Feds Propose New Refund Rules for Cruise Lines

[MaritimeR&R]

The Federal Maritime Commission said it has spent the past year looking into cruise companies’ refund rules.

“It was difficult for us to figure out,” said Federal Maritime Commissioner Louis Sola.

“Even where lines were owned by the same group, they’d have completely different refund policies within that group,” Sola continued.

Now, the commission is proposing new cruise refund rules, modeled after federal airline rules. The proposal includes “uniform procedures” for “how and when passengers may make claims for refunds.”

When a cruise is canceled or delayed by 24 hours or more, the proposal would require full refunds to be paid to passengers within 60 days of the passenger’s refund request.

If a cruise is canceled or delayed by 24 hours or more due to government orders to stop sailing, cruise lines would get 180 days to return passengers’ money.

NBC 5 Responds asked the Cruise Line International Association for its take on the proposed rules.

It didn’t get back to us. In an email to our colleagues at NBC Bay Area Responds, the association said it would provide comment directly to the Federal Maritime Commission docket.

How you can weigh in on the proposed rules

The Federal Maritime Commission is expected to vote on this proposal later this year and is taking comments from the public before it votes.

You can add your voice until October 25 by emailing: secretary@fmc.gov

In the subject line, write, “Docket No. 20-15, Comments on PVO Financial Responsibility Rulemaking.”

The commission asks that you attach comments to the email as a Microsoft Word document or a text-searchable PDF.

[matj2000]

Great. 

 

Let's get "government" involved to make things better....

 

 

[firefly333]

I didnt see a thing about what if ports are changed. I guess the govt doesnt know that can happen. 

[not-enough-cruising]

Similar laws to this were passed several years ago, unfortunately without an enforcement arm, these things are just window dressing for someones constituents.

[Ocean Boy]

So if the goverment shuts them down the cruise lines get half a year to hold into your money. That seems right in line with the Washington egos.

[satxdiver]

I am not sure what teeth the Federal Maritime Commission has with their rule making but hopefully large enough to enforce this proposed rule.  The mishmash of cruise line responses to the multitude of cruise cancellations and refund policies has to be addressed.  It is confusing to the pax who have put down thousands of dollars for cruises that were cancelled and wanted their money back.  The crackdown on the airlines was good for the airline pax so hopefully for the cruising pax as well. 

[Cigar King]

47 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I didnt see a thing about what if ports are changed. I guess the govt doesnt know that can happen. 

Has anyone had an issue with this?  I never have.  The port fees are always returned while I am on the ship.

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, Cigar King said:

Has anyone had an issue with this?  I never have.  The port fees are always returned while I am on the ship.

I'm one who was just informed my jamaica and cayman islands was subbed for yet another costa maya and I think Belize. You only get a refund if the new port fees are less. Not if they are worse than what you booked. 

 

I saw someone on my roll call whose spouse had never been to jamaica is why they booked march 27. 

 

I also think paying 90 days ahead of time is too far ahead. 30 days at the most. I have a hard time explaining to a non cruiser after 90 days before my cruise its nonrefundable. They think cant be. Nutty rule to me, but pax accept it. I'd just paid for dec and within the week they delayed it .. not in time to help most with dec final payment cruises .. on purpose?

 

We accept a lot imo. So far my march 27 which I paid for a upgraded balcony on allure, now its liberty with no obc for the ship I wouldnt have paid the same thing for, and  now our ports lessened. 

 

... and I dont think you are right we get money back for port changes .. only if not subbed or new fees less.

[firefly333]

12 minutes ago, Cigar King said:

Has anyone had an issue with this?  I never have.  The port fees are always returned while I am on the ship.

I think you mean if ports are skipped ... not if they are changed and port fees didnt go down.

[Moonarino]

1 hour ago, matj2000 said:

Great. 

 

Let's get "government" involved to make things better....

 

 

My "post of the day" I'm sure 🙃

[binro01]

The most feared words.. "Hello, we are from the government, and we are here to help"

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, satxdiver said:

I am not sure what teeth the Federal Maritime Commission has with their rule making but hopefully large enough to enforce this proposed rule.  The mishmash of cruise line responses to the multitude of cruise cancellations and refund policies has to be addressed.  It is confusing to the pax who have put down thousands of dollars for cruises that were cancelled and wanted their money back.  The crackdown on the airlines was good for the airline pax so hopefully for the cruising pax as well. 

The “crackdown” on the airlines? I must have missed this, the rules that were put in place for the airlines leave a wide breadth of interpretations in the airlines favor. There has been little to no change in airlines behavior, and very little in the way of enforcement of the rules to the benefit of the fare paying public. 

Edited October 2, 2021 by not-enough-cruising

[RedIguana]

1 hour ago, matj2000 said:

Great. 

 

Let's get "government" involved to make things better....

 

 

Yeah, if we could get government out of cruising we could remove all the lifeboats but 1 and have all those obstructed balconies be unobstructed!

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, RedIguana said:

Yeah, if we could get government out of cruising we could remove all the lifeboats but 1 and have all those obstructed balconies be unobstructed!

They wouldn't remove them; there will be an option in cruise planner to buy a seat.  They may even offer up to 35% off during one of their "sales".  😉

[mek]

Even better idea - don't book any cruises as long as there is a possibility of Covid related cancellations.

[ONECRUISER]

4 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I think you mean if ports are skipped ... not if they are changed and port fees didnt go down.

Agree. Though I remember when Port $ from missed stop was never returned. This until 90's Lawsuit with Royal settled

[Cigar King]

7 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I'm one who was just informed my jamaica

Sounds to me like you should respond to the RFC.  You're no worse off if they don't want to add your concerns to their new policy.

[Moonarino]

On 10/2/2021 at 11:54 AM, not-enough-cruising said:

The “crackdown” on the airlines? I must have missed this, the rules that were put in place for the airlines leave a wide breadth of interpretations in the airlines favor. There has been little to no change in airlines behavior, and very little in the way of enforcement of the rules to the benefit of the fare paying public. 

And that is oh so typical when gov steps in -- too often either nil effective result or they make it worse somehow. Or both. Not always but far too often.

Edited October 3, 2021 by Moonarino

[not-enough-cruising]

24 minutes ago, Moonarino said:

And that is oh so typical when gov steps in -- too often either nil effective result or they make it worse somehow. Or both. Not always but far too often.

AMEN