Double Fatality and cruise booking

[American Bear]

[quote name='Flying is for Planes']I am very sad to say that the two people I was travelling with have been killed in a double fatality accident. The 3 of us were booked on cruises in May. We had 2 adjoining cabins on two B2b 7 day cruises out of Copehangen.

I have contacted the agent who is talking to Royal Caribbean Australia about compassionate ground refunds for the bookings.

The travel insurance will not cover the loss as it was an American Express complimentary travel insurance and becasue they paid the deposit and final payment and on 2 different Amex cards the cover is not valid

They leave behind 2 sons and obviously a refund is desperatly needed. I am curious if anybody has been in such a tragic situation ans whether you can offer advice. The agent suggested that they may refund on compassion but wonder of anybody knows of a precedent?

Thankyou[/QUOTE]

It would not make sense for RCL not to refund, as the bad press it would create if they did refuse!
And as others have said, sorry for your loss.

[cruzsnooze]

[quote name='twindaddy']Agreed, was about to post the same thing but with the word "tact"

You do not have to post every single thing that enters your mind at all times.

I actually agree with some of the opinions on this thread about insurance, but there is a time, place, and a way to discuss that. Kicking someone while they are down serves no purpose, other than to make yourself look and feel superior to someone in their time of suffering.[/QUOTE]
The OP asked here and now so where and when is the proper venue to answer, the time and place as you stated?
The Op asked specifically about asking for a compassionate refund and explained their lack of insurance. If they didn't want to know then why ask. We don't always get the answers we want but if that's the case then don't ask. There are 2 components to the OP. One is sympathy for the tragic circumstances which we can all identify with and I actually feel badly for their loss. The second component was asking about compassionate compensation. How was anyone kicking them when they were down, they asked, people answer.
An interesting point to think about......Should a cruise contract ( or any other one for that matter) be upheld to what is written and signed by all parties or should it be based on the severity of the circumstances. Does everyone get the same consideration when a refund is sought ? That's the point I was making and exploring while expressing sympathy for the loss of 2 lives. Edited March 22, 2015 by cruzsnooze

[denatravels]

Deepest condolences. Please ignore the morons who need to "hear" their own voices.

I would try the following:
1. Send a letter to Royal Caribbean-- directly to the CEO office.

2. deal with the insurance company

3. follow up with AMEX

4. If nothing else works, enlist the local media. In NYC, one of the TV stations has a feature called "7 on your side" (because it's channel 7)-- they go after companies for one reason or another. This would not be good press, and I suspect it will not get to this-- but it may be an option if needed.

Best of luck.

[cruzsnooze]

The OP is not a relative and can't pursue anything.
I am pragmatic , for those that need the definition :
pragmatic
[ pragˈmatik ]
ADJECTIVE
dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical

Ignor the advice of those who want to go to the press and on TV and all venues to blackmail RCL because it will backfire. Consult an attorney to seek out all legal remedies instead of listening to advise that could get you banned from the cruise line. Do you think bringing unwanted publicity in a negative way to any company would garner you anything good. Listen to a lawyer versed in cruise contract matters in your own Country and follow their advise. Edited March 22, 2015 by cruzsnooze

[denatravels]

[quote name='cruzsnooze']The OP is not a relative and can't pursue anything.
Ignor the advice of those who want to go to the press and on TV and all venues to blackmail RCL because it will backfire. Consult an attorney to seek out all legal remedies instead of listening to advise that could get you banned from the cruise line. Do you think bringing unwanted publicity in a negative way to any company would garner you anything good. Listen to a lawyer versed in cruise contract matters in your own Country and follow their advise.[/QUOTE]

Did I say "blackmail"? Must have been written in invisible ink...

[tigger-ttfn]

Are you saying because the folks didn't understand their coverage the cruise line should reimburse their family because of the tragic circumstances?

No he was saying that if they are within the cruise lines cancelation policy the have a chance to get some of their money back just like any of us who cancel within the time frame would. OP is within 46 to 70 days I believe

[Jimbo]

Moderators must have the weekend off to allow this thread to continue. Strange!

 

Jimbo:)

[cruzsnooze]

No he was saying that if they are within the cruise lines cancelation policy the have a chance to get some of their money back just like any of us who cancel within the time frame would. OP is within 46 to 70 days I believe

 

That's what they should get back, whatever is in the cancellation time frame and not more based on circumstances.

[goodml]

No he was saying that if they are within the cruise lines cancelation policy the have a chance to get some of their money back just like any of us who cancel within the time frame would. OP is within 46 to 70 days I believe

 

I'm a she :D but yes that's exactly what I mean.

 

I also mean that I'd be pleased if the cruise line decided to refund in full on compassionate grounds even though (and yes we all know this-to save a certain someone's vein from bulging out of his/her forehead while typing madly) they have no obligation to do so.

[cruzsnooze]

I'm a she :D but yes that's exactly what I mean.

 

I also mean that I'd be pleased if the cruise line decided to refund in full on compassionate grounds even though (and yes we all know this-to save a certain someone's vein from bulging out of his/her forehead while typing madly) they have no obligation to do so.

I'm in agreement as long as do it for everyone who has a hardship.

[2thesea]

Thankyou everybody for your kind words.

 

We were due to leave Australia in 3 weeks and had hotel/car bookings for 3 weeks from Florida to New York City and then flying to Copenhagen.

 

Our hotels were all advance purchase and non refundable. Companies such as Expedia, Hotwire, Choice Hotels are made full refunds in light of the circumstances. The only company that out-right refused was Hilton but I escalated the request on facebook and hopefully they will agree. I was truely amazed at Hotwire's fast consideration as I thought they may have been more difficult.

 

Sorry for your loss and you having to also deal with off of this. As far as the Hilton is concerned contact the hotel directly (the hotel you were going to stay in) the hotel itself is often more understand than the Hilton Corp reservation office.

 

Good Luck and I hope everything gets a little easier.

[twindaddy]

The mods must have run out to the store to get locks. This thread needs one.

 

To the OP, I am very sorry for your loss. I really hope you have long since stopped reading this thread.

[The_Big_M]

I'm still trying to figure out why the Travel Insurance didn't cover this loss,

because the trip was paid for on two separate cards ?

What kind of policy did they have?

I think I'd have a professional look at that in more detail.

 

I'd be guessing it's two separate accounts.

 

With some policies you are covered if you purchase the entire e.g. travel (cruise) cost on your account.

 

If the deposit was paid on one account, and then another amount on another account, the entire cost has not been charged to an account so neither account qualifies for travel insurance cover.

[garycarla]

It comes from the money that they already paid for the cruise. The company has not provided a product yet, and no one has used any of the company's product. It's not like they've gone on the cruise, "used up" everything and now want their money back.

 

Actually the company has spent a great deal of money to provide a product. If very late, the cabin sails empty. The cruiseline budgeted and staffed as if that cabin was in use.

 

In fact, the vast majority of profits on a cruise are from folks that actually sail. In case where folks do not show up for whatever reason, they take a loss. Yes, the cruise line will save in that they do not feed these people, but there are plenty of other expenses. If nobody showed up and the ship sailed empty, it would cause a world of hurt.

[Flying is for Planes]

I'd be guessing it's two separate accounts.

 

With some policies you are covered if you purchase the entire e.g. travel (cruise) cost on your account.

 

If the deposit was paid on one account, and then another amount on another account, the entire cost has not been charged to an account so neither account qualifies for travel insurance cover.

 

This is exactly what has happened.

 

For all the horrible people you will be please to know RCCL will offer nothing in compassion. Just somehow I thought a double fatality of both passengers might have called for something. Not even a credit out of the non-refunded portion.

 

AND I may ad if its fine for all the hotels/airlines to refund 100% of non refundable bookings what makes a cruise line any different?

Edited March 23, 2015 by Flying is for Planes

[fragilek]

This is exactly what has happened.

 

For all the horrible people you will be please to know RCCL will offer nothing in compassion. Just somehow I thought a double fatality of both passengers might have called for something. Not even a credit out of the non-refunded portion.

 

AND I may ad if its fine for all the hotels/airlines to refund 100% of non refundable bookings what makes a cruise line any different?

 

sorry for your loss

I did not read the all comments as I was loosing faith in humanity-

You should post what has happened on facebook if nothing else it may shame the company into being more compassionate in the future. I know they do not have to be by law but we have had other companies refund to us after a death.

 

After that try and not think about the cruise refund to allow yourself more time to concentrate on healing - I wish you all the best.

[JasonTehGreat]

Here's that thing: despite what the two "people" on here would like, companies do sometimes show compassion. They have a sense of social responsibility.

 

It's bad for business to be the company that charges a deceased couple for a cruise they will never take while depriving their surviving children of money they likely need very desperately. This is NOT a case of canceling because they have an ear ache or because they can't get off work.

Edited March 23, 2015 by JasonTehGreat

[JasonTehGreat]

I also agree with the Twitter tactic, that may help with Hilton too. It's not blackmail, it's "free-market economics" at its best. When the public become aware of a disagreeable decision of a company they make it known and let the company decide how to proceed. Just like when the story broke that Progressive defended a man in court who had killed their client in an accident so that they would not have to pay on her policy. They took much heat and suffered financially for it. They also settled the claim.