It was supposed to be a relaxing family vacation, but it turned into a nightmare for one Florida family.
The Berg and Moak families boarded a Disney cruise to the Bahamas on Dec. 30 as a 31-member party. David Berg says his mother-in-law has cancer and the family cruise was an item on her bucket list.
There was no issue with the family boarding with their infant daughter.
A couple of days into the trip, the baby began spitting up. Family members took the baby to the ship’s doctor, who provided some seasickness medication.
Later that day, the family received a message, saying the doctor wanted to do another exam.
When the family arrived with the baby, the doctor told them they would be required to disembark, because the baby was too young to be on the ship.
According to the ABC 7 report, Disney Cruise Line changed their infant travel policy last year, but the new rules did not go into effect until Jan. 1. The new regulations forbid any child under the age of six months from boarding the ship. Passengers who had existing reservations, like the parents of the sick baby, were not supposed to be subject to the new rule.
The family agreed to leave the ship. Disney took care of their accommodations in Nassau, but family members say the arrangements were not up to the standard that they had paid for on the ship. The baby’s father called the hotel a “fleabag motel.” The family said they had to negotiate at great lengths to get Disney to pay for their flights back home. The family took the baby to a local hospital, where she was diagnosed with gas and the family was charged $1,200 for the visit.
Disney Cruise Line would not comment on the case, due to medical privacy concerns. A company spokesperson said that when guests are asked to disembark, an agent is assigned to help the guests return home.
The family is seeking an apology and compensation for the ruined trip.
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