NEVER EVER NEVER AGAIN

[NeverAgain]

Let me explain that I have never been on an RC cruise. I have had both of my scheduled cruises in the past two years involuntarily canceld because of circumstances beyond RC's control. I do not blame them for that. What I do blame them for is the absolutely ridiculous and flat out horrific customer service that they provide when you call them. It is so beyond bad, that I am amazed that they are still in business. Honestly, it is that bad. Consider these facts:

* I received a future cruise credit from my first canceled cruise in 2019

* I used that cruise credit to book another cruise in 2020 which was also subsequently canceled
 

* When I booked the 2020 cruise, my 2019 cruise credit covered the entire fare except port taxes, fees and a $1.00 fee per person (more on that in a minute) which I paid with a debit card. I still had $177 left on my 2019 cruise credit.
 

*Anyone who had a cruise canceled because of the Coronavirus received the email from the President of RCC laying out the options. One of the options was receiving a 125% future cruise credit,which I decided upon choosing.
 

*Lo and behold I get my 2020 future cruise credit and it is the same amount as the fare I paid. Not 125%. Honest mistake. I call RC. Here is where the fun begins.
 

* I call three times and wait a total of 5 hours and 46 minutes. No lie. No joke. I speak with 5 different representatives, all of which give me completely different answers and none of them can figure out why my FCC is the same as my fare. Until the last representative: who tells me this:

*A future cruise credit is a credit applied to a fare. When it covers the entire fare, RCC charges $1.00 per person to make up the fare. So in essence, my fare was $2.00 and the 125% was based on my $2.00 fare. Are you kidding me? What about the fact that I paid for my fare back in 2019 and that money was just applied to the 2020 cruise??? Nope. Sorry. That's the way we do it he says. So I lose my mind ansd ask for a manager. I am told that they are in a meeting. They take my info and say a manager will call me back in the morning. That was two weeks ago. No call, no manager. And oh by the way. My $177 credit from my 2019 cruise is now null and void because I can't use it.
 

What an absolute scam. This company is an international joke and will never ever ever get a single dollar, other than the ones they already scammed me out of, from me. 
 

The absolute worst - 

[Mike.s]

Sorry to hear of your experience with RC, I'd like to think they're not our to scam us and the FCC detail is probably part of the T&C that we all agree to without ever reading.

My own recent experience with their contact centre was surprising good, I called them mid morn from the UK, got through to a representative in under 5 minute who was able to answer my question. Now I like many are waiting for refunds etc. and will probably be pulling my hair out at the end of the month screaming where's my money, but based on my last call I was pleasantly surprised.

[marti314]

I do not find this to be helpful, I do not find RCL to be anywhere near a scam or an international Joke but love the fact you create an Alias with the same name as your topic title.  #Clever

[NeverAgain]

1 minute ago, marti314 said:

I do not find this to be helpful, I do not find RCL to be anywhere near a scam or an international Joke but love the fact you create an Alias with the same name as your topic title.  #Clever

I didn't post it to be helpful, I posted it because this was my experience - and it was a horrible one. I am glad you experiences have been better, but going forward  I will choose to spend my vacation dollars somewhere else. 

[Neesa]

Welcome to the forum, I absolutely feel your anger. But you reached out, that's good. Craft an non emotional email to the CEO Michael Bailey. He has staff that answer for him, mbailey@ rccl.com I do not believe they would condone or support these actions, but if they are unaware they should know this is happening. 

Explain your situation not the awful experience as your intended result is to be made whole, you can complain about the (ahem) questionable customer service separately (we here all have experienced the same hold times and odd if not always different answers) 

And finally once this is corrected connect with your preferred travel agent, we all here like MEI travel and I promise you they will take the BEST care of You! 

I wish you well, many of us here have a situation too, but I do have MEI in my corner so I am not where you are, YET. 

Good luck, please I hope to see you on a future sailing. Stay safe and healthy.

[NeverAgain]

14 minutes ago, Neesa said:

Welcome to the forum, I absolutely feel your anger. But you reached out, that's good. Craft an non emotional email to the CEO Michael Bailey. He has staff that answer for him, mbailey@ rccl.com I do not believe they would condone or support these actions, but if they are unaware they should know this is happening. 

Explain your situation not the awful experience as your intended result is to be made whole, you can complain about the (ahem) questionable customer service separately (we here all have experienced the same hold times and odd if not always different answers) 

And finally once this is corrected connect with your preferred travel agent, we all here like MEI travel and I promise you they will take the BEST care of You! 

I wish you well, many of us here have a situation too, but I do have MEI in my corner so I am not where you are, YET. 

Good luck, please I hope to see you on a future sailing. Stay safe and healthy.

Thank you for the sound advice - I will do just that

[Bean79]

Always pay with a credit card that way you can dispute it.

[sk8erguy1978]

14 minutes ago, Bean79 said:

Always pay with a credit card that way you can dispute it.

I am so anti-debit card just from the fact it exposes your checking account. You're at the banks mercy to release funds that might be tied up due to fraudulent activity. 

[NeverAgain]

1 hour ago, Bean79 said:

Always pay with a credit card that way you can dispute it.

Agreed, the initial payment was in 2019 though. Not sure I would have had much recourse a year later but I hear you

[twangster]

Have you requsted the original FCC be re-issued?

[Dad2Cue]

6 hours ago, NeverAgain said:

*A future cruise credit is a credit applied to a fare. When it covers the entire fare, RCC charges $1.00 per person to make up the fare. So in essence, my fare was $2.00 and the 125% was based on my $2.00 fare. Are you kidding me? What about the fact that I paid for my fare back in 2019 and that money was just applied to the 2020 cruise??? Nope. Sorry. That's the way we do it he says. So I lose my mind and ask for a manager. I am told that they are in a meeting. They take my info and say a manager will call me back in the morning. That was two weeks ago. No call, no manager. And oh by the way. My $177 credit from my 2019 cruise is now null and void because I can't use it.

Since your 2020 cruise was cancelled, didn't they reissue the FCC from 2019?   Isn't the reissued FCC for the 2020 cruise good for at least another year if not the end of 2021?  

I'm not in your situation yet but it does concern me somewhat for another reason.  My cruise was cancelled back in April ... actually I cancelled it but RC cancelled the cruise a few days later.  In any case, I received an 100% FCC for the April cruise.  That part was good because I applied the credit to a cruise that was already booked for Nov 2020 --- now paid in full.  What worries me is the receipt only shows that the cruise fare was reduced to $100 per person plus taxes and fees.  Nothing shows that it was reduced by the FCC.  My concern is ... what if the cruise in Nov is cancelled or we decide not to go.  Will our refund or FCC only be $200???  

I'm just hoping that the Nov cruise happens and I "never again" get a FCC.  I still like Royal and I think their customer service is relatively good.  I  agree that it gets confusing at times when you get different explanations from different reps.

Hopefully, I haven't confused anyone.

[Andrew72681]

@Matt put together a very comprehensive article when the cancelations started relating to what the procedures were and what would happen.  While not ideal it’s precisely the way you described. The enhanced FCC should have been for $2.50 and the initial cruise credit still remains under the original confirmation number having become active again. 
 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/03/16/royal-caribbean-future-cruise-credit-what-you-need-know

 

What if I used a Future Cruise Credit to pay for a now canceled cruise?

If you used a Future Cruise Certificate on a cancelled sailing, you will receive a new Future Cruise Certificate.

This will be for 125% of any new monetary funds paid on this sailing, plus the reactivated value of your original certificate at 100% of its worth, with an expiration date of December 31st, 2021 and a sail by date of April 30th, 2022.

[NeverAgain]

13 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

@Matt put together a very comprehensive article when the cancelations started relating to what the procedures were and what would happen.  While not ideal it’s precisely the way you described. The enhanced FCC should have been for $2.50 and the initial cruise credit still remains under the original confirmation number having become active again. 
 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/03/16/royal-caribbean-future-cruise-credit-what-you-need-know

 

What if I used a Future Cruise Credit to pay for a now canceled cruise?

If you used a Future Cruise Certificate on a cancelled sailing, you will receive a new Future Cruise Certificate.

This will be for 125% of any new monetary funds paid on this sailing, plus the reactivated value of your original certificate at 100% of its worth, with an expiration date of December 31st, 2021 and a sail by date of April 30th, 2022.

Yes- but RCCL is not honoring this at all

[Andrew72681]

19 minutes ago, NeverAgain said:

Yes- but RCCL is not honoring this at all

Have you had your travel agent call to apply your original future cruise credit to a new sailing? 

[WAAAYTOOO]

I am not certain that I understand the concern, but it seems to me that the OP was expecting a 125% return on the original FCC, that would have been reissued after cruise #2 was cancelled.  The 125% was never advertised or expected to apply to any FCC...only to any additional cash paid.  Unless I am misunderstanding something (entirely possible), it sounds to me like Royal handled everything exactly the way they should have.

[NeverAgain]

9 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I am not certain that I understand the concern, but it seems to me that the OP was expecting a 125% return on the original FCC, that would have been reissued after cruise #2 was cancelled.  The 125% was never advertised or expected to apply to any FCC...only to any additional cash paid.  Unless I am misunderstanding something (entirely possible), it sounds to me like Royal handled everything exactly the way they should have.

The cash was paid in 2019. They didn’t just hand me a FCC. It was a credit based on a fare I PAID for that was canceled. No different if they took the money I paid and applied it to the 2020 cruise. Fact is I paid the $1300. Instead of giving it back to me they issued a FCC. When the second cruise was canceled, they are arguing I only paid $2. No I did not - I paid $1302. Get it? 

[Pooch]

So are you not getting a FCC reinstated from the 2019 cruise?  And why was that cruise cancelled?

[NeverAgain]

4 minutes ago, Pooch said:

So are you not getting a FCC reinstated from the 2019 cruise?  And why was that cruise cancelled?

Nope. Hurricane canceled it. 

[Ampurp85]

@NeverAgain Once you take an FCC it is at that value, but not in a monetary sense; a FCC is just that a future cruise credit which while having value, does not mean as in cash. As soon as you get an FCC prior to the CWC, it no longer has any cash value, really. So it would not be the $1300+ 2 paid, it would just be the $2.00. It is very different than applying cash to a new booking as FCC are not actual revenue for the new booking, they account for monies past. RCCI only has FCC or refunds, a credit on it's own would be returned to the original form of payment.

[Ampurp85]

Was there an option for a refund when your first cruise was cancelled? If there was but you opted instead to take a credit, aka a FCC, so .....????

Cruise contract states that under certain circumstances RCCI may cancel, change itineraries, etc.....hurricanes fall under that. By placing nonrefundable deposit, you agree to those rules. So to say that RCCI is a scamming joke really isn't true. @Andrew72681 pointed out what some of the stipulations are.

[SpeedNoodles]

It's because of issues like this that I believe my T.A. strongly suggested taking the refund rather than FCC on the canceled Brilliance group cruise. 

[Dad2Cue]

38 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

It's because of issues like this that I believe my T.A. strongly suggested taking the refund rather than FCC on the canceled Brilliance group cruise. 

"Never again" will I take a "future anything credit".  United Airlines had a nice gimmick where I had to cancel my flight before I could request a refund but they couldn't "advise" me about what to do.  That was after I was notified that a segment of my "flight was cancelled or not confirmed".  Then they had the audacity to say I couldn't have a refund because I cancelled.  

[WAAAYTOOO]

48 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

It's because of issues like this that I believe my T.A. strongly suggested taking the refund rather than FCC on the canceled Brilliance group cruise. 

+1. No more FCCs for us.  Cash only from now on. Just too many restrictions and limitations on using FCCs.

[Pooch]

I’m sorry, very new at this but RCCL cancelled your 2019 cruise due to a hurricane, gave you FCC which you used to book a 2020 cruise that RCCL cancelled again & you got nothing???  Wow, I hope you continue to escalate up the RCCL food chain.

[Andrew72681]

Just now, Pooch said:

I’m sorry, very new at this but RCCL cancelled your 2019 cruise due to a hurricane, gave you FCC which you used to book a 2020 cruise that RCCL cancelled again & you got nothing???  Wow, I hope you continue to escalate up the RCCL food chain.

I wasn’t on one of the canceled Hurricane Dorian cruises but if I remember most were given the option to take a refund or FCC with some sort of boost for the FCC which came with terms ( @Matt I cant seem to find it but thought you may remember as you were scheduled on one) that still apply today. 
Again, this is why an agent is worth their weight in gold when it comes to knowing the policies and who to talk to. 

[Ampurp85]

@Pooch  The OP got a new FCC, they wanted 125% on the reissued FCC, instead just on the amount paid for the cancelled 2020 cruise. They assumed that the previous FCC was cash and not a FCC based on all their replies.

@bytheslice I want to assume your replies are mostly sarcasm. However, I don't have sympathy for people who complain about things THEY CHOSE to do. If you choose to take an FCC over a refund, cancel a NFD, or don't read; that is all you. Everyone who can afford to cruise has access to the same information.

[PhillyLady]

Did you receive a FCC for the $1300.00?

I think RC is saying you can only have 125% on the $2.00, because that was really all the "cash" you paid, but you still have the original 1300.00 FCC to use.

I agree with WAAAYTOOO that you should not expect 125% on the original fare as that was a different scenario.

Therefore, you really have no loss except for the $177.00 credit which was never used.

So, plan another cruise with your 1300.00, and negotiate, and maybe you can get an upgraded cabin or some other additional freebie since you lost out on the $177.00.

You had some bad luck with your two planned cruises, but the third time is the charm.

We cruisers love the experience and many of us are happy addicts, and we want you to have a joyful experience as well!

[Morganno]

And the OP story is precisely why I opted for a cash refund. 

It is ridiculous for RCCL to state that a credit is not cash. Of course it's cash and they should be thankful to the OP for allowing them to keep the cash for months.

 

[Ampurp85]

@Morganno RCCI didn't state credits aren't cash because they only have FCC. I stated it. A credit could be cash or OBC....but an FCC prior to CWC would not be. FCCs could not be exchanged for cash prior to CWC. I see no logic in

13 minutes ago, Morganno said:

they should be thankful to the OP for allowing them to keep the cash for months.

 

OP took the bonus FCC instead of cash, it is business. OP made the choice and all the choices leading up to this. They now want special treatment.

[Morganno]

1 minute ago, Ampurp85 said:

@Morganno RCCI didn't state credits aren't cash because they only have FCC. I stated it. A credit could be cash or OBC....but an FCC prior to CWC would not be. FCCs could not be exchanged for cash prior to CWC. I see no logic in

OP took the bonus FCC instead of cash, it is business. OP made the choice and all the choices leading up to this. They now what special treatment.

Did the OP get a bonus on their first credit? If so then I agree with you. They should not get 125% twice.

[Ampurp85]

@Morganno Yes, whatever was offered when that cruise was cancelled. RCCI has always been pretty generous. I remember reading a blog in the beginning of COVID-19 of a delayed cruisers getting a refund, full C&A points and FCC. So why wouldn't they do the same for a hurricane cancelled cruise? OP wants current CWC to apply to a 2019 FCC

Edit ....I also want to say OP probably got a better deal in 2019 than 125%

[Morganno]

When then I agree if they already got more than a 100% cruise credit for their original cruise in 2019 they really can't expect it again. 

[Pooch]

10 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

@Pooch  The OP got a new FCC, they wanted 125% on the reissued FCC, instead just on the amount paid for the cancelled 2020 cruise. They assumed that the previous FCC was cash and not a FCC based on all their replies.

@bytheslice I want to assume your replies are mostly sarcasm. However, I don't have sympathy for people who complain about things THEY CHOSE to do. If you choose to take an FCC over a refund, cancel a NFD, or don't read; that is all you. Everyone who can afford to cruise has access to the same information.

And that was my confusion.  When I asked if he had gotten his original FCC back, he said no which made no sense and would have, IMHO, been wrong.  But if he got THAT back then RCCL is correct.  The 125% applied to new money not to previously issued FCC.

[TXcruzer]

It is stated clearly in the OP that he received his 2020 FCC for 100% of the 2019 FCC he applied to the booking.  
I guess I don’t see the issue here 

[twangster]

Historically Royal hasn't always offered anything above 100% FCC.  If you look at results over several years only recently have they begun to sweeten the deal with offers above 100% FCC.  

When the Navigator amplification was extended my cruise was cancelled and that was one of the first times they offered more than 100%.  I had used FCC towards that cruise which was the first time I observed the effect where only my cash portion benefited from the multiplier.  Like many I made assumptions but then had to adjust to the reality of the terms and conditions which were plain to see when I dug into it.  At the end of the day I was made whole on my original vacation investment even if i didn't fare as well as someone who paid cash for the impacted cruise.

Since then other cruises were impacted by various events most of which saw no multiplier offered, 100% refund or 100% FCC was it. 

Human nature always wants to maximize our own situation but you do need to read and understand the terms and conditions.     

[Matt]

Sorry to hear you're going through this frustrating experience.

Having read your story (cancelled 2019 cruise that you used the FCC towards a 2020 cancelled cruise), I really believe this was a scenario they never accounted for in their system.

 

[Dad2Cue]

 

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Having read your story (cancelled 2019 cruise that you used the FCC towards a 2020 cancelled cruise), I really believe this was a scenario they never accounted for in their system.

@Matt I worry about the same thing.  I cancelled a cruise in early April and the only option at the time was a 100% FCC for the fare.  I was fine with that until there was a delay in "processing" the FCC.  The refund for gratuities, taxes and fees eventually happened but was also delayed. When I called about the FCC, I was informed that there was a FCC "in the system" and it had been processed a few weeks before I called.  I never did get an e-mail about it.  Royal's customer service rep helped me apply the FCC to a cruise I had already booked for this November and the FCC covered the remaining balance of the November cruise.  Eventually, I received a partial refund from the November cruise.

I got concerned when I received my receipt for the November cruise which showed that I still had a balance due when I was told that the November cruise was paid in full.  When I called about why I still owed money, I was told that their "internal system" showed it was paid in full and to ignore the receipt.  My concern is that the receipt doesn't show that the cruise was paid with the FCC.  It only shows that the cruise fare was reduced to almost zero.  What will happen IF the November cruise is cancelled??   It is booked refundable so we may even cancel it.  I have no documentation that there was ever a FCC applied as the receipt only shows a super low cruise fare.

[WAAAYTOOO]

24 minutes ago, Dad2Cue said:

I got concerned when I received my receipt for the November cruise which showed that I still had a balance due when I was told that the November cruise was paid in full.  When I called about why I still owed money, I was told that their "internal system" showed it was paid in full and to ignore the receipt.  

I would definitely call them back and tell them that you want a final confirmation that shows a $-0-.  I would not hang up until that email was in my inbox.

[Johnson84]

On 6/4/2020 at 8:08 AM, NeverAgain said:

Let me explain that I have never been on an RC cruise. I have had both of my scheduled cruises in the past two years involuntarily canceld because of circumstances beyond RC's control. I do not blame them for that. What I do blame them for is the absolutely ridiculous and flat out horrific customer service that they provide when you call them. It is so beyond bad, that I am amazed that they are still in business. Honestly, it is that bad. Consider these facts:

* I received a future cruise credit from my first canceled cruise in 2019

* I used that cruise credit to book another cruise in 2020 which was also subsequently canceled
 

* When I booked the 2020 cruise, my 2019 cruise credit covered the entire fare except port taxes, fees and a $1.00 fee per person (more on that in a minute) which I paid with a debit card. I still had $177 left on my 2019 cruise credit.
 

*Anyone who had a cruise canceled because of the Coronavirus received the email from the President of RCC laying out the options. One of the options was receiving a 125% future cruise credit,which I decided upon choosing.
 

*Lo and behold I get my 2020 future cruise credit and it is the same amount as the fare I paid. Not 125%. Honest mistake. I call RC. Here is where the fun begins.
 

* I call three times and wait a total of 5 hours and 46 minutes. No lie. No joke. I speak with 5 different representatives, all of which give me completely different answers and none of them can figure out why my FCC is the same as my fare. Until the last representative: who tells me this:

*A future cruise credit is a credit applied to a fare. When it covers the entire fare, RCC charges $1.00 per person to make up the fare. So in essence, my fare was $2.00 and the 125% was based on my $2.00 fare. Are you kidding me? What about the fact that I paid for my fare back in 2019 and that money was just applied to the 2020 cruise??? Nope. Sorry. That's the way we do it he says. So I lose my mind ansd ask for a manager. I am told that they are in a meeting. They take my info and say a manager will call me back in the morning. That was two weeks ago. No call, no manager. And oh by the way. My $177 credit from my 2019 cruise is now null and void because I can't use it.
 

What an absolute scam. This company is an international joke and will never ever ever get a single dollar, other than the ones they already scammed me out of, from me. 
 

The absolute worst - 

I use travel agent to let them deal with the issues

[Dad2Cue]

34 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I would definitely call them back and tell them that you want a final confirmation that shows a $-0-.  I would not hang up until that email was in my inbox.

I have an early confirmation that shows $0 so when it it was first done it seemed correct---it just didn't show the FCC on the receipt.  The weird thing is I now get a new confirmation each time I purchase something on cruise planner.  I make those purchases with my CC but the amount I spend for something gets added to the amount I owe for the cruise itself.