Should passengers have to pay for a cruise wrecked by norovirus?

[mercedes]

Should passengers have to pay for a cruise wrecked by norovirus?

Longtime travel industry watcher Chris Elliott raises the issue today at his online travel site, elliott.org, offering up the heart-breaking tale of an extended family that saw its $10,000-plus vacation ruined by a severe outbreak of the illness on a Disney Cruise Line voyage.

Elliott says the entire family -- four generations of whom were on the trip -- fell ill within hours of each other and spent day after miserable day trapped in their cabin.

"Both our rooms smelled of vomit and diarrhea," the matriarch of the family, Patricia Branham, tells Elliott. "Our bedding had to be changed constantly as . . . we had no control of bodily functions."

Elliott says Disney offered the Branhams 15% off a future cruise after they complained about the experience. But the family thought they deserved more, and they successfully disputed nearly $7,000 in charges from Disney on their Visa card.

Should Disney have offered the family more compensation? Should Visa have reversed the charges? As Elliott notes, the fine print in cruise contracts is quite clear that lines will not be held liable for passenger illnesses.

[JoeyandDavid]

charges should never be reversed unless services were not provided..

Yes Disney could have been more magnanimous .. but, by doing so may have set a precedent that as an industry it wouldn't be a good thing... "someone with a sniffle .. i don't pay?".. no, I am sorry the family got sick.. but those are the risks of cruising...

[rogue]

If everyone wants to blame the cruiselines for all of their own problems, we will not be cruising much longer because there will be no cruiselines left. Cruiselines don't bring norovirus on board to infect the passengers. The chances are overwhelming that one of the passengers brought it on with them. The chances that one of the crew picked it up while off the ship are very small indeed. To blame the lines and expect compensation, in my mind, is ridiculous. I've read lots of Chris Elliott's articles, and most of them are at worst totally illogical, or at best, self-serving. I subscribe to Tripso (Elliot writes for them)and in yesterday's issue he had an article about ways to screw the cruiselines because they nickle-and-dime you. I did put a comment on their board as to how foolish the article seemed.

[JoeyandDavid]

I did put a comment on their board as to how foolish the article seemed.

Let us know if it gets deleted...

[coloradocruisers]

Hmmm....almost sounds like they should have paid extra for daily linen service.

[rogue]

I did put a comment on their board as to how foolish the article seemed.

Let us know if it gets deleted...

Not yet, but someone actually responded after I put a comment on their board one other time.

[GottaCruz]

I agree with all of the above. I hope they tipped their steward quite a bit because I'm sure the steward didn't get paid extra by the cruiseline for all his extra work.

[JoeyandDavid]

I agree with all of the above. I hope they tipped their steward quite a bit because I'm sure the steward didn't get paid extra by the cruiseline for all his extra work.

with that groups mentality..I would not be surpised to learn they had rescinded the tips that were due.. some people just don't get it..

[GottaCruz]

That's true, Joey. After an experience like they had, being so sick, I would think they'd be so appreciative to the steward.

[JoeyandDavid]

That's true, Joey. After an experience like they had, being so sick, I would think they'd be so appreciative to the steward.

I would hope would but ... you know how humans are