Aussie couple fume after they are bumped from overbooked Royal Caribbean cruise and their dream holiday ruined – and you won’t believe how they were told

By Freddy Pawle For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 02:23 GMT, 30 November 2023 | Updated: 03:13 GMT, 30 November 2023

An Aussie couple just seconds away from boarding a holiday cruise has been left behind after the company Royal Caribbean overbooked the voyage.

The married couple arrived at Port of Brisbane on Tuesday ready to embark on an eight-night cruise through the South Pacific aboard the Quantum of the Seas.

However, just as they were about to walk on board, they were refused entry and told that none of the ship’s 2,090 cabins were available.

They were then handed a letter on behalf of Royal Caribbean International which confirmed the voyage had been overbooked.

The disappointed guests had paid at least $595 each for the cruise only to have their holiday ruined.

A couple has been left furious after their South Pacific cruise holiday on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas (pictured) was ruined because the ship had been overbooked

The letter from Royal Caribbean said the cruise company had been ‘unable to allocate a stateroom number’ to the couple’s reservation. 

‘The time and effort you took to plan your cruise is important to us, and we apologise for the inconvenience,’ it read.

‘Every aspect of your time with us should be enjoyable, so we have put together some alternate options that we hope will work for you.’

The couple were then given four alternate options, including the offer of a refund.

One option offered a full refund and 25 per cent off a future cruise with the company if they decided to leave, while another added an extra $100US in onboard credit if they stuck around and lucky enough for a spot to open up.

The other two options included changing their booking to a nine-night cruise with a similar itinerary on January 29 or choose another seven or eight-night cruise with a complimentary upgrade ‘if available’.

The couple were handed a letter from Royal Caribbean telling them they had four options for compensation to choose from instead of boarding the cruise costing at least $595 each

The frustrated customer instead decided to take to Reddit, posting an image of the letter to vent about the alternative options.

They said that the 25 per cent off a future cruise ‘is not nearly enough compensation’ and asked if there was a way to take it any further.

A statement from Royal Caribbean International told Daily Mail Australia that demand for the cruise had gone ‘beyond the rooms that were available’.

‘Unfortunately, efforts to accommodate all those who wished to sail that fell short for a group of our guests, and some were unable to sail as planned,’ the statement read.

‘We take these disruptions seriously, and we apologise for the inconvenience this has caused. 

‘We have worked with each guest that was affected to rectify the inconvenience this has caused.’

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Aussie couple fume after they are bumped from overbooked Royal Caribbean cruise and their dream holiday ruined – and you won’t believe how they were told

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