After Martin Cody got a mailing from a cruise line this summer, he decided to book a weeklong cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway from Baltimore to Charleston, South Carolina, in mid-November.
The 84-year-old medically retired sailor paid $5,974 by credit card to American Cruise Lines. Two weeks later, he decided to cancel because he couldn't find anyone to accompany him and help with his medical problems; he uses an electric cart or walks with two canes. For two, the price per person would have dropped to $4,000.
But Cody ran smack into American's strict policy: If a cruise is canceled less than 90 days before departure, only 50 percent of the paid fare is refunded, minus a cancellation fee of $250.
Cody's refund totaled just $2,737, meaning he lost $3,236. "I asked if they would make any considerations for a veteran, and they said no," he said.
He said he knew he'd need someone to accompany him and simply assumed he'd be able to find someone. "I do admit ... I did it on a whim," Cody said. "I'm not stupid, but I can be dumb once in a while."
In the interim, he received a letter from the cruise line offering him a 50 percent discount on a future cruise if he booked within six weeks. Cody declined.
A full refund could not be made because "we can't deviate from policy for one person," said Judy Roman, vice president of marketing for American Cruise Lines, who added that the offer of a discount on a future cruise was made because "we were trying to do what we could for him within our parameters."
Roman said the cancellation policy is stressed when people buy cruises. "We really push it," she said.
Such strict policies are not uncommon because cruise lines can have difficulty refilling cabins when a reservation is canceled, said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.com.
Brown said such policies are outlined in the cruise contract signed at the time of purchase. "Our best advice is to read the cruise contract thoroughly, and purchase travel insurance if you're concerned you may have to cancel," she said.
Cancellation penalties generally increase the closer it gets to the scheduled departure date.
Cody acknowledges he did not check American's cancellation policy before he booked his cruise, and he also declined the option to buy cancellation protection.
Cruises can be complicated purchases, so experts advise working through an experienced travel agent when booking one.
"Travel agents are aware of the policies and can talk ... about how to best deal with those policies based on specific situations," Sarah Kennedy, spokeswoman for the Cruise Lines International Association, said.
Another option for those in the military community is Government Vacation Rewards' MWR Exchange Vacations, providing discounts on travel, including cruises, to active duty and retired military and their families. The contracts have clauses related to military-specific situations, among other things. It's a partnership between MWR, Army and Air Force Exchange Service and Government Vacation Rewards. Visit www.GovVacationRewards.com/military.
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
