Complaints contact for Royal?

[Hawkeyetwo]

Hi, does anyone know any complaints details for Royal? I am getting nowhere with the general customer service line/email and cannot find a complaints email or number to call. 

One of the cabins booked with our party can no longer go on the cruise as she fell pregnant unexpectedly and the baby will only be a few weeks old at the time of the cruise booked. According to Royals own policy, babies need to be at least 6 months old to travel on board and obviously a newborn cannot be left alone. We have provided a medical certificate to advise about the pregnancy and we keep having such a runaround with it. One person will say we are entitled to a refund for the deposit paid for the cabin and then another will say no we can’t. We’ve tried to just book another cruise so the deposit is not lost, however there are no equivalent cruises that are out at this point in time (cannot be international as no passport) and we need to rebook by the end of this month or forfeit the $600 for that cabin.

 

It seems ridiculous that we are being penalised for Royals own policy when we have provided all the information/documents requested, but no one seems to be helping us either with a refund or to rebook an equivalent cruise. 

[not-enough-cruising]

Complaint number or no, you aren’t going to get anywhere with this. 

You booked a cabin, you can’t use it, unfortunately that is on the party that booked or possibly a travel insurance claim. 

[c-leg5]

4 minutes ago, Hawkeyetwo said:

Hi, does anyone know any complaints details for Royal? I am getting nowhere with the general customer service line/email and cannot find a complaints email or number to call. 

One of the cabins booked with our party can no longer go on the cruise as she fell pregnant unexpectedly and the baby will only be a few weeks old at the time of the cruise booked. According to Royals own policy, babies need to be at least 6 months old to travel on board and obviously a newborn cannot be left alone. We have provided a medical certificate to advise about the pregnancy and we keep having such a runaround with it. One person will say we are entitled to a refund for the deposit paid for the cabin and then another will say no we can’t. We’ve tried to just book another cruise so the deposit is not lost, however there are no equivalent cruises that are out at this point in time (cannot be international as no passport) and we need to rebook by the end of this month or forfeit the $600 for that cabin.

 

It seems ridiculous that we are being penalised for Royals own policy when we have provided all the information/documents requested, but no one seems to be helping us either with a refund or to rebook an equivalent cruise. 

Is it just one cabin you are trying to rebook? Do they have a refundable deposit fare? Do they have insurance?

[smokeybandit]

RC isn't doing anything wrong here.

[LeeW]

Note that OP is in Australia.

 

In the US there are two kinds of bookings, refundable and non-refundable.  Assuming you are before your final payment date, a refundable deposit would be returned when you cancelled the room for any reason.  Non-refundable would not.  Once you hit the final payment date and have fully paid then any cruise is non-refundable, the penalty for cancelling increases up to the full amount of the cruise.  In the past some folks have been able to move the deposit to a different cruise.  I don't know the rules for Australia.

 

Contact whoever you booked your cruise.  If booked with a refundable deposit you should get your money back (prior to the final payment date).  If non-refundable, ask them to move the deposit to another cruise - and it doesn't have to be a similar cruise.  If this doesn't work the next option is to file with your insurance company for the loss (assuming you have insurance).

[mjkacmom]

Sounds like an insurance issue.

[jean87510]

36 minutes ago, Hawkeyetwo said:

Hi, does anyone know any complaints details for Royal? I am getting nowhere with the general customer service line/email and cannot find a complaints email or number to call. 

One of the cabins booked with our party can no longer go on the cruise as she fell pregnant unexpectedly and the baby will only be a few weeks old at the time of the cruise booked. According to Royals own policy, babies need to be at least 6 months old to travel on board and obviously a newborn cannot be left alone. We have provided a medical certificate to advise about the pregnancy and we keep having such a runaround with it. One person will say we are entitled to a refund for the deposit paid for the cabin and then another will say no we can’t. We’ve tried to just book another cruise so the deposit is not lost, however there are no equivalent cruises that are out at this point in time (cannot be international as no passport) and we need to rebook by the end of this month or forfeit the $600 for that cabin.

 

It seems ridiculous that we are being penalised for Royals own policy when we have provided all the information/documents requested, but no one seems to be helping us either with a refund or to rebook an equivalent cruise. 

If you have a non refundable deposit, that's pretty much what that means.  Either forfeit the $600 or move the cruise which may be more expensive if everyone is going to change their plans.  If just the mother and her cabin mate want to move their booking, that may be the cheapest option.  The cruise they move to can be a 3 day or a 14 day or whatever.  Also, a passport may be helpful to get while waiting to cruise as more options.

[Sunshine3601]

40 minutes ago, Hawkeyetwo said:

Hi, does anyone know any complaints details for Royal? I am getting nowhere with the general customer service line/email and cannot find a complaints email or number to call. 

One of the cabins booked with our party can no longer go on the cruise as she fell pregnant unexpectedly and the baby will only be a few weeks old at the time of the cruise booked. According to Royals own policy, babies need to be at least 6 months old to travel on board and obviously a newborn cannot be left alone. We have provided a medical certificate to advise about the pregnancy and we keep having such a runaround with it. One person will say we are entitled to a refund for the deposit paid for the cabin and then another will say no we can’t. We’ve tried to just book another cruise so the deposit is not lost, however there are no equivalent cruises that are out at this point in time (cannot be international as no passport) and we need to rebook by the end of this month or forfeit the $600 for that cabin.

 

It seems ridiculous that we are being penalised for Royals own policy when we have provided all the information/documents requested, but no one seems to be helping us either with a refund or to rebook an equivalent cruise. 

Try to email the CEO, Michael Bayley's email is mbayley@rccl.com     

He has assistants that check his email and help with resolutions.   Due to time differences it may take a day or two before you get a response.   Good luck!

 

I hope Mom and future baby are doing well.    Congratulations!

[Tree_skier]

Sadly for you, I think you are out of luck. Try the email that @Sunshine3601 offered but beyond that you are out the deposit.  

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Hawkeyetwo said:

It seems ridiculous that we are being penalised for Royals own policy when we have provided all the information/documents requested, but no one seems to be helping us either with a refund or to rebook an equivalent cruise. 

Welcome to CC.

You have all the way till final payment to try to move to another sailing. Try the email suggested above first.

[Fouremco]

RCI's cancellation policy is quite clear on the conditions under which a deposit refund will be made. There are many different reasons passengers choose to or need to cancel, some very sad, but the policy conditions must be met. This is one of the reasons that cruise lines and insurance companies sell travel insurance, to cover off these unforeseen circumstances.

 

 

[skittl1321]

On 11/12/2023 at 5:09 PM, Hawkeyetwo said:

(cannot be international as no passport)

 

Can you get a passport? This doesn't seem to be royal's problem; as they are offering plenty of cruises that they are letting you rebook to, you are the one limiting it.

 

What about requesting a guest change and substituting someone out in the place of the new Mom? 

 

Otherwise, it sounds like the deposit is lost. That was the condition of the cruise.  Possibly check with your trip insurance if this is covered under their conditions.  

[silversneakers]

On 11/12/2023 at 6:52 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

Try to email the CEO, Michael Bayley's email is mbayley@rccl.com     

He has assistants that check his email and help with resolutions.   Due to time differences it may take a day or two before you get a response.   Good luck!

 

I hope Mom and future baby are doing well.    Congratulations!

I've had to go that route in the past and you do get a staff response so I would definitely give that a try!

Good luck.

[SoloAlaska]

We are looking at a similar potential issue but in no way if someone gets pregnant is it Royals fault. Everyone on our trip is well aware there is a 10 month period in which they would be too pregnant or have too young of a child to safely travel on a cruise. Ok my cousins didn’t understand it clearly but we made sure it was clear to them since 2 of them are trying to get pregnant and we have an upcoming big family trip. We have the choice of change to a different cruise or they can claim on travel insurance or forfeit the deposit for one room or find someone else who wants to go in their place.

 

Also keep in mind in some cultures like in the US moms are expected back to work when the baby is 3 months. The concept that mom is attached to the baby isn’t the same everywhere.