A North Carolina mother and her four children were left heartbroken when they were denied boarding for a Royal Caribbean cruise at Port Canaveral due to a misunderstanding over the identification of one of their sons, who has special needs. The family had prepared everything in advance, including verifying with the cruise line that the son’s student ID would be acceptable, but the situation still led to a disappointing outcome.
The mother, Shannon Nutting, explained that she and her children were excitedly preparing for the trip when they arrived at the port, only to be told that the 16-year-old son’s ID was not valid. Despite having spoken with Royal Caribbean prior to the cruise about their son’s special needs, the family was assured that the student ID would suffice.
However, upon checking in, the staff reversed their decision, and Nutting was left frustrated and crying. She tried to reason with a supervisor, but ultimately, the family was unable to board the ship, watching it sail away without them.
Royal Caribbean has since taken steps to provide further training for port personnel on acceptable travel documentation for special cases like Nutting’s son. The company offered the family several options for compensation, including a 100% future cruise credit and a full refund plus a 25% credit, but Nutting refused any of these offers, citing that she did not make the mistake.
Nutting is now planning to be more thorough in her documentation efforts if she cruises with her family again. Despite this incident, she remains committed to cruising and has stated that she would want to get everything in writing before booking a future trip.
Source: https://www.cruisehive.com/miscommunication-leads-family-to-miss-cruise-who-is-at-fault/166422