In November 2024, I arranged a cruise for my wife, our son with significant disabilities, and myself for this coming July. I made the reservations well in advance to ensure an accessible cabin for our son, who requires continuous care from a team of eight caregivers at home. To accommodate his needs, I also booked three additional spots for these caregivers to join us on the trip.
At the time of booking, I was unable to provide the names of the caregivers due to their other obligations, but I was informed that I could submit their names by April when the final payment was due.
I followed through and provided the names as required, only to be informed that there would be a £75 charge for each name change. Additionally, it was stated that the caregivers would lose the $325 (approximately £239) onboard credit that was included in the original booking. Further complicating matters, I received a message indicating that the wheelchair-accessible riverboat tour I had arranged for our group was non-transferable, resulting in its cancellation and a refund for the caregivers. Since the riverboat excursion is no longer available, I am unable to rebook it.
I have lodged a complaint, but it has not yielded any results. It seems evident that we would not be facing this issue if my son did not have a disability, which raises concerns of discrimination.
Your son, now 26, has lived with cerebral palsy due to a birth-related brain injury, and this cruise, totaling £16,000, was intended to provide a family-friendly experience for all of you.
The actions of Royal Caribbean are both perplexing and unacceptable. The company was fully aware of your son’s situation and the likelihood of needing to change caregiver names. The abrupt cancellation notice regarding the river excursion lacked any explanation or apology.
You are correct in asserting that this situation may violate the Equality Act, which prohibits practices that disadvantage individuals with disabilities.
After I highlighted these concerns, Royal Caribbean responded promptly.
Within 20 hours, they reached out to confirm the waiving of the name-change fees, the restoration of the onboard credits, and the rebooking of the river tour.
However, they did not address my inquiries or provide any official comment.
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