Compensation

[Crescent12]

Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask (first time poster and cruiser)

I had a fall on a recent cruise and my husband wasn't informed, he and my son spent two hours looking for me and was really worried I had accidentally fallen overboard (tropical storm which came out of nowhere) They asked at guest services if they knew where I was, checked the medical place (where I actually was being x-rayed) but when they knocked no-one answered the door.

People from medical phoned our room a few times but never left a message. 

Son went back to guest services and asked if they could put a tannoy message but was told they couldn't do that as they didn't want to scare the other passengers.

It was only when my husband was approached by security as he was searching for me (two hours after I had initially fallen) that he was told I was in medical.

I ended up with a fractured shoulder.

We have been offered £1,000 compensation each.

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Crescent12

[FlGoodShips]

You fell overboard????

In the water??

[Crescent12]

No I fell on the deck, my husband was worried I had fallen overboard as they couldn't find me

[FlGoodShips]

You're the only one that can decide if what they offered you is fair.

Its up to you. Not Cruise Critic members.

[Crescent12]

Thank you, was just trying to find out of anyone had been in a situation like this before and the outcome. It was our very first cruise and this is all new to us

 

[CDR Benson]

I'm presuming your question is:  "Is £1,000/apiece compensation a fair amount for the concern experienced by my husband and son over not knowing where I was and believing I had fallen overboard?"  (In other words, you aren't criticising your medical treatment or the cause of your fall.)

 

On that basis, my reply is that the compensation offered is more than fair.  Their presumption that you had fallen overboard was a rush to judgement.  They had nothing to support that possibility, other than they did not know where you were for a brief two hours.  On our cruises, my wife and I have been apart for that long and longer, indulging in separate activities, and I never thought, "Oh, no!  Maybe she's fallen overboard!" 

 

Particularly given the design of modern cruise ships.  It's virtually impossible to accidentally fall overboard.  I say "virtually" only because, yes, if a passenger wants to act stupid, like take a selfie of him standing on a balcony rail, he can thwart the safeguards.  But, in the course of typical passenger activity, one cannot fall overboard accidentally.

 

Concern over your whereabouts, sure, but for your family to assume you went over the side exceeds reason and, I'm sorry, doesn't merit a pay-out like you were offered.  

 

If that had happened to me and my wife, we'd have been happy with the ship buying us a drink or comping us a meal in a specialty restaurant.

 

So, my advice is to take the money and enjoy another cruise with it.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by CDR Benson

[Cruising Lynne]

9 minutes ago, Crescent12 said:

Thank you, was just trying to find out of anyone had been in a situation like this before and the outcome. It was our very first cruise and this is all new to us

 

I can see where that would be scary for your husband and son.I hope that your shoulder has healed well. If I was missing for two hours, my husband would probably think I found a hot machine in the casino. I am not sure at what point he would actually start worrying. 

 

If the compensation offered was in addition to paying your medical bills, I think that is really great. I have not heard of NCL offering compensation to other people besides the injured party.

[Crescent12]

Just now, CDR Benson said:

I'm presuming your question is:  "Is £1,000/apiece compensation a fair amount for the concern experienced by my husband and son over not knowing where I was and believing I had fallen overboard?"  (In other words, you aren't criticising your medical treatment or the cause of your fall.)

 

On that basis, my reply is that the compensation offered is more than fair.  Their presumption that you had fallen overboard was a rush to judgement.  They had nothing to support that possibility, other than they did not know where you were for a brief two hours.  On our cruises, my wife and I have been apart for that long and longer, indulging in separate activities, and I never thought, "Oh, no!  Maybe she's fallen overboard!" 

 

Particularly given the design of modern cruise ships.  It's virtually impossible to accidentally fall overboard.  I say "virtually" only because, yes, if a passenger wants to act stupid, like take a selfie of him standing on a balcony rail, he can thwart the safeguards.  But, in the course of typical passenger activity, one cannot fall overboard accidentally.

 

Concern over your whereabouts, sure, but for your family to assume you went over the side exceeds reason and, I'm sorry, doesn't merit a pay-out like you were offered.  

 

If that had happened to me and my wife, we'd have been happy with the ship buying us a drink or comping us a meal in a specialty restaurant.

Thank you, I think it was a panic reaction as one minute I'd gone to get my book from the sun lounger and then to them disappeared.

 

[Crescent12]

1 minute ago, Cruising Lynne said:

I can see where that would be scary for your husband and son.I hope that your shoulder has healed well. If I was missing for two hours, my husband would probably think I found a hot machine in the casino. I am not sure at what point he would actually start worrying. 

 

If the compensation offered was in addition to paying your medical bills, I think that is really great. I have not heard of NCL offering compensation to other people besides the injured party.

No offer to pay medical bills, our travel insurance covered those. 

[Andoria]

I hope you're healed. Did you ask for your husband and son to be contacted? 

[The Traveling Man]

1 minute ago, Crescent12 said:

No offer to pay medical bills, our travel insurance covered those. 

I'm sorry to hear about your difficult experience.  I'm amazed, though, that NCL offered any amount of compensation.  As @CDR Benson indicated, it seems most unusual for NCL to offer anything under the circumstances other than to provide your medical treatment, make an attempt to notify the other members in your sailing party, and present you with an invoice for services rendered.  As a frequent NCL cruiser, I would have been gobsmacked if NCL had offered even a bottle of wine or an additional dinner in a specialty restaurant, much less 1000 Pounds for your troubles.  Glad to hear that you had arranged appropriate travel insurance that covered the cost of your medical treatment, and wish you a speedy recovery.

[Crescent12]

Just now, Andoria said:

I hope you're healed. Did you ask for your husband and son to be contacted? 

Yes constantly, I was in a little bit of shock as knew I had hurt myself as I couldn't move my right arm (obviously I'm right handed!) 

I think it was the lack of commitment between different departments which was the most frustrating. If medical has just told guest services in case anyone was looking for me, none of this would have happened.

[Crescent12]

1 minute ago, The Traveling Man said:

I'm sorry to hear about your difficult experience.  I'm amazed, though, that NCL offered any amount of compensation.  As @CDR Benson indicated, it seems most unusual for NCL to offer anything under the circumstances other than to provide your medical treatment, make an attempt to notify the other members in your sailing party, and present you with an invoice for services rendered.  As a frequent NCL cruiser, I would have been gobsmacked if NCL had offered even a bottle of wine or an additional dinner in a specialty restaurant, much less 1000 Pounds for your troubles.  Glad to hear that you had arranged appropriate travel insurance that covered the cost of your medical treatment, and wish you a speedy recovery.

I'm from the UK and would never go to the US without insurance, just too risky. 

Thank you for your good wishes.

[CDR Benson]

2 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

 Glad to hear that you had arranged appropriate travel insurance that covered the cost of your medical treatment, and wish you a speedy recovery.

 

Aye.  I didn't make that clear in my previous post.  Most important, you were treated and reünited with your family, going on to have an enjoyable cruise.

 

I have no issue with you receiving £2,000 (though, like the Traveling Man, I'm a bit staggered that NCL offered it).  But you asked if it was a fair compensation, and my candid opinion was that it was generous.

 

Again, put that windfall on another cruise.  That's what my wife and I would do.

 

[yankprintster]

Ships are big.  I sometimes lose track of my wife for multiple hours.  Usually means she got a deal at the spa and went to get a long massage or hanging out in the thermal suite (that I might not have a pass for).  I wouldn't start worrying unless we missed a dinner appointment or if we sometime got separated on a shore excursion.

 

It's interesting though that they refused to page your wife.  I hear announcements all of time about "first name last name please call guest services".  If it's not right after leaving a port, people just think people need to pay their bill.

[cruiseny4life]

Take that money. And run. Fast! NCL will want it back soon. I am flabbergasted you received anything at all. I need you to haggle with NCL for me...there's obviously a career in it for you. Well done!

[fshagan]

Like others, I'm surprised that NCL offered you anything. But, that may be due to rights you have as a UK citizen that we don't have as Americans; the consumer protections in the UK are considered stronger than in the US.

 

So to really answer your question I would contact a lawyer (barrister?) and find out if NCL has a greater responsibility to you than they would have to Americans.

[Crescent12]

Just for total clarification, we didn't contact NCL at all. They contacted us, both while still in the U.S (we stayed on after the cruise for my husband's birthday) and then when we were back in the UK

 

We put in a single complaint to guest services about how disappointed we were with the processes (or lack of them)

 

Since then they have contacted initially daily and now weekly. Hope this clears up any confusion. Thank you 

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by Crescent12
Misspells

[G-DawgMN]

4 hours ago, Crescent12 said:

Just for total clarification, we didn't contact NCL at all. They contacted us, both while still in the U.S (we stayed on after the cruise for my husband's birthday) and then when we were back in the UK

 

We put in a single complaint to guest services about how disappointed we were with the processes (or lack of them)

 

Since then they have contacted initially daily and now weekly. Hope this clears up any confusion. Thank you 

 

 First, I'm sorry that you fell and I hope that you're doing better.

 

 I'm really shocked that NCL offered any compensation so I'd take the money and run. I'm sure it was stressful for both you and your family since there wasn't communication, but I've also never heard of them offering to compensate anyone for that.

 

[Homosassa]

As you stated that your were offered a 1000 pounds each and there  were three in your party (you, husband, son) was the offer for 2000 as others are assuming or 3000 pounds?

 

In any case, NCL does not owe you anything for a slip on a wet deck in a tropical storm.  Wet decks doing a rain storm is to be expected.

 

The offer of any type of compensation should be accepted with a smile and a thank you.