This is like ordering an Uber to go out to a fancy restaurant, only to have them drop you off at Denny’s.
A while back, a couple from Ohio booked a Virgin Voyages cruise to Bermuda to celebrate their parents’ anniversary. It was scheduled to start last Monday, but a few days before, on Friday, they got a surprise email from Virgin.
There was some bad weather forecasted, so they were re-routing them from Bermuda, to NORTHERN CANADA. They said, “We’ll be heading to Northern Canada and St. John, New Brunswick. We’re going to the Arctic.”
The email did note, “St. John will feel a little bit different from Bermuda, with crisp coastal air and a completely new backdrop to explore” and they suggested everyone “bring a few extra layers.” But they’d already packed.
The couple said they thought the email was a joke at first, because it was written so playfully. But it was legit. They were going to Canada, and all they got was $100 onboard credit for the inconvenience.
After the video went viral, Virgin did apologize for the tone of the email, and admitted that they need to do better.
But Virgin did add, “Itineraries can change for safety, but you deserve us to be real about it when they do.”
For the record, the family DID go on the cruise. And they later said, “We completely understand and respect [Virgin Voyage’s] expertise on keeping passengers safe due to weather. But also are questioning their customer service and willingness to make things right for high paying customers.”
(Here’s the viral video. And here’s them exploring St. John. It’s pretty funny. To be clear, they apparently DID have the option of getting a full refund in the form of a credit if they chose NOT to go to Canada.)
(Newsweek)
