Royal Caribbean cruise guests turned away at port after company overbooked
Royal Caribbean crew members help to design their cabins
Royal Caribbean guests were left on shore after they were informed they would not be able to join their cruise due to overbooking, a disgruntled passenger claimed.
The Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas ship left the port of Brisbane, Australia without several customers who had booked to enjoy an eight-night cruise around the South Pacific.
Jay Raynor, 23, said he and his wife Kaitlyn had picked the experience to celebrate their university graduation only to be turned away when they headed to the ship.
Raynor and his wife paid nearly $1,900 for the trip but they were handed a letter informing them that Royal Caribbean was “unable to allocate a stateroom number to your reservation.”
The couple had picked a “guarantee cabin”, a cheaper option which allows passengers to select the type of room they want without selecting a specific one.
For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to Daily Express US
READ MORE: Nightmare cruise tours completely wrong country as passengers left fuming
The Raynors stood by with another 13 “families or groups” waiting to see if more rooms would become available but they ultimately were denied boarding along with another 11.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told USA Today: “Unfortunately, efforts to accommodate all those who wished to sail fell short for a group of our guests, and some were unable to sail as planned.”
They said customers had been offered several options including a full refund or the opportunity to rebook the cruise for another date.
They added: “We take these disruptions seriously, and we apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.”
DON’T MISS:
Cruise passengers stranded after £70,000 dream holiday cancelled[INSIGHT]
Michael Caine’s unlikely celebrity pals – from Denise Welch to Vin Diesel[CELEBRITY]
The pretty little city with one of the UK’s best Christmas markets[FEATURE]
- Support fearless journalism
- Read The Daily Express online, advert free
- Get super-fast page loading
Raynor said he obtained a refund as well as future cruise certificates for both himself and his wife worth their full fare.
He added: “I certainly don’t want to let it go to waste, but it’s certainly put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth with Royal Caribbean.”
Expert Stewart Chiron argued passengers on a guaranteed fare are rarely kept from boarding their cruise.
Chiron said: “This is one of those very specialized itineraries.
“Passengers that booked a guarantee [and] not a specific cabin can be left without a chair when the music stops.”
Source: Read Full Article
