shezam123 Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Hi, can someone please help? We have 2 linked reservations for freedom of seas departure 5th October. As far as we were aware,we had deluxe drink package for first 2 adults in each booking, as well as transfers for all from Barcelona airport. When logging into cruise planner for first time in a while tonight.....1 booking says "1 drinks package purchased" the other booking states "2 drinks packages purchased". Also it doesn't state anywhere that we have transfers included. We have phoned countless times and spoke to advisors who have confirmed the above, but it just doesn't show on cruise planner,nor do we have this in writing anywhere. Does anyone else have problems or should o be worried?thank you x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 If you call in and they say everything is just fine..... then everything is just fine ..... Their web site is far from perfect and the list glitches is endless... I tend to call in for everything, I rarely rely on what the Cruise Planner says. Mark Madelyn D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shezam123 Posted July 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Thanks. I just wish we had everything in writing. How hard can it be?! It is making us nervous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 While I completely agree with Mark, I do recommend that you insist that the information (particularly regarding the transfers) is stated in your cruise documents, once those become available. Your cruise docs will be available beginning on day 49 of your cruise countdown. If the drinks packages and the transfers are not clearly noted in your cruise docs, I would insist that Royal correct this and re-issue the cruise docs. Until that time, it's really not critical as Mark indicated....almost certainly an IT glitch but it's a glitch that you need to have rectified by sail date. It does take a little time (usually 24 hours or so) to have cruise docs re-issued so don't wait until the very last minute. Having been the victim of an "IT glitch" (that never corrected itself) in the past, I never leave anything to chance, anymore. Documentation is your friend... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shezam123 Posted July 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Folks, is it true you need to have 6 months remaining on your passport? No one told us this!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shezam123 Posted July 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 1 minute ago, WAAAYTOOO said: While I completely agree with Mark, I do recommend that you insist that the information (particularly regarding the transfers) is stated in your cruise documents, once those become available. Your cruise docs will be available beginning on day 49 of your cruise countdown. If the drinks packages and the transfers are not clearly noted in your cruise docs, I would insist that Royal correct this and re-issue the cruise docs. Until that time, it's really not critical as Mark indicated....almost certainly an IT glitch but it's a glitch that you need to have rectified by sail date. It does take a little time (usually 24 hours or so) to have cruise docs re-issued so don't wait until the very last minute. Having been the victim of an "IT glitch" (that never corrected itself) in the past, I never leave anything to chance, anymore. Documentation is your friend... Thank you so much. At the moment we have 70 days but I'd like to get it sorted asap. I just hate not having it all confirmed in writing. I will keep chasing them. Just read on another post about having 6months valid on your passport. We did not know this :( I will have to get renewal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 5 minutes ago, shezam123 said: Folks, is it true you need to have 6 months remaining on your passport? No one told us this!! This is one of those "rules" that are not really enforced unless you require a visa in one of your ports. If you are have a closed-loop (US) cruise and/or staying in the Caribbean you will not need a visa and they do not require you to have 6 months remaining on your passport. Obviously, your passport cannot expire while you are on the cruise but if it's still valid for the entire trip you will be ok. It's not a bad idea to have at least 6 months remaining on your passport but they won't turn you away if you don't so long as you are staying fairly "local". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shezam123 Posted July 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 11 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: This is one of those "rules" that are not really enforced unless you require a visa in one of your ports. If you are have a closed-loop (US) cruise and/or staying in the Caribbean you will not need a visa and they do not require you to have 6 months remaining on your passport. Obviously, your passport cannot expire while you are on the cruise but if it's still valid for the entire trip you will be ok. It's not a bad idea to have at least 6 months remaining on your passport but they won't turn you away if you don't so long as you are staying fairly "local". Thank you. We are just doing western med cruise so round Europe. I may get it renewed though, just incase! Thanks for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 2 hours ago, shezam123 said: Folks, is it true you need to have 6 months remaining on your passport? No one told us this!! For Spain, it must be valid for 3 months after your departure date, so you may need to renew it now. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/spain.html Italy requires 6 months: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/italy.html Keep in mind that this is the 10 year anniversary of the passport requirements being put in place, so there are a record number of renewals, so you might consider expedited processing to be safe. Madelyn D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arebee Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 1 hour ago, shezam123 said: Thank you. We are just doing western med cruise so round Europe. I may get it renewed though, just incase! Thanks for your help We got our renewed a few months ago, took about 5 weeks. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 6 minutes ago, arebee said: We got our renewed a few months ago, took about 5 weeks. Not bad. The State Department is currently quoting 6-8 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/processing-times.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shezam123 Posted July 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2017 8 hours ago, DocLC said: Not bad. The State Department is currently quoting 6-8 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/processing-times.html I'm travelling from UK. States 3 weeks on website. Thanks DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arebee Posted July 27, 2017 Report Share Posted July 27, 2017 11 hours ago, DocLC said: Not bad. The State Department is currently quoting 6-8 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/processing-times.html We saw that too, was surprised when it showed up early. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted July 27, 2017 Report Share Posted July 27, 2017 8 hours ago, shezam123 said: I'm travelling from UK. States 3 weeks on website. Thanks The six month rule might not apply to citizens of the UK as the rules are country specific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesfaninfl Posted July 28, 2017 Report Share Posted July 28, 2017 We renewed our passports this past June and had them in less than two weeks without requesting expediting, just normal processing. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted July 28, 2017 Report Share Posted July 28, 2017 2 hours ago, eaglesfaninfl said: We renewed our passports this past June and had them in less than two weeks without requesting expediting, just normal processing. My son's renewal took three weeks in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madelyn D Posted July 28, 2017 Report Share Posted July 28, 2017 Wouldn't want to get stuck with needing it quicker than that. It's a hefty fine. A friend realized hers was expired just days before a trip and I believe it was over $400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted July 28, 2017 Report Share Posted July 28, 2017 ^ YIKES ^ Madelyn D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FManke Posted July 28, 2017 Report Share Posted July 28, 2017 On 7/26/2017 at 5:27 PM, DocLC said: Not bad. The State Department is currently quoting 6-8 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/processing-times.html We got new passports, as ours had expired in less than 4 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shezam123 Posted August 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 All good folks, passport forums went off today. I have it confirmed will be back in 3 weeks, which is good because I travel to Croatia in 5 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFASUMegan Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 We had major issues with our cruise planner too...we had a remaining balance showing a completely difference balance (of almost $1,000 more than what we booked!!!) I called immediately and got it fixed. They said that it 'happens all the time' and that it 'was just a glitch' REALLY concerning. Those kind of glitches should not be happening! They REALLY need to get their website together. As a cruiser coming back to them after years, it makes me not want to sail with them when they can't even get their website working properly...showing a remaining balance of almost $1,000?! Really scary. Imagine if it was the day the final payment was due and I was scrambling to call them in a panic. Royal already has caused some serious trust issues with me. It's honestly unbelievable their website is so poorly put together like this. It should NOT be having this many issues. I never experienced anything like this on the Carnival website. Oh man, Royal's website gives me some serious anxiety...definitely not a feeling I want to experience before my cruise... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 They do have a number of technically problems. About a year and a half ago, I arrived to board the Liberty of the Seas and was told I owed money and wouldn't be allowed to board until I paid the amount. Even though it was in error, I had to pay the amount so that I could board in order to go to Guest Services to get it resolved. In the end, it was a glitch in the excursion system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 8 minutes ago, DocLC said: They do have a number of technically problems. About a year and a half ago, I arrived to board the Liberty of the Seas and was told I owed money and wouldn't be allowed to board until I paid the amount. Even though it was in error, I had to pay the amount so that I could board in order to go to Guest Services to get it resolved. In the end, it was a glitch in the excursion system. Would it have made any difference to show them the email receipts on your smart phone, that indicated full payment of cruise and the individual excursion receipts that were all fully paid? Maybe combined with logging in to cruise planner on your phone so they can see the emails and listed reservations all line up? Or they would have just replied that you're clearly missing something there, and made you pay anyway? Asking because I'm keeping all of my receipts from Royal and my TA in a specific "vacations" folder and could easily pull them up on my phone if needed. SFASUMegan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 1 minute ago, JLMoran said: Would it have made any difference to show them the email receipts on your smart phone, that indicated full payment of cruise and the individual excursion receipts that were all fully paid? Maybe combined with logging in to cruise planner on your phone so they can see the emails and listed reservations all line up? Or they would have just replied that you're clearly missing something there, and made you pay anyway? Asking because I'm keeping all of my receipts from Royal and my TA in a specific "vacations" folder and could easily pull them up on my phone if needed. Nope. I did that. And the charge, according to the receipt at check in was for a COMPLIMENTARY upgrade, which I didn't take. When I pointed out that complimentary implies free, they couldn't explain it and it took several days to resolve. I emailed my travel agent as well so that she could address it on her end. It took about four days until it was resolved even though I provided them with they official invoice showing that everything was paid in full. I did bring this up with the C&A host and she was kind enough to comp our meal at Chops as a result, so in the end it all worked out, but did not make for a pleasant boarding experience. SFASUMegan and JLMoran 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 4 minutes ago, DocLC said: Nope. I did that. And the charge, according to the receipt at check in was for a COMPLIMENTARY upgrade, which I didn't take. When I pointed out that complimentary implies free, they couldn't explain it and it took several days to resolve. I emailed my travel agent as well so that she could address it on her end. It took about four days until it was resolved even though I provided them with they official invoice showing that everything was paid in full. I did bring this up with the C&A host and she was kind enough to comp our meal at Chops as a result, so in the end it all worked out, but did not make for a pleasant boarding experience. To quote the penguins in "Madagascar" -- Well, this sucks! DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 13 minutes ago, JLMoran said: To quote the penguins in "Madagascar" -- Well, this sucks! I did get a free meal at Chops, so at least there was a consolation prize for the trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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