Missed Port Compensation

[wynkys]

Should cruises be marketed on the basis of destinations or the onboard experience?

If it is the former, what should be sufficient compensation for missing scheduled ports?

I recently completed an eight-night cruise out of Sydney on Ovation and we were to

visit Mystery Island and Vila, Vanuatu as well as Noumea, New Caledonia. Instead,

because of weather warnings, our itinerary was rearranged at sea to exclude the first

two calls. I can fully understand the necessity for change and personally enjoyed the

placid days at sea going nowhere fast, however, when I have told travelers on other

lines that we received a refund of $100/person as compensation, they have questioned

the paucity of the offer.

Any comments?

[MD_Dan]

We too experienced lost ports in a November 2022 cruise due to tropical storms.  While I am certainly no expert on the topic, but I can tell you that you are approaching this mind puzzle wrong.  The cruise line can not put any value on what OUR loss is.  What they can tell you is FROM THEIR side of the books, what $$$ they WILL NOT receive by missing any particular port.  This is the amount that will be refunded to you.  Buried in the paperwork you signed are clauses that give them this right.  If you think about it, it cost them extra fuel by missing a port.  They took us away from the storm and we had nice sunny days at sea.

 

For our cruise, they knew at embarkation and gave us the option to cancel right there without penalty. 

[Ourusualbeach]

28 minutes ago, wynkys said:

Should cruises be marketed on the basis of destinations or the onboard experience?

If it is the former, what should be sufficient compensation for missing scheduled ports?

I recently completed an eight-night cruise out of Sydney on Ovation and we were to

visit Mystery Island and Vila, Vanuatu as well as Noumea, New Caledonia. Instead,

because of weather warnings, our itinerary was rearranged at sea to exclude the first

two calls. I can fully understand the necessity for change and personally enjoyed the

placid days at sea going nowhere fast, however, when I have told travelers on other

lines that we received a refund of $100/person as compensation, they have questioned

the paucity of the offer.

Any comments?

They are under no obligation to offer you anything.

[firefly333]

5 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

They are under no obligation to offer you anything.

Unfortunately this is rcl policy. I missed a port and got nothing and wrote to their vp office who said it's up to each ship to offer something or not. I got $0. 

 

Other lines like carnival always give obc for missed ports, not rcl. 

[Spurschick]

We were supposed to do Southern Caribbean on Explorer. Due to tropical storm we ended up in Jamaica. Got nothing, and we really didn’t care about going to Jamaica. 
 

As they say ship happens. They can and will change itineraries as needed without any compensation.

[brillohead]

When Hurricane Lisa came through this last fall, my friend was on another Royal ship while I was on Symphony.  We were going to meet up in Costa Maya (both ships were docking there the same day), but both itineraries changed to avoid the storm.

She got $100 OBC on her ship, and I got nothing on Symphony.  

But they're not required to give you anything at all.  You're not booking transportation to certain cities, you're booking a trip on a ship that stops at various places. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, wynkys said:

Should cruises be marketed on the basis of destinations or the onboard experience?

If it is the former, what should be sufficient compensation for missing scheduled ports?

I recently completed an eight-night cruise out of Sydney on Ovation and we were to

visit Mystery Island and Vila, Vanuatu as well as Noumea, New Caledonia. Instead,

because of weather warnings, our itinerary was rearranged at sea to exclude the first

two calls. I can fully understand the necessity for change and personally enjoyed the

placid days at sea going nowhere fast, however, when I have told travelers on other

lines that we received a refund of $100/person as compensation, they have questioned

the paucity of the offer.

Any comments?

I think if you read the contract you signed for the cruise, you were properly compensated. The cruise line owes you nothing. If they choose to compensate you, bonus. 

[swoopy2110]

Certain travel insurance policies that have "cruise cover" may have a missed port section that would pay in this scenario.

[Fouremco]

With the possible exception of neophyte cruisers, everyone knows that weather can have a negative impact on port stops, whether docked or tendered. As weather is beyond the control of cruise lines, cruise contracts that passengers agree to contain wording similar to that contained in Royal's Cruise/Cruise Tour Ticket Contract:

 

7. CANCELLATION, DEVIATION OR SUBSTITUTION BY CARRIER:
a. Carrier may for any reason at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or deviate from any scheduled sailing, port of call, destination, lodging or any activity on or off the Vessel, or substitute another vessel or port of call, destination, lodging or activity. Except as provided in Section 7.e below, and except as provided in Section 4.e or Section 4.f regarding an actual or suspected COVID-19 infection, and except where a refund is required by law as a result of a declaration of a public health emergency or government order cancelling the Cruise or delaying boarding of the Vessel by Passengers by three (3) days or more, Carrier shall not be liable for any claim whatsoever by Passenger, including but not limited to loss, compensation or refund, by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement, substitution or deviation.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/cruise-ticket-contract.pdf

 

Under the terms of the contract, you were not entitled to compensation for any missed port, and the $100 per passenger offer was a goodwill gesture, not an obligatory payment. I've had weather-related missed ports on both Celebrity and Holland America and have never been compensated, That's all part of cruising, and I'm thankful for ships' captains who decide not to take risks in bad weather.

 

[DUBIDUB2]

Remember, for all the compensation, you are contributing to cruise price rises and cutbacks for everyone else. You have every right to complain but if you really want to visit a destination, likely a plane is a better option! Waking up somewhere else, anywhere else, without all the normal travel woes, is heaven to me! I'm so chilled cruising, I just don't care 😉

We are all different, thank heavens.

 

[crewsweeper]

The largest part of compensation for missed ports is port fees.  Switching ports doesn't carry the same weight on the books.   Plus, missed ports mean an additional sea day and are thus part of your cruise. Also means an extra day of work for a portion of the crew who would otherwise go ashore.  And the need to provide more food and drinks on board than typically provided on port days.