How should lines compensate Mexico travelers?

[Acker]

Not sure how the cruise lines should handle this or what I'd want if I were about to head to Mexico on a cruise. I feel bad that Cruise lines are struggling to fill the ships to start with, and now this. But, all the lines must have massive insurance policies that will kick in to reimburse them, so they in line will reimburse the passengers???

[Chacooe]

But Sea Hag, what about all of us who booked this cruise specifically to go to those ports?

We didn't want to go to Cabo or PV, we signed up for Acapulco! If that is not where the ship is going, then I would like my money back, it is not what I paid for. And going north is not an option either, I want warm weather, not Seattle!

 

Do you think you should get all of your money back, you did get a room, you did eat and you did have fun. I think compensation for the ports missed is ok, but not all a full refund. This is something that is beyond their control.

[samel00]

What if this ends up being like one of the salmonella deals and everyone forgets about it in a few weeks? I understand the safety concerns but I think Carnival's primary concern is avoiding a slew of lawsuits if this does get bad. I understand it isn't a big deal to rebook for those of you that are retired and just going on a relaxing vacation, but what if you were supposed to be on your honeymoon? That would just ruin everything we have looked forward to for so long. Instead of going on my honeymoon the day after our wedding, I get to spend a day and home and then back to work on Monday? Start planning for another cruise? That just doesn't work for me. It is all about keeping your customers happy, if you have to give some now, it will pay off later on.

 

+1 Agree

[samel00]

I understand the cruise lines are under no obligation to offer anything in compensation for these problems. It's not their fault.

 

As a business person, I do think it's a terrible decision. The industry is in the middle of a huge downturn (and a flu scare won't help). They're already having trouble booking cruises for the remainder of the year (take a look at the prices for this fall).

 

They would be so much smarter to offer discounts/credits that must be used by the end of the year. They would have happier customers. They would fill up their ships. They wouldn't have to even give full credit - most people will understand it's nobody's fault.

 

This just seems very short-sighted to me.

 

Shaky

You are right. It will build more business for them for the future.

We are booked on Princess Mexico cruise this Saturday and I have spoken to Princess rep few times today and they are really have bad attitude and not helpful at all. I know it is not their fault but simply could say here a coupon for 20% off of your next cruise. Makes everyone happy and enjoy. It is amazing that Carnival is offering future cruise credit if you do not like the changes but Princess does not offer the same. Carnival is my next cruise line.

[2+1txcruisers]

Well I understand that the cruise line isnt to blaim for this unexpected sickness however neither are the passengers. I feel that everyone should be given the option to rebook at a later time without penalty or have full refund without penalty. As for our family my husband and I can not get off another week from work this year, my parents are flying in and they will not be able to adjust airline tickets. We would elect a refund, however we would most likely sail again next year but I would not want my money tied up for a year in limbo.

[mechcc]

This is not the cruiseline fault. It is a major safety problem and is simply not safe to go to Mexico for any reason. Why should the cruiseline reimburse the passengers? The cruise contract is very clear about changing ports of call. And giving back the port charges and any prebooked shore excursions is all that should be expected.

 

That said, those that have not yet embarked should be allowed to change their cruise without penalty.

 

I understand people will be disappointed but I feel the cruiselines are doing what they can in this difficult situation.

 

Don't mean to sound insensitive but I have experienced a cruise where because of weather we missed Jamica totally and at Grand Cayman we ported at the south side of the island and all water activities were cancelled as well as our time there was limited. We only made it to Cozumal as scheduled. All we got was port charges for Jamica and our cruiseline booked shore excursion in Jamica.

[gvdestiny]

I feel that Carnival (cruise line I am booked with) should offer passengers a choice to rebook at a later date at the same price they bought in at for their current cruise provided they haven't yet embarked.

9

Second, I feel that if you decide to stay on your scheduled cruise like I will be doing in June (if my port in Mexico is subbed out )you should be given an onboard credit. I realize this change due to the Swine Flu is not Carnival's fault but at the same time, IF, a person booked a Mexico related port of call in their cruise then they obviously wanted to go there. That said such changes away from said ports is like buying a new car with a dent in the fender! Sure you can have the car its new but yet wait!!!!, its defective now with the dent. Same with a canceled/substituted port. I feel some may not want to cancel due to personal time constrictions or fear they could not get an equavilent offer from their cruise line for a future sailing. In my case I am taking my kids and this is truly the only time I can go due to school schedules and work.

 

That said, I would prefer an on board ship credit of some sort to make me happy! Anyone with me cruising a Carnival cruise?

[Lawgirl0009]

The level is now a 5 close to a 6 pandemic. Truthfully I would rather get a refund. I really do not feel like going on a cruise ship boxed with thousands of people. I work for the government and I have to take my vacation at the requested time, I cannot move it. Therefore I have to take my vacation next week and I would sure like my money back so I can use that money to take a trip to the beach or go to a spa. I believe cruise lines need to be more lenient. Times are tough, they need to make some concessions. I personally don't think in a few weeks this is just going to be about Mexico ...mark my words

[jessemon]

Sailing on the Glory on Saturday. Changed from weatern to eastern with one less port....Which is fine. All I expect is any difference in port charges. If they are higher....Carnival can pay them ...LOL.....If not...Give me an OBC.....

[Celtress]

Penalty free rebooking, refunded port charges, perhaps full refund, and maybe a small on board credit, bottle of bubbly or other little perk to try and keep people happy.

 

In my opinion, no matter what the cruise lines do, there will be a slew of unhappy people demanding free cruises, full or partial refunds, open bars, and other unreasonable "compensation".

 

Life is not fair, things happen, weather changes, and from time to time epidemics and pandemics occur. Sure it may interfere with your plans but unfortunately, that's how life is. People need to deal with it without expecting a huge sum of money or free anything for every event, big or small, that happens. On an altered itinerary cruise you still have your room, plenty of food, entertainment, and people that cook and clean for, and wait on you. Lordie, even if the ship just sat at the dock for a week it's still a vacation from the hum-drum and stress of everyday life.

 

Giving out many thousands of free cruises and huge credits could cripple the cruise lines who are already struggling financially. It's just unreasonable and will never happen.

 

I am 10 days away from my 7th cruise and have had the experience of ports missed for various reasons (weather, medical emergency on board, ship engine problems). It is disappointing but it's not the end of the world. In my case the missed ports resulted in extra sea days, and a port change to a place I never would have gotten to, but enjoyed tremendously (Ponta Delgada, Azores instead of Bermuda). Be flexible, roll with it and enjoy yourself for pete's sake. Life's too short to stress about it.

 

Personally, skipping the Mexican ports and having a 7 day cruise to nowhere....... been looking for something like that for years. Please...where do I sign up for that one?

[cruiserbryce]

I believe that they should flex their cancellation policies but dont think they should be expected to give any refunds or partial refunds if pax decide not to cxl or change their bookings...very much out of their hands

[newcruiser1001]

I agree that this is not the cruise line's fault, but many of us have saved for a long time to take a cruise to Mexico, not to California, and it is not our fault either. Princess is being completely unreasonable by not allowing people to reschedule to a different cruise-I don't want a refund, just the opportunity to actually cruise to Mexico. I will never cruise them again; they could have built a significant amount of goodwill by meeting us cruisers halfway, but instead have lost a customer for life. The most frustrating part is that Carnival is allowing rebooking - and both cruise lines are owned by the same parent company, so why are they treating their clients so differently?

[Cr1028]

If they only give us $20 per person back for missing one of our 3 ports on a 7 day cruise (by their choice to keep from getting sued), this will be my first and last cruise. The media runs with everything. This flu strain is less dangerous than the A virus we had this flu season because it can be fought with the anti-virals. The thing is that because most people haven't been exposed to it or vaccinated for it, more people are likely to catch it. I can't remember ever having a flu shot and I'm just fine every flu season so far. News outlets love to play on paranoia just like the tomato/pepper/peanut butter bs. Apparently something like 100 Americans die per day from the flu. Well we had 1 person die of this swine business so far and it was a mexican national. Carnival is trying to cover their @$$ and we are the ones getting the shaft. Many of you chronic cruisers must just like staying in a hotel or on a boat and not really care about ports the way you speak. I went with a cruise BECAUSE of the ports. You get to go to multiple destinations with your mobile hotel room. If I had known all of this going in I would have never booked a cruise in the first place. What a nightmare! I guess if the weather sucks in Jamaica and Grand Cayman I can get a whopping $120 back for my 7 day ferry ride that cost 2 grand while my bride enjoys our "perfect" honeymoon.

[tequilatamm]

I know I'm going to get yelled at for this post, but I have to say what's on my mind.

 

I can't believe what entitlement pigs (excuse the pun) people are.

 

It is not the fault of the cruise lines that there is a Swine Flu outbreak, and they are doing their best to safeguard passengers against a threat by altering their ports. People should be praising them for taking action and protecting them, where they don't technically have to.

 

I don't feel that they have any obligation to give passengers who are already in progress on a cruise any sort of compensation for keeping them safe.

 

Put yourself in the Cruise Lines' place... if it were your business, would you feel obligated to give people free cruises and such, losing probably what amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars at least, perhaps millions, for something that is effectively an "act of God" and not under their control?

 

The only result will be that they will have to put prices up on future cruises in order to compensate for the loss of having to compensate people for not getting to go to a couple ports! So everyone will pay for it.

 

I agree that it would be a nice gesture for them to allow people to cancel or allow changes to their cruise plans if they have not started their cruise yet, however. But that will be difficult for them too, meaning they may have to take ships out of service temporarily, and will probably have to pay staff for cruises they aren't working on.

 

I'm also sick to death of hearing people say, "Why won't they tell us further into the future what they're going to do? It's unfair!" Because, people, they don't KNOW what's going to happen, and they don't want to jump the gun and change all their ports based on panic and speculation.

 

If you look at the ACTUAL stats on this Swine Flu, it does not seem to be any more of a killer disease than any other influenza strain at this point. There have been something like 7 or 8 deaths GLOBALLY... that's NOTHING. Malaria and Dengue fever, which are present in many of the places these cruises go to kill that many people per DAY, yet nobody is screaming for their money back because they could contract one of those diseases!

 

I get the feeling the media has created panic where there is no need. On the one hand, it's good to make people as informed as possible, so that they can take some action to try and keep it from spreading, but it also creates such a state of panic where it probably isn't necessary. Currently, this flu can only be spread by direct contact with infected droplets. This means wearing a face mask will stop it in its tracks.

 

I would like to see the stats on other influenza strains and see if their death rates are any lower than those posted for swine flu. I doubt they would be.

 

In short, it's a time to band together and try to go with the flow, rather than blaming a cruise company for something totally out of their control.

[jlindercrow]

Was due to leave on Mexican Riveria cruise on Carnival on May 3rd. Changed itinerary to San Francisco, Seattle, and Victoria, BC totally changes the cruise (I live in No. CA...it's cold right now, and even colder farther north). So, we're bagging it...will reschedule something later on as Carnival is giving a credit. But...it's a bummer, that's for sure. Would have been happy if they had just sailed south into the sun...now am thinking a cruise ship isn't the best place to be.

[Skywench]

Was due to leave on Mexican Riveria cruise on Carnival on May 3rd. Changed itinerary to San Francisco, Seattle, and Victoria, BC totally changes the cruise (I live in No. CA...it's cold right now, and even colder farther north). So, we're bagging it...will reschedule something later on as Carnival is giving a credit. But...it's a bummer, that's for sure. Would have been happy if they had just sailed south into the sun...now am thinking a cruise ship isn't the best place to be.

 

I feel the same as you about the new itinerary. I was booked on the same cruise. I don't fault Carnival, but I think it's only right for them to let people cancel and give them credit for another cruise. Had this not been an option, I would have gone, but not been too happy about it. Thankfully, I can now start planning another cruise.

[keep on cruisin]

While i agree, if I had purchased a MR cruise, then the odds are that is where i want to go. The problem is, no matter what decision the cruise line makes people are going to be unhappy.

 

Just look at this thread. Carnival is allowing people to cancel and rebook, without penalty, but even those guests are complaining. It is a no win situation for the cruise line.

 

Personally I think Carnival is making a mistake, it sets a precedent for them, and people will come to expect them to do this anytime, a major change has to take place.

 

It would be irresponsible from a business standpoint for these companies to let their ships sail empty because people wanted to cancel. Yes, give booked passengers back any port fees.

 

The Gulf cruises are easier to work around with eastern caribean options. The MR's they don't have a lot of alternate choices.

 

The other thing people need to realize, as for it taking time to reschedule, keep in mind it is not just one line on one day trying to scramble for options. It is all the major lines scrambling to come up with options, and while the ports want as much business as they can get, they can still only accomodate so many ships at a time.

 

I think, a small gesture of a small OBC plus the port fees should be acceptable. That being said, since many ships will be adding sea days, the staff should try to offer a lot of extra options, maybe extra trivia, or other types of free contests. Maybe a happy hour special at the bars with half priced drinks. This would get people happy, and probably buying more and continuing to drink(hopefully not enough to do some stupid overboard thing)

[Nancyquilts]

For those of us on the left coast, who enjoy cruising to the Mexican Riviera, imho it would seem to be better if the ships would cruise south into warmer weather for several days before hitting ports further north. That way those who want to warm up will have their chance, and those who only cruise for ports will get to see some.

[grandmato4]

Difficult situation for which no one is to blame but no matter what the cruiselines do they will find far too many unhappy cruisers. I don't have a problem with the fact that per the cruiseline contract the cruiselines do not need to offer any special consideration. BUT good customer service dictates that cruiselines make an effort to show good faith and understanding to their customers to some extent for an unusual circumstance such as the one that currently exist.

 

I do feel that for the Mexican Riveria cruises easy rebooking options should be given for those that have not sailed yet if the customer wishes not to sail. For those already sailing I do think that OBC should be given as a goodwill genture.

 

In addition, in an attempt to safeguard all cruiseships for the next few weeks, I think that any passengers sailing on any itinerary(and family members traveling with them) that have swine flu symptoms should be given a refund of their cruisefare for not sailing to encourage honesty about health issues right now. Without this action right now, the chances are great that passengers are going to say that they paid for their cruise and they are entitled to go no matter what, which could easily cause a major outbreak on a cruiseship.

 

We were on the Coral Princess sailing in Feb and experienced first hand the large Noro Virus outbreak and unfortunately got to witness first hand how selfish far too many passengers can be about helping to safeguard the health of their fellow cruisers when they themselves become ill simply because they paid for their cruise and they intend to go and do what they please no matter what effect that may have on others passengers. :(

[donswife]

When you book a cruise, you are booking an adventure. How can you expect the cruise lines to take the financial hit for something totally out of their control?

[grandmato4]

If they only give us $20 per person back for missing one of our 3 ports on a 7 day cruise (by their choice to keep from getting sued), this will be my first and last cruise. The media runs with everything. This flu strain is less dangerous than the A virus we had this flu season because it can be fought with the anti-virals. The thing is that because most people haven't been exposed to it or vaccinated for it, more people are likely to catch it. I can't remember ever having a flu shot and I'm just fine every flu season so far. News outlets love to play on paranoia just like the tomato/pepper/peanut butter bs. Apparently something like 100 Americans die per day from the flu. Well we had 1 person die of this swine business so far and it was a mexican national. Carnival is trying to cover their @$$ and we are the ones getting the shaft. Many of you chronic cruisers must just like staying in a hotel or on a boat and not really care about ports the way you speak. I went with a cruise BECAUSE of the ports. You get to go to multiple destinations with your mobile hotel room. If I had known all of this going in I would have never booked a cruise in the first place. What a nightmare! I guess if the weather sucks in Jamaica and Grand Cayman I can get a whopping $120 back for my 7 day ferry ride that cost 2 grand while my bride enjoys our "perfect" honeymoon.

 

I am truly sorry that you didn't understand before booking a cruise that there are many reasons why a port can be missed when on a cruise. Most often weather related reasons over which the cruiselines have no control and sometimes because of another passengers illness that requires changing plans to get a passenger to where they can be properly cared for, again not under the cruiselines control, and in the case of this thread to attempt to safeguard the health of all the passengers on a cruise. I'm also of the opinion that the media is causing much more panic then necessary right now about the Swine Flu but on the other hand, because a cruiseship is a confined space, any illness can spread very quickly on board a ship and your perfect record of being just fine every flu season could quickly change to your being very sick which I'm not thinking you would want while on your honeymoon. As much as many of us on cc love cruising, the fact is that cruising is simply not for everyone and that's ok. Hope you get good weather for Grand Cayman since it's a tender port it's not unusual at all for cruise ships to miss that port because of weather conditions. I do hope you are able to enjoy your honeymoon. Good Luck!:)

[36kruzes]

Agree with you 100%. If you wanted rough seas and cold temps and US ports like Seattle you'd have booked such an itinerary. If you have not yet paid for your cruise via credit card, and your cruise line gives you trouble, just use the "dispute" form on most credit card statements.

 

On the Royal Caribbean Visa card statements there's a box to check that says something like "purchase was not what I expected nor wanted" or words to that effect. I am calling RCI tomorrow to say "cancel the trip on 5/31" -- put my thousands of Visa card cruise points I used for companion fare BACK on my credit card for future use, and I'm not paying one dime for this mess.

 

It's one thing to substitute a port or two with someplace else that's COMPARABLE, even days at sea, but to take a ship to northern climes instead of sailing in warmer waters is unacceptable and ridiculous. Had some of these passengers not been so over-the-top worried about swine flu, Mariner would've sailed off the Mexican coast in WARM waters, stopped for an hour in Ensenada to satisfy the Jones Act (gambling) situation, with no one getting on or off ship, and then could've called at Catalina and/or San Diego before returning to L.A.

 

Not perfect but far better than Seattle, et al. I don't think people have any idea how rough those seas are along CA and PAC NW coast. Normally this is just a "repositioning" cruise, sold on the cheap when getting ships to Alaska for summer season and back down the coast again in the fall.

 

A higher up at RCI told me on the phone today that many passengers had freaked out and demanded that RCI take all stops in Mexico off the port list. That included the possibility of one hour layover in Ensenada. Evidently some are so crazed that they claimed the were afraid they would breathe in the swine flu virus if they stood on deck and faced the town of Ensenada. Come ON!!! The RCI rep was NOT kidding --

 

Little do many of these cruisers know that if they need to fly to/from any embarkation spot they are endangering themselves far more than on the ship(s). How do they think this swine flu is turning up all over the world anyway? Sure, a few cases of swine flu are turning up in border areas near Mexico but the rest are from people who've been on planes. Planes are chock full of germs -- bad at any time and worse now.

 

Thanks, but no thanks.

 

 

 

 

But Sea Hag, what about all of us who booked this cruise specifically to go to those ports?

We didn't want to go to Cabo or PV, we signed up for Acapulco! If that is not where the ship is going, then I would like my money back, it is not what I paid for. And going north is not an option either, I want warm weather, not Seattle!

[world~citizen]

I beleive WHO raised it this afternoon to 5.

 

I saw that, and there is speculation on CNN that escalation to level 6 is not unrealistic.

 

This has got to be a nightmare for the travel industry.:eek:

 

Lets hope that if the virus spreads, we will see milder symptoms around the world as in Canada rather than the nasty ones in Mexico.

[world~citizen]

When you book a cruise, you are booking an adventure. How can you expect the cruise lines to take the financial hit for something totally out of their control?

 

Should passengers? Neither the cruise line nor passengers should shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden.

 

Its times like this when "cancellation for any reason" insurance looks pretty cheap.:eek:

[smarterman64]

Just throwing something in, the passenger service act/jones act requires a foreign port. So instead of going south to Mexico, they'd have to go north to canada, the other safe nearest foreign port.

As for Carnival, looking at some of their itineraries, they no longer to to mexico, yet don't have the length (4 day cruises/3 day cruises) to get to a foreign port, normally ensenada. So wouldn't they have to now foot the bill of "violating" the jones act, around 200/300 USD a head.

Some mention the idea of cruise to nowhere and just going south to warm weather, not a bad idea considering this doesn't violate jones act.

Just throwing my 2 cents in there.