Hertz charged me $1,638 to fix a rental car I never drove. Help!
Could you get sent to collections over a $1,638 repair bill for a rental car you never drove? It happened to this Hertz customer.
CONSUMER ADVOCACY
The Consumer Rescue advocacy team resolves problems between consumers and the businesses that they patronize. We do this via direct mediation with companies — always free of charge.
These articles are the highlighted tales of our efforts to defend, protect, and educate consumers. Michelle Couch-Friedman is a consumer advocate, reporter and ombudsman columnist. She is also the founder of Consumer Rescue.
This is how to get a refund from a bankrupt airline
Bankrupt Spirit Airlines has canceled all future flights and announced its total cessation of operations on May 2, 2026, ending its 34-year run. Unfortunately, the troubled airline’s sudden shutdown has stranded thousands and perhaps millions of passengers mid-trip. Here’s what to know if you are one of those stranded travelers.
Did Norwegian Cruise Line really ban this guy over his itinerary changes complaint?
Would Norwegian Cruise Line ban a passenger just for complaining about itinerary changes? The answer likely depends on how the passenger delivers their grievance.
One former NCL customer recently discovered that his complaint about a port cancellation on an upcoming cruise wasn’t well received. And that’s an understatement.
Royal Caribbean canceled our cruise at the pier. Why did this happen?
Cruise passengers beware: Royal Caribbean will cancel your cruise if you have any unpaid balance after your contract’s due date. That’s true even if the balance you owe is small. One unaware couple learned this costly lesson at the pier when the cruise line blocked their attempt to board Navigator of the Seas.
Not only did the stunned couple miss their much-anticipated cruise to Mexico, but Royal Caribbean kept their $842 deposit, too.
Help! Why won’t Medicare pay for all these expensive blood tests?
What if your doctor recommended some expensive blood tests that Medicare would not cover? That’s what happened recently to Kim Hanks. Unfortunately, she didn’t find out until after her blood tests were complete that Medicare would not pay for them.
How did my vacation dreams end with me in a Mexican jail nightmare?
If you arrive in a foreign country without a valid passport in your hand, you’re going back home. That’s guaranteed. But sometimes, that’s not all that happens, unfortunately. Here’s how a simple passport mistake landed one female solo traveler with vacation dreams in a Mexican jail nightmare.
Here’s her story.
This cruise ship passenger made a big mistake booking an excursion. Can we help?
Cruise ship passengers beware: It matters how you reserve and pay for your shore excursions. A group of disgruntled cruisers recently learned this expensive lesson after making the mistake of booking an iceberg tour through a fellow passenger.
Here’s a warning about booking third-party cruise excursions and tours.
United Airlines banned this passenger for bad behavior. So why did he ask for compensation?
What happens when an unruly airline passenger refuses to follow the instructions of the cabin crew? This unaware and belligerent United Airlines customer and his family found out on their last flight with the carrier.
And I do mean last.
Falsely accused of smoking in your vacation rental? Here’s what to do
If you don’t smoke, I’m pretty sure you don’t pack cigarettes, marijuana, or a crack pipe when you go on vacation. Life-long nonsmoker Jason Gladden certainly didn’t bring any of that when he recently took his family to a baseball tournament. However, that didn’t stop his vacation rental host from charging the stunned dad a $250 smoking fee.
But the surprises didn’t stop there.
Aurora’s Vantage Explorations turns one year old. Here’s what to expect next
Today Aurora Expeditions’ Vantage Explorations turns one year old. In honor of this milestone, the cruise line is announcing new routes, a new ship, and a $3,000 booking bonus.
Here’s what’s next for Vantage Explorations and Aurora Expeditions.
