How long should it take??

[wingnutphl]

I sent Adam Goldstein an email regarding some serious issues on my Sovereign cruise. I was wondering how long it will take for him to get back to me.

 

I know someone will ask so here is the short version of the story. We were on the Yellowbird tour in Nassau. RCI website clearly stated participants must be 21. There were 3 17 year old kids with a chaperone and all were very drunk. The one girl told us that they paid the bar waiters on the ship to bring them drinks. We witnessed first hand the bar staff bringing them alcohol (beer, wine, frozen drinks). We brought this to the attention of the head bartender and nothing was done. Even security didn't want to do anything about it.

 

We still had a great cruise but feel that RCI didn't do their job to control the underage drinking.

[cruisenfever]

I sent Adam Goldstein an email regarding some serious issues on my Sovereign cruise. I was wondering how long it will take for him to get back to me.

 

I know someone will ask so here is the short version of the story. We were on the Yellowbird tour in Nassau. RCI website clearly stated participants must be 21. There were 3 17 year old kids with a chaperone and all were very drunk. The one girl told us that they paid the bar waiters on the ship to bring them drinks. We witnessed first hand the bar staff bringing them alcohol (beer, wine, frozen drinks). We brought this to the attention of the head bartender and nothing was done. Even security didn't want to do anything about it.

 

We still had a great cruise but feel that RCI didn't do their job to control the underage drinking.

Depending on how many other emails Mr. Goldstein's office has to attend to it could be a few days to a week.

 

Are you sure you have the correct email address?

[uksimonusa]

I sent Adam Goldstein an email regarding some serious issues on my Sovereign cruise. I was wondering how long it will take for him to get back to me.

 

I know someone will ask so here is the short version of the story. We were on the Yellowbird tour in Nassau. RCI website clearly stated participants must be 21. There were 3 17 year old kids with a chaperone and all were very drunk. The one girl told us that they paid the bar waiters on the ship to bring them drinks. We witnessed first hand the bar staff bringing them alcohol (beer, wine, frozen drinks). We brought this to the attention of the head bartender and nothing was done. Even security didn't want to do anything about it.

 

We still had a great cruise but feel that RCI didn't do their job to control the underage drinking.

 

Seems strange that RCI have a minimum age on this tour of 21, yet show a child price, albeit the same as the adult price. This must be a change as our DD came with us on this tour 4 years ago.

 

When you say that the waiters on the ship were serving drinks to underage children, do you mean on the yellowbird tour, or where they being served drinks on the Sovereign??

[wingnutphl]

It's only been a few days. I got the email address from this site so I hope it's correct.

[Gonzo70]

What type of feedback are you expecting to receive?

[wingnutphl]

Seems strange that RCI have a minimum age on this tour of 21, yet show a child price, albeit the same as the adult price. This must be a change as our DD came with us on this tour 4 years ago.

 

When you say that the waiters on the ship were serving drinks to underage children, do you mean on the yellowbird tour, or where they being served drinks on the Sovereign??

 

They were being served drinks on the Sovereign. Myself and the group I was with witnessed this at the deck party.

[wingnutphl]

What type of feedback are you expecting to receive?

 

When we were on the beach, one of the kids said that they purchased the tickets for the tour online. If the minimum age is 21, then there should be some sort of age check before the purchase is complete. My main complaint is that others besides myself reported them and nothing was done. They just walked by and did nothing. I don't want any kind of compensation, I just want RCI to acknowledge they made a mistake and correct it for future sailings.

 

If these kids had only drank a few drinks, I wouldn't have cared but they were so drunk they couldn't even walk.

[Mark_K]

When we were on the beach, one of the kids said that they purchased the tickets for the tour online. If the minimum age is 21, then there should be some sort of age check before the purchase is complete. My main complaint is that others besides myself reported them and nothing was done. They just walked by and did nothing. I don't want any kind of compensation, I just want RCI to acknowledge they made a mistake and correct it for future sailings.

 

If these kids had only drank a few drinks, I wouldn't have cared but they were so drunk they couldn't even walk.

RCI is pretty clear that shore excursions are done by independent contractors and they are only offering tickets for sale as a convenience to their passengers. I expect they would disclaim any responsibility for age checking.

[CruiseAddict74]

Is it customary to contact the CEO of a company when expressing a concern that should go to customer service?

[cruisinfanatic]

Is it customary to contact the CEO of a company when expressing a concern that should go to customer service?

Only when you are in the habit of complaining. I think I would have minded my own business unless there was an impact on me.

[whyrlygig]

Unless these were your children or you were harmed in some way, I'm not sure this is an issue for you to address any further than you did on board. JMO

[biomedbob]

What do you think the Yellowbird cruise is really all about? :mad:

[NiniB]

That's how people end up getting hurt, or worse...

When people turn the other way & say "not my business, not my problem, carry on"... :rolleyes:

I think the OP did a good thing by bringing it to the attention of the staff.. not sure the VP should be contactied via email, maybe CS would garner faster assistance... MO.. :p

[Sue L]

Out of curiosity where were the parents of these kids? Were they on the tour? Were they with them on the ship while they were drinking? My 19 year was with us to Alaska last year and if he doesn't shave for a day looks much older asked for an iced tea and he meant real iced tea but the waitress thought he meant the alcoholic drink "long Island Iced tea" and asked for his ID.

[Cruising89143]

What do you think the Yellowbird cruise is really all about? :mad:

 

But it clearly states on the RCI website that the tour is limited to those 21 and over. If these kids were indeed under the age of 21 then someone screwed up by selling them this excursion.

[Elizanessie]

Hi Dawn :D

 

Sorry to hear this happened on your recent cruise :(

 

I bet the parents (back at home) of these children would be awfully upset and angry to know how irresponsible these chaperones had been.

 

This makes sort of thing makes me mad as heck :mad:

[cruzeluver]

Since your communication was sent to the CEO, it may take awhile. It has to go through his assistant, then get forwarded to customer relations. May have been faster to go to them directly.

[Travel Angel]

If these kids had only drank a few drinks, I wouldn't have cared but they were so drunk they couldn't even walk. We still had a great cruise but feel that RCI didn't do their job to control the underage drinking.

 

Your statements are really a double edged sword... you are upset because they were able to book a tour only for guests 21 years or older where known alcoholic drinking would occur, but it is ok if they have a drink, but don't get drunk ??? This in my eyes contradicts your rationale to even write to RCCL about your concerns !

 

As far as the cruiseline bar staff serving minors, that is a no-no, but if it did not affect you or anyone in your party, I would have just turned the other cheek. I am not on a cruise to police those that are not adhering to rules nor staff that are not following policy, unless it is affecting my cruise experience.

 

Just my 2 cents.....But happy that you still found time to have a good cruise.

[cruisinisforme]

I dont think she is explaining it fully, I was on the cruise and on the tour.

 

The three kids didnt purchase those tickets, there was an adult there with them, it was one of the kids mothers and she went and purchased 4 adult tickets so they had no idea it was for kids. When they boarded the tour, in nassau the drinking age was 18 and the tour operators did question them, but the mother lied for them and said they were all 18. We know this because they kids themselves told us the story when they were in the water hanging out with us.

 

And as for how it interefered. None of those kids could hold on to their drinks, they were going up the bar and getting two at a time, the one girl in particular, as dawn said, was so drunk she couldnt even stand up. The tour operators repeatedly kept sitting this girl next to her mother and asked her to keep her there but the mother, who was also drunk, did not control her daughter. And as we went back to the ship, the girl did have be be carried, or hung on to someone she was incapable of walking by herself.

 

I think we were more suprised to find these same kids drinking at the deck party that night. Like you have all said RCCL doesnt monitor the tours, but they do supposedly monitor what happens on their ship and to see these kids drunk on the ship was shocking.

 

It wasnt just us, there were so many people on the ship who knew this particular group of kids and had complained about them also. Especially after it was brought to their attention and they continued to allow them to drink.

[ruskatab]

I dont think she is explaining it fully, I was on the cruise and on the tour.

 

The three kids didnt purchase those tickets, there was an adult there with them, it was one of the kids mothers and she went and purchased 4 adult tickets so they had no idea it was for kids. When they boarded the tour, in nassau the drinking age was 18 and the tour operators did question them, but the mother lied for them and said they were all 18. We know this because they kids themselves told us the story when they were in the water hanging out with us.

 

And as for how it interefered. None of those kids could hold on to their drinks, they were going up the bar and getting two at a time, the one girl in particular, as dawn said, was so drunk she couldnt even stand up. The tour operators repeatedly kept sitting this girl next to her mother and asked her to keep her there but the mother, who was also drunk, did not control her daughter. And as we went back to the ship, the girl did have be be carried, or hung on to someone she was incapable of walking by herself.

 

I think we were more suprised to find these same kids drinking at the deck party that night. Like you have all said RCCL doesnt monitor the tours, but they do supposedly monitor what happens on their ship and to see these kids drunk on the ship was shocking.

 

It wasnt just us, there were so many people on the ship who knew this particular group of kids and had complained about them also. Especially after it was brought to their attention and they continued to allow them to drink.

 

Wow! What kind of mother lets her daughter get totally wasted on a cruise or an excursion and then gets drunk herself and isnt there to take care of her daughter. There is no way I would let my kids get drunk on a ship. I wouldnt want one of my kids be a statistic on Cruisejunkie. Shame on RC too for not doing anything about it like firing the bar tenders who served the minors alcohol.

[Cruise_Couple]

Unless these were your children or you were harmed in some way, I'm not sure this is an issue for you to address any further than you did on board. JMO

 

I think the OP stated she did bring it to the attention of the on board staff and nothing was done to stop the situation. It is very proper to bring the complaint / notification up the chain. My guess is that her rationale was that if it got to a VP it would then get back down to the ship's captain in way of a policy reminder for the crew.

[Mark_K]

I dont think she is explaining it fully, I was on the cruise and on the tour.

 

The three kids didnt purchase those tickets, there was an adult there with them, it was one of the kids mothers and she went and purchased 4 adult tickets so they had no idea it was for kids. When they boarded the tour, in nassau the drinking age was 18 and the tour operators did question them, but the mother lied for them and said they were all 18. We know this because they kids themselves told us the story when they were in the water hanging out with us.

 

And as for how it interefered. None of those kids could hold on to their drinks, they were going up the bar and getting two at a time, the one girl in particular, as dawn said, was so drunk she couldnt even stand up. The tour operators repeatedly kept sitting this girl next to her mother and asked her to keep her there but the mother, who was also drunk, did not control her daughter. And as we went back to the ship, the girl did have be be carried, or hung on to someone she was incapable of walking by herself.

 

I think we were more suprised to find these same kids drinking at the deck party that night. Like you have all said RCCL doesnt monitor the tours, but they do supposedly monitor what happens on their ship and to see these kids drunk on the ship was shocking.

 

It wasnt just us, there were so many people on the ship who knew this particular group of kids and had complained about them also. Especially after it was brought to their attention and they continued to allow them to drink.

If the mother bought adult tickets for them, then lied so they could get on the boat and drink themselves into oblivion, I wouldn't be surprised if she was the purchaser of their drinks on the ship.

[CRUIZINMOMMANJ]

Although it is a serious event - I dont think he would respond to that email for legal reasons - your better off going thru customer service people and lettting them know it happened - but dont expect something to come back in detail - it will be a general response explaining "how sorry they are that you experienced....."

[realtreebar]

Just keep in mind what happened to the last RCCL complainer! and to think you went outside the chain of command and right to the top hope you don't get banned too! to bad you could not have went to police when you got off yellow bird. or to security to turn in the mother for buying the alcahol I just do not understand rccl position unless they just thought you were being a busy body(no offense) and did not see any reason to report it because it was such a short trip and you all would be leaving the ship soon any way!!!

[RCCLRULES]

I just saw someone run a red light yesterday so I am writing a letter to the governer to do something about it.