The cruise industry has taken a beating lately, especially with the stranding of the Carnival Triumph. Well, now there are now some new protocols in place.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the group that represents the cruise industry, has come out with a passenger bill of rights.
For example, if you get sick on board, the cruise line is required to provide full-time, emergency medical attention until you can get onshore. But remember that cruises only have so much medical equipment on board. They can stabilize you, but can’t perform any major procedures.
You also have the right to a refund if the trip is canceled because of mechanical failures.
If there’s a major problem and the ship can’t provide access to food, restrooms or medical care, you may disembark the ship when it docks. Of course, that doesn’t help if the ship is stranded at sea.
Now I get that these passenger rights are meant to offer protocols for worst-case scenarios…but what about preventing the worst from happening?
And how about a provision to prevent against constant nickel and diming? Now that’s a bill of rights I’d like to see.
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