Same as the first. After re-arranging our vacations and getting new dates approved, I was told yesterday that the March 25 Navigator cruise is full and that we won't be on it. I might have to give up at this point. I'm starting to believe Tim - there is no such thing as a free cruise. After being told 3 weeks prior to sail date that we didn't get on the January 25 cruise I suppose I should be thankful that at least I was given earlier notice this time. The irony is that a friend called to check availability only this past Tuesday and was told that cabins were available. I will e-mail Mark Conroy and the head of Travelocity, but since I only got the standard "I'll look into it" last time with no furrther follow-up I doubt it will help. Thanks for all the positive thoughts and support - I know this isn't a happy post but I am just so disappointed I don't know what to do. Maybe if I hadn't sailed Radisson before there would be more interest on their part to get me on board.

Oh Sue! That is awful! Yes - definitely contact Mark Conroy again. How can they keep bumping you like that?

Sue, don't give up...go get them, this is disgusting service..r/wes

Sue,

I'm so sorry! I do hope you will keep trying, and do keep reporting to us. We want to know!!!
Good luck!!!!

Betty

That so called "contest" sounds like a sham.

Editing to add: Out of curiosity I would call RSSC and ask if there is availability in this cruise. Strange that a couple of days ago there was and now all of a sudden there isn't.

I thought about doing that but didn't want to raise my blood pressure that much (if I found availability) so early in the day. :rolleyes:

That just sucks pond scum! This needs to be brought to public attention somewhere (not enough caffeine in my system to decide where, just yet), and Mark Conroy needs to know; especially if Travelocity is scamming the public.

Just as a side note I had my two grown children on the cancelled Navigator cruise in January and we were waitlisted for March 25. We were declined yesterday as well. I guess it was the day that the ship hit the capacity that automatically generates the decline notices to those waitlisted. The ship has only a few cabins left and the people on this special list get bumped at that point. The problem is the ships are just FULL - I would happily have given a spot we had to Sue but we cant get on either. You should have priority over us. My kids are "regrouping" now trying to find an alternate date as well.

Oh Sue thats really too bad!! I know you've been looking forward to this for some time now, and not getting on twice has got to be disappointing. Hang in there.
Ngaire - interesting point, and I know of course that you are right, I think its somewhat like that on most cruiselines, and most likely one of the reasons the ship is full could be the rebookings of the passengers who were on the cancelled cruises - don't you think they might have been given priority? It would make sense I guess.

Sue,

This is just horrid.

I will repeat what I said during your first go-round -

BE RELENTLESS!

This is now way beyond ridiculous and inexcusable!

Sue, this is so disappointing! I was so hoping that they'd take care of you this time around. You've been more than flexible. I hope Radission and Travelocity get it together to award you the prize they advertised.

Sue, this does stink. How long do you have to choose a cruise? Any cruise in 2005 or is their a cut off month?

What a bummer. This sure does sound like a scam but then with Radisson losing the Diamand and the cancelled Navigator cruisses I they have bitten off more than they can chew. Oh when will they get a new ship under construction?

I understand the situation with the fire and with the Diamond - they need to work to please their paying passengers. I really don't see us getting on a cruise at this rate. The ships are full, we have to cruise by June 30, and we have to get vacation approved. My boss can't believe at this point that I'd still cruise this line.

Sue, do you think maybe they will extend the deadline since the ships are full??

I don't see how they can't extend the deadline. They can't offer you something and then put a deadline on it that THEY can't make. It's not like you ever had an option of going on a cruise within that time frame that you turned down...you've been willing to take whatever they gave you, but they keep saying, sorry that's full.

I really really hope you don't give up!

I definitely agree with the advice you have been getting. At this stage of the game, SOMEONE needs to make this right. While we can all understand ships being full, they need to reserve a spot, not just claim that you only get on if they have vacant space.

Mark Conroy can certainly agree for RSSC to extend this and allow you to sail in 2006. I cannot believe that he wants all of your fellow loyal RSSC cruisers to be getting such a terribly negative impression here.

Did we ever figure out who is at fault here? Is it Travelocity or RSSC? Or both?

Either way, PLEASE do not give up. In my opinion, you want to be contacting them once a day until they finally get so tired of hearing from you that they accomodate you. This is no longer a situation where you want to be the nice guy. Clearly that isn't working. It's time to be the pest that they want to get rid of.

Just MHO.

Good luck with this. I am completely outraged that you have had this happen twice. This is beginning to sound like a scam.

Sorry to vent, but it really infuriates me when someone gets taken advantage of to this degree. This is beyond outrageous.

Kathy

So sorry to hear about your second cancellation. That really sucks but maybe they can extend the deadline. Travelocity and RSSC certainly can't say that you haven't tried to book a cruise before the deadline. Good luck!

Think it would help if we printed out this thread and FAXED it to Mr. Conroy? Just a thought.

Excellent suggestion, Robert!!!

Yes Robert I totally agree!!!

Sue go for it you deserve this. And not only that but I would copy this whole thread to the CEO of Travelocity, as well as the original one.

Wouldn't book with Travelocity under any circumstances at this point, don't trust them!!!

Sue,

For this to happen twice to you is totally inexcusable and unacceptable. You have jumped through hoops to get your vacation arranged - twice, only to have it fall apart through no fault of your own.

How could anyone who owns or runs a legitimate business conduct a contest and make someone go through such misery to redeem their prize? Someone needs to be held accountable and see that you are justly and fairly rewarded all ready! It's time to once again contact the people you contacted the first time around and tell them you've had it with all this nonsense. And..keep contacting them until they give you your due!

I'd write to Conde Naste Ombudsmen for help.

Gee, the author of the LA Times article that someone wrote to got all the Minter's $500. future cruise credit more......

Sue,

So sorry to hear your dilemma! That is awful to be promised a luxury cruise and then have to keep getting disappointed over and over again. Hope this thing works out for you.

I am at the point when I don't even enter any contests or fill out any forms for contests anymore. You know how you fill out a form and then you get the phone call that you have been selected to win "a" prize if only you come to listen to their spiel about a condo or something? I hate those things. One time, they kept calling me and I finally agreed to go across town for an appointment time that afternoon. Of course, I never went.

Anyway, I sure hope you get to go on your cruise sometime!

P.S. Do any of you get the calls that you won a Carnival cruise? I keep getting those recorded messages about once a week. And I keep erasing them.

I'm so disgusted with this situation. I agree with all the suggestions that people have made so far - call Mark Conroy and Travelocity, print out this thread and fax it to them (and the previous one for that matter!), contact the Conde Nast Ombudsman, contact the travel writer for the LA Times, take out a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal, threaten to mail Travelocity the contents of your septic tank, whatever it takes ... it's time to let them know that you're serious.

This scam that they're pulling may be legal but it certainly isn't ethical ... and it most certainly isn't intelligent from any business standpoint with the poor publicity that this is generating.

Masaki

Well, there is good news. I didn't even bother with Travelocity since they are so unhelpful. I e-mailed Mark Conroy yesterday, and (though I didn't get a response after the first cancellation) he forwarded my message yesterday and I got a response from Alex Sharpe at Radisson. They have suggested one of two four day Diamond cruises which are in early March, but of course I can't get vacation scheduled by then. I am hopeful that if I can find a cruise I can take they might get me on it now instead of waiting till the last minute to see what's leftover availability-wise.

I honestly think it's Travelocity's problem, but I'm pleased that Radisson is stepping up to help. Now the issue is getting Tim to agree to new dates (again!)and get vacation approval. Thanks for the good thoughts and suggestions.

Sue,

I'm so happy that you are getting some positive response from RSSC, at least. I do hope you will be able to work something out. Good luck!!!!

Betty

I agree with Betty K, happy you are getting some positive response and Good Luck, hope you get something worked out. After all this frustration, you need a cruise!!! :D :D

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE RSSC, Make this work!!! I've got all my fingers and toes crossed for you. I think when you finally do get your cruise, we're all going to have to have a virtual toast in your honor.

Well, there is more good news. I can't thank Radisson enough for helping on this especially since I'll be a non-paying customer on this cruise. Subject to our getting vacation approval, we are on the May 18 Navigator cruise to Bermuda. So, if the fates are willing we'll be going somewhere! Thanks to you all for your continued support, and if anyone from Radisson reads this board you have my thanks as well!

Sue, Congrats and your perserverance & patience
shines through...hope your family and you have
a real blast...don't forget to send us sea mail too...r/wes

This is great news. Not sure RSSC is the one at fault, sounds like Travelocity, especially given how unhelpful they've been to you. But RSSC stepping in and resolving it really shows the type of company they are. I'm glad to hear you are booked and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you on the vacation issue.

By the way, you will LOVE that trip. We did it last May and enjoyed every second.

Kathy

I totally agree it wasn't Radisson's issue to fix. However, I am grateful that they were willing to help.

Hey Sue!

Excellent news. May isn't so far away. :)

Yes, May IS so far away!! At least it feels like it to me, since MY cruise starts on May 1. Right now it feels like forEVER! ;)

Congrats Sue...but I will not uncross my fingers and toes until you have your docs in hand.

Back the truck up. You have nothing to apologize for here. The contest they ran was a business decision. It was a contest designed to generate revenue and you won. They owe you the benefits they advertised, and it has nothing to do with whether you are a 'paying customer' or not. Both Radisson and Travelocity need to make good on this, as they both expect to profit from the publicity.

Do NOT feel like a second-class citizen in this arrangement.

And I TOTALLY agree with MarnaLou. But happy for you Sue that there's some potential light at the end of the tunnel! (let's just hope that it's not a train)

Masaki

Very good point, MarnaLou and Masaki.

I have to say that after the way you were treated, Sue, I can't imagine using Travelocity for anything.

After Sue is safely back from her cruise, maybe we should all write to Travelocity expressing our disgust at their behavior?

On the other hand, assuming RSSC comes through here and Sue actually gets on that ship, my faith in them has been restored. In today's world, it seems like Travelocity's behavior has become the customer service "norm". It's nice to be able to deal with a company like RSSC who will step up and make something work regardless of what their partner in the arrangement does. I have to say that I wish they had done it a bit sooner, from a customer service standpoint, but at least they came through. Sadly, as Sue mentioned, if her boss had any intention of cruising, I'd guess RSSC would be his last choice having seen Sue cancel two vacations over this.

But the good news is... you are going to have such a wonderful trip, Sue. I can't tell you how much we enjoyed it. Check out the reviews section and some of the older posts. A bunch of us were on that cruise last summer and loved it. (Four of us were named Kathy of all things. It was so funny. All of us members of this board, and all on a different sailing.) If you have any questions, just feel free to ask. I do scrapbooking, so I keep EVERYTHING.

Kathy