Even though we shared the driving, the trip home from Atlanta was exhausting. After unpacking the car, opening up the house, and feeding the cat, we sat down to a dinner of chicken satay -- and although tired, we were joyful with the experiences of the past week having met friends for lunch in Savannah, a great week at the beach in Siesta Key, and then the two days visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Atlanta on the way back. The ringing phone was an annoyance, but nothing compared to what the call would bring.
We've been so excited about our cruise from Barcelona to Venice. We booked this several months ago for April of next year to celebrate our 40th anniversary. (We were married when I was two). Margie and Dave and my brother and SIL, Jay and Nancy Blair, were joining us and we were a week away from making our flight arrangements. And then Royal Caribbean called to tell us that our trip had been cancelled as the corporate big wigs had decided to re-position the ship, on which we were to have traveled, to China. They were replacing the ship with a smaller one, but that cruise wouldn't debark until June and they could not promise us the accommodations would be the same. If we chose another cruise we would have to realize any difference in pricing. BUT, they were going to give us $400 (total) for on board spending. (Can you hear me yelling, "Big, freakin' whoop"?)
Royal Caribbean could have handled this so much better. It is obvious to us that absolutely no planning had gone into their contacting us. And so we have a few suggestions for RC:
Royal Caribbean could have handled this so much better. It is obvious to us that absolutely no planning had gone into their contacting us. And so we have a few suggestions for RC:
1. Apologize.
2. Do NOT send the socially inept, the arrogant, cavalier, or a rookie to do a yeoman's job.
3. Contacting customers in writing, first, detailing why the cancellation is occurring and and then following up with a phone call is more responsible than calling people and surprising them with bad news and giving them no viable options.
4. Apologize.
5, Have a plan in place detailing several options and compensating for your changing plans. Making someone change the date of sailing because you want to re-position the ship from Barcelona to China and then telling already disappointed passengers that any other than the one suggested sailing will probably be more expensive and the passenger will have to pay "that prevailing rate" (your words; not ours) is just not good business. We're not looking for 'freebies', but we'll be damned if we're paying more than we would have for an April sailing than during peak season (June) because of YOUR "corporate decision". If we had wanted to cruise in June or July, we would have scheduled a cruise for June or July.
6. Apologize.
We're looking at a few options and a couple of cruise lines that actually want our business.
We're looking at a few options and a couple of cruise lines that actually want our business.
