It’s not unusual for a cruise ship’s debarkation day to be confusing and even frustrating, especially for guests who have flights to catch or who are just eager to be on their way home.
When there are delays, separated parties, a lack of communication, and other issues, however, even typical frustrations can boil over and leave a lasting negative impression on guests.
Virgin Voyages had such a confusing situation at the end of Resilient Lady‘s most recent sailing on Sunday, May 11, owing in part to an illness outbreak that complicated debarkation. While the problems were not entirely the cruise line’s fault, they have issued a detailed and heartfelt apology to guests.
“We want to begin by saying we’re truly sorry,” the email began. “As you know, a number of Sailors onboard experienced symptoms of gastroenteritis during your voyage.”
“While our Crew and Medical Team acted quickly to manage the situation and implement enhanced health protocols, the process around debarkation, particularly as requirements shifted with the local Port Health Authorities, was not what you deserved.”
Guests aboard the ship for the 7-night “Dubrovnik Day Mykonos” cruise roundtrip from Athens shared their experiences on Reddit, noting that it was the lack of communication during debarkation that was most frustrating.
Local port authorities required that all travelers exhibiting symptoms of the illness were to be debarked first and separately from other guests. This created confusion and stress among guests who were already not at their best.
Furthermore, all guests were required to wear masks for debarkation as an additional precaution.
Because Virgin Voyages minimizes public address (PA) announcements during sailings, very few announcements were made to clarify instructions during debarkation.
Guests noted that the process was slightly delayed, but pre-recorded announcements continued to play as if there had been no changes. Similarly, notifications in the cruise line’s app were not adjusted for the unusual situation.
Many impacted guests wrote to the cruise line after the debacle, sharing their frustrations and making sure the proper executives at Virgin Voyages were aware of the situation.
“We’ve heard your feedback: that communication felt slow and inconsistent, that the process seemed disorganized, and that it wasn’t always clear who to turn to for answers,” the cruise line acknowledged.
“We recognize that some of you were left feeling frustrated, uncertain, or unheard, and for that, we are deeply sorry.”
The email apology goes on to note that the cruise line should have communicated better to reassure guests that the situation was under control. Protocols are now being reviewed in order to minimize similar problems in the future.
“We appreciate you sailing with us, and we’re grateful for your honesty—even when it’s hard to hear. Thank you for helping us grow and hold ourselves to a higher standard,” the email concludes.
Should There Be Compensation?
One thing the email does not mention is any compensation being offered to guests. While some travelers picked up on this, most do not mind, given that the circumstances were out of the cruise line’s control.
After all, the majority of the cruise went off as planned, including ports of call, dining, and most entertainment – though some performances were cancelled due to illness, which can happen on any sailing for any cruise line.
What matters much more than any onboard credit or refund to guests is the fact that the cruise line readily admitted its shortcomings and took responsibility for not making the experience as smooth as possible.
“I’ve seen a lot of awful corporate non-apologies in my time, and this isn’t one of them,” one guest noted. “They have clearly referenced specifically what they got wrong, didn’t try to dodge responsibility for it and didn’t try to weasel-word anything.”
“This is one of the things I appreciate about Virgin, They are not afraid to say when they are wrong,” another guest said.
Read Also: Virgin Voyages Skyrocketing With Record-Breaking Bookings
Undoubtedly, the cruise line will be not only reviewing its own protocols but also communicating with port authorities about how to more smoothly handle any similar situations in the future.
Resilient Lady will remain homeported from Athens through mid-October, offering a variety of sailings to top destinations in the Greek Isles, Croatia, Turkey, and Montenegro.
