During the COVID crisis, a lot of cruisers lost thousands for voyages that never happened. As of April 2022, there is a new rule that is better protecting them.
People are now going to have more rights to refunds in case their cruise vacation is canceled or delayed. The new regulations come as so many clients filed complaints with the FMC (Federal Maritime Commission) during the crisis. The Commission then looked into claims of what was happening and agreed the change was necessary.
In 2020, Commissioner Louis Sola started looking into all parts of the cruise industry to see if stricter rules would better protect cruisers. Ultimately, he found evidence to justify change across the board. Now all companies have to follow the same guidelines.
Considering these are federal regulations, each cruise company must adhere to the following:
- Cruise shipping companies must issue refunds if a voyage is canceled/delayed 3 or more days
- The companies must have public clear, accessible instructions for online refunds
- Customers can agree to a credit.
Commissioner Louis E. Sola said that hundreds of thousands of Americans enjoyed taking a pleasure cruise every year.
"For some, these are trips of a lifetime where people have worked hard to save the cost of a ticket. Amending the Commission’s regulations to provide passengers more rights and options when a cruise line has not performed is good for consumers. I am grateful for the trust my fellow Commissioners placed in me to lead Fact Finding 30 and for their support in expanding consumer protections.”