Arrangements for the Cruise Package are made many months in advance by the Company. The Company expressly reserves the right to change the arrangements for the Cruise package, should such changes become necessary or advisable for operational, commercial or safety reasons. Changes to one or more ports on the vessel’s scheduled itinerary may occur from time to time for a variety of reasons including but not limited to storms or hurricanes, rescue of others at sea, medical emergencies requiring vessel diversion, strikes or civil disruption or medical quarantine ashore. Changes to one or more ports shall not be considered a booking change under this Section. In the event of a significant alteration to an essential term of the Contract, the Company will inform the Passenger or the Passenger’s Travel Agent of such change in writing as soon as reasonably possible. In such circumstances, the Passenger will be offered the choice of
(a) accepting the alteration;
(b) booking another Cruise package from the Company’s brochure and/or from the Official Website of equivalent quality, if available; or
(c) booking another Cruise package from the Company’s brochure and/or from the Official Website of lower quality, if available, with a refund of the difference in price;
(d) cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid.
The notification of alteration will specify a reasonable response period by which the Passenger must notify the Company of his/her decision. If the Passenger fails to respond within the imparted time contained in the Notice, the alterations will be considered to be accepted. In the event that it becomes impossible for the vessel to return the Passenger to their disembarkation port as agreed in the Contract, or in the event the Cruise Package or any portion or component thereof, is advanced, postponed, abbreviated, or cancelled for any reason other than due to mechanical failure, Carrier shall not have any liability to Passenger whatsoever, including but not limited to loss, compensation or refund, by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement, substitution or deviation except as may otherwise be provided herein. In the event the cruise component of any Cruise Package is advanced, postponed, abbreviated, or cancelled or it becomes impossible for the vessel to return the Passenger to their disembarkation port as agreed in the Contract due to mechanical failure, the Company shall have no liability to the passenger except for
(a) a full refund of the cruise fare if the Cruise is canceled in full, or a partial pro-rata refund if the cruise is terminated early;
(b) transportation (by means selected by the Carrier) to the Vessel’s scheduled disembarkation port or the Passenger’s home city (at Carrier’s option); and
(c) one night’s lodging (selected by the Cruise Line) if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required due to the Cruise being cancelled or terminated early because of such mechanical failures. For cruises which do not include a port in the USA and which do not embark or disembark in any USA port and which are subject to E.U. law, where longer periods are provided for in EU passenger rights legislation applicable to the relevant means of transport for the traveler’s return, those periods and rights shall apply. Refunds and partial refunds made pursuant to this Paragraph or elsewhere in this these Booking Terms and Conditions, may, at the Company’s sole option, be made in the form of a cruise credit certificate valid for a period of at least one year from the date of issuance.