In November 2024, a family from Berkshire booked a cruise with Royal Caribbean for themselves and their severely disabled 26-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy due to a birth injury. The cruise, costing £16,000, was intended to provide an accessible family adventure. Given that their son requires round-the-clock care from a team of eight carers at home, the family booked three additional spots for carers to accompany him.
Booking complications and unfair charges
Because the carers had other commitments, the family could not confirm their names at the time of booking. They were advised by Royal Caribbean to provide the names by April, when the balance was due. When they did so, they were informed that each name change would incur a £75 fee, and that each carer would lose the $325 (£239) onboard credit originally included in the booking. Furthermore, the family received a notice that the wheelchair-accessible riverboat excursion they had booked for everyone was non-transferable, meaning it would be cancelled and refunded for the three carers. Since the riverboat trip was no longer listed, they could not rebook the carers.
Discrimination concerns
The family argued that they would not have faced these issues if their son did not have a disability, making the policy highly discriminatory. They complained to Royal Caribbean but received no resolution. The cruise line's behaviour was described as inexplicable and outrageous, given that it was aware of the son's circumstances and the likelihood of name changes due to carer availability. The cancellation notice for the river trip offered no explanation or apology.
Resolution after intervention
Upon being contacted by a consumer champion, Royal Caribbean responded swiftly. Within 20 hours, the company confirmed that the name-change fees would be waived, the onboard credit reinstated, and the river trip rebooked for the carers. The cruise line did not provide a comment or respond to further questions. This case highlights potential violations of the Equality Act, which prohibits policies that disadvantage people with disabilities.
The family expressed relief but emphasised that the initial treatment was unfair and discriminatory. They hope that Royal Caribbean will review its policies to prevent similar issues for other disabled passengers.
