A Kentucky family’s cruise vacation was canceled just two days before they were set to depart. Shockingly, their cruise cancellation was not made by them but by someone who had impersonated them. They had fallen victim to identity theft! Unfortunately, this story is more common than you think.
How Did Their Cruise Get Canceled
A couple from Kentucky, Tiffany Banks, and her husband, were eagerly looking forward to their upcoming Carnival Celebration cruise, which they had shared on Facebook. They had received an email with a countdown to their vacation and had taken a screenshot of it, which included their booking number.
On the same day, an individual from British Columbia created a fake profile on Carnival’s website and used their booking number. That individual then canceled their cruise reservation 2 days before their departure date.
The couple only realized the cancellation when they received an email stating that two of their shore excursions had been canceled. When Tiffany contacted Carnival Cruise Line to inquire about the shore excursions, she was shocked to discover that someone else had canceled their entire vacation.
They had booked the Presidential Excel Suite, the largest room on the ship, and had spent nearly $15,000 on the cruise, including shore excursions.
What Happened at the Cruise Port
Since Tiffany already had a flight to Miami, they decided to show up at the cruise port to see if they could get on the ship. On TikTok, Tiffany shared a video of her at the cruise port upset.
Tiffany Banks and her family arrived at Port Miami with all their travel documents, proving their reservation. Unfortunately, they were denied boarding because their reservation was canceled, and their names were not on the manifest.
Carnival offered to give them 2 interior rooms instead of the presidential suite they had booked, but they turned down the offer. Instead, they decided to continue their vacation in Florida in an Airbnb.
What is Carnival Cruise Saying
Carnival Cruise stated that there was no security breach and that the Banks family fell victim to identity theft. Since the cruise was canceled 2 days before sailing, Carnival Cruise does not offer a full refund.
However, Carnival did offer a $10,404 onboard credit for a future cruise if they shared a positive resolution on social media. On TikTok, Tiffany, understandably upset, said she is not taking Carnival up on the offer.
Safeguard Your Booking Number
It’s important never to share your booking number on social media or with anyone else. It’s surprising how frequently cruise cancellations occur due to identity theft. Some passengers show up at the port only to find out that their cruise has been canceled!
So, be careful and protect yourself from identity theft by keeping your booking number safe. This applies not only to cruise booking numbers but also to airline confirmation numbers and hotel booking numbers. Keep all your travel booking numbers secure.
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