New rules for cruise travel expected in mid-January

New regulations for cruise travel contracts are expected to go into effect in the middle of next month, the Cabinet’s Consumer Protection Committee said yesterday.

The regulations, proposed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, are a response to rapid development of the cruise travel market in the past few years, the committee said.

The Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions of Standard Contracts for Overseas Cruise Travel (郵輪國外旅遊定型化契約範本暨其應記載及不得記載事項) say that “cruise travel” refers to ocean and river cruises arranged for travel beyond Taiwan’s territory, committee official Chen Hsing-hung (陳星宏) said.

Due to the unpredictable nature of ocean cruises, the proposed regulations give cruise ship captains absolute command, with passengers being required to respect them, Chen said.

If a captain believes there are navigation risks, they can change the route, he said.

The rules say that businesses should advise passengers to purchase insurance against cancelations, delays or other situations to share the risk posed by the uncertainty of cruise itineraries, he said.

They also state that businesses offering group tours should assign a guide to accompany them for the entire trip, Chen said.

Cruise contracts should have a review period of no fewer than three days, he said.

The regulations set out rules for compensation, as well as policies and fees for infants and toddlers, the committee said.

Advertising and promotional materials, itineraries and information from presentations would be considered part of a contract, it said.

If contracts offered by travel businesses do not meet the requirements, they can be ordered to make changes within a limited period, it said, adding that if the changes are not made before the deadline, fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 would be levied.

Businesses that continue to not implement changes would face fines of NT$50,000 to NT$500,000, with the possibility of consecutive fines, it said.

People should ask for complete information and review it before deciding whether to join a cruise, the committee said.

When signing contracts, they should keep a copy of promotional material, itineraries and other documentation in case of disputes, it said.