Promised a cruise. Stuck with a Kia.

By Scott . . . On March 28, 2017 I drove onto the lot of Faccillo Affiliates of Florida Inc. with the intent of buying an automobile. I chose Faccillo because he had been advertising for a couple months that you get a free cruise if you buy Kia from him. It sounded like a really great deal so I signed the papers. I also want to take Robert, my new paramour, on this cruise. We’d be able to get to know about each other. Drove away with my new Kia and cruise tickets. Supposed to leave December 3rd and be gone for four days and four nights.

I purchased a 2016 Kia Soul that had 458 miles on it vehicle purchase price was $16,685. (I did not have a trade-in) There were additional charges such as tax, title transfer, and I also bought a service agreement. This brought the balance to $20,901.33. I received a rebate of $3,250 and I put $1500 down. Balance to be financed: $16,151.33.

Before the cruise, before December 3, I received additional emails from the Faccillo Cruise Control psyching me up for the cruise. I was psyched.

The fees for this “Win a Cruise” totaled $612.67. I paid an additional $84 for Travel Insurance. I had been assigned my cabin.

On November 7th I received my booking confirmation. Then on November 13, 2017 I pre-boarded online. I printed out my SETSAIL PASS and Luggage tags and made arrangements to secure my business while I was gone.

Then on November 28th, nine months after I bought the car and 3 days before cruise launches I get a call from Royal Caribbean Global Security. The women says that she is calling because “you’re on the state registry.”

I’m on the sex offender registry for a 1983 crime so I had to get permission from the County Sheriff in order to take the cruise. ( I was told to do this by the security agent) My partner had to request time off from work. But, my authorization from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, I booked my cruise.

She told me that there was an open investigation on me because I was on the registry and that I had to be approved by the security team before I could board. She told me to email her and “tell me what’ve you’ve done since your offense” (or something to those words.) She gave me an email to send it to and I quickly got something prepared. I choose to use the text from a letter I had sent to one of Bobbey’s friends (Bobbey is my legally married spouse).

I have done a lot for myself over the past 30 years since my offense. There’s no way that they could deny me. I was sure of it. I believe they planned to deny me even before I sent my narrative.

Royal Global acknowledge receipt of my document. After a day I called to see if the decision had been made. The woman told me she was waiting on her security team to contact her and she would contact me as soon as possible. Then on Friday (two days before the cruise set sail) she called me and said that she had a couple questions.

The only question I remember her asking was “who is Bobbey?” I explained that Bobby was my partner and nothing further was said.

She said that she would “pass that information on to her security team and then call me back.” I felt certain that if they were going to deny me, they wouldn’t care who “Bobbey” was. Yet I got a call back within the hour and was told I had been denied.

My brother and sister-in-law also booked on the cruise. In fact they had the cabin right next door to the cabin I was assigned. Imagine my surprise, after the cruise had returned, my brother told me that the cabin assigned to me had been occupied. They also told me that there were no children on this cruise.

So, I’m out all this money. Have a 2016 Kia that I really don’t need. To wit it’s almost a year old and I only have 2500 miles on it.

Can they do this?

11 thoughts on “Promised a cruise. Stuck with a Kia.

  1. Fat chance finding a lawya in floridah that will stick his neck out for someone on the registry that society and the justice system have legally classified as unredeemable deplorables.

  2. Something about this story is not adding up. You have a “new paramour” named Robert, whom you need to get to know better during the cruise. Yet, you have a ‘legally married spouse’ named Bobbey or Bobby?
    What is this asking who ‘Bobby’ is ?
    Are Robert and Bobbey the same person? Are you a same sex couple? Are you a swinger? Something just is not making any sense here with your story.
    Cruises are stupid wastes of time anyway. Get your money back and do something productive with your time instead of idolizing the idea of hedonism for a vacation.

    1. What kind of advice/support is this? Something does not add up. Perhaps you need to try to appear that you support this organization. But this type of a comment can only come from a non supporter and should be banned

    2. Bobbey (a.k.a. Robert) is my same-sex spouse. I apologize for the confusion. I had a much longer document that I edited so I could post here. As for Justin starting his post with “Not true…” I take exception to this conclusion. What part of my story did you think wasn’t true? Shame on you.
      Bobbey and I are respected up-standing members of my community. I have served on a couple community BODs. I worked as a church administrator for 2 years. I managed a law office (as a paralegal) for 6 years. My spouse and I are invited to all the community parties and events. We pay taxes, recycle, walk our little dog….. I haven’t had so much as a parking ticket in 35 years.

      So Justin, I understand your story was different. Your circumstances, different then mine. However, it bothers me that too many felons/S.O.s find it easier to criticize then to support and advise. If I have questions of embellishment or out right b.s., I just don’t waste my time. Why should I?

      And Todd. Really? Ban someone because they are a “non supporter.” If we don’t allow everyone to have their say, how can we expect “everyone” to let us have our say. What sort of support is this person to give before he can speak his say? Are you saying he is a non-monetary supporter?

      I originally posted this letter on this site in April 2019. After some criticism, I wrote the following:

      April 18, 2019 at 2:44 pm
      What I’m NOT use to is being robbed. Do you think they had right to NOT refund my money.
      Sadly there are s.o.’s who think we don’t have rights. This attitude is sometimes used to wallow in a pity party. This attitude stifles personal growth.
      We s.o. may not have the same rights as non-cons, so we work within those modified laws, in order to accomplish the work that NARSOL does.

      Look, I’m asking that you consider why people have posted and then decide if you want to give advise and support. But keep your criticism for…. Well, just keep your criticism to yourself

  3. Royal Caribbean does not allow registered offenders on their cruises. I also received notice 3 days before a cruise (in 2016) that I would not be permitted. However, RC did refund all my money. I think their Security Group simply rejects all SOR’s.

    1. Not true… i’m registered, convicted in 1996 in Wisconsin but always lived in florida my whole life. I’ve been on a dozen cruises. Including one when I bought a Kia in 2013 from fucillo Kia. Several with Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival and Costa. Last one was 2016 and it was first time I received letter they needed more info before permitting me to go. I was in a wedding that was occuring on the ship before we departed. So kinda important they should allow me to board. I sent letters of recommendation including my friends to be married contacted security. 24 hours later they approved me to go on the cruise. It’s a case by case basis in my opinion. My circumstance is I was 19 she was 15 and consensual. No violence. I’ve also accumulated letters of reference from employers, lawyers, colleagues and friends over the years. I have 2 children myself that are in college now. I think when people hear my actual circumstance added together with list of recommendations and character references, it changes things. I also hold professional license with state of florida for last 17 yrs in good standing. I think that helps too. If florida vetted me and gave me my professional license, it lowers the alarm others have. It does suck with this label though. Every employer has had to defend their position of hiring me from co workers or even customers. Amazingly, never been fired. They always have my back. My suggestion, be a stand up person. Be honest. Don’t violate any laws and build relationships with employers, co workers, colleagues and friends and build a list of recommendations and letters of character reference. Not something you can acquire over night. But over decades it begins to lighten the nightmare we live in. I also talk to the sheriff’s office, explain my circumstance, share what I do, and fact I’ve owned homes for years, I don’t get into trouble, haven’t been arrested since this conviction, even the sheriff’s office when they do address verifications is far and few between. I want to discuss with the sheriff so I’m not on their target list to harass me.

  4. Of course they can do this to you. You are under the misconception that registered sex offenders have rights.

    1. You know what Byron I don’t think I could have said it better myself. I also think this applies to non-registered citizens as well just not to such a degree that it is totally obvious.

    2. What I’m NOT use to is being robbed. Do you think they had right to NOT refund my money.

      Sadly there are s.o.’s who think we don’t have rights. This attitude is sometimes used to wallow in a pity party. This attitude stifles personal growth.

      We s.o. may not have the same rights as non-cons, so we work within those modified laws, in order to accomplish the work that NARSOL does.

  5. Your offense was from 1983 and they’re holding it against you now only because it involves that horrible thing we call “sex”.
    Sell the car, hire an attorney and sue their asses off. Make sure your attorney asks them in court, in front of the judge, if they would have denied a former bank robber or drunk driver that caused someone’s injury or death. Make them sweat!

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