Missed Ports

[roberts2005]

If you miss a port because of weather, are you entitled to a refund of port charges. On my recent South America cruise we missed two ports.

[Keith1010]

Usually the cruise line is not under any obligation to provide a refund so all of this will vary depending on the specific circumstances.

 

If you miss a port due to mechanical difficulities either one planned in advance or at the last minute and another port is not substituted in its place some cruise lines will provide a small refund since they would not incur any of the port cost fees that you were charged in the first place. Rather than a refund they might just give you an on-board credit.

 

It really varies by cruise line and the specifics associated with the voyage you were on.

 

Keith

[Host Anne]

We've sailed on two Princess ships in the past year where we missed ports - both due to mechanical problems. The first time (on the Sun) we weren't given anything. On the Grand a couple of weeks ago, we were given a $75 per person shipboard credit.

 

Contractually, ships can change itineraries and are not obligated to compensate passengers. However, compensation of some kind is sometimes offered. As stated previously, it varies widely and there is no industry standard for passenger compensation for missed ports.

[joramrose]

I was on the Galaxy TransAtlantic cruise last October. We missed Key West which was closed following the hurricane.

 

We were not offered anything. Actually, I did not expect anything.

 

I was on Summit to Alaska last May and we had a day lopped off so the ship could go in for emegency repairs. We got$300 shipboard credit for that.

 

love

joan

[canderson]

If you miss a port because of weather, are you entitled to a refund of port charges. On my recent South America cruise we missed two ports.

I've always wondered if, when a ship can't port for some reason, the port charges they've had to pay are refunded to the line. (??) Just because the captain, for whatever reason - mechanical, Act of God, whatever - didn't make port, does that let the line off the hook for the charges, or does one pay for the "reservation" regardless?

[canderson]

If you miss a port due to mechanical difficulities either one planned in advance or at the last minute and another port is not substituted in its place some cruise lines will provide a small refund since they would not incur any of the port cost fees that you were charged in the first place.

That sounds reasonable from one angle, but is it really true?

 

Let's say a port has some set number of ships that it can handle in a day, and due to a mechanical, the captain decides it will not be able to make that port. The port is now out the $ since they were unable to book that slot for another ship.

 

Looked at from that angle, it seems equally likely that the line doesn't get a refund of those charges --- any more than you do when you miss a ball game due to a flat tire on the way to the game.