KatetheWanderer

We booked a cruise package with a well known travel agency. (air, cruise, hotel) and paid for it when we booked (agency requirement)

I now see that the cruise price has dropped. I called Princess & they said I had to go thru my TA for any possible price adjustment. (this is also after final payment for regular clients ie not our package situation)

My agency said no adjustments possible, which did not make me too happy.

 

If I had booked with Princess independently, the rep said that even tho' it was within the 90 days, they would honour the difference. But since I had a TA, I had to go with them negotiating with Princess.

 

Do I have the correct info here? Yes, I learnt my lesson (forget dealing with this agency). Is it better to deal with another TA or just deal with Princess myself?

 

I normally have a TA but I also have done things with Princess myself.

I wing it without a TA for most of my bookings for the reason that then I can check myself for sales and act on the information quickly. Case in point-- Carnival Cruise booking on the Tropicale for two in 1996, 10 days in the Caribbean at a total price of $1795 with air to San Juan. Good deal but then I saw a sudden and fairly dramatic price drop before final payment on a one-day sale. I called Carnival and they immediately gave us the price break and refunded our card $900. The other couple we were traveling with couldn't get through to their TA on a Saturday and missed out. With the internet, it is so easy to do your regular checking. Travel agents may not have the time to check for you on a regular basis.

I agree that after final payment, not much can be done on most cruise lines with the exception of an upgrade. I upgraded an inside for a balcony on an 18 day transatlantic cruise on Costa last December for $120 more because of a last minute balcony sale. I spotted the sale. I was checking the Costa site on a regular basis. Takes me two seconds to peek. It wasn't an advertised sale. I had booked with an agent so I had to call him to call Costa and it all worked out but I generally prefer to go without an agent unless the agency sweetens the initial booking with a substantial discount or shipboard credit that they cover over and above what you can get by booking directly with the cruise line. I generally compare several agents' prices and the options of direct booking before I put down the deposit. But then again, I do my own taxes and sell my own homes without realtors. I have to save somewhere because I don't like to do my own pedicures or massages.

Wait a few days. The Deliziosa just returned from it's current world cruise today, so it will be a few days before reports / reviews start to seep though.

 

I would say the spa cabins are fine for say up 18 days (TA) but after that I would assume it could become claustrauphobic, same small pool of passengers in the spa and spa restuarant. I have always found something I like, ever day in the MDR.

 

Get a balcony and see the world rather than trying to cycle round it in the spa.

 

Ron

Exactly!

I loved the Tropicale. We did the 10-day New Years Cruise departing the day after Christmas in 1996. Barely made it to San Juan in time for departure. Nine islands in ten days. Great way to sample the Caribbean. Even made it to Grenada. The food was fantastic.

Did the president of Costa ever meet with any of the Concordia or Allegra passengers? Did the president meet them at the dock directly after the incident? Let me help you with the answer - it is "No". Despite saying that Costa CEO Pier Luigi Foschi would meet with survivors on a Sunday after the Concordia shipwreck, survivors stated he was a no show.

It's just very amusing to see all the indignation about Costa/Carnival in view of other lines' issues. The reason why you don't see Royal Caribbean taking shots at Costa or Carnival with respect to, for example, the Allegra, is because people in the industry understand that captains can be total failures and engine fires can happen. The Concordia taught them all to get the publicity gameplan in order early. I didn't see any RC CEO make a statement yet about the loss of lives on the Monarch. Quite sad really. e

Sorry Kate' date=' but the CEO is on his way there already.......as well he should!.

 

Now whether he is doing this becuse he knew of the poor and improper way ma and carnival handled the Condordia mess and the public backlash is another matter that we will never know. I Like to think the CEO and boardroom of Amzmara Club Cruises are better leaders and business excutives and better human beings,but who knows!

 

 

AKK

 

AKK[/quote']

 

Costa is to Carnival what Azamara is to Royal Caribbean. No? Aha. So is the CEO of Royal Caribbean on his way to the situation? I hadn't read that yet. Haven't heard about his travel plans yet. Maybe he is relying on the management of the subsidiary corporation to handle the aftermath of all those ruined vacations, the fear and crew injuries. Do you think Royal Caribbean will rebrand? This has been a bad year for them. That federal judge finding Royal Caribbean just a few months ago grossly negligent for the crew deaths from the gas leak on the Monarch was very very bad. What if they have another mishap. Will the injured Triumph crew file suit? Hmm. The funny thing is that this ended up on this forum as another dig at Costa with not a peep about its parent company. So whattup with RC these days Skipper?

In other news....

 

Competitors are desperately trying to keep up with Costa Cruises' unique "drifting without power" on-board experience. 1,000 people currently sweating just off the Philippines.

 

Azamara cruise ship sails for Malaysia after fire repairs

The CEO of Royal Caribbean is hopefully checking his tweets so he can arrive on scene immediately in business casual wear, swaddle at least two of the infants, and be photographed looking concerned. He can then arrange for all the passengers to be airlifted home at which time they will be immediately paid a smalll fortune for their damages. Tsk Tsk. And an engine fire in an up-market brand too. Who knew.

From Carnival's John Heald's FB--

A legal motion was filed in a Texas federal court that resulted in a judge issuing an order to hold the Carnival Triumph in port. The litigation in question relates to a lawsuit brought about by a passenger who sailed on the Costa Concordia in Italy this past January. The Costa Concordia is a vessel operated by Costa Cruises. Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Cruises are both part of a global organization called Carnival Corporation & plc, however, the two cruise lines operate completely independently.

We want to assure you that we are working diligently through the appropriate legal channels to get this matter resolved as soon as possible. We are optimistic the issues regarding the Carnival Triumph will be resolved and the ship will depart on its scheduled voyage later today.

In the meantime, we are proceeding with our normal embarkation process.

BTW--you can also get Heald's recipe for a tasty sounding cake too that he just posted this morning.

Morning Kate...........don't you just love legalezeeeeee.

 

 

that short of it is...

 

1. The owners/underwriters(P and I' date=' protection and indeminty) can post a *Letter of undertaking*, which means the owners/P and I garrenttes to the court that they have set aside the funds to cover any award made in the court trail.

 

2. The Owners/P and I) buy a *bond* and give it to the court proving there are funds available to pay any court award.

 

This is not a unusual legal tool and is used often,maybe not so often at 10mil.

 

 

This is just the start...there will be others..lots of carnival Corporation ships around around the world to lay hands on.

 

 

All those rules in the passinger contracts......will be set side in the opening legal rounds. As legal manuvers move along the coutrs will decide which parts of the contract will be held enforcable and others will be rulling invalid.

 

 

This is only the start, with the amount of money at stake.........we have 10 years of this to go.

 

AKK[/quote']

 

Hi Skipper, It should be interesting. Jurisdiction is always one of the first issues to be sorted. The appeals process will take much longer. No one wants to sue around the world. They only want to sue in the legal gravy train the United States courts potentially offer for tort claims. Most experts in this area of law indicate Italy will be the ultimate forum based on the forum selection clause. The cruise contract is fairly unambiguous in that regard.

Probably a maneuver to effect service of process and attract attention. A bit of ship chasing possibly on the part of the plaintiff's legal team. In any event, Carnival can post a bond and secure a release of the ship. The company can stipulate to service without waiving jurisductional objections, of which there will be many given the cruise contract in this case and the overwhelming weight of caselaw including a Supreme Court opinion upholding the contractual forum selection clauses for cruise passengers who cruise on such contracts. Not likely the Supreme Court will require Carnival be required to defend lawsuits in all fifty states. Specific forum selection clauses are favored by the Court to avoid having a defendant defend in multiple forums at once.

Excerpts from Federal Rules of Civil Procedure--

5) Release of Property.

(a) Special Bond. Whenever process of maritime attachment and garnishment or process in rem is issued the execution of such process shall be stayed, or the property released, on the giving of security, to be approved by the court or clerk, or by stipulation of the parties, conditioned to answer the judgment of the court or of any appellate court. The parties may stipulate the amount and nature of such security. In the event of the inability or refusal of the parties so to stipulate the court shall fix the principal sum of the bond or stipulation at an amount sufficient to cover the amount of the plaintiff's claim fairly stated with accrued interest and costs; but the principal sum shall in no event exceed (i) twice the amount of the plaintiff's claim or (ii) the value of the property on due appraisement, whichever is smaller. The bond or stipulation shall be conditioned for the payment of the principal sum and interest thereon at 6 per cent per annum.

(b) General Bond. The owner of any vessel may file a general bond or stipulation, with sufficient surety, to be approved by the court, conditioned to answer the judgment of such court in all or any actions that may be brought thereafter in such court in which the vessel is attached or arrested. Thereupon the execution of all such process against such vessel shall be stayed so long as the amount secured by such bond or stipulation is at least double the aggregate amount claimed by plaintiffs in all actions begun and pending in which such vessel has been attached or arrested. Judgments and remedies may be had on such bond or stipulation as if a special bond or stipulation had been filed in each of such actions. The district court may make necessary orders to carry this rule into effect, particularly as to the giving of proper notice of any action against or attachment of a vessel for which a general bond has been filed. Such bond or stipulation shall be indorsed by the clerk with a minute of the actions wherein process is so stayed. Further security may be required by the court at any time.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/rule_E

**********not legal advice*************

Don't you hate it when your captain goes bat crazy in the middle of your journey. All the training, management and security measures in the world cannot anticipate the conduct of certain captains. Wonder what JetBlue should pay to these poor passengers for such trauma inflicted at 30,000 feet.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/03/report-jetblue-pilots-flips-out-is-subdued-by-pilot/1

A few years ago in St Peters in Rome we saw a sign saying "Beware of Pickpockets" actually inside the Church.

Relax. You've got them at home too ---in your Abbey.

Not intended to create a debate or create ill will but only in the interest of making sure the casual reader/lurker understands there are differing personal opinions, I'd like to comment.

 

I do not share an abiding love affair for old ships. I consider them a mode of utility transport (not the mythical "Lady") that are built and replaced on a schedule depending upon their current ability to meet their purpose at a current efficient cost.

 

The old SS Norway was an "ocean liner", not a "cruise ship" that was built for passenger transport not passenger holidays with an extremely high crew/passenger cost ratio and, like an old pet, needed to be "put to sleep."

 

As for the Concordia, if the insurance underwritters conclude that the ship is a total loss, so be it. I believe the last thing that should occur is the refloating, rebuilding, and refitting of a ship, out of misguided nostalgia, that runs the risk of putting future pasengers and crew in harms way.

 

In my view, a ship is nothing more than steel, wood, and plastic that has a useful purpose and should be scrapped and melted down and used to create a new and useful thing when it can no longer fill its original purpose 100%.

 

John

The same could be said of many of the grand old hotels around the world. Something newer and safer could be built instead. Something closer to 100% of the original purpose. Poppycock!! I cruised on the Norway and enjoyed it far more than some of the other tacky Vegas style ships. Beauty and maximum use is often in the eyes of the voyager.

I have to agree with the old salts on the board, the loss of the ship, an incredible creation of man and nature, is just another tragedy to pile onto this whole sad chapter.

Ouch, that hurt !!! You could have let me down gently !!! OMG 53 and Im now OLD !!!...

 

Have you no compassion Kate !!!:):):)

I turned 53 on my last cruise in December... on Costa!! So I have given this some thought. I am no longer middle-aged.

Points of unecessary correction--he was on the bridge trying to impress an orange. Once they go to the bottle, certain brown-eyed girls have to settle for a lighter shade of orange. This gal is clearly an orange. I should know.

He was not the first old man to be brought to ruin by the distractiion of a much younger woman with orange hair.

(People do not generally live to be over a 100 so I use the term "old" as in beyond the middle-aged years.)