alamode123

Our cruise is stopping at Cococay next March 13th. The "perfect day at Cococay" stuff open in May. 

The dock will be ready by then and the helium balloon. What's going on with cabanas (I rented one) and other amenities? Won't half the place be off limits due to construction?

Just now, michelle said:

 I can cancel, reprice and rebook
All day long if you need me too

HAPPY Weekend people

Can you do that with twin 15 year old girls?

51 minutes ago, coneyraven said:

This absolutely made my day ...... So glad I work with MEI (Michelle in my case) ----

The girls will come around ..... encourage them to watch YouTube videos of the ship and your destinations, that'll get them ramped up.

Mark

 

 

I'm sure they will. How I got them hyped up for the Navigator was i found a Minecraft server where someone rebuilt the ship. They were roaming around, and even found our room.

34 minutes ago, Matt said:

Really glad to hear you got all this sorted out, and even happier to hear that MEI Travel came through for you with some TA magic!

Same here. Too bad it's one cruise away from your group cruise. 

They already have my new cruise in the system, so booked ultimate dining package, Coco cay cabana and soda/internet for the girls. Im sure the drink package cost will drop.

3 hours ago, AnnetteJackson said:

We are so glad that we could jump in and try to help you out.  It does take some time to talk to all areas at the cruise line, and sometimes it doesn't work out this well, but so glad we could  could help keep your spring break plans in place.  Im sure once the kids see the new ship and the changes they will be excited and then all the new changes on Cocoa Cay. 

I know many times people will ask Matt or our agents, "why should I use a Travel Agent"  its these situations where you need a few other people in your corner to fight for you - and we are happy to do that for all our clients.

Thanks again Annette (and Sharla). Couldn't be happier. Thanks for the over the top help.

1 hour ago, twangster said:

As I've thought about this and in particular your last sentence in reference to your daughters accepting this:

I can safely predict that won't be an issue.  

You have displayed great patience and resolve as this has played out.  Sure at moments it has gotten to you, and how couldn't it?  In the end you let it play out, maintained faith in Sharla and MEI Travel and worked towards a resolution.  That is commendable.

Our children watch and learn from us in subtle ways none of us appreciate from their early years to later in life.  My kids have endured flat tires, locked up brake calipers, hotels that didn't come close to the brochure, flights delays, lost luggage, pets pass and so on.  It didn't take me long to learn that their reaction mirrored my own during life's challenging moments.

This is a process for them too but I'm confident you will find they handle it with as much grace as you have despite how frustrating it has been.    After all, they learned that from you.  

 

Twin 15-year-old girls are always a challenge, especially as the only parent 24/7. I totally saw their point. Why on earth would you give a company your money when they just screwed you over? If I could change our flights without penalty I would have done just that. But in the end, we'll be getting off the Mariner when Matt's group cruise is getting on. 

For those of you on that group cruise next March, make sure you ask at the Bamboo Room about Paul from Toronto from the cruise before you. I'm a tiki nut, so I'll be in there whenever I'm not eating or sleeping.

Also, thanks for everyone's kind words.

Sharla and Annette at MEI have gone above and beyond and have gotten a vacation that at least I am happy with and at no extra cost to me. My daughters need some convincing, but I have 8 months to do so.

7 minutes ago, Matt said:

I'd add a few other options to consider.  I do agree that's a lot more money and I'd probably balk at it too.

1. Have you looked into two back to back cruises on shorter sailings? Like whatever ship(s) are doing the 3 and 4 nighters to the Bahamas?
2. Perhaps doing a shorter cruise out of Port Canaveral and then spending a few days in WDW before or after so it's still the same amount of vacation time.

I forgot which airline you booked, but in my experience non-refundable airfare means you will get hit with a change fee if you cancel, but at the end of the day, you'll get some credit for a future flight (as opposed to skipping the flight all together).  It's not ideal, but if the other options are just going to be too pricey, then you might be best off taking the hit on airfare, having some airfare credit to use later and planning a different cruise vacation when the prices line up better.

Thanks Matt, but if anyone really expects me to give one dime to Royal after this, it's not happening.

Looks like I'll change flights to end of August and go to Universal instead. We've been to WDW 8 times, are DVC members, and my daughter is Potter obsessed.

Sorry for bad mouthing Royal. I know it's your thing and all, but how do they really expect people to react? No one I know, or my kids know, will EVER cruise with them again if we can help it.

Just now, coneyraven said:

Did Royal call YOU or Sharla?  If it were you, he may not be aware of the work that's going on with Sharla ..... hoping for the best

They talked to me, then i gave her number to him.
 

Just now, Matt said:

While not a slam dunk decision, yes you will have to pay more than before, but it's still a cruise and I'm guessing still better off than letting your non-refundable airfare go.

At the end of the day, it's still a cruise and still vacation.  

They COULD do it if they chose to, they are just choosing not to. They will give me price protection on a few cruises of THEIR choice. 

The new cruise price, for one LESS day, is almost $800 US MORE than the one I booked (around $1200 Canadian).

So, my choices are, pay $1200 extra for a shorter cruise, plus the extra expense of a day in Miami, spend $1200 canadian to change flights and go somewhere elae, say screw it and lose $2000 in flights, or spend a week in Miami extremely pissed off.

Just got a call from Royal executive office, some guy named Damian. They are refusing to budge on the price. I gave him Sharla's phone number. She still has the room on hold but I have no idea how much $$$ I will have to pay for LESS cruise. Plus the extra expense of another day in Miami.

I hate this. I'm almost crying at my desk.

4 minutes ago, Matt said:

Mariner is a great choice. Glad you got that squared away!

It's not done yet, but I'm hoping for the best.

As expected, Sharla and her supervisor did their magic since my cruise cancellation, and put on hold the exact same room on Mariner. Same week, same port, just one day fewer. They are now talking with Royal to see about price matching back to when i booked my original cruise, as I shouldn't be paying more for one less day through no fault of my own.

Best case scenario it all works out, and we end up with an extra day before our cruise. Hopefully my girls will be as accepting of this result as I will be.

8 minutes ago, NS8VN said:

I wonder if Penn State had another ship chartered and for some reason it became unavailable?  That might explain the late change.  Explain, not excuse.  Ohio State does a cruise too, they have Independence chartered February 23-29, 2019, but they announce them around a year in advance.  And people absolutely pay those prices, the Ohio State one is nearly sold out.  We are considering taking one at some point, my wife is a rabid OSU fan.

Weird, seemed Penn State were distancing themselves from the Paterno name.  Guess enough time has passed, apparently.

From my many talks about this online in the past few days, a seasoned travel agent suggested it might be a company thing, like an Amway cruise for top sales people, and not for re-selling.

In the end I don't really care. It was catching lightening in a bottle planning a vacation that twin 15 year old girls were genuinely excited about. Now nothing that happens will make them happy about the result, and rightfully so.

Just now, twangster said:

Should have put a hold on it.   

I'm letting Sharla do her work.

10 hours ago, twangster said:

No need to tell me how much your original cruise fare was but the Panoramic Ocean View on the Mar. 11, 2019  sailing of Mariner is around $1,625 for a 1L cabin on deck 12 for 3 adults.

It's actually the cheapest OV category, even less than an OV Guarantee.  Cheaper than interior too.

Is this very far off your original fare?  (Granted 1 less night)

Mariner just got out of her dry dock and is getting rave reviews.  She is the same class of ship as Navigator.

Cabin 1852 is open with direct forward facing panoramic views.  It will go fast though.  

 

Perhaps Sharla can place a hold on it while you consider your options.

the same cabin today is $2466, one day later. Everyone scrambling to pick up a cruise from the one they kicked me off of.

Try pre-cruise depression. Even worse.

I'll wait and see. I have faith in Sharla and MEI. Royal, not so much.

My girls do not want to go on any cruise at any time, and I can't convince them otherwise. So it looks like we spend a week in Miami NOT going on a cruise and being miserable, or waste the airfare.

1 minute ago, JLMoran said:

Well worded letter @alamode123, and one that clearly conveys your frustrations, the poor "service" you've been offered so far, and the fact you're fine to make a deal if they'll just bend a bit for you. Hopefully you'll get a response, and it will be a lot better than a polite "take what we've offered you or go pound sand."

Hopefully my travel agent at MEI travel will do her magic.

Here's my email to RCCL customer service and the CEO:

Dear RCL;

Last August I wanted to surprise my twin 15-year-old daughters for their Grade 8 graduation and booked a 5 night Navigator of the Seas cruise out of Miami (Reservation #XXXXXX). I love researching our vacation, so I made sure and got a ship with a corner Large Panorama room, room 1864, which is oversized, on the corner of the ship, and amazing looking. 

We watched endless hours on Youtube of Miami (since we've never been), the ship (which we've never been on) and all the ports (especially Labadee, which looks amazing). Since its our March Break in Toronto, I booked the flights extra early, as soon as they were available, one day before our cruise and two days afterwards. 

Once I realized that Navigator will be coming out of drydock shortly before our cruise, we were even more excited. We watched even more Youtube videos about Mariner of the Seas' recent refurb and were hoping that the laser tag, the Skypad and the Bamboo Room would be included in our sailing. I even booked a beach bungalow and the Ultimate Dining Package, though I had to scrimp a bit more in our monthly budget.

Then yesterday, I got the news that you cancelled my cruise for a charter. Basically, from my point of view, you screwed over everyone currently booked on this and two other cruises because you had a better offer.

A 5-night cruise may not be huge to you, but I'm a widowed single father of three teenagers, and every dollar counts. I can't change the dates of our cruise to the options you gave me, since it's March break, and my girls will be out of school. I can't change my flights and go somewhere else, as the cancellation fees alone are $200/person/flight, and you'll only pay that if we rebook. Plus, because it's March Break, every flight has doubled in price, as have every cruise.

So I have two extremely pissed off teenagers and around $2000 of flights I can't change. And you're offering me $100 onboard credit? Really? 

What I would like, if at all possible, is for you to book us on the March 11, 2019 Mariner of the Seas cruise at the rate it was when I booked Navigator last August. It would be one less day of cruising, but I think it's the best I can do under the situation YOU created. Plus, I think my daughters and I deserve an actual apology for all the hardship you've created. Again, it's not a life or death situation, but I scrimp and save in order to afford vacations, and I shouldn't have them add stress to my life and expenses I wasn't planning on. My daughters shouldn't be crying and I shouldn't lose a night's sleep because RCL wanted a few extra dollars at the expense of their customers.


I await your prompt response.

Paul Cyopick

59 minutes ago, Boston Babe said:

Please don't be sorry about your rant.  I've been reading all your information and the fact that you and your daughters have been looking forward to this for so long, saving your money, and looking forward to a wonderful family vacation.  I will pray that they do the right thing for you and get you on Mariner at a nice area of the ship.  This is just so awful.

I'm Canadian and therefore obligated to apologize for everything.

 

26 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

@alamode123 This post has prompted me to look back at something a I saw a month ago.  I had to look around for it as I could not remember where I saw it.  Credit goes to a RCBlog Insider who posted the original photo.  Anyway, sorry for the delayed reply but an Oasis sailing for next year was cancelled back in June.  This was the message that was sent out:

Notice where is says "Your original stateroom category will be price protected".  I remember thinking at the time that was quite reasonable and fair.  Maybe this could be your point of argument right here.  If they can do it for one cancelled sailing, maybe they could do it for yours too if you bring it the the right person's attention.  Again, sorry for being late on this post.  It was a busy morning....

Similar to this email, RCL is only willing to price protect a few sailings of their choice, none of which are during the same week from the same port.

16 minutes ago, Matt said:

I think we all can sympathize with you, as I'm sure any of us would be upset if the cruise vacation we booked ended up getting cancelled because of something like this.  

At the same time, I think after the initial shock and anger subsides, you will hopefully be able to get on another sailing and accept the change and more than likely have a great time on that sailing. 

I hope you are able to book something again soon and can focus on the great time you will have on that sailing. 

All I want is something fair. There's a 4 night mariner of the Seas cruise the same week out of Miami, leaving a day later than our original. From what I see looking online, they are extremely similar ships. The only change, other than one less night, is Cocoa cay stop rather than Labadee. Since we've never been to either, it's a wash.

If RCL can give me the same retroactive price when I booked originally I'd be happy. I wouldn't have to change flights, and we'd have an extra day in Miami. At the current price, I wouldn't even get an inside cabin.

Oh trust me, I'm doing more than writing. If we do end up going to Miami as planned, isn't RCL's head office there?

Sorry for the rant. I'm hoping RCL will get us on the Mariner of the Seas from Mon March 11th to March 15th as the same rate as when i booked the original cruise a year ago.

I'd rather not give RCL any of my money, but it's that or spend more o$1200 to switch flights, plus increase flight costs.

Funny thing is my only other RCL cruise was a charter. A Comic Con like cruise on Brilliance two years ago.

To me, it's like renting a hall for a wedding. You book over a year ahead, then the hall says eight months before your wedding "We found someone that's willing to pay more, here's your money back."

I booked this last August, early, like Matt said. I booked m,y airline early, a day before our cruise and two days after. because it was March break, I didn't even risk waiting until the return flights were available and booked two one way tickets for us 11 months out. Now I have to use my flights by mid April 2019 or lose the $2000 US I paid for them (around $2600 Canadian).

A five day cruise may not seem like a big deal to you, but I'm a widowed father of three teenagers. I saved up almost two years for this trip, and had EVERYTHING set. Room 1864 on the Navigator, the pie shaped Large Panoramic View room. It was a month after the Navigator's refurb. I had a bungalow booked on Labadee, our first time there. I booked the Ultimate Dining package. We watched endless hours of Youtube videos all about the ship, the ports, Miami and now ..... screwed.

And their offer for the inconvenience? two sailings of THEIR choice that they will give me the price fix from when I booked. I have kids in high school. Ever heard of March break? Otherwise I get $100 on board credit for a new cruise, and rescheduling fees for my flights (but ONLY if I rebook, and it doesn't include increases in flight costs). Screw that. The ONLY way I could see them salvaging this is to say "We'll put you on ANY ship that week out of Miami or Ft lauderdale in an equivalent cabin, no extra cost. $100? Gee thanks but no thanks.