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Showing posts with label cruise line complaints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cruise line complaints. Show all posts
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
USTOA Claim Procedures for Cruise West Passengers
Follow up to previous posting on Cruise West
The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is a professional association representing the tour operator industry.
Travel agents and consumers should be aware that partial or full reimbursement of lost payments and/or deposits for Cruise West products made prior to September 11, 2010, may be protected under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.
Passenger deposits and payments thereafter will not be covered by the USTOA Program.
Claim forms and instructions under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program -
http://www.ustoa.com/2009/CruiseWest/Claim_info.cfm
The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is a professional association representing the tour operator industry.
Travel agents and consumers should be aware that partial or full reimbursement of lost payments and/or deposits for Cruise West products made prior to September 11, 2010, may be protected under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.
Passenger deposits and payments thereafter will not be covered by the USTOA Program.
Claim forms and instructions under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program -
http://www.ustoa.com/2009/CruiseWest/Claim_info.cfm
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cruise West - A World Voyage Nightmare
Can you begin to imagine booking a 335 day world cruise, and mid way being told that your cruise is cancelled? Well that's exactly what happened to passengers on the Spirit of Oceanus who booked sailing on the epic “Voyage of the Great Explorers” cruise.
Well here's what's going on . . . Cruise West fails to renew their bond!
Cruise line members have to post $1 million in security - in the form of a bond or letter of credit. The bond is held in a trust account by USTOA, and used only for reimbursing consumers for tour payments or deposits lost in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency or cessation of business.
USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association) has made the grim announcement - “Effective September 11, Cruise West is no longer a USTOA member, and as such, no longer participates in the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.”
Any cruise passenger who made reservations prior to Sept. 11, 2010 may be protected under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program. Client deposits and payments made after that date will not be covered by the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program.
On the company's website Cruise West says it is continuing “to work towards a restructuring of the company and its operations.” Don't hold your breath!
Unfortunately passengers who do not have insurance will probably end up losing their money. And even if you do have insurance, the particular policy may not cover a cruise line going under financially.
Well here's what's going on . . . Cruise West fails to renew their bond!
Cruise line members have to post $1 million in security - in the form of a bond or letter of credit. The bond is held in a trust account by USTOA, and used only for reimbursing consumers for tour payments or deposits lost in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency or cessation of business.
USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association) has made the grim announcement - “Effective September 11, Cruise West is no longer a USTOA member, and as such, no longer participates in the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.”
Any cruise passenger who made reservations prior to Sept. 11, 2010 may be protected under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program. Client deposits and payments made after that date will not be covered by the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program.
On the company's website Cruise West says it is continuing “to work towards a restructuring of the company and its operations.” Don't hold your breath!
Unfortunately passengers who do not have insurance will probably end up losing their money. And even if you do have insurance, the particular policy may not cover a cruise line going under financially.
Passengers Stranded As Cruise Line 'Restructures'
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Belize Tourist Area to Cruise Ships: Stay Away
The arrival of cruise ships in a tourist town can result in an economic windfall for local businesses. And yet not every waterside destination is pursuing them.
Case in point: The Caribbean hideaway of Placencia, Belize, which is making it more than clear it wants nothing to do with the 3,000-passenger giants of the seas that sail in the region.
The Placencia Tour Operators Association argued mass tourism from cruise ships would result in adverse effects on the area's fragile marine and inland environments such as coral reefs and fish and bird habitats.
This week the association sent out a detailed list of reasons why it thinks cruise tourism would be a disaster for the village and surrounding 26-mile-long sandy peninsula, which thrives on multi-day visitors who come for diving, snorkeling and beach-going in a relaxed, uncrowded atmosphere.
Read full story at USA Travel
Case in point: The Caribbean hideaway of Placencia, Belize, which is making it more than clear it wants nothing to do with the 3,000-passenger giants of the seas that sail in the region.
The Placencia Tour Operators Association argued mass tourism from cruise ships would result in adverse effects on the area's fragile marine and inland environments such as coral reefs and fish and bird habitats.
This week the association sent out a detailed list of reasons why it thinks cruise tourism would be a disaster for the village and surrounding 26-mile-long sandy peninsula, which thrives on multi-day visitors who come for diving, snorkeling and beach-going in a relaxed, uncrowded atmosphere.
Read full story at USA Travel
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
New Cruise Ship Bill to Become Law
A new U.S. bill aimed at increasing safety on cruise ships is set to become law.
The Cruise Vessel Safety & Security Act will require cruise lines to install peepholes on cabin doors, ensure rails are no lower than 42 inches and provide passengers with information on how to report crimes.
The law means business: non-compliance can result in denial of entry into U.S. ports, civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation and criminal penalties up to $250,000 and/or one year’s imprisonment.
The bill, introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), requires safety measures for Americans at sea and provides protections for those sexually assaulted on board.
All cruise ships will be required to install the 42-inch guard rails and peepholes in every passenger and crew member’s door, in addition to security latch door and smart keys, on-deck video surveillance and an emergency sound system on the ship.
Passengers and crew must also be provided with a list of all U.S. embassies and consulates in the countries they visit.
For treating and examining persons alleging sexual assault, the act requies cruise ships to have on board medications to prevent sexually transmitted diseases; equipment and materials for performing post-assault examinations; and doctors and/or registered nurses with appropriate experience/certification in emergency medicine.
In additon, cruise ship companies must provide transparency in reporting by establishing a structure between the cruise industry, the FBI, and the Coast Guard, including requirements that each ship maintain a log book, which would record all deaths, missing individuals, alleged crimes, and passenger/crewmember complaints regarding theft, sexual harassment and assault.
In addition, there will be a need to establish a program designed by the Secretary of Transportation in consultation with the FBI to train appropriate crew members in crime prevention, detection, evidence preservation, and reporting of criminal activities in the international maritime environment.
The bill was presented to President Obama for signage on July 19.
Source: Travel Agent Central
The Cruise Vessel Safety & Security Act will require cruise lines to install peepholes on cabin doors, ensure rails are no lower than 42 inches and provide passengers with information on how to report crimes.
The law means business: non-compliance can result in denial of entry into U.S. ports, civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation and criminal penalties up to $250,000 and/or one year’s imprisonment.
The bill, introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), requires safety measures for Americans at sea and provides protections for those sexually assaulted on board.
All cruise ships will be required to install the 42-inch guard rails and peepholes in every passenger and crew member’s door, in addition to security latch door and smart keys, on-deck video surveillance and an emergency sound system on the ship.
Passengers and crew must also be provided with a list of all U.S. embassies and consulates in the countries they visit.
For treating and examining persons alleging sexual assault, the act requies cruise ships to have on board medications to prevent sexually transmitted diseases; equipment and materials for performing post-assault examinations; and doctors and/or registered nurses with appropriate experience/certification in emergency medicine.
In additon, cruise ship companies must provide transparency in reporting by establishing a structure between the cruise industry, the FBI, and the Coast Guard, including requirements that each ship maintain a log book, which would record all deaths, missing individuals, alleged crimes, and passenger/crewmember complaints regarding theft, sexual harassment and assault.
In addition, there will be a need to establish a program designed by the Secretary of Transportation in consultation with the FBI to train appropriate crew members in crime prevention, detection, evidence preservation, and reporting of criminal activities in the international maritime environment.
The bill was presented to President Obama for signage on July 19.
Source: Travel Agent Central
Monday, March 1, 2010
What to Do When Ship Happens
I ran across this article at CruiseMates today by Paul Motter, and wanted to share . . . Linda
Every once in awhile the cruise industry has a tough week, and this has been one of them.
This morning we got the news that one of the nicer Costa cruise ships, the Europa, was blown by a strong wind up against the dock in Sharm al Sheik, Egypt, resulting in the death of three crewmembers. We are not sure exactly how the crewmembers died, but weather conditions were bad enough that all of the passengers were disembarked from the ship, put up in hotels and will be flown home.
Another ship, Celebrity Mercury, suffered one of the worst outbreaks of Norovirus on a cruise ships we have seen for a few years. Approximately 8% of the population of this ship was affected by the virus, about 300 people.
Even five years ago, before much more stringent practices to prevent the spread of diseases on ships were put into place, this would have been a significant outbreak. Fortunately, the recovery seems to be working out well and the line is doing a thorough cleaning that should prevent a similar outbreak from occurring on the next cruise of the same ship.
Finish reading article at CruiseMates
Every once in awhile the cruise industry has a tough week, and this has been one of them.
This morning we got the news that one of the nicer Costa cruise ships, the Europa, was blown by a strong wind up against the dock in Sharm al Sheik, Egypt, resulting in the death of three crewmembers. We are not sure exactly how the crewmembers died, but weather conditions were bad enough that all of the passengers were disembarked from the ship, put up in hotels and will be flown home.
Another ship, Celebrity Mercury, suffered one of the worst outbreaks of Norovirus on a cruise ships we have seen for a few years. Approximately 8% of the population of this ship was affected by the virus, about 300 people.
Even five years ago, before much more stringent practices to prevent the spread of diseases on ships were put into place, this would have been a significant outbreak. Fortunately, the recovery seems to be working out well and the line is doing a thorough cleaning that should prevent a similar outbreak from occurring on the next cruise of the same ship.
Finish reading article at CruiseMates
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