Our church group was scheduled to go on Soverign of the Seas tomorrow on a long awaited
Jr/SR. cruise. They were contacted by RC three days ago that they were cancelled. After months of planning and payments through a travel agency, we were cancelled..yes..three days prior to leaving to go on the cruise, we were cancelled. They cited the reason was not enough adults, we had 16 kids and 6 adults. I was informed by a travel agent friend, who accessed information, that the cruise was overbooked by 22 percent. The kids have left for another vacation, but not on a cruise. I am totally disheartned by what RC did to this group of kids and adults. I will obviously encourage anyone to make arrangements on any other cruise line except RC.

Without knowing the whole story it is hard to say who is to blame here. This sounds really bazaar. There has to be someone age 25 or older in the cabin if there are minors under 21. The group had 6 adults (I'm assuming these adults were 25 or older.) That means each adult could have three of the young people in their room, which would cover your 16 kids. The issue of adults and kids should have all been straighntened out at final payment and finalization of the group cruise. Which is usually 60-75 days before the sail date. I'm not sure the Travel Agency involved didn't mess up somehow and is covering their tracks. I also don't understand how your friend could possibly have information indicating the cruise was overbooked.

I agree that this sounds very strange. I assume you all had documents, etc from Royal Caribbean? As Cruise Fanatic said, each room had to have someone age 21 or older, but that should have been arranged at the time of booking. Even so, I've been allowed to book kids nearby the adults in some cases, even when the kids are under 21.

The only times I've heard of a group being canceled so close to sailing have been when the ship is unable to sail for some reason.

Sounds like there is something else going on here.

Sandy

I also find it hard to imagine the cruise line overbooking a cruise by 22%. It's not like a hotel where the expectation is cancellations. Cruise lines have a definate cancellation policy that allows them to recoup costs depending on how close the date of departure is. This is to allow them to rebook the cruise at a tremendous discount if need be. Something definately seems fishy here.

Sounds like, something is defenitly wrong. Did you get Insurance for your cruise? Also, it might be due to weather. Right now, there is storms everywhere. Or maybe someone your traveling with cancelled or failed to pay. and you just don't know it. But the travel agency booked everything right? Hmmm I would be on the phone calling some folks right about now getting answers.

quote:

Originally posted by Java:
I will obviously encourage anyone to make arrangements on any other cruise line except RC.

16 less kids? Sounds like a reason to go RC No prior posts getting info or advice, but one post to blast the line? Other boards would label the OP a troll. I suppose it could have happened, but I doubt your going to turn anybody away.

Well your loss not RCCL. We love Royal Caribbean having just completed our first cruise with them. And we are looking for another with RC soon. My Husband and I are hooked. And being adults with grown children 16 kids and 6 adults on a ship that size is not a good thing. IMO. Too much space to lose someone fast.

I agree that this sounds odd -- there must be a huge part of the story we don't know. As far as an "overbooking" of 22%, I wonder if that reflects pax booked as 3rd/4th occupants, over and above double-occupancy counts.

It doesnt matter if its true or not (it isnt) RCCL isnt going to be hurt by you not going on their cruise. It is by far the most popular line out there. Obviously this person is pist at rccl for one reason or another. Of course she hasnt come back and been keeping up with the thread.

Another drive by poster

Interesting observation, Spiritfilled!

There is always two sides to a story and we have only heard one here. That said, I don’t begrudge Java the privilege of venting about a perceived problem…it is his/her right to free speech. After all, how many times has anyone of us kept quite on a subject until it affected us personally? I am sure that each of us would be greatly disappointed if a dream vacation was cancelled three days before it began.

I am sure that the administrator of this chat room will delete any post that he/she deems inappropriate…as he/she has done before. The fact that it is still here would seem to indicate that meets the criteria for the board.

It would be interesting, however, to hear the other side of the dispute. If Java did, in fact, fail to meet some criteria of RCI it would benefit all of us to know what it was so that we might avoid a similar situation in the future. If Java's story is correct, perhaps the publicity could result in some form of compromise or recompense.

On a personal note, I have left written instructions to SailorJill that in the event that I ever agree to take 16 children on a cruise that I should be subjected to a battery of mental competency tests

Another gem, SailorJack!