Covid Refund ~ Royal Caribbean

[not easy being green]

Back a few months ago we were going to take a cruise with pre tour to Alaska. This is our experience and hopefully this helps you just in case.  The pre-tour started in Alaska, and the ship sailed from Alaska and ended up in Canada.

RC testing policy is always changing, and this is still ongoing. Our trip was a pre-tour of Alaska, then boarding the ship, thanks to Covid this was a three-year process.  We did test before we left and we all were negative, however a few days before the pre-tour the Covid test for this part of the trip were no longer required.  We had the test scheduled and wanted to make sure that this trip would happen. Great news is we were all negative.

The pre-tour started, and we left from Anchorage, we then were going to tour around different parts of Alaska, two days before boarding we went back to Anchorage, where everyone on our bus went to the convention center to be tested before the (to me) the actual trip would begin/boarding the ship. At the convention center in Anchorage, you could do your own proctored test or use the services offered in the center at your own expense.  To our dismay, one of us tested positive for Covid with the proctored test, and we made the decision to have the test redone using the service at the convention center, as sometimes you get a false positive. Unfortunately, at that point they again tested positive for Covid, and we were informed that our trip had come to an end.   The tour people gave us a sheet that explained a few things about policies and next steps. They (tour group) said they would let RC know about us and our group, however, that DID NOT HAPPEN. If this happens to you, you must call RC, they will know you did not show up for boarding, they, however, will not know the reason and that can lead to missed chances of getting a refund.

We recommend that you us this number:  800 256 6649 option 4. I would not call the loyalty line or any other line; this line is what you should call for Covid issues and this is what we were told.  This line was answered very quickly, and they were very helpful explaining steps with us. We explained the situation and they started the process.  A suggestion is to write down everyone’s name who you speak with.  Sometimes notes do NOT get carried over to the next time you call. In about a week or so we were refunded all the paid-for items on the cruise (Internet, drink, dining packages, and any tours).  They also said they would start the process of the refund for the actual ship and the few days we missed on the pre tour.

 

We had to stay several days in Anchorage because of the quarantine issue.   One of the other issues was flights getting back home, because the original flights were from Canada and not USA.  For a hefty change fee, we were able to change the flights.  RC at this time will do a “refund” up to a certain amount for hotel and food.  Save your receipts for everything, this is on you for this part. This is on the sheet below.

With the published guidance from RC, the refund should take about 45 days and due to the high volume of calls it may take longer.  We called after 45 days, and was on the phone for about two hours, during this call we were transferred twice.  No resolution and/or refund in process.  Day 60 same as before; day 70 after being transferred to a resolution specialist, I was getting nowhere and I asked to speak to a supervisor. They told me that this was as “high” as I could go in the company, I said then, “So you are the owner of RC?” and they hung up on me. Yes I was being slightly sarcastic; lesson learned. I tried to not lose it but I did that day.  Day 90, I called, they did have most of the notes, was transferred again a few times and they then said it would happen, and the reason why the delay was the amount of money (we had a two-bedroom suite).  Another few weeks went by with nothing again, and we were going to call again and surprise! we were refunded all except a few hundred (we think) and for now that is tabled.

We are still very loyal to RC and we are looking forward to the next few cruises we have planned.  Also now with the refund, we can pay off the next cruise in full.  Before I forget, all the funds were returned to a credit card, and no future cruise credit although we did use some FCC when paying off this cruise.

Lastly, use a travel agent, for 20 years of travel I was our unofficial TA, and never again! Let them have “fun” on the phone.

RC Letter.pdf

[steverk]

My experience with COVID was Very different. In July 2022, I was on the Celebrity Infinity.  I  came down with a cough and headache, so I performed one of those free self tests. It came back positive,  so I called medical.

Medical showed up and tested everyone in my party. Wife and mother in law were fine. I was still positive. When the cruise ended wife and mother in law flew home,  but Celebrity put me up in a hotel. Flights by Celebrity arranged a new flight for me and I  flew home several days later.

Celebrity refunded my living expenses plus a pro rated price for my cruise. It took about a month, but I had no issues getting it. 

A couple differences though. I came down with this during the cruise rather than before. Also, my air had been arranged through flights by Celebrity. 

You might also notice that this was Celebrity rather than royal. However,  the same people are involved in air2sea and flights by Celebrity.  I suspect the same people also handle the back office operations too.