A television station in Louisville, Kentucky reported on an interesting story today entitled "Woman Claims Cruise Company Promising Free Cruise Lied, Stole."

Amy Zetina, a hard working mother of three in Kentucky, responded to an ad which offered a "free cruise."

Ms. Zetina was taken for a ride, but it wasn’t on a cruise ship. 

It turns out that "Caribbean Cruise Line" offers “free” Caribbean cruise package, with some ads featuring Carmen Electra promoting a "free" cruise.

Ms. Zetina received a packet in the mail telling her that she was the lucky winner of a "free" cruise, including a $1,300 voucher.  She agreed to pay only for port taxes and then gave her credit card number over the telephone.  The cruise company then began sucking money out of her account.

Ms. Zetina did not know that 458 customers had lodged complaints against Caribbean Cruise Line.  Nor did she know about it’s "F" rating with the Better Business Bureau.  An investigation by the television station revealed that the company made unauthorized charges against customers’ credit cards. 

After Ms. Zetina contacted the television station, she called the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General’s office and the local police.  Only then did she get her money back.

You can find complaints about this company on the Complaints Board and Ripoff Report and throughout the internet. 

Moral of the story?  There are no free cruises in life.  And when someone rips you off, fight back.

Enjoy the official ad of Caribbean Cruise Line with Carmen Electra (in Spanish – Cruceros Gratis!) 

 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OiHwTGzJpyM%3Ffs%3D1%26hl%3Den_US%26rel%3D0%26color1%3D0x3a3a3a%26color2%3D0x999999

 

PS:  There have been criticism of marketing scams by "Caribbean Cruise Line" which is not a cruise line at all but a marketing company which also sells time shares in the Bahamas.  We last mentioned this company two weeks ago in a story about an affiliated company, Celebration Cruise Line –  Report of Rape on Bahamas Celebration Cruise Ship.    

April 26, 2012 Update: The fun & games continue.  A "free cruise?"  I don’t think so.  Hanging Up On A Free Cruise: The Emotional Toll Of Doing The Right Thing

 

Photo Credit:  Celebration Cruise Line website