Carnival Cruise Scam

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Carnival Cruise Scam

I was totally planning to write about the cruise today.

But, last night something happened which totally made me change course.

See, Shorty was packing last night and realised that the suitcase was ripped.

We called down to the purser’s office and they told us there was nothing they could do since we didn’t report the damage first thing.

Shorty tried to explain to them that we didn’t notice the damage before because we had unpacked and put the suitcase under the bed.

They finally said that we could chose to repair the suitcase, send them a receipt and they would maybe reimburse us up to 50 dollars.

I had some free time, and about 30 minutes left on my Internet I bought, so I looked at Carnival Cruise’s terms and conditions.

What I found was shocking.

Paragraph A

(a) Each fully paid adult Guest will be allowed a reasonable amount of luggage on board containing their personal belongings. Luggage means only trunks, valises, satchels, bags, hangers and bundles with their contents consisting of only such wearing apparel, toilet articles and similar personal effects as are necessary and appropriate for the purpose of the journey.

Ok, this seems normal.

Reasonable amount of luggage is a little vague, but hey Carnival doesn’t want you to bring 20 bags with you. So, this makes tons of sense.

Paragraph B

b) No tools of trade, household goods, presents and/or property of others, jewelry, money, cameras, documents, valuables of any description including but not limited to such articles as are described in Title 46 of the United States Code section 30503 shall be carried except under and subject to the terms of a special written contract or Bill of Lading entered into with Carnival prior to embarkation upon application of the Guest. The Guest warrants that no such articles are contained in any receptacle or container presented by him as baggage hereunder, and if any such articles are shipped in the Guest’s baggage in breach of this warranty, no liability for negligence, gross or ordinary, shall attach to Carnival for any loss or damage thereto.

Hmmmm…

This now got interesting.

This basically says that unless you got special permission to bring jewelry, money, cameras, documents, and other “items” Carnival is not responsible.

So, Shorty and I had a digital camera, a video camera, my birth certificate, a lap top, and her silver Tiffany necklace on board.

Did we think to ask Carnival Cruises if I could bring a camera?

No.

Does this mean that if someone stole my camera or if the housekeeper would have broken it I would have been covered?

Paragraph C

(c) Carnival shall not be liable for: (1) Guest’s failure to comply with the requirements set forth in Clauses 4(a) and 4(b); (2) any loss or damage before baggage comes into Carnival’s actual custody on board or after baggage leaves Carnival’s actual custody on board, including, but not limited to, loss or damage by airlines or other transportation services; (3) any loss or damage of baggage while not in the actual possession, custody and control of Carnival; (4) damage due to wear, tear or normal usage; (5) any loss or damage of perishable items, medicine, liquor, cash, securities or other financial instruments, or (6) any loss or damage while in the custody and control of stevedores.

I guess the answer is no.

Since I never asked if I could bring my camera on board then no, Carnival does not need replace anything for me.

Paragraph D

(d) It is stipulated and agreed that the aggregate value of Guest’s property, does not exceed $50 per guest or bag with a maximum value of $100 per stateroom regardless of the number of occupants or bags and any liability of Carnival for any cause whatsoever with respect to said property shall not exceed such sum, unless the Guest shall in writing, delivered to Carnival, prior to embarkation, declare the true value thereof and pay to Carnival prior to embarkation a sum equal to 5% of the excess of such value. If Carnival shall be held liable for the loss of or damage to Guest’s baggage or property it is agreed that such liability shall not exceed the lesser of: (1) the actual cash value, or (2) value declared in the manner above provided (up to U.S. $100 if no such declaration has been made). Declared value amounts to be proportionately reduced in any case where less than all of Guest’s baggage or property is lost, delayed or rendered unusable due to damage.  In no event shall Carnival be liable to pay any compensation if the nature or value of the property has been misrepresented.

WAIT!!!

Does this paragraph say that everything in my bag was worth 50 dollars?

Let’s see what I packed.

2 pairs of Lucky Brand jeans. ($110.00 a piece)

1 Tommy Bahama shirt. ($80.00)

2 polo shirts. ($40.00 a piece)

5 T - shirts (13.99 a pice only at ShirtPoppin.com)

7 boxer shorts. (OK I buy these at Walmart, but still worth 3 bucks each)

1 bottle Tommy cologne ($40 bucks)

So, forgetting the computer, camera and necklace, Carnival claims that unless I paid them 5% of the clothes I brought on board, I could never recover any money from them in case of loss, theft or other.

It still gets better!

CARNIVAL’S USE OF GUEST’S LIKENESS
Carnival and/or its promotional partners have the exclusive right to include photographic, video and other visual portrayals of Guest in any medium of any nature whatsoever for the purpose of trade, advertising, sales, publicity or otherwise, without compensation to Guest, and all rights, title and interest therein (including all worldwide copyrights therein) shall be Carnival’s sole property, free from any claims by Guest or any person deriving any rights or interest from Guest.

I am so confused.

I paid 500 dollars to go on a Carnival Cruise and they forever own my likeness?

They can put me in a commercial, a movie, or sell t shirts with my image on them forever?

Only because I decided to take a cruise?

Now, I am all for contracts.

I think that they are essential to make sure that people adhere to a set of rules and regulations.

But, Carnival Cruises seems to be engaging in deceptive practices.

read the full contract here

(and just in case they changed the contract here is a screen grab)

So, to sum up.

Carnival Cruises expects you to have less than 50 bucks in your bag, thinks you should tell them in writing that you are bringing a camera on your vacation and then owns your image in perpetuity?

Hmm..

Sound like a Carnival Cruise Scam to me.

Fat Jewish Guy uncovers.