Hadeland’s family of four was bitten by the cruise bug after a week in the Caribbean in 2019.
– I was a bit skeptical and thought it was only the elderly who traveled on these trips. But it was absolutely fantastic. We really fell in love with this way of going on vacation, says Martine Mikkelsen on TV 2.
Shortly before the pandemic, the Mikkelsen Hilton family traveled to the Caribbean on the largest ship of the Royal Caribbean cruise company.
– The ship “Symphony of the Seas” had everything we wanted. There have been an incredible number of experiences and many good places to eat, she says.
I wanted to go back
Mikkelsen thinks it’s nice to go on vacation when it comes to a set table.
– We don’t have to think so much. Besides, there was a lot of freedom. Children always had something fun to do. You don’t need a wallet or card, because most are paid for upfront, she says.
When the trip was successful, they wanted to do it again. A pandemic-prone trip went to the Mediterranean, with the same cruise line.
– This trip was also very nice. But it doesn’t beat the Caribbean cruise. So we were determined to go back there.
I found good deals
Royal Caribbean customers get good deals if they book their next adventure while already on board, but deals can also be obtained after you’ve been traveling with the cruise company.
– We used it every time. When we returned from the Mediterranean, we wanted to book our next trip to the Caribbean right away.
When the family found a good deal, they jumped at the chance and booked two trips to the Caribbean. The first in late February and the second in mid-July.
– In total, both trips cost NOK 43,846. In addition, we must pay for flights to and from Miami and hotel accommodation before and after the cruise vacation.
Soon after, a contract was sent to them and they paid a deposit for both trips, which came to NOK 16,000.
He thinks the family got the wrong price
The shock was then great when, after four days, they received an email from Royal Caribbiean.
– It said there was an error in the system and we needed to get new prices for our trips or cancel both trips.
Mikkelen thought it was odd, because she says she visits the Royal Caribbiean website often.
– They continually advertise with good offers and there are big price differences from day to day. There was nothing to indicate that the prices were incorrect. Also, I thought we had gotten great deals as we had just returned home from a trip.
They waited anxiously when the company presented a new offer.
– We assumed that we could have shelled out a little extra, around NOK 10,000 or 15,000.
But the new prices were far beyond what the family could afford.
In total, the new prices were NOK 130,701. The new price was after a 10 percent discount as a wound patch. Plus, they get $ 500 for each trip they spend on board the ship.
The family was not happy with this.
– We have been downgraded to a lower standard cabin. We originally booked a suite – and there are a lot of benefits to that, says Mikkelsen.
She adds:
– I’m pretty sure we would have received a better offer if we had ordered, for example, “Black Friday”.
– Expect the company to clean up
According to the Consumer Council, agreements are in principle binding at the time they are entered into and general reservations about incorrect prices apply to consumer customers. They say the company can still cancel the deal if the consumer realizes the price was wrong.
– This will be a very concrete assessment, where the consumer’s knowledge of the market will come into play, regardless of whether there were sales or campaigns at that time and other conditions surrounding the trade, says senior legal counsel Thomas Iversen at TV 2.
CLEAR MESSAGE: The Consumer Council expects Royal Caribbean to resolve the issue and hopes the parties will come up with a solution that everyone can live with, says Thomas Iversen, senior consultant to the Consumer Council Photo: Jonas Been Henriksen / TV 2
Iversen says it is practical that price deviations of more than 75% in favor of the consumer still did not give the company the right to withdraw from the agreement.
– In this case, the family will receive an effective discount of 55 and 75 percent respectively if we consider the original prices to be real, he says.
In any case, the original contract should apply when it comes to cabin class, the Consumer Council believes.
– I see no reason why the company should deviate from cabin class in the original agreement, says Iversen.
– Poor customer service
TV 2 asked the cruise company several questions, but received a short response by email.
Public relations manager Lucy Radford at partially Norwegian-owned shipping company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd says the family booked the trip when a temporary pricing error occurred on their website.
– Therefore the price of the trips was not correct. Changes and errors occur from time to time and we reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. Sorry, writes Radford.
Mikkelsen is not at all happy with the company’s customer service.
– I think we have a binding agreement. The fact that there is an error in their systems shouldn’t concern us, she says.
The family says they are willing to discuss solutions, but that the company maintains its foundation.
– We would have been happy if they had come up with a better offer. But we are left with a bad offer. This is very poor customer service for a very large company.
The family was left with a bitter feeling.
– We were looking forward to the trips. But now it seems we can’t travel. It will simply be too expensive, Mikkelsen concludes disappointed.
