Is this fair?

[damtraveler]

An article titled "Cruise line's stance adds to mom's grief" in today's online edition of the Flint (MI) Journal describes how HAL wouldn't allow a father to use his daughters ticket on a upcoming cruise to distribute her ashes at sea when the daughter (aged 30) died on March 29, 17 days before an upcoming cruise. The father ended up purchasing a 3rd ticket because HAL wouldn't exchange the deceased daughter's ticket. HAL said that since they didn't purchase insurance they were out of luck. The mother was originally cruising with her daughter.

 

Link to article:

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-35/114449700773330.xml&coll=5

[lougee1043]

there are rules and there are rules but sometimes someone in charge has to step up and say to heck with the rules in this case

 

could the distribution of the ashes been a problem for hal

[jhannah]

I guess you could say life isn't fair. On the one hand, it appears HAL was working with them to waive extra fees and such so the dad could get his ticket as cheaply as possible. And "rules are rules." Every cruise line has specific guidelines for booking, including when bookings are cancelled and rebooked. These provisions are clearly spelled out in several different places, as required, so the customer can be an informed customer.

 

OTOH, it seems like it would have been nice if HAL could have made an exception under these circumstances.

[kryos]

I don't know about scattering her ashes at sea ... I don't think that is allowed. But, of course, such a thing can be done "discreetly" ... no one has to officially know what dad is planning. He can head out to a deserted deck late at night and take care of that without any official "permission."

 

But, I can't understand why a name change couldn't be processed on the ticket ... for a fee, of course ... to allow dad to use the ticket and sail with mom. Obviously, mom is not gonna sail by herself ... especially after her daughter just died ... so why not let dad use the daughter's ticket? Otherwise, both tickets will probably go to waste.

 

There would seem to be enough time to process a name change if all the estate paperwork were in order ... i.e., mom and dad are the beneficiaries of the daughter's will ... and thus the legal owners of her cruise ticket now.

 

I'm sure HAL will do everything they can to work with the parents in this case. Guess we'll just have to see how this one shakes out.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RuthC]

I agree with Jim: Life isn't always fair. If it were two parents wouldn't have to deal with the death of a child.

We all agree to the rules when we book cruise passage. Rules are a name change is considered a cancellation and new booking. As a matter of fact, if Mom had decided to go alone she could now be liable for a single supplement!

Unfortunately, if some discretion were used and HAL let Dad ride on the daughter's ticket, you can be sure that very soon there would be a lawsuit filed when someone else couldn't make a switch.

[Jemima]

And did these people have travel insurance?

[bruceh4]

I don't know about scattering her ashes at sea ... I don't think that is allowed. But, of course, such a thing can be done "discreetly" ... no one has to officially know what dad is planning. He can head out to a deserted deck late at night and take care of that without any official "permission."

 

 

 

--rita

The scattering of ashes at sea is allowed. My grandfather died at sea on the SS Veendam in 1924 on a return trip from Rotterdam to NY. At that time he was buried at sea. I have the original HAL letter written to my grandmother at that time explaining his death. She needed the letter for insurance purpose's. The letter has a beautiful engraved letter head and is quite a piece of memorbilla. I take the letter on each cruise with me to show to the Captain and Hotel Manager. In each case the Captains response is usually "we cannot bury a body at sea any more due to international enviornmental laws, but we can still dispose of ashes".

 

In the case of this person I agree that somebody at HAL needs to make an exception. On our last cruise which was the 62 day Pacific cruise we had a passenger die at our first port of call in Petropovlask Russia. He was on a tour on shore when it happened. Because his roommate was not his wife but his girl friend the Russian authorities would not deal with her. They had to contact a family member back in the states. She sailed with the ship that afternoon because she could not do anything while his body remained behind. When we reached Hong Kong she had her daughter join her on the ship to fill his place for the remainder of the cruise. There was no financial consideration on the part of HAL at that time. Apparently the Captain or the Hotel Manager made the decision to allow the daughter to join the cruise. That was the right thing to do.:)

[HeatherInFlorida]

This is such a toughie and just reading the story was very upsetting. I certainly understand the family's feelings and their desire in their sudden grief to carry out their daughter's wishes immediately.

 

Psychologically, I think it would be better for them to let a little time pass before scattering her ashes at sea. There are organizations such as the Neptune Society who handle this sort of thing. But that's a separate issue.

 

It puts HAL in a difficult position. As Ruth says, if they do make this exception then who is to say that someone else feels their emergency isn't just as warranted? Unfortunately, this is why we all buy insurance ... to protect us in all sorts of emergencies.

 

Although we don't have all the details, it does appear HAL is trying to work with them to some degree, but there's just so far they can go. It's just terribly sad.

[bruce-r]

"Fair" doesn't enter into it. There is often a big difference between what is moral and what is legal. HAL might have been able to "bend the rules" in this case, or they might not have been able. There is always two sides to every story.