California Woman Says Carnival Cancelled Her Cruise After Scammer Called

Photo byCruise Fever

A California woman is sharing a cruise scam that cancelled her entire cruise vacation just days before the departure date.

According to news reports, Brittany Paine was preparing for an eagerly anticipated Mother’s Day cruise when she received a call from an individual claiming to be a Carnival Cruise Line representative.

The caller informed Paine of an outstanding balance of $294 for a "deck fee" and warned that the payment was necessary to board the ship. Believing the caller to be legitimate, Paine promptly paid the fee.

But after she hung up the phone she began to question what the call was really all about.

Photo byCruise Fever

Paine contacted Carnival directly and was met with disbelief.

“She said, ‘No, ma’am, that was a scam,’” Paine recounted. “‘We wouldn’t have charged you a deck fee. Go ahead and dispute that with your bank.’”

Fortunately, Paine was able to recover her funds through a bank dispute.

But the ordeal was far from over. Shortly after, Paine received a notification that her cruise had been canceled.

The cancellation was a devastating blow, as the trip was a much-anticipated getaway with her children. Paine believes the cancellation was a retaliatory act by the scammer.

“I was in tears. I said, ‘Please, this is Mother’s Day weekend with my kids,’” Paine said.

Carnival initially denied a refund, citing the cancellation policy for bookings made within 15 days of departure. However, following media attention, the company reversed its decision and offered a full refund.

The financial impact of the incident was substantial.

“To come up with $900 for a trip for my kids, it was only feasible by making payments and taking out a loan. So it was a lot of money for me,” Paine explained.

Scams targeting travelers have become increasingly common, according to a Carnival spokesperson.

“Unfortunately scammers target travelers,” the spokesperson said. Paine is determined to share her story to warn others about the dangers of these scams.

“Nobody is safe from these scams. And they get better and better,” she said.

As travel resumes post-pandemic, consumers are urged to remain vigilant and exercise caution when dealing with unexpected requests for payment.

Verifying information through official channels and being wary of unsolicited calls or emails can help protect against falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.

When in doubt, just call the cruise line directly instead of giving out any information to someone who calls you.