This story may make you would like you had booked an oversold cruise as a result of the deal Royal Caribbean simply supplied these impacted company is fairly superb. However there’s additionally an argument to be made that the cruise line shouldn’t be overselling these staterooms within the first place.
Some passengers booked on Royal Caribbean’s Attract of the Seas Could 15, 2025 Western Mediterranean cruise departing from Civitavecchia (Rome) have been supplied some tempting choices as a result of an overbooking scenario.
I do know some vacationers who wish to e-book flights they know are prone to be overbooked to allow them to get free flights, miles, and different perks once they volunteer to take a special flight. However now a cruise line is providing incentives to passengers many could have a tough time passing up.
Royal Caribbean has offered company on the overbooked ship with a really engaging provide: basically a free cruise, plus a full refund of their authentic fare.
This sudden provide was prolonged to some company booked in Oceanview staterooms or larger tiers on the Could fifteenth departure from Rome. Royal Caribbean requested for volunteers to change or cancel their bookings to handle the overcapacity.
Listed here are the three choices company got:
- Downgrade for a Free Cruise and Cash Again: Visitors can transfer to an Inside stateroom. In return, they obtain a full refund of their authentic cruise fare AND a $200 onboard credit score. This implies they sail at no cost, get all their a refund, plus further spending cash.
- Change Ships for a Free Cruise and Cash Again: Passengers can switch to a 7-night Greek Isles cruise on Odyssey of the Seas departing Could 18, 2025, from Rome. The fare for this new itinerary is totally coated, and so they obtain a full refund of their authentic Attract of the Seas fare.
- Cancel for a Future Free Cruise and Cash Again: Visitors can cancel their reservation fully. They may obtain a full refund of their authentic fare (together with non-refundable deposits) AND a 100% future cruise credit score equal to the worth of their authentic fare, legitimate for sailings via Could 15, 2026.
In all three situations, passengers obtain their authentic fare again. Choices one and two permit them to take a cruise instantly with out having paid the fare (successfully making it free), whereas possibility three offers them the means for a free cruise at a later date utilizing the long run cruise credit score, once more after receiving a full refund.
Royal Caribbean has additionally dedicated to reimbursing any non-refundable, pre-paid journey bills like flights or lodges for company who settle for one of many various presents or cancel.
The cruise line emphasised these are voluntary choices, and company who didn’t reply would hold their authentic reserving.
This isn’t the primary time the Attract of the Seas has confronted overbooking challenges round this time of yr, with related conditions reported for sailings in each 2023 and a previous April 2025 departure.
Whereas these cruisers should resolve if altering their authentic plans is price it, as somebody who didn’t e-book this explicit cruise, I need to say I’m a bit jealous of those choices.
