Actually, I’m no fan of Jamaica and would personally prefer to visit Costa Maya. Locals are very unfriendly in port towns and there’s nothing to do but take an overpriced shore excursion.

the second stop is now costa maya mexico(which is a cargo port) and will be the substitute for jamaica for all allure and oasis cruises until october 2011.

i would think that a cruise line like royal caribbean would see that the subsituted stop on a caribbean cruise would actually be in the caribbean, not another stop in mexico only a few hundred miles from cozumel.

we have contacted royal caribbean and were told that our travel agent should have notified us of the change, however our travel agent wasn’t notified by royal caribbean but by myself.

royal caribbean has the right to change itinery, but shouldn’t they notify us or at least note it on their website ?

they are offering no compensation whatsoever. not even a free drink, for having a years anticipated cruise to stop at a shipping port in mexico.

we have been advised to stay on the ship in costa maya unless we have a pre-arranged outing planned because there is nothing there but an industrial atmosphere.

VERY POOR CHOICE OF A STOP ROYAL CARIBBEAN

thanks for stopping at an industrial shipping port instead of falmouth jamaica or an island thats actually in the caribbean.

schowbike@yahoo.com

schowbike@yahoo.com

I will not support an industry that treats its customers the way I was treated.

The airlines at least post the current available fare on their web site. The cruise line purposely posts rates that are not available. That is called “bait and switch”

I will certainly tell all of my friends of my experience with RCCL and hope eventually the cruise lines learn.

Royal Caribbean wasn’t trying to cheat you. All cruise lines use “yield management” just as the airlines do. This is a computerized program that adjusts fares as cabins are sold. A few cabins are sold and, because there is less supply of that category, the price goes up.

Once I saw a terrific deal on a cruise that included airfare so I called the cruise line’s reservations departments. I was told there was ONE cabin left in that category and when it was gone, the old fares would apply.

A friend wanted to book a great deal, had to wait a few hours to check with her husband, and when she went back the fare increased. This was at a website travel agency.

And reservations agents — whether Royal Caribbean’s or those found in travel agencies — have no control of cruise prices. They are set by the cruise line.

I say no thank you to Royal Caribbean. I will take my business elsewhere.

At some point, cruisers might tire of the very large ship appeal and not be willing to spend top dollar for the experience. But I don’t get why RCL discounted this ship right off the bat.