Military deployment last minute and NO refund?

[CharlaneOT]

Good morning,

We just came off a week on Freedom of the Seas. The week of the cruise, my son was called up and deployed which made his attendance for the cruise obviously impossible. When I called Royal, clearly upset, they told us they couldn't do anything.. However, I had paid refundable fare, but was told I'd be charged more if we took him off the reservation. So we had to go with a no show, which was just upsetting as well.

 

Do I have any recourse or is that pretty much it?

[gerif]

Knowing deployment was a possibility, why didn’t you take out insurance? This is coming from a retired military family so no snarkiness intended.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Did you purchase insurance? If so, check out your policy on cancellation. Also, check out time frame in terms of when you canceled - how many days/weeks prior to sailing.

[blackshirt]

Did you purchase insurance? If so, check out your policy on cancellation. Also, check out time frame in terms of when you canceled - how many days/weeks prior to sailing.

The OP did not cancel anything. The son was a no show.

[Grandma Dazzles]

The OP did not cancel anything. The son was a no show.

 

Yes, but if he had insurance he might still have a claim for no show/cancellation. Question comes up frequently when people miss a cruise for weather/airline/illness etc.

 

My original post asked if he had purchased insurance - responding to poster asking if he had any recourse.

[CharlaneOT]

Yes, but if he had insurance he might still have a claim for no show/cancellation. Question comes up frequently when people miss a cruise for weather/airline/illness etc.

 

We were told to leave him as a no show otherwise we'd be charged additional fees..

 

We didn't consider insurance well because he wasn't supposed to be deployed, for lack of better term. His time had been approved for a few months.

 

We are new to him deployed and we didn't expect it at all. We got a call Monday for a cruise that left Friday.

[swoopy2110]

Insurance can cover a lot more than just cancellations.

 

 

Expensive lesson learnt

[Biker19]

Do I have any recourse or is that pretty much it?

You could try calling a couple more times to see if you get a different answer, but don't expect one.

[CharlaneOT]

We figured we'd be stuck with the cost of the cruise. We booked a military fare for his airfares and they refunded the costs without issue.

 

We had notified rci that he was active duty, but didn't expect him to be deployed as it wasn't scheduled.

 

Lesson learned indeed.

[maryjaden]

I am sorry for your situation. My husband has 28 years in the Air Force and I have purchased insurance for this very reason. Not only if he was deployed, but if a situation came up and all leave was cancelled. Nothing is written in stone when it comes to military leave. It's an expensive lesson, but now you will know for next time. Just a note also, it is best to get the itinerary cleared prior to booking cruise for security purposes.

[mjkacmom]

Insurance is for getting a refund for cancellations that are unexpected, deployment, injury, illness, death, plus other things like medical care. You can’t cancel after final payment without financial penalty, a week before the cruise, you lose it all.

[ReneeFLL]

I also agree about getting insurance. Many things can happen and not just with the military. When in the military the government owns you.

[stevea36]

We figured we'd be stuck with the cost of the cruise. We booked a military fare for his airfares and they refunded the costs without issue.

 

We had notified rci that he was active duty, but didn't expect him to be deployed as it wasn't scheduled.

 

Lesson learned indeed.

 

Call back and ask for the resolutions team. They should be able to help you with this.

 

And, yes, a no-show is probably cheaper than cancelling. If you cancel they will re-price the cabin at today's rate and, possibly, move you to a different cabin with a lower capacity. no-show retains current pricing and cabin selection. You should get the port fees and taxes refunded (if resolutions does not step in and help you out).

 

Steve

[irishgal432]

If you paid with a credit card, sometimes they provide limited travel insurance for this situation as well. I have 2 credit cards that provide this service.

[Thesandman12]

If you paid with a credit card, sometimes they provide limited travel insurance for this situation as well. I have 2 credit cards that provide this service.

 

I might suggest you e-mail Michael Bayley, CEO Rccl, mbayley@RCCL.com. Tell him your story. This has helped in the past with unusual situations such as this one. Good luck

[PhoenixCruiser]

I might suggest you e-mail Michael Bayley, CEO Rccl, mbayley@RCCL.com. Tell him your story. This has helped in the past with unusual situations such as this one. Good luck

Are you saying that no one needs to purchase insurance and that Bayley will refund all money spent?

 

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[ZoeyVictoria]

Was the cruise booked at the military rate, and you will lose that rate if nobody else in the cabin qualifies for that rate?

[dchurchward]

You have already received good advice to purchase insurance going forward. I would simply add to check that it covers military deployments so you can be more at ease as you go into a cruise vacation. Like others have suggested, I would call resolutions. If they can't/won't help you I would take your story to social media specifically mentioning RCL and the CEO by name. While RCL is within their policy, the fact that your family member is in the military may help your story to get traction and at the end of the day, perception is more important than policy. I think you will have some good success using social media to share RCL into helping out.

[Grandma Dazzles]

I might suggest you e-mail Michael Bayley, CEO Rccl, mbayley@RCCL.com. Tell him your story. This has helped in the past with unusual situations such as this one. Good luck

 

Much as I sympathize with OP's problem, I can never understand why people suggest contacting the CEO or other departments and request an exception be made - for any circumstances. What if the person, or any member of their party, had an accident, become ill, etc. That's why you purchase insurance!!!!!!!

 

Over the years I have spent thousands of dollars on insurance, and other than a minor claim, never used it. But I buy it to cover medical, baggage, etc.

 

I have family in the military who purchase insurance for this very reason. No one suggests contacting RC after a cruise because they didn't use their insurance and would like a refund! (Joking,of course)

 

Sympathy to OP but expensive lesson learned, unless credit card has some coverage. Also, taxes, fees should be refunded.

[dchurchward]

Much as I sympathize with OP's problem, I can never understand why people suggest contacting the CEO or other departments and request an exception be made - for any circumstances. What if the person, or any member of their party, had an accident, become ill, etc. That's why you purchase insurance!!!!!!!

 

Over the years I have spent thousands of dollars on insurance, and other than a minor claim, never used it. But I buy it to cover medical, baggage, etc.

 

I have family in the military who purchase insurance for this very reason. No one suggests contacting RC after a cruise because they didn't use their insurance and would like a refund! (Joking,of course)

 

Sympathy to OP but expensive lesson learned, unless credit card has some coverage. Also, taxes, fees should be refunded.

 

Because policies don't matter, perceptions do. That is a fact of life in the social media world we live in.

[Thesandman12]

Much as I sympathize with OP's problem, I can never understand why people suggest contacting the CEO or other departments and request an exception be made - for any circumstances. What if the person, or any member of their party, had an accident, become ill, etc. That's why you purchase insurance!!!!!!!

 

Over the years I have spent thousands of dollars on insurance, and other than a minor claim, never used it. But I buy it to cover medical, baggage, etc.

 

I have family in the military who purchase insurance for this very reason. No one suggests contacting RC after a cruise because they didn't use their insurance and would like a refund! (Joking,of course)

 

Sympathy to OP but expensive lesson learned, unless credit card has some coverage. Also, taxes, fees should be refunded.

Insurance is always the best option. But sometimes people make a mistake. I'm not saying always go to the CEO. If one thinks the mitigating circumstances truly warrant a different approach, and accept the mistake, whats to loose, all they can do is say no. There is nothing wrong with asking in a professional, honest respectful way.

[ONECRUISER]

Sorry, Retired Army myself. Was always aware that if didn't carry Insurance could happen. While still in military I just got off cruise on the Enchantment with my kids 2 days before 9/11. Then while at Disney got an alert, had to drive all nite get back to unit. It's the life we live...

[gerif]

Because policies don't matter, perceptions do. That is a fact of life in the social media world we live in.

Going to social media because you neglected to do something (e.g., purchase insurance) is just wrong. Expensive lesson, yes, but certainly not the cruiseline’s fault.

[dchurchward]

Going to social media because you neglected to do something (e.g., purchase insurance) is just wrong. Expensive lesson, yes, but certainly not the cruiseline’s fault.

 

It makes no difference if it is right or wrong, it only matters if it works.

[Thesandman12]

Going to social media because you neglected to do something (e.g., purchase insurance) is just wrong. Expensive lesson, yes, but certainly not the cruiseline’s fault.

 

I agree on the social media, its not for me. Going to someone personally, one on one, is OK with me. I served, and put in my time, no complaints, but I have a soft spot for members in the service, they deserve a break where warranted