Several Royal Caribbean customers were denied entry to a cruise they had paid for after the company reportedly overbooked the ship.
The Royal Caribbean ship Quantum of the Seas left Brisbane, Australia, on Tuesday without about a dozen groups of travelers who had prepared for the eight-night South Pacific cruise, one of the unfortunate customers told USA Today.
Jai Raynor, 23, said he was looking forward to setting sail on his first cruise with his wife Kaitlyn to celebrate his college graduation. But when they arrived at the port, they were told they could not board the ship, according to the outlet.
The couple, who paid nearly $1,900 for the cruise, received a letter saying Royal Caribbean “was unable to assign a stateroom number to their reservation,” Raynor told the publication.
He said they had selected a “guarantee stateroom” when booking the cruise. The option, often at a more affordable price, allows customers to select the type of room they want without having to select a specific room.
He and his wife decided to try their luck by waiting with 13 other “families or groups” to see if there were more cabins available, Raynor told USA Today. Eleven of them, along with the young couple, were ultimately rejected.
Raynor said 11 other groups were turned away by Royal Caribbean after they were informed there were no more rooms available on board the ship. AFP via Getty Images
“It was absolutely crushing,” Raynor said.
Demand for the cruise was greater than the number of rooms available, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told USA Today.
“Unfortunately, efforts to accommodate all those wishing to sail were insufficient for a group of our guests, and some were unable to sail as planned,” the spokesperson said.
Royal Caribbean gave all affected customers a number of options, including receiving a full refund and credit toward a future cruise or rebooking a cruise on different dates, they added.
Raynor eventually received a refund, but said being turned away at the port after planning to celebrate his wife’s graduation was “absolutely devastating.” fake images
Raynor was able to get a full refund for the cruise they missed, as well as future cruise certificates worth the full fare and complimentary deluxe beverage packages after contacting the cruise line, according to the outlet.
Cruise industry expert Stewart Chiron, also known as “The Cruise Guy,” said the Raynors’ situation rarely happens.
“This is one of those very specialized itineraries,” he told USA Today in an email. “Passengers who booked a guarantee [and] No particular booth can be left without a chair when the music stops.”
Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn