CarribeanCruise.com
Complaint 303040 Details

Dirt on the walls? Stains on the sheet & blanket? Unemptied trash? A long line of complaints at the check-in counter? No rooms available? Only 1 smoking room available fifteen minutes away from my confirmed hotel? My wife and I can’t sleep in the same bed? I was excited when I purchased my vacation with Caribbean Cruise Lines. But when it arrived, I was extremely disappointed, and at times, angered, by what awaited for me in my destination of choice, Orlando, FL. When I purchased the packages, I looked forward to providing the positive “word of mouth” that the salesperson on the phone indicated was the company’s primary reason for offering such a nice sounding promotion. However, my experience felt like I had not only been scammed once, but three times over since I had purchased multiple packages for friends and family. Instead, my return back to my life and workplace has been filled with shocking stories about a company called Caribbean Cruise Line that does not give what they sell you. I’m writing this letter in hopes that you will attempt to correct this horrible experience.
I purchased 3 vacation packages that were supposed to reserve the following for two other couples and my wife and me (copied from the confirmation website):
• 2 night cruise with an outside stateroom to the Bahamas, aboard the luxurious Bahamas Celebration. Relax and enjoy fine dining, Las Vegas style live shows, Pubs and Clubs, a relaxing Spa, an invigorating Gym, Internet café, Beauty Salon, fun Children’s programs, and a plush exciting Casino with $50 match play included.
OUR CHOICE OF THE FOLLOWING:
• 3 days and 2 nights in magical Orlando, Florida - the ultimate destination with dozens of exciting Theme parks and attractions; along with exceptional shopping, golf, museums, parks and outdoor adventures.
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets for two provided at your hotel in Orlando, Florida.
or
• 3 days and 2 nights in sun-kissed Ft. Lauderdale, Florida – the “Venice of America” with its miles of beautiful beaches and waterways. Enjoy great water sports, shopping, golf, and the pulsating nightlife.
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets for two provided at your hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

• Choice of an economy rental car for one week, or up to $100 in gas reimbursement when driving your own car.
I purchased one on December 11, 2012 and the other two on October 23, 2013. I booked all of the packages on October 25, 2013 for the dates of Dec 26-28, 2013 (Hotel Stay) and Dec 28-30, 2013 (Cruise). I paid $436.00 for each package, for a grand total of $1308.00. I was actually told on the phone before buying my first package that I’d be staying at the Ramada “Resort”. That term now proves to be misleading.
When the first couple arrived at the hotel before me, they called me and were horrified at the state of the room they had been checked into. As I mention above, the room had stained sheets, a table that had not been wiped, and trash that had not been emptied from the previous guest. When the husband stood in the long line that reached across the lobby (that according to the front desk staffers was there for over 4 hours until about 3am) the wife heard something moving & rustling in the corner near the air conditioning unit, even though it was off. They packed their things and paid their own money ($90 + $25 for cab fare) to stay at the Courtyard hotel that night.
When I arrived with my wife and my brother, they informed us that they were completely booked, and had no rooms available for us. My brother was put in the Days Inn across the street. A rocky elevator, blinking lights, and one of the beds had stained sheets & blanket. After checking them in, my wife and I drove 15 minutes to the Travel Lodge, only to arrive to a rude front desk attendant who said that he only had one room, which had one bed it was a smoking room. My wife and I had to make a choice of sleeping in the car, sleeping in tobacco ridden sheets, or crashing into my brother’s room. We ended up spending the night in my brother and his girlfriend’s room in the 2nd bed (with the stained blankets).
I purchased breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets for two with each package, provided by the hotel during the duration of stay. Even though it clearly stated on the voucher that each slip was good for two meals for two people, this was not provided by the hotel. First of all, there was no lunch buffet. We were given two carryout menus, and a $15 total limit for each couple. There was never any indication of this limitation in any conversation with anyone from the Welcome Center or Caribbean Cruise Lines, nor was it anywhere on the vouchers or paperwork given to us. We had to use both vouchers for 1 takeout lunch to feed 2 people at a run-of-the-mill chinese restaurant. This same limitation was applied to the breakfast buffet, which meant we would’ve had to pay more money if we tried to go to the breakfast buffet both days, which is what we initially paid for.

We spent most of the second day wondering if we were going to get a room in the hotel that we were promised. We couldn’t talk to the staff because of the long line of guests who also were trying to sleep somewhere that night. Finally at 9 pm, we were informed that we did have a room, as did my brother. Since the first couple couldn’t switch their room to one that was on our side of the hotel (because that side seemed to have clean rooms & no rodents), they spent the second night in our room.

We did not know that a timeshare presentation was mandatory until the first couple arrived at the Welcome Center. In fact, when on the cruise, we spoke with a couple who had asked 4 times before purchasing if a time share presentation was required. They were told “no” each time, but when they arrived they were told a different story. To add a quick sentence about the rental car: I was told everything was included in the package, minus $4.50 for tax (and gas & insurance, of course); after I paid and booked, I received the itinerary letter saying to expect to pay about $60 extra for the rental car, not including gas or insurance.

When I was considering purchasing my first package via a phone call from your company, I was told by the sales rep that the two beds in the cabin would each be able to fit two adults that I could bring as guests. This was not the case. I’m glad I did not try to bring anyone along as a part of that agreement. Instead, each bed was smaller than a twin (about three-quarters of the width of a twin). One was above the other (Bunk-Bed style). As a taller gentlemen, I was pleased that my feet fit on the bed, but I was very displeased and angered that my wife couldn’t fit in the same bed with me. If I had brought two other passengers with me, then they would’ve had to sleep on the floor. Not only were the beds too narrow, but the top bed explicitly had a maximum weight limit of 200 lbs! The room size was also hard to get over, even the cruise director made multiple jokes on stage about how much smaller the rooms were than expected.

In conclusion, I’m requesting a full refund for each of the packages that I purchased ($436/each)[which Discover has been able to help with tremendously so far], extra charges associated with rental car ($55), due to the fact that none of us received what we had authorized the charges for. I want a reimbursement for the cost associated with the first couple having to find a sanitary place to sleep ($115). I still expect to receive full reimbursement for gas for the couples that brought their own cars ($213.07 total). I would also like the “fuel surcharge” ($36/couple) refunded which they told me was only assessed if price of oil is over $40/barrel. Really? After I did some research, I realized that in the last couple of years it’s not even been below $90/barrel. I believe that these were calculated misrepresentations in an effort to get my money. As a High School Teacher, Lawyer, Respiratory Therapist, and Computer Technician for the Police Department, our lives are extremely busy and filled with stress and planning. This vacation was supposed to be a getaway from all of that, but it wasn’t. Especially in Orlando, we had to constantly worry about where we would sleep, what we’d eat, and what was next. Please make this right.