- Viking Cruises Sponsors The Vikings Exhibition
- AmaWaterways Debuts New Ship
- Danube Cruise with Airfare
- Viking River Cruises Expands
- Tauck is Upgrading Its Ships
- Emerald Waterways Adds 2 New Ships
- Best River Cruises by USA Today
- Uniworld Launches Two Themed Cruises
- Crystal Cruises’ New Itineraries
- Uniworld Launches Virtual Reality App
Scenic Tours Class Action Suit
Class Action Suit Against Scenic Tours
Here’s some interesting river cruise news. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a couple has filed a class action suit against Australian travel company Scenic Tours.
David Moore and Janette Howell spent $26,200 dollars on a river cruise through France and Germany. They were looking forward to a lovely river cruise. Instead, Mother Nature got in the way. Heavy rains caused the water levels on the Rhine, Saone, Rhone and Danube rivers to such heights that for six months river cruise boats were unable to navigate the rivers.
River water heights always affect river cruises. Too high or too low and the boats can’t ply the waters. It’s a terrible thing but it comes with river cruising. River cruise companies provide motor coaches to transport passengers from one city to another. Not exactly a luxury river cruise.
Not the actual flood.
But here’s the rub.
Other cruise companies cancelled or delayed their tours. Scenic Tours did not. Passengers weren’t given any warning of the “changes, disruption or delays to the itinerary necessitated by the weather.”
Evidently, the passengers spent hours on second-rate coaches, including one without a working toilet. Gross. And no air conditioning. Oy. The tour became a series of long bus rides and “low-budget hotels.”
That sucks.
More than 120 passengers have joined the class action suit.
Scenic Tours is claiming they are not in the wrong. Basically the company is saying, “Mother Nature happens. We can change the itinerary.” And Scenic Tours is also saying, “Hey it wasn’t us. Blame the independent contractors we use. That includes Scenic Tours Europe AG. If you have a problem, sue them.
Scenic Tours offered the couple a $500 refund or $1000 off their next cruise.
A judgement won’t be coming soon. The case goes to court in July and a hearing will take place in April 2016.
It will be interesting to see the result.
One Comment