overbooked cruises

Family stands to lose nearly $6,000 in airfare and hotel costs after they were bumped from an overbooked cruise ship

• Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have overbooked multiple ships in recent months.
• Some passengers' trips are being canceled or rescheduled with varying compensation as a result.
• One customer said she may lose nearly $6,000 after being bumped from an overbooked cruise.

Cruises are back in full swing this summer , but the industry's resurgence has introduced a new headache for passengers (beyond fiercer competition for pool chairs): overbooked ships. 

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have seen a spate of overbooked ships in recent months, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The Wonder of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, has been overbooked three times in the past six months, according to industry blog Cruise Hive . 

Just like airlines, cruise lines may sell more suites than they have physically available as a buffer for last-minute cancellations. When the math doesn't work out, cruise lines will offer guests varying compensation to entice them to change their travel plans, hopefully preventing the need to forcibly cancel guests' reservations. 

Related stories

On the rare occasion that not enough people voluntarily reschedule their trip, some unlucky guests may receive the dreaded email that their trip has been canceled. 

That's what happened to 68-year-old Diane Gainey and her family, who were notified at the end of last month that their September cruise onboard the Celebrity Millennium had been oversold. After she declined to reschedule the 12-night cruise from Japan, she was informed by her travel agent that Celebrity Cruises had canceled her sailing.

A Celebrity Cruises spokesperson said the company continuously monitors their sailings to prevent disruptions to guests' travel plans. To avoid potential oversell issues, the cruise line offers guests the ability to voluntarily choose another sailing if their plans are flexible and onboard credit to use on their next vacation. 

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises did not respond to questions about their recent overbooking incidents, how many reservations have been forcibly canceled as a result, or their compensation guidelines for airfare and lodging not booked directly through the cruise line. 

Related: The best cruise insurance

With her September cruise canceled, Gainey was left with two options: reschedule the three-person, $8,000 reservation to a similar cruise next year or cancel the trip and receive a full refund. Celebrity offered to cover $500 worth of extra costs such as airfare, emails show. 

But in order to travel from the US to Tokyo, the cruise ship's port of departure, Gainey had already spent nearly $6,000 on airfare and hotel reservations, according to receipts viewed by Insider.

Her family's flights are non-refundable and non-transferable, she said, adding that they are unable to change their flights to the 2024 dates of the next available cruise because the airline's schedule is not available that far in advance. 

"I'm really stuck in limbo," she told Insider. "I don't even know if I'll be alive in a year in a half."

Have you been a passenger on an overbooked or overcrowded cruise ship? Email this reporter at [email protected]

• Main content

Royal Caribbean overbooked one of its giant cruise ships and left a group of travelers stuck at port

• Several guests weren't allowed to board a Royal Caribbean cruise because the ship was overbooked.
• One would-be traveler called it "one of the worst days" he'd recently experienced.
• Royal Caribbean has had a history of overbooking its mega cruise ships.

On Tuesday, Jai Raynor and his wife packed their bags and made their way to the Port of Brisbane for the belated honeymoon vacation they had been looking forward to for years: a Royal Caribbean cruise .

But instead of spending their next nine days lounging by the Quantum of the Seas' pool and exploring destinations such as Nouméa, New Caledonia, the couple was confronted with a vacation nightmare. Just hours after arriving at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal, the couple was sent back home because Royal Caribbean had overbooked its 4,905-guest ship.

In past overbooking incidents , Royal Caribbean has notified impacted travelers in advance of the sailing. But this time, these would-be cruisers say they weren't made aware until they arrived at the embarkation port.

"It was probably one of the worst days I've recently experienced," Raynor, a 23-year-old local of Brisbane, Australia, told Business Insider. As a would-be first-time cruiser, he said, he was particularly excited about the "luxury experience" of sailing on a megaship such as the Quantum of the Seas.

"I've never been so crushed before," he said.

Raynor had booked an interior "GYT" (guarantee) stateroom, which leaves the specific cabin assignment up to the cruise line. But ahead of their expected embarkation, Royal Caribbean said it was "unable to allocate a stateroom number for their reservation" in a letter reviewed by Business Insider that the couple says the cruise line gave them when they arrived at the port.

"While disruptions to plans can occasionally happen, we do our best to minimize those chances," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Business Insider, referring to its guests' vacation plans, adding that demand for this November 28 cruise "went beyond the rooms that were available."

"We take these disruptions seriously, and we apologize for the inconvenience this has caused," the spokesperson said. "We have worked with each guest that was affected to rectify the inconvenience this has caused."

Alongside groups of other impacted travelers, the couple then spent several hours waiting in the terminal in hopes of receiving a last-minute stateroom assignment. But when the time came, only two families were allowed to board the ship, Raynor recalled. Everyone else was told there were no rooms left.

Their highly anticipated vacation was suddenly cut short

Given these circumstances, the duo was lucky: They said their drive back home was about one-and-a-half hours long. But Raynor said some of the other families who had traveled out of state "were left abandoned" with no backup accommodations, flights, or plans for the next eight nights.

In its letter to travelers, Royal Caribbean offered alternatives such as the ship's nine-night cruise in late January 2024 , another seven or eight-night sailing "with price protection," or a full refund with 25% future cruise credit. Raynor called the latter a "measly compensation for destroying people's vacations and leaving them stranded."

He says the cruise line later offered him a "much more reasonable" offer of a full refund, 100% future cruise credit, and a deluxe beverage package for their next sailing. He said he planned to use this on a 2024 vacation. But if it weren't for this option, Raynor said, he would "absolutely not" be inclined to go on another Royal Caribbean cruise.

Royal Caribbean has a history of overbooking its giant cruise ships

Like airlines, cruise lines may oversell cabins in anticipation of cancellations and no-shows. While inconvenient, rebooking a flight is generally easy enough to do.

But overbooked cruises may pose more of a complication, especially for travelers who had planned to be at sea for days at a time. When cruise lines' overbooking gamble doesn't pay off, "they just abandon you and leave you hung out to dry," Raynor said of his Royal Caribbean experience.

In Raynor's case, rebooking may not be an easy task. He said his wife, a soon-to-be teacher, was restricted to her school's vacation days when "it's a lot harder to get any cruises." (In 2024, the Quantum of the Seas is scheduled for 37 Australia and 263 US cruises.)

"I know Royal Caribbean generally has a good reputation, but it's certainly left a bad sour taste in our mouths," Raynor said. "It sucks we have to wait a year for our vacation. We're hoping that the next experience will make up for it."

What are your rights for overbooked cruises?

"gma" speaks to passengers who could not get on cruise ships due to overbooking., december 4, 2023, what’s next for russia, what comes next after texas school shooting, what's next for abortion rights in america, the new battle for voting rights, how we can build a clean and renewable future, the fight for kyiv, examining extremism in the military, gun violence: an american epidemic, border crisis: what’s happening at the us-mexico border, remembering george floyd: a year of protest, the source of covid-19: what we know, how did the gamestop stock spike on wall street happen, why are people hesitant to trust a covid-19 vaccine, how climate change and forest management make wildfires harder to contain, disparity in police response: black lives matter protests and capitol riot, 2020 in review: a year unlike any other, examined: how putin keeps power, why don’t the electoral college and popular vote always match up, us crosses 250,000 coronavirus deaths, 2nd impeachment trial: what this could mean for trump, presidential transition of power: examined, how donald trump spent his last days as president, how joe biden's inauguration will be different from previous years, belarus’ ongoing protests: examined, trump challenges the vote and takes legal action, 2020’s dnc and rnc are different than any before, what is happening with the usps, voting in 2020 during covid-19, disinformation in 2020, abc news specials on, impact x nightline: on the brink, impact x nightline: unboxing shein, the lady bird diaries, impact x nightline: it's britney, impact x nightline: natalee holloway -- a killer confesses, impact x nightline: who shot tupac, impact x nightline, power trip: those who seek power and those who chase them, the murders before the marathon, the ivana trump story: the first wife, mormon no more, leave no trace: a hidden history of the boy scouts, keeper of the ashes: the oklahoma girl scout murders, the orphans of covid: america's hidden toll, superstar: patrick swayze, the kardashians -- an abc news special, 24 months that changed the world, have you seen this man.

Left at the port: Royal Caribbean passengers denied boarding due to overbooked cruise

Jai Raynor’s vacation ended before it even started.

The 23-year-old, based in Brisbane, Australia, planned to take a Royal Caribbean International cruise on Tuesday with his wife, Kaitlyn, to celebrate her university graduation. But when they arrived at the terminal for an eight-night South Pacific cruise from the Australian city aboard Quantum of the Seas, they were told they couldn’t board.

The couple was given a letter informing them that the line was “unable to allocate a stateroom number to your reservation,” according to a photo of the document. Rayner said they had booked a guarantee cabin , which allows passengers to pick their stateroom type – often at an advantageous price – but not a specific room. The cruise cost them nearly $1,900.

Raynor and his wife were among several passengers unable to sail.

The letter outlined several options, including waiting “on standby” to see whether a room would be assigned and a $100 credit to use on board. The couple opted to stick it out, but after around an hour and a half, Raynor said workers at the terminal told them there were no rooms available because the cruise had been overbooked.

“It was absolutely crushing,” Raynor, who works in banking, told USA TODAY.

Royal Caribbean originally offered guests a full refund and a future cruise certificate worth 25% of their fare, according to the letter. But after Raynor contacted the line and posted about the incident on social media, the cruise line amended the couple’s compensation, giving them the full refund plus future cruise certificates worth their full fare and complimentary Deluxe Beverage packages.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told USA TODAY that demand for the sailing “went beyond the rooms that were available.”

“Unfortunately, efforts to accommodate all those who wished to sail fell short for a group of our guests, and some were unable to sail as planned,” the spokesperson said in an email. They did not specify how many guests were impacted, but Raynor estimated around 13 other “families or groups” were waiting for rooms and 11 were ultimately denied boarding.

All impacted guests were given options, including rebooking on alternate dates or getting a refund and future cruise credit, the spokesperson said. “We take these disruptions seriously, and we apologize for the inconvenience this has caused,” they added. Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to additional questions about Raynor’s experience.

Those kinds of scenarios are “extraordinarily rare,” according to Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert known as The Cruise Guy. 

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

“This is one of those very specialized itineraries,” he said in an email. “Passengers that booked a guarantee (and) not a specific cabin can be left without a chair when the music stops.”

Given the late notice, Chiron said, the compensation cruise lines may offer depends on the circumstances but could include “generous” future cruise credits and reimbursement for hotels, airfare and other costs.

The cruise was supposed to be Raynor’s first, and he plans to use the credit to book another. “I certainly don’t want to let it go to waste, but it’s certainly put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth with Royal Caribbean,” he said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Twin Cities travelers left behind in Miami on overbooked cruise

Minnesotans stranded after cruise booking mishap.

Dozens of Twin Cities cruise passengers were left stranded in Florida after cruise ship booking issues with a travel agent and Carnival Cruises. FOX 9's Karen Scullin has the story.

(FOX 9) - A group of Twin Cities cruise passengers were left at the terminal last Sunday, watching as the ship left without them.

They blame the travel agent, who blames Carnival Cruise Lines. But Carnival puts it back on the agent. In any case, it was chaos for those who just wanted to sail away for a week.

One of the passengers, Cherie Goudeau, said she had been planning this cruise for a year as she was being treated for thyroid cancer. Then, when two family members passed away during that time, the trip with her sister, Dee Dee Richardson, became even more important. 

But it all unraveled in a matter of minutes on the day they were supposed to leave.

A week ago, the sisters were on their way to Miami, excited about boarding the Twin Cities Takeover '90s Throwback Cruise on the Carnival Horizon for a much-needed spring break.

"I was looking forward to hearing some Juvenile, reliving some 90s music, the fresh food that was going to be on the boat, the burgers that were going to be on the boat, just hanging out with people," said Goudeau.

But when the pair went to the cruise terminal to board the ship last Sunday, their excitement quickly turned to confusion, anger, and disbelief. They were not going to be able to board.

"Then the next morning, we wake up, we get to the port, and they can’t find my name anywhere, I’m not tied to that room, somebody else is in that room," explained Goudeau.

They say their travel agent passed by and said she would fix things but did not and then disappeared.

"She comes back, she walks all past us assuring that we’re gonna get a room. This is what she tells us. She goes back on the ship, never comes back out, never says anything to us," said Goudeau.

Richardson added, "I feel like it’s unethical. How could you just leave that many people standing out there and everybody that was standing out there was booked under her."

Goudeau says she’s out $2,800 that she paid in June, along with the 50 people she was standing with on the pier.

"When she never came out to address people, and that boat was sailing off, and we were sitting on that port, people were in tears, people were upset, they were angry," said Goudeau.

In a statement on social media Thursday night, the travel agent, Monica Faulkner, said: 

Faulkner is currently on the cruise, but FOX 9’s Karen Scullin spoke to her by phone. She says Carnival canceled a number of bookings on Feb. 21. She tried to re-book them the following day, but the ship sold out. She did not explain why the money was not returned then or why the clients were not notified.

Faulkner said their money is being held by Travel Joy, a company that independent agents use to collect payment for bookings. She said the money would be returned, but Richardson and Goudeau aren’t buying it.

"If you were gonna refund you would have refunded already. You would have been on that ship refunding people their money," said Goudeau.

The sisters stayed with family in Florida for the week. But they said some people tried to fly back and couldn't because of the snowstorm. Meanwhile, others said they sat outside booked hotels waiting for a cancellation. FOX 9 saw a couple of people on social media supporting Faulkner, who again, says she'll refund the money upon her Saturday return. 

FOX 9 reached out to Travel Joy, but did not yet hear back.

• Starting a Business
• Growing a Business
• Small Business Guide
• Business News
• Science & Technology
• Money & Finance
• For Subscribers
• Write for Entrepreneur
• Entrepreneur Store
• United States
• Asia Pacific
• Middle East
• South Africa

Copyright © 2024 Entrepreneur Media, LLC All rights reserved. Entrepreneur® and its related marks are registered trademarks of Entrepreneur Media LLC

'Too Crowded': New Data Shows Cruises Are Being Overbooked at Alarming Rates Two major cruise lines have been overbooking cruises, according to a new report.

By Emily Rella • May 25, 2023

The cruise industry has made a staggering comeback after pandemic-era restrictions and distancing protocols were lifted.

But now, it appears that the industry might be too popular.

According to data obtained by the Wall Street Journal , two of the biggest cruise lines — Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCL) — reported over 100% occupancy rates during Q1 of 2023.

RCG saw average occupancy rates of 102.1% while NCL saw 101.5%, according to the report.

Naturally, this can lead to more disgruntled customers when things like dining, activities, and general elbow space on the ship become overcrowded.

Travel consultant Sonia Bhagwan posted a clip of an April cruise on Norwegian that showed guests walking up and down steps in a big crowd.

@dreamwithsonia ?It's true: mega cruise ships are so crowded! That is why NCL has a dedicated separate wing called the Haven! ✨This all-suite area has a private restaurant, pool, lounge, bar & elevators. PLUS- when you sail in the Haven you get your own personal 24/7 butler, get to board first and get first dibs on activities and excursions!✨ ??Curious about booking a Haven suite? DM me and we can chat!! . #travelagentsoftiktok #luxurycruising #norwegiancruise ♬ Miami - Will Smith

"We are on the Norwegian getaway right now, and I can tell you that it isn't very pleasant," one viewer commented. "They have a tiny pool for adults and kids. Too crowded."

"With 3000-4000 people on a ship, it can get very crowded in the common areas where people all go," Bhagwan wrote.

Last month, Royal Caribbean was called out for overselling its third cruise in five months, blaming it on an "unexpected inventory error."

"We're aware that this may cause disruption to your booking, so if your travel plans are flexible, you may be able to take advantage of our special offer," the company said in an email at the time .

WSJ explained that these overbookings happen when customers put more than two passengers (the expected number of passengers) per room.

Royal Caribbean did not immediately return Entrepreneur 's request for comment.

However, the overbookings and mass crowds are still, at the end of the day, helping the cruise business.

As of Thursday afternoon, RCG was up over 52% year over year, and NCL was up 5% in the same time period.

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick Red Arrow

• Lock To Make Your First Million Dollars, Draw Up This Venn Diagram : 'You Want to Fall Right in the Middle. If You Do, I Think It'll Take 5 Years'
• An Aggressive 1980s Marketing Campaign Made Many Americans Believe Cinco De Mayo Is Something It's Not. Are You One of Them?
• Lock 9 Productivity Tips That the 1% Know to Follow
• AI Is Transforming Drug Matching for Cancer, Rare Diseases — Here's How
• From Pups to Profits — These Are the Top Pet Franchises for 2024
• Lock When Your Company Hits This 'Critical Mark,' Big Investors and Private Equity Will Come Calling

Most Popular Red Arrow

Are you good at your job and a pleasure to work with you'll 'never get promoted,' according to a viral tiktok. here's what the experts say..

Here's what the research has to say, and what leaders can do to promote kindness and empathy at work.

Why You Need to Onboard Clients Like You Onboard Employees

It's practically unheard of to hire an employee without onboarding them these days, but the practice isn't as common when it comes to clients.

He Started a Luxury Side Hustle at Age 13 — Now the Business Earns More Than $10 Million a Year: 'People Want to Help You When You're Young'

Michael Morgan, now the owner of Iconic Watch Company, always had a passion for "old things" — and he turned it into a lucrative venture.

It's the End of the Entrepreneurial Era As We Know It

With the rise of advanced technologies and AI, are we losing all sense of the independent business person and entrepreneur?

Treat Clients with a $200 Restaurant.com Gift Card, Now Just $35

It's eligible for redemption at more than 62,000 restaurants and providers across the U.S.

After Going to Prison, He Worked Hard to Build a Career. Then This Happened, and He Discovered a Liberating Truth.

Steve's story illustrates that every action has two risks.

Successfully copied link

• December 4, 2023

What are your rights for overbooked cruises?

"GMA" speaks to passengers who could not get on cruise ships due to overbooking.

Up Next in travel

3-year-long cruise ship adventure canceled, watch mulan, minnie and mickey celebrate lunar new year at disneyland, disney's animal kingdom welcomes adorable baby monkey.

• Privacy Policy — 
• Your US State Privacy Rights — 
• Children's Online Privacy Policy — 
• Interest-Based Ads — 
• Terms of Use — 
• Do Not Sell My Info — 
• Contact Us — 

© 2024 ABC News