Cruisers Hit By Huge Excursion Bill For Trip They Never Took

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A simple miscommunication turned into a frustrating – and expensive – surprise for one couple on a Holland America Line cruise, after they were charged $800 for a whale watching shore excursion they never agreed to pay for.

HAL Whale Watching

The incident occurred during a January 2025 sailing to Baja California, Mexico.

Gabriele, one of the affected guests, told The New York Times that she and her partner were initially placed on the waitlist for the popular $400-per-person activity, with the understanding they’d be notified by email and given 72 hours to confirm their spot if space became available.

But with no communication received before the cruise, the couple assumed they hadn’t made the cut – and instead booked a similar tour through a private vendor.

That assumption came to a screeching halt shortly after the cruise began, when the couple discovered a note on their cabin door informing them that they had been added to the excursion.

The problem? Their card had already been charged – and it was too late to cancel their private booking.

To make matters worse, the shore excursion desk was closed at the time, and by the next morning, staff told them they had missed a 48-hour cancellation window – despite never confirming their participation in the first place.

“We had never agreed to the purchase,” Gabriele explained. “Appealing to the manager did not help, nor did a 53-minute call to guest relations after the cruise.”

Refund Denied – Until The Media Stepped In

Initially, Holland America Line declined to reverse the charge. But after The New York Times reached out to the cruise line on the couple’s behalf, the situation was reviewed again – and resolved in the guests’ favour.

“This was our error, and we apologise for the mistake,” said spokesperson Jeanine Takala, confirming the couple had been issued a full refund.

Takala explained that once onboard, communication regarding waitlisted excursions is handled through the Navigator App and paper letters in cabins – not via email.

However, only Gabriele’s partner had downloaded the app, and it appears they either missed the notification or misunderstood it.

In response to the confusion, Holland America Line announced an important update to its excursion waitlist policy as of 17th May 2025.

Guests who are waitlisted for shore excursions will now receive onboard notifications when space becomes available and will have only 24 hours (or less, depending on the timing of the tour) to accept or decline the offer.

If they don’t respond, the spot will go to the next person on the waitlist – and no charge will be applied unless the guest explicitly accepts.

This ensures that guests are not unknowingly charged and also gives others on the waitlist a fair chance to participate.

Although the couple’s experience ended with a refund, their story serves as a reminder for all cruise guests: download and use the ship’s app, check cabin notices daily, and always double-check the terms of waitlist policies once onboard.

While Holland America Line corrected the situation in this case and improved its process, it’s a good idea for passengers across all cruise lines to stay alert to avoid similar costly surprises.

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Cruise Mummy

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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