How should lines compensate Mexico travelers?

[Let'sGo!]

I think this is one of those issues that really depends on what your stake in it is. It's easy to say people should not be allowed to cancel with refunds -- IF you're not one of those people.

 

I for one am. My cruise isn't for 3 weeks and yes, we booked it for the itinerary, not the ship. We've never been to any of those ports before. I appreciate that RCCL is giving me the choice to cancel with a refund or cancel and rebook. They're taking a chance I'll be coming back on board with them later.

 

As far as giving the folks who agree to take the cruise OBC, I think that's a good move as well. They need to entice me to stay on this cruise, so they're not sailing with empty cabins. And for what it's worth, since this announcement, I've watched the cruise prices drop for the Mariner MR cruises dramatically. The RCCL rep I spoke to told me that OBC is to help compensate for the lesser cost of the cruise. So I really don't see how the cruise line is shouldering a huge financial burden.

 

For what its worth, we haven't decided if we're going to cancel yet or not... but if we do, we're still taking a $300 loss on our airfare. So in the big picture, the passengers are paying a price as well: if they cancel and were travelling to the port - chances are they'll be penalized on their airfare. If they choose to rebook - again, you have the airfare change to deal with.

 

Kudos to RCCL for recognizing a way to support the passengers at a time when their vacation plans are so much in limbo!

[999Cruises2Go]

Personally I had to rebook my 5/10/09 Mariner of the Seas sailing to July 5th. I ended up only having to pay the difference in the cost of the sailings ($300). I think that was fair. Since I didn't invest in the cancellation insurance this time I was prepared to pay a penalty fee on top of this but they didn't charge anything extra (ie cancellation and rebooking fee). Very nice of them. I read so many stories online from people who had to pay both.

 

Royal Caribbean's understanding and generous service will definitely get me to come back to sailing with them. I'm pretty sure they were smashed with angry callers trying to get refunds. But they were actually really nice over the phone.

 

I personally do not think that cruise lines should have to refund anything to those who don't get the insurance. Especially since we signed the contracts. They have to make money to keep their businesses going. I would have been angry if they charged me the cancellation fee but I would have accepted the consequences. By the way... from here on out I'm making sure I will purchase the insurance. I didn't purchase it this time because I thought... hurricanes don't happen in Western Mexico. I don't need that. Well, who would have though coughing pigs would have ruined my vacation?:rolleyes:

 

Anyway, I hope this helped and that everybody gets what they want out of their cruises. Happy sailing!:D

[Lookingforfacts]

Just throwing something in, the passenger service act/jones act requires a foreign port. So instead of going south to Mexico, they'd have to go north to canada, the other safe nearest foreign port.

As for Carnival, looking at some of their itineraries, they no longer to to mexico, yet don't have the length (4 day cruises/3 day cruises) to get to a foreign port, normally ensenada. So wouldn't they have to now foot the bill of "violating" the jones act, around 200/300 USD a head.

Some mention the idea of cruise to nowhere and just going south to warm weather, not a bad idea considering this doesn't violate jones act.

Just throwing my 2 cents in there.

 

The cruise lines are making a "fake" port stop at ensenada. No one gets on or off the ship but the ship sits there for an hour. Looks like the gov't is "looking the other way".

[cruisenut2001]

If a cruiseline does not want to stop at the listed ports, then why sail at all. Did I hear the word PROFIT. To take a person's money and then say "It's not our fault" in this case is robbery. It's one thing if a storm comes up suddenly or bad seas prevents docking, and it is another thing when a cruise line knows weeks or months in advance they won't be making stops. Everyone knows that Princess has the worst customer relations (ask anyone who's dealt with the pursers desk or their HQ) so I'm not surprised by their stance. I sail with Princess for their ports and cost, nothing more. I wonder how those that think the customer contract is set in stone feel about Lemon Laws.

[Sea Hag]

But Sea Hag, what about all of us who booked this cruise specifically to go to those ports?

We didn't want to go to Cabo or PV, we signed up for Acapulco! If that is not where the ship is going, then I would like my money back, it is not what I paid for. And going north is not an option either, I want warm weather, not Seattle!

 

Well, I did say "speaking for myself" didn't I? I surely wouldn't try to speak for anybody else, and you have all my sympathy for your disappointement. :)

[CruzinFamilyof5]

My 2 cents: The cruise lines lose when they don't stop in ports. They lose profit on excursions and they also lose having to service a full ship 24/7. :rolleyes:

[eric24ktgold]

My 2 cents: The cruise lines lose when they don't stop in ports. They lose profit on excursions and they also lose having to service a full ship 24/7. :rolleyes:

 

 

...

[eric24ktgold]

I am overly satisfied with the way Carnival handled my cruise. I was set to sail out of Galveston, TX. on a 5 day cruise to Cozumel and Progresso Mexico on the Ecstacy May the 11th. What Carnival has graciously decided to do is, Change the entire cruise from a 5 day to a 7 day stoping in Montego Bay Jamacia, and the Grand Cayman Islands. I believe this is a "win win" for everyone, including Carnival (more days on the ship, the more money I spend) I just wish people would quit whining and stop looking for a hand-out all the time. Its called GREED, its what America was founded on.

[bmazzo]

Another good reason to purchase insuranse :)

[999Cruises2Go]

Another good reason to purchase insuranse :)

 

That's for sure. I got lucky this time and only had to pay the difference in the price of sailing on a date that costs more. But they (Royal C.) could have told me that I was out of luck and that I should have bought the insurance. I'm buying the insurance from here on out though.;)

[Bobbie John]

So you are saying that the Fed Govt bailout, (which is my and my childrens and my grandchildrens tax money), payable to banks, car dealers, and the like, is wrong because we had no contol over some idiot banking policy to give people loans who could never repay the loans???

 

 

When you book a cruise, you are booking an adventure. How can you expect the cruise lines to take the financial hit for something totally out of their control?

[Skywench]

I am very happy with the way Carnival has handled my situation. I was supposed to do the Mexican Riviera Sunday. I did not book to go to the chilly, wet Pacific Northwest, even though I do like those cities. Just being on a ship and not caring where I go is not why I book a cruise. I understand this situation is beyond the cruise lines control and not their fault, but neither is it my fault as a customer. I feel they made a good gesture and good customer service goes a long way and ensures my loyalty to Carnival. I'll start looking into rebooking another cruise soon.

[sail7seas]

I don't think the cruise lines owe anything. This isn't their fault.

 

If they chose to allow flexibility for cancelling and rebooking, it would be wonderful but I know they don't have to.

[freedomshipmate]

I definitely prefer a substitute port rather than another day at sea. We have a cruise scheduled for July to the Mexican Riviera, departing from San Diego. Scheduled ports are Ensenada and Cabo, and I hope things will change for the better so that we can go. However, if Carnival subs the Mexican ports for Catalina and San Francisco, I am ok with that too.

[Creeks]

Should passengers? Neither the cruise line nor passengers should shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden.

.:eek:

 

 

In all the pages and pages of 'woe is me they changed my scheduled ports',

I've not seen a word about the Mexican ports and the people who live there whose living depends on income from the tourists. I'm feeling badly that they will have no income at all, for who knows how long. :(

[eric24ktgold]

In all the pages and pages of 'woe is me they changed my scheduled ports',

I've not seen a word about the Mexican ports and the people who live there whose living depends on income from the tourists. I'm feeling badly that they will have no income at all, for who knows how long. :(

 

Nobody cares about them!!! Its all about "how am I going to be compencated", "Give me on-board credit", and a bunch more whining about cruise line company's doing the best with what their delt, and trying to please only the hmm, I would say 10,000 people sailing in the month of May. Boo Hoo your cruise is being altered for your safety...Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie...lol My cruise got bumped from a 5 day to a 7 day and instead of crusing to two ports in Mexico I'm going to Jamacia and the Grand Caymans. You don't see me crying about it.

[Skywench]

Nobody cares about them!!! Its all about "how am I going to be compencated", "Give me on-board credit", and a bunch more whining about cruise line company's doing the best with what their delt, and trying to please only the hmm, I would say 10,000 people sailing in the month of May. Boo Hoo your cruise is being altered for your safety...Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie...lol My cruise got bumped from a 5 day to a 7 day and instead of crusing to two ports in Mexico I'm going to Jamacia and the Grand Caymans. You don't see me crying about it.

 

Well, good for you that things worked out in your favor. Obviously you aren't in the same shoes as I was and others on a Mexican Riviera cruise and getting the complete opposite of what we booked.

 

Yes, I do feel for the people in Mexico affected by this too. I feel for anyone that is directly affected by it, including passengers, cruiselines, airlines and their employees. I have not been complaining and asking for something unreasonable. I think that those of us that have been negatively impacted should have the opportunity to change plans without penalty and that is what I got. It's not the cruiseline's fault and nor is it the customer's fault, but good customer service and doing right by the customer goes a long way.

[cruizerboozer]

Oh I am so irrated by the whole thing. As someone who is currently booked on the Carnival Splendor on May 10th, I still have hope that things will return back to normal and we'll be going to Mexico. I feel that the media has made a terrible mistake calling this FLU, that's right, it's the FLU, a pandemic. I caught the flu awhile ago while visiting family in Phoenix and passed it on to everyone I know. Does that mean we should not allow travel to Arizona? And what about the confirmed cases of the swine flu in California? Wait, should I not go to California to catch my cruise to Victoria? I might catch it in LAX!!!

 

Should the Carnival Splendor keep the current itinerary it has for the May 3rd sailing and I have to sail to Victoria, I will be extremely dissapointed. For those who say, just be happy you are going...are you kidding me? I am from Canada...It's cold here 8 months of the year. Do you think that I have ANY interest in going to Victoria, instead of Mexico? Victoria is a beautiful city, granted, been there, done that, but the ports they've chosen are insane. I would have no issues doing a 7 day cruise to nowhere as long as it's southbound or do a service stop in Ensenada (like the Sapphire is doing) so we can open the casino and duty free shops, and maybe another stop in California. But to go so far north, is unbelievable. I can just see myself sitting on my balcony freezing my butt off as we sail into Victoria or Seattle, in the RAIN!!!

 

Now I'm sure we'll have the option to rebook, etc. But the flights we have are to LAX, not Mexico, so the airlines are not as flexible. I've also been planning this trip for a long time. I don't get the option to just take time off whenever I want and I wasn't planning on going anywhere in the next year again.

 

And am I looking for compensation? Absolutely! Call me greedy I guess. Missing Cozumel for a day wouldn't bother me, but to miss the entire country and go to Canada, that's crazy.

 

Just my vent...here's to hope and that the craziness stops. I feel for all those people who will be losing mass amounts of income because our ships won't be coming and tourism is completely at a halt!

[BroncosFan2010]

I say no cancellation fees, but I would still travel as long as the govt. allows it. I am not worried about a little flu. Big deal. People get the flu all the time. This is no different, except our government is making a big stink about it.

[Traveling Bob]

Are the people who are so worried about the cruise lines' profits stockholders, rabid capitalists or something else that I haven't thought of?

Has anyone actually gotten any money from insurance for this? I don't think that canceling because you don't like the new proposed itineary is a covered event under most policies.

 

My personal opinion: If you are offerred a like number of ports, no refund, but the option of rebooking (without penalty) a cruise with ports that are more to your liking. This is only fair. If the substitution is fewer ports or a different number of days, passengers should be given the option of some type of partial credit (even if it is only an open bar on the extra day at sea), rebooking without penalty or refund.

[rdhbsut]

I appreciate the fact the cruise lines are taking precautions to prevent the spread of the this potentially deadly virus. However, I am sure most of its passengers researched their cruises and chose the particular cruise for its ports of call, days at sea, length of cruise, cost of the cruise and shore excursions like I did. I spent hours reading and talking to different cruise specialist and chose the best one for my family. While it is not the cruise line fault neither is it mine. However cruislines are in the business of selling people a cruise that is tailored to the passengers enjoyment. I understand they cannot control the weather or flu outbreaks however as business people they should have alternatives available that can be offered to their passengers (customers) who are entrusting them with their families, time, and hard earned money.

[Aquahound]

To the majority of us here on Cruise Critic who cruise regularly, this may not seem like such a big deal. I, for one, would make the best of it. Of course, I would have to go shopping since I don't own cold weather clothing. ;)

 

But for those people who are first time cruisers, booked this as a dream vacation, or planned and saved years for this trip of a lifetime, I can totally sympathize with them being upset.

 

Do I think the cruise lines owe them anything? No. But I do not think people should be so quick to flame those who are upset about this. In the interim, they are going to blame the cruise lines because they are the easiest to blame, but in the end, they will realize that the best choice was made. For now, let them vent.

[Skywench]

Well, I cruise regularly and a complete change of itinerary is a big deal to me.:)

[Takemetoaspa]

We're sailing on the Valor on May10th so I am still not sure if they will stop in Cozumel. I doubt it and they might send us to Key West. This if fine by me.

However, if I were one of you on the all Mexican ports cruise going north I would be up in arms if not offered a full refund or a flexible options for another cruise. I live in Ohio and I wouldn't want to head to cold weather when I was planning on going south. There's no way I would want a cruise to nowhere. For me, a big part of the cruising experience is seeing new places.

Happy Healthy Sailings to all

[Cr1028]

I am overly satisfied with the way Carnival handled my cruise. I was set to sail out of Galveston, TX. on a 5 day cruise to Cozumel and Progresso Mexico on the Ecstacy May the 11th. What Carnival has graciously decided to do is, Change the entire cruise from a 5 day to a 7 day stoping in Montego Bay Jamacia, and the Grand Cayman Islands. I believe this is a "win win" for everyone, including Carnival (more days on the ship, the more money I spend) I just wish people would quit whining and stop looking for a hand-out all the time. Its called GREED, its what America was founded on.

 

It is very easy for you to say. I PAID for the 7 day cruise and get 20 bucks for losing a port. You paid for a 5 day, I paid for a 7 day and we get the same cruise. Could you explain why I should be happy I'm trading one of only 3 ports for $20?