DAYTON â Stranded in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico for five days probably wasnât what passengers on the Carnival Cruise ship âTriumphâ envisioned when they booked their winter vacation.
Tisha Smith of Dayton says sheâs been on two cruises, and canât imagine being surrounded by the smell of spoiled food and no working toilets.
âI probably wouldâve got on one of those rescue boats and took off. No way would I stay on a boat that has sewage running down the walls. That is nasty,â said Tisha Smith of Dayton.
Indeed, Triumphâs passengers were in a tough spot, but can anything be done in that situation? Doing a little homework is a start.
âIf you do your research, research the company, look at past experiences consumers might have had,â said John North of the Better Business Bureau.
Travel insurance can help protect your wallet, too, beforehand anyway.
âThere are some that will allow you to cancel if you become ill or injured and there are other cancel-for-any-reason kinds of policies, but itâs always smart to book with a trusted name,â said Cindy Antrican of AAA.
Travel agents agree, traveling can be a risky business, especially for your wallet when it comes to things beyond human control, such as weather or the engine fire and power outage on Triumph, which can leave people out of thousands of dollars.
Luckily for would-be travelers, Triumphâs experience isnât the norm, North said. For Tisha Smith in Dayton, she says if she had spent days out to sea without food and toilets she would be done cruising for a while.
â[After] going through that, Iâd be like I donât know if I want to do this again, you know, crazy!â said Smith.
Travel insurance and advance research can help protect you before a travel emergency. Seeking legal help is always an option after the fact, but it does come at a price. Many cruise contracts are ironclad and itâs often difficult for passengers to sue cruises for damages.
Tisha Smith of Dayton says sheâs been on two cruises, and canât imagine being surrounded by the smell of spoiled food and no working toilets.
âI probably wouldâve got on one of those rescue boats and took off. No way would I stay on a boat that has sewage running down the walls. That is nasty,â said Tisha Smith of Dayton.
Indeed, Triumphâs passengers were in a tough spot, but can anything be done in that situation? Doing a little homework is a start.
âIf you do your research, research the company, look at past experiences consumers might have had,â said John North of the Better Business Bureau.
Travel insurance can help protect your wallet, too, beforehand anyway.
âThere are some that will allow you to cancel if you become ill or injured and there are other cancel-for-any-reason kinds of policies, but itâs always smart to book with a trusted name,â said Cindy Antrican of AAA.
Travel agents agree, traveling can be a risky business, especially for your wallet when it comes to things beyond human control, such as weather or the engine fire and power outage on Triumph, which can leave people out of thousands of dollars.
Luckily for would-be travelers, Triumphâs experience isnât the norm, North said. For Tisha Smith in Dayton, she says if she had spent days out to sea without food and toilets she would be done cruising for a while.
â[After] going through that, Iâd be like I donât know if I want to do this again, you know, crazy!â said Smith.
Travel insurance and advance research can help protect you before a travel emergency. Seeking legal help is always an option after the fact, but it does come at a price. Many cruise contracts are ironclad and itâs often difficult for passengers to sue cruises for damages.