Royal Caribbean resolves disabled son’s cruise booking dispute

In November 2024, a family booked a cruise for July 2025, including an accessible cabin for their severely disabled 26-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy from a birth injury.

At home, the son requires round-the-clock care from a team of eight carers, prompting the family to book three additional spots for care workers to accompany them on the trip.

Because the care team had other commitments, the family could not confirm names at the time of booking and were told to do so by April, when the balance had to be paid.

When they provided the names, Royal Caribbean imposed a £75 fee for each name change and stated that each care worker would lose the $325 (£239) onboard credit that was part of the original booking.

The family then received a notice that the wheelchair-accessible river boat excursion they had booked for all would be cancelled and refunded for the three care workers, as it was non-transferable. The river trip is no longer listed for rebooking.

We wouldn’t have this problem if he didn’t have a disability, so it seems highly discriminatory, the reader wrote in a complaint.

The cruise, costing £16,000 for the reader and his son, was intended as an accessible family adventure, given the son’s condition.

Royal Caribbean’s behaviour is as inexplicable as it is outrageous. It knew of your son’s circumstances and of the likelihood that there would be three name changes when carers were in a position to confirm availability. The bald notice of cancellation of the river trip gave no explanation or apology.

You are right: this potentially falls foul of the Equality Act, which outlaws policies or practices that disadvantage people with a disability.

Royal Caribbean reacted with speed when I pointed this out. Within 20 hours, it contacted you to confirm that the name-change fees would be cancelled, the onboard credit reinstated, and the river trip rebooked.

It did not respond to my questions or provide a comment. We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to our terms and conditions.