Storms, winds, mechanical glitches and things that go bump in the night can ruin a long-planned, much-anticipated cruise vacation. You may find yourself stuck in a cabin you didn't contract for, sharing a table with intolerable shipmates, stranded at sea or returned to shore ahead of schedule.
If that happens, what recourse do you have? Not much.When something does go wrong, passengers are at the mercy of the cruise line. There is no set policy, and remedies for problems vary from case to case and company to company.
Still, some form of compensation likely will be offered. Cruise lines claim they do more for discomfited customers than other industries. One thing is clear, however: The cruise lines don't have to do anything. Passenger contracts for most of the major cruise lines clearly stipulate that the companies are not responsible for losses and may, without prior notice, "cancel, advance, postpone or deviate from any port of call" in the event of "strikes, lockouts, riots, weather conditions, mechanical difficulties or for any other reason whatsoever."
Unlike airlines operating in the United States, which are overseen by the Department of Transportation, most cruise lines are not subject to government oversight of their passenger relations because they sail under foreign flags.
"It's hard to tell what to expect because the compensation varies from case to case. There is no set policy," said Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruise Week. "Sometimes it depends on the media attention that an incident gets -- you might get well compensated, or you might get next to nothing. But in general, the cruise lines are being more responsive than a few years ago."
Remedies vary from company to company and depend largely on the type and severity of the incident. A changed itinerary to avoid the path of a hurricane might get passengers less compensation (if anything at all) than if there is a power failure or mechanical problem on board the vessel.
"We sincerely try to solve problems," said Rich Steck, spokesman for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. "But it has to be a legitimate complaint; sometimes we get complaints after a cruise from people who are opportunists and are seeking a discount or a refund."
Major incidents -- such as a ship running aground or a fire on board -- don't happen often. And when they do, the cruise lines bend over backward to make it up to the passengers and ensure their return. Passengers are compensated to a less degree with the refund of part of the port charges, or treated to free drinks, if high winds force a port to be skipped because it is unsafe to board passengers on tender ships.
Royal Caribbean says that if a port is skipped because high winds hamper the ferrying of passengers to shore, the company tries to visit an alternate location or simply omits that port of call. In cases like this, passengers get a credit on their shipboard accounts to offset the port charges that were not used, said Steck.
"If (the problem) is very serious, we refund their money entirely or prorate a refund, depending on how many days of the cruise were lost, or we offer a discount on a future cruise. It all depends on the severity of the situation."
When missed ports are substituted, Carnival passengers receive no compensation. But if another port cannot be visited, the cruise line will reimburse the passengers' shipboard account. In cases where mechanical problems affect a voyage, the remedy varies according to the level of inconvenience suffered by the guests.
"If it's something like the ship not being able to maintain speed or something that impacts conditions on board, where the air conditioning doesn't work, those are looked at on a case by case basis," explained Gallagher. "Sometimes the guest will receive a percentage refund, a percentage discount on a future cruise or maybe nothing at all. There is no standard."
Last year, both Carnival and Royal Caribbean suffered major incidents. In summer, a fire broke out as Carnival's Ecstasy sailed from the Port of Miami-Dade. In December, Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas ran aground off the coast of St. Maarten, which ripped a hole in the ship's hull.
In both cases, the entire cruise was suspended and future sailings were canceled temporarily.
Ecstasy passengers returned to Miami on the crippled ship and were put up in local hotels while their belongings were returned and flight arrangements were made to return them to their homes. Carnival paid for hotel rooms, food and drinks. Money was given to passengers so they could buy clothes and toiletries.
In addition, passengers were compensated for belongings that were damaged by smoke and water, received a full refund of their fare and a free future cruise. Those booked on later cruises canceled as a result of the fire received a full refund and a 50 percent discount on any future cruise.
Monarch passengers were evacuated from their damaged vessel and put up in hotels and resorts on St. Maarten. Royal Caribbean took care of hotel bills and charter flights.
All passengers aboard the ill-fated cruise were given a full refund and a certificate for a free seven-night cruise on a similar Royal Caribbean itinerary in the next year. Those scheduled to travel on the Monarch's canceled Dec. 20 cruise also received a refund and a free cruise. Those booked on future canceled sailings received a full refund and a $500 discount toward another seven-night Southern Caribbean cruise to be taken by Dec. 12, 1999.
Aside from major inconveniences or disruptions, complaints abound on cruise lines. These usually range from luggage lost by the airlines on the flight to the port of embarkation to unsuitable cabins or unsatisfactory dining room seating. In most of these cases, the lines are willing to help out.
A perfect, or imperfect, cabin can make or break a vacation.
Passengers get whatever cabin their travel agent specifies when the cruise is booked, and the cruise lines usually go by what the agent books. Sometimes there are errors -- like a passenger who booked a mid-level outside cabin and her sailing documents indicated a bottom-level inside cabin, or passengers who find their cabin with a view of the sea is obscured by a lifeboat.
A leaky toilet or creaky cabin can make a cruise less than idyllic. In cases like this, the cruise line will accommodate a cabin change, if it is possible. According to Steck, ships are required to carry only the number of passengers that fit in the lifeboats, which means that there are usually a handful of cabins unused on every sailing.
"If you're disappointed, go to the purser's desk and say you have a problem with your cabin," said Steck. "They will check it out and if it's something that is not fixable, they will find you another cabin if there is one available, and there almost always is."
The basic rule in seeking compensation: Be polite.