MilesBuzz! - OMNI: ROyal Caribbean Lawsuit

Yes, It does NOT deal with flying but this is interesting.

A few days ago: I received a legal form saying Royal Caribbean is subject of litigation concerning port charges it tagged on to cruise packages from April 19, 1992 to April 1, 1997.

Lawyers are apparently suing the cruiseline for illegal? port charges during this period.

The case is being heard in Dade COunty, FLa where I think Royal Caribbean is based.

If the settlement is approved, cruise takers would get an average of 10 dollars, more if you took the cruise at a later date.

The letter says you DON"T have to respond and you will be informed if the settlement is approved.

It affects me since I took a 7 night cruise to ALASKA in 1992.

SO look out for this mailing if you took a Royal Caribbean cruise.

I hope I explained this well enough DJLawman and Counsellor.

My understanding is that it is a consumer fraud class action--the line was charging a higher port fee to the passengers than it was actually being charged, without telling passengers that it was tacking on its own profit. It (and other lines) were doing so in order to keep the advertised price of the cruise artificially low, but make up some of the profit in other mandatory items, like port fees.

Djlawman

Thanks for the explaination, DJLawman. The paper they sent with me did not fully explain that as well as you did.

We'll see if the customers like myself win the suit. It still a surprise since I took this trip years ago and my name's still in the system!

Big deal, $10 off on a future cruise with an average cost of over $1000 and only if you take a future cruise. Hardly seems like punishment for the line. The only way the traveler can collect is by giving more revenue to the cruise line. Of course the class action attorneys will get cash and not travel vouchers.

No disrespect intended to the lawyers. But SHOW ME THE MONEY, not some sorry coupon.

I'm with Comicwoman. My reading is that I'd get a coupon worth about $5 on a future cruise - if I ever take one. The lawyers, however, will get cash up front. DJ Lawman?

Hey, don't look at me! I defend class actions suits, not bring them, usually. I get paid by the hour to represent my clients, not try to work out a settlement which gives me as big a percentage of the cash as possible. (I know, I am very cynical.) As to this one, the cruise line will make far more money in new bookings if it is just handing out coupons than it will lose in paying cold hard cash to the plaintiffs' attorneys, is my bet.

Djlawman

DJLawman:
I'm glad to hear you claim that you're not a plaintiff's attorney. In my opinion, they're dirt.
But, in this kind of case (and several oithers where I've been a "member of the class"), I get next to nothing, while the attorneys get rich. The cruise line gains from not going to trial, which would cost them their own attorney fees as well as those of the "class." I don't really see that the cruise line will make anything by providing five or ten dollar discounts on future cruises. What they make is not having to pay to defend themselves against what are probably spurious charges. They'd win if they went to trial, but they just don't want to chance that expense. And you, as their attorney, advise them to settle to avoid that chance.

Along that line, some years back there was this HUGE class action which was settled with coupons (effectively 10% off on full-fare purchases). My "settlement" perished unused, as I don't recall the last time I bought a full-fare ticket (except for that 25K bonus mile UA special offer in January).

Question: (a) Did anyone else get those coupons, and (b) if so, did you use any?

Answers might be interesting. I'm inclined to think most of the coupons went unused, and even those that were used profited the airlines more than it cost them.

I got the coupons and managed to use a few of them. My travel agent kept them in her desk and pulled them out when I booked personal trips. Ahhh, the old days when I traveled for pleasure.

Coupons are fine. I would prefer to have the cash (even if it's a few dollars.) I don't know when I'll be taking another cruise so I can get something.

This may be a moot point now since I would think most if not all of the AirScrip (discount coupons from the anti-trust settlement) is now expired, but you could use that on any fare I believe.

I know that I used it on several discount Delta tickets (L fare and such), so it definitely was not just valid on full fare tickets.