cruise ships

On a dark December night in 1906, the world’s first cruise ship ran aground in Jamaica—and in the wake of the crash, the Prinzessin Victoria Luise’s captain did the unthinkable.

You spent weeks looking forward to strolling through a specific island town or checking a bucket-list destination off your list. Then, just before the ship arrived, the captain announced the itinerary had changed. It's disappointing, but the truth is that cruise itineraries are more flexible than many travelers realize, and there are rules that explain why.

You spend months planning a cruise. Maybe you picked that sailing because it stopped in Santorini, Cozumel, or Nassau. Then, out of nowhere, the cruise line announces a port change. Suddenly, the destination you were most excited about is off the itinerary. Cruise lines have a lot of flexibility when it comes to changing itineraries, though there are still a few situations where refunds, credits, or reimbursements may come into play.

Cruise lines love advertising premium Wi-Fi packages and improved connectivity at sea. Then reality hits.

You booked your shore excursions through the cruise line because it seemed like the safest option. Then the cruise line canceled the excursion, kept your money longer than expected, or refused to issue a refund altogether. It is a frustrating situation, but you still have several ways to push back and try to recover what you paid. Here are some practical steps that can help.

You arrive at the cruise terminal only to see your cruise ship disappearing over the horizon. Your flight delay turned a long-awaited vacation into a stressful and expensive ordeal. Many travelers assume someone will cover the losses, but the reality is often far more complicated.