Two recent sailings on two popular cruise lines were impacted by unforeseen circumstances that greatly affected the vacation experience of many begging the questions: Who was at fault? What should have been done? and "What rights to cruise passengers have?"
Princess Cruises faced a challenging situation trying to get guests on board Star Princess after a disruptive and certainly beyond their control earthquake closed an airport in Chile earlier this month. A large number of guests aboard Celebrity Mercury have become ill with norovirus-like symptoms for several sailings in a row.
Who was at fault?
When something like this happens, dramatically affecting the cruise experience, how the cruise lines react is of great concern. Guests want to believe that the cruise line will do the right thing and adequately compensate guests, alter itineraries as needed and communicate effectively. Most of the time we see a system spring into action almost universally across all cruise lines that handles various disruptive events quite well.
In the case of the Star Princess sailing, communication was not effective, prompting a great number of guests to write in about the ordeal. Most agree, that the cruise line surely could not be held responsible for the occurrence of an earthquake, could not have planned ahead or even be expected to refund guests unable to make it to the ship. Most also agree that how the cruise line handled the situation made a big difference in their opinion of the line, causing some to cancel future cruise vacations and walk away in disgust.
While disruptive events are not common, they do happen from time to time and cruise lines consistently prove that the safety of guests is their primary concern. Hurricane season is a good example during which cruise lines watch weather patterns very carefully, altering itineraries as needed to stay out of harms way.
What should have been done?
Effective communication would have gone a long way with the Star Princess situation say many guests. One reader wrote "The issue with Princess is not about the earthquake since that was beyond everyone's control. It is the decisions made by Princess in response to the disaster that are the problem" and another chimed "Corporate Princess could not have cared less about the passengers. It was all about money to them"
On Celebrity Mercury the illness situation got so bad that the Centers for Disease Control issued a "no-sail" recommendation for four full days after the itineraries of previous sailings had been altered to allow deep-cleaning on board. Situations like that are surely more events the cruise line does have control over and guests were compensated for the disruption. In addition, effective communication from the cruise line directly to booked guests, those on board at the time and via updates on the line's website made the best of a bad situation.
What rights do cruise passenger have?
A great deal of who is responsible for what and what to anticipate in extraordinary experience-altering events can be found in the cruise contract all lines have and that guests agree to abide by before boarding. It's the long, boring document everyone gets at one time or another during the booking process which is surely worth reading and understanding. The Princess Passage Contact, for example, explicitly outlines the responsibilities of both the cruise line and guests sailing.
While events described here and others are difficult to anticipate, guests on any line need to read and understand the agreement they have entered into with the cruise line by booking passage. This is not at all what most guests want to focus on or even what the cruise lines promote, but when bad things happen, cruise lines fall back on this written contract frequently.
What you can do
There is no need to go out and buy a crystal ball to foresee the unanticipated events that might affect your cruise vacation. But here are a few simple thoughts that can go a long way to overcoming anything from little disruptions to major game-changing events on a cruise
- Buy travel insurance- It's just the smart thing to do. Like any other insurance you sure hope you don't need it. Buy it from a reputable company that is easily accessible by phone or email
- Understand your travel insurance- The details of your coverage are important. Don't assume you are covered for anything that might happen. Know that all travel insurance companies require detailed documentation of any expenses you may have. Don't leave home without contact information for the travel insurance company. If they don't have a 24-hour hotline, buy it from some other company
- Have backup plans- if you are flying to the port, always research and know alternative flights both before and after ones you might have booked. Have that information handy when traveling
- Use a travel agent- That Internet cruise broker you can't get ahold of will be little comfort or help in a time of need. Back on shore, away from the action, your travel agent can offer perspective and draw on their experience and contacts to help smooth out a tough situation.
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