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I worked for Southern California Events and for the last three years I won employee of the year and was given a cruise each year by my employer. My first cruise was only a 3 day and 3 night and after having such a great time I worked really hard to become employee of the year for the next year but this time it was a 7 day cruise to Mexico on my birthday where I shared my room with my care giver, all on RCI.

2007 was my last year with the company due to my failing health and age, and it was to be the trip to end all trips on the Liberty of the Seas--one of your flag ships for RCI. There were 11 people invited by the company costing the company over $30,000 my cruise was paid for because once again I was voted employee of the year. I was given a choice of $3,500 or the cruise. I chose the cruise. I work for the company as their photographer and graphic artist because I could no longer work picnics because of a disabling unrelated accident where 5 vertebras were crushed in my neck and my arm were pulled from the socket. Limiting what I could do for the company, this was to be my last year because of my age and the pain I was in. When I arrived at the ship the cabin steward could not find my bags and I found my bags on the third deck; one of the bags was extremely heavy. I looked for my cabin steward but could not find him so I had to carry the bags back to my cabin pulling on my right arm causing me to be in more pain. After unpacking I found I was standing in a puddle of water in front of my closet and I called the cabin steward and he contacted maintenance. They claimed that they found the leak coming from the air conditioner and said it was fixed. A large noisy blower was placed in my cabin that now smelled of the caulking they used to fix the leak and the blower was to help dry out the wet carpet. It didn't help so they sent a crew with a rug shampooer to work on the carpet then once again they put the large noisy blowing machine back in my cabin to help dry the carpet but it wasn't successful and a strong order of mold permeated the cabin. Another maintenance team came to my cabin to help with the mold and sprayed my cabin with a strong disinfectant. It was so strong I could no longer stay in my cabin because the strong order caused me to cough and it was just intolerable. I was advised by the team not to stay in my cabin because of the strong smell. I once again felt the water in front of my closet on my socks after getting undressed after dinner. I contacted guest services and was introduced to Fernando Jorge, guest services manager who I explained my plight to. He offered to change my cabin from an inside handicapped cabin to an outside cabin with a window and I looked for the handicapped equipment but it was just a regular cabin. Since I have a problem using the bathroom, shower, and help extending my arm to put my clothes away, I needed that extra equipment and my cabin was the only handicapped cabin on the ship with the extra handicapped bars and hangers in the closet since my arm doesn't extend fully. I could not reach up to get my clothes without the accessories for the handicapped. I thanked him for his kind offer but had to turn the cabin down because it was not functional for someone with a disability. He returned to my cabin with a gift packet containing a VIP pass to the ice show and a VIP Concierge card to the VIP diamond cabin. It also included 1 free ice-cream every day from Ben and Jerry's. I thanked him for his generosity and accepted his kind offer. The next day I tried to get into the VIP lounge but the card didn't work and I was told by the bar employees that the concierge was the only one who could fix the broken cabin key. I went to guest services to get the key validated to no avail, and was told again only the concierge could fix the card so everyday for the next couple days I tried to catch the concierge to get my cabin key validated. It never was. The next night I tried to get into the ice show using my VIP card but was denied entrance because the ice show was full and I was told that I had to make reservations days before. That night I went to guest services to return my worthless 2 VIP keys and my Ben and jerry certificate something; I could not use because of being a diabetic. I asked for Mr. Jorge but after some time I just left to go back to my cabin. About ร‚ยฝ hour later a person from guest services arrived at my cabin with a bottle of wine and some chocolate covered strawberries from Mr. Jorge. I explained that I was a diabetic and could not drink or eat the strawberries but thanked him for his offer. He handed me 2 new keys. One to the VIP cabin and one to the ice show I declined after being embarrassed to return to both after being told the key were not valid and there was no room at the ice show. I felt like a thief trying to get something for free or a blow hard trying to get to the front of the line. He said there was a new person at the ice show and didn't know about the VIP card and that's why I was turned away. He went on to say it never should have happened and that the key to the VIP room was also fixed and it had never been validated. I thanked him but told him if he could just get the leak fixed that would be more then enough. He said he would try. By the third day I was ready to go home as my last vacation that I was looking forward to for so long had turned into the worst vacation ever.

It was 9 pm and I went to sleep for the night with the order of disinfectant in the air. That morning I woke to a wet floor and the maintenance people told me it was now coming from the bathroom and tried unsuccessfully to fix the leak but they once again left the big air dryer in my cabin to help dry it. They never were able to fix the leak for the entire cruise as the floor remained wet every day. The mold returned and I was left with a large blower to try and dry the wet spot. Because of the dryer I was unable to sleep or take naps during the day that kept me from seeing any of the shows or staying up late at night. I was in my cabin sleeping normally by 8:30 or 9 pm; it was endless with no hope in sight. Because of my 2 previous cruises on RCI. I know what you are capable of doing and the kind of service I expected from your staff. To make matters worse being a gold member I never received an invitation to the gold member welcome party nor did I receive the postcards or the bag that other gold members had brought to their cabin. It was to be my last cruise and these are the memories I have of the Liberty of the Seas and RCI. Since I can no longer fly, I am confined to stay in the Los Angeles or San Diego areas and would have to leave from there for another cruise leaving me the Mexican Rivera cruise that I was already on or one of your 3-4 night cruises that I did already or Alaska. I know the cruise cost over $3,000 not counting airfare that my employer paid for and he tried in vain to get me a refund to use on another cruise to make up for my nightmare experience on my last cruise with the company but to no avail.

The only thing I received was your offer for $375.00 on a future cruise. The $375.00 doesn't cover the cost of 1 full day on your ship much less the 7 days I endured. After I was tormented for a week in pain with a wet cabin floor full of mold the odors of disinfectant and caulking along with promises of extra services that never panned out and none of the extras that a loyal returning gold member were treated to.

Location: Santa Clarita, California

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Guest

Wow, those bastards would not give your money back poor customer service.

Guest

Hi everyone. I was just googleing Mr Fernando Jorge to try to find out is whereabouts and found this blog.

I also had a problem with Royal Caribbean during my stay onboard the Liberty of the Seas in March 2010. Mine and 6 other balcony cabins got flooded at 8 am due to a burst pipe and shorty after Mr Jorge was at my door. Actually I was in bed and had not noticed it yet. He was very polite, explained to me that the ship was full, couldn't move me but would do hIs best to have everything repaired ASAP.

Meanwhile gave us a spa treatment to spend time off my room which I found great! At 11:30 I passed by and 20+ people were working in the rooms replacing carpets. By 3:30 pm my room was done and by 7:00 pm I got my laundry back,complimentary, promptly offered by him. This was on durIng the 2nd day.

He kept in touch with me until the end, sent me some much appreciated goodies and a cruise certificate for $500 which I found fair for my trouble. H and his team made feel pretty well about the whole thing. I came back to Royal thanks to him and did 3 more cruises. I'm still cruising with royal and after trying carnival and princess, would NEVER go back.

Sorry you had a bad experience there but I can assure you they are usually very good. That bad experience turned positive and mr Jorge were what kept me coming back.

john Ywu

I am genuinely shocked to hear these horror stories about RC cruises and there boats..I have a neighbour who has just returned from the "Independance of the seas" in the medi and they can't say anything bad at all they thought it was wonderfull....funny how things happen differently over the other side of the big pond...JL UK

Guest

The same thing happened to me and my husband on our trip to Mexico. We never drank the water but the both of us along with passengers and crew came down with this flu or something like the flu.

We were vomiting so bad we wanted die. Royal Caribbean has some serious health issues.

Guest

Looking for a cruise stay away from Royal Caribbean. We just got back from a cruise in the Mediterranean.

It was a nightmare, the crew was sick the passengers were sick it wasn't seasickness we all have flulike symptoms my husband got sick and was vomiting for over seven days then couldn't eat for the rest of the cruise, we're told by the cruise Dr. that cruise ships have this flu type virus that's been attacking the cruise ships. If I would've known that before we spent $8000 for tickets we could have gone to Mexico and drank the water a lot cheaper.

Thanks Royal Caribbean for ruining yet another vacation. You need to upgrade your sanitary issues.

Guest

I saved my hard earned money for two years to go on my first R.C. cruise.Went to the caribbean.

What a dirty nasty ship. And the worst customer service ever!

Just came back from a N.C.L cruise.Wow, what a wonderful change!!! After a year, I did get my money back, but not even a sorry.

Guest

Royal Caribbean needs to learn about customer service.

We just returned from a seven day Mexico Riviera cruise. It was a nightmare we were seated with a family of five children from ages 2 to 9.

The parents could not control the children as they ran around the table at all meals knocking over water throwing utensils standing on the table, what I'm telling you is the absolute truth. We asked the captain to be moved to another table it was just me and my husband a party of two. The captain told us that the first seating was totally booked in the only way to move us would be for the second seating. He explained that they were short staffed and could do nothing to accommodate us.

I told the captain my husband has diabetes and we cannot eat that late. He said there is nothing we can do. I asked about eating in the pay restaurants he said there was no way to accommodate us would have to spend a week with the family that was out of control. After our cruise we contacted customer service and they sent us a $50 gift certificate for our next cruise.

When we booked the cruise we had saved for over three years to go on vacation, the cruise cost us over $2800 for the two of us. The $50 gift certificate will rot before I ever get on another Royal Caribbean cruise.

Guest

Royal Caribbean must be doing very poorly they try to take advantage of each passenger. They pushed drinks like crazy, had photographers both on the ship and at the ports following you around taking pictures even though we asked them to leave us alone.

The food has declined, they have less staff, so the buffet lines are long and the food is no better than a high school cafeteria. I would suggest that you stay away from Royal Caribbean I have sailed many times and have never experienced this poor of service and quality of food. I totally agree with a boycott of Royal Caribbean after reading how they treat their crew, and how they pollute the oceans.

When they put money before human rights and pollute the oceans it's time to say enough there are so many cruise lines that want your business and will work hard to keep you happy passengers. Goodbye Royal Caribbean.

Guest

My husband and I returned from a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Mexican Riviera. The ship was dirty the food was okay and you're not going to believe this while the ship was leaving the port in Mexico it struck another cruise ship.

There was panic as windows smashed glass was falling all over we heard this loud bang and thought the ship was sinking. We looked to see if they were deploying the life rafts, we went to our cabins and put on our life jackets. It was crazy, since this was my husbands and I first cruise we thought they would do something for us, like put us on another ship or accommodate us in some way. They didn't we sailed back to Los Angeles on the same ship.

They could have cared less. I will never never never sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise again.

They cleaned up the glass but when we went to cruise services we asked what the cruise line was going to offer us after a collision at sea? A man in a white officers suit asked if we were hurt we said no just shaken up, he said enjoy your cruise back to Los Angeles.

Guest

"Written by Royal Caribbean"

At least you can give yourself a good cruise. Thanks Royal Caribbean for checking in with us you still Stink!You treat your employees like dirt and you are big time polluters. I am happy you gave yourself a good cruise now what about us?

Guest

Just got home from a RCL cruise (7 day-western Caribbean) I'm sorry to hear that you had a horrible trip. We had one issue while vacationing and from my experience, they went above and beyond to correct the problem. We had a wonderful trip on one of the best lines out there.

Guest

My husband(45) (then fiance) and I(40) went on a cruise October 2008, this was our first cruise and was out of Port Canavrial with Carnival 4/3 nights.

My husband had never been out of the country, however I had numerous times to Mexico and Jamaica, but I went with a land package all inclusive with flight, drinks and meals included and it never cost me over $1,500 per person for 7 nights.

I really never had any desire to go on a cruise, just felt I would rather be on land to exployer and never liked the idea of being on a ship if something happened life flight would have to be called in or if I hated it I couldn't just leave, don't like being that out of control.

We needed to get away so I waited last minute wheeled and dealed and got us the cruise for $549 which included both of us, it was a good deal so we went.

We boarded the ship with no problem, our bags was at our door when we got to our room our stewards were very nice and accomadating, the cabin was small and an inside cabin(I expected this though for the price)not a problem though we didn't plan to stay in our room because there suppose to be so many things to do on the ship. And this is where the problem accured.

If you are not compulsive then a cruise is not for you. Neither my husband or I are big drinkers, over eaters or additive gamblers so there for there was nothing to do, we tried. The shows were so poor you would need to be drunk to set through them, I don't think my husband found them to be as bad as I did since he never had been on a Holiday in his life and I have been on many and have seen the shows in Nevada and Biloxi so the shows on the ship I laughed through and found to be irriatating, got up during one and walked out. We'll we walked out of the show and looked at each other as if what are we to do now, we just walked around and walked and walked seemed like there was nothing to do. We played in the Casino for an hour and then we were over that since we are not addictive gamblers then we walked down to where the food is and we were not hungry so we didn't eat, we were not drinking so we didn't want to go to a club, there was nothing to do on that ship for us and I have a bad back so the walking (which you do non stop) got to me, the carpets are not padded so you mine as well be walking on solid concrete, this is not good for a bad back, anyhow we were board stiff the entire time we were there.

Bahamas,we port there and go to get off the ship to go and exployer (a place I never had a desire to go to based on what I heard about it)we can barely get anywhere for 30 minutes because they had props you had to walk by and they take your picture and it is set up pretty much that you have to stop and let them, I hated this with a passion, we brought our own camera and could take our own pictures of what we wanted to. We walked and walked to get from the ship to where we could catch a taxi to go abroad, we found one and there we were in the Bahamas, wow how exciting..We went and checked out some stuff and then we walked by a little resturant and set outside in front of it and I decided I needed to add some juice to this or I would die of bordom on the spot so I ordered a Bloody Mary ..Yummy, then I ordered another one and another one and then we walked more and went to Atlantis and it was pretty but I found it to be over rated and over priced to do anything there, they wanted like $40 a person to walk through the Aquarium which I said no to and found to be ridiculous. Anyhow to make a very long and boring story short.

Cruises are good if you are an over eater (I seen this with my own eyes I would say 70% of people on the ship were really over weight) If you are a compulsive gambler or an alcoholic(although alcohol is not included with cruise and you could go to an all inclusive resort where drinks are included and end up spending a lot less money)

You could tell the staff were over worked, barely spoke english but were very nice, I felt bad for them and tiped them well above what was called for because I felt so bad for them.

I would NEVER go on another cruise again even if it were free I would have more fun just hanging at my house playing with the dogs, in the garden or watching tv.

Missy - Florida

Guest

Royal Caribbean throws their sick crew members over board when they get cancer, they pollute the oceans, treat disabled people badly, and people are still booking their cruises on Royal Caribbean? Where is 60 Minutes when you need them? The *** with pissed off consumer we need a senate investigation to put these people out of business.

Guest

About 60 crew members on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship have been diagnosed with swine flu and confined to their cabins while the ship is in a French port, a French official said Friday. The cruise line says the sickness isnรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt swine flu.

The French official, Alpes-Maritime regional spokeswoman Geraldine Soulier, said that in addition to the people have been diagnosed with swine flu, another 70 ship employees showed symptoms of it. Some of the crew aboard the Voyager of the Seas had shown swine flu symptoms before the ship departed earlier this week from Barcelona, Spain, Soulier said.

Illness on Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship.

Guest

Jim Walker of Walker & O'Neill Maritime Lawyers

Worst Cruise Line in the World > Cruise Ship Medical Care - Royal Caribbean Gives Their Crew Members the Royal Shaft

Cruise Ship Medical Care - Royal Caribbean Gives Their Crew Members the Royal Shaft

Posted on September 27, 2009 by Jim Walker

The Miami New Times interviewed me as part of an investigation into how cruise lines treat their crew members once they become ill or injured. The article was entitled "Screwed If By Sea - Cruise Lines Throw Workers Overboard When It Comes to Providing Urgent Medical Care."

The article focused on the two largest cruise lines, Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Around 75% of U.S. passengers sail on cruise ships owned or operated by these giants. Virtually all crew members are non - U.S. employees, from countries like Jamaica, Trinidad, or Honduras where medical care is either non-existent or spotty at best.

Maintenance and Cure - the Oldest Legal Doctrine in the United States

Cruise lines are legally obligated to provide prompt and adequate medical treatment to their crew members whenever they become ill or injured on the cruise ships. The doctrine is called "maintenance and cure," and has existed in the U.S. for almost 200 years. It is one of the few absolute legal doctrines in the world. Traced back to the Medieval Sea Codes, the doctrine evolved over the centuries out of a concern that hard working crew members should not be abandoned in distant ports. Ship owners are required to provide medical treatment and sustenance so that the crew members will recover from their illnesses. In a nutshell, the maintenance and cure doctrine requires the cruise lines to treat crew members as if they were their own children.

Neglectful Parents

The "Screwed If By Sea" article revealed that Carnival and Royal Caribbean were very neglectful parents.

The article hit the cruise industry like a bomb. The public learned that the cruise lines were acting outrageously. The New Times revealed that Royal Caribbean kept a seriously burned crew member in his cabin with nothing but Ibuprofen, and then tried to ship him back to the Caribbean from Alaska with no arrangements for medical care. In another case, Royal Caribbean sent a crew member with cancer home to die with no medical treatment. Although the cruise lines were based here in Miami and their cruise ships regularly called on ports in Florida where appropriate medical care is readily available, the companies schemed to send the ship employees to the far corners of the earth where the crew members would languish and their medical conditions would undoubtedly worsen.

Guest

Wow that is really a sad story. All those things that they did to you and you canรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt do a thing about it, thatรขโ‚ฌโ„ขs outrageous.

The cruise ships like big business have the courts on their side because you sign away all of your rights when you accept the ticket. So they can do what ever they want to you and you have no recourse. I have never heard of a business that immune from civil litigation.

I know that Royal Caribbean doesnรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt care about the oceans and was fined millions of dollars by the federal government for pollution of the ocean; they were caught by the coast guard throwing millions of pounds of garbage into the ocean. They should have pulled their license for that dirty trick.

But what does a couple of million dollars mean to them itรขโ‚ฌโ„ขs like us paying a $20.00 fine for littering. The difference is that all their ships were polluting the ocean for years and they were only caught with one ship doing it. So they are a major polluter and are as guilty as factories that dump their waste into our streams and water ways. I say we should boycott Royal Caribbean for the way they treat people and the earth.

If you care about human rights or the right to have a pollution free earth there is only one way to strike back and thatรขโ‚ฌโ„ขs by a boycott. We need to stand together and show them that they have no right to treat people or the earth this way.

By booking a trip on Royal Caribbean its saying you donรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt care about big time polluters and abusers of human rights. BOYCOTT ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Guest

People look forward to their vacation for a year a lot of the time. When on a cruise you cannot get off and go home, you are stuck.

It would have been a horrible experience for anyone but someone who has special needs should be made more comfortable. It seems they not only have problems with the ship but no way to fix any problems on the spot. Don't they listen to what people have to say?

It seems the right hand does not know what the other hand is doing. These people should get their act together or I look forward to hearing that they are out of business.

Guest

I am pleased they have treated at lest one disabled person well. You sound like a real party animal.

If you see me in a Toga call the police because I am a hostage. Now please share with everyone how you can get 3 free cruises for $375.00 canรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt wait to hear your secrets. And if they had you in a cabin that was filling with water what would you do put your bubble gum in the crack? Then go back and party??? Maybe I am wrong but I donรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt think a cruise ship should leak, and I was on the largest ship the Liberty of the seas.

If I could take 3 free western Caribbean cruises for $375.00 I wouldnรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt have said a word. For an inside disabled room on the ship they start at $3,000. Not $100.00

:roll

Raymond Bam

SO SORRY TO HEAR WHAT HAS HAPPENING TO ALL OF YOU ON RCL MY WIFE AND I ALSO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS,BUT THY HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND TAKEN CARE OF BY RCL .FOLKS WHEN YOU CRUISE JUST HAVE FUN *** HAPPENS WHEN I CRUISE IT'S HAMMER TIME JUST PARTY HAVE FUN JUST REMEMBER ANIMAL HOUSE WHEN THINGS GOT BAD TOGA, TOGA, TOGA.HEY WE DID NCL TO A TUNE OF 9,700 WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THAT SUCKIE !!TRIP,IN 2006, TO ALASKA FOOD BAD , DRINKS WERE BEING PUSHED ON YOU, ROOMS AN (Fffff),SERVICE JUST AS BAD.HEY I AM OLD AND DISABLED. ENJOY LIFE !!

FIRST SIR YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE MONEY.YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN THREE TRIPS FOR THAT AMOUNT SECOND THEY WERE TRYING TO HELP YOU, YOUR DISABLE NOT DEAD. JUST HAVE FUN.BUT STILL I AM SORRY IT HAPPEN TO YOU. FOLKS CHECK OUT THE BIGGER RCL SHIPS. THEN TELL ME YOU CAN NOT HAVE FUN.

VACATION IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT.

SO FAR RCL IS THE BEST TO US. CRUISE THE OTHER LINES WE HAVE!!THEN COMMENT :YOU,LL BE BACK RCL -PLATINUM MEMBER;

Guest

To treat an old disabled person like that. I am sorry it happened to you. I will never go on their ships I promise :(

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