Celebrity Cruise company / travel agency double booked our room! How can we get full reimbursement for trip costs?

[Dread_Pirate_Roberts]

Sorry in advance for the long post. I'm trying to include everything I remember. Earlier this month, my two best-friends-since-high school and I had booked a 6-day cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. We had all turned 50 this year and wanted a special way to celebrate, so we booked the cruise. We flew in the Saturday night before and stayed at a local hotel. I tried to pre-check us in online the night before the cruise, but I kept getting errors like "we cannot find your reservation." I had an email confirmation from my travel agent of our fully purchased cruise, along with the room that we had selected when we purchased the cruise. I assume there was some kind of computer glitch, so we headed off the boarding pier on Sunday morning. When trying to check in, they stated we DID NOT HAVE A RESERVATION. BTW, we also purchased travel insurance. We were taken to the customer service desk and showed them our documentation. But they stated that because we were not on the manifest, we could not board. And the ship was full, so they could not give us a different room. In fact, someone else was already booked into the room on our reservation confirmation. When we inquired how did this happen, they stated it was the fault of the third-party travel vendor (a major online one, but I'm leaving out the name). We went back to the hotel and told them we would be staying there again. I am disabled, and this traumatic interaction at the docks, trying to get the cruise line to honor our confirmed reservation, triggered an immediate health tole on me; within a day, I was showing signs of an infection (stress lowers my immuno-response). We updated our flights to Wednesday (rather than the following Sunday), which cost an additional ~$200 each. During the time we were in Florida, we went to a few local gardens and parks and ate maybe 1-2 meals a day. When we returned home, my husband immediately took me to an urgent care, who prescribed antibiotics. However, by Friday morning, I had to be taken to the ER.

 

After my recovery, I started calling to find out how to be reimbursed for our whole trip. Initially, the cruise company had said it was the fault of the third-party vendor, that is who I called first. The vendor immediately said they had the correct information, which was correctly communicated to the cruise company, and therefore the cruise company was at fault. Ugh. After a few back-and-forth calls, I received an email from the cruise company, "Once again, I sincerely apologize you couldn't sail with us on the Celebrity Beyond that was leaving on September 15, 2024 because of our mistake. I truly regret this impacted your enjoyment of your cruise vacation. As we are eager to restore your faith in our brand, please find the Future Cruise Certificate offer for your use on a forthcoming sailing with Celebrity Cruises." In addition to the refund, they afforded a $450 voucher (good for only 1 year). Then, the travel vendor would reimburse the first night at the hotel because that was directly booked through them, but none of the further nights because they were a separate reservation done directly with the hotel. 

 

So, this leads me to our current place. We believe we should be refunded for 100% of our trip cost since the trip was the cruise, as we did not get a cruise. Our biggest additional expenses are the flights (~$1400), additional hotel stay (~$500), Lyft/rental car (~$400), and food costs (~$900). The travel vendor has said these are not their problem, since we did not book any of those items through them. And the Travel Insurance - we cannot find anywhere the policy deals with double bookings. I think the cruise line should pay the remaining costs, as they accepted fault. But they say they only have to refund the cruise cost.  I'm looking for help on next steps and any online documentation regarding double bookings on cruises. Anyone?

[cruisestitch]

I would submit a claim with the insurance company and see how they handle it.

[jelayne]

What a mess!  
 

when you paid the deposit and final payments for the cruise  did you payments go direct to Celebrity  or do your credit card statements show payments going to the travel agent?
 

Did you receive any emails, electronic travel documents, booking confirmation directly from Celebrity or documents created by Celebrity and forwarded by the travel agent? 

 

Did your reservation ever show up when you created and logged into your Celebrity account?  
 

 

[WELDON]

You should be covered by travel insurance for your losses because you could not take the cruise. First, contact the company you bought insurance from to start a claim.  Have your certificate number ready.  The person you speak with will ask you questions and they will tell you the next steps in submitted documentation.   

 

Keep copies of everything you submit (hotel, additional air fare, meals, cruise fare, taxis or uber). You may need to get something from Celebrity stating you did not board the ship, any refunds from them and you are not entitled to anything further. I know all this because I am in the middle of an ongoing claim and needed all this.

[LadyBerard]

In the future, if using a travel agent, I would recommend requesting the guest copy of the confirmation from the cruiseline after deposit has been made, and not just the invoice from whomever you book through.

[hcat]

WOW!  JUST WOW!

Celebrity Blew It..!...and they knew it!!  so sorry..

Edited Wednesday at 07:09 PM by hcat

[wrk2cruise]

Can you confirm what Celebrity did.  Generally in situations like this they provide the following.

 

1) Full refund of they sailing which you couldn't take due to their fault.

2) Future cruise credit based on the amount of your original reservation

3) Flight change fees.

 

From what you wrote I didn't see anything about a refund of your original reservation, just a future cruise credit and $450 for inconvenience?

 

They generally wouldn't cover additional travel expenses as the future cruise is considered the good will gesture.   Your TA which I assume is a large agency should help you resolve this.  They have access to sales support channels with more leverage.

 

Please let us know how you make out.

[cruisestitch]

The original post stated “in addition to the refund”…….

[wrk2cruise]

I re-read you post.  If you are saying you got a refund and only a $450 Future Cruise Credit good for a year you definitely deserve more.  I still doubt they will cover your extended stay in FLL but it should be more inline with the 1-3 in my above post.   If you exhaust the normal channels I would escalate to the executive office.

[wrk2cruise]

1 minute ago, cruisestitch said:

The original post stated “in addition to the refund”…….

 

Yes re-read.  It looks like refund + $450 FCC which is way to light in my opinion.

[Georgia_Peaches]

What a disappointing mess!  I'm so sorry this happened.  Please update the thread on your progress toward getting your expenses reimbursed. 

I agree with @wrk2cruise, the FCC amount is not enough.  I would reach out to the executive office (if you haven't already) and explain the circumstances.  Indicate that you would like to give Celebrity another try in the event that they increase the FCC amount to something more commiserate with this type error.

executiveoffice@celebrity.com

[cruisestitch]

Jelayne has asked lots of important questions, to which I will add one more. Prior to the night before the cruise, had you tried to access your reservation on the website or the app?

[WELDON]

Before blaming Celebrity, I would go back to the 3rd party vendor. Where did the money go? What does it show on a credit card statement? What proof do you have the vendor sent the money or sent it correctly?

 

I am also wondering if this is the first time the ladies have cruised. You can check your reservation on the website or app. Did anyone bother to check prior to the night before the cruise or any time before you left home?  When you got an error message, did you call the vendor?  

[thebutlerdidit]

Had you checked in for your cruise and received a time to arrive at the port? 
 

I see now that you only got Error messages. 

Edited Wednesday at 10:33 PM by thebutlerdidit

[cruisetonowhere10]

3 hours ago, LadyBerard said:

In the future, if using a travel agent, I would recommend requesting the guest copy of the confirmation from the cruiseline after deposit has been made, and not just the invoice from whomever you book through.

Agreed.  Ours sends the confirmation that is identical to what you get if you book direct with Celebrity, but it never occurred to me one might get something different.  So many nuances. 

[cruisetonowhere10]

One other avenue is to also file a dispute with your credit card company.  May not go anywhere but it might put pressure on the travel agency.  Regardless of who accepts blame, it is partially the role of a TA to provide travel assistance when things go sideways. I just reread the initial post and it’s not clear what their action was in the moment?  

[cruisestitch]

22 minutes ago, WELDON said:

Before blaming Celebrity, I would go back to the 3rd party vendor. Where did the money go? What does it show on a credit card statement? What proof do you have the vendor sent the money or sent it correctly?

 

I am also wondering if this is the first time the ladies have cruised. You can check your reservation on the website or app. Did anyone bother to check prior to the night before the cruise or any time before you left home?  When you got an error message, did you call the vendor?  

Celebrity has said it is their fault, per post #1

[cruisetonowhere10]

13 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Celebrity has said it is their fault, per post #1

I agree with this however does a travel agency not bear some responsibility for ensuring a trip happens or at the very least when something goes wrong, they are in your corner to help?  I’ve only just very recently started using one, but I thought that was at least a major reason to use one.  

[Liao]

1 hour ago, WELDON said:

Before blaming Celebrity, I would go back to the 3rd party vendor. Where did the money go? What does it show on a credit card statement? What proof do you have the vendor sent the money or sent it correctly?

 

I am also wondering if this is the first time the ladies have cruised. You can check your reservation on the website or app. Did anyone bother to check prior to the night before the cruise or any time before you left home?  When you got an error message, did you call the vendor?  

OP stated they received a message from Celebrity admitting to their mistake.

[PhD-iva]

File a claim with your travel insurance company. Start there. They will chase Celebrity so that you don’t have to.

Sorry this happened to you!

[Liao]

Good luck with this, OP.  I’m sure you’ll get this resolved in your favor, as it should be.  Please let us know how you make out!

[Iamcruzin]

You should have never had to call Celebrity. The travel agent should have gone to bat for you. That's one of the pros the travel agents on this site always bring up. They should have refunded your money and went after Celebrity for theirs. Next time cut out the middle man and book directly with the cruise line. 

[NMTraveller]

2 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

I agree with this however does a travel agency not bear some responsibility for ensuring a trip happens or at the very least when something goes wrong, they are in your corner to help?  I’ve only just very recently started using one, but I thought that was at least a major reason to use one.  

My TA would have been on the phone with Celebrity or submitting the insurance claim...

[NMTraveller]

7 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

You should have never had to call Celebrity. The travel agent should have gone to bat for you. That's one of the pros the travel agents on this site always bring up. They should have refunded your money and went after Celebrity for theirs. Next time cut out the middle man and book directly with the cruise line. 

Then you have a TA that works for the cruise line.  How is that going to work?  Seems like a conflict of interest...

[Iamcruzin]

7 hours ago, Dread_Pirate_Roberts said:

 

 

So, this leads me to our current place. We believe we should be refunded for 100% of our trip cost since the trip was the cruise, as we did not get a cruise. Our biggest additional expenses are the flights (~$1400), additional hotel stay (~$500), Lyft/rental car (~$400), and food costs (~$900). The travel vendor has said these are not their problem, since we did not book any of those items through them. And the Travel Insurance - we cannot find anywhere the policy deals with double bookings. I think the cruise line should pay the remaining costs, as they accepted fault. But they say they only have to refund the cruise cost.  I'm looking for help on next steps and any online documentation regarding double bookings on cruises. Anyone?

Good luck with the insurance company.  This is clearly the error of the cruise line or the travel agent. Why would they pay out for a double booking error. It's not going to happen.