JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Several people say they were recently scammed into purchasing a three-day Royal Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas.
Among those affected was a 71-year-old woman who had planned to celebrate her 72nd birthday on the trip. The group had booked a room on the Utopia of the Seas and were scheduled to set sail the last weekend in November.
Nyeasha Lambert and Rochelle Price, of Jacksonville and Ocala, respectively, recounted their experience of being scammed by a woman who claimed to be a travel agent for Royal Caribbean. The woman had posted an offer on Facebook for a three-day cruise to the Bahamas.
“We had to pay $100 upfront,” Lambert explained. “And then over time, we paid off the cruise. The whole cruise was $523 at best. And then, she also said that once we were on the bus, we had to pay an additional $25.”
The payments were made through Cash App until the trip was fully paid. Lambert and Price received reservation numbers at the beginning of November and later received a booking confirmation. However, when it was time to board the bus to the port, they were not allowed on.
“It was embarrassing,” Lambert said. “People that were there saw us put the luggage on, take the luggage off, and get back in my car, literally crying, saying, ‘What just happened?’”
Price and her family contacted Royal Caribbean to investigate the issue.
“She stated the changes were made on the 20th and the 21st, the last change or call from the group leader was made on Nov. 23, and it wasn’t to correct or add any of our names,” Price explained.
Lambert urged travelers to book directly with cruise lines to avoid any possible scams.
Price also recommended “going with your gut” when faced with uncertainty about booking trips or vacations, saying, “If you don’t feel good about it, just don’t do it and do your research on the organization, the agency, and the individual. It doesn’t matter if you know them or the person that you love knows them. Do your research.”
There are legitimate travel agencies who can help you book cruises. But it’s important to go directly to the agency to avoid scams. If you see a posting on social media for a special deal, do NOT click links or respond to the social media post. Instead, look up the associated travel agency to make sure it’s a legitimate business and then contact them directly.
“As the owner of a legitimate travel agency, I frequently participate in training both in person and virtually with cruise lines and work hard to maintain a good relationship with them. I also operate as an LLC and am insured,” said Riley Storey, a local agent with Dream Vacations. “There are thousands of other travel agencies like mine that operate with integrity, and take joy in helping others chart unfamiliar territory and plan vacations that the consumer may have saved for years to take.”
On Dec. 31, Lambert told News4JAX her trip had been fully reimbursed.