When your luggage gets threatened, and an employee tries to fight you, you didn't get the experience you paid for.

Before we even got on the ship we encountered our first mishap. We went to check our bags, and the baggage handler told me to put the bags on the cart myself. This is HIS job, but wanting to just get on the ship, I complied. We checked with another agent what our stateroom number was, only for the baggage handler to toss the tickets toward me and told me to tag our bags. Again, HIS job. I did this, thanked the man for his service, then my fiancee and I started to walk away. He called us back, and dropped this bomb on us..."Customarily, when someone helps you with your bags...you tip them..." Needless to say after doing his job for him I was not inclined to tip. We exchanged words, and we began to walk away. This is when he says "Have a nice trip. Hope your bags get to your room...". Yes. This actually happened. Needless to say we got his name and complained as soon as we got on the ship. What were we told "He's a port employee, not a Royal Carribean employee..." I understand that, but I made my case to guest services that these people are the first encounter many passengers have with RC, AND that they handle the passengers belongings. They are de facto employees.

Major Issue 2: In the casino one night, having fun. Not drinking. Let me say, I'm a youthful looking 26 year old. There are children running around unattended between the slots, being kids. A RC employee comes up to me and asks "How old are you, sir?" Implying that I'm too young to be in the casino area. I told him I was 26. "Really, sir? Are you REALLY 26?" Sarcastic, and again implying that I am lying and underage. Again I told him I was 26, and that he could see my ID. He began to walk away. I joked to my wife "Glad he's keeping the kids out of the casino!" (a reference to the million kids running around who actually ARE underage). The RC employee stops, comes back to me and says "What did you say, sir? Would you like to say that to my face? Would you, sir?" All the while stepping closer to me, clearly violating my personal space. He was trying to engage me in an altercation! An employee was trying to fight me! I laughed it off and told him to calm down as it was a joke, but I was livid. We went to complain to guest services about the incident, and several other minor incidents where RC employees had been less than professional. We were assured that kind of service was unacceptable and our report would be reviewed.

Major Issue 3: The day we returned home, our onboard account was charged $500 or so that we spent on the ship. The next day, I noticed that this $500 had been refunded to our account. I was actually incredibly impressed. Royal Carribean had actually stepped up, acknowledged that their employees had not afforded us the service or respect we should have been afforded, and refunded us our money as a gesture of good will. Completely changed my view of RC. Not so fast...the very next morning, that refunded money had AGAIN been charged to our account. Charged. Refunded. Charged again. We were not happy.

Major Issue 4: Still ongoing. The service I received when calling the RC customer service line was appaling. I was told that RC did not refund money, that it had never happened. I have a bank record of it! I was also told that none of our complaints were filed on the ship, and the rep even insinuated that I was making these incidents up! Then she refused to escalate my calls. I finally managed to get transfered to a competent rep, who is investigating the issue.

I have contacted the Texas Attorney General, who seems very interested in what RC's response will be to my complaint...