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Why was Symphony August 21, 2021 Itinerary Changed? Port Planning is not a good answer.


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Let me make sure I understand the facts correctly. If any are wrong, please correct in detail. There are many in this cruises Facebook group that have been wondering this question and the logic of the answer by Royal. I am asking here for the group.

Our original August 21, 2021, itinerary was 8-Night Southern Cruise: Labadee, Aruba, Curacao.
June 7th we get a letter starting, "Due to changes in port planning, we had to make some adjustments to our itinerary."
Adjustments? It should have read, "We are throwing out the entire original itinerary."
The itinerary is now 8-Night Eastern Cruise: Nassau, St Thomas, St Maarten, St Kitts & Nevis.

However, Celebrity's Millennium, the very first ship out of North America had a stop in Aruba. 
If I heard correctly, passengers originally booked on Independence of the Seas were changed to Odyssey, who then has that itinerary changed to our original itinerary of Labadee, Aruba, and Curaçao on the Sept 11th & 25th.
Let us not forget there are far fewer cruise ships on the water approved to sail by August 21st, 2021.

It appears there was no problem with the ship before and will be none with the ships after in those ports.

 
We would sure like a better explanation of why Royal had to have us sacrifice our ports and thrown out our entire itinerary when other ships in the family are taking and partially taking the same ports before and after our cruise. Why Royal could not work in even a single one of our original ports?

The generic explanation of 'Port Planning' after the long awaited return to cruising, when there are fewer ships on the seas and other Royal Family cruises before and after hitting some and all the same ports turns the "Port Planning" answer into a 'PR Nightmare' for Royal open for deep questioning. Who ever came up with that answer should be asked to further explain not only what and  why, but how it happened and why Symphony drew the short end of the straw. 

Therefore, I am asking for a great number of unhappy passengers on that cruise. Many who have already cancelled.

How can 'We as a group' get a better explanation from Royal Guest Experience details of why the change when others are going?

Attached is the first page of the letter. The second page is just yada, yada of trying to convince us will we will be so much happier with the change.

 
Reminder to all, this is a Symphony cruise, the largest and one of the newest ships in the fleet that has an up charge in fares.

If we want to plan excursions in advance, all the Labadee, Aruba, and Curaçao were cancelled.
Below is the current selection. The only one during the cruise is 2 Nassau PADI diving. We have 4 after returning to Miami. Perhaps as ointment from the burn of the itinerary change.

If the answer is Royal needs time to arrange excursions, then why move from Aruba where they already had excursions events on Celebrity at the time of this posting?

If I sound very upset and disappointed, you should hear some who booked the cruise.
Again, many so upset they already cancelled.

Let's just say the Royal Soup Answer of 'Port Planning' tasted like dirty dishwater from the palate all the way down to the stomach.

I got off the phone after booking and checked my inbox for my receipt. I found my itinerary change letter arrived in my inbox before my confirmation receipt.
So Royal knew of the change while advertising and selling the original itinerary. In fact, the old itinerary stayed up for days after we got the letter. 

I am open to the possibility of my making any errors in the stated facts or wrong conclusions in this issue and apologize in advance. 
However, the overall question and scenario is correct.

This is very unlike what many expect from Royal. It is like one bad apple in the barrel after 15 months of bad apples.
If we are all extra sensitive to this change, I am sure that plays a part.

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Hmmm? if I had to venture a guess it is possible that there were other ships in these ports during that time. Hence, why some itineraries before and after make those stops. My understanding is for the time being there should only be one ship at a time in each port. Royal has had to change a lot of the itineraries around to comply with port restrictions. Some of these ports are nowhere near the vaccination thresholds and might not want the amount of pax an oasis class ship carries. But this is just my speculation and my thought is that RCG might not have all the complete answers as everything is in flux. I have been assuming that information from the CDC and other regulators have been trickling in and RCG is trying to get the information out asap but they aren't doing it properly.

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Ampurp85, that is logical. If we were on Family Feud, I would say, "Good Answer."
I just have a feeling there is more to it and looking for how to get a better answer out of Royal than 'Port Planning.'
Like what was the Port Planning problem, and how did it happen? How can we get that?

I am just having problems with Symphony losing out at every port? Southern to Eastern is not a small change, especially when it is mostly Northeastern.
Not even Coco Cay in place of Labadee? Nassau? I thought they were busy building up their port?
I even heard Haiti had an outbreak, however, I am on a B2B2B2B. The very next Symphony cruise is pulling into Labadee September 1st.
I find thinking less than a week later while looking two months into the future as a good answer is lacking substance.
Plus, Odyssey is not that many fewer pax coming in less than 2 weeks later.

Just too many questions for a simple, 'Port Planning' answer.

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People are going to need to expect the unexpected over the next few months. There will likely be many changes to itineraries, pre boarding and on-board protocols, etc.

We should remember that a lot of people don't want us cruising at all and Royal has been leading the fight to get us back to doing what we love.

My understanding is that people can still  cancel and apply the full price towards another future cruise when things may be a little more certain.

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All good answers. Everyone is aware and expects the flux. We all know the contract.
Perhaps I am not explaining the question correctly or with the comparison details?

What we would like to know is, 'How to get a better answer from Royal to questions like these?'

Why is Odyssey going to Jamaica, Aruba, & Curaçao Aug 14~Aug 22, and August 28th ~ Sept 5th?
But not Symphony to Labadee, Aruba, Curaçao August 21st~August 29th?
Odyssey carries 3844 to 4805 passengers. Symphony 5475~6314. But neither near full capacity.


Why is Symphony August 29~Sept 4th going to Labadee, Jamaica, Coco Cay.
But Symphony August 21~August 29th is going to Nassau instead of Labadee or Coco Cay?
Nassau is no Labadee or Coco Cay. Last I heard, Nassau was still building around the port.

In short, why does Symphony August 21st~August 29th seem to be absorbing the entire force of the 'Port Planning' issue?

Do you see why we feel there is something more to this that requires more than the answer 'Port Planning?'

 

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1 hour ago, cruisellama said:

Still sailing from and returning 2 Miami.  That's the same.  Small consolation.

Ah, Cruisellama. I love your positive attitude. You put a smile on my face.

I am not impacted like the others on the August 21st cruise. 

Aug 21st, is the first of a B2B2B2B on Symphony for me. 4Xs for 28-Nights, August 21~September 18th.

Can you tell I am suffering from the withdrawals of CDC NSO/CSO Syndrome?
Every time I take a shower, being that close to so much water gives me the shakes.
Sometimes they have to call the EMTs to drag my water logged, shriveled body out.

Therefore, I must waive the luxury of disembarking on the return to Miami. The Symphony Lounge sounds like a better stop than Port Miami. I hear they may have food.

But not getting off is my doings, not Royal's. 
Well, unless you consider Royal a contributing factor by enticing me with such great cruise itineraries after the CDC forced me into that 16-month withdrawal period.

My August 29th is an A2, unless Royal would like to put in a better suite. (Are there any better? Well, maybe the Royal Suite. Maybe).

I hope my fellow Insiders understands, I love Royal Caribbean Cruises.
When I used to sail with that one that is not Celebrity, but starts with a C (phtt, phtt), looking around I would think,
'I guess "Choose The Fun" on a cruise ship means bunny hopping around the Lido Pool to oldies music."
In port, I would look over and skyward at Royal Caribbean ships and think to myself, "Hmm, no bunny hop music. What's going on over there?" 

By noon, August 29th, I expect to have personally forgotten all about the August 21st~August 29th change of itinerary. 

I just feel sad for my fellow August 21st passengers. For example, one who has already been to Nassau 23 times.
(Funny how much Nassau sounds like Cozumel). We all booked the original itinerary hoping to see something new. 
All of us were aware of the risk. All of us who didn't cancel accept the change. Just would like a better answer.

Considering all the other Royal ships going to those same ports, in the same general time frames, they deserve a better answer than 'Port Planning.'

But Cruisellama, thank you for the smile!

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Can I just say......look how lucky you are to be able to B2B2B2B on an oasis class ship. I can only do about 3 good cruises a year and no way I can do 7n B2B. My first cruise is Oct 31st on Allure, that's a lot longer of a wait.

But also I think about how you believe RCG should have better answers to why ports are changed and it is possible they don't have any answers. As you stated it is only one of the itineraries, maybe something unexplained happened or will be happening that doesn't allow for Symphony to be at those ports during that time. Odyssey is still a smaller ship, granted not like a Freedom or Voyage class, but not like Symphony. The difference is over 1500 pax. Also isn't the Aug 21st the first paid sailing of Symphony?

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13 hours ago, LifesEz said:
 

I got off the phone after booking and checked my inbox for my receipt. I found my itinerary change letter arrived in my inbox before my confirmation receipt.
So Royal knew of the change while advertising and selling the original itinerary. In fact, the old itinerary stayed up for days after we got the letter. 


 

 


This is the part that I’m sure is what frustrated and annoyed him and many others the most.  He booked ON THE PHONE, the RCL website still listed the original itinerary, the agent on the phone apparently was never told by RCL the itinerary changed, and then he received a Notice of Itinerary Change BEFORE he even received the receipt for the cruise he’d just booked on the phone which comes within minutes of booking.
 

So RCL obviously knew they changed the itinerary BEFORE he booked, but yet they never told him on the phone when he was making his reservation, obviously they never even told their own phone reservation agents, RCL also kept advertising the original itinerary on their website for days after he booked and after he immediately upon booking received an email saying the itinerary had changed.  For anybody to tell him he is wrong to be upset about the way this was handled, you are the ones being ridiculous.  

How long even before he booked had RCL been taking reservations on an itinerary they already knew wasn’t happening and then IMMEDIATELY sending an email saying the itinerary had changed once the people were booked?  That’s just ridiculous!


 

 

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Don’t think anyone is saying he is WRONG to be upset, I think we’d all be upset.  But in the grand scheme of the last 15 months, a cruise is a cruise is a cruise is a cruise.  No doubt in the “normal” world this would be an outrageous itinerary change but we still aren’t back to whatever normal is.  Perspective is everything.

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1 hour ago, Pooch said:

Don’t think anyone is saying he is WRONG to be upset, I think we’d all be upset.  But in the grand scheme of the last 15 months, a cruise is a cruise is a cruise is a cruise.  No doubt in the “normal” world this would be an outrageous itinerary change but we still aren’t back to whatever normal is.  Perspective is everything.


It’s the way it was handled, booking people on an itinerary  ….. for God knows how long …… on an itinerary they KNEW didn’t exist.  You’re booking it and paying a deposit thinking you’re going to the Southern Caribbean  ……. Then IMMEDIATELY after booking receiving an email saying, oops you’re going to Eastern Caribbean instead now that we have your deposit …… it’s a major bait and switch.

A cruise is a cruise is a cruise doesn’t really apply in this situation ….. RCL didn’t book them on the southern Caribbean itinerary in good faith and had to change it later due to unforeseen logistics  …….. RCL booked them on the southern itinerary KNOWING that’s NOT where the cruise was going.  As evidenced by how he immediately received an email, saying the itinerary changed, before he even received his booking confirmation email.

 

 

 

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Pretty typical of Royal in my opinion. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.  These changes get made and it's like they don't fully think out all of the different places they need to make the changes, or the timing is taking too long for the changes to be updated across all the different areas.  

You for sure won't be able to get an answer from the front line customer service reps. They really can't see more than we can on the consumer website and I don't think they get these updates pushed out to them.  A lot of the times you will know of a change before they are even aware of it.

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3 hours ago, ChrisK2793 said:


This is the part that I’m sure is what frustrated and annoyed him and many others the most.  He booked ON THE PHONE, the RCL website still listed the original itinerary, the agent on the phone apparently was never told by RCL the itinerary changed, and then he received a Notice of Itinerary Change BEFORE he even received the receipt for the cruise he’d just booked on the phone which comes within minutes of booking.

So RCL obviously knew they changed the itinerary BEFORE he booked, but yet they never told him on the phone when he was making his reservation, obviously they never even told their own phone reservation agents, RCL also kept advertising the original itinerary on their website for days after he booked and after he immediately upon booking received an email saying the itinerary had changed.  For anybody to tell him he is wrong to be upset about the way this was handled, you are the ones being ridiculous.  

How long even before he booked had RCL been taking reservations on an itinerary they already knew wasn’t happening and then IMMEDIATELY sending an email saying the itinerary had changed once the people were booked?  That’s just ridiculous!

For me personally? Bingo! In fact, my scenario was worse than that.

I put the cruise on hold at 1:25 pm, June 7th.
I call back to confirm the booking 90 minutes later, of which an hour is on hold till about 3:45pm. The booking online is still the original itinerary.
The agent confirms the reservation and the original itinerary as is procedure. Verify names, ship, date, and itinerary.
I am unaware Royal has sent an email timestamp 3:52 pm, while the agent and I discuss FCC and finalize payment.
We complete payment and the agent sends the receipt timestamp 4:15 pm. I confirm it was received.
While printing out the Cruise Receipt, I notice the Royal change of itinerary 23 minutes before I finished paying for the booking.

In the military, we would have called it a 'Total SNAFU' (Pardon my expression).

I could pass it off as each booked passenger has their stories.

But everyone on this Blog should take heed. Today this is my cruise.
But with all the flux everyone has been expressing as possible reasons, are examples of how tomorrow, this could be any cruise over the next 3 months.

Zero confidence in booking. Zero confidence in itinerary. 'Can I please have more NSO/CSO, Mr. CDC?'

We all know Royal and all cruise lines had to cut back to bare bones, and now trying to get back up to full speed overnight with new people.
Even though many of the new people are fantastic, we all know the computer programs could have used some improvements before the NSO.
Royal was never prepared for so much flux, 'Port Planning,' and FCC out there at one time.

Sometimes the errors are in pax favors. They made a mistake on the pricing of my Navigator March 25th, 2022, out of Los Angeles. A big mistake!
But how did Royal handle it? Pam in Revenue Management called and told me of the mistake, however, Royal would honor the price as long as we make no changes to the cabin reservation (anything else is fine). Pam and bad news? She could make that dirty dishwater taste like gourmet soup--with garnishments.

So do I have a right to complain personally? It seems to have all balanced out. However, not everyone on the cruise has had such luck.
I am carrying their questions to this board looking for help, as well as a heads up for all to be prepared.

Update-- What I noticed last night when I re-read the posts, even my own, that now St Thomas is missing. Has it been removed for 'Port Planning' now?
That can be seen in my top post attachment. Where is Day-4 St Thomas? Is there another itinerary change coming?

Ampurp85, Boy do we realize how lucky we realize how lucky we are to afford 28-Nights in 4 Grand Suites or above B2B2B2B.
Not just lucky, but extremely lucky to have the financial ability, cabins left, and we could arrange the time off.
Plus, I am retired, so a lot easier for me. With Voom, I can watch my investments from the water almost as easy as home. Again, a little luck.
Finally, not just B2B2B2B, but Symphony B2B2B2B?

Thank you, Royal. Thanks for all you have done to get back up and sailing so quickly, despite all the obstacles.
Former Federal Health & Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt on the Safe Sail committee is a personal friend. Thanks, Mike, for all your efforts, too.
 


 

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Sounds like a frustrating experience.

We sail on a Symphony B2B (Eastern/Western Caribbean) beginning Sep 18, and I fully expect the itinerary to flex between now and the actual sailing date due to constant shuffling of the COVID/CDC/Government deck chairs. 

We're just grateful to be sailing and will find ways to have a fabulous 14 days (easy peasy on Symphony ? ) regardless of the ports of call we actually visit.

Happy sailing to everyone! ?

 

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On 6/15/2021 at 11:33 AM, JimnKathy said:

Sounds like a frustrating experience.

We sail on a Symphony B2B (Eastern/Western Caribbean) beginning Sep 18, and I fully expect the itinerary to flex between now and the actual sailing date due to constant shuffling of the COVID/CDC/Government deck chairs. 

We're just grateful to be sailing and will find ways to have a fabulous 14 days (easy peasy on Symphony ? ) regardless of the ports of call we actually visit.

Happy sailing to everyone! ?

 

@JimnKathy Hearing that just being on Symphony can be a fabulous trip is comforting. This will be my first time on Symphony.
However, I went big. B2B2B2B Aug 21~Sept 18.
I will wave at you when disembarking.
I almost added the Sept 18 instead of Aug 21, but Aug 21st was originally to go to Aruba & Curaçao, now Nassau as far south as St Kitts.
Disappointing to the majority of the cruise. Many cancelled. Most, like myself, are just happy to be back onboard.
However, I have an advantage. For me, it is only 1 cruise out of 4.

If Aug 21~Aug 29 is the only cruise itinerary of my B2B2B2B that has port changes, I will consider myself extremely fortunate.

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1 hour ago, LifesEz said:

@JimnKathy 
However, I have an advantage. For me, it is only 1 cruise out of 4.

If Aug 21~Aug 29 is the only cruise itinerary of my B2B2B2B that has port changes, I will consider myself extremely fortunate.

Great point. It's all or nothing for us on our upcoming Sep 18 B2B, as we don't cruise again until we do an Alaskan cruise on Quantum in Aug '22. 

We may slip in a 7-night cruise between some family visits after the holidays if we can find some room on our schedules, but we'll just take it one day at a time as this point.

Carpe Diem! ? 

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