Royal Caribbean Complete Itinerary Change from Tropical to Cold Climate - Advice Please

We booked a family holiday with 2 small kids aged 5 and 7 for far North Queensland on a 11 day Royal Caribbean Cruise months ago and couldn't wait for our warm, sunny tropical holiday.

Now 2 days before the cruise is set to sail we are informed that due to Tropical cyclone Jasper we will no longer be heading to far North QLD, instead we will miss all pre planned ports and now head to Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart!

These new locations do not interest us in the slightest and we have paid a premium to have this time together as a family within the tropical environment we paid for when booking.

I understand cruise ships have the power to change itinerary due to Tropical cyclones, however OzBargainers can I please get some advice and help as to achieve a positive outcome from this, I strongly feel the price we have paid for the cruise with this updated itinerary seems like a waste of hard earned money to us.

What can/should we do? What, if any compensation can we receive to sweeten what is happening here?

Thanks in advance

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Comments

  • +12

    I think not sailing through a cyclone is in your best interests. Make the most of it and have a good time with your family, I'm sure they'll give some sort of reimbursement.

    You can't predict natural disasters

    • Maybe OP could rent a car and travel to QLD on land and not by sea. Not sure if that is going to impress the Cyclone. Also temperature wise, not so sure about how hot it can be inside a cyclone.

  • +1

    You’re on the ship for most of the time. Just enjoy it.

    Have you tried asking them for some inclusions?

  • Of course its for the best interest and i get that 👍🏻
    However we rarely get to holiday and have invested in this.
    What reimbursements are common in these scenarios?

    • +5

      These are perfectly normal and sensible questions and feelings.
      Upvoted just to balance out the idiot who downvoted.

    • You probably get a choice of:
      Refund, cruise another route at the same time or delay the cruise.
      You also probably get a voucher for another cruise.

  • +2
  • When you booked, you agreed to the tnc of the booking. So….you paid for what you got.

    Enjoy the well holiday and be a family.

    • Is there any cruise that doesn't do this?

  • +3

    Is there another sailing to north queensland later in the season? Could perhaps asked to be moved to that sailing at no additional cost if you can swing the time off at the right time.

    We were on one of the Royal Caribbean cruises just prior to covid that was turned away from Vanuatu and instead went to NZ and had LOTS of sea days…not much in compensation but looking back we were lucky that we didn't end up in quarantine like the Ruby Princess.

    • -1

      Yesterday I stepped on a dog shit, but looking back, I was lucky that I didn't step in a cow shit.

  • +3

    Historically it has hit 30°c in Hobart and no humidity like FNQ.

  • +1

    Could be worse - could have booked a NZ cruise and ended up in Hobart. I know someone who flew to Sydney for the cruise and ended up right back in Hobart. They just went home instead of getting back aboard.

    • I know someone from Sydney who went to QLD to get a cruise to the Island, and the cruise got diverted to Sydney.

  • Looks like it's take the trip or stay at home.

    Hobart is an amazing place, so much to do there and the surrounding areas.

  • What do the terms and conditions you agreed to state?

  • +3

    Demand a refund and go from there.

    The main difference I can see is that the virus types incubated onboard, will vary according to the climate you choose to visit.

  • +2

    Now 2 days before the cruise is set to sail we are informed that due to Tropical cyclone Jasper we will no longer be heading to far North QLD, instead we will miss all pre planned ports and now head to Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart!

    Not sure what you want them to do? They don't control the weather and you certainly don't want to be in a tropical cyclone while on a cruise ship!

    These new locations do not interest us in the slightest

    Then enjoy the cruise ship instead.

    What, if any compensation can we receive to sweeten what is happening here?

    They'll normally kick some OBC for you.

  • +1

    Can't you just cancel the trip and rebook it for a later date?
    Not much you can do about the weather but I don't see how a trip to somehow you don't want to go is any good either.

  • +1

    What do the T's and C's say?

    • +1

      That they can change the Itinerary with zero compensation provided.

  • +1

    Sorry OP but while Australia has generally very good consumer law rights, this does not generally extend to travellers.
    We are still getting screwed by airlines in ways that Europe and even America would never put up with, and the same is broadly true for cruising.
    However, should you want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars you could try to challenge the cruise conditions under the unfair contract terms of the ACL.
    I think it is appalling that a cruise can offer one thing then change to something completely different and your rights to compensation are highly limited and dependent on the goodwill of the cruise provider.

    • +1

      </sarcasm>

      Fixed that for you

  • you are on a cruise, be happy as not a lot of people can afford or ever have the chance. i wish there was southern states cruise option from brisbane, id love to cruise into adalaide and melbourne. and to be honest, yes north qld is nice, but my god it was humidy and gross, i did it in Nov last year and again in march this year. i would have gladly swapped it for southern cooler temps. ps. if you dont want to go, ill take your spot!

  • It's clearly a Bait and Switch !!!

  • First, you're aware of the contract agreement re ports. They're trying hard to keep their cruise running rather than cancel.

    Second, have you checked the weather in the south lately?

    It aint cold!

    34C and storms in Adelaide. 🤷‍♀️👍

  • something something complaining about the change…… hmmmmm

    https://www.news.com.au/national/weather/leave-immediately-c…

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