Carnival has a new promotion called the Great Vacation Guarantee. It gives passengers the opportunity to cancel their cruises if they're unhappy and receive a full refund plus 10 per cent, free flights home, $100 to put towards another Carnival cruise, hotel and ground transportation as needed. This applies on cruises of three to eight days in and around North America. No questions asked. The kicker is you have to file your complaint within 24 hours of departure.

If ever there is a safe bet, this is it.

Our esteemed colleague Phil Reimer at Ports and Bows is on a different page. Phil thinks Carnival is taking a bold gamble, and maybe he's right. It happens all the time. On the other hand, we just think it's a great way for Carnival to get some PR, which the cruise line sorely needs, with a slick advertising campaign with little or no downside. 

Or cost.

The 24-hour rule makes perfect sense. But how many people can decide a cruise they have paid to go on is a bad idea after 24 hours? And if it's bad enough that you want to get off the ship at the next port, go to the nearest airport and fly back to wherever your car is.

So that leaves the "people who want something for nothing"…people who will get to a cruise ship, spend one day on it and then go through the go-home process — as seamless as Carnival might make it — so that they can get a 10 per cent return on their cruise fare and $100 to put towards another cruise.

Quickly, which of you knows a cheapsk…er, friend who would do that?

Caribbean Princess
7 nights
October 19, 2013
New York (return): Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, Saint John, Halifax
Inside: $709
Cost per day: $101
www.princess.com