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Had my Cruise reservation cancelled without notice


1245
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This is another reason, not to mention saving money, to use a decent cruise or travel agent.  Our cruise agencies (we currently use 4 different agencies depending on who has the best overall deal) automatically take care of our final payments and also send us notifications of the payment being processed.  

 

It is a shame what happened to the OP, but when you book directly with the cruise line's they do give you the due date and terms.   In our society, the concept of personal responsibility seems to have been left behind at the turn of the century.  Now, everyone expects all kinds of notices and handholding and assumes that customer is always right.  Such is not the way of the travel industry, be it cruise lines or the airlines.  If you look around CC you will find other posts where folks are surprised at the lack of handholding (and even sympathy) when things happen such as losing a Passport, missing a ship, etc.

 

In the case of the OP,  you might want to shop around among some cruise agencies for a better deal on that same cruise :).  Some careful shopping might yield a decent OBC (7-10% is the norm with many cruise agencies) and other perks.  There will likely be lots of different promotions around Thanksgiving and it also might make sense to look at other cruise lines and cruises.  Sometimes an unfortunate situation (like having one's reservation canceled) can result in a very positive outcome.

 

Hank

 

 

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56 minutes ago, jlp20 said:

Info only, most cruise companies are not "US" companies. 

Yes they are, although their ships are flagged elsewhere. Even if a company isn't a US company they still need to abide by US law if they are doing business here.

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9 hours ago, 1245 said:

I guess my point is, if they can call me after they have cancelled my reservation, why not before? I have to rebook all of my excursions at higher prices and loose my on-board credits. 

Do you know how many phone calls cruise line will have to make to remind people to pay their bills on a daily basis? Likely in the thousands. Not practical and cost prohibitive to do.The onus to pay on time is on you, not the cruise line. Sorry.

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5 hours ago, Bizmark'sMom said:

Mine doesn't.  They send an email.  But I have my auto pay set up to alert me a week before the bill is due.  

This depends on whether a person has signed up for paperless billing. If they have not, they will receive bills in the snail mail. If they have signed up for paperless, then they won't get a paper billing. That is why it is called "paperless". :classic_smile:

 

It is up to the customer to choose how they are notified. 

 

5 hours ago, Bizmark'sMom said:

 

I have never had a cruise company send me an alert when final payment is due. Princess, Norwegian, Celebrity, Lindblad, Viking...  All expect me to keep track of the final payment date.

 

Same here. It is up to the customer to keep track of the payment dates. And also up to the customer to provide accurate email addresses for communication. Any reminder offered by either the cruise line or the TA is a courtesy, not an requirement. 

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7 hours ago, thinfool said:

So is a good travel agent....who will make sure you are kept abreast of important things regarding your voyage...like final payment date.

A good travel agent can also whine his/her way with the cruise line to get your trip reinstated at the original price.

 

This ^^

 

Our TA reminds us a bit "too early", but better that than never.

So last time, we thanked him, and said we'll take care of it a few days in advance.

He replied with a ever-so-slightly schoolmarm-ish comment about how he always notifies his clients, etc...

We thanked him again, and about a week later, we authorized the final payment.

I'm sure he would have been hopping up and down if we hadn't responded "appropriately" and a deadline was about to pass.

But that has never (yet!) happened.


We DO keep the deadlines on our own calendars, and as a date gets close, I always double check the initial deposit docs, to make SURE that we've got the right dates written down.

 

OP: In addition to the fact that a TA *might* be able to "fix problems", you might also be able to get some other perks from the TA.  It's worth asking a few TA's what they can offer.

(NOTE:  It isn't permissible here on CC to make TA recommendations, unfortunately.)

 

GC

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13 hours ago, 1245 said:

Do all cruise lines only send email notification when payments are due? I thought legal notification in the US was by letter.

 

They cancelled our reservation we made in February because they had the wrong email address. Normally we get notices via mail or email when our payments are due….they had the wrong email address so we were not notified – They cancelled our cruise and then called us and asked if we would like to re-book at a higher fare! How does that happen?

 

 

I don't see how it is the cruise line's DUTY or RESPONSIBILITY to notify customers that it's time to pay a bill (final payment).  It is YOUR responsibility to pay your bills.  It is YOUR responsibility to put it on a calendar or several calendars (electronic &/or paper), and remember to pay it off. 

 

That is how 'this happens' ... cruises get cancelled because people don't plan payments and don't make it a priority to do so.  Have you ever NOT paid your mortgage or rent?  Or your cell phone bill?  Those get paid each and every month.  Because they are a priority.  

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12 hours ago, 1245 said:

We booked on board ship and I confirmed that they sent the notices to a non-functioning email address; so I am sure it bounced back Royal Caribbean.

 

Since our booking, I continued to get two or three emails a week from Royal Caribbean; so I assumed all was well. In the past I have received email notices...including cruise documents. 

 

There is obviously a glitch in their system that needs to be fixed; and cruisers need to be aware of.

 

There is no glitch. It is not the cruise line's responsibility to send a notice of final payment, it is our responsibility to keep track of when the payment is due and pay it. 

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4 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Yes they are, although their ships are flagged elsewhere. Even if a company isn't a US company they still need to abide by US law if they are doing business here.

So all stewards get U.S. minimum wages?

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8 hours ago, jlp20 said:

So all stewards get U.S. minimum wages?

The ships are flagged elsewhere, as I said, but the land based corporations (which are based in the US) must still follow US (and even the ships need to follow some aspects of US law even if they are exempt from the labor provisions). 

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I’ve never gotten a reminder email, but Princess is happy to set up an automatic final payment so the passenger doesn’t have to be responsible. 

My final on any cruise line is engraved on my brain and looms largely as it gets closer. No way I’d forget. If so did, I shouldn’t be going to sea,  anyway. 

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 I thought legal notification in the US was by letter.

Legal notification of what? Maybe a lawsuit or intent to sue (and that will vary from state to state), or threat to turn off your utilities or other necessities of life.

 

But there is no legal requirement to notify you that you may be about to breach a contract and suffer the consequences. Nor that you have breached a contract.

 

What you wanted is a reminder, not a "legal notification."

 

(And by the way, if you don't pay your credit card bill,  "I didn't get a bill" is not a legally-recognized excuse. You are expected to know when you usually get the bill and to follow up on your own if you don't.)

 

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On 11/13/2018 at 7:53 AM, 1245 said:

I guess my point is, if they can call me after they have cancelled my reservation, why not before? I have to rebook all of my excursions at higher prices and loose my on-board credits. 

I am sorry you missed   the final payment date and your cruise was can celled.    Of course, they cncelled it.  Why would  they not?   We are adult people and have to be responsible   meet our obligations.   Unless you have an amazing excuse for  your failure   to pay, y ou can only  blame yourself.  The cruise line has no obligation o remind you  to pay.  They are obliged, at the time you book, to advise you of final payment due date.  Had they  failed to do  that, it is likely you would have mentioned that in your post. I AM sorry it happened   but you are not  the first and likely not the last.

 

We  'get' your point but You Missed  The point  You are   the one who  failed to pay.  It is not the cruise line's onus   to remind us to meet our obligations,     We got out of  grade school  long ago.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by sail7seas
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On 11/13/2018 at 9:07 AM, Krazy Kruizers said:

Our confirmation letter from our TA has the final payment due date listed on it.

 

I make note of it on my computer calendar -- and so does the my TA.  The day before final payment is made she calls us -- makes arrangement for paying it off, checking to make certain that we are getting all the shipboard credit we are due, dining arrangements, my special needs for wheelchair embarkation and disembarkation and a couple of other medical items that have to be taken care of.

 

We don't get any reminders from the cruise line.

 

Off topic, but I thought you might like to know that the font you are using appears on a cell phone browser (at least on my Android phone) as a pretty but really hard to read script font. On the computer, it's a Comic sanserif MS which is pleasant and easy to read, but it gets replaced with something else that's hard to read to an extent that I usually don't bother.

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On 11/13/2018 at 7:16 AM, 1245 said:

Do all cruise lines only send email notification when payments are due? I thought legal notification in the US was by letter.

 

They cancelled our reservation we made in February because they had the wrong email address. Normally we get notices via mail or email when our payments are due….they had the wrong email address so we were not notified – They cancelled our cruise and then called us and asked if we would like to re-book at a higher fare! How does that happen?

 

No legal requirements to notify you at all.  By booking, you agree to the cruise contract.  

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On 11/13/2018 at 7:22 AM, donaldsc said:

If you booked through a TA, the TA should as a courtesy notify you but ultimately you are still responsible.  

 

Not so much as a courtesy,  but as a way to insure getting a commission.  If the client does not make final pay, the TA isn't going to get that commission.

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2 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

 

Off topic, but I thought you might like to know that the font you are using appears on a cell phone browser (at least on my Android phone) as a pretty but really hard to read script font. On the computer, it's a Comic sanserif MS which is pleasant and easy to read, but it gets replaced with something else that's hard to read to an extent that I usually don't bother.

 

Thank you for pointing that  out.  I have no idea.  I am unhappy with this version of CC and am trying to crawl my way  through it.   While we have  already  'DRIFTED'. ....     I cannot geT my signature  back on my posts,  I  can't get a decent  font going and struggle to find the main page of   threads  listed.     PLEASE, can we have  the better (former) version of cc back?

What is supposed to be better about this format?     anything better continues to elude me.  😞

 

 

 

OP   You have not mentioned what is your responsibility.

 

Unless you have  other info you have not shared with us,  You own   this one and no one  to blame    I am sorry to be so direct and have  no wish to make you feel worse but, it is what  it is.

 

Hope you can  find a way to rescue a great cruise.   Best  wishes.

 

 

 

 

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So...does the OP expect their mortgage company, their utilities, their car loan company and other folks to be reminding them to pay what is due at the appropriate time.

 

C'mon....are you adults who can take care of your own responsibilities or do you need to have your hand held throughout your life?  Simple, fundamental question.

 

Consider the cancellation of your cruise to be a very inexpensive lesson in the need to manage your own affairs properly.

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6 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

So...does the OP expect their mortgage company, their utilities, their car loan company and other folks to be reminding them to pay what is due at the appropriate time.

 

C'mon....are you adults who can take care of your own responsibilities or do you need to have your hand held throughout your life?  Simple, fundamental question.

 

Consider the cancellation of your cruise to be a very inexpensive lesson in the need to manage your own affairs properly

 

 

That,  of  course, is  the point.    Hope OP has learned  that now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

 

Off topic, but I thought you might like to know that the font you are using appears on a cell phone browser (at least on my Android phone) as a pretty but really hard to read script font. On the computer, it's a Comic sanserif MS which is pleasant and easy to read, but it gets replaced with something else that's hard to read to an extent that I usually don't bother.

Thanks for pointing this out. There are a few posters who insist on using this font although many people have mentioned that it is not at all user friendly. Impossible to read on many formats. Too bad because there may be very informative thoughts in those posts but I just skip over them. 

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On 11/14/2018 at 7:06 AM, matamanoa said:

Princess has always sent out an e-mail reminder of final payment due and date.  I do highlight the due date on my cruise documents and also on several calendars.

 

Barb

But they did send email reminders just had the wrong addy. In any event, the ultimate responsibility lies with the cruiser to make sure final payment is made on time. A call to each of the thousands of passengers approaching final payment? And hire a whole staff to do it? Not really very practical. 

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