Banned For Life From Royal Caribbean For Complaining Too Loudly On The Internet
Brenda and Gerald Moran are what you might call "regulars" on Royal Caribbean -- or they were -- until they were banned for life after they complained too loudly on a cruise website. For the past 3 years, they took two cruises a year with Royal Caribbean, but according to the cruise line, they complained about almost all of them. Finally, after stirring up too much controversy on a popular cruise site, the company banned the Morans for life.
Last September, Brenda and Gerald got stuck with a stinky, sewage soaked stateroom on their 14- night Alaskan cruise. The cruise line refused to move them into another room, but offered a 20% discount on their next cruise. They felt this was fair compensation and decided to book their next cruise on Royal Caribbean.
After the cruise, Brenda logged on to Cruise Critic and posted a review of her trip as well as a few comments on their forums, says MSNBC. A few weeks later she got a call from Royal Caribbean offering her an additional $500 credit for her trouble. Brenda was happy with this offer and again posted the details to Cruise Critic. This is apparently when everything went wrong.
Some board members felt the Morans had complained their way to an unfair discount and posted their displeasure. They felt that the Morans were teaching others how to “scam” Royal Caribbean. Some went so far as to contact Royal Caribbean’s president and chief executive, Adam Goldstein to complain about the Morans getting any compensation at all.
A few weeks later the Morans received a phone call from a man named Sebastian who identified himself as Bill Weeks’ boss. Sebastian was unhappy that Brenda had posted a negative review and had shared the compensation information on Cruise Critic’s boards. He asked Brenda to take down her review “at once.” Brenda refused and cited her right to free speech.
The following day the Morans received another phone call from Sebastian stating the couple was banned forever from the cruise line.
The Morans received a $500 check along with a letter explaining that they were, indeed, banned. Royal Carribbean's spokesperson told MSNBC:
“On all but one of those sailing the Morans felt there were a variety of service failures they experienced,” he said. “In a small number of cases we agreed and compensated them appropriately. In most cases, however, we disagreed. Having concluded that we are unable to meet the expectations of the Morans, we have told them that they would be best served by sailing with another company.”
Harsh! Do you think Royal Caribbean should have listened to the people complaining that the Morans were scammers? Is the ban too harsh? Or just practical?
Complaining couple banned from cruise line [MSNBC](Thanks, Cherise!)
(Photo: physis3141 )
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Comments:
Wow, I think I remember seeing that Royal Caribbean rep holding a sign that says "Get a brain! Morans!"
freshyill, you beat me to it by THAT much.
LOL, freshyill, you beat me to it by THAT much!
Not seeing the problem here - Royal Caribbean didn't threaten them, sue them for defamation, or try to shut down their board. RC said, in effect, since we are unable to make you happy, we won't be doing business anymore. That's not "harsh".
We get to blame the blame the consumer crowd on this one, don't we? Ha!
Wait they have had a problem with all 6 cruises and stil lwanted to use them?
No offense but I see royal carribeans point. Why did they still sue the company after 2 bad cruises?
We don't know if the cruise line listened to other people complaining this couple was scammers.
But every company has the right to 'fire the customer'. I have not read all this couple's posts on cruise boards, but the company's explanation is not unreasonable.
If you anticipate a customer will be unsatisfied, it is proactive of a company to decline to offer services.
I have no problem with this. We're not talking medical services, housing or employment and we're not talking about discrimination based on race, religion or any other protected class. We're talking a discretionary purchase and a company evaluating the chance of delivering a satisfactory product (a cruise that will meet the couple's expectations).
What is the anti-consumer angle here? We DEMAND you take our money for another cruise, even though we have publicly documented we dont' enjoy your cruises. How DARE YOU not take our thousands of dollars even though you know damn well in advance we'll probably criticize everything you do!
@majortom1029:
Agreed.
It seems, by the details given to us, that the Morans are the issue here. They had problems with all but one cruise and they are still cruising with the same company. I think they definitely had the right to complain about things they saw as problems, but I also think Royal Caribbean had the right to refuse further service.
If it was so bad why would they go on the same cruise line so much? And it is unreasonable to complain, get compensated, and then still complain, and then compensated then still complain. I don't see anything wrong with what Royal did.
Some customers are not profitable. It sounds like this was the case with the cruise line. It makes business sense to refuse service to someone who will do more damage than benefit to your company.
That said, sewage soaked staterooms are unacceptable in any circumstance.
These Morans should be compensated. They should also just agree to NOT use RC anymore.
Two cruises a year? Damn. Them's some rich Morans.
It's just smart business, albeit of the extremely douchebag kind. It's obvious the Morans are not profitable to the company, and it's apparently not profitable to make a cruise ship not smell like a septic tank.
Just cash that $500, and move along to a better company.
No, not harsh at all, sometimes it's better to just turn the buisness away. Like that hot chick who's really good in bed but psyco, yeah, I'd love to have sex with her again, but, I just cant deal with the internet postings afterward about how I only went 3 hours or how I didnt snuggle afterwards or that I left because she was snoring or that I drugged her.
I just dont need that type of headache.
"For the past 3 years, they took two cruises a year with Royal Caribbean, but according to the cruise line, they complained about almost all of them."
That's a lot of money to spend on something you hate so much.
@castlecraver: If you live within driving distance to a cruise termainal and can travel at off times, crusing can be surprisingly cheap.
According to one article I read, their "pinkslip" came with a check for the $500 discount they were promised. You can read into that a number of different ways, but I will say that while I have enjoyed both of my Royal Caribbean cruises, if I got a letter from them that said "Here's $500 if you never come back," I'd probably take the money and run :-)
Good for RC. I honestly believe there are some people that will complain just to get freebies, even if it's a battle a normal person would never fight. They found the threshhold!
If the Morans complain about every cruise, then why do they keep taking cruises with this company?
Makes no sense.
I know that if I ran a competing cruise line, I'd gladly pay a couple $2-4k a year to take cruises with my competition & nitpick them to death online afterwards.
I have taken two RC cruises, both were great trips. I don't doubt that something went wrong on the Moran's trip, but you would think the Morans would call it quits on RC on the second trip when things went wrong, yet they took a total of 6 trips with them? Sounds like they're a bunch of scammers, or they're glutton for punishment. The Morans sound like the types that would bitch and make a scene to get something for nothing. I'm a fan of RC, and for those of you who have never taken a cruise but are planning to, I'd recommend them. I've taken cruises with Carnival and Princess, RC has them beat by far.
RCL tried to rectify the problem to the customers satisfaction, which the customers accepted. They admitted they screwed up (everyone does) and the Morans still lambasted the company. I don't blame RCL for firing them one bit.
So, after reading what all happened to the Morans, and other problems with cruise lines recently, I just have to ask one question:
What's the down side?
It's almost like the joke, 1st prize is a cruise on Royal Caribbean. 2nd prize is two cruises on Royal Caribbean.
I think RC made the right decision... There are DEFINITELY "bad customers" and more businesses should use their right to not serve them.
When I worked at Best Buy (it was in college, please be nice) there were so many people that were just awful to deal with even when you bent over backwards for them.
I'm all for consumers' rights, but I definitely think that companies have rights as well.
Cruise lines are an entirely service-oriented business. If you expect first-class service, it's fairly easy for the provider to miss the mark.
The best way to enjoy a cruise? Lower your expectations! (The stinky room would have been a deal-killer for me, though...)
"Last September, Brenda and Gerald got stuck with a stinky, sewage soaked stateroom on their 14- night Alaskan cruise."
"Having concluded that we are unable to meet the expectations of the Morans, we have told them that they would be best served by sailing with another company."
What this says to me, honestly, is that Royal Caribean is incapable of ensuring that their rooms don't smell like human waste. I wouldn't want to cruise with them anyway.
That said, the Morans really should have bit their tongues after RC offered them the additional $500 discount. Seems to me they're the type who aren't happy unless they're unhappy.
HAHAHHAA if they thought they were being scammed, why the $500 shut up money lol.
@Jaysyn: diabolical.
there are probably some lucrative opportunities for commercial guns-for-hire, if they're capable of writing scathing reviews.
...commercenaries!
I am going to side with Royal Caribbean... they obviously were getting tired of hearing nothing but complaints - and losing money and rep.
I had an english professor in college who used to gloat about all the free stuff he got from companies by whining and complaining so much.
@Lucky225: I don't think they thought they were being scammed, they just felt the couple was telling others, hey say this after your trip and you'll get free stuff no matter what. Thats why many times when any lawsuit is complete people are not allowed to talk of the compensation so it doesn't give others or groups of lawyers the idea to go sue happy.
I give RC credit for sending them 500 dollars. If it hadn't been for that I would have found this more annoying.
Sometimes the only way a customer service issue can be rectified is by dissolution of the relationship between the two parties. If these folks are repeatedly so dissatisfied with their experiences, then they would certainly best be served by another cruise line. Seems they just can't figure that out on their own.
Some people just like to complain and can never be happy. Frankly, the Morans are morons for going on the same cruise line if they kept getting terrible service in their view in the first place.
RC sucks. They should feel lucky. How could anyone knowingly take one cruise with them? Stick to Norwegian or Holland America at worse. RC is amateur hour.
fair enough I think.
I guess it would depend on the tone of the message they posted regarding the 500 dollar discount/credit. If it read "OMG...we got RC to give us money, and all we had to do was complain", then they probably got the banning they deserved.
However, if it was a bad review, then she amended it with "wow, RC really came through because we had a bad experience, what a great company" the banning would seem a little silly.
I think they should be banned, and that they suck. These dooshes that cry wolf make it more difficult to get compensated when things really go wrong.
And that Moran sign is the funniest thing I've seen in a while.
Time to book a cruise with RC - at least I know the Morans won't be on my ship :)
6 cruises ..... 6 whines ..... Oh good grief.
I think RC was perfectly in-bounds to ban the couple. They complained enough to take their compensation (credits, vouchers, discounts) below the level of profit to RC, so therefore RC doesn't need them as a customer any longer.
@darkryd:
If the Morans complain about every cruise, then why do they keep taking cruises with this company?
Makes no sense.
Well, it's because they're morans!
(OK, this really needs to be the last moran/moron joke.)
I'm glad they did ban them. If RC can't serve them to their level of expectation, then try someone else.
I used to work in a restaurant where this lady ALWAYS complained to get a free meal. My boss ALWAYS gave in. If it was me I would have told her not to come back.
@mikelotus: I really liked RC and really loathed Norwegian. All that proves is that different sailings and different customers have different experiences.
In general, thing about online reviews of experiences (I work for a food and restaurant review site) is that people are motivated to mention the extraordinary. So you get ravey postings from people who loved something and nasty postings from people who hated it. The people who thought it pretty much met their expectations aren't as inclined to post. Realistically, the complaint linked from the NBC story (I couldn't find the followup post after the $500 credit was offered) is quite balanced -- they point out the things they liked and the things they didn't about the cruise. They don't rail on and on at length about the sewage problem, just note the problem and the solution--which was only minimally adequate in my mind. If that's the sort of feedback that RCC feels the need to ban people for providing, they're going to end up banning a whole world of customers in the years to come.
@aront: Yup, definitely "bad customers" for complaining about sewage in their stateroom. How dare they!
Hey, in this case i agree with Royal. If you keep taking their cruises, then routinely gripe about the service you receive, then go somewhere else!!! I would rather lose their business instead of the potential dozens that might not sail with them due to the negative comments that they post! Go Royal!!
I blame both sides. RC for having shitty (no pun intended) ships, and the Morans for bitching and moaning about everything. If I were RC though, I too would tell them to hit the road (or the seas).
I'd like to see their actual reviews/complaints. If their complaints were very minor, and they were simply trying to submit honest reviews, I don't see why that should result in their being banned.
Royal Caribbean made the choice to gift them with $500, so it shouldn't be held against them that they chose to do so.
They were stuck in a sewage soaked stateroom and afterwords thought of going on another Royal Caribbean cruise? Obviously it wasn't as bad as they made it sound. Me thinks these "Morans" are professional moochers.
Get a Brain! [politicalhumor.about.com]