American Cruise Lines

Good Morning,We appreciate the time that *** ***l has taken in detailing this complaint. We believe that his reservation was handled in accordance with American Cruise Lines cancellation policy and that the materials he had been provided contained this policy in writing. Further, we do
not believe that our cancellation policy is egregious or atypical of the travel industry.All cancellations will incur a $per person cancellation administration charge, which can be applied to a future booking used within one year of the cancellation dateThis may be used on any cruise, even one beginning before his original departure date. Sincerely, American Cruise Lines

To the Revdex.com, We have further reviewed this situation and unfortunately we do not agree with *** *** characterization of the statements made by the named individualsThis is an issue about the possibility for complimentary excursions and his cancellation of a vacation for a misunderstanding of themWe believe that our publication and operation of complimentary and premium excursions is similar to the rest of the cruise industryFor this reason, our customers quickly understand and accept the excursion packagesMany are even pleasantly surprised with how many of the excursions are complimentaryWe remain willing to comp all of *** *** excursions, even those which would bear a premium priceTo insist on cancellation despite our flexibility in accommodating him is unusualWe see no option other than to continue to offer to make all of his excursions complimentary. Regards, American Cruise Lines

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:1) credit card disputes: when I initially called the credit card company and explained what happened they indicated I "definitely have cause" to dispute this charge. It was after the second dispute that the card staff indicated to me that, since the company forwarded their written policy on refunds, they were regrettably unable to assist me further. Which is why I'm contacting the Revdex.com for assistance.2) Their refund policy: I now understand that the company has a refund policy and, after some confusion among its own staff as to the amount of penalty, they are following their policy. I am not disputing that policy. I am disputing their claim that I purchased a reservation, which I did not.3) I called their number for more information on the trip and, while I was in the process of asking questions, the clerk inappropriately and unknown to me, charged my card. As I continued to get clarifications for my questions it was apparent that what was advertised on their website regarding departure point and free overnight lodging were not what they were selling me so I stated I needed to discuss this further with my wife. At that point the clerk said she was sorry but she already put the charge through to the credit card but would transfer my call over to her supervisor to see if he could help. The supervisor indicated he would see what he could do to get that charge voided and would contact a V.Pwho ultimately refused to void the charge. I contend that I was in the process of determining whether to make a reservation or not and did not authorize the clerk to charge my account before my questions were answered. I will say that all the staff with whom I dealt with directly were very pleasant to work with and I regret this occurred. We were looking forward to making this our 40th wedding anniversary trip
Sincerely,
*** ***

To the Revdex.com, We find it unfortunate that we have not been able to meet the expectations of Ms***We seek to exceed expectations in every area and work to create a customized experience for each guestWhen a guest comes to us with a dietary request we always seek to provide suitable meal alternativesWe do plan ahead and work to provide a culinary experience that still meets the same standard as our typical program In this case the chef sought Ms***'s input as to what she cared for and accommodated her needs accordinglyAlthough we plan ahead and work to satisfy each request, it is still not always possible to meet every demand on a ship in a remote area of the countryThis is the practicality of choosing to cruise on a ship and we regret that we have not been able to satisfy Ms***We remain open to her thoughts and would be happy to continue this dialogue further if new information becomes available. Regards, American Cruise Lines

To the Revdex.com: We appreciate the time *** *** has taken in detailing this issue and we empathize with her situation*** ***’s cancellation was handled in accordance with American Cruise Lines’ cancellation policy; a policy in which we strive to handle all reservations consistentlyThis is a
difficult request for a special exemption from a policy that requires strict adherence*** *** did not have cruise protection, making the request that much more difficultWe do appreciate their continued loyalty and would be pleased to provide *** *** along with her daughter and son-in-law with a 50% courtesy discount towards any available or cruise booked by January 31, We regret the situation and hope that we can welcome them onboard again soon. Sincerely, American Cruise Lines

To the Revdex.com,We are pleased to have resolved this with *** *** and his travel agentThe *** are in the same group as *** *** and will be cruising with us next spring on the *** RiverThis complaint is connected with #***We appreciate *** ***'s time and look forward
to having him aboard next year. Sincerely, American Cruise Lines

We have received the complaint from *** *** and have reviewed the situation he outlinesWe believe that his reservation was handled in accordance with our cancelation policy and that the materials he had been provided contained this policy in writingFurther, we do not believe that our
cancelation policy is egregious or atypical of the travel industryIn many ways, cruise lines have a similar booking pattern to the airlines, and therefore find it wise to adopt similar cancelation fee structures We would like to accommodate *** *** and will apply the cancelation penalty amount in full to any cruise of his choosingWe hope that this may be an acceptable solution Sincerely, American Cruise Lines

To the Revdex.com, We are pleased to have resolved this issue wit* *** *** directlyHe will be joining us on a cruise next springWe appreciate his time and your assistance in the speedy resolution of this matter. Sincerely, American Cruise Lines

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID *** and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me
Sincerely,
*** ***

To the Revdex.com, We appreciate the time *** *** has taken to outline his concerns and have reviewed the situation thoroughlyDuring our conversations with *** *** this became a perplexing caseAs promoted, we are pleased to offered complimentary Featured Excursions on this cruiseThis
provides a tour option in each port of call and is typically a visit to the most significant highlight in the area (i.ea tour of MtStHelens)However, in order to offer the greatest range of excursions we will sometimes offer alternative Premium Excursions which come at an additional expense to the guestThis is standard practice in the industry and we are aware of no similar cruise lines which make every excursion complimentaryDoing so would necessitate the elimination of many excursion optionsWe are surprised that this breadth of options has resulted in a request to cancel the cruiseAlthough we disagree with *** *** characterization of our statements, we have offered to make all of his excursions complimentary due to the concerns he raised.We remain willing to make all excursions complimentary as we know that we will be able to provide a great experience once he is aboard Once the cruise was canceled it is handled in accordance with the Cruise Cancellation Protection Plan he has purchasedIn this scenario the plan fee is the cost of purchasing the Plan and is non-refundable in the event of a cancellationThis again is standard industry practice and we know of no similar competitive products which would offer the type of coverage he describes. Our suggested resolution is to have *** *** join the cruise he purchased and to enjoy the full range of excursions which we have offered to make complimentary for him.Regards, American Cruise Lines

To Whom It May Concern,
We appreciate the time that Ms*** has taken, on
behalf of Mrs***, to notify us of the cruise cancellation We have
reviewed the reservation and believe that it was handled in accordance with our
Cruise Cancellation Policy
As the notice
of cancellation and appropriate documentation
were received less than days prior to sailing, the cancellation falls within
the 50% cancellation fee windowWhen a cruise is cancelled days prior to a
departure or less, it is difficult to resell the space, so we have to impose a
fairly stringent cancellation policyThis policy is consistent with other
travel providers who experience similar booking patterns months in advance
We regret that Ms*** was
unaware of this restrictionIn an effort to be fully transparent with our
consumers regarding cancellation charges, this cancellation policy is published
on our website, in our brochure, and all cruise specialists and customer
service personnel are trained to provide information about itIt is also
printed at the bottom of all booking confirmations Additionally, we feel
that this policy is typical in the travel industry and could have been
mitigated with the purchase of our recommended cruise protection plan
Although we need to enforce our policy, we do empathize with
the situation and will apply the fee toward any future cruise Ms*** or a
family member wish to takeWe offer our sincerest condolences and regret any
inconvenience this has caused
Sincerely,
American Cruise Lines

To the Revdex.com, This back and forth has created a needless escalation which we request be closedThe most recent correspondence contains no new information so we are unable to add anything additional to our previous responseIt is not or intention to imply that anyone has lied in this situation.The cruise has complimentary tours at every port of call as a matter of standard practiceAdditional tour options bear a premium and we remain willing to provide these complimentary to *** *** as outlined in the original complaint correspondence.We carry thousands of guests per year on this cruise itinerary and work to provide each of them an exceptional experienceWe will continue to work diligently with *** *** and each one of our guests. Sincerely,American Cruise Lines

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:The company is now misrepresenting what I was told by MrP*** He definitely stated to me that complaints such as mine had occurred in the past and he had to deal with customers, and that the company had refused to change their brochure to be more transparentHe also agreed when I told him I was reserving the right to cancelI fail to see how any clients could be pleased with the number of complimentary tours when, out of all their tours, only two offer any complimentary toursI also strongly resent their basically calling me a liarIf they fail to comply with standards of truth in advertising I have no faith in any other claims they might make and do not want to do any business with them now, or in the futureI did NOT misrepresent statements made to meIn fact, the initial person I dealt with never told me about extra charges for tours, which I think is an issue that should be made clear to all prospective buyersAlso, I signed no contracts of any nature.
Sincerely,
*** ***

To the Revdex.com, We have reviewed the materials submitted by *** *** and the process that was followed to ensure her situation was handled appropriately and consistently*** ***'s flight was booked for September 7, several days before the hurricane made landfall. In correspondence
she stated that the first flight was missed due to an accident on the highway which kept her from arriving to the airport in timeSubsequent attempts to reschedule the flight were impacted by the hurricaneBecause her flight was not delayed due to the hurricane and because her home was both out of the path of the hurricane and not impacted significantly by it, the cruise protection could not be appliedWe feel it is important to be consistent in this regard, especially given that other *** residents were able to make the same cruise without issue. The series of events is unfortunate and we are empathetic to her situationWe have offered her a 50% courtesy discount for a future cruise of her choice and remain willing to provide this substantial savingsWe regret the situation and hope that we can provide her with a cruise she loves. Sincerely, American Cruise Lines

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me
Sincerely,
*** ***

My husband and I just returned home from American Cruise Lines New England tour on the American Star. There were a few issues concerning us prior to departure that we felt were addressed with phone conversations: coffee maker in the cabin; assured there was, there wasn't, place for cocktails after dinner,said there was, there wasn't. Website states spacious balconies, 18" wide. The cabins are painfully small, not like the pic on website, bathrooms also very tight and shower stalls discolored and stained. Shower curtains were very cheap and short, letting water spill onto floor."upscale" amenities were run of the mill hotel fare, and sheets were not changed unless requested. Also stated ion website that most excursions wee included and we found that not to be the case. On a more positive note the food on this cruise was fabulous! Many delicious options at each meal and the service was stellar. Unlike most passengers, we chose to set at a different table each meal to get to know all the servers. Every single server was excellent. So accommodating and friendly. Also the chief steward Natalie was amazing. She worked tirelessly to fulfill each guests needs. The first officer Kelly also worked so hard and always had a welcoming smile and kind word for everyone. In summation we felt that the cost of this cruise was not a great value for your dollar .Accomodations: 3stars; value 3stars; service and cuisine 5 stars.

To the Revdex.com,We have been in contact with Mrs. [redacted] and regret the inconvenience that was caused following her cruise. American Cruise Lines has offered to reimburse her for any items which have been damaged or required dry cleaning. To process such a reimbursement, we have asked for a list of items...

needing cleaning or replacement and we feel as though this is an appropriate request. We remain willing to provide such a reimbursement, but do not feel as though a more arbitrary amount is warranted. We also remain willing to keep an open dialogue and want to resolve this in the best manner for our guests. Despite this situation, we hope that they have enjoyed their experience overall. Regards, American Cruise Lines

Revdex.com:This is in error I do not accept the response
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: American Cruise Lines uses the word 'options' 3 times in their response and that is my point exactly.  There were NO vegetarian options presented.  There  was no plan to feed vegetarians even though I had been assured that ACL could meet our dietary needs.   ACL's response says "it is not always feasible to provide an assortment of options within each individual request."  We didn't need an assortment of options we needed ONE vegetarian option each day and there was not.  Instead the staff asked us what to fix for lunch and dinner which indicates a complete lack of planning on the part of American Cruise Lines.  The writer of ACL's response states "The preponderance of guests....thoroughly enjoyed the culinary experience" which is what I have been saying all along and why I requested a partial refund.  My expectation based on ACL's website and their literature was that our cruise experience would include the enjoyment of a fine culinary experience.  We did not enjoy a fine culinary experience because there was no plan in place to feed vegetarians.  We inquired about this before we plunked down our $5000 plus.  If customer service had said 'Yes we can accommodate your vegetarian diet if you plan your own menus once you get on board' we probably would have spent our money elsewhere; for example [redacted].  Here is what their website says:  "Savory vegetarian options are available at every meal, like the Potato
and Vegetable Curry with Chick Peas served with Jasmine Rice or the
Saffron Risotto with Spinach and Pine Nuts. Fresh fruit or other
vegetarian snacks are available in the Front Porch of America at all
times."  I wish I was on that company's cruise.  American Cruise Lines failed to keep their commitment to us and thus robbed us of the opportunity to look for a company that does know how to feed vegetarians and that is why I feel ripped off.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: the cruise line stated it is an authentic paddlewheeler.  It pictures the [redacted] with its paddle pushing water and this is what we wanted , so we booked the cruise.  To our dismay the wheel was disconnected so it could never have propelled the boat on this trip.  At no time did the captain or company's corporate representative, Mr [redacted], admit that the wheel was not operational.  As to the existence of propellers - only one was ever seen operating, port side.  As to [redacted] tour it consisted of a bus tour through the park and a 15 minute stop at the gunboat AND museum.  This stop was incredibly too short a time to do one let alone both. Bottom line is, we expected a paddlewheel boat trip and they did not deliver.  We feel this is misreprenting their product.  We are only requesting the 25% offered by Mr [redacted] for a furture cruise, instead to be returned to us.
Sincerely,
[redacted]