A group well known for helping ordinary people solve disputes with big corporations came to the rescue of a cruise passenger. But what, exactly, led the Elliott Advocacy agency to accuse a cruise line of trying to shake down a guest?
Why Cruiser Was Upset With Holland America
As happens nearly every day, Greg Rothman of California, used a certificate he’d received from a casino in order to book a sailing.
Many land-based casinos have partnerships with cruise lines. As part of these reciprocal arrangements, the casinos might distribute “free cruise” certificates.
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In this case, Rothman used a $650 certificate he’d received from MGM to book a veranda stateroom on a Holland America ship. He received confirmation both over the phone and in an email.
But at some point before the actual sailing, Rothman received notice that the price had changed to $1,450, and he could either pay the $800 difference or lose his stateroom. Instead, he reached out to the Elliott Agency in hopes they might help resolve the issue.
Was Holland America Price Change Legal?
Upon looking into the matter, the agency determined that Rothman not only was in the right, but had taken the correct steps to resolve the matter. (Before contacting the consumer rights group, Rothman had attempted to deal directly with Holland America, which he says blamed MGM for the mistake.)
According to Christopher Elliott, the agency’s founder, “Once Holland America issued an invoice showing a paid-in-full stateroom, it created a binding contract under federal maritime law and California’s consumer protection statutes.”
According to the advocate, “You accepted a quoted price, paid in full [and] received written confirmation… Holland America, meanwhile, followed a different script: blame the casino partner, change the terms and dare the customer to walk away. That’s not customer service. It’s a shakedown.”
Did Holland America Do the Right Thing?
Ultimately, Rothman’s decision to reach out to Elliott Advocacy proved a smart one.
Not only did the agency help Rothman set sail at the originally agreed-upon price, but he also received a phone call apology and a $200 onboard credit.
“I’m happy this is resolved,” wrote Elliott, “but it shouldn’t have taken all of these escalations for Holland America to help you. But in an age of increasing automation, apparently that’s what it takes.”
