Don’t expect a cruise refund if you’re
DO NOT presume that you will necessarily visit all the ports of call advertised on a cruise’s itinerary. Earlier this year, Jane and Antony Miller travelled from Bristol on a seven-night Scottish Islands & Emerald Isle trip with Cruise & Maritime Voyages.
It was scheduled to call at Stornoway on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, and Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, using the ship’s tenders to ferry passengers ashore. However, due to poor weather the cruise didn’t make these stops.
‘The cruise missed out 40 per cent of the ports, and though it was called Scottish Islands & Emerald Isle, it failed to reach any Scottish island,’ says Jane.
Given that visiting the islands was the whole point of them going on the trip, the Millers sought compensation from Cruise & Maritime Voyages – but they got nowhere. The operator pointed out that its small print makes it clear that all timings and berthings on its cruises are subject to change, and that it was not liable to pay any compensation for factors outside its control, such as bad weather.
That is pretty much the stance of any cruise line. In the booking conditions, you’ll find it says something to the effect that there is no guarantee the ship will call at every port on the itinerary, and that the captain can change or skip ports of call if it is deemed necessary.
And if one port is swapped for another or replaced with a day at sea – whether to avoid a nasty storm, an outbreak of civil unrest, or even a logistical issue such as an unforeseen problem with the ship’s engine – don’t expect any compensation from the cruise line.
That said, there’s no harm in asking: if nothing else, you may be offered a credit for a future cruise. And bear in mind that you do still usually have rights where more significant changes to the itinerary are made before your cruise departs, such as a complete new routing or a major alteration to your flights. Here are some other aspects of cruise holidays where it pays to know your rights…
SICKNESS
IF YOU come down with a stomach bug resulting in vomiting or diarrhoea, to reduce the risk of the bug spreading the cruise company can insist you remain inside your cabin until you are symptom-free. If lots of other passengers are sick with similar symptoms and quarantined, it might be worth seeking compensation. Lawyers would need to prove that the cruise line was negligent in its health and hygiene practices, and there have been successful, high-profile group actions. However, if only you have become sick, it’s very unlikely you’ll get anywhere with a claim.
MISSED DEPARTURES
CRUISE lines usually wait for passengers if they are on laterunning excursions booked through the cruise company. Otherwise, see your ship sail off into the distance without you, and you will need to foot the bill to make your way to the next port to rejoin the cruise.
On a fly/cruise holiday, it can make sense to buy flights and cruise as a package. That way, if your flight is delayed and you miss the ship’s departure, you won’t end up out of pocket getting to the vessel at a later point.
GRATUITIES
MOST of the main cruise lines automatically add a daily per person service charge, either at the time of booking or to your onboard bill. Despite this arrangement, the service charge is almost always optional (Costa Cruises is the only line I know of where it is mandatory). So if you’d prefer to leave tips for individual staff, you should be able to opt out; most crew members get low basic wages, so not tipping in some way is very poor form.
INSURANCE
SOME travel insurance policies have sections that provide extra cover geared to cruises. It varies but is likely to include cover for skipped ports due to bad weather (typically £50 to £150 per port) and cabin confinement due to illness (again typically £50 to £150 per 24 hours).
You may also get some cover for transport and accommodation expenses to rejoin your cruise if you’ve needed medical treatment on land or been delayed on a pre-booked excursion.
MORE INFORMATION
FIRMS have signed up to a Cruise Industry Passenger Bill Of Rights, which mostly addresses circumstances brought about by a ship’s mechanical failure. The bill should be displayed on websites.