A traveler has brought the Mediation a complaint following a modification of the itinerary of her Mediterranean cruise.
She argued that replacing a planned stop in Tunisia with a stop in Italy diminished the quality of her trip and sought compensation.
The passenger had booked a one-week Mediterranean cruise. The initial program included, among other components, a port of call at La Goulette in Tunisia. A few days before departure, the itinerary was altered and this stop was replaced with a Naples stop in Italy.
The traveler considered that this modification caused her to miss an important destination of her stay. She also argued that cruises offering an itinerary with a Naples stop were marketed at a lower price than what she had paid. She therefore requested a goodwill gesture of 300 euros.
The cruise company, for its part, refused any compensation, arguing that the modification did not justify a refund.
She argued that replacing a planned stop in Tunisia with a stop in Italy diminished the quality of her trip and sought compensation.
The passenger had booked a one-week Mediterranean cruise. The initial program included, among other components, a port of call at La Goulette in Tunisia. A few days before departure, the itinerary was altered and this stop was replaced with a Naples stop in Italy.
The traveler considered that this modification caused her to miss an important destination of her stay. She also argued that cruises offering an itinerary with a Naples stop were marketed at a lower price than what she had paid. She therefore requested a goodwill gesture of 300 euros.
The cruise company, for its part, refused any compensation, arguing that the modification did not justify a refund.
What the texts say:
To form her opinion, the Mediation relied on Article L. 211-16 of the Tourism Code, which provides that the organizer of a package tour is responsible for the proper execution of the services provided under the contract.This same text specifies that when a significant portion of the services cannot be provided as agreed, the professional must offer replacement arrangements and, if those are of inferior quality, grant the traveler an appropriate price reduction.
In this case, replacing a stop at La Goulette with a Naples stop did not constitute a simple itinerary adjustment. It involved two destinations located in different countries, offering distinct tourist experiences.
What the Tourism and Travel Mediation recommends:
The Mediation thus considered that this modification concerned an important element of the trip and that the substitute service was of lower quality than initially planned.
Under these conditions, without calling into question the overall execution of the cruise, the Mediation deemed a price reduction justified. It recommended granting compensation equal to 15% of the cruise price to offset the itinerary change.
Under these conditions, without calling into question the overall execution of the cruise, the Mediation deemed a price reduction justified. It recommended granting compensation equal to 15% of the cruise price to offset the itinerary change.
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