CRUISE NEWS - Consumer Rescue

Norwegian Breakaway took these passengers to Puerto Plata where the mom unexpectedly purchased a $3,100 facial wand and ruined the rest of the cruise.

Instant regret: Cruise passenger buys $3,100 “magic device” during a port stop

May 4, 2026May 3, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Don’t let extreme buyer’s remorse ruin your next cruise. Impulsively spending money you don’t have on something you don’t want is a recipe for a vacation disaster. During a recent sailing, one Norwegian Cruise Line passenger learned this painful $3,100 lesson the hard way.

Here’s her cautionary tale and what cruise passengers should know about the unpleasant realities of overspending during port-stop shopping excursions.

Visa rules are causing travelers to be denied boarding cruises that stop in Brazil.

Shock at the dock: Brazil visa rule leaves nearly 100 cruise passengers denied boarding

May 7, 2026April 26, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Attention travelers: If your cruise ship is docking in Brazil, get a tourist visa or get denied boarding.

Here are some of the newest and most expensive mistakes travelers are making in 2026.

4 easily avoidable travel mistakes that ruin trips and cost thousands

May 17, 2026April 5, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Every week, travelers come to me after losing thousands of dollars on trips that should have been simple. They’re all hoping to find out how to get their money back and who is responsible for their losses. But for some, the answers to those questions are not what they expected.

These are the biggest travel mistakes I’m seeing in 2026 — and how to avoid them.

Why did these Celebrity Cruises passengers believe they could stay on board the ship in Brazil and skip the visa requirements?

Help! Celebrity Cruises denied boarding to us. Whose mistake was this?

April 28, 2026March 12, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Loyal Celebrity Cruises passenger Cherie Johnson booked a transatlantic cruise from Europe to South America a year in advance. She and her husband were greatly looking forward to celebrating her 75th birthday during the 3-week voyage. But when the day came to set sail on Celebrity Equinox last November, they were shockingly denied boarding the ship.

Scam call center pretending to be Costco Travel ticks cruise ship passengers

Cruise ship passengers tricked out of $6,000 by fake Costco Travel

April 26, 2026February 6, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

On Black Friday, Shane McCormick called Costco Travel to book four cabins on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska. At least that’s what he thought he was doing. In reality, he dialed the wrong number and instead of Costco Travel he reached a scam call center.

Of course, the man on the other end of the line didn’t alert McCormick of his error. In fact, the call was exactly what the fake Costco Travel agent had been waiting for all day. The bad actor was more than happy to collect $6,000 from his unaware target.

Travel agent arrested, Tavia Thomas gave her clients fake cruise documents, no reservation on Symphony of the Seas

Travel agent arrested, charged with stealing $35,000 from cruise ship passengers

May 6, 2026January 13, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

A Long Island travel agent has been arrested and charged with scamming would-be cruise ship passengers out of $35,000. And that’s not all that Tavia Thomas of Hempstead, New York, is being accused of doing. Other clients say Thomas collected almost $8,000 for a destination wedding that she booked — and then canceled — behind their backs. Another disgruntled customer paid over $10,000 for a nonexistent Caribbean luxury vacation to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday.

Cruise passenger mistakes to avoid in 2026, mild to extreme cruiser mistakes

8 cruise ship passenger mistakes ranked from mild to extreme in 2026

May 3, 2026January 2, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Kesha Green* made what is arguably the most dire mistake a passenger can make on a cruise ship. Just hours after boarding Carnival Conquest in Miami, she found herself unexpectedly brawling with two young women. Green says the surprise fisticuffs happened after the strangers stole her son’s iPhone and other belongings from a pool chair.

She tracked down the duo and demanded they return her boy’s property, but instead, the confrontation quickly became physical.

Le Louvre, Tourist scams warning from Michelle Couch-Friedman (ombudsman columnist)

5 terrible tourist scams that could ruin your vacation in 2026

April 5, 2026November 13, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Could an ombudsman columnist who routinely writes about tourist scams become the target of one herself? The answer is, of course, “Yes.” No traveler is immune to the possibility of a brush with a bad actor — not even me.

Norwegian Spirit cruise ship, Passenger denied boarding cruise, NCL changes its decision later

Norwegian Cruise Line refused to let me board the ship. Is this legal?

April 12, 2026October 20, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Norwegian Cruise Line recently denied boarding to a bewildered passenger in Tokyo — she says, solely because of her nationality. But the next day, NCL reversed course and told the woman she was welcome to join the cruise.

Unfortunately, by then, Norwegian Spirit had sailed and was nearly 500 miles away in Kobe.

Aurora Expeditions celebrates Vantage Explorations' 2nd birthday, The Sylvia Earle is one of Aurora's luxury ships, approaching the expedition ship in a kayak

Vantage Explorations turns 2, and Aurora Expeditions has big news!

April 24, 2026October 4, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Aurora Expeditions’ subsidiary Vantage Explorations just turned two years old. To celebrate this milestone, the cruise line has big news and a $2,500 booking bonus for cruisers.

Here’s what’s next for Vantage Explorations and Aurora Expeditions.

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