A California woman who miscarried just days before her planned trip on a Carnival Cruise was forced to repeatedly recount the painful ordeal as she pleaded for a refund from the company — which denied her grief-stricken request.
Monique McChristian, 25, was just three days away from setting sail with her husband and parents on a long-awaited 10-day Alaskan voyage aboard the Carnival Legend when she went to the doctor on May 9 and received the heartbreaking news that she had lost her 11-week pregnancy.
Because she was at risk of hemorrhaging and other complications after failing to pass the miscarriage naturally, McChristian’s doctors advised her to cancel the family vacation — a 50th birthday present to her mother that cost about $5,000.
“I called Carnival the next morning and told them everything, but the agent was very black and white — that since I did not get the vacation protection, there was nothing they could do for me,” McChristian told The Post Thursday.
She was advised to contact Carnival’s corporate offices via email to plead her case.
The Roseville resident spent the following days — including Mother’s Day — sending emails and making phone calls, but said her story, along with her doctor’s notes, were completely ignored.
“Now it’s Monday, the day of the cruise, and I called Carnival again and relived the trauma again and they asked about the severity of the situation,” she said.
Carnival canceled the trip and once again told her to contact corporate and wait for a response, she said.
Finally, the anguished woman, who tried for nearly two years to get pregnant, received a frosty message Wednesday afternoon from Carnival — rejecting her request for compensation.
A subsequent phone call with an employee ended with her being offered deals on future cruises.
“How insensitive can you be?” she said, noting that agents contacted her daily in the week leading up to the cruise to push for a stateroom upgrade — which she ultimately agreed to just hours before being rushed to the hospital.
“It’s so inappropriate. I’ve told my story about five times to these people and each time doesn’t get any easier.”
She recounted her distressing situation to the Daily Mail, which first reported the story Thursday.
Hours later, McChristian received a call from a Carnival representative who finally offered her a solution — and compassion — along with an apology and credits to redeem for a vacation within the next year.
“It was the first time I talked to a real human being who understood the severity of my situation and how devastating it is,” she said.
McChristian said the response gave her permission to finally grieve and breathe — but the agonizing experience left her with a very different view of the cruise line she once looked forward to sailing on.
“I take the blame, I didn’t get the protection, but no one expects to miscarry two days before a cruise — it was a medical emergency and I wasn’t going to pass the baby on a cruise ship,” she said.
“Life happens so fast and emergencies happen. This situation shows that we’re people too and taking four days to respond and not being considerate of a miscarriage … hopefully this will spread some empathy.”
Carnival did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
