NEED HELP-Carnival

[sweetiefeetie]

We are scheduled to sail on the Pride out of Tampa on Feb 1st. When we booked with our TA she said if we booked everything through Carnival they would make sure our flights arrived in time for the 1-3 pm embarkation. Our flight leaves at 7:30 am from Bflo and arrive in Atlanta about 10:30. We have a 2 hr. delay and do not arrive in Tampa until 1:55. Since I have flown out of Atlanta many times before I know there is usually a back-up. When we contacted Carnival about changing our flights they told us that as long as we arrive by 2:30 we should be able to get the shuttle and make it to the ship on time. She advised us to contact our TA which we did. She claims she called Carnival and they told her the same thing. She said as long as we have the insurance, they will either get us to our next port which is Cozumel, on Tuesday or get us on another ship. Getting very nervous. We originally wanted to go down the day before and TA said it was not necessary. They booked us on Delta Airlines...first flight into Tampa.

 

Has anyone else run into this problem with Carnival? What can we do? Am I being too nervous and anxious. Please advise.:(

Edited January 12, 2015 by sweetiefeetie

[falkcor]

carnival has been known for booking flights the same day / close to sailing like they did yours. since you booked the flights through them, they should wait for you a reasonable time (especially if others with carnival air are delayed), or will put you up in a hotel and get you to the next port. i realize that isn't how anybody wants to start their CRUISE vacation, but that's how they tend to handle it. this is why most people do NOT book their flights through carnival.

 

i would recommend you look for a new TA honestly, as they've put you in a stressful situation, and given you what i consider to be less than stellar recommendations (booking air through carnival, not flying in the day before when coming from buffalo of all places in february, and that they'll put you on another ship as compared to catching up to yours - i've never heard of that happening).

[cruizinisthebest]

Those flight times need to be changed. And I cannot understand why Carnival or any TA would make these type of reservations unless there were absolutely no other options.

 

Even without a delay, that's calling it close. Nobody wants to miss the ship as a planned "plan B." Did you ask or want to leave on the day of? If it all possible, you need to leave the day before your cruise. Especially if you have to deal with connecting flights going through Atlanta. No way.

[RuthlessBoss]

carnival has been known for booking flights the same day / close to sailing like they did yours. since you booked the flights through them, they should wait for you a reasonable time (especially if others with carnival air are delayed), or will put you up in a hotel and get you to the next port. i realize that isn't how anybody wants to start their CRUISE vacation, but that's how they tend to handle it. this is why most people do NOT book their flights through carnival.

 

i would recommend you look for a new TA honestly, as they've put you in a stressful situation, and given you what i consider to be less than stellar recommendations (booking air through carnival, not flying in the day before when coming from buffalo of all places in february, and that they'll put you on another ship as compared to catching up to yours - i've never heard of that happening).

 

We just had a full thread deleted regarding someone who did not book their flights through Carnival and was upset they wouldn't help her.

In this case, Carnival will work if the flight gets there late.

[cruizinisthebest]

We just had a full thread deleted regarding someone who did not book their flights through Carnival and was upset they wouldn't help her.

In this case, Carnival will work if the flight gets there late.

 

True. But several months back there was also a thread started by soemone who had a group of friends get left behind and they did book their flights through Carnival. If I recall, there were several cruise passengers on this flight and it had to make a medical emergency landing into Jacksonville. Long delay. Norwegian wound up waiting. Carnival didn't. I know somebody else must remember that thread! :D

[SNJCruisers]

I would have your TA try to go to bat for you and get a 3 way set up with a Carnival supervisor and get those flights changed and you fly in the night before. There is a good probability of weather problems coming from Buffalo and it's compounded when you need to make a connecting flight and you're not getting in till after noontime. Have your TA try to find you a reasonably priced hotel for the night before, but I would move on this right away and not take no for an answer.

[Sparky2]

I would have your TA try to go to bat for you and get a 3 way set up with a Carnival supervisor and get those flights changed and you fly in the night before. There is a good probability of weather problems coming from Buffalo and it's compounded when you need to make a connecting flight and you're not getting in till after noontime. Have your TA try to find you a reasonably priced hotel for the night before, but I would move on this right away and not take no for an answer.

 

This close to sailing there will not be a reasonably priced hotel anywhere in FL.

 

Your TA never should have told you that you could fly in the day of the cruise. You probably would have had to pay a deviation fee (if CCL still has that) when you book flight through CCL for the day before the cruise.

 

OP - Coming from any snowy state, you should never fly in the day of the cruise. We're from MI and always, always fly in the day before our cruise. We take an early flight so we still have options if there are weather delays. In your case, changing planes in Atlanta could cause you major headaches.

 

I'm not sure if there is anything CCL & your TA can do to correct this situation.

 

Please be sure to check back with us and let us know the results of your calls.

 

Good luck to you!

[tkportersat]

I just want to say good luck :) This would stress me out too, I can't imagine why anyone would have set up flights this way - especially this time of year. I hope you are able to work something out.

[Prof Peg]

It would appear your concerns start in Atlanta, but in reality you should be nervous starting with Buffalo. We usually fly out of Syracuse or Rochester, but have done Buffalo on occasion. February is a touchy time of year around here, so bad I think Santa gets lost on his way home and thinks Syracuse is the North Pole.

 

But as others have said, if you can change it to the day before, all the better. If not, you still have guarantees that will get you onto the ship that day or at the worst, fly you to the first port. Not an ideal solution, but not a totally wasted vacation either.

 

P.S. Maybe they'll throw in some OBC?? or a basket of fruit???? :rolleyes:

[SadieN]

The Cruise Air board has a great sticky explaining how cruise air works.

 

TAs get paid a commission when booking air thru the cruiseline. TAs aren't getting any commission when booking air not part of a package.

 

****

Can only be flown to the next port IF you have full passports. Birth certificates or passport cards will not work.

Edited January 12, 2015 by SadieN

[springs741]

 

****

Can only be flown to the next port IF you have full passports. Birth certificates or passport cards will not work.

 

That was my question. OP do you have a passport? Otherwise you will not reach the ship in Cozumel.

[cefm]

Personally I never go anywhere without a full passport and International Drivers Permit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cuizer2]

We are scheduled to sail on the Pride out of Tampa on Feb 1st. When we booked with our TA she said if we booked everything through Carnival they would make sure our flights arrived in time for the 1-3 pm embarkation. Our flight leaves at 7:30 am from Bflo and arrive in Atlanta about 10:30. We have a 2 hr. delay and do not arrive in Tampa until 1:55. Since I have flown out of Atlanta many times before I know there is usually a back-up. When we contacted Carnival about changing our flights they told us that as long as we arrive by 2:30 we should be able to get the shuttle and make it to the ship on time. She advised us to contact our TA which we did. She claims she called Carnival and they told her the same thing. She said as long as we have the insurance, they will either get us to our next port which is Cozumel, on Tuesday or get us on another ship. Getting very nervous. We originally wanted to go down the day before and TA said it was not necessary. They booked us on Delta Airlines...first flight into Tampa.

 

Has anyone else run into this problem with Carnival? What can we do? Am I being too nervous and anxious. Please advise.:(

 

 

This is the reason I will not allow the cruise lines to book my flights for me. If you book through the cruise line, then the cruise line is paying for your flight. Thus they have a financial incentive to book the least expensive flights that they can find. They have your money and don't care if your vacation is ruined because some delay caused you to miss the ship.

 

I book my own flights and arrive a day or two early. On top of that, I can usually find flights that I like for less than what the cruise line wants to charge.

[riffatsea]

You are not being too anxious! I'd say that your TA is not really working with your best interest at heart!

Call and make a fuss about it because you have really no way to change the flights unless the TA does something for you!! It is ridiculous to fly out of Buffalo in winter the day of a cruise!

[SeaScout]

We'll be on the ship with you. We're flying in from Hartford a day early. Just booked our hotel a few days ago. Contrary to what someone posted above, there are plenty of reasonably priced hotel rooms still available in the Tampa area.

 

FWIW, we'll ask them to wait if we don't see you on board. :cool:

[jenng1976]

Why don't you try posting on the Needs Assistance board on the Carnival Funville forum. The ladies from Carnival who run the site are very skilled at solving problems, and are very helpful in my experience.

 

I agree with everyone else the flights are too close for comfort, especially in winter.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[sweetiefeetie]

Thanks for the info. TA said Carnival will charge us $150 to cancel and change flight and a new flight would cost us an additional $500. Guess we will chance it and hope for the best. But, if things don't work out both the TA and Carnival will hear about it. Hopefully there will be other people on the plane that are to be on the ship also. Ship is scheduled to sail at 4pm but the embarkation times say 1 to 3.

[jenng1976]

Thanks for the info. TA said Carnival will charge us $150 to cancel and change flight and a new flight would cost us an additional $500. Guess we will chance it and hope for the best. But, if things don't work out both the TA and Carnival will hear about it. Hopefully there will be other people on the plane that are to be on the ship also. Ship is scheduled to sail at 4pm but the embarkation times say 1 to 3.

 

 

You still have a bit of time ... If I were you I would still try to push the matter more with Carnival and your TA to get an earlier flight or one the night before.

 

If something goes wrong, it's your vacation that will be delayed / ruined and being mad about if afterwards won't do you any good.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums