Carnival Cruise Line Did not take us to the planned destination and misrepresented the alternate destination, ripoff. Miami Florida

As a veteran Cruiser (Carnival included!) I have to agree - if you had read your paperwork, ticket, checked the website, or brochure - it's written EVERYWHERE that ports may change at any time without notice.

Sometime you have to roll with the punches.

First, I would hope that before anyone drops a couple grand on a vacation, they thoroughly research it. Every single cruise line has a cruise contract that clearly states the route may change. Obviously, the cruise lines do not make a habit of this and they only do it if they have to for one reason or another. It almost always has to do with weather or mechanical problems.

It does not benefit the cruise line to miss a port. They still have to pay the port charges for the missed port because they are on contract to dock there (in most cases). And changing a port requires A LOT of logistical planning, including port authority, scheduling a pilot, ground transportation, dock workers, tour guides, excursions, etc. These things don't just happen. There are literally hundreds of people that need to be called up to support a cruise ship docking.

What were the mechanical problems? Would the author rather the ship break down, or the generators fail, leaving them powerless while adrift at sea?

I fully understand the frustration of not going to an anticipated port. But sometimes things like this happen. A cruise ship running into problems and having to dock at a closer port certainly is not an intended rip-off from the company. In fact, the change cost the company more than the customer.

Did you read your cruise documents closely? If you had, you would have read that Carnival (along with ALL the other cruise lines) has the right to change your itinerary at any time. They are not even obligated to offer an alternate port.

If you don't like what a company does within their legal rights (Carnival has the legal edge, you were informed, you either didn't read it or chose to ignore it) then speak with your dollars and take another type of vacation.

You didn't get ripped off. You got exactly what the contract you agreed to when you paid Carnival said you would.

Why not spend your hard earned cash to go directly to an all inclusive resort by plane? I had the opportunity to travel to Cancun as part of a company incentive contest this past February. My employer booked the trip through a company called Apple Vacations. They were beyond FANTASTICK! There was not even a problem when two in our group did not have their hotel vouchers. They took care of it all. Picked us up at the airport, took us back, arranged and transported us to our excursions, including a company dinner at a local restaraunt, even warned us about the "shady" type of people to avoid. I was lucky enough to go on the 2 person speedboats through the mangroves to the reef where we snorkeled for approximately 35 minutes. The company paid $65 per person for this outing. I understand that they paid roughly $750 per person for this 4 day trip and that included the airfare. I looked up their offerings myself to confirm this and trips start at $650 for 4 days/3 nights based on double occupancy. We had a huge room, 5 eating establishments to choose from any time of day or night and a bevy of courteous employees willing to fetch us drinks every 20 minutes all day if we tossed a dollar their direction. There were a multitude of free activities at the resort, including snorkels to use just off the beach, 2 on site nightclubs and catamarans. Why risk the cruise when you can go directly where you want to be and spend your ENTIRE vacation enjoying yourself?

That is typical whitewash of a ripoff by someone in the business of ripping people off.

If I pay for a cruise to a specific destination you can bet your as* I will get to that destination or someone will not get paid. That is what a credit card chargeback is all about. Not to mention a court of law.

I could care less about some worthless fine print. It is breach of contract plain and simple.

A genuine ripoff here. It is a very popular ripoff too. I live in Florida which is the land of cruise ship ripoffs.

I am a "Cruise Only" travel agent, and I would like to respond to the people that felt they were ripped off because the itinerary was changed.

In the cruise documents (the tickets) it is explained that the Captain of the ship may change the itinerary for any reason that he feels is necessary. This could include weather, engine problems, emergencies, or other ship repairs that became necessary.

Of course it is disappointing to miss a port of call that you had planned on visiting, but this does not constitute a "rip off" by the Cruise Line.