Navigating the Chaos of Overbooked Cruises

Navigating the Chaos of Overbooked Cruises

What to Do When a Cruise is Oversold

When you book a cruise, you expect to board your dream ship with your preferred room category. Unfortunately, cruise lines oversell sailings as a buffer for cancellations, leaving some passengers without a cabin. Though promising to make it right, it still dampens the spirit of an eagerly awaited vacation.

Volunteering to be Bumped

The first thing a cruise line will do when a sailing becomes oversold is ask for volunteers to relinquish their position in exchange for compensation. Passengers with some flexibility may find this an opportunity to take a different sailing in the future or rebook the same itinerary later in the year.

For instance, Symphony of the Seas offered passengers sailing on its June 14, 2024, cruise who could change their travel dates, the option of selecting another Symphony sailing from Cape Liberty of equal or lesser value. They were also entitled to a full refund if they canceled and a 100% future credit for the value of the fare. Other cruise lines offer similar incentives to passengers who are flexible and willing to change their itinerary.

What to do When You Cannot Board the Ship

When overselling occurs, especially when it is close to the sailing date, passengers may not have the flexibility to change their itinerary. Denial of boarding can be especially devastating, as your entire vacation may be ruined.

Cruise lines usually offer a series of options to passengers in such situations. For instance, AnimatorFun7470 booked a guaranteed stateroom on Quantum of the Seas and received a letter upon arrival stating that a cabin could not be assigned to them via their reservation. AnimatorFun7470 had to choose from four options, including remaining on standby with hope of a cabin being assigned at the terminal before check-in closes. They’d receive US$100 onboard credit for the inconvenience. If no cabin became available, Royal Caribbean would issue a full refund and future cruise credit amounting to 25% of the cruise fare, excluding taxes and fees. Royal’s second option was to allow AnimatorFun7470 to move to the January 29, 2024, sailing for no additional charge. They would be given a free upgrade if available. If the sailing wasn’t possible, they could move to another 7- or 8-night cruise with price protection and a free upgrade, where available. Finally, they could cancel and request a full refund plus a future cruise credit amounting to 25% of the cruise fare.

Guaranteed Fares and Travel Insurance

Many cruise lines offer guaranteed fares, which are cheaper than standard rates that allow passengers to select their specific cabin when booking. With a guaranteed rate, passengers will be assigned their stateroom closer to the sail date. While the “guarantee” assures passengers that they are guaranteed a cabin in their chosen category, there is still a risk of getting bumped off if the ship is overbooked and reserved a guaranteed cabin.

In such cases, travel insurance comes in handy as it offers reimbursement in different scenarios, including lost luggage, airline delays, and medical emergencies. Although it’s an optional charge, it’s better to be safe than sorry. However, when it comes to reimbursements for overbooked cruises, travel insurance won’t issue a refund if you accept a refund, future cruise credit, or an alternative cruise from the cruise line. Adding a “cancel or any reason” clause would alleviate concerns, but they’re more costly than standard travel insurance policies.

Conclusion

The chances of your next cruise being oversold are slim. However, if it happens, rest assured that cruise lines offer options to affected passengers, such as switching them to another sailing with better compensation, upgrading them, providing a full refund, and/or issuing future cruise credits. Before making a decision, make sure it aligns with your vacation needs and makes you happy.

Originally Post From https://cruise.blog/2024/07/what-happens-when-cruise-overbooked

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