You Could Be Owed $900 From 'Free Cruise' Robocall Settlement

free cruise robocall
Shutterstock
Shutterstock

There are few things as annoyingly familiar as telemarketers. "How are your windows?" "Would you like to donate to candidate X?" "You've earned a free cruise!" If you received calls that sound like the latter, you might be eligible for a little money in a settlement.

A class action lawsuit against Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean alleges those cruise lines contracted Resort Marketing Group and violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act with robocalls. Philip Charvat filed the lawsuit, and the end result is that anyone who received those calls might get between $300 and $900.

“The TCPA... generally forbids telemarketers from making calls using automated dialing equipment and prerecorded messages, unless the person being called has given the caller prior express written consent to be contacted that way,” wrote Paul Tassin at Top Class Actions.

The companies have collectively settled the case, according to the Miami Herald. A preliminary approval of the settlement was given by a federal judge in July. If approved, the settlement fund would be worth between $7 and $12.5 million, depending on the number of claims filed before the November 3, 2017 deadline.

If you received a robocall, you are eligible for $300 per call, up to three calls for a grand total of $900. Consumers can check if they're in the Resort Marketing Group database by entering a phone number at the settlement website. If you're eligible, claims can be filed at the site or printed out and mailed in.

The final approval hearing will take place in April, so don't get too excited about how you're going to spend the extra dough. It might take a while to arrive. But once it does, you might get that free cruise after all.

h/t Miami Herald via Traveler

Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.

Dustin Nelson is a News Writer with Thrillist. He holds a Guinness World Record but has never met the fingernail lady. Follow him @dlukenelson.