No Show for Cruise

[greatam]

"My traveling companion cancels their trip because of an accident and I still want to go on the trip; however, there are additional costs because of my traveling companion's cancellation. Will Travelex Protection Plans cover these additional costs?

 

Yes, you are covered for a single supplement upgrade when your traveling companion cancels or interrupts a trip for a covered reason and you do not."

 

 

That is DIRECT off the Travelex website. So if the cruise line does not have the right to REFARE your ticket to a solo traveler with single supplement, why would an insurance policy even offer such a thing???

[critterchick]

"My traveling companion cancels their trip because of an accident and I still want to go on the trip; however, there are additional costs because of my traveling companion's cancellation. Will Travelex Protection Plans cover these additional costs?

 

Yes, you are covered for a single supplement upgrade when your traveling companion cancels or interrupts a trip for a covered reason and you do not."

 

 

That is DIRECT off the Travelex website. So if the cruise line does not have the right to REFARE your ticket to a solo traveler with single supplement, why would an insurance policy even offer such a thing???

 

I don't know, but it seems manifestly unfair that the cruiseline would keep the cancelling passenger's fare and charge the remaining passenger a supplement. Unjust enrichment and all.

[PattyG12]

If the person that isn't going cancels you can get your taxes and port charges back. If there are a no-show, then it's a wash and you get nothing back.

[greatam]

I don't know, but it seems manifestly unfair that the cruiseline would keep the cancelling passenger's fare and charge the remaining passenger a supplement. Unjust enrichment and all.

 

While it may be unfair, it is certainly the rules of the game. I agree and I was rather shocked when the single supplement came up way back in 2001 when my Mom died. I figured the cruise had been paid for two, I was going by myself and that was that. But the single supplement increase was the fact of life.

 

All her fare was returned to her credit card via the insurance the travel agent sold her. I had my own insurance which as I stated and posted Travelex's policy would have covered the increased single supplement I would have had to pay if I had gone to South America on Infinity in Feb 2002 by myself. Celebrity would REFARE my ticket as a solo traveler with single supplement if I decided to take the trip by myself. DH decided to go and we only paid the $50 name change fee.

 

It is actually in the fine print of the T & C's on some of the cruise line websites if you care to read through all the T & C's and parse the language. It also used to be in Celebrity's cruise ticket contract. Haven't checked recently to see if that policy statement is still there.

[Gloria Mundi]

Remember that, although the cruise lines may refer to you as a "guest", you're really an income stream and the sticker price is only the start. The person who doesn't occupy that empty berth doesn't pay upcharges in the premium restaurants, doesn't go on excursions, doesn't buy rounds of drinks, doesn't generate kickbacks from the shops in port... you get the idea.

 

I doubt if the cruise lines would call it "unjust enrichment" to charge a single supplement- to them, it's a way to recoup what the other person would have spent on-board.

 

I'd still be burned up if I had to pay it, though.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Gloria Mundi

[greatam]

If the person that isn't going cancels you can get your taxes and port charges back. If there are a no-show, then it's a wash and you get nothing back.

 

Again, if a person CANCELS, you may be subjecting the other one who decides to go to the single supplement. And that is a darn sight more money than the measly amount you would receive in return for taxes and port fees.

 

As I have posted three times, I would NEVER cancel a cruise for one person booked in a double occupancy cabin, particularly if the cruise was paid in full, as you open yourself up to the imposition of the single supplement in addition to the already paid for double occupancy cabin.

 

This from the Celebrity Contract gives the cruise line the right to impose a SUPPLEMENTAL charge for most anything as they see fit. And you would be hard pressed to get out of it because someone cancelling a cruise at the last minute would be an unanticipated occurrence and would apply in this case. I am a non practicing transportation attorney and I sure couldn't figure out a way around this. You are COMPLETELY CHANGING the booking by CANCELLING one person booked in a double occupancy cabin with two people. And at that point, you are subject to the supplemental charge:

 

"Carrier reserves the right to impose a supplemental charge relating to unanticipated occurrences including, but not limited to,increases in the price of fuel.

Any such supplement charges may apply, at Carrier's sole discretion, to both existing and new bookings (regardless of whether such bookings have been

paid in full). Such supplements are not included in the Cruise or CruiseTour Fare"

[sail7seas]

If the person doesn't show, they don't show & the cruise goes on without them. If the cruise line has already been paid for the cabin, they should be happy. About the only "break" will be that the person now sailing alone won't have to pay double gratuities.

 

Remember that, although the cruise lines may refer to you as a "guest", you're really an income stream and the sticker price is only the start. The person who doesn't occupy that empty berth doesn't pay upcharges in the premium restaurants, doesn't go on excursions, doesn't buy rounds of drinks, doesn't generate kickbacks from the shops in port... you get the idea.

 

I doubt if the cruise lines would call it "unjust enrichment" to charge a single supplement- to them, it's a way to recoup what the other person would have spent on-board.

 

I'd still be burned up if I had to pay it, though.

 

 

Most mass market cruise lines are not making their profit on the revenue generated from selling cabins. They make far more of their money from the on board spending. If one of two guests booked for a cabin does not sail, they lose all on board spending revenue. They charge the solo supplement as a means of making up for losing that spending...... the spending they HOPE to have gotten. They can't know how much a guest will spend unless they have sailed previously with that cruise line and have a 'history'.

 

[ricethief]

for future reference - if you buy the insurance within 14 days of booking the cruise pre-existing conditions are usually covered.

 

Unfortunately that isn't the case in Australia, there's only one insurance company that cover's more serious pre-existing conditions and they take it on a case by case basis.

[Sherlock43031]

Again, if a person CANCELS, you may be subjecting the other one who decides to go to the single supplement. And that is a darn sight more money than the measly amount you would receive in return for taxes and port fees.

 

As I have posted three times, I would NEVER cancel a cruise for one person booked in a double occupancy cabin, particularly if the cruise was paid in full, as you open yourself up to the imposition of the single supplement in addition to the already paid for double occupancy cabin.

 

This from the Celebrity Contract gives the cruise line the right to impose a SUPPLEMENTAL charge for most anything as they see fit. And you would be hard pressed to get out of it because someone cancelling a cruise at the last minute would be an unanticipated occurrence and would apply in this case. I am a non practicing transportation attorney and I sure couldn't figure out a way around this. You are COMPLETELY CHANGING the booking by CANCELLING one person booked in a double occupancy cabin with two people. And at that point, you are subject to the supplemental charge:

 

"Carrier reserves the right to impose a supplemental charge relating to unanticipated occurrences including, but not limited to,increases in the price of fuel.

Any such supplement charges may apply, at Carrier's sole discretion, to both existing and new bookings (regardless of whether such bookings have been

paid in full). Such supplements are not included in the Cruise or CruiseTour Fare"

 

 

please don't confuse these folks with facts.

[BullDawg91]

Someone on another board posted recently about her daughter being sick the day before the cruise and not going. She told the representative at check in that the daughter was ill and wouldn't be cruising. They charged her the single supplement and of course did not refund the daughter's fee. She was involved with customer service to see of she could recoup the supplement.

 

In essence, the cruise line received three fares for one person. Seems excessive.

[greatam]

Someone on another board posted recently about her daughter being sick the day before the cruise and not going. She told the representative at check in that the daughter was ill and wouldn't be cruising. They charged her the single supplement and of course did not refund the daughter's fee. She was involved with customer service to see of she could recoup the supplement.

 

In essence, the cruise line received three fares for one person. Seems excessive.

 

That's what travel insurance is for and the cruise lines make an assumption that EVERYONE has cancellation/interruption insurance.

 

IF the person you refer to had travel insurance, the daughter's fare would have been refunded as long as there was a doctor's note or hospital records (COVERED REASON). And as I posted previously, a lot of travel insurance policies will cover the single supplement when one person cancels FOR A COVERED REASON.

 

No travel insurance-the cruise lines have every right to charge the single supplement and while it is a big financial hit, it is the rules of the game. Another very good reason to buy travel insurance.