The Cortes family set out on a five-day Royal Caribbean cruise. When their seven-month-old daughter became sick, throwing up and having diarrhea, the ship doctor told them she was dehydrated and needed to be seen at a hospital immediately, so they were all put off the boat . . . in a random Bahamas town, with no passports, reports WFTV Orlando. The family said a security guard gave them 10 minutes to pack their bags and get off the boat. It was 11 o'clock at night. "I asked if my wife could get out of their pajamas and there was no time for that. We had to leave," Luis Cortes said.
But the hospital said the baby only had a cold. By then, the ship had left and the family had to spend thousands to get home.
The cruise line has offered them a voucher for a future cruise, but no refund or reimbursement, because they didn't buy travel insurance. Here's one way they could recoup their losses: this trip would make a great advertisement for travel insurance.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. They did not take away their passports. The family did not have their passports on the ship to start with.
Passports are not YET required for travel by sea to the Caribbean. They are however required for travel by air to or from the Carribean.
If they were put off the boat, it is logical to assume the only way for them to get home would be by plane, so not having a passport would then become a problem.
Not defending the cruise line. Just clearing up the idea that their passports were taken from them.
Krissy at 4:40AM on Apr 29th 2008
17. Despite the apparent belief of #15, Kathy, and "stunningly" enough, dehydration is Often a factor in cold and flu viruses.
It is why we encourage sick people to "drink plenty of fluids."
The symptoms of dehydration WERE evident... which is probably why he advised a hospital. He couldn't have known the ship wouldn't give them 12 hours. You can't "just expect" people not to be Human.
Although it must be a comforting thing to be smarter than a doctor without even familiarizing yourself with the charts. (Not that I have; but the doc DID.)
Aine at 12:00AM on Jun 3rd 2008