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We at TCA are pleased to announce that a Fort Lauderdale timeshare company, who market free cruises, via the telephone cold calling consumers are being forced to pay tens of millions of dollars in way of compensation.  Consumers who complained with regards to been targeted in violation of cold calling telemarketing laws execute another successful claim.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is in place to curtail undiscerning calls from pushy aggressive telemarketers.  It is proposed in part to detach from genuine phone marketing companies, such as the follow-up on leads when consumers demonstrate an interest in a cruise, rather than from a random robotic cold calling procedure, where the marketer pounces on ‘unsuspected consumers’.

Included in the settlement, Caribbean Cruise Line has offered to compensate consumers a minimum of $56 million up to a possible $76 million.

The company are denying that the calls violated the law; however, the company wish to settle out of court in order to avoid the risk and cost of a court case.

According to the claims, Caribbean Cruise Line marketed timeshare and holiday properties via the telephone.  Consumers who answered the phone were requested to partake in a survey in exchange for a free cruise.  If the caller agreed to complete the survey they were then transferred to a Caribbean Cruise Line representative who then proceeded with their timeshare pitch.

The unwelcome cruise calls were annoying and pushy, said consumers who joined the claim.

“As a business owner, I am plagued by numerous sales calls and surveys all day long. It can be quite irritating,” heard the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where the claims were filed. “I remember these particular calls because of what they were offering and the frequency of when they were calling me back.”

The compensation settlement will be $500 for every call made.  Should the total exceed $76 million, then the amount could be less, however should the settlement not reach $56 million then individual payments could be more.

Caribbean Cruise Line has links to a preceding cruise marketer, named Imperial Majesty Cruise Line, which entered into a consent decree with the Florida attorney general back in 2010.  Imperial Majesty Cruise Line therefore agreed to pay $16 million in fines and compensation for failing to disclose extra costs which where not included in the original advertised price of the cruise.  Imperial Majesty and Caribbean Cruise Line also use the same address at Fort Lauderdale.

Caribbean Cruise Line agreed to settle the claim in September just preceding the start of a trial.  The settlement has recently been signed by a judge.

Consumers involved in this claim have until 1st February 2017 to acquiesce a claim for payment.

For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk