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Royal Caribbean Cruises is the second-largest cruise operator in the world. Its fleet includes the three largest passenger ships ever built, the 137,300 gt Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.
But as in so many other things, size isn't all that matters. While many cruise fans return time and time again to Royal Caribbean, others don't have a good experience. And as the complaints in this section show, the line is not always eager to make set things right.
Anne of Sudbury OTHER (07/02/08)
In February of 2007 my son was married in St Thomas on a Royal Carribean ship. They lost their vows, the limo we booked through the cruise line was late and did not apologize for it. I had purchased excursion tickets which we could not use because we were too late and our tour of the island was cut short. I now own a Wedding and Event Corodination business. I am qualified to coordinate weddings on Royal Carribean Cruise Lines. I totally discourage my clients from using this particular cruise line.
Tickets for 10 people
Raquel of Santo Domingo OTHER (06/19/08)
On April 26, 2008 we departed from Venice on the ship Splendour of the Seas, taking the route: Croatia, Turkey and Greek islands. I was accompanied by: mother, sister and aunt. On April 29th my aunt felt drowsy and with a slight chest pain, hence we visited the medical facilities, the following tests were performed: echocardiogram, chest/heart sonogram and enzymes. All tests, with the exception of the enzymes, reported that she was in good health. However due to the high enzyme levels a doctor in Cleveland was consulted, as well, as her family doctor, he agreed with the Clevelands doctor on a catheterism.
However, in the meantime, the ships doctor had agreed for her to stay in the ship and made her sign a document discharging the company from any claim. Nevertheless, this was left aside, as a new patient with a massive heart attack came into the medical facilities and the ship had to return immediately to port, Dukushaky. I would like to add that the ships captain was extremely rude to my aunt, an old lady, who according to the doctors was ill at the moment.
We were sent to Smyrna, where we assigned an agent who would assist us, my aunt was sent in an ambulance and we went by taxi. The hotel booked by the ship and or agent, was not four stars as promised, the personnel could not speak any other language than Turkish did not have air conditioning and was rather expensive. The same had to be paid for us, as well as the ambulance and taxi. Medical facilities provided by the ship were very steep. Personnel from the ship agreed that they will be returning the cost incurred in city tours amounting to close to US $500.00, also it is my understanding that we should be reimbursed for the unused portion of the cruise.
As a direct consequence of all the above we had to incur in the following unplanned expenses: Hospital bill US $20, 600.00 (much more than in the USA), taxi to Istanbul US $1,100.00, Train fares from Istanbul to Venice US$1,800.00, hotel inn Smyrna and Slovenia for more than US$700.00. I request that in light of the entire ordeal that we went through and high expenses incurred that at least, the company compensate us, as follows: 1. A credit to my credit for the city tours not used by us, more so as this was a promised made by the personnel of the ship. 2. Revision of the medical bills presented by the medical facilities of the ship. 3. Compensating us for the costs of the ambulance, taxi and hotel in Smyrna. 4. Compensation for the unused portion of the cruise. 5. Compensation for the trains and hotels paid until our arrival to Venice.
Anya of San Francisco CA (06/07/08)
Days prior to our trip I called Royal Caribbean to clarify policies about bringing passport, they said that non was needed. I asked for clarification about the close loop cruise in which it states that there needs to be some identification as a u.s. citizen, however it also states in their hand book that a cruise to Mexico is a domestic trip. Since we were sailing to Ensenada and we had never been on a cruise before I wanted to make sure that we had everything needed for our trip. I was assured by the customer service agent that nothing was needed and so we proceeded with plans for our trip.
I tried to log in to the on-line check in web page to log in prior to our trip but the web site seemed to be down. I e-mailed the web address that it indicates that should be e-mailed to if having problems, no one responded. Finally i called the phone number on the log in page and asked for assistance checking in since it was instructed to do so before sailing, but since it was less than 3 days prior to our trip we were locked out of the web site and could not check in and would have to do it at the port.
Had we been able to access this service we would have seen the notice to bring the necessary documents needed to board and the customer service agent did not go over this as they should have since I was not able to access this information. They should have provided GOOD customer service so this doesn't happen to people and clarify information in it's entirety if people call asking about it because they don't understand it. As a result we were unable to board the ship and missed our cruise.
Royal Caribbean has denied the fact that any customer service agent could possible give such poor customer service and bad information to a guest. When we spoke to customer service agents after being denied access to the boat they denied any part of wrong doing and would not issues a refund or credit for another cruise. I think this is only fair that they either refund us for the trip or give us full credit for another cruise. We were offered half credit on a cruise, which I think is unfair based on the circumstances.
If I had not made any effort to clarify my confusions about the travel requirements then I would be negligent, however, this was not the case. Royal Caribbean should take responsibility for it's customer service representatives and not make people feel like they got cheated and humiliated.
Loss of $738.00 for two passengers. We had to arrange for another flight home which cost $260.00 I would at least like to be compensated for the cruise since we didn't get to take one!
Carol of Las Vegas NV (05/14/08)
CRUISE WAS 3/30/08 VISION OF THE SEAS. MEXICAN RIVERA. Mainly the food was like slop. It was always cold and old. Food on buffet was from dinner the night before from dining room. It wasnt good the first time so you can imagine th second and third time they served it! The was only one buffet and one dining room. The buffet had powered eggs and [basic] type food. I call it plastic food; very generic; usually they were out of most of the few choices and if it was on the buffet it was either cold or just uneatable.
The grilled food like the hot dogs in water were grey in color and the premade hamburgers were burnt and cold and the fries cold of course. When I called to complain after the crusie they asked why I didn't say anything on the ship to waiters. Well I lost my appetite each time and just said oh well. Did you ever lose weight on a cruise well I did and my friends did. After 10 pm there was no where to get food except the gray hot dogs and cold burgers and fries. When you walked down the hall ways you would see trays full of food but mostly full plates as they would just leave it uneaten. What a disappointment of a cruise. The service was ok and the ship was beautiful. Never again on RC.
Debbie of Leh NJ (05/12/08)
my 14 year old son was attacked by an adult male passenger aboard the feb 15,2008 sailing of explorer of the seas from bayonne,new jersey.he was three other teenagers,waiting for an elevator.The passenger may have been intoxicated as he became very irritated with their laughter.In full view of security cameras he put his hand s around my son's neck ,forcing him backward while choking him. my son broke his grip but the man came at him with a fist,at which point ,the man's female companion started pulling him back into the elevator.
The teens reported to customer service.Their first reaction was it did not happen,disregarding the marks on his neck.We were called and as we filled out forms the passenger was identified by all three teensplus my son as he enjoyed his dinner.they identified him seperately and together.we were told another passenger had reported the incidnt and that the cameras would be reviewed. the head of security first told us the pictures were inconclusive ,then there were no pictures because royal caribbean did not have any cameras working on that cruise.
He printed the a picture of another guest who was seated at the same table as the choker,and questioned him instead of the perp.The story of the other guest who confirmed the attack disappeared.royal caribbean basically let the attacker off in bayonne and turned around for another cruise.They refused to let us know anything abut security cameras or who the other guest was. cruise lines seem to be above any laws.
my son is physically fine. i am disgusted with the way this was handled and would not sail that line again.
Kirsten of Orem UT (05/10/08)
I am currently cruising on a 10 day cruise from Ensenada Mexico to Hawaii, the Radiance of the Seas May 3-13th. Five days of sea time, the rest island hopping. Where should I start. We flew in to a small airfield north of the Mexico border and took a van into Ensenada. We were notified that the cruise was delayed because of the San Diego air show and the boat couldn't leave there to arrive in Ensenada until four. We were taking the cruise with 20 other family members, including small children, teens, and adults. Most of the family was told to go to San Diego convention center to check in, the rest of us went on to Ensenada, a natural assumption given that the cruise is from Ensenada.
We arrived at the pier to be told we wouldn't be allowed on the ship. We called RC and the only response we got was that we had to go to San Diego in order to check in then be brought back to Ensenada (1 1/2 hour drive each way). We asked to talk to managers who might know more, but no one on the phone knew what we could do, since we would not make it back in time to San Diego and we were already there. We finally found a notation referencing a local hotel in the travel docs and went there where they told us we could check in there.
There were computer issues so it took four parties of people over 1 1/2 hours to check in. We then got boarding passes but no sea pass cards and waited at a local restaurant until we could board. We were at the front of the line when it was time to go on. We were exhausted after a long day. We went through security 3 times. Once outside, one to board, though that was a problem because of no sea pass cards, then again on the ship. Two baggage screenings and alot of wasted time.
Finally on the ship we were told to do our room changes once on board, we couldn't do that until we departed so we had to let each other into our rooms. The next day we got our rooms changed and seapass cards fixed, sortof. Had ongoing problems. BTW - those at the convention center had to leave in nearly 60 buses to be transported to the dock. The last bus did not receive their luggage prior to departure and are now wearing RC logo wear everywhere.
It took us about a day to discover that this was a Geriatric cruise that had been heavily marketed to an older crowd. They were not happy about our children on board. Thank goodness for the kids club because otherwise there would have been nothing to do. For me it has been excruciating. 75 year old entertainer, 60 year old entertainer, bingo, cake decorating, and ballroom dance classes. Finally discovered a few younger people, but this boat was full of grumpy staff, and grumpier old people.
After five straight days of not much to do, but expensive spa treatments, drinking and reading, we reached port. My seapass card glitched two days earlier so I couldn't charge. No biggie, used my husbands. But, the day we were to get off, 5 of our party of 7's cards were not active and had been purged from the computer system. So after missing 2 tender boats to shore, since there wasn't a gangway, my husband finally got verbal with security and they traded out our cards. Security starting having trouble with my husband, and we barely got off the ship. We lost all of our stickers from our cards, but we finally got off the boat. Coming back on, same problems.
This morning found other seapasses had been turned off. Have spent a total now of 2 hours trying to get everyones card able to A) open our correct rooms B) charge correctly and C) let us off the boat without a stripsearch!!! Add to that we found out that the limitations we had placed on our childrens cards so they couldn't charge didn't work, and they had a combined total of $320 in arcade fees on their cards.
Another nice feature. Our toilets were down two days ago. They are down again today. No telling when they will be working. Had a flood in the hallway (was it the toilets), so now very loud fans are going day and night out there. I needed to get aloe for my sons sun burn and the shops were closed for two days.
The weather was freezing cold for the first 5 days, we tried to purchase jackets in the gift shop, but they didn't carry childrens sizes, and had very little inventory (the first day!!!!!) on the ship. No size options. Additionally, The elevators weren't working well for the first four days of the cruise, making the travel between floors very congested.
And there are still 3 days left. Nothing has been smooth on this cruise. I went on Adventure of the Seas two years ago and it was impeccable. This cruise, I can't wait to get off. Only upside, good spa staff. I will not. WILL NOT travel on this cruise line again. This cruise has been nothing but trouble. If it didnt cost me $1000 per ticket to go home now I would do it in a second. I'm so over this vacation!!!
Ethan of Havana FL (05/02/08)
I had to wait to write this letter so I would have time to think about what really happened on the cruise and let you know how EXTREMELY disappointed I was in the performance of [their] cruise line. This was a family reunion cruise which makes what happened even worse for me. My brother, sister and daughter travel a lot and have cruised with you several times. I myself cruised once before and was very pleased that is why when the family selected Royal Caribbean for the family reunion cruise I went along. I do want to say, with one exception, on board staff represented company with the utmost courtesy. With this said I will relay, what to me, was a very bad experience. The cruise date was April 6, 2008 on Freedom of the Seas.
The family had done their sea passes online so we were able to get processed in and receive our ship board cards quickly. I thought this was excellent because my wife, who had just had a cast removed from a broken foot and was wearing an air boot, and my 90 year old mother would not have wait in line for a long period of time. We were then instructed where to go to pick up our priority boarding passes. The individual issuing the passes was out of the priority passes and said Just tell the person doing the boarding we were priority and there would not be a problem?. She then instructed our group where to go and wait till time to board.
My mother had a wheel chair up to this time but it was taken when she received her on ship board card. We were told if she required one, the ship would have to provide it to us. Since we were priority boarding and would be on board soon we felt it probably would not be necessary. When we arrived at the waiting area we sat down to await boarding. My brother was talking with one of the security guards and was told we not were we needed to be. We inquired further and indeed found out we needed to be at the other end of the corridor. This posed a problem because by this time the boarding area was full of people to the point they were bringing extra chairs. There was a delay in boarding so this meant a longer wait than we anticipated. We asked one of your personnel if, when boarding began, our group could board quickly because my mother was growing tired and my wifes foot and leg was beginning to hurt, the response was, If you do not require a wheel chair you will have to board when you are supposed to?.
I proceeded to try to find chairs for my mother and wife to make their wait more comfortable. When the boarding personnel came to begin the boarding process my sister indicated we were priority but that they ran out priority passes. The person doing the boarding asked for her ship board card and told her, because of her cabin, she could board but the rest of us would have to wait. We told the staff member about my wife and mother but here response was they could only board early if they required a wheel chair other wise they would have to wait.
The ship began to board and after waiting approximately 30 minutes we finally were allowed to board. Once on board we went to our cabins and settled in hoping the rest of the cruise would be better than the boarding process. My whole family was very unhappy at this time. One simple thing could have changed the attitude of nineteen passengers, if the person doing the boarding had just evaluated the situation better. [They] had two medical issues and someone in the group that had priority boarding privileges, what would have been the harm in boarding this party?
At this point I, as well as the others, began to evaluate [Royal's] performance against other cruises we had taken. Just think this could have been avoided. Some of us then went to lunch in the Windjammer dining room. I was please to see that your food quality was as good as previous cruises I had taken. Things went well the rest of Day 1 and Day 2. But, the night of Day 2 we were having a good time until the wee hours of the morning and wanted to eat something before retiring but found room service was the only option. I was very disappointed because other cruises I found food somewhere anytime but we all shrugged it off and went to bed. We all woke up anticipating the arrival at San Juan. But to our dismay scheduling again seemed to be a problem, trying to get someone to tell us where to go to leave the ship and what time we were suppose to be there was interesting. If you went to the purser desk they told you what was on the Cruise Compass but if you listen to the announcements they would tell you something else. Your scheduling of events was hap hazard at best. This would continue through out the rest of the cruise. I did not go on shore much because I liked staying on the ship and doing other things. Cruise Compass said a particular movie I wanted to see was going to be on but when I arrived at the theater to my disappointment it was something else. The movie shown was good and I enjoyed it very much but again Cruise Compass said one thing and did another.
I could list numerous other complaints and issues the family told me about. If these had been the only things I probably would not have given it another thought but my wife had a serious medical emergency that could have ended in death and I felt [the] cruise line did not take it seriously. Medical staff acted above and beyond the call of duty and tried to do over and above what they should have had to do. I feel Royal Caribbean was negligent in the way they handled this issue, no security to assist with getting safely off the ship, incorrect information to medical staff about disembarking and the people on deck not knowing how to where to send a wheel chair. This is inexcusable. Fortunately, there was not an incident during this shameless ordeal exiting the ship. My wife had a complete mental break down, for which she is being currently treated, on your vessel. Your medical staff assisted me in getting her calm and kept her out of harms way.
On the final night of the cruise she had to be removed from our cabin and sedated. While in medical I requested to speak to security supervisor. He arrived a short time later and I only requested ONE THING, when we exit the ship could I be first, and could [we] have a security staff member that was familiar with the situation escort us. I then asked the security supervisor what time would the ship be docking and what time should I be in medical to escort my wife off the ship he said we could leave the ship at 6:00am and be in medical at 5:45am. When I arrived that morning at 5:45am as I was informed by medical staff there would be a delay in exiting the ship and to return later. There was no security staff present, for which I was charged for on my medical bill. I left to inform my family and returned a short time later where I was met by the medical nurse with my wife in a wheel chair. She had been informed that they were disembarking. I now acting as security along with the nurse had to try to get my wife through all these people. WHERE WAS MY SIMPLE REQUEST?
We went to one gate and that told us to go to the other, REMEMBER THIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. The nurse attempted to got through deck 4 but the casino was closed and when she tried to go through someone very loud and very angrily told her, we are counting money and you will have to go another way?, I informed him as did the nurse this was a MEDICAL EMERGENCY and he then responded angrily take it up with the cruise line. At this point I became angry and had felt I had been pushed around by [the] cruise line enough and began physically pushing passengers out of the way so I could get off the ship. But my ordeal was not over. We finally got to the gangway we were instructed to go to only to be sent back to the one we went to originally. When we got there we were informed we could not use that gangway because it was too small for a wheel chair and we would have to return to the other one. We finally got off the ship where customs filed us through rather quickly and my wife made it home safely. I feel [this] cruise line felt other things were more important than getting a mentally instable woman safely off the ship. You are very lucky the passengers did not get upset when I began pushing them out of the way because by that time I was angry and did not care if [the] cruise line liked it or not. If there had been an incident due to [their] negligence I think your public relations problems would have been hard to explain away.
My family is already planning another family cruise in 2010 and I have informed if they use Royal Caribbean I will not attend and I will use all my influence to convince them to use another line. I just have on thing to add, in all the confusion I did not leave the tips for my room attendants. They did a fantastic job assisting me and were always there when I needed something for my wife. I want to see they get my compensation. At the very least, I feel this line owes me and my family an apology for the way this was handled, because it affected them all.
Irene of Myrtle Beach SC (05/01/08)
Jewel of the Sea Transatlantic Cruise March 30 - April 13, 2008 Day One: Excited to get started - very early flight--Check in went smoothly. Hungry hope food is available. Buffet up and running --Surprised to see no hand sanitizers anywhere in dining area. Lifeboat drill confusion-- instructions posted in cabin not followed by the crew. Sail away at 5:00PM --at sea for 7 days before we dock again Day Two: Discovered having no smoking cabin with balcony not what it seems. Next-door neighbor is smoker in non-smoking cabin--no smoking in cabin balcony only---if sliders open to our balcony smoke enters our cabin and smells up the room Q and A with Capitan---asked about hand sanitizers he said it was found that they were no more effective as just washing hands frequently with soap and water? Would bring out sanitizers if they felt it was necessary
Day Three - Six: Settled into daily routine--encountered rough seas and high winds---Mal de mar prevalent----many Dramamine patches visible -- a lot of sneezing, blowing and coughing going on in large public areas----deep cough sounds like virus that was around late last fall----Noticed that few of the buffet workers wear the disposable gloves when handling food---Crew who clean tables wear no gloves--clean up dirty dishes and wipe down tables without using any sanitizing spray---and deliver drinks to table with same germ laden hands---There are no side receptacles to set Utensils on after self serve --many passengers hands touch and replace utensils right on top of food in serving dish --still no hand sanitizers Day Seven: Land at last looking forward to shore excursion ---2 hours into shore excursion husband becomes violently ill----terrible gastro distress---had nothing to eat or drink on shore--whatever it is came from the ship---back at ship uncontrolled vomiting and diarrhea wont stop--go to see ship s doctor--blood test results sever dehydration----end up with IV in arm to hydrate and shot to stop the vomiting---two hours later, two bags of fluid an one of antibiotic-- leave medical clinic for cabin---afterward- steward delivers bill for medical services for over $800.00 to be added to shipboard credit account
Day Eight Husband had a bad night --return to doctor in the morning for another blood test to check if still dehydrated--spent rest of day in cabin in bed--tried to eat --steward delivers another bill for medical services this one was over $200.00.---Public areas awash with germs - more hacking, sneezing, coughing and blowing. Day Nine and Ten: Husband remains in cabin-- Weak from not being able to retain food---hear of other passengers sick with same thing---waiting area at medical clinic standing room only as more passengers seek help for deep cough accompanying the hacking, blowing sneezing etc. Still no hand sanitizers.
Day 11: Dock in Le Havre ,France----had to cancel trip to Paris husband to weak to go --Im starting to have sniffles---trip to ships general store-- cold medicine flying off the shelf as many passengers doing what Im doing trying to fend off the crud that is going through the ship Day 12: Dock in Dover England we decide to take planned short shore excursion--husband tires quickly and does not see most of Canterbury Cathedral. Day 13: Late docking in Belgium causes chaos at immigration check in--Cruise staff makes no announcement to alter announced schedule--passengers line up at scheduled time--passengers become irate and yell at late comers who try to cut line that extends all the way from Safari lounge back to and through the casino----cruise staff finally shows up and only adds to problems ---Many waiting in line hacking, blowing, sneezing and coughing No hand sanitizers out Day
14: Amsterdam at last--Another snafu--- debarkation on Deck 5 in Centrum---Cruise staff has line moving around in front of elevator bank instead of around the opposite side---Passengers shoving and pushing to get on or off elevators block by line of passengers moving toward to gangway--- cruise staff members just stand there and watch the mess---guess they never heard of the five Ps? of management Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance? After 14 days on this ship there is not any public surface area that hasnt been touch by some one who is sneezing, hacking, coughing and blowing or suffered from intestinal distress----NO HAND SANITIZERS VISIABLE----- This is not my first cruise nor is it my last but it will probably is my last on a Royal Caribbean ship run by fools.
A medical bill for $1072.00. We are filing a claim with our insurance company but feel we should not have been billed at all for any of the treatment.
Carol of Mesa AZ (04/30/08)
I booked a 3-day cruise to Ensenada MEX for my daughter and myself. The main purpose was a day at the beach for my daughter who had never cruised. I booked the beach excursion in February for an April 18-20 cruise. It was my 2nd with Royal Caribbean. After we were underway we were notified that there were be no beach trip because there was a marathon in Ensenada.
As you know, marathons are planned months, even years ahead, therefore the cruiseline was very derelict by not keeping abreast of such things. I have requested a replacement cruise, since we booked a 3-day cruise for a day at the beach and ended up paying $619 each for basically A cruise to nowhere. That amount of money would have bought a very nice resort weekend right here in Scottsdale. I complained and was offered nothing but a letter of apology. Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
Joseph of Seal Beach CA (04/28/08)
I pre ordered wine 4-6 bottles of wine, a cheese plate and a fruit plate, for a bon voyage party for first day. I received 1 bottle of wine, and the two plates I ordered. Way too many phone calls could not get this resolved for the send off. Two days later I was told I would get a full refund of $188.45
I got home and found a partial refund of 118.45 I called 2 times from home and got a full refund. Second time I had an incorrect pre order. I will wait till I get on board my next cruise.
Danielle of San Francisco CA (04/23/08)
I took a cruise with family on April 18th for 3days from the port of Los Angeles to Ensenada. I only saw my stateroom attendant once throughout the entire cruise, They misplaced my garments that i sent to be pressed, And the Big one is that everynight when I got into there bed, I woke up itching all over through the night as if there were some type of mites in the bed. There were six of us on this cruise together and my bed was the only one that had this problem.
Danielle of San Francisco CA (04/23/08)
I took a cruise with family on April 18th for 3days from the port of Los Angeles to Ensenada. I only saw my stateroom attendant once throughout the entire cruise, They misplaced my garments that i sent to be pressed, And the Big one is that everynight when I got into there bed, I woke up itching all over through the night as if there were some type of mites in the bed. There were six of us on this cruise together and my bed was the only one that had this problem.
Tom of Deering NH (03/30/08)
When we arrived and were at the counter attempting to board the ship, we had our confirmation paperwork and the man attending to us could not find us in the system. The other couple with whom we were booked with zipped right through, and had to wait the hour that it took to get us on board. He advised us that because of that problem we did not have dining arrangements so we would have to see the head waiter. We did that and he said you are not going to be able to be seated with your friends unless YOU ask some people to move to another table. We also were told that we were lucky to even have a seat.
We then went to guest services and stated our dissatisfaction with this disregard for our problem. The third problem was that we had scheduled an excursion on the Grand Caymen island. A day before the guest service desk called and stated that they could not access our account, so we would have to come down there and get a hand written voucher. We went there on two occasions and the line was too long to wait in. We said that we would go to the captain's meeting and try again after. When we got back the gentleman said sorry, were closed. I said no you are not; and he then gave us the vouchers.
The next thing was that it was spring break and being on the 2nd deck we had a loud group of young people near us. One night I was kept up all night due to the noise and my wife was up most of a second night. This was not a pleasant two nights. I asked to make an appointment with the guest service manager. I was given a meeting with a man named shawn jones who said he was the manager, but turned out to be an assistant. He gave me no satisfaction. We made out a service card and put our concerns on it and placed it in the box provided. I went to the concierge on board and he stated that he would get me an appointment with the manager. It never happened. I would like to have some kind of response to this, to at least know that somebody in a responsible position read it.
This cruise was a gift to us by our children, and although there was no physical or economic damage it did make our vacation less enjoyable.
Katrina of Kitchener OTHER (03/16/08)
About 3 weeks ago I went on a Explorer of the Seas Royal Caribbean cruise. I am extremely disappointed in their services. I was told by my travel agent that my 16-month-old baby could use the pools; but when we arrived, we then found out my daughter was not allowed, and they kicked us out of the pools. If i would have known this from the start. I would have never went on your cruise. I think this is unacceptable, and I would like to be refunded my money. I paid full price for my baby, and she did nothing on their boat. This also ruined my trip because I wasn't allowed to do anything on the boat since I had the baby.
My baby probably ate one plate of food by the end of the cruise, so my money back would be greatly appreciated. Or is there something else they can do for us? We're not the only ones who are upset and think it's stupid. Babies aren't the only ones who pee in the pool. I'm pretty sure old people do, too! But they cater to them. I would like to be contacted about my complaint and have something done. Thank you for your time.
Betsy of Ithaca, NY (03/02/08)
We recently took a family vacation on a 3-day cruise on Majesty of the Seas. Although we found the service to be excellent, the food was mediocre at best. The cabins did not provide the amenities that we were accustomed to from other cruises (lotion, shower caps, etc).
We were unable to buy sun screen prior to leaving and assumed that it would be available on the ship; it was not. I was told that they had sold out on their previous cruise. I find it totally unacceptable that when they were docked, they couldn't bother to replenish their supply of sun screen on a cruise involving sun, pools, and beaches!
I also found their system of disembarking to be the most inefficient one I have ever been a part of on a cruise; way too much standing around in lines. I don't know if these problems were a function of Royal Caribbean, this particular ship, or what happens on the short cruises, but I would definitely not go running back to Royal Caribbean so quickly again.
Hilary of Pierrefonds NY (02/17/08)
I have just tried to enter their Name That Ship contest, but Canadians are not allowed. It's not fair that they will take our money to cruise on Royal Caribbean, but we are not allowed a fair chance of winning a free trip. I will not be so willing to use this cruise line - next time I will try another cruise line that does not disciminate against other nationalities.
Martha of Woburn, Ma MA (02/08/08)
My husband and I went on a Cruise on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas. We sailed out of Miami, FL on 1/20/08 and returned to Miami, FL on 1/27/08. Two of our suitcases were missing when we went to get our luggage. We looked for 2 hrs. but then had to leave to catch a plane home. That night we got a call from Alamo Rent a Car in Miami. Somebody must have taken our suitcase thinking it belonged to them. When they finally realized it was not their suitcase they left it in the Alamo Rental Car. The man at Alamo told us that he goes by the Royal Caribbean cruise ship area every day and would be happy to drop it off so that they can send it back to us.
I called the 800 # on my property Report that I filled out on Sun. Jan. 27th and spoke to a girl named Janice. She said that she wanted me to fax her the info and that she would have someone go pick the suitcase up. Meanwhile, we found out about 2 days later that my suitcase was found and had been shipped back to us but my husband's still had not been picked up at Alamo. Then they told us that it was shipped and they sent an email stating that and now it's 12 days later and my husband just spoke with a supervisor at Royal Caribbean named Mohammed who is stating that they are not sure where the suitcase is. I can't believe how bad this situation has been handled. I would have been better off having Alamo ship it to me. We are not talking about a small company - this is one of the largest cruise lines in the world and they have the worst Customer Service Dept. I have ever come across.
All of my husbands dress pants, casual pants, shirts, underwear, belts, bathing suits, every single bit of his summer clothes were in that suitcase. At least $1500 or more worth of good clothes were lost and they are still claiming that we are going to get our luggage but it now will be 13 days and we have nothing.
Joseph of Sicklerville NJ (01/27/08)
On November 27, 2007, I purchased a $250.00 gift certificate for my wife to use on an upcoming trip she was taking with some friends. The cruise left on January 24, 2008 and she sailed on The Navigator of the Seas. When I received this certificate, I put it in an envelope and kept it until the day she was leaving. I then put it in the middle of her suitcase as a surprise for her to find when she was on the ship. What a surprise she had. She was very excited to see the gift and enjoyed my thoughtfulness. The trouble began when she tried to use this gift. She was told that the gift certificate had to be redeemed 10 days prior to sailing. Of course she was confused and embarrassed but she was at the mercy of the information given on board. She contacted me by cell phone at about 3:00 pm EST on 1/27/2008 and told me what happened. I immediately called Royal Caribbean and spoke with a customer service representative by the name of Arianna. She explained that the terms and conditions state that all gift certificates had to be redeemed 10 days prior to sailing. Now that I understand this, I asked for help on how to fix this.
250.00 loss and a lot of embaressment
William of Orlando FL (01/02/08)
I paid for a Feb. 11, 2008, 11 day cruise departing Miami port in full on Dec. 1, 2007 and received an invoice confirming the balance due was zero. There was an asterisk next to balance and after finding the reason for the note which informed all passengers a $5.00 fuel charge up to 2 persons per day per cabin of $110.00 would be charged. I called Royal Caribbean about the additional charge and they informed me that if you were paid in full by 11/15/2007 the charge would be waived.
Two months prior to my final payment, I received reminder notices about the due date for final payment. I was never informed about the new fuel charge. I told the representative that this was discrimination because they favored the passengers that had paid by 11/15/07 and penalized the passengers that paid by the due date without giving us the opportunity to pay by their deadline. Needless to say I was told there was nothing they could do and I owed an additional $110.00. The call was made at 1:AM 12/29/07 and at 1:15 AM, I received an invoice dated 12/29/07 it was my original invoice with the $110.00 added to the bill. In addition there was a warning that full payment was due by 12/03/07 (Obvious Conflict). Another item appeared stating if payment was in full by 11/15/07 there would be no fuel charge. This was not part of my reminder notices.
How can a business send out doctored statements legally? I have copies of the invoices. My complaint with Royal Caribbean is, if there was going to be a fuel charge it should apply to all passengers,and if there was a grandfather clause of 11/15/07 people that paid by this date should not be exempt when other passengers were not informed by E-mail or regular mail. The additional cost of $110.00 is not the issue as much as the unfair method it was applied.
It changed my attitude towards Royal Caribbean Cruise line and I will NEVER cruise with them again and I will inform all of my friends to do the same.
Brenda of Eastpoint FL (01/02/08)
I have been on the phone for 5 hours trying to contact a representative to complete payment for a spring cruise. The E-mails are returned, the phone will not work, the phone contact voice-mail is full. This is not only frustrating but unprofessional.
Joan of Winston Salem NC (12/23/07)
On Dec 2, 2007 we headed for the airport in Greensboro n.c.. We were informed our flight was canceled because of bad weather in new Jersey. The airlines Continential could not get us on another flight for us to meet our ship that was leaving at 4:00 pm. We called Royal Caribbean several times to let them know what was happening, and they couldnt' care less. I booked the cruise with Costco Travel who gave us free cruise insurance but now are telling us they cannot refund any of our money because it has to be 48 hrs that we couldn't fly. Our ship was cruising for 2 days, and the next island would have cost us $1600.00 to fly there--plus there was still bad weather up north. I tried to talk to Royal Caribbean about booking us on another cruise, but they have totally ignored me. This cruise was $4,000.00, and I cant believe no one will help me. I need your help
Loss of 4,000.00 plus mental anguish for my husband and myself.
Jason of Spring Hope NC (12/10/07)
My wife and I booked a 5 day cruise with Royal Caribbean. The cruise took place November 26th 2007. We booked the airfare with them as well because it was guaranteed. First problem we had was the flight. It broke down before we left and nothing was going to be done about it from Royal Caribbean. We had to book our own flight which cost us a little over $400. That amount was ballpark what we paid for our guaranteed tickets as well. We make the departure of the ship on time. Once on board we find out that the itinerary was flipped. They had us going in to our first stop at 9 AM. That stop was Key West. Everything dealing with why you would go was closed. Our next stop was Cozumel. This went off without a hitch. After leaving Cozumel, a crew member was hurt and the boat returned back to Cozumel. At this point we found out our third stop to Belize would be canceled. The next day we found out we would be going to an island called CoCo Cay. This is an island owned by Royal Caribbean. The island is basically a man made island. There was no electricity on the island and it reminded me something Disney would have built off of one of their amusement parks. After our return I attempted to get our airfare money back from Royal Caribbean. They pointed their finger to US Air who we didn't pay directly.
Other than having a horrible time on the boat because of changes and canceled destinations, all we wanted was our airfare back that we couldn't use. They refuse to deal with me directly so I am currently attempting a chargeback via visa.
Kathleen of Fredericksburg VA (11/24/07)
We traveled on Royal Caribean, Sovreign of the Seas on October 22-26,2007 out of Port Canaveral. We took our mother who is both wheel-chair and walker dependent, and who is also almost 88 years old. We booked reservations with Cruises only, and were assured that the stateroom was both wheelchair and walker were accessible. Neither fit in our mother's room, and because of that she was unable to shower on her own for the entirety of the trip as there was no safety bar in the shower stall. We were told to contact the ship Guest Relations when the ship was underway and they would try and accomodate us. Nothing was available and no effort was made to ease the difficulty for the entire 4 days of travel. Also our cabin, had a foul sewer odor, and our steward cleaned the toilet but off and on during the trip we smelled sewer odors, in our cabin as well as in and around the ship. When our ship pulled into Nassau, they were doing a security drill with the royal navy and when we moved off the ship there were smoke bombs, guns going off, publc facilities closed off and streets leading to them were roped off. This went on for more than half the day, so we returned to the ship so that our elderly mother could rest and have some peace. In the staterooms, no toiletries were provided other than a soap despenser in the shower. Even average hotels provide lotions and shampoos, with a note to call the desk should anything else be needed if the guest has forgotten anything. Also, water and soda was in the room with a fee for both should you open them. It was an unbelievable nickel and dime experience! We will never cruise on this ship again, and the weak reponse we received from a Mr. Anthony Sanchinel gave us an indication that our grievances were not to be resolved - anything it was a defensive retort, with a false, " we will be glad to assist you on your next cruise".
For four days my mother bathed as best as possible from her bathroom sink. She had to store her walker outside the room, and we had to store her wheelchair on the bed next to her. My mother-in-law was unable to get to the bathroom once as she has difficulty maneuvering without her walker and she was humiliated. She had never been on a cruise prior to this and will never go again. Sadly this was a birthday and Christmas gift to her, and our first chance to have time with her in a year. We also had requested Royal Carribbean place a surprise in her room on arrival. That was never done or probably registered!
Mark of Somrset NJ (11/21/07)
We took a cruise on a Royal Caribbean Adventures of the seas on Nov 11, 2007. Overall, the cruise was very nice, but we had several complaints. Music was played very loud at 2AM in the morning from one of their shows and we heard the music in our stateroom for many hours. We complained to guest relations and security and absolutely nothing was done about it, except to say they apoligized, which was unsatisfactory. Since they didn't lower it, we next complained to a supervisor about the same situation, who didn't care at all. The music finally stopped at at about 3AM in the morning and we had virtually no sleep at all. The staffs' attitude was very unprofessional which would make me think twice about taking another cruise with Royal Caribbean. The whole cruise was very noisy. Also, out of 4 people we were traveling with, 2 of us use walking canes. When we disembarked the ship, we had to wait a very long time to get off even though they originally promised us that anyone who was handicapped would disembark first. They lied. It never happened and we had to wait a long time, like everybody else, and there was much strain on behalf of our companions who needed assistance. Again the staff was oblivious to our needs in this matter. Therfore, I would recommend that anyone that wants to sail on Royal Caribbean, do your homework, because they do not live up to their promises.
Marvin of Miramar FL (10/09/07)
Upon returning from my cruise from Labadee,Jamaica,Grand Cayman,Cozumel. I logged on to my online bank account to check the status of my credit card. Upon reviewing the charges i saw that they charged me $199.50 extra for things I did not purchase on the cruise. Upon calling the stated number on my bill. The CSR John and Kareen both tried to convince me that this is something normal and when my bank settles the cahrges it would drop off. Upon enquiring about that with my bank they said this is not so. Tried calling back but to no avail and interest will be incurred on my account at 2% per month until i pay off the charge. I sent them an email outlining the situation and no explanation has bee given to date. Their email address is crownandanchor@rccl.com
I will be paying 2% per month on the charge that i was wrongly billed for.
K of Carmichael CA (05/09/07)
I booked a cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas, sailing out of Galveston TX, on February 18, 2007. The ship was in disrepair. A main dining facility, the windjammer cafe, was closed throughout our cruise, and the following cruise, for scheduled renovations. We were informed of this when we arrived at the port and received a mass produced letter. The ship's propeller was broken. We lost the first day of our cruise because the ship did not reach the port until 12 hours after its scheduled arrival.
The outdoor pool was broken and did not open until the 3rd day of the cruise. The sewers overflowed throughout the ship. Sewage entered the hallways outside my cabin and carpeting was replaced in the exterior hallway during the third day of the cruise. The elevators did not work and people were on occasion left trapped for extended periods of time. Other times the elevator doors would be open and the floor of the elevator was significantly (6 plus inches) off alignment from the entry point.
I lost a week of wages trapped on the barge and the cost of my vacation. Royal Caribbean forced a $20.00 on board credit on al passengers to cover the loss of the first day of the cruise. This was inadequate.
Rosalba of Kingston, Ontario Canada (11/01/06)
On June 9, 2006, I booked a Royal Caribbean repositioning cruise from Tampa to Civitavecchia (Italy)through my travel agent. There are a group of us travelling, 19 who would continue on together in Italy. For this purpose I have booked a bus that would meet us at the dock at 9 a.m. After taking us sightseeing that first day, the bus would then take us on to our hotel in Tuscany for three nights. Substantial deposits have been paid for both the bus and hotel.
On October 3rd, I was notified by my travel agent that the ship's destination will now be Barcelona, Spain, instead of Italy.
According to Royal Caribbean, their brochure has a disclaimer that allows them to make changes to their itinerary. What they have changed is the destination, not part of the itinerary. All my attempts to contact customer service at Royal Caribbean have been useless. Since I booked the trip through a travel agent they refuse to speak with me or have anything to do with me. The only thing they, through our travel agent, have agreed to do for us is to provide transportation to Barcelona airport once we dock; however, we do not have this in writing.
What this means to us is that we will now have to pay to fly from Barcelona to Rome. It also means that we will lose a whole day of our trip which, because of time restraints, we shall not be able to make up.
Cathy of Macon, GA (09/25/06)
I booked a cruise for 3 of my sisters and me on the Soverign of the Seas in August, 2006. The day we arrived on ship we found out they were refurbishing the ship during our cruise. They were changing out the beds on our deck but the noise was not the only problem. On the second day my sister went to the pool and because the bottom of the pool was very slippery, she fell and broke her knee.
The ship's doctor put her leg in a cast from her hip to her ankle. We tried to get her better acommodations and a wheelchair. They finally gave her a room with a double bed but the wheelchair that would not fit in any room or at any table.
Eric, at guest relations, helped as much as he could but we never heard from the purser or the captain.
Kathryn of Richmond, VA (09/10/06)
I recently took my family on a cruise. Our group included seniors, adults, teenagers & a 4 month old infant.
The cruise line required me to pay FULL PRICE for the INFANT as a 3rd passenger in a cabin (with his parents). They even charged full taxes, service charges, port charges and transfers! They provided NOTHING for the child except a porta crib - which we could have easily brought with us. They did not have an infant seat for the transfers, a high chair suitable for infants or any food or beverages appropriate for an infant.
The airlines charges NOTHING for the baby and the ship charged over $700!
Lani of San Francisco, CA (09/04/06)
As a loyal Crown & Anchor Member we were the first group to book on their newest ship the Freedom of the Seas.
Booking an outside balcony cabin we ended up at the back of the ship. We couldn't use the balcony because of the large amount of black soot from the smokestack that was present daily (which also brought to mind carcinogens). We complained to the Purser and they came on Day 2, and only Day 2, and washed the deck. Even the cabin steward was aware that this was a daily occurence.
The generic response was that because of the high number of requests we were given the best cabin available, which was not correct because it was only open to the select group for the first two weeks and there were only 1200 Crown & Anchor members on board out of 3500 passengers.
We asked for a reduced fare but haven't received a response.
Teresa of Camarillo, CA (07/08/06)
My boyfriend and I were booked a trip to Ensenada, Mexico. Our ship, Monarch of the Seas, was to set sail from the port of Long Beach at 5:30pm. We drove from Ventura County to Long Beach, but because it was a Friday, LA traffic was horrendous and we found ourself stuck in it. We called guest services several times and indicated that we would be, at most, 10 minutes late and could they delay the check-in process a bit longer. Each time, we were told that there was nothing anyone could do and that 5pm was the latest time we would be able to check-in.
We raced as fast as we could, only to be stopped by the security guard, who told us that we were 3 minutes late and that they were not taking any more passengers. We paid nearly $1,000 and waited an entire year for this trip but because we were a mere 3 minutes late, were not allowed to board??!!??
There was another couple who had actually come 2 minutes late and were not allowed on either. As we sat on our cellphones, trying to get through to a representative from Royal Caribbean, 3 more parties arrived and were all stopped from entering. One man even had his wife on the ship!!!
Martha of Tyler TX (06/21/06)
I recently returned from a week in the Med. Sea on Voyager of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. My sister and I stayed in Barcelona before the trip began. We were 90 seconds late meeting the RC van that was to take us to the ship. The representative, Joaquin, admitted that failed to count passengers. We had to pay our own way to the airport. I might add that it was fine when the RC representatives on excursions were 15 minutes late getting back on the vans at various stops.
On arriving in our room, we saw the lumpiest mattress we've ever encountered atop steel camp-type cots. We had requested twin beds, and to finally get these, I had to see two people to get anyone to listen. The replacements were lumpy twin mattresses We were told several times that new bedding would arrive for the next cruise. I suppose we were to be happy for the next guests. Many of the staff members were rude. One attendant told me to move over in the hallway so he could get by.
At the foreign exchange desk, Nelson's rudeness was not to be believed. Several staff members walked in front of us, when we were the ones who had the right-of-way. Few seemed trained. The food in the main diningroom was acceptable, but the Windjammer's was awful. I asked for vegetables at lunch and was led to the salad bar. There were no cooked vegetables, something that should not be too much to ask for. I have never before had to pay for bottled water in my room on a cruise. We were not told that they were chamging us $1.95 for a small bottle until we got our bill. There were no extras whatsoever in the room, except for a shampoo dispenser in the shower.
I have never been so dunned for tips in my life. We prepaid our gratuities and gave extra to Lynnette, our attendant, who was very satisfactory. Our waiter and his assistant would not even say Good-bye to us on the last night because we did not have our gratuity envelope with us. I did not think it was necessary to explain that we'd already paid, since their attitudes were so poor. I would not sail on RC again if I were given a free trip.
I was highly insulted at the manner in which we were treated. I wonder what their definition of guest is!
Dawn of Wellington FL (03/25/06)
We just came home from a Royal Caribbean Vacation. I still feel sick and have knots in my stomach!! We left my son in the Adventure Ocean program. On the 3rd day there he complained to 3 different counselors SEVERAL TIMES that he had something in his ear. They kept saying they did not see anything and sent him on his way to play! Please be advised that he is NOT one to complain!! He was in A LOT of pain!! When we picked him up that evening he was shaking his head (as to “shake the object out”. ) He then asked me to get the object out. The counselors said nothing about his complaining. When we asked the counselor signing out the campers what happened… she said nothing happened!
We proceeded to take him to the hospital downstairs because he was obviously scared, hurt and in pain. He was still shaking his head to “get it out”. He then became hysterical seeing the “Red Cross” symbol and hospital stuff! We finally got him in! The doctor then removed “ foreign object” from his ear!! In the mean time I passed out from the stress of it all. To top things off the next day we got a bill for $408.00!!!
They finally reversed the charges HOWEVER, would NOT give us a copy of the bill and services rendered. We needed a copy of services rendered to show my son’s doctor what was done on board when we take him to his office for a check up. Our whole vacation was ruined….we couldn’t trust the staff to watch our son I was a nervous wreck! If we could have left the ship I would have!!
Robin of NJ (02/15/06)
Went on a cruise with family on the Grandeur of the Seas 2/6-2/11 06. The boat was dirty, smelled awful, like a sewer to be exact, food was terrible, staff was very rude. Kids had a horrible time. Been on several cruises before -- this one was absoultely horrible and unsanitary.
Mary of Okatie SC (01/20/06)
On a 12-day Mediterrean cruise; about 1 day from disembarking, the captain informs us that there is a dock strike. Upon arrival, we could not debark to catch our flights out. At about 10:30 at night we were shuttled to a hotel in the middle of Spain. We were not told anything. Had to charter a flight out ourselves for an EXTRA $1400 for two people all because Royal Caribbean didn't let us off in Rome or in another port. They won't pay a thing. Insurance will only pay us $600 . I paid $400 in insurance fee. I am never going to go on Royal Caribbean again.
$1400 in air flight plus food for two nights in Spain plus the bus to the airport.
George of White Hall MD (01/04/06)
Royal Caribbean is at it again. We never made it to Grand Cayman because the cruise line failed to schedule its December 26, 2005 Lengend of the Seas arrival with the Grand Cayman Port Authority. Note 12-26-05 is a holiday in Grand Cayman. Further note the port was not closed as we were told on the ship. Other cruise line has landed their but since Legend of the Seas was not on the manifest our boat was not allowed in.
Valerie of Staten Island NY (01/04/06)
My son suffered a broken rib because of unsafe conditions in their water park in Labadie. They claim there was a safe distance being maintained but there was no one maintaining a safe distance at all. My son came down from the top of the float and there was another boy directly under him. He fell on his head and broke his rib. Our vacation was ruined from that moment on.
Craig of Allen TX (12/17/05)
We arrived in FL on 9/19/05. We were greeted by Royal Caribbean (RC) associates who took ownership of our luggage. Our luggage was never found. We spent all 5 days of our vacation w/o any of our clothing, meds, cameras, etc. The missing luggage was brought to RC's attention immediately. We were told to wait, inconvenienced while they searched. This cont'd for 3 more days that we went w/o our things-necessary clothing, medications,etc. Obviously our entire vacation was compromised, as we spent our 5 days confined to our room. We spent the entire week in the Bahamas, unable to participate in excursions, take photos or even change clothes.
RC has handled this situation in the most unprofessional, poor manner. I have been in constant contact with RC customer service, only to be given ridiculous discouraging tactics. We were told to continue to wait for an add'l 2 weeks before claiming lost luggage. Then we were req'd to search, find & report all receipts for our purchased items that were lost. Again, we were told to wait up to another 8 wks for processing. In the meantime, I was sent to yet another customer service assoc, Lia, to dispute our fees & request a refund for our trip. She was extrememly rude, insulting & aggresive. When asked to escalate my complaint & speak to her supervisor, I was denied.
Though RC admits their negligence, she refused to reimburse us for our completely compromised vacation. Finally, we rec'd pmt in the amt of $600. This was not accompanied by an apology or any communication relating to the claim. Instead there was only a check and a copy of the Passenger Ticket Contract illustrating w/o insurance, they refuse to reimburse. Again, we're left to call & spend hours waiting thru customer service to dispute and identify this as their means of settlement. We have lost over $5,000 in belongings & cruise/airline fees. Only to be receive $600 w/o any letter. It's taken 8wks, hours, & poor service to receive inadequate pmt for their negligence.
We desire fair treatment for Royal Caribbean's negligence. We should be reimbursed for our lost belongings which have been itemized and supported by purchase receipts, totalling approx $3500. Additionally, we would like to be reimbursed for our travel expense of $1500, as our entire vacation was compromised as a result of Royal Caribbean's negligence. They have yet to provide adequate, acceptable refunds for this negligence.
Terri of Bel Air MD (12/12/05)
Specifically booked a cruise to include San Juan on it on 11/13/2005. Also specifically chose a cruise that did not include 2 consecutive days at sea. Unfortunately someone got sick on the ship which caused us to completely miss San Juan port and worse yet caused us to be at sea from sun to wed afternoon. I'm sure this must have been a life threatening situation but people plan cruises years in advance and it doest seem fair that 3,000 other passengers are not compensated in some way. We miss a much anticipated port through no fault of our own.
I was traveling with 6 other passesgers who were also disappointed and agree if we or anyone pays a set amount of money for something ($1,000+ is a big purchase), we should receive what we bought or have some kind of reimbursement or compensation. So now to see Puerto Rico we have to send more money or take another cruise to see it?? NOT FAIR.
Harry of Leavenworth KS (11/28/05)
In August 2004, my wife and I took a 7-day Cruise on the Royal Caribbean, Navigator of the Sea. The Cruise departed Sunday, August 28th to return Sunday, September 4th. On Monday morning, August 31st, I noticed small reddish bumps on my hands and feet. The bumps appeared to be mosquito bites. Each morning thereafter, the bumps appeared to multiply. I found it curious that there would be mosquitoes on the ship.
On Wednesday, August 31st, my wife woke during the night stating that she felt something crawling on her. She got out of bed, turned on the lights and found a bug in the bed. Upon further inspection, we found another, smaller bug. We flushed the two bugs down the toilet. Before turning off the lights and returning to bed, my wife removed the pillowcases from the bed and revealed 4 more bugs. We then placed the bugs in a glass and put the glass in the room safe.
The next morning, my wife and I took the bugs to Guest Relations. We explained that we had unidentifiable bugs in our bed and requested to be moved to another room. We were told the ship was full and there were no other rooms available. In addition, Guest Relations told us that the room could not be sprayed to exterminate the bugs until it was unoccupied. Concerned about the curious bites on my hands and feet, we asked if someone could take the bugs to identify them. Guest Relations told us to take the bugs to the Infirmary.
The individual at the Infirmary told us there was nothing they could do with the bugs and that we needed to take them back to Guest Relations. After returning to Guest Relations, we asked if we could complete an Incident Report form. We were told there was no such form. Each night, after checking the bed before retiring for the night, we found more bugs. In the mornings, the bedding had brown streaks stains which appeared to be chocolate. (I later researched bed bugs and found that they leave brown streaks of blood as a result of feeding on their Host). In hindsight, my wife and I realized that the bug bites were causing much fatigue.
When we debarked the ship, we could not stay long because we felt fatigued and had to return to the room to sleep. We were so fatigued; we went to the formal dinner only twice during the entire cruise. I assumed I was suffering from allergies. We tried numerous times to explain to Guest Relations that we had strange bugs in our room and that we would like them at least identified. We were told repeatedly there was nothing they could do about it. We had to wake several times each night to examine the bed for bugs. Most examinations revealed more bugs in the bed.
Due to Hurricane Francis, our 7-day Cruise was extended to 9 days. Each day we spoke with our Cabin Attendant and Guest Relations to no avail. The night before leaving the ship, my wife began to break out with what appeared to be the same red bumps that I had. Upon departing the ship, we returned to Guest Relations with the bugs and requested one last time that the bugs be identified. (We were anxious to treat the bug bites but could not adequately treat them until we identified the bugs that had bitten us). To our frustration, we were told that we should have reported the bugs earlier and there was nothing they could do at that point.
After departing the ship, we were unable to get a flight out until the next day due to Hurricane Francis. By this time our bites began to itch and burn. At that point, we knew the bites were definitely not mosquito bites. We checked into the Wyndham hotel in Miami, Florida that night. The next morning, upon leaving the hotel, the itching and burning sensation began to worsen. We had a layover in Chicago where we bought antihistamine cream to try to alleviate some of our discomfort. After returning home, both my wife and I went to work the next morning. My wife was so uncomfortable, she left work and went directly to the doctor’s office. I had a doctor appointment the next morning. By this time I had over 150 bites on one arm alone and the itching and burning sensation was beginning to be more than uncomfortable.
My wife’s doctor diagnosed her with Scabies and Bed Bug bites and prescribed a treatment for both of us. I then went to my own doctor who gave me the same diagnosis. My doctor explained that Scabies were mites under our skin and we both had to be treated immediately to prevent the spread of the condition. In addition, the doctor told us to contact an exterminator for further direction on treating our clothing and luggage. I then contacted an exterminator. According to the exterminator, bedbugs travel easily and we were not to take our luggage in the house. By this time, our luggage had already been in our home. We were told to wash the contents of the luggage in extremely hot water and dry them in an extremely hot dryer to get rid of the bugs. He then instructed us to seal the luggage in a plastic bag and gave us a pesticide to place in the bag. He told us the pesticide might not work because the insecticide used to kill bed bugs was no longer sold in the United States.
We took the luggage contents to the Laundry Mat to wash and dry. (The Dry Cleaner would not accept our dry-clean-only clothes. We had to wash them at the Laundry Mat to rid them of the bed bugs. Suits, purses, shoes and evening gowns were all ruined as a result). When we opened the luggage before placing it in the plastic bag, in addition to mildew from outside storage, the luggage was infested with hundreds of bugs. At the doctor’s suggestion, we took photographs of our bites and are willing to share them if necessary.
Due to Royal Caribbean’s negligence, our infested luggage traveled from the ship, to the Wyndham hotel in Miami, aboard the aircraft (around other luggage) from Miami to Chicago and from Chicago to Kansas. We suffered from our condition for several weeks. The itching and burning persisted for over a month and we were left with dry scarred skin. We also lost thousands of dollars in ruined clothing and luggage. I contacted the Complaint Department at Royal Caribbean and was told to send them a letter stating the facts of the situation. The letter was sent certified over a year ago and I have yet to receive a response. I am very unhappy with the way Royal Caribbean has handled a most uncomfortable situation and I would appreciate any assistance you can provide in holding this Cruise Line accountable for its negligent actions.
Cheryl of Mississauga Canada (09/06/05)
Upon my return to Fort Lauderdale from a 4 day cruise on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, 1 of my bags were missing. I report the loss & went on to my hotel. The next day I was looking for a pair of shoes in a bag which I packed with shoes only. When I opened the bag, I found 2 of my good dresses. The 2 dresses had been packed in my missing bag. Upon further investigation, several pairs of shoes were missing as well as 1 foot of 1 pair. I, had also, 1 foot of a shoe that did not belong to me or any member of my family.
I contacted Royal Caribbean & drove down to their office in Miami. After much screaming & yelling I managed to speak to the manager of customer relations. Namely, Natasha Auburn. She informed me that they will look into this issue & gave me a number by which I could contact her. I have called her everyday & left numerous messages, but I have yet to receive a response from her. We have even gone so far as to contact the gentleman in charge of a department called Risk Management. But he too seems to hide behind his voice mail. Once Royal Caribbean have your money they don't seem to be interested in CUSTOMER SERVICE. I will never cruise with them again!
Both my daughters prom dresses were stolen, as were shoes that were recent acquisitions. One pair only worn once. The only shoes we were left with were flip flops, which we had to wear throughout the entire duration of our stay in Fort Lauderdale.
Anthony of Calgary, Canada (12/28/05):
We booked a Feb 19, 2006 cruise with Royal Caribbean in May 2005 and paid a deposit of $620 via credit card. On Dec 15th we got a call from RC customer service advising us that the 2/19/06 sailing had been cancelled because the vessel had been "chartered" by another party.
I advised them we had already booked the air flights in May and was advised all they could authorize was $50 in compensation, plus our deposit back. We find this whole matter totally unprofessional and unfair to the consumer.
Damages: We lost $120 plus Royal Caribbean had our deposit for seven months and returned it without interest!
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July 7 2008
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