Are you planning on going on a cruise ship soon? Then you should know about a new scam targeting tourists on the high seas. A cruise ship expert is ringing the alarm bell over those supposedly free days at luxury resorts.
If something seems too good to be true, then it often is. YouTuber Gary Bembridge shared on his Tips for Travellers YouTube channel how not to be the latest cruise ship sucker. According to Bembridge, these free days are a lure to get visitors locked into monthly contracts that soon blast through the roofs in the prices department.
In particular, he says con men often target the ports in the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean. They're looking for fresh suckers off cruise ships to rope in. He explained, "There's no such thing as a free resort pass in reality."
Cruise Ship Scams
Do not sign up for a travel club, he warns. He explains, "This one seemed to be an issue mostly in busy Caribbean and Mediterranean ports, but a couple on my recent cruise that called into ports on the Mexican Riviera got trapped too. The Points Guy spoke about how significant numbers of seriously out-of-pocket cruisers had been contacting them coming home from cruises affected by this one."
Basically, avoid anything that seems like a good deal. Scammers often present themselves as professional looking travel representatives. They'll lure you in with a free drink as you get off the cruise ship. That's when they'll take your money.
The expert said, "Only once back on the ship, fully realising how much it will cost them, and how restrictive they can be, as they soberly reflect on it. Unlike countries like the USA and UK, the laws in those countries do not have "cooling off" periods and so they are locked in for years with the provider having their financial details. So before accepting a day pass for anywhere, fully understand what your obligation is in exchange."
He also warned, "Be extremely cautious if you go to any of these with the presentations and refuse to sign anything on the day and say that you'll come back to them."
