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What would you expect as compensation?


Skater50
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Hi,
Ive only just joined, but have been browsing these forums for weeks, and wanted some advice.

So, me and my husband had a Baltic cruise booked on 10th August from Copenhagen. We booked flights and transfers through RCI, but the flights were cancelled. As a result we had to fly to the next port (Stockholm) the following day (Sunday), spend a night in a hotel and catch up with the boat on Day 3 (Monday). We missed 48 hours of the cruise, as the first day was a sea day. The cruise was only 8 nights long, and we missed the first 2 through no fault of ours. RCI paid for the flights to Stockholm, but we paid for an extra return trip home and back to the airport in the UK, transfers in Stockholm, the Stockholm hotel, plus food on the 2 nights we should have been onboard.

What would people class as reasonable compensation for this from RCI, taking into account the stress this caused, as well as the inconvenience, in terms of refunds of costs, part of cruise costs etc


Many thanks

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Who chose the day/date of the flight that was cancelled.  You said it was booked thru RCI but did not say if they chose the date of the flight.  We have cruise booked June 2020 and have our flight booked to Amsterdam from USA 3 days before cruise.  I hope you didn't have flight booked same day as cruise.  Like Biker said most likely not going to get anything above what you already received.

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Honestly all I would expect would be for Royal to cover the cost of getting to the first port of call. I believe that's all that's mentioned in the Air2Sea guarantee. I would put a request into my travel insurance provider for the delay of trip, hotel, and transportation costs.

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1 hour ago, Snit13 said:

Who chose the day/date of the flight that was cancelled.  You said it was booked thru RCI but did not say if they chose the date of the flight.  We have cruise booked June 2020 and have our flight booked to Amsterdam from USA 3 days before cruise.  I hope you didn't have flight booked same day as cruise.  Like Biker said most likely not going to get anything above what you already received.

Agree. Sorry missed part the Cruise. Myself always flew in day ahead even when Travel provided by Royal. Since 2002 fly in 2 days. This after one my plane sled off Runway getting stuck in snow. Weather, and other things happen. Dont think will get any cash back. Though Laws/protections maybe different in Europe. Sorry again, hope enjoyed rest of your Cruise. 

Edited by ONECRUISER
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Why was your flight cancelled? Can you get compensation through the EU scheme. I think at best the most RCI would be responsible for would be any costs incurred (hotel, transfers etc). I don't think you'll get anything for stress or any part of your cruise refunded. 

Have you spoken to RCI and if so what did they say. I'm no expert but if you booked a package you should be covered for something. I think I would contact someone like Which or Citizens Advice to find out what you should expect.

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As stated, it depends on why the flight was cancelled.  Unfortunately, if the flight was cancelled due to weather, and you eventually caught up to the ship, you're not really entitled to much more than that.  I understand why you are frustrated, but unfortunately, such is the variablity of air travel.  I hope you decide to cruise again, but if you do, I highly recommed flying in the day before, under your own reseveration independent of the cruise.  This will give you more flexibility in the event that you have issues with your flight.

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2 hours ago, Skater50 said:

As it was booked as a complete package, out travel insurance say it's RCI responsibility to cover us (maybe that's different to the USA?)

 

I’m sorry to hear this happened your cruise and I’m interested in what they say. Travelling from Ireland, I’ve previously used RCI for ‘the complete package’ of flight and cruise. They’ve always ‘provided’ the flight on the morning of the cruise. I know people may see what can RCI do but that’s not the customers problem. You paid for a package. They didn’t provide that. I’d be inclined to keep fighting them for the lost days. 

 

As an aside, I stopped buying flights from RCI because they were always on the morning of the cruise. A 6am flight out of Dublin to get to Rome is not conducive to making the most of day 1 of a cruise. 

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3 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

 

I’m sorry to hear this happened your cruise and I’m interested in what they say. Travelling from Ireland, I’ve previously used RCI for ‘the complete package’ of flight and cruise. They’ve always ‘provided’ the flight on the morning of the cruise. I know people may see what can RCI do but that’s not the customers problem. You paid for a package. They didn’t provide that. I’d be inclined to keep fighting them for the lost days. 

 

As an aside, I stopped buying flights from RCI because they were always on the morning of the cruise. A 6am flight out of Dublin to get to Rome is not conducive to making the most of day 1 of a cruise. 

 

Air2Sea program in the States allows you to choose your date, time, seat type, and airline.

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From what you stated, RCI should cover all your costs until you joined the ship.  Flights (which they covered), but also transfers, hotel, and a reasonable amount for food.

 

I don't understand your comments about an extra return flight home and back to the airport in UK.  For the second, do you mean you went to the airport, your flight was cancelled, so you went home, then back to catch your flight to Stockholm?  If so, how long between flights?  Was it a reasonable thing to go home.  

 

Your travel insurance should cover most things that are not the responsibility of RCI.

 

And under EU requirements, look into what the airline owes you.  EU regs have substantial penalties for not getting you to your destination.

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56 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

 

And under EU requirements, look into what the airline owes you.  EU regs have substantial penalties for not getting you to your destination.

It depends on the reason for cancellation, if it was weather or strike related it would not be covered under EU regs.

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1 minute ago, kernow said:

It depends on the reason for cancellation, if it was weather or strike related it would not be covered under EU regs.

 

That is why I said to "look into what the airline owes you."

 

That might be nothing.  Or might be a lot.

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Their guarantee is to get you to the ship and that's exactly what they did, at their cost.

The delay to the aircraft isn't you fault but it also isn't RCI's fault.

The only additional thing I'd expect there is the cost of the transfer in Stockholm.

 

The Airline is a Point 2 Point carrier and this part was delayed. The cruise left on time. Neither are linked. There is nothing in the T&Cs about refunds for missed days which weren't the fault of the cruise line. Your travel insurance should cover this. If you don't have travel insurance which covers cruise specific areas then you might want to look into a more specific cruise related policy next time.

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34 minutes ago, travelplus said:

You could ask for a Future Cruise Credit compensating you for the two days of the missed cruise and rebook a redo cryise.

 

I think that’s a fair request. You paid RC to get you to the start of the cruise. They subcontracted that responsibility to a 3rd party but that’s their problem. 

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Under EU rules; If the flight was cancelled due to strike action by security staff or firefighter then the airline does not have to pay compensation.

If the strike is by airline staff and you were not warned about the strike 2 weeks before you fly you can claim compensation. According to a Which article: 

 

Under EU law, you're only entitled to compensation if you hear from the airline less than 14 days from the date you're due to fly that your flight is cancelled.

If the airline warned you of the cancellation at least two weeks prior to your scheduled time of departure, you won't get compensation but you'll get a refund.

 

Is a strike an extraordinary circumstance?
Airlines are not always obligated to offer compensation following a strike because strikes are usually considered to be 'extraordinary circumstances'. These are situations beyond the control of the airline, and can include adverse weather conditions as well as certain strike action.

But when a a flight is delayed or cancelled due to strike action taking place by the airline's own employees (eg pilots, airline staff), then the airline is required to pay compensation to passengers. 

Even sudden 'wildcat' strikes aren't classed as extraordinary circumstances when the industrial action has been called by an airline's staff rather than a third party, such as an air traffic control or a baggage handling strike.

 

    https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/ive-had-a-flight-delay-due-to-a-strike-can-i-get-compensation

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