Their trip is unrecognizable from what they booked, but they're still on the hook for it

Diane and Al Pacheco spent years planning their cruise. But just days before departure, their itinerary almost completely changed.

The Scottsdale, Arizona, couple booked a Nov. 10 cruise with Regent Seven Seas Cruises from Istanbul to Dubai, with stops in Haifa and Ashdod in Israel, Aqaba, Jordan, Luxor, Egypt and more. “This was the trip of a lifetime,” said Diane, 69.

But in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, Regent canceled the sailing’s Israel stops in mid-October. “It was extremely disappointing, but we understood, obviously,” Diane said. But they were notified of more extreme changes on Nov. 2, just over a week before their departure date. The 22-day cruise aboard Seven Seas Navigator now includes less than half of its original stops.

After contacting Regent directly and through their travel agent, Diane said the luxury line declined their request for a future cruise credit (their travel agent declined USA TODAY’s request for comment, citing client confidentiality). Regent also did not offer a refund or other compensation, leaving the couple on the hook for around $35,000. “We paid for things we don’t get to do,” she said. “That, to me, is unacceptable.”

Regent did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

The contracts passengers agree to when they book a ticket allow cruise lines to change ports as needed without owing them compensation. But passengers may not always be left empty-handed. Here’s what to know.

Why do cruise lines change itineraries?

Cruise lines primarily change itineraries due to acts of nature like storms or “diplomatic issues,” according to Rusty Pickett, a travel advisor and owner of Shellback Cruises.

They also heed the U.S. State Department’s travel warnings, he added. There are multiple advisories in place in and around Israel, and the State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans overseas last month.

While many cruise lines altered their itineraries in the wake of the war, Pickett stressed that it’s generally not a common occurrence. “It’s very rare,” he said.

What can I do if my cruise itinerary changes?

That depends. If you learn of the changes before the final payment due date, you can generally cancel and get a refund or reschedule. But once that day has passed, passengers “are limited in their options because they're under penalty,” Pickett said.

Regent’s cancellation policy requires passengers booked on cruises 15 nights or more, like the Pachecos, to pay the entire fare if they cancel 75 days or less before their sail date.

But while cruise lines may not owe passengers money because of an itinerary change, they sometimes offer it as a goodwill gesture. They could give guests onboard credit, for instance – though Pickett said that’s more likely if the cruise is already underway when its course is altered.

Cruise lines also typically work to replace canceled ports of call and automatically refund shore excursions booked there.

In cases where ports are changed ahead of a sailing, they may offer some leniency, depending on the line and their terms and conditions. “They typically are reasonably flexible on allowing the client to rebook if it's something that's beyond everybody's control,” he said.

But other travelers have faced difficulties in recent weeks. A number of guests sailing with Oceania Cruises – also part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. – struggled to get refunds or credits, even after their cruises became nearly unrecognizable.

Pickett recommended working with a travel advisor who can advocate for clients in such situations.

Does travel insurance cover cruise itinerary changes?

Some cruise insurance plans may have inconvenience benefits, according to Meghan Walch, Director of Product at InsureMyTrip.

“This could include benefits for itinerary changes by the cruise line that occur after your departure that prevent the traveler from participating in a pre-paid event that was scheduled on the original itinerary,” she said in an email.

Trip cancellation or interruption coverage may be available on some plans, as well, and help reimburse non-refundable trip costs in case of a delay, cancellation or interruption due to weather or another covered event. “With this being said, it is important to read the details of the policy and be aware of any coverage requirements such as what events are covered and the number of hours the delay must last,” Walch added.

Your cruise was canceled:What to do next

She noted that itinerary changes for Israel on upcoming cruises would likely not be covered, partly because it’s a “known issue.”

Faced with the prospect of losing their money, the Pachecos decided to take the cruise, but Diane said they plan to cancel another Regent sailing they have booked in May. “I'm upset because I can't believe a company would treat us this way and not do anything,” she said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].