Alaskan cruise onboard credit

[travelinman57]

We purchased n Alaskan cruise with a major cruiseline by calling their listed number, paid a refundable deposit ( with advertised time/date requirements ) and in due course received email confirmation of that booking.
It was our understanding from booking the cruise that we would receive an amount of onboard credit for that cruise and this was confirmed in the email booking confirmation.
WE were advised during the call to book the cruise that the onboard credit could be used for several things but not some things and this was spelt out on their website in the FAQ’s.
We checked these and it says as follows (copied directly from their website )…

WHERE CAN I USE MY ONBOARD CREDIT
Onboard credit received from ************ Cruises can be used used almost anywhere on board to enhance your vacation-specialty dining reservations, beverage packages, shore excursions, spa services.
It is reasonable to read this, being as it is a response to a FAQ that it is explained in full and being as you cannot undertake a shore excursion unless you are onboard that the credit can be used to purchase these.
On attempting to book these on their website by logging in using my profile login and password, I selected the onshore excursions we wanted and went to checkout but found there was no facility to use these credits. The only option was to pay by credit card.
So I called the cruiseline listed number and spoke with an operator who advised me you can only use this credit when onboard.
I advised him that this was not what was said when we booked the cruise and that the FAQ also does not exclude same. Additionally i pointed out that it was not possible to undertake a shore excursion if you were not onboard to which the operator agreed.
He then advised that there was nothing that could be done so that was the way that is was.
I requested to speak with a supervisor and subsequently I did so. After explaining the situation, the supervisor also agreed with me but also said that this was their policy and nothing could be done.
He further advised that this is a commonly raised issue. I responded to his use of the word commonly by asking if this was the case why was this then not clarified on your website and specifically in the FAQ section as commonly and frequently have a similar meaning and I suggested to him that on the basis that if it was commonly raised that there was an obligation to include the detail in the FAQ section for that reason. He agreed but said there was nothing he could do.

However he then offered the following information….. that the cruiseline was looking at this issue on another one of their cruise ships due to the number of customers who have used that cruise ship and asked that question, and once they have those results they will look at instituting this on that ship and then look at their other ships.
I politely suggested to him that it was hard to believe that this question was raised only by customers on another unnamed cruise ship but that in any case it does not satisfactorily answer what is information which appears to be blatantly missing from their website in their FAQ’s section or anwhere else on their website, especially on his admittance that this was in fact a FAQ by their customers and not a random singularity.
Can you please advise what their legal position is regarding this

 

[Ohiogal]

We purchased n Alaskan cruise with a major cruiseline by calling their listed number, paid a refundable deposit ( with advertised time/date requirements ) and in due course received email confirmation of that booking.
It was our understanding from booking the cruise that we would receive an amount of onboard credit for that cruise and this was confirmed in the email booking confirmation.
WE were advised during the call to book the cruise that the onboard credit could be used for several things but not some things and this was spelt out on their website in the FAQ’s.
We checked these and it says as follows (copied directly from their website )…

WHERE CAN I USE MY ONBOARD CREDIT
Onboard credit received from ************ Cruises can be used used almost anywhere on board to enhance your vacation-specialty dining reservations, beverage packages, shore excursions, spa services.
It is reasonable to read this, being as it is a response to a FAQ that it is explained in full and being as you cannot undertake a shore excursion unless you are onboard that the credit can be used to purchase these.
On attempting to book these on their website by logging in using my profile login and password, I selected the onshore excursions we wanted and went to checkout but found there was no facility to use these credits. The only option was to pay by credit card.
So I called the cruiseline listed number and spoke with an operator who advised me you can only use this credit when onboard.
I advised him that this was not what was said when we booked the cruise and that the FAQ also does not exclude same. Additionally i pointed out that it was not possible to undertake a shore excursion if you were not onboard to which the operator agreed.
He then advised that there was nothing that could be done so that was the way that is was.
I requested to speak with a supervisor and subsequently I did so. After explaining the situation, the supervisor also agreed with me but also said that this was their policy and nothing could be done.
He further advised that this is a commonly raised issue. I responded to his use of the word commonly by asking if this was the case why was this then not clarified on your website and specifically in the FAQ section as commonly and frequently have a similar meaning and I suggested to him that on the basis that if it was commonly raised that there was an obligation to include the detail in the FAQ section for that reason. He agreed but said there was nothing he could do.

However he then offered the following information….. that the cruiseline was looking at this issue on another one of their cruise ships due to the number of customers who have used that cruise ship and asked that question, and once they have those results they will look at instituting this on that ship and then look at their other ships.
I politely suggested to him that it was hard to believe that this question was raised only by customers on another unnamed cruise ship but that in any case it does not satisfactorily answer what is information which appears to be blatantly missing from their website in their FAQ’s section or anwhere else on their website, especially on his admittance that this was in fact a FAQ by their customers and not a random singularity.
Can you please advise what their legal position is regarding this

You can use ONBOARD credits to purchase excursions. As long as you are ONBOARD the ship when purchasing said excursions. Hence the ONBOARD part of the credit.

 

[Shadowbunny]

"Additionally i pointed out that it was not possible to undertake a shore excursion if you were not onboard to which the operator agreed."

This is where your argument fails: the only way to undertake a shore excursion is to be OFF the ship. Further, you don't have to be a cruise guest in order to book an excursion.

 

[travelinman57]

"Additionally i pointed out that it was not possible to undertake a shore excursion if you were not onboard to which the operator agreed."

This is where your argument fails: the only way to undertake a shore excursion is to be OFF the ship. Further, you don't have to be a cruise guest in order to book an excursion.

I fail to see the relevance of your response regarding a shore excursion being off the ship. You are quite correct that when you are physically undertaking the shore excursion you are off the ship. However this has no connection to my post which is soley in relation to the booking of one coupled with the booking operators advice the credits can be used to book shore excursions and the absence of any notification on their website in any location that the onboard credits can only be used whilst physically onboard the ship.
Coupled with that is their admission that this has been a frequent issue and question with customers clearly indicating that their advices are either inadequate or misleading and the unarguable fact that despite knowing of the issue they have done nothing to correct it by simply clarifying that on their website in the FAQ section.

I submit that it is reasonable to draw the conclusion that they are intentionally misleading customers and don't wish to advertise that fact as any unused onboard credits are unrefundable.

 

[AdjunctFL]

How does your cruise line literature / website explain the credit. On the one I go on, their policy is:

"In order to redeem onboard credit, items must be booked/purchase onboard via your [cruise line] account."

I added the underlining. Based on that, I wouldn't even think of using it before boarding.

What does your cruise lines specific policy say?