em.down.the.rabbit.hole

@Scoular not sure what the issue is (but a little worried now)...check out the Travel advise on .gov.uk for Italy entry requirements: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements It states that British are allowed in for 36hrs or shorter, if travelling on private methods, without isolating etc... I had my back2back cruise on Anthem cancelled a few weeks back (whilst onboard), and the customer relations person has just booked me on Harmony out of Barcelona on 24th October. Not heard anything about British being cancelled off and would like to think customer relations would know more than other departments. Fingers crossed. I know that you can't book through the US website for Harmony out of Spain atm...maybe it has something to do with US passengers onboard...? Also, if you don't step foot on land inside the borders of a country then you don't have to declare that country on any passenger forms you need to fill out when returning to the UK.

I'm not long off Anthem and no reservations required for gym, just for classes (but plenty of spaces). Not all classes were on the planner though, only found out about other spin classes through instructors in the gym. If in doubt, when you arrive in the embarkation terminal, log into the app using ship WiFi and check out the gym (if reservations required it will highlight the reservation button). Oh and an additional tip - you can also do the e-muster in the terminal too whilst you're waiting to board.

The key is back on all my upcoming cruises, the next is in 5 weeks on Jewel. I'll keep an eye out to see if it runs and Report back (as it wasn't happening on Anthem a few weeks ago).

I had these issues earlier this summer whilst trying to checkin for Anthem. I started on the website, then swapped to the App, then back to the website. Each time you go back and forth you can progress further. Very buggy, but haven't had issues when checking in for Jewel or Harmony. Could possibly be the point in time you're doing it and how many other passengers are trying to check in at the same time - Royal's systems may have bandwidth/port issues beyond which connectivity slows.

Have you come across the scenario where you filled out the online form to receive a 125% OBC on a cancelled cruise, they then fail to do anything with it, and the next thing you know you have 100% refunded back to my card. When you ring them up, all you get is "nothing we can do, it's been refunded" and "OBC form not showing on your account, therefore it doesn't exist, and nothing I can do". When you push them for about 15mins of the same thing being said on repeat they finally relent and say all you can "try" is the customer service email. The email either doesn't reply or when it does it says the same as above. For me these mistakes total up across loads of cruises to be well in excess of $500 worth of mistakes, and when you consider the prices on planner items keep going up and up ... Royal can be accused of making mistakes to cash in. My main issue with Royal tbh I'd the lack of escalation routes, process and management and the lack of ability to resolve issues...customers of a billion dollar company being left at the side of the road because the multi billion dollar company hasn't invested in modern business practices and are stuck in the circa 1980's at best.

From my understanding Royal doesn't...I keep track on a very long list in a spreadsheet (even tracking expected amounts on FCC and OBC being issued, although best of luck if they get these wrong (especially OBC) as there standard response is tough and Royal has no discernable escalation processes in place so customers are therefore abandoned at this point by Royal). I'm owed over $500 in mistakes on OBC and no hope in getting these and no escalation route to resolve it either. Also, keep a record of any price drops as the jiggery pokery that they do to put this through on the invoices is sometimes questionable. Always keep screenshots of payments made (ensuring the amount is shown on screen and that payment was made successfully, even if 2 screenshots are taken). Especially if applying FCC as Royal love to tell you that this figure includes cruise planner items! And with the potential for price drop invoices being issued after final payment and the balance then becoming OBC - good luck! I think Royal needs to issue a blanket $1000+ bonus to every TA and directly booked customer to compensate for all their hard work navigating this cumbersome process, working out and tracking inaccuracies on Royals behalf! I say bonus but really it's compensation to help shore up loyalty for the badly managed mistakes.

Fingers crossed ?...what did you bid on?

I'm flying in from the UK for this cyprus cruise, which Royal included in the cruise fare ?. I had to ring to check as they don't stipulate it anywhere, but, transfers between airport and port (and return) are included with the included flights from the UK. I don't know about people travelling from other countries.

Do let me know what it's like pls ... I'm doing this cruise in 48 days. Did you fly out on one of the private charter flights? I'm on one from Manchester and a little shaky about flying in on the same day of sailing. How did you find it? Have a fab cruise and enjoy all the yummy food, sun ?, and fun.

I've got my fingers crossed for you...wondering if they are cancelling the last two 5 night cruises in UK...if the new rules coming out are true...apparently cruise ships that embarked from an international port will not be allowed to sail out of US ports for 14 days upon 1st arriving...

"Finally" ? ? ? ... Still going on...customer relations team have said "you can either have the funds transferred to a new booking (and I can "try" to get the kids FCC applied to a booking just for me) or refund me (but not at the 125% FCCs that were applied, but at the 100%). They don't seem to understand that taking the 25% is punishing me for their multiple mistakes. Customer Relations no better than normal customer service (which is really bad at Royal ... as bad as a budget airline if not worse)...I had to practically plead before they said they would ask management about compensation. The head of guest services on Anthem was offering to transfer the 6 night cancelled cruise for me and 2 kids to another cruise (longer in length) and transfer all packages we had booked, at no extra charge. But the kids didn't have the time to come and I have a day job to get back to. The shore team transfer funds & pay difference or refund at reduced rate ... I am fuming. Not to mention I had that 2nd week of work booked off and when you're a contractor, you only get paid when you work ... Royal has literally cost me thousands of pounds (and they want to charge me thousands to rebook ar all the higher prices). It's been 2 weeks and still not resolved ... talking to them tomorrow ... if they dare say they are not offering any reparations I don't know what I'm going to do...except cancel £15,000+ of upcoming cruises! Will let you know that the outcome when there is one ???

Hurricane dorien in 2019 saw the Allure extend from a 7 night cruise to 11 nights. During this time RCI cancelled our last port because it was the Bahamas (in the path of the Hurricane) and added 2 new ports (Honduras & Cozumel). Most of the Americans onboard jumped ship at the 1st available opportunity whilst us brits lapped up the extra days inboard. Everything was comped - the extra days, ports etc... whatever drinks/Internet/dining packages we had were just extended free of charge. I would imagine if you needed laundry doing then you may just need to ask. On Allure (as it hid behind Cuba waiting for the florida ports to re-open) they started to offer the remaining nights for the next cruise at ridiculously knocked down prices (royal suites for mere hundreds of dollars). Oh, and we got 4 extra crown and anchor points without having to ask ... happened automatically.

If you have youngsters that are given the same CAS status as you (say ?) ... when you get the 4 drinks coupons each day - does the kid/teenager also get the coupons loaded to their seapass card? I know they're not allowed to drink drink but they love the hot chocolates, vitality cafe smoothies, and the odd mocktail.

I filled out the forms for OBC at 125% and everytime Royal refunded, said there nothing on the account about 125% OBC, and said there's nothing they could do. Kept saying they'd refunded the cancelled items, as if this was correct and sorted everything. Across multiple cancelled cruises I'm out of pocket $100's. I'm fuming as a lot of the time the new cruises don't give as good rates on planner items and I should have had extra $ to compensate for that. So, truly out of pocket and sick and tired of Royal implying it's my problem as they have no record of the OBC request. My thoughts are that you are going to get nowhere fast with OBC...I feel sorry for you and everyone else Royal has messed about.

There's clearly going to be a 5 night sailing on Anthem between 20th-25th October... but not showing on the booking system. Probably because in the app it shows as the 10night TA. If it didn't take so long to get through to RCCL on the phones, I might have rung them to let them know ?.

Does anyone know about the TA for Anthem? 20th Oct cancelled? A different date later on?

We booked this as soon as they re-debuted the itineraries. We were originally booked on the 2 week sailings on the same dates, but they only re-debuted with week long itineries, hence the back2back.

Small progress - thought I'd share as it's an elusive Telephone number for RCL (really shouldn't be) - Customer Relations team in UK - 01932 834 119 (although they still make it difficult to get through to a team member when you ring up - it's like they are vetting your suitability for their team. Royal's whole approach to cust srv is worse than a budget airline!) Still waiting for Laurie Jean to ring me back k - apparently on a workers tea break atm ?

I've rung the main customer service number and was told that Laurie-Jean has been trying to get hold of me ... but ... when they checked my contact details they had my email address correct but the phone number was incorrect (my emergency contact's number had replaced my number ?). However my emergency contact has not received a call and I have had no email‽ I'm giving Laurie-Jean another hour or so (just she is US based) before I go a hunting!!! God help them if I have to hunt. I have a drafted email for Michael Bayley waiting to go, hanging fire to give the resolution team a chance to sort. Will post updates as and when I have any...thanks again to everyone for your help and support...?

Might need luck... no one from Royal has reached out yet. Constructing a carefully worded email to Michael Bayley, as can't get hold of them via phone atm...

Facebook and email Michael Bayley ... on it both and will let you know how I get on. I've got my fingers crossed that the head of guest services succeeds in getting the cruise fare refunded as an onboard credit for my other cruises (I use the spa a lot, spoil the kids, and I'm taking my brother onboard for his 40th and he he likes a drink)...also wanting that to be a 125% refunded credit! Again, I'll let you know how things develop.

I booked direct with RCI, so their booking line team doesn't know about it.

I'd like to say thanks to everyone's comment and help ... it helps. So THANK-YOU. I also hope this helps other cruisers that may find themselves in the same boat

I booked direct with RCI, so their booking line team doesn't know about it.

Thanks for the name bomb ... do you have an email address for this John Heald and his team please?