leaving on the same date and they're still returning on the same date.  You're still receiving a 7-day cruise. 

When a flight is delayed but still takes off, there isn't any compensation owed by the airline. 

 

Same with this cruise -- it's still taking off and returning when and where it's supposed to, and that's pretty much all you're "entitled" to receive per the cruise contract.  

Whine and moan all you want, but it is what it is.  That's just cruising.  

[gerif]

49 minutes ago, Nashna said:

So sorry for the confusion, I should have said compensation.  The airlines will give you a total refund if the flight is not operational due to weather.  

Really? I’ve been on a number of flights that were canceled for weather. All they did was put me on the next available flight. Once I got a discounted motel room but never an offer of a refund. 

[Nashna]

14 minutes ago, Grandma Dazzles said:

 

Not sure why you didn’t cancel or change your cruise when Dreamworks was dropped in 2018 if that was so important to you. Also, calling your congressman isn’t going to help - ships are not subject to US law. 

You have your posts confused.  I didn't post about Dreamworks.   Cruise ships are subject to US Law when they are in US Waters.  They are also subject to US laws regarding sales practices and consumer protection.  

• A country's internal waters -- areas like bays and ports -- are a part of that country. So when a ship is docked at the Port of Miami, all U.S. (and Florida) laws apply to the ship, its passengers and its crew.
• Almost all of a nation's laws also apply in its territorial waters which extend up to 12 miles from its coastline (we'll look at an exception on the next page). A ship departing from a U.S. port cannot open gambling activities until it's 12 miles out, since gambling is illegal in most parts of the United States.

[klfrodo]

Am I a little disappointed? Sure, a little.

However, going to Puerto Rico for the 6th time is not the worst thing to ever happen to me. My children missing their 6th meal would be a problem. Missing my 6th paycheck would be a problem. Missing my 6th mortgage payment is a problem. My cruise adjusting its itinerary is NOT a problem. Just a minor inconvenience.

Edited May 5, 2019 by klfrodo

[Nashna]

6 minutes ago, gerif said:

Really? I’ve been on a number of flights that were canceled for weather. All they did was put me on the next available flight. Once I got a discounted motel room but never an offer of a refund. 

By law, you are entitled to a full refund if a flight is canceled due to weather or if the airlines cancel a flight for any reason.    

[Carnival4U]

16 hours ago, Nashna said:

Drastic schedule changes due to mechanical problems on the Allure call for valid consumer complaints.  Our sailing originally had stops in St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Nassau.  Due to the propulsion issues onboard, the itinerary now shows St. Kitts with a five hour reduced time in Nassau, and the cancellation of St. Thomas which was replaced by San Juan with a 2 pm departure.  I have no interest in going back after 6 stops in Puerto Rico.  We were already considering staying on the ship in Nassau.  Now, with the cancellation of the port of St. Thomas and a 2 pm departure from San Juan, there is very little that we can do with children.  Royal Caribbean has refused passengers on non-refundable fares refunds or the ability to change their itinerary even if they have not made their final payments.  Frankly, at this point we are stuck. I think that each and every one of us affected should call and demand compensation.  If an airline cancels a flight due to weather or airport conditions there is no refund.  However, if it is for mechanical reasons they have to compensate the traveler.     Royal Caribbean needs to understand that travelers have other options and they will lose future repeat business.  Their inability to fix a mechanical issue that was known years ago is the cause of this problem.  The cruise contract allows  RCCL to change ports.   Perhaps, we should call RCCL to complain as well as urge our congressmen to change the law to force cruise ships to adhere to the same rules the airlines have been forced to abide by.  If the cruise line's maintenance issues cause a port cancellation, passengers should be compensated.  

They are sailing full no matter what they do!

They can shoot someone on 5th Avenue and people will still sail with them!