Royal Caribbean shares slide following refund fiasco
Cruise line tweeted that passengers who bought the Premier Pass will be fully refunded
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Royal Caribbean shares slipped early Wednesday morning after the cruise line operator was forced to issue refunds to passengers over an online package booking system error.
The stock opened 3% lower following news that the operator of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea Cruises offered a Premier Pass package on its website that wasn't actually available.
The stock continued to fall – dragged down along with the rest of the market – on concerns about the strength of banks on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCL | ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP | 244.06 | +2.44 | +1.01% |
| CCL | CARNIVAL CORP. | 25.43 | +0.29 | +1.15% |
| NCLH | NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS LTD. | 26.89 | -0.01 | -0.02% |
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According to Cruise Hive, the package included VIP experiences such as priority boarding, a welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot, an inside access tour, personal laundry service, a meal with the ship’s officers and unlimited internet access.
However, the company ended up pulling the offer, saying it wasn't available, even after travelers purchased tickets, the outlet reported. The move caused quite an uproar.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told FOX Business that the issue stemmed from two system errors that uploaded incorrect information onto its My Royal Cruise platform.
As a result, "the platform published incorrect pricing for a shore excursion in Nassau, Bahamas, the Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark tour, and displayed a Premium Package not offered by us," the spokesperson said. "Our teams worked diligently to resolve the issues, and it is now accurately reflected in My Royal Cruise."
On Twitter, the company also notified concerned consumers that an error with its online package booking system allowed guests to purchase The Premier Pass which was "not available for Royal Caribbean International guests."
The spokesperson said travelers who booked these packages will receive a full refund and an additional $50 onboard credit for the inconvenience.
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Still, some customers weren't pleased with the response.
"A refund is not appropriate in this situation," one user replied. "You advertised a product and took our money."
The user continued by saying, "you need to find a way to make this right other than refunding us."
Another user called the situation "unacceptable."
"What kind of company runs this way?" the user asked.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.