Carnival Cruise passengers fight for refunds after overheated cruise left travelers sleeping outside

Travelers aboard a Carnival Sunrise cruise on July 24 were witnesses to unusually high ocean temperatures and dysfunctional air conditioning. Although the cruise company pledged to refund affected passengers, a number of them are yet to receive the promised compensation. An individual who was on board shared with Insider that the company's response to the problem only made matters worse, exacerbating an already distressing situation.

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While on its journey to Grand Cayman and Jamaica in late July, the Carnival Sunrise encountered scorching temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. Passengers onboard expressed their dissatisfaction with the sweltering conditions in their cabins, which posed not only discomfort but also potential harm. Some guests reported that their rooms registered above 80 degrees, making the situation even more unbearable.

A viral video capturing scenes from the cruise ship went viral on various social media platforms. The video showed frustrated passengers standing in lengthy queues to express their grievances to the customer service. There were also photos circulating online that depicted thermometers inside the staterooms, which were quite expensive with prices starting from $294 per person per night. These images revealed unbearably high temperatures inside the rooms.

A passenger who was strongly affected, and wishes to remain anonymous, informed Insider shortly after arriving back at the port that they reached out to customer service. They were advised to send an email outlining their concerns to the official corporate customer service address.

"The person I spoke to couldn't address my worries," the traveler shared with Insider. "The email response I got mentioned that I should anticipate a reply via email in approximately 45 days from today."

The traveler displayed patience for a little more than 14 days until receiving a response from Carnival. Eventually, they were granted a credit, equivalent to approximately forty-nine percent of the total price for their July 24 tickets. This credit can be utilized towards a forthcoming cruise, leading to her overall contentment with the outcome.

Unfortunate individuals have not had the same level of fortune.

According to Insider, Jaquillia Jones expressed her dissatisfaction after embarking on a cruise alongside her 12-year-old child and 27 additional relatives for a group holiday. Despite lodging a complaint, she was merely compensated with a deduction of $160 from her overall bill, which amounted to over $2,000.

Jones examined her bill and a correspondence from Carnival Cruise Line that stated she was granted a reimbursement of 50% of her cruise fee, which would be credited to her online account. Despite being assured that she would receive the same compensation as certain fellow passengers, Jones informed Insider that she had not been contacted again by the company.

"I comprehend that unforeseen incidents occur. I recently had to install a new air conditioning system in my residence, so I can relate. However, it wasn't just the unfortunate event that infuriated me, but also the disrespect that came along with it. It seems like these corporations believe they have the freedom to mistreat customers, and I strongly oppose such behavior," expressed Jones to Insider.

Jones mentioned that she expressed her dissatisfaction during her time on the ship. However, she was advised to contact the customer service hotline of the company. To her disappointment, when she eventually made the call from her home, she was informed by the representative that there was no action they could take since she had already disembarked from the ship.

Aside from the malfunctioning air conditioning, Jones also mentioned that her room was not properly tidied when she arrived, and the quality of the food had noticeably deteriorated compared to her previous experiences on Carnival Cruise. It is worth noting that Jones had embarked on over six Carnival Cruises before, but she adamantly declares that she will not be choosing to travel with them anymore.

According to Jones, she could pardon the other problems, but the air conditioning was absolutely not acceptable. She further expressed her amazement and disapproval regarding the company's approach towards addressing customer grievances.

Despite Jones receiving a partial reimbursement for her expenses and obtaining a confirmation letter stating that she will receive a credit refund, several other travelers are still eagerly waiting for any updates. Many Sunrise passengers, who shared their experiences on TikTok regarding the unbearable conditions onboard due to the absence of air conditioning, continue to express their frustration over the delay in receiving their refunds even weeks after disembarking at the port.

A lady documented a portion of her lengthy four-hour wait in the queue to talk to the customer support team. Sharing her experience, she mentioned that she had been waiting for over two weeks to receive a response regarding her anticipated reimbursement from the cruise company, but she did receive communication from their billing section.

"They recently dropped me a message stating that I have a debt of $10 even though I had $14 dollars from my previous deposit, including the credit on my spending card," she expressed, mentioning her card for expenses while on board.

An individual from Carnival Cruise Line expressed their apologies to guests who were affected by a "stressed air conditioning system." They mentioned that the main components responsible for the initial air conditioning malfunction have been substituted.

The statement mentioned that if a guest onboard Carnival Sunrise expressed dissatisfaction regarding the temperature in their stateroom, the crew would be sent to evaluate the situation and measure the air temperature. It was further mentioned that the staterooms of these guests were consistently checked during the duration of the cruise.

Footage from the voyage captures extensive queues of disgruntled patrons patiently standing in line to approach the customer support personnel concerning their distressingly warm accommodations during their trip to Grand Cayman.

Jones informed Insider that no hotel employees came to her room to verify the indoor temperature, even after she expressed her concerns. She witnessed individuals opting to sleep by the pool in an attempt to keep cool during the nighttime. According to USA Today, another traveler resorted to taking turns with her spouse, sleeping on their balcony in hopes of catching a refreshing breeze.

The spokesperson refused to provide further information about whether each guest's room had remote temperature monitoring devices or how they planned to measure the temperature in every room without them.

The statement from Carnival Cruise Line stated that any passenger whose cabin was not cooled to the level of comfort we aim for would receive a refund of 50% of their fare for each day that their room was affected. The amount of the refund varied depending on the degree of impact, but the method of calculation remained consistent on a daily basis for all guests.

The spokesperson refused to provide further information concerning the exact temperature limit or method utilized to decide on giving a refund. The statement also clarified that a passenger's level in the loyalty scheme of the cruise company had no influence on the compensation proposal.

"We understand that certain individuals among our customers had an unfavorable experience, and we do not deny their right to express their dissatisfaction with the room temperature. However, we also maintain the authority to conduct in-room assessments and utilize our shipboard monitoring systems to verify the accuracy of the temperature," stated the company.

Jones expressed her disappointment with how the company dealt with her concerns, feeling hopeful that they would respond better considering her history of frequenting their vacations. She mentioned that her son's inaugural cruise experience was greatly disturbed as both of them struggled to sleep due to the intense heat.

"I can't wrap my head around the fact that they dealt with this situation in such a manner—I have no knowledge of the refunds others received, but I am well aware of what I received," expressed Jones. "It's absolutely astonishing how they treated me and disregarded my importance. I deserve better treatment too, you know."