Cunard Cruise Lines
Took money from my aunt and uncle without fulfilling their service NYC New York

My uncle had a heart attack and had to have a stent put into his heart the day before he and my aunt were to depart on a Cunard Cruise out of New York City.

They are retirees, are not wealthy and rarely travel. This trip was to be a dream trip for them. As my aunt waited at the hospital with my uncle, I tried to call Cunard customer service line to see how my aunt and uncle could either be refunded or have their trip postponed.

The customer service agent or "uest Relations" staff person informed me that as my aunt and uncle did not have travel insurance that they would neither be refunded nor would they be entitled to reschedule their trip at no charge.

I spent quite some time on the phone with this individual, becoming increasingly frustrated as he repeated over and over to me "It is our policy not to refund these tickets. Ma'am. I"m sorry your uncle had a heart attack but it is the day before the cruise. The "guest relations" person informed me that "Cunard "is a business" and has policies which they must stick by. He further informed me that in his "9 years of working for your firm" he has never known of someone to get refunded in an instance like this.

I have been in business for 20 years, and the way that most businesses operate and maintain a strong reputation is by treating people with respect and understanding. Businesses that are ethical do not take money for a service that they do not provide. I can"t believe that they would have an employee brag about how well they stick to policies. I can"t name anyone in a highly successful, customer centric business who has not refunded customers, regardless of "the policy."

This company has not treated an elderly, fixed income couple with any modicum of respect. When a guest relations person cited that they had the opportunity to purchase travel insurance, in my opinion, this comes across as borderline extortion. The only way this cruise line will refund a trip if someone has a heart attack the day before a trip is via this mechanism? The airlines offer credits toward flights, with a change fee, if someone needs to make a change. Why not this firm? Frankly, it is the RIGHT thing to do.