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#1
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
While ON SHORE in Key West, my wife had a Diabetic reaction and had to
be taken by ambulance to the medical center where she was held overnight. We were unable to board the ship and return to Miami. We contacted RCI and they kindly made arrangements to have our bags packed and available at Port in Miami. I certainly appreciate them helping us out. But when I got my Visa bill, my Seapass charges seemed quite a bit higher than I estimated. I called and was told they applied a $600 "guest relations"charge. I guess that was for packing our bags. Somehow $600 seems like a lot, especially due to a medical emergency. Can any travel agents comment on this? |
#2
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
"Da Fla Bear" wrote While ON SHORE in Key West, my wife had a Diabetic reaction and had to be taken by ambulance to the medical center where she was held overnight. We were unable to board the ship and return to Miami. We contacted RCI and they kindly made arrangements to have our bags packed and available at Port in Miami. I certainly appreciate them helping us out. But when I got my Visa bill, my Seapass charges seemed quite a bit higher than I estimated. I called and was told they applied a $600 "guest relations"charge. I guess that was for packing our bags. Somehow $600 seems like a lot, especially due to a medical emergency. Can any travel agents comment on this? Check a little further and you may find that this includes the fine RCI had to pay when you got off the ship in Key West. That is a violation fo the Passenger Services Act (you can't get on the ship in one US port and get off in another without stopping in a foreign port). Violating this law is a $300 pp fine.... and that squares with your $600 charge. Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Services_Act Oh... if you bought trip insurance, this is probably covered. -- George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com Feb. 8, 2009 Solstice Valentine http://www.cruisemaster.com/solstice.htm May 10, 2009 ALASKA http://www.cruisemaster.com/moagc4.htm October 16, 2010 OASIS http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com |
#3
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
George, thank you.
That might be it. But we embarked from Miami, then stopped in Nassau, then stopped at Coco Key, THEN we disembarked in Key West (after passing immigration on board). So we did stop in another Country, The Bahamas, before we entered the US again. |
#4
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
"Linda Bluestone" wrote in message ... George, thank you. That might be it. But we embarked from Miami, then stopped in Nassau, then stopped at Coco Key, THEN we disembarked in Key West (after passing immigration on board). So we did stop in another Country, The Bahamas, before we entered the US again. It is a confusing law... the ship has to stop at a "distant foreign port" and Nassau doesn't qualify. "Distant" doesn't have anything to do with actual distance, but just how various countries are classified and with every law, there are exceptions and exemptions, etc. -- George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com Feb. 8, 2009 Solstice Valentine http://www.cruisemaster.com/solstice.htm May 10, 2009 ALASKA http://www.cruisemaster.com/moagc4.htm October 16, 2010 OASIS http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com |
#5
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
George,
Thank you very much. You are one of the reasons that this board is full of solid information about cruising. |
#6
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
On Oct 11, 9:18 am, (Da Fla Bear) wrote:
While ON SHORE in Key West, my wife had a Diabetic reaction and had to be taken by ambulance to the medical center where she was held overnight. We were unable to board the ship and return to Miami. We contacted RCI and they kindly made arrangements to have our bags packed and available at Port in Miami. I certainly appreciate them helping us out. But when I got my Visa bill, my Seapass charges seemed quite a bit higher than I estimated. I called and was told they applied a $600 "guest relations"charge. I guess that was for packing our bags. Somehow $600 seems like a lot, especially due to a medical emergency. Can any travel agents comment on this? Stat away from the Chocolate Bar next time ! |
#7
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
"George Leppla" wrote in message ... It is a confusing law... the ship has to stop at a "distant foreign port" and Nassau doesn't qualify. "Distant" doesn't have anything to do with actual distance, but just how various countries are classified and with every law, there are exceptions and exemptions, etc. -- George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com So you're saying that it would be OK to get off the ship in Miami but not in Key West because the cruise didn't terminate there? That is confusing. |
#8
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
On 10/11/2008 10:18 AM Da Fla Bear did a "happy dance", then made these
writings: While ON SHORE in Key West, my wife had a Diabetic reaction and had to be taken by ambulance to the medical center where she was held overnight. We were unable to board the ship and return to Miami. We contacted RCI and they kindly made arrangements to have our bags packed and available at Port in Miami. I certainly appreciate them helping us out. But when I got my Visa bill, my Seapass charges seemed quite a bit higher than I estimated. I called and was told they applied a $600 "guest relations"charge. I guess that was for packing our bags. Somehow $600 seems like a lot, especially due to a medical emergency. Can any travel agents comment on this? Since your wife is diabetic and may have a reaction (as she did) it may have paid to have MedEvac Insurance. -- ________ To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "The poor dog is the firmest friend, the first to welcome the foremost to defend" - Lord Byron View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951 |
#9
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
That's right - the law forbids foreign carriers from transporting US
passengers between two different domestic ports. So, it does not matter that you visited a foreign port, the fine is because you were transported from Miami and Key West. By law you are required to return from the US port you started from. |
#10
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$600 "Guest Relations" Charge RCI
[Default] Thus spake "Boomer" nospam.aol.com:
"George Leppla" wrote in message ... It is a confusing law... the ship has to stop at a "distant foreign port" and Nassau doesn't qualify. "Distant" doesn't have anything to do with actual distance, but just how various countries are classified and with every law, there are exceptions and exemptions, etc. -- George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com So you're saying that it would be OK to get off the ship in Miami but not in Key West because the cruise didn't terminate there? That is confusing. The law requires that the cruise originate and terminate at the same port, or visit a "distant foreign port" in the interim. This is how transcanal cruises work. Disney, Carnival and RCI all had to pay the fine (actually, a civil penalty) when Port Canaveral was closed a few weeks back. HOWEVER, all have appealed on the basis of force majeur and will apparently be refunded the penalties. They didn't slap the clients with this. |
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